University of Virginia Library

[Scene II.

A Chamber in Altemera's Palace.]
Enter Altemera.
Alt.
Great Gods, is sacred Love such an offence
That for it you to mee such Plagues dispence?
But if my constancy provoke your hate,
I will endure but not deplore my fate.

Enter Candaces.
Cand.
The Generall does your Commands obey,
And at the doore, to waite on you, does stay.

Alt.
Admitt him, though his sight augment my greife.
If hee denies mee, death is my releife.
[Exit Cand.
Enter Clorimun.
Fortune, brave Clorimun, has now design'd
A noble rise to show your nobler mind,
For by your Kings Insatiate Crueltie
I heare that Lucidor's condemn'd to die.
'Tis in your power his death now to decline,
But if you act it, none can hinder mine.
My life and his are with such strictnesse bound,
That, to end both, you need but give one wound.
But, Clorimun, it is a nobler thing
To save that rivall than obey that King.
I knowe your virtue therefore will not Shunne
To tell you Lucidor my heart has wonn,
Soe that to him if I shou'd prove untrue,
I thereby shou'd become unworthy you.

Clor.
Madame, cou'd you noe other way have found
But by my virtue thus my Love to wound?
But since to it soe cruell now you prove,
I renounce virtue, I am all but Love;
Or if I any virtue still enjoy,
'Tis not soe much as must my Love destroy.

Alt.
Who but by virtue doe to Love pretend
Forsakes the way, and yet pursues the End.

Clor.
And you wou'd have me by what now you say
Forsake the end and yet pursue the way.

Alt.
Hee who his Mistrisse favour cannot gett
Ought to be pleas'd that hee does meritt itt.

Clor.
To misse the purchace and yet pay the price
Makes virtue more unfortunate than vice.
It's not enough my Rivall must have you,
Butt you will make mee helpe him to you too!

Alt.
It were enough; nay, 'twere too much, I knowe,
For any but for Clorimun to doe,
Whose virtue is soe eminent and Cleere
That Common arts below it wou'd appeare.
To any other I'd conceale my fire,
Since owning it might hinder my desire.
But while high things I wou'd have you bestow,
I scorne to seek them in a way that's low.
Your granting my request, knowing my flame,
Will add the greater lustre to your fame.
This way in which I aske a guift soe great
Helps mee to pay as well as make the Debt.

Clor.
This, Madame, which with soe much art you word,
But cutts my hopes off with a glittering sword.
You make my virtue great that it may prove
A surer way but to destroy my love.
I'le mourne I grant not that for wc h you presse;
More to obey you were to love you lesse.
Who can see beauties wc h soe brightly shine
And to a Rivall all his hopes resigne?
Conceale your Eyes, whilst you such grants pursue.
Those plead for mee more than your Prayers for you,
To prove you in the wrong, mee in the right.
Noe Judge needs more, but not to want his sight.

Alt.
If this mean beautie be esteem'd by you,
To preserve it you must preserve him too;
For it must still be his, I'le not deny.
For him it lives and with him it must die.

Clor.
In Rivallshipp two Passions only move,—
That great one of Revenge; that greater, love.
And, Madame, if you make mee soe accurst,
As to deny the last, I'le take the first.

Alt.
His death is in your power but not in mine.
What does incense you to it to decline?
A Conquest o're the first, in you, to winne
Is vertue; o're the last, in mee, were sinne.
But if to my affection you pretend,
This is the certaine way to misse your end.
By it your Rivalls hopes will be o'rethrowne,
But you thereby cannot advance your owne.
If I his Love, while you are just, preferre,
Can I doe yours when you'r his murtherer?

Clor.
Since I must misse that Joy for which I sue,
'Tis some to make my Rivall misse it too.
A double ruine you on mee wou'd bring,
To loose at once my Mistresse and my King.

Alt.
Your King through Lucidor does mee assault.
Make mee his punishment, since I'me his fault.
That which his hate to Lucidor does move
Is that hee stands betwixt him and my Love.
Since against honor I'le not act a cryme,
To be reveng'd on mee, hee'l ruine him.
Act not a sinne which needs must let me see
Your hate for him transcends your love for mee.
Suppresse that fury which soe high does burne,
And let my prayers your hate to pitty turne.

Clor.
How can I pitty such a mans estate,
With whom I willingly would change my fate?
One houre to have possesst your Love as hee
Possesses it, I'de dye imediatly.
What greater Joy can hee begg from above
Than, while hee is alive, to have your Love?

Enter Page hastily, and Cratoner.
Page.
Madame, my hast has made mee out of breath.
I saw ev'n now Lucidor ledd to death,
And if his Pardon be not sent him now,
'Twill come too late to stopp the fatall Blow.

Alt.
Oh, Clorimun! if this poore Life you prize,
Then you will show it in preserving his.
Looke on these teares a while; then I'le retire,
And leave you to what virtue shall inspire.
But be assur'd of this: that very breath
Which tells mee my freind's dead, shall act my death.

