 | The Loyal Brother or the Persian Prince |  |
ACT. II.
SCENE I.
Tachma's Triumph usher'd in by Drums, and Trumpets; and answer'd by Flutes, Hoe-boys, and voices from the other side of the Stage: Seliman meets Tachmas with a full Court.Selim.
Welcome thou worthy partner of my fame!
From the rich Harvest of thy glorious toyl,
Welcome my General, my Friend, and Brother!
Why art thou backward in thy part of Friendship?
Rise to my breast, for my impatient heart
Awaits thee there; my Arms thus fold thee in,
Thus press thee to my Soul, where thou wilt meet
A thousand Welcomes more than words can give thee.
Tach.
O my Imperial Lord! my Godlike Master!
How has your Servant merited this Grace?
Permit me prostrate on the Earth to fall,
And pay my Adoration to this goodness.
Selim.
I Swear it must not be Brother, I read
A longing in our gracious Mothers eye;
She claimes your knee, and duty.
Tachmas kneels to Begona.
Arb.
Why all your projects are aground already;
The Sophy doats upon the Prince.
Isma.
Be patient:
His kindness is as short liv'd, as his anger.
Bego.
Thou second blessing, which the Gods enrich'd
My fruitful youth with, comfort of my age,
Our lives preserver, welcome from the War
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Tach.
Is there a Joy in Victory beyond
My Mothers safety? protecting her, you Gods!
Has overpaid the little I have done;
My hours of blood, and I am still your debtor.
Bego.
Now I could bless these powers, that lengthned out
My date of life, to this most happy day;
Once more to view the ancient Persian glory
Shine out in these, my Sons; once to behold
The face of things serene, and fair agen;
The fruits of peace brooding through all the Land,
And plenty smiling upon evry brow:
This as the Mother of my Country, but
The Spirit of my joy's reserv'd for you,
My Sons; or let me call you by a nearer name,
My self; thus to behold you meet in friendship;
To have my blood, altho' in different veins,
Flow in one stream of love; and whats yet more,
Tho' Empire stands between, like a huge rock,
To break the current, and divide you ever.
O! let it be my glory now, my Sons!
To seal the bands of friendship, you have tied,
To bless you thus, thus, in each others Arms,
And as a worthy Sacrifice, to offer
My stock of breath in Prayers for both your welfares.
Ambo.
Long live thou best of Mothers!
Selim.
And mark me all my people; nay sound our Trumpets
To yon bright roof, and summon all the Gods,
As witnesses to this great Stygian vow.
By the Eternal God-head of the Sun,
I glory more that I can call thee mine,
My Friend, and Brother, than in wearing Crowns.
Tach.
Gods! if there be a possibility
To speak my thanks; but thats impossible:
Or if there be a way to gratitude,
Direct me to't, tho'certain death attend
Me every step, I'le on to serve the King.
Selim.
I know thou wouldst, yet Tachmas! O my Brother!
Great as I am in Arms,
Tho' I have Conquer'd through the Asian world,
And thou maintain'st my glory in the field;
Still there is wanting to compleat my bliss,
Semanthe's love;—but that wise Heaven denies me,
To show I am but man: For had the Gods
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I'de been their equal: not envi'd 'em the joys,
They boast above, nor had a thought of heaven
Beyond her beauty.—
But private cares must not usurp this day.
Lead to the banquet; all must be our guests,
'Tis Seliman invites you.
Exeunt Omnes, Præter Ismael, Semanthe.
Ism.
Madam I know the Princes soul abhors
These forms, and ceremonies, that detain
Him from your arms.
I have not time to open all my thoughts;
I must attend the king: only prepare,
If any storm shou'd fall, to scape it's fury.
(Exit.
Sem.
Alas! what storm? and how shou'd I beware?
What lover ever yet foresaw a danger?
The God himself is blind, and all that love,
In midnight darkness to his temple move;
Like a tost bark at Sea, the Pilot gone,
I'm left expos'd to winds, and waves alone,
And rocks on every hand to split upon:
Yet there is one part fair in view, where I
The fortune of my life, and love will try,
My Tachmas's Arms, where I will live, or die.
[Exit.
[Scene]
SCENE a Street.Enter Citizens with their Wives.
1 Cit.
Hot work, Neighbours, very hot work; Bells ringing,
Bon-fires flaming, Crackers flying. Conduits runing,
Engines playing, and Buts of Wine tossing about, like
Church buckets in a fire.
