University of Virginia Library

The Fourth Act.

The Scene returns to that of the Town Beleaguer'd.
Enter Solyman, Mustapha, Rustan.
Soly.
Can Roxolana such a Rival bear?

Must.
She has her fits of courage and of fear.
As she does high against your anger grow,
So, trusting strait your Love, she stoops as low.

Soly.
Her Chamber-Tempests I have known too well:
She quickly can with winds of passion swell;
And then as quickly has the Womans pow'r
Of laying Tempests with a weeping showr.
What looks does the detain'd Ianthe shew?

Must.
She still is calm in all her fears,

Rust.
And seems so Lovely in her Tears
As when the Mornings face is washt in Dew.

Enter Pirrhus.
Pirrh.
The world salutes you Sultan! Ev'ry Pow'r
Does shrink before your Throne; and ev'ry how'r
A flying Packet or an Agent brings
From Asia, Afrique, and European Kings.—

Soly.
With Packets to old Zanger go;
Who, free'd from action, can with sleep dispence;
And having little now to do,
May read dull Volumes of Intelligence.
These Writing-Princes covet to seem wise
In Packets, and by formal Embassies:
They would with Symphonies of civil words
(Sweet sounds of Court) charm rudeness from our Swords:
Teach us to lay our Gauntlets by,
That they unarm'd, and harmlessly,
From farthest Realms, by Proxy, might shake hands;
And, off'ring useless friendship, save their Lands.

[Exeunt.
Enter Villerius, Alphonso, Admiral, Marshal.
Adm.
He came disguis'd, who brought your Letter here,
And sought such privacy as argu'd fear.

Mar.
But (Sov'raign Master) yours did seem to be
Convey'd by one less pain'd with Secresie;
Who does for answer stay.

Vill.
Mine came from Mustapha.
It would import a promising increase
Of our Conditions by approaching peace.
But does request us to consent
That fair Ianthe may yet longer stay
In pow'rfull Roxolana's Tent;
And that request we understand
As a command
Which, though we would not grant, we must obey.

Alph.
Mine by a Christian Slave was brought;
Who from the E'unuch Bassa, Haly, came;
And was by Roxolana wrote:
See the Sultana's Signet and her Name.
She writes—but oh! why have I breath
To tell, how much 'tis worse than Death
Not to be Dead
Ere I agen this Letter read?

Adm.
Oh my prophetick fear!

Alph.
She writes, that if I hold my honour dear;
Or if Ianthe does that honour prize,
I should with all the art
Of love, confirm her heart,
And strait from Solyman divert her Eyes.

Adm.
Who knows what end this dire beginning bodes?

Alph.
And here she likewise says,
He to Ianthe lays
A closer Siege than ere he did to Rhodes.

Adm.
(Aside.)
Ianthe, I will still my Love pursue;
Be kind to thee, and to Alphonso true:
But Loves small policies Great Honour now
Will hardly to my Rival-ship allow:
Those little Arts, bold Duke, I must lay by
And urge thy Courage more than Jealousie.

Vill.
Where is thy honour now, fam'd Eastern Lord?

Adm.
Why sought we not his Passport or his Word?

Alph.
How durst Ianthe have so little fear
As to believe
That in the Camp she could receive
Freedome from him who did besiege her here?

Adm.
Whilst in her own dispose she here remain'd
I of the brav'ry of her trust complain'd:
Her gen'rous faith too meanly was deceiv'd,
And must not be upbraided but reliev'd.

Vill.
To rescue Rhodes she did her self forsake;
And Rhodes shall nobly pay that virtue back.

Alph.
Great Master! what shall poor Alphonso do?
Since all he has Ianthe's is;
And now in this
Must owe Ianthe and her fame to you.

Vill.
If any virtue can in Valour be:

Adm.
Or any Valour in a Rhodian Knight:

Alph.
Or any Lover can have Loyalty.

Vill.
Or any Warriour can in Love delight.

Mar.
If absence makes not mighty Love grow less.

Adm.
Or gentle Lovers can compassion feel.

