University of Virginia Library

Act IV.

Scene I.

Atalida, Zara.
Ata.
Know'st thou my Fears? Know'st thou within this Palace
I've seen the dreadful Visage of black Orcan?
What Dangers wait on ev'ry Moment's Breath?
What Fears inclose me round?—But say, my Zara,
Will Bajazet submit to see Roxana?
And once more try to mitigate her Fury,

Zara.
She will no more be seen; such are her Orders:
She fears this Slave, and wou'd conceal from him
Her trait'rous Passion. While her Thoughts were busy'd
On Orcan, I perform'd your last Commands;
I saw the Prince, and gave into his Hands
Your Letter, Madam: This contains his Answer.

[Gives her a Letter.
Atalida
reads.
“Why shou'd you urge me on to new Deceits?
“Why thus inure my upright Soul to Falshoods?
“But since you say your Life depends on mine,
“Be satisfy'd, that I desire to live.
“I'll see Roxana: By submissive Looks,
“Perswasive Words, and Vows of Gratitude,
“I will endeavour to appease her Rage.
“Let this suffice: But, Madam, neither Life
“Nor Death, nor you your self, can e'er prevail,
“To make my perjur'd Lips pronounce, I love her:
“Since while I live, my Love is fix'd on you.
Alass! what says he: Can he then believe
I know not that he loves, that he adores me?
No, Bajazet, 'tis not Atalida,
It is Roxana thou should'st thus perswade:
Hence Jealousy, thou fatal lying Fiend,
Thou false Seducer of our Hearts, begone;
I love, and am belov'd: Oh! perfect Joy!
Roxana too, shall be appeas'd once more.
Hence, Zara! let him know his Eyes, his Mouth,
(I dare not say his Heart) must still perswade,
Must still deceive

Zara.
Madam, the Queen is here.

Ata.
Hold! let me hide this Letter, 'twill betray us.

[Hides the Letter in her Bosom.

SCENE II.

Atalida, Zara, Roxana, Zatima, and Women attending.
Roxana with a Paper.
[Roxana aside to Zatima.]
These Orders, Zatima, will probe her Heart,
And find the Prince, tho' she conceals him there.

Atalida
to Zara.]
Run, Fly, Desire, Perswade, Intreat, Command;
Tell him I die, unless he please Roxana.

[Roxana
advancing to Atalida.]
I have receiv'd these Letters from our Army;
Madam, are you inform'd of what has pass'd?

Ata.
I've heard a Slave is from the Camp arriv'd,
But what Commands he bears, as yet I know not.

Roxa.
The Sultan is triumphant: He returns
Victorious, haughty Babylon is conquer'd:

Ata.
How! Madam, Osmyn—

Roxa.
Osmyn was ill inform'd.—

Ata.
Oh! Partial Fate!

Roxa.
To fill the Measure up,
Of our Misfortunes, Amurat is coming.

Ata.
Will not the Persian Arms retard his March?

Roxa.
No, nothing stops the Victor's fatal Progress;
Before to Morrow Sun extends the Shades,
He'll thunder at our Gates: All, all is lost.

Ata.
Then wherefore do we talk? 'Tis Time to act;
Be swift, exert your Power, and save us all.

Roxa.
'Tis Time to think, when we oppose a Conqueror.

Ata.
O Heaven!

Roxa.
Time has not soften'd yet his Heart;
Behold what he commands; this is his Will.

Ata.
What does he then command?

Roxa.
Behold it, read it,
You know his Hand and Signet; read it, Madam.

Ata.
It is the Writing of fierce Amurat.
Atalida reads.
“Before this haughty City prov'd my Power,
“I sent an absolute Command, that Bajazet
“Shou'd die; I hope those Orders are obey'd.
“Orcan confirms my Will: If you regard
“Your Life, when next you shall appear before me,
“Produce that Traitor's Head, and save your own.

Roxa.
You hear his Will:

Ata.
Hold, hold my swelling Heart.

[Aside.
Roxa.
What are your Thoughts of this?

Ata.
Can he pursue
His parricidal, cruel, bloody Purpose?
Will he proscribe a Prince without a Crime
Presum'd; inconscious of all Guilt but Love?
'Tho' yet he knows not that you Love, adore him;
That Bajazet and you make but one Soul;
That if he dies, you perish.—

Roxa.
—Madam, I!—
I wou'd preserve the Prince: I cannot hate him,
But—

Ata.
—But what have you resolv'd?

Roxa.
To obey.

Ata.
To obey!

