 | The Sophy |  |
Actus Secundus.
Scæna Prima.
Enter Prince, Haly, Captaines and Prisoners, Bashawes.Prince.
Captaines, me-thinkes you looke like fishes out of water,
I see the Court is not your element:
You must to the warres againe.
1. Cap.
Faith Sir, These young Gallants are so taken up with
Their Mistresses; I doubt their edge is taken off from
The warres.
2. Cap.
I, and their backes too.
1. Cap.
But for us old ones we're weary of being laught at
By these Court hobby-horses, for making legges, and
Kissing hands unhandsomely.
2. Cap.
And to be censured by the she criticks, because our
Legges are bigger then the Court standard,
And therefore out of fashion.
1. Cap.
And such a gigling, because ones band's unpin'd;
Anothers beard not well turn'd up: And such a
Fiddle faddle, 'tis not to be endur'd.
Prince.
Well, howsoever you are dealt with,
Pray let these strangers finde such entertainment
As you would have desir'd,
Had but the chance of warre determin'd it
For them, as now for us; and you brave enemies
Forget your Nation, and ungratefull Master:
And know that I can set so high a price
On valour, though in foes, as to reward it
With trust and honour.
1. Bashaw.
Sir, your twice conquered Vassals,
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Here humbly vow to sacrifice their lives,
(The gift of this your unexampled mercy)
To your commands and service.
Prince
to Haly.
I pray (my Lord) second my suite,
I have already mov'd the King in private,
That in our next yeares expedition they may have
Some command.
Ha.
I shall, my Lord,
And glad of the occasion.
aside.
I wonder Sir you'le leave the Court, the sphere
Where all your graces in full lustre shine.
Prince.
I Haly, but the reputation
Of vertuous actions past, if not kept up
With an accesse, and fresh supply of new ones,
Is lost and soone forgotten: and like Palaces,
For want of habitation and repaire,
Dissolve to heapes of ruine.
Ha.
But can you leave, Sir,
Your old indulgent father, and forsake
The embraces of so faire, so chaste a wife,
And all the beauties of the Court besides,
Are mad in love, and dote upon your person:
And is't not better sleeping in their armes,
Then in a cold Pavilion in the campe,
Where your short sleepes are broke and interrupted
With noyses and alarms?
Prince.
Haly, thou know'st not me, how I despise
These short and empty pleasures; and how low
They stand in my esteeme which every Peasant,
The meanest Subject in my fathers Empire
Enjoyes as fully, in as high perfection
As he or I; and which are had in common
By beasts aswell as men: wherein they equall,
If not exceed us, pleasures to which wee're led
Onely by sence; those creatures which have least
Of reason, most enjoy.
Ha.
Is not
The Empire you are borne to, a Scene large enough
To exercise your vertues? There are vertues
Civill aswell as militarie; for the one
You have given the world an ample proofe already:
Now exercise the other, 'tis no lesse
To governe justly, make your Empire flourish
With wholesome lawes, in riches, peace and plenty,
Then by the expence of wealth, and bloud to make
New acquisitions.
Prince.
That I was borne so great, I owe to fortune,
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High in example, as I am in title;
Till what the world calls fortune's gifts my actions,
May stile their owne rewards, and those too little.
Princes are then themselves, when they arise
More glorious in mens thoughts then in their eyes.
Ha.
Sir, your fame
Already fils the world, and what is infinite
Cannot receive degrees, but will swallow
All that is added, as our Caspian sea
Receives our rivers, and yet seemes not fuller:
And if you tempt her more, the winde of fortune
May come about, and take another point
And blast your glories.
Prince.
No,
My glories are past danger, they're full blowne,
Things that are blasted are but in their bud;
And as for fortune, I nor love, nor feare her:
I am resolved, goe Haly, flatter still your aged Master,
Still sooth him in his pleasures, and still grow
Great by those arts.
