University of Virginia Library

Enter Ctesifon and Nobles.
Nob.
Antiochus king of Assiria,
So Lord of Euphrates and Babylon,
How long wilt thou lament thy fathers death?
Cast off those mourning weedes.

Anot.
How long will I lament my fathers death?
Vntill proud Persia weepe for Cyrus death.

Ctes.
Oh that will neuer be, Cyrus is strong,
So strong my Lord, that were not Babylon,
Fortifyed with vittailes for twentie yeeres,
Garded with souldiers that will neuer yeeld.
Sooner would he expell you from your seate,
Then you with open armes could anger him.

Ant.
What is reuenge but open warres,
As were Antiochus a priuate man,
And one of you king of Assyria,
I would not faile to worke his ouerthrow,
But you that are not toucht with inward griefe,
will not in that attempt be resolute.

Ctes.
Vouchsafe O Lord to tell me what it is,
If I attempt it not then let me die.

Ant.
Why this it is, feigne I haue iniurde thee,
And offer seruice to the Persian king,
Then being receiued as late Gobrias was,
How easie maist thou slea him and escape.
For in the night he walkes about his campe,
Without a guard euen as a common man.

Ctes.
Yet he that killes him suer is to die.

Ant.
I thought the feare of death woulde daunt him quite
A thousand talents would I freely giue,
To him that vndertakes this enterprise.

Ctes.
My Lord I am resolude, giue me the gold.
And I will venture life in this exploit.

Ant.
My treasurer at armes shall giue it thee,
And Ctisifon when I receiue his head,
Beside this summe thou shalt haue annuall pay,
As much as thy reuenues mount vnto,
And where thou art by calling but a knight,
Ile make thee Lord of many prouinces.

Ctes.
As for the gold keepe it till I returne,
and if I die deliuer it to my friend.

Ant.
Well Ctesiphon manage this glorious act,
Let me embrace him ere I take my leaue.

Ctes.
Fare well my lord. Now you Assyrian gods,
To whom we sacrifice our fo-mens blood,
Giue fauour to my lookes, faith to my speach,
That being gracious with the Persian Lord,
By me Assyria may be free from bands,
And both the king and subiects death reuengde.

Nob,
Farewell braue minded Ctesiphon.

Ant.
While this is doing we will march from hence,
Vnto the countrey where Gobrias dwelt,
He hath a castell well replenished,
with vittailes, men and furniture,
And as our spies giues vs to vnderstand,
His onely daughter slayes within the hold,
Not knowing of her fathers late reuolt,
Therefore will we surprise her vnawares,
and thou shalt be lieutenant in his stead,
when we haue made his souldiers yeeld the fort.

Enter Araspas solus.
Ara.
Must I confesse that loue is violent.
By doting on my captiue Panthea,
I will not loue, Ile bridle those affects.
It cannot be resisted, I must yeeld,
Oh what a tyrant is this cruel loue,
That drinkes my blood, and makes me pale and wan,
That sucks my spirits, and makes me weake and faint,
That teares my heart, and makes me almost dead.
That reuels in my braines and makes me mad.
I am a souldier, and will conquer loue,
Ile mount me straight, giue me a hors-mans staffe,
Proud loue, sit fast, for now Araspas runnes,
Runne, and scarcely stand: O Panthea,
Thou sets my idle fantasie thus a worke,
and makes me speake and thinke I know not what.
I would I might forget faire Panthea,
I cannot name her but I must say faire,
And that word faire makes me remember her.
Panthea is vglie, blacke, ill fauoured, fowle,
And who is so beautifull as she?
And I must weepe for this misterming her,
Why should I weepe? aske I the reason whie?
I haue abusde my loue, weepe not but die.
Die not but liue and enioy thy loue.
What contrarierie consisteth in my words.
O reconcile them, louely Panthea,
Thy lookes hath made me lunatike.

Enter Panthea and Nicasia.
Pan.
I haue intelligence that our Lord is sicke,
we come to comfort him as captiues may.

Aras.
Oh welcome Panthea, shall I tell my griefe?

Pan.
Sit still my Lord,
why change you colour thus, what troubles you?

Aras.
Something stands by and whispers in my eare,
A kisse of Panthea will recouer me.

Pan.
O leaue these idle words, they make you worse

Ara.
Nay they recouer me, I am halfe well.

Pan.
So say they that are going from the world.

Ara.
Panthea sit downe, but sit so Panthea,
As I may view thy face, or else I die.

Pan.
Nicasia commaund the musicke play,
It may be musicke will alay the fit.

Ara.
Nicasia cause the musicke cease,
Musick plaies.
For it is harsh and mars the harmonie,
Come Panthea sit downe by me, and let vs talke.

Pan.
Talke is naught, turne ye about and sleepe.

