University of Virginia Library

Scene I.

Tissaphernes Solus.
Tiss.
Now like a Lyon on my prey I'le feast.
Revenge! thou solace to a troubled breast.
Could but Theramnes in Elizium know,
How would his Chost rejoyce at what I do!

[Theramnes Ghost rises.
Gh.
Oh no—

Tiss.
Death, what is that I hear and see?
Begon dull Ghost; if thou art damn'd, what's that to me?

Gh.
From deepest horrour of eternal night,
Where Souls in everlasting torments groan,
Where howling fiends lye chain'd, and where's no light,
But thickest darkness covers ev'ry one,
I come to warn thee mortal of thy sin;
Short time is here left for thee to remain.
'Twere fit that thy repentance soon begin,
For think what 'tis to live in endless pain.
Farewel—

[Descends.
Tiss.
—'Twas an odd speech, but be it so:
Pish; Hell it self trembles at what I do;
And it's submission better to express,
Sends this Embassadour to make it's peace.
Let idle fears the superstitions awe;
With me my resolution is a law.
Repentance now would be too late begun:
Ages can't expiate what I have done.
And if below for Souls such torments are,
Methinks there's yet some brav'ry in despair.
The easie King looks little in his State,
His Crown is for his Head too great a weight:
But I will ease him, and adorn this brow.
Thus to my aimes no limits I'l allow.
Revenge, Ambition, all that's ill, shall be
My bus'ness; so I'l baffle destinie.
Hell! no,—
I'l act such things whilst here I have abode,
Till my own Trophyes raise me to a God.

Enter Queen.
Qu.
Now such an Engine is it I would have,
I know he is a Traytor, and is brave.
I'l bait him with ambition that may move;
Then if complacent to my ends he prove,
In seeming to comply with his design,
I'l make him but an instrument to mine:
For when success me to my wishes calls,
I'l shake him off, and then unpropt he falls.
My Lord!—

Tiss.
Madam!

Qu.
My Father lov'd you well,
I've heard him oft of your atchievements tell,
When in his Camp such gallant deeds you wrought,
And always victory and triumph brought.

Tiss.
Madam, your Father was all good and just.

Qu.
He could, why may not I your honour trust?

Tiss.
You wrong it else; your Father lives in you
As I was his, I am your Champion too.
Though old, against your Foes this Sword shall plead
Your right; name but your Traytor, and he's dead.

Qu.
Nay Sir, the Traytor's not alone my Foe,
His injuries extended are to you,
To you to whom he owes all he enjoys,
Yet basely him that gave him growth destroys;
Whilst for his ills he would his kindness plead,
To heap your honours on your Rivals head.
Rally your Courage up, if you are brave,
And at once mine, and your own honour save.

Tiss.
Your Majesty would mean the King. D'ye try
My resolution, or my Loyalty?

Qu.
Your Courage Sir is known, your Loyalty,
If you have any, you'l find due to me.
Through me these honours you in Sparta bore,
And 'twas my Father made you great before.
Now know it is the King, whose perjur'd Soul
Has done me injuries so base and foul,
That all that's good will blush at; his vowes past
To me all in anothers love are lost.
Nay, with my honour too my life must bleed,
He, with the General's, has my fall decreed,
To take the fair Timandra to his bed.
Let's go surprize him now he's full of Wine,
Revenge me on his life, his Crown is thine.

Tiss.
Madam, indeed the injuries you feel
Cry loud; nor do I tamely see my ill.
But you must swear to me you will be true,

Qu.
By all that's holy I'l be so to you.

Tiss.
I'l do't, but Madam know I undertake
To hazard life and honour for your sake,
Should you betray me:—

Qu.
Nay now you are unkinder then before.
To my first Oath I'l add a million more.

Tiss.
And you will still be mindful of the Crown?

Qu.
Had he ten Thousand, they were all your own.

Tiss.
This then's his fate; pitty a Crime were here:
He shan't have time enough to make a prayer.

