University of Virginia Library

Scena Prima.

Organ mixt with Recorders for this Act.
Syphax his dagger twon about her haire drags in Sophonisba in hir night gowne petticoate and Zanthia & Vaugue following.
Sy.
Must wee intreat? sue to such squeamish eares,
Know Syphax has no knees, his eyes no teares,
In raged loue is senseles of remorce,
Thou shalt, thou must. Kings glory is their force.
Thou art in Cirta, in my Pallace Foole
Dost thinke he pittieth teares, that knowes to rule.
For all thy scornefull eyes thy proud disdaine,
And late contempt of vs now weele reuenge,
Breake stubborne scilence: looke Ile tack thy head
To the low earth, whilst strēgth of too black knaues,
Thy limbes all wide shall straine: praier fitteth slaues.
Our courtship bee our force: rest calme as sleepe,
Els at this quake, harke, harke, wee cannot weepe.

So.
Can Sophonisba bee inforc'd?

Sy.
Can? see.

So.
Thou maiest inforce my body but not mee.

Sy.
Not?

So.
No.

Sy.
No?

So.
No off with thy loathed armes
That lye more heauy on me then the chaines,
That weare deepe wrinckles in the captiues limbes
I do beseech thee.

Sy.
What?

So.
Be but a beast,
Be but a beast.

Sy.
Do not offend a power
Can make thee more then wretched: yeelde to him
To whome fate yeeldes: Know Massinissas dead,

So.
dead?

Sy.
dead.

So.
To Gods of goodmen shame

Sy.
Help vangue my strong blood boiles.

So.
O saue
thine owne (yet) fame.

Sy.
All appetite is deafe, I will I must.
Achilles armour could not beare out lust.

So.
Hold thy strong arme and heare my Syphax know,
I am thy seruant now: I needes must loue thee
For (O my sex forgiue) I must confesse,
Wee not affect protesting feeblenes.
Intreats faint blushings, timerous modesty,
We thinke our louer is but little man,
Who is so full of woman: Know faire Prince
Loues strongest armes not rude: for we still proue
Without some fury thers no ardent loue.
We loue our loues impatience of delay,
Our noble sex was onely borne t'obay
To him that dares commaund.

Sy.
Why this is well.
Th'excuse is good: wipe thy faire eyes our Queene,
Make proud thy head now feele: more frendly strēgth
Of thy Lordes arme: come touch my rougher skin.
With thy soft lip Zanthia dresse our bed,
Forget ould loues and clip him that through blood,
And hell acquir's his Wish thinke not but kisse,
The florish fore loues fight is Venus blisse.

So.
Great dreadfull Lord by thy affection
Grant mee one boone, know I haue made a vow,

Sy.
Vow? what vow? speake.

So.
Nay if you take offēce
Let my soule suffer first and yet.

Sy.
offence?
Not Sophonisba, hold, thy vow is free,
As:—come thy lips.

So.
Alas crosse misery
As I do wish to liue I long to inioy,
Your warme imbrace, but O my vow tis thus,
If euer my Lord died I vowed to him,
A most, most priuate sacrifice, before
I touched a second spouse: all I implore.
Is but this liberty:

Sy.
This goe obtaine
What time

So.
One hower.

Sy.
sweet good speed speed adew
Yet Syphax trust no more then thou maist view.
Vangue shall stay

So.
He stayes.

Enter a Page deliuering a letter to Sopho. which shee priuately reads.
Sy.
Zanthia, Zanthia
Thou art not foule, go to, some Lords are oft
So much in loue with their knowne Ladyes bodies,
That they oft loue their vails, hold, hold thou'st find,
To faithfull care Kinges bounty hath no shore,

Za.
You may do much.

Sy.
But let my gold do more.

Za.
I am your creature.

Sy.
Bee, get, tis no staine
The God of seruice is howeuer gaine.

Exit.
So.
Zāthia, where are we now? speak worth my seruice
Ha wee don well?

Za.
Nay in haight of best.
I feard a superstitious virtue woulde spoile all,
But now I finde you aboue woemen rare,
Shee that can time her goodnesse hath true care
Of hir best good. Nature at home beginnes
She whose integritye her selfe hurts sinnes.
For Massinissa, hee was good and so,
But hee is dead, or worse, distressed, or more
Then dead, or much distressed, O sad, poore
Who euer held such friendes: no let him goe
Such faith is praisd, then laught at, for still knowe,
Those are the liuing woemen that reduce,
All that they touch vnto their ease and vse.
Knowing that wedlock, virtue or good names,
Are courses and varietyes of reason
To vse or leaue as they aduantage them
And absolute within themselues reposde,
Onely to Greatnes Ope, to all els closde.
Weake sanguine fooles, are to their owne good nice
Before I held you vertuous but now wise.

So.
Zanthia victorious Massinissa liu's.
My Massinissa liues: O steddye powers
Keepe him as safe as heauen keepes the earth.
Which lookes vpon it with a thousand eyes,
That honest valiant man and Zanthia,
Doe but recorde the iustice of his loue,
And my for euer vowes, for euer vowes.

Za.
I true Madam: nay thinke of his great minde
His most iust heart his all of excellence
And such a virtue as the Gods might enuy
Againe this Syphax is but;—and you know.
Fame lost what can be got thats good: for:

So.
hence
Take nay with one hand.

Za.
My seruice.

So.
Prepare
Our sacrifice.

Za.
But yeeld you, I or no?

So.
Whē thou dost know.

Za.
what thē?

