University of Virginia Library

Actus Quinti

Scena Prima.

Enter Achomates alone, with a bloody sword in his hand.
Achom.
An honour'd Legate? an Ambassadour?
As if that title like Medæas charme
Could stay the vntam'd spirit of my wrath,
Had he bin sent a messenger from heauen,
And spoke in thunder to the slauish world;
If he had roar'd one voice, one sillable
Crosse to my humour, I'de a searcht the depth
Of his vnhallowed bosome, and turne out
His heart, the prophane seate of sawcy pride.
Slaine an Ambassador? no lesse: 'tis done,
And 'twas a noble slaughter, I conceiue
A joy ineffable to see my sword
Bath'd in a blood so rare, so precious,
As an Ambassadours; must we be tolde
Of times delayes, and opportunities?
That the base soldier hath gaine-sayd our blisse?
Thought Baiazet, his son so cold, so dull,
So jnnocently blockish, as to heare
An Embassie most harsh and grossely bad
The people to deny me? we contemne
With strange defiance Baiazet, and them.

Scena Secunda.

Enter Isaacke, Mesithes, Mustapha.
Mesith.
Mischiefe on mischiefe, all our hopes are dead,
Slaine in the haplesse fall of Selymus.

Mustapha
I thinke the deuills fought for Baiazet
And all the infernall haggs; how could he else
With a confused army, and halfe slaine,
Breake the well-ordered rancks of a strong foe?

Mesith.
And vnexpected to—now Isaacke! what
Sadly repenting for thy last misdeeds.
Plots and conspiracies against thy Prince?
Faith we must hang together—

Isaacke.
Good Mesithes
'Tis nothing so: they say Achomates
Disdaining to be mockt out of his hopes,
And most desired possession of the Crowne,
Ha's in contempt of Baiazet and all,
Slaine the Ambassador, and vowes revenge
On euery guilty agent in his wrong.

Mustaph.
I lookt for that; and therefore first shranke back,
VVhen Baiazet made choyce of one to send
On such a thankelesse errand as that was.

Mesith.
Grant the report be true: what's that to vs?

Isaack
Fame in mine eare nere blab'd a sweeter tale,
This shall redeeme our lowd dejected hopes,
To their full height, no more; be it my charge,
To chase out the event—whats this comes here?

Mustaph.
Vpon my life, the body of the slaine
Ambassador.

Enter the Ambassadors followers with the dead body
Mesith.
'Tis so.

Isaacke
VVe greet your friends,
And your sad spectacle.

Followers.
Tis sad enough
To banish peace and patience, from each breast
That owes true loyalty to Baiazet.

Isaacke
And so it shall; lay downe the iniur'd corps.
Achomates ha's wrong'd his Fathers loue,
To grosly, in the murder euen of him
That bore his sacred person, and should stand
Inviolably honor'd by the law
Of men and nations,
But here comes Baiazet.

Enter Baiazet and Cherseogles.
Baia.
A tragicke spectacle? whose trunke is this?

Follow.
The body of your slaine Ambassador.

Baia.
Slaine? by what cursed violence? what slaue
Durst touch the man that represented me?

Follow.
Achomates.

Baia.
Achomates?

Follow.
The same
Highly displeas'd with the vnexpected newes
Of a deniall from the peoples mouth,
His reason slipt in fury, and contempt
Hath thus abus'd your gracious Majesty.
Withall, he threatned to maintaine this sinne
With force of armes, and so resolu'd to winne
Your Crowne, without such tarriance—

Baia.
Oh! no more,
I am vnfortunate in all my blood.
Hath he thus guerdon'd my faire promises,
My dayly sweat and care, to further him,
And fix him in the paradise of joy?
Nations cry out for vengeance of this fact,
I'le scourge this blacke impiety to hell.
Muster our forces to the vtmost man,
Once more I'le bury this my aged corps
In steely armour, and my coloured crest
Like a bright starre shall sparkle out reuenge
Before the rebels faint amazed eyes.
Loose not a minute, Bassaes hence, be gone
The chance of warre, or resolutely die.
Feare no crosse blow, for with this hand I moue
The wheele of Fate: and each successe shall runne
Euen with our pleasures, till our hopes are spun
Vp to their full perfection, this dayes light
That lookes so cheerefully, shall see as bright
As it, my crowne and glory.
Makes a stand.
As they march on, enter Isaack Bassa.
What stranger's this? my blessed Genius haunts me.
Isaack I take thee in with open loue.
What speakes thy Presence?

Isaack.
Good newes to Selymus.

Selym.
From whom?

Isaack.
From Baiazet.

Selym.
'Tis strange if good.

Isaack.
And full as good as strange. March quickly hence.
I'le tell you as we walke; if constant Chance
Smile on our project e're this Sunne goe downe,
We may salute you with a glorious Crowne.

Selym.
I follow euen to death. Grand Mars to thee
I'le build an Altar if thou prosper me.

Exeunt.

Scena quarta.

Enter Achomates and Souldiers.
Achom.
Revenge my black impiety; each brow
Seemes with a scornfull laughter to deride
Those empty Menaces of Baiazet.
And Baiazet is not our Father now,
Sith he hath wrong'd the duty of a Sonne,
But a scorn'd Enemy whose prostrate soule
Shall make a step by which I will ascend
Vp to the heauenly throne of heauenly state,
If you but lend your helpe and free consent.

Souldiers.
Leade vs along the misty bankes of hell
Through Seas of danger, and the house of death,
We are resolu'd to follow, and by one
To second each step of Achomates.

Achom.
This resolution is as great as iust,
Continue it braue spirits: he's a slaue
That hauing sinn'd, dares not defend his sinne,
The world shall know I dare: For though our cause
Be wrong, yet we'le make good the breach of lawes.

Exeunt.

Scena quinta.

Enter Baiazet and Corcutus.
Corcut.
Would I had slept with Trizham; and that hand
That strangled Mahomet, had stopt my breath,
Rather then liue to see my selfe thus wrong'd.

Baia.
Despaire not sweet Corcutus, what I promis'd
I'le keepe most true, and here againe I vow
When I am dead, this honour to thy brow.
I haue call'd home that rebell Selymus,
Onely to tame a Traytor: And that done,
We haue no other heire, no other sonne
Beside Corcutus, to whose free command
VVe doe bequeath the duty of this land.
Enter Mesithes and Mustapha.
Is Isaack not return'd?

Mesith.
My Liege he is.

Mustaph.
And Selymus with him.

Enter Selymus and Isaack, as they enter speake.
Baia.
Let them approach.

Isa.
Let your high spirit shrink below it selfe
In a dissembled shew of penitence.

Selym.
Tush I can bow, as if my ioynts were old,
And tumble at his feet.

Isaack.
Practise your skill.

Selymus falls at Bajazets feet.
Baiaz.
Lesse shew, and more good meaning Selymus.
Arise: these crouching feates, giue slender proofes
Of inward loyalty.

Selym.
Right noble Father,
Mine expedition to auenge your cause
Vpon the head of proud Achomates,
Be my iust triall.

Baia.
Hast then: May thy arme
By breathlesse treason raise vp a full ioy,
And turne that monster back vnto the earth
From whence it leapt, a most prodigious birth.

Selym.
VVe flie to the performance; who both dare
And will correct his boldnesse: now we tread
The path to honour, and me thinkes I heare
The peoples Viuat, Eccho in mine eare.

Exit Selymus with the Bassaes.
Baia.
New insolence: The Bassaes slipt away,
How the obsequious villaines
As if he were their Godhead.

Cherseo.
I suspect
Some plotted mischiefe, else they durst not leaue
Your person thus vnguarded.

Baia.
Plot and hang.
We weigh not all their treasons at a straw,
One must not rule too long, 'tis subiects law.

Exeunt.
Passe ouer the stage Bassaes and Souldiers carrying Selymus aloft, and crying out
Long liue Selymus, Viuat Selymus,
Magnificent Emperour of the Turkes.

Exeunt.
Enter Bajazet and Cherseogles.
Baia.
Hell and the furies vex their damned soules.
What people? Hah? what Nation is't we liue in?
Is't our State and Monarchy? good gods
Two Emperours at once. Liue Selymus?
Can slauish vassailes thus supplant their Prince?
What's this enshrines my head? a type for fooles
To fleare at a diuided ornament:
Faile not my sense and courage, let me liue
To finde my selfe againe. Vize-roy of Greece,
Didst thou not see a Baiazet withdraw
And vanish hence? tell thou most faithfull man,
What is become of that forgetfull name?
Or who hath stole it from me? Selymus
Oh that damn'd villaine with his treacherous plot,
Hath rob'd me of that glory. Death a sense
If t'haue a soule of Adamant or Steele,
Else had that hated noise reft it in twaine:
What art thou? or whence com'st thou?

Enter Mesithes.
Mesith.
From a Prince.

Baia.
Yet I beleeue thee.

Mesith.
From thine enemie.

Baia.
Yet I beleeue thee.

Mesith.
From the Emperour.

Baiaz.
And I beleeue thee still; yet slaue thou liest,
These parts must know no Emperour but me,
Vnlesse base vsurpation hath stept-vp
Vnto my chaire of honour. Right, 'tis so:
'Tis so indeede. Well then, what will your Emperour?

Mesith.
That by my hand you yeeld him vp his crowne!

Baiaz.
Traytor his crowne? so: now I am resolu'd.
I haue forgone my selfe, else had this hand
Tore out thy spotted heart, and that one word
Of yeelding had beene cause enough to spoyle
Thee and thy generation. Heartlesse slaue,
Why sneak'st thou from our presence? stay, behold
Here I commend this gorgeous ornament,
These trappings to thy Emperour, as full
Bestead with curses as my heart with woes,
That it may clogge his eares, and vex his head
With daily terrours. Hence thy Prince is sped.
Exit Mesith.
Vize-roy of Greece, to thee our last farewell,
Thou worthiest truest best deseruing man,
That euer made vs happy: if thy faith
Respect me, not my fortune, Deo this charge,
Fly to Achomates, and rather ayde
Him then this faithlesse Bastard Selymus,
The scandall of our race, the marke for heauen
To shoote reuenge. But all in vaine,
I striue to word away my inward paine.

Cherseo.
Nor this nor that I'le fauour, may I speed
Baiazet shall liue to see both bleed.

Exit.
Baia.
Maske vp thy brightnesse Phœbus, louely night,
Hurle thy thick mantle ouer all the heauens,
Let this black day for euer be forgot
In the eternall registers of time:
Which of you sacred powers are not asham'd
To see a Prince so sinfully abus'd
By his owne issue and vnreueng'd.
Enter Selymus and Bassaes.
But stand we, who comes here? a face of brasse.
Else would it blush: now thou Saturnine Ioue,
Thou God of great men, thunder that the world
Drench'd all in sinne, may shake and feare the noyse
That horrid scourge of villanies.

Selym.
Father?

Baia.
Slaue
Auaunt: I feele a strong Antipathy
T'wixt thee and me, thy sight makes my dead heart
Distill fresh drops of bloud, and worke new smart.

Exit.
Selym.
What furious Baiazet, and raging hot?
I hugge the amorous pleasure that I feele
Creepe through my ioynts: obserue our Father,
Exeunt Bassaes.
Else by some wilfull murder hee'le preuent
My purpos'd proiect, I'de not loose the guilt
Of his destruction for a crowne: heauen knowes
I loue him better then to let him digge
Himselfe a graue, whilst I may take the paines.
Now mount my soule, and let my soaring plumes
Brush the smooth surface of the Azure skie.
Crowne in his hand.
With this I charme obeysance from the world:
Thou golden counterfeit of all the heauens;
See how the shining starres in carelesse ranks
Grace the composure; and the beauteous Moone
Holds her irregular motion at the height
Of the foure poles; this is a compleat heauen,
And thus I weare it: but me thinks 'tis fixt
But weakely on my brow, whilst there yet breath
Any whose enuie once reflect on it,
And those are three: the angry Baiazet,
Puling Corcutus, proud Achomates:
One of these three is car'd for, that's Corcutus
Who ere the blushing morne salutes the Sunne,
Shall be dispatcht by two most hideous slaues,
Whom I haue bred a purpose to the fact:
The other riuall, wise Achomates,
I'le beare aside by force of men and armes,
Which ready Mustred, but attend the stroke,
Then attend our Fathers.
Enter Hamon.
Here's one deales for him,
Shall send him quick to hell. It is decreed.
He that makes lesser greatnesse soone shall bleed,
Hamon draw neere, most welcome my deare Hamon,
What guesse of your patient Baiazet?
Is he all healthfull?

Hamon.
No my gracious Prince.
Neither his body nor his minde is free
From miserable anguish.

Selym.
A sad case.
Hamon I loue him, and would rid him from't.
Were I so skill'd in naturalls as you.

Hamon.
All that my art can worke to cure his griefe
Shall be applied.

Selym.
Vnapprehending foole:
I must speake broader. Hamon is he ill
In minde and body both?

Hamon.
Exceeding ill.

Selym.
Then should I thinke him happier in his death,
Then in so hatefull life and so weake breath.

Hamon.
And that's the readier way to cure his ill.

Selym.
(H'as found me now) but Hamon can thy Art
Reach to the cure?

Hamon.
With ease diligence.

Selym.
Then let it.

Hamon.
I'me yours.

Exit Hamon.
Selym.
Walke, and thy paines,
Shall be rewarded highly, with the like
As thou bestowest on Baiazet: the Court
Makes it a fashion now first to bring the event
About, and then hang vp the instrument.

Scena Sexta.

Enter Cherseogles aboue disguised like a common Souldier.
Cherseog.
Thus Cherseogles hast thou wound thy selfe,
Out of thy selfe to act some fearefull plot,
By which the Authors of this publique woe,
Shall skip into their graues, it is confirm'd
A deede of lawfull valour to defeat
Those of their liues, that rob'd the world of peace.
On this side the false hearted Selymus
With his confederate Bassaes lie incampt
Iust opposite the proud Achomates;
The Sunne now sunke into the Westerne lap,
Bids either part, vnlace their warlike helmes
Vntill to morrow light where both intend
The hazard of a battell: but you powers
That with propitious cares, tender the world
And vs fraile mortals, helpe me to preuent
A generall enemie by the fall of some;
Assist my spirits in a deed of blood,
Cruell, yet honest and austeerely good.
Who? Selymus? as I expected.

Enter Selymus.
Selym.
What?
A souldier thus licentious in his walkes,
A stranger? Ha? What art thou?

Cherseo.
A sworne friend, a seruant to thy greatnesse.

Selym.
Then returne
Backe into thy rankes and orders no edict
From me hath ratified this liberty,
To scout at randome from the standing campe.

Cherseo.
'Tis true my honour'd Lord, nor haue I dared
For some poore triuiall prey thus to remoue
My selfe, but for a cause of greater weight
The ruine of our enemies.

Selym.
How's that?
The ruine of our enemies?

Cher.
No lesse;
The quicke fall of great Achomates
Can worke it.

Sely.
Soldier as thou hop'st to liue,
Mocke not my thoughts with false and painted tales,
Of a supposed stratagem.

Cherse.
I sweare—

Sely.
What wilt thou sweare?

Cherse.
By all the heauenly powers
I speake the trueth, and if I faile in ought,
Grind mine accursed bodie into dust.

Sely.
Enough, vnfold the meaning and the way
By which this happy project must be wrought.

Cher.
'Tis thus; at the twelfth houre of this blacke night,
Achomates I haue induc'd to walke
Foorth to this valley weapon'd, but vnmand,
In expectation of your presence there,
Where being met, heele vrge a single fight,
Twixt you and him: after a stroake or two,
I haue ingag'd my selfe closely to start
From ambush, and against you take his part.

Selym.
Worse then a deuill, should my heart
Haue made that promise with my tongue;
But heauen beare witnesse that my inward thoughts
Labour his welfare only, whom you powers
Haue prou'd most worthy, therefore onely yours.
Meete but this foe, whom I haue flattered thus,
To his destruction: and great Selymus
Shall see my strength imployed to offend
Achomates, and stand thy faithfull friend.

Sely.
Oh wert thou faithfull—

Cherse.
If I shrinke in ought
That I professe, death shall strike me to the grave.
So thriue all falshood, and each perjur'd slaue.

Sely,
Th'ast wonne our credit, beare a noble mind
About thee, then to find me forward trust
This night when sleepe triumphant hath subdu'd
Her wakefull subjects, and the midnight clocke,
Sounded full twelue, in this appointed place,
Expect my presence, and till then adiew
Our next shall be a tragicke enterview.

Enter Achomates.
Cherseo.
The first is car'd for—here a second comes,
Assist me thou quicke jssue of Ioues braine,
And this one night shall make their labors vaine.

Achom.
It shal be so, my feares are too to great,
To joyne all in one on-set: a strong band
Shall with a circle hem the traytor round,
And intercept the passage of their flight;
How now? from whence com'st thou? what at thou?

Cher.
A Lieg-man to Achomates.

Achom.
To mee?

Cher.
Yes noble Prince, and one whose life is vowd
To further your desert, and therefore yours.

Achom.
We thanke you, and pray you leaue vs.

Cher.
I can vnfold an easie stratagem,
Would crowne the hopes of great Achomates.

Achom.
What means the fellow?

Cher.
To secure your state
By Selymus his fall.

Achom.
What i'st thou breath'st?
Speake it againe, for many carefull thoughts
Possesse my soule, that euery blessed voice,
Steales in the passage twixt my eare and hast,
By Selymus his fall, to secure my state?

Cherse.
I can:

Achom.
Delude me not and I will raine
Such an vnmeasured plenty in thy lap,
Heape such continuall honors on thy head
That thou shouldst shrinke, and stagger with the weight.

Cherse.
Iudge of the meanes; this night I haue induc'd
Young Selymus to walke foorth in this groue,
At the twelfe houre, in hope to meete you here,
Where hauing vrg'd a combat, and both met
In eager conflict I haue pawn'd my vow,
To rush from yonder thicket, and with him
Ioyre against you.

Acho.
Villaine.

Cher.
And deuils had,
My heart made promise with my tongue,
But heauen beare witnesse that my soule affects
None but Achomates, try but my faith,
And meete this foe, whom I haue bayted thus,
With golden hopes, and you will find my deed
In your defence all promise shall succeed.

Acho.
I'm resolu'd souldier, when day is past,
And the full fancies of mortalitie
Busie in dreames and playing visions,
At the sad melancholly houre of twelue,
Ile meete thee in this plaine.

Cher.
And you shall find
Me here before you.

Achom.
Be so; Who denyes
To strike in time, can seldome hope to rise,

Exit
Cher.
These two will meete, and I must take both parts.
Now for a tricke to send them both to hell,
In the full growth of expectation;
Heauens know they haue deseru'd it then 'twould be
An happy murder: and behold the men
Enter Bassaes
Whom I haue decreed should doe it, once againe
I must betake me to my former note;
Health to the friends of our great Emperor,
The three strong pillars that vphold true worth.

Isaacke
Sir, your intrusion is vnseasonable.

Musta.
And your salute, impardonably bold.

Cher.
Perhaps the newes I bring, may frame excuse
For both these faults.

Mesith.
Speke out thy mind in briefe.

Cher.
Then thus: to night here present on this plaine,
You may encounter two fierce enemies,
Achomates, and Cherseogles, both at the full stroake of twelue.

Isaack
How (Mesithes) we're blest.

Musta.
This night at twelue of the clocke?

Cher.
Vpon my life—

Omnes
What shall we doe?

Chers.
But meete mee on this plaine
At the appointed houre, and I will place
You three aside, from whence you shall oppresse
Your foes at vnawares.

Mesith.
Is it a match?

Issac
'Tis done at twelue a clocke.

Mustap.
See thou proue faithfull.

Chers.
If I shrinke in ought
That I professe, death strike me to the graue.
So thriue all falshood and each perjur'd slaue.
Exeunt Bassaes
How easily base minds are drawne to strike
Their foes at least aduantage—beauteous morne,
Pale witnesse to a thousand deeds of sinne
Vaile vp thy light, that darkenesse may helpe on
These blacke stratagems, and vnhallowed hands
Strike in mistaken bodies, euen the soule
Themselues adore, and cheerefully defend,
But time growes fast vpon me, hit all right
Two Princes, and three Bassaes dye this night.

Scena Septima.

Enter Corcutus with his Lute.
Corcu.
Heauen whither run these projects? is the thought
Of man so sencelesse, void of wit, yet fraught
With threatning ambition? to what end
Doth this distempered madnesse headlong bend?
Blesse me my Genius from these hated toyles
Of murdering warfare, and these sweating broyles,
Of watchfull policy; Phœbus let it be
That I may know no other god but thee.
Learned experience sayes, ambiguous fates
Vexe eminent fortunes, and he onely stands
Without the beames of enuy, whom the hands
Of some propitious power, hath ranckt below
Those short delights that troubled thoughts doe know;
A Crown's a golden marke, which being hit,
Falls not alone, but off the head with it:
Honors are smoakie, nothing, then let the Queene
Of learning, great Minerua, and the nine
Chast sisters, that adorne the Grecian hill,
Devote me to themselues, but let me still
Within Apollos sacred Temple sit,
And spend my body to encrease my wit;
Raigne Selymus, for I shall ne're thee hate,
Thy supreame power, nor enuy thy state,
Corcutus stands diuorced from a life,
Engag'd to vaine ambition factious state,
And emptie power of Kings; Hee's great in fame
Not who seekes after, but neglects the same.
Since thou hast grieu'd me Phœbus, free my wit,
That I may ease my griefe by speaking it;
If thou deny'st fond god, twill be in vaine,
Sorrow can sing, though thou not tune the straine.
Sings to his Lute.

He sleepes: Then enter two murtherers Who slaying him, heare him away.
Exeunt:

Scena Octaua.

Enter Cherseogles.
Chers.
A darke and heauy night, as if the gods
Winckt at our projects, and had clad the heauens
In a propitious blacke, to blesse my plot;
Reuenge, to thee I dedicate this worke,
And I will pamper thy wild appetite
With blood and murther, thy dull slow pac't feet
Shall caper to behold our fearefull sceanes
Drencht in a scarlet Ocean,
Tis full twelue—
I heare a quiet foot pace, and it beates
Directly towards. 'Tis Selymus,
Ioy of expectation.

Enter Selymus
Selym.
Thou Queene of shades;
Bright Cynthia, and you starry lampes of heauen,
What spheare hath told you? oh y'are enuious all,
And therefore hate to grace the time, in which
I ruinate my latest foe; this is the sand
On which I am to wrestle for a Crowne,
And I am entred full of greedie lust,
To meet my adverse champion; here's my god,
Whom I adore with greater confidence
Then all those beauties, Sunne, or Moone, or Starres
That with malicious absence haue disrob'd,
This gracious houre of i'ts due respect.
Oh thou the silent darkenesse of the night,
Arme me with desperate courage and contempt,
Of gods—lou'd men, now I applaud the guile,
Of our braue roarers which select this time,
To drink and swagger, and spurne at all the powers
Of either world, blest mortals, had that mother
Strangled her other infant, white fac't day,
And brought forth onely night, my limbs are stiffe,
And I must bath them in my brothers blood,
Ile steepe this grasse in a red purple goare,
Scatter the carcasse peecemeale, and that done
Ile reare a lasting monument, Ile signe
A trophie, which inscrib'd, shall speake my deedes
To after ages, that's my chiefe intent,
Hee's coldly prays'd that's written innocent;
VVhose there? my souldier?

Cher.
Souldier and slaue, great Prince at your command,

Sely.
I will jnoble thee place thee my second selfe
In all my power for thy rare faith.
VVhere's our Achomates?

Cher.
I heard one softly tracke full hitherwards,
And thinke tis he; 'tis needfull that I meete him,
And giue some proofe that I continue his,
Else jealous of my faith, he will returne,
And we be both deluded; when y'are met,
Parley before you fight, till I prepare
My selfe to runne vpon him vnawares,
Meane while Ile goe to meete him.

Exit
Selymus.
Goe, make hast,
But if this base raskall should deceiue
My trust? a trifle—my nerues are plumped vp
And fil'd with vigor, strong enough to fright,
A million of such big backt, drowsie slaues;
I heare them both approach.

Enter Cherseogles and Achomates.
Cherse.
See where he stands, I shall not be slow
To second your encounter being met,
Parley before ye fight, till I prepare
My selfe, to runne vpon him vnaware,
Meane while I'le withdraw—now for my Bassaes,

Exit
Achom.
A time of dismall blacknes, and my soule
Is dull and heauy, as if enuious night,
Striu'd to subdue my fatall watchfullnesse.
But I haue rush'd vpon my foe: whose there?

Sely.
Answere thy Prince first I say, what art thou?

Acho.
He that vsurp's the title of a villaine.

Sely.
But he that weares it is a Saint, and such am I.

Achom.
Th'art a treacherous slaue.

Sely.
Achomates thou lyest, this night shall proue
I shrinke not to vnmake what I haue done.

Achom.
Oh heauens so impudently bad?

Selymus
Good brother we know your vertues, one that
Gayn country, gods, and men,
Slew an Ambassadour which here we must reuenge.

Achom.
Hearke in thine eare,
Ile whisper forth thy mischiefes, least the heauens
Should teare and snatch them hence from my reuenge,
In greedinesse of wrath—they whisper.

Enter Cherseogles, Isaacke, Mesithes, Mustapha.
Cherse.
See where they stand.

Isaacke
Achomates and Selymus?

Cher.
Both:
They are two, we foure, lets runne vpon them,
'Tis very darke, be certaine in your aime,
And all strike home.

Omnes.
A match.

Mes.
Isaack, and I will take the neerest.

Must.
And we the other.

Cher.
Strike home, and sure, and here's at them.

Stab him.
Selym.
I haue the Crowne, and I will, Oh, oh, oh.

stab him.
Achom.
Oh, òò, O villaine I am slaine.

vterque moritur.
Cher.
It is not Cherseogles we haue slaine.

Isa.
Not Cherseogles villaine, whom then? speak.

They confer.
Cher.
Achomates and Selymus.

Isaack.
Ha.

Cher.
None other.

Isaack.
Hast thou betray'd vs so?

Cher.
Be silent, heare me.
There lie the Captaines of both Armies dead,
Breathlesse, and so stupid to neglect
The vse of oportunities.

Isaack.
What vse?

Cher.
Are you not rich, wealthie in powerfull gold,
Goe whilst the Souldiers lye thus destitute
Of any Leader, frankly bribe both parts
Buy their vnsetled loue at any rate,
And creepe into their bosome, then in this
Dead want and dearth of Princes, they will
Cleaue to Isaack, and at length salute

Isaack.
Me Emperour?

Cher.
You apprehend it right.

Isa.
What blessed angell art thou?

Cher.
'Tis no time for idle complement.

Isaack.
Thy counsel's good.
I would not let slip this sweet occasion,
For all the pretious plenty of the world.
Come let's away.

Cher.
First make some quick dispatch with these now riualls.

Isa.
True, they'le not endure my Soueraignty.
Hast no suddaine wits how to remoue them both?

Cher.
No wile but strength; are not we two?
They are no more; we must encounter them, 'tis man to man:
The match no whit vnequall.

Isa.
I am thine:
I hate to haue co-partners in my state:
There shall not breath a man whose enuious eye
Dares looke a squint on my dread Maiestie.

Mes.
They that bring newes first, are still most welcome.

Musta.
Experience speakes it true.

Mes.
Let vs hast, now Selymus we come to gratulate

Isaack.
Stay—

Cherseo.
Stand.

Mes.
How?

Mustaph.
What meanes this?

Isaacke.
Fate to your liues.

They fight, Isaack is slaine.
Musta.
Sweet doings.

Isaack.
'Tis no lesse, Sir witnesse this,
Traytor I'me slaine.

Moritur.
Cherseog.
Crosse fortune, wicked chance:
But I must make the best of it. Is he dead?

Mes.
Villaine he is, and thy bad turne is next:
What deuill did incite thee, to incite
Isaack 'gainst friends? Iniurious slaue.

Musta.
Vrge him to no confession, till the rack
Force from his closest thought vnwilling truth,
He shall be doom'd for this notorious fact
Vnto continuall paines,
Hunger, oppression, want and slauery.

Mes.
That struck me full.—Haue at thee:
Hold thou art victor. I haue met the price
Of treason death, and as I hop'd to raise
By blood, I fall, so haue I mist my scope,
Delusion is the end of lawlesse hope.

Moritur.
Cherse.
Mesithes stay one moment, art thou gone,
I am not farre behinde I feele the blood
By slow degrees ebb, from my fainting breast,
I am heart struck, and wounded euen to death,
A Sceane of slaughterthis.—O iust heauens
Still I plighted faith to each of these,
I wisht that if I fail'd in one, I vow'd
Death would thus strike me, I haue gain'd my wish,
Then you imperiall Fates that intercept
The brittle courses of fraile mortality,
Continue this firme iustice, and enact
A constant law, that all false meaning hearts
That thinke of oathes as of a puffe of winde,
May as I doe, thus sinke into the graue
My dying wish: so thriue each periur'd knaue.

Moritur.
Enter Souldiers.
Sould. 1.
The night ouerblowne, and fiue a clocke,
I wonder at their absence; what are these
Our Generalls murdered, our deere Selymus,
With his three Bassaes, and Achomates,
Whose bloody hand is guilty of this fact?

Sould. 2.
A trembling shakes me, 'twas some power
That frown'd at our proceedings.

Sould. 3.
Baiazet is new borne to his Soueraignty.

Sould. 4.
Let's take their bodies, beare them hence in pompe
Vnto their greatnesse, and aduise the foe
Of their slaine Generall sterne Achomates,
Sound peacefull rumours; we must resubmit
To Baiazet, so heauen hath thought it fit.

Exeunt.

Scena Nona.

Enter Bajazet and Haman with a Booke and Candle.
Baiaz.
Set downe the Booke and Candle, goe and prouide
The Potion to preuent my Feauer-fit,
Till when I meane to study: goe make ha?
Exit Haman.
Fortune I thanke thee, thou'rt a gracious Whore.
Thy happy anger hath immur'd a Prince
Within the walls of base security.
Farewell thou swelling sea of Gouernment,
On whose bright christall bosome floates along
The grauelled vessell of proud Maiestie.
Ambition empty all thy bagge of breath,
Send forth thy blast among the quiet waues,
And worke huge tempests to confound the Art
Of the vsurping Pilate Selymus.
Treason and enuie like to bickering windes,
Shake the vnsetled fabrick of his State,
That from my study windowes I may laugh,
To see his broken fortune swallowed vp
In the quick sands of danger, and the sayle
Puft with the calme breath of flattering Chance,
By furious whirle-windes rended into ragges,
And peece-meale scattred through the Ocean:
But peace my chiding spirit; Come thou man
Of rare instinct, blest Author of a booke
Takes the booke.
Worthy the studies of a reading God,
Thou do'st present before my wearied eyes,
Tiberius sweating in his policies,
Dull Claudius gaged by dull flattery,
Nero vnbowelling Nobility,
Galba vndone by seruants hardly good,
Otho o're-whelm'd in loue, and drencht in blood,
Vittellius sleeping in the chayre of State,
Vespatian call'd to gouernment by Fate,
Still as thy Muse doth trauell o're their age,
A Princes care is writ in euery Page.
Thus I vnfold the volume of thy wit,
The chiefest solace of my mouing wit,
Cædes eo fuit nobilior, quia filius
He reades.
Patrem interfecit. Tacit. Hist. lib. 20.
Auaunt thou damn'd wizard, did thy god
Apollo teach thee to diuine my fall?
What hath thy cursed Genius tract my steps
Through the Meanders of darke Priuacie,
And will he dwell with me in these close shades
To vex my banisht soule, banisht from ioy,
Remoued from the worlds eye? I am accurs'd,
And hated by the Synode of the gods,
A knot of enuious deceites, the day will be
When they shall smart for this indignity.

Enter solemne Musicke, the Ghost of Mahometes, Zemes, Trizham, Mahomet, Achmetes, Caiubus, Asmehemides, with each a sword and burning Tapers, led in by Nemesis, with a sword, they encompasse Bajazet in his bed.
Nem.
Triumph my Plantiffes, Nemesis your Queene
Is Pierc'd quite through with your continuall groanes.
See, see, the prostrate body of a King,
Clad in the weedes of pining discontent,
Lyeth open to your wrath, and dolefull hate:
But I coniure you not to touch his skinne,
Nor hurt his sacred person, those three Fates
(Those frightfull sisters) told me they decree
For Baiazet another destinie:
But vex his soule with your deluding blowes,
And let him dreame of direfull anguishments,
Each in the proper order of his Fate,
Vent the comprest confusion of his hate.

One after another strike at Bajazet with their swords, Nemesis puts by their blowes. Exeunt in a solemne dance.
Nemes.
Awake, awake thou tortured Emperour,
Looke with the eye of fury on the heauens,
Threaten a downefall to this mortall stage,
And let it cracke with thee, thy life is runne
To the last Scene, thy Tragick part is done.
Exit.
Bajazet awakes in fury, ariseth.
You meager deuils, and infernall hagges,
Where are you? Ha? what vanisht? am I found?
Did I not feele them teare and rack my flesh,
And foreamble it amongst them? heauen and earth
I am deluded, what thin ayrie shapes
Durst fright my soule, I'le hunt about the world,
Search the remotest angles of the earth,
Till I'ue found out the climate hold these fiends,
Or build a bridge by Geometrick skill,
Whom lineall extension shall reach forth
To the declining borders of the skie,
On which I'le leade mortality along,
And breake a passage through those brazen walls,
From whence Ioue triumphs o're this lower world:
Then hauing got beyond the vtmost sphere,
Besiege the concaue of this vniuerse:
And hunger-starue the gods till they confesse
What furies did my sleeping soule oppresse.
Ha? did it lighten? or what nimble flame
Ha's crept into my blood? me thinkes it steales
Through my distemper'd ioynts, as if it fear'd
To vrge me to impatience.
Hamon, accursed Hamon, stand my soule
Aboue the power of these inuenom'd drugges:
Am I in hell aliue? the Stygian flames
Could not produce an heat so violent
As burnes within my body: Oh I feele
My heart drop into cindars, I am dust;
Ioue for thine owne sake Ioue, confine my soule
Within these wa'ls of earth: for in the skie
VVhen I am there, none shall be Ioue but I.
Still, still I boyle, and the continued flames
Are aggrauated: He is done, subdu'd
(By the base Art of a damn'd Emperick)
VVhose empty name sent terrour through the world:
Is not the heauen bespangl'd all with starres,
And blazing Meteors, whose bright glimmering flames
Like ceremoniall Tapers should adorne
My solemne Hearse? what doth the golden Sunne
Ride with it's wonted motion? are the waues
Bridled within their narrow Continent
No deluge? not an earthquake? Shall a Prince,
An Emperour, a Baiazet decease
And make no breach in nature? fright the world
With no prodigeous birth? Are you asleepe
You thundring beggards that so awe the world?
I'le hasten to reuenge this strong neglect
Of my deceasing spirits, mount my soule,
Brush off this cloddy heauy element:
So Ioue I come excorporate, diuine,
Immortall as thy selfe, I must contest
With thee proud god, with thee to arme my minde,
Onely my soule ascends earth stayes behinde.

Moritur.
Enter the Ghosts as before him, and beare him out.

Scena Decima.

Enter Solyman as newly Crowned. Souldiers, Attendants, Warlike Musick.
Solym.
Is Selymus deceased?

Sould.
He is my Lord.

Solym.
Who Selymus? what Fate durst be so bold:
Oh, I could act an holy frenzy now
Selymus deceas'd? What did not Atlas tremble
At such a burden? Can he support the Orbe
That holds vp Selymus? is not yet the Pole
Crackt with his weight? doe not the heauens preparr
His funerall Exequies? Ioue I inuoke thee now,
Command the heauens that the prone Chandler shops
Command that idle Phœbus, that he exhale
Matter from earth to make thy Funerall Tapers:
Or I'le make Torches of the vniuerse
In stead of Comets; flaming Countries, Cities
Shall be thy ceremoniall Tapers:
Or if not this; I'le ransack Christendome,
Kings Daughters I'le embowell for a Sacrifice,
Their fat with vestall fire will I refine,
And offer virgins ware vnto thy shrine.
Start back bright Phœbus, let thy firie Steedes
Keepe Holiday for Selymus. tell thy host
Proud Neptune now expects anothers deluge,
That all the earth may weepe for Selymus.
What doe you smile you Heauens? are ye conscious,
And guilty of this execrable treason?
What dare the fields to laugh when I doe mourne?
I'le dye your motly colour'd weedes in scarlet,
And cloath the world in black destruction.
Nemesis, I'le naile thee to my greedy sword,
Destruction shall serue vnder me a Prentiship.
Courage braue Selmie, with thy Princely boat
Through Styx euen all mortality shall float;
I'le leauie Souldiers through the Vniuerse,
With which thou shalt beguirt Elizeum;
Thus barren Nature shall repent thy fall,
Grieuing that shee did not the euent fore-stall;
Death I will hate thee: the world shall weare
Thy sable liuerie embroydered with feare:
Thy Trophies euery where the world shall gaze on:
Thy Armes in fable and in gules I blazon.

Sould.
My Lord this Crowne entreates you leaue off these
Ground-creeping meditations, and to thinke
Of Majestie, wherefore we inuest your browe
With this rich robe of glory, and doe vowe
To it our due alleageance: thus you shall
Mount vp aloft aboue your Fathers fall.

Solym.
Thus our deare Father, those bright robes of state.
For which so lately thou hast sweat in blood,
Thou wearest vpon my shoulders in thy stead:
Thus are we crown'd, and thus our labours bee,
Made gainefull vnto thine, though not to thee.

Sould.
Liue then, and raigne most mighty Emperour,
Whilst that our care and watchfull prouidence,
Shall fence thy safety, and keepe Sentinell
Ouer thy sacred person, were black treasons,
Hatcht in the Center of the darkest earth,
The massie element should be prospectiue
For all our piercing eyes; should Pluto send
His black Apparator to summon thee
To appeare before him, by that Mahomet
We would confront him boldly, and excuse
Thy absence vnto Pluto, by our presence;
Death we'le disarme thee, if thou dar'st arrest
Thy fury on our Solyman, or we'le bale his person
With our imprisonment.
By our death thou shalt liue; our Citie walls
May with warlike ruine be battered,
But our allegeance, that European Bull,
Shall neuer push from vs, with his golden hornes;
Nor shall his guilded showers quench our loues:
No golden Enginer shall vndermine
The Castles of our faith, nor blow them vp
VVith blasts of hop'd preferment, were thy walls
But paper, were they made of brittle glasse,
Our faiths should make them marble, and as firme
As Adamant: not walls, but subiects loue,
Doe to a Prince the strongest Castle proue.
Behold great Prince alleageance mixt with loue
Lock'd in our breasts: thou art the liuing key
To shut, and to vnlock them at thy pleasure:
No golden pick-lock shall e're scrue it selfe
Into these faithfull locks, whose onely springs
Can be no other then our owne heart strings,
Our greedy swords which erst imbru'd in blood,
Did seeme to blush at their owne Masters acts,
And vpbraid vs with our bloody facts
Though peace hath now condemn'd to pleasing rust,
Yet at thy beck we'le sheath them in the breast
Of daring Christians, thus in warre we'le fight
For thee, whil'st thou dost striue for victory:
Here to describe such Princely vertues, which
Should more adorne thy Crowne then Orient pearles,
Were but to shew a glasse, and to commend
Thy selfe vnto thy selfe. Be gracious,
Magnificent, couragious, or milde,
Or more compendiously, be more thy selfe,
Raigne then, and Mahomet grant that thou may'st passe
Nestor in yeares, as much as now thou dost
In wisedome and in valour; Herauld proclaime
To the world his title, and let swift-winged Fame
Second thy trumpet.

Her.
Long liue Solymon, &c.

Solym.
We thanke you friendly Actors of our blisse,
Our patience hath at length tired out the gods;
Our Empire hath beene rackt enough with treasons,
And black sedition, as if no Christians
Were left to conquer, wee yeeld our Turkish blades
Against our selues, imbowelling the State
With bloudy discord, by our strength we fall
A scorne to Christians, with our hands we shed
That bloud which might haue conquered Christendome;
Thus while we hate our selues we loue our enemies,
And heale them with our sores, whil'st we lye weltring
In bloudy peace: the dy of the publique safety
Hath beene already cast by th'hand of warre,
Treasons haue made a blot, which may prouoke
The enemie to enter, and beare our men
To darke Auernus, Enuie might haue blusht,
Though alwayes pale at all our projects: now
This bloudy deluge is quite past, returne
Sweet Peace with th'Oliue branch, enough of warres,
'Tis thou must powre oyle into our scarres.
Fly hence Hereditary hate, discords dead,
Let not succeeding emnities and hatred liue.
Let none presume to couer priuate sores
With publique ruines, nor let black discord
Make an Anatomie of our too leane
Empire, let it wax fat againe; when peace
Hath knit her knots, then shall the wanton sounds
Of Bells giue place to thundring Bombardes,
And blood wash out the smoothing oyle of Peace,
Euery Souldier I'le ordaine a Priest
To ring a fatall knell to Christians,
And euery minute vnto earths wide wombe,
Shall sacrifice a Christians Hecatombe:
Then shall we make a league with Æolus,
The windes shall striue to further our proceedings,
Then will we loade the Seas, and fetter Neptune
With chaines that hold our Anchors; he shall quake
Lest he to Pan resigne his watry Empire,
And three fork'd mace vnto my awfull Scepter;
The Whales and Dolphins shall amazed stand,
That they shall yeeld their place to Beares and Lyons,
Sylla shall howle for feare when she shall see
The Sea become a Forrest, and her selfe
Mountaine, then let Syrens quake
For feare of Satyres, then let the Christians thinke,
Not that our Nauie, but the Country it selfe
Is come to moue them from the growing earth;
Comets, fiery swords shall be my Heraulds,
Threatning to th'world suddaine combustion:
Let our armes be steely bowes, our arrowes
Thunderbolts, and in stead of warlike Drummes,
Thunder shall proclaime black destruction;
Vulcan I'le tax thee, exercise thy Forge,
Prepare to me for all the world a scourge,
The Fates to me their powers shall resigne,
Which with this hand will rend the strongest twine
Of humane breath, first for the I'le of Rhodes
Destruction there shall keepe his mournfull Stage:
Th'inhabitants shall act a bloody Tragedy,
And personate themselues; Then for Nayos Ile
Death there shall keepe her Court, then I will make
Vienna all a Shambles; yea gaping Famine
Euer deuouring, alwayes wanting foode,
Shall gnaw their bowels, and shall leaue them nothing
Besides themselues to feede on; their dead corpes
Shall be entombed in their neighbours bellies.
There euery one shall be a lining Sepulcher,
An vnhallowed Churchyard; famine shall feede it selfe,
Then shall they enuie beasts, and wish to be
Our Iades, our Mules, Matrons shall striue to bring
Into the hatefull light abortiue Brats;
The Infants shall returne, and the leane wombe
Shall be vnto the Babes a suddaine tombe.
Then shall they hoard carcasses, and striue
Onely to be rich in Funerals; I'de reioyce
To see them stand like Screech-Owles, gaping when
Their Parents should expire, and bequeath
To hell their wretched soules, to them their death.

All.
Long liue great Solymon our noble Emperour.

Soly.
All this, and more then this I'le doe, when peace
Hath glutted our new greedy appetites,
When it hath fill'd the veines of the Empire full
With vigour, then lest too much blood should cause
Armies of vices, not of men to kill vs,
And strength breed weaknesse in our too great Empire,
Then, then, and onely then we shall thinke good,
With warre to let the body politick blood,
Meane time we'le thinke on our Fathers Funerall:
Oh, I could be an holy Epicure,
In teares, and pleasing sighes, Oh I could now
Refresh my selfe with sorrow, I could embalme
Thy corpes with holy groanes from putrifaction:
Oh, I could powder vp thy thirsty corpes
With brinish teares, and wipe them off with kisses,
And that I might more freely speake my griefe,
These eyes should be still silent Orators,
Till blindnesse shut them vp were I a woman:
But I am Solyman, Emperour, the Turke,
Blood shall be my teares, I'le thinke thee slaine
Amongst the Christians, and translate my griefe
To fury, euery member of my body
Shall execute the office of a weeping sonne.
Thus in my teares an Argus will I bee,
My head, heart, hands, and all shall weepe for thee.
Oh, that the cruell Fates were halfe so milde
As to driue streames of teares from forth the springs,
Great sorrowes haue no leasure to complaine,
Least ills vent forth, great griefes within remaine:
See Selymus, sometimes a fore-string instrument
Feeding his Souldiers with sweet Harmony,
Doth now tune nought to vs but Lacrymy,
Could n' Æsculapius be found to tune
His disagreeing elements treasons crackt
The string which else an headach would vntune.
Euery disease is a ragged fort
To weare these strings asunder, treason did lend
Death, which both age, and sicknesse did intend;
What then remaines, but that his Funerall rites
With our Grandfather, Vncles be solemnized,
That so black discord may be with them buried:
But noble Selymus what Tombe shall I prepare
For thy memoriall? shall a heauy stone
Presse thy innocent ashes? Shall I confine
Thy wandring ghost in some high marble prison?
Or shall I hither fetch the flying Tombe
Of proud Mausolus the rich Carian King?
No; Religion shall cloake no such iniurie,
No hired Rhethorick shall adorne thy coarse,
No pratling stone shall trumpet forth thy praise,
The world's thy tombe, thy Epitaph I'le carue
In Funerals, destruction is the booke
In which we'le write thy annalls, blood's the Inke,
Our sword the Pen; A Tragedy I intend,
Which with a Plangity, no Plaudity shall end.