2 Cit.
Ay, ay; 'twill be a day of service; therefore I think
it convenient our leaky vessels be lain by.
Omnes,
Agreed, agreed.
1 Cit.
Yes Doxies, you must troop home like obedient Wives,
and expect us as soon as we in our royal pleasure shall think
fit to follow.
1 Wom.
O but Husband! We have not seen the Fireworks.
2 Wom.
And we never saw Fire-works since we were marri'd.
1 Cit.
And now for the honor of Matrimony, you wou'd
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for company.
2 Wom.
Besides 'tis a Holi-day, and Citizens Wives shou'd be
abroad on Holi-days.
1 Wom.
The King has proclaim'd it, and it may be Treason to
go home before night.
1 Cit.
We your Representatives in the body politick, will stay
till morning, and be loyally drunk for the King.
1 Wom.
And we your Cyphers (if we can find any civil Gentlemen,
as loyally affected, as our selves) will do something else for
the King before morning.
Omn. Wom:
So farewel husbands.
[Exeunt Women.
1 Cit.
So, now we have the day before us.
2 Cit.
The fear of Cuckoldome is removed, and we will be
most obediently drunk at the Kings charges.
Omnes,
Away, away, we lose time.
[Ex. shooting. God bless the King.
Enter Soldiers drunk with the former Women.
1 Sold.
The day is our own, the Town surrenders, and I must
ravish.
1 Wom.
O Lord! Sir! I am married.
1 Sold.
And I am a Cuckold-maker.
1 Wom.
O! but the sin of adultery is a double sin.
1 Sold.
And I love double sinning with all my heart: 'tis a
method we Soldiers use to cheat the Devil in counting: Fornication!
Pox! 'tis boys play, and Gown-men preach against it;
but justifie the reasonableness of Adultery by their own example.
[He touzes her, while the others speak.
2 Sold.
S'buds! a Months pay is
Nothing to thee: I cou'd kiss thee to pieces.
2 Wom.
Well; if my husband knew of the ill customes you
bring into his family, he'd look as terrible—
2 Sold.
As a pair of horns can make him: but hang him Cuckold
that must be, I never fear an enemy, when I have won his
Trenches. Come, come; faith you must, faith you must—ha!
Enter former Citizens drunk, and singing, the women shriek, and run out, the Soldiers after 'em.
1 Cit.
Our Counters rifled! our Wives ravish'd, and we in the
state of Cuckoldome agen! I am drunk, desperate, and can fight
for the honor of my vocation, and confusion of Cuckold-makers—
Scour, scour, scour.—
[Exeunt.
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[Scene]
SCENE changes to the Palace.Enter Ismael with several Lords.
Isma.
My Lords! I never can enough return
This Kingdoms thanks, for making him your care,
Who is the life, and being of us all:
Tachmas! the general wish of Persia!
The peoples longing, and the Courtiers soul!
With what an eagerness the Sophy flew
To meat your loves, and e're you cou'd demand him,
Resign'd the Provinces of greatest trust
Through his Dominions, to his brothers care!
Lord.
My Lord! his strange behaviour at the banquet,
His start of passion, and abrupt departure,
Provokes our wonder.
Isma.
Trust my experience in the Sophy's humour:
The eye of time has seen him through, and through;
Trac'd him through every temper of his soul,
And shewn him naked to my strictest view:
And from my observation of his youth,
Up to his riper years, I dare affirm
His soul enrich'd with all those qualities,
That can endear a Monarch to the world.
—But see, he comes: within this hour, my Lords,
I'le wait you in th'apartment of Semanthe,
Where I have something to propose; that may
Advantage the design.
Lord.
VVe will not fail.
[Exeunt.
Ism.
To lose your heads, if you be there.
Enter Seliman.
Selim.
VVhy is my temper shaken with each breath
Of fleeting air, that's form'd into voice?
VVhy have I not an equal mastery
Over my passions, with the rest of men?
The Court is in an uproar with my follies
Expos'd in publick; all my Friends stand mute
Before me, not a Counseller that dares
Advise me, even flattery is dumb.
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Isma.
I find the poison works; I'le shew my self.
Selim.
My fit returns, and all my promises
Vanish at sight of him: a thousand doubts
Start in my soul, and press'd to be resolv'd
From his oraculous tongue—Yet why shou'd I
Rashly endanger all my future peace,
To be inquisitive in that, may prove
A lasting torment, and at best can give
But what I had before?—I will retire,
And so conceal my weakness,—yet that were
But to betray it the more.—
Isma.
