[Page] POLYEUCTES, OR THE MARTYR.
A TRAGEDY:
BY S R. WILLIAM LOWER.
LONDON, Printed by Tho. Roycroft for G. Bedell and T. Collins, and are to be sold at their Shop at the Middle-Temple Gate in Fleetstreet, 1655.
THE ARGUMENT:
POlyeuctus and Nearchus were two Cavaleirs straightly tyed together in Amity; they lived in the year 250. under the Empire of Deciu [...]; their aboad was in Melitene, Capital City of Armenia, their Religion different, Nearchus was a Christian, and Polyeuctus following yet the Sect of the Gentiles; but having all the qualities worthy of a Christian, and a great inclination to become so: The Emperour having caused an Edict to be published very rigorous against the Christians, this Publication gave a great trouble to Nearchus; not for feare of the punishments wherewith he was threatned, but for the apprehension which he had, that their Amity might fuffer some separation or coldness by this Edict, seeing the punishments that were proposed therin to those of the Religion, and the Honours promised to those of the contrary party; He conceived therat so great a displeasure, that his Friend perceived it, and having obliged him to tell him the cause therof, he took the occasion to open his heart unto him. Fear not, said he, that the Emperours [Page] Edict should dis-unite us: I saw this night the CHRIST which you adore, he took from me a filthy Robe, to apparel me with a Luminous one, and made me mount upon a winged Horse to follow him. This Vision hath resolved me wholly to do that which I long time meditated: the name of a CHRISTIAN is only wanting to me, and you your selfe as often as you have spoken unto me of your great MESSIAS, might have observed that I alwaies hearkned unto you with respect, and when you read unto me his Life and Doctrine, I alwaies admired the Sanctity of his Actions and Discourses. O Nearchus if I thought not my self unworthy to come unto him without being initiated with his Mysteries, and to have received the Grace of his Sacraments, how you should behold the Ardor break forth, which I have to dye for his Glory and the support of his Eternall Truths! Nearchus having cleered him of the scruple wherin he was, by the example of the good Thief, who in a moment merited Heaven, though he had not received Baptisme; presently our Martyr full of a holy Fervour, took the Emperours Edict, spit upon't, and tore it in peices, which he cast unto the Wind, and seeing the Idols which the people carried upon the Altars to adore them, he snatch'd them away from those that bare them, brake them against the ground, and trod them under his feet, astonishing all the [Page] World, and his friend likewise, by the heat of that Zeal, which he expected not.
His Father-in-Law Felix, who had the Emperours Commission to persecute the Christians, having seen himself what his Son-in-law had done, seized with grief to see the hope and prop of his Family lost, endeavoured to shake his constancy, first by fair words, then by threatnings, lastly by stroaks, which he made his Executioners to give him on the face: But not able to prevail herewith, for a last attempt he sent unto him his Daughter Paulina, to see if her tears had not more power upon the Spirit of a Husband, then the Artifices and Rigours had had: He gained nothing by that, on the contrary, seeing that his firmness had converted many Pagans, he condemned him to loose his head; this Sentence was executed presently, and the holy Martyr without other Baptisme then of his blood, went to take possession of the Glory which God hath promised to those that renounce themselves for the love of him.
See in few words the true story of Polyeuctes Martyrdom; the dream of Paulina, the love of Severus, the effectuall Baptisme of Polyeuctes, the Sacrifice for the Emperours Victory, the dignity of Felix, whom I make Governour of Armenia, the death of Nearchus, the conversion of Felix, and of Paulina, are the Inventions and Embellishments of the Stage, only the Victory of the Emperour against the Persians [Page] hath some foundation in the History, and without seeking for other Authors, it is reported by Monsieur Coëffoteau in his Roman History; but he sayes not, neither that he imposed tribute on them, nor that he sent to make Sacrifices of thanks in Armenia.
If I have added these Incidents and Particularities according to Art, or no, the Judicious shall censure it; but my aime is not to justifie them, but only to advertise the Reader of that which he may beleive.
ACTORS.
- FElix, Roman Senator, Governour of Armenia.
- Polyeuctes, Lord of Armenia, Son-in-law to Felix.
- Severus, Roman Knight, Favourite of the Emperour.
- Nearchus, Armenian Lord, Friend to Polyeuctes.
- Paulina, Daughter to Felix, and Wife to Polyeuctes.
- Stratonica, a Lady, friend to Paulina.
- Albin, Friend to Felix.
- Fabian, Domestick Servant to Severus.
- Cleon, Domestick Servant to Felix.
Three Guards:
The Scene is Miletene, Capitall City of Armenia in the Palace of Felix.
POLYEUCTES, OR, THE MARTYR. A CHRISTIAN TRAGEDY.
ACTUS primus,
SCENA prima.
Polyeuctes, Nearchus.
Nearchus.
AND what! you stick upon a Womans Dreams?
Can such weak Subjects trouble this great Soul?
And this heart so approv'd in War, can it
Receive Alarum from an idle Fantasie?
Pol.
I know what a Dream is, and what belief
We ought to give to its extravagance,
That a confus'd mass of Nocturnall Vapours
Formeth vain Objects, which at waking vanish;
But you know not, Sir, what a woman is,
Nor the just power she takes upon a Soul,
When having long time found the art to charm us,
Bright
Hymens Torches flame about our Beds.
Paulina without reason plung'd in grief,
[Page 2] Pol.
Fears and believs already that she sees
My death, which she hath dream'd; she doth oppose
Her tears to my design, and laboureth
To hinder me from going forth the pallace;
I sleight her fears, but yield unto her tears;
And my heart tender, but not terrifi'd.
Dares not displease the eys have conquer'd it:
Nearchus, is th' occasion so pressing
That it may not a little be deferr'd
Upon a Lovers sighs? let us a while
Wave this designe which burthens her with grief,
To morrow we can do't a swel's to day.
Nearc:
Yes, if you were assur'd to live so long,
And to persever in your faith; that God
Which houlds our soul, and numbereth our days,
Hath not ingag'd himself that you shall see
The morning break; he is all just and good,
But his effectuall grace descends not always
With the same efficacy; after certain moments
Which we lose by delays, she quits those darts
Which penetrate our souls, the arm that freely
Dispensed her unto us, stops his bounty;
As being offended, our dull heart is hardened;
That holy heat which carrieth us to good,
Fals on a Rock, and operates no more.
That zeal which pressed you to have recourse
To sacred baptism, languishing already,
Ceases to be the same; and for some sighs
Which you have heard, its flame doth dissipate
It self; and is upon the point to vanish.
Pol.
You know me ill, the self same heat still burns me,
And the desire increaseth when th' effect
Recoyls; those tears which with a Husbands Eye
I look upon, leave me as good a Christian
In heart as you; but to receave the seal
And sacred character thereof, which washes
Our sins in saving water, and in opening
Our Eyes with a divine Ray, doth restore us
Unto the first right which we had to Heaven,
Though I prefer it before all the greatness
Of Empires as the supream good, and that
Which I alone aspire to, I believe
[Page 3] I may, to satisfie a lawfull love,
Defer this sacred baptism for a day.
Nearc:
Thus the malicious enemy of man
Abuseth you, what he can't do by force,
He doth attempt by policy, still jealous
Of good designs, which he endeavoureth
To shake; when he can't break them, he put
[...] on
With all the power he can to stop their course.
With obstacle upon obstacle he is comming
To trouble yours, to day by tears, to morrow
By something else; this dream so full of horrour
Is but the slourish of his first illusions,
Pol.
He sets all things a work, both prayer and threatning,
He assaults always, and is never weary,
He thinks to do at last what yet he cannot,
And what we do defer, concludes half broken.
Destroy his first stroaks, let
Paulina weep:
God would not have a heart that the world rules;
Who looks upon him when his voice doth call him
At distance, and as doubtfull in his choice,
Hearkens unto another voice then his,
Pol.
To give our selvs to him, must we love no body?
Nearc:
We may love all, he suffers, he ordains it;
But this great King of Kings, this Lord of Lords
Will have the first love and the chiefest honours.
As nothing's equall to his supreame Greatnes,
So nothing must be lov'd but after him,
And in him; we to please him must neglect
Wife and wealth, friends and fortunes; for his glory
We must not stick t'expose our selves to dangers,
Yea, even to death, to pour our bloud forth for him;
But how far are you from this perfect love
Which I could wish you as so necessary
To your salvation, and eternal good?
I cannot speak unto you,
Polyeuctes,
But with tears in mine eyes; now that we are
Hated in every place, that all believe
They serve the State well when they persecute us,
Now that a Christian is expos'd a butt
Unto the sharpest torments, how can you
Or'ecome the griefe on't, if you can't resist
A Womans tears?
[Page 4] Pol.
You do'nt astonish me;
The Pitty that doth wound me doth proceed
From a great courage rather then from weakness;
Nearchus, on my equals a faire eye
Hath had much force, he feareth to offend it,
That dreads not death; and if we must affront
The cruel'st punishments, to find delights
And pleasures there, your God whom I dare not
Yet to call mine, in making me a Christian,
Will give me strength enough to undergo them.