Alph.
If Loyal Beauty, when in deep distress,
Can melt our hearts, and harden all our Steel.

Vill.
Then let us here in sacred Vows combine.
My Vow is seal'd—

[They joyn their Swords.
Adm.
And mine.—

Mar.
And mine.—

Alph.
And trebly mine.—

Vill.
Behold us, Fame, then stay thy flight,
And hover o're our Towers to Night.
Fresh wings together with the Morning take;
As early as afflicted Lovers wake.
Then Tell the World that we have joyn'd our Swords;
But 'tis for griev'd Ianthe, not for Rhodes.

Alph.
Now we shall prosper, who were weary grown
In Rhodes, and never could successfull prove
When Empire led us forth to seek Renown,
For honour should no Leader have but Love.

[Exeunt omnes.
The Scene is Chang'd.
Being wholly fill'd with Roxolana's Rich Pavilion, Wherein is discern'd at distance, Ianthe sleeping on a Couch; Roxolana at one End of it, and Haly at the other; Guards of Eunuchs are Discover'd at the wings of the Pavilion; Roxolana having a Turkish Embroidered Handkerchief in her left hand, And a naked Ponyard in her right.
Roxol.
Thou dost from beauty Solyman,
As much refrain as nature can;
Who, making Beauty, meant it should be lov'd.
But how can I my Station keep
Till thou, Ianthe, art by Death remov'd?
To Dye, when thou art young,
Is but too soon to fall asleep
And lye asleep too long.

Haly.
Your Dreadfull will what power can here Command
But pitty? Oh let pitty stay your hand!—

Roxol.
Sultan, I will not weep, because my tears
Cannot suffice to Quench thy loves false flame:
Nor will I to a paleness bleed,
To show my loves true fears,
Because I rather need
More blood to help to blush away thy shame.

Haly.
How far are all his former Virtues gone?
Turn back the progress of forgetfull Time:
The many Favours by your Sultan done
Should now excuse him for one purpos'd crime.

Roxol.
Haly, Consult! Can I do ill
If many soul adult'ries I prevent,
When I but one Fair Mistress kill?

Haly.
Be not too early here with Punishment.
Your Sultan now
Does only show
The grudgings of a Lovers feavrish fit.
You find his inclinations strange,
But, being new, they soon may change;
And they have reacht but to intention yet.

Roxol.
Long before deeds Heav'n calls intention sin.
Tis good to end what he would ill begin.

Haly.
Do not relinquish yet your first design.
Before you darken all her Light
Examine, by your judging Sight,
If in your Sphear she can unblemisht shine.
You ment to prove her Virtue and first try
How well she here could as a Rival live,
E're as a judg'd Adultress she should Dye:
In pard'ning her you Solyman forgive.
And can you add to your lov'd greatness more
When able to forgive the greatest pow'r?

Roxol.
Tell me agen Alphonso's short reply
When I by letter wak'd his Jealousie;
And counsel'd him to write and to advise
His wife to lock her Breast, and shut her Eyes?

Haly.
With silence first he did his sorrows bear;
Then anger rais'd him, till he fell with fear:
At last, said she was now past Counsel grown;
Or else could take no better than her own.

Roxol.
His thoughts a double Vizard wear,
And only lead me to suspence,
It seems he does her dangers fear,
And fain would trust her innocence.
Wake her! I will pursue my first design.—

Haly.
I go to draw the Curtain of a shrine.—
Awake! Behold the pow'rfull Empress here.

Ianthe rises and walks at distance from Roxolana.
Iant.
Heav'n has the greatest pow'r;
Heav'n seeks our love, and kindly comforts fear.
This is my fatal how'r.

Roxol.
Though beautious when she slept
Yet now would I had kept
Her safely sleeping still.
She, waking, turns my Envy into shame;
And does it so reclaim
That I am Conquer'd who came here to kill.

Iant.
What dangers should I fear?
Her brow grows smooth and clear:
Yet so much greatness cannot want disguise.
The Great live all within;
And are but seldome seen
Looking abroad through Casements of their Eyes.

Roxol.
Have courage fair Sicilian, and come near.—

Iant.
My distance shews my Duty more than fear.

Roxol.
I have a Present for you, and 'tis such.
As comes from one who does believe
It is for you too little to receive;
And I, perhaps, may think it is too much.

Iant.
Who dares be bountifull to low distress?
Who to Ianthe can a Present make
When Rhodes besieg'd has all she would possess;
And all the world does ruin'd Rhodes forsake?

Roxol.
The Present will not make the Giver poor;
And, though 'tis single now, it quickly can
Be multipli'd; you shall have many more.
It is this kiss—It comes from Solyman.

Iant.
You did your Creature courage give;
And made me hope that I had leave to live
When you from dutious distance call'd me near.
But now I soon shall courage lack:
I am amaz'd, and must go back:
Amazement is the uggli'st shape of fear.

Roxol.
Are Christian Ladies so reserv'd and shy?

Iant.
Our sacred Law does give
Them precepts how to live,
And Nature tells them they must Dye.

Roxol.
Tis well they to their Husbands are so true.
But speak, Ianthe, are they all like you?

Iant.
I hope they are, and better too,
Or, if they are not, will be so.

Roxol.
They have been strangely injur'd then.
But Rumour does mistake.
Some say they visits make;
And they are visited by Men.

Iant.
What custom does avow
Our Laws in Time allow;
And those who never guilty be
Suspect not others liberty.

Roxol.
This would in Asia wonderfull appear:
But Time may introduce that Fashion here.
Come nearer! Is your Husband kind and true?

Iant.
If good to good I may compare
(Excepting Greatness) I would dare
To say, he is as Solyman to you.

Roxol.
As he to me? How strong is innocence?
Prevailing till tis free to give offence.
Indeed, Alphonso, has a large renown;
Which does so daily spread
As it the world may lead;
And should not be contracted in a Town.

Iant.
As we in all agree
So he will prove like me
A lowly servant to your rising Fame.

Roxol.
But is he kind to you, and free from blame?
Civil by day, and loyal too at Night?

Iant.
By Nature not by skill
He is as cheerfull still
And as unblemisht as unshaded light.

Roxol.
These Christian-Turtles live too happily.
I wish, for breed, they would to Asia fly.—
You must not at such distance stand;
Draw near, and give me your fair hand.—
I have another Present for you now;
And such a Present as I know
You will much better than the first allow;
Though Solyman will not esteem it so.
Tis from my self—of friendship such a Seal—
[Kisses her.
As you to Solyman must ne'r reveal.—
And that I may be more assur'd,
By this agen you are conjur'd.—

Iant.
Presents so good and great as these
I should receive upon my knees.

Roxol.
I will not, lest I may revive your fear,
Relate the cause of your confinement here.
But know, I must
Your virtue trust;
Which, proving loyal, you are safe in mine.

Iant.
The light of Angels still about you shine!

Haly.
The dang'rous secrets of th'Imperial Bed
Are darker than the riddles of the Throne.
Haly takes Ianthe aside.
The Glass, in which their Characters are read
We Eunuchs grin'd, and tis but seldome shown.

Iant.
I shall with close and wary Eyes
Retire from all your Mysteries.
And when occasion shall my honour trust,
You'l find I have some courage, and am just.

Roxol.
Perhaps, Ianthe, you may shortly hear
Of Clouds, which threatning me, may urge your fear.
Be virtuous still! tis true my Sultan frowns,—
[She weeps.
But, let him winn more Battails, take more Towns;
And be all day the fore-most in the Fight;
Yet he shall find that I will rule at Night.

[Haly looks in.
Haly.
The Guards increase, and many Mutes appear,
Lifting their Lights, to shew the Sultan near.

Roxol.
My new seal'd friendship I must now lay by
A while, and seem your jealous Enemy.
Be to your self, and to Alphonso true.

Iant.
As he to me, and virtue is to you.

[Ianthe steps at distance.
Enter Solyman.
Soly.
Has Night lost all her dark dominion here?
High hopes disturb your sleep;
But I suspect you keep
Ianthe waking not with hope but fear.

Roxol.
Too well, and much too soon I know
Whom you are pleas'd to grace:
However, since it must be so,
You'l find I can give place.

Soly.
You had a place, too near me, and too high.
If but a little you remove
From place of Empire or of love
You soon become but as a stander-by.
One step descending from a shining Throne,
You to the darkest depth fall swiftly down.

Roxol.
If I sat nearer to you than 'twas fit
For Empires Heraulds to admit,
(I being born below, and you above)
Pray call in Death, and I'le, even then, bring Love.
To these all places equal be;
For Love and Death know no degree.

Soly.
I cannot Passions riddles understand.

Roxol.
You still have present Death at your Command;
But former Love you have laid by:
Which, being gone, you know that I can Dye.—

[Weeps.
Soly.
I better know that you have cause to weep.
[Turns to Ianthe.
Ianthe, all is calm within your Breast,
Retire into the quiet shade of sleep,
And let not watchfull fear divert your rest.
Let all the Nations of my Camp suffice,
As Guards, to keep you from my Enemies;
(For of your own
You can have none)
Whilst I but as Loves Sent'nel on you wait,
Arm'd with his Bow, at your Pavilion Gate.

Iant.
Heav'n put it in your mighty mind
Quickly to be,
More than to me,
To all the Valiant Rhodians kind.
And may you grieve to think how many mourn
Till you shall end their griefs at my return.

Soly.
You shall not Languish with delay.
But this is bus'ness for the day.
Tis now so late at Night that all Loves spies,
Parents, and Husbands too,
The watchfull, and the Watcht seal up their Eyes;
And Lovers cease to woo.

[Exeunt Haly, Ianthe.
Roxol.
You alter ev'ry year the Worlds known face;
Whilst Cities you remove, and Nations chace.
These great mutations (which, with shril
And ceaseless sounds, Fame's Trumpet fill,
And shall seem wonders in her brazen Books)
Much less amaze me than your alter'd looks;
Where I can read your Loves more fatal change.

Soly.
You make my frowns, yet seem to think them strange.

Roxol.
You seek a Stranger, and abandon me.

Soly.
Strange Coasts are welcome after Storms at Sea.

Roxol.
That various mind will wander very farr,
Which, more than home, a forein Land preferrs.

Soly.
The wise, for quietness, when civil Warr
Does rage at home, turn private Travailers.

Roxol.
Your loves long frost has made my bosom cold.

Soly.
Let not the cause be in your Story told.

Roxol.
A colder heart Death's hand has never felt:
But tis such Ice as you may break, or melt.—

[She weeps.
Soly.
I never shall complain
When you are wet with Rain,
Which softer passion, does thus gently powr.
What more in Season is than such a showr?
You still, through little Clouds, would lovely show,
Were all your April-weather calm as now.
But March resembles more your haughty Mind;
Froward and loud oftner than calmly kind.
Weather which may not inconvenient prove
To Country Lovers, born but to make love:
Who grieve not when they mutual kindness doubt,
But with indiff'rence meet a frown or smile;
As having frequent leisure to fall out,
And their divided breasts to reconcile.

Roxol.
The world had less sad bus'ness known, if you
Had been ordain'd for so much leisure too.

Soly.
Monarchs, who onward still with Conquest move
Can only for their short diversion love.
When a black Cloud in Beauties sky appears,
They cannot wait till Time the Tempest clears.
Whilst they, to save a sullen Mistress, stay,
The worlds Dominion may be cast away.

Roxol.
Why is Dominion priz'd above
Wise Natures great concernment, Love?

Soly.
Of Heav'n what have we found, which we do more
And sooner, than exceeding Pow'r adore?
The wond'rous things which that Chief Pow'r has done,
Are to those early Spies, our Senses, shown:
And must at length to Reason be assur'd:
Yet how, or what, Heav'n loves is much obscur'd.
And our uncertain love
(Perhaps not bred above,
But in low Regions, like the wand'ring winds)
Shews diff'rent Sexes more than equal Minds.