Great Sir! to press upon your thoughtful hours,
May prove my crime, 'tis fit I wait at distance.
Selim.
No Ismael!
Nothing of moment entertains my thoughts:
Only some few reflections on my late
Deportment at the Banquet.
Isma.
The cause was sure important, that cou'd shock.
Your temper so, and in that general Joy.
Selim.
The cause Ismael! as thou lov'st my peace,
Stop there; tho' much I fear thou'st gone too far:
Thou'st ignorantly toucht a jarring string,
That quite untunes the orders of my soul:
And all the rules of temperance I propos'd,
I shall leap o're, if thus thou urge me on
A second time.
Isma.
How Sir have I offended?
Selim.
Thy questions still drive on to that discourse,
That most offends me.
Isma.
Better I never spoke, than give you trouble.
Selim.
It were indeed.—Nay thou must bear with me;
I know thou wilt, Ismael! therefore speak,
And let thy thoughts flow freely to thy tongue;
As to my ear thy words. Is not Semanthe
All can be wish'd in woman?—Ha! Not answer!
Isma.
I dare not, I shall give you a new disturbance.
Selim.
O now thou art too hard upon my follies:
I know this theam provok'd me at the banquet,
And truths in publick are resented,
VVhich meet a fair reception in our closets.
Isma.
Then I dare speak my thoughts: if I respect
Semanthe, as the Goddess of your vows,
As one, rais'd by the merit of your love;
Then I must think the vertues of her Sex,
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But if as meerly woman I esteem her,
Alli'd to imperfections, subject to
Temptations, which her beauties will invite,
And years allow off, with that tide of Youth
Swelling through everie vein, sparkling desires,
And circulating wishes to her heart:
Pardon the freedom of my own experience,
I think this fruit, that ripens on the bough,
And mellows in the Sun-shine of the Court,
Must somewhere fall.
Selim.
A thousand thoughts prey on my tortur'd soul,
And whirling fancy turns my senses round:
—Yet stay—'twas reason all he uttered to me,
And solid sense; and may perhaps be true.
Semanthe is a woman;
And who can fathom that deceitful Sex?
But by the flaming God, that rides above,
Had I a circumstance, a shew of truth,
I wou'd not only drive the Sorceress hence,
But sink her lover in the shades for ever.
Isma.
My Lord! knowing your violent passion
For Semanthe, and her unnatural coldness;
Hoping to find the cause of all, by bribes
I wrought upon a slave in trust, who told me,
How she in private entertains a lover.
Selim.
In private say'st thou? sure it cannot be:
She! who like April months, still wept, and shone,
Whose not one beauty was without a tear,
Is she, Hell! Furies! Fiends! and Plagues! Unchast?
Isma.
My Lord—
Selim.
She is, by Hell she is;
For all the tears she shed, were liquid fire,
Hot scalding bubbles of descending lust,
As Jupiter, rain'd down on Danae.
Isma.
The Gods can witness for me, I believe
Semanthe chast; as the untainted thoughts
Of infancy;
Yet she is a woman; and the nicest sure,
That makes her modesty her boasted pride,
May, when solicited with earnest vows
Of honourable love, without a crime
Believe, where her own fancy prompts her.
Selim.
What honourable love can story boast,
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Equal to mine? in all my flame of love,
When wild desires beat thick upon my soul,
And power (the countenance of greatest crimes)
Urging me on, nay when my boiling blood
Has blush'd to see me, for a womans coyness,
Forgo my pleasures; not even then I swear,
Had I a look, a thought beyond her vertue.
Isma.
I need not name your Brother, when I speak
Your Rival master of the charms of youth,
Beauty, and courage; nay more than these: one learn'd.
In the soft way of melting Ladies hearts,
So artful in the story of his passion,
That sure no woman can resist his tongue,
More than his enemy his sword in battle.
Selim.
O! 'tis impossible!
Isma.
By Heaven 'tis true; 'tis he alone
Resolves the frosty weather in her soul;
And warms her into wishes.
Selim.
Then be forgotten ever
The ties of blood, friendship, and humanity;
You'r empty names, and perish all in him,
No more my brother, but the worst of villains.
I coud behold him seated in my throne,
Disposing Crowns, and Kingdoms through the East,
And pardon his ambition:—but my love.—
Isma.
He needs no pardon, who offends with power:
And should the Prince with a strong hand maintain.
His passion to the world; nay ease your brow
Of the Imperial load; who can oppose him?
