University of Virginia Library

[Scene II.]

Scene Ye Pallace.
Enter King Zoroastres, Ambassadour as from Persia, with Attendants.
Zor.
Are these ye reasons hee gives for his invasion?
Won't hee goe back?—why will hee perish?
Goe—unblind his ambition. I pity his youth,
Will yet forgive and treat him as my brother King.
But if hee will engage and won't retire,
Destroy my Kingdomes still with sword and fire,
It shall bee war and must!

Am.
I accept it. It shall bee war. [Exit.


To ye King, Phylander, Daemolgoron, Polynice.
Zor.
News unto you, first sons of fame, I bring
From ye proud, insulting Persian King.
Grown arrogant because of his long ease,
Hee has basely broken our long kept peace,
Invaded our Dominions with sword and fire!
Goe then, my son, and all our forces call,
Muster up old and young, ye low and tall,
For like myself I am resolv'd to fall.

Daem.
Vict'ry soe long, Sir, has been us'd to you
That she'le bee asham'd to forsake you now.

Zor.
On, then, brave Hero's! and with dreadfull sound
Like Earthquakes, let your drums tear upp ye ground,
And waken Fate.
Make Nature startle at your loud Allarmes,
And nobely bath in humane gore your Arms.
Let not poor pity once come in your mind,
Nor ever have a thought of beeing kind.
Cut them peices, when they groveling lye;
As they basely liv'd, let them basely dye.

Daem.
All your severe commands I will fullfill.
Ten thousand of their lives to you I'le spill.

Zor.
Yet bee not rash in following your foe.
An empire's too much for one single blow.

[Exit Daemolgoron.
Phy.
Nor I, dread sov'reign, will here idle stay;
Honour and glory both doe call away.
Methinks ye battle is by both begun.
My blood does boil within mee to bee gon.
Noise of drums and hollowing.
Such noises waked mee in my infant cradle,
And kept mee from sleeping into softness.

Zor.
Ha! brave Ally!—goe, pursue your victory.
'Tis not with men you'le fight, but luxury.

[Embraces him. Exit.
Phy.
Thy declining state, O Persia, I pity.
Riches and gaudy arms won't bribe our honest fates.
They're not to bee tempted, nor will they spare,
And if for crouds, our vict'ry stands at stay,
I'le in and with my sword hue out her way.
Fate shall rejoice to see soe great a flood,
To see them close their dying eyes in blood.
Wing'd thus with hopes, unto ye camp I'le fly,
Not teach them how to live, but how to dye.

Poly.
Who then must stay for to defend us here?

Phy.
There's noe one, Madam, will affront ye fair.

Poly.
O, my Phylander, can you leave mee soe?

Phy.
Heaven knows how unwillingly I goe!
With what reluctance I doe part with you.

Poly.
Oh, 'tis easey, very easey—
Some Persian dame noe question but you'le find.
How then should I injure you if she's kind,
To make you tarry here with mee behind?
Noe, noe, goe—I ne're will stay you sure. [Weeping.


Phy.
Break, break my heart, how can'st thou this endure?
What Pity is't such glitt'ring pearls as these
Should bee found always in the wat'ry seas!
Weep, fair, noe more. Enough we understand
How much ye sea is richer than ye land.
Oh—Madam, I shall ne're endure to fight
As long as you—

Poly.
—doe tarry in my sight.
As I doe know I'me troublesome to you,
Forever then, forever, oh, Adeiw! [Goeing.


Phy.
Stay, cruell fair, I doe conjure you, stay.
'Tis glory calls and hastens mee away.

Poly.
Pursue your glory, but let mee alone.
Goe, post away, or else she will bee gon.

Phy.
Oh, forbear! ev'ry word does stab my Heart.
It is ingratitude, I know, to part,
But—

Poly.
I doe not ask that you should stay with mee,
You then would loose your share in victory.
Noe, follow arms; let glory still controul
That lordly tyrant of your warlike soul.
Yet still remember what to mee you owe,
And doe not all your life on fame bestow.
Adeiw— [Exit.


Enter Oroandes and overhears her ye two last verses.
Phy.
«She's gon; and now my soul's return'd again,
With wondrous vigour does begin to reign.
With pride and state I'le view bright beautys charms.
Loves tender voice will drown in wars Alarms.» [Exit.


Oro.
Yes, yes, it's trew—it must be soe, I'me sure.
Hee loves!—Who can a Rivall freind endure?
Is this that mighty foe that was enter'd in?
Has Phylander false to Oroandes been?
Enter Juliana, Cyane, Polynice.
Gods! but I beleive there's none at all.
If such, I'le make them come when I doe call,
Or unhinge all their temples when I fall. [Goeing out.


Jul.
Oroandes, stay!
[Oro. turns about and meets 'em.
«How vast a courage does hee seem to have, [Apart.