Aras.
Oh loue?

Pan.
How now my Lord, a souldier and loue-sicke?

Aras.
I cannot keepe it in, it brusts my heart,
For thee sweete Panthea is Araspas sicke.

Pan.
For me, my Lord.

Aras.
Fling not away, celestiall Panthea,
Though I were halfe dead I should follow thee.

Pan.
The aire will hurt thee, whirher wilt thou go.

Ara.
Where Panthea goes, oh frowne not my faire loue.

Pan.
Then loue me not, else I will more then frowne.

Ara.
What will a captiue woman threat her loue.

Pan.
Oh giue poore Panthea leaue to thret her selfe.
I meane my Tragedie shall end the loue.

Ara.
No louely Queene, Ile rather end my loue,
Then anger Panthea, much lesse let her die,
And yet God knowes my loue can neuer end,
Being infinite in measure and in time.

Pan.
What wordes bee these that cut my eares with griefe,
Oh Abradates little dost thou know,
What miserie poore Panthea doth sustaine,
wicked Araspas perish in thy loue.
Exit Panthea.

Aras.
Cannot I winne her, O vnhappie man?
Araspas thou wantst eloquence to wooe,
Against chastitie no eloquence preuailes,
It was because I offered her no gift,
She is a Queene what gifts can compasse her,
I should haue courted her with better words,
But here doth loue and threatning disagree,
Nothing but Magicke can obtaine her loue,
If Magicke will, then Panthea shall be mine.

Enter Histaspis and Chrisantas.
Hist.
Chrisantas, when I looke into the life,
The maners, deeds, and qualities of minde,
The grauenesse power, and imperiall parts,
where with yong Cyrus is so full adornde,
My thoughts foresee that he is ordained of God,
To enlarge the limits of the Persian raigne.

Chr.
Histaspis, rare it is to see those yeeres,
So furnished with such rare experience,
As is not common in the grayest haires.
Besides his bodie hath of these rare gifts,
Vsed to labour, hunger, thirst and colde,
Giues true foretokens that the prince will proue,
A famous warriour and a conquerour.

Hist.
And of the sundry vertues that abounds
Dayly increasing in her princely breast,
Religion to the gods exceedes them all.

Chr.
And reason good for of all humane workes,
The care of them should chieflie be preferred.

Enter Cyrus.
Cy.
Is this Assyrian friend or fo to vs?
That dares approch so neare the Persian campe.

Cte.
In bending of my speare to Babylon,
And breaking it against the Assyrian ground,
I came a friend, not foe to Cyrus campe.

Hist.
What reason moues thee an Assyrian borne.
To beare such rancour to thy countrey soyle.

Cte.
That secret I reserue for Cyrus eares,
Vnto whose secret fauour, I submit
My person, honour, fortune, fame and life,

Hist.
Informe the king certainly I will,
O Persians truely fortunate are you.
Vnder subiection of so sweete a prince,
That measures all the actions of his life,
By mercie, iustice, and respect of right.

Hist.
It seemes th'Assyrian prince hath iniured this man,
with some notorious great indignitie.

Cy.
Man of Assyria, what wouldest thou with me?

Cte.
O gracious Lord great and inuincible,
Receiue into protection of your grace,
A wretched man vndone by tyrannie,
And lawlesse rigour of a cruell prince,

Cy.
What prince is he that thou accusest thus?

Cte.
The new Assyrian king, a man distainde
With endlesse markes of villanie and blood.

Cy.
Discend vnto the purpose of thy tale,
And make thy state and fortune plaine at once.

Cte.
I am, (I am said I) I was a man,
Earst noble, now banisht reprobate,
Highlie infauour with the Assyrian prince,
Till sensuall rage of his vnbrideled lust,
Did lay my state and honour in the dust,
And thus great Lord begun my Tragedie,
One onely virgin daughter had your thrall,
Of yeares inclining now to mariage state,
Her face and beautie (if I seeme not vaine)
were equall to the best Assyrian dames,
And she supposde the flower of Babylon.
The bruite of which her rare perfections ran,
Swifter than Fame through all th'Assyrian land,
And lastly rested in the princes eares,
Who wounded with report of beauties pride,
Vnable to restraine his derne desire,
Attended by a band of armed men,
Inuades my castell when I was at rest,
And bare my daughter thence with violate hands,
Vnto his pallace where she doth remaine,
As concubine allotted to his bed.
Striuing her desperate honour to preserue,
I came in frantike sort to Babylon,
Exclaiming on this villainous despite,
Banding the prince with many a bitter view,
My iust complaints when once he vnderstood,
He sortes me out a damned bloudie crew,
Of ruffians, swearers, murderers, and theeues,
Professed men for gaine and lucre sake,
To make no conscience whom they slay and kill,
Those men by solemne othe had vowed my life,
A sacrifice vnto their cursed swordes,
And houre by houre they sought to reaue my soule,
Liuing in hazard of continuall death,
I knew no houre for me at Babylon,
Other then my graue and dumlesse sepulchre,
And so for refuge to my wretched life,
I haue abandoned countrey, friends and all,
And prostrate my estate at Cyrus feete,
O puissant Lord whose great and conquering sworde,
was forgde by Mars and made for victorie,
Protect the life of thy vnhappie thrall,
And make him follower of the Persian armes,
That in the fortune of thy mightie hand,
The fall of Ctesiphon may be reuengde.

