<!DOCTYPE ETS PUBLIC "-//UMDLPS//DTD EEBOPROOF 2.0//EN">
<ETS>
<TEMPHEAD>
<REVDESCR>
<CHANGE>
<DATE>2014-07-23</DATE>
<RESPSTMT>
<NAME>Maria Cecila Caride</NAME>
<RESP>MURP</RESP>
</RESPSTMT>
<ITEM>Checklist: x *Add TEMPHEAD, change DATE, validate x*Review structure: FRONT,BODY, BACK, DIV or rarely GROUP x*Add DIV TYPEs, make sure that @types makes sense as a navigational aide, and work in the context of the whole text, validate x*Survey book for troublesome formats of all kinds, including lists, illustrations, tables, music, math, end-notes, quasi-tabular arrangments, and marginalia. x*Proof title page(s) x*Examine marginalia. Is it all best tagged as NOTE? x*Observe divtop and divbottom material marking beginnings and ends of divisions, check that they are correctly tagged as HEAD, CLOSER, OPENER, ARGUMENT, EPIGRAPH, SIGNED, DATELINE, BYLINE, etc. x*Check for GAPs x*Check PB placement and completeness, ensure sequence of N="" x*Check ^, italic I / J, _Initals, space between &amp;c. x*Check for illustrations and correct usage of FIGURE.Add FIGDESCs if necessary. x*Check q; startq endq Q, Marginal quotations: Q REND="margQuotes" x*If appropriate, check for yoghs. x*If appropriate, check for Latin problems, e.g. oe and ae digraphs x*If appropriate, check for abbreviation and brevigraph problems. Brevigraph entities begin: (ampersand symbol)ab x*If appropriate, check for units of measure, symbols (alchemical, astronomical, etc.) and the like. x*Check illegible page, para, line, span, word, dollar signs x* Run Skint x* Run Check x*Final validate Corrected [ ] illegible groups out of [ ]. Converted [ ] illegible groups to GAP DESC="illegible". DONE</ITEM>
</CHANGE>
</REVDESCR>
</TEMPHEAD>
<EEBO>
<IDG S="marc" R="UM" ID="B29649">
<STC T="W">S2676</STC>
<BIBNO T="oclc">[ocm]12739816</BIBNO>
<VID>205185</VID>
</IDG>
<TEXT LANG="eng">
<FRONT>
<DIV1 TYPE="title page">
<PB REF="1">
<PB REF="1">
<P>Di&s;tre&s;s'd Innocence: OR, THE <HI>Prince&s;s of Per&s;ia,</HI> A Tragedy.</P>
<P>As it is Acted at the Theatre Royal by Their Maje&s;ties Servants.</P>
<P><HI>Written by E. SETTLE.</HI></P>
<Q><LG>
<L><HI>&V;t ridentibus arrident, ita flentibus ad&s;unt</HI></L>
<L><HI>Humani vultus: Si vis me fere dolendum e&s;t</HI></L>
<L><HI>Primum ip&s;i Tibi, tunc tua me infortunia laedent</HI></L>
<L><HI>Telephe vel Peleu.</HI> &mdash;</L>
</LG>
<BIBL>Horat. de Arte Poetic&acirc;.</BIBL></Q>
<P><HI>LONDON,</HI> Printed by <HI>E. J.</HI> for <HI>Abel Roper</HI> at the <HI>Mitre</HI> near <HI>Temple-Bar</HI> in <HI>Fleet-Street.</HI> 1691.</P>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="dedication">
<PB REF="2" MS="y">
<PB REF="2">
<HEAD>To the Right Honourable John Lord Cutts, Baron of Gowran.</HEAD>
<OPENER><SALUTE>My LORD,</SALUTE></OPENER>
<P>HEroick Virtue is of that Univer&s;al Attraction, that in the crowd of her Admirers, the <HI>Mu&s;es</HI> in duti|ous Homage mu&s;t make a part of her Train. For under the Umbrage of the Valiant and the Brave, they can|not &s;eek a Nobler Patronage then where they find their Noble&s;t Theme: Noble&s;t indeed, when the Memorials of true hardy Worth tune their Loftie&s;t Ayres, and fill their large&s;t Volumes: And in that Cla&s;s, po&s;&s;ibly, no Merit &s;tands higher than Your Lord&s;hips. For War has been your Early Study; nor has the Age known a more Forward Proficient in the School of <HI>Arms</HI> than <HI>Your Lord&s;hip.</HI> From your Fir&s;t Honourable Wounds before the Walls of <HI>Buda,</HI> to your La&s;t before tho&s;e of <HI>Limerick;</HI> the no le&s;s Favourite of the Great <HI>Lorrain,</HI> than of the Greater <HI>Na&s;&s;au,</HI> You have been
<PB REF="3"> wholly Train'd up under that Sacred <HI>Gamaliel, HONO&V;R.</HI> Nor has Your Cau&s;e been le&s;s Glorious than Your Courage; The Common Foes of <HI>Chri&s;tendom</HI> have been the mark of your Sword; You brought it flu&s;ht from again&s;t the more declining <HI>Turki&s;h,</HI> to Engage it again&s;t the more prevailing <HI>Gallick Tyrant;</HI> From combating the Le&s;s, to draw it again&s;t the Greater <HI>Infidel.</HI> The Fervor of this La&s;t warm Zeal brought You from the Imperial <HI>Leopold</HI>'s to the Royal <HI>William</HI>'s Standart. And to &s;um up Your ju&s;t due in that true&s;t Glory of an <HI>Engli&s;hman:</HI> Not <HI>Hannibal</HI> was a more Sworn Foe again&s;t the Old, than <HI>Your Lord&s;hip</HI> again&s;t the New <HI>Rome.</HI></P>
<P>But all the&s;e Excellent Qualifications, the&s;e united Mar|tial Virtues, are not the only influencing Powers that have &s;et you &s;o fair a Mark to the Ambition of the Addre&s;&s;ing <HI>Mu&s;es.</HI> They have &s;een you wear the Impre&s;s of the Great <HI>Pallas</HI> on your Shield, under her double Character, not only as the <HI>Godde&s;s</HI> of <HI>Arms,</HI> but of <HI>Wit</HI> too: And there|fore they plead &s;ome kind of Ju&s;tification in pre&s;uming to take Shelter, where they have formerly received Honour. 'Tis with the&s;e Con&s;iderations that This Play, much his Be&s;t, and (as Written by &s;o Unfriended an Author) not un|fortunate, begs your Protection. I confe&s;s from a more Favourite Pen it might have made a fairer Figure, and con|&s;equently have been a more acceptable Pre&s;ent: For Poetry in this Age holds its value not from the Sterling but the Stamp. A Celebrated Minion Writer &s;hall be able to pa&s;s even <HI>Iri&s;h Coyne</HI> Currant, when a Hated Scribler, under Pique and Prejudice, &s;hall hardly bring Bullion and Plate into Play. And in my hard Circum&s;tances, even beyond Expectation, I am bound to thank my kinde&s;t Stars that I cou'd come within Fifty <HI>per Cent</HI> &s;ucce&s;s of my happier Brothers of the Quill.</P>
<PB REF="3">
<P>However I mu&s;t &s;till own my &s;elf indebted on all Hands, not only to the kind Audience, but likewi&s;e to the kind Company, who among&s;t other Favours, were plea&s;ed to be at the Charge of dre&s;&s;ing my Play to &s;o much Advan|tage. But above all I mu&s;t make my publick Acknow|ledgments to Mr. <HI>Betterton</HI> for his &s;everal extraordinary Hints to the heightning of my be&s;t Characters, nor am I a little indebted to Mr. <HI>Montfort,</HI> for the La&s;t Scene of my Play which he was &s;o kind to write for me. And now if it meet &s;o favourable a Reception in Print, as to move &s;ome part of that Compa&s;&s;ion in the Reading, as it did in the Acting I have gain'd my point: and for &s;ome Recommen|dation to the Reader, whatever Fiction I have el&s;ewhere interwoven, the Di&s;tre&s;&s;es of <HI>Hormidas</HI> and <HI>Cleomira</HI> are true Hi&s;tory.</P>
<P>But after all this Encouragement, with what &s;hame mu&s;t I look back on my long Ten Years &s;ilence. Alas, I was grown weary of my little Talent in Innocent <HI>Drama|ticks,</HI> and for&s;ooth mu&s;t be rambling into <HI>Politicks:</HI> And much I have got by't, for, I thank 'em, they have undone me. And truly when impertinent Bu&s;y Fools in my little po&s;t, in the name of Frenzy mu&s;t a&s;pire to State-Champi|ons, though their Pens are drawn even on the Right &s;ide, they de&s;erve no better Fate. We read of the Unfortunate Zeal of the Officious <HI>&V;zzah.</HI> Let <HI>Government</HI> like the <HI>Ark</HI> of Old, be upheld by its proper Supporters in God's Name; and all intermeddling uncommi&s;&s;ion'd Hands, as a ju&s;t Judgment upon 'em, meet my Reward.</P>
<Q>&mdash; &mdash; <HI>Ne &s;utor ultra Crepidam&punc;</HI></Q>
<PB REF="4">
<P>And now, after all my repented Follies, if an Unhappy Stray into Forbidden Grounds, (like <HI>Trinculo</HI> from his Dukedom where he was almo&s;t &s;tarv'd in't) may be per|mitted to return to his Native Province, I am re&s;olved to quit all preten&s;ions to State-craft, and hone&s;tly &s;culk into a Corner of the Stage, and there die contented.</P>
<P>Nor is it with any little Pride that I return to that Po&s;t, when it gives me the Occa&s;ion of writing my &s;elf,</P>
<CLOSER><SALUTE>My Lord,</SALUTE>
<SIGNED>Your Lord&s;hips mo&s;t Humble and mo&s;t Devoted Servant, E. SETTLE.</SIGNED></CLOSER>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="epilogue">
<PB REF="4">
<HEAD>THE EPILOGUE Spoken by Mrs. <HI>KNIGHT.</HI></HEAD>
<BYLINE><HI>Written by Mr.</HI> MONTFORT.</BYLINE>
<LG>
<L>WHat! Alamort at our dull whining Play!</L>
<L>Can no Love plea&s;e you in an hone&s;t way?</L>
<L>Con&s;ider, 'tis but only here we Act it,</L>
<L>When we are our &s;elves, we don't &s;o much affect it.</L>
<L>Women admire Incon&s;tancy like you,</L>
<L>Both in their Love, and their Religion too.</L>
<L>Variety is acceptable to all,</L>
<L>Dying for one, hang't, 'tis unnatural.</L>
<L>They value neither Principle nor Beauty.</L>
<L>He that pays mo&s;t and be&s;t performs his Duty;</L>
<L>Ne're fear, &s;o long your Ladies will be true to ye.</L>
<L>But this is nothing, Gallants, to our Poet,</L>
<L>He knows you've Malice, and he fears you'l &s;how it.</L>
<L>In vain the hopes of plea&s;ing you we cheri&s;h,</L>
<L>You hate the Author, and the Play mu&s;t peri&s;h.</L>
<L>If &s;o, my Ma&s;ters, 'tis a little hard,</L>
<L>Has he &s;o Sinn'd, that he's all Mercy barr'd?</L>
<L>He has chang'd Sides, 'tis true, but Sirs, I pray,</L>
<L>Is he the only Scribbler went A&s;tray?</L>
<L>No &s;ure, he has &s;ome changeable <HI>Cameleon</HI> Brother,</L>
<L>He's not the only pye-bald Son of Engli&s;h Mother.</L>
<L>Howe're the Boxes &s;miles, we hope to find:</L>
<L>Tho&s;e fair unangry Stars will be more kind.</L>
<L>And &s;ure in Ju&s;tice this Cha&s;t Piece will &s;pare,</L>
<L>For their own Sacred Image copy'd there.</L>
</LG>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="dramatis personae">
<PB REF="5">
<HEAD>Actors Names.</HEAD>
<LIST>
<LABEL><HI>I&s;digerdes</HI> King of <HI>Per&s;ia.</HI></LABEL>
<ITEM>Mr. <HI>Bowman.</HI></ITEM>
<LABEL><HI>Hormidas</HI> his General and Nephew, a Chri&s;tian.</LABEL>
<ITEM>Mr. <HI>Montfort.</HI></ITEM>
<LABEL><HI>Theodo&s;ius,</HI> a young Prince, a Chri&s;tian.</LABEL>
<ITEM>Mr. <HI>Powell.</HI></ITEM>
<LABEL><HI>Audas,</HI> a Chri&s;tian Bi&s;hop.</LABEL>
<ITEM>Mr. <HI>Hodg&s;on.</HI></ITEM>
<LABEL><HI>Cleontes</HI> a jolly Lord, Fo&s;ter-Father to <HI>Cleomira.</HI></LABEL>
<ITEM>Mr. <HI>Bright.</HI></ITEM>
<LABEL><HI>Nearchus,</HI> Friend to <HI>Theodo&s;ius.</HI></LABEL>
<ITEM>&nbsp;</ITEM>
<LABEL><HI>Otrantes,</HI> a Malecontent and Con&s;pirator again&s;t <HI>Hormidas.</HI></LABEL>
<ITEM>Mr. <HI>Kyna&s;ton.</HI></ITEM>
<LABEL><HI>Rugildas</HI> his Confederate.</LABEL>
<ITEM>Mr. <HI>Sandford.</HI></ITEM>
<LABEL>Three Per&s;ian <HI>Magi</HI> Prie&s;ts of the Sun.</LABEL>
<ITEM><LIST>
<ITEM>Mr. <HI>Freeman.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>Mr. <HI>Baker.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>Mr. <HI>Verkruggan.</HI></ITEM>
</LIST></ITEM>
<LABEL>An Infant Son of <HI>Hormidas.</HI></LABEL>
<ITEM>&nbsp;</ITEM>
<LABEL>Per&s;ians.</LABEL>
<ITEM><LIST>
<ITEM><HI>Artaban,</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>Gobrias,</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>Briomar,</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>Ortagan,</HI></ITEM>
</LIST></ITEM>
<LABEL><HI>Orundana,</HI> Daughter of <HI>I&s;digerdes.</HI></LABEL>
<ITEM>Mrs. <HI>Barry.</HI></ITEM>
<LABEL><HI>Cleomira,</HI> VVife of <HI>Hormidas,</HI> a Lady of an unknown Birth, a Chri&s;tian.</LABEL>
<ITEM>Mrs. <HI>Bracegirdle.</HI></ITEM>
<LABEL><HI>Doranthe,</HI> Si&s;ter to <HI>Orantes,</HI> and VVife to <HI>Cleontes.</HI></LABEL>
<ITEM>Mrs. <HI>Corey.</HI></ITEM>
<LABEL><HI>Celinda,</HI> and <HI>Lorella,</HI></LABEL>
<ITEM>VVomen to <HI>Cleomira.</HI></ITEM>
<LABEL>Guards, Attendants, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></LABEL>
<ITEM>&nbsp;</ITEM>
</LIST>
<P>Scene Babylon.</P>
</DIV1>
</FRONT>
<BODY>
<DIV1 N="1" TYPE="act">
<PB N="1" REF="5">
<HEAD>ACT. I.</HEAD>
<STAGE>The <HI>Prince&s;s Orundana,</HI> attended by Women.</STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Orund.</SPEAKER>
<L>I'ST not enough that I am born t' a Crown,</L>
<L>Heire&s;s of <HI>Per&s;ia,</HI> Heire&s;s to &s;o large</L>
<L>A &s;hare of the divided Globe, tho&s;e va&s;t</L>
<L>Extended Bounds of Empire, that our God</L>
<L>The Sun, with his wing'd Cour&s;ers of the Skies,</L>
<L>Makes&punc; almo&s;t half his Mornings Race to travel?</L>
<L>And to all the&s;e I have a King and Father</L>
<L>That reigns the Terror of the World, who&s;e Sword</L>
<L>Cuts with &s;o keen an Edge that regi&s;tring Fame</L>
<L>Has blunted her tir'd Pen but to Record</L>
<L>The Kingdoms he has won: And yet not all</L>
<L>Tho&s;e &s;trong Foundations of Imperial Glory,</L>
<L>Not all the&s;e rooted Pillars can &s;upport me.</L>
<L>A bold Supplanter of my Blood and Birth-right</L>
<L>Stands ready with the very lighted Brand</L>
<L>To &s;et my Royal Pyramid a blazing.</L>
</SP>
<STAGE><HI>Enter</HI> Otrantes.</STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>Health to the fair Divinity of <HI>Per&s;ia,</HI></L>
<L>Health to your Hopes, your Fame, your Peace, your Glory.</L>
<L>Now your ju&s;t Title's heard; your pond'rous Cau&s;e</L>
<L>Has turn'd the Ballance of Almighty Ju&s;tice,</L>
<L>And all the Smiles of ever-favouring Providence</L>
<L>Declare for <HI>Orundana!</HI> This ble&s;t day</L>
<L>Brings home the haughty Rival of your Birth,</L>
<L>And yields him to your Pow'r.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Orund.</SPEAKER>
<L>Yes, kind <HI>Otrantes,</HI></L>
<L>I have at la&s;t un&s;eal'd the deafen'd Ears</L>
<L>Of the Incredulous King; &s;o haunted him</L>
<L>With the long Gorgon of his Daughters Wrongs,</L>
<L>That now, his Eyes enlightened by my dangers,</L>
<L>He &s;ees this towring Eagle mount too high,</L>
<L>And is re&s;olved to clip his &s;oaring Wings.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>Clip 'em! Yes, that great work th' impending Weight</L>
<L>Of your avenging Influence has begun</L>
<L>Already.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Orund.</SPEAKER>
<L>True, <HI>Otrantes:</HI> Was't not worthy</L>
<L>My great Revenge to have the <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="2 letters">ughty In&s;olent</L>
<L>Call'd home i'th' height of all his brighte&s;t Victories?</L>
<PB N="2" REF="6">
<L>No le&s;s than the proud Empire of the We&s;t</L>
<L>Ju&s;t truckling to his Sword; the lo&s;t <HI>Arcadius,</HI></L>
<L>A Succe&s;&s;or of the Immortal <HI>Con&s;tantine,</HI></L>
<L>Half totter'd from his Throne! Was it not brave</L>
<L>To work my jealous Father to recal him</L>
<L>Ju&s;t in that glorious Hour?</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>Yes, Madam, to recal him in the head of</L>
<L>Two Hundred Thou&s;and conquering <HI>Per&s;ians,</HI> almo&s;t</L>
<L>Entring the very Gates of <HI>Con&s;tantinople;</HI></L>
<L>To rein his proud Triumphant Chariot back,</L>
<L>Ju&s;t driving to &s;o va&s;t a Grove of Laurels,</L>
<L>Was &s;uch a check to his Ambitious Pride &mdash;</L>
<L>But he de&s;erves it all.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Orund.</SPEAKER>
<L>De&s;erves it? Traytor!</L>
<L>'Tis true he's Nephew to the Crown; his Veins</L>
<L>Run Royal Blood, and next my nearer &s;elf</L>
<L>He's Heir of <HI>Per&s;ia;</HI> but t' a&s;cend her Throne,</L>
<L>Whil&s;t my Imperial interpo&s;ing Birth-right</L>
<L>Confronts his impious Plea, is that loud Trea&s;on &mdash;</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>Alas! His Trea&s;on is not half &s;o mon&s;trous</L>
<L>As th' Hypocritical Mask that covers it.</L>
<L>Methinks I hear him &s;till (for I &s;hall never</L>
<L>Forget the Artful Accents) when his Arm</L>
<L>Cla&s;pt round my Neck, and with a heaving Sigh,</L>
<L>As deep as if a Pang of Con&s;cience breath'd it,</L>
<L>He cryed&mdash; 'Tis hard my Friend, 'tis very hard</L>
<L>T' exclude her from a Throne. But do not think</L>
<L>A lawle&s;s wi&s;h of wild Ambition turns</L>
<L>This mighty Hinge: Far, far be that vile Taint</L>
<L>Ev'n from my Souls lea&s;t Thought. No, my <HI>Otrantes,</HI></L>
<L>Nece&s;&s;ity, invincible Nece&s;&s;ity,</L>
<L>The Exigence of State, an Empires Safety,</L>
<L>And the Worlds Peace Command it.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Orund.</SPEAKER>
<L>Exqui&s;ite Fiend!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>'Tis true, &s;he's Heire&s;s of the Crown of <HI>Per&s;ia&punc;</HI></L>
<L>And the great Blood of Royal <HI>Isdigerdes</HI></L>
<L>Fills her rich Veins with an Immortal Trea&s;ure;</L>
<L>And t' heap the Ma&s;s Divine, &s;he has &s;o much Beauty,</L>
<L>A &s;econd <HI>Alexander</HI> might be proud to kneel to,</L>
<L>To rai&s;e a Race of Monarchs for the Univer&s;e.</L>
<L>But &s;till &s;he's but a Woman: and the Scepter,</L>
<L>The <HI>Per&s;ian</HI> Scepter weilded by a Woman!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Orund.</SPEAKER>
<L>A Woman! Death, a Woman! Can the Villain</L>
<L>Forget that the great Foundre&s;s of our Empire</L>
<L><HI>Semiramis</HI> her &s;elf was but a Woman!</L>
<L><HI>Semiramis,</HI> That rais'd the wondrous Walls</L>
<L>Of our proud <HI>Babylon; Semiramis</HI></L>
<PB N="3" REF="6">
<L>That reign'd, &s;o reign'd; and tho' no more than Woman,</L>
<L>Stands that recorded all Divine Original</L>
<L>That Pettyer Kings, her poorer Succe&s;&s;ors,</L>
<L>Shine but like waning borrowing Moons beneath her;</L>
<L>Their boa&s;ted Manhoods all but fainter Copies</L>
<L>Of one unimitable Female Glory.</L>
<L>And what does the fal&s;e Slave read in my Eyes,</L>
<L>But that the glorious <HI>Orundana</HI> wears</L>
<L>A Soul, can buoy up Empire to a height,</L>
<L>Sublime, as e're the proud <HI>Semiramis</HI> rai&s;ed it?</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>Madam, I fear I have too rudely moved</L>
<L>Your Royal Genius with this hated Subject;</L>
<L>When I have &s;o often tired your &s;acred Patience</L>
<L>With the ungrateful &s;ounds.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Orund.</SPEAKER>
<L>So often! No,</L>
<L>Id'e have my Wrongs alarum'd in my Ears,</L>
<L>Repeated oftner than my very Prayers;</L>
<L>It whets my Vengeance keen, the Edge wou'd ru&s;t el&s;e.</L>
<L>She who wou'd &s;ing Revenge mu&s;t play the watchful <HI>Philomel;</HI></L>
<L>Hold the &s;harp pointed Thorn again&s;t her Brea&s;t</L>
<L>To keep her Ayres awake.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>To my be&s;t Wi&s;hes!</L>
<STAGE>A&s;ide.</STAGE>
<L>My excellent Royal Engine!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Orund.</SPEAKER>
<L>Yes, <HI>Otrantes,</HI></L>
<L>If Vengeance be the God's, and as they &s;ay,</L>
<L>There's Mu&s;ick in their Sphears; 'tis &s;ure, Revenge,</L>
<L>That fills th' Immortal Harmony: I am certain</L>
<L>Were I a God, and &s;ate to tune the Stars,</L>
<L>Seraphick Raptures, Beatifick Vi&s;ions,</L>
<L>Angelick Bli&s;s, and Everla&s;ting Quires,</L>
<L>All, all together joyn'd, Divine Revenge</L>
<L>Would &s;ound a Note below thee.</L>
</SP>
<STAGE><HI>Enter</HI> Per&s;ian <HI>Magi.</HI></STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>1 Mag.</SPEAKER>
<L>Royal Madam!</L>
<L>We come the Harbingers to Fortune's Minion,</L>
<L>The proud <HI>Hormidas,</HI> who returns Triumphant,</L>
<L>Like a tall Ve&s;&s;el, bounding as he moves</L>
<L>With his gay Flags, and all his glittering Streamers.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Orund.</SPEAKER>
<L>Yes, Gaudy Thing! his glittering Streamers fly;</L>
<L>But when I rai&s;e the Mountain Waves beneath him:</L>
<L>When Fate is in the Wind, and the rough Billows</L>
<L>Beat Ruine round his Head; then tell me</L>
<L>What glittering thing you find him.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>2 Mag.</SPEAKER>
<L>True, bright Heroine!</L>
<L>Wake, wake our Altar's Champion, and your own;</L>
<L>Con&s;ider how th' effeminate Indulgence</L>
<L>Of our tame Monarch has &s;upinely &s;uffer'd</L>
<PB N="4" REF="7">
<L>An up&s;tart Chri&s;tian Sect of Wor&s;hipers</L>
<L>To &s;pread a Canker'd Weed through his whole Empire;</L>
<L>Whil&s;t this A&s;pirer, their Apo&s;tate Leader</L>
<L>Mounts up their Faction's Head, his whole Ambition</L>
<L>Too rank a Cyon from that Root, Religion.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>3 Mag.</SPEAKER>
<L>Thus with your Birthright, th' Empire of our God</L>
<L>Is threatned too, and this Gigantick Rebel</L>
<L>At once dares Battail Heaven and <HI>Orundana.</HI></L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Orund.</SPEAKER>
<L>Yes; Let the Audacious Rebel Battail Heav'n,</L>
<L>And Heav'n as tamely bear't: But from that hour</L>
<L>He dur&s;t but lift a Thought again&s;t my Head,</L>
<L>I have hoarded up tho&s;e Shafts, tho&s;e Bolts of Vengeance;</L>
<L>Shall &s;trike him Headlong, plunging, &s;inking, drowning,</L>
<L>Below where Heav'n has even the Thought of puni&s;hing.</L>
</SP>
<STAGE><HI>Enter the King, and the Chri&s;tian Bi&s;hop</HI> Audas. <HI>Guards and Attendants.</HI></STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>Well, Chri&s;tian, for your Prayers you have my Thanks;</L>
<L>And if that Power, you kneel to, has &s;tood up</L>
<L>That Friend and Champion of my Throne; to &s;hew you</L>
<L>His Favours are not wholy unde&s;erv'd,</L>
<L>Our kind Protection of your Chri&s;tian Altars</L>
<L>Has paid the Debt we owe.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Bi&s;h.</SPEAKER>
<L>Yes, Royal Sir;</L>
<L>Your kind Protection of our Chri&s;tian Altars</L>
<L>Stands your Recorded Monument. In all</L>
<L>Tho&s;e Thou&s;and and Ten Thou&s;and Chri&s;tian Pro&s;elytes,</L>
<L>Through all your &s;pacious flouri&s;hing <HI>Per&s;ian</HI> Empire,</L>
<L>Not one Knee bends to the Eternal Throne</L>
<L>Without a Prayer for Royal <HI>I&s;digerdes.</HI></L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>1 Mag.</SPEAKER>
<L>That croaking Poy&s;oner hanging at his Ear!</L>
<L>All is not well, my Brother, when that Night-Bat</L>
<L>Hovers &s;o clo&s;e there. <STAGE><HI>A&s;ide, whi&s;pering to the other </HI>Mag.</STAGE></L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Bi&s;h.</SPEAKER>
<L>Yes, Illu&s;trious Monarch;</L>
<L>By you our Chri&s;tian Incen&s;e perfumes Heav'n;</L>
<L>And Heav'n in its ju&s;t Gratitude points down</L>
<L>Its pendant Ble&s;&s;ings on your darling Brow.</L>
<L>Does your Sword vanqui&s;h, and enrolling Fame</L>
<L>Swell Volumes with your Conque&s;ts? Does the World</L>
<L>Tremble before you? Yes, the Chri&s;tians God</L>
<L>Leads forth your Ho&s;ts, and combats on your &s;ide.</L>
<L>Renown and Victory are &s;worn your Va&s;&s;als,</L>
<L>And 'tis the Trump of Angels &s;ounds your Glory.
