University of Virginia Library

Scena Quinta,

Enter Isaack Baiazet.
Isaack.
Tush, vertue makes men fooles, Isaack be wise,
Shake off the tender fetters of remorse,
And hugge that chance, that opens thee the way
To ruinate Achmetes: did he stand
On termes of conscience, neighbor-hood or loue,
When he cashierd my daughter from his house,
And to the worlds broad eye, opened her crime?
No: he was swift and bitter in his hate,
And so will I, he is but now return'd
In Triumph from the field, as full of pride
As I of envy, hence Ile ground my hate.
When fierce Bellona smil'd on Baiazet,
Amidst the fiery tumults of the Warre,
She offered Zemes to Achmetes hand,
They fought, Achmetes conquered at his foote,
Fell the proud rebell, wounded, but not slaine,
There might Achmetes with a blow of death
Cut off our feares, continued in his breath:
This shall incense the angry Emperor,
And crush Achmetes in his fairest hopes.
True polititians worke by others hands,
So I will by the Prince, my plot stands firme:
See where he comes, now sly Mercurius, whet
My tongue, to kindle hate in Baiazet.

Enter Baiazet.
Baia.
Isaack how thriu'd Achmetes in his Warres,
Fame is of late growne dumbe of his renowne,
Surely vnwelcome newes clogs her swift wings,
Else had she now bin freqvent in our Court;
And we had fully knowne the chance of all.

Isa.
We had, yet could not the event,
Lie so conceal'd, but Isaac found it out,
Which when I first discovered, straight it wrought
Tempests of passions in me, joy and griefe
Raign'd at one instant in the selfe same breast.

Baiazet
As how?

Isa.
As thus. I joy'd that Zemes fell,
Was sorry he escap'd.

Baia.
Fell and yet escap'd?

Isa.
Beneath Achmetes feete the traytor fell.

Baia.
And yet escaped, good Ioue how may this bee.

Isa.
Thus it might be, and was so: when sad death
Was glutted with the ruine of each side,
When slaughtring Mars had stain'd the field with blood,
And cast a purple colour o'r the earth,
At length some milder providence desir'd,
An end of those hot tumults that were seene,
To last in Zemes breath; so that their fire
Would be extinct, when Zemes should expire
Then from the middle skirmish forth were brought
He and Achmetes, being met they fought,
Zemes was vanquish't by a violent blow,
Which strucke him trembling lower then his knees;
Now whither flattering, or present gifts
Redeem'd him from his fate I cannot show
Something they plotted, what, none yet can know.

Baia.
Canst thou advise me Isaack how to sound
The depth of all his mischiefe.

Isa.
Thus you may.
He being come from Zemes ouerthrow,
And yet luke-warme in blood, and full of ioy,
You may in way of honour and free mind,
Call him this night to banquet, then being set,
When the hot spirits of carroused healths,
Haue spoyl'd his wit of smooth and painted tales,
And wine vnlockt the passage for the truth,
Bid him relate the manner of his warre,
The chances and events; then when he comes
To Zemes, if he erre about his flight,
His ends are bad, his bosome blacke as night.

Baia.
Thou art my good Angel, Isaack I applaud
Thy faithfull plot, Achmetes were thy soule
As darke as hell, and thy enclosed thoughts,
As subtill as a winding Laberinth,
By such a guide as can remoue each doubt,
And by a quill of threed I'de tracke them out.
But Isaacke, if we trappe him in this wiles,
How shall we kill the traytor? We haue a tricke,
Already strange to catch him in the nicke.

Isac.
Easily thus: our lawes allow a custome,
Not vs'd of late, yet firme still in effect,
And thus it is; when there doth breath a man,
Direfully hated of the Emperour,
And he in strickt seueritie of right
Cannot proceed against him, then he may
Orewhelme him in a robe of mourning blacke,
Which we haue cal'd deaths mantle, that thing done,
The man thus vs'd, is forfetted to fate,
And a deuoted sacrifice to him
Whom he had er'st offended, neither can
Strength or intreatie, wrest him from his death,
Both which are treason, and inexpiable.
Thus then you may proceede, vvhen banquets done,
And all their comicke merriment runne on
To the last sceane, and euery man expects
A solemne gift, due to Achmetes vvorth,
Call for a robe therewith to decke your friend,
And perfect all his glory, let that bee
This robe of fate, in which ready at hand,
You may intombe the traytor, and be wrappe
His pampered body in a vaile of death,
So let him dye, dreame not on the event,
Vice is rewarded in it's punishment.

Baia.
I will be fierce and sudden, Isaack inuite
Achmetes to a feast: he dies this night.

Exit Baia.
Isa.
I shall: vvould not a private vvarning serue
But open penance must correct my child,
And a seuere divorcement quite degrade
Her other honoured Matrimoniall rights?
Were he as strong, as steele-like joynted Mars,
As much applauded through our popular streetes,
As er'st Dictator Fabius was in Rome,
Or great Augustus, yet the slaue should feele
The wrath of an inflamed father light
Heauy vpon his soule, and that e'r the next sunne
Appeare, Achmetes all thy glorie's done.

Exit.