Nearc.
Haste then to be one.
Pol.
Yes, I fly,
Nearchus,
I long to bear the glorious mark of it,
But my
Paulina doth afflict her self,
And can't consent, so much this dream doth trouble her,
To leave me to go forth.
Nearc.
Your safe return
Will be more pleasing to her; in an hour,
Or little more you shall wipe off her tears,
The happiness will seem again to see you
More sweet, by how much more she hath lamented
So dear a Husband. Come, we are expected.
Pol.
Appease her fear, and calm her sorrow then,
She comes again.
Nearc.
Fly, fly.
Pol.
Alas! I cannot.
Nearc.
You must, Sir, to be safe; Oh fly an Enemy
That knows your weakness, that doth finde it easily,
That woundeth with the eys, whose stroke doth kill
And please, because receav'd not 'gainst your will.
Scena Secunda.
Polyeuctes, Nearchus, Paulina, Stratonica.
Polyeuctes.
LEt's fly then, since we must, adiew,
Paulina,
Adiew, within an hour, or little more
I will return again here.
Paul.
What occasion
So pressing doth invite you to go forth?
[Page 5] Doth it concern your honour, or your life?
Pol.
Much more then either.
Paul.
What's the secret then?
Pol:
You shall know one day, I am loath to leave you,
But yet I must.
Paul.
D'ee love me?
Pol.
Witness Heaven
A thousand times more then my self I love you,
But—
Paul.
But you care not for my discontent;
Should you have Secrets that I may not know?
What proof of love is this; ith' name of
Himen,
Give only to my tears this fatall journey.
Pol.
A dream makes you afraid!
Paul.
I know those presages
Are vain, but I do love you, and I fear.
Pol.
For an hours absence fear no hurt; adiew,
Your tears prevail too much upon me, and
I feel my heart even ready to revolt,
There's no resisting her but in my flight.—
Exit.
Scena Tertia.
Paulina, Stratonica.
Paulina.
GO, and neglect my tears, hast to precipitate thee
Before the death, which the Gods have predicted
Unto me, follow that same fatall Agent
Of thy ill destinies, who, perhaps may give thee
Into the hands of murtherers. See,
Stratonica
In this sad age wherein we live, what Empire▪
We have upon the stubborn Spirits of men;
See what is left us, and the ordinary
Effect of that love which they offer us,
And of the vowes they make us; whilst they are
But Lovers, we are Soveraigns; and untill
They've gain'd the conquest, we are us'd as Queens,
But after Marriage they are Kings by turn.
Strat.
Sure
Polyeuctes, wants no love for you;
Though with full confidence he treat you not.
[Page 6] In this affair, though he depart in spight
Of all your tears: it is a part of prudence;
Without afflicting you presume with me,
That it is fit he should conceale the cause,
Assure your self he hath just reason for it:
A Husband must not tell us every thing,
Let him be sometimes free, and not abase him
To render us accompt still of his steps.
We both have but one heart, which feels the same
Traverses, but this heart hath notwithstanding
Its divers functions; and the Law of marriage
Which holdeth you together, ordains not
That he should tremble when you tremble, Madam,
What maketh you afrayd, troubles not him,
He's an Armenian, and you are a Roman,
And you may please to understand that our
Two Nations ha'nt the same impressions
Upon this subject. A dream p
[...]sseth with us
For a ridiculous phansie, it doth leave us,
Nor hope, nor fear, nor scruple; but it carries
Authority in Rome, and passeth for
A faithfull mirrour of fatality.
Paul.
Mine's very strange, and though Armenian,
I believe that thy fear would equall mine,
If by my bare recitall such like horrors
Had struck thy Spirit.
Strat.
To recount our evils,
We ease them oftentimes.
Paul.
Attend me then;
But I must tell thee more, and that thou mayst
The better comprehend this sad discourse,
I will discover unto thee my weakness
In the relation of my first amours;
A woman that loves honour may confess
Without shame those surprizes of the sences
Which reason doth or'ecome, chiefly it is
In these assaults that vertue doth break forth,
We doubt that heart that hath not combated.
In Rome where I was born this wretched face
Captiv'd the courage of a Roman knight
Called
Severus. Pray excuse the sighes
Which yet a name too dear to my desires,
[Page 7] Snatches out of my bosome.
Strat:
Was it he
That not long since at th'expence of his life
Sav'd th'Emperour
Decius from his enemies;
Who dying drew the victory from the Persians
And turn'd the chance upon the Roman Eagles?
He that amongst so many bodies sacrific'd
Unto his Master, could not be found out,
Or at least known, to whom
Decius at last
Made sumptuous monuments to be rais'd in vain?
Paul.
Alas! it was the same, and never did
Our Rome produce a greater heart, nor saw
A braver man since thou hast understood him,
Il'e speak no more of him;
Statonica,
I lov'd him, he deserved well; but whereto
Serves merit where blind fortune is defective?
The one is great in him, the other weak
And common, too invincible obstacle,
O're which a vertuous Lover very seldome
Triumpheth with a father.
Strat.
Fair occasion,
And worthy a rare constancy!
Paul.
Rather say
An overnice, foolish and base resistance;
What ever fruit one might receive from thence,
Tis not a vertue but for who would faile:
In this great love which I had for
Severus,
I still expected from my Fathers hand
A Husband, and my reason never own'd
The amiable Treason of mine eyes.
He did possess my heart, my thought, my wishes,
I hid not from him how much I was wounded,
We sigh'd together and wept our misfortunes,
But he in stead of hope had nought but tears,
And notwithstanding his sweet sighs and prayers
My Father and my duty were inexorable.
Lastly I left Rome, and this perfect lover,
To follow here my father in his government,
And he, even desperate, went unto the Army
To seek th' illustrious fame of a fair death.
Thou know'st the rest; my comming to this place
Made me see
Polyeuctes, and I pleas'd
[Page 8] His eyes; My Father finding that he was
The chief of the Nobility, was ravish'd
With joy that he should take me for his Mistress,
And he believ'd himself by his allyance
Sure to be more redoubted and considerable.
He lik'd his love, and did conclude the marriage.
And I seeing me destin'd to his bed
Gave unto his affection through duty
All what the other had through inclination;
If thou canst doubt thereof, judge by the fear
Wherewith for him thou seest my soul is troubled.
Strat.
You love him, I believe, as well as one
Can love, but after all what dream could have
Disturb'd you?
Paul.
This last night me thought I saw
Th' unfortunate
Severus with revenge,
In hand, and with an Eye flaming with anger;
He was not covered with those sorry rags,
A desolate shade doth bring with it from graves,
He was not pierced with those glorious strokes
Which cutting off his life assure his memory;
He seem'd triumphant like unto our
Caesar
When on his Charriot he victoriously
Doth enter Rome; after a little fear
Which his sight gave me, carry unto whom
Thou wilt the favour that is due to me,
Ingratefull, (said he) and this day expir'd,
Lament at leisure him thou hast preferr'd
Before me. At these words I trembled,
My soul was troubled; afterward an impious
Assembly of the Christians to advance
Th' effect of this fatall and sad discourse.
Threw
Polyeuctes at his Rivals feet;
Forthwith I call'd my Father to his ayd.
Alas! 'tis this that most doth trouble me,
I saw my Father enter with a Ponyard
In hand, and his arm rais'd to pierce his bosom▪
There my grief too strong hath conceiv'd those Images,
The bloud of
Polyeuctes hath contented
Their furies, I know neither how, nor when
They kill'd him, but I know that to his death
All have contributed. Behold my dream.
[Page 9] Strat.
'Tis true, tis sad, but your soul must resist
Those fears, the vision of it self may give
Some horror, but no just fear unto you.
Should you a death fear from a Father, who
Doth love your Husband, and doth honour him.
And whose just choice hath given you unto him,
To make himselfe thereby here in this Countrey
A sure and firm support?
Paul.
He hath himself
Told me as much, and laugh'd at my alarms,
But I do fear the Christians plots and charms,
And that upon my Husband they'l revenge
The bloud my Father hath so freely shed.
Strat.
Their Sect is mad, impious, and sacrilegious,
And in their Sacrifice use sorcery;
But this their fury goes no further then
To break our Altars, its pursues the Gods,
But reacheth not to mortals, whatsoever
Severity our anger doth display
Upon them, they do suffer without murmur,
And die with joy, and since the time they were
Treated as criminals of State, one cannot
Charge them with any murther.
Paul.
Peace, my Father.
Scena Quarta.
Felix, Albin, Paulina, Stratonica.
Felix.
DAughter, thy dream hath plung'd me in strange fears
Since yesterday, I doubt th' effects thereof,
Which seem t'approach.
Paul.
I do beseech you, tell me
What ist you feel?
Felix.
Severus is not dead.
Paul.
