University of Virginia Library

ACT IV.

SCENE I.

The Palace.
Sultan, Aphendina, Vizier, Mufti, Bassas, Beglerbegs, and Soldiers, all as in Procession from the Marriage: The Sultan and Aphendina ascend the Throne, the rest range themselves.
OSMAN.
This Day be sacred in our Turkish Annals,
Which makes the peerless Aphendina mine.
O! that the World were all at my Dispose,
To make the nobler Off'ring to my Love!
The whole Sex's Worth is Aphendina's Dower,
Which throws at Distance Osman's best Returns.

APHENDINA.
You rate, most mighty Lord! my mean Perfections
At too great Price; I fear my future Merit,
At best, should sink beneath your Highness's Standard.
Next to being perfect, is to aim to be so;
Which lying within my Pow'r, shall not be wanting.

ASHAD.
Most mighty Lord! accept my Gratitude,
For this excessive Honour done my Daughter,
And me in her—My Duty's to exhort you,
To be attentive to your proper Glory;
Let not th'Affection which you bear your Bride,
Bias your Justice, or your Clemency,
But let your Love for Virtue still preside.
—And you, my Daughter late, but now my Empress,
Maintain by Virtue, what Virtue has atchiev'd;
Give faithful Council, be affectionate;
In Duty as in Rank, excel all others;
Nor influence your Lord to aught unjust:
Long may ye both enjoy a prosp'rous Reign.

VIZIER.
Invincible Emperor! most mighty Osman!
Permit your Slave, i'th'Name of all the States,
Beglerbegs, Bassas, and the many Millions
Of humblest Servants to our Royal Master,
To testify their Joy at this Solemnity.
—What Blessings may we not assure ourselves,
Will issue from a Conduct so refin'd!
Our former Emp'rors, despotick Ravagers!
Preying on Beauty with resistless Will,
Have glory'd in a Latitude of Action;
While you, great Sir! their Junior far in Years,
Descending from the Monarch to the Man,
Have taken to your Arms one beauteous Bride,
Relinquishing the Sex for her alone:
May your Descendants multiply to Thousands!
Truly inheriting your Qualities;
And may the Ott'man State ne'er want a Prince,
Of your illustrious Line to grace the Throne.

OSMAN.
Next to my Joys conceiv'd for Aphendina,
Your warm Affection fills my royal Breast.
I chose to solemnize these Rites in publick,
To shew, that I contemn not Laws in general,
But those which have not Reason for their Basis,
And that I mean to square my future Actions
By that equal Rule—This ye shall not fail
To find in Osman, while he sways the Sceptre.
Princes should act as gracious Heav'n design'd,
And deal out Happiness to all Mankind;
Born for the Publick Weal, their Aim should be,
To constitute their Subjects great and free.

[Ex.

SCENE II.

Sultana Queen's Apartments.
Mirza and two Odalisks.
MIRZA.
You urge in vain, Osman is not to blame;
A softer Creature Nature never form'd:
What tho' my Woes sit heavily upon me,
Can she prevent them? it was Osman's Will:
She prides not over me, but sooths my Grief
With ev'ry friendly Art, which not prevailing,
Commixes Tears with mine in mere Compassion.

First ODALISK.
A very Crocodile! fie on your Weakness:
No doubt, she laughs in private at your Woe;
Sly, crafty Authoress of your Undoing;
Quit her, and follow Kiosem's Advice.

MIRZA.
I cannot contradict my Sense so grosly:
In plain, I love her; nay, I could adore her;
But Osman interposes to my Mind—
O Love! O Friendship! cruel—tender Names!
Whence have you Pow'r to rack the human Frame,
And torture't thus with agonizing Pain!
Anger—Revenge—those Monsters of the Mind,
Are petty Tyrants, when compar'd with you.
Unhappy Mirza! can't forget her Osman,
Nor hate her Rival, tho' they have undone her.
[Exit Mirza.

Second ODALISK.
Her Prejudice is fix'd beyond Remove;
How shall we mention it to Kiosem?

