 | The conquest of China, By the Tartars |  |
1
ACT the First.
SCENE the First.
A Camp.Theinmingus, Zungteus, Palexus, and Tartars attending.
Zung.
Now is the time, th'Indulgent Suns kind Ray,
Does only on the Southern World look gay:
And glancing on our Climes with half an Eye,
At a neglectful distance passes by.
Whose powerful heat, and God-like influence gon,
The Rebel Earth takes forces of its own:
And has it self from his weak power secur'd,
With Mounts of Snow, and Rocks of Ice immur'd.
Yet those strong Bars have not your Arms with-stood;
The Gods that froze your Climate, warm'd your Blood.
2
O're China's Icy Lake, your flying Train
Of swift Tartarian Horse have forc'd their way;
And leading a Field-Army o're the Main,
Triumphant marcht on a Campagne of Sea.
Zung.
Our Armes the News of our success out-fly:
We give our Foes but time to start, and dye.
Our Swords surprize 'um with so quick a doom,
They feel their Fate, before they see it come.
And where the Winter does our passage stay,
We burn down Citys till we melt our way.
Thein.
But those few Millions we've yet vanquisht, are
A bare dumb shew of a poor Pageant war.
Our Honour now for greater Action calls,
To aim our Vengeance against Pequins Walls.
Imperial Heads in Blood, and Thrones in Dust,
Are th'only Vengeance that can make Me just.
The falls of Kings, and Martyr'd City's flames:
Revenge is Childrens sport at lesser games.
Whose soaring wings at Crowns, & Conquest flye,
Act little, till they strike at Majesty.
To Right my Murder'd Fathers death, I must
With Royal Blood, appease a Royal Ghost.
After a sound of Trumpets, enter a Messenger, who delivers a Message to Theinmingus.
Mess.
Sir, an Ambassadour from the China's King desires Admittance.
Thein.
Go, Conduct him in—
Exit Mess.
Now for some Bribe to court me to lay down
My Arms; a kind Petition for a Crown:
No Terms of Peace, nor Golden Mountains shall
The Vengeance of my Sacred Rage recall.
My Fathers groaning Spirit hangs in ayre,
Deny'd admission to the blest abode,
Till Blood and Ruine his loud wrongs Repair,
And my Revenge has shap'd him for a God.
Enter, introduc'd by Trumpets, Amavanga, Vangona, and Attendants.
Am.
(Aside.)
Is't not enough, ye Gods, our Bleeding Land
Groans at the wounds from an Invaders hand?
3
His Thunder kills before men hear the blow.
But must his Pride, with his Success, take wing,
And cast the name of Coward on a King:
An Infamy so loud, as would awake
A Womans Rage: for thy wrong'd Honours sake,
Pardon, great King, if I assume the Name
of thy Ambassador, to Right thy Fame:
Before his Blasphemy be spread too wide,
I will give check to the proud Tartars Pride.
Am.
continues to Theinm.
Hear my great Masters pleasure from my breath;
He justifies your Conquer'd Fathers death.
He and the day together saw him bleed:
He saw it, and he triumph't in the deed.
Nor did, nor could the Night his Conquest end:
(Still going on)
In blood, he saw the Alarm'd Sun descend.
The Sun set red, and from the purple gore,
Blush't that he had shed so much; He, that he had shed no more.
And when the gloomy Eye of Heaven grew dim,
And drew black Curtains 'twixt his fame and him,
Scorning to be by Heaven it self oppos'd;
With new made Rays he drooping Nature Rous'd.
Still with gay Light did his bright Cannons play,
And with fresh fires, kept in the frighted day.
This did my King, and guided by the Will
And Pow'r to act on; this he dares do still.
Zung.
Heav'n, this is all my wishes could implore:
Make our Foes Valiant, and I ask no more.
A Cowards blood but stains a Sword. Then Fate
Is kind, when Glory does on Triumph wait.
Am.
Nor are his thoughts less mighty than his Arms:
That Rage he breaths, his inspir'd Empire warm's.
His Subjects, at the name of Arms, a-round
Him press, and greedy catch the pleasing sound.
Revenge, they cry; our lives nor fortunes spare:
Together tuned, they speak, and the loud Consort's, Warr;
Him they their King, his Soul their God they make:
But if that God can his bright Throne forsake,
4
When he from Glory but one thought can shrink.
Thein.
My wishes joyn with his, may he be Great,
And have a Soul inspir'd with all that heat,
And Gallantry, which you so loud proclaim:
All his own fears can wish, or pride can frame.
