 | The conquest of China, By the Tartars |  |
Scene the First.
Enter Amavanga and Vangona.Amav.
Why has hard Fate so strange a Subject chose,
To Make two Lovers meet like Mortal Foes?
I by Zungteus Hand, or he by mine,
Must on this place our dying Breaths Resigne.
37
But she, whose Hand dares in a Single Fight
Maintain her Countries and an Empires Right,
Deserves the best and bravest of Mankind.
And though wild Chance him for your Foe design'd:
The Glory of the Deed takes off the Crime:
Fighting your Lover you best merit him.
Am.
Well since 'tis past Retreat—
I'le make this Glorious Tryal of my Love;
If Amavanga's Arme Victorious prove,
My King Reveng'd, and China's Peace restor'd,
I'le find this Second Subject for my Sword.
Points to her heart.
And if it be his Fate to kill, I'le try
If after me h'has Love enough to dy:
Then to the Skyes together we'l take Flight,
As Conqu'rours, and be Crown'd with Wreaths of Light.
Since for our Loves the World no Room has giv'n,
Dying we will Remove the Scene to Heav'n.
We'l Shine the brightest Pair that Reign Above;
No such twin-Stars, as those that dy in Love.
Enter Theinmingus, Zungteus, Palexus, and Tartars on one side.
King of China, Quitazo, Licungus, and Guards of Chineses on the other side.
Amavanga, Vangona, Zungteus, and Palexus with drawn Swords advance into the middle of the Stage. A Herauld with a large Parchment-Roll at the further end of the Stage faces the Audience.
Thein.
In Presence of both Armies, Heav'n, and you
I solemnly my former Oath Renew:
That at his Victory, and our Defeat
I from your Empire will in Peace Retreat:
To all those Articles contain'd I yield:
All your Demolish't Citys I'le rebuild.
King of China
If in this Fight Fate on our Champion frown,
We're Tributaries to the Tartar Crown
Thein.
The next thing is, it lies in your free Choice
To fight with Seconds, or without.—
Zung.
—Your Voice?
Are you for Seconds?
38
—Seconds!—are Men grown
Such Cowards that they dare not dy alone?
Beasts fight in heards: and when Men are so Rude
To decide Quarrels by a Multitude;
When snatch't at by so many Hands, a way
So Savage, Honor's not a Prize, but Prey.
Palex.
But Sir by Custom, and by friendship's Laws,
We plead a Seconds Right in a Friends Cause.
Am.
Such Men true Friendship never understood,
Who basely with their own mix their Friends Blood.
Seconds! th'Invention of some Coward Hand,
By Customary Barb'rousness maintain'd;
Which all Heroick Spirits must disown,
Who borrow others Courage doubt their own.
Decrepit Age may with Brisk Seconds fight,
And Wink and Conquer, if their Arms hit right.
No Sir, I beg yours and these Monarchs leave,
That from our Single Hands they would their Fates receive.
Zung.
Agreed.
Thein. & King of China.]
Agreed.
Thein.
Draw off, and at the Trumpets sound
Prepare your Entries first, then choose your Ground.
Am.
Sir I request your Promise, if I fall
To let him give me Private Funeral.
[Pointing to Van.
After the Sound of Trumpets they Fight, and Amavanga falls.
The Tartars Shout.
Am.
Draw nearer, Sir, and know these Closing Eyes:
'Twou'd be unkind to dye in a Disguise.
Empty of Blood my Veins, with Love are fil'd;
I'm Charm'd even by that Courage—
I am kill'd.
Zung.
My Amavanga dead! and by my Hand!
Oh! Envious Gods with fatal Planet Raign'd
Ore this Black Day. Could any thing, but Hate
And Scorne to me, make you Embrace this Fate,
To Chuse your Murder from no Hand but this?
Am.
Hold Sir, t'accuse now I'm dying is
A Sound too harsh t'a breaking Lover's Heart.
So long a Farewell and unkindly Part!
39
Think what Devotion to my King I owe.
Nothing but Loyalty and Honour's Laws
Engag'd me in this Great but Fatal Cause.
Do not Deplore my Fate, it is a Grace too High;
I've lost an Empire and deserve to dy.
My Conscious Soul do's all my stains recount,
And blush to look on Heav'n, where it would mount,
But if Heav'ns Mercy any Room can spare,
To let a Worthless Guest in habit there;
My Soul shall bear thy Image to the Sky,
I'l grasp thee till I reach Eternity;
And when I'm there; if Love so far can veiw:
Look up to me; as I'l look down to you.
[dyes.
Zung.
Her Sacrilegious Murder do's present
All Horrours, that Distraction can invent,
Or Tortur's yeild: My stagg'ring Frame's ill built;
And takes Convulsions from the Wounds she felt.