First ODALISK.
She's never at a Loss, or wants a Means
To bring about the most amazing Things;
We must inform her of it, or we're undone.

[Exeunt.

SCENE III.

The Empress's Apartment.
APHENDINA
sola.
The Sultan bears a Weight upon his Brow,
Sure nought in me can give Occasion for it:
O! that I could enucleate and descend
Into the close Recesses of his Soul!
Bear all his Cares and his Inquietudes.
I must be satisfied, I'm not the Cause
Of this Dejection, that would rive my Heart;
I will attempt it, soon as he returns;
But, here he comes, pray Heav'n I don't offend him.
[Enter Sultan.
Most mighty Lord! I crave an humble Boon,
But let it please your Highness, that I ask.

OSMAN.
When Aphendina sues, the Boon's inverted;
She cannot ask too much, nor Osman grant.

APHENDINA.
Osman, you know I love; then with what Hope,
Can I behold your Highness sigh before me;
Look heavily, and muse, and sigh again?
Is it, my Osman, that youv'e made me Empress?
Is it that you've confin'd yourself to me?
Is it from any Cause I can redress?
Command me Osman, to Life's utmost Verge,
I'll acquiesce; but let not Osman sigh,
I cannot bear it, till I know the Cause:
Oh! racking Thought! Osman may sigh at me.

OSMAN.
No, Aphendina, thy superior Merit
Hourly renews thy faithful Osman's Love:
Rest satisfy'd, my Dear, 'tis not at Thee,
Thy Osman sighs, nor suits it that ye know,
Till met in Council, I reveal my Mind:
Chear up my Queen, cast off this mournful Guise,
Be ever joyous in your Osman's Presence:
You shall to Council with me, there the Cause.

[Exeunt.

SCENE IV.

Scene opens and discovers the Council.
Enter Osman and Aphendina to them, and seat themselves.
OSMAN.
My Lords! a critical Affair of State,
Demands in Council your united Voices:
My Janizaries are a restless Corps,
Strongly addicted to rebellious Principles;
Full prone to Mutiny; soon roused to Action;
Expressive Tokens of a Set of Cowards,
And they behaved as such i'th'Polish War.
Their Tongues licentious, with Invectives fraught,
Against my Throne and Ministry dispence,
Their venom'd Treasons publickly abroad.
—Pernicious Donatives on each new Reign,
Make Changes acceptable: These by Design
Defenders of the State; Destroyers rather!
On ev'ry Sultan's Death turn Plunderers,
Spoil the Imperial City, and escape,
By joyning to proclaim the Successor;
In Brief, no Law can curb their Villainies,
Nor's any Crime too gross for their Commission.
These Motives urge me to dissolve their Order;
Unwilling in a Matter so momentous,
Rashly, to act without your sage Advice:
My Queen! what say you? let me have your Thoughts.

APHENDINA.
I would reserve myself for after hearing.

VIZIER.
Most gracious Sov'reign! all you've urg'd is just;
But Dangers insurmountable attend it:
The Soldiers know their Pow'r, will abuse it
On the most slight Suggestions to their Damage;
Unless th'Imperial City was remov'd,
Grand Cairo or Damascus claim Preheminence,
(If so resolv'd) before all other Cities;
In one of these, your Highness might at Pleasure,
Exterminate these Enemies of Princes;
The People's Voice, would second the Transaction,
Who hate the Janizaries as their Foes.

OSMAN.
T'is well, we've had your Sentiments, retire;
This Thought will do, 'tis worthy of my Vizier.

[Exit all but Sultan and Aphendina, who rise.
APHENDINA.
My Lord! I think with Horror to reflect,
On the Resolve your Highness is pursuing:
Are not the Soldiers Masters of the City?
Have they not ris'n against their own Commanders?
Expell'd 'em hence, and like an headless Corps,
Are ripe for ev'ry mischievous Impression.
Then suffer me t'intreat your Majesty,
Make sure the Janizaries, cajole that Corps,
Never engage with them in open Rupture:
I tremble but to think, this Day's Debate
Should reach their Ears; for good, my Lord, what is there
You've not to fear, from their rude Insolence?
Your Crown, your Life itself, may fall before 'em,
And Death alone bring Ease to Aphendina.

