University of Virginia Library

ACT YE FIRST.

[Scene I.]

The scene a dark grove on ye side of a Rock; at ye Bottom ye Ocean with ships riding is seen. Out of the grove Zoroastres comes attended. Severall spirits ascending and meeting him, all with burning lamps in their hands. Strange sort of noises are heard in the air with flashes of lightning and thunder. Zoroastres comes forward and speakes.
Zor.
How great's my Pow'r! whose hand Hell's throne can shake
And Drousey Ghosts from beds of Earth awake.
Pluto himself does frightned trembling stand
And dreads his Treasure when I wave my wand.
Nor can ye aery spirits, when I call,
Resist my charms. Great Heav'n itself must fall.
A Chaos when I please, I can Create
And bee a Destiny to very Fate.
All ye great gods doe tremble when I speak,
Dipping themselves in ye infernall Lake.
—Almighty I!—

Spirits.
Dread Sovereign! Mercy.

Zor.
Bee gon, dull Feinds! and come again to mee,
When you th'Amazed world awaked see.
Perhaps those Torches, then, which now you have,
May Blaze enough to light them to their grave.
Descend—Bee gon!
[They shake their lamps and descend.
Hell sure to see mee Reign must take delight,
King of ye Day, and monarck of ye Night.
Ha! Daemolgoron walking in ye grove,
Melancholy, as if hee were in Love.
By chance I may discover— [Listens.


Daem.
«Oh, that I
Could tell her that I love before I dye!
Nor can ye great Zoroastres b' Angry sure
To see mee Fall a sacrifice soe pure.
Yet—let him say what hee does please to mee,
Cupid's as great a Conjurer as hee.
What Man e're greater Magick yet could find,
Than in Cyane's Breast if she was kind?
Heavens, what glorious thoughts I have!
What would my Fathers Circles seem to mee
When I lay girded and inclos'd by She?
—But oh my Fears!—
Great god of love! Send a bright Cupid down
To tell mee my too near Approaching doom.»

[Falls in a Trance on a Couch.
Zor.
«Bless mee! What have I heard? My son in Love?
Curses light on him.
Is it come to this? Then in vain have I
Studied ye Nature of Astronomy.
Yee mighty Planets! What can you now doe,
When dull, poor Love more influence has than you?
In vain have I ye great worlds Chymist been,
And search'd ye Nature out of ev'ry Green.
Almighty Love can now bee cur'd noe more
By ye Juice of Herbs than 'twas heretofore.
—Oh! that I should live to see this day!
Heavens! Why don't you take my life away?
—If I must live, I'le teare him from her Arms,
And, after Death, will haunt him with my charms.»

[Exit.
Two spirits in shapes of woemen clad all in white, with Wands, fly down, and stand before Daemolgoron, singing, who all ye while lays asleep on a Couch.
Song.
1st Spir.
You that here a Lover lye
Shall never a trew Lover dye,
But shall change, and like ye wind
Love ev'ry one that will bee Kind.

Chorus.
Come then, o Cupid, show thy pow'r
Uppon one that changes in an Hour.

2d Spir.
Why should not ye Flames of love
Prove as strong as those of Jove?
For 'tis a greater sin, they say,
Not for to love, than not to pray.

Chorus.
Come then, o Cupid, show thy pow'r
Uppon one that changes in an Hour.

Cupid appears above, brandishing a dart; ye 2 spirits fly up to him. And on a sudden ye stage darkens, and ye cave and grove vanish. Daemolgoron, as one amazed, rises and speaks.
Daem.
What shapes, what Forms, what visions of ye Air,
Unto my Lab'ring Fancy did Appear?
Cold thick drops of sweat from my Brows distill'd
And all ye Bloud within my veins was chill'd.
The sluggish God of sleep was 'fraid to come,
But stood at distance, hov'ring o're ye Roome.
Cupid too (I am resolv'd I'le Love noe more)
Sent two white Devils worse than all before.
Hence then I will indulge my willing mind,
Nor e're again from Pleasure bee Confin'd,
For why should I ye visions dread of Night?
A Woeman in a sheet can never Fright. [Exit.