That I may meet, what here I have not found,
My Arms, as with Success, with Honour Crown'd.
That when he by the hand of Justice dyes,
I may find work for Conquest, not Surprize.
Zungteus, instantly for an Assault
Prepare: this talking looks too like a hault.
Revenge, whil'st 'tis disputed, is delay'd.
Disputes should be by Priests, not Monarchs made.
Exit Attendants.
Vang.
Me-thoughts while you discours't, I did descry
A searching wonder in the Princes Eye.
Take heed, dear Madam, lest Zungteus may,
Through your disguise, his Mrs. Face betray.
To Amav.
Amav.
No: Amavanga in this borrow'd shape,
Will th'Eye of a deluded World escape:
All danger of discovery I defie.
Ile look, and speak, and act a part so high,
Shall cheat an Empire.
Palex.
Th'expecting World on your performance waits.
Zung.
For Honour then: lead on, to Pequins Gates.
Amav.
Hold Royal Sir, oblige me with your stay:
Envying at what Fame to your Sword doe's pay,
I've a Request to make.
Sir, when your Forces give their first Alarms,
I humbly beg We two may meet in Arms.
For since the narrow World no room can spare,
To let two Foes, so haughty, breath one Aire;
To gratifie my Pride, I beg to try,
If 'tis my Honour by your hand to dye.
Zung.
So kind a Champion let my Arms embrace:
Brave Youth, thy Courage pleads with such a Grace.
Embraces him.
Ha! There's Enchantment there, and something stole.
Through that soft Circle, has surpriz'd my Soul.
5
Dar'd by that breath, my trembling Spirits shake.
Great God's! what sudden Chill has seiz'd my blood;
Somthing—no matter what; be't ill, or good,
I blush for't, and 'tis gone. Kind Challenger,
I'le meet you in the Field.
Amav.
I'le meet you there.
And Sir, to merit what this grace imparts,
I'le practice deaths upon your Subjects hearts.
Deep in the Tartars blood I'le dye my Sword;
To mak't a Weapon fit t'attacque their Lord.
Zung.
But Generous Enemy,
Something I feel so Sacred at thy sight,
That makes me wish I might avoyd this Fight.
But if we must, for mine and thine own sake,
Be Death far distant from the Wounds I make:
All hostile Rage must at that Scene lye by;
I'de Conquer with a bloodless Victory.
[Embraces him again.
The Magick works afresh—Enchanter hence— (Aside)
I feel such changes in my startled sense,
As tell me I have talk'd too long. What strange
Miraculous influence has made this change?
If supernatural pow'r this terrour draws,
And he's
Some Tutelar Saint that aid's the Chinan Cause;
For less can't make me shake, If in that form
Some Divine pow'r has humane likeness worne;
If he has ought of Charm, or aide of Gods,
To guard him, when we meet, he has the Odds.
To match my Arm with his, He must lend mine
Divinity, or must his own resigne.
Vang.
So nigh approach, and so long conference,
Has half recover'd his enlightned sense.
Retire whilst you are safe.
To Amav.
Am.
I'm gone: How ill
Great Prince am I thy Challenger; I will
In Arms, and if I can, in Glory shine.
I'le aim my Vengeance 'gainst all hearts but Thine.
Vang.
For what then did you Challenge him?
6
To try his Courage, and his Gallantry,
The only merit that can Conquer Me,
And I've my wish: A General, and yield
T'expose his Royal Person in the Field,
Singly against a private unknown hand!
Such Gallantry I can't enough admire.
My King and Country's Cause, my Sword require;
But by a former, and more pow'rful tye,
My Soul adores my Countrys Enemy.
I Love Zungteus, and with secret joy,
Admire that hand which China does destroy.
Exeunt Amav. & Vang.
Manent only Zungteus and Palexus.
Zung.
When Peace the prop of sluggish Kings secur'd
The Chinan Empire from the Tartars Sword:
And Heaven did by that Charm this Crown support,
I went a Guest to the Taymingian Court.
And in the Chinan Empire spent those years,
Where Child wears out, and growing Man appears.
When I felt somthing in my heart take seat,
Which wrote in my enlivned blood, Be Great.
There I first thought the heir t'an Empire bound,
T'have his hand active ere his head were Crown'd.
And Chanquincungus, his Rebellion first
Taught me in blood to satisfie that thirst.
Thus Tartary does the less Title claim,
That but to me gave Birth, but China to my Fame.