OSMAN.
Fear not, my lovely Spouse! I have a Project
Ris'n in my Breast, shall baffle ev'ry Danger:
—A Pilgrimage to Mecca will secure us,
And closely cover my design'd Retreat:
Yes, that shall do, and instant Preparations
Shall be commenc'd to prosecute my Will.
[Re-enter Vizier.
Vizier! I'm fixt upon a Tour to Mecca;
Dispatch my Equipage; my Uncle Mustapha,
And all my Brothers, shall attend me thither:
Give necessary Orders to the Court.

VIZIER.
I will, my Lord.

OSMAN.
Thus far for publick Notice; a Word privately—
[Taking him aside.
Give Orders for twelve Gallies to be fitted,
Ship all my Treasure and rich Furniture;
Make known, I take them with me to prepare,
A nobler Off'ring at the Prophet's Shrine;
When all is ready, I'm prepar'd to move:
Then privately send Notice to Grand Cairo,
For all the Asiatic Troops to meet me:
Commit it to a trusty Ichoglan,
With instant Orders to pursue his Journey:
Attend on me again, when this is done.

[Exeunt.

SCENE V.

Kiosem's Apartments.
Kiosem and Phesalie.
KIOSEM.
Lost and undone! This sudden Resolution
Distracts my Brain; Ideas rise so fast,
They jostle out each other from my Mind;
E're I conclude on which to fix my Hopes,
My wonted Spirits revert upon my Sense,
And dam it up—I've no Expedient left
T'extricate myself, or save my Amurath.

PHESALIE.
Madam, this ill-tim'd Passion stifles Thought,
Nor leaves a Scope for calm Deliberation:
Why should you judge your Children less secure,
Among some Thousand Forces to attend them,
Than now confined under the Aghasi?
One Person's Will may sooner be corrupted,
At least commanded, than a Multitude's.

KIOSEM.
O! no; their Uncle Mustapha, and they,
Are led to Slaughter in the dreary Desart;
Where one by one, neglected, they'll be lost,
And all at last seem but the Work of Nature:
Osman's Immensity of Craft confounds me,
Checks my Pursuits, and frustrates all my Measures:
But Med'cine is extracted from the Asp—
This Over-reach shall farther my Designs.
[Enter two of Kiosem's Eunuchs.
O! happy Men—so opportunely sent,
To serve your Mistress in Extremity.
Be instant at the Janizaries' Chamber;
Tell 'em, his Highness purposes for Mecca;
That they are to conduct him thro' the Desarts,
Where h'as appointed Troops of Arabians,
From Ambuscade, t'attack 'em unprepar'd;
Dispatch 'em, and succeed to their Employ:
Bid 'em advance to stop the Sultan's Journey,
By ev'ry Means, or they come too late—
Tell 'em, three Suns appearing at Midday,
Prognosticate great Changes in the State,
For them reserv'd; that Prodigies from Heaven
Ought not to be neglected; but that they,
Whose Pow'r extends to the deposing Sov'reigns,
Should act conformable to Heav'n's Decrees.
[Exeunt Eunuchs.
—'Tis well, my Mind grows calmer; I'll to Court,
And strive to gain farther Intelligence.

[Exit.

SCENE VI.

A Council of Janizaries.
First JANIZARY.
Shall we sit tamely, 'till our Throats are cut?
Our Order stript of all its antient Ensigns;
Cashier'd, and render'd useless to the State?
Let us recal our glorious Predecessors
To mind, reflect on their illustrious Actions,
Make them our Precedent, who bravely struggled
Thro' Seas of Blood to raise themselves a Name.

Second JANIZARY.
Unking'd the boldest; rais'd to Dignity
Those, in their Judgments, were the most deserving;
But never suffer'd Insults 'gainst themselves.

