University of Virginia Library

ACT III.

SCENE I.

Enter Sapritius, Theopilus, Calista, and Christeta.
Sap.
Be kind, my Friend, and give me thy Advice
In this Immergence of Distress and Sorrow.
My Son, this Son of mine, whom Nature gave me
To be the Joy and Gladness of my Manhood,
Is now become the Sorrow of my Age.
Stretcht on his Couch he lies, as if already
Death had depriv'd him of all Sense and Motion;
Often a melancholy Sigh or Groan
Gets vent, and forces Passage from his Heart:
His Eyes half open, steddily are fixt
On the next Object that athwarts his View.

Theo.
Can't your Physician's Skill prescribe a Remedy?

Sap.
Not any: Oh my Heart!

Theo.
Is there no Hopes?

Sap.
All my expecting Hopes in him are blasted,
Blown into the Air, like Vapours quite extinguisht.
I am frantick with the Thought.
O ye just Gods! would he had ne'er been born.

Theo.
Know you no Cause from whence it shou'd proceed?

Sap.
I judge it to be Love;
And tell me pray, what Physick's against that?
He loves this Christian Virgin, Dorothea.
And cou'd the angry Princess be appeas'd,
All Title to her Love surrender'd up;
Yet this coy Witch is so transported
With her Religion, that unless my Son
(But let him perish first.) believes like her,
She'll not vouchsafe the least Respect or Love.

Theo.
But if she be remov'd from her Opinion,
As I cou'd hope she will,
By the persuasive and convincing Arguments
My Daughters Wit shall use;
You'll find her then possest with a Compliance
To all that you in reason can expect.

Sap.
If she persists, I'll crush her into nothing.
The Stygian Damps, breeding infectious Air,
The Mandrake's Groans, the Basilisk's killing Eye,
Nay all the Horrors Devils can invent,
Shall prove to her less fatal than my Rage.

Theo.
Now you resolve indeed!

Sap.
I have deferr'd my Vengeance,
In hopes to draw this young Apostate back,
Which will be greater Honour than her Death,
To her dead Father's Faith.

Theo.
Upon these Hopes we build;
Come nearer Children, may the Gods inspire you,
And prosper your Attempts to do them Service,
And their Religion Honour.

Sap.
Add to your Reasons,
Or Threats, or Gifts, or Promises to win her;
If you prevail, 'tis the most glorious Work
You ever undertook.
We'll send her to you—

[Exit.
Theo.
Be constant, and be careful—

[Exit.
Enter Dorothea, and Captain of the Guards, who Exit.
Cal.
Health and eternal Joy attend thee, fair One.

Christ.
We are sorry for your Troubles, and to meet you
Thus as a Criminal guarded, most afflicts us.

Dor.
And I am sorry you have Liberty,
So well I like your Virtues;
Though your mistaken Zeal oppose my Knowledge,
That I cou'd wish for the same Crime as mine,
You were my Fellow-Prisoners.

Cal.
Our Friendship is as great as formerly,
Tho' you rejected us; and now our Visit
Is to offer you our Counsel and Assistance,
In this deprest Estate of adverse Fortune.

Dor.
I gladly welcome it.

Christ.
You may remember,
In what religious Bonds of friendly Amity
Our honour'd Parents liv'd; and that our selves
Have from our Childhood still enjoy'd the same,
Till our returning to our Father's Faith,
From whence your Conversation had betray'd us,
Has lately caus'd this Separation.

Cal.
Look on us in that sad Estate you are in,
When o'er our Heads the Vengeance of the Gods
Stood ready to destroy us: All the Comforts
And Joys of Life, when Christians, had forsook us:
Instead of Blessings from our aged Parents,
Curses, Contempt and Scorn fell thick upon us.

Christ.
This consider'd,
We timely made a safe and fair Retreat;
Again embrace the Mercy of our Gods,
And live in Peace and Pleasure.

Cal.
By our Example, bequeathing
Misery to those that court it,
Learn to be happy; scorn your Christian Yoak;
'Tis much too heavy for so fair a Form.
The Father of the Gods design'd your Person
For Pleasure, Joy, and the Delights of Sense;
And not your harsher Dictates of Morality.