Gob.
O Ctesiphon this tale of thine reuiues
The wofull memorie of my dearest sonne,
Slaughtered by that most barbarous tyrant hand.

Cyr.
Gobrias ye haue heard the Assyrian tale,
What great complaints he makes against the prince,
And those not causelesse if his wordes be true,
Now Cyrus is not rashly credulous,
Nor bindes his faith on euerie strangers vowes.
Tell me Gobrias, dost thou simplie thinke,
That this discourse is naught but naked truth,
Or else some forged or dissembled glose,
To sound our secrets, and bewray our drifts.

Go.
Cyrus the disposition of this prince,
Solde vp and sworne to endlesse villanies,
May proue the griefes of Ctesiphon vnfained,
Vpon my conscience Cyrus trust the man,
No doubt his sorrow and complaints are true.

Cte.
O Cyrus so it pleasde the immortall Gods,
How happie were thy seruant, if his words
proceeded from a vaine dissembling tongue,
So were my daughters honor vndefiled,
And Ctesiphon her father not exiled.

Cyr.
Be valiant Ctesiphon and follow me,
Follow the fortune of a haphie campe,
Not doubt thou, but thou shalt see the ende,
Shall rue the iniuries of his barbarous life,
Among the damned soules in darkest hell.

Cte.
Then should my ghost with seaselesse wordes opprest,
Passe and discend into the graue in rest.

Exeunt omnes.
To the audience.

We gentle gentlemen deuise of late,
To shunne the vulgar and the vertuous,
Present to you worthie to iudge of vs,
Our workes of woorth and valiantnes at once.
What wants in vs imagin in the workes,
What in the workes condemne the writer of,
But if the worke and writing please you both,
That Zenophon from whence we borrow write,
Being both a souldier and philosopher,
Warrants what we record of Panthea,
It is writ in sad and tragicke tearmes,
May moue you teares, then you content, our muse
That seemes to trouble you, againe with toies
Or needlesse antickes imitations,
Or shewes, or new deuises sprung a late,
we haue exilde them from our Tragicke stage,
As trash of their tradition, that can bring
nor instance, nor excuse. For what they do
Instead of mournefull plaints our Chorus sings,
Although it be against the vpstart guise,
Yet warranted by graue antiquitie,
we will reuiue the which hath long beene done.

Exit.
Enter Alexandra like a page, Libanio in Alexandras apparell.
Lib.
Madame you see your page doth vndertake,
A costly peece of seruice for your sake,
For well that seruice costly may be called,
The ende whereof of force must cost my life,
For when th'Assyrian king shall vnderstand
My forged habit, and dissembling sex,
And in these female weedes shall find Libanio,
And Alexandra freely scapt his handes,
What hope but certaine death remaines for me,
And that with torments rare and exquisite.
Yet madame for the reuerence to my Lord,
And dutie that doth bind me to your selfe,
I will be Alexandra for this once,
and die to saue your honour and your life.

Alex.
O trustie seruant, seruant of surmounting faith,
Worthie to attend the person of a god,
Rather then daughter of poore Gobrias,
This sacred seruice to a sillle dame,
Shall be ingrauen in tables of my heart,
with letters and charecters so perfourmde,
That when this bodie is bestowde in graue,
No time nor yet corruption shall deface,
The print thereof from Alexandras breast.

Lib.
Thankes Ladie, And for your further meede,
Sufficeth me the honour of the deede.
Me thinkes I see the Assyrian stout at hand,
Now madame carie a couragious heart.
And trust your page for Alexandras part.

Alex.
A Tragicall part I feare Libanio.

Enter Antiochus, Seleueus, Critobulus with others.
Ant.
Bird of a traitor I presumde at last,
Your lot would be to light into my handes,
Although of cankred heart you would not yeeld,
Vntill your castell shaked about your eares.

Lib.
O soueraigne Lord stand gracious to this dame,
That neuer trespast in offence to you.

Ant.
Thy fathers treason in reuolting backe,
From due alleageance to th Assyrian crowne,
I will reuenge vpon his daughters life.