Third JANIZARY.
What plainer Indication of base Views,
Than this pretended Pilgrimage to Mecca?

Fourth JANIZARY.
I am inform'd, and that from no mean Hand,
Destruction waits us in th'Arabian Desarts:
The Manner is concerted, and the Authors.

Fifth JANIZARY.
And we like Sheep before the Butcher's Cur,
Are to be drove, incautious to the Slaughter.
No! by the Head of Mahomet I swear,
Tho' all my Brethren's Courage fail, mine shall not.

First JANIZARY.
What boots it wasting Breath in Conference?
Our Overthrow's determin'd—

Second JANIZARY.
Words lose but Time;
Prepare we for Defence—

Third JANIZARY.
Demand the Vizier's,
And Preceptor's Heads—

Fourth JANIZARY.
A Stop immediate
To th'intended Journey, and strict Indempnity
For our Proceedings.

OMNES.
Agreed, agreed, agreed.

First JANIZARY.
Prepare, and rendezvous in Half an Hour.

[Exeunt.

SCENE VII.

The Empress's Lodgings.
Aphendina and Ashad.
APHENDINA.
I dread, my Father! Osman's Violence
Will hurry down Destruction on our Heads;
One general Murmur fills th'Imperial City:
The Janizaries, rank for Mutiny,
Wait but a Spark to set them in a Blaze:
What the Result of that will be, Heav'n knows!

ASHAD.
The melancholy Prospect gives me Pain:
I've made Remonstrances, but his great Heart,
Unshaken in Misfortune, as Tranquility,
Imputes it all to Tim'rousness in me—
“What! shall a Servant dare control his Lord?”
He cries—“I'll frown them to Obedience.”
'Twere pity, as to him, intrepid Courage
So close accompanies consummate Virtue.
Good Qualities are dauntless; Principles
Not self-condemning, dread no other Censure.
If any thing unbends his Resolution,
It must be you, my Daughter! Urge your Fears,
Intreat him for the Love of you, his Glory,
But to relax the Rigour of his Purpose,
And wait a more propitious Opportunity.

APHENDINA.
None of these Motives have escap'd my Pray'rs;
He grants me hearing with the mildest Temper,
Embraces me, and says, “I am a Woman:”
I can no more; some abler Hand than mine
Must paint our Miseries in blacker Colours.
The Vizier and Effendi, both against it,
Will join their Voices to enforce your Reasons;
I shall be glad to hear that you prevail.

[Exeunt.

SCENE VIII.

Sultan and Vizier.
OSMAN.
How have the Imams sped among the Troops?
Have they submitted to our Obedience?

VIZIER.
They're not return'd as yet, great Sir—My Lord!
Might your Slave venture to propose his Thoughts,
Your Highness should postpone this Enterprize;
Such Opposition rises from each Quarter,
I wish my Suffering may save my Lord;
I hear they loudly clamour for my Head.

OSMAN.
Believe me, Vizier, they'll have mine as soon.

[Enter Ashad. Kneels.
ASHAD.
My Lord, my Duty casts me at your Feet;
Mov'd by Affection, as your Priest and Father,
T'implore Compassion, for myself, your Spouse,
Your Empire, Friends, and this Imperial City;
Blame not, great Sir, this humble Testimony,
Of my sincere Attachment to your Highness:
You see not with my Eyes, the mad Contagion
Spreading thro' every Member of the Janizars;
That turb'lent Corps conceal their Rage no longer,
Are now preparing to obtain by Force,
What their sound Reasonings (they say) can't gain;
The Levantines deserting their Commanders,
Join'd to the Soldiers, make their Numbers dreadful:
For Heaven's sake, my Lord, appease their Fury,
E're they proceed too far, to sound Retreat.

[Enter two Cadileskiers, presenting a Paper.
OSMAN.
How durst you venture to approach our Presence
Uncall'd for?

CADILESKIERS.
Mighty Lord, we were compell'd.