Now by a Turn of State, their Foes I head,
My Vallour now to their destruction led,
Does prey upon that Empire where 'twas bred.
Palex.
Revenge and Justice for their Ruine speak;
No Tyes so strong but Injuries can break.
Zung.
But Oh, me-thinks, an inward Voyce I hear;
Forbare bold man, thou hast a Princess there!
My Amavanga does a Crown enjoy
Within that Empire, which my Armes destroy.
Gods! Was your World so Barren, that it cou'd
Afford my Armes no better scene of blood,
But where my fury must my Saint dethrone?
Palex.
Your Vengeance aims at the Imperial Crown:
7
War points out what shall Live, as well as Dye.
Zung.
How vainly you mistake; you know her pow'r
Is borrow'd from the Chinan Emperour;
The Patron and Protector of her Seat.
Since then my fury does his Ruine threat,
Her Interest is to his safety Wedd:
The limbs of Empire suffer in the Head.
A Sacred horrour does my sense awake,
And bids me be less bloody for her sake.
Kind Messenger of Heaven, thou art obey'd:
I'le instantly to my great Father plead
Th'injustice of his Arms, till his Rage cease,
And he return in a Triumphant Peace.
Pal.
Consider Sir, before this Pause is made,
Your Ancestors here basely were betray'd.
And Ruine in all forms is but too small
To purge th'infected aire where Monarchs fall.
Zung.
Had China Crimes
More loud than Heav'n durst hear, or Hell durst own?
Her Presence would a Kingdoms sins Atone.
Palex.
What though her presence does this Empire bless,
She by your Arms will greater grow, not less.
The more your Victories in China spread,
You win but Crowns to plant them on Her head.
Zung.
But how if she should this occasion choose,
And her own person to the War expose.
Remember when the Scene of Civil War,
Was in her Fathers Kingdom layd, how far
Her Courage led her; in a Masc'line shape
She from her Father's Court made an Escape.
Amongst the thickest dangers still she flew;
And Honours reap'd where they were great, and new.
Her own disguise could not her Glory's shroud:
Fighting, she spoke in Thunder from her Cloud.
And when the Conquering Chanquincungus stood
On her dead Brothers Neck, his yet warm blood
She at one stroke Reveng'd; and at one blow,
A Rebel, and his Army, did overthrow.
By her, his life, the Vanquish't Conq'rour lost,
A Victim to her Brothers new-made Ghost.
8
All this I know.
Zung.
And think you there are Charms
In Conq'ring Rebels, more than bearing Arms
'Gainst an Invading Enemy, whose Sword,
Her Countrys Bowels has so deeply goar'd.
So great a Courage, and a Cause so great,
I'm too certain will infuse that heat,
As must be quench't with Blood, and what e're veile
Her disguis'd Sex, and beauty does conceal,
She'le be i'th' Battel; nay she is, she must be there,
Who knows then but wild Chance in heat of War,
May make my hand my Mrs. Murderer.
Rather than so, I'le take this Nobler way,
I'le strait my Fathers Orders disobey:
Renounce my Conquest, and remove the War,
And for her sake, a sinking Empire spare.
Palex.
Shall one rash act shame all your past Renown.
Zung.
What are the spoyls of VVar, Fame, or a Crown,
Compar'd with her fair Eyes? I'le fight no more:
Our Swords ill strike at what our Hearts adore.
The famous Gyants that with Jove made War,
Had ne're storm'd Heaven, had they paid homage there.
Palex.
In these Resolves, your Father you betray;
And in that act, from Natures bonds you stray.
Zung.
A stronger force weak Natures pow'r controles:
Nature makes tyes of Blood, but Love of Souls.
Palex.
In this unmanly, and so mean design,
From Duty and from Honour you decline.
And she for Virtue, has a Zeal so great,
You'r lost, should you but think of a Retreat:
If out of Honours paths one step you move,
She'le hate you, and abhor your worthless Love.
If o're her heart you would Victorious grow,
You must fight on her Bleeding Countrys Foe.
Zung.
If then through Blood I must my Mrs. win,
Fate and Necessity take off the Sin.
Like Providence I can act nothing ill,
Infallible, cause 'tis my Princess will.
If nought can charm her breast but Fight and Wars,
I'le tear Their hearts out to secure me Hers.
9
With Drums and Trumpets sounds I'le keep't awake.
Nor shall my stains of Blood my worth impair;
A Comet is as glorious as a Star.
Exeunt.
End of the First Act.
| The conquest of China, By the Tartars | |