University of Virginia Library

SCENE the Temple.
Enter Governor still Disguis'd and Bramin.
Go.
I need not now repeat what we've to dread
From these bold mis-believing Portuguese.
Therefore to ruine them, all means are just.
Thus I've decoy'd to Princess the invite
Her promis'd Husband hither, where no doubt
He will Blaspheme our Gods.
The King will in Disguise hear their Discourse.
You know your Time t'appear and back my words.

Bra.
You need not doubt us in so good a Cause

Exeunt
Enter Armusia and Quisara, meeting.
Arm.
See, Madam, at your Feet your faithful Slave
Who studies new humility to please you,
And takes a kind of Joy in his afflictions, because they come from you.

Kneels to Quisara.
Qui.
Oh rise, Sir, I did not invite you hither
Thus to prophane our Altars, but to ask
A better Proof of Love than so misplac'd a Worship;
A Proof which, since I've sworn, since you persist,
Must make me yours, at least my grateful Duty.
Few Brides, alas! at first have more to give.

Arm.
Oh name it, Madam, what wou'd I not do,
Tho' but to gain you thus: Love, greedy Love,
That still unsatisfy'd, still murm'ring Passion
Will pine, but since 'tis often but Esteem
And gratitude improv'd, 'twill shoot at last
Forc'd by a Zeal like mine. Oh then command me.

Enter King and Governour both disguis'd.
Go.
Now harken, Sir, and as he treats our Gods
So use him, or expect severest Judgments.

Qui.
Change your Religion, and adore our Gods.

Arm.
Ha!

Qui.
Renounce your Faith.

Arm.
Heav'n forbid!

Qui.
Offer as we do?

Arm.
To Wood and Stone, vile Beasts, and cursed Devils?
Is this the Proof you ask?

Go.
O Blasphemy!

King.
Peace.

Qui.
I'll reason with you. Are not our Gods as great as yours?

Arm.
They are senceless, wretched, and the worst of Creatures,
Unfit to help themselves, much less mankind.

Qui.
The Sun and Moon we worship, they are heavenly.

Arm.
But I the Maker of that Sun and Moon
Who gave 'em Motion, Influence, and Light.
Excuse me, Princess, if my Zeal for Truth
Extort a gen'rous Freedom of my Tongue.
You shou'd have said, Instruct the King and me.
In that blest Doctrine that guides Souls to Heaven.
Oh may you follow that, destroy your Idols,
Beat down their Altars, ruine their false Temples—

Go.
Oh horror! My Prophecy was true.

King.
I'm sorry I came hither—I've heard too much.

(Exit King and Governour.
Qui.
Thus far in Charity I was oblig'd
To rectifie the Errors of your Thought,
Nor can the Blame be mine to want success.
'Twas by these Gods that I was sworn to wed you
These upon blaspheme: You have renounc'd their Power
And thereby free me from all obligation.

Arm.
You are too just to make this slight Evasion.

Qui.
You shall both find me just, sincere and plain
Therefore resolve to quit your Faith or me.

Arm.
My Life is yours, but my Religion Heavens
And I no more can change it than my Love.

Qui.
You hear your Task.

Arm.
Oh! Princess, cease t'injoyn what heav'n forbids.
Name any Task that Honour may not blush
To execute, Toyls, Dangers, Death it self,
But do not, do not tempt me to be bad.

Qui.
Obey, and instantly; or from this hour
No Recantation shall prevail.

Arm.
Call you this Charity?

Qui.
Nay them—

Arm.
You must not go.
What have I done, to merit this hard Sentence?
To have my very Soul rack'd, forc'd to quit
My Heav'n above, or Paradice on Earth!
How well I love, how much I prize your Charms
My Life must show, but Honour, Conscience, Heaven
I never must forego. Must I then lose You or my self?
Can You persist? Must I be torn from you? I must—
Yet once more let me gaze—O now I cannot go.
Dreadful Strife! Cruel Struggle.
I must not look, nor leave her!

Qui.
Farewel.

Going, he holds her.
Arm.
Stay, stay, dear Mischief!—But what am I doing?
Ha!—Now I dread my Thoughts—assist, ye Pow'rs!
Awake my Soul! Oh look no more my Eyes.
Hush! Treacherous Love!
Since Heart or Soul must perish on this Sea
Sink thou, my Heart, to save the immortal Treasure.
Quit thy rich Claim, tho' while I so resign,
No Martyrdom sure ever equal'd mine.
Away, away! Oh! If I look I dye,
(He looks on her, then turns from her suddenly.
There's no way left, to conquer, but to flye.