What evil doth his life do unto us?
Felix.
He is the Favourite
Of th' Emperour
Decius.
Paul.
After having saved him
From the hands of his Enemies the hope
Of such a rank justly might be allow'd him,
[Page 10] Thus Fortune to great hearts so often cruel,
Resolvs her self sometimes to do them justice.
Felix.
He's comming here himself.
Paul.
What? is he comming?
Felix.
Thou shalt receive his Visit.
Paul:
That's too much;
But how do you know this? Sir.
Felix.
Albin met
In the adjacent field, a troup of Courtiers
Attending him in crouds which shewed plainly
His rank and credit, but
Albinus tell her
That which his People told thee.
Albin.
You know, Madam,
What that great Expedition was, which made us
So fortunate by his loss, where th' Emperour
A Prisoner, dis
[...]ingaged by his hand,
Confirm'd again his almost conquered party;
Whilst that his vertue fell amongst the number,
You know the honours that he caus'd to be
Done to his shadow, when his body could not
Be found amongst the dead. The King of Persia
Witness of his high acts, though to his damage,
Caused him to be carry'd off, and brought
Into his Tent, he did desire to know
His face though dead, every one did lament him,
Covered with wounds, though jealous of his glory.
Within a while he shew'd some sign of life:
This generous Monarch was o're joy'd therewith,
And though o'recome, thought not of his misfortune;
To honour vertue in its very Authour,
He caus'd that speciall care should be tane of him;
His cure was secret, and at a Months end
His health was perfect, when the King, to gain him,
Offer'd him dign
[...]ties, allyance, treasures,
And us'd a thousand means: when all things fail'd,
After high prayse bestow'd on his refusall,
He sent to
Decius to propose exchange,
And presently the Emperour transported
With pleasure, offered to the Persian
His Brother and a hundred chiefs to chuse.
So came unto the Camp the valorous
And brave
Severus, to receive the recompence
[Page 11] Of his high vertue:
Decius favour was
The worthy price thereof: we fought again,
And were surpris'd, yet this misfortune serv'd
T'increase his glory, he alone restablish'd
The order, and recovered the victory,
So fair and plain, and by such glorious feats,
That our stout Enemies offer'd us tribute,
And made us peace; The Emperour express'd
An infinite love unto him, and being ravish'd
With the success, sent him into
Armenia;
He comes to bring the news into this Countrey,
And by a sacrifice to render thanks
Unto the Gods,
Felix
O heaven! to what estate
My fortune is reduc'd!
Albin.
I learned this
From one that doth belong unto his train,
And hasted here, Sir, to acquaint you with it.
Felix.
Oh without doubt he comes to marry thee,
Daughter, the order of a sacrifice
Is a small thing to him, not worth his presence,
It is a false pretence, whose cause is love.
Paul.
It may well be, he lov'd me very dearly.
Felix.
What will not he allow to his resentment?
And to what point will not his anger carry
A just revenge with so much power to prop it?
He will destroy us, daughter.
Paul.
He's too generous.
Felix.
Thou wilt in vain flatter a wretched Father;
He will destroy us, daughter. Oh regreet
That kils me now, in that I loved not
The naked vertue. Oh
Paulina really
Thou hast too much obeyed me, thy courage
Was good, but thy nice duty hath betray'd thee.
How thy rebellion had been favourable
Unto me, how it would have priviledg'd me
From a deplorable condition!
If any hope rests with me, it is now
No more but in the absolute power which he
Gives thee upon him: Husband in my favour
The love that doth possess him, and from whence
My evill doth proceed, produce the remedy.
[Page 12] Paul.
Shall I, Shall I see such a Puissant Conqueror?
And expose me unto those eyes that pierce
My heart? Father, I am a Woman, and
I know my weakness, I perceive my heart
Already to be interested for him,
And will without doubt in spight of my faith
Thrust forth some sigh unworthy both of you
And me, I will not see him.
Felix.
Re-assure
Thy soul a little.
Paul.
He is alwayes lovely,
And I am alwayes firm, in the power which
His looks have had upon me, I can't answer
With all my vertue, therefore I'le not see him.
Felix.
Daughter you must, or you'l betray your Father▪
And all your Family.
Paul.
It is my duty
T'obey since you command, but see the perills
Wherein you hazard me.
Felix.
I know thy Vertue.
Paul.
Without doubt it will vanquish, the success
Is not the thing that my soul doubts, I fear
This stubborn combat, and puissant troubles
That makes my senses to revolt already;
But since I must combat an Enemy
I love, permit me t'arm against my self,
And give me some time to prepare to see him.
Felix.
Without the Ports I'm going to receive him,
In the mean time call home your stragling force,
And think that in thy hands thou holdst our destinies,
Paul.
True, I am born to sacrifice me still▪
In serving as a victime to your will.
The End of the first Act.
Actus Secundus.
Scena Prima.
Severus, Fabianus.
Severus.
WHilst
Felix giveth order for the sacrifice,
May not I take a time to see
Paulina,
And render to her fair eyes that high homage
Is due unto the Gods? I have not kept
From thee, that it is this which brings me hither;
For the rest I'm not troubled much, I come
To sacrifice, but tis unto your beauties,
Whereto I dedicate all my devotions.
Fab.
Sir, you shall see her.
Sev.
What joyes do I feel!
Doth this adorable object give consent
That I shall see her? have I any power
Upon her soul yet? hast thou seen in speaking
To her of me, that she was troubled,
Or what transport my comming causeth her?
May I hope all things from this happy sight?
For I would rather perish then abuse her
With Letters recommendatory, which
I have to marry her, they are for
Felix,
Not to triumph of her, my heart was never
Rebellious unto her desires, and if
My evill fortune should have changed hers,
I would vanquish my self and pretend nothing.
Fab.
Sir, you shall see her, I can say no more.
Sev.
How comes it that thou tremblest and sigh'st?
Doth she no longer love me? clear this point.
Fab.
Sir, I could wish you not to see her more,
Carry unto some higher place the honour
Of your Caresses, you shall find at
Rome
Ladies enough that will be proud to be
Your Mistresses, and in this high degree
Of power and glory wherein now you are,
The greatest will esteem your love a happiness.
Sev.
What should my soul stoop to such humble thoughts?
[Page 14] Should I esteem
Paulina as inferior
Unto my fortune? she hath better used it,
I ought to imitate her, I love not
My happiness but for to merit her.
See,
Fabian, thy discourse doth trouble me:
Come, let us go to cast this haughty fortune
Even at her feet, I found it happily
In fights seeking a death worthy her Lover,
So then this rank is hers, this favours hers,
And I have nothing that I hould not off her.
Fab.
No, Sir, but once again pray do not see her.
Sev.
Oh! 'tis too much, at last cleer me this point;
Hast thou seen coldness when thou prayd'st access?
Fab.
I tremble to declare t'ee, she is—
Sev.
What?
Fab.
Married.
Sev.
Sustain me,
Fabian, this thunder-clap
Is very great, and strikes so much the more,
As more it doth surprise me.
Fab.
What's become, Sir,
Of that brave generous courage?
Sev.
Constancy
Is here of little use, when such displeasures
Burthen a great heart, the most masculine vertue
Soon loseth all its vigour, and when souls
Are taken with so glittering a fire,
Death troubles them far less then such surprises.
I can scarce yet believe thy sad discourse.
Fab.
Paulina's married; fifteen days have pass'd
Since
Hymen did appear in saffron robes
To solemnize the nuptials;
Polyeuctes,
One of the chiefest of th' Armenian Lords
Doth taste the infinite sweetness of her bed.
Sev.
I cannot blame her of an evill choice,
The name of
Polyeuctes is esteem'd,
As being descended from the bloud of Kings.
Weak comfort for a cureless misery!
Paulina, I shall see thee by another
Possess'd! Oh Heaven! that spight of me didst send me
Unto the light again! Oh fate! that gav'st me
A new hope of my love, take back the favours
Which you have lent me, and restore me death
[Page 15] Which you have taken from me; yet let's see her,
And in this sad place make an end to die
In bidding her adiew, that my heart carrying
Her Image to the dead, where I do go,
With its last sigh to her may homage do.
Fab.
Consider, Sir.
Sev.
All is considered.
What inconvenience fears a desperate heart?
Consents she not?
Fab.
Yes, Sir, but——
Sev.
'Tis no matter.
Fab.
This lively grief will thereby become stronger.
Sev.
'Tis not an evil I intend to cure,
I only will but see her, sigh, and dye.
Fab.
You will break forth without doubt in her presence;
A Lover that doth lose all hath no more
Complacence, but in such despaire he follows
His passion which doth thrust him on to injury,
And imprecation.
Sev.
Judge otherwise
Of me, my respect doth continue yet;
My despair, violent as 'tis, adores her;.
What reason have I to reproach this Lady?
