University of Virginia Library

Act. I.

Scene I.

Sound Musicke, and enter NERO, Emperour of Rome, Crown'd with a Lawrel Wreath; and attended by Roman Lords, he ascends his Chair of state.
NERO.
My Lords of Rome, since first the auspicious eye
Of Heaven look't singly on our bold attempts,
We ne'r incounter'd fortunes so advers,
Since first our Father Romulus ordain'd
The Eternal Fire, by vestal Nunns preserv'd;
And since Religious Numa did create
Our Holy Sacrifices for the Gods,
We never had such signes prodigious;
Our Bulls for Offerings to the God of War
Fall dead untoucht by hand of Holy Priest;
And such as wounded dye by sacred Knife,
Their Intrails spotted tells us all's not well,
The Gods are sure displeas'd.

1. Lord.
Our War, my Soveraign, can import no less,
The Persians, Grecians, and the Galls revolts,
With ill success in Jewry, these can tell
Most mighty Cesar, that all is not well.

Nero.
Now by the Gods I swear,
That sturdy Nation shall repent their pride.
Have we not sent Embassadors from Rome
To treat them fair, and to confirm our Truce?
Have we not sent a Bull for sacrifice?
And Sheep for offerings of a sacred Peace,
Even to the God himself whom they adore,
And in his Temple too? What could we more?
Save what we did, to give our Royal Word,
That never henceforth Roman Prince
Should rule the Nation, but a Native born,
Even their own King Agrippa.
Hear'st thou not yet of his arrival?

2 Lord.
Our packets do inform us of his neer approach,
Each hour he is expected.

Nero.
By heaven I thirst to know the certainty of their proceedings.
Nor can I chuse but wonder at the stay of our Vespatian,
I fear all is not well with him my Lords:
Haste thee Hostilius to the sacred Priests,
Exit a messenger.
Bid them again go offer sacrifice,
I long to see some luckie signs appear.
Shout within.
Go know the reason of that shout,
Exit a Lord.
The cheerful noyse should seem to speak of joy.

Lord.
The King of Iewry is at hand my Lord.

Enters agen.
Nero.
Now by my life he's welcom: go forth & meet him.
And conduct him to our presence.

Exit agen.
Lord.
I shall my lord.

Nero.
Now have we half our wish; were but Vespatian here
We had our full desire.

A Florish, and enter King Agrippa; two of his Attendants go before him, bearing his Crown between them, with other folowers; those that bear the crown kneel before the Emperor.
K. Agrip.
Thus lowe great Cæsar to thy Majestie
Bowes Iurges King to do thee fealtie.

Nero.
And thus lowe Cæsar steps to bid thee welcom;
Welcom Agrippa; take from Cæsars hand
Thy sacred Diadem, with sole command
Hee puts the Crown upon him, & sets him by him.
Of thy rebellious Jews.
But tel me K. Agrippa, where are those
Embassadors of mine, which lately were
Dispatch't with presents to thy Nation,
With sacred offrings, and with flags of peace
Embrac't with solemn joy, and safely stowde
Within our Temple; thy Embassage done
With due regards to Romes and Iewrits honor:
But loe the fury of a frantick mind,
The factious Commons in their heat of blood
Have slain thy Roman Lords, & stoutly stand
Rebellious Captains of our holy Land.

Nero.
What!

Agrip.
Tis true great Emperor, nor was my self secure,
But forc't to flie for safety.

Nero.
Is't possible? O ye gods!
Rises and goes down.
To what a wretched time am I reserv'd,
That this smal handful dares affront me thus?
Where art thou Iulius? at whose great command
The utmost ends of Europe did obey.
Where worthy Alexander? that didst sweat to dwel
Within the circuit of this little Earth:
Behold a wretched caitiff in your room,
Contend, despis'd, rebel'd against; O ye gods! what more;
Not able to maintain what you have won.

Lord.
Most mighty Cæsar,
Let not thy passion rob thee of thy right;
Let Cæsar be himself, and then heel see
Himself as great in pow'r, & greater in degrees of soveraignty.

Nero.
Away thou fawning Cur, upon my life thou flatterst me.

