University of Virginia Library

The Argument.

Abbas King of Persia, already flesht in blood (as having made his way to the Crown by the murder of his eldest Brother, the compleatly valiant Emir-hamze-mirza, and posting his purblind Father MAHOMET Codoband into Paradise) grows jealous (so justly fearful are guilty minds) of his only (legitimate) Son, and indubitable heir, the victorious Mirza, who (while he had the command of his Fathers Armies) having much enlarged the Persian Territories (by his acquests from the Mogull, towards Candahor, fom the Arabian, near to Balsora, and the Tartar, east of the Hyrcanian Sea) grew great in the love and admiration of the people. This jealousie (of its self, a blood thirsty passion, more cruel then the Grave) irritated by some Cabinet Councellours, enemies to the Prince about the King, begat in him a fear of the Princes growth, that, a resolve to strangle him; which to effect securely, that is closely, he trains him from his Army, by dispatching a Post down to him (then sweating in blood, to redeem the honour of his Country-men against the Turk) with command to hast up to Court, where he should know his pleasure.

The Prince (being subject to that only disadvantage of honest hearts credulity) assures his Army of his quick return, and hasts (so bold is innocence) to attend his Father, from whom he is met by a Messenger, certifying him, that the King, being by reason of some indisposition of health, unfit for businesse, willed him to repose where that servant should carry him, till himself came to welcome him. The credulous Prince (like other upright persons, fearing no hurt because he meant none) follows his guide to his appointed lodgings, whereinto (so soon as that false servant was departed) enter, at a trap door, seven lusty villains, deaf and dumb, armed with Bowstring and bloody minds, whose habit and weapons needed no other interpreters to assure the amazed Prince that he was betrayed, and sealed to destruction. Oratory was in vain, they were deaf in soul and body, (and this perhaps is the Reason why the Turks and Persians use to employ Mutes in these bloody offices) resistance was bootless, he being single, and unarmed; yet (resolving not to go unattended to the Grave) with such weapons at his Rage and Sorrow yeelded him; he flew upon them, offending them all by rare force and agility, a long time preventing the noozes to fasten on

him, which they threw incessantly towards his neck, so that he sent three of them to the Devil, the other four reinforced their violence, and at last fastned on him, who, quite spent with rage and opposals fell down, as dead. The Canibals pursue their cruel cowardize, and had surely finished their intent, had not the King (who was a private spectator) toucht with some remorse, stepped forth, and commanded only that his tired Arms should be pinnion'd; and ere he had fully recovered his senses, made an hot flaming steel be drawn before his eyes, which (though giving no great pain) yet took away his eye-sight, forever forbidding him any more sight of what he loved, Wife, Children, Friends, and endeared Souldiers. Then was he cast into Prison, together with his Lady, an Arabian Princess, of the best endowments, and their young Son Soffie, born to a brighter fortune.

Thus by the excessive impiety of an unnatural Father, has Asia lost her chiefest Jewel, Mars his Darling, and Persia her incomparable Treasure; at once undone, blind, imprisoned, and hopeless of any joy or honour ever after; the cruel remembrance of which, soon drave the inraged Prince into madness, and thirst of revenge, all the effects whereof were frequent with him, till his afflicted friends and officers flocked about him, and dictated patience, which they bettered by relating their own quondam greatness in blood and offices, till by the same dislike, and mutability of King Abbas his humours they were degraded, trod upon, mutilated, some their eyes put out, some their ears and noses cut off, others captivated, and near famished, so truly said it is

Solamen miseris socios habuisse doloris.

The grand enemy to the Prince, that infatuated King Abbas to this cruelty, was Mahomet-ally-beg his principall favourite, a person raised to that height from so obscure a descent, that he knew no further then his Father; yet (like most mean men hoisted to extraordinary preferment,) he grew so over ambitious, as to aim at the Crown; in order to which design, his first care was to remove the Prince, the Bulwark and Palladium of Persia, and his family; next, to disband the Kings Armies, what dishonourable condititions soever were granted to the Turk, that no ready forces should be left to oppose him when he should break out. One of his Instruments to besot the King to this, was one of his Concubines, whom he knew to be strong in his affections; so dangerous Serpents are they in the bosomes of Princes.

