University of Virginia Library

[Scene I.

The King's Camp near Mora.]
A hott Alarum.
Enter hastily att severall Doores Monasin, Filadin, Cratoner, with their swords drawne.
Fil.
All's lost! The very Guards the danger shun,
As fast as to itt Honour bids them run.
Feare has soe blinded them, they doe not see
Their ruine or, what's worse, their Infamie.

Crat.
If all bee lost, then lett us rob the foe
Of the full glory of their overthrow
By killing of our selves.

Mon.
They then will say
Despaire, nott Honour, taught us that bold way.
Lett's therefore shew that all the Rebells powers,
Had they bin fac't by a few swords like our's,
Had found their Triumph would soe dearly cost
That itt had rather caus'd their greif than boast.

Enter Thrasolin.
Thras.
What meanes this rage, that sitts on every brow,
And why in such a threatning posture now?

Mon.
Can Thrasolin aske that, yett know and heare
Soe many dangers certaine are and neare,
That now wee doe nott on our Reasons call
Which to avoide, but noblest where to fall?

Fil.
'Tis but the Sinne of Fortune if wee dye,
But, Thrasolin, 'tis our Sinne if wee fly.

Thras.
If this the bussinesse is, then on my word
Each of you may with safety sheath his sword;
For you will find, when these dissorders end,
They came not from a foe, but from a freind.

Mon.
Who then cou'd in our campe such things performe,
Or rather say what furie raisd this storme,
A storme soe black and horrid I may well
Say, 'tis not like, but 'tis it selfe a Hell?

Thras.
Your absence kept till now my plott untold.
Therefore its rise and Progresse I'll unfold.
It is not sure to any here unknowne
Melizer shou'd by right possesse the throne.
Nor is't lesse true, that man who rules us now
Is both a Tirant and usurper too,
For when Evender withe fight did fall,
The Monster was the Armies Generall,
And when the Royall Melizer hee shou'd
Have Crown'd as being first Prince of the bloud,
Hee seiz'd on him, and by his boundlesse pow'r
Made him close prisoner in the fatall Tower,
Where still our lawfull king hee has deteyn'd;
But, finding how men murmur'd that hee reign'd,
The better to excuse all that was past,
Declar'd his only sonne, young Altimast,
Shou'd marry our faire princesse Rosocleere,
Who is to our true king th'undoubted heire.
But, when th'appointed wedding day drew neere,
Wee noe more news of Altimast cou'd here.

Fil.
After which sin, hee in a worse did fall,
Forcing away our noble Generall.

Mon.
And some do say the Tyrant's cause of Hate
Was on the score of Love as much as state;
For, though hee be on his declineing age,
Yet Altemera did his heart Engage,
Whose Charming beautie, as 'tis knowne by all,
Has been ador'd long by our Generall.

Crat.
Who can such needlesse talke as this Endure?
Wee knowe our ills, but long to know the Cure.

Thras.
Know then that I, beleiving nothing might
To our wrong'd King sooner restore his right
Than calling Clorimun, our Generall, back,
'Twas I this night did this disorder make.
I let the souldiers knowe that hee must die,
Unlesse they sav'd him by a mutiny,
Which fiction for a truth amongst them went.
With teares his danger they did first lament;
Then, from small numbers grew a mighty croud,
And then, from Whispering grew to talking loud;
Marching directly to the Tyrants tent,
Demanded Clorimun from bannishment.

Fil.
Then all those troubles did this night befall
Is but to bring us back our Generall?

Crat.
I to their party am already gott.
The End is Noble though the way bee nott.

Thras.
Yett 'twas the fittest way wc h I could choose;
For wc h successe must bee my best Excuse.
Besides, in this great businesse I was loath
That ought butt Tumult should have given itt growth.
All formall plotts I therfore did decline,
And made that looke like chance wc h was Designe.

Mon.
The Tyrant this affront will never brooke:
Butt tell us, Thrasolin, how does hee looke?

Thras.
Perplex't as is the Campe, his Reason heere
Serves nott to silence, butt augment his feare.
Sometimes hee thinkes, the Rebells being nigh,
That wee and they are in Confederacy.
Then straight hee thinkes, from honour or from spight,
Wee scorne our selves, butt by our selves to right.

A Great Cry within, And “Clorimun for our Generall” often repeated. Enter Kinge and Gesippus.
Thras.
Butt who are those wc h yonder now appeare?
Soft! 'Tis the Tyrant fill'd with rage and feare.