Well, farewell Court,
Where vice not onely hath usurp't the place,
But the reward, and even the name of vertue;
Wee'le goe and hunt, it is a Princely sport
And much resembles warre.
Cap.
Such warres as ours,
Where we have us'd to follow chases.
Prince.
It shewes us pretty dangers, and acquaints us
With scituations, while I view the hills,
The thickets, and the rivers; here me-thinkes,
With best advantage I could pitch my campe:
Here range my Army, there the battaile joyne;
Here make a safe retreat, and there enclose
The enemie, as beasts within a toyle:
And yet I can observe the chased Stagge,
How he can cast about to seeke his safety;
And when he sees his death is unavoydable,
How he will weepe. I can observe the Dogs too,
How some in swiftnesse, some in scent excell;
Others in cry: But let us lose no time,
Me-thinkes the Courts a prison.
Ex. Man.
Ha.
Still, still,
Sleighted and scorn'd, yet this affront
Hath stampt a noble title on my malice,
And married it to Justice. The King is old,
And when the Prince succeedes,
I'me lost past all recovery, then I
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But cunningly, and closely, or his sonne
And wife, like a fierce Tygresse will devoure me.
There's danger every way; and since 'tis so,
'Tis brave, and noble, when the falling waight
Of my owne ruine crushes those I hate:
But how to doe it, that's the worke, he stands
So high in reputation with the people,
There's but one way, and that's to make his father
The instrument, to give the name, and envie
To him; but to my selfe the prize and glory.
He's old and jealous, apt for suspitions, 'gainst which tyrants ears
Are never clos'd. The Prince is young,
Fierce, and ambitious, I must bring together
All these extreames, and then remove all Mediums,
That each may be the others object.
Enter Mirvan.
Mir.
My Lord,
Now if your plots be right, you are befriended
With opportunity; The King is melancholy,
Apted for any ill impressions.
Make an advantage of the Princes absence,
Urge some suspected cause of his departure,
Use all your art, hee's comming.
Exit. Mir.
Enter King.
Ha.
Sir, have you knowne an action of such glory
Lesse swel'd with oftentation, or a minde
Lesse tainted with felicitie. 'Tis a rare temper in the Prince.
King.
Is it so rare to see a sonne so like
His father? Have not I perform'd actions
As great, and with as great a moderation?
Ha.
I Sir, but that's forgotten.
Actions o'th' last age are like Almanacks o'th' last yeare.
King.
'Tis well, but if with all his conquests, what I get in Empire
I lose in fame, I thinke my selfe no gainer.
But am I quite forgotten?
Ha.
Sir, you know
Age breeds neglect in all, and actions
Remote in time, like objects
Remote in place, are not beheld at halfe their greatnesse;
And what is new, findes better acceptation,
Then what is good or great: yet some old men
Tell Stories of you in their chimney corners.
King.
No otherwise.
Ha.
They're all so full of him: some magnifie
His courage, some his wit, but all admire
A greatnesse so familiar.
King.
Sure Haly
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Or I a King? my eares are unacquainted
With such bold truthes; especially from thee.
Ha.
Sir, when I am call'd to't, I must speake
Boldly and plainly.
King.
But with what eagernesse, what circumstance,
Unaskt, thou tak'st such paines to tell me onely
My sonne's the better man.
Ha.
Sir, where Subjects want the priviledge
To speake; there Kings may have the priviledge
To live in ignorance.
King.
If 'twere a secret that concern'd my life
Or Empire, then this boldnesse might become thee,
But such unnecessary rudenesse favours
Of some designe.
And this is such a false and squint-ey'd praise,
Which seeming to looke upwards on his glories,
Lookes downe upon my feares; I know thou hat'st him,
And like infected persons faine would'st rub
The ulcer of thy malice upon me.
Ha.
Sir, I almost beleeve you speake your thoughts,
But that I want the guilt to make me feare it.
King.
What meane these guilty blushes then?
