University of Virginia Library

Scæna 2.

Enter Amurath at one doore with Nobles Bajazet, Enter at th'other, Hatam, richly attended, they meet, salute in dumbe shew; Amurath ioynes the hands of the Prince, and Princesse; whilst this is solemnizing, is sung to soft Musicke, this Song following.
Song.
Chorus.

Am.
You Gods of Marriage: sacred Protectoresse
Of lawfull propagations, and blest Love
Be most propitious to these grafted stemmes!
Drop dewing showers of generation on them!
Thinke (Sonne) this day too prodigall of blessing
As, that had Juno taskt thee (like Alcides)
To grapple with Stymphallides, or clense
Angelas stables: or like the Trojan Boy,
Sit like a Shepheard on Dardadias Hils,
Such a reward as this faire Queen repayres,
O thou hop'd future off-spring spare thy Parent!
Hurt not this tender wombe, these Ivory worlds,
When you are borne; O be within your limbes,
The Grandsire Amurath, and fathers strength!
Line their faces (Nature) with their Mothers dye!
And let the Destinies marke the ensuring night
In their Eternall Bookes, with notes most white.

All.
Grant it great Mahomet!

Hatam.
Most awfull father and my honored Prince,
Although it be enacted by the Heavens,
That in these bonds of marriage such curse
Attends on Princes above private men,
That nor affection, nor home-nourisht Love
But state and policy must elect their Wives.
Which must be fetcht from Countries farre remote!
Yet the protecting Powers have such a care,
Both of their off-springs and their Kingdomes state,
That to what they ordaine, they worke in us
A suddaine willingnesse to make us obey;
For, in this brest, I doe already feele
That there's a kindling a Diviner heat:
Which disobedience never shall extinguish.
And, if there be any felicity
From these united Loves to be derived
From the weake sexe into the husbands soule,
Then may my Lord make his affection sure,
To be repayd with unattainted Love,
In which a pritty people ye shall live,
With soft and yeilding curtesie in all
He shall command, my willing armes shall still,
Be ope t'enfold within a Wives embrace,
If any comfort else there be in store,
(Which modesty keeps silent to it selfe)
Cause onely husbands and the night must know't,
My Loyalty shall ever all performe,
And (though my) Lord should frown, Ile be the same,
Greene wood will burne with a continued flame:

Baiaz.
Princesse our ardor is already fired,
Yet with no violent temerity;
Such as might feare it's short and soone decaying;
Thy vertue seemes so to exceed thy Sexe,
And wisdome so farre to out-pace thy yeares,
That, surely (Ptincesse) soone maturity,
Argues in them, hidden Divinity.
Expected (Hymen) here hath bound our hands,
And hearts, with everlasting ligaments:
Fortunate both we are, and have one blisse
The want of which for ever doth infect,
With anxious cares the sweets of marriage Beds:
Our Parents benediction and consent,
They are the truest Hymens, and should be
To children the best marriage Deity.
Thus then attended with such sacred charmes
Our last day of content shall never come;
Till we must part by th'unresisted doome,
With a pleas'd error we will age beguile,
All starres on us, an æquall yoke must smile.

Amur.
Now (Lords) who'le dance
A Turkish measure? Ladies our nerves are shrunke;
And you now fixe the signe of age on me,
You who have bloud still flowing in your veynes,
Be nimble as an Hart: Caper to the Sphæres!
O you are light, that wrnt the weight of yeares!

Musicke.
Here Amurath ascends his Throne, the rest set downe to dance, Bajazet with Hatam, &c. the end of the dance, all kneele, Amurath begin an health, a flourish with Cornets.
Amur.
And health to our Bride and her father!
O (Nobles) would this wine were Christians blood,
But that it would Phrenetique humours breed,
And so infect our braines with Superstition!

Enter Eurenoses with sixe Christian Maidens, richly attyred, their Haire hanging loose, in their hands Cups of Gold with Iewels, &c.
Euren.
Auspitious fortunes to great Amurath!
To ope more springs unto this full tide of joy,
Know (potent Emperor) I from Europe bring
Sixe daughters of sixe severall Kings,
Whose Cities we have equall'd to the ground;
And of their Pallaces did torches make,
To light their soules through the blacke Cave of death (Acherō)

Am.
Describe (good Captaine) how the dogs were wearied.

Euren.
So weary were they to indure to indure our swords,
That by impetuous mutiny themselves,
Turn'd on each other; slew their Maisters;
Childrens own hands, tore out their fathers throats.
And each one strove who should be slaughtered first;
Here did a brother pash out a Brothers braines,
Some in stinking Quagmires, and deepe Lakes
(Which they had made t'avoyd their excrements)
Ran quicke, and in the lake lay buried.

Am.
(Goon Executioner of our most just wrath!)

Eu.
Nor did it leave till death it selfe was weary:
Murder grew faint, and each succeeding day,
Shewed us the slaughter of the day before.
'Mongst carkasses and funerals we stoood,
Denying those that liv'd such Ceremonies
As in their Temples to the Indian Gods,
With prayers and vowes they dayly offred:
Nor destiny, nor cruelty ere left,
Till they had nothing to worke upon;
For, of so many soules that breath'd
These sixe are all remain'd: which as a Pledge
Of my best service to your Majesty.
I here am bold to yeeld an offer.

Am.
Nor shall this present be unrecompenced;
For thy true service, on thee Ile bestow
All the rich guifts, which all these Asian Lords
Brought to adore these happy Nuptials,
On you faire Bride great Princesse and our Daughter
Doe we bestow these Virgins (daughters to Kings)
For your attendance.

Hat.
We are too much bound unto our Princely Father!

Am,
No (Daughter) no! we hope thou art the spring,
From whence shall flow to all the world a King.
(Captaines and Lords, to morrow we must meet,
To thinke of our rebellious sonne in Law)
Be this time all for comfort and delight,
Short wedding dayes make it seeme long to night.

Exeunt omn.