Who dares ye mighty gods themselves outbrave!
It will bee hard for to resist, I find,
All those rare beautys of his god-like mind.»
Heaven sure, Sir, sent you for to defend,
And to bee our distressed countreys freind.
You been't, I hope, for wars.

Cy.
Enough already to ye wars are gone,
Methinks you might stay here with us at home.

Poly.
Who then must lead our Fainting Armys,
And show them victory, if you detain this brave Generall?
Then let him goe to war.
As well may you ye sun hide in a cloud,
As for t'attempt his virtue for to shroud,
For war's ye Centre of ye valiant soul,
Nor will it let it act what's base or foul.

Oro.
You need not, Madam, bid mee for to goe,
Since I am grown so indiff'rent to you.
As soon as e're th'approaching night does come
[Raving.
And all her sable colours has put on,
I'le leave this place and wander o're ye plain
Untill I come unto ye Persian camp.
There I will kill, and tare all those I meet,
Spurning their gasping bodys with my feet;
Or leave my carcass on ye heated plain.
Their sun, when hee does see that dismall day,
Shall bee dismay'd and bee afraid to stay,
Shall take his Coach, and wheel, and post away.
Heavens roaring Canons shan't sound soe loud
As ye dying noise of ye vanquish'd croud.

Cy.
If as a sacrifice you there should fall,
Which Heav'n forbid, what then should wee doe all?

Jul.
Take care in time, prevent that fatall hour
Which all my joys must needs forever sour.
Fate when she sees you in such a croud as that,
Cover'd with reeking blood and dusty sweat,
By chance may not discover who you are.
O then betimes bee wise, betimes take Care!
Think, think, Oroandes, how dear you bee
And see whether you can forsake then mee!
For I with blushes this must needs confess,
Too well I love you for to tell you less.

Oro.
This language I could not expect from you,
Nor, Madam, can beleive it to bee trew,
Soe much it does transcend my hopes.

Cy.
«What shall I doe? I am forever lost!
My Love must needs bee by ye Princess crost.
His Nature's, too, soe haughty and severe,
That my complaints and sighs hee'le never hear.
Then to my dying hour I will conceal
And ne're that I a lover was, reveal.» [Exit.


A warlike noise is heard afar off.
Poly.
Ha! what unusuall noise is this I hear?

Jul.
Louder still—some danger's nigh, I fear.

Oro.
You need not as long as I have this. [Draws.

Stand thus.
[Pulls ye Ladys behind him.
Now let Heav'n itself with thunder sound th'alarm,
I'de keep my station here, my doom await,
And 'mongst their thickest swords would seek my fate.

Jul.
Oh! Heaven send us succour. [Noise nearer and louder.


Poly.
I scorn to shrink like you when fate does come,
I'le out, I am resolv'd, and face my doom.
My guard is innocence. [Exit.


Jul.
Oh, stay, my Oroandes, don't you goe.
Sure you, like her, will not forsake mee too.

Oro.
I'le stay and, Madam, ye whole world defye,
Think it an honour too for you to dye,
And if by fate I am ordain'd to fall,
Before you should for others succour call,
My very Ghost shall fright, and kill them all.

Jul.
I never will desire to live, when you for mee
Before could think it nothing for to dye.
But look! my sister yonder does appear,
Nor loaded does she seem to come with fear.
Hah! speak. Must wee dye? or bee all things well?

Poly.
The happiest news you can expect, I'le tell.
That dreadfull noise, which, like agues, shook you
And cool'd your running blood, was but ye Eccho
Of ye approaching Army. The King leads them
To ye temple of ye god of war.
This day for solemn rites hee does approve:
Tomorrow towards Persia they doe move.
Nor will ye King declare his royall mind
Whom next my Brother hee has cheife design'd.

Jul.
«Now my foreboding fear comes rolling on, [Apart.

Nor can it with ye rising Tempest down.
I know hee will my Oroandes take
And him ye gen'rall of his forces make.»
—Why, what's ye matter that Phylander stays?
Or what's ye Reason that ye King delays?

Poly.
Hee thinks it necessary, before they goe,
To ask Heav'n councell, what is best to doe.
This too is ye Army's Purgation day,
Till which is done they cannot goe away.

Oro.
From yonder vale they come, clad all in white;
Nimbler they seem than the swift sons of light.
The Preists with burning Tapers come before,
Dipping their unstain'd wands in victims gore,
Who, crown'd with garlands, freely come along
Nor doe they croud with fear into a throng,
Veiwing ye Feilds with scorn as they pass by,
As if they knew 'twas good to fast before they dye.
These beasts which for their Countreys good are slain
Shall shine hereafter as stars in Heaven.
Here, here they come. [Noise of trumpets.

My soul now burns, for Battles does prepare,
And has broke through Love for to goe to war.