Christ.
Change your Religion, and no longer serve
Under the hard Injunctions of your Teachers.
Men, who impose such Doctrines of Faith,
As they themselves believe not; grosly cheating you,
With Joys imagin'd, for experienc'd Sorrow.
Let us conjure you change, for our Religion
Is but a vary'd Exercise of Pleasure.
While your long Practice of continu'd Pray'r,
Penance, Confession, Abstinence, and Sorrow,
Makes you forget to Live.

Dor.
Dare any say so much, or dare I hear it
Without a virtuous and religious Anger?
Now to put on a modest Virgin Silence,
Is to that Power I serve a greater Injury,
Than to be Eloquent in vicious Councils.
What are your Temples Gods, Religious Rights,
And all the foolish Worships you delight in,
But juggling, mistical, deluding Follies?

Christ.
To gain you to our Faith, we have Power to grant
Whatever you will ask; then timely think
You may enjoy, or Love, or Wealth, or Honour;
Nay what you'll ask, to make your Life a Pleasure.
Do but comply, and serve our Father's Gods:
Whose Curses else will light most heavy on you.
You know their Vengeance is most powerful.

Dor.
Powerful! alas! I neither dread their Power,
Nor court their Aid;
For what can Things inanimate perform,
That want both Life and Sense? Is it your Wood,
Your Gold or Silver Gods, that I shou'd fear?

Cal.
We in their Images revere their Persons.

Dor.
Their Persons? be it so. Consider then,
What are the Persons you so blindly Worship.
Your Venus, Juno, Flora, and the rest,
Were all but Prostitutes to Lust and Passion.
Your Jupiter, Mars, Vulcan, Mercury,
Were nought but Murderers, Paricides, and Lechers;
Or else all Fiction, and Poetick Fancy.
O blinded Ignorance! by the Truth I charge you,
Would you, to have your Father deify'd,
Behold him guilty of such horrid Crimes,
As the most savage African would start at?

Cal.
Let Piety and Duty answer for me.

Dor.
Or you, would either of you,
To be hereafter register'd a Goddess,
Give your chast Body up to the Embraces
Of Wantonness and Lust? have it said of you,
This is the common Prostitute to Man,
A Mistress in the Arts of Wickedness,
Who knows all Tricks and Labarynths of Desire
That are unchast and soul?

Christ.
I hope you think not so.

Dor.
I would not judge so of you.

Cal.
Nay, you cannot.

Dor.
And yet all these I have nam'd, are infamous,
Even to a Proverb, among you their Worshippers.
Your Venus for her Whoredoms, Juno, Ceres,
And Flora, Foundress of the publick Stews.
But why should I proceed to any other?
You know the Truths I urge, confess it then,
And be yet wise and happy.

Christ.
I dare not entertain a Thought like this.

Dor.
I am sorry for it indeed.

Cal.
Would I had ne'er been born.

Dor.
Why will you make so impious a Wish?

Cal.
Our Filial Duty hath destroy'd us both,
Plung'd us beneath the dark Abyss of Error,
And we are sinking, never more to rise;
There Truth we must confess, and blush to own.

Dor.
Why do you weep? you may redeem all yet.
The darling Attribute of the Almighty,
Whose providential Care and Power supream
Form'd and supports us all, is Love and Mercy.

Christ.
In what deplor'd Estate am I involv'd?

Dor.
You may be happy.

Christ.
Wou'd you cou'd point the Way.

Dor.
The great Example of the Christians,
Who gave himself a Sacrifice, to save us,
If with an humble Penitence you implore,
Will aid and strengthen your religious Hope,
And guide you most secure.

Cal.
I am overcome
With the sad Sense of my forlorn Condition.

Christ.
O be assisting now, thou more than Friend,
And guide our Faith with thy celestial Counsel.
Accept us on our Knees to be your Partners,
[They kneel.
And never, never, let's be more disjoin'd.

Dor.
Rise then, and let's embrace,
Let us resolve to persevere in Virtue.
'Tis a celestial Comfort,
Thus to enfold the Partners of our Fate,
And Object of our Love: But are you sure
Your Faith can stand against the Storms, the Blasts,
And all the Assaults of persecuting Power?
For Death, and Torment, and a future State,
Are dreadful, shocking Thoughts to all of us;
But more to those,
Who yet have look'd no farther than the Grave.

Christ.
Most sensible of this, let's kneel together,
[All kneel.
Join all our Hands, and in a solemn Vow
Protest to Heav'n, and beg its Guardian Influence
To strengthen and support us in the Conflict.