The Kings unfortunate credulity, gave Ally-beg a pretence

specious enough to take Arms, as but to obtain the Government of the young Prince Soffie, and to assure the people of his safety against the dangerous anger of his jealous Grandfather: So essential a beginning of all rebellions, is a smooth and fair pretence either of Reformation or safety. But here a while leave we Allybeg brooding over his design, corrupting the great, buying the needy, and fawning upon all; especially insinuating with the discontented, who are ever ready to rebell.

In these unpleasant times, the King, (moving like Saturn in the highest Orbe) stood free and firm against all storms, giving himself all the variety of pleasures; but none took him so much, as the beauty and pretty discourse he observed in Fatyma, daughter to his blinded and inraged Son; which little Lady he took into his Court for his pastime; and though not above seven years old, she so captivated his doating mind, with her blooming, yet commanding Graces, that nothing relished well without Fatyma, none gave him mirth save Fatyma, and if inraged against any, no better reconcilement then by Fatyma; whom, when aged two years more, he had an intent to marry with an Arabian King.

Nor had King Abbas alone, all the favour and benefit of this little Princess; for though she had all possible pleasure at the Court, yet neglected she no part of duty, but came very often into the Cittadel to joy her Parents, and relieve their wants; for none, save she, durst ask the King for their allowances, without apparent danger of displeasure, and life withall; whereby the royal, but most miserable prisoners, were sometimes near famished, none daring to relieve them, lest the jealous King might have them in suspition.

Thus by this child of virtue, and innocence, gained they what they pined for, food and comfort. But behold the effects of mad melancholy! it exasperates the blinded Prince to this strange resolve: He hearing of the immoderate joy and pleasure that the King his father took in his little Grandchild Fatyma, being incapable of obtaining any better revenge, vowes to rob him of that his Darling, though he wounded him through his own sides: So strong and so sweet a passion is Revenge.

So that one time, when his sad Wife and Son were sitting by him, in comes pretty Fatyma, with relief unto her Father, by all actions of love and duty, striving to shew her selfe obedient. Such time, (cursed time!) as this young Princess played about him, the Prince called her, who readily came to him to be made much of, but see, a horrid entertainment!

for instead of the embraces of love, with admirable celerity, and rage, grasping her tender Neck with his strong and wrathfull hands, whirling her about, ere she could implore pitty, the inraged Son of a cruell Father, threw stark dead upon the floor his own daughter Fatyma, and in her the chief joy left to himself, and his distressed Princess (for the comfort of his revenge, how sweet soever in the Act, vanished with it) the excessive delight of the aged King, and sole ornament and comfort of all that Kingdom (that seemed to enjoy the greatest of their condition; for the Heir was with his Father buryed alive in a too early and unjust captivity.) His poor Princess, with all the strength of her weakness, seeing the Act, struggled with him, crying out to him, that it was Fatyma that he killed, little thinking he therefore killed her, because Fatyma. But he hearing his Son Soffie cry out too, in blind sort pursued him, who, led by his better fate, escaped down the stairs, and was safe.

Fatyma dead, begat as much sorrow and rage in old Abbas, as alive she did love, who now sends threats of terrible satisfactions, as Famine, Chains, Strapadoes, and all sharp and exquisite tortures, to the inraged Prince his Son, who by his Messengers, returns his Father as many bitter curses, hopes of better, and more perfect revenge, and wishes of whole Cataracts of miseries to poure themselves upon him. In this Rage he spent two sad dayes, and in the third, with a Roman resolution, gave a period to his sufferings in this world, by quaffing off a cup of poyson, to the confusion of his unnatural Father.

The sad Princess his Wife (like a true Turtle) surfeiting with sorrow, mew'd her self up, and since that time, has seldom been seen by any.

Lastly, Allybeg's Treason being discovered by a woman, we end with the punishment of the Conspirators, the Kings reassuming of the Princes friends into his favour, and declaring of his Son Soffie Heir to the Persian Dignity, after his Grandfather Abbas his decease, which happening in the year 1629. the young Prince took upon him the Empire; aged sixteen years, hopeful and ingenious: so fresh in memory is this sad story.