Roxol.
Your love, indeed, is prone to change,
And like the wandring Wind does range.
The gale awhile tow'rds Cyprus blew;
It turn'd to Creet, and stronger grew;
Then, on the Lycian shore, it favour'd me:
But now, Ianthe seeks in Sicily.

Soly.
In progresses of Warr and Love
Victors with equal haste must move:
And in attempts of either make no stay:
They can but Visit, Conquer, and away.

Roxol.
Love's most Victorious and most cruel Foe!
Forsake me, and to meaner Conquests go!
To Warrs, where you may Sack and Over-run,
Till your Success has all the World undone.
Advance those Trophies which you ought to hide;
For wherefore are they rais'd
But to have slaughter prais'd,
And courage, which is but applauded pride?

Soly.
In so much Rain I knew a Gust would come:
I'le shun the rising Storm and give it room.

Roxol.
Loves Foes are ever hasty in Retreat;
You can march off; but 'tis for fear
Lest you should hear
Those Mournings which your cruelties beget.

Soly.
The fear is wise which you upbray'd;
For, whilst thus terrible you grow,
I must confess, I am affraid,
And not asham'd of being so.

Roxol.
Go where you cover greater fear
Than that which you dissemble here:
Where you breed ill your mis-begotten Fame,
When charging Armies and assaulting Towns,
You ravish Nations with as little shame
As now you shew in your injurious frowns.

Soly.
If we grow fearfull at the face of Warr,
You, justly, may our terrour blame,
Since, by your darings, we might learn to dare.
Would you as well could teach us shame.

Roxol.
Your fears appear, even in your darings, great;
You would not else sound cheerfull Trumpets when
The charge begins, whilst Drumms with Clamour beat,
To raise the courage of your mighty Men.
With Warrs loud Musick showts are mingled too;
Which boastingly such cruel deeds proclaim
As Beasts, through thickest Furrs, would blush to do.
Your wives may breed up Wolves to teach you shame.

Soly.
Tis not still dang'rous when you angry grow:
For, Roxolana, you can anger show
To those whom you, perhaps, can never hate.
This passion is; but you have crimes of State.

Roxol.
Call Nature to be Judge! what have I done?

Soly.
You have a Husband lost to save a Son.

Roxol.
Sultan, that Son is yours as much mine.

Soly.
He has some lustre got in Fight;
But yet, beyond the dawning light
Of his new glory, Mustapha does shine;
Who is the Pledge of my Circasian Wife;
And from my blood as great a share of life
May challenge as your Son. Has he not worn
A Victors Wreath? He is my Eldest born.

Roxol.
Because her Son the Empire shall enjoy,
Must therefore strangling Mutes my Sons destroy?
Since Eldest born you may him Empire give:
But mine, as well as he were born to Live.
They may, as yours, though by a second Wife,
Inherit that which Nature gave them, Life.

Soly.
Whilst any Life I shew by any breath,
Who dares approach them in the shape of Death?

Roxol.
When you to Heav'ns high Palace shall remove,
To meet much more compassion there
Than you have ever felt, and far more love
Than ere your heart requited here;
Will not your Bassas then presume to do
What custom warrants and our Priesthood too?

Soly.
Those are the secret Nerves of Empires force.
Empire grows often high
By rules of cruelty,
But seldome prospers when it feels remorse.

Roxol.
Accursed Empire! got and bred by Art!
Let Nature govern, or at least
Divide our Mutual interest:
Yield yours to Death, and keep alive my part.

Soly.
Beauty retire! Thou dost my pitty move!
Believe my pitty, and then trust my love!—
[Exit Roxolana.
At first I thought her by our Prophet sent
As a reward for Valours toils;
More worth than all my Fathers spoils:
And now, she is become my punishment.
But thou art just, O Pow'r Divine!
With new and painfull Arts
Of study'd Warr I break the Hearts
Of half the World, and she breaks mine.

[Exit.