Wherewith can I accuse her who hath promised
Me nothing; she's not perjur'd, she's not light;
Her duty hath betrayd me, her Father,
And my misfortune; but her duty was
Just, and her Fathers reason guided him;
I impute all the treason unto my
Misfortune; somewhat less of prosperous hap,
And arriv'd sooner, would have gained one
By th'other, and conserved me; too happy,
But too late, I could not have gain'd her, I,
Leave me to see her, then to sigh and dye.
Fab.
Yes, I will go t'assure her that you are
In this extream misfortune strong enough
To overcome your selfe, she fears like me
Those first provoked motions which a sudden
And unexpected loss raiseth in Lovers,
The violence whereof excites much trouble
Without the presence of the object to▪
Redouble it.
[Page 16] Sev.
I see her,
Fabian.
Fab.
Remember, Sir—
Sev.
Another is her Husband,
Alas, my sad fate! she doth love another;
It is impossible my grief to smother.
Scena Secunda.
Severus, Paulina, Stratonica, Fabian.
Paulina.
TIs true,
Severus, I do love another,
And plead not here for't, every one
Except my self do flatter and abuse you;
Paulina hath a noble soul, and speaks
With open heart, the report of your death
Is not that which destroys you, if just heaven
Had put my marriage to my choice, I should
To your sole vertues, Sir, have given my self,
And all the rigour of our former fate
Against your merit had made vain attempts;
I saw in you Illustrious marks enough
To give you worthy preferrence even before
The happiest Monarchs; but since other Laws
My duty did impose, what ever Lover
My Father had assign'd me, though your valour
Had added to this greatness which it gave you,
The splendor of a Crown, though I lov'd you
And hated him, I should have sighed at it,
But yet I should obey, and o're my passions,
My reason being Soveraign, should have blam'd
My sighs, and dissipated all my hatred.
Sev.
How happie are you that a sigh or two
Can easily acquit you of your troubles!
So always absolute Queen of your desires,
The greatest changes find you still resolv'd;
Your spirit is carried in the strongest love
Unto indifference, and perhaps to scorn,
And your stout firmness without trouble makes
Favour succeed contempt, and love disdain.
Oh how a little of your humour, or
[Page 17] Rather your vertue would comfort the evils
Of this dejected heart! a sigh, a tear
Shed with regret, would have already cur'd me
Of losing you, my reason would prevail
Upon enfeebled love, and from indifference
Would go even to oblivion, and my fire
Henceforth commanding over yours, I should
Esteem me happy in anothers arms.
O too too lovely object, that hast charm'd me!
Must we thus love? is't so that you have lov'd me?
Paul.
I loved thee
Severus, and if I
Could smother in my soul the flame remains there,
What rigorous torments, Gods, should I avoid!
'Tis true, my reason tames my passions,
But whatsoe're Authority she hath taken
Upon them, she raigns not, but tyrannizeth;
And though the outside be without commotion,
The inside is but trouble and sedition.
A certain charm, I know not what, inclines me
Towards you yet, your merit sure is great,
Although my reason's strong, I see it still,
Such as it lights my fires, so much more strongly
To work on my affections, as it is
Environed with puissance and glory;
I see that in all places after you
It draws triumphant victory, that I
Best know the price on't, and that it hath not
Deceiv'd the generous hope I conceiv'd of it.
But that same duty which in
Rome subdu'd it,
And makes me subject to the Law of Man here,
Repulseth still so strongly the assault
Of so many allurements, that it tears
My soul, but doth not shake it; 'tis that vertue
Even cruel to our own desires, which you
Should praise when you blaspheam it; if you please
You may complain on't, but yet praise its rigour
That triumpheth o're you and or'e my heart
At one time, lower thoughts could not have merited
That perfect love which you have born unto me.
Sev.
O sweet
Paulina, pardon a blind grief,
Which knoweth nothing but excess of misery.
I named it inconstancy, and took
[Page 18] For crimes th'indeavours of a vertuous duty.
I do beseech you shew less to my senses
The greatness of my Loss, and of your worth,
And so through pitty hiding this rare vertue,
That feeds my fires even when she separates us,
Make some defects appear that may successively
Weaken my grief together with my love.
Paul.
Alas! this vertue, though invincible still,
Makes but appear a soul too sensible,
These tears are witnesses thereof, and these
Effeminate sighs which stir up the remembrance
Of our first fires, too rigorous effects
Of a beloved presence, against which
My duty hath too little of defence.
But if you do esteem this vertuous duty,
keep me the glory on't, and cease to see me,
Spare me those tears that trickle to my shame,
Spare me those tears that with grief I or'ecome,
Lastly spare me those sad discourses which
Do but stir up your torments and mine own.
Sev.
So shall I rob my self of the sole good
That remains to me.
Paul.
Save you from a sight
Fatall unto us both.
Sev.
What recompense
Of all my love? what fruit of my devotions?
Paul.
That's the sole remedy that can cure our evils.
Sev.
I'le die of mine, Oh love my memory.
Paul.
I'le cure mine, they would sully my fair glory.
Sev.
Oh! since your glory doth pronounce the sentence,
My griefe must yield unto its interest,
From such a heart as mine what is't that it
Cannot obtain? you do awake the cares
Which I owe to my glory; farewell, Madam,
I go to seek in honourable combats
That immortality which a fair death
Doth give, if I after this mortall stroak
Of fate, have life enough to seek a death.
Paul.
And I, whose punishment your sight increases,
Intend to avoid it even in Sacrifice,
And alone in my Chamber shutting up
My sorrows, I will make my secret Orisons
[Page 19] Unto the Gods for you.
Sev.
May righteous Heaven
Contented with my ruine heap up happiness
On
Polyeuctes and
Paulina's heads.
Paul.
May brave
Severus find after so much
Disaster, a felicity that may be
Worthy his valour.
Sev.
In you he could find it.
Paul.
I depend of a Father and a Husband.
Sev.
Oh duty that destroys, and makes me desperate!
Adiew too vertuous and too charming object.
Paul.
Adiew, adiew, thou too unfortunate
And faithfull lover.
Scena Tertia.
Paulina, Stratonica.
Stratonica.
I Have bewail'd you both, and cannot chuse
But shed tears, yet your spirit, I do believe,
Is free of fear now, for you plainly see
Your dream is vain,
Severus commeth not
With revenge in his hand.
Paul.
Leave me to breath,
At least if thou hast (as thou sayst) lamented me,
Thou call'st again my fear unto the Fort
Of all my grief, suffer my troubled spirits
To take a little rest, and lead me not
By those redoubled evils.
Strat.
What! fear you yet?
Paul.
Stratonica, I tremble,
And though I am apaid with little justice,
This unjust fear continually produceth
The Image of the sad misfortunes which
I saw last night.
Strat.
Severus is most generous.
Paul.
Notwithstanding
His staydness,
Polyeuctes all in bloud
Strikes still my sight.
Strat.
You are your self a witness
Of his devotions for him.
Paul.
I believe
[Page 20] He would be his support upon occasion,
But whether this belief be false or true,
His abode in this place doth make me fear,
To whatsoe're his vertue may dispose him,
He's strong, he loves, and comes here to espouse me.
Scena Quarta.
Polyeuctes, Nearchus, Paulina, Stratonica.
Polyeuctes.
YOu shed too many tears, 'tis time to dry them,
Let your grief cease, and your vain fears fly hence,
You see me living. Madam, in despight
Of the false intimation of your gods.
Paul.
The day is long yet, and what most affrights me
Is, that the half of the Advertisement
Is found already true, I did believe
Severus dead, but he was here just now.
Pol.
I know it, and am nothing troubled at it;
I am in
Militene, and let
Severus
Be what he will, your Father doth command here,
And I'm considerable. Besides I'm confident
That from a heart so generous as his
A Treason cannot spring, I was inform'd
He gave a visit to you, and I'm come
To render him an honour he deserves.
Paul.
He is gone very sad, and much confounded,
But I've prevailed with him that he will
See me no more.
Pol.
How! Madam, d'ee suspect me
Of jealousie already?
Paul.
I should do
Unto all three too sensible an injury,
I assure my repose which his looks trouble;
The firmest vertue still avoideth hazards
Wo doth expose himself to danger, would
Meet with his ruine, and to speak to you
With open soul of him, since a true merit
Could have inflamed us, his presence alwaies
Hath right to charm us. Besides that one must▪
[Page 21] Be out of countenance to leave ones self
To be surpris'd, one suffers to resist,
One suffers to defend, and although vertue
Triumpheth o're these fires, the victory
Is painfull and the fight dishonourable.
Pol.
Oh Vertue, if 'twere possible, too perfect,
And duty too sincere! what sad regrets
'Cost you
Severus! how at the expence
Of a fair fire you render me most happy!
And to my Amorous heart how sweet are you!
The more I see mine own defects, and do
Contemplate your perfections, the more
I do admire.—
Polyeuctes, Paulina, Nearchus, Stratonica,Cleon.
Cle.
My Lord and Master
Felix
Hath sent me to desire you to make hast
Unto the Temple, for the Victime's chosen,
And all the People on their knees; there wants
But you, Sir, to begin the Sacrifice.
