BAJAZETH

Am I not Emperor? he that breathes a no, Damnes in that negative illable his soul, Durst any God gainsay it, he should feel The strength of fiercest Giants in mine arms, Mine anger's at the highest, and I could shake The firm foundation of the earthly Globe: Could I but grasp the Poles in these two hands, I'de pluck the world asunder; drop thou bright Sun, From thy transparent Sphere, thy course is done, Great Bajazet is wronged not shall thine eye Be witness to my hateful misery. Madness and anger makes my tongue betray, The Chaos of my thoughts: under this breast, And heap of indigested Can es are pressed. What is it that I doubt? through every joint Dances a trembling agve, this dull blood, That courses through my veins divines no good. Would, shouts of joy, at dead men's obsequies? I'm in a maze of woes, what thou wilt throw On me, Jove, let it come, isle stand thy blow. How's this? my youngest son advanced to my seat. Corcutus Imperator, sure I dream: These are but mpty apparitions Feigned by the God of sleep to vex my soul, Were they not so—ere this black night Had thrown her sable mantle over the heavens To hide me from my shame; but is it so? I do but flatter up my self, they are true And real griefs, my Passion says they are, Isaac, Achmetes, are they not? My desires are crowned, And from the gate of Li bo, where I sat, I feel my spirits knock against the heavens. Achmetes? In that name I hear and ease Of all my griefs pronounced, he shall suffice To banish usurpation from my throne, Did furies guard it round, he's able well To reach my Kingdoms from the gripes of hell. Ours to the Emperor. Is this your zeal? is it? did every voice Breath out a willing suffrage? I am crowned, My joys are fully perfect, and I feel My lightened spirits caper in my breast. Rise thou starbright mirror of thine age, By thee our iron days prove full as good, As when old Saturn thundered in the clouds. Be and example to succeeding times, How sons should use their Parents: and I vow (When I shall fail) this honour to thy brow. Attend us Bassa S, I'll led on to joy, Never was Father blessed with such a Boy. What is it thou murmurst, Bajazet and wronged? Something it is thou knowest concerning us: Take thee fair leave, and speak it. I had forgotten it, But now I remember, such was the vain Heat of my youth, but I recall again What ever I protested, tell him so. Rash words must be dispensed with. My Father once in ordering of a Camp, Preferred me to be Captain of a wing, So when the Battles joined, and life and death Where struggling who should win power of our breath, Our Armies proved the stronger; only my guide Failed, and a base repulse fell on my side; At which my Father stormed, and in my place Seated Achmetes, for which black disgrace, I vowed a swi to revenge, even by his shame That wore mine honour, to redeem my fame Which when Achmetes herd, he deeply swore, Never with wit and strength to guide me more. But now he must, see where he comes, and armed. What strange device is plotting in his brain? Honoured Achmetes. Thine arm must then uphold my Royalty. Why lies thy valour, prostrate at our feet, When Like fierce lightnings it should run and meet My harms Like a rock unmoved? oppose. The course, and headlong torrent of my foes. Which here I do, Great Mahomet be witness, that I mean Sincerely what I speak, Achmetes now We're friends, and thus I nullify my vow; Heavens on this concord lend a gracious smile. Achmetes I have placed thee in my bosom, Gave thee and honoured title in my love; And of as lasting constancy, as is The sun which looks so cheerfully on this. Go fit the Janizaries to the wars, Kindle new fire of valour in their breasts, Thou art their Genius, even the breath they draw, Raise then thy plumes, and keep thy foes in awe. Alaready marched so near, Zemes make hast To death, as if he longed our wrath to taste. Trizham, and Mahomet, it concerns you now, To fly hence nimbly to your Provinces, Zemes is come too near us to escape, He cannot fly the ground whereon he treads, But through your countries', hast then, if the wars Crack not his thread of life, his flight will be When you may intercept it; if we presume Only on bold Achmetes, and our selves, In beds of down supinely, sleep at home, Zemes may escape the tempest of our wrath. Then we hope best, when each event we see, Thwarted with their preventing policy. Go, I have done my partly; Mars and my fate Give fair success to my designed plot, And Zemes is entrapped, already dead: That hand secures me that strikes off his head. Isaac how thrived Achmetes in his Wars, Fame is of late grown dumb of his renown, Surely