(Going.
Qui.
Heroic Soul! Stay! This confirms me yours.
In quitting, you have gain'd me. I resolv'd
To make the utmost Tryal of your Faith,
And in your Faith of you. I've long in private
Weigh'd your Belief. I find by you 'tis Heavenly:
You've prov'd the practice; and 'twas a blest Vision
Bespoke my Change, no fickleness of Mind.
Whom shou'd I love indeed but him I've sworn to wed,
Who freed my Brother, and retreives my Soul!
Heav'n, Reason, Duty, Gratitude, and Love decree it,
Your Faith and you for ever, now are mine.

Arm.
Amazement! Ravishment! am I awake!
And are you mine! I will, I must believe it.
Oh happy Change! O unexpected Bliss.
Look down, ye Sacred Choirs, and share my Joys,
While thus I pay my Thanks.

(Kneels and kisses her hand.
Enter King, Governour and Guards.
King.
Nay, start not, take my Confirmation too.
I promis'd you to let Quisara's Hand
Be joyn'd with yours, and here I ratifie it.

(The King joyns their Hands.
Go.
Ha! Did I plot for this!

(Aside.
Arm.
Oh! Thought is drown'd in Joy. How shall I speak my Thanks!

King.
Hold, as the Gods have seen me just to you,
To their own Altars they must see me just.
Guards, seize your Prisoner—

Go.
That's well retriev'd! Be sure you bind him fast.

Arm.
Is this your gratitude?

Qui.
Bind your Restorer, Sir?

King.
Oh Sister, with Reluctance I'm severe.
Had he offended me, I had forgiven,
But to our Gods the injury is done,
Blasphem'd, Revil'd: Yet still he may be yours,
He must appease our Gods by humble Worship,
Or fall a Sacrifice where he blasphem'd 'em;
And sure to save his Life, and gain you, he'll submit.

Arm.
To serve my Princess, to secure my Joys
I'd rush thro' Seas, thro' Fires, I'd smile at danger,
I wou'd do any thing, but injure Heaven,
And to serve Idols were the greatest wrong.

King.
What means my Friend? sure you'll not lose your self,
Oh quick, recant, submit, appease our Gods
And those more angry Men that awe me, and the People.

Go.
He instantly must own our Gods or die.

Arm.
What, use my breath t'abjure the Pow'r that gave it,
Renounce, th'Almighty Being! Worship Hell!
No more; bring me to Torments, Racks, and Fires;
I'll offer there my self: But when I quit my Faith,
And grow unworthy thus of her and mercy,
Let me dread ev'ry Curfe that guilt deserves,
Want, Shame, Diseases, and what's worse, her hate,
Despair on Earth, and worse Despair below.

Go.
Mildness but hardens him. Our Bramins here demand him.
This Temple has its Prison; there they best
Will work the wish'd-for Change.

King.
You're wise and holy:
Act for the best, but still respect my Friend.

Go.
Fear not. Death's no misusage of a Rival.

[Aside.
Qui.
Oh, Sir, do not resign him to his Foes.
Rather exert your Pow'r. O save him, save your Friend.
I know he'll ne're abjure his Faith.

Go.
Then he must die.

Qui.
He shall not die! Oh! Sir, why turn you from me?
See, on her knees your Sister begs his Life;
With tears she begs it, save the Man that freed you,
Him I must wed, and wed by your command.
Must I bring on his death? O spare him! Father, holy men,
Joyn, joyn with me: True Piety is mild.
Oh whither wou'd you lead him! stay! stay! Take me too.
I'll not out live his Loss. No, I'll now save his Life,
Or lose my own. Our Love and Faith are one:
Our Fates must be the same.

King.
How's this, Quisara!

Bra.
She raves.

Qui.
No, thou false Man, like him I serve a Pow'r
That gives me strength to scorn your cursed Idols.

King.
Ha! own his Faith.

Qui.
I do, I do! Oh spare him! spare your Sister!

King.
O fatal found.

Go.
Take him away, he hardens her in Error:

[Exit Arm. guarded.
Arm.
Oh Princess!

Qui.
O Sir, will you then let him go? call, call him back!

King.
O Sister! have a care, lose not your self; he will recant.

