 | The raging Tvrke, or Baiazet the second |  |
Scena Septima.
Enter Baiazet, and Cherseogles.Baia.
The day's farre spent, is not Achmetes come?
Chers.
Not yet great Emperor.
Baia.
Vice-roy of Greece, say now there were a man
Whom my mind honored, and I should command,
To cloath his body in a suite of gold,
Studded with gems, worth all the Indian snore,
Durst any tongue gainsay it:
Chers.
Surely no.
Baia.
What if I hated him, and should command
To wrappe him in a sable coloured blacke,
And sentence him to death?
Chers.
Then he must die.
Baia.
My thoughts are troubled.
Chers.
What should these questions meane,
Abrupt demands, one to confound the other?
My liege, your guests are come.
Enter Achmetes, Isaack, Mahometes, Achomates, Selymus, Mesithes, Caigubus.
Baia.
Blest be the houre in which I see Achmetes safe return'd
Bring in our banquet souldiers: boyes kneele round,
Enter a banquet, all kneele.
A ring of brauer lads nere blest the ground,
Supplie vs here with nectar, giue it me,
takes the cup
A health to thy blest fortunes, it shall runne
A compleate circle ere the course be done.
Ach.
My dutie bids me pledge it. I returne
Good health to Isaack, and in this wee'l drownd
All conceal'd enmities.
drinkes
Isa.
Ioue split me with his thunder, if my brest
Harbour one bad thought, when this draught is past.
And so I greet thy sonne? health to Caigubus.
drinkes
Caigu.
Mahometes the turne lights next on you.
drinkes
Maho.
Ile pledge it freely, Viceroy her's to you.
drinkes
Chers.
Achomates, to you I must commend
The welfare of Achmetes in this cup.
drinks
Acho.
To you Mesithes, thus I proue my loue.
drinks
Mes.
Yong Prince I doe commit this health to you.
drinks
Sely.
I am the last, be prodigall in wine,
Fill vp my bowle with Nectar, let it rise
Aboue the goblets side, and may it like
A swelling Ocean flow aboue the banckes,
I will exhaust it greedily, 'tis my due.
drinkes
Omnes.
Weele drinke with Bacchus and his roaring crew.
Baia.
Already done, so quickly runne about,
One health to me, faith sith you are set too't,
Heer's a carouse to all,
Omnes.
Weele pledge it round.
As they drinke round, Baiazet riseth and speakes aside.
Baia.
'Tis the last draught to some, or I shall faile,
In mine intendments. let a foe escape?
When he was trampled downe beneath his feete,
There must be treason in it; how my blood
Boyles in my breast, with anger, not the wine
Could worke such strong effect; my soule is vext,
A chafing heat distempers all my blood,
Achmetes thou must coole it when thy limbes
Are emptied of that moisture they sucke in,
And thy stain'd blood vnchannel'd from thy veines,
Then shall I be secure, a quiet rest
Shall rocke my soule asleepe, 'tis thy last howre,
Must set a period to my restlesse feares.
Then all arise: and now to consummate
Our happy meeting, and shut vp our joyes,
Discourse Achmetes of your finish't warres;
After an age of woes it proues at last
A sweete content to tell of dangers past.
Let's know your whole events.
Ach.
Great Emperor
Scarce had the rosie day-starre through the East,
Display'd her silver colours through the heauen,
But all the watchfull souldiers ready arm'd,
Dim'd her pale cheekes, with their transparent steele,
And added lustre to the dull sight morne,
So stood we in full pride till the bright Sunne
Climing the glassie pauement of the skies,
Rouz'd the slow spirits of the backward foe,
And vrg'd them to the field; at length stept forth
Zemes, in all the trappings of his state:
And like a well-taught Hector, rang'd his troupes,
Into their seuerall orders, all prepar'd
Titan being fearefull stept behind a cloud,
Lest when he saw our limbs bath'd all in blood,
And purple streames gush't from our wounded breasts,
Like vvater from their springs; he in a feare
Should be eclips'd, or startle from his spheare,
The ayre was thicke and dimme, our armies joyn'd,
The skirmishes grew hot, and angry Mars
Inthron'd vpon the battlements of heauen,
Left either side to tugge with their owne strength,
Till their oppressing multitude bore downe,
The justice of our cause, and our whole side,
Not daring to withstand, scorning to flye,
Stood trembling on the vtmost brinke of hope,
Then the propitious Gods singled me out
Zemes, the life and spirit of our foes:
We met and fought, such was my happy fate,
That at the first encounter Zemes fell,
And I disarm'd him, when in proud contempt,
He spit defiance in the face of death,
Whereby I might haue sent him hence to hell,
But I in admiration of his worth,
Arm'd his right hand once more and bad him fight,
Chance did direct my sword vpon his head,
He fell before me, and cry'd, Achmetes hold;
I'me wounded to the death, and Captaine goe
Tell Baiazet that thou hast slaine his foe.
I left the dying Prince, our warres were done
And ceas'd with him, by whom they were begunne.
Isaacke.
The plot has tooke.
aside
Baia.
Treason by Mahomet.
I left the dying Prince.
Isaack.
Pursue the proiect.
Baia.