Ha.
Sir, if I blush, it is because you doe not,
To upbraid so try'd a servant, that so often
Have wak'd, that you might sleepe; and beene expos'd
To dangers for your safety.
King.
And therefore think'st
Thou art so wrapt, so woven into all
My trusts and counsells, that I now must suffer
All thy Ambition aymes at.
Ha.
Sir, if your love growes weary,
And thinks you have worne me long enough, I'me willing
To be left off; but hee's a foolish Sea-man,
That when his shippe is sinking, will not
Unlade his hopes into another bottome.
King.
I understand no Allegories.
Ha.
And hee's as ill a Courtier, that when
His Master's old, desires not to comply
With him that must succeed.
King.
But if
He will not be comply'd with?
Ha.
Oh Sir,
There's one sure way, and I have knowne it practiz'd
In other States.
King.
What's that?
Ha.
To make
The fathers life the price of the sonnes favour,
To walke upon the graves of our dead Masters,
To our owne securitie.
King starts and scratches his head.
Ha.
aside.
'Tis this must take: Does this plainnesse please you Sir?
King.
Haly: thou know'st my nature, too too apt
14
Was never mov'd to thee.
Ha.
In other Kingdomes Sir.
King.
But has my sonne no such designe.
Ha.
Alas,
You know I hate him; and should I tell you
He had, you'd say it was but malice.
King.
No more of that good Haly, I know thou lov'st me,
But least the care of future safety tempt thee
To forfeit present loyaltie; or present loyaltie
Forfeit thy future safety.
Ile be your reconciler, call him hither.
Ha.
Oh Sir, I wish he were within my call, or yours.
King.
Why, where is he?
Ha.
He has left the Court Sir.
King.
I like not these excursions, why so suddenly?
Ha.
'Tis but a sally of youth, yet some say hee's discontented.
King.
That grates my heart-strings. What should discontent him?
Except he thinke I live too long.
Ha.
Heaven forbid:
And yet I know no cause of his departure,
I'me sure hee's honoured, and lov'd by all;
The Souldiers god, the peoples Idoll.
King.
I Haly,
The Persians still worship the rising sunne;
But who went with him?
Ha.
None but the Captaines.
King.
The Captaines? I like not that.
Ha.
Never feare it Sir,
'Tis true, they love him but as their Generall, not their Prince.
And though he be most forward and ambitious,
'Tis temper'd with so much humility.
King.
And so much the more dangerous;
There are some that use
Humilitie to serve their pride, and seeme
Humble upon their way, to be the prouder
At their wisht journeys end.
Ha.
Sir, I know not
What wayes or ends you meane; 'tis true
In popular States, or where the Princes Title
Is weake, and must be propt by the peoples power;
There by familiar wayes 'tis necessary
To winne on mens affections. But none of these
Can be his end.
King.
But there's another end,
For if his glories rise upon the ruines
Of mine, why not his greatnesse too?
Ha.
True Sir,
Ambition is like love, impatient
Both of delayes and rivalls. But Nature.
King.
But Empire.
Ha.
I had almost forgot Sir, he has
A suit to your Majestie.
King.
What is't?
Ha.
To give the Turkish prisoners some command
15
King.
Nay, then 'tis too apparent,
He feares my Subjects loyaltie,
And now must call in strangers; come deale plainly,
I know thou canst discover more.
Ha.
I can discover (Sir)
The depth of your great judgement in such dangers.
King.
What shall I doe Haly?
Ha.
Your wisdome is so great it were presumption for me to advise.
King.
Well, wee'le consider more of that, but for the present
Let him with speed be sent for: Mahomet, I thanke thee
I have one faithfull servant, honest Haly.
Exit. King
Enter Mirvan.
Mir.
How did he take it?
Ha.
Swallow'd it as greedily
As parched earth drinkes raine.
Now the first part of our designe is over,
His ruine, but the second our securitie,
Must now be thought on.
