University of Virginia Library

ACT V.

The Curtain slowly rises to mournful Musick, and discovers a Prison, Quisara lying on the Floor, all in White, reading by the Light of a Lamp; her Women in Black, some, Standing, others Kneeling by her, and Weeping: The Bell Tolls sometime before she speaks.
Quisara.
How blest is Piety! It cheers my Soul,
Ev'n here, where I'm preparing for my Fate,
Of all but you forsaken!—Do not Weep;
You break my Peace of Mind,—Nay, then I beg,
I must not now Command, retire a while—
[Ex. Women.
Grief is Infectious,—Now I think on them,
On my Distress, and poor Armusia, Doom'd
For me to fall, I Weep,—
[The Bell tolls again.
Hark! The Bell tolls again! Our fatal Hour is come.

Enter Armusia in Chains.
Arm.
Oh my rack'd Soul! How shall I stand this Sight,
The strongest Tryal they cou'd put me to! Oh!

Qui.
Ha! Whence that Groan?

Arm.
Oh Princess!

Qui.
Oh Armusia!

Arm.
How shall I dare t'approach that Suff'ring Vertue!
And yet I must. Thus then, now let me crawl,
And in this Agony breathe out a Soul
Rack'd with unutterable Love and Woe.

Qui.
Oh 'tis too much, thou best, thou only Lover,
Thou Lover of my Soul. I only greive for thee.

Arm.
And shall I not Grieve for you, betray'd for me to Death?
Not Grieve to see you here! Oh! Hopes of Heav'n,
'Tis only you can buoy up sinking Vertue,
When such a Tryal comes. Let Pagan Fiends
On Racks Distend me, Burn me, Tear my Limbs,
I'll Smile, so you be safe. They cannot hurt me;
But when they Pain you, then my Heart they'll Tear.
Oh! at the Thought I shake, I bleed, I rave, and I dispair.

Qui.
I Glory in my Fate; then calm thy mind,
Dear Man; I've only Tears to pay thy Worth,
But we shall meet in Heav'n at better Nuptials,
There no bad Men shall interrupt our Joys.

Arm.
Oh now you've rais'd my Soul from one Extream to t'other.
I dare Rejoyce ev'n here.

Enter Officer.
Officer.
I'm bid to tell you, You must now attend
T'appease our Gods, or Dye. 'Tis the last Summons.

Qui.
We come.

Arm.
To Dye.

Qui.
To Triumph.

Arm.
Yes, my Bride.
But, sure I first may claim a Chaste Endearment
Due to a Bridegroom, and a Dying Friend.
Yes, blushing Saint, and thus I seize the Blessing,—
[Kisses her.
My Soul is on the Wing to mix with Thine:
Another Kiss, and they'd for ever joyn.
Oh! since below we taste such Sweets in Love,
How great, how vast must be our Joys above!

[Exeunt.
SCENE. The Temple.
Enter King Bramin, and Governour.
King.
Oh! yet delay your Pious Cruelty.

Gov.
It makes me Weep to urge their Punishment,
But ev'n your Crown's at stake, if 'tis deferr'd.

King.
They come. I dread the Sight, yet still must try to win 'em.

Solemn Musick] Enter a Procession of Barmins, as to the Sacrifice. Armusia and Quisara Wreath'd and Bound. Guards and Attendants.
King.
I force my self to see you thus, to save you.
Sister, Armusia, Oh, once more I beg,—
Save, save your Lives.

Arm.
Name not these Toys, when Heav'n's concern'd; For that, Sir,
I cou'd forego ev'n her, and yet what's Life without her?

Qui.
And I shou'd hate him, cou'd he love me more.

Bra.
Oh quick worship our Gods.

Gov.
Oh Princess.—

Arm.
No more.

Qui.
Away, deluding Men.

Bra.
Your Life,—

Arm.
Take it, Bramin.
And all the Misery that shall attend it.

Bra.
Make the Fires ready.

Qui.
Heav'n gives us Strength to dread 'em not.

King.
Yet, Stay.
What shall I do to save you, Stubborn Pair?
Look on me, like the Criminal I beg,
And Majesty is fled from me, to you.
Why will you Kill me? Or, what's worse than Death,
Afflict me thus? Oh you've no Pangs to dread
More painful than I suffer. O submit—

Arm.
Save your mistaken Pity for your self, Sir.

Bra.
They must Dye instantly, they'll pervert all else.
You see all's ready, Sir, then pray retire,
Or we must Strike before your Eyes.

King.
'Tis hard, ye injur'd Powers! Must I permit you Justice?
Oh Sister—

Qui.
Come, Grieve not, Sir! you wound my tender Soul.
Farewel. And may our Deaths instruct you how to Live.

King.
Amazing Love, and Fortitude, and Zeal!
And shall I let you Dye!
Such Vertue, sure, deserves a better Fate.

Enter Messenger.
[Guns let off at a distance.
Mes.
Arm, Sir! Seek for Defence. The Portuguese
Fire from their Fort and Ships upon the Town.
Gen'ral Ruidias sent t'inform us now
He'll Beat it down, unless Armusia be set Free.

King.
Hah! Dares he do't? Must In-mates too Controul us?
Ev'n in this Case I must Resent th'Insult;
And, were I Rash, I wou'd Revenge it here.
However, bear 'em back to Prison, Guards:
And you demand a Parley.

[Ex. All, except Governour.
Gov.
Curst Event! Had now my Rival Fall'n,
I'd yet found means to save her.

[Exeunt.
SCENE. The Town.
Enter several Townsmen.
1.

Bless us, what Thundering's here, what Fire-spitting.

2.

And how the Guns take the side of a House here, and the side of
a House there, and mend them up again with another Ward.

3.

I had the Roof of my House taken off with a Chain Shot, and in
the twinkling of an Eye another clap't in the place on't.

2.

That's a Gun I'll Swear.

1.

You think he Lyes now, I ha' seen a Steeple taken off with a Chain
Shot, and another put in the place on't, with Twenty Men Ringing the Bells.

3.

Pish, what's that! I saw an Old-Man's Head set upon a Young Man's
Shoulders.—

But, Woe be to the Potters, I saw a Hand-Granado in one of their Shops,
just now, and the Pots, Pans, Pipkins, and Glasses, at Fisticuffs with it, at
such a rate, you'd ha' Sworn, a whole Troop of Devils had been at Foot-Ball
there.

1.

For my part, I'm afraid we shall all find ourselves Knock'd o'th Head
to Morrow Morning, as soon as we are awake.

Omnes.

Like enough.

1.

They've rid me of as good a Wife as a Man wou'd desire to part withall.
I met a Hand with a Letter in't just now in post haste, and by and by Whiz
comes the Leg after it, as if the Hand had forgot half it's Errand.

3.

Ay, I saw the very Man that had lost these Goods, come Hopping upon
his t'other Leg that was left, to raise a Hue and Cry after the Bullet that
had Robb'd him of half himself.

2.

Why, d'ye think there's any Law for these Cannon Bullets then?

1.

Law! No. Prethee run to a Granado when it comes Piping Hot out
of a Mortar-piece, and tell't you'll take the Law of him.—I do but
think what Lane a Chain-shot wou'd make in the Law, and how like an Ass
a Judge wou'd sit on the Bench with his Head shot off.

3.

I must confess, to have one's Head shot off, wou'd put any man out
of Countenance.

1.

A friend of mine lost his Head just now, a very Honest Fellow, a Taylor,
and 'twas no sooner off, but a Lawyer's Head that no body own'd, dropt
out of the Clouds, and settled upon honest Stiche's Shoulders; the Fellow's
Ruin'd by't—for he never spoke a True Word since.

2.

What shall we do?

1.

Let's to the King in a Body, all and one, and desire him to Compound
with the Foe for such Lambs as we want most in our Callings.—Let me
see, Thou art a Fencer, thou shalt give thy Legs to secure thy Arms.

Thou'rt a Dancer, thou shalt giue thy Head to secure thy Heels.

3.

Thou'rt a Cuckold, thou shalt give thy Horns to secure thy Head.

2.

Lets about it instantly, and go to the King.

1.

Aye, so he is not where the Bullets fly. If he be, I must desire his Majesty
to come to me.

Omn.

Agreed, agreed.

[A Gun is let off the first Townsman drops.
3.

What's the matter, now.—

1.

Oh I am Slain, let me be carried off quickly, before I come to my self,
for I cannot indure to be Shot to Death, as I am a living Man.

Carried off.
[Exeunt.
SCENE. A Field or broad place near the Fort.
Enter on one side King, Gov. Guards, &c. Ruidias and the Portuguese.
King.
How dare you offer to prescribe us Laws
Proud Portuguese, and thus abuse the Liberty
My Predecessors gave you to fix here?

Rui.
Thrice in my Prince's Name I sent to claim Armusia,
And Thrice you by your Priests sent word you scorn'd the Summons.

Gov.
That was my work.

[Aside.
King.
Ha! Did they dare do this? Abuse my Name?

Gov.
Nay, then I must be quick. Despair assist me.
[Aside
[Exit Gov.

Rui.
Once more I claim him as my Prince's Subject.

King.
Our Priests too claim him from our injur'd Gods,
He's Doom'd by them to Dye, nay, ev'n his Bride my Sister.

Rui.
Curs'd are the Mouthes that doom'd 'em! Quickly save 'em.
I'll hearken to no Terms till they're deliver'd:
Ev'n you should pray me to do you that Justice,
I'll pay the Debt of Honour, which I owe him,
Do you the like, Sir, nor be still Deluded.

King.
But, Oh the Priests, the People!

Mes.
The People, Sir, beg they may both be spar'd.

Rui.
Then leave me, Sir, to take 'em from their Foes.

King.
I can no longer what I wish oppose.

[Exeunt
The Scene draws and discovers the Prison. The Governour dragging Quisara by the hair with a Dagger at her Brest.
Qui.
Help, help!

Gov.
Be dumb, or this shall make you so—be kind;
I'm not the old Drone you think.

Qui.
O why d'you drag me thus? hold.

Gov.
I come not here to talk. I ev'n want Time
To seek out my curst Rival, and with This—

Enter Armusia in Chains.
Arm.
Ha! Villan!

Gov.
Art thou here?

Qui.
Oh save your self and me, run, call for help.

Gov.
Hold, if thou stir'st, I strike.

Arm.
Oh Misery, oh horror!

Gov.
Stay, I'll ease thee.

Qui.
Help, Murther, help.

Enter Ruidias and all the Portuguese. The King with Guards.
Rui.
Ha! Monster! Seize him—how! The Treach'rous Governor!

Ruidias seizes the Gov. by his false Beard and Hair, which come off, and discover him.
King.
What do I see! my cruel Enemy!

Rui.
Art thou a Prophet?

Gov.
Curst Fortune!

Qui.
Blest deliverance!

Arm.
Surprising Change!

[They unbind Armusia.
King.
How have I been abus'd! ye gen'rous Souls,
You've half perswaded me t'embrace your Faith.
You're free. Be happy now. Haste to the Pallace,
Let Sports and Mirth Revive; Feasts, Revels, Masques.
Guards take that Fiend, and e're we punish him,
Let the Croud see their Prophet.

Gov.
Confusion! Thirst of Revenge, and Frantic Love undo me.

Exit King, Gov. Guards and the Portuguese, all but Rui. and Arm.
Arm.
How shall I thank you, Sir?

Rui.
I've scarce yet paid my debt, Sir.
Thank your own Virtue and my Death to hopes,
Dispair has murther'd Love. I still withstood your Right,
While Honour gave me leave. No more; let's to the King.
[Exit Ruidias.

Arm.
O Princess still I doubt I dream,
I dare not yet trust Fortune.
Still as I reach my hand She draws back her's,
And snatches from me her deriding Favours.

Qui.
Oh, trust my heart, brave Man, that tells me now we're blest.

Arm.
I must be so, 'twere now a Sin to doubt it.
Yes, Pleasure comes too strong not to be real.
I want a Name to call this Blessing by.
Oh Fortune, like her Sex, is wisely coy,
And deals us Sorrow but to raise our Joy.

[Exeunt.
The SCENE changes to a Palace.
[Enter King, Courtiers, Ruid. Pin. Portuguese, Guards, &c.
King.
Come all, and share my Joys, Peace Reigns, the People pleased,
I've punish'd my worst Foe, and sav'd the best of Friends.
Let Music now resound. Begin the Sports
To entertain our Court, while I and They,
Too full of our new Joys to relish others,
Look back with pleasing Horror on past dangers.

Enter Armusia and Quisara.
Arm.
Oh! Sir! accept my silent gratitude, words were not made to speak a Joy like mine.
I cannot speak my Thanks.

King.
Rise, you're excus'd from words,
You must have time to calm the stormy Bliss.
Then leave awhile this bright Assembly here
To Mirth and soft delights.
We'll ease with Talk our Pangs of Joy within.
Now spight of Subtle Foes all Danger's past,
And Heav'n on Vertue showrs Rewards at last.

[Exeunt.