[Scene II.]

The Scene shifts into a Pallace.
Enter Oroandes, and Phylander.
Oro.
Why doe wee loyter here, mispend our time,
When Action Calls us to things more sublime?
Let's wave ye Court, where nought but Rapines dwell,
Hell's old Exchange! Here their false wares they sell;
Here stately Beauty Tryumphs, bears ye Sway,
Leads ye Fine, Easy, Strutting Fopp Astray!
And never leaves, till it does spirit him away.
'Twas but once that e're in Hist'ry wee read
That ye Bright Venus durst an Army Head.
She too came wounded home, would goe noe more;
Blushing, she retir'd, when she saw her gore.
Young Prince! What say you? Shall wee goe to war,
Tame all ye Nations that doe live afar,
Teach 'em Humanity?—

Phy.
You have my Heart, I'me ready to obey.
I'le follow, Sir, wheresoe're you lead ye way.

Oro.
Spoke like your self, and like my Freind.
[Embraces him.
But yet suppose wee such misfortune have
As in our wish'd for Wars to Find our Grave,
Wee cannot by a Nobler way bee great
Than when wee Falling grapple with our Fate.
If ye bold sons of Earth again should rise
And with vast mountains scale ye trembling sckys,
Jove, I am sure, to see how bravely wee dy'd,
Before his Thunder for to quell their pride,
Would nobely court our very souls unto his side.
Come, then, my dear Phylander, let's not stay,
But tread a rougher and more glorious way.

Phy.
Gallant Oroandes! Whose Active Soul
Extends its valour to ye farthest Pole,
All ye great western Kings and Monarks Fear;
Your very Name with Trembling they doe hear.
Proud Persia 'tis alone opposes you,
Or else ye world it self you might subdue.

Oro.
Oh that proud Persia durst oppose my force!
I'de Trample her to peices with my Horse.

Phy.
When once, dear Sir, they did begin to Neigh,
You would bee chosen King of Persia.
—Yet I doe wonder that she now alone
Should bee ye last t'adore ye Rising Sun.
When Kings and Emperours court you for their freind,
She noe obedience at all does send.

Oro.
Therefore wee'll all her glory's tumble down,
Levell her Turrets with ye humble ground.
Fate drunk with bloud shall lead us all ye Round.

Enter Juliana, Polynice, hand in hand, at ye other end of ye stage.
Phy.
Hah! what are those fair things which yonder walk?
Oh my heart! my Eyes! how pretely they talk!

Oro.
Oh! they are woemen! shun 'em, Woemen!

Phy.
Woemen! noe, they're Angels; look how they shine!
Ther's ne're a Part they have, but is devine.
When e're ye Oracle did at Delphos speak,
A sudden Trembling us'd my joints to take.
The same fit now uppon my joints is fell,
I Tremble at ye very words they tell,
As if their lips were to bee m' Oracle.
May I not goe kneel and pray?—
They seem as if they'de my Petition hear:
Such Angels never will deny my Prayer.

Oro.
Angels! they're Devils, murderers of men.
You see they came out of that dismall den.
«Hee loves 'em sure. I myself too must not stay.»
Come, O my dear Phylander, come away,
Or else wee both shall bee unman'd today.

Phy.
By Heavens! I am so fix'd I cannot move!
[Courts 'em in dumb shew, and Oroandes turns away.
O, stay a little! don't soe cruell prove;
I've yet not bid my charming Fair, Adeiue.
Stay a little, I'le doe as much for you.
Gods! can you goe away and leave mee soe?
Let dreadfull wars awhile bee out of mind,
And let Fair Venus come, who will bee Kind,
And mee another God of War you'le find.

Oro.
Farewell, then, Freindship, you and I must part.
I will not stay when you have lost your heart.
—«Who ever thought of this?»

