University of Virginia Library

Scene the second

the Scene a Prison.
The Scene opens, Muly Hamet appears bound.
Muly H.
Disrob'd of all at once! what turns more strange
Can Ages, if an Hour can make such Change?
Enter to him Mariamne, with one Attendant, from whom she takes a Sword, and exit Attendant.
Kind Mariamne.

Mar.
Yes, False Man, the same,
Till your bold Lust had forfeited that Name.
The Daughters easie Breast would ill confer
A Kindness on her Mothers Ravisher.

Muly H.
Can Mariamne think me guilty too?
More than my Chains have done your Frowns will do:
Mariamne's Eyes out-vie her Brothers Pow'r.
I ne're was miserable till this hour.

Mar.
Ungrateful! is your Soul so much defaced?
Have I so ill a too fond Heart misplaced?
My Rival Mother does my Right remove:
And in affront to my rejected Love
Your Scorn to Me you in her Shame make good,
Forcing her Virtue to prophane my Blood.
But, perjur'd Man, though you deserve so ill,
Yet you shall find me Mariamne still.
To my past Favours I will add one more.
Thus I your Freedom, and your Sword restore.
[Unbinds him, and gives him the Sword.
Live, and in safety go, and fly that Fate
Which does th'unhappy Muly Hamet wait.

Muly H.
My Sword and Liberty restor'd by You,
To one ungrateful, false and perjur'd too!
Ah, Madam, if your Mercy can confer
Such Bounty on a condemn'd Ravisher;
What nobler Favours would your Smiles dispence,
If Mariamne knew my Innocence?

Mar.
Sir, you mistake my Favours: I have lent
Your Freedom only as your Banishment:
That being releas'd, you might Morocco fly,
Remov'd at once both from my Heart and Eye.
(aside...)
For should he stay—
Something like Pity in his cause would plead,
Till my faint Anger were in Triumph led.
Some Rebel Thought my ill-fenc'd Heart would win,
And treacherously once more let him in. (...aside.)

Go, Ravisher, take your offer'd Liberty:
And to some barb'rous, unknown Desart fly,
Where Men have nought but Shape that's humane; there,
Where Virtue looks more ill than Monsters here.
Converse with wild and lustful Savages:
Live, and inhabit any Seat—but This.

[Points to her Breast.
Muly H.
Divine, but cruel Princess, to whom Heav'n
Has all its Titles but its Knowledg giv'n.
Else, like their Pow'rs, you could not want a Sence
Of Muly Hamets injur'd Innocence.
Can Murders, Rapes, or any barb'rous Deed,
Madam, from your Adorers Thoughts proceed?
No, Hells Commission does not reach so far,
To touch his Heart, which does your Image wear.

Mar.
Ah, were this true!

Muly H.
Witness the sacred Pow'rs,
If ought of truth be in a Heart that's yours,
Then Crimalhaz is false. Your Mother too,
(If ought that's ill can be allied to you)
Has spoke what Muly Hamet durst not think.
Achmat his Death, and Crimalhaz his Wound,
Not from My Sword, but from Their Dagger sound.
The Eunuchs Blood by their own Hand was spilt;
To work my Ruine, and conceal their Guilt.

Mar.
(aside)
A genle Calm my Anger does asswage,
Creeps cooly o're my Heart, and chils my Rage.
Some strange Divine Intelligence is stole
Into my Breast, and whispers to my Soul,
Unkind, Suspicious, Cruel, and Unjust;
That Virtue Love had taught him you may trust.

Muly H.
Were I that Savage Ravisher I seem,
I still might father this imputed Crime:
This Prison, and Our private Interview,
Giving me pow'r t'Attempt that force on You.
How dare you then my Out-law'd Virtue trust,
And lend that freedom which would arm that Lust?
But did you know how clear my Soul does shine,
Unclouded, and still pure enough, t'enshrine
Such a Divinity as yours, you'd free
Your self from Doubts, as you from Chains did Mee.
Your Mothers Eyes cannot your Right remove:
To prove the power of Mariamnes Love,
Madam, my proffer'd freedom I refuse:
Flying Morocco, I your sight should lose;
And rather than be banish't from those Eyes,
I can all thoughts of Liberty despise:
For I in Fetters may your Grace implore,
And make your Pity grant one Visit more.
If not your Love, yet your Compassion may
Once more, at least, guide your kind steps this way.
Gaining your sight, I can my Chains out-brave,
The Brother's prisoner, but the Sister's slave.