Lib.
What honour in a sillie virgins death?
That nere had power or will to harme your grace.

Ant.
Because the plants of such corrupted stockes,
will fructifie according to the roote,
And for Gobrias treason to his prince,
I will preuent like mischifes in his rase.

Lib.
Admit Gobrias might be reclaimed,
Vnto his first allegiance to my Lord,
Would you remit the offence of his reuolt,
And take him to your former grace againe?

Ant.
So let the gods stand gracious to my soule,
If he forsake those hatefull Persian armes,
And firme his faith and loyaltie to me.

Lib.
Then prince before you wreake reuenge on me,
Grant passeport and safe conduite to my page,
That he may goe and signifie to him,
The desperate state wherein his daughter standes,
When once my father shall perceiue my plight,
And that my life must pay for his reuolt,
I know that instant houre he will returne,
And yeeld himselfe to mercie of my Lord.

Ant.
Scribe giue her page safe conduct through my campe,
And boy when you ariue before Gobrias,
Tell if he returne I pardon him,
If otherwise, off goes his daughters head.

Alex.
I will dread Lord: O madam grant the gods.
These eyes once more may see your libertie.
Exit Alexander.

Lib.
As pleaseth their dieties Libanio.

Ant.
Dinon take you this damsell to your charge,
And vse her noblie though she be a thrall.

Dinon.
To vse her worse the honour were but small.

Exeunt omnes.
Enter Ctesiphon.
Cte.
I murther Cyrus, farre be such a thought,
Much more the execution of the deed,
Like as the Sunne beames to the gazers eye,
So is his view to daunted Ctesiphon,
During the rancor of my wicked minde,
And melting all in thoughts of sweet remorce,
How wise and gracious is this Persian king,
Who by his wisdome winnes his followers hearts,
Letting them march in armour wrought with gold,
And he girt in a coate of complete steele.
O Cyrus politique and liberall,
How honourable and magnanimious?
Rewarding vertue, and reuenging wrongs,
How full of temperance and fortitude,
Daring to menace Fortune with his sworde,
Yet mercifull in all his victories,
Enter Cyrus.
See where he comes, Ile falle vpon the ground,
And aske for pardon at his highnesse feet.

Cyr.
Rise vp Assyrian, Cyrus is no God.

Cte.
O Cyrus, know Antiochus my Lord,
My Lord, said I, no I will renounce him quite,
Subornd me wretch with his persuasious wordes,
To doe a deed of such impietie,
As I God knowes suborne to thinke vpon,
It was thy death victorious Cyrus,
But mightie Lord your vertues conquered me,
And or an enemie false and trecherous,
Am I become a vowed friend to Cyrus health,
And in that resolution prest to die.

Cyr.
Liue long to waile for thy pretended ill,
As free from punishment as for reward,
The liues of kings are garded by the gods,
Nor are they in the hands of mortall men,
Assyrian, though thy sword were at my breast,
The gealous angell that attends on vs,
Would snatch it from thy hands, and fling it downe.
And therefore muse not at this accident.

Cte.
Seeing knightly Cyrus is thus mercifull,
Vouchsafe this seruice at thy vassals hands,
Giue me but letters from your Maiestie,
To signifie how faine you would haue peace,
And draw your legions from Assyria,
And bearing them vnto Antiochus,
In the deliuerie I will murther him.
So highly do I honour Cyrus name,
So vildlie thinke on base Antiochus.

Enter Gobrias with Alexandra.
Cyr.
Thou shalt haue letters to th'Assyrian king,
Free libertie to passe from this our campe,
And conduit monie from our Treasurie.
Attend our leysure, I will send thee straight.
What virgin is it that Gobrias leades?

Go.
My daughter mightie Cyrus, and your child,
For I commit her to your patronage.

Cyr.
Then princely virgin welcom to our campe.
But why sigh you, why hang you downe the head?
And in your pale lookes burie beauties pride,
T'is pitie these lookes should be stainde with teares.

Alex,
Euen as a doue late rifeled by the Eagle,
Whose breast is tainted with his forked talents,
So stands poore Alexandra terrified.
And almost dead to think of her escape,
If thou be Cyrus of whom Asia rings,
Rescue, O rescue poore Libanio.

Cyr.
From whom faire madame should I rescue him.

Alex.
O from Antiochus that bloodie king.
Who when he heard my father serude your grace,
Besiegde his fortresse with his men at armes,
Where onely I and that Libanio staide.
By whom I liue. For when the hold was lost,
He being bondman and of a baser birth,
would needes constraine me to put on his weedes,
And he disguisde as I was woont to go,
would be Gobrias daughter in my stead,
And so was thought of king Antiochus,
and all the nobles of his warlike campe,
But I a bondman and at his request,
whose care was onely to preserue my life,
Sent hither as a messenger from him,
To will my father whom they thought my Lord,
To leaue your campe, and come to Babylon,
Or else Libanio his beloued childe
should die for his so traitor like reuolt,
And die he must, least Cyrus giue him life.