Roxa.
—You see what Dangers urge me on,
He must—

Ata.
How! must he die that loves you thus:
The Prince you love! What! must he die by you?
Your Hours and his were destin'd to one Course;
The joyous Moments had begun their Race;
Let 'em not perish by your Hand, Roxana.

Roxa.
'Tis done!—the fatal Orders are obey'd:

Ata.
Fainting.]
Oh! Bajazet!

Zat.
She faints! assist me, Zara.

Roxa.
Assist, and lead her hence to my Apartment:
As she recovers, watch each Look and Motion,
Give me more Proof of her perfidious Passion.

SCENE III.

Roxana
alone.
At length my Rival has reveal'd her Guilt;
Upon her Faith, I founded all my Hopes;
All my fond Hopes, of Love and Bajazet.
Six tedious Months, each Anxions Night and Day,
I thought Atalida, my Friend, I thought
She was the faithful Guardian of my Love:
And lo! six tedious Months, each Night and Day,
I her most faithful Slave have watch'd for her,
Guarded her softest, dearest, odious Moments.
False Woman! Doating Fool! Oh! 'tis too plain,
My Misery is painted on her Visage;
Tho' whelm'd in Grief, yet still a glimmering Hope
Points thro', and tells her Bajazet is hers;
His Life, his Life alone is all her Care,
But let him live or die, still I am lost.
What! shall I wait 'till she explains her Perfidy
With her own Mouth? 'Tis Time to act, Roxana,
The Sultan comes apace, fierce Orcan threatens;
Let 'em both die, I'll wait no farther Proof.
—No, I have better thought; he shall again
Behold her; I'll appoint once more their Meeting,
Surprize 'em in their soft, unguarded Moments,
When mutually they sigh: When their fond Souls
Brood o'er their pleasing Sorrows, then this Hand
Shall join 'em both, with the same pointed Dagger
Unite 'em ever; drive into my Heart,
Into this Heart, the reeking bloody Steel,
And stab the perjur'd Traitor's Image here.

SCENE IV.

Roxana, Zatima.
Roxa.
Hah! Zatima, what bring'st thou? Does she love him?
What says her Heart? Her Tongue? How does she look?
How talk? Oh! tell me, and relieve my Pangs.

Zat.
She speaks no more, all Signs of Life are vanish'd,
Excepting now and then a heavy Sigh,
As if her Heart wou'd burst her swelling Bosom:
Your Women, to whose Care she was deliver'd,
Open'd her Breast to give her Passion Way,
I join'd my pious Aid, and found inclos'd,
Ev'n next her Heart, this Paper; 'tis the Writing
Of Bajazet.

[Roxana snatching eagerly the Letter.]
[Reads to her self 'till she comes to the following Lines, which she reads aloud.]

Zat.
—Madam,—

Roxa.
—Say'st thou?

Zat.
—If it might not displease,
If in this Transport of your Rage, you deign
To hear a trembling Voice that loves and serves you;
'Tis true, the Prince's Crime is worthy Death,
Yet sure you must believe that Amurat
Is at this Time more to be fear'd than he?
Shou'd some unfaithful Tongue, as such there are,
Disclose this fatal Story to the Sultan;
Alas! you know too well, that Hearts like his,
Can never be regain'd, when once offended:
His sudden Death, and at this very Moment,
Wou'd prove your Passion, not your Duty mov'd you.

Roxa.

Zat.
Still the Moments waste,
The Sultan hastens forward, think in Time.

Roxa.
Is he not dead? Art thou not gone? Stay Zatima,
The Work shall be my own;—I'll act my Vengeance
With this Right Hand, I'll see th'ungrateful Tyrant;
You, Zatima, retain my Rival here,
Her Shrieks shall waken his expiring Spirit,
And point the Sting of Death—Guard, guard her well,
I'll be her faithful Servant still.—My Hate
Defends her Life.—Yes, if to fear his Loss
Was almost fatal,—what must be her Torture,
When she beholds him pale and dead before her?
When those fair Lights, that twin'd their wanton Beams
With hers, and fill'd her Love with curs'd Delight,
Are fix'd—when those dear Lips, that Godlike Form,
Are spoil'd of Breath; a mangled lifeless Corps;
Will she not then feel these tormenting Pangs
That stab my Heart, Rage and Despair like me?
She will, that Object shall avenge her Treason,
And satisfy my Wrongs.—Secure th'Apartment
With a dead Silence wait the fated Moment,
Let none, none enter here till I return;
I'll—Who is this that dares defer my Vengeance?

SCENE V.