Palex.
Restrain your Passion, Let it ne'r be said,
You plaid the Lover in an Armies Head.
Zung.
Gods!—
Thein.
Now by the Justice of our stronger Cause
You must submit t'obey your Conqu'rours Laws.
K. of China.]
What I have sworn, I never dare call back.
Zung.
Then Sir that Oath you swore, 'tis I dare break.
Be still a Monarch—
[Tears the Articles
You shall not shrink thus tamely from a Throne,
Nor quit one Gemm that sparkles in a Crown.
Thein.
How Traytor!
Zung.
—No, I'm China's Mortal Foe:
But 'tis a Debt I to my Honour owe.
To give him back the forfeit of his Crown.
And to maintain his and my own Renown,
I'le stake my Life and Soul, and lend my Sword
To Guard that Throne my bounty has restor'd.
Thein.
Great Gods! what black Offences have I done,
To find so great a Traytor in a Son?
The Name of Son he ha's too long possest;
Direct your Swords at the bold Rebels Brest.
40
First hear me Sir, and then my Life I'le yield.
To my Disgrace I have a Woman kill'd.
Alc.
A Woman!
Zung.
But it shall never stain my past Renown
To say I fought with Women for a Crown.
I set such Rate on Kings, though Enemies,
That though my mounting Pride at Empire flyes:
Yet my Ambition ha's this Virtue taught,
I scorne to wear a Crown so cheaply bought.
Once more then for my Honour and your own
Choose out a Manly Hand to Guard your Throne.
Choose out a Champion from your Armies Head;
With him once more my former Cause I'le plead.
Let our too Swords renew this great debate:
And turn the Scale of Empires by our Fate.
Quit.
Sir, Let my Hand that glorious Cause decide.
King of China.
Quitazo hold; that Suite must be deny'd.
No, I have found his Vertue so Sublime,
I dare not trust my Cause a Second time.
Zungteus ha's a mind so God-like, great,
And Generous, he can no Equal meet.
When e'r he fights, unmatch't he has the Odds;
Who fights with him makes War against the Gods.
For sure their Deities must take his side,
Whose Soul is to their Heav'n so near ally'd.
I'le trust my Fate to no more single Hands:
But bow to what this Conqu'rour Commands.
Zung.
If then you dare not trust a single Sword,
Be in you Pallace-Walls again secur'd.
The former Truce we made remains this Night:
And the next Morning's Sun Renews the Fight.
If through the Camp you doubt in your Retreat
Your Person's safety to the City Gate:
To You—
I and my Army shall this Homage pay,
Your Foes to morrow, but your Guards to day.
King of China.
Brave Conqu'rour—
Had you of this Days Fate th'Advantage took,
You from my Hand had China's Scepter struck.
41
Who the Reward of Conquest can despise.
[Exit King of China attended.
Thein.
Zungteus Deeds, and Glories are above
The Payment of a King and Fathers Love.
I could call back my Youth, and wish to be
Thy Brother only, to act Deeds like thee.
Manent only Zungteus, Palexus, Vangona, who offers to carry off Amavanga.
Zung.
Hold your Rude Hands,—
And take me with her.
Vang.
'Twas our Queen's Last Will,
Which you are bound by Promise to fulfill,
That if 'twere by your Sword her Chance to fall,
My hand should give her private Funeral.
Zung.
Spight of my Vow, I'le follow her; for him,
Who commits Murder, Perjury's no Crime.
Nor is this all I'le do; for when I have
Attended my Dead Princess to her Grave,
By the same Instrument her Death has giv'n,
I'le send my Soul to wait on her to Heav'n.
But if the Stubborn God's refuse t'admit
A Profane Murderer into Heav'n's blest Seat;
A Banish't Ghost I'le wander through the Sky,
And Proclaim them worse Murderers than I.
Unknown my Hand did this black Crime commit,
But they both knew, and saw, and suffer'd it.
I'le follow her though all.—
[Enter a Tartar.
Tart.
Zungteus Hold.
Your Kindness by your Father is Control'd.
He for to Morrow's Fight do's now prepare,
Has call'd a Counsel and expects you there.
You straight to his Pavilion must retire.
Zung.
My Duty do's against my Love conspire.
My Father is too Old to understand
That Force which do's a Lover's thoughts command.
Fare-well brave Maid; a Grave's too narrow Room;
Oh that I thus might make my Arms thy Tomb!
Exit Vangona and her Attendants, carrying out Amavanga
42
Now Love Commands, and Duty Raigns no more:
Love Calls, and Fathers now must wait: I'le be
Both Priest and Offering, great Saint, to thee.
[Offers to fall upon his Sword.
Palex.