Phy.
Ah! what a Killing Look was there! It came
Pointed with steel, and armed with a Flame:
I Dye! I Dye! Oh, say what e're you can,
Hee that resists such Beauty's more than man.

Oro.
Yet, yet return, before you're vanquis'd quite;
The way to Conquer here, is not to fight.
Hearken to reason. Ah, you're quite undone:
[Phy. moves on.
With much more Safety I'de on Canons run.
To war, to war I am resolv'd I'le goe,
And never think of Love but as a Foe,
Whilst you, poor soul, with crooked knee must bend
And always on your Mistris's pleasure tend.
Our Knot of Freindship too in Love will end.
Adeiue!—You are resolv'd—

Phy.
To love.

Oro.
Farewell
For ever too.

[Exit.
Phy.
«Oh, now begins my Hell.
It was unkindly done to leave mee soe
In ye very midst of ye Insulting Foe!
If Wars hee'd lov'd, hee might have stay'd with mee,
And have fought hard too for his Victory.»

Whilest Phylander stands talking to himself, ye two princesses goe off ye stage. As hee goes to follow 'em, two Cupids fly down, and stand before him, one like a handsome boy, ye other a young girl.
Boy.
Stand still, Rash Youth, and listen.

Girl.
Ah, my dear Lovely Youth.

Boy.
Ah, Faithless fair.

[Hee runs from her. She follows him. A soft air is play'd. Hee sings.
[Woeman]
(To bee spoken)
The smallest hair I have, shall bee thy chain,
And you shall live my slave, whil'st I doe Reign.

[Turns round, and fly's upp again.
Man.
(Spoken)
Let woemen doe what ere they will,
Poor doting man must follow still.
[Flys upp after her.
Yes, Yes, imperious Beauty! I'le obey
And my Devotions at your Altar pay.
But—let my glorious chains eternall bee
That I may never have my Liberty.

Juliana and Polynice enter to Phylander.
Phy.
«Once more I see ye Sun, but circl'd round
Hee shines, as when with awfull flames hee's crown'd.»
Forgive mee, Ladys! that I thus intrude;
It was my Ignorance that made mee rude.
It is but fitting that I then retire [Goeing.

And leave this place which gods themselves desire.

Poly.
Stay, gen'rous stranger! I command you stay.
Where Ladys come, d' yee use to goe away?

Phy.
Our ancient Bards did write, men ought to dye
When they approach'd Divinity too nigh.

Jul.
Heav'ns! Polynice, let's away for fear
This impudent unknown should come more near.
With foolish Preists hee'l now deceive us more
Than e're with Fables they did him before.

Poly.
Fye, sister, you're might'ly injurious grown.
«I wish hee still had been ye fair unknown.» [Apart.


Phy.
Hah, charming fair! to whome must I now pray?
At what bright Altar must my victim lay?
Or with th'Athenians must I worship blind
Gods, as unknown to mee, as I to them?
Ah, let then Ignorance noe more protect
What otherwise might well bee thought neglect.

Poly.
You look on mee soe much, as if you were
Train'd up only in ye Rough Courts of war.
Tell mee first what you are, and whence you came,
Soe you'le obleige mee too, to speak my Name.

Phy.
Madam, ye thing which made mee here resort
Was but to learn ye language of your court.
My Name's Phylander and my father Reigns
Over ye great and large Pharsalian Plains,
Renown'd for Battles—
Soe many thousands there one day did fall
That it could scarce suffice for graves for all,
Where Rigid fate, that she might tryumph more,
Put on her robes purpl'd with humane gore.
—But why doe I talk of such dreadfull things,
Of slauter'd monarcks and of murther'd Kings?
Such Subjects are not fit for you to hear.

Poly.
The telling of 'em, Sir, I never fear.
I pity those brave men, which you doe say
Soe early and untimely dropt away.
A better fate they should have had, if I
Had had ye ord'ring of their destiny.

Phy.
Ah, happy youths! I envy now your fall.
I wish that I had perish'd for you all.