Cyr.
The deed was full of honor and deceit,
If gold will pay his raunsome, he shall liue,
And therefore Alexandra be not sad.

Gob.
So shall Gobrias beat Cyrus becke,
And for his sake make lauish of his blood.

Alex.
And when they know how he deluded them,
I feare theyle rate his raunsome at his head.

Cy.
Then blood and death Bellonas waiting maid,
shall ghastly march in Babylons waste streetes,
And neuer was a bondmans death reuengde,
as Cyrus meanes for this Libanio.

Exit omnes.
Enter Araspas, and a Magitian, to Panthea asleepe.
Ara.
Giue me the charme, for now doth Panthea sleep
If it preuaile this iewell shall be thine,

Mag.
Doubt not the operation of this charme,
For I haue tride it on Dianas nymph,
And made her wanton and lasciuious,
If Panthea be a Goddesse she must yeeld.

Ara.
But tell me first, how must it be applied?
And in what time will it begin to worke?

Mag.
Lay it vnder the pillow of her bed,
and in an houre it will make her wake and yeeld.

Ara.
I will. Now fauour me infernall Joue.

Mag.
So, wake her not till she begins to smile,
Now loue begins to seate him in her braine.

Pan.
Away I will not, you are impudent.

Ara.
Tell me Magitian, what importes this speech?

Mag,
Why now she thinkes some solicites her.

Pan.
You are deceiude, I am not beautifull.

Ara.
O giue me leaue to court her in her sleepe,
It may be when she wakes she will not loue.

Mag.
Softly Araspas, if you talke, she wakes.

Ara.
O let her wake, I long to talke with her.

Mag.
Now ginnes her eyes to open, and she stirres.

Ara.
Stand thou aside vntill I call for thee.

Pan.
What dreames and fond illusions haue I had?
How comes this word Loue, in Pantheas minde?
I loue, nay rather will I die then loue,
and yet against my will I thinke on loue,
O Panthea thinke vpon thy funerall,
For thou art withered with excessiue griefe,
Loue and deformitie cannot agree.

Ara.
If Panthea be faire and beautifull,
Then loue and Panthea doe well agree.

Pan.
Araspas, Panthea and her selfe will iarre,
when she shall yeeld to loue. Or what is loue
But gall and aloes to my martyred soule,
Now Abradates is not in my sight.

Aras.
Here is Araspas louelie Panthea,
For thee Ile leaue the field, then leaue thou him,
For thee Ile leaue the world, then loue thou me.
Let Cyrus ioy in pompe and emperie,
Sufficeth me to conquer faire Panthea.
Let others glorie in their ground and golde,
Panthea to me is twentie thousand worlds.
And without Panthea all the world is trash.

Pan.
For thee Araspas will I curse my starres,
That suffers thee so to solicite me,
For thee I will count the world as hell,
Except thou leaue thus to solicite me.

Ara.
How figuratiue is Panthea in her speach?
Resembling cunning Rethoritians,
who in the person of some one deceasde,
Perswades their auditors to what they please,
I cannot thinke that these be Pantheas words,
She is so faire to giue so sharpe replie.
But if these be the wordes of Panthea,
Then must she change her face, and seeme lesse faire,
For know that beautie is loues harbinger,
Then being beautious, Panthea needes must loue.

Pan.
Would I were changde into some other shape,
That I might fright thee with my hideous lookes,
I in the person of my selfe deceasde.
Protest this heart shall neuer harbour loue,
But if my lookes be this preparatiue,
Ile beate my face against the haplesse earth,
Or deeply harrow it with these my trembling hands,
which I hold vp to heauen to chaunge thy minde,
Or hasten death to rid me from this sute.

Aras.
Nay then if amorous courting will not serue,
Know whether thou wilt or no Ile make thee yeeld,

Pan.
Though fortune make me captiue, yet know thou
That Pantheas will can neuer be constrainde.

Ara.
But torments can enforce a womans will.

Pan.
Then should thy importunitie enforce,
The sight of thee Araspas should constraine,
For I protest before the gods of heauen,
No torment can be greater in my thought.

Ara.
I, say so till ye feele them Panthea.

Pan.
I feele more torments then thou canst inuent,
who adde the more shall ease that I sustaine,
All torments be they neuer so exquisite,
Are but ascending steps vnto my ende,
And death tu Panthea is a benefite,
what are thy threates but sugred promises.

Ara.
Then shalt thou liue and Ile importune thee.