Reflect on your Great Deeds, and as Great Birth;
And think how much it will Ecclipse your Worth,
When you give Fame or Envy leave to say,
That Grief a Womans Passion had the Pow'r
To kill a General and a Conquerour.
Whil'st his Faint Soul shrunk to'th lowest Ebb of Fear,
Chose Death to ease the Torment of a Tear.
Zung.
You know 'tis false, and the World knows it too,
Fame to my Death will give a name more due;
A Just and Expiating Sacrifice,
When by my Hand my Mistress Murd'rer dyes.
Pal.
T'excuse your Crime think how her Fall was wrought:
Her Death was her's, and not Zungteus Fault.
You sought but Conquest of an unknown Foe:
But since she did your Love and Person know,
And with that Knowledge with Zungteus sought,
She for your Murder, not your Conquest sought.
Death justly then her Malice doe's conclude,
As a Reward of her Ingratitude.
Zung.
How, impious man! Gods! do I live to find
Worse Monsters than my self amongst Mankind?
Unknown I to her heart a passage found:
Thy profane Breath her Living Fame do's wound.
Draw then thy Traitor's Sword, as I do mine.
Two greater Villains ne'r could Combat joyn.
Dear Amavanga, now look down and see
Me fall for Murder, him for Blasphemy.
Palex.
If any thing within my Heart you doubt,
Open my Veins, kind Sir, and let it out.
If ought you like not lodge within this Brest,
Destroy the Seat, that harbour's that ill Guest.
Zung.
No: you've disarm'd my Rage, and now I find
Your Love to me made you to her unkind.
But speak such words no more; Oh! do not wound
My trembling Sense with such another sound.
43
Has Amavanga's Glorious Image brought,
Think nothing of her but what's great, and good.
Think of her as my Queen, that set in Blood.
Your Friend this Justice to her Fame implores,
Do not profane that Saint your Friend adores.
To so much Heav'n your pitty nor your praise,
Can never a too Glorious Altar raise.
No Language is too kind, nor stile too high,
To speak the Fame of Beauties, when they dy.
Enter Theinmingus.
Thein.
With Admiration I've a Witness been,
Of your loud Passion for the Vanquisht Queen.
Astonish'd Fame speaks high—
Zung.
—To speak more high,
I lov'd that Queen, and for her Love must dy.
Thein.
—Yes, Dy degenerate Boy,
Traytor! Is this a Language for my Son?
Wher's all the martial Tartar's Greatness gone?
Such an Effeminate design will shame
Thy sleeping Ancestors untainted Fame.
This Action, thy more Masc'line mothers Ghost
Will Blush at, and disturb her Crumbling Dust.
Zung.
Oh my hard Fate! is this a fathers Voice?
Thein.
Bid Crowns farewel, Embrace thy humbler Choice.
Thy poor low spirited Design, to Dy
Kill'd by a Wound—given by a Ladies Eye.
A Death worthy a Soldier.
Zung.
—Sir no more.
Can you place Crimes upon Devotions Score?
Am I the first Rais'd Altars to a Face?
And are none Lovers but the Vile and Base?
Think you Love's Power the Valiant cannot touch?
Thein.
The Great and Valiant feel't, but not too much.
None but a Fool a dang'rous Stranger takes,
And yields that Seat which his own Tyrant makes.
Zung.
It is a lawful Power not Tyranny,
That Sentences a Criminal to Dy.
44
T'attone hers a Sacrifice too good?
Or is that Justice by your hand withstood?
Thein.
Thy Death with-held by me? No, 'tis a Sin,
To have that base corrupted Blood kept in.
After the Merit of so mean a Thought,
Oblige the World and me, and let it out.
And when 'tis mixt with dust, may thy just Fame
To thy lost Courage and thy slighted Name
With Pain keep up thy Memory, and say,
Thou couldst a Father and a King betray.
Desert a just Revenge, and Royal Cause,
And break thy Duty, Honour, Natures Laws;
And from a Conqueror turn a Womans slave,
To sleep with a cold Mistress in a Grave.
Zung.
Must all these stains be mine? No, Love retreat.
Duty and Honour now shall fill your Seat.
Love's Power grows weak in—its declining Cause,
From my bar'd Heart the Vanquish't Lord with-draws.
Now see your God-like Power, a Fathers Right:
Try my new modell'd Soul, shew me that Flight,
I dare not take, that Path I dare not tread,
Dangers I will not meet, and Glories lead.
Sound Loud your Trumpets, Wave your Ensigns high,
Go on, for my new Mistres, Victory;
Ruine and Blood shall all soft thoughts remove;
I'le be as great in Vengeance as in Love.
Exeunt.
| The conquest of China, By the Tartars | |