unwelcome news clogs her swift wings, Else had she now been freqvent in our Court; And we had fully known the chance of all. And yet escaped, good Io e how may this be. Canst thou advice me Isaac how to found The depth of all his mischief. Thou art my good Angel, Isaac I applaud Thy faithful plot, Achmetes were thy soul As dark as hell, and thy enclosed thoughts, As subtle as a winding Labyrinth, By such a guide as can remove each doubt, And by a quill of thread 'de track them out. But Isaacke, if we trap him in this wiles, How shall we kill the traitor? We have a trick, Already strange to catch him in the neck. I will be fierce and sudden, Isaac invite Achmetes to a feast: he die this n ght. The day's far spent, is not Achmetes come? Viceroy of Greece, say now there were a man Whom my mind honoured, and I should command, To cloth his body in a suit of gold, Studded with gems, worth all the Indian snore, Worser rst any tongue gainsay it: What if I hated him, and should command To wrap him in a sable coloured black, And sentence him to death? My thoughts are troubled. Blessed be the hour in which I see Achmetes safe returned Bring in our banquet soldiers: boys kneel round, A ring of braver lads never blessed the ground, Supply us here with nectar, give it me, Achmetes, noble warrior, here's to thee, A health to thy blessed Fortune's, it shall run A complete circle ere the course be done. Already done, so quickly run about, One health to me, faith sith you are set too't, Here's a carouse to all, It's the last draught to some, or I shall fail, In mine intendments let a oe escape? When he was trampled down beneath his feet, There must be treason in it; how my blood Boils in my breast, with anger, not the wine Could work such strong effect; my soul is vexed, A chafing heat distempers all my blood, Achmetes thou must cool it when thy limbs Are emptied of that moisture they suck in, And thy stained blood unchanneled from thy veins, Then shall I be secure, a quiet rest Shall rock my soul asleep, it's thy last hour, Must set a perjod to my restless fears. What are you merry friends? drink on your course, Then all arise: and now to consummate Our happy meeting, and shut up our joys, Discourse Achmetes of your finished wars; After and age of woes it proves at last A sweet content to tell of dangers passed. Let' know your whole events. Treason by Mahomet. I left the dying Prince. Worthy Achmetes, Well we may give, but not reward by gifts, And thank, but not requite thee, I would hate That liberality which would ab to The worth of the receiver thy true fame, Outstrips the length of titles, and a name Of weighty honour, is a slender price, To grace thy merits with, as for a voice, To crown thee after death, thou art the choice, Of everliving glory, on thy crest, Is her abided, and when the latest rest Of nature, hath betrayed thee to thy graven, Then shall she print in characters of gold How brave a man thou wast, how great, how bold; Though we be dumb, yet shall the world uplift, Thy name, and thou shalt live without our gift. Yet thy blessed fates, have not created thee So clearly Godlike, but some other chance, May cross thy greatness, and thy high renown The envy of some God may shoulder down, Then thus weel make thee happy, future events Never shall oppress thy worth nor envious chance Blot thy ensuing fame, Ach tes know, Death and immortal gift, we Stop the furious youth. Bring in and Headsman. Traitor, Zemes dead? He lives to see this hand untwine thy thread. What means this outrage? Help! Treason! I am slain. Hemn'd in with death? My friends beset me round Not to preserve my life, but murder me. B ush you pale heavens at this abhorred fact, That they may see their crimes, and be ashamed Of this unheard offence: Valiant Janizaries, Sheath up these weapons of rebellion, Print not that ugly sin upon your brow, Let my tree pardon woe you to submit. Keep your allegiance firm. But hear me speak. What shall I be compelled? Your anger will have way. Achmetes go. There take him. They have saved thee from this woe. Pernicious villains, they have crossed my plot, 'Twas intercepted even in the last deed: What should Achmetes mean thus to engross The best affections of my Janizaries? Will he defrand me of my Crown and life? My life I weigh not: but to lose my Crown Were to be sentenced to a hell of woes. I am full stuffed with choler. Slavish Peasants Held I a sword of power in mine hand, I would disjoint them piecemeal; can I not? Am I not Emperor? men call me so: A reverend title, empty attributes, And a long page of words follow my name, But no substantial true prerogative. No more. I am already gone. Why did not then His proud ambitious tongue bid them go fetch My Crown, and with quick speed disrobe a wretch? 