Pol.
Go, we will follow thee, will you along, Madam?
Paul.
Severus fears my sight, it stirs his flame,
I'le keep my word with him, and will not see him;
Adiew, you'l find him there, think of his power,
And the great favour that he hath.
Pol.
I fear not
His credit nor his power, and as I know
His generosity, we shall encounter
Each other onely in civility.
Polyeuctes, Nearchus.
Nearc.
Where do you think to go?
Pol.
Unto the Temple,
Where I am called.
Nearc.
What, to joyn your self
To the Devotions of a company
Of Infidels, have you forgot already
That you are Christian?
[Page 22] Pol.
You by whom I am so,
Do you remember it.
Nearc:
I hate false Gods.
Pol.
And I detest them.
Nearc.
I do hold their worship
Most impious.
Pol.
And I take it for abominable.
Nearc.
Fly then their Altars.
Pol.
I will overthrow them,
And in their Temple die, or drive them thence.
My dear
Nearchus, come, lets brave Idolatry
Before the eys of men, and shew us Christians;
Heaven doth expect it, and we must perform it:
For my part I do promise, and am going
T'accomplish it: I thank God that hath given me
This opportunity to express my zeal,
Wherein his goodness ready even to crown me,
Deigns to approve the faith that he will give me.
Nearc:
This zeal, Sir, is too ardent, moderate it.
Pol.
We cannot have too much on't for the God
Which we adore.
Nearc.
It will procure your death.
Pol.
I seek it for him.
Nearc.
If this heart should shake?
Pol.
He will be my support.
Nearc.
Tis not his pleasure,
We should precipitate our selves therein.
Pol.
If we die willingly, the more's our merit.
Nearc.
To wait and suffer is sufficient,
We need not seek out danger.
Pol.
We suffer with regret when we dare not
Offer our selves.
Nearc.
But in this Temple Death
Is most assured.
Pol.
But in Heaven the Palme
Already is prepar'd.
Nearc.
A holy life
Must merit it.
Pol.
Living, perhaps, my crimes
May take it from me, wherefore should we hazzard
What death assures us? When she opens heaven,
Can she seem hard? I am a Christian,
[Page 23]
Nearchus, and I am so altogether;
The pure faith which I have receiv'd, aspires
To its effect; who flies believeth faintly,
And hath but a dead faith.
Nearc.
Know that your life
Importeth God himself, live to protect
The Christians in this place.
Pol.
Th' example of my death will better fortifie them.
Nearc.
You will die then?
Pol.
And you desire to live?
Nearc.
To tell you truly, I've no mind to follow you.
I fear to fall under the horrour of
The Torments which they will inflict upon us.
Pol.
Who goes on boldly needs not fear to sall,
God doth impart at need his infinite force;
Who thinks he shall denie him, in his soul
He doth deny him, he believs to do't,
And doubteth of his faith.
Nearc.
Who feareth nothing
Presumes too much upon himself.
Pol.
I expect all things from his grace and mercy,
And nothing from my weakness; but in stead
Of pressing me, t'is fit that I press you,
Whence doth proceed this coldness?
Nearc.
God himself
Hath feared death.
Pol.
He offered himself;
Let's follow this divine instinct, and raise
Altars unto him on the heaps of Idols;
We must not (I do remember yet your words)
Neglect to please him; wife, and wealth, and rank,
We must not stick t' expose our selves to dangers,
Yea even to death, to pour our blood forth for him;
Alas! where is that perfect love which you
Wished to me, and which I now wish you?
If it remains yet with you, are you not
Jealous that I scarce Christian yet, should shew it
Stronger then you?
Nearc.
You come immediatly
From baptism, and the thing that animates you,
It is his grace, which yet no crime in you,
Hath weakened, yet it acteth fully in you.
[Page 24] And to its vehement fire all things seem possible;
But this same grace in me diminished,
And by a thousand sins continually
Extenuated acteth with such faintness
In hazardous attempts, that all things seem
Impossible unto its little vigour;
This base effeminacy, and cowardly
Evasions are the punishments which my
Offences do draw on me, but our God,
Whom we must ne'r distrust, gives your Example
To fortifie me; Come, dear
Polyeuctes,
Let us go 'fore the eyes of men to brave
Idolatry, and to shew who we are;
May I to suffer give you the Example,
As you have given me that of offering you?
Pol.
By this most happy transport which Heaven sends you,
Again I know
Nearchus, and I weep
For joy on't, come, let us not lose more time,
The Sacrifice is ready, let's uphold
Th' interest of the true God, lets tread
Under our feet this feigned Thunderbolt,
With which th'abused and too credulous people
Arm a corrupted piece of wood; let's go
To make this fatall blindness manifest,
Those gods of stone and mettall, let us break
In pieces, and lets dedicate our days
To this coelestiall heat, and so let's offer
A triumph unto God; let him dispose
The rest.
Nearc.
Come let us make his glory to break forth
Unto the eyes of all, and for him dye,
Who for us suffer'd death and infamy.
The End of the second Act.
Actus Tertius.
Scena Prima.
Paulina
alone.
WHat floating cares! what confused clouds
Present inconstant images to mine eyes!
Sweet rest, which I dare not so much as hope,
Send thy divine Ray speedily to clear them;
A thousand diverse thoughts which my sad troubles
Produce in my uncertain heart, are lost
In wishes; no hope flatters me, not where
I dare persist, no fear affrights me not
Where I dare fix my self, my spirit imbracing
All what it doth imagine, would sometimes
My happiness, and sometimes my destruction;
Both one and tother strike it with so little
Effect, that it can neither hope nor fear.
Continually
Severus troubleth
My fantasie, my hope is in his vertue,
I fear his jealousie; and I cannot think
That
Polyeuctes with an equal eye
Can see his Rivall heer; as between such
The hate is natural, the interview
Soon endeth in a quarrel; the one sees
In the hands of the other what he thinks
He meriteth, the other sees a desperate
Would take it from him; whatsoe'r high reason
Raignsin their courage, th'one conceiveth envy,
The other jealousie: the shame of an
Affront, which each of them feareth to see,
Either receiv'd of old, or at this present,
Destroying all their patience from the first,
Forms choler and distrust, and seising on
The Husband and the Lover both together,
Whether they will or no delivers them
Over to their resentment, and their passion:
But what a strange Chymera do I fancy
Unto my self! and what an injury
Do I to
Polyeuctes and
Severus?
[Page 26] As if the vertue of these famous Rivals
Could not triumph over those common evils.
The minds of both, Mistresses to themselves
Are of too high an order for such baseness;
They shall see one another in the Temple
Like generous men; but alas, still I fear:
What is th'advantage that my Husband hath
To be in
Militene, if
Severus arm
The Roman Eagle 'gainst him, if my Father
Command here, and doth fear this Favorite,
And doth repent already of his choice?
The little hope I have is with constraint,
And born it is abortive, and gives place
To fear; what ought to fix it, doth but serve
To dissipate it. Gods! grant that my fear
Be false, and my sad fancy, a Chimere.
Scena Secunda.
Paulina, Stratonica.
Paulina.
BUt let us understand the Issue on't.
Now my
Stratonica what's the conclusion
Of this great Sacrifice.
Strat.
Alas
Paulina!
Paul.
Have my Prayers and Devotions been frustrate:
I see an ill sign of it in thy face,
Have they unfortunately quarrelled?
Strat.
Nearchus, Polyeuctes, and the Christians—
Paul.
Speak then, the Christians.
Strat.
I cannot speak.
Paul.
Thou dost prepare my soul for strange afflictions.
Strat.
You ne'r could have a juster cause of grief.
Paul.
What have they murthered him?
Strat.
That had been nothing
Your dream is all true,
Polyeuctes is
No more.
Paul.
What is he dead?
Strat.
No, he lives, but
(O fate to be lamented!) this great courage,
This divine soul is no more worthy of
[Page 27] The light, nor of
Paulina, he is no more
That Spouse so charming to your eyes, he is
The common enemy of the gods, and State,
An infamous, a Rebel, a perfidious,
A Traytor, Villain; a base Particide,
An execrable plague to all good men,
An impious and a sacrilegious Wretch,
In a word, Madam, he's a Christian.
Paul.
This word would have suffic'd without that torrent
Of Injuries.
Strat.
Can there be any titles bad enough
For Christians?
Paul.
He is what thou sayst, if he
Imbrace their faith, but he's my Husband, and
Thou speak'st to me;
Strat.
Consider him no more
Then the God he adoreth.
Paul.
I have lov'd him
With duty, and this duty still continues.
Strat.
At present he doth give you cause to hate him
Who doth betray the gods, would make no scruple
To betray you.
Paul.
Although he should betray me,
Yet I should love him. And if thou,
Stratonica,
Dost wonder at this love, know, that my duty
Dependeth not of his, let him fall in it,
(If he be so dispos'd) I will do mine.