All offices are his, your sword is his,
To be employ'd against your royal life;
If gratitude permit: and who is he,
In the wild transports of ambitious thoughts,
And tossing on the billows of desire,
That for a nicety of good, or ill,
Wou'd quit the joys of Beauty, and a Crown?
Selim.
No more Ismael! tell me when, and where,
I may behold 'em: let thy working brain
But guide me to the place.—
Isma.
[shewing a Key.
That this does;
This Key discloses to you the whole Scene
Of their forbidden loves: within this hour
They, meet agen in her Apartment, where
21
Selim.
Attend me at that time.
O I cou'd curse my foolish, easie nature!
—But I am calm as yet,
The figure of my fury's lifeless drawn;
Rude, and unlike to what it shall be.
O! thou shalt see the mendings of my rage:
The manly dashes of stronger passion
Shall paint the face of my revenge so ghastly,
Nature shall start affrighted at the piece,
And cry the work's not mine.
[Exit.
Isma.
Full charg'd, and like a thunder bolt, destructive,
The Sophy flies to all that shall oppose him:
—Tachmas will stand between him, and Semanthe;
—But Seliman must pass through Tachmas to her:
'Tis so resolv'd, and stands like Heavens fixt poles!
Come furies all, whip up my sleeping envy,
Lash the lean, haggard Fiend, and make her foam;
Lend me your scorpions, reach the pois'nous bowl,
That the green gall may stain my venom'd blood,
And my infection raise a mad combustion.
Then from the Port I will behold the Storm,
And laugh at ruins, that my plots perform.
[Exit.
[Scene]
SCENE Semanthe's Apartment.Enter Tachmas, Semanthe, Lords.
Tach.
O! why Semanthe, why these falling tears?
I swear, my Love, not the last drops of life
Just flowing from my heart, are dearer to me,
Than those rich pearls, that trickle from thy Eies.
What on this joyful day! it must not be:
Give me thy griefs, pour all thy sorrows here,
Here in my breast, and pant within my arms:
Tho' fortune frown, and every star conspire,
Yet we may love, Semanthe!
Sem.
O my Lord!
What Sun shall see you mine? Is there no power
Assisting to our love?
Tach.
My dearer self!
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The Gods have sent us to begin our joys.
No, my Semanthe! we will never part:
For ever thus, thus in each others arms,
Ages shall see us flourish.
Sem.
Yes you shall
For ever be believed; for my poor heart
Wou'd fain be fonded with the hopes of rest.
Yet there is something here presages ill:
Were our loves Scene a blissful, sylvan Grove,
And we, the happy tenants of its shade;
An humble rural pair, to all unknown,
Plac't beneath Fortune's aim, we might be blest.
But Oh! the storms, and tempests of a Court,
The Rocks, the Quicksands, and tossing Seas,
That love must venture through to gain its port,
Foil the most resolute powers of my soul.
Enter Seliman unseen with Ismael, and Arbanes.
Selim.
There needs no more; Ismael, you retire,
Whilst Arbanes attends me.
[Exit. Ismael.
Sem.
You know the Sophy long has sought my love;
And tho' I swear I never will be his,
Nor change the passion I have vow'd you long,
For more than earth can give, or heaven bestow;
Yet, O my Lord! my fears are great for you:
What horrid consequence, what rash effect
Of wildest fury ought we not to dread
From him, who when he knows his happy rival,
Has power to execute his fatal will?
Tach.
No my Semanthe! we are now secure
From all the darts of Fortune: these my friends,
Soon as I march to my new Government,
Shall be your guard, and privately conveigh you
To Georgia, which Province your brave Father
Had govern'd long, and but with death resign'd:
'Tis now within my power, and I doubt not
At sight of you, but we shall have those friends
To join our cause, that may enable us
To justifie our loves.
Lords.
In the publick name,
We lay our lives, and fortunes at your feet,
Selim.
O! man me reason;
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Which else will plung me in the gulph of madness.
Sem.
But if that gloomy minute shou'd approach,
(Avert it heaven) when I am forc'd to loose you;
(Forgive the Virgin fondness of my love)
Where shou'd your poor Semanthe run for succour?
Or shou'd I live to mourn your loss for ever?
Tach.
O stop not here! for ever bless my ears
With the delightful story of thy love:
My heart is ravish'd with excessive joy,
Leaps in my breast,
And dances to the musick of thy voice.