Lord.
My Lord?

Nero.
No more I say. But laugh me to scorn behind my back,
And yet, though I deserve it, take heed thou dost it not,
Upon thy life take heed; look too't—

Agrip.
Great Soveraign, give Agrippa leave to speak,
Thou canst not Mighty Cæsar, now behold
Thy self, nor others, with a judging eye;
Recall thy self from passion; and be still
As great in Powre, as thou art great in Will.

Nero.
Thou gav'st the wound Agrippa, and hast heal'd it;
But yet the loss of my Embassadors was strange; 'tvvas vvonderous strange,
And wonderous daring too; Daring to me; to me I say twas daring.

Agrip.
No more, most mighty Cæsar.

Nero.
Well, I have done, pardon my hast Agrippa;
And you, forget what I have said.

Nero.
The News.

A shout within, & enter a messenger.
Messen.
My gracious Lord Vespatian is arriv'd,
And Prays admittance to your royal presence.

Nero.
Vespatian come? Thou bringst us happy news;
Exit a messenger.
Conduct him hither strait; we long to hear welcom nevvs.

He ascends his chair with King Agrippa.
Enter Vespatian with other Roman Lords.
Vesp.
All happiness attend imperious Cæsar:
Peace from the Gods; from Europe victory;
And from Vespatian duty to the King.

Nero.
Welcom Vespatian; the Gods are pleas'd indeed,
raises him.
Since with thy Victors brow we crowned stand;
Glad yet our ears more with a true and full relation
Of thy successful voyage.

Vesp.
From vanquisht Persia, mighty Cæsar, we
Were by stresse of weather forc't to touch
Vpon the Coasts of Spain; there we renew'd
Our weather beaten Barks with fresh supply
Of men and Amunition: Thence we stear'd
Our course for Gallia and the Britains shore.
The Gauls at our arrival bad declare
What our intentions, whom, and whence we were
We answer'd, [Mighty Cæsar] we were come
To claim obedience to the Roman yoke
The haughty King deny'd, and stoutly stood
In bold defiance.
Long was the dreadful fight, and doubtful too,
Till at the length thy souldiers won the day,
And forc't their stubborn King in spight obey.
From thence great King we steer'd to Britains shore,
Where we were entertain'd as was of old
Our famous Iulius, with a dreadful noise
Of hiddeous outcries, shreeks, and yellings out
To fright our Souldiers, while themselves made good
Their craggy Clifts with loss of Brittish blood:
Thrice were we beaten of, and thrice again
Recover'd footing: yet still great King were forc'd
To give them ground till thy Vespatian cry'd,
Fight, fight on your honour, lives, and Cæsars side,
For mighty Cæsar fight.
Hadst thou but seen, great King, thy Captains then,
And Roman Lords come bleeding on again,
Repulse the Foe, and bravely win the shore,
Maintain the Onsent still, tho still oppos'd,
Till Chariot waves were drown'd in Brittish blood,
There hadst thou seen their ranks with fury broke,
and them subjected to thy sole command.
This Mighty Cæsar is the brief of all
Since thy Commission made me General:

Nero.
Blest be the gods, Vespatian, and be thou
Blest in the favour of our gracious Brow.
And now again thrice welcom worthy Roman,
Thy valor shall be crown'd with full reward
Of fair preferment worthy thy deserts:
We therefore here create thee General
Of all Iudea and the Holy Land.
O my Vespatian! I can tell thee stories
Will spurre thee on in fury to revenge.
But nowi no more of that—
We will to triumph for our victories;
That done, set ope the Gates of Ianus wide,
That bloody war may quel Judea's pride.

Exeunt omnes.

Scæn. II.

Enter Lord Jehochanan, and Lord Skimeon.
Skim.
Is the News certain that Agrippa's fled?

Iehoc.
Most certain, and to Cæsar for relief.

Skim.
Tush! let the venom burst, I dare the worst of fates extremity,
Death entertain'd with fear more terrifies
The frighted soul, then doth the fatal blow:
Let Pidgeon-liver'd slaves be tormented thus;
I'le meet it smiling, with as bold aspect
As e're I met the braving enemy.