What if he lov'd elsewhere, should his example
Perswade me to imbrace unlawfull heats?
Let him be Christian, I'm not troubled at it.
I love his Person, and I hate his errour.
But what resentment hath my Father of it?
Strat.
A secret rage, and an excess of choler
Possesseth him, though yet for
Polyeuctes
He shews some; he'll not let his justice
Fall upon him before the punishment
Of false
Nearchus be presented to him
To see how that will work upon his spirits.
Paul.
What is
Nearchus Christian too?
Strat.
'Twas he
Seduced him; see the unworthy fruit.
Of their old amity; this perfidious
[Page 28] Taking him lately from us 'gainst his will,
Drew him to baptism: now you have the secret
That seemed so mysterious, which your love
Could not draw from him.
Paul.
Thou didst blame me then
For being too unfortunate.
Strat.
I foresaw not
Such a misfortune.
Paul.
Ere I will give up
My soul unto my griefs, I'le try the force
Of my laments, in quality of Wife
And Daughter, I hope to perswade a hu
[...]band,
And pacifie a Father: if I fail
With both of them, I'le take no other Counsel
But what despair shall give me: tell me now
What did they in the Temple?
Strat.
The impiety
They acted there was such as 'tis without
Example, I can't think on't without trembling:
And fear, I should commit a crime but in
Relating it; in few words understand
Their beastly insolence. Scarce had the Priest
Obtained silence, and towards the East
Setled his countenance, but their small respect
Appeared plainly, both of them express'd
Their madness at the ceremony, they mock'd
Aloud the sacred mysteries, and despis'd
The gods that were invoked; all the people
Murmur'd thereat, and
Felix was offended;
But both of them carrying themselves with more▪
Irreverence, what, said
Polyeuctes, raising
His voice, adore you gods of stone or wood?
Dispence me from recital of the blasphemies
They vomited' gainst
Iupiter himself.
Adultery and Incest were the least
Crimes they objected to him. Hearken
Felix.
Pursued he, and hearken all ye people;
The God of
Polyeuctes and
Nearchus
Is absolute Monarch both of heaven and earth,
Of Destiny sole Master, and the only
Being that's independent, substance which
Never receiveth change; it is the God
[Page 29] The Christians adore that we must thank
For victories he gave the Emperour
Decius;
He in his hands holds the success of battels,
With him are (saith the sacred Text) the issues
Of life and death, his power, his infinit goodness,
His justice is immense, 'tis he alone
That punisheth, alone that recompenceth;
You vainly do adore inpuissant Monsters.
Casting themselves at these words on the wine
And Incense, after they had thrown against
The earth the holy vessels without fear
Of
Felix, or of Thunder, with like fury
They ran unto the Altar. Heavens! was ever
The like seen? there you might behold the statue
Of the chief god o'rethrown by impious hands▪
Lye at their feet, the mysteries disturb'd,
The Temple sacrilegionsly profan'd,
The fl
[...]ght and clamours of a mutinous people,
That fear' the anger of offended heaven▪
Felix.—but here he comes; the rest he'll tell you▪
Paul.
How sullen is his countenance and full
Of trouble! he expresseth much of sadness
And indignation.
Scena Tertia.
Felix, Paulina, Stratonica.
Felix.
DUrst such an insolence appear! in publick too, and in my sight?
He shall die for't, the Traytor.
Paul.
Suffer me
T'embrace your knees.
Fel.
I speak not of your Husband,
But of
Nearchus, Polyeuctes hath
Too near relation to me, though his crime▪
Deserves no favour, to be banished
My love for ever.
Paul.
I cou'd not expect
Less from a Fathers goodness.
Fel.
I could sacrifice him▪
[Page 30] To my just anger, for you are not ignorant
To what a height of horror the blind fury
Of his impiety hath boldly mounted,
You might have understood it from
Stratonica.
Paul.
I know tis fit he see
Nearchus punish'd.
Felix.
Hereafter he shall better be instructed
In taking Counsell, when he shall behold
Him punish'd that seduc'd him to this evill;
The bloudy spectacle of a friend, whom he
Must follow, will so work upon his soul
That he'l repent his wickedness, and renounce
His new faith, an example more prevails
Then Threatning; this mad heat will suddenly
Turn into ice, cheer up your drooping spirits.
Paul.
You hope then that his courage will come down?
Felix.
He should be wise, sure, at
Nearchus cost.
Paul.
He should be so, but alas! I do fear
There must be time to work it, may I hope
T' obtain this favour from your goodness, Sir?
Felix.
I do him too much favour in consenting
That he shall lie upon a quick repentance:
Like punishment is due to like offences,
Yet I have put a difference between
These two equally guilty, and thereby
Betrayed Justice to paternall love,
I've made my self a Criminall for him,
And did expect from you more thanks then plaints.
Paul.
First give me, then I'le thank you; I know well
The honour, and the spirit of a Christian;
He doth continue obstinate to the end,
He'l dye before he will repent.
Felix.
His pardon
Is in his hand, let him consider on't.
Paul.
Give it him fully.
Felix.
He may finish it.
Paul.
Give him not over to the furies of
His sect.
Felix.
I'le give him up unto the Laws,
Which I ought to respect.
Paul.
Is this all the support a Son-in-Law
May hope for from the Father of his Wife?
Felix.
Let him do for himself as much as I
[Page 31] Have done for him.
Paul.
Alas! Sir, he is blind.
Felix.
It pleaseth him to be so, he that cherisheth
His errour never will acknowledge it.
Paul.
In the name of the gods.—
Felix.
Invoke them not.
The interest of the gods requires his death.
Paul.
They hear our prayers.
Felix.
Well then, Petition them.
Paul.
In the name of the Emperour whose place
You hold.
Felix.
'Tis true, his power is in my hand,
But if he hath committed it unto me
'Tis to display it 'gainst his enemies.
Paul.
Is
Polyeuctes so?
Felix.
All Christians are
Rebels.
Paul.
Hear not these cruel maximes for him.
In marrying
Paulina he's become
Part of your bloud.
Felix.
I look upon his fault,
Not on his quality, where a crime against
The State, is mingled with black sacriledge,
No
[...] amity nor blood have any priviledge.
Paul.
Excess of rigour!
Felix.
Less then his offence.
Paul.
Oh effect too true of my fearfull dream!
Know, that with him, Sir, you destroy your daughter.
Felix.
My Family is not so dear to me
As the gods and the Emperour, are honour'd.
Paul.
Cannot the ruine of us both arrest you?
Felix.
I fear the g
[...]ds add
Decius both together;
But we need doubt no sad thing yet; think you
He will persist in his blind error? if
He seemed to us to run to his misfortune,
It was but the first heat of a new Christian.
Paul.
If yet you love him, have not that opinion
That he will change belief twice in a day:
The Christians are more constant, you expect,
I doubt too much Legerity from him;
'Tis not an errour suck'd in with the milk,
That his soul hath imbrac'd without examining:
[Page 32] No,
Polyeuctes is a Christian,
Because he would be so, and brought with him
Unto the Temple a resolved spirit.
You may presume of him as of the rest,
Death's neither fatal to them, nor dishonorable.
They seek for glory in despising of
The gods, for earth blind, they aspire to heaven;
And thinking that death opens them the gate,
Torment, dismember, murther them, they care not;
Tortures and racks are the same unto them
That pleasures are to us, and bring them to
The Butt where their desires and wishes tend;
They call the cruel'st and most infamous death
Sweet Martyrdome.
Felix.
Well,
Polyeuctes then
Shall have what he desires, no more of him.
Paul.
My Father.
Scena Quarta.
Felix, Albin, Paulina, Stratonica.
Felix.
I Sit done,
Albin?
Alb.
Yes Sir, and
Nearchus
Hath paid for his fault.
Fel.
And
Polyeuctes
Hath seen him?
Alb.
Yes, but with an envious eye;
He was on fire to follow him, far from
Retreating, and his heart was firmly fix'd,
In stead of being shaken.
Paul.
Oh! my Father,
I told you so; once more I do beseech you,
If ever my respects gave you content
If you esteem'd them, if you ever lov'd them.—
Fel.
Paulina, you love an unworthy husband
Too much.
Paul.
I had him from your hand, my love
Is without crime, he was your worthy choice,
And for him I have quench'd the fairest fires
That e're were kindled in a heart; I beg
In the name of that blind and quick obedience,
[Page 33] Which I have always rendred to my duty,
Since you had all power on me and my love,
That I at my turn now may prevail with you.
By this just power too much now to be fear'd,
By those fair sentiments which I must smother,
Take not your presents from me, they are dear
Unto mine eyes, and have cost me too much
Not to be precious to me.
Fel.
You are troublesome.
Paul.
Good gods! what do I hear!
Fel.