Qui.
Oh never, Sir; ev'n I wou'd not to save him.
Then save us both. Nay, do not, do not fly me.
My hopes are all in you. Oh! hear me, hear me!
Let not blind Zeal prevail! save your own honour,
Can you resign us to be Butcher'd, mangled,
Our Limbs torn, and abandon'd to vile wretches?
Your dearest Friend, your Sister! sure you cannot!
Our hearts are near akin, and mine wou'd bleed
To see you thus distress'd. Thus I bore your affliction.

King.
Oh I shall lose the Monarch in the Friend.
Rise, rise, Quisara.

Qui.
Oh Sir!

King.
Sister!

Qui.
Brother! Friend!

King.
Let Crowns be lost, and let me save my Sister and my Friend.
Thus in my arms, thus let me ever guard 'em.

Go.
Ha! all goes ill. Run, Call the Bramins hither.
(To the Bramin.
Hope not to save 'em, tho' you lose your Crown.
(Exit Bra. and re-enter presently with the Choir.
No, King, the Gods can punish them and you.
Nay, if you pause, I've Judgments to denounce
From angry Heaven, The Sacred Choir attends;
Leave her to us, we'll only fright and preach her from her Errors—
Or put it past your Power to save her or my Rival.

(Aside.
Qui.
Oh, King, do you then yield me up! Hold, wretches;
Touch not my hand. I'll freely go to Dungeons,
Nay, death it self, for such a Noble Cause:
Tho' Earth forsakes us, heaven will mend our Fates.
And pour severest Vengeance on your heads.
Yes, cruel men, then tremble, fear its anger,
Dread, dread its fierce Revenge! our blood will claim it.
But hold! we ought to love our very Foes.
Then Bless these Men: thou power of mercy, spare e'm.
May they like me their Idol Gods despise,
And dare to fall, more gloriously to rise.

(Exit Qui. with Guards and Bramins.
King.
I fear you'll not prevail. Oh urge not then
The Vengeance of the Gods too far: for if you do—

Bra.
To clear your doubts we'll move the angry Powers
By solemn Incantation.

An Incantation
“Hear thou by whom the rattling Thunder's hurl'd!
“Hear, Parent Sun, bright Eye, and Monarch of the World.

A Bramin.
Hear, gentle Moon, pale Queen of Night,
And ye refulgent Orbs of Light,
Great Court of Heaven so ample and so high,
And all ye swarming Commons of the Sky.

CHORUS.
O Skies! O Sea! O Earth! on all Your Pow'rs call
E're the Blasphemers fall,
Oh hear our solemn call.

Another Bramin.
Hear, ye friendly earthly Powers,
Gods of kindly Fruits and Flowers,
Who, unseen, delight to trip
Where Birds flutter, hop, and skip,
Where there warble, chirp and coo,
Where in Whispers Zephirs woo,
Where poor Eccho sweetly grieves,
And remurmurs thro' the Leaves.

Another Bramin.
End with the Verse, Hear ye Gods of the main, &c.

Gov.
The Gods are Sullen, and displeased. But see
The Ancient Seer, who oft declares their will.
Advance, wise Bramin, while by Pow'r of sound,
We Prompt some God, by Thee to 'inform a Doubting Monrach.

An Old Bramin, comes forwards and Sings,
The Enthusiastic SONG.

[He is led off.
Gov.
Now, Sir, you've heard the Gods confirm their Doom.

King.
They yet may Change.

Gov.
It must be quickly then.

King.
I'll try to win 'em.—

Gov.
Leave us to do that.
We dare not trust your Nature with the Parly.

King.
Delay awhile.

Gov.
Take heed! Dread, dread the Gods, if you defer their Doom.

King.
Am I a King, and must they dye! my Sister, my Restorer!
Oh Death is in the Thought! First let it reach me.
Let Vengeance rage, and sweep me from the World,—
But Oh this will not save 'em. I must yield.
But judge my Grief, all great, all gen'rous Hearts!
Why do we boast of Pow'r? A Crown's a Pageant;
Kings are but glorious Slaves, controll'd by Odds,
The Priests, the People, and the greater Gods.
When These are touch'd, 'tis They the Scepter Weild,
And Kings, those petty Substitutes, must yield.
Empire's a stinted Grant, a Taste of Pow'r,
And we but Rule to feel Restraint the more.
Gods, do us right: 'Tis Just we be withstood
When doing Ill, but not when doing Good.

Exeunt.