O my Semanthe! let me die with rapture,
Thus sigh my soul out on thy Virgin bosome,
Thus press thee still, for ever hold thee to me,
Emplying the hoarded treasure of my love,
Till life be spent, and I fall pale before thee.
What shall I say to speak thy wondrous vertue?
My tongue forsakes me, when I wou'd go on,
Uncapable to form my dazling thoughts,
And I can only gaze, and still admire thee.
Seliman coming forward.
Selim.
Gaze on, devour her all; this look's thy last.
Sem.
O heavens! we are betraid.
Selim.
O wondrous modesty of guilt discover'd!
Ingrateful Slave! I will not stoop to tell thee,
How thou hast basely wrong'd thy friend, and brother.
I did design thy death; but thank the powers,
That have reviv'd expiring nature in me:
But fly, be gone to death, or banishment;
And all the publick offices you held
By our permission, here we take agen:
The general staff, Arbanes, now is thine.
Arb.
My service best, will speak my gratitude.
Selim.
As Traitors to our Crown, and Life, your Heads
[To the Lords
Are forfeit to our Laws: but meet ignobler fates.
Madam, your Sexes folly pleads your cause;
But think on him no more; learn to forget
A slave so much unworthy.
Arbanes, thou attend upon Semanthe,
And guard her, as thou wouldst thy life, away.
[Exit.
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If in my better fortune I have ever
Deserv'd thy love,
Grant me a parting minute with Semanthe;
And in return, my life
Shall be too short, to shew my gratitude.
Arb.
My Lord! the time requires a short farewel,
And you must make it so: I know there are
A thousand tender things for you to say,
Unfit for me to hear:
Therefore my Lord, the guards shall wait without.
Exit. with Guards.
Tach.
Now my Semanthe!
Sem.
O my most lov'd Lord!
Support me, for my spirits die within me,
At the least mention of thy banishment.
Tach.
Look up my star, my shining happiness;
Dart through the gloomy Winter of our fortune,
And smile upon me:
Let us deceive our miseries a while
Talk of the joys of love, and never think
Of parting; grief will come too fast upon us.
Sem.
Methinks already in some barbarous wild,
Like a benighted Traveller, I walk;
Viewing with watry Eies the sinking Sun,
And night displaying her sad Ensigns round:
No friendly Village near me, all before.
A horrid maze of death, without a guide
To chear my heavy steps; despair, and death!
O wilt thou ne're return to glad my soul,
And must we never, never meet agen!
Tach.
My souls last treasure! how I part from thee,
How far above the world, I prize thy love,
The Almighty searchers of the mind can tell:
But since irrevocable fate has doom'd
That I must ne're be happy; O hear my wish
For thy content, and future peace of mind!
—It matters not what shall become of me.
When I am gone for ever from thy sight,
Forget that wretched Tachmas ever was;
O! think not on the wretch, for that will grieve thee:
But give thy love to royal Seliman,
Give him that Heart, that once was mine; those vows,
That spotless faith thou gav'st to me: which (since
'Tis for your peace) you Gods! I here resign;
Here on this Altar sigh you all away.
[Kissing her hand.
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O most unkind! why do you use me thus?
Or wou'd you have me think you never lov'd,
That thus you wish me from you?
Tach.
My love!
My dearer self! thou miracle of woman!
For what recorded story ever told
One of thy Sex so fond of misery?
Let us live wretched then, and ever love;
So truly love, that the relenting Gods
At last in justice may redress our wrongs,
And bring us safe unto each others arms.
Sun.
O! if I ever prove untrue to Tachmas;
May I resign my honor to a slave,
Be branded a vile, common prostitute,
And only known by the black marks of shame.
Tach.
O I cou'd hear thee ever: but thus resolv'd
Let's try to part.
Sem.
O you must first begin;
For my heart's fond, and sure to say farewel,
Wou'd break it quite.
Tach.
Farewel Semanthe! witness all you Gods,
To you I recommend this weighty charge:
O guard her innocence, and secure her faith,
(For sure she will be strongly tempted from me)
That if our kinder stars shou'd guide me home,
To these lov'd arms, our souls may meet in joy.
Sem.
My heart's exceeding heavy: falling tears
Dazle my sight, and won't let me see you:
O do not leave me yet!
Tach.
I must be gone:
If I stay longer we are both undone;
My Eies wou'd ever on that object dwell;
—But we must part—farewel.
Sem.
Farewel—farewel.
[Exeunt.
| The Loyal Brother or the Persian Prince | |