I love not pitty
But at the rate I would receive thereof,
To touch me with't whether I will or no
By so many vain trials, is to lose
Time and your tears, only to anger me:
You gave it me, but you must understand
I disavow it when you snatch it from me:
Prepare to see this miserable Christian,
And use your best endeavour to perswade him,
When I have used mine; go, and no more
Provoke a Father that doth love you tenderly:
See if you can by your perswasion
[...] gain
Your Husband to himself, presently
I'le cause h
[...]m to come hither, in the mean time
Leave us, I'le try what my discourse can do.
Paul.
Suffer, I do beseech you.—
Fel.
Once again
Leave me alone your grief offendeth me
Asmuch as it afflicts me, all your industry
Must be apply'd to gain you
Polyeuctes,
The less you do importune me, the more
You shall advance.
Scena Quinta.
Felix, Albin.
Felix.
ALbin, how died he?
Alb.
Like a Beast, like an impious desperate wretc
[...]
In braving torments▪ in despising death,
Without regret, astonishment, or murmur,
In obstination, and insensibility;
[Page 34] Lastly, he dyed like a Christian
With blasphemy in's mouth.
Fel.
What did the other?
Alb.
I have told you already, nothing touch'd him,
So far was he from being dejected at it,
That his heart grew more lofty: they enforc'd him
To quit the Scaffold: he is now in Prison.
Where I saw him conducted; are you ready
To entertain discourse with him a litt
[...]e?
Fel.
Oh! how unfortunate am I?
Alb.
You are
Lamented every where.
Fel.
None know the evils
Wherewith my heart's oppress'd, thoughts upon thoughts
Trouble my soul, cares upon cares disturb it:
I find that love and hate, that fear and hope,
That joy and grief by turns, presse and provoke it.
I enter into sentiments that pass
Belief, I have some that are violent,
And others that are pitifull, some generous
Which dare not act, and likewise some ignoble
Which make me blush. I love that wretched man.
Whom I chose for my Son-in-Law, I hate
The blind and dangerous error he is in;
I do deplore his loss, and being willing
To save him, I must look too on the gods,
Whose injur'd glory I must vindicate:
I fear their thunderbolts and
Decius wrath;
It is my charge, my life depends upon it.
Thus sometimes for him I expose my self
To death, and other times I expose him
To save my self.
Alb.
Sure
Decius will excuse
A Fathers amity, besides
Polyeuctes
Is of a bloood that should be reverenc'd.
Fel.
His order for the punishment o' th' Christians
Is very rigorous, and the more th' example
Is great, the more 'tis dangerous and dreadfull.
There's no distinction when th' offence is publick;
When we connive at a domestick crime,
By what authority, by what Law can we
Punish that in another which we suffer
[Page 35] Amongst our selves?
Alb.
If you dare not to have
Regard unto his person, write to
Decius
That he ordain his pardon.
Fel.
Should I do so,
Severus would destroy me, tis his hate
And power that make my greatest care, if I
Should but defer to punish such a crime,
Though he be generous, though he be magnanimous▪
He is a man, and sensible, and I
Disdain'd him formerly, his spirit offended
With those receiv'd contempts, and desperate
Through th' unexpected marriage of
Paulina,
Will from the anger of the Emperour
Obtain my ruine. Every thing seems lawfull
To revenge an affront, and opportunity
Tempteth the most remiss, perhaps (and this
Suspition is not without some apparence)
He in his heart conceives again some hope,
And thinking to see
Polyeuctes punish'd
Recals a love with much pain banished:
Judge if his anger in this case implacable
Would hould me innocent to save a Criminal,
And if he'd spare me, seeing his designes
Twice made abortive by me. Shall I tell hee
A base, unworthy, and low spirited thought?
I smother it, it springs up again, it flatters,
And angers me, ambition still presents it
Unto me, and all that I can do is
But to detest it;
Polyeuctes here
Is the prop of my Family, but if
The other by his death espouse my daughter,
I should acquire greater advantages,
Which would raise me a thousand times more high
Then now I am. My heart thereat by force
Takes a malignant joy, but rather let
Heaven strike me with a Thunder-bolt, then that
I should consent unto so base a thought,
Which hitherto my glory hath bely'd.
Alb.
Your heart is too good, and your soul too high;
But d'ee resolve to punish this offence?
Fel.
I'le use all my endeavour to subdue
[Page 34]
[...]
[Page 35]
[...]
[Page 36] His errour by the fear of death, but if
I can't prevail, then I will afterward
Imploy
Paulina's power.
Alb.
What w
[...]ll you do
At last, if he continue obstinate?
Fel.
Press me not on that point in such displeasure,
I can't resolve, and know not what to chuse.
Alb.
Sir, like a faithfull servant I am bound
T' advertise you that the Town murmureth
In his behalfe already, and is even
Upon the point to mutiny, if you
Proceed against him further, I perceive
Th' Inhabitants are all resolv'd t' oppose you,
And will not see their last hope, and the blood
Of their Kings pass the rigour o the Laws:
Besides his pr
[...]son is not very safe.
I left about it but a pittifull troop▪
I fear they will be forc'd▪
Fel.
Then take him thence,
And bring him here, where we'l be sure of him.
Alb.
Then take him thence your self, and with a hope
Of pardon, pacifie the fury of
The multitude.
Fel
Come let us go, and if
He still persist to remain Christian,
We will dispose of him, and carry't so
That what's resolv'd upon, they shall not know.
The End of the third Act.
Actus Quartus.
Scena Prima.
Polyeuctes, Cleon▪ three other Guards.
Polyeuctes.
WHat would you with me, Guards?
Cle.
Paulina,
Sir,
Would speak with you.
Pol.
Oh how I dread her presence!
This combat will be hard;
Felix▪ o
[...]'e thee
I triumphed in Prison, and despis'd
[Page 37] Thy threatning, I beheld thee without fear,
I see, that to revenge thy self thou tak'st
Stronger a mes then thine own her tears do terrifie
Mo
[...]e then thy Execution
[...]rs; O Lord,
Thou seest here the danger that I run,
In this my pressing need double thy force;
And thou my dear
Nearchus, comming forth
Lately from a Triumphant victory,
Look on my travel, from thy glorious residence,
Lend me thy hand from Heaven to overcome
So strong an Enemy. Guards, da
[...]e you doo me
One civil office?
Cle.
Sir, we have strict order
To render you no service.
Pol
You mistake me,
I have no purpose to apply my self
Unto you as a means for my escape,
But I desire that one of you (three being
Sufficient to guard me) would oblige me
To seek
Severus, and intreat him here;
This might be done with safety, I presume.
If I could tell him an important secret,
He would injoy more happiness, and I
Should dye content.
Cle.
Since it is for
Severus,
I will dispence with all things.
Pol.
He himself
Will recompence thy pains, if I should fail.
The sooner that thou go'st, the better 'tis,
Dispatch.
Cle
I fly, and you shall have me here
In less time then a moment.—
Exit Cleon.
Scena Secunda.
Polyeuctes alone, his Guards being retired to the corners of the Stage.
DElicious Spring of love, yet fruitfull still
In misery, of me what is your will?
Y
[...] flattering pleasures, ba
[...]ts of flesh and blood,
Why fly you not, since I esteem you mud?
[Page 38] Vanish vain honours, worldly glory pass,
Which shines, and is as brittle too as glass:
Hope not that I'le sigh after you at all,
It is in vain your weak charms to estall.
Why shew you me Gods enemies in state
And flourishing? he doth reserve a fate
That shall confound those great ones, and the sword
Suspended o're their heads, at his least word
Shall fall on them, so much more heavily,
As that they dream't not of their misery.
Thou cruel Tiger
Decius that dost thirst
For blood, thou shalt be glutted till thou burst:
That God, which we adore, hath for a while
Permitted thee, wild forrest Boar, to spoil
His lovely Vineyard, but thy fearfull fate
Draws near which will thy glory terminate.
The Scythian comes like an impetuous flood,
To revenge Christian and Persian blood:
A little yet, and then thy hour is come,
When thou shalt sleep until the day of doom
In body, not in mind, out of the name
Of Christian, that is fed still with a flame,
Which never dies. Nothing can warrant thee,
The thunder's ready in the cloud, I see;
And will no longer hold in expectation
Of thy repentance, wretch in obstination!
In the mean time let
Felix sacrifice
Me to thy rage, my Rivall blind his eyes,
And make himself his Son-in-Law, I yield
Unto my loss, rather I win the field:
Vain baits, I slight you and despise your art,
For in this Christian and Regenerate heart,
I feel a divine flame, whose Ray will dim
Paulina's beauty in her brightest trim.
I look upon her now but as a toy
That would detain me from my heavenly joy.
Adoreable
Idea's, sweets above
You fill a heart that's capable to love;
The souls Possessed with your sacred fire
Fix there, and firmly settle their desire
Never to change; you promise, and give more,
Your benefits do still increase your store:
[Page 39] The happy death which I expect, to me
Is a sweet passage to eternity.