Pan.
I, now is Panthea menaced to the proofe.
Yet euery word thou speakes shall wound my heart,
And in despite of thee Ile die at last,
The earnester thou art the sooner too,
But to preuent it thus I will flie from thee,
Cyrus shall know Araspus villanie.
Exit Panthra.

Ara.
Thus therefore shall I pine, abandon loue,
O t'is inherent to Araspas soule.
And thereby claimes an immortalitie.
So it shall nere begin, nor neuer end,
A cursed Magitian, are these thy wicked spels?

Ma.
O pardon me my honourable Lord,
For Pantheas vertues frustrated all my art.

Ara.
Must Magicke yeeld to vertue? wherefore then
Didst thou assure me she should be in loue;

Ma.
So was she being asleepe, as did appeare.

Ara.
And why not being wake, speake villain speake

Mag.
Reason my Lord was the predominant,
Her intellectuall part striued against loue,
and Magicke cannot commaund the soule,
while appetite and common sense remained,
You saw I made her smile, embrace the aire,
and shew the affects of amorous conceits,
Few women vse to skirmish with such thoughts,
and had this Panthea beene at libertie,
she would haue yeelded to your honours sute.
But in captiuitie is nought but greefe,
and loue with greefe will keepe no residence.

Ara.
Smooth are thy wordes, but rough and harsh thy sense,
For they import Panthea cannot be forced.
Canst thou with inchauntations make her die?
That she being gone my loue may follow her.

Mag.
Life is adiunct vnto our hamane forme,
Exempt from Magicke and Magitians,
And thats the cause we sooner hurt brute beasts,
Then such as haue the semblance of our selues.

Ara.
Deceitfull Artisan thy words are sleights,
Thy wordes deceitfull and full of guile,
Wit is a witch, sweete words must conquer her,
Out of my sight, yet conceale this attempt,
If thou bewray it, maugre all thy skill,
This sworde shall send thee to eternall hell.

Exeunt.
Enter Dinon and Libanio.
Dinon.
Now are we at the bankes of Euphrates,
Farre from the campe where souldiers haunt,
and here may we vnder this poplar shade,
Discourse vpon the sweetnesse of our loue.

Lib.
You know my Lord I am too yong to loue,

Dinon.
Faire Alexandra, if thou loue not me.
Thou art compact of adamant and yron,
Thy yeares are fit for loue, so are thy lookes,

Lib.
How fit so ere my yeares be and my lookes,
I Alexandra am vnfit to loue.
Is not my father with the Persian king,
And I Alexendra as captiue in his stead,
And giue me leaue to waile my hard estate,
and make a riuer with my flowing teares,
That mingled with the streame of Euphrates,
May swiftly runne vnto my fathers seate,
And make him hast to great Antiochus.

Dinon.
Nay rather sit vpon this sedgie bankes,
That I seeing thy shadowe in the streame,
May feede my fancie with thy pleasant view,
If not enioy the sweetnesse I desire,
and leape into the waues and drowne my selfe,
That thou maist pittie Dinon being dead.

Lib.
O I could pittie Dinon being aliue,
But that I feare my father will not come,
and then shall Alexandra suffer death.
and being dead Dinon may pittie me.

Dinon.
Loue, may I call thee loue, loe shee doth not frowne,
Her lookes giues warrant for that Epitite,
For thee Ile kneele before Antiochus,
and rather then thou shalt be toucht by him.
Ile beare thee hence as farre as Tanais,
Or keepe thee close in these Assyrian woods,

Lib.
No place is secrete to Antiochus,
Dost thou not know that kings hath reaching hands?

Dinon.
I do yet know my sworde is sharpe and keene
which when I drawe and brandish in the aire,
all Babylon will fight in my auaile,
who honour me more than Antiochus.
I will not say how great thy dowre shall be,
Nor boast what cities I commaund,
Let this, though not a king in name,
In wealth and friends I am an Emperour.

Lib.
If I should yeeld your honour might suppose,
That dignitie and wealth should conquer me,
Therefore I blush to say I loue my Lord.

Dinon.
And when thou blushes Dinons heart is fired,
Therefore to quench it giue a gentle grant.

Lib.
My honor being preserude, my grant is giuen.

Dinon.
Thereof am I as chairie as thy selfe,
And of thy loue as of my proper life,
O Alexandra thy wordes rauisheth me,
Lull me a sleepe with sweetnesse of thy voice.

Lib.
Then shall my song be of my Dinons praise,
Sleepe Dinon, then Libanio draw thy sword,
And manly thrust it in his slumbring heart.
There is no way to saue thy life but this.
And therefore feare not, shall I slaughter him
That intertained me with such amorous wordes,
Such bounteous gifts and golden promises?
When he shall know I am Libanio,
And go I cannot but I shall be taine,
Vnlesse I slay him in his haplesse sleepe,
For he will quickly wake and follow me,
Now Dinon dies, alas I cannot strike,
This habit makes me ouer pitifull.
Remember that thou art Libanio.
She killes him.
No woman but a bondman, strike and flie.

