University of Virginia Library

Actvs. V.

Scena. I.

Achmatt
alone.
In what Dilemma of mischance stand I,
Vs'd by the subtile Art of wicked gouernement,
To serue a tyrants turne with faith and honestie.
Plac'd ouer men, whome vniust rage doth iustly moue.
I am either in heate of heady mutinie
To die; or scaping by respect, that saftie may
Suspition to my selfe and honour lay,
Destinie hath shot the shaft and it must light.
To stirre or paine against the streame of fate,
Which mooues from ill deserts, it is too late.
Innocence and faith from safe estates ouerthrow,
For floods of error from authoritie,
The multitude hath easily ouerthrowen,
For when Kings states must ------ and must fall,
Iustice diuides not there, but ruines all.
But looke where Rossa comes like Aprill waters,
Both gusts and cleaues in stormie forhead carrying,
Like power, that with it selfe doth feare miscarying.

Scena. II.

Rossa. Chorus. Acmat.
Acm.
Who euer thinkes by vertue to aspire,
And goodnesse deemes to be good fortunes starre,
Or who by mischiefe will seeke his desire,
And thinkes no Conscience wayes to honour are.
Mustapha, here seeing thee and me,
Sees no man, good or ill, rules destinie.
And would exchange the course of fates by wit,
Which Gods doe make to bring their workes to end,
And with it selfe, euen oft doth ruine it:
A Tyrant fate, to them that doe amisse,
For nothing left me but my error is.

Chor.
What glory is this, that with it selfe is sad?
Good lucke makes all men, but the guiltie, glad.

Ross.
Zanger; for whome Mustapha was slaine:
Zanger; for whome Camanaes blood was shed:
Zanger; for whome all the world on me complain'd,
Hath done that, which no truth or law could doe,
Remorce and feares in my distresse hath bred,
Murthered himselfe and ouerthrowne me too.
In euery creatures heart there liues desire,
Which men doe follow, as appearing good,
And Greatnes, men doe thinke it to aspire,
Although it weaknes be, well vnderstood.
This vnbound raging infinite thoughts fire
I tooke, nay it tooke me, and plac'd my heart
On hopes to alter Empires and Successions.
And as the sea, when his ambitious power
Hath ouer-run his neighbour element:
His pride, his rage, his glorie to deuoure,
Nor can with any greatnes be content,
Till all the Countrie that lay still before,
Rise vp, and force him back vnto the shore.
So when as I had wonne the marriage bed;
And Soliman with himselfe ouercome,
To breake and lay a sleepe his Prophets law,
By being only of desire in awe;
Error, of selfe harme euer brought a bed,
Made me this wheele of misfortune drawe.
Daunger was sport, mischiefe desires art;
Nothing seemd hard, but to leaue this impression.
I Mustapha his fall did vndertake,
And like the stormes that ------ doe blow,
When all things, but themselues, they ouerthrow,
Hatefull I did him to his father make,
But as desires on diuers things are plac'd,
So; diuers works.
For foules, like senses, haue a diuers taste,
There be birds of the day, and of the night,
No laws can make one will to be embrac't,
The daughters heart will make the mother spight;
Camenas thoughts were soft, her good was forth,
She but with others loue, though nothing worth.
To Mustapha, she opens mine intent,
For she had tried, but could not turne my heart;
Yet she no hurt to me, in telling ment,
Yet hurt she did me, to disclose my art;
I sought reuenge, reuenge it could not be,
For I confesse, she neuer wronged me.
But as the Christian, when she sees her child
Pald by the great-Lords-men from mothers breast;
Though she do know, it will him honor yeeld;
Yet for her fathers sake, her soule cannot rest.
So though I know Camenas heart was good,
Yet I did earne to haue my will withstood,
Remorce, which hath affection in each heart;
Since whose reason is, but what they see,
Womanish loue and shame with feare tooke part,
They all conspir'd to haue commanded me;
Humble patience voide of feare and art,
Camenas onely strength and weapons be;
I kild her, yet confesse I did her loue,
Furies of choice what arguments can moue,
I kild her, for a thought her death would proue,
That truth, not hate made Mustapha suspected,
The more it seem'd against a mothers loue,
The more it shewd Solyman affected:
Thus vnderneath seuere and vpright dealing,
A mischieuous step-mothers malice stealing,
It tooke effect; for few meane ill in vaine;
He died infamous, though he guiltles were,
High power hath truth tied vnder lawes of feare;
I liue selfe-guilty, and who durst complaine,
So little care the Gods for me below,
So little men feare, God they do not know.
This Mustapha, whose death I made my glory,
Hath spoiled all my power, but power to be sorry.
For Zanger, when he saw his brother dead,
Confusedly with diuers shapes distract,
He silent stood, horrors darke cloudes possest him,
Madnes was mixt with woe, kindnes with ---
Racke, reuerence, reuenge, both representing shame,
Stood equally against, and with a mothers name:
But as these shadowes from his heart withdrew,
That light became restored to his mind,
The globes of his enraged cares he threw
On me, like nature iustly made vnkind,
Vertue bare secret witnes he was true,
Remorce did then make me my error find,
Finde Lo. this hatefull --- loue did make,
From pittie woe ------ he spake.
Mother, is this ------ heart?
Is there nor Law ------ your desire?
Can neither power nor goodnesse scape your art?
Be these the Counsels, by which you aspire?
Doth mischiefe onely, feare no ouerthwart?
Is there no Hell, nor doe the Deuils loue fire?
If neither God, Heauen, Hell, nor Deuill bee,
'Tis plague enough that I am borne of thee.
Mother, (O monstrous name) shall it be said,
That thou hast done this fact for Zangers sake?
Honour and life shall they to me vpbraid,
That from thy mischiefe they their glory take.
O wretched men that vnder shame are laid,
For sinnes that we, and sinnes our parents make.
Yet Rossa, to be thine in this I glorie,
That being thine giues power to make thee sorie.
He wounds his heart and downe with death he fals
On Mustapha, who there for his sake died,
Fame with his breath he wils on him to call,
Forgetfulnesse he would should me betide.
--- For the dead and mercie for vs all
And with these words, for mercie died.
Thy goodnesse I mis-vnderstood,
Shunning ill, did worse to shed my blood,
He dies.
VVoe is me when in my ------ looke,
Horror I see all their lost but ---
My loue I ioy become --- booke,
Eternitie of shame is printed there.
Thinke of God, Alas that so I might
Madnesse onely natures peace.
With thy selfe, though all else thou displease,
Made to giue light spirits ease,
What shall I doe.