Roxana, Zatima, Acomat, Osmyn.
Acom.
What stops you, Madam? wherefore do we waste
The precious Sands of this important Hour?
The buzzing Multitude are all assembled,
Impatient, full of fancy'd Hope, and Fear.
They from your Hands alone expect their Signal:
Why does this Palace at this sacred Moment,
Keep an inactive, a destructive Silence?
Declare, delare; let us not vainly wait.

Roxa.
Vizier, be satisfy'd—I will declare.

Acom.
And yet your Looks in deepest Sorrow sunk,
Speak other Thoughts; Say, Madam, what has happen'd?

Roxa.
Know Vizier then, your Bajazet is false.

Acom.
He false!

Roxa.
Perfidious, base, ungrateful,
He has betray'd us both.—

Acom.
How!—

Roxa.
This, Atalida—
Oh worthy Prize! for her we both have labour'd,
Plotted, intrigued, betray'd.

Acom.
Hah!

Roxa.
Read that Paper,—
Were ever Wrongs like ours? Have we not both
Embrac'd a pois'nous Aspic in our Bosoms?
Let us not still defend this Traitor's Life;
No, let us rather patiently submit
To what the Conqueror's Justice shall impose;
Let us appease him with this Sacrifice.

Acom.
This Outrage was to me; How durst he thus
Weaken those Hands were lifted to protect him:
Base and perfidious! Throw your Cares on me,
Roxana, trust your Vengeance to my Conduct.

Roxa.
No, Acomat, I'll not be rob'd of that,
Invidious Fortune shan't defraud me too
Of my Revenge! No, let me think a little:—
I will prepare Horrors beyond account,
To wait in order each successive Moment;
Dismiss your Friends, and leave to me alone
The Guidance of what yet remains undone.

SCENE VI.

[Acomat to Osmyn going.]
Hold Osmyn! yet we must not leave this Place.

Osm.
How! whither does your injur'd Love transport you?
Your Vengeance will be satisfy'd; 'tis weak,
Unmanly to behold your Mistress die.

Acom.
What dost thou say? Can'st thou believe, dear Osmyn,
That this ridiculous Passion stirs my Blood;
Wou'd to just Heav'n Roxana's injur'd Honour
Cou'd pardon Bajazet, as I Atalida.

Osm.
Why, Vizier, wou'd you still defend the Prince?

Acom.
Without him 'tis not in her Power to save us;
Dost thou not see us leagu'd, and bound in one?
'Tis fated, we must live or die together.
Oh curs'd Event of Councils well advis'd!
Blind Prince! or rather thou blind Minister!
Yes, it became thee well, thy Years and Honours,
To trust the Movement of this mighty Wheel,
To a frail Woman, and a Love-sick Boy.

Osm.
Why, let 'em perish in their idle Quarrels;
It is determin'd Bajazet must die;
Then save your self: He only can reveal
Our fatal Councils: Let your valiant Friends
Be constant, and you'll find the Sultan's Wrath
Will with his Death be soften'd and appeas'd.

Acom.
The Love-blind Sultaness might reason thus:
I am grown white in Arms, beneath three Sultans,
I know this Throne holds never erring Maxims:
I've seen my Fellow-Servants bleed for Virtue;
I've seen 'em fall Examples of great Merit,
And jealous Power; 'twou'd be the heighth of Folly
To hope for Life—Nothing remains but Death,
Between an angry Master, and his Slave.

Osm.
Then fly!

Acom.

Osm.
What can inspire this nobly rash Resolve?
Roxana's Word will drive us hence for ever.
This Palace swarms.—

Acom.
With Slaves and beardless Eunuchs,
Bred in enervate Luxury and Sloth,
Nurs'd in the sleepy Shade of this Seraglio.
My Brother, Fellow-Soldier, Friend, hard Fortune
Has joyn'd us both by the same rigorous Bonds;
Won't thou yet second me, and draw thy Sword
Once more, beneath my inauspicious Conduct.

Osm.
You wrong me, Vizier;—if you die,—I perish.

Acom.
A brave and chosen Body of my Friends,
Attend us, Osmyn, at the Palace Gates;
I know the secret Windings of this Labyrinth,
And can conduct them, where despairing Bajazet
May find a better Lot. Away then march;
If we must die, still we shall fall like Soldiers,
Like Men that durst look up, and meet their Fate.
The Hero's Soul defies the Tyrant's Sword,
He is himself his own imperial Lord;
No Tortures can dismay, no Chains can bind,
No Fears alarm, no Dangers shake his Mind.