'Twas in his power: we are distracted Isaac Lend us thy wholesome counsel to prevent My ruin, and their dangerous intent. Achmetes I have injured thy deserts, Subbornd accusers, wronged my credulous ears, And my rash censure undervalued much Thy noble spirits, when it first condemned Then of intended treason, rense thy soul In the dull river of oblivion, We halt beneath the burden of thy hate, Think my moved anger made me hight and wild I cannot sleep till we be reconciled. Our sons instruct us? must your pregnant wits, Cross my command? Bassae prepare for war, And since your graven discourse argues a will, To stay at home you shall; weel lay you up, Where no loud echoing drums shall break your leap, Even in the bowels of your mother earth I will entomb you: Put them both to death. To murder you, unless you strangle them. Stop up the damned passage of their throat, Or you are all but ghosts. what; stare you friends? Isaacke and Selymus, a garter; Twist me that fatal string about his neck, And either pull and and end, Mesithes come Join force with me, by were best make hast, Or thou art shorter lived then is that brat. Tug strongly at it. So; let the bastard drop, We have outlived our tutors: dunghill sl ves, Durst they breath out their Stoic entences In opposition of our strict command? Did not I send these to their Provinees To hinder Zemes flight? and did not they Dejected bastards give him open way? Mine anger hath been just. It is enough: Achmetes go to hell, The devils have rung out thy passing bell, And look for thine arrival. Shend me slaves. They fly before my breath Like mists of air, And are of less resistance, I'll pursue. Have all forsaken me? and am I left A pray unto my self; did all their breath Pass through his organs? and in his sad death, Have I abruptly cracked the vital thread Of all my Bassa's? Would? where am I now? In some Gehennam, or some hollow vault, Where dead men's ghosts sighs out their heavy groans: Resolve me Mahomet, and rid me hence, Or I will spoil the fabric of thy tomb, And beat away the title of a God. Dost thou not move? a trunk? a stock? to die, Is to put on your nature, so will I. How come these bodies dead? Let me revoke My wandering sense, O what a stream of blood Hath purged me of my black suspicion, Two sons, one valiant Captain hence are wrought By mine own hand, to cure one jealous thought, As it's, they are the happier, I outlive, Them whom I wished to fallen: only to graven, Bear forth their bodies; Bassa's carry them out, We were cursed in this, And shall entomb with them much of our bliss, ndeed we had resolved to spend this day In things of more solemn city, less woe. Now our more wished council shall begin And bitter deeds weigh up the scales of sin. Ama In is a province rich and strong, Mahomates it is thine, keep it as long As I have power to give it go, prou de For thy conveyance, at the next fair tide. Worthy son adieu. The love my dead sons wanted, falls to you, As and hereditary good. Mahomates, thy worth Deserves some trophies of our love, Which to let slip unmentioned, were to add To this black day, a fourth offence as bade; Govern Man siam, now the people stand Disfurnished of and head, let thy command, Be great amongst them, so; make speedy hast. Honour ayes for thee. Mahomates, farewell. Now Selymus, we know thy hop ̄ es are great, And thine ambition gapes with open jaws, To swallow a whole Dukedom: but young Sir, We dare not trust the reins of government Into the hands of Phacton. Desire, Rashly fullfild, may set the world on fire; Green youth, and raw experience are not fit, To shoulder up a Kingdoms heavy weight, Mix wit with stayed discretion, and spend Wild years in study, then we do intend To settle more preferment on thy head Then thou canst hope for. How the obsequious duty of the world Hangs shiver ng on the skirts of Majesty, And mells out all her footsteps: I could yet Never steal leisure reform my thoughts, S nce my pale brow was first hooped in with gold Till this b est hour: and now great Bajazet Empty thy breast of her imprisoned joys, Which Like the smothering winds, could with a blast Rip up a passage. I am crowned in bliss, Placed on the rocks of strong S curity, Without the reach of Fate. Envy shall gnash And pine at my full pleasures; the soft feet Of labouring Ambition, shall quite tire Ere touch the starry-height on which I stand. Achmotes and his son with my two boys Are fallen, to clear the sunshine of my joys, Achomates I fear not, Selymus L ves caged within the compass of mine