Poly.
Pity's ye least wee ought for to bestow
On those, who perish'd by our Countrey's foe.
The Gods would doe but right, if they'de restore
What by severe decrees they took before.

Phy.
Ah, then, you charming Fair! compassion shew
And something for your wretch'd Phylander doe.
Pity those wounds which your fair eyes did dart
Nor doe disdain ye off'ring of my Heart.

Poly.
«What shall I doe? Love will prevail, I fear, [Apart.

Soe that I shall not half incens'd appear.
Bear up, my heart, I'le try.»
(To Phy.)
How dare you, Sir, talk of love to mee! [Imperiously.

Wretch! Slave!—then goe and from my Presence fly.
The next minute that I see you you must dye. [Milder.


Jul.
I told you hee was mad when first hee came.

Poly.
Who would have thought he durst have told his flame!
Court mee? a stranger? one that I don't know?
Court mee again!—Come, sister, let us goe.

Enter Trivia.
Tri.
Ladys, your father waits for you within
And wonders that you will this day bee seen.

Phy.
Heavens! that I should live to injure her
Whome before all ye Earth I doe prefer.
Forgive but now, I'le ne're again declare.
I'le wander where ye silent kingdoms are;
Thus, Madam, I will free you from my Love. [Draws.

(To Oro.)
Oh, my dear freind, doe not soe cruel prove.
[Looks back and sees Oroandes who hinders him.
It is her pleasure and she thinks it good
That my bold Crime I expiate with blood.
Noe longer, then, my glorious fate withstand,
But let mee bleed it all.

Poly.
Hold! stop your hand.
'Tis not thy life of thee that I require;
I am contented, that you would expire.
(To Jul.)
Come, sister—
Oh! I have something that lyes heavy here.

[Points to her breast.
Jul.
I wish that Prince Phylander bee not there.

[Exeunt, Poly. looking back.
[Manent Oroandes and Phylander.
Phy.
My Angel's gone. Had it not been for you
My soul had went unto her Heaven too.

Oro.
Is this your love? For shame, ne're love again,
But put a period to ye Tyrants Reign;
Never let Loves false light seduce you soe.
If I was you, I'de stab him at a blow.
Hee is unwise that once has shipwrack'd been
And yet will venture for ye sea again.
How great's then your insatiable desire,
That being scorch'd doe yet dread ye fire?

Phy.
Oh, doe not mee soe cruelly upbraid
Nor speak against that fair, and charming Maid.
Bid men in feavours from their drink dispence
Or teach ye Raging mad how to talk sence,
As soon may you persuade mee not to love.

Oro.
There's noe one wise your Passion will approve.

Phy.
The wise doe love at first, but loose again
What their strict former wisdome did obtain.
Th'Almighty Jove in love became a sot
And that hee e're the Thund'rer was forgot.
'Tis Religion then in us for to approve
That which our glorious Gods themselves doe love.

Oro.
Hold, Heretick to war! I myself will goe.
All Cupids statues to ye ground I'le throw,
Nor e're to's carved image will I bow.
When this I've done, I'le fight th'unbearded boy,
With his own flames his Godship will destroy,
And with my own, if I him conquer doe,
I shall revenge great war's god's quarrell too. [Exit.


Phy.
If ever any thing could love provoke,
You sure can never miss ye dreadfull stroke. [Exit.

[Scene III.]

The Scene shifts to a pleasant Orange Grove.
Enter Cyane.
Cy.
Shall poor Cyane never bee at rest?
Always have ye Tormentor in her breast?
Thou Legion Love! Great and Powerfull God!
Who rulest the trembling world but with a Nod,
If thou would'st have mee pray unto thy shrine,
Strike Oroandes that hee may bee mine.
To her Daemolgoron.
«Here's ye worst of all my Tormentors come,
One that will never let mee bee alone!»

Daem.
Divine! Adored!

Cy.
What! are y' about to pray?
If that bee your design I'le goe away.

