University of Virginia Library

Scena Secunda.

Felix, Polyeuctes, Albin.
Felix.
Hast thou then such a hate to life, unfortunate
And wretched Polyeuctes, and the Law
Of Christians? doth it thus injoyn thee to
Forsake thy friends?

Pol.
I hate not life, and love
The lawfull use of it, but without dotage,
Which savoureth of slavery, always ready
To render it to God, from whom I hold it,
Reason ordains it and the Christian Law,
And thereby I instruct you how to live,
If you have but the heart to follow me.

Fel.
To follow thee into the Gulph, where thou
Wilt cast thy self?

Pol.
Rather unto the glory
Where I am going to ascend.

Fel.
At least
Let me have time to know't, to make me Christian,
Be thou my guide, and be not scrupulous
T'instruct me in thy faith, if thou refusest,
Tis thou shalt answer't to thy God for me.

Pol.
Felix, Jeast not, tis he shall be your Judge,
There is no flying from him, Kings and Shepheards
Are of one rank with him, he will revenge
The blood of his upon you.

Fel.
I'le shed no more,
And come what will on't, in the Christian faith
I'le suffer them to live and will protect them.

Pol.
No, no, proceed to persecute, and be
The Instrument of our felicities;
A Christian is at best, when he doth suffer;
The cruel'st torments are but recompences
Unto us; God that rendereth the Centuple
Unto good actions giveth persecutions
To make up the full measure, but these Secrets
Are very hard for you to comprehend,
Tis but to his Elect that God reveals them.

Fel.
I speak to thee unfaignedly, and would
Be a true Christian.

Pol.
Who can then retard
Th'effect of such a great and signall happiness?

Fel.
The presence—

Pol.
Of whom? of Severus?

Fel.
Only
For him I've feigned so much anger 'gainst thee.
Dissemble for a while, till he be gone.

Pol.
Is it thus, Felix, that you speak unfeignedly?
Bear to your Pagans, carry to your Idols
The impoysoned honey which your words powr forth:
A Christian feareth nothing, knoweth not
How to dissemble, to the eyes of all
The world, he's still a Christian.

Fel.
This zeal
Of thy faith serveth thee but to seduce thee,
If thou run to thy death before thou dost
Instruct me.

Pol.
I should speak unto you here
Unseasonably, it is a gift of Heaven,
And not of reason, there it is that I
Seeing God face to face shall obtain for you
This Grace more easily.

Fel.
In the mean time
Thy loss will make me desperate.

Pol.
You can
Repair it; free of one Son, you may have
Another when you please, whose quality
Answereth yours better; my loss, Sir, would be
But a change advantagious unto you.

Fel.
Forbear to injure me with this discourse,
I have esteem'd thee more then thou deserv'st,
Bt in spight of my goodness which increaseth
When thou provok'st it, in the end this insolence
Would make thee odious and revenge mee on thee
Aswell as our gods.

Pol.
How? d'ee change so soon
Honour and Language? doth the zeal of your gods
Enter again into you? and to be
A Christian vanisheth? was it by chance
That you said you would speak unfeignedly?

Fel.
Go to, presume not, whatsoe'r I swear
Unto thee, that I'le follow the imposture
Of thy new Doctors, I but flattered
Thy madness, to the end to snatch thee from
The fearfull precipice whereinto thou art
Ready to fall, I would gain time to Husband
Thy life after that Decius Favourite
Were with-drawn hence, but I have done too great
An injury to our omnipotent gods.
Chuse whether thou wilt give thy blood unto them.
Or incense?

Pol.
I'm not doubtfull in my choise,
But, O heaven! see Paulina.