'Tis you, O divine flame, which nothing can
Extinguish, that make me more then a man
Look on
Paulina's face, and never fear;
Her assaults and temptations I can hear;
I see her, but my heart inflamed now
With holy zeal, to her charms cannot how,
And my eyes cleared with celestiall light,
Hers appear clouded in a vail of night.
Scena Tertia.
Polyeuctes, Paulina,
Guards.
Polyeuctes.
MAdam, what's the design that brings you hither?
Is it to fight me, or to second me?
And the fair proffer of this perfect love
Comes it to aid me, or to overthrow me?
Bring you here with you hate, or amity
As enemy, or as my dearest moyety?
Paul.
You have no enemy here, Sir, but yourself
Every one loves you, none but
Polyeuctes
Hateth your vertue, it is he alone
That executes my dream, do not destroy
Your self, and you are safe; how great soe'r
Your crime be, you are innocent, if you grant
A pardon to your self; deign to consider
The blood from whence y'are sprung, your noble actions,
Your rare endowments; think, Sir, that you are
Belov'd by all the people, favoured of
The Prince, and Son-in-law unto the Governour
Of the whole Province, the name of my Husband.
I reckon t'ee as nothing, that's a happiness
Onely for me, which is not great for you;
But after your exploits, after your birth,
After your power, look upon our hope,
And give not up unto the hangmans hand▪
What to our just desires so fair a fortune
Doth promise.
Pol.
I consider more, and know
[Page 40] My advantages, and the hope which on them
Great courages do frame, they aspire not
But unto transitory good, which cares
Disurb, which dang
[...]s follow, and which death
Take from us, fortune makes her sport with them,
To day ith' throne, to morrow in the dirt.
Their greatest glory never is without
Some discontent, few of our
Caesars have
Injoy'd it long, this greatness perisheth;
I have ambition too, but mine's more fair
And noble, for I seek immortall glory,
A happiness assur'd that hath no end
Nor measure, far above the reach of envy,
O
[...] destiny; and is a sorry life
Too de
[...]r a purchase for it which immediatly
May be tane from me, which makes me injoy
But even the flying instant, end's not able
T'assure me that which follows?
Paul.
See the dotage,
And the ridiculous dreams of you fond Christians;
Behold how their lies have seduced you!
You think that all your blood is not enough
For a felicity so sweet; but, Sir,
This blood is not yours to dispose of it;
You have not life as an inheritance,
The day that gives it you at the same time
Engageth it, you owe it to the Prince,
Unto the Publick, to the State.
Pol.
I would
Lose it for them in honourable fight,
I know what is the happiness thereof,
And what's the glory, you do boast the memory
Of
Decius Ancestors, and this name yet precious
Unto you Romans, put into his hands
At the end of six hundred years the Empire.
I owe my life unto the peoples good,
To the Prince and his crown, but I do owe it
Much more unto the God that gave it me:
If to dye for ones Prince be held to be
A glorious fate, when one dies for his God
How shall his death be crown'd?
Paul.
What God?
[Page 41] Pol.
Peace,
Paulina,
He hears your words, for he is not a God
Like your false gods, insensible and deaf,
Weak, made of wood, of marble, or of gold,
Even as you please: he is the God o'th' Christians,
He is mine, he is yours, the heaven and earth
Acknowledge him, who made both them and us.
Paul.
Adore him then in mind, and outwardly
Express it not.
Pol.
Oh no! I should be then
Idolater, and Christian both together.
Paul.
Dissemble for a moment till
Severus
Be gone, and let my Fathers goodness work.
Pol.
The goodness of my God is to be cherish'd
Much more, he doth remove me from the dangers
I would have run into, and without suffering
Me to look back, his Favour crowneth me
Entring in the career, with the first wind
He brings me to the Port, and comming forth
From baptism, he doth send me unto death.
If you could comprehend the little worth
Of this frail life, and the eternal sweets
That follow after death—But to what end
Is it to speak of those concealed treasures
To souls whom God hath not inspired yet:
Paul.
Cruel! for it is time my grief break forth,
And that a just reproach oppress a soul
Ingratefull; Is this that fair fire thou boasts of?
Are these thy oaths? expressest thou for me
The smallest sentiments? I speak not to thee
Of that deplorable estate, wherein
Thy death will leave thy poor disconsolate Wife,
I think that love should speak enough of that:
But that love so firm and so well deserv'd
Which thou didst promise me, and I bare thee,
When thou wilt leave me, when thou mak'st me dye,
Can it not draw one sigh, one tear from thee?
Ingratefull, thou dost quit me, yea, with joy,
Thou hid'st it not, but wilt that I should see it,
And thy hard heart insensible to my sad
Attractions, figureth unto it self,
A happiness that I shall never see;
[Page 42] Is it then the disgust that Marriage brings?
Am I grown odious after having given
My self unto you?
Pol.
Alas!
Paul.
How that alas came hardly forth!
Yet if it happily shew'd any sign
Of a repentance, Oh how charming were it
Although inforc'd! but courage, he is mov'd,
I see he sheds tears.
Pol.
True, I weep,
Paulina,
And would to God that therewith this heard heart
Might happily be pierc'd, the sad estate
Wherein I leave you doth deserve the plaints
My love doth give me, and if one can carry
Griefs unto Heaven, I carry them to see
The excess of your misfortunes; but if in
This luminous abode of highest glory,
This God all just and good, allow my Prayer,
If He vouchsafe to lend an ear unto
Conjugall love, He will display his light
Upon your blindness; Lord, I do beseech thee
Let me obtain this of thy goodness, she
Hath too much vertue not to be a Christian,
It pleased thee to give her too much merit,
Not to know Thee, and to adhere unto Thee,
To live still an unfortunate Slave of hell,
And to die as she's born under that yoak.
Paul.
What say'st thou, miserable, what dar'st thou wish?
Pol.
That which with all my blood I fain would purchase.
Paul.
That rather.—
Pol.
Tis in vain to make resistance,
This God toucheth the heart when least we think on't;
That happy moment is not yet arriv'd,
It will come, but the time's not known unto me.
Paul.
Leave this Chymera, come and love me still.
Pol.
I love you much more then my self, but, pardon me,
Less then my God.
Paul.
In the name of that love,
Forsake me not.
Pol.
In the name of that love,
Follow my steps.
Paul.
Dost thou not eare to quit me, wilt thou then
[Page 43] Seduce me?
Pol.
Car'st thou not to go to Heaven?
I will conduct you there.
Paul.
Imaginations!
Pol.
Coelestiall truths.
Paul.
Strange blindness.
Pol.
Rather everlasting lights.
Paul.
Thou prefer'st death before
Paulina's love.
Pol.
You the base world before the divine goodness.
Paul.
Go, cruell, go and die, thou never lov'dst me.
Pol.
Live happy in the World, and suffer me
To die in peace.
Paul.
Yes, I will leave thee, trouble not thy self,
I go—
Scena Quarta.
Polyeuctes, Paulina, Severus, Fabian,
Guards.
Paulina.
BUt what design
Severus brings you here?
Is this done like a generous Cavaleer
To come to brave here one in misery?
Pol.
Paulina, you treat ill so rare a merit,
At my sole prayer he renders me this visit.
I have committed incivility,
Noble
Severus, which I know you'l pardon,
And impute to my want of liberty.
Being possessor of a Treasure which
I was not worthy of, before I die
Suffer me to resign it unto you,
And to leave the rar'st vertue that a Woman
Could e're receive from heaven unto the hands
Of the most valiant and accomplish'd man
The earth hath honour'd, or
Rome hath produc'd.
Y'are worthy of her, she is worthy you:
Refuse her not, Sir, from a Husbands hand;
If he hath dis-united you, his death
Will make amends, and joyn you both again:
Let not a fire which sometimes was so fair,
Become less now, give her your heart, and take
Her faith to you, live happily together,
[Page 44] And dye like me, it is the glorious good
Which
Polyeuctes wisheth to you both:
Guards, lead me to my death, I've nothing more
To say; come, all is finish'd.
Scena Quinta.
Severus, Paulina, Fabian.
Severus.
I Am confounded
In my astonishment to see his blindness;
His resolution's so unparalel'd,
That scarce can I believe mine ears; a heart
That holds you dear, (but what heart is so low
That could have known you, and not cherish'd you?)
A man belov'd by you, assoon as lie
Possesseth you, without regret he leaves you,
Nay he doth more, he doth resign you over;
And as if your fires were a fatall present,
He himself makes a gift on't to his Rivall:
Surely the Christians either have strange whimsies,
Or their felicities must be infinite,
Since to pretend thereto they dare reject
What one should purchase at an Empires price.
For my part, if my destiny a little
Sooner propitious, had been pleas'd to honour me
With your fair Nuptials, I should have ador'd
No glory but the lustre of your eyes;
I would have made of them my Kings and gods.
They should have first reduced me to dust,
Before that—
Paul.
Sir, no more of this discourse,
I fear I've heard too much, and that this heat▪
Should thrust forth some unseemly consequence
Unworthy of us both.
Severