 | The Prophetesse |  |
Scæna Prima.
Enter Chorus.So full of matter is our Historie,
Yet mix'd, I hope with sweet varietie,
The accidents not vulgar too, but rare,
And fit to be presented, that there wants
Room in this narrow Stage, and time to expresse
In Action to the life, our Dioclesian
In his full lustre: Yet (as the Statuarie,
That by the large size of Alcides foot,
Ghess'd at his whole proportion) so wee hope,
Your apprehensive judgements will conceive
Out of the shadow we can only shew,
How fair the body was; and will be pleas'd,
Out of your wonted goodnesse, to behold
As in a silent Mirrour, what we cannot
With fit conveniencie of time, allow'd
For such Presentments, cloath in vocall sounds.
Yet with such Art the Subject is conveigh'd,
That every Scene and passage shall be cleer
Even to the grossest understander here.
Loud Musick.
Dumb Shew.
Enter (at one door) Delphia, Ambassadors, they whisper together; they take an oath upon her hand; She circles them (kneeling) with her Magick rod; They rise and draw their Swords. Enter (at the other door) Dioclesian, Charinus, Maximinian, Niger, Aurelia, Cassana, Guard; Charinus and Niger perswading Aurelia; She offers to imbrace Maximinian; Diocles draws his sword, keeps off Maximinian, turns to Aurelia, kneels to her, laies his sword at her feet, she scornfully turns away: Delphia gives a signe; the Ambassadors and Souldiers rush upon them, seise on Aurelia, Cassana, Charinus, and Maximinian; Dioclesian and others offer to rescue them; Delphia raises a Mist: Exeutt Ambassadors and Prisoners, and the rest discontented.
The skilfull Delphia finding by sure proof
The presence of Aurelia dim'd the beauty
Of her Drusilla; and in spight of Charms,
The Emperour her Brother, Great Charinus,
Still urg'd her to the love of Dioclesian,
Deals with the Persian Legats, that were bound
For the Ransom of Cassana, to remove
Aurelia, Maximinian, and Charinus
Out of the sight of Rome; but takes their oathes
(In lieu of her assistance) that they shall not
On any terms, when they were in their power,
Presume to touch their lives: This yeelded to,
They lie in ambush for 'em. Dioclesian
Still mad for fair Aurelia, that doated
As much upon Maximinian, twice had kill'd him,
But that her frown restrain'd him: He pursues her
With all humilitie; but she continues
Proud and disdainfull. The sign given by Delphia,
The Persians break thorow, and seize upon
Charinus and his Sister, with Maximinian,
And free Cassana. For their speedy rescue,
Enraged Dioclesian draws his sword,
And bids his Guard assist him: Then too weak
Had been all opposition and resistance
The Persians could have made against their fury,
If Delphia by her cunning had not rais'd
A foggie mist, which as a cloud conceal'd them,
Deceiving their Pursuers. Now be pleas'd,
That your Imaginations may help you
To think them safe in Persia, and Dioclesian
For this disastre circled round with sorrow,
Yet mindfull of the wrong. Their future fortunes
Wee will present in Action; and are bold
In that which follows, that the Most shall say,
'Twas well begun, but the End crown'd the Play.
Exit.
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