eye, All that I doubt is of Mahomates, That blazing star once darkened, I will throw The lustre of my pomp from me, as clear As if three Suns were orbed all in one Sphere. What news brings Isaac? Be quick in the delivery. Fled? Would he had sunk To the Tartarian deep. Isaac, th'art false, And every hair dependant from thy head Is a twined serpent. Isaac I say th'art false, I read it in thy brow. Come; answer my demands, first, at what time Let he the Court? Know he is fled, And know not when he fled, how can this be? On one; bring forth that one, I'll found the depth of these villainies. What's here? A barrel reared and end upon two feet? Sirrah, you guts and garbage—did you see Selymus leave the Court? Please it? thou monster, are you now so pleasing. So it shall, Neptune reine back thy swelling Ocean, Invert the current of thy guilty streams Which further treacherous plots, mild Aeolus, (That when a peevish goddess did entreat, Scatteredst a Trojan Navy through the seas) Now Bajazet a Turkish Emperor Bids thee send forth thy jarring prisoners, Into the seas deep bowels, let them raise Tempests shall dash against the firmament Of the vast heavens, and in their stormy rage, Either confound or force the vessel back, In which the traitor sails; now, now begin Or I shall think thee conscious of this sin. What would this monk? O—I am slain, Open the gates of sweet Elysium, Take in my wounded soul: Bring forth that Monk, I'll make him my souls harbinger, he shall Forerun my coming and provide a place Amongst the gloomy banks of Acheron, Then shall he dwell with me in those black shades And it shall be my bliss to torture him. Fly then my soul, and nimbly follow him, He must not escape my vengeance: Char n stay, One waftage will serve both, I come, away. Me thinks I feel no blood ebb from my heart, My spirits faint but slowly. Would? not wounded. Now I believe thee: o the baleful fate Of Princes, and each eminent estate! How every precious jewel in a Crown, Charms mad ambition, and makes envy dote On the bewitching Beauty of it's shine; Indeed proud Majesty is ushered in By superstitious awful reverence, But cursed mischiefs follow; and those are Treasons in peace, black stratagems in war. But where's the dwarf? Isaac go send him in Bid bold Mesithes, and sage Mustapha Quickly attend us;go. Nay, come; be patient and I'll use thee well, Why—'twas a Sceptre struck thee, and it'll work Diviner operation in thy blood Then thou canst dream of. A man would guess so, that overview the dimen zions But to thy business. Bassa S stand ye round, Stay: who comes here? sure I should know that sature, Observe him nearly. By heaven 'twas he He pries unto my counsels: let it be. We'll forward in our business, which being done, Weel cool the hight ambition of each son, As mine already is, quick moving time Hath cast a snowy whiteness on my hairs, And frosty age hath quelled the heat of youth, Mine intellectual eyes, which ever yet Gazed on the world's rich gilded vanities, Are now turned inward, and behold within, Dismal confusion of unpardoned inn E'r since I first was settled on this Throne, My cares have clogged the swiftness of the hours, And wrought a tedious irkesomne see of life, Murders have masked the forehead of the Sun With purple-coloured clouds, and he hath blushed At the bloodsucking cruelty of state. Ther's not one little angle of this Court, Whose guilty walls have not concealed a knot Of traitors, squaring out some hideous plot, Against my safety; now at last I spy The dangers of perplexed Majesty. And were it not for a religious fear Of after-harms, which wretchedly might tear And spoil the body of this Monarchy, Here at this nstant would I strike the sail, And proud topgallant of mine eminence, Hurl up my sceptre, dis-inthrone my self, And let the green heads scramble for the Crown. Age hath taught me a staider providence Then my rash youth could reach to; I intend To place this glittering babble, on the head Of some successor, e'r I yet am dead, So give it out; thereby le try the love And favour of the people: whom they seem Most to affect 'le raise to that esteem, How do you Like the counsel? Leave us; We would be private with our friend, It's thou must doo't sweet Asmehemides, Mahomates and thou are two near friends; He will suspect in others close deceit, Thee, for thy generous virtues he will stand With obvious embracements to receive Into his bosom; whither when thou art Wound in, be sure to strike him through the heart. I am offended, it's just piety To sacrifice his body at the shrine Of my displeasure, do it, I am thine. So willing to be damned? had I adjoined Some virtuous office, surely he would then Have said, that good deeds are not deeds of men. But let them go; Maho etes must die, And for my other boy fierce Sely S The boisterous hand of war must snatch him hence, My other son Corcutus liuesimmur'd Within Mineru is cloister, thus I clear, A path through which Achmat S shall run Up to my throne when all their Hope's are done. My cares are grown to great to be compri ed, Within the narrow compass of my breast, Viceroy of Greece, I'll pour into thy heart Partly of my secrets; which being entered in, Lock them as close up, as thou wouldst a sin Committed, yet not known: I must impart Things worth thy faithful lence. I'll not hear out him oath, in brief it's thus The Bassa's are all false a worser love not us; Nor does my prompt thus, I read it in their gestures, , Actions, and counsels, my suspicious eye Hath found a great breach in their loyalty. Even he, vnle e the voice Of the whole City interdict my choice. Bade news? We have outlived good days too long, We can expect no other, come unclasp Volumes of mischiefs, and make deaf my ears With and infused multitude of cares. Peace bellowing night-ravens, with how cheerful noise Their pussing lungs croak out the baleful note, Are these the wars against Hungary? you powers Of heaven, brush off your cloddy patience, If you but wink at these notorious crimes, I'll say you dare not check our stubborn times. Well as yet, I'll make use of his pretence Vize-roy of Greece, bear you this Embassy To that suspected Traitor Selymus, Tell him the wars against the Hungarian foe, Are full of dangers and approved harms, Never attempted by our Ancestors, Without repulse or damage bid him dismiss His rough Tartarian youth, then if he stand Unmoved and stiff , feign vengeance is at hand. Make thy best speed. Though he tumultuous uproars could deserve The favour of his Prince: has troad awry, And missed the path that leads to Majesty. These bright Imperious ornaments shall grace No rebel-monster nor base runaway. My resolution's firm, it shall not be; Bassa's, this day and Herald shall proclaim In the world's ear, my great successors name. Are you c ntent? Herald, Be my loud Echo, ratify my deed, And say Achomates shall next succeed. Achomates I sent for, how he'll digest These gross illusions, I may justly fear: By this I had discouraged Selymus, And killed his Hope's; by this I had cut off The growth of hate, and choked discords seed. Attend us Bassa's. Art sure he's dead? Enough. That soul revives to see him dead That wronged the body; O! my bloody heart, Must in his frenzy act and horrid partly. Follow thy Prince to hell. And justly: would each foe And Traitor to my state were thwarted so. Bassa's convey this hated body hence, The sighed of that damned villain moves offence: Now pause a while my soul, and reckon up What obstacl are yet to be removed Acho ates must stay the peoples leisure. Corcutus dally with Minor aes Nymph's. The last and worst, proud Selymus shall die. Thus I'll compose a firm security. Arrived already noble Cherseogles? You're careful in our cause: but speak the news From our pert Soldier. What means Selymus? These are too fairly promised, to be meant, Ambition hath already chained his soul Too surely in the captive bonds of pride, Then that he now should cloth his stately Hope's In the plam ne sordid weeds of penitence, He does but varnish over some treacherous plot In this smooth answer: come, wee' e lead along To our Imperial seat of , That strongly fortified, we needs not fear The weak attempts and homebred foe can dare. No Drum nor Trumpet hath disturbed the air, Within the reach of mine attention. What? so near? Set up our standard, I'll give battle here, Hang out defiance, scorn, and proud contempt, Write in the blood-red colours of your plumes, Summon our Army From these skirmishes, Speak out the traitors doom in thine alarms. Thought he to daunt our courage? Valiant soldiers; When I behold the manner of this war Then treason copes with awful Majesty, A graceless son, with his own aged Sire, Me thinks to bid you fight, were full as vain As to bid heavy clouds fallen down in rain: But when I view the Chaos of the field, And wild confusion striking valour dead, I called you, not (as Captains do to boys) To read a lecture of encouragement, But that your ancient virtue may be shown In this my last defence: I wish to die Revenged, that death sorts best with Majesty, Selymus? Father? My sword shall hew that title off. And cut in twain kindreds continued line, By which thou canst derive thy blood from mine. Abortive monster—thou first breath of sin, We had but slender shadows of offence, Till thou