University of Virginia Library

SCENE. III.

The Scene drawn, discovers Ithocles, and Semanthe A-sleep on a Couch, Arm in Arm.
Enter Menaphon with a Light, followed by the King, Meleander, and Marcelia.
King.
Patience you Gods, hold, hold, my boyling blood.
O 'twere a rare and Exquisite revenge,
To join their Hearts on my Swords point as close,
As their Ingend'ring lips.

Mele.
What do I see!
Vengeance and Horrour, do I wake or dream!
What, Arm in Arm, O I can hold no longer.
Take, take Adult'ress thy just reward—

Draws. Runs to the Queen, and the King stops him.
King.
Hold, hold, I charge you; for that brave Revenge,
Is due to me alone, wake, wake, you Monsters,
That e're I send you to th'infernall shades,
I may a while torture your Souls on Earth,
And let you know what 'tis to wrong a King.

Ithocles wakes, and seeing the Queen by him, starts: And turning round sees the King.
Itho.
Where am I! ha! What dreadfull Vision's this!
If I do wake, some pittying God above,
Be kind, and end my life this very moment.
My Lord the King—

King.
Yes Monster 'tis the same;
Who is come hither to behold a Sight,
Wou'd damn a Saint, and blast a Bassalisk,
To see two brooding Vipers mix their Poisons,
And a Lascivious lewd Adult'ress burn,
With lust far more Tempestuous, Flames far hotter,
Then that great day when the young Chariotier,
Misled the Sun, and set the World on Fire:
O I'm not able to endure the Torture:
My Guards there.
Enter Guards Attendants, and Penthea.
Seize on that Infernal Feind.

Guards seize Ithocles.
Itho.
My Gracious Lord, hear me but speak one moment:

King.
Be gone you slaves, and house him in a Dungeon;
Load him with Irons, lay more weight on him,
Then ought to hang upon his Canker'd Soul,
When he reflects upon his Monst'rous Crime.

Guards force him out.
Mar.
O Eyes, after this Object see no more:
O lead me, lead me from the dismall Scene:
[to Penthea.
Let me no more behold the face of day,
But in a Place fit for so lost a Wretch,
In darkness End my miserable Life.
There from the false deluding Flatt'ring Tongues,
O Faithless men, for ever I'le remain.
And ne're believe that Perjur'd Sex again.

[Exit Mar. weeping led by Penthea.
King.
Who wou'd believe a Guilty wretch like her,
Cou'd take a sleep so sound—
[Semanthe wakes.
But see she wakes,
And seems amaz'd to see her lover gone:
Turn this way wretched thing, and look on me.

[Semanthe runs amazedly to the King.
Sem.
My Lord the King! O take me to your arms,
And sheild me from that lean devouring feind:
O Sr, I've had a dream of so much horrour,
'Twould Certainly have run me to distraction,
Had not the sight of you awak'd my spirits:
But my dear Lord, I little did expect,
T'have had your wish'd for company to night.

King.
Hear, hear you Gods the Cunning of this Syren.
Look down upon the Sex which you have made,
To Curse Mankinde and fill the world with plagues.
O Devill, Devill in thy properest shape,
How canst thou look upon me but with Horrour?

Sem.
Alas! what means my Lord? sure I dream still,
I do beseech you speak not such harsh words,
My tender heart unus'd to these strange sounds,
Struggles within me, as 'twou'd leave its dwelling.

King.
Peace, peace thou Artfull Strumpet, talk no more.

Sem.
What is he Angry?—

[to Mele.
Mele.
Blackest vengeance seize thee.
Where hadst thou Impudence to ask that question?

Sem.
Good Heav'n what unknown Crime have I commited,
To Pull that Curse from Meleanders mouth?

[weeps.
Sem.
My Royall Lord—

[to the King
King.
Damnation Stop thy Speech:
Go take this Viper to your Custody,—
[to Bassanes.
And let her not behold the face of day.

Sem.
May I not know my fault?

King.
Perdition seize thee:
Away with her, let me not hear her speak.

Sem.
Have you no pity?

King.
Dogs have you no ears?

Sem.
Stay but one Moment—

[to Bassanes
King.
Better swallow fire.

Sem.
Brother, Plead for me;

Mele.
Sulpher Choak thy voice.
[Exit Meleander

[Exit Semanthe forc'd out by Guards.
King.
O I am all within a burning Etna,
My blood boyles hotter then the Poison'd flesh
Of Hercules Cloath'd in the Centaur's Shirt.

Men.
Had I not seen, I never cou'd have thought,
Semanthe of all womankind was false.

King.
She, 'tis no wonder friend, for by yon Heav'n,
The Sex is all perdition,
When nature shall all blaze and the Poles crack,
Hell Gape, and all its Sulph'rous mines burst out,
'Tis only woman that must light the fire.

Men.
O horrour! what a Tempest have I rais'd?
Dear Sir, no more, Cease this wild rage.

King.
I've done—
[Pauses.
And now will study for a dire revenge.
Rise from thy Scorching Den thou Soul of mischief,
And teach me Torments ne're before invented,
Swell me revenge, till I become a Hill,
High as Olimpus Cloud dividing Top,
That I may fall, and crush 'em to the Center.
O that I cou'd make her an Age in Dying,
And O that her's were like Prometheus heart,
And I'th immortall vulture to Torment it.

Men.
O Royall Sir, upon my knees I beg,
If all the Service that I ever did you,
Can merit but the smallest spark of favour,
Hear me but speak, 'tis true, she ought to Dye,
Her Crime I must confess unpardonable;
But O consider Sir, think on her Sin,
Think on the Anger Heav'n must bear against her:
And shou'd you send her hence loaded with Guilt,
T'wou'd forfeit all her Joys i'th other world;
Therefore most Sacred Sir, I do intreat,
That you wou'd spare her time for a repentance.

King.
Repent! Alas! thou knowst not what thou sayst.
Is't possible a woman e're can Pray!
No friend, the only use they make of Heav'n, is
To be forsworn by't, but my sence turns wild,
And throngs of thoughts are crowding for a passage.
By all my hopes she shan't out-live this night,
Even now I'le bath my hands I'th Stumpets blood:
Farewell my Lord, and e're the morning Dawns,
Thou sha't behold these hands Steep'd in her Gore,
And even her name raz'd from my memory.
From this wild rage, her Death shall free my Soul,
And I forget I had a Queen so foul,
For ever scorn, nay loath all woman-kind.
But oh my former Peace, I ne're shall find.
[Ex. King.

Manet Menaphon.
Men.
So, my designs at last have gain'd their end:
But stay, Armena lives, and she's a Woman,
By Consequence too leakey to keep secrets.
My Brother therefore must dispatch her straight;
By Heav'n to Night, she must not live till morn,
For that frail Sex is so much given to talk,
They are not silent in their very sleeps,
And tho' the secrets they're intrusted with,
Are ev'n the Hinges that their own lives hang on,
Their slippery tongues, are all so giv'n to stir,
That death's the only thing can keep 'em still.
Therefore to make our great Foundation sure,
Her talking Malady by Death we'le cure.

[Exit.