<STAGE>Trumpets and Shouts.</STAGE></L>
</SP>
<STAGE><HI>Enter</HI> Rugildas.</STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Rugild.</SPEAKER>
<L>Dread Sir, a Quire of Univer&s;al Joy</L>
<L>And ecchoing Triumph fill the&s;e Sacred Walls;</L>
<L>The great <HI>Hormidas</HI> your Victorious General,</L>
<L>Saluted with re&s;ounding <HI>Io Peans,</HI></L>
<L>Welcom'd with all the Breath o<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter"> Fame, returns.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<PB N="5" REF="7">
<SPEAKER>Bi&s;h.</SPEAKER>
<L>Yes Sir, this &s;hining Leader of your Arms returns:</L>
<L>And if his rowling Glory as it moves,</L>
<L>Gathers the Tribute of the World before him,</L>
<L>He begs Admittance as your faithful Trea&s;urer,</L>
<L>T' unload the &s;plendid Ma&s;s, his Hoard of Honours</L>
<L>At their great Ma&s;ters Sacred Royal Feet.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Orund.</SPEAKER>
<L>Rhetorical Prie&s;t, there needs not all this Flouri&s;h:</L>
<L>His Actions &s;peak them&s;elves without a Trumpet.</L>
</SP>
<STAGE><HI>Enter</HI> Hormidas, Theodo&s;ius, <HI>and Attendants. [Trumpets.</HI>]</STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>My Royal Lord, Thus kneeling, and Thus ble&s;s'd,</L>
<STAGE>kneels</STAGE>
<L>From all my humble Pilgrimage of Honour,</L>
<L>My poorer Race of Fame, and Toyls of War,</L>
<L>Tran&s;lated to this more exal<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter">ed Glory,</L>
<L>'Tis here I Crown my con&s;ummated Bli&s;s.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>Ri&s;e, my <HI>Hormidas,</HI> Ri&s;e.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>No, my Dread Lord,</L>
<L>I have a &s;econd Duty yet unpaid:</L>
<L>That Sovereign Fair, the Ri&s;ing Star of Empire,</L>
<L>Commands my bended Knee
<STAGE><HI>To</HI> Orundana.</STAGE></L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Orund.</SPEAKER>
<L>No, ri&s;e <HI>Hormidas:</HI></L>
<L>You that command the Knees of Nations, &s;tand</L>
<L>Adorn'd with Wreaths too proud to &s;toop thus low.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>Proud, Madam! If I am proud 'tis when I kneel:</L>
<STAGE>ri&s;es.</STAGE>
<L>Proud, that from conquer'd Kingdoms I bring home</L>
<L>A Homager to the Imperial <HI>Orundana.</HI></L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Orund.</SPEAKER>
<L>A Homager! Fawning Infidel!</L>
</SP>
<STAGE>a&s;ide.</STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>But Sir,</L>
<L>E're I pre&s;ent you with your meaner Laurels,</L>
<L>Fir&s;t let m<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter"> tender you the proude&s;t Trophy</L>
<L>Of all your D<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter">zling Glories, this Young Prince,</L>
<L>Heir to the We&s;tern Empire.</L>
</SP>
<STAGE><HI>pre&s;ents him</HI> Theodo&s;ius.</STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King</SPEAKER>
<L><HI>Theodo&s;ius!</HI></L>
<L>The Great <HI>Arcadius</HI>'s Son! True, kind <HI>Hormidas,</HI></L>
<L>This is indeed my proude&s;t Trophy.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Theod.</SPEAKER>
<L>Oh Sir,</L>
<L>Take heed how you receive me from that Hand.</L>
<L>No, let me give my &s;elf; for the too Generous</L>
<L><HI>Hormidas</HI> will b<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="2 letters"> over-prize the Pre&s;ent.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>Returning in your Conquering Armies Head,</L>
<L>(At your Command) with this &s;urprizing Pre&s;ent,</L>
<L>T<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter">is more &s;urprizing Emba&s;&s;ie was &s;ent me.</L>
<L>Go, Valiant Leader&punc; and returning tell</L>
<L>Your Ma&s;ter, that Triumphant Per&s;ian Monarch,</L>
<L>His Vanqui&s;h'd Enemy, charm'd with the Glories</L>
<L>Of his Illu&s;trious Conqueror, pre&s;ents him</L>
<L>His S<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="2 letters"> and Empires Heir, his Pupil and his Nur&s;ery:</L>
<PB N="6" REF="8">
<L>That rais'd and train'd up in the School of Honour,</L>
<L>Under &s;o great a Ma&s;ter in the Art</L>
<L>Of War, as the Invincible <HI>I&s;digerdes,</HI></L>
<L>He may wa&s;h off a blu&s;hing Empires &s;hame&punc;</L>
<L>The Son Retrieve that&punc; Fame the Father lo&s;t.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Th<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter">od.</SPEAKER>
<L>Yes Sir, from my own Native barr'ner Soyl</L>
<L>Of Glory, his kind Hand tran&s;plants me here,</L>
<L>Into your warmer Sun, your fairer Royal Garden,</L>
<L>T' enrich my humbler Growth; and bids me tell you</L>
<L>An Enemy begs this Royal Grace.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>An Enemy!</L>
<L>No, from this hour a Friend. Oh kind <HI>Arcadius!</HI></L>
<L>So generous and &s;o va&s;t a Tru&s;t has cancell'd</L>
<L>The Name of Foe, and a new Bond of Honour</L>
<L>Ties my Eternal Friend&s;hip. Yes, Dear Prince,</L>
<L>Come to my Arms, my Arms, thou dear Adoption;</L>
<STAGE><HI>Embracing</HI> Theodo&s;ius.</STAGE>
<L>A Father gives thee, and a Father takes thee.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Orund.</SPEAKER>
<L>The We&s;tern Empires Heir! Methinks there's &s;omething</L>
<L>Whi&s;pers my Pride&punc; and tells me that the Crowns</L>
<STAGE><HI>a&s;ide, looking on</HI> Theodo&s;ius</STAGE>
<L>Of <HI>Con&s;tantine</HI> and <HI>Cyrus</HI> joyn'd together</L>
<L>Would make a Chaplet worthy of my wearing.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>But, my <HI>Hormidas,</HI> while I treat thee as</L>
<L>A Conqueror, I forget to Impeach thee as</L>
<L>A Criminal.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>A Criminal!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>Yes, <HI>Hormidas,</HI></L>
<L>I have a Charge again&s;t thee of &s;o black</L>
<L>A Die, as Sullies all thy Victories.</L>
<L>There have been bu&s;ie Whi&s;pers in my Ears,</L>
<L>That thou a&s;pire&s;t to bar my Daughters Birthright.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>How; my Dread Sovereign!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>That the bold <HI>Hormidas</HI></L>
<L>A&s;pires to wre&s;t th' Imperial Per&s;ian Diadem</L>
<L>From my &s;ucceeding Daughters rightful Brow,</L>
<L>And on his own plant my devolving Crown?</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>A Traytor!</L>
<L>Oh my bleeding Fame! Is this,</L>
<L>This the Reward of all my Faithful Services?</L>
<L>Ah Madam! whil&s;t this frightful Load lies on me,</L>
<L>The conquering Thou&s;ands I have led to Battle,</L>
<L>To hew out Deathle&s;s Monumental Statues</L>
<L>To <HI>Orundana</HI>'s bright &s;ucceeding Glory,</L>
<L>At the dire &s;ound of this &s;tupendious Forgery,</L>
<L>Will blu&s;h a deeper Scarlet than their Swords</L>
<L>E're dy'd to win you Crowns! Nor &s;hall the World</L>
<L>Start only at the &s;ound; the bright Commi&s;&s;ion'd Mini&s;ters,</L>
<L>The Angel Guardians of the Life of Maje&s;ty,</L>
<PB N="7" REF="8">
<L>Hear not this fowl polluting Calumny,</L>
<L>But tremble at the impious Execration.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>If thou wert innocent, <HI>Hormidas</HI> &mdash;</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>If I were innocent! &mdash; Name me my Accu&s;er.</L>
<L>Ah Royal Sir, if the traducing Mon&s;ter,</L>
<L>Who&s;e foul-mouth'd Fal&s;ehood and invenom'd Malice</L>
<L>Dur&s;t &s;tab the Honour of your Faithful Soldier,</L>
<L>Be an incarnate Fiend that walks in Fle&s;h;</L>
<L>Oh name him, name him to my ju&s;t Revenge,</L>
<L>That my keen Sword may hunt him through the World,</L>
<L>And prove my Truth on his fal&s;e perjur'd Heart.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>No, my young Son of War, re&s;erve your Sword</L>
<L>For Nobler Foes. Let it &s;uffice, we have not</L>
<L>Been over credulous, nor fondly lent</L>
<L>A li&s;tning Ear to this vile Imputation.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>Ah Sir! perhaps this Poy&s;oner of my Fame,</L>
<L>This Dunghil Snake, is &s;ome poor low&punc; born Wretch</L>
<L>Below the Vengeance of my Arm, a Nephew</L>
<L>T' your own rich Veins th' Imperial Blood of <HI>Per&s;ia,</HI></L>
<L>And you're a&s;ham'd that I &s;hould &s;toop to puni&s;h him.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>Yes, my <HI>Hormidas,</HI> he's below your Sword,</L>
<L>A Slave unworthy&mdash;</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>Is that all? Unworthy!</L>
<L>No, Royal Sir, let not that bar your Ju&s;tice;</L>
<L>Take all my Titles, all my Wreaths of Glory;</L>
<L>Unplume me, rifle me, degrade me. Oh!</L>
<L>Be kind, and &s;trip me naked, that my Sword</L>
<L>May right my Honour by the Traytor's Blood.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>2 Mag.</SPEAKER>
<L>Gods! How he talks? But oh dread Sir! con&s;ider,</L>
<L>The mightie&s;t &s;ounds come from the hollowe&s;t Hearts.</L>
<STAGE>To the King.</STAGE>
<L>Ah wou'd you but believe! &mdash;</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>Wou'd I believe, my &s;aucy Con&s;cience-Driver!</L>
<L>What if I cann't believe? Who made you Lords</L>
<L>Over the Faith of Kings?</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>1 Mag.</SPEAKER>
<L>Foolhardy Babler!</L>
<STAGE><HI>A&s;ide to the other</HI> Mag.</STAGE>
<L>Is this a time for talking?</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>Well, my Souldier,</L>
<L>To hold the Ballance even, I will not lodge</L>
<L>A Thought again&s;t thy Truth. But to perform</L>
<L>The Duty of a Father and a King;</L>
<L>To Morrow early in our great <HI>Pyraeum,</HI></L>
<L>The &s;acred Temple of our God the Sun</L>
<L>Lighted with burning Victims, and perfum'd</L>
<L>With &s;olemn Odours, be it your charge to publi&s;h</L>
<STAGE>To the Magi.</STAGE>
<L>Our <HI>Orundana,</HI> Our Imperial Daughter's</L>
<L>Succe&s;&s;ion to our Throne, that <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter">e may bind</L>
<L>The Homage of &s;ucceeding Generations,</L>
<PB N="8" REF="9">
<L>And point 'em where to kneel when we are Du&s;t.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>Now you are God-like good.</L>
<L>Yes, Sir, Proclaim your <HI>Orundana</HI>'s Birth-Right,</L>
<L>With all that bright inaugurating Lu&s;tre,</L>
<L>Rites &s;o &s;ublime, and Jubilees &s;o loud,</L>
<L>As not Remoter Worlds alone &s;hall hear,</L>
<L>But th' Ecchoing Vault of Heav'n repeat the &s;ound:</L>
<L>And tho' th' unfortunate <HI>Ho<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter">midas</HI> cannot</L>
<L>Be an a&s;&s;i&s;ting Mini&s;ter at your Altars,</L>
<L>I'le pay my humbler Duty at my own&mdash;</L>
<L>Yes, hear me Men, and li&s;tning Angels witne&s;s,</L>
<L>My very Prayers, the &s;econds to my Sword,</L>
<L>I'le wre&s;tle Heav'n, as I have battail'd Earth,</L>
<L>For Ble&s;&s;ings on that Brow.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>Enough my Warriour.</L>
<STAGE><HI>Enter</HI> Cleomira, Cleontes <HI>and</HI> Doranthe.</STAGE>
<L>Come my Imperial Charge &mdash;</L>
</SP>
<STAGE><HI>To</HI> Theodo&s;ius.</STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Hormid.</SPEAKER>
<L>My <HI>Cleomira!</HI></L>
</SP>
<STAGE>running to embrace her.</STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>My Brea&s;t and Empires Gue&s;t! My Court has Honours</L>
<L>To pay thee; and the bending Genius</L>
<L>Of the proud <HI>Babylon</HI> waits to &s;alute thee.</L>
<STAGE><HI>Exeunt King</HI> Theodo&s;ius, <HI>Guards, Attendants,</HI> &amp;c.</STAGE>
</SP>
<STAGE><HI>Manent only</HI> Hormidas, Cleomira, Cleontes <HI>and</HI> Doranthe.</STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleom.</SPEAKER>
<L>And am I ble&s;t once more!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Hormid.</SPEAKER>
<L>Thou &s;ofte&s;t Beauty!</L>
<L>So full my Soul, &s;o va&s;t my Joys, beyond</L>
<L>The Circle of the&s;e Arms, Ambition has not</L>
<L>A Wi&s;h, Delight a Rapture, Life a Ble&s;&s;ing,</L>
<L>Or Earth a Crown to give!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleom.</SPEAKER>
<L>Oh! That the&s;e melting Eyes and kind Embraces</L>
<L>Could hold thee ever fa&s;t! Hold thee &s;o fa&s;t</L>
<L>That envious Glory from the Arms of Love</L>
<L>Should never snatch thee more.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Hormid.</SPEAKER>
<L>Envyous Glory!</L>
<L>Yes, My fair Life, in all my Chace of Honour,</L>
<L>Such di&s;tant and divorcing Worlds between us;</L>
<L>There's not a Laurel I have won in Battle,</L>
<L>But I have bought it at no le&s;s a price,</L>
<L>Than thou&s;and thou&s;and Sighs for <HI>Cleomira.</HI></L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleom.</SPEAKER>
<L>If &s;uch <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter">hy <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter">ighs, think what my Tears have been;</L>
<L>Think with what waiti<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter">g Patience I have watched</L>
<L>The trickling Sand of Time's &s;low Gla&s;s, and counted</L>
<L>The numbred Minutes o're a whole long Year,</L>
<L>So though<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter">ful Sorrow, and &s;o wi&s;hing Love.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Doranth.</SPEAKER>
<L>Among&s;t the greeting joys and ecchoing Shouts,</L>
<L>For your Return, we come, Illu&s;trious Prince,</L>
<L>To tender your our Loyal Welcome too,</L>
<PB N="9" REF="9">
<L>When Love permits you lei&s;ure to receive it.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleont.</SPEAKER>
<L>Yes Sir, 'mong&s;t the &s;tout Bowls, crown'd Healths and hearty Wi&s;hes for you,</L>
<L>You mu&s;t accept our Mite in part of payment.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L><HI>Doranthe,</HI> and the good old kind <HI>Cleontes,</HI></L>
<L>The Honour'd Father to my beauteous Prince&s;s,</L>
<L>(For I mu&s;t call you &s;o) thus let me pay you&mdash;</L>
</SP>
<STAGE>Kneels to them.</STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleont.</SPEAKER>
<L>Ri&s;e Prince for &s;hame, I am not half Father</L>
<L>Enough to her, to de&s;erve all this Homage:</L>
<L>Were &s;he my own Fle&s;h and Blood I might &s;ay &s;omething to it;</L>
<L>But Pox of the&s;e Fo&s;ter Fathers; this rearing of</L>
<L>Children by Adoption: We have all the pains in bringing 'em</L>
<L>Up, without the plea&s;ure of getting 'em.</L>
<L>Had I got thee my &s;elf, dear Rogue &mdash;</L>
</SP>
<STAGE><HI>To</HI> Cleom.</STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Doranth.</SPEAKER>
<L>Thou get her! No; &s;he has nobler Veins than thine.</L>
</SP>
<STAGE>A&s;ide.</STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>But, Oh my Love! I have &s;trange Newes to tell thee;</L>
<L>I have play'd a wondrous Game: whil&s;t I have won</L>
<L>Renown abroad, I have lo&s;t it here at home:</L>
<L>Some whi&s;pering Slanderers, (would&s;t thou believe it?)</L>
<L>To blacken my fair Truth, have told the King</L>
<L>That I am an A&s;pirer.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleom.</SPEAKER>
<L>An A&s;pirer!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>Yes, My dear Sweetne&s;s, to divert the Crown</L>
<L>From <HI>Orundana</HI>'s Brow.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleom.</SPEAKER>
<L>'Tis very hard,</L>
<L>That &s;uch un&s;potted Faith &s;hou'd be thus blemi&s;ht</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>True, I'&s;t not hard? Perhaps 't has reacht thy Ear.</L>
<L>What ha&s;t thou heard the cen&s;uring World talk of me?</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleom.</SPEAKER>
<L>I hear, my Lord? No; In thy mournful ab&s;ence</L>
<L>The World and I have been &s;uch &s;trangers, that</L>
<L>My Prayers and Love have been my &s;ole Companions.</L>
<L>Alas! I have only talkt to Heav'n and thee.</L>
</SP>
<STAGE><HI>Enter</HI> Otrantes.</STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>That hated Slave here!</L>
</SP>
<STAGE>A&s;ide.</STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>Sir, Perhaps you'll wonder</L>
<L>In your congratulated Victories,</L>
<L>To &s;ee me one among&s;t the bending Croud.</L>
<L>I mu&s;t confe&s;s, I have born hard&s;hips from you</L>
<L>Wou'd &s;hake a Saint; but that I can forget 'em,</L>
<L>Th' atte&s;ting Gods, and th' Honour I &s;till pay you</L>
<L>Stand my Record.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>Sub&s;tantial Te&s;timony;</L>
<L>If I dur&s;t take the Credit of the Voucher.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>'Tis true, I have had &s;ufferings and &s;evere ones:</L>
<L>For after more than twenty years a Souldier,</L>
<L>And a Commander too, to be ca&s;hier'd,</L>
<L>Di&s;gracefully ca&s;hiered like me, i'th' Head of</L>
<L>Two hundred thou&s;and Witne&s;&s;es, was hard;</L>
<PB N="10" REF="10">
<L>But this I can forget.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>No, Sir, Remember it</L>
<L>To my Recorded Ju&s;tice, you de&s;erv'd,</L>
<L>And had what you de&s;erv'd.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>De&s;erv'd!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>De&s;erv'd.</L>
<L>And 'twas my Mercy that that publick &s;hame</L>
<L>Compounded for your Life, your forfeit Life.</L>
<L>Did you not wrong the Souldiers of their pay?</L>
<L>A Robbery more infamous than that</L>
<L>That hangs the midnight Cut throat on a Gibbet.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>Alas Sir! What if once, once in a Life,</L>
<L>Some pre&s;&s;ing Chance or per&s;onal Misfortune</L>
<L>Forced that unwilling Trip: The kind <HI>Hormidas</HI></L>
<L>M<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter">ght &s;ure have wink'd at greater Faults in me;</L>
<L>Some more than common grains of Mercy &s;ure</L>
<L>Might have been &s;hown me for that Beauty's &s;ake.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>For hers?</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>For the fair <HI>Cleomira</HI>'s &s;ake.</L>
<L>Who rai&s;ed that beauteous Envy of all Eyes,</L>
<L>And Darling of your own, but kind <HI>Otrantes?</HI></L>
<L>Who crown'd your Love in tho&s;e dear Arms? <HI>Otrantes,</HI></L>
<L>Who but <HI>Otrantes</HI> the Original Founder</L>
<L>Of all your boundle&s;s Joys? Was not the Mother</L>
<L>Of this then unborn <HI>Cleomira,</HI></L>
<L>Now almo&s;t twenty Years, took by my Sword</L>
<L>A Captive in the <HI>Alexandrian</HI> Wars?</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>Perhaps &s;he was.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>And the young <HI>Cleomira,</HI></L>
<L>The Offspring of an unknown Father, then</L>
<L>The Burthen of her Captive Mother's Womb,</L>
<L>When born, in pity by my Hand committed</L>
<L>To the indulgent care of that kind Si&s;ter,</L>
<STAGE><HI>pointing to</HI> Doranthe.</STAGE>
<L>Now the Honourable Wife of this mo&s;t Noble Lord?</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>'Tis true, all this I own.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>And if</L>
<L>The growing Love of this kind, more than Father</L>
<L>Adopted her his own, bred her in all</L>
<L>The Splendor of the mo&s;t exalted Blood,</L>
<L>Adorn'd her gay in all the &s;hining Beams</L>
<L>Of a Court-&s;tar, till &s;he &s;ubdu'd</L>
<L>The great <HI>Hormidas</HI>'s Heart&punc; was't not by me?</L>
<L>And for my &s;ake this generous Lord &mdash;</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleont.</SPEAKER>
<L>Your &s;ake!</L>
<L>Fair and &s;oftly, good Brother-in-law; a little for your &s;ake</L>
<L>I confe&s;s, but a great deal more for her own.</L>
<L>For let me tell you, my Lord,</L>
<STAGE><HI>to</HI> Hormidas.</STAGE>
<PB N="11" REF="10">
<L>She grew the &s;weete&s;t, well-favour'd, and the mo&s;t vertuous</L>
<L>Little Rogue&mdash;</L>
<L>So fair, my Lord, &s;o lovely and &s;o witty,</L>
<L>No Cherubim was ever half &s;o pretty.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>Cou'd not this Merit plead a little for me?</L>
<L>And &s;often your unkindne&s;s to <HI>Otrantes!</HI></L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>'Tis true, thou ha&s;t done all this for <HI>Cleomira;</HI></L>
<L>And yet, (I know not why) I cannot love thee;</L>
<L>A &s;trange aver&s;ion rooted in my Soul</L>
<L>Sets thee the eternal Object of my loathing;</L>
<L>As if &s;ome darting Bla&s;t, &s;ome &s;ecret Poy&s;on</L>
<L>Shot from thy Eyes, and &s;well'd me at the &s;ight.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleom.</SPEAKER>
<L>Alas my Lord! nor can I &s;ee that Face,</L>
<L>But &s;omething ri&s;es in my Blood again&s;t him,</L>
<L>More than again&s;t even my mo&s;t mortal Enemy;</L>
<L>For Enemies my Religion bids me love.</L>
<L>But at his &s;ight, methinks my di&s;turb'd Fancy</L>
<L>Walks Gha&s;tly like a re&s;tle&s;s Gho&s;t, about</L>
<L>Some hidden Trea&s;ure lock't from mortal knowledge.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Doranth.</SPEAKER>
<L>Yes, &s;weet wrong'd Innocence, thy true Princely Veins</L>
<STAGE>a&s;ide.</STAGE>
<L>That, that's the hidden Trea&s;ure that mu&s;t lie</L>
<L>Lock't and &s;eal'd up for ever.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleom.</SPEAKER>
<L>Sure, <HI>Otrantes,</HI></L>
<L>Thou ha&s;t &s;trangely wrong'd me, or th' immortal Goodne&s;s,</L>
<L>The Guardian of my Soul would never &s;uffer</L>
<L>The&s;e aking Thoughts again&s;t thee.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>If he has wrong'd thee</L>
<L>Be't to his own black Con&s;cience&mdash; But becau&s;e</L>
<L>Thou &s;eem&s;t to come &s;uppliant for my favour</L>
<STAGE><HI>to</HI> Otrant.</STAGE>
<L>The Grace thou &s;eek&s;t thou &s;halt obtain; and that</L>
<L>The greate&s;t I can give, which is, to &s;hun</L>
<L>That hated Face, and never &s;ee thee more.</L>
<STAGE><HI>Exeunt</HI> Hormidas, Cleomira.</STAGE>
</SP>
<STAGE><HI>Manet</HI> Otrantes <HI>&s;olus.</HI></STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>Nor thy more hated Face will I e're &s;ee,</L>
<L>Unle&s;s to cover it with greater &s;hame</L>
<L>Than e'er thou heap&s;t on me. I owe thee Ruine;</L>
<L>Yes, Prince, I ow't, nor will I die thy Debtor.</L>
</SP>
<STAGE><HI>Enter</HI> Rugildas.</STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>My hone&s;t Ingineer, the kind <HI>Rugildas!</HI></L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Rug.</SPEAKER>
<L>Yes Sir, your &s;weating Cyclops at the Anvil.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>But, oh my Friend, this unbelieving King;</L>
<L>I am afraid, his cooling Jealou&s;ie</L>
<L>Stands &s;trong again&s;t us, and our great De&s;ign</L>
<L>Has Crags and Rocks to work through.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Rug.</SPEAKER>
<L>Why this Fear?</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>Alas, all's hu&s;h't; the Prince&s;s's Succe&s;&s;ion</L>
<L>I'th' Temple of our Sun proclaim'd to morrow.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Rug.</SPEAKER>
<L>Proclaim'd to Morrow! No, that fatal Morrow</L>
<PB N="12" REF="11">
<L>Our Sun &s;hall never &s;ee. Oh, my <HI>Otrantes,</HI></L>
<L>I have a Plot would rouze thy drooping Vengeance</L>
<L>Even from a Grave. What &s;ay'&s;t thou if that Temple</L>
<L>Its blazing Roof in one bright Conflagration,</L>
<L>Before to Morrows Sun &s;hall lie in A&s;hes.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>Oh this rich Thought!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Rugild.</SPEAKER>
<L>I tell thee, Friend, to night</L>
<L>The Temple of our Sun &s;hall burn by me,</L>
<L>And the whole Chri&s;tian Race bleed for't to morrow.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>This is a Ma&s;ter-&s;troke!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Rug.</SPEAKER>
<L>Yes, my <HI>Otrantes.</HI></L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>I am all Rapture!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Rug.</SPEAKER>
<L>T' increa&s;e your Tran&s;port,</L>
<L>Of all the whole Artillery of Fate;</L>
<L>See here the keene&s;t Shaft. The very Temple</L>
<L>Doom'd to one burning Pile, and great <HI>Hormidas</HI></L>
<L>Him&s;elf the leading Firebrand.</L>
</SP>
<STAGE><HI>giving</HI> Otrantes <HI>a Paper.</HI></STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<STAGE>reads.</STAGE>
<L><HI>My Orders are, That in the &s;ilence and dead of Night you &s;et their Temple on fire; in which be &s;ilent as you prize my favour. Burn but their Temple, and the Kingdom is our own. Forwhich de&s;erving Service expect a &s;uitable Re|ward from</HI> Hormidas.</L>
<L>Excellent Forgery!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Rug.</SPEAKER>