Mar.
Enough, brave Prince; My Jealousie forgive:
Virtue ne're dies, where so much Love does live.
Heav'n cannot but, like Me, think it unjust,
That so much Virtue should in fetters rust.
But since of injur'd Innocence Heav'n dares
Be a spectator, I'le correct the Star's.
I will redress those Wrongs
Which their tame patience lets you suffer. Take
Once more your Freedom for your Princess sake.
Fly these infected Walls, this barb'rous Town,
Where Virtue mourns under a Tyrants frown.
Before, my Rage your Freedom did Command:
But now accept it from a gentler Hand.
Kindness and Cruelty one doom decree:
None ever Punish, and Reward like Me.

Muly H.
And must I from my Princess presence fly?

Mar.
No, stay.

Muly H.
Kind Stars!

Mar.
Yes, in my Memory.
Absent you shall in my Remembrance reigne.
I'le to your Image dedicate this shrine.

[Points to her Breast.
Enter King, and young Queen.
To the Door.
Muly H.
Madam, your Brother, when he hears my Sword,
And Liberty is by your Hand restor'd,
May grow incens'd to such a high degree,
To make You share those Frowns which threatned Me.
And are my thoughts so low, to make you run
Those Dangers which I by my flight shall shun?

Mar.
Request does with a Mistress pow'r ill suite.
Sir, I Command that freedom you dispute.
And, if his stubborn Faith to a just thought
Of your wrong'd Innocence cannot be wrought:
If his rash passion natures bonds should quit,
And make him both my Sex, and Birth forget;
Remember that you wear a Sword, and you
As you're my Servant, be my Champion too.

Enter to them King, Young Queen, Q. Mother, Crimalhaz, Hametalhaz and Attendants.
King.
His Sword, and freedom by her hand retrived!
Surely my Eyes and Ears are both deceiv'd.
How! Rebel, dare you with things Sacred sport,
Ravish the Mother, and the Daughter Court?
[to Muly H.
Have You your Birth no better understood,
[to Mariamne.
Than to be Traytor to your own high Blood?
Since Prisons no restraint o're Lust can have,
Why did I not confine him to a Grave?

Muly H.
'Tis not long since your Bounty did designe
Not only This, but th'Hand that gave it, mine.

King.
When I design'd That, I design'd She shou'd
Be in a Palace, not a Prison, woo'd;
Not circled in a Chain, but in a Crown:
Sir, You mistake a Dungeon for a Throne.

Q. M.
Remember, if your Memory can prove
So just, t'unravel your own Scenes of Love.
Unless blest Lovers, whose desires are Crown'd,
Mounting so high, forget their rising ground.
These Prison-walls have Eccho'd to your Sighs,
Conscious as well of your Amours, as His.
No fetters can Lov's lawless pow'r suppress:
You too have been a Lover in his dress.
Some Pity then should to their Loves be shown,
For their so near resemblance of your own.
She can forgive his Faults, why cannot You?
If Love can Pardon, why not Honour too?

Mar.
Knew you his Innocence, you would approve
Both his just Liberty, and my just Love.
But, Sir, you know, I'm Sister to a King:
And in that Name I dare do any thing;
Make where I please my Heart an Offering.
Tortures, nor Chains, shall not my Love rebate:
I'le share his Breast, though I should share his Fate.

King.
Sister, your noble Pride has made me kind:
I'le give him that Reward which You design'd.
Your Courteous hand his Freedom did restore;
And I'le repeat what you pronounc't before:
Be gone, and never see Morocco more.
At the next mornings light, if the Suns Eye
Find you within the City-gates, you Dye.
And the Tenth day you lose your Head, if found
Within the Circuit of my Empires bound.

Muly H.
Now I am lost, and all my Hopes dispers't.
This Monsters villany has done its worst.
[to Crimalhaz.
Inhumane, to your Conscious Soul recall—

Crim.
The Tortures which it feels to see You fall.

Muly H.
No, Traytor.

Crim.
Traytor, Yes Sir, I should be
Traytor to Reason and Humanity,
Should I not grieve for You.

Muly H.
Oh cunning Ignorance!
These Traytors walk like mad-men in a Trance:
Seem not to understand the Crimes they Act.
But from what springs, do You your Tears extract!

[aside, to Q. M.
Q. M.
From springs so deep shall sink Thee down to Hell.
I shed my Tears, as Rain in Egypt falls,
Sent for no common cause, but to foretell
[aside to him.
Destructions, Ruins, Plagues, and Funerals.
I ne're draw Tears, but when those Tears draw Blood.

King.
My Justice in suspence too long has stood.

Q. M.
How, Justice? no, your Cruelty. How can
So harsh a Doom against so Brave a man
Be Justice? View that Brow, that Charming Eye:
See there the Grace and Meen of Majesty.
Can you to Exile then that Man enjoyne,
Whose Soul must, like his Aspect, be Divine?
Oh Son!

[Weeps.]
King.
His Sentence is already past;
And now her Kindness does his Ruine hast.
Be gone, and fly to some infected Aire,
Where Poysons brood, where men derive their Crimes,
Their Lusts, their Rapes, and Murthers, from their Climes:
And all the Venome which their Soils do want,
May the Contagion of your Presence grant.

Muly H.
I must obey you, and embrace my Doom
With the same patience Saints do Martyrdom.
Only their Suffering's a Reward receive;
They Die to meet that Happiness I leave:
They Die, that in their deaths they Heaven may find:
But in my Princess, I leave Mine behind.
And my hard Exile does this Horrour bring,
I lose the power to serve so good a King:
So Good, that 'twould as great a Bliss confer
To Die for You, as 'tis to Live for Her.
Since in your Kingdoms limits I'm deni'de
A seat, may your great Empire spread so wide,
Till its vast largeness does Reverse my doom;
And for my Banishment the World wants room.

King.
I'le hear no more. But for this Audience know
How much you to my gracious Favour owe.
His Mercy's great, whose Patience is so strong,
To give a Traytor leave to Talk thus long.

[Exeunt King, and young Queen.
Mar.
Farewel for ever. When you're gone, and all
Mariamne ever Lov'd, or ever shall.—
She sees no more; Yet by despair made just,
Let not our Hearts take leave, though our Eyes must.
Though you through wild and savage Desarts go,
No place so barren, but where Love may grow.

Muly H.
When to your ears some gentle breath shall bring
The last Remains of a lost wretched thing,
That lived as long as he could gaze on You;
And shined, till that inspiring Light withdrew.
If Fame vouchsafe words on a wretch so poor;
When you shall hear I was, but am no more;
In my Lost seat let my Remembrance stay:
Give my Name life, though Grief take Mine away.

[Exeunt Muly Hamet and Mariamne severally.
Crim.
Fate and our Wishes meet.

Q. M.
His Exile is not all:
Our Treasons are not safe but in his Fall.
He Lives, though he be Banish't; and the Great
Are never fully Dark'ned, till they Set:
This Cloud may pass, and He shine out once more;
But from your hand this favour I implore:
Pursue him out of Town, and in disguise
[to Hametal.
With some dissembling Tale his Ears surprise;
Till your Confederate-Party has gain'd time
To place an Ambuscade, and Murder him.

Hamet.
Conclude it done.

Q. M.
And your next step t'a Throne
[to Crimalhaz.
Must be, dear Sir, the Murther of my Son.

Crim.
His Palace—
And the kind City's love's so strong a Guard,
Th'Attempt within these Walls appears too hard.

Q. M.
But what that Bars, this Easier way secures:
His Army, and his Treasures Charge, are yours.
To Morrow on the Plain before the Wall,
His Forces you t'a general-muster Call.
Then their Commander You shall in their Head
His Army to the Mountain Atlas lead:
And to secure your Flight, to night by Stealth
Ransack his Treasury, seize all his Wealth.
At first Alarm, this will his Courage damp:
But by such Arts, I his Resolves will sway;
I'le work him from the Town up to the Camp,
And safe into your Hands his Life betray.
But when Your Throne I on His Grave have built,
Remember Love was Authour of my Guilt.

Crim.
This work, which we so roughly do begin,
Zeal and Religion may perhaps call Sin.
No; the more Barb'rous garb our Deeds assume,
We nearer to our First perfection come.
Since Nature first made Man wild, savage, strong,
And his Blood hot, then when the world was Young:
If Infant-times such Rising-valours bore,
Why should not Riper Ages now do more?
But whilst our Souls wax Tame, and Spirits Cold,
We Only show th'unactive World grows Old.

[Exeunt Crimalhaz, and Young Queen.
Hamet.
Muly Hamet Bleeds the next.
To him, who Climbs by Blood, no track seems Hard:
The Sence of Crimes is lost in the Reward:
Aspirers neither Guilt nor Danger Dread:
No path so rough Ambition dares not Tread.

[Exit.