 | The raging Tvrke, or Baiazet the second |  |
Scena Prima.
Enter Bajazet solus.Baia.
How the obsequious duty of the world
Hangs shiuering on the skirts of Majestie,
And meils out all her footsteps: I could yet
Neuer steale leasure to reforme my thoughts,
Since my pale brow was first hoop'd in with gold
Till this brest houre: aud now great Baiazet
Empty thy breast of her imprison'd ioyes,
Which like the smothring windes, could with a blast
Rip vp a passage. I am crown'd in blisse,
Plac'd on the rockes of strong security,
Without the reach of Fate. Envie shall gnash
And pine at my full pleasures; the soft feete
Of labouring Ambition, shall quite tire
Ere touch the starry-height on which I stand.
Achmetes and his sonne with my two boyes
Are falne, to cleare the sun-shine of my joyes,
Achomates I feare not, Selymus
Liues cag'd within the compasse of mine eye,
All that I doubt is of Mahomates,
That blazing starre once darkned, I will throw
The lustre of my pompe from me, as cleare
As if three Sunnes were orb'd all in one Spheare.
What newes brings Isaack?
Enter Isaack Bassa.
Isaack.
Vnwelcome newes.
Baia.
Be quick in the deliuery.
Isaack.
Then thus.
Young Selymus is fled.
Baia.
Fled?
Isaack.
Fled this night to the Tartarian King.
Baia.
VVould he had sunke
To the Tartarian deepe. Isaack, th'art false,
And euery haire dependant from thy head
Is a twin'd serpent. Isaack I say th'art false,
Isaack.
By heauen I am not.
Baia.
Come; answere my demands, first, at what time
Left he the Court?
Isaack
I know not.
Baia.
Know he is fledde,
And know not when he fledde, how can this be?
Isaack
After our strickt enquiry, 'twas our chance
To light on one that saw him take a ship,
At the next hauen.
Baia.
On one; bring foorth that one,
Exit Isaack
Ile sound the depth of these villanies.
Enter Isaacke with a dwarffe.
What's here?
A barrell rear'd an end vpon two feete?
Sirrah, you guts and garbage—did you see
Selymus leaue the Court?
Dwarffe.
So please it your—
Baia.
Please it? thou monster, are you now so pleasing.
Isaack
My Liege hold in your fury: spend not one drop
Of your fierce anger, on so base a worme,
Keepe it entire and whole, within your breast,
That with it's vigor it may crush the bulke
Of him whose treasons moue it.
Baia.
So it shall,
Neptune reine backe thy swelling Ocean,
Invert the current of thy guilty streames
Which further trecherous plots, mild Æolus,
(That when a peevish goddesse did intreat,
Scattredst a Trojan Navy through the seas)
Now Baiazet a Turkish Emperor
Bids thee send forth thy jarring prisoners,
Into the seas deepe bowels, let them raise
Tempests shall dash against the firmament
Of the vast heavens, and in their stormy rage,
Either confound or force the vessell backe,
In which the traytor sayles; now, now beginne
Or I shall thinke thee conscious of this sinne.
Enter a monke
What would this monke?
Only your blessed almes.
Baiazet.
I'me in a liberall vaine—
Monke shootes of a dagge at Baiazet, Mesithes, and Isaack kils the Monke
Traitor I'me slaine,
I feele the bullet run quite through my sides,
Isaack.
Great Mahomet hath kept you safe from harme,
It neuer toucht you.
Baia.
Oh—I am slaine,
Open the gates of sweet Elysium,
Take in my wounded soule: Bring foorth that Monke,
Ile make him my soules harbinger, he shall
Fore-runne my comming and provide a place
Amongst the gloomy banks of Acheron,
Then shall he dwell with me in those blacke shades
And it shall be my blisse to torture him.
Isa.
Hee's gone already, I haue sent him hence.
Baia.
Fly then my soule, and nimbly follow him,
He must not scape my vengeance: Charon stay,
One waftage will serue both, I come, away.
Isa.
Let not conceit thus steale away your life.
Baia.
Me thinkes I feele no blood ebbe from my heart,
My spirits faint but slowly.
Isaack
Heare me Sir,
You are not wounded.
Baia.
Ha? not wounded.
Isaack.
Vntoucht as yet;
His quaking hand deceiu'd him of his aime,
And he quite mist your body, here behold
The bullet yet vnstain'd with blood.
Baia.
Now I beleeue thee: oh the balefull fate
Of Princes, and each eminent estate!
How euery precious jewell in a Crowne,
Charmes mad ambition, and makes envy doate
On the bewitching Beauty of it's shine;
Indeede proud Majesty is vsher'd in
By superstitious awfull reverence,
But cursed mischiefs follow; and those are
Treasons in peace, blacke stratagems in warre.
But wher's the dwarffe? Isaack goe send him in,
Quickly attend vs; goe.
Exit Jsaacke
Isaacke
I shall.
Baiazet
This houre,
Hath hatcht a richer project in my braine,
Whose wisht event, shall strangle envies breath,
And strike ambition dead in euery breast.
Sirrah, draw hence the body to the ditch,
Enter dwarffe
Whither the filth of the whole Citie runs,
There ouerwhelm't in blood; goe, quickly doo't;
What doost thou grin thou visage of an ape?
he strikes him
Dwarfe
Ile rather hang my selfe then endure this.
Baia.
Nay, come; be patient and Ile vse thee well,
Why—'twas a Scepter strooke thee, and 'twill worke
Diviner operation in thy blood
Then thou canst dreame of.
Dwar.
I'de rather be strucke crosse the teeth with a pudding
Then crosse the backe with a scepter.
Baia.
A man would guesse so, that ouer-viewes the dimensions
But to thy businesse.
he carries aut the coarse
Enter Bassaes.
Bassaes stand yee round,
Stay: who comes here? sure I should know that stature,
Obserue him neerely.
Enter Mahometes disguised.
Bassaes.
Tis no Courtier.
Mahom.
Mahometes 'tis time to looke about,
Selymus fledde? Achomates ador'd?
My name scarce heard of through the popular streets?
Had that vnhappy arme of that dam'nd Monke,
Not staggerd from the Marke at which he aym'd,
Who euer sent him hither, I had leapt
Into the emptie throne, and cropt the fruit
Budding from treasons roote; but Ile returne
Backe to my Province, this vnknowne disguise,
Shall search my Fathers closest policies.
Isaack
Mahometes disguis'd.
Baia.
By heauen 'twas he
He pryes into my counsells: let it bee.
Wee'le forward in our businesse, which beeing done,
As mine alreadie is, quicke mouing time
Hath cast a snowy whitenesse on my haires,
And frosty age hath quel'd the heate of youth,
Mine intellectuall eyes, which euer yet
Gaz'd on the worlds rich gilded vanities,
Are now turn'd inward, and behold within,
Dismall confusion of vnpardoned sinne.
E'r since I first was setled on this Throne,
My cares haue clog'd the swiftnesse of the houres,
And wrought a tedious irkesomnesse of life,
Murders haue mask'd the forehead of the Sunne
With purple-coloured clouds, and he hath blusht
At the blood-sucking cruelty of state.
Ther's not one little angle of this Court,
Whose guiltie walls haue not conceal'd a knot
Of traitors, squaring out some hideous plot,
Against my safety; now at last I spie
The dangers of perplexed Maiestie.
And were it not for a religious feare
Of after-harmes, which wretchedly might teare
And spoyle the body of this Monarchy,
Here at this instant would I strike the sayle,
And proud top-gallant of mine eminence,
Hurle vp my scepter, dis-inthrone my selfe,
And let the greene heads scramble for the Crowne.
Age hath taught me a stayder prouidence
Then my rash youth could reach to; I intend
To place this glittering bable, on the head
Of some successour, e'r I yet am dead,
So giue it out; thereby Ile try the loue
And fauour of the people: whom they seeme
Most to affect I'le raise to that esteeme,
How doe you like the counsell?
Chers.
As we could like
A voice of health sent from the carefull gods.
This newes will lay the sury of your sonnes,
And breed low dutie in them all, in hope
Exeunt Baiazet, Chorseogles, Mauent Mustapha, Isaacke, Mosithes, Asmehemides.
Isaacke.
Awake preventions eyes, we must not sleepe
If we would see proud Baiazet displac't,
And Selymus elated to his height.
Name him the people favours;—hee affects
Achomates: and knowes the multitude
Wrapt with his heauenly wisedome, cry for him,
We must be quicke and wary, here are keyes
Left, and lay'd vp by Selymus, that store
Shall visit emptie purses, and inchaunt
The needy sort of men, that the ones wealth,
Shall weigh vp 'tothers wisedome in the scale
Of their light judgement; lend your best endeavors
Wee'le crosse thee Baiazet, and thy hopes shall dye
By thine owne ill-contriued policy.
Exeunt.
| The raging Tvrke, or Baiazet the second | |