<L>Forgery! No, his own,</L>
<L>His own Hand-writing.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>Gods! his own Hand-writing!</L>
<L>Oh how! when? where? &s;peak, I am lo&s;t in wonder.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Rug.</SPEAKER>
<L>No more that Que&s;tion now: Leave your kind <HI>O Edipus,</HI></L>
<L>T' expound that Riddle at a lei&s;ure hour.</L>
<L>Let it &s;uffice he writ it; and the King</L>
<L>By my own Spectacles &s;hall read it. &mdash; This</L>
<L>Dear Paper by &s;ome dextrous Conveyance,</L>
<L>Lodg'd in the Pocket of their leading Sanctity,</L>
<L>Their bearded Holine&s;s, the Chri&s;tian Bi&s;hop,</L>
<L>And by wi&s;e Conduct &s;eiz'd and found about him,</L>
<L>Like a &s;ly Snake from a kind Furies Head,</L>
<L>Oh think but how 'twill hi&s;s and how 'twill &s;ting!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>Let me embrace thee for this pregnant Mi&s;chief:</L>
<L>The great <HI>Minerva</HI> from the brain of <HI>Jove</HI></L>
<L>Was not a Birth like this.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Rugild.</SPEAKER>
<L>Yes proud <HI>Hormidas,</HI></L>
<L>This for my Brothers Blood I owe thee, murdered</L>
<L>By thy Tyrannick Ju&s;tice, mercile&s;s Judge;</L>
<L>His Gibbet and my &s;hame, owe thee this payment.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>Now dear Revenge, the glittering Ore behold,</L>
<L>For through this Mine we dig to Veins of Gold.</L>
</SP>
<TRAILER>Finis Actus Primi.</TRAILER>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 N="2" TYPE="act">
<PB N="13" REF="11">
<HEAD>ACT. II.</HEAD>
<STAGE><HI>Enter</HI> Otrantes <HI>and</HI> Rugildas.</STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>'TIS done, 'tis done! &s;ee that dear heap of Ruines.</L>
<L>Oh Divine Vengeance! To ignobler Deities</L>
<L>Let humbler Zealots common Victims burn,</L>
<L>Temples them&s;elves are thy more &s;hining Sacrifice.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Rug.</SPEAKER>
<L>Nay, for the glorious Con&s;ummation of</L>
<L>Our pro&s;perous De&s;ign, the very Chri&s;tians,</L>
<L>By an officious Zeal to quench the Fire,</L>
<L>Thru&s;t their own Necks into the fatal Toyl;</L>
<L>Even their own Innocence, by our manag'd Clamours,</L>
<L>Transform'd into the very Guilt that damns 'em.</L>
<L>But &s;ee the King.</L>
</SP>
<STAGE><HI>Enter</HI> King, Orundana, <HI>two of the</HI> Magi, <HI>Guards, &amp;c.</HI></STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>Yes, my <HI>Rugildas,</HI></L>
<L>He comes, and with that Lightning in his Eyes,</L>
<L>So hot the raging Fever of his Blood,</L>
<L>As if the very Brand that burnt his Temple</L>
<L>Had made a Tran&s;migration, and his Soul</L>
<L>Was animated by that only Fire.</L>
</SP>
<STAGE><HI>Enter King,</HI> &amp;c.</STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>Sulphur and Hell! My Royal Temple burnt,</L>
<L>And the accur&s;ed Chri&s;tian Brood the Firebrands!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>1 Mag.</SPEAKER>
<L>Yes, Sacred Sir, our Waking God of Day</L>
<L>Reins his hot Steeds, and mounts his morning Chariot,</L>
<L>To &s;ee that Sacrilegious Ma&s;s of Villany,</L>
<L>The dire Remains of that black Night of Trea&s;on,</L>
<L>That his long Race from the created World</L>
<L>Ne're drove a Round more frightful.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>2 Mag.</SPEAKER>
<L>Oh Dread Sir,</L>
<L>If ever Trea&s;on wore a Gorgons Face,</L>
<L>Who&s;e very &s;ight would kill, turn, turn your Eyes</L>
<L><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter">rom yon Amazing Heap.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>Sound on, &s;ound on,</L>
<STAGE><HI>a&s;ide to the</HI> Magi.</STAGE>
<L>My kind Church Trumpeters, rouze him to Blood.</L>
<L>Mi&s;chief &s;trikes &s;ure, where bellowing Zeal's the Alarum-Bell.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>Oh kind <HI>Otrantes,</HI> could&s;t thou have believed</L>
<L>That the warm Snakes nur&s;t in my very Bo&s;om</L>
<L>Should &s;ting like the&s;e ungrateful Chri&s;tian Infidels!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>Alas! th' amazing Story &s;ounds &s;o di&s;mal,</L>
<L>As even my frighted Rea&s;on trembles at it.</L>
<L>Such a Return for all your Royal Favours!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>My Royal Favours! Yes, they have requited them</L>
<L>Oh, I have rais'd a Race of &s;uch Barbarians&punc;</L>
<PB N="14" REF="12">
<L>Not <HI>Egypt</HI>'s &s;miling Sun on <HI>Nilus</HI> fertile Slime</L>
<L>Er'e hatcht &s;o black and &s;o deform'd a Brood.</L>
</SP>
<STAGE><HI>Enter third</HI> Magus <HI>with the Chri&s;tian Bi&s;hop &s;eiz'd.</HI></STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>3 Mag.</SPEAKER>
<L>To all this horrid Scene of Chri&s;tian Outrage,</L>
<L>See here their leading Engin of Perdition!</L>
<L>And Sir, to track the poy&s;onous Fountain Head,</L>
<L>Read that dire, Scrowl &s;eiz'd in his Pocket,</L>
<L>To find the very Dam, the brooding Cockatrice</L>
<L>To the whole ne&s;t of Mon&s;ters; read that Paper.</L>
</SP>
<STAGE>Gives a Paper.</STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<STAGE>Reads.</STAGE>
<L><HI>Burn the Temple and the Kingdom is our own; for which de&s;erving Service expect a &s;uitable Reward from</HI> Hormidas.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Orund.</SPEAKER>
<L><HI>Hormidas!</HI></L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>Yes, My <HI>Orundana:</HI> Hell</L>
<L>Here opes its Cabinet; and wild Ambition,</L>
<L>Drawn to th' full life, &s;tands blazon'd in its whole</L>
<L>Infernal Colours.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Bi&s;hop.</SPEAKER>
<L>Oh, &s;acred Sir! if e're your Royal Ju&s;tice</L>
<L>Would lend a pitying Ear to wounded Innocence &mdash;</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>Innocence! No doubt! See here a hopeful &s;ample on't.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Bi&s;hop.</SPEAKER>
<L>No Sir, that lying Paper's all lewd Fiction,</L>
<L>Cheat, rank Impo&s;ture; and my righteous Soul</L>
<L>More fill'd with wonder than your own with Horror,</L>
<L>Knows nought of that fal&s;e Scrowl. How writ, how &s;eiz'd,</L>
<L>How lodg'd about me, all a My&s;tery</L>
<L>As dark &mdash;</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>Yes, Reverend Impudence, as dark</L>
<L>As the black Soul oth' Traytor that receiv'd it,</L>
<L>And blacker Devil that &s;ent it.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Rug.</SPEAKER>
<L>Now it works.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Bi&s;hop.</SPEAKER>
<L>Oh, hear me, Sir &mdash;</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Orund.</SPEAKER>
<L>Do; Hear the croaking Raven</L>
<L>Stretch his fal&s;e Throat, and &s;train his treacherous Lungs</L>
<L>To tune his warbling Notes to Truth and Innocence.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>1 Mag.</SPEAKER>
<L>I Sir, &s;uch Innocence,</L>
<L>Such Truth, as &s;tarting Fiends would blu&s;h at; one</L>
<L>Of his Commi&s;&s;ion'd Imps i'th' very Fact</L>
<L>I &s;eiz'd, and threatning him with Wracks and Tortures,</L>
<L>The trembling Wretch turn'd pale, and in the Fright</L>
<L>Confe&s;t the Guilt: Told me his Prince and Bi&s;hop</L>
<L>Ordered this burning Pile.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Bi&s;hop.</SPEAKER>
<L>I order'd it!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>1 Mag.</SPEAKER>
<L>Yes, Thou: So &s;aid the Slave; and what he acted,</L>
<L>Was but Obedience to divine Command.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>Divine Commands! Ye Oracles of Darkne&s;s!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>1 Mag.</SPEAKER>
<L>And Sir, as I was bringing him before you</L>
<PB N="15" REF="12">
<L>I' extort the whole Con&s;piracy, the Villain</L>
<L>Toucht with a &s;en&s;e of his uncover'd &s;hame,</L>
<L>His babling fear that had &s;o prodigally</L>
<L>Unlockt the hideous Plot, drew forth a Dagger</L>
<L>Unmatcht, and &s;truck it to his own fal&s;e Heart.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Bi&s;hop.</SPEAKER>
<L>What dares not Fal&s;hood breath!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Orund.</SPEAKER>
<L>Now, where's the Chri&s;tian Innocence?</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>Where? Daughter!</L>
<L>Where it &s;hall groan in Blood, My <HI>Orundana.</HI></L>
<L>Oh thou &s;halt &s;ee me knot tho&s;e Whips of Vengeance!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Rug.</SPEAKER>
<L>But, Father, Was there really that Chri&s;tian</L>
<L>Confe&s;t the burning of the Temple? Gods!</L>
<STAGE><HI>A&s;ide to the</HI> Mag.</STAGE>
<L>Can there be Truth &mdash;</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>1 Mag.</SPEAKER>
<L>Truth Fool! Is't not enough</L>
<L>The Reputation of my holy Robe</L>
<L>Delivers it for Truth?</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Rug.</SPEAKER>
<L>Thou art i'th' right o'nt,</L>
<L>This Reverend Rogue out&s;hoots my Bolt of Villany.</L>
</SP>
<STAGE>A&s;ide.</STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Bi&s;hop.</SPEAKER>
<L>Oh Royal Sir! Take heed to what &s;trange Precipice</L>
<L>This wicked Spirit of Delu&s;ion, the&s;e</L>
<L>Mi&s;leading Meteors guide your wandring Faith;</L>
<L>That I am true, the whole bright Ho&s;t of Heaven,</L>
<L>Immortal Truth it &s;elf can witne&s;s for me.</L>
<L>But oh! What dare not the &s;eer'd Con&s;ciences</L>
<L>Of harden'd Fal&s;hood &s;peak, when their great Prompter,</L>
<L>The Father of all Lies, has &s;teel'd their Foreheads!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>No; Thou fair painted Saint! What is't the bold</L>
<L>Black Hands of Rampant Zeal dare not commit,</L>
<L>When an Enthu&s;ia&s;tick Altar-Coal</L>
<L>Lights the Infernal Brand? But I am too patient.</L>
<L>But ha&s;te, take hence the Mi&s;&s;ioner of Hell</L>
<L>And hang him on a Gibbet.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Orund.</SPEAKER>
<L>Godlike Monarch!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>Yet &s;tay; one word of Comfort e're thou dye&s;t;</L>
<L>With thy de&s;cending Soul this plea&s;ure bear;</L>
<L>Thou &s;halt not walk the burning Plains alone,</L>
<L>A wandring unattended Gho&s;t; I'll &s;end thee</L>
<L>A thou&s;and and a thou&s;and bleeding Followers.</L>
<L>I tell thee, Prie&s;t, in all the Chri&s;tian Blood</L>
<L>That the renown'd immortal <HI>Nero</HI> &s;hed,</L>
<L>His poorer <HI>Roman</HI> Sacrifices &s;hall be</L>
<L>But Scars to the more gaping <HI>Per&s;ian</HI> Wounds.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Bi&s;hop.</SPEAKER>
<L>And let me tell thee King, in all the&s;e Wounds,</L>
<L>Thou &s;halt not hear a Groan. Oh thou &s;halt view</L>
<L>The beauteous Face of Martyrdom &s;o lovely,</L>
<L>With all tho&s;e Bridal Smiles upon her Cheek,</L>
<PB N="16" REF="13">
<L>Led to a Stake like Virgins to a Temple:</L>
<L>And in thy hotte&s;t per&s;ecuting Fires,</L>
<L>When thou &s;halt &s;ee our Earthly Dro&s;s fall from us,</L>
<L>Our Rags of Fle&s;h un&s;tript for Robes of Glory,</L>
<L>Oh thou &s;halt hear our cheerful dying Notes</L>
<L>Tun'd to Angelick Quires, Cele&s;tial Harmony,</L>
<L>Whil&s;t each rich Drop from our exhau&s;ted Veins</L>
<L>Shall &s;hine that Ruby in our Starry Coronets,</L>
<L>As di&s;tant Eyes &s;o dazled &s;hall behold,</L>
<L>Till every Chri&s;tian Grave, &s;hall Nur&s;e tho&s;e Roots</L>
<L>Who&s;e Branches &s;hall or'e-&s;pread the Convert World.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>I'le hear no more, To Death with the vain Babbler.</L>
</SP>
<STAGE><HI>Exeunt</HI> Bi&s;hop <HI>and a Party of the Guards attending.</HI></STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Orund.</SPEAKER>
<L>In this bright Ju&s;tice, Sir, you look &s;o awful;</L>
<L>My Duty will grow up into Religion,</L>
<L>Mi&s;take the Father and adore the God.</L>
</SP>
<STAGE><HI>Enter</HI> Hormidas.</STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>Oh this black Night! What angry Providence</L>
<L>Has loo&s;ed the raging Demons, to uncalm</L>
<L>The Royal Brow with this mad Scene of Mi&s;chief?</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>And does <HI>Hormidas</HI> come a kind Condoler</L>
<L>Of his afflicted King?</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm:</SPEAKER>
<L>Yes, Royal Sir;</L>
<L>I know this Night's &s;ad accident di&s;turbs</L>
<L>Your Sacred Re&s;t; and my each Loyal Heart&s;tring</L>
<L>Toucht with a feeling pang has brought me hither</L>
<L>A duteous Mourner.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>Does <HI>Hormidas</HI> mourn?</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>Mourn! My mo&s;t honour'd Lord, when the rough Bla&s;t</L>
<L>Can tempe&s;t-to&s;s the Mighty Sovereign Ve&s;&s;el,</L>
<L>The humbler Barks mu&s;t drown: The Storm that &s;hakes</L>
<L>Your Peace mu&s;t &s;hipwrack mine.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>Yes, Mourning Crocadile,</L>
<L>I &s;ee a trickling Brine from tho&s;e fal&s;e Eyes</L>
<L>To weep where thou ha&s;t betrayed. Seize, &s;eize the Traytor.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>A Traytor is a Name &mdash; &mdash;</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>Too humble for you.</L>
<L>And in &s;o narrow, and &s;o poor a Title</L>
<L>Perhaps, Gigantick Fiend, I have under dignified</L>
<L>Your more exalted Villany.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>Oh Horror!</L>
<L>What founds are the&s;e?</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>Strange ones, no doubt, &s;uch as</L>
<L>Your &s;imple Chri&s;tian Innocence knows nothing of,</L>
<L>But for your Comfort, one of your rank Saints</L>
<L>Already I have rewarded; your Church-Tool,</L>
<L>Your bearded Fire-ball, that Religious Compound</L>
<PB N="17" REF="13">
<L>Of Sanctity and Sulphur, Zeal and Firebrand;</L>
<L>I thank my watchful Stars, I have di&s;patcht that Mon&s;ter.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>Oh what has your mi&s;taken Fury done?</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>Done, Mi&s;creant! Only hang'd him on a Gibbet</L>
<L>To preach to Crows and Ravens.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>Oh Barbarity!</L>
<L>That Reverend Piety, that unblemi&s;ht Virtue,</L>
<L>Cloath'd with &s;uch hideous Infamy!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>How, In&s;olence!</L>
<L>Weepe&s;t thou his Fate, and &s;hake&s;t not at thy own!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Hormid.</SPEAKER>
<L>Shake! Let the trembling Criminal Con&s;cience &s;hake!</L>
<L>I know no Guilt, and therefore feel no Fear.</L>
<L>But in that Venerable Holy Man</L>
<L>You have murder'd that poor martyr'd Innocence&mdash;</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>Murder'd! Bold Slave; yes, you are both &s;uch Innocents:</L>
<L>But to tear off the Scales from your fal&s;e Eyelids,</L>
<L>T' unblind your wilful Ignorance; read there</L>
<STAGE>giving him the Paper.</STAGE>
<L>My ob&s;tinate Infidel. And now,</L>
<L>If through that thick impenetrable Front</L>
<L>'Tis po&s;&s;ible to blu&s;h &mdash;</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>Blu&s;h Sir!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>Blu&s;h Traytor?</L>
<L>Yes blu&s;h, if all you guilty flaming Pile</L>
<L>Can warm your glowing Cheeks.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>And is this Paper</L>
<L>Produc'd again&s;t me for the burning of</L>
<L>That Temple?</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>Does that Forehead ask that Que&s;tion!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>Oh Sir! To what a Labyrinth of Confu&s;ion</L>
<L>Has &s;ome accur&s;ed plotting Villany</L>
<L>Mi&s;led your abus'd Ear! That very Paper</L>
<L>I writ four years ago, your General</L>
<L>In the <HI>Chaldean</HI> Wars, when for your &s;ake</L>
<L>By a Martial Stratagem I burnt their Temple</L>
<L>Of <HI>Jupiter,</HI> and won their Kingdom by't.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Orund.</SPEAKER>
<L>Oh nimble witted Saint!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Rugild.</SPEAKER>
<L>Of his own Canonizing.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>Burnt! Yes, I own that the <HI>Chaldean</HI> Temple</L>
<L>Of <HI>Jupiter</HI> was burnt, but not by thee.</L>
<L>Do not their own &s;till mourning Prie&s;ts record it,</L>
<L>Burnt by a Lightning Fla&s;h from their own angry God!</L>
<L>Has not the univer&s;al Voice of Fame</L>
<L>Confirm'd it &s;uch, and the whole World rung loud on't?</L>
<L>And dar&s;t thou &s;ay that thou &mdash;</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>Yes, that I burnt it,</L>
<L>Burnt for your &s;ake. My Army with di&s;ea&s;es</L>
<L>Half lo&s;t, my Foes too &s;trong, my Fortune hazardous,</L>
<PB N="18" REF="14">
<L>To &s;ave your Glory, Sir, I us'd this Stratagem:</L>
<L>Knowing that the <HI>Chaldaean</HI> Super&s;tition</L>
<L>Had founded all their Hope, their Tru&s;t, their Strength</L>
<L>Upon that Temple; their whole Confidence</L>
<L>Lodg'd in their painted Shrine, and moulten God,</L>
<L>I cho&s;e two tru&s;ty Hands by this Commi&s;&s;ion</L>
<L>To burn their Temple. They obey'd and burnt it;</L>
<L>Whil&s;t the <HI>Chaldaean</HI> Army's drooping Hearts</L>
<L>Lo&s;t at that mortal Shock, I won their Kingdom.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>If for my &s;ake this burning Feat was done,</L>
<L>Pray tell me (for it's wond'rous worth my knowledge)</L>
<L>Was there a Service of no le&s;s importance,</L>
<L>Than winning me a Crown, and I not worthy</L>
<L>To know the glorious Stratagem that gave it me</L>
<L>But this Romantick Service mu&s;t lie dormient</L>
<L>For four long &s;leeping years.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Hormid.</SPEAKER>
<L>Alas! That only Truth I dur&s;t not tell you.</L>
<L>For tho my own Religion wou'd permit me</L>
<L>To burn a Temple,</L>
<L>To win my King a Crown: I knew the &s;ecret,</L>
<L>Tho' with the purcha&s;e of a Diadem,</L>
<L>To your offended Zeal wou'd &s;ound too impious;</L>
<L>And therefore with no le&s;s than fifty Talents</L>
<L>I brib'd my very In&s;trument, to &s;ilence:</L>
<L>And pu&s;ht this Popular Fame around the World,</L>
<L>That it was burnt by Lightning, to conceal</L>
<L>A Truth too dangerous for your Royal Ear.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>A Truth! No doubt a mo&s;t &s;tupendious one.</L>
<L>This very Paper (mark him) to &s;um up</L>
<L>This great miraculous Truth, writ four years &s;ince,</L>
<L>A Military Order, found this Morning</L>
<L>I'th' Pocket of a Prie&s;t: Yes, found this Morning,</L>
<L>My Temple burning, and the guilty Chri&s;tians</L>
<L>Caught in the Fact.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Hormid.</SPEAKER>
<L>All a fal&s;e treacherous &s;nare for your delu&s;ion</L>
<L>And my undoing. But kind Heav'n I thank thee,</L>
<L>One of the very In&s;truments, that both</L>
<L>Receiv'd and executed that Commi&s;&s;ion,</L>
<L>Stands here before you. Now I'll make Truth &s;hine</L>
<L>Bright as a Morning Star. Speak kind <HI>Rugildas,</HI></L>
<L>Say, was not the <HI>Chaldaean</HI> Temple burnt</L>
<L>By this Commi&s;&s;ion and thy Hand?</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Rug.</SPEAKER>
<L>By mine!</L>
<L>I light th' unhallow'd Brand to burn a Temple!</L>
<L>Oh Execrable! I, I burn a Temple!</L>
<L>Not for a Thou&s;and Worlds.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Hormid.</SPEAKER>
<L>How's this! <HI>Rugildas!</HI></L>
<PB N="19" REF="14">
<L>Perhaps thy jealous Fear t' offend a King</L>
<L>Seals up thy &s;ilence, and thou dar&s;t not owne</L>
<L>Thou burn&s;t a Temple. No, let not that fright thee.</L>
<L>Alas! the King's too generous &mdash;</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>Yes, <HI>Rugildas.</HI></L>
<L>If thou ha&s;t ought within thy knowledg, utter it;</L>
<L>Speak Truth, tho' ne'r &s;o black; &s;peak it, and meet</L>
<L>My Favour not my Frown.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>Oh &s;peak! <HI>Rugildas.</HI></L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Rug.</SPEAKER>
<L>Sir, wou'd you have me &s;ay, I burnt that Temple?</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>I'd have thee &s;ay what thy Soul knows thou ought&s;t to &s;ay.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Rug.</SPEAKER>
<L>Alas! dear Prince, &s;o much I honour you,</L>
<L>That with my Blood, my Life, I'd freely &s;erve you!</L>
<L>But with a Lye I dare not. Own I burnt</L>
<L>A Shrine of the Immortal Gods. My Hand</L>
<L>Commit that Impious, that Outragious Sacriledge!</L>
<L>Alas! I tremble at the very name on't.</L>
</SP>
<STAGE><HI>Enter</HI> Theodo&s;ius.</STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>Oh, thou vile Wretch!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>Now, wher's your &s;hining Truth, your Morning Star!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>By Earth for&s;aken, and by Man betray'd!</L>
<L>Yet Heav'n, Heav'n knows my Soul; there my recorded</L>
<L>Innocence &mdash; Oh for &s;ome generous pitying Power,</L>
<L>Some kind atte&s;ting Angel &mdash;</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>Atte&s;ting Angels!</L>
<L>Yes Fiend, &s;uch Angels as thy &s;elf, the black</L>
<L>Infernal Crew, who, for their uplift Hands</L>
<L>Again&s;t their Sovereign omnipotent Head,</L>
<L>Fell headlong, hurl'd into the &s;moaking Lake,</L>
<L>And burnt and groan'd as thou &s;halt &mdash; &s;uch, &s;uch Angels</L>
<L>May be thy pleading Advocates.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Theod.</SPEAKER>
<L>Oh, Sir!</L>
<L>Take heed how you condemn the brave <HI>Hormidas:</HI></L>
<L>His Loyal Faith and Noble Vertue &mdash; &mdash;</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>Vertue!</L>
<L>Thou art too young, &s;weet Prince, to &s;ound the Depths</L>
<L>Of Trea&s;on.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Theod.</SPEAKER>
<L>I dare pawn my Birth-right for him,</L>
<L>He's hone&s;t.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>No, kind Prince, pledge not thy Glory</L>
<L>On a Security &s;o weak.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Theod.</SPEAKER>
<L>Alas! Sir,</L>
<L>The very Principles of his Religion</L>
<L>Forbid &s;o dire a Thought.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>In &s;uch black Trea&s;on,</L>
<L>Religion's but a mask, an out&s;ide Varni&s;h</L>
<L>To the rank Bra&s;s within.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<PB N="20" REF="15">
<SPEAKER>Theod.</SPEAKER>
<L>But Royal Sir!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>I tell thee, Prince, his Doom's irrevocable,</L>
<L>His too notorious Guilt has light my hotte&s;t</L>
<L>Vengeance, and thou plead'&s;t in vain.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>If you've decreed my Death&mdash;</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>Death! No, I know</L>
<L>That thou dar'&s;t dye. Death's but the pain of Cowards.</L>
<L>Death for thy puni&s;hment! That puny <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter">o<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter">ment!</L>
<L>No; Thou &s;halt live; wear a long Life, proud Traytor,</L>
<L>To bear a la&s;ting weightyer Load of Vengeance.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>A lingring Life, my long, long Execution!</L>
<L>Yes, angry King, heap up your wrathful Coais</L>
<L>Till they outpile proud <HI>Aetna</HI>'s &s;moaking Furnace;</L>
<L>And thou &s;halt &s;ee my &s;uffering Truth undaunted</L>
<L>Walk o're the Mountain <HI>Ordeal.</HI></L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>Slaves, away with him:</L>
<L>So preacht th' old canting Fool before him:</L>
<STAGE><HI>Exit</HI> Hormidas <HI>guarded.</HI></STAGE>
<L>Drive on bright Charioteer; nor &s;hine le&s;s kind!</L>
<L>For tho' in heaps thy ruin'd Temple lies,</L>
<L>Thy Altar's lo&s;t, I'le find thee Sacrifice.</L>
<STAGE><HI>Exeunt</HI> King, Magi, <HI>Attendants,</HI> &amp;c.</STAGE>
</SP>
<STAGE><HI>Manent &s;oli</HI> Theodo&s;ius <HI>and</HI> Orundana.</STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Theod.</SPEAKER>
<L>Stay, &s;tay, bright Excellence.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Orund.</SPEAKER>
<L>Young Prince!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Theod.</SPEAKER>
<L>Ah Madam!</L>
<L>If Mercy's an Inhabitant of Earth,</L>
<L>Sure with the Fair it dwells, the &s;ofte&s;t Attribute</L>
<L>Lodg'd in the &s;weete&s;t tendere&s;t Divinity.</L>
<L>And if all other deaf relentle&s;s Ears</L>