OSMAN.
Was ever daring Insolence like this!
[Reads.
What! am I menac'd here with Fire and Sword,
For following the Dictates of my Will,
My Reason rather? Tell th'audacious Rabble,
I am their Emperor, and will be obey'd.

[Exeunt Cadileskiers, and enter Aphendina.
APHENDINA.
Most gracious Lord, my Emp'ror, my Husband!
By all the sacred Ties of human Nature!
Your Dignity, your Empire, and your Love,
Take Pity on a poor distracted Woman,
Whose Grief's too pungent for Alleviation,
But from a gentle Answer of your Highness.
The rapid Torrent of curst Disaffection,
Not to your Highness's Person, but Designs,
Drives on the Soldiers with resistless Motion,
To sacrifice (as they proclaim) th'Advisers
Of your pernicious Schemes against the Empire.
O! let Compassion reach your gen'rous Heart,
And melt it into Mercy for the Opprest;
Your Wife the chief, your dearest Aphendina;
My Father, my Lord Vizier, and the many,
Your faithful Friends, who'd rather die than leave you.
My dearest Lord, consider what y'oppose,
Licentious Rabble, excited by their Fears
And Jealousies, to murder and destroy.
The good, the bad, the great, the infamous,
Meet equal Fate in gen'ral Massacres;
But those, whose Pow'r may call 'em to Account,
Are sure to feel the Weight of their Resentment:
One Word from you, my Lord, may stop the Rise,
When your Life only may retard their Progress.

OSMAN.
You, pow'rful Advocate! can't plead in vain;
Rise and embrace me, dearest Aphendina;
You have your Wish; tell 'em, I will not leave 'em:
And you, fair Princess, set your Heart at Rest,
And follow me.

APHENDINA.
With right good Will, my Lord.

[Exeunt.

SCENE IX.

The Janizaries in confus'd March.
[Enter a Messenger from the Sultan.
MESSENGER.
Commend me to the Aga of your Order,
I have a Message from the Emperor.

First JANIZARY.
We have no Aga; what's your Bus'ness with him?

MESSENGER.
Then my Commands are to you all. I'm t'inform—

OMNES.
Hear him, hear him—Silence! begin, begin.

MESSENGER.
I'm t'inform ye, 'tis his Highness's Will,
Finding his Journey gave Dissatisfaction,
To all his loving Soldiers, and his Subjects,
At their Request, quite to relinquish it:
For as he strives in ev'ry other Action,
To do his Subjects pleasure; so in this.

JANIZARIES
Omnes.
Allah, Allah, Osman, Osman, Allah;
Long live our noble gen'rous Emp'ror Osman!

[Exit Messenger, and enter Levantines with an Ichoglan.
First LEVANTINE.
Along, along with him; bring him along:
We met this Fellow loit'ring on the Shore;
And having seiz'd him, found a trait'rous Letter,
Which speaks its own Contents, better than we can.

[A Janizary reads.

To the Bassa of Grand Cairo.

“We have for many Reasons resolv'd to transfer our
Seat of Empire to our antient City of Grand Cairo,

whither we are about to transmit our own Treasure
with those of our Fathers. We command you, therefore,
at Sight hereof, to set forwards, to meet us, with
all the Forces of our Kingdom of Egypt.”

Osman.

Second JANIZARY.
O! Villainy—O! Mahomet! this is the Journey.
You've heard the Letter, and mark'd the Contents:
What say you t'it?

OMNES.
Let's chuse a Head, and march.

Third JANIZARY.
Shall Aly Aga be your new Commander?

OMNES.
He shall, he shall; Aly Aga, he shall.

Fourth JANIZARY.
First let us find the Mufti, and compel him
To march before us to the Seraglio.

OMNES.
Agreed, agreed; march, Aly Aga, march.

[Exeunt.

SCENE X.

The Court before the Seraglio.
Osman, Vizier, Aphendina, Ussain, talking at an open Window. Enter Janizaries, calling aloud for the Vizier and Treasurer.
OSMAN.
Ho! what's the Meaning of this Insolence?