So.
then thou wilt know
Let him that would haue counsell voide th'aduice
Exit Zanthia
Of friendes made his with waighty benefites
Whose much dependance onely striues to fit
Humor not reason, and so still deuise
In any thought to make their friend seeme wise
But aboue all O feare a seruants toung,
Like such as onely for their gaine to serue
Within the vaste capacitye of place
I know no vilenes so most truly base
Their Lordes, their gaine: and he that most will giue,
With him (they will not dye: but) they will liue.
Traitors and these are one: such slaues once trust
Whet swords to make thine own blood lick the dust.
Cornets and Organs playing full musick. Enters the solemnity of a sacrifice, which beeing entred whilst the attendance furnish the Altar Sopho. Songe: which don shee speakes.
Withdraw, withdraw All but Zanthia & Vangue depart
I not invoake thy arme thou God of sound
Nor thine, nor thine, although in all abound.
High powers immense: But Iouiall Mercury
And thou O brightest femall of the sky
Thrice modest Phœbe, you that iointly fit
A worthy chastity and a most chast witte
To you corruptles Hunny, and pure dewe
Vpbreathes our holy fier. Words iust and few
O daine to heare if in poore wretches cryes
You glory not: if drops of withered eyes
Bee not your sport, bee iust: all that I craue
Is but chast life or an vntainted graue.
I can no more: yet hath my constant toung
Let fall no weakenes, tho' my heart were wrung
VVith pangus worth hell: whilst great thoughts stop our tears
Sorrowe vnseene, vnpittied inward wears.
You see now where I rest, come is my end.
Cannot heauen, virtue, against weake chance defend?
VVhen weakenes hath outborne what weakenes can,
VVhat should I say tis Ioues, not sinne of man.
Some stratagem now let wits God be showne,
Celestiall powers by miracles are knowne.
I hau't tis don. Zanthia prepare our bed
Vangue

Va.
Your seruant.

So.
Vangue we haue performd
Due rites vnto the dead.
Sopho.: presents a carous to Vangue & & &.
Now to thy Lord great Syphax healthfull cups: which don,
The King is right much welcome.

Va.
VVere it as deep as thoght off it should thus—he drinks

So.
My safety with that draught.

Va.
Close the vaults mouth least we do slip in drinke,

So.
To what vse gentle Negro serues this caue
Whose mouth thus opens so familliarly,
Euen in the Kings bedchamber?

Va.
O my Queene
This vault with hideous darkenes and much length
stretcheth beneath the earth into a groue
One league from Cirta (I am very sleepy)
Through this when Cirta hath beene strong begirt
VVith hostile siedge the King hath safely scaped
To, to,

So.
The wine is strong.

Va.
strong?

So.
Zanthia

Za.
VVhat meanes my princes?

So.
Zanthia rest firme
And scilent, helpe vs: Nay do not dare refuse.

Za.
The Negros dead.

So.
No drunke.

Za.
Alas.

So.
Too late,
Her hand is fearefull whose mindes desperate.
It is but sleepie Opium he hath drunke,

Helpe Zanthia, They lay Vangue in Syphax bed & draw the curtaines,
there lye Syphax bride, a naked man is soone vndrest;
There bide dishonoured passion they knock within, forthwith
Syphax comes.

Sy.
VVay for the King.

So.
Straight for the King: I flye
VVhere misery shall see nought but it selfe.
Deere Zanthia close the vault when I am sunk
And whilst he slips to bed escape be true
I can no more, come to me: Harke Gods, my breath
Scornes to craue life graunt but a well famde death she descends

Enter Syphax ready for bedd.
Sy.
Each man withdraw, let not a creature stay
Within large distance.

Za.
Sir?

Sy.
hence Zanthia.
Not thou shalt heare, all stand without eare-reach
Of the soft cries nice shrinking brides do yeeld
When—

Za.
But Sir—

Sy.
Hence—stay, take thy delight by steps,
Thinke of thy joyes, and make long thy pleasures,
O silence thou dost swallow pleasure right,
Wordes take avvay some sense from our delight;
Musique: be proud my Uenus, Mercury thy tong,
Cupid thy flame, boue all O Hercules
Let not thy backe be wanting: for now I leape
To catch the fruite none but the Gods should reap
Offering to leape into bed, he discouers Vangue.
Hah! can any woman turne to such a Diuell?
Or: or: Vangue, Vangue—

Van.
Yes, yes.

Sy.
speake slaue,
How camst thou here?

Van.
Here?

Sy.
Zanthia, Zanthia,
Wher's Sophonisba? speake at full, at ful,
Giue me particular faith, or know thou art not—

Za.
Your pardon just mou'd prince & priuat eare

Sy.
Ill actions have some grace, that they can feare

Va.
How cam I laid? which way was I made drūk?
Where am I? think, or is my state aduanc'd?
O Ioue how pleasant is it but to sleepe
In a kings bed!

Sy.
Sleepe there thy lasting sleep
Improuident, base, o're-thirsty slaue.
(Sy. killes Va.
Dy pleas'd a kings couch is thy too proud graue.
Through this vault sayst thou?

Za.
As you giue me grace
To liue, tis true.

Sy.
We will be good to Zanthia;
Go cheare thy Ladie, and be priuate to vs.

She descends after Sophonisba.
Za.
As to my life.

Sy.
I'le vse this Zanthia,
And trust her as our dogs drink dangerous Nile,
only for thirst, the Flie the Crocodile:
Wise Sophonisba knowes loues trickes of art,
Without much hindrance, pleasure hath no hart;
Dispight all vertue or weake plots I must
Seauen waled Babell cannot bear out lust

Descends through the vault.