<L>Are bar'd to the unpityed poor <HI>Hormidas,</HI></L>
<L>May I not hope the gentler <HI>Orundana</HI> &mdash;&mdash;</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Orund.</SPEAKER>
<L>Plead'&s;t thou for Mercy to <HI>Hormidas?</HI> Mercy</L>
<L>To the Ambition of that proud A&s;pirer!</L>
<L>I tell thee, Prince, the headlong <HI>Phaeton</HI></L>
<L>Fell not &s;o low, as &s;hall that tumbling Traytor.</L>
<L>His burning World pull'd not that Vengeance down</L>
<L>As &s;hall my burning Temple.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Theod.</SPEAKER>
<L>Beauteous Cruelty!</L>
<L>What do I hear! And oh what do I feel!</L>
<L>Guard, guard my Heart.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Orund.</SPEAKER>
<L>Yes, my unkinder Stars,</L>
<L>Ye dur&s;t &s;et up that Rival of my Glory.</L>
<L>But if I er'e forgive him; or in &s;pight of you</L>
<L>Pu&s;h him not, Gods, to everla&s;ting Ruine;</L>
<L>Load me with all the Plagues my Sex er'e bore,</L>
<L>Or what's wor&s;e, all the Plagues my Sex er'e hatcht&punc;</L>
<L>'Tis true, for what I &s;tand indebted, Heav'n,</L>
<PB N="21" REF="15">
<L>You have my thanks; that I was born t' a Crown,</L>
<L>Gods, is your Work, to wear it is my own.</L>
</SP>
<STAGE>Exit.</STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Theod.</SPEAKER>
<L>Oh poor <HI>Hormidas!</HI> I came here to cour<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter"></L>
<L>Pity for thee, and want it for my &s;elf.</L>
<L>Thy beauteous Murdere&s;s &s;o frowns, &s;o dooms</L>
<L>And kills with &s;uch a Grace, that lovely Tyrant,</L>
<L>That whil&s;t I tremble at the Thunder, I</L>
<L>Adore the Thunderer. But fair De&s;troyer!</L>
<L>Oh, if the random Shot dart from thy Eye</L>
<L>So &s;ure; How mu&s;t thy levell'd Lightning fly!</L>
</SP>
<TRAILER>Finis Actus Secundi.</TRAILER>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 N="3" TYPE="act">
<HEAD>ACT. III.</HEAD>
<STAGE><HI>Enter</HI> Otrantes <HI>as General,</HI> Magi, <HI>Guards, and Attendants&punc;</HI></STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>HIS Army, Titles, Fortunes, Honours, all</L>
<L>His rifled Plumes my own! Beyond my Flight</L>
<L>No Glory ever &s;oar'd.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>1 Mag.</SPEAKER>
<L>Yes, Princely Darling,</L>
<L>Thou great <HI>Hormidas,</HI> Greater Succe&s;&s;or,</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>2 Mag.</SPEAKER>
<L>Greate&s;t of all, thou our wrong'd Altar's Champion&punc; All hail!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>Yes, holy Fiends! in your next Emba&s;&s;y</L>
<L>To Heav'n, your next kind Prayers and kinder Sacrifice,</L>
<L>Tell the once wrong'd, now righted Powers of <HI>Per&s;ia;</HI></L>
<L>I mount upon their Chri&s;tian Enemies Heads.</L>
<L>Witne&s;s their opning Veins and &s;treaming Blood,</L>
<L>That now bedews the &s;prinkled <HI>Per&s;ian</HI> World.</L>
<STAGE><HI>Enter</HI> Rugildas.</STAGE>
<L>My dear <HI>Rugildas,</HI></L>
<L>Come to my Arms; my Gratitude's too narrow,</L>
<L>And Soul wants room to hold thee.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Rug.</SPEAKER>
<L>Oh <HI>Otrantes!</HI></L>
<L>Now Fortune crowns the day. The great <HI>Hormidas</HI></L>
<L>Who&s;e formidable rowling Bulk of Power</L>
<L>Once fill'd the Deep and &s;well'd the foaming Surge,</L>
<L>How have we hunted down. Oh! We have driven him</L>
<L>Pent in a Creek, and &s;tranded the Leviathan;</L>
<L>Whil&s;t thou with all thy taller weight above him</L>
<L>Mount'&s;t on his Head, and tread'&s;t him into du&s;t.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>The <HI>We&s;tern</HI> Prince &mdash; that Fool comes to preach Con&s;cience,</L>
<PB N="22" REF="16">
<L>A &s;ubject not at pre&s;ent for my purpo&s;e.</L>
<L>Let me avoid him, and retire t' embrace thee.</L>
<STAGE>Exeunt.</STAGE>
</SP>
<STAGE><HI>Enter</HI> Theodo&s;ius <HI>and</HI> Nearchus.</STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Theod.</SPEAKER>
<L>Thou black U&s;urper! (Oh the lo&s;t <HI>Hormidas&punc;</HI>)</L>
<L>Yes, thou ha&s;t it now: an angry Storm &s;hoots down</L>
<L>The Royal Eagle, and a wanton Humour</L>
<L>Perches a &s;ooty Raven in his Ne&s;t.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Nearch.</SPEAKER>
<L>A &s;ooty one indeed!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Theod.</SPEAKER>
<L>But if a Prince mu&s;t fall;</L>
<L>Birth-right, Inheritance and Royal Veins,</L>
<L>All glittering Titles, mighty Names; but all</L>
<L>Too weak to grapple Fate: Yet, why <HI>Otrantes?</HI></L>
<L>Oh! why mi&s;taken King! &s;uch low-born Veins</L>
<L>Cho&s;e the &s;elected Minion to &s;ucceed</L>
<L>The great <HI>Hormidas!</HI> Dre&s;t in all his Honours,</L>
<L>And in his Po&s;t of Tru&s;t and Glory, rais'd</L>
<L>No le&s;s than the fir&s;t Pillar of the State,</L>
<L>And the fir&s;t Prince o'th' Empire! A &s;trange Leap!</L>
<L>What Merit cou'd'&s;t thou find in &s;uch cour&s;e Blood</L>
<L>To mount Him?</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Nearch.</SPEAKER>
<L>Merit! None.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Theod.</SPEAKER>
<L>What Kindne&s;s then?</L>
<L>What unaccountable &s;trange Favour &s;mil'd</L>
<L>On that mean Wretch?</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Nearch.</SPEAKER>
<L>Favour! None neither&punc;</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Theod.</SPEAKER>
<L>None!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Nearch.</SPEAKER>
<L>Neither De&s;ert nor Love, but Spight preferr'd him</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Theod.</SPEAKER>
<L>Spight!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Nearch.</SPEAKER>
<L>Down right Spight, pure natural Gall,&punc; meer Malice Advanced this humble Tool.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Theod.</SPEAKER>
<L>'Tis &s;trange!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Nearch.</SPEAKER>
<L>Alas!</L>
<L>He knew that only Villain of the Worl</L>
<L>The very Slave <HI>Hormidas</HI> hated mo&s;t.</L>
<L>And therefore all his di&s;robed Plumes torn from him;</L>
<L>For the mo&s;t &s;en&s;ible la&s;t Stab, On whom</L>
<L>Cou'd the Kings artful Spight be&s;tow the Spoils</L>
<L>But on this mo&s;t loath'd Slave, his mortall'&s;t Enemy?</L>
<L>Not giv'n him as his Worth and Vertues due,</L>
<L>Nor Patrons Favour; not that kind Donation;</L>
<L>But lodg'd like Scorpions in a Furies Hand,</L>
<L>For that poor per&s;ecuted Princes Torturers.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Theod.</SPEAKER>
<L>Oh &s;tudied Tyranny!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Nearch.</SPEAKER>
<L>This is not half, Sir,</L>
<L>Th' in&s;atiate Gorge of Vengeance yet unglutted,</L>
<L>&punc;Tis not enough he's &s;tript, &s;tript barer than</L>
<L>The poore&s;t Vagrant Wretch, born to load Earth,</L>
<PB N="23" REF="16">
<L>And tire out Heav'n; but ev'n that wretched Mi&s;ery</L>
<L>Mu&s;t &s;tand the bla&s;t of univer&s;al Shame;</L>
<L>Placed in a Po&s;t &s;o vile, doom'd ev'n to water</L>
<L>The very Camels of the Army; once</L>
<L>Their General, Lord of Lords, now Slave of Slaves,</L>
<L>A Va&s;&s;al to the meane&s;t Va&s;&s;al there.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Theod.</SPEAKER>
<L>Oh King! if this be Pow'r,</L>
<L>Crowns hide your tarni&s;ht Jems, and &s;hine no more.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Nearch.</SPEAKER>
<L>Oh! had you &s;een him, Sir, as I have done;</L>
<L>Naked to th' Wa&s;te, his galling Feet all bare;</L>
<L>His tender Fle&s;h parcht with the &s;corching Sun</L>
<L>And Dog-&s;tar bla&s;t; a little humble Drudge,</L>
<L>Driving a happier Brutal Herd before him,</L>
<L>Wearied and tired, a thou&s;and Eyes around him:</L>
<STAGE><HI>Enter</HI> Hormidas, <HI>in a Slavelike Habit.</HI></STAGE>
<L>But look, &s;eet here!</L>
<L>Bla&s;t your own Eyes, &s;ee there the &s;mall Remains</L>
<L>Of that prodigious Man!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Theod.</SPEAKER>
<L>Thou Royal Ruines!</L>
<L>Oh thou poor wrong'd <HI>Hormidas!</HI></L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>Poor! ah no:</L>
<L>I'am rich, richer than <HI>Indian</HI> Mines, more rich</L>
<L>Than all the Wealth of Empire. The kind King</L>
<L>Has left me Vertue, Patience, Innocence,</L>
<L>Obedience, and fair &s;potle&s;s Truth, young Prince,</L>
<L>Trea&s;ures above the fading Jems of Crowns;</L>
<L>Which not the frowning World can e're take from me.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Theod.</SPEAKER>
<L>No, The ungrateful World has took too much.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>Too much! Alas, No more than I had to &s;pare:</L>
<L>The welcome Thief came to an open door,</L>
<L>And took but what was giv'n me all to lo&s;e;</L>
<L>Had he but took my Life too, t' had been kind.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Theod.</SPEAKER>
<L>Thy Life, my dear <HI>Hormidas!</HI></L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>Yes, my Life.</L>
<L>Do&s;t thou not &s;ee the Chri&s;tian Veins around me</L>
<L>All flowing, and are mine too cour&s;e to bleed?</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Theod.</SPEAKER>
<L>The Chri&s;tian Veins that Spectacle of Horror!</L>
<L>Yes, Oh that frightful Gore!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>That &s;treaming Glory.</L>
<L>When Truth and Vertue bleed, Oh the rich Martyr,</L>
<L>Dre&s;t in his noble&s;t Royalty, <HI>Innocence,</HI></L>
<L>That pure white Ermin to his Royal Purple!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Theod.</SPEAKER>
<L>But, oh, unhappy Prince, if thine be Royalty,</L>
<L>It is a &s;ad one!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>No, mi&s;taken World,</L>
<L>The brighte&s;t Heav'n can give; the&s;e gloomy Rags,</L>
<PB N="24" REF="17">
<L>My Coronation Robe t' a Crown of Stars.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Theod.</SPEAKER>
<L>But in &s;uch va&s;t accumulated wrongs</L>
<L>Thy Mi&s;eries and thy Shame, hard fated Prince,</L>
<L>With Sen&s;e and Rea&s;on, Thought and Man about thee,</L>
<L>Oh how can thy re&s;enting Soul &s;upport</L>
<L>A Load of &s;o much barbarous Inju&s;tice!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>Support it Sir, Alas! My King commands it. Th'awful</L>
<L>Divinity of a crown'd Head frowns on me;</L>
<L>And I mu&s;t bear the undi&s;puted Thunder.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Theod.</SPEAKER>
<L>Match me this Vertue, Worlds: thou poor Creation,</L>
<L>Where has &s;uch Worth a &s;econd!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Nearch.</SPEAKER>
<L>Oh, lo&s;t Prince!</L>
<L>How can&s;t thou live beneath a weight &s;o cruel?</L>
<L>Methinks &s;uch Sufferings, &s;uch falling Greatne&s;s</L>
<L>Shou'd &s;trike &s;o heavy, that were thine my Pain,</L>
<L>To break my Tyrant Yoke 'twou'd nobly wake</L>
<L>My own delivering Hand.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>A <HI>Roman</HI> Hand!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Nearch.</SPEAKER>
<L>Yes, my own Hand, like the old <HI>Roman</HI> Glory</L>
<L>Shou'd &s;hake my Shackles off, mount my free'd Soul,</L>
<L>And lull me &s;leeping in the Peace of Graves.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>True, my kind Coun&s;ellor, were I le&s;s a Chri&s;tian</L>
<L>I &s;hould be more than Roman. Nor &s;hould that</L>
<L>Unpuni&s;ht Ravi&s;her of all my Honours,</L>
<L><HI>Otrantes,</HI> that u&s;urping perjur'd Mi&s;creant &mdash; &mdash;</L>
<L>Yes, thou &s;hould&s;t &s;ee me naked, as I am,</L>
<L>Arm'd with my Wrongs, break through a thou&s;and Javelins,</L>
<L>Up to that guarded Mon&s;ter's up&s;tart Throne;</L>
<L>Tear through his grapled Throat his Poy&s;on'd Heart;</L>
<L>And the black Lake ju&s;t floating with her Load</L>
<L>Of dear Damnation down; then, like a Roman</L>
<L>I'de give my plunging Soul a bold Leap after him,</L>
<L>To hunt him beyond Death&mdash; All this thou &s;hould&s;t</L>
<L>Behold, did not a Manacle of Religion</L>
<L>Bind up my Arm, and ev'n this bloated Ruffian</L>
<L>Mu&s;t live to wrong me and I live to bear it.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Theod.</SPEAKER>
<L>Thou matchle&s;s Miracle! What wou'd I give</L>
<L>For Pow'r to &s;ave &s;uch Goodne&s;s!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>Generous Prince;</L>
<L>I am not worth that wi&s;h.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Theod.</SPEAKER>
<L>Yes, my <HI>Hormidas,</HI></L>
<L>Look up, and hope,</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>In Heaven.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Theod.</SPEAKER>
<L>No, Royal Mourner,</L>
<L>Earth mu&s;t not lo&s;e thee yet. Oh, I have form'd</L>
<L>Such a de&s;ign to &s;ave thee.</L>
<L>I'le &s;ound the drowing Deep in which thou'rt &s;wallow'd,</L>
<PB N="25" REF="17">
<L>Hoi&s;t thy &s;unk Glories, and weigh up thy Ruins.</L>
<L>I love thy beauteous Tyrant, &s;ign and dye</L>
<L>For the fair Infidel <HI>Orundana.</HI></L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>Love her!</L>
<L>Yes, Prince, &s;he is all Charm, born to warm Hearts,</L>
<L>Tho' like a Northern Bla&s;t &s;he has kill'd mine.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Theod.</SPEAKER>
<L>Her pitying and her Father's Li&s;tening Ear</L>
<L>Already have permitted me to Kneel.</L>
<L>And when I have married that too Cruel Fair,</L>
<L>Then do but think when Lodged in tho&s;e &s;oft Arms,</L>
<L>By the Authority of his Royal Son,</L>
<L>And her Commanding Lord, I &s;hall have Pow'r</L>
<L>To &s;erve &s;o dear a Friend; what for thy &s;ake &mdash;</L>
<L>Yes, t'Heaven and Friend&s;hip this ju&s;t Debt I'le pay,</L>
<L>From out the bloody Paws to break thy way,</L>
<L>I'le wed the Tygre&s;s, and Redeem the Prey.</L>
</SP>
<STAGE><HI>Exeunt</HI> Theod. <HI>and</HI> Nearchus.</STAGE>
<STAGE><HI>Enter</HI> Cleomira, <HI>in a Poor Slave-like Habit.</HI></STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>My <HI>Gleomira!</HI> Art thou kindly come</L>
<L>To Vi&s;it Wretchedne&s;s; thou &s;hining Cloud,</L>
<L>The Lovely &s;harer of my Woes?</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleom.</SPEAKER>
<L>No Sir, the Partner of your Joys. For Woe's</L>
<STAGE>Embracing.</STAGE>
<L>A Stranger in the&s;e Arms; my Love, my Soul</L>
<L>My more than all.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>Thou Angel of thy kind.</L>
<L>For &s;ure Seraphick Sweetne&s;s breath'd Life in thee,</L>
<L>And thou wert born all Paradice.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleom.</SPEAKER>
<L>My Dear Love,</L>
<L>I do not come to vi&s;it thee alone:</L>
<L>I've brought my whole Court too. Come forth <HI>Celinda;</HI></L>
<L>And thou Dear Infant pledge of our Cha&s;t Loves.</L>
</SP>
<STAGE><HI>Enter</HI> Celinda <HI>leading an Infant.</HI></STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>My little &s;econd Self, thou pretty Innocence,</L>
<L>Come to thy Father's Arms.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleom.</SPEAKER>
<L>Of all tho&s;e thou&s;ands,</L>
<L>The flattering Crouds that clu&s;ter'd round our Glory,</L>
<L>See here the &s;catter'd &s;mall Remains of Mi&s;ery;</L>
<L>The poor dear All that's left.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>O thou young Martyr,</L>
<L>To what a train of Sorrows art thou born!</L>
<L>Thy Father's Wrongs ecclip&s;e thy Morning Star,</L>
<L>And thou begin&s;t an early Race of Woe.&mdash;</L>
<L>But oh thy bleeding Wounds, thy bitterer draught of Sorrow,</L>
<L>Poor pitied fair.</L>
</SP>
<STAGE><HI>to</HI> Cleom.</STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleom.</SPEAKER>
<L>Oh do not pity me.</L>
<L>For I was born a Slave; And tho advanced</L>
<L>To thy Proud Royal Bed, born a poor Captive,</L>
<PB N="26" REF="18">
<L>Ob&s;cure my Blood. And Sir, Alas, who knows</L>
<L>But I am now in the&s;e cour&s;e homely Weeds</L>
<L>The very Wretch my Va&s;&s;al Mother bore me!</L>
<L>But thou wert born a Prince, Power and Pride's Darling,</L>
<L>Rich hopes, and richer Veins; and fall'n &s;o low!</L>
<L>Sure Pity's only thine.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>Ah no, thou all Divine! No fal&s;e Accu&s;er</L>
<L>Has &s;tabb'd thy Fame; no Li&s;tning King has &s;wallowed</L>
<L>Infu&s;ing Poy&s;ons 'gain&s;t thy &s;lander'd Virtue;</L>
<L>No Royal Thunder aims at thee; and my</L>
<L>Infectious Ruine to Involve thy Fate,</L>
<L>Is very hard.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleom.</SPEAKER>
<L>Can any thing be hard when I have thy Love?</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>But oh, my Faire&s;t</L>
<L>Can&s;t thou love Raggs!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleom.</SPEAKER>
<L>Oh can&s;t thou ask that Que&s;tion!</L>
<L>Within this Dear Embrace, this more than Crowns:</L>
<STAGE>hanging about his Neck.</STAGE>
<L>Now Lightning, Earthquakes, Death and Vengeance fall,</L>
<L>In the&s;e Dear Arms I'le &s;ingly &s;tand 'em all.</L>
<STAGE><HI>Enter</HI> King, Orundana <HI>and Attendants.</HI></STAGE>
<L>Let Angry Kings, and frowning Worlds con&s;pire,</L>
<L>Their utmo&s;t Rage is all but Love's refining Fire.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>And am I brav'd! Death! the Proud Slave's turn'd Cynick,</L>
<L>And does not feel my weight; proud of his Raggs,</L>
<L>Affects a vanity from Shame and Beggary,</L>
<L>Whil&s;t his <HI>Diogenes</HI> out-prides his <HI>Alexander.</HI></L>
<L>To water Camels, in that Po&s;t he courts</L>
<L>The Popular Eyes, and wantons in their Pity.</L>
<L>Take him away, and let him hold a Trencher;</L>
<L>A Mini&s;tring Va&s;&s;al, and a Hou&s;hold Drudge</L>
<L>To his new Lord the great <HI>Otrantes;</HI> under</L>
<L>The &s;ame proud Roof where he &s;uckt in Ambition,</L>
<L>Let him ta&s;te Slavery. Away with him.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>Sir you are my King, and when you &s;peak, Heav'n dooms:</L>
<L>And I the humble work of your Creation,</L>
<L>What e're you will, I am &mdash;</L>
<L>Life of my Life,</L>
<STAGE><HI>to</HI> Cleomira</STAGE>
<L>And thou young Innocence, if we ne're meet again</L>
<L>'Till bey<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="2 letters">d Death, for one &s;hort Gla&s;s, farewell.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleom.</SPEAKER>
<L>Dearer than Joy, and more than Love farewell.</L>
</SP>
<STAGE><HI>Exit</HI> Hormidas.</STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>Am I &s;o weak! no, thou &s;halt feel me Slave;</L>
<L>Take that young Darling of his Love, and &s;end him</L>
<L>A pre&s;ent to the <HI>Sara&s;ens.</HI></L>
</SP>
<STAGE>Some of the Attendants Seize on the Child.</STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleom.</SPEAKER>
<L>How King?</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>Take him away, and bid tho&s;e kind Barbarians</L>
<L>Nur&s;e him a Slave; I'le have no more o'th' Breed.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleom.</SPEAKER>
<L>Oh Cruel King!</L>
<STAGE>Kneeling</STAGE>
<PB N="27" REF="18">
<L>Stay ye black Limbs of Vengeance!</L>
<L>Oh my Dread Lord&mdash;</L>
</SP>
<STAGE>Gatching hold of the Kings Robe</STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>Away, I'le hear no more</L>
</SP>
<STAGE>Exeunt, King, Attendants and Infant.</STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleom.</SPEAKER>
<L>Stay, <HI>Orundana</HI> &s;tay, thou art a Woman,</L>
<L>That tender Sex where Native Mercy dwells.</L>
<L>Tho pitile&s;s Man is Deaf, thou wilt be kind,</L>
<L>And hear my Pleading Groans.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Orund.</SPEAKER>
<L>Yes, &s;uffering Virtue</L>
<L>Thy &s;ullen Fortune, and the louring Cloud</L>
<L>That breaks o're that fair Brow, falls &s;o &s;evere,</L>
<L>As I mu&s;t pity thee.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleom.</SPEAKER>
<L>If the poor Mother's Wounds can move Compa&s;&s;ion,</L>
<L>Why that Dear Infant's Doom?</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Orund.</SPEAKER>
<L>Alas young Sufferer,</L>
<L>The Guilty Fathers Fate hangs o're his Head.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleom.</SPEAKER>
<L>The Guilty Father! does that name condemn him?</L>
<L>Oh were the Father that black thing you think him,</L>
<L>What has the Infant &s;inn'd! And is this Ju&s;tice,</L>
<L>To wrong poor Innocence to puni&s;h Guilt?</L>
<L>Oh Prince&s;s, they are very hungry Hunters</L>
<L>That thir&s;t for &s;uch young Prey.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Orund.</SPEAKER>
<L>I mu&s;t confe&s;s</L>
<L>This Infant Sacrifice&mdash;</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Gleom.</SPEAKER>
<L>Is that Barbarity</L>
<L>As blu&s;hing Fame will break her very Trump</L>
<L>To breath a &s;ound &s;o &s;hameful? Di&s;tant Worlds</L>
<L>And Ages yet unborn will hear, and tremble</L>
<L>At this Recorded Infamy.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Orund</SPEAKER>
<L>Gods! how &s;he talks!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleom.</SPEAKER>
<L>But, oh thou dear All-Goodne&s;s, &s;end thy kind</L>
<L>Recalling Mandat for that ravi&s;ht Innocence;</L>
<L>Snatch the Poor Lamb from the Wild Ravenous Wolves,</L>
<L>And give him to a Longing Mothers Arms.</L>
<L>Oh Royal Virgin, Love will one day make</L>
<L>Thee a ble&s;t Mother too, and then thou'lt feel</L>
<L>A Tender Mother's Love.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Orund.</SPEAKER>
<L>Where am I going?</L>
<L>Oh let me fly, fly whil&s;t my Soul &s;tands &s;afe;</L>
<STAGE>A&s;ide.</STAGE>
<L>I feel a &s;oftning Mercy ri&s;e within me:</L>
<L>Thro my weak Veins its &s;preading Poy&s;ons Po&s;t,</L>
<L>One dangerous Minute more, and I am lo&s;t.</L>
</SP>
<STAGE>Exit.</STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleom.</SPEAKER>
<L>And does &s;he fly me too? Oh take Dear Earth</L>
<STAGE>Lyes down.</STAGE>
<L>The Mi&s;erable&s;t Wretch, that the Sun &s;ees,</L>
<L>Or the Grave hides! Oh Mi&s;ery like mine!</L>
<L><HI>Enter</HI> King, Otrantes, <HI>and</HI> Magi.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>Thou lovelie&s;t Child of Woe, and Heir of Pity,</L>
<L>The Faire&s;t Pile of Beauteous Ruins, ri&s;e.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<PB N="28" REF="19">
<SPEAKER>Cleom.</SPEAKER>
<L>Ha! Is't my King that &s;peaks? and can that Voice</L>
<L>Of Thunder breath the Gentle Name of Pity?</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>Yes, Mourning Sweetne&s;s, my Imperial Ballance</L>
<L>Has weighed thy Mi&s;eries, thy Tears, thy Ruines;</L>
<L>And tho <HI>Hormidas</HI> ju&s;tly &s;uffers &mdash;</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleom.</SPEAKER>
<L>Ju&s;tly!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>Thy Innocence, poor per&s;ecuted Fair,</L>
<L>Has unde&s;erv'd his Fate, and therefore &s;ummon'd</L>
<L>By Mercies tendere&s;t Call I come to rai&s;e thee</L>
<L>A Drooping Lilly from thy Watry Bed,</L>
<L>Thy Gloomy Shade of Death; and Plant thee Ble&s;t</L>
<L>In Life and Glories warmer Smiling Sun.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleom.</SPEAKER>
<L>No King, that &s;miling Sun is now</L>
<L>Beyond thy Power to give. Is there a Balm</L>
<L>For Wounds like mine? &mdash; So the relenting Thief</L>
<L>Rifles the Plunder'd Traveller, &s;tript naked</L>
<L>To the cold Bla&s;t of a long Winter's Night,</L>
<L>To &s;tarve and dye; and his Dear All took from him,</L>
<L>Returns him only &s;ome poor worthle&s;s Ragg</L>
<L>To cover Shame and Life; and calls it Mercy.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>Dear Rifled Fair, thou art that plunder'd Traveller,</L>
<L>And I the Kinder Thief, as will not only</L>
<L>Re&s;tore thee thy Dear All, but more than all.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleom.</SPEAKER>
<L>What &s;ays the flattering Sound!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>I come to call thee</L>
<L>Forth from thy dark and &s;ullen fate; root up</L>
<L>Tho&s;e hungry Cankers of thy Youth and Beauty,</L>
<L>Lean Cares and meager Sorrows; To unloo&s;e thee</L>
<L>From fall'n <HI>Hormidas</HI> dragging Train of Woes,</L>
<L>And in the Great <HI>Otrantes</HI> kinder Arms &mdash;</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleom.</SPEAKER>
<L>O my cha&s;te Ears!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>Invite thee to revi&s;it Light, prepare thee</L>
<L>To mount once more a Bird of Paradice,</L>
<L>New plumed with Glories, all that Life and Love &mdash;</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleom.</SPEAKER>
<L>How King, de&s;ert the Bed of my dear Lord,</L>