Iehoc.
How full of hidden Ambiguities
Grow these distracted times!
The factious Commons giddy censure stand
So strange and doubtful, that 'twere policy indeed
To sound 'um to the bottom.

Skim.
To be a crouching, crawling, fawning Cur,
To lick the lazy hands of prating Priests,
With protestations of integrity
Devoted whole to them:
With true compuction of unfeigned grief
Submissively to crave their gracious pardon:
To paw the ragged multitude with praise
Of their ingenuous care and fervent love
For preservation of the Common-wealth;
To promise fair rewards to froward fools
Perhaps, with durtie feet to mire with fawnings,
And then be beaten with the shameful staffe
Of foul Reproach:
To do all this were to be born a fool,
To live a slave, and dye a coward.
Death! I will stand between the counterbuffs
Of these devouring storms in spight of Hell;
Nor Priest, nor Pesant shall inforce me stoop
An inch to either: as I have liv'd, I'le fall,
Or freed from both, or rent up root and all.

Iehoc.
Or banishment or death we must expect.
Hast thou not seen the ragged multitude,
Whose stupid brains are stuft with nothing else
But their mechanick skill, whose highest strain
Of Cunning is to get some musty meat
To feed the hungry maw, or ragged clothes
To cover nakednesse, proclaim us bloody tyrants?
These are they
Whose strange distractions guided by the voice
Of two or three, proclaim a traytors death:
Now save him strait, and now nor save, nor kill,
Nor yet release him; such their frantick will.

Skim.
The doting Priests believe 'um too:
Death and the Devil! woo'd it not vex one's very soul
To be arraign'd by these?
In what a hodge podge of confusion
Lives Iewry now? Must the rough sword of War
Be guided by the rusty hand of Peace?
To strike but when, & where, and whom she please?
Must we, whose noble actions have deserv'd
Our place of Government, by countermand
Of babling Priests be taught our lessons how,
And when, and where, and what, and why to do?
Have our unspotted fame traduc't by men
Of vulgar note, by painted Butterflyes
That buz the common rumours of the time
And know not why? Death! I could burst with rage;

Iehoc.
And I with laughter, to behold the State
And kingdom rul'd by a Mecanick pate.

Enter Lord Eleazer mufled.
Skim.
See where's the prologue to the bloody Scœne,

Iehoc.
Lord Eleazer mufled!

Eleaz.
Good morrow to you both.

Skim.
The like retor'd from both to Eleazer.
My Lord, this outward guise of face and gesture
May seem to speak some inward discontent.

Elea.
Nay more then seems my friends, for seems are show,
But mine is substance: would it were not so.

Iehoc.
We will be sharers then my Eleazer.

Eleaz.
Nay must, Iehochanan, and deep ones too,
So deep, I fear, your patience will not bear it.

Skim.
It must be deeper than destruction then.
What e're it be unbosome it.

Eleaz.
You are betray'd:
There's strict inquirie made to apprehend ye:
The City Gates are barr'd, and strait commands
On pain of death, that no man dare to stand
In opposition.

Skim.
We did expect no less.

Elea.
Occasions of importance call me hence;
Nor woo'd I be discovered in your company:
What the event will be I know not yet;
But fear your lives are aim'd at.
A fitter time shall give a fairer scope
To my discourse and counsel, So fare ye well.
Exit Elea.

Iehoc.
Our love and thanks go with thee.

Skim.
How think'st thou now, Iehochanan?
Have I not trac't the Blood-hounds at the heels?
Stand'st thou amaz'd? why, didst not thou expect
The fatal blow?

Ieho.
Skimeon, I did; nor do I fear to know
What I have heard; the Message unto me
Is but a tale twice told, whose second part
Was told by him, the first by mine own heart.
Vnto a soul whose unprepared mind
Dreams not of danger when afflictions come;
How terrible the yleok! the sudden chance
O're whelms the frame of Nature with distraction.
But to a man whose resolution stands
Vnmov'd 'twixt floods of danger and despair,
Whose sturdy stomack beats the Billows off
With Arms of constancy, when every thought
Proves traitor to the brest that gave it life;
To him no mischief fate can strive to do,
But boldly is embrac't, and scorn'd at too.
And such am I.