King.
Oh Gentlemen, lett itt bee never knowne,
You spend the time in Consultation,
When such is the insulting souldiers rage,
'Tis blood, nott words, their fury must asswage.

Thras.
If blood their fatall fury had nott fed,
It had bin, sir, as soone as kindled, dead;
For each of us has spilt with his owne hand
What well might satisfie for all the Land,
Though every part of itt had bin as bad
As this tumultuous night the Campe has made;
Which to their rage has added such a growth,
They say that wee are judge and partie both.

Fil.
And, sir, they now are ready to pursue
Their mutiny, with yor dire Murther too.

Mon.
Which, if perform'd, Rebellion in short time
Will prove as much their interest as crime.

Ges.
These Gentlemen, to whome you lend your eare,
Speake the Results of Reason, nott of feare.
The Fitt in my opinion is too high
Now to prescribe a daring Remedy.

The Cry continued.
Thras.
You cannott, Sr, a Middle Councell choose.
The Army now will take if you refuse,
And if their strength they once but understand,
'Twill teach them from obeying to Command.
In your resolving be not, sr, soe sloe,
For the more forc'd th'action then will show.
To yeild at last, and yet at first to strive,
Show's them 'tis they that take, not you that give.
You may retire to Leptis which is nigh,
And is a place of strength and Loyaltie.
When you are once out of the Souldiers powers,
They must in consequence be soone in yours.

King.
This Councell, which on mee you all bestowe,
I must confesse is wise, but then 'tis low;
And hee a Crowne does not deserve to weare,
Who, whilst hee has it on, admitts of feare.

Ges.
This Resolution, which soe much you prize,
As, sr, it is not low, soe 'tis not wise.
Permitt mee, sr, to say your Courage here,
As the case stands, will like dispaire appeare.

Fil.
Besides, what they for Clorimun pretend,
May bee their maske, and a worse thinge their End.
The Rebells forces are a mighty power,
And hourely looke for their brave Lucidor.
Memnor and Clatus and more men of name
Are now amongst them, waiting butt for fame.

Ges.
When e're you please, sr, Doubtlesse you may doe
What yor resentments now would drive you too.
And yor retirement may bee made appeare
To springe from yor Contempt, nott from yor feare.
What greater ill can on yor Army fall
Than to want you to bee their Generall?

King.
Well, for this time, what you advise, I'le doe.
Goe, Thrasolin, and lett the Army know
I grant them their Request, for now they shall
Possesse agen their long'd for Generall.
But stay: for what if Clorimun should, now
That fortune smiles, show her an angry brow?

Thras.
If nor his King, nor Country, cou'd invite
His Conquering Sword now to defend their right,
Yett Altemera's love soe fills his brest,
'Twill force him from his solitude and rest,
And make him Court againe the Worlds applause
By acting thinges transcendent as their Cause.

King.
You then, to whom his heart soe well is knowne,
Shall carry to him his Commission:
Tell him from mee, wou'd hee cast off his pride
And guide himself, as hee can Armies guide;
Or could hee but attaine att length to this,
To show his passion butt his subject is,
There's none who beares that name shou'd have in mee
Soe just and high an interest as hee.
Gesippus, come! to Leptis wee'le retire,
There waite th'effects of granting your Desire.

Thras.
Permitt us as yor Guards to waite on you,
For none can tell what men enrag'd may doe.

King.
I more than they shou'd then bee in the blame.
My guards shall bee my courage and my fame,
For if they saw with other Guards I went,
'Twould make that looke like feare, which is Contempt.
Yett, Gentlemen, yor care therin I see,
Which, e're longe, I'le nott faile to gratifie.

[Exeunt King and Gesippus.
Thras.
Well, my good friends, what thinke you of my lye,
And of my plott, and of my mutinie?

Fil.
That all are virtuous, I most freely grant,
For nought is virtue wc h successe does want.

Crat.
Well, 'tis an even lay that most of those
Whom to this mutinie thou did'st dispose,
Will suffer death or else some torturing paine,
And thou, for itt, will high rewards obtaine.

Mon.
An Even lay! I thought thee wiser growne!
The wager is att lowest, two to one.
For those two powers who governe all mankinde,
Fortune and Justice, both of them are blinde.

Fil.
Our fooling for a while lett's throw away.
This is a time of earnest, nott of play.

Thras.
My grave and prudent lookes I'le now Command,
For souldiers see better than understand;
I'de rather farre, when I the businesse breake,
Butt wisely looke than only wisely speake.

[Exeunt.