Mir.
My Lord, you are too sudden, though his furie
Determine rashly, yet his colder feare
Before it executes, consults with reason,
And that not satisfied, with shewes, or shadowes,
Will aske to be convinc't by something reall;
Now must we frame some plot, and then discover it.
Ha.
Or intercept some letter, which our selves
Had forg'd before.
Mir.
And still admire the miracle,
And thanke the providence.
Ha.
Then we must draw in some body
To be the publique Agent, that may stand
'Twixt us and danger, and the peoples envy.
Mir.
Who fitter then the grand Caliph?
And he shall set a grave religious face
Upon the businesse.
Ha.
But if we cannot worke him,
For hee's so full of foolish scruples;
Or if he should prove false, and then betray us.
Mir.
Betray us? sure (my Lord) your feare ha's blinded
Your understanding; for what serves the King?
Will not his threats worke more then our perswasions,
While we looke on, and laugh, and seeme as ignorant
As unconcern'd; and thus appearing friends
To either side, on both may worke our ends.
Enter Mess.
Mess.
My Lord, the Turkish Bashawes
Desire accesse.
Ha.
Admit 'em, I know their businesse.
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They long to heare with what successe you mov'd
The King in their behalfe.
Ha.
But now they're come I'le make 'em doe my businesse
Better then I did theirs.
Mir.
Leave us a while.
Exit Mir.
Enter two Bashawes.
Ha.
My Lords, my duty and affection to the Prince,
And the respects I owe to men of honour,
Extort a secret from me, which yet I grieve to utter:
The Prince departing, left to me the care
Of your affaires, which I, as he commanded,
Have recommended to the King, but with so unlookt for
A successe.
1. Bas.
My Lord, feare not to speake our doome, while we
Feare not to heare it, we were lost before,
And can be ready now to meet that fate
We then expected.
Ha.
Though he that brings unwelcome newes
Ha's but a losing Office, yet he that shewes
Your danger first, and then your way to safety,
May heale that wound he made; you know the King
With jealous eyes hath ever look't awry
On his sonnes actions, but the fame and glory
Of the last warre hath rais'd another spirit,
Envy and Jealousie are twin'd together,
Yet both lay hid in his dissembled smiles,
Like two concealed serpents, till I, unhappy I,
Moving this question, trod upon them both,
And rouz'd their sleeping angers; then casting from him
His doubts, and straight confirm'd in all his feares,
Decrees to you a speedy death, to his owne sonne
A close restraint, but what will follow
I dare not thinke; you by a sudden flight may finde your safety.
2. Bas.
Sir, Death and we are not such strangers,
That we should make dishonour, or ingratitude
The price of life, it was the Princes gift,
And we but weare it for his sake and service.
Ha.
Then for his sake and service
Pray follow my advice, though you have lost the favour
Of your unworthy master; yet in the Provinces
You lately governed, you have those dependances
And interests, that you may raise a power
To serve the Prince: I'le give him timely notice
To stand upon his guard.
1. Bas.
My Lord, we thanke you,
But we must give the Prince intelligence,
Both when, and how to imploy us.
Ha.
If you will write,
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To see it safe convey'd.
2. Bas.
We shall my Lord.
Exit.
Ha.
These men were once the Princes foes, and then
Unwillingly they made him great: but now
Being his friends, shall willingly undoe him;
And which is more, be still his friends.
What little Arts governe the world! we need not
An armed enemy, or corrupted friend;
When service but misplac't, or love mistaken,
Performes the worke: nor is this all the use
I'le make of them, when once they are in armes,
Their Master shall be wrought to thinke these forces
Rays'd against him; and this shall so endeare me
To him, that though dull vertue and the gods
O'recome my subtle mischiefe, I may finde
A safe retreat, and may at least be sure,
If not more mighty, to be more secure.
Exeunt.
Finis Act. Secundi.
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