Daem.
To worship here I came, and here I find [Bows to her.

My Glorious Goddess, if she'le bee but kind.
May ne're a blast arise that may convey
My Prayers, as they doe come to her, astray.
My Duty bids mee to ye Gods to bow,
But Love won't all my pray'rs to Heav'n allow.
Much to ye Gods, but more to greater Love I owe.
[Bows to Cy.
Heavens!

Cy.
What silent gods does hee adore?
[She stands unconcerned.
Who can bee deaf when he soe loud does roar?

Daem.
Gods!

Cy.
Methinks they are very deaf today,
Or else they will not hear what you doe say.
Sure, Sir, you have but small acquaintance there,
Or else your gods ill manner'd must appear
To dare to deny a Gentleman's Pray'r.
Doe yee come soe often?

Daem.
I'le pray noe more,
Nor e're again your Ladyship adore. [Stamps.

—What an ill Humour you are in today! [Pauses.


Cy.
'Tis my ill Genius leads me soe away.
Yet since you are soe stout, you this I'le tell:
[Turns to him.
My spirit ne're with Conjuring you'll quell. [Exit.


Daem.
If ever I again to Love incline!
May—hold, how quickly I doe change my mind!
Well, I've found a trick I am sure will doe;
Her haughty spirit now to mee shall bow.
I'le lay her spirit with my Golden Charms
And embrace pleasure with my open arms.
Heav'ns great Emperour this receipt did use
When hee ye guarded virgin did abuse.
The great and mighty Brazen walls were torn;
Nought could resist ye brave and glitt'ring form;
The Port itself was taken in ye storm.
And that my pleasure too I may obtain
I will call back ye golden age again.

Enter one of ye guards.
Guard.
Your Father, Sir.

Daem.
Slave! How dare you t'intrude?

Guard.
The king, Sir, sent mee.

Daem.
Not to bee soe rude.
Retire.
[Exit Guard.
Let my dull, aged, doting Father come.
How long must hee bee troubl'd with a crown?
Enter King Zoroastres attended.
Hail, mighty Sir!
Methinks I see a light shine round your Head,
A burning crown with brightest glory's spread.
Why should not you, O Father, bee a god?
«O that in Heav'n you had but your abode!» [Apart.

For all ye Angels you as God obey,
And if you say ye word, they come away.
«Sure I may tell him now that I doe love.»
Great Sir, may I a question to you move?
'Tis Easey—

Zor.
Well, what is't?

Daem.
I dread to tell.
If I should say I love ye fair—

Zor.
Heav'ns! Hell!
Is this your question, a very easy one?

Daem.
Oh, Sir, bee'nt angry and I will bee gone.
Since you condemn my love, I will retire
And veiw with scorn, what once I did admire,
Yet if you did but know whom I adore,
Sure you could not bee angry any more.

Zor.
S'death, still? Who doe you think I am?

Daem.
A Father.

Zor.
If you don't take care, a King.
Love! which you know I hate as I doe blood,
Nor e're by you would have it understood.
Yet in Cyane you can day and night
In spight of my Commands take your delight.
Goe, Rebell, Slave! goe! to Cyane goe
And see, you wretch, what she for you can doe;
As long as you a Passion for her own,
You'le loose your Title to your Fathers Crown. [Exit.


Daem.
Cyane! how did hee come to know her Name,
Or that 'twas her to whome I paid my flame?
Some envious devill of his this needs must tell.
O that hee and all his Dev'ls were in Hell!
Shall I my love then pass soe silent by,
And tamely see my poor Cyane dye?
Assist mee, Love, with all thy mighty power,
And see what I will act within this hour.
Why should I not love?—
It is noe policy to lay that down
Which may, if manag'd well, bee worth a crown.
O, if I in this pious work doe speed,
Loves Altars sacrifice shall never need!
Give mee but once my love, my Father dead,
Let Jove dart all his thunders at my head.
I'le act ye Roman and will slip to bedd. [Exit.