Exit.
Enter the Assyrian king and his Nobles.
An.
Now that Gobrias fortresse is our owne,
His daughter prisoner, and his Countrie burnt,
Lets march from hence to welthie Babylon.
And muster those resolued Citizens,
To meete the Persian in the open field,
Twice hath he led his forces by our gates,
Yet neuer durst to mount his battring Ramme,
Or warlike engine against the rampred walles,
Therefore we lie no more in garrison,
But bussell out and fight for libertie,

Nob.
My Lord behold where Dinon slaughtred lies

Ant.
Dinon, thou art deceyde it is not he.

Nob.
It is my Lord I know him by his scarres.

Ant.
These scarres were giuen him in my fathers dayes,
And now he is dead, ere I cou'd guerdon him
The greatest honour I can doe thee nowe,
Is to lament and kisse thy liuelesse cheekes,
And that will I performe for Dinons sake,
O that I could reuiue thee with this kisse,

Nob.
Doubtlesse Gobrias daughter murdered him.
I sawe them in the morning walke abroad,
And since they ne're returnde into the campe.

Ant.
Then she hath done this execrable fact,
And so is fled vnto her traiterous sire,
O that a sillie Maide should slaughter him,
Which not a world of Persians could subdue,
Is there no ende of my calamitie?
My father done to death by Cyrus sword,
Wicked Gobrias and his daughter fled,
False Ctesiphon resolude to murther me,
And now Dinon my chiefest captaine slaine,
Why runne we not vpon these Persians,
which are the authours of these miseries?
Come souldiers take him vp and march away,
Weele emptie Babylon to meete our foes,
And be reuengde vnto the ninth degree,
Both of Gobrias and his familie.

Exeunt.
Enter Cyrus, Panthea, Gobrias, Histaspis.
Pan.
O Cyrus if the fortune of thy hande,
Haue turnde my freedome to captiuitie,
And of a Queene made me a captiue dame,
Yet thinke that vertue is not thrall to chaunce,
Nor honour subiect to vnhappie time,
But like a gallant consecrated ship,
That in extreamest wrath and stormes of seas,
Vaunts all her sailes and fights the battaile out.

Cyr.
Madame the reason of these vehement tearmes,
Cyrus doth neither know, nor can coniect,
It since the time of your captiuitie,
You haue not beene intreated as you ought,
The gods can tell t'is farre against my thought.

Pan.
Then know my great Lord the man that tooke the charge.
To gard my honor, and my person free,
Long since doted on my person so,
That doting he hath sought my bonors wreake,
A tedious siege (God knowes) I haue endurde,
More hedious vnto me then hastie armes,
While vilde Araspas with his lewde desires,
Ceaselesse solicited my vnlawfull bed,
without repulses I haue quailed his hope,
which he renued with charge of fresh assaults.
But my denials made his purpose vaine,
In fine when no intreatie could preuaile,
To frame my fancie to his wicked will,
He falles to threatnings from persuasious termes,
And vowes to purchase his desires by force,
And therefore Cyrus (as thou art a king)
Protect a Ladies honour from the spoile,
And let thy bondmaid liue and die vnstaind,
And if there rest no other hope for me,
But hauocke wrake and ruine of my fame,
O Cyrus on thy sworde let Panthea die,
And so preuent the daunger of my shame.

Cy.
Ladie, how farre your vsage disagrees,
From Cyrus meaning, records be the gods,
As for my selfe (not vainly be it saide)
I holde my eyes in bondage to my will,
And keepe my thoughts in yoke to reason loue,
My sight on beautie neuer surfetted,
And where her beames were likely to infect,
My iudgement was a vaile before mine eyes
To beare such pearcing fancies from my heart,
Such as I am, such must my followers be,
Else let them packe they shall not follow me.
The man that offered to dishonour you,
shall be so throughly chastised for his fault,
As you shall rest sufficiently reuenged,
and knowledge me a gracious conquerour,
Histaspis carie her to your pauilion.

Pan.
So stand the gods assistant to your armes,
as you stand pittifull to my mishaps.

Exit Histaspis and Panthea.
Enter Gobrias, Libanio in womans attyre.
Lib.
My Lord, the gods and fate reserues your page,
To doe you further seruice ere he dies.

Cy.
Gobrias goes your page in that attyre?

Go.
My Lord, she is no page of mine.
Some shamelesse strumpet and lascioious trull.

Lib.
And hath my Lord forgot his seruant then?