[Exeunt Alt. and Page.
Clor.
Goe, stopp the Execution till I come.
[Exit Cratoner.
What a fierce Warre is in this narrow roome!
Duty to the Kings Orders makes it fitt
Hee dye; my owne revenge too joynes with it—
Revenge which is soe pleasing and soe sweete,
The Gods to keepe it for themselves thinke meet—
And, above all Revenges, that in Love
Does the most Just and the most pleasing prove.
But yet noe duty nor revenge must stand
In Competition with her least Command.
Shee never shall in mee have cause to blame
But the aspireing of a hopelesse flame.
I'le save my Rivall and make her confesse
'Tis I deserve what hee does but possesse.

[Exit.
Enter Altemera.
Alt.
Death which mankind in such high awe does keepe
Can only hold Us in Eternall Sleepe,
And if a Life after this Life remaines,
Sure to our Loves belongs those happie plaines.
There in blest feilds I'le passe the endlesse houres,
And him I crowne with Love, I'le crowne with flowers,
A Crowne which more true Joy than Lawrell brings,
Or that bright Earth which circles heads of Kings.
Either my fancie does delude my Eyes,
Or I behold my freind ascend the Skies.
His spirit now from Cloggs of flesh sett free
Invites mee to his immortalitie.
Mee thinks I see him in those shades of rest,
And as much Monarch there, as in my breast.
My tortur'd soule does with Impatience stay,
And longs to follow where hee leads the way.

Enter Candaces hastily.
Cand.
Your Commands, Madame, have a boundlesse pow'r.
They have preserv'd your much lov'd Lucidor.
Of his reprieve I did my selfe dispaire.
The fatall Axe was lifted in the Aire,
And ready was to fall, when Clorimun
Appear'd and staid the Execution.
Gesippus said hee in his cryme was lost,
And then for Leptis instantly tooke post.
The Generall whisper'd Filadin in th'Eare,
And is himselfe, Madame, now coming here.

Alt.
This Charming newes my teares have wip'd away.

Enter Page.
Page.
Madame, the Generall at your doore does stay,
And to waite on you humbly does desire.

Alt.
Admitt him. May kind Heaven my tongue inspire!
What shall I doe for him obleig'd mee soe?

Cand.
All but what you'll refuse hee'l thinke too low.

Alt.
Hee cannot thinke that I ungratefull prove,
If I in admiration pay his Love.
Enter Clorimun.
You have obleig'd mee to the last degree.
More than your sword your vertues conquer mee;
And in that noble acting you have showne
Your foes you can subdue more wayes than one.

Clor.
Whatever I for Altemera doe
Is in it selfe reward and duty too.
I come more proofes of this to let you see,
And not to heare from you my Elogie.
I doubt Gesippus words will take such place
The King will mee imediatly disgrace.
Then for my Rivalls death hee'l orders give,
Soe that I shall not save him but reprieve.
His losse I knowe, Madame, will make you dye.
Therefore I have sett him at Libertie,
And, fearing what th'usurpers rage might doe,
Have given your brother Memnor freedome too.
All that I thought you wish'd, I have made good;
One to your Love I give, one to your blood.

Alt.
Ah, Noble Clorimun! Why have you tooke
A course which further must your king provoke?
You might with privacy have let them goe,
And by your safetie rais'd the favour too.

Clor.
Honour and Love my actions still shall guide.
What's duty to obey 'tis sinn to hide.
I'le make it to the world and you appeare,
To serve you is my glory, not my feare.
I to retirement know the way againe,
And there I'le waite till Melizer does Reigne,
Whose virtues are soe great, his right soe good,
Hee should bee King by choice as well as bloud.

Alt.
Since you those truths soe fully understand,
And that a Conquering Army you Command,
Nobly then at the head of it appeare
To save your selfe and restore Melizer.
If to performe this duty you thinke fitt,
Memnor and Lucidor shall Joyne in itt.

Clor.
Justice herselfe wou'd blush, shou'd shee receive
A right which treachery does to her give,
And virtuous Melizer wou'd never owne
From falsehood the possession of the Throne.
Disgrace I feare lesse than to be unjust.
'Tis such to take and then betray a trust.
Though I my power and Melizer esteeme,
Yet I love honour more than power or him.
Next to your favour, what I covett most
Is to restore to him that Crowne hee lost.
But as my case is, all brave men will owne
'Tis sinne to talk of't, till to do't is none.

Alt.
O noble virtue, great enough alone
The whole World to supply if it had none!
What I propos'd I cannot but recant;
Soe to deny is nobler than to grant.
Preserve your Power that Melizer you may
In a fitt Season serve in honours way.

Clor.
When I with honour may his title owne,
It will not need Solicitation.
But to the King, Madame, I now will goe,
And there strive to prevent my overthrowe.
But if I am disgrac'd, you'll then thinke meet
To let mee breath my passions at your feete,
Which is a Glory I shall prize above
All blessings else, except it be your Love.

Alt.
Goe, noble Clorimun, and may you there
Meet with Successe which may remove your feare.
May the Gods pay you all you doe for mee,
And make your Joyes vast as your bounties bee.

Clor.
You cannot aske more Joyes for mee, you knowe,
Than of your selfe you can on mee bestowe.
Permitt mee, madame, now to let you in,
And then my Jorney forthwith I'le beginne.

[Exeunt.