<L>And in his Arms &mdash;</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>His Arms my Royal Fair.</L>
<L>Alas, Dear Shrowded Excellence, put out</L>
<L>Thy poorer Smoky Brand that leads to Graves,</L>
<L>And light a Nobler Hymens fairer Torch.</L>
<L>Wed him, and with him me; &s;hake off tho&s;e Shackles</L>
<L>That Bind thee groveling to a Bed of Du&s;t,</L>
<L>And in this Livelyer Bed of Honour &mdash;</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleom.</SPEAKER>
<L>Honour!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L><HI>Otrantes</HI> happier Arms &mdash;</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleom.</SPEAKER>
<L>Oh King, no more.</L>
<L>Is this the All, the more than all you bring me?</L>
<PB N="29" REF="19">
<L>Think'&s;t thou mi&s;taken King, I am faln &s;o low,</L>
<L>That for the purcha&s;e of a Lifes &s;hort Vanity,</L>
<L>A little popular Breath and guilded Dro&s;s,</L>
<L>I'le pawn a Soul, renounce a long Eternity;</L>
<L>Oh can&s;t thou think my Vertue and Religion,</L>
<L>Wall in my heart &s;o weak! No; cou'd&s;t thou mount</L>
<L>That wretch thou offer'&s;t me (oh the vile thought)</L>
<L>Lord of more Worlds than e're Ambition wept for,</L>
<L>Or cloy&s;ter'd Vertue &s;corn'd, thou coud&s;t not dre&s;s him</L>
<L>Half, half &s;o rich, as my <HI>Hormida</HI>'s Rags.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>Alas! Dear Madam &mdash;</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleom.</SPEAKER>
<L>Dungeon Toad, dar&s;t thou</L>
<L>Pre&s;ume to croak! Thou art no King; no dread</L>
<L>Divinity hems round thy &s;ordid Clod</L>
<L>Of Earth: But I dare boldly tell thee, Tyrant,</L>
<L>Thou poore&s;t, little&s;t, de&s;picable&s;t Trifie</L>
<L>That trampling Pride e're trod beneath her &s;corn,</L>
<L>Tho thy u&s;urping Villany has rais'd thee</L>
<L>Proud in my dear <HI>Hormidas</HI> ravi&s;ht Spoils,</L>
<L>Imp'd with his Plumes &mdash; Yes, there thou may&s;t reign Lord;</L>
<L>But know vain Fool, his <HI>Cleomira</HI>'s Heart's</L>
<L>A Throne above thee, Traytor.</L>
</SP>
<STAGE>Exit.</STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>Peevi&s;h ob&s;tinate!</L>
<L>So deaf t' Ambition, and &s;o fond of Rags,</L>
<L>And yet a Woman! Well, thy Sexes Prodigy,</L>
<L>This Vertue, my coy <HI>Lucrece,</HI> &s;hall not guard thee;</L>
<L>Thy Crags of Ice, and all thy <HI>Alpine</HI> Snow,</L>
<L>By <HI>Hannibal,</HI> mu&s;t melt. Pur&s;ue her, Fool,</L>
<STAGE><HI>To</HI> Otrantes.</STAGE>
<L>Quit not the noble &s;iege; pur&s;ue and &s;torm her,</L>
<L>And take the promi&s;e of a King, &s;he's thine.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>That Guarranty 's enough to in&s;pire Victory.</L>
<L>And if I win her &mdash; &mdash;</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>If thou do&s;t not win her,</L>
<L>Say I'm a Girl, and my weak Infant Vengeance</L>
<L>More worthy of a Rattle than a Scepter.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>Gain but this prize, ye Gods, I ask no more.</L>
</SP>
<STAGE>Exit.</STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>Well, my kind Sanctity, how does your Wi&s;doms</L>
<STAGE><HI>to the</HI> Magi.</STAGE>
<L>Your Heav'nly Pallates reli&s;h my de&s;ign?</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>1 Mag.</SPEAKER>
<L>As the profounde&s;t Reach of Royal Thought.</L>
<L>Your feeble Rage till now has been no more</L>
<L>Than Lambent Fire; has only blaz'd, not burn'd.</L>
<L>To water Camels, hold a Trencher, be</L>
<L>A Dog, a Varlet; tho&s;e his tougher &s;corn</L>
<L>Of Fate can bear. But touch him in his Love,</L>
<L>That Vital of his Soul, his <HI>Cleomira</HI> &mdash;</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>Thou ha&s;t me right. My impotent Revenge,</L>
<L>Has yet but only play'd;</L>
<PB N="30" REF="20">
<L>But if this la&s;t home Blow thro' <HI>Cleomira</HI></L>
<L>Strike him not tottering, groaning, bleeding, dying,</L>
<L>Let him brave Fate; &s;et up a Counter &s;econd</L>
<L>To the fam'd <HI>Atlas,</HI> and his untir'd Souldiers</L>
<L>Bear the whole Hell.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>2 Mag.</SPEAKER>
<L>True, Sir, her Love's the Medicine</L>
<L>To all his Pains; at the lea&s;t &s;ickning Ga&s;p</L>
<L>Strait to that Herb of Life he runs for Cure:</L>
<L>But cut the Balm-Root up, and he is lo&s;t.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>3. Mag.</SPEAKER>
<L>Yes, Royal Sir, and if her &s;tubborn Vertue</L>
<L>Can be but &s;haken &mdash;</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>If it can be &s;haken!</L>
<L>A Prie&s;t, and ask that que&s;tion!</L>
<L>But I lo&s;e time, in &s;hort, my holy Friends,</L>
<L>I want your Learned help.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>1 Mag.</SPEAKER>
<L>Ours, my dread Leige!</L>
<L>Oh name the Dear Command.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>You &s;ee this dull</L>
<L>Religious fondling &s;tands &s;o fortified</L>
<L>Again&s;t all Batteries from Human Rea&s;on,</L>
<L>That &s;ubtler Depths, and more uncommon Mines</L>
<L>Mu&s;t be prepared for her A&s;&s;ault; and therefore</L>
<L>To your profounder Reach, and deeper Studies</L>
<L>I leave the whole de&s;ign.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>1 Mag.</SPEAKER>
<L>To ours!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>To yours,</L>
<L>My hone&s;t Pioneers: Work&punc; my dear Earthmoles.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>2. Mag.</SPEAKER>
<L>All our divine A&s;&s;i&s;tance can perform</L>
<L>Of that, Sir, re&s;t &s;ecure. If the kind Gods</L>
<L>On your great purpo&s;e &s;mile, doubt not &s;ucce&s;s.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>If the kind Gods &mdash; What if the Gods &s;tand neuter,</L>
<L>Mu&s;t my Machine &s;tand &s;till? The time has been</L>
<L>When the fam'd <HI>Per&s;ian Magi</HI> have been Ma&s;ters</L>
<L>Of tho&s;e bold Arts, and Charms have &s;tagger'd Nature;</L>
<L>Wrought Wonders as Day trembled at: Done feats</L>
<L>Undreamt by Gods. And is your Strentgh grown weaker,</L>
<L>Or &s;hrinks it now t' obey my Plea&s;ure?</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>1 Mag.</SPEAKER>
<L>Shrinks!</L>
<L>No, Sir, your animating Cau&s;e wou'd rouze</L>
<L>The Souls of our great Ance&s;tors. And all,</L>
<L>All that Heav'n will, we can. That we dare promi&s;e you.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>Heav'n or no Heav'n, my idle Trifflers, do 't,</L>
<L>Do it or dye. I know your Pow'r to &s;erve me.</L>
<L>And dare your Rebel Will di&s;pute my Mandates!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>1 Mag.</SPEAKER>
<L>Heav'n or no Heav'n then, Sir, it &s;hall be done.</L>
<L>If the Gods will be kind, they may; if not,</L>
<L>If the a&s;&s;i&s;ting Powers above are &s;turdy,</L>
<PB N="31" REF="20">
<L>We have hone&s;t Friends below &s;hall do't without 'em.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>Go on then my be&s;t Friends; &s;ucceed and claim</L>
<L>My kinde&s;t &s;miles, win her and conquer me.</L>
</SP>
<STAGE>Exit.</STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>3 Mag.</SPEAKER>
<L>Do it or dye.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>1 Mag.</SPEAKER>
<L>So run the Prologue, but</L>
<L>Win her and conquer him made up the Chorus.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>3 Mag.</SPEAKER>
<L>But Sir, con&s;ider th' hardy Enterprize.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>1 Mag.</SPEAKER>
<L>Con&s;ider, Younger Brother! yes, dear Novi<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter">e,</L>
<L>I have con&s;idered.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>3 Mag.</SPEAKER>
<L>Oh the ma&s;&s;ey Vertue!</L>
<L>The Rock of Adamant we have to &s;torm:</L>
<L>Such mortified di&s;dain of Worlds, &s;uch Faith,</L>
<L>Such Con&s;tancy.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>1 Mag.</SPEAKER>
<L>No Fool, &s;uch Clay, &s;oft Clay,</L>
<L>As never fear the moulding. See this Ring,</L>
<STAGE>Taking out a Ring out of a Box&punc;</STAGE>
<L>This homely Ring enricht with more than Gems</L>
<L>The Workman&s;hip of an <HI>Arabian</HI> Sorcerer.</L>
<L>In this inchanted Circle dance tho&s;e Devils</L>
<L>Of Love; not Pride, Scorn, Vertue, Nuptial Fire</L>
<L>Or Virgin Ice, nought Female &s;tands before it.</L>
<L>This Rarity of Art (to tell the Truth)</L>
<L>Is a &s;mall In&s;trument of my own plea&s;ures.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>2 Mag.</SPEAKER>
<L>Ju&s;t my own Tool.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>1 Mag.</SPEAKER>
<L>And to be free, my Brothers,</L>
<L>I never &s;aw that Beauty, Wife, Maid, Widow</L>
<L>Humbly or nobly born, the Spawn of Cots</L>
<L>Or Palaces my hawking Eye ere fixt on,</L>
<L>But with this faithful Engine I &s;ubdued her.</L>
<L>Not the fond Load&s;tone t' its dear North &s;o kind</L>
<L>So melting kind &mdash; Pardon my Vow of Cha&s;tity,</L>
<L>For Fle&s;h and Blood in &s;pight of our Divinity,</L>
<L>Sometime creeps in, a common Venial Frailty.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>2 Mag.</SPEAKER>
<L>Oh Brother!</L>
<L>Thou ha&s;t hit my Soul, I have a Philter too</L>
<L>A private Pill for crude, weak &s;tomach'd Beauty.</L>
<L>A Compound of that &s;trange prodigious Vertue,</L>
<L>That more than Magick Power, that yielding Woman, &mdash;</L>
<L>But I talk time away; the pretious Minutes</L>
<L>Call us to action. Our joyn'd Force, my Brother,</L>
<L>T' attack this &s;tubborn Girl.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>1 Mag.</SPEAKER>
<L>Yes, my coy Vertue;</L>
<L>Religion and &s;tiff Morals hold your toughe&s;t;</L>
<L>And if we do not crak your feeble Gordian &mdash;</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>3 Mag.</SPEAKER>
<L>But if &s;o fair your hopes; &s;o &s;ure your Arts;</L>
<L>Why that &s;low An&s;wer to the King?</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>1 Mag.</SPEAKER>
<L>Fy&punc; Fool.</L>
<L>We mu&s;t not cheapen Mi&s;chief. T' have been ea&s;y</L>
<PB N="32" REF="21">
<L>Had underpriz'd the Work, and made Art little.</L>
<L>But the Projection calls, we mu&s;t make ha&s;te;</L>
<L>The Coals, the Fire, the Bellows, and the Minerals,</L>
<L>And then the great Elixir.</L>
<STAGE>Exeunt.</STAGE>
<L>The Scene Changes. <HI>Enter</HI> Cleomira <HI>pur&s;ued by</HI> Otrantes.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleom.</SPEAKER>
<L>Was ever per&s;ecuted Vertue</L>
<L>Worried by &s;uch a Bloodhound!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>In vain, in vain you fly me.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleom.</SPEAKER>
<L>Fly thee Mon&s;ter!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>I tell thee lovely fugitive, I'le chace thee</L>
<L>Di&s;daining, frowning, flying; and untired</L>
<L>With Love hunt on, and even whole years pur&s;ue thee.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleom.</SPEAKER>
<L>Years! is that all, yes Slave, pur&s;ue me Ages,</L>
<L>I'd have a long Eternity a Witne&s;s,</L>
<L>How I can loath a Villain.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>Fair <HI>Barbarian,</HI></L>
<L>Why is thy Heatt all Ice?</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleom.</SPEAKER>
<L>Ice Fool, No; 'tis all Chry&s;tal</L>
<L>Too pure to hold thy Poy&s;ons.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>Cruel Fair,</L>
<L>Cou'd&s;t thou but love.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleom.</SPEAKER>
<L>Love thee, black Infidel!</L>
<L>No; de&s;picable Wretch, not pamper'd Beauty</L>
<L>Bears a more mortal hate <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter">o wrinkled Age,</L>
<L>Nor hoarding Mi&s;ers to a Grave, than I</L>
<L>Bear thee.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>If I've de&s;erved all this di&s;dain,</L>
<L>I'll call th' atte&s;ting World my Judge, i'th' Face</L>
<L>Of open day, proclaim th' inviting Glories</L>
<L>That call thee to my Arms, thou Fair ungrateful.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleom.</SPEAKER>
<L>In open day &mdash; Thou can&s;t not plea&s;e me better</L>
<L>Yes, in the face of Heav'n, that all the whole</L>
<L>Eternal Ho&s;t above may &s;tand the kind</L>
<L>Spectators of my Honour and thy Shame.</L>
<L>Nay, when thou ha&s;t tir'd out Light and Day to chace me,</L>
<L>Haunt me (if po&s;&s;ible) to Shades &s;o clo&s;e;</L>
<L>And Walks &s;o dark, as Hell can only peep through.</L>
<L>Oh the &s;weet plea&s;ure t' have thy own dear grinning Imps</L>
<L>Behold me &s;corn their Elder Brother Devil.</L>
</SP>
<STAGE>Exit:</STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>So tough my Pride, &s;o fierce my battayling Tyrant?</L>
<L>No my fair Foe, I am not conqurer'd yet;</L>
<L>I'le rally once again and brave thy &s;corn.</L>
<STAGE>As going after her:</STAGE>
</SP>
<STAGE><HI>Enter</HI> Hormidas&punc;</STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>Stay Earth-born Meteor, Mu&s;hroom Greatne&s;s &s;tay.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>That Interrupting Face!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>How Interrupting!</L>
<L>Is there that Terror in this humble Form,</L>
<PB N="33" REF="21">
<L>Thy Pride's low Foot&s;tool and thy trampled Slave,</L>
<L>As can check Thee? Thou who&s;e proud <HI>Phaeton</HI> Wheels</L>
<L>Have driven or'e burning Temples, butchered Innocents,</L>
<L>The reeking gore of thou&s;and bleeding Martyrs?</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>Ha!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>Thou who Faith, Honour, Vertue, Con&s;cience, Heav'n</L>
<L>And all its Bolts defyed, ha&s;t play'd the bolde&s;t Voyager,</L>
<L>That ever &s;hot Ambition's darke&s;t Gulph,</L>
<L>Through Plots, Con&s;piracies, Trea&s;ons, Murders, Perjuries, all</L>
<L>Above Gigantick Size;</L>
<L>Original Villany, Crimes even unminted,</L>
<L>In the whole Forge of <HI>Lucifer.</HI></L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>I tell thee,</L>
<L>Thy Breath's too &s;ultry, and this haughty Boldne&s;s &mdash;</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>This Truth, this hone&s;t Truth, your Glories Panegyrick,</L>
<L>And &s;ung by me, my Duty and Allegiance.</L>
<L>What can your humble&s;t flattering Slave do le&s;s,</L>
<L>Than chant his Lord and Ma&s;ter's <HI>Io Poeans?</HI></L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>Such In&s;olence from any other Tongue &mdash;</L>
<L>But I forget &mdash; I mount upon thy Ruines;</L>
<L>And talking Mi&s;ery, I can forgive thee.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>Ruine and Mi&s;ery! No, mi&s;taken Fool,</L>
<L>Tho&s;e are thy Portion &mdash; Dull, dull Wretch how much</L>
<L>My Rags out&s;hine thy Pride? The&s;e pitied Raggs</L>
<L>Shall cloath my Name with never dying Honours,</L>
<L>When thine &s;hall ru&s;t and canker into Poy&s;on;</L>
<L>The &s;hort liv'd Blaze of thy dete&s;ted Glories</L>
<L>Hi&s;t to their Grave, and hooted from the World.</L>
<L>And then (Oh) what a little tarni&s;ht thing</L>
<L>Will that now glittering piece of Vanity look,</L>
<L>When all 'its Gold's wa&s;ht off!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>Poor Snarler, how</L>
<L>Thou play'&s;t the Prodigal! thy Breath is all</L>
<L>That's left thee, and even that thou &s;pend'&s;t in vain:</L>
<L>I'le hear thy babling Dreams no more.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>Not hear 'em!</L>
<L>No, thou ha&s;t dreamings of thy own to li&s;ten to,</L>
<L>Thy con&s;ummating Ma&s;ter &s;troke of Villany;</L>
<L>Thy Tarquin Siege of <HI>Cleomira</HI>'s Heart;</L>
<L>The Bloudhound Chace of that fair hunted Vertue.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>Thy <HI>Cleomira</HI>'s Heart, Ha! does that &s;hake thee!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>Do&s;t thou &s;hake her 's the Que&s;tion? Shake me, Brute!</L>
<L>No, thou poor little &s;tingle&s;s Animal,</L>
<L>Mine and my <HI>Cleomira</HI>'s equal Scorn &mdash;</L>
<L>But &s;tay, perhaps thou love&s;t &mdash; Who knows but a bright Beam</L>
<L>From that fair Heav'n has light this Crawling Mud,</L>
<L>And warm'd it into Love?</L>
<PB N="34" REF="22">
<L>Love did I &s;ay? thou could&s;t not plea&s;e me more.</L>
<L>Pur&s;ue, love on, &s;trow all thy Baits of Power</L>
<L>Before her: Fix thy Mines, Trains, Engins, all</L>
<L>Thy planted Batteries of Hell again&s;t her;</L>
<L>Of all the Trophies that my Wrongs, and even</L>
<L>Her Pride can wi&s;h, &s;he wants but &s;uch a Lover,</L>
<L>And I ju&s;t &s;uch a Rival.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>Death and Furies!</L>
<L>This arrogant Contempt's beyond all &s;ufferance.</L>
<L>But that the King has tyed my Arm from killing thee</L>
<L>Thou &s;oon &s;hould&s;t know &mdash;</L>
</SP>
<STAGE>Laying his Hand on his Sword.</STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>That thou'rt not he can kill me.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>Can kill thee!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>Yes, mighty man of Breath;</L>
<L>This unarm'd Hand my Feeble Thunderer tells thee,</L>
<L>Though thy black Soul wears Villain enough about thee</L>
<L>To wi&s;h my Death, yet thou want'&s;t Man to act it.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>Oh my tyred Patience! I can hold no longer:</L>
<L>To make thee feel my keener Vengeance &s;mart,</L>
<L>I'le &s;tab thee through thy <HI>Cleomira</HI>'s Heart.</L>
</SP>
<STAGE>Exit.</STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>Not yet unpitying Providence! And (oh)</L>
<L>Coy Death, why comes thy courted &s;haft &s;o &s;low?</L>
<L>Not one kind Dart for thy poor Suppliant Slave?</L>
<L>Is it &s;o long a Voyage to a Grave!</L>
</SP>
<STAGE><HI>Enter</HI> Theodo&s;ius.</STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Theod.</SPEAKER>
<L>What have my Eyes beheld? Oh my <HI>Hormidas!</HI></L>
<L>If my a&s;toni&s;hment has left a Tongue</L>
<L>To utter it, I come to tell thee Prodigies.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>Alas dear Prince, Lu&s;t and unreign'd Ambition,</L>
<L>Drive the mad World at that di&s;ordered Rate,</L>
<L>That Prodigies now grown the Common Work</L>
<L>Of every Day, mu&s;t &s;ure have lo&s;t their Name.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Theod.</SPEAKER>
<L>As on <HI>Euphrates</HI> Banks my Pen&s;ive &s;orrow</L>
<L>For the poor bleeding Chri&s;tian Wounds, and all</L>
<L>My dear <HI>Hormidas</HI> Wrongs led me this morning</L>
<L>A Melancholly Walk; bru&s;h from a Thicket</L>
<L>I &s;aw a Lovely Hind, her Milk-white Skin</L>
<L>Not Virgin Snow more fair, till in a Toyle</L>
<L>The beauteous Fugitive was lo&s;t. But oh!</L>
<L>Ju&s;t as the Savage Hunter's Griping Hand</L>
<L>Seiz'd the fair Prey, I &s;aw, to my Confu&s;ion,</L>
<L>Her Ermine&punc; White Transformed all of a &s;uddain</L>
<L>In darke&s;t Sable dyed, not Jet more black.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>This was Indeed Prodigious!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Theod.</SPEAKER>
<L>So Prodigious,</L>
<L>The very Hunter &s;unk beneath the Prey,</L>
<L>And dying fell a Victim to a Victim;</L>
<PB N="35" REF="22">
<L>Even my own &s;en&s;e was &s;truck with that amazement,</L>
<L>As &s;carce my trembling Wonder has recovered.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>This Prodigy indeed is more than Wondrous,</L>
<L>And carries in't no doubt &s;ome dire Portent.</L>
<L>But what &mdash; the Event alone mu&s;t only Tell.</L>
<L>Alas the Bounded Eye of Human Knowledge</L>
<L>Sees only backwards; there through &s;pacious Regions</L>
<L>Va&s;t open Plains, and Thou&s;and Years behind,</L>
<L>Our Guided Rea&s;on lights; but the va&s;t All</L>
<L>Before us lends not one kind Starry Spark;</L>
<L>One Minute of to Morrow's all i'th Dark.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Theod.</SPEAKER>
<L>But hark.</L>
<STAGE>Thunders.</STAGE>
<L>So loud a Storm my Young Ears never heard,</L>
<L>Unle&s;s the&s;e Roarers of the Sky are only</L>
<L>The Revellers of Heaven, and Tune for Plea&s;ure;</L>
<L>Some more than Common Cau&s;e leads this rough Dance&punc;</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>Tis a rough Storm indeed; but th'angry bla&s;t</L>
<L>Of Thunder let the Pro&s;perous Guilty dread.</L>
<L>My Mi&s;eries, young Prince, are pa&s;t that fear,</L>
<L>Heavens keene&s;t Boult would be a Mercy here.</L>
</SP>
<STAGE>Exeunt.</STAGE>
<TRAILER>Finis Actus Tertii.</TRAILER>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 N="4" TYPE="act">
<HEAD>ACT. IV.</HEAD>
<STAGE>Otrantes <HI>&s;olus.</HI></STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>OH the va&s;t Riot of Loves Revelling Fea&s;t!</L>
<L>I have Enjoy'd a night of &s;o much Rapture,</L>
<L>The &s;ofte&s;t, &s;weete&s;t <HI>Cleomira</HI> mine!</L>
<L>Oh Lavi&s;h Providence, in this one Trea&s;ure</L>
<L>Thou ha&s;t made me Lord, Lord of that Infinite Ma&s;s,</L>
<L>Enough to Impoveri&s;h Earth and Bankrupt Heaven!</L>
<L>But why do I name Heaven? had the great <HI>Jove</HI></L>
<L>In his Eternal Rambles met that face!</L>
<L>Her &s;ingle Charms had fixt th'Almighty Wanderer;</L>
<L>Shackled th'unbounded Rover of the Skies,</L>
<L>And peopled from one &s;tock the Heavens with Gods.</L>
</SP>
<STAGE><HI>Enter</HI> Cleontes <HI>and</HI> Doranthe.</STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleont.</SPEAKER>
<L>Well, you have got the beauteous <HI>Cleomira.</HI></L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>Got her, and with her all the Joys of Life!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Dorant.</SPEAKER>
<L>If the gay Spoils of the once great <HI>Hormidas</HI></L>
<L>Make up the Joys of Life, tho&s;e Joys are yours.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>His &s;hining Trea&s;ures are not only mine;</L>
<PB N="36" REF="23">
<L>But I am greater yet.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleont.</SPEAKER>
<L>Yes, happy Sir,</L>
<L>All that the Favourite of a King can be you are.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>More than the Favourite of a King I am;</L>
<L>The Son too of a King.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Gleont.</SPEAKER>
<L>How, a Kings Son!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>His Son, whil&s;t <HI>Cleomira</HI> is his Daughter.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleont.</SPEAKER>
<L>My <HI>Cleomira</HI> a Kings Daughter, &s;ay you?</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>Your <HI>Cleomira</HI> th' only true born Daughter</L>
<L>Of the great <HI>I&s;digerdes.</HI></L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleont.</SPEAKER>
<L><HI>Cleomira,</HI></L>
<L>Heir of the <HI>Per&s;ian</HI> Crown! Ith' name of wonder then</L>
<L>Who&s;e Daughter is the Prince&s;s <HI>Orundana?</HI></L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>Mine Sir.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleont.</SPEAKER>
<L>Your Doughty Race?</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>My Race, my Daughter,</L>
<L>Born of that very <HI>Alexandrian</HI> Captive,</L>
<L>Suppo&s;ed the Mother of your <HI>Cleomira.</HI></L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleont.</SPEAKER>
<L>More Riddles yet: An <HI>Alexandrian</HI> Captive</L>
<L>The Prince&s;s Mother!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>Yes Sir, and my Wife:</L>
<L>For though indeed our Marriage we Conceal'd,</L>
<L>That <HI>Alexandrian</HI> Captive Sir I Married,</L>
<L>And by her had that titled vanity,</L>
<L>The now Imperial towring haughty <HI>Orundana.</HI></L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleont.</SPEAKER>
<L>Pray Sir unriddle this Miraculous Tale</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>You may remember now near Twenty Years</L>
<L>The King was Husband to a Young Queen,</L>
<L>The fair <HI>Mandana;</HI> and by <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 span">r</L>
<L>The Father of an Infant P<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="2 letters">nce&s;s call'd <HI>Orundana.</HI></L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleont.</SPEAKER>
<L>Remember't! ay too well, by this &s;ad Token,</L>
<L>Th' Unhappy Queen, with her young Prince&s;s, then</L>
<L>But Eight Months old, were barbarou&s;ly betray'd,</L>
<L>And &s;old to Proud <HI>Zoranes</HI> King of <HI>Arabia;</HI></L>
<L>And <HI>Per&s;ia</HI>'s Mortal Foe. One Fatal Evening</L>
<L>Taking the Air upon <HI>Euphrates</HI> Streams,</L>
<L>The vile <HI>Bagoas</HI> her Perfidious Eunuch,</L>
<L>That Barbarous Wretch bought by th' <HI>Arabians</HI> Gold,</L>
