University of Virginia Library

Scene II.

Enter Constantine, Arius, Fausta, Sylvester.
Faust.
Consider Sir his Youth—

Const.
I have consider'd all—
But find thy Love so rooted in my heart
I must forgo my life, or lose my Claim.
Yet mark how deep thy tears have wrought my temper,
If thou wilt swear to null my marriage with him,
By wedding me in publick, and, this night,
By making me thy Lord—

Faust.
No Sir, 'tis impossible, yet if you'll swear,
To save your Son if I should prove him guiltless:
I'll tell you wonders Sir, which otherwise
Not Racks shall e're compel.

Const.
Forbid it Heav'n! I should destroy the guiltless,
Tho strangers to my blood, much less my Son:
Therefore I swear by Heav'n and all the Saints,
Prove Crispus innocent he shall not die.

Faust.
Be witnesses, Oh Arius and Sylvester!
What he has sworn: Let Crispus strait be call'd,
And quitted of his Crime: Run, Arius, haste,
That I may see the Royal friendship made.

Ex. Arius.
Const.
By an entire surrender of thy self,
To me.

Faust.
To Crispus!

Const.
By all thy former Oaths I swear to me.

Faust.
I told you, 'twas impossible before,
And now confirm it.

Const.
How?

Faust.
I am married.

Const.
Curses and Vengeance. Married! say by whom?

Faust.
To Crispus.

Const.
When? Thou false one; When? And where?

Faust.
Here in your Palace, on that happy night,
Before you made your dreadful triumph.

Const.
Dreadful indeed: For now the wretch shall die,
Tho Angels pleaded—

Sylv.
Emperor, you have sworn.

Const.
I know it Sir, to spare the innocent blood;
But I will prove him now.

Faust.
White as the Saints;
By all the powers of Heav'n and Earth I swear,
'Twas I that push'd the marriage: Conscious before,
What I had sworn to you; nay cast the Veil
Of Modesty aside to make him sure,
And after Marriage, you may ghess the rest.

Const.
Oh Curses! Vengeance! Curses yet unthought!
Such Curses as thou wilt let fly at me,
When thou shalt see his Head beneath the Ax,
Even Womans Curses on thee.

Sylv.
How Sir, the Ax!

Enter Arius with Crispus.
Const.
Dost thou not find the Traitor?
But see he comes. Oh thou dissembler, answer,
Didst thou not tell me, when thy life was stak'd,
This marriage was not yet consummate, speak.

Crisp.
'Tis true dread Sir.

Const.
Mark all he has confess'd!
His own mouth has condemn'd him—he shall die.

Crisp.

I own'd Sir, I was marry'd—but confess'd
no further.

Const.
How Traitor!
Did I not force the Question often?

Crisp.
True;
Which I as often wav'd with low submissions—

Const.
Yet those thy low submissions all were lies.
For well thou know'st thy subtle working wrought me
To a satisfaction that thou hadst not possest her.

Crisp.
That was alas my Crime.

Const.
That Crime was Treason:
Purpos'd abuse. A Plot upon thy Father.
Nay the whole Cozenage shows thee rank in sin,
Or Ha!—How know I yet she is enjoy'd.
I have but thy word and her's, and both are Traitors,
But see my Brother comes to joyn my Justice.

Enter Dalmatius.
Dalm.
What, Crispus here?

Const.
Stay, my Dalmatius, stay.

Dalm.
Your pardon Sir,
There's one among you, whom I cannot suffer,
And Crispus knows the Cause.
Exit. Dalm.

Crisp.
Come back, and hear it then,
Hear thou unhappy Father, hear me own
The murder which this Cursed hand committed,
That band that slew the wretched Annibal.

Const.
Annibal slain! O Traitor! And by thee!
Is murder added to thy Treason too?

Crisp.
It shall not stand me Sir instead to say,
Mistaken Annibal forc'd me to his ruin.
For see I lay my Body at your Feet,
And plead for Death, as others begg for Life.

Const.
Cleanthes take him—Crispus thou shalt die,
Therefore be this our fatal last farewell—
One struggle more. His Mother's in his Eyes.

Faust.
And where's his Father; but in all his form?
His every grace; his smiles—All but his frowns:
So exact in Body, Qualities of Mind,
That if you kill your Son, you kill your self.
Oh therefore listen to the call of Nature,
And once more view him with an Eye of Mercy.

Const.
I have lookt my last, and now am Judg agen.
Cleanthes! Take 'em both: They 're both your Prisoners,
Crispus and Fausta. Arius—look you to 'em!
Keep 'em apart; and wait me in my Closet—
What yet agen? 'Tis the last tugg of Nature—
And yet another—Why that sigh uncall'd?—
And these wet Eyes? Oh—if I longer stay!
My vows of Justice will dissolve away—

Ex. with Sylvester. Manent Crispus, Fausta, Arius, Guard.
Faust.
Ruin on ruin, let destruction come,
With all the wings of the most violent death,
Yet arm'd with Innocence, I'll face the Gorgon,
And brave his bloodiest Terrors: But thy death,
My Crispus death, my spirit cannot bear—
Therefore I have resolv'd, and think not Crispus,
Think not thy tears shall move me from my purpose.

Crisp.
Speak Fausta; speak, how come these Earthquakes here?
And these o'reflowings? Why do the sighs redouble?

Faust.
Because my dearest life; my all; my Crispus,
Soul of my Soul, that's martyr'd for thy Love—
I am resolv'd rather then see thy death,
To wed thy Father.—

Crisp.
Ha! Do I hear thee truly?
But speak agen, for I'll not trust my senses.

Faust.
To wed him Crispus.

Crisp.
Sorrow sure distracts thee.—

Faust.
No—tis th' effect of reason—
That makes me desp'rate in this last resolve—

Crisp.
No more of this. Haste, cast the poison up,
Tis Hell that tempts thee to Eternal ruin.
Therefore if thou desir'st my spirit shou'd part
In peace, and leave my Love and blessing with thee;
Repent this last result of thy despair,
Lest I conclude thee false.—

Faust.
How false, my Crispus?

Crisp.
False to thy Vows, unconstant to thy Love,
And that thy Soul unable for a ruin,
Chose rather to sustain an infamous life,
Then die with honor.

Faust.
Oh I cannot bear it!

Crisp.
Not when I begg thee with my latest breath—

Faust.
Thy death my Dear! And I the hated Cause?

Crisp.
Therefore I Love thee: And wou'd die agen
For such another proof of thy affection.

Faust.
As wrought thy death?—

Crisp.
Thy purpose was to save me,
And die thy self. Therefore let's fall together—
Be not cast down, my Fair: But raise thy Eyes,
Those watry setting Suns, shine forth, my Fausta,
And make our Love look beautiful in ruin.—

Enter Souldier.
Arius.
The Emperor sends agen to have you parted.

Faust.
Oh Crispus! Whither now?

Crisp.
To our long name,
Where purer Spirits drink immortal Air:
And thin clad Souls in flying Chariots move,
And give, and take, an everlasting Love.

Faust.
Such Love grant Heav'n, our meeting Souls betide,
Which no inhumane Father may divide:
Where at first sight, our minds enlarg'd may spread;
Thro' all the space, and know the mighty Dead.
Such is my hope: But, Crispus, What my fear?
If I should seek: But never find you there—

Crisp.
One last Embrace! Oh Fausta! do not stain,
Our bliss with fears, we ne're shall meet again.
Through all the Heav'n in all their Mansions blest,
To ev'ry Saint my Prayers shall be addrest
Nor shall the happy tast a moments rest:
Till some kind Angel guides my wandring Eyes,
And shews me where thy charming spirit flies.
Then Crown'd with joys, we never knew before,
We'l waste the stock of Loves immortal store,
And cruel fate shall never part us more.

Exeunt.