Dor.
'Tis what my Soul desires,
And may it be so.

Cal.
Now I am confirm'd;
And dare, by your Example,
Oppose the worst of tyrannous Cruelty.

Dor.
Let's on our Journey then, and meet our Fate:
Our Faith secures us a more happy State.
What, tho' the Grave our Bodies shall contain,
Our Souls immortal, sure, must rise again,
And o'er their Malice most triumphant Reign.
Eternally possessing endless Joys,
And pure Angelick Love that never Cloys.

[Exeunt.
SCENE Changes.
Enter Artimia, Sapritius, and Theopilus.
Art.
Sapritius, tho' your Son deserves no Pity,
Yet we do mourn his Sickness.
His base Contempt of us
We cast behind, and now look back, upon
His Service done to Cæsar; which out-weighs
Our just Displeasure: If it is thro' Restraint
His Sickness has its Origin or Growth,
Or that you think his Liberty
Can be a Means to cure him,
Say, and let him have it,
For we forgive him freely.

Sap.
Madam, you bind me ever to your Service.

Art.
Use all the Means you can for his Recovery.
And tho' I yet retain some Tender for him,
And cou'd accept his Love; I will not force it.
If this fair Christian, who has rival'd me,
Be won to our Belief, let him possess her.
The World shall know, 'tis in a Woman's Power,
Or to command, or to subdue her Passions.

Theo.
Sapritius, you are happy in your Wishes,
Such Eloquence and sweet Persuasion dwells
Upon my Daughters Tongues, they will persuade her
To any Change whatever.

Sap.
I wou'd it might be so;
But I am certain 'tis no easie Task
To change the Mind of foolish obstinate Woman.
Perverseness is inherent to the Sex.

Enter Priest with Incence, Dorothea, Calista, and Christeta.
Priest.
My Lord, your Daughters,
The Pillars of our Faith, having converted
(For so 'tis given out) this Christian Lady,
Are going to the Image of great Jove,
To offer Incence, and implore his Pardon.

Theo.
My Soul divin'd as much.
Blest be the Morn that gave 'em to my Arms;
Their Mother, when she bore them to support
My feeble Age, filled not my longing Heart
With so much Joy, as they in this good Work
Have thrown upon my Soul; welcome, thrice welcome
Daughters, both of my Body and my Mind:
Let me Embrace in you my Bliss, my Comfort;
And Dorothea, thou art dearer now,
Than if thou ne'er hadst fallen from our Faith.
Speak, tell the blest Event of all my Wishes.

Christ.
This Undertaking has, most honour'd Sir,
Gain'd us Immortal Glory, and hereafter
Shall be the Story of succeeding Times.

Cal.
Never was time employ'd to such Advantage
By either of us, since we had a Being.

Theo.
My Joys are now compleat;
Prepare the Incence quickly: Dorothea,
I will my self support you while you kneel,
And pay your Vows to Jove.

Dor.
We all have this Resolve, to do it together.

Theo.
True, their Knowledge is familiar with the Worship,
And their Instructions may be some Assistance.

Cal.
Give us the Censers now.
Thus would we scorn and use their Images,
And thus do we contemn their fabulous Persons.

[They throw the Censers on the Ground, and tread on 'em.
Christ.
And vow to Heaven, ne'er to regard 'em more,
But with Contempt and Scorn.

Theo.
This Sight has chill'd my Blood,
I am blasted with it.

Sap.
Prophane and Impious,
Why stand you like a Statue?
Are you the Champion of our Gods?
Where is your holy Zeal and Anger now?

Art.
I could not have this Thought.

Theo.
Nor can I scarce believe it, tho' I saw it.

Sap.
O, there is much of Woman in 'em all.

[To Theopilus aside.
Theo.
Comfort farewel.
Destruction, Plague and Ruin,
And an Eternal Sorrow, from this Moment
Shall be the sad Companions of my Life.
A Statue? ay my Lord, there's nothing shall
Have Power to move this wretched Body
From that curs'd Place, where first
It heard and saw the horrid blasting Deed.
Would I had been born incapable of Reason,
Without the Faculties of Sense and Knowledge,
Not differing from a Brute, I had been happy,
And out of Fortune's Power in that Estate.

Art.
Theopilus, you must endeavour Patience.