[From the Window.
ALY AGA.
Send us the Head of Dilaver Vizier,

OSMAN.
Your Arrogance will claim the Sultan's next.

ALY.
Descend, and answer for our Injuries.

OSMAN.
Arm, arm, my Friends; I'll make a Sally on 'em:
Their Menaces are worse to me than Death.

APHENDINA.
My Lord! my Lord! expose not that dear Life,
They may be pacify'd; be calm, my Osman;
The Uproar is so loud, they cannot hear you:
Sign but a Writing with your Hand, my Lord,
Assuring them the Journey's laid aside,
And of your friendly Disposition to 'em,
They'll be entreated, and return to Duty.

OSMAN.
My dearest Princess! I had sooner died,
[Writes and throws it.
Than any other had extorted this.
I know their Perfidy, this won't content 'em,
This Shew of Fear, but heightens their Demand.

VIZIER.
Great Sir! the Hazard of your sacred Person,
May be prevented by exposing mine;
I cannot wish to die a nobler Victim:
These dang'rous Tumults scarce subside again,
But by the Sacrifice of a Vizier.
Then what am I, to have a Wish for Safety?

OSMAN.
Thou art a worthy Man, nor fear'st to die.
[Embracing.
Myself am honest—and I fear as little:
A gallant Man disdains to die by Proxy;
No, if their Aim is Blood, let it be mine.

VIZIER.
At least deposing me, make Ussain Vizier;
Let him descend, and try his Art to gain 'em.

OSMAN.
If this you would advise me, be it so.

USSAIN.
I shall not dread t'expose my Life to serve you.
[Ussain descends.
Most noble Aly! deign to hear my Message;
His Highness has depos'd Dilaver Vizier;
The Seal's committed to my Care: Your Injuries
In open Conference shall be discuss'd.
[Enter Kiosem's two Eunuchs.
Choose of your Chiefs, twelve Deputies To-morrow—
Charg'd with Demands—Myself will give them Audience,
And settle all Things to our mut'al Interests.

ALY.
What we demand, my Lord, is antient Freedom,
A due Regard t'our venerable Order,
And that his Highness will forego his Journey.

USSAIN.
Aly! We shan't be long adjusting this;
It is his Highness's Pleasure so to be.

ALY.
Then we'll withdraw, and nominate our Proxies.

[Kiosem's Eunuchs to the Janizaries, aside.
First EUNUCH.
What! will your Leader leave you in the Toil?

SECOND.
Is it for this your Force hath been collected?

FIRST.
Can any Man believe but you're undone?

SECOND.
They wait but Time to bring th'Arabians on you,
And other African and Asian Troops.

FIRST.
You can't conceive, their Hearts inclin'd to Peace.

SECOND.
You shall be seconded by noble Hands.

FIRST.
Depose this Osman, this projecting Sultan;
We've Blood enough, as yet, of Ottoman.

SECOND.
To indicate this is the Sense above;
Here, take these Gifts, in Token of their Favour,
[Distributes Money.
It shall be Ten-fold, when the Work is done.

ALY.
File off—a Treaty is agreed upon.

[Janizaries Cabal.
First JANIZARY.
With whom?

SECOND.
For what?

THIRD.
We choose you not our Judge,
But temporary Leader.—

FOURTH.
We'll retire.
When what conven'd us here, is executed.

[Break in.
FIRST.
Here's the Disturber of the Empire's Peace.

SECOND.
We'll have his Head.

[Find Dilaver, and kill him.
THIRD.
This is another of 'em.

[Kill Kisler Aga.
FOURTH.
Destroy 'em all, let not a Man escape.

FIFTH.
March with their Heads in Triumph to our Friends;
The Night approaching, let's return To-morrow.

SIXTH.
Now, Aly, lead us off, we'll follow you,
And place young Amurath upon the Throne.

ALY.
He that commands a Multitude's their Tool,
And must be subject, if he means to rule.