crep st forth to the offended light, The very mass, and stock of villainy. Crimes in all others, are but thy influence. Nature ha planted viperous cruelty, In thy dark breast, the scandal of her works Her error, and extract perfection Of vices; the first wellhead of bade things From whence the world of ills draw their weak springs, Hold, hold thy venomed tongue, if there be hid More of this kind unuttered, I le rip up Thy full fraught bosom, and to save mine ear Mine eyes shall overview what I'll not hear. Darest thou fight Traitor? Guard thee, I'de not omit the sweet desire And pleasure of revenge, were heaven my hire. The slave has escaped the power of my wrath, Amid the disseur'd troops of scattered foes I lost him in a smoky cloud of dust, So thick as if the tend Queen of love, Had wrapped her brat Aeneas from my sighed. So let them fly; Heaven rain down vengeance on their cursed heads; It is our honour that the frighted slaves Owe their lives dearest safeties to their heals. How now, whence come you? Didst thou see Selymus when he fled the field? Oh you are brave attendants. Let's forward in our journey; these affairs Achomates must know, his golden wish, The people have delayed, perhaps heel frown, And trample filial duty under feet As this hath done: but let them storm their fill Vertu's not shipwracked in a sea of ill. A tragic spectacle? whose trunk is this? Slain? by what cursed violence? what slave Durst touch the man that represented me? Achomotes? O! no more, I am unfortunate in all my blood. Hath he thus guerdoned my fair promises, My daily sweat and care, to further him, And fix him in the paradise of joy? Nations cry out for vengeance of this fact, I'll scourge this black impiety to hell. Muster our forces to the utmost man, Once more I'll bury this my aged corpse In steely armour, and my coloured crest Like a bright star shall sparkle out revenge Before the rebels faint amazed eyes. Lose not a minute, Bassa's hence, be gone Muster our men, stay not; that from the tide Of our fierce wrath, no drop may bbe away By causeless lingering. Whom but my self? whom does the cause concern More nearly then my self? Distraction rends my soul: what shall I do? Enough, we have decreed Achomates shall quake beneath the stroke Of our fierce anger. Isaac speed away To Selymus, he shall con ront the slave The best of two so bade, go—stay—yet go, It's hard when we beg succour of a foe: Beg? stay again—first will I drop before The sword of proud Achomates —go—tell him, Upon his low submission we will deign To make him Champion to his sovereign. My deer Corcutus welcome. Arise thou only solace of mine age, It was a night of harmless innocence, Of peace and rest, in which kind nature laid Thee in thy mother's womb: Right virtuous boy, How hast thou lived vnta nted with the breath Of that infectious vice Rebellion, Well moralized: I understand thee Boy, My grant shall melt thy prayers in full joy. Despair not sweet Corcutus, what I promised I'll keep most true, and here again I vow When I am dead, this honour to thy brow. I have called home that rebel Selymus, Only to tame a Traitor: And that done, We have no other heir, no other son Beside Corcutus, to whose free command We do bequeathe the duty of this land. Is Isaac not returned? Let them approach. Hast then: May thy arm By breathless treason raise up a full joy, And turn that monster back unto the earth From whence it leapt, a most prodigious birth. New insolence: The Bassa's slipped away, How the obsequious villains As if he were their Godhead. Plot and hang. We weigh not all their treasons at a straw, One must not rule too long, it's subjects law. Long live S lymus, Vivat Selymus, Magnificent Emperor of the Turks. Hell and the furies vex their damned souls. What people? Hah? what Nation is't we live in? Is't our State and Monarchy? good gods Two Emperors at once. Live Selymus? Can slavish vassals thus supplant their Prince? What's this enshrines my head? a type for fools To fleare at a divided ornament: Fail not my sense and courage, let me live To find my self again. Vize-roy of Greece, Didst thou not see a Bajazet withdraw And vanish hence? tell thou most faithful man, What is become of that forgetful name? Or who hath stole it from me? Selymus! O that damned villain with his treacherous plot, Hath robbed me of that glory. Death a sense If to-have a soul of Adamant or Steel, Else had that hated n ise reft it in twain: What are thou? or whence comest thou? Yet I believe thee. Yet I believe thee. Slave Avant: feel a strong Antipathy T'wixt thee and me, thy sighed makes my dead heart Distil fresh drops of blood, and work new smart. Indeed that's nothing, since your counsel failed. To cut them off? Me thinks I see my self yet circled in With their revengeful swords, would? cut them off? Could I but curse the Traitors from the earth, Or were my doom pronounced but of effect, I'de rattle such new torments in their ears, Should stagger their high courage; but my fears Strangle my furies, and my envious fate Forc that my tongue to flatter, where I hate. The weight of all mine honour leans on thee, That or some nearer course shall quell the pride Of strong Achmetes, and confound his side. I know he grumbled at it; but it's good To calm the rebel heat of youthful blood With sharp rebukes. What will your message? It's enough. Thanks for your care. This was to murder Zemes. Uva re with the Bishop? 'thad been pretty sport, I knew my powerful word was strong enough To make him do my pleasure: simple Priest, Only I used it as a trick, to send Achmat S from the City and his friends; But Fate to smiled upon me, that I found A shorter me n S his life and Hope's to wound With my sententious sons, that when my foe Fled through their Province, finely let him go; Which being wholly finished, straight to please My friends, I played raging Hercules; Then to shut up the Scene, neatly put on A passionate humour, and the worst was done. But who comes here? I Like not this. Mahomat S beloved So dearly of the Commonalty: would? He's wise, fair-spoken, gently Q alified, Powerful of tongue; why he's the better son, Not to supplant his Father. I mislike The prodigal affection thrown on him By all my ubiects. I belied my Hope's When I presumed this day had freely rid Me of my worst vexation: I was born To be a Jade to Fate, and Fortu es scoff, My cares grow double-great by cutting off. Call forth and Herrauld. By heaven they are corrupted: none but I? It's no love born to me that moves this cry. If that be all the cause, We'll give them such a Kingly donative, As doubly shall buy out those ill-got spoils Five hundred thousand Ducats, if they please With my free choice to crown Achomates, Proclaimed to be their endue. Jove lend me but a minutes patience. Unnatural son. And I believe thee still; yet slave thou liest, These parts must know no Emperor but me, Vnle see base usurpation hath stept-vp Unto my chair of honour. Right, it's so: It's so indeed. Well then, what will your Emperor? Traitor his crown? so: now I am resolved. I have forgone my self, else had this hand Tore out thy spotted heart, and that one word Of yielding had been cause enough to spoil Thee and thy generation. Heartless slave, Why sneakest thou from our presence? stay, behold Here I commend this gorgeous ornament, These trappings to thy Emperor, as full Besteaded with curses as my heart with woes, That it may clog his ears, and vex his head With daily terrors. Hence thy Prince is sped. Vize-roy of Greece, to thee our last farewell, Thou worthiest truest best deserving man, That ever made us happy: if thy faith Respect me, not my fortune, Do this charge, Fly to Achomates, and rather aid Him then this faithless Bastard Selymus, The scandal of our raze, the mark for heaven To shoot revenge. But all in vain, I strive to word away my inward pain. Set down the Book and Candle, go and pr vide The Potion to prevent my Feauer-fit, Till when I mean to study: go make would . Fortune I thank thee, thou'rt a gracious Whore. Thy happy anger hath immured a Prince Within the wall S of base security. Farewell thou swelling sea of Government, On whose bright crystal bosom l ates along The graveled v ssell of proud Majesty. Ambition empty all thy bag of breath, Send forth thy blast among the quiet waves, And work huge tempests to confound the Art Of the usurping Pilam e Selymu S. Treason and envy Like to bickering winds, Shake the unsettled abric of his State, That from my study windows I may laugh, To see his broken fortune swallowed up In the quick sands of danger, and the sail Puffed with the calm breath of slattering Chance, By furious whirlwinds rended into rags, And piecemeal scattered through the Ocean: But peace my chiding spirit; Come thou man Of rare instinct, blessed Author of a book Worthy the studies of a reading God, Thou dost present before my wearied eyes, Tiberius sweating in his policies, Dull Claudius gaged by dull flattery, Ner unboweling Nobility, Galba undone by servants hardly good, Otho overwhelmed in love, and drenched in blood, Vittelli S sleeping in the chair of State, Vespatian called to government by Fate, Still as thy Muse does travel over their age, A Princes care is writ in every Page. Thus I unfold the volume of thy wit, The chiefest solemnizing ce of my moving wit, Caedes eo fuit nobilior, quia filius Patrem interfecit. Tacit. Hist. lib. 20. Avant thou damned vizard, did thy God Apollo teach thee to divine my fallen? What hath thy cursed Genius tract my steps Brought the Meanders of dark Privacy, And will he dwell with me in these close shades To vex my banished soul, banished from joy, Removed from the world's eye? I am accursed, And hated by the Synod of the gods, A knot of envious deceits, the day will be When they shall smart for this indignity. Happy in my fear, That word sounds sweet in my distracted ear. Happy in what? Corcutus Imperator, Would I had seen thy name writ in the book Of dark damnation, rather then these lines. Cracked not mine eyestrings when I viewed this text? See how each letter spreads abroad in pomp, As if they scorned my tears, how I could dwell On these two words, Corcutus Imperator. Hither repair, the watchful paper worms That scan old records over to a line: Here in two words imprinted shall you see, The model of a doleful history; Virtue dishonoured, breach of filial love, Right shouldered out by wrong, nor can you feign, A crime, which these two words do not contain, But now I ray e, not grieve. Oh nimble air, Let my plaints vanish as they spoken are, Off with this womanish mildness, I will find A shorter trick then this to ease my mind, Pluto beware, I come to reign in hell, Fates bid me rule, and birthright to excel. First from my body shall he fright my soul, And push me into dust. Isaac make hast To muster up our forces, strike up our Drums, Let them proclaim destruction through the world. Clear up your dusty armour, let it cast Such and amazing lustre on the Foe, As if Bellona danced on every crest. The bright sun of my glory is eclipsed, Till Zemes be extinct: he must not shine To dull my beams, si ce the whole heaven is mine. Call forth Achmetes, his unconquered arm, Shall keep us safe from this intended harm. We know— Thy virtues make us happy: liant Sir, Thy feet once more m st ead warlike ma changed Under our fear ull banner, thou halt pace Even to the walls of Room, there dwells our foe, Where our half Moon reared in the middle camp, Like a distempered Meteor in the air, Shall strike amazement in the cloistered monks And shake the prelates Miter from his head, Till he yield Zemes up alive or dead. When we have moved thee from thy Ianuzaries, Thou shalt not travel far. Mask up thy brightness Phabus, lovely night, Hurl thy thick mantle over all the heavens, Let this black day for ever be forgotten In the eternal registers of time: Which of you sacred powers are not ashamed To see a Prince so sinfully abused By his own issue and unrevenged. But stand we, who comes here? a face of brass. Else would it blush: now thou Saturnine Jove, Thou God of great men, thunder that the world Drenched all in sin, may shake and fear the noise That horrid scourge of villainies. My wrongs, There sticks the string my thoughts did harp upon; But who hath wronged me in this high content? The fates do sometime frown, yet bless th'event, And sequel of our woes, it cannot be, I should be thwarted in my jollity. But if I can unfold it—for the more, I know them not the greater is my soar. As how? I'm in a liberal vain— Trait r I'm slain, I feel the bullet run quite through my sides, By heaven it's true, Each man that guards mine honour is my foe, I'll shake these splendant robes of Majesty From my overburdened shoulders, and to ease My self, bequeathe them to . This hour, Hath hatched a richer project in my brain, Whose wished event, shall strangle envies breath, And strike ambition dead in every breast. Sirrah, draw hence the body to the ditch, Whither the filth of the whole City runs, There ouerwhelm't in blood;go, quickly doo't; What dost thou grin thou visage of and ape? What, not ashamed To circle in thy brow with that bright Crown, Yet blush to see me kneel? though filial rites, And moral precepts say the son must bend Before the Father, yet your high degree And pour bids you rise, commands my knee. I am Crowned in thee, nor can I fallen, Whilst such a valour breathes within our wall, Zemes depose me? he must be more strong, Then Mars, that can do Bajazet that wrong. Fell and yet escaped? Such as concern my life? Speak out thy tale, We are so fleshed in joy, bade news proves strange, And touch my sense too harshly. Isaac we Like thy counsel: but of these Which can we pardon? either so deboyst, So guilty of rebellion, so From pious loyalty, that my soul even both With bitter hatred equally may loath. Less show, and more good meaning Selymus. Arise: these crouching feats, give slender proofs Of inward loyalty.