Worthy Achmetes,
Well we may giue, but not reward by gifts,
And thanke, but not requite thee, I would hate
That liberality which would abate
The worth of the receiuer, thy true fame,
Outstrips the length of titles, and a name
Of weightie honour, is a slender price,
To grace thy merits with, as for a voice,
To crowne, thee after death, thou art the choice,
Of euerliuing glory, on thy crest,
Is her abode, and when the latest rest
Of nature, hath betrayd thee to thy graue,
Then shall she print in characters of gold
How braue a man thou wast, how great, how bold;
Though we be dumb, yet shall the world vplift,
Thy name, and thou shalt liue without our gift.
Yet thy blest fates, haue not created thee
So clearely Godlike, but some other chance,
May crosse thy greatnesse, and thy high renowne
The envie of some God may shoulder downe,
Then thus weele make thee happy, future events
Ne'r shall oppresse thy worth, nor enuious chance
Blot thy ensuing fame, Achmetes know,
Death an immortall gift, we thus bestow.
He casts a gowne of blacke veluet vpon him, called the mantle of death.
Treason, treason. O my Father treason,
Helpe Ianizaries.
Excurrit.
Baia.
Stop the furious youth.
Exeunt Bassaes.
Bring in an Heads-man. Traytor, Zemes dead?
He liues to see this hand vntwine thy thread.
Enter seuen or eight Ianizaries with swords drawne.
What meanes this outrage?
Ianiza. 1.
Cruell homicide.
2.
Vngratefull wretch.
3.
Tyrant.
4.
Meete hilts in's guts.
Circle him.
5.
First let his owne hands take that Mantle off.
Baia.
Helpe! Treason! I am slaine.
6.
Helpe? why? From whom?
Is not thy Guard about thee.
Baia.
Hemn'd in with death? My friends beset me round
Not to preserue my life, but murder me.
Blush you pale heauens at this abhorred fact,
That they may see their crimes, and be asham'd
Of this vnheard offence: Valiant Ianizaries,
Sheath vp these weapons of rebellion,
Print not that vgly sinne vpon your brow,
Let my tree pardon woe you to submit.
Keepe your alleagiance firme.
Omnes.
Ha, ha, ha, ha.
1
One word more damnes thee.
2
How pretily he began to talke
3
Of sinne and pardon. Baiazet behold
Here stands a man milde, honour'd, gracious,
Valiant, and faithfull; gentle in command,
At home belou'd, and fear'd amongst our foes,
Yet hath thy hand of cruelty assay'd
The hated murder of so deare a friend:
Blush you pale heauens at this abhorred fact,
That he may see his crimes, and be asham'd
Of this new bloudinesse. Wicked Baiazet
These admonitions fit the teacher well.
Baia.
But heare me speake.
First set Achmetes free, then speake thy fill.
Baia.
What shall I be compell'd?
5
And quickly too.
6
We cannot brooke to see him stand thus cloath'd.
Baia.
Your anger will haue way. Achmetes goe.
Takes off the Mantle.
There take him. They haue sau'd thee from this woe.
Exeunt showting and leaping.
Pernicious villaines, they haue crost my plot,
'Twas intercepted eu'n in the last deede:
What should Achmetes meane thus to ingrosse
The best affections of my Ianizaries?
Will he defraud me of my Crowne and life?
My life I weigh not: but to loose my Crowne
Were to be sentenc'd to a hell of woes.
I am full stuft with choller. Slauish Peasants
Held I a sword of power in mine hand,
I would disioynt them peece-meale; can I not?
Am I not Emperour? men call me so:
A reuerend title, empty attributes,
And a long page of words follow my name,
But no substantiall true prerogatiue.
Enter Isaack.
Isaack.
Good health to Baiazet.
Baiaz.
Indeed that's nothing, since your counsell fail'd.
Isaack.
Vse your best patience it may be regain'd.
Affection in your stubborne multitude
Is a prone torrent not to be withstood.
Were you as sacred as their houshold gods,
Yet when you thwart the current of their will,
They'le breake the bands of duty, and prophane
That holinesse to which they bound their thoughts.
Mine eyes are witnesse with what liuely ioy
They bore him through the streetes vpon their necks,
Offering the vse of their best strength.
Baia.
No more.
I am already gone. Why did not then
His proud ambitious tongue bid them goe fetch
My Crowne, and with quick speede disrobe a wretch?
'Twas in his power: we are distracted Isaack,
My ruine, and their dangerous intent.
Isaack.
Mine is a blunt aduice, and deepe in bloud
To cut off those base Peasants that withstood
The force of your decree.
Baiaz.
To cut them off?
Me thinkes I see my selfe yet circled in
With their reuengefull swords, ha? cut them off?
Could I but curse the Traytors from the earth,
Or were my doome pronounc'd but of effect,
I'de rattle such new torments in their eares,
Should stagger their high courage; but my feares
Strangle my furies, and my enuious fate
Forceth my tongue to flatter, where I hate.
Isaack.
Here lyes the safest course, to rid these griefes
Giue out, you'le goe to warre, so to enlarge your territories,
And to this end fetch home,
Those warlike Souldiers plac'd in Garrison.
Let them remaine without the walls; at last,
When things shall fit your purpose, leade them all
By night into the Citie, and in one stroke
Strike off so many thousand periur'd heads,
As shall amaze posterity to heare,
How many liues redeem'd thee from thy feare.
Baiaz.
The waight of all mine honour leanes on thee,
That or some neerer course shall quell the pride
Of strong Achmetes, and confound his side.
| The raging Tvrke, or Baiazet the second | |