<L>Hurried her down the Stream too far and much</L>
<L>Too fa&s;t for all her helple&s;s Guards to reach her.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>Th'afflicted Queen thus lo&s;t, in nine long Months Captivity,</L>
<L>Sickning and almo&s;t drooping to a Grave;</L>
<L>To &s;ave the Branch, though the Fair Tree were lo&s;t,</L>
<L>T<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter">ough watcht too narow for her own E&s;cape,</L>
<L>Contriv'd a Plot to have her Royal Infant</L>
<L>Re&s;cued from all her un&s;u&s;pecting Goalours,</L>
<L>And &s;ent a Pre&s;ent to her Mourning Lord.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<PB N="37" REF="23">
<SPEAKER>Cleont.</SPEAKER>
<L>Re&s;cued!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>Yes Sir, to have a borrowed Infant</L>
<L>By my a&s;&s;i&s;ting hand, conveyed to fill</L>
<L>The Royal Cradle, and &s;upply the Prince&s;s.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleont.</SPEAKER>
<L>So Sir.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>I being then her Envoy from the King,</L>
<L>Own'd my whole Marriage to her <HI>Alexandrian:</HI></L>
<L>(She with my Si&s;ter the young Prince&s;s Nur&s;es,</L>
<L>Then the only <HI>Per&s;ian</HI> Train her Ravi&s;her left her.)</L>
<L>Off'ring an Infant Daughter of my own.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleont.</SPEAKER>
<L>Mo&s;t kindly done!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>In &s;hort, all things prepar'd,</L>
<L>I made the exchange unmark'd and un&s;u&s;pected.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleont.</SPEAKER>
<L>Your Daughter for the Prince&s;s! very well.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>Here a &s;trange tempting Thought of warm Ambition</L>
<L>Whi&s;per'd my Soul, that this Exchange well manag'd</L>
<L>Might mount my own Tran&s;lated Veins to Empire.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleont.</SPEAKER>
<L>Sweet Villain!</L>
</SP>
<STAGE>A&s;ide.</STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>As I expos'd</L>
<L>A Daughter to the &s;ullen chance of Slavery,</L>
<L>Why not to th' Golden Lot of Glory too?</L>
<L>I'th dying Eyes of the Sick Queen too plainly</L>
<L>I &s;aw approaching Death, and in her Death,</L>
<L>The Buried &s;ecret &s;afe, the only Councel-Keepers,</L>
<L>A Wife and Si&s;ter, both &s;oft Wax to mould at plea&s;ure.</L>
<L>In le&s;s than one &s;hort Moon the Queen expired,</L>
<L>How by the King deplored, I need not tell,</L>
<L>Nor on what Terms the Prince&s;s was redeem'd,</L>
<L>It is enough my Daughter was that Prince&s;s.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleont.</SPEAKER>
<L>Rare Rogue.</L>
</SP>
<STAGE>A&s;ide.</STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>And to a Royal Fathers Arms received</L>
<L>More than a Princely Ble&s;&s;ing. For (alas)</L>
<L>All things con&s;pired for the Deceipt: for nine</L>
<L>Kind ab&s;ent Months in a young Infants Face</L>
<L>Had worn out all Di&s;tinctions of the change.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleont.</SPEAKER>
<L>Here's a &s;weet Dog.</L>
</SP>
<STAGE>A&s;ide.</STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>But to conclude,</L>
<L>My <HI>Alexandrian</HI> not long &s;urviving,</L>
<L>I gave the Royal Infant to my Si&s;ter,</L>
<L>And call'd her <HI>Cloemira,</HI> now no more</L>
<L>The Imperial <HI>Orundana;</HI> for that Title</L>
<L>My more exalted Blood had filled.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleont.</SPEAKER>
<L>Well Sir, becau&s;e</L>
<L>The dying Queen left my fal&s;e Bea&s;t, your Si&s;ter,</L>
<L>And the proud Slave, your Wife, the only Confidents,</L>
<L>Your itching Pride thought fit to graft your own</L>
<L>Mo&s;t hopeful Brat into the Blood of <HI>Cyrus.</HI></L>
</SP>
<SP>
<PB N="38" REF="24">
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>Yes, Friend, but now my <HI>Cleomira's</HI> Charms</L>
<L>Have nur&s;t a nobler Pride; I'le to the King,</L>
<L>Implore his pardon for my blu&s;hing Fault;</L>
<L>Unmask th' whole Truth and own my &s;elf his Son.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleont.</SPEAKER>
<L>You are &s;ure you will?</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>Yes Sir, I will do't.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleont.</SPEAKER>
<L>Yes Sir, you &s;hall do't,</L>
<L>Do't, tho it co&s;t your Head; your Head bold Jugler.</L>
<L>Here's a fine Legerdemain put upon</L>
<L>A whole cheated Kingdom: and my precious Imp</L>
<L>In the Con&s;piracy?</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Dor.</SPEAKER>
<L>Alas, dear Sir,</L>
<L>Per&s;waded by a Brother &mdash;</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleont.</SPEAKER>
<L>By a Devil:</L>
<L>But by this light, I'le in&s;tantly to th' King</L>
<L>And ring him &s;uch a Peal &mdash;</L>
</SP>
<STAGE>offers to go</STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>Stay, Brother, &s;tay,</L>
<L>All &s;hall be well.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleont.</SPEAKER>
<L>Well, in the name of Vengeance!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>Upon my Word, my Honourable Word,</L>
<L>Before to Morrow's &s;etting Sun, the King,</L>
<L>And the whole Court &s;hall have the Tale at length.</L>
<L>Only 'tis fit that fir&s;t I break the Secret</L>
<L>To <HI>Orundana,</HI> to prepare her Ear</L>
<L>For the unplea&s;ing &s;ound.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleont.</SPEAKER>
<L>Well till to morrow,</L>
<L>For once I will &s;train hard to tye my Tongue up;</L>
<L>But &s;uch a Cur&s;ed Cheat &mdash;</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>No more; the King.</L>
</SP>
<STAGE>Exeunt.</STAGE>
<DIV2 N="2" TYPE="scene">
<HEAD>SCENE 2.</HEAD>
<STAGE><HI>Enter</HI> King, <HI>and &s;ome Attendants.</HI></STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>Have you performed my Orders?</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Attend.</SPEAKER>
<L>Yes, if Tortures,</L>
<L>Wracks, Blood and Death in Thou&s;and various Forms</L>
<L>Be the performing 'em, we have performed 'em.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>Oh what a Barren Toyl, and fruitle&s;s Labour</L>
<L>Has my mi&s;taken Vengeance undertook!</L>
<L>The Extirpation of this Chri&s;tian Race;</L>
<L>A work wou'd baffle <HI>Hercules.</HI> His <HI>Hydra</HI></L>
<L>With all her &s;pringing Heads, alas was nothing</L>
<L>To this more Growing Mon&s;ter &mdash; Death,</L>
<L>They Seed by Graves and Multiply by De&s;truction.</L>
<L>Gods! even the very Dead Convert the Living.</L>
<L>Lovely and Charming even in Gha&s;tly Wounds!</L>
<L>Almighty Rhetorick, in each dying Ga&s;p,</L>
<L>And every Groan an Orator!&mdash;Oh Zeal!</L>
<L>Oh Faith! How unaccountable's thy Power?</L>
</SP>
<STAGE><PB N="39" REF="24"><HI>Enter</HI> Theodo&s;ius.</STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Theod.</SPEAKER>
<L>Forgive, dread Monarch, an a&s;piring Gazer</L>
<L>Who&s;e &s;oaring Eyes have dar'd t'uplift a Heart,</L>
<L>A Bold Oblation to Imperial Beauty.</L>
<L>But <HI>Orundana</HI>'s all Commanding Charms</L>
<L>Have that Re&s;i&s;tle&s;s Power! and oh great Sir,</L>
<STAGE>Kneels.</STAGE>
<L>If Kneeling Love, and all my Suppliant Sighs&mdash;</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>Ri&s;e kind Petitioner, I under&s;tand</L>
<L>Thy Pleading Suit, and grant thy Prayers unheard:</L>
<L>And &s;ince, Dear Prince, thou art adopted mine,</L>
<L>Be nearer &s;o;&mdash; My Daughter is thy own.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Theod.</SPEAKER>
<L>Oh my Immortal Joys! Let me Embrace</L>
<L>Your Royal Knees!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>No more my Son: The Debt</L>
<L>You owe in Gratitude to <HI>I&s;digerdes,</HI></L>
<L>Re&s;erve and pay in Love to <HI>Orundana.</HI></L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Theod.</SPEAKER>
<L>Ble&s;&s;ing like this!&mdash;</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>To &s;eal the Gift I make,</L>
<L>I'll in&s;tantly di&s;patch Emba&s;&s;adours</L>
<L>To <HI>Con&s;tantinople,</HI> to the great <HI>Arcadius</HI></L>
<L>For his a&s;&s;enting Hand to tye the <HI>Gordian.</HI></L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Theod.</SPEAKER>
<L>My Fathers binding hand; Yes Generous Monarch</L>
<L>His Pride will &s;oar with mine; A Love &s;o high</L>
<L>Will more than Crown my Youth,</L>
<L>And ble&s;s his Age.</L>
<STAGE><HI>Exeunt Omnes praeter</HI> Theod.</STAGE>
<L>But oh in all my Bli&s;s I mount too late,</L>
<L>Poor lo&s;t <HI>Hormidas</HI> to avert thy Fate.</L>
<L>I fear Thou'rt &s;et, &s;et in &s;o thick a Night</L>
<L>As my Meridian Glory cannot light.</L>
</SP>
<STAGE>Exit.</STAGE>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="2" TYPE="scene">
<HEAD>SCENE 2.</HEAD>
<STAGE>Orundana <HI>and</HI> Otrantes <HI>attended by</HI> Briomar <HI>and</HI> Gobrias.</STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Orund.</SPEAKER>
<L>How Sir! The Great and Glorious <HI>Cleomira,</HI></L>
<L>Heire&s;s of <HI>Per&s;ia, I&s;digerdes</HI> Daughter!</L>
<L>And the Poor little Humble <HI>Orundana,</HI></L>
<L>That low-born thing mu&s;t call <HI>Otrantes</HI> Father!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>I mu&s;t confe&s;s 'tis an ungrateful Hi&s;tory;</L>
<L>And (it's) no doubt, the&s;e &s;taggering &s;ounds &s;urprize you.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Orund.</SPEAKER>
<L>Surprize me! No, have I not heard it out,</L>
<L>Heard the A&s;toni&s;hing &s;tupendious Tale,</L>
<L>With all the Patience of a li&s;tning Wonder?</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrantes.</SPEAKER>
<L>Tis true my Love, a more than Father's Love</L>
<L>Took thee a tender Budding Flower, tran&s;planted thee</L>
<L>Into the Royal Garden; and to &s;natch thee</L>
<L>Back to thy Native humble Root again,</L>
<L>Is hard, is very hard; &mdash; But oh</L>
<L>I cannot &s;leep in <HI>Cleomira</HI>'s Arms,</L>
<L>But I mu&s;t give her back her Ravi&s;ht Birthright.</L>
<PB N="40" REF="25">
<L>Re&s;i&s;tle&s;s and</L>
<L>Almighty Love, Command their Re&s;titution.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Orund.</SPEAKER>
<L>Hold Sacrilegious In&s;olent Mon&s;ter, hold;</L>
<L>Silence this Impious this Audacious Bla&s;phemy:</L>
<L>Thine, thy Ba&s;e Blood, A Cloven-footed Cub,</L>
<L>From that Black Hel-hound? Villain, Villain, never</L>
<L>Was &s;uch accumulated Ma&s;s of Trea&s;on</L>
<L>Together heap'd, &s;ince the Embattel'd Giants</L>
<L>Pil'd Rocks on Rocks to &s;cale the Throne of Gods;</L>
<L>Infernal Impudence! Say <HI>Briomar, Gobrias</HI></L>
<L>Did&s;t thou 'ere hear the like?</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Briom.</SPEAKER>
<L>Hear Madam? no;</L>
<L>Nor hope e're &s;hall: 'Tis that Original Impudence,</L>
<L>As is impo&s;&s;ible &s;hould 'ere be Copyed.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Orund.</SPEAKER>
<L>Nay, was there ever &s;o much hardned Fal&s;hood,</L>
<L>Such Canker'd Poy&s;on'd Lies hatch'd at one Birth?</L>
<L>Thou art &s;o rank a Rogue, not Poet's Raptures,</L>
<L>Not Madmens Dreams, not Swearing Lovers Oaths,</L>
<L>Nor even Religious Legends, ever forg'd</L>
<L>With half thy front of Bra&s;s.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrantes.</SPEAKER>
<L>Yet hear me, Madam.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Orund.</SPEAKER>
<L>No I have heard too much, and to Reward</L>
<L>Thy bold tongu'd Guilt, by the wrong'd Blood of <HI>Cyrus,</HI></L>
<L>By all my Towring Battlements of Glory,</L>
<L>Supported by the Tutelar Gods of Empire,</L>
<L>Traytor, I'le have thee wrapt in Pitch, and Burnt,</L>
<L>A Blazing Torch, to light me to my Throne.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>Oh whither does your Blinded Pa&s;&s;ion drive!</L>
<L>Recall your wandring Rea&s;on and Con&s;ider &mdash;</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Orund.</SPEAKER>
<L>That thou'rt a Devil; Yes I have Con&s;idered.</L>
<L>Now thy detected Plots are all unravell'd:</L>
<L>Now poor <HI>Hormidas,</HI> that Betray'd Wrong'd Virtue</L>
<L>Too plainly fell thy black Ambitions Sacrifice,</L>
<L>His Leading Fall but a preparing Step,</L>
<L>To <HI>Orundana</HI>'s Throne.</L>
<L>But I am too tame; Seize, &s;eize the Traitour,</L>
<L>And in his hearts rank Blood &mdash;</L>
</SP>
<STAGE>Gobrias and Briomar &s;eize him.</STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>Yet hold fair Savage.</L>
<L>Yes, you may Kill me;</L>
<L>But have a care my unbelieving Parricide,</L>
<L>That hand that Murders mee, &s;tabs thy own Father.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Orund.</SPEAKER>
<L>My Father! Death!</L>
<L>My Father, Fool! how &s;hallow do&s;t thou plot?</L>
<L>This Royal Pride, and this Imperial Beauty</L>
<L>A ba&s;e born Cottage Brat of thy begetting;</L>
<L>And that bright Spark of Heaven.</L>
<L>The &s;acred animating Fire that lights</L>
<PB N="41" REF="25">
<L>This Hollowed Mine, Great <HI>Orundana</HI>'s Soul</L>
<L>Struck from thy Dunghill-flint, dull &s;en&s;ele&s;s Traitor!</L>
<L>Methinks it almo&s;t makes me &s;mile to think</L>
<L>How tickled will the laughing World, receive</L>
<L>This fabulous Tale, thou poor Burle&s;que Romancer&punc;</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Gobrias.</SPEAKER>
<L>Oh Divine Excellence, your Ju&s;tice moves</L>
<L>Too &s;low! Pronounce but the Commanding Word,</L>
<L>And this Commi&s;&s;ion'd Arm &s;ends his Black Soul &mdash;</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Orund.</SPEAKER>
<L>No, now I think on't better, let him live;</L>
<L>I &s;corn to take the mean advantage</L>
<L>Of my own Royal Walls, a Stage too Glorious</L>
<L>For thy ba&s;e Execution. No I'll give</L>
<L>Thee play for Life, and hunt thee fairly dead.</L>
<L>Nor hope to fall a Victim to my Vengeance</L>
<L>Dre&s;t in tho&s;e Gaudy Plumes; the <HI>Per&s;ian</HI> General</L>
<L>And the great <HI>I&s;digerdes</HI> darling Favourite.</L>
<L>No Slave, before to Morrow's &s;etting Sun,</L>
<L>Expect the wrong'd <HI>Hormidas</HI> Re&s;urrection.</L>
<L>And when thy u&s;urp'd Laurel all Re&s;tor'd,</L>
<L>I've &s;tript thee to thy &s;elf a Naked Villain,</L>
<L>I'le have the uncas'd little Mungrel Hanged</L>
<L>In his own Native Kennel.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>Threatning Madam,</L>
<L>Your Thunder talks too big!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Orund.</SPEAKER>
<L>Arrogant Rebel!</L>
<L>One bold word more pulls down thy In&s;tant Fate:</L>
<L>Take thy Face hence; be gon, and if thou can&s;t,</L>
<L>Wear thy fal&s;e Head; yes, wear it till to Morrow.</L>
<STAGE><HI>Exit</HI> Otran<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 span"></STAGE>
<L>Oh that &s;o poor a Va&s;&s;al &s;hould di&s;turb me!</L>
<L>Ye Gods what unknown &s;in have I Committed</L>
<L>That for my Puni&s;hment, your &s;leeping Vengeance</L>
<L>Should &s;uffer &s;o prophane an In&s;olent</L>
<L>To &s;hock the Royal Peace of <HI>Orundana?</HI></L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Briom.</SPEAKER>
<L>Alas Dear Madam, never mind the Snarler;</L>
<L>Like the Proud Si&s;ter Godde&s;s of the Sun,</L>
<L>Di&s;dain the little Angry Village-Cur</L>
<L>That Barks beneath your Glory.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Orund.</SPEAKER>
<L>No my <HI>Gobrias,</HI></L>
<L>So rank a venemous Bla&s;t though ne'er &s;o feeble,</L>
<L>Struck at the Root of Kings, the Veins of <HI>Cyrus;</HI></L>
<L>I mu&s;t not Cheapen Maje&s;ty to pa&s;s</L>
<L>Forgotten or Forgiven. &mdash; Oh that the Traitor</L>
<L>Stood Mountain high, that my avenging Ju&s;tice</L>
<L>Might nobly reach his heart. &mdash; Howe'er for once,</L>
<L>Thou under-ground low Wretch, to cru&s;h thy head,</L>
<L>I'll &s;toop to Plow up a poor Mole-hill Bed.</L>
</SP>
<STAGE>Exeunt.</STAGE>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="scene">
<PB N="42" REF="26">
<HEAD>SCENE, <HI>an Anti-Chamber.</HI></HEAD>
<STAGE><HI>Enter</HI> Hormidas <HI>and</HI> Lorella.</STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Lor.</SPEAKER>
<L>'Tis with the danger of my Life that I pre&s;ume</L>
<L>T'admit you here; but life's not wo<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter">th my care,</L>
<L>When hazarded to &s;erve &s;uch &s;uffering Virtue&punc;</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>Had I Rewards to thank thee for this Kindne&s;s,</L>
<L>My &s;howring Bounty &mdash;</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Lor.</SPEAKER>
<L>Sir I am pay'd in &s;erving you;</L>
<L>No more: That Curtain opens to her Clo&s;et.</L>
</SP>
<STAGE>Exit.</STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>Now King, at this la&s;t blow thou ha&s;t reacht my heart;</L>
<L>Stabb'd through and through my Life, my Love, my Soul!</L>
<L>Oh <HI>Cleomira! Gleomira!</HI></L>
<L>She's lo&s;t, &s;he's lo&s;t, caught by a Gilded Bait,</L>
<L>A tempting Lure of Power for ever lo&s;t.</L>
<L>Yes black Ambition, with thy Dragon's Tayl,</L>
<L>Thou has &s;wept down that Beauteous falling Star!</L>
<L>Oh Woman, Woman, what is thy Foundation!</L>
<L>Who could believe that Dear All-Angel Ye&s;terday,</L>
<L>Should be All-Fiend to day!</L>
<STAGE><HI>The Scene opens, and di&s;covers</HI> Cleomira <HI>in a Rich Nuptial Habit, Sleeping on a Couch.</HI></STAGE>
<L>But &s;ee, &s;ee, there &s;he lies! and oh, behold</L>
<L>All the &s;ame fragrant &s;weetne&s;s on her Cheeks</L>
<L>As if &s;he ne'er had &s;in'd. Not all</L>
<L>The Sooty Sulphur in her Veins has &s;teyn'd</L>
<L>One fading Ro&s;e, or dim'd one &s;ullied Lilly!</L>
<L>Oh Heaven! that Trea&s;on 'ere &s;hould look &s;o lovely!</L>
<L>Wake Truth's Apo&s;tate, fair Perdition wake!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleom.</SPEAKER>
<L>Who calls me, and where am I? For methinks</L>
<L>I am ju&s;t rowzing from a long dead Sleep;</L>
<L>And &s;uch a Giddy Mi&s;t &s;wims round my Rea&s;on &mdash;</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>Do&s;t thou not hear me yet, Lethargick Infidel?</L>
<L>Hangs the black Sleep of Sin and Death &s;o heavy</L>
<L>On thy benighted Soul?</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleom.</SPEAKER>
<L>What's that that &s;peaks in Thunder?</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>I am the Trumpet of thy Shame; young <HI>Syren,</HI></L>
<L>Call'd by thy Crying Infamy to &s;ound</L>
<L>Thy Ecchoing Fal&s;hood, and thy loud-Tongu'd Trea&s;on.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleom.</SPEAKER>
<L>Fal&s;hood and Trea&s;on tho&s;e hard names for me?</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleom.</SPEAKER>
<L>Hard names! thou Gangreen'd Ma&s;s of foul Di&s;honour</L>
<L>Thou purple Plague, with all thy &s;potted Deaths!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleom.</SPEAKER>
<L>Ha, who art thou, that look'&s;t like my <HI>Hormidas,</HI></L>
<L>But do&s;t not talk like him? For &s;uch wild &s;ounds</L>
<L>Such &s;trange Accu&s;ing &s;ounds, &s;hould be Strangers</L>
<L>To that dear Voice of Peace!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>Peace to thy Crimes!</L>
<L>Thou bloated Dungeon Viper; Black Adultre&s;s!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<PB N="43" REF="26">
<SPEAKER>Cleom.</SPEAKER>
<L><HI>Celinda!</HI> ha, who waits there?</L>
<STAGE>Stamping.</STAGE>
<L><HI>Enter</HI> Celinda.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Celind.</SPEAKER>
<L>Did you call</L>
<L>Me Madam?</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleom.</SPEAKER>
<L>Oh <HI>Celinda,</HI> &s;ee, look there;</L>
<L>That angry Thing, &s;o like my once kind Lord,</L>
<L>Talks tho&s;e wild frightful Words! and with a Thou&s;and</L>
<L>All hideous Names too terrible to think on,</L>
<L>Says I am that &s;trange Spotted Creature! &mdash; Nay</L>
<L>(Would&s;t thou believe't) he calls me an Adultre&s;s?</L>
<L>What does he mean <HI>Celinda!</HI></L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>Mean <HI>Barbarian!</HI></L>
<L>Death! &s;hee's all Innocent, Knows nothing ill!</L>
<L>This hardned Bra&s;s, this more than Feminine front's</L>
<L>Beyond Recorded Impudence!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleom.</SPEAKER>
<L>Do&s;t hear him?</L>
<L>Ju&s;t &s;o he talk'd before, all the &s;ame wild</L>
<L>(I know not what) dire Croake!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>And thou the &s;ame</L>
<L>(I know not what) all Ma&s;querading Perjury.</L>
<L>Oh thou all Blood! all Guilt! ju&s;t ri&s;en from</L>
<L>Thy dallying Mon&s;ter's Bed! &mdash;</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleom.</SPEAKER>
<L>A Bed! What &s;ays he? &mdash;</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>The Guilty Ki&s;&s;es on thy melting Lips!</L>
<L>Thy ruffled Arms, and burning Cheeks &s;till Glowing.</L>
<L>Yet thou'rt all Saint, all harmle&s;s innocent &mdash; Devil.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleom.</SPEAKER>
<L>Do&s;t hear him &s;till! am I awake <HI>Celinda?</HI></L>
<L>Or does he Sleep, that makes him talk thus &s;trangely!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>Death and Confu&s;ion! Sleep! no fair De&s;troyer,</L>
<L>Thou ha&s;t took care the&s;e waking Eyes, and my</L>
<L>Poor Murdered Peace &s;hall never &s;leep again:</L>
<L>Whil&s;t thou Gay <HI>Venus</HI> lull'&s;t on Beds of Downe,</L>
<L>Trickt in thy Morning Trim and Fluttering Robes.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleom.</SPEAKER>
<L>Ha! &mdash; Robes!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>Yes, my Proud Wanton <HI>Cleopatra;</HI></L>
<L>Tho&s;e fluttering Robes, the Monumental Pile</L>
<L>Of thy Gay Bed of Death; the Gilded Sepulchre</L>
<L>Of thy dead Virtue, and thy buried Honour.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleom.</SPEAKER>
<L>Oh I can hear no more! <HI>Celinda,</HI> &s;peak,</L>
<L>Say what are the&s;e!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Celind.</SPEAKER>
<L>The&s;e what?</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleom.</SPEAKER>
<L>The&s;e Gaudy Trappings;</L>
<L>The&s;e &s;parkling Gemms, and glittering Gold! Speak quickly.</L>
<L>How came the Mourning <HI>Cleomira</HI> dre&s;t</L>
<L>In all this Pompous Vanity? And ha!</L>
<L>This &s;hining Roof, and that proud Bed of Gold!</L>
<L>Oh my awakening Eyes! &s;peak Dear <HI>Celinda.</HI></L>
<PB N="44" REF="27">
<L>Where am I! and what am I! prithee tell me.</L>
<L>Oh my foreboding Tears! An&s;wer me quickly!</L>
<L>Unriddle this dumb &s;how of Splendid Horrours.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Celind.</SPEAKER>
<L>This Royal Palace, and the&s;e Nuptial Ornaments,</L>
<L>And thou the beauteous Pride to great <HI>Otrantes</HI>&mdash;</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleom.</SPEAKER>
<L><HI>Otrantes!</HI></L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Celind.</SPEAKER>
<L>Ris'n with all thy Bridal Blu&s;hes</L>
<L>From his incircling Arms. &mdash;</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleom.</SPEAKER>
<L>Oh&mdash;</L>
</SP>
<STAGE>Swoons and Falls.</STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>She &s;inks, &s;he &s;inks.</L>
<L>Almighty Truth, thou art at la&s;t a Conqueror.</L>
<L>Convey tho&s;e Lovely Ruins from my Eyes.</L>
<STAGE>The Scene &s;huts upon her.</STAGE>
<L>Oh Con&s;cience! Con&s;cience! Thou art kind too late.</L>
<L>Had thy Alarm but &s;truck before her Fall,</L>
<L>How glorious had that &s;till Crown'd Beauty lived!</L>
<L>And oh! how happy had <HI>Hormidas</HI> died!</L>
</SP>
<STAGE><HI>Enter</HI> Theodo&s;ius.</STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Theod.</SPEAKER>
<L>Oh my <HI>Hormidas,</HI> I've that hideous Story,</L>
<L>Thy <HI>Cleomira</HI>&mdash;That Dear Beauteous Innocence, &mdash;</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>Has turn'd all black Deformity; dyed all</L>
<L>Her Ermin Honour into &s;ooty Sable;</L>
<L>Barter'd her Gemms for Gla&s;s, and poorly &s;old</L>
<L>Her Right in Heaven, and all my Peace on Earth.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Theod.</SPEAKER>
<L>Oh hold; forbear this unju&s;t profanation:</L>
<L>Wound not that ravi&s;ht Virtue. For by Arts</L>
<L>Infernal, by the Kings Command, perform'd</L>
<L>By th' executing Fangs of Power, his Prie&s;ts:</L>
<L>That all unblemi&s;ht Fair (Oh! would'&s;t thou think it!)</L>
<L>Was to that Villains Bed by Philters poy&s;oned.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>Philters!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Theod.</SPEAKER>
<L>By Drugs, and execrable Sorceries poy&s;oned.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>Poy&s;on'd! my unkind King, that was fowl Play.</L>
<L>But, ha! a Dawning Joy tells my Ea&s;ed heart,</L>
<L>That &s;he's all Truth &s;till, all un&s;haken Truth;</L>
<L>Only an Innocent Victim &s;nared to Ruin,</L>
<L>And Butchered in the Toyl, a Bleeding Martyr.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Theod.</SPEAKER>
<L>Only a &s;ullen Cloud of Hell prevailed,</L>
<L>And the bright Heaven Ecclip&s;ed.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>Oh my enlightned Peace!</L>
<L>Yes my fair Saint; though thy frail Earth is lo&s;t,</L>
<L>I have not lo&s;t thy Soul. &mdash; But I forget:</L>
<L>Oh let me run, run to her Sacred Knees,</L>
<L>And beg my blu&s;hing pardon at her Feet;</L>
<L>For I have wrong'd her, ba&s;ely wrong'd her.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Theod.</SPEAKER>
<L>Wrong'd her!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>Yes, Prince, reproacht her with a Thou&s;and all</L>
<PB N="45" REF="27">
<L>The vile&s;t Names of lewd abandon'd Woman.</L>
<L>What though her canker'd Veins run all Contagion;</L>
<L>And all my bla&s;ted Hopes for ever die?</L>
<L>Her &s;potle&s;s Mind's all white, and at that Charm</L>
<L>A plea&s;ing Rapture glides all Heav'nly fair &mdash; But oh!</L>
<L>Great Love, how dazling mu&s;t thy Beams di&s;play,</L>
<L>When one poor &s;park of Light lets in the day.</L>
</SP>
<STAGE><HI>The Scence opens and di&s;covers</HI> Cleomira <HI>held by her two Women</HI> Celinda <HI>and</HI> Lorella.</STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleom.</SPEAKER>
<L>Why did you wake me</L>
<L>From Deaths cold Sleep to burning Lifes hot Fever?</L>
<L>Oh Heav'n, Heav'n, Heav'n! the happy <HI>Cleomira</HI></L>
<L>Was once your darling care; when radiant Vertue,</L>
<L>And blooming Innocence fenc'd round my Peace;</L>
<L>But, Oh! ye faithle&s;s Guardians of my Soul,</L>
<L>Ye fal&s;e de&s;erting Powers! Why did you ba&s;ely</L>
<L>Shrink like poor craven Cowards from your Po&s;t,</L>
<L>And leave me lo&s;t for ever?</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Gelind.</SPEAKER>
<L>Why thus cruelly</L>
<L>Do you afflict tho&s;e fair tormented Eyes?</L>
</SP>
<STAGE><HI>Enter</HI> Hormidas.</STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleom.</SPEAKER>
<L>Eyes did&s;t thou &s;ay? The&s;e treacherous Balls of Fire:</L>
<L>Oh tear 'em, tear 'em out, the&s;e rowling Brands,</L>
<L>That only light me to Eternal Night &mdash;</L>
<L>Ha! Stay the growling Fiends, and hi&s;&s;ing Furies;</L>
<L>Stop, &s;top the Midnight Thieves, and Cut-Throat Robbers</L>
<L>Of murdered Innocence, re&s;tore my rifled Trea&s;ures,</L>
<L>And give me back my Peace, my Truth, my Soul &mdash;</L>
<L>Oh my &s;ick Brain! Tear off the&s;e &s;hining Tre&s;&s;es,</L>
<L>The&s;e Traytor Jewels, and this guilty Gold;</L>
<L>And give me my dear Rags,</L>
<L>My lovelie&s;t, &s;weete&s;t, beauteous, hone&s;t Rags.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>Oh Harmony Divine!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleom.</SPEAKER>
<L>And art thou here,</L>
<L>My dear wrong'd Lord? Oh thou art come to puni&s;h me.</L>
<L>Yes, Charming Ju&s;tice &s;trike; my Heart &s;tands fair;</L>
<L>And whil&s;t the kind Sword kills me, thus I'le kneel,</L>
<STAGE>Kneels.</STAGE>
<L>And ki&s;s the guiding Hand.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>Kill thee!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleom.</SPEAKER>
<L>Ah, kill me, Sir, for I am too black to live&punc;</L>
<L>Oh &s;trike: (Ala&s;s!) a very little Blow</L>
<L>Will do thee Ju&s;tice now, a &s;troke &s;o ea&s;y.</L>
<L>Turn but one frowning Look from tho&s;e dear Eyes</L>
<L>And &s;tiffled in a flagrant Bed of Ro&s;es,</L>
<L>I'le &s;ink in Sweets and Dye.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>No, Ravi&s;ht Sweetne&s;s, live.</L>
<L>And, oh, forgive the too unkind <HI>Hormidas.</HI></L>
<PB N="46" REF="28">
<L>For I have injur'd thee; given thee fal&s;e Names;</L>
<L>When oh, fair &s;potle&s;s Truth, thou bleeding <HI>Lucrece,</HI></L>
<L>An impious Draught of horrid, horrid Philter</L>
<L>Drencht thy infatuated Sen&s;e all drown'd,</L>
<L>And drag'd thee martyr'd to that Traytors Bed.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleom.</SPEAKER>
<L>Ha! My poor Heart by &s;uch vile Arts betray'd!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>By foule&s;t, blacke&s;t Arts lo&s;t and betrayed,</L>
<L>Thy Chry&s;tal Veins and purer Rea&s;on poy&s;oned.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleom.</SPEAKER>
<L>Nay, then I am not quite &s;o black, not all</L>
<L>So frightful and deform'd a Specter;</L>
<L>But thy poor <HI>Cleomira</HI> has a little,</L>
<L>A little Innocence left.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>A little!</L>
<L>Oh thou all-whitene&s;s, thy untainted Soul,</L>
<L>That fair Eternity &s;tands &s;afe within,</L>
<L>And but thy poorer, weaker Outwork's lo&s;t &mdash;</L>
<L>But ha &mdash; he lives, th' unpuni&s;ht Poy&s;oner lives! &mdash;</L>
<L>Oh mourning <HI>Philomel,</HI> the&s;e lovely Ruines</L>
<L>Call loud for Blood: And this too tardy Arm</L>
<L>Delays the avenging Bolt. Yes, he mu&s;t bleed.</L>
<L>No Chri&s;tian Shackle now binds up my Arm,</L>
<L>Now my keen Sword may &s;trike: Toads, Vipers, Serpents,</L>
<L>The &s;peckled Adder, and the curling Snake,</L>
<L>Mans common Foe, all Hands are arm'd to kill.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleom.</SPEAKER>
<L>And wilt thou kill that impious Savage?</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>Kill him!</L>
<L>Yes, my fair murdered Life, this Arm mu&s;t carve</L>
<L>Thy bleeding Honours Monument, rip up</L>
<L>His poy&s;on'd Heart, that baneful Hemlock Root,</L>
<L>And weed him from the World.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleom.</SPEAKER>
<L>Oh let me joyn in that Divine Revenge!</L>
<L>Thy &s;ingle Arm amid&s;t his crowding Followers</L>
<L>Would be too weak to reach that guarded Fiend:</L>
<L>And to expo&s;e thee in too ra&s;h a Danger,</L>
<L>Wou'd not take his, but hazard thy dear Life.</L>
<L>No, my wrong'd Lord, let me in&s;truct your Vengeance.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>Oh, &s;peak my leading Oracle!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleom.</SPEAKER>
<L>Thus then &mdash; &mdash;</L>
<L>This Evening when the lu&s;tful Satyr comes</L>
<L>Keen for his Prey (oh the dete&s;ted thought)</L>
<L>I'le have thee planted, hid within his Clo&s;et;</L>
<L>In thy ju&s;t Arm the pointed Steel, prepared</L>
<L>And at th' unguarded Traytors &s;afe Approach,</L>
<L>Then &s;trike for <HI>Cleomira.</HI> Oh my Lord,</L>
<L>Ru&s;h on him like a Tempe&s;t; bolt him headlong,</L>
<L>Plung'd in Eternal Flames &s;o quick, that Hell</L>
<L>May &s;ee him fain, before it hears him falling.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<PB N="47" REF="28">
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>Thou lovely Amazon, my Divine In&s;pirer!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleom.</SPEAKER>
<L>Nay to &s;ecure him there, till then I'le calm</L>
<L>My Brow, &s;mooth my fal&s;e Looks, and dance before him</L>
<L>A wandring Fire to train him to his Fate.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>And will my <HI>Cleomira</HI> &mdash;</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleom.</SPEAKER>
<L>Oh, my Love!</L>
<L>To right thy Wrongs, methinks, I cou'd even play</L>
<L>The very Hypocrite, act the true Woman</L>
<L>To give that Mon&s;ter Death.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>This is &s;o generous &mdash;</L>
<L>But (oh!) this Scorpion Wound has &s;tung &s;o deep</L>
<L>That all the Scorpions Blood can never cure!</L>
<L>Oh Love! There &s;tands that parting Gulph between us,</L>
<L>That to tho&s;e Arms I never can return.</L>
<L>But though my happy Days and happier Nights</L>
<L>Are mine no more; tho&s;e &s;weets I am doom'd to lo&s;e,</L>
<L>I am re&s;olved that Heav'n &s;hall only find.</L>
<L>Lodg'd in a Cloy&s;ter of devoted Penitents,</L>
<L>Thy mounting Prayers &s;hall &s;cale the Throne of Stars,</L>
<L>And win the Crown of Peace.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleom.</SPEAKER>
<L>A Cloy&s;ter'd Life!</L>
<L>Oh thou dear only Good, and only kind!</L>
<L>This is true Love indeed that gives me Heav'n.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>Yes, my la&s;t Debt I'le pay. I loved thee living,</L>
<L>And mu&s;t embalm thee dead &mdash; But then; oh then</L>
<L>To all that's dear, Farewel; for we mu&s;t part for ever.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleom.</SPEAKER>
<L>Say not for ever. No, my &s;till lov'd Lord,</L>
<L>Though the&s;e polluted Arms are thine no more,</L>
<L>My Sighs, my Tears, my Prayers &s;hall &s;till be thine.</L>
<L>And when the&s;e Eyes with endle&s;s Fountains fed,</L>
<L>The Earth my Pillow and my Grave my Bed,</L>
<L>I've worn out Life, and wa&s;ht my &s;tains away,</L>
<L>I'le mount above, and meet thee &s;potle&s;s there.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>There our new happier Spou&s;als wee'l prepare,</L>
<L>In all the Joys of everla&s;ting Day &mdash;</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleom.</SPEAKER>
<L>But I mu&s;t mourn before I find the Way.</L>
</SP>
<STAGE>Exeunt &s;everally.</STAGE>
</DIV2>
<TRAILER>Finis Actus Quarti.</TRAILER>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 N="5" TYPE="act">
<PB N="48" REF="29">
<HEAD>ACT. V.</HEAD>
<STAGE><HI>Enter</HI> Celinda <HI>introducing</HI> Hormidas <HI>with a Sword in his hand.</HI></STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Celind.</SPEAKER>
<L>MY Lord, behind that Covert take your &s;tand;</L>
<L>And when he's &s;afe in your Swords Reach, to his</L>
<L>Fal&s;e Heart direct your executing Ju&s;tice.</L>
</SP>
<STAGE>Exit.</STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>Yes, <HI>Cleomira,</HI> Love and Vengeance call;</L>
<L>Thy <HI>Tarquin</HI> bleeds to night &mdash; But, oh, that in</L>
<L>Thy great Revenge this Hand can act &s;o little!</L>
<L>This Sword, when drawn in Honors cau&s;e, &s;truck nobly;</L>
<L>All &s;parkling in the Front of headed Legions.</L>
<L>But, with what blu&s;hing Shame this Arm mu&s;t move,</L>
<L>When it thus poorly &s;culks to &s;trike for Love?</L>
</SP>
<STAGE>Exit.</STAGE>
<STAGE><HI>Enter</HI> Otrantes <HI>and</HI> Rugildas.</STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>Is &s;he &s;o hot then for my thir&s;ted Blood,</L>
<L>And drives &s;o furious?</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Rug.</SPEAKER>
<L>Not a &s;tarving Tygre&s;s</L>
<L>Can hunt more keen: Already &s;he has per&s;ued</L>
<L>So clo&s;e, that with a hundred rancrous whi&s;pers</L>
<L>In the Kings Ear &mdash; (Fal&s;hood or Truth; no matter)</L>
<L>Her &s;ubtle&s;t Engines, Power, Arts, Intere&s;t, all</L>
<L>Stand level'd at your Head.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>My Head! Yes Friend,</L>
<L>She has given me leave to wear it till to Morrow.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Rug.</SPEAKER>
<L>To Morrow!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>So, the angry <HI>Orundana.</HI></L>
<L>The great Di&s;po&s;er of my Fate has fixt</L>
<L>My bounded Life: My Lea&s;e is out to Morrow.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Rug.</SPEAKER>
<L>I mu&s;t confe&s;s e're you pre&s;um'd to tell her</L>
<L>What Veins &s;he wore, you &s;hould have fir&s;t con&s;idered</L>
<L>What Sex &s;he had been too. Glory, Pride, Ambition</L>
<L>The touching of that nice, that tender part,</L>
<L>Wou'd &s;hake an Angel were that Angel Woman.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>True, I've &s;o &s;hook the Woman in her Veins,</L>
<L>Till turn'd a Fury,</L>
<L>She has &s;worn my Death; and, I am but too certain,</L>
<L>Will keep her Oath.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Rug.</SPEAKER>
<L>Will keep it?</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>If &s;he can.</L>
<L>No, my dear Friend, I &s;ee my lowring Danger,</L>
<L>The mixing Gall and all the angry Viols</L>
<L><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="2 letters">&s;t pouring, and to &s;hield my Head,</L>
<PB N="49" REF="29">
<L>Have form'd that glorious Counter-plot.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Rug.</SPEAKER>
<L>A Counter-plot!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>The Arms of <HI>Per&s;ia</HI> are all mine to day;</L>
<L>What think'&s;t thou if to Morrow wears her Crown?</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Rug.</SPEAKER>
<L>The Crown!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>A Crown, that gives me all my Wi&s;hes;</L>
<L>A Crown, that plants me far above the Shock</L>
<L>Of Foes or Fortune's Frowns, wall'd in with &s;afety</L>
<L>From the weak Bla&s;t of <HI>Orundana</HI>'s Rage;</L>
<L>Her Feeble Threats, and Cobweb Plots, all bur&s;t.</L>
<L>'Tis true, the means to reach that Crown</L>
<L>Is &s;omething of the roughe&s;t, when my pa&s;&s;age</L>
<L>Lyes only through the Life of <HI>I&s;degerdes.</HI></L>
<L>'Tis &s;omething hard to cut &s;o keen as I mu&s;t.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Rug.</SPEAKER>
<L>Hard!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>And the thought of Trea&s;on &mdash;</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Rug.</SPEAKER>
<L>Trea&s;on! Fye!</L>
<L>Is that a Bar to Souls re&s;olv'd like ours?</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>Oh, my kind Oracle!</L>
<STAGE>Embracing him.</STAGE>
<L>We are alone, and &s;afe; and in thy Bo&s;om</L>
<L>I dare repo&s;e my Heart; know then this night</L>
<L>This <HI>Ja&s;on</HI>'s Arm bears the proud Fleece of Gold. &mdash;</L>
<L>You know, t' a&s;&s;i&s;t the King's Devotion, every night</L>
<L>One of his Prie&s;ts, his <HI>Magi,</HI> is admitted</L>
<L>Into his Clo&s;et private and alone.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Rug.</SPEAKER>
<L>Alone, and private! Yes, his Guards, Attendants,</L>
<L>All, all remov'd at that commanded di&s;tance,</L>
<L>As if he &s;tudied with the &s;ame re&s;igning Faith,</L>
<L>To tru&s;t his Per&s;on as he tru&s;ts his Soul.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>This night then, my <HI>Rugildas,</HI> I am that Prie&s;t.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Rug.</SPEAKER>
<L>Mo&s;t excellent!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>Alas! how ea&s;ily</L>
<L>Will the di&s;patching In&s;trument of Fate</L>
<L>Be lodg'd under the Ma&s;que and Robe of Sanctity,</L>
<L>The time, place, hour, all aiding the great Deed.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Rug.</SPEAKER>
<L>Exqui&s;ite Mi&s;chief!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>Nay, and my Retreat</L>
<L>Will be as &s;afe as my Approach. For &s;ince</L>
<L>'Tis death by <HI>Per&s;ia</HI>'s Laws for any Subject</L>
<L>The Clo&s;et of the King uncall'd to enter;</L>
<L>Who, who &s;hall call, when Death has &s;ign'd his la&s;t</L>
<L>Long &s;ilence, and the Silencer retired</L>
<L>With all the &s;afety and the Peace of Innocence!</L>
<L>Ay, and to make his Death pa&s;s currant Prie&s;t-work;</L>
<L>It is but hanging half a dozen of</L>
<L>Tho&s;e &s;anctify'd Church-tools, and the Work's done.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Rug.</SPEAKER>
<L>O &s;ublime Reach!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<PB N="50" REF="30">
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>Nay, put 'em to the Wrack fir&s;t, and perhaps</L>
<L>Some of the &s;ofte&s;t pamper'd Fatlings of 'em,</L>
<L>That ne're felt pain, unle&s;s from a Debauch,</L>
<L>May at a Stretch too hard confe&s;s the very Murder.</L>
<L>It is not the fir&s;t Wonder of that kind,</L>
<L>That Cords and Pulleys have perform'd. &mdash; That done,</L>
<L>His very Death confe&s;s'd, and Blood reveng'd,</L>
<L>The feeble <HI>Orundana</HI>'s Talons pared;</L>
<L>The poor <HI>Hormidas,</HI> all his weak preten&s;ions,</L>
<L>Hu&s;ht with a Poniard; and my <HI>Cleomira</HI></L>
<L>Proclaim'd and prov'd, dre&s;t in her native Beams,</L>
<L>An Infant of the Sun, and Child of Empire;</L>
<L>And my great Self the Partner of her Throne. &mdash;</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Rug.</SPEAKER>
<L>Never was Plot &s;o all divinely Great!</L>
<L>Methinks I &s;ee the Radiant Hoop of Gold</L>
<L>Already twine your Brow, a Crown, a Circle,</L>
<L>In which more bright Cele&s;tial Myriads dance</L>
<L>Then half the Round of Heav'n.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>A Crown, <HI>Rugildas!</HI></L>
<L>Now Fortune for the Lawrels of the Bold.</L>
<L>One Hand a Dagger and a Scepter hold.</L>
</SP>
<STAGE>Exeunt.</STAGE>
<STAGE><HI>Re-enter</HI> Hormidas <HI>as from his Stand overhearing.</HI></STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>A Crown! No; Slave, a Gibbet and a Pinnacle.</L>
<L>Oh ble&s;t Di&s;covery! Dear Heav'n, not all</L>
<L>My &s;tudied Vengeance cou'd have form'd a Wi&s;h&punc;</L>
<L>Beyond this plea&s;ing Sound. Quick, let me fly</L>
<L>To th' alarm'd Ear of Royal <HI>I&s;digerdes,</HI></L>
<L>And guard his Sacred Life: &mdash; For He's my King &s;till. &mdash;</L>
<L>Oh <HI>Cleomira!</HI> Now, I'le do thee noble Ju&s;tice.</L>
<L>For that &s;tain'd Slave's black Blood this Sword's too bright.</L>
<L>No; the vile Hangman's hand &s;hall do thee right.</L>
</SP>
<STAGE>Exit.</STAGE>
<STAGE>Enter King &s;olus.</STAGE>
<STAGE>Scene Changes.</STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>Oh, why</L>
<L>Does the mi&s;taken popular Adoration</L>
<L>Call Monarchs Heav'n's Vicegerents. &mdash; Is it, becau&s;e</L>
<L>We Sovereign Heads bear Rule like them! &mdash; Ah no!</L>
<L>Such di&s;proportion our Dominions hold&punc;</L>
<L>What Harmony and Order move their Orbs;</L>
<L>And what Confu&s;ion ours? Their Mea&s;ures&punc; Sphears&punc;</L>
<L>Pow'rs, Dominations, Movements numberle&s;s,</L>
<L>And Circles infinite dance th' Eternal Round,</L>
<L>Without one erring Step, or Jar between 'em;</L>
<L>Whil&s;t even old Hoary Time him&s;elf, with all</L>
<PB N="51" REF="30">
<L>His Thou&s;and, Thou&s;and Years upon his Back,</L>
<L>Beats not one Pul&s;e uneven. But, Oh, how &s;ickly</L>
<L>Is our di&s;temper'd State, our Crazy Sway?</L>
<L>Convul&s;ions and Di&s;tractions half our Days;</L>
<L>And our whole Reign one re&s;tle&s;s Ferment all:</L>
<L>And we re&s;emble Heav'n (alas) no more,</L>
<L>Than theirs the Bli&s;s, and ours the Toil of Pow'r!</L>
</SP>
<STAGE><HI>Enter</HI> Hormidas <HI>Introduced by</HI> Orundana.</STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Orund.</SPEAKER>
<L><HI>Otrantes</HI> arm'd for <HI>I&s;digerdes</HI> Blood!</L>
<L>But &s;ee, the King! Approach, thou kind Di&s;coverer.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L><HI>Hormidas!</HI></L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>If &s;o poor a vagrant Wretch</L>
<L>May dare intrude within the&s;e Royal Walls;</L>
<L>And Rags and Mi&s;ery may be permitted</L>
<L>To kneel on hallow'd Ground &mdash;</L>
</SP>
<STAGE>Kneels.</STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Orand.</SPEAKER>
<L>Stand up, <HI>Hormidas,</HI></L>
<L>And boldly &s;peak the Mighty Truth thou bring'&s;t.</L>
<L>Thou that art come to &s;ave a Monarch's Life,</L>
<L>Art Heav'ns Amba&s;&s;ador, and thy great Cau&s;e</L>
<L>Adorns thy poore&s;t Rags.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>To &s;ave a Monarch's Life!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>To &s;ave the Life of Royal <HI>I&s;digerdes.</HI></L>
<L>Oh the mo&s;t Impious Execrable Trea&s;on</L>
<L>That ever call'd up Hell, or call'd down Vengeance!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>Trea&s;on! From whom?</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Orund.</SPEAKER>
<L>From that unparallell'd Villain,</L>
<L>As Bli&s;ters even the very Tongue that names him;</L>
<L>That Prodigy, that Mon&s;ter of all Mon&s;ters,</L>
<L><HI>Otrantes,</HI> comes this Night to be your Murderer.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L><HI>Otrantes!</HI></L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L><HI>Otrantes,</HI> Sir,</L>
<L>That vile, that low-born Slave, the cour&s;e&s;t Earth</L>
<L>That lavi&s;h Pow'r e'er moulded into Honour;</L>
<L>So ble&s;t, &s;o favour'd, &s;o advanc'd; for all</L>
<L>Tho&s;e Pyramids of Glory you had rais'd him,</L>
<L>Returns a Dagger to their Founders Heart;</L>
<L>With his own Hand this Night de&s;igns your Death.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>Thou &s;trik'&s;t tho&s;e Sounds of Horrour in my Ear,</L>
<L>As my Faith &s;taggers but to think &mdash; <HI>Otrantes!</HI></L>
<L>Gods! 'Tis impo&s;&s;ible &mdash; May I believe thee!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Form.</SPEAKER>
<L>Sir, on the forfeit of my Hopes in Heav'n,</L>
<L>(For Hopes on Earth I've none, or el&s;e I'd pledge them too)</L>
<L>What I have told you, is Oraculous Truth;</L>
<L>The&s;e f<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter">i<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter">hted Ears heard the whole Plotted Trea&s;on.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L><HI>Otrantes</HI> Hand! Ingratitude &s;o Mon&s;trous!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<PB N="52" REF="31">
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>Nay, this Ungrateful Infidel, if po&s;&s;ible,</L>
<L>To add to Guilt, &s;o exqui&s;itely wicked,</L>
<L>Comes in the Habit of your Prie&s;t, and under</L>
<L>That Holy Robe he brings th' Infernal Dagger.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>So keen warm Snake; &s;o hot my rank-tooth'd Viper!</L>
<L>I'll find you Scorpions that &s;hall match your &s;ting.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Orund.</SPEAKER>
<L>Scorpions! Yes, <HI>King,</HI> rowze all your knotted Vengeance:</L>
<L>Whole Years and Ages on the Wrack,</L>
<L>Would be a Mercy to &s;o damn'd a Traytor.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>That Hand my Murderer; and thine, thine my</L>
<L>Deliverer! Gods! which is my greate&s;t Wonder,</L>
<L>He brings me Death, or that thou bring'&s;t me Life!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>That I &s;hould bring you Life! Alas!</L>
<L>Is that &s;o &s;trange! Sir, are you not my King!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>Thy King!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>And is my Duty &s;uch a Wonder!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>Duty to me! My Cruelty and my Shame!</L>
<L>Life from that Hand! Thou the kind Guardian Angel</L>
<L>To <HI>Cleomira</HI>'s Poy&s;oner? What, with thy Load of Wrongs!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>Wrongs! Breathe tho&s;e empty Sounds no more.</L>
<L>Oh, Sir, con&s;ider I'm you Nephew, all</L>
<L>My Veins your own; and with my Mothers Milk,</L>
<L>Suckt in Allegiance to that Sacred Name;</L>
<L>Even the fir&s;t Breath I drew was all your own.</L>
<L>And if at la&s;t (alas!) I leave the world</L>
<L>With &s;ome &s;mall Service to that Honoured Head,</L>
<L>I only fini&s;h where I fir&s;t begun;</L>
<L>And die no more than that which I was born.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>Oh my Awakening Sen&s;es!</L>
<L>There's &s;omething whi&s;pers my Relenting Soul,</L>
<L>And tells me thou art True.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>That I am true &mdash;</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>That thou art true, Confu&s;ion, Horrour, Shame</L>
<L>Tear my wrack'd Peace; and all my &s;hivering Nerves</L>
<L>Start at thy frightful Wrongs.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>Oh, Sir, no more.</L>
<L>Let me be &s;till all Black, all &s;potted Guilt,</L>
<L>Ambition, Trea&s;on; all the &s;ame loathed Wretch.</L>
<L>For, Oh! to &s;ee you &s;hake that Noble Frame,</L>
<L>There's &s;omething &s;o all Tender touches here,</L>
<L><HI>I</HI> dare not purcha&s;e Innocence &s;o dear.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King</SPEAKER>
<L>Oh! thou all Truth &mdash;</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horn.</SPEAKER>
<L>Per&s;ue that Traitors Fal&s;ehood;</L>
<L>And leave my Truth to Heaven. &mdash; But if my Injuries</L>
<L>Mu&s;t force a Sigh, and melt a Royal Tear,</L>
<L>Oh, may that dropping Pearl glide gently down;</L>
<PB N="53" REF="31">
<L>No haunting Dreams, nor Walking Vi&s;ion tread:</L>
<L>For, Oh! to &s;heild the Peace of that Crown'd Head,</L>
<L>Light may my Wrongs, all hu&s;ht my A&s;hes lie;</L>
<STAGE>Exit.</STAGE>
<L>If Heav'n can but forgive as much as I.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>How Rich a Jewel that cour&s;e Casket holds!</L>
<L>&mdash;But! Ha! I dare not think!</L>
<L>Lull, Con&s;cience, lull; and &s;lumb'ring Rea&s;on wink:</L>
<L>For (Oh Remembrance!) if thou wak'&s;t, I &s;ink.</L>
</SP>
<STAGE>Exeunt<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter"></STAGE>
<STAGE><HI>Scene changes. Enter</HI> Otrantes <HI>di&s;guis'd as a</HI> Magus.</STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>Thus far I have walk'd &s;afe, with Bows and Knees</L>
<L>Saluted as I pa&s;t; the di&s;tant Crowd</L>
<L>with awful Homage bending low before me.</L>
<L>Oh the bewitching Charm of Beard and Sanctity!</L>
<L>Some of 'em, as I pa&s;t, who&s;e bolder Zeal</L>
<L>Dur&s;t find a Tongue to Greet me, cryed, All Health,</L>
<L>Health to the Soul of Maje&s;ty, the Life of Empire;</L>
<L>And Ble&s;&s;ings Crown his Prayers!&mdash;Yes, all the Ble&s;&s;ings,</L>
<L>And all that Health the Airy Food of Heav'n,</L>
<L>To which this Hour I wing his mounted Soul,</L>
<L>Can give, I bring him. Now a Stroke for Empire!</L>
<L>Weild Nobly, my bold Arm, but this one Bolt</L>
<L>Of Thunder, and the Thunderer's Throne is mine.</L>
<L>Ha! the King's Clo&s;et opening for my Entrance!</L>
<L>Now boyl; boyl up the Fever of my Blood,</L>
<L>And every Pul&s;e of my warm Soul beat high.</L>
</SP>
<STAGE><HI>Enter</HI> King.</STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>Oh, art thou there, my Cut-throat Ma&s;querader!</L>
</SP>
<STAGE>A&s;ide.</STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>The King approaches. Now, now for the Spirit</L>
<L>Of the great <HI>Brutus,</HI> the Immortal <HI>Ca&s;&s;ius,</HI></L>
<L>And a whole Roman Senate in one Arm.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>So punctual at th'Infernal A&s;&s;ignation.</L>
<STAGE>A&s;ide.</STAGE>
<L>Well, Reverend Sanctity, I &s;ee thy pious</L>
<L>And holy Zeal is come to bring me Heav'n,</L>
<STAGE><HI>Advancing a little nearer to</HI> Otrantes.</STAGE>
<L>And I thee Hell to thank thee for't.</L>
</SP>
<STAGE><HI>The King &s;tamping with his Foot, enter</HI> Gobrias, Briomer, Artaban, Ortagan, <HI>and other Attendants, who run in, and &s;eize</HI> Otrantes, <HI>pulling off his fal&s;e Beard, and &s;eizing a large Dagger conceal'd under his Robe.</HI></STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>Confu&s;ion!</L>
<L>Betray'd and lo&s;t!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>Yes, out&s;ide Holine&s;s, and in&s;ide Devil,</L>
<L>We have prepar'd a Counter-Ma&s;que to match you.</L>
<L>So &s;harp, my hard-mouth'd <HI>Cerberus!</HI> Nay, then,</L>
<L>'Twas time to find a Muzzle for my Bloodhound.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otran.</SPEAKER>
<L>True; you have caught me, <HI>King.</HI> But doubly damn'd</L>
<PB N="54" REF="32">
<L>Be tho&s;e per&s;idious Feinds that laid the Toyl.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>Ha! Dares he &s;peak? Strike the Audacious In&s;olence</L>
<L>Down his fal&s;e Throat? Rip, rip his Gangreen'd Heart up.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Otrant.</SPEAKER>
<L>Yet hold your Royal Vengeance; Save my Life</L>
<L>But for an hour; I have Wonders to di&s;cover</L>
<L>Concern your Safety, Peace, Life, Glory, Empire;</L>
<L>Of new Con&s;piracies, Swords, Poy&s;ons, Trea&s;ons.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>Trea&s;ons again&s;t my Life! and thou, Barbarian,</L>
<L>Thou, the Di&s;coverer! No; Slave, I'll tru&s;t</L>
<L>My Life and Throne to Heav'n; Not borrow Engines</L>
<L>From Hell for my Protection. But the Traytor</L>
<L>Has lived too long. Strike, &s;trike the Mon&s;ter dead.</L>
<L>Quickly, ye tedious Slaves.</L>
<STAGE>They all <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 word">h him with their &s;<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter">veral Daggers, he falls and dies.</STAGE>
<L>Now, <HI>Briomar,</HI></L>
<L>Be it your Charge to &s;ee the Traytor's Carca&s;e</L>
<L>Dragg'd round the Walls of <HI>Babylon;</HI> then hang'd</L>
<L>On &s;ome erected Pinacle, if po&s;&s;ible,</L>
<L>So high, the very Vultures to devour him,</L>
<L>Shall droop their flagging Wings, and tire to reach him.</L>
<STAGE>Exeunt <HI>&s;ome part of the Attendants with the Body of</HI> Otrantes.</STAGE>
<L>But though our ju&s;t Di&s;dain refus'd the Service</L>
<L>Of a Di&s;coverer from that black Ruffian,</L>
<L>'Tis fit we found the Bottom of this Trea&s;on.</L>
<L>And therefore, <HI>Ortagan,</HI> go in&s;tantly</L>
<L>And &s;eize the fal&s;e <HI>Rugildas.</HI> That &s;ly Confident,</L>
<L>So dipt in his Intreigues, cannot be ignorant</L>
<L>Of this Con&s;piracy. If his harden'd Guilt</L>
<L>Refu&s;es a Di&s;covery, give him the Wrack</L>
<L>To &s;often him to Confe&s;&s;ion.</L>
<STAGE>Exit Ortagan.</STAGE>
<L>Oh, poor <HI>Hormidas!</HI> Were the ravi&s;h'd Coronets</L>
<L>Torn from thy Brow for Chaplets for this Villain?</L>
<L>Oh the mi&s;taken Favours of the Crown!</L>
<L>And, Kings, why are we Gods? 'Tis true, their Thunder,</L>
<L>Like Gods, we weild in our Revenge: But when</L>
<L>We &s;howre our Ble&s;&s;ings, we are only Men.</L>
</SP>
<STAGE>Exit King and Attendants.</STAGE>
<STAGE><HI>Enter</HI> Orundana <HI>and</HI> Theodo&s;ius.</STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Theod</SPEAKER>
<L>Light of my Life, forgive th' ill-manner'd Rudene&s;s</L>
<L>Of this ill-&s;ea&s;on'd Vi&s;it. But the Cau&s;e</L>
<L>That brings me will excu&s;e a greater Fault.</L>
<L>Oh, my bright Excellence, I was lead hither</L>
<L>By an Alarm of that &s;trange Horrour.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Orund.</SPEAKER>
<L>Horrour!</L>
<L>Yes, Prince, the bu&s;ie Demons of the Air,</L>
<L>In clo&s;e Cabal with their great Lord of Darkne&s;s,</L>
<L>Have &s;ate this Night a hatching mighty Mi&s;chiefs,</L>
<PB N="55" REF="32">
<L>'Till watchful Providence, and I above 'em,</L>
<L>Look'd down, and cru&s;h'd the brooding Trea&s;on dead.</L>
</SP>
<STAGE><HI>Enter King reading a Letter, with</HI> Cleontes <HI>and</HI> Doranthe, <HI>with Attendants.</HI></STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Dor.</SPEAKER>
<L>Oh, Sir, that Letter to your dying Queen</L>
<L>To my eternal Shame does but too plainly</L>
<L>Confirm the fatal Truth which I have told you.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>Too plain indeed.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Dorant.</SPEAKER>
<L>Forgive a Woman's weakne&s;s</L>
<L>Seduced by a fond Brother's treacherous Art,</L>
<L>The mad Ambition of the fal&s;e <HI>Otrantes</HI></L>
<L>To mount his own ba&s;e Brat, fal&s;e <HI>Orundana,</HI></L>
<L>A Fairy Changling to the Throne of <HI>Cyrus.</HI></L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Orund.</SPEAKER>
<L>How's this? Confu&s;ion!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>The true-born <HI>Cleomira,</HI></L>
<L>My own Imperial Veins!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Orund.</SPEAKER>
<L>Can there be Truth then!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Dorant.</SPEAKER>
<L>Too fatal Truth proved by too &s;trong Credentials.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Orund.</SPEAKER>
<L>The happy <HI>Cleomira</HI> &mdash;</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Dorant.</SPEAKER>
<L>The great Blood</L>
<L>Of <HI>I&s;diguerdes.</HI></L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Orund.</SPEAKER>
<L>And poor <HI>Orundana</HI>&mdash;</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L><HI>Orantes</HI> Daughter.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Orund.</SPEAKER>
<L>Oh Prince, thy <HI>Orundana</HI> is no more!</L>
</SP>
<STAGE><HI>To</HI> Theodo&s;ius, <HI>&s;ink|ing into his Arms.</HI></STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Dorant.</SPEAKER>
<L>But, oh, dear Sir, let my repenting Tears</L>
<L>For this black Crime implore your Royal Mercy.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleont.</SPEAKER>
<L>Yes, let her beg that Mercy, as to hang the Witch.</L>
<L>Hanging's too good for her. If your Princely Wi&s;dom</L>
<L>Can think of any more convenient Noo&s;e,</L>
<L>Upon my Knees I promi&s;e you, Your Maje&s;ty,</L>
<L>As in all Loyal Duty bound, &s;hall have</L>
<L>An hone&s;t Husband's hearty Prayers to thank you for't.</L>
</SP>
<STAGE><HI>Enter</HI> Ortagan, <HI>and &s;ome other Attendants.</HI></STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Ortag.</SPEAKER>
<L>I went, great Sir, t'obey your dread Commands,</L>
<L>And &s;eize the fal&s;e <HI>Rugildas,</HI> but the Traytor</L>
<L>Alarm'd, and &s;heltring his perfidious Head,</L>
<L>Is not yet found.</L>
<L>But to unkennel him, th&ocirc; ne're &s;o clo&s;ely earth'd,</L>
<L>Already we have be&s;et the Prince's Palace,</L>
<L>The mo&s;t &s;u&s;pected Scene, nor can he &s;cape,</L>
<L>For the whole <HI>Babylon</HI>'s arm'd to apprehend him.</L>
<L>But oh, dread Sir! from one of his Confederates,</L>
<L>One of his wicked Prie&s;ts, his impious Engine,</L>
<L>Already I've extorted this Di&s;covery,</L>
<PB N="56" REF="33">
<L>That their own hands your Royal Temple burnt,</L>
<L>And on the mo&s;t wrong'd Virtue, the Poor lo&s;t</L>
<L><HI>Hormidas,</HI> and th' whole &s;uffering Chri&s;tian Race</L>
<L>Mo&s;t &s;afely threw their own Barbarian Guilt.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>Good Gods! what do I live to hear?</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Ortag.</SPEAKER>
<L>And, Sir,</L>
<L>All the whole Chri&s;tian Blood that you have &s;hed,</L>
<L>Through the wide <HI>Per&s;ian</HI> World, has only been</L>
<L>The crying Wounds of Martyr'd Innocence.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>Tho&s;e murder'd Thou&s;ands! Oh, my butchering Hand&punc;</L>
<L>Gods! What a Torrent, what an Inundation</L>
<L>Of loud Tongu'd Blood o'rewhelms my &s;inking Soul!</L>
<L>But, oh <HI>Hormidas!</HI> thy more gha&s;tly Wrongs!</L>
<L>Thine, and thy ravi&s;h'd <HI>Cleomira</HI>'s Wrongs&punc;</L>
<L>And, oh, my own dire Doom! hard &s;ated Prince!</L>
<L>Gods! made a Pro&s;titute of my own Daughter!</L>
<L>From her mo&s;t injur'd Lo<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter">d, the brighte&s;t Worthy</L>
<L>That ever &s;et on Earth to ri&s;e in Heaven,</L>
<L>The riche&s;t Jewel &s;to<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="3 letters"> that e're crown'd Life,</L>
<L>T' adorn the blacke&s;t Slave that &s;ham'd the light.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Orund.</SPEAKER>
<L>Now, <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter">rince, where mu&s;t your <HI>Orundana</HI> fall?</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>But &s;l<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 span"> fly, recal my bloody Edicts</L>
<L>Again&s;t the C<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter">ri&s;tian Lives; proclaim their Innocence,</L>
<L>Spotle&s;s as a new born Day;</L>
<STAGE>Several of the Attendants go off, as to obey this Order.</STAGE>
<L>And ha&s;t, kind <HI><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter">riomar,</HI> &s;eize</L>
<L>Tho&s;e holy Bea&s;ts of Prey, my cur&s;ed Prie&s;ts,</L>
<L>And give 'em to a Den of hungry Lions,</L>
<L>Devourers to Devourers, and thou, <HI>Ortagan,</HI></L>
<L>Burn all their co&s;tly Palaces, tho&s;e Ne&s;ts</L>
<L>Of pious Luxury, fire their hoarded Trea&s;ures.</L>
<L>Religious Sacrilege tho&s;e Death-bed, Rapines,</L>
<L>The Spoils of cheated Souls; &s;et 'em all blazing,</L>
<L>A Sacrifice to my <HI>Cleomira</HI>'s Wrongs.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Orund.</SPEAKER>
<L>Now, now my Doom!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>But fly, call in&s;tantly that beauteous Sacrifice,</L>
<L>And her wrong'd Lord, that long Eclip&s;ing Sun,</L>
<L>Of Glory forth.</L>
<L>Bow down ye Slaves, low as your Graves before 'em:</L>
<L>With bending Knees, and pro&s;trate Necks, receive 'em.</L>
<L>Oh! call 'em, call 'em to their Coronation,</L>
<L>Bid 'em prepare for loads of Royal Honours &mdash;</L>
<L>And &s;how'rs of Royal Tears.</L>
</SP>
<STAGE><HI>Exeunt</HI> Cleontes <HI>and</HI> Doran&punc; the <HI>as to obey this Order.</HI></STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Orund.</SPEAKER>
<L>Yet &s;tay, &s;tay King.</L>
<L>Before your <HI>Cleomira</HI>'s Coronation</L>
<L>Perform my ju&s;ter Rites, your <HI>Orundana</HI>'s Funeral.</L>
<L>Oh King, I've fill'd a &s;pacious Orb of Glory;</L>
<L>And like the glitt'ring Charioteer of Day,</L>
<L>Driven my va&s;t Round for twenty &s;miling Years.</L>
<PB N="57" REF="33">
<L>But, Oh! the mighty fini&s;ht Circle's done,</L>
<L>And I am &s;een no more; a long long Night!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>Yes, thou unhappy &s;etting fair &mdash;</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Orund.</SPEAKER>
<L>Well, Sir,</L>
<L>If I mu&s;t &s;et, do me this la&s;t ju&s;t right:</L>
<L>Tell the vain babbling World, when bu&s;ie Fools</L>
<L>And buzzing Crowds talk little of my Name;</L>
<L>Tell 'em, that though my par&s;imonious Stars</L>
<L>Too poorly furni&s;ht out my humbler Clay.</L>
<L><HI>Otrantes</HI> cour&s;e-born Blood too low for Empire:</L>
<L>Howe're, the kinder Gods enricht me with</L>
<L>That nobler Spark of their own Heav'ns, a Soul,</L>
<L>Of that unbounded Gra&s;p, as could have weilded</L>
<L>The Scepter of the Univer&s;e, given Laws</L>
<L>To kneeling Kings, driven the Reign'd World before me,</L>
<L>And play'd beneath the Toyl. To my Recorded Memory</L>
<L>Write that, and then write this.</L>
</SP>
<STAGE>Stabs her &s;elf</STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Theod.</SPEAKER>
<L>Oh, cruel Fair,</L>
<L>What has your Fury done!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Orund.</SPEAKER>
<L>Only let out that poor ignoble Blood,</L>
<L>That &s;ham'd me from the World.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Theod.</SPEAKER>
<L>Thou ra&s;h, unkind De&s;troyer,</L>
<L>Oh! thou ha&s;t raz'd the noble&s;t faire&s;t Palace,</L>
<L>That e're lodg'd Life, a Temple for the God</L>
<L>Of Love to &s;it Enthron'd, and &s;uppliant Monarchs</L>
<L>Come Pilgrims to the Shrine.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Orund.</SPEAKER>
<L>Ah! no, kind Prince,</L>
<L>My humble Veins &mdash;</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Theod.</SPEAKER>
<L>Name not thy humble Veins;</L>
<L>Thy Eyes, thy Beauty, thy Imperial Charms,</L>
<L>Were all the dazling <HI>Orundana</HI> &s;till,</L>
<L>All the &s;ame Heav'nly Fair. The Diamond</L>
<L>Shines not le&s;s bright for the cour&s;e Rock that bred it.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Orund.</SPEAKER>
<L>And could you love me &s;till?</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Theod.</SPEAKER>
<L>Yes, thou mi&s;taken Cruelty,</L>
<L>Did&s;t thou want Birth for me, for Love like mine?</L>
<L>No; in the&s;e dear, dear Eyes, the&s;e lovely Suns,</L>
<L>I could have bask'd my whole long Life away,</L>
<L>Though they had only light me to a Cottage.</L>
<L>Oh, had&s;t thou truly loved me!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Orund.</SPEAKER>
<L>Yes, &s;o loved thee!</L>
<L>And yet even for that Love I dur&s;t not live.</L>
<L>No, I had a Soul too Great to out-live Glory,</L>
<L>And therefore with it dye.</L>
</SP>
<STAGE>Dyes.</STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Theod.</SPEAKER>
<L>Set then, proud Star!</L>
<L>Thou faire&s;t Child of Night, a long Farewell.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<PB N="58" REF="34">
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>Remove that Funeral Object from my &s;ight,</L>
<L>And lodge her in the Sepulchre of <HI>Cyrus.</HI></L>
<L>I owe thy pity'd Du&s;t that Royal Monument.</L>
<L>But now let's find <HI>Hormidas:</HI> O <HI>Cleomira!</HI></L>
<L>That Nature &s;hould not plead in thy behalf!</L>
<L>No Sympathizing Notion to pre&s;erve thee,</L>
<L>Or inward Touch to &s;top my ha&s;ty Vengeance.</L>
<L>But now thy Father comes to mourn his Fate,</L>
<L>And offer thee a Crown, if not too late.</L>
</SP>
<STAGE>Exeunt.</STAGE>
<DIV2 TYPE="scene">
<HEAD>SCENE LAST.</HEAD>
<STAGE><HI>Enter</HI> Rugildas, <HI>dragging in</HI> Cleomira <HI>with a Dagger in his Hand.</HI></STAGE>
<STAGE>Bedchamber.</STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleo.</SPEAKER>
<L>OH, whither Mon&s;ter, whither do&s;t thou dragg me?</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Rug.</SPEAKER>
<L>To bear me company to the other World.</L>
<L>Thou &s;aye&s;t,</L>
<L>There is a Power above what we Adore,</L>
<L>I am &s;ure to dye, but know not where I go;</L>
<L>And if thy Heaven be happier than ours,</L>
<L>I'le cling thus to thee when&punc; thy Saints receive thee,</L>
<L>And take thy better choice.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleo.</SPEAKER>
<L>No, Villain, no; no Murderers come there,</L>
<L>No poy&s;oning Infidels of thy black Dye:</L>
<L>Hell &s;carce will take thee.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Rug.</SPEAKER>
<L>If Hell wo'nt take me, then the other mu&s;t,</L>
<L>And to be blacker yet, &s;o much I hate thy Husband,</L>
<L>That had I time,</L>
<L>I would not kill thee, but enjoy thee, proud One!</L>
<L>Ta&s;t, like <HI>Otrantes,</HI> all thy rifled Sweets,</L>
<L>And leave thee more polluted for <HI>Hormidas.</HI></L>
<L>But hark! he comes! This I am &s;ure of,</L>
<STAGE>Cla&s;hing of Swords.</STAGE>
<L>And have a chance for more.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>Not a Soul enter, as you love your General;</L>
<STAGE>Hormidas <HI>within.</HI></STAGE>
<L>If any hand revenge me but my own,</L>
<L>My Shame's but half wa&s;h'd off.</L>
</SP>
<STAGE><HI>Enter</HI> Hormidas.</STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Horm.</SPEAKER>
<L>Where is the Traytor?</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Rug.</SPEAKER>
<L>Thou hits me right, the Traytor's here.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<PB N="59" REF="34">
<SPEAKER>Hor.</SPEAKER>
<L>Horrour! That Beauteous Prey in that keen Vultures Talons.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Rug.</SPEAKER>
<L>What, did&s;t thou never &s;ee this thing before?</L>
<L>Look on her well, thou ha&s;t not long to look,</L>
<L>Nor we to live.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Hor.</SPEAKER>
<L>What &s;ays the Villain?</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Rug.</SPEAKER>
<L>What he means to do:</L>
<L>Keep off, or by the Sun, nay, by thy Gods I &s;wear,</L>
<L>If thou approach me, this &s;hall enter here.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Hor.</SPEAKER>
<L>O hold, and hear me.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Rug.</SPEAKER>
<L>What is't thou can&s;t propo&s;e to &s;ave her Life?</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Hor.</SPEAKER>
<L>Propo&s;e thy &s;elf, and I'll agree to all that thou &s;halt ask.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Rug.</SPEAKER>
<L>Thou can&s;t not &s;ave my Life, if I &s;pare hers.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Hor.</SPEAKER>
<L>By all I Wor&s;hip and Adore, I will.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Rug.</SPEAKER>
<L>The King has &s;worn my Death.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Hor.</SPEAKER>
<L>No matter, he 'll relent:</L>
<L>I'll hang upon his Knees, and wring his Hands,</L>
<L>Melt with my Prayers and Tears his &s;tubborn Heart,</L>
<L>And beg for all the Injuries he has done me,</L>
<L>Thy Life, which &s;hall atone for my va&s;t Wrongs.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Rug.</SPEAKER>
<L>And when he has given me Life, what &s;hall I do with it?</L>
<L>I mu&s;t for ever live abhorr'd and &s;hunn'd</L>
<L>A Wandring Scandal through the Per&s;ian Empire.</L>
<L>No, I am &s;atisfied thou can&s;t not &s;ave me;</L>
<L>It is thy fear that promi&s;es this Pardon:</L>
<L>The Crimes I've done, not Man nor Heaven can pardon,</L>
<L>And, Chri&s;tian, thou art a Dog if thou'd&s;t forgive me,</L>
<L>After &s;uch Wrongs.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Hor.</SPEAKER>
<L>My Faith my Soul's at pawn for 't.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleo.</SPEAKER>
<L>No, let him &s;trike, I'd rather die than owe</L>
<L>My Life to &s;uch a barbarous Mon&s;ter.</L>
<STAGE>Within.</STAGE>
<L>Room for the King.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Rug.</SPEAKER>
<L>Then 'tis no time to parley.</L>
</SP>
<STAGE><HI>Stubs</HI> Cleomira.</STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Hor.</SPEAKER>
<L>Damnation &s;eize the In&s;atiate Bloodhound.</L>
</SP>
<STAGE>Hormidas <HI>runs at</HI> Rugildas, <HI>they clo&s;e. Enter King and Guards,</HI> Rugildas <HI>in the clo&s;e &s;tabs</HI> Hormidas, <HI>and falls.</HI></STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>Part them, you Villains,</L>
<L>And &s;heathe your Swords in cur&s;t <HI>Rugildas</HI> Heart.</L>
<L>Oh <HI>Cleomira!</HI> &mdash; Oh execrable Barbarous Butcher!</L>
<L>How is it, my <HI>Hormidas?</HI></L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Hor.</SPEAKER>
<L>Near my kind end, &s;et me but nearer there,</L>
<L>And I &s;hall die in peace.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>Unparallell'd Mon&s;ter!</L>
<L>What could provoke thee to &s;o damn'd an Action?</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Rug.</SPEAKER>
<L>Revenge: I knew that I &s;hould die for them,</L>
<L>And now they die with me.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>To Tortures with the Slave; the little Life that's left him,</L>
<L>Let him cur&s;e out in exqui&s;ite Torments.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<PB N="60" REF="35">
<SPEAKER>Rug.</SPEAKER>
<L>No, &s;illy, credulous, and thoughtle&s;s King,</L>
<L>I am pa&s;t thy &s;pight; and what mo&s;t vexes me,</L>
<L>Is, that thou art pa&s;t mine.</L>
</SP>
<STAGE>Dies.</STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>Unheard of Wickedne&s;s! Drag him hence.</L>
<L>Oh <HI>Cleomira,</HI> if the Wound's not Mortal,</L>
<L>Look up to Empire; 'tis a Father calls,</L>
<L>And offers thee his Crown.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleo.</SPEAKER>
<L>A Father! To that honour'd Name thus let my Reverence how;</L>
<L>But to an Empire; King, you call too late,</L>
<L>That Villain's Dagger, Sir, has gone too far;</L>
<L>A Grave, alas, is all my Birthright now.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>Unhappy Innocence! But my <HI>Hormydas</HI> &s;ure &mdash;</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Hor.</SPEAKER>
<L>Mu&s;t follow her.</L>
<L>All I have left to do, is now</L>
<L>Only to &s;teer this tatter'd Barque to Shore,</L>
<L>And Land me &s;afe upon Eternal Peace.</L>
<L>But Oh! I had once a little Infant-Son &mdash;</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>Snatcht from thy Arms by my Barbarian Rage.</L>
<L>But po&s;t kind <HI>Artaban</HI> with Angels &s;peed,</L>
<L>And bring that Infant-Innocence, that budding Bloom</L>
<L>Of Maje&s;ty, the unplum'd Imperial Eaglet,</L>
<L>Back to his Native Ne&s;t, the Royal Cedar.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleo.</SPEAKER>
<L>Now Life and Love, Farewel: To my new Bridal</L>
<L>Eternal Mercy calls.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Hor.</SPEAKER>
<L>Oh thou &s;oft Soul!</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Cleo.</SPEAKER>
<L>Farewel.</L>
<L>I only go to take my la&s;t kind Sleep,</L>
<L>That I may wake all thine.</L>
</SP>
<STAGE>Dies.</STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Hor.</SPEAKER>
<L>She's gone, and dying gra&s;p'd me by the Hand</L>
<L>As &s;he were jealous I would &s;tay behind her.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L><HI>O</HI> that thou could&s;t! <HI>A</HI> Crown, <HI>Hormidas,</HI> &mdash;</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Hor.</SPEAKER>
<L>The Vanity of Crowns I cannot choo&s;e;</L>
<L>I have a Heaven to find, and World to loo&s;e.</L>
</SP>
<STAGE>Dies.</STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>King.</SPEAKER>
<L>Yes, go, ble&s;t Pair, now more than Royal Heirs;</L>
<L>Go to your happy Groves, and there look down</L>
<L>On the dim Lu&s;tre of my poorer Crown:</L>
<L>Their Reign above me ble&s;t with Joys Divine,</L>
<L>I'll envy yours, and you &s;hall pity mine.</L>
</SP>
</DIV2>
<TRAILER>FINIS.</TRAILER>
<PB REF="35">
</DIV1>
</BODY>
</TEXT>
</EEBO>
</ETS>