Gob.
First must I know before I can forget,
Thee haue I neither seene nor knowne till now.

Lib.
O say not so my Lord, for oft ere this
I haue beene seene and throughly knowne to you,
And you I know to be my gracious Lord.
Gobrias that renowmde Assyrian.

Gob.
Fond girle it seemes thy wits be not thine owne.

Lib.
What hath my Lord forgot Libanio?

Gob.
I know thee now thou art my sweet Libanio.
Thy borrowed habite made me to mistake,
I knowe thee nowe thou art my sweea Libanio,
A vertuous boy and of a noble spirit,
To whose deserts and courage I ascribe,
The rescue of my daughters libertie,
O Cyrus this is he that to preserue
My daughters freedome from the Assyrian king,
Chose to disguise himselfe in her aray,
In fearefull doubt and hazarde of his life,
To saue her honour from the tyrants wrath.

Cyr.
My boy, what ere thy birth and fortune be,
Great doth this mind and thoughts of honour taste,
Expressing markes of true Nobilitie,
And to excite thee to commended workes,
which are the pathes that to aduauncement ledes,
Receiue this chaine of golde from Cyrus necke,
And weare it in the face of all the worlde,
Not as a fauor to thy person giuen,
But as in honour to thy vertuous minde,

Lib.
Great and surpassing is the kingly grace.
Yea farre beyond the compasse of my hope,
Gods grant me life and fortune to deserue,
This part of bountie at your royall hands.

Enter Alexandra.
Alex.
Libanio then I haue not prayed in vaine,
Nor callde vpon the gods with frustrate vowes,
If thou once more be rendred to my sight,
The teares of whose supposed funerals,
Did houre by houre bedew my blubbered face.

Lib.
Madame, the blessing of my strange escape,
I attribute alone vnto the gods,
If past so farre the reach of humane sense.

Alex.
And for thy sake their aultars I will smoake.
with sweete perfume of thankefull sacrifice.

Cy.
But boy expres in brief what means thou madest
To scape so safely from th'Assyrian campe

Lib.
This meane I found and please my Lord & king,
vpon suppose of Alexandra selfe,
I was committed to a noble man,
Hight Dinon, to be guarded in his tent.
The glorie of my counterfet attire,
And maners framed according there vnto,
Did so inflame Dinon that with my loue,
That waking sleeping, or what euer else,
He felt a restlesse combate in his thoughts,
In fine, more safely to commence his loue,
He led me quite beyonde th'Assyrian campe,
And brought me to the bankes of Euphrates,
There sate we downe and he with amorous plea,
Not onely fild, but cloyde my wearie eares,
so farre that what with long continued talke,
And heate of sunne reflecting on the bankes,
Or happlie with the ratling harmonie,
which Euphrates his gliding streames did keepe,
Which seeing I imagined that the gods
Had offred this occasion to my hands,
For sweete recouerie of my freedome.
Short tale to make, with dreadfull hand I drew,
The sworde that hangde loose dangling by his side.
And with the full of my extended force,
I sheathd it home amidst the owners ribbes,
He wounded fet an inwarde grone or two,
Then turning on his face breathes forth his life,
The deed dispatcht, I hied me thence amaine,
And scaping cleane without impeach or stay.
Now stand before the Persian king this day.

Cyr.
President of manly fortitude,
Exceeding farre the opinion of thy yeares,
Gobrias haue an honourable care,

Alex.
Libanio now leaue Alexandras weedes,
That part is plaid and be your selfe againe,
That part poore boy with danger thou hast plaid.

Lib.
Madame, no daunger can be so great,
That Ile refuse for Alexandras sake,

Cy.
Gobrias say, is Alexandra she,
For whom your page these hazards hath sustainde?

Gob.
It is my Lord.

Cy.
Then let vs to your wished for place.

Gob.
That place O Cyrus I desire to see,

Cy.
This is the place the men that follow me.

Gob.
Then wample both my eyes that with this turfe,
I may be sure to hit a vertuous man.

Cy.
Shall she be his on whom this turfe shall light?

Gob.
So that the man be good and vertuous,

Cy.
Then throw at random when you please Gobrias,
You cannot misse a good and vertuous man.

Gob.
Then Alexandra at thy husbands head.

Cy.
Histaspis you are hit.

Hist.
I am my Lord,

Go.
Then Alexandra if you please is yours.

Hist.
Happie were I if Alexandra please.

Alex.
My Lord the fortune of my fathers hand,
Becommeth not his daughter to withstand.
To please my Lord and father I am yours.

Gob.
Your fathers pleasde, Histaspis she is yours.

Cy.
Histaspis take your loue at Cyrus hand,
this is our guise, and this the Persians do,
they wooe and wed within a worde or two.

Exeunt.