Skim.
I do embrace thee, and with equal courage
Stand arm'd for all events.

[Enter Officers, & apprehend them.]
Officer.
By the High Priests sacred power and strict command
We apprehend ye both as traytors to the State of Iewry.

Ieho.
We do obey. Know'st thou where L: Æleazer is?

[They deliver their weapons.]
Offic.
We met him even now hard by the Synagogue.

Skim.
Befriend us with a Messehger that may
Intreat him come and speak with us; we shall
Reward you for your pains.

Offic.
It shall be done my Lord.

Exeunt:
Enter Eleazer.
The City up in Arms, Agrippa fled,
The Roman Legate slain, and Rulers banish't;
Our sacred Father in the Royal throne,
And we his Son next in succession;
What can we wish for more? but soft,
This day our Jewish Captains are arraign'd:
Now Eleazer is the nick of time,
That thy aspiring thoughts may bravely mount
To Jewrie Scepter.
How my distemper'd doubts disturb my brain,
Puzzle my will, excrutiate my soul,
Distract my judgement—! O thou sacred thirst
Of swelling honor! with what powerful aw
Thou rul'st our erring actions!
Be wary Eleazer, and foresee
What chiefly may oppose or further thee.
If these Commanders dye, where's then thy hope
Of their united Power? No, that must not be,
Their lives are precious, and preserv'd by mine assistance,
Tyes them fast in strength and secresie.
It shall be so.
Enter Mess.
By this time our Father's preparing to the Judgement—:
I must away to meet with him.

Mess.

My honor'd Lord, the Lord Iehochanan, with due respect unto
your Lordship desires you come and speak with him.

Elea.
Tell him, we will be with him instantly.
'Tis as I could wish it, to be sent for too!
If I can bring them off, I make them sure mine own.
I will go visit them.

Exit.
Enter Mechanicks.
1.
The zay the Captains shall be rain'd to day.

2.
J neighbor Oliver! but how do they rain um? can ye tell?

1.

Marry Neighbor I will tell ye; and for your better destruction, and more
plain and pernicieus understanding in the matter, I will deride my speech into
fixten several Sects.

2.

Mercy upon us! hold Neighbor, hold; by no means, I pray; the derision
will be too long of all conscience, and I shall never remember what contains to
the Discourse: Let it be but two-fold Neighbor, and I shall reprehend it much
better.

1.

Very good Neighbor Timothy, it shall; and I will so handle the matter,
that the whole Discourse shall be derided between you and I.

2.
I marry, that will do passing well.

1.
Hum-'um, mark neighbor, and medigate upon the matter.

2.
I warraEt yee Neighbor.

1.
Why look ye Sir,
You are the Benefastor, and I am the Iudge:
Now Sir your Benefactor is invited to appear before your Iudge,
And to answer to such objections as he shall be justly excused for.
Now sir am I to hear and excuse you of the crime,
And to examine and commend your defence;
And you to accuse your self of all that it alledged against you.

2.
Peace Bully, peace; here comes the Iudges.

1.
Mas! here they come indeed! by and by come your Benefactors I warrant yee.

Enter the High Priest, and Eleazer his Son talking in secret with him: Gorian Priest, and Joseph his Son, with Attendants: the High Priest ascends the Chair, the other three sit below.
H. Priest.

Bring forth the Prisoners.
A Bar set, and the Prisoners brought in.
Iechochanan and Skimeon, we do accuse
ye both of treason against the state of
Iewry.

Besides, we have been true inform'd, and that not by the mouth
of one, but many, that those imperious dignities which we out of
our pious love conferr'd upon you, you have most foul abu'sd,
by which our sacred Laws are violate, and we (though innocent)
yet stand deprav'd.

Iehoc.
It was, and is the custom 'mongst the Iews,
That the Delinquent, how e're guilty, yet
He fairly should enjoy the priviledge
Of his Accusers opposition.
Nor do I doubt that your obsequious care
And zealous charity can derogate
So much from nobleness, as to deny
Vs fair proceedings.

H. P.
What by our sacred power we can, we will.

Skim.
First then, we shall desire to be inform'd
Who our Accusers are, and what the ground
Of our impeachment.
Next we request the freedom of our speech,
That we may fairly quit our selves so far as truth
And our unspotted innocency require.

H. P.
We grant thee both. Read their Accusations.
[Reads.]

1. First, you are indicted for a rebellious Muteny against the
State of Jewry.

2. Next, of a most inhumane murder executed upon the Roman Legates.

3. Thirdly, of High treason against Agrippa your lawful Soveraign.

L. Ieho.
Wee'l answer brief to all.
That we have slain the Roman Lords, 'tis true;
But with what fervent love & zeal unto your selves,
And to the State of Jewry, may appeare,
Most sacred Priest, by our submissions:
For had our loves prov'd traytor to the State.
Or to thy sacred self in this attempt,
We had by our command sufficient power
To have oppos'd both thee and that:
But our intents were fair.
'Tis not unknown with what a heavy weight
Of sad oppression wretched Jewry stood,
Basely subjected, till by us made free.
And call you this Rebellion?
But when I call to mind that mungril Prince,
That sacriligious thief; that any thing,
Saving the sacred Name of Soveraign:
That Bastard-Issue, sprung from Herod's Race,
Of low discent in bloud, obscure and base;
Not once regarded till by Cæsar's Power
A snatch't the Royal Scepter—

H. P.
No more of that.
We gave thee no Commission to revile
Nor hadst thou power to kill, nor yet to save
Those Roman Legates: What by thee was done
Without our leave was flat Rebellion.
Nor is this all we do object against ye.
Read the Petition.

[One reads.]
An humble Petition from the grieved Commons for the execution of justice upon the two seditious Captains, Jehochanan and Skimeon.
Skim.

The common bawling Curs? O heaven! must we be weigh'd
with them? with their simplicity? Death! I disclaim from their
Mechanick spleen, and this ignoble tryal.

H. P.
Read out the grievances in the Petition—

Skim.
Sir, I will hear no further.

H. P.
Boiles your hot bloud so high with our preferment?
Wee'l quench the fire, and then the heat will swage.
We here dismisse thee of thy place of Government:
Now Sir ye are a private man, and we
Have sacred Power, and sole Authority
To save or kill. And, for we will not dive
Too deep into your warlike cruelty,
Nor lean too much to private lenity;
For thy rebellion and thy bold affront
We doom thee banishment:
We give thee three dayes liberty for thy departure:
And do command hers here on pain of death
Not to approach within our sacred walls, nor yet Iudea's confines

Skim.
I must, I do obey.

Exit.
H. P.

And for you Iehochanan, upon submission of your self to us, we
do release thee: But we charge thee, as thou lovest thy life and liberty,
thou give us not henceforward any cause of just proceedings:
So we dismisse thee.

Iehoc.

My humble thanks unto your sacred Power: Nor do I crave more
favour at your hands then I shall strive henceforward to deserve.

[Exit and exeunt Officers and Attendants.]
H. P.
Now we are private. O Ierusalem!
Is thy decrepid Age already come!
Or art thou hastned by untimely means
To end thy dayes of honor?
Is't not strange, that we
Have sacred power to touch their cruelty,
Yet dare not strike!
Iehochanan we know as deep in blood as Skimeon,
Both equal guilty; yet should both be banish't
Their equal strength, united with their will,
May much endanger us; mean while we stand
As friends with one that we may both command.
Weep Gorian, weep, or else our hearts will break,
Our eyes will tell more then our tongues can speak.
But I have done, the times are so extreme
VVe have not leisure to lament our state;
Our sudden danger summons us to sit
In counsel strait to take some speedy course
About our safety.

Go.
Heaven give a blessing to our fair proceedings.

[A table brought, and they fit.]
H. P.
How truly doth experience teach us now,
That fear once grounded in a Commonwealth,
Proves oftentimes hereditary.
The common rumor of Vespatians Host
Strikes terror to the people. O the power
Of this distracted fear! Even death it self
Appears not half so terrible: But we trifle time.
We are inform'd by sure intelligence,
That he intends within these three dayes space
Set footing in Iudea: How appointed
Yet we know not; but to be suppos'd
In all points like unto Vespatian.
O Gorion, how methinks that Name
Begets abortive twins of horrid grief
Within this brest of mine! Those streams of blood
Which by that fatal hand were lately spilt,
Bleeds fresh within my soul.

Gor.
So would they do in mine if not repeld:
To grieve our selves with what's impossible
To be represt, is to desire to be
More wretched then we are.

Io.
'Tis true; it such is Nature that it strives to know
It self in wretchedness, how truly we
Acquire the center of our misery.

H. P.
Wel, No more of this; now to our present business,
That you are zealous for your countries good
I rest assur'd: Nor do I doubt your care
And actual courage in a fair defence:
Such I have ever deem'd ye.
Nor do I fear but I shall find ye now
The same. Now your attentions, then your fair assents
To what I have to utter.
To broach a war, and not to be assur'd
Of certain means to make a fair defence,
How e're the ground be just, may justly seem
A wilful madness: Such is Iewries case.
Are not our Towers defac't! our Walls unbuilt?
Our Forces weakned, and our treasure spent?
Our countrey ruinate, our people too
Imbroile in native blood? O Gorion see,
Iudea wars with Rome, Rome with the world,
The world is conquer'd, and yet Iewry stands
In opposition: Is not this to be
Our own tormenters in self-cruelty?

Go.
We know the weakness of our State to be
Vnable to resist, yet know not how
To yeeld, or not to yeeld, or what to do:
The furious tempest drives us on the Rocks
Of Forreign and Domestick Enemies:
The raving multitude will not endure
To pay the Roman-tribute.

Elea.
VVhere common dangers meet with equal power,
It stands not with our Honors to expose
Our lives and fortunes to a base repulse.

H. P.
VVe will proclaim it death to him that dares
Deny the tribute Money.

Iosep.
That were to blow the fire that burns so hot already.
Such is our fate that we are forc't to sight
VVith Rome, or with our selves.

H. P.
Since so it is, we will not sheath our sword
In our own bosom; we will rather dye
By Roman sword, then native butchery.

Elea.
Bravely resolv'd; nor do I doubt to see
Iudea's ruines, loss and poverty
Made good again with loss of Roman blood.

Enter a Messenger.
Mess.

Peace to this sacred Meeting, but to Iudea bloody wars:
Vespatian with ten thousand horse, and forty thousand foot is now
arriv'd.

H. P.

Hast thee immediate to Iehocanan, bid him proclaim Vespacian
coming, command him in our Name to muster up his forces, and
to attend your further pleasure.

Mess.

I shall my Lord.

H. P.

Is't possible, already come! we must be speedy then in our designs.

Iosep.
'Twere best with speed to send Embassadors
To crave a truce for some small time whilest we
Prepare our selves in fair hostility.

Elea.
Shame blast thy tongue, shall Iewry seek
To Heathen Nation? Let their venom burst
Into the worst of malice, we will stand
In terms of equal Honor.

Go.
Thy judgement Eleazer is too rash,
Thy youthful blood boils fury in thy brests
And captivates thy reason unto passion.

Elea.
Gorian I tell thee—

Iosep.
Ioseph tells thee first,
That if thou blast my Fathers tongue with shame
As thou hast blasted mine, may Ioseph lose his Name
Of sacred Priesthood; but—

H. P.
I do command you cease, the blood of strife
Begins already to seize our sacred streets:
I therefore will assign to each by Lot
His several command, nor will my self stand free,
But bear a part in this hostility.
VVe will, even in the period of our age
Grow strong again, inflam'd with holy rage
Of our dishonor. VVithin there, bring forth the Lots.

Elea.
To me the country of the Edomites.

One brings. Lots, they draw and open them.
Iosep.
To me Galilee.

H. P.
To us Ierusalem.

Go.
To all success from Heaven, may each man be
Inspir'd with holy Zeal and Chivalry.

Exeunt omnes.