[draws a Dagger.
Qu.
Be bold; and prosper in thy brave design,
And when his death's perform'd, the next is thine.

[aside.
Tiss.
This trap was dang'rously and subtly lay'd,
[Exit.
But I am not so easily betrayd.
Her love to Alcibiades I know,
Her Woman for me did that kindness do.
And since she is so good at the design,
I'l to oblige her give her one of mine.
My zealous urging of her Oath was done,
Not to prevent her plots, but hide my own.
I'l cherish her in all that she pretends,
So make her ayms but covers to my ends.
For when I'm seated on the Spartan Throne,
Both her and all her Treasons I'l disown:
Prove both her judge and her accuser too,
And on her my first act of justice do.
So all my doubts and fears will be o're-past,
And by her fall I fix my self more fast.

[Exit.
Enter a Chair of State with a Table by it, and upon that the Crown and Scepter.
Enter King and Lords.
K.
My Lords, no more, w'ave drank too deep; I'd now
A while be private.

Lords.
—Royal Sir, we go.

K.
Boy take thy Lute, and with a pleasing ayr
Appease my sorrows, and delude my care.

[Sits down.
[Boy.]
SONG.

[the King falls asleep.
Enter Queen and Tissaphernes with a Dagger.
Qu.
He sleeps; now let the fatal deed be done.
Hah! what are these, the Scepter and the Crown!
So did the drousie Dragon sleep, when he
Lost the rich fruits of the Hesperian Tree.
First we'l secure his Crown, and then he dyes.
Takes up the Crown.
Thus I'm discharg'd of all my promises.
[puts it on his head.
Take this, and if I claim your promise too,
Y'are King, and justice is your duty now.
Come by his fall—
This your first step to glory solemnize,
I make you King, make him my Sacrifice.

Tiss.
I'l do't, but stay—

[advances towards the King
Qu.
—Nay, quickly to him go,
Sir he expects no Ceremony now.

Tiss.
Thus then I—hah! how alter'd am I grown!
I stand amaz'd, and dare not venture on.
There is in Majesty a secret charm,
That puts a fetter on a Traytors arm;
I cannot do't—

Qu.
Then look on her that dares.
How despicable is the man that fears!
Give me the fatal Instrument of death;
My self will in his heart this dagger sheath;
[takes his dagger from him.
Then blush to think, if e're the World should know,
That a frail Woman durst do more then you.
Courage—he smiles,—
[advances towards the King.
Some pleasing dreams his fancy entertain;
Oh it were pitty he should wake again.
Thus King, thy life and Empire I command:
Accept this from thy Deidamia's hand.

Stabs him
K.
Hah murder'd! Deidamia, and by you!
What is't that faithless Woman will not do
Henceforth all Loyalty and love farewell.
When after ages shall this story tell,
'Twill be a truth too sad to be receiv'd;
Nor shall the World be by it self believ'd.
Did I for this ev'n Crown and Empire quit,
To lay all my Ambition at your feet?
When at the Altars strictest vows I paid,
Nor were they with less zeal perform'd then made!
I lov'd you far above that life y'ave spilt,
Till ev'n my passion was become my guilt:
I for your sake depriv'd heav'n of its due,
Took adoration thence to pay it you.
And must this be th'reward for all I've done?
Yet I shall have this comfort when I'm gone,
That I no longer shall with thee remain,
But dye in hopes we ne're shall meet again.

[dyes.
Qu.
He's gon, and now my Lord,—

Tiss.
—Oh what is't you have done?
A while lay your unruly passions down.
View but the sweet Composure of that face,
Where grandeur sat attended by each grace:
Now there grim death his gashly Revels keeps,
And pallid horrour o're each feature creeps.
Weep Madam, weep, to think your rage has giv'n
That blow, which robs the World to enrich heav'n.
Oh my dear Lord, that er'e I liv'd to know
This day! Madam I can't conceal it.

Qu.
—Say you so?
But Sir I Scorn to be betray'd by you.
[At the noise of People entring, throws away the Dagger, then falls upon her knees, and layes hold of Tissaphernes; then speaks.
Treason, Treason, Treason, &c.—
Is't not enough y'ave shed my Husbands blood?

Tiss.
The Devil!—

Qu.
And rob'd the World of all that's great and good,
But you must seek my life? Oh pitty take,
If not for mine, at least for vertues sake!

Tiss.
Hell and Plagues!—

Qu.
But why do I name that? for all that e're
The World had left of it, lyes murder'd there.

Tiss.
Very fine.

Qu.
Yet though you've rob'd him of his life, save mine:
I'l live to ask heav'n pardon for your sin.

Tiss.
So now I'l stop your mouth.

[Breaks from her, and takes up the Dagger.
Qu.
Help, murder, Treason, help.

Enter Lords.
1 Lord.
How, Tissaphernes arm'd against the Queen!
What means this posture Sir?—

Qu.
—Oh noble Lord,
If e're your pitty could a tear afford,
Weep down an Ocean there; behold the spring
Of Sparta's hopes lyes murder'd in her King.
And had not I the traytors rage withstood,
He with my Husbands too had mixt my blood.
See where he guilty stands.

Lord.
—Great Agis slain!
By Tissaphernes too!

Qu.
Yes, he to gain
The Spartan Crown, this bloody deed has done,
See he already has usurpt the Crown;
His hot Ambition could not bear delays,
But on the Royal spoyles thus proudly preys;
Insults in's treason.

Tiss.
—I am now run own
So far that all hopes of recov'ry's gon.
But Madam, can you dare to lay this guilt
On me? was't not by you his blood was spilt?

Qu.
By me! base wretch, would thy impiety
Lay this inhumane regicide on me?
I wound this breast? ah dearest Saint, too well
I knew thy worth!

[weeps.
Tiss.
Death, she'l be Queen of Hell:
Pluto will grow in love with her for this.

1 Lord.
My Lord, treason's above all pardon.

Tiss.
—'tis.

Lord.
Then Sir to justice.

Tiss.
No, thus I deny.
[presents his Dagger.
I liv'd not by it, nor will by it dye.
Was it for this my stratagems I lay'd
To ruin her, to be by her betray'd?
Curse on my narrow fate, but yet to shew
That I love murder too as well as you,
Thus perjur'd Queen.

[offers to stab the Queen, but is hinder'd by the Lords.
Qu.
See how he'd still pursue
His Treason! hence to justice with him go:
Hourly let on the Rack his pains encrease,
Till he the horrour of his guilt confess.

Tiss.
That shall not need. I'l own the deed as mine,
But glory in't, it was a brave design.
The King kill'd! and I ruin'd! to compleat
Thy lust, all by one stratagem! was great:
So great, that for its sake
I can with satisfaction yeild my breath,
Else I should take no pleasure in my death.
But e're I go, be pleas'd to entertain
The last kind precepts of a dying man.
Be bloody, false, revengful, lustful all
That can be found recorded on Hells hall
Embrace, where e're you rising vertue see,
Down with it, and set up impietie.
Make that your theam, leave nothing ill undone,
So copy Tissaphernes when he's gon:
Who leaves this counsel as a Legacy,
'Tis my Religion, and I'l in it dye.

[Exit Tiss. guarded.
Qu.
Hence with the wretch—
Mean while to my dead Lord I'l sorrows pay,
And after his sigh my own life away.
So now they are gon—hah who comes there?

Enter Ardella.
Ard.
—'Tis I.

Q.
Ardella, on that thing cast back an eye;
'Twas once a King, but thank these hands now none:
Nay start not, Tissaphernes too is gon;
[Ardella starts.
His treasures all are thine as a reward.

Ard.
You are too kind—

Qu.
See strait a draught prepar'd,
And Murderers, Timandra next must fall,
You know our will, let it be done.

Ard.
—It shall.

[Exeunt severally.