Theo.
Patience?
Alas, why will you talk of Patience?
Can the sad Soul that groans in Agony,
And lies tormented with Excess of Pain,
Take the Advice of Patience from the Happy?
You feel not what I feel. Show me the Man
Whose Wretchedness may be compar'd with mine;
If he in such a Case as this will smile,
Regardless pass it by without Concern,
Then will I do it; but 'tis impossible,
And cannot be.

Art.
Think, and appear a Man:
For when in such Excess of Passion drown'd,
A Man is but a Brute.

Theo.
We all can Counsel those in Misery,
And very gravely give 'em good Advice,
But when our selves taste of the same Affliction,
Not one of us can take th'Advice we gave.
I must resolve on something to be done.
Give me, ye injur'd Powers, a Flood of Tears
To expiate this Madness of my Daughters;
For had they been themselves, they would have trembled
At such an Impious Deed.
Oh, for my sake, defer a while your Vengeance,
And give me Patience to demand a Reason
For this accursed Deed.

Dor.
Accursed? no, it was not so, 'twas Glorious.

Theo.
Peace, thou damn'd Hag,
Thou Minister of Horror to my Soul;
Speak but one Syllable against our Gods,
And thou shalt never live to utter more.

Dor.
I can't but smile, to think
How zealously you plead for senseless Things,
That want to know the Injuries are done 'em:
Your Jupiter else would not have forgot
The Thief that stole away his Golden Locks,
And left him bald-pate in the Capitol.

Theo.
Blasphemer!
Ingenious Cruelty shall punish thee:
Thou art past Hope. But for my Daughters
Again seduced, the Dew of mild Forgiveness
May gently fall, provided they deserve it.
O be again your selves, with true Contrition
Sue the offended Gods.

Cal.
Your Gods!
Not to be Mistress of the World.

Christ.
No, we are both
Christians as Dorothea, and dare die so.

Sap.
You said just now
Something must be resolved.
Now let it be, and fix your Resolution,
Your Honour, the Credit of your Life,
Your All depends upon this piece of Justice.

Theo.
What would you have me do?

Sap.
Do they not merit Death?
Surely they do; but dying by your Hand,
'Twill be recorded to your Immortal Honour.
Strike then, at once dispatch 'em. I would do it:
See, here's my Dagger, you have got another,
And Hands enough to do the Work at once.
What need of Counsel is there in the Case?

Theo.
You need not urge my Wrath, thrice hot already;
Ætna is in my Breast, here Sulphur burns
And quite consumes my Heart's warm Vital Blood.
Gods! nought but Death can stop its rapid Course;
Nay—and it must be so—but by my Hand!
My Hand? O you just Gods—How am I tortured now!
Give me your Dagger.

Sap.
Ay here.

Theo.
Now it is in my Power—
And yet I want the Will—it shall—
[Pauses.
Yet it shall not. Gods! what shall I resolve?
Who waits?

Enter Captain of the Guards.
Cap.
Your Lordship's Pleasure.

Theo.
To you on pain of Death, this very moment,
Command a Party of our Roman Guards
Hence to the Verge of that stupendious Cliff,
Whose horrid Height o'erlooks the boysterous Surge,
And frightens Nature with the dreadful Prospect.
From thence throw headlong to Eternal Ruin
These Instruments of Hell, these two, my Daughters;
And dash'd in pieces, let their Bodies perish.

Cap.
My Lord.

Theo.
Do it, or by the Sacred Head of Jove
Your self shall meet the Fate.
I will not hear a Word in their behalf.
Away, be gone.

Cap.
My Lord! Sapritius!

Sap.
I have nothing to say to't.
If you have his Command, you must obey it.

Cap.
I must some way invent to shield their Virtues.

[Exit, leading Christeta and Calista.
Theo.
Away, or Death shall seal my Vengeance on you.

Dor.
O let me join with them,
And I am happy.

Theo.
Thou shalt not perish such an easie way;
But in my Charge, loaded with Iron Chains,
And fed with Bread and Water, I'll afflict thee.
'Till I find out some new invented Engine
Worthy to torture thee.
Preserve me Pluto still to be the Scourge
Of this base Christian mischief-making Sect,
To drive and to destroy them off the Earth.
From my Invention Torments shall have birth,
That shall so horrible to Nature seem,
Even Hell's dire Furies will my Zeal esteem,
And Copy from my Wit. Nor let me fall,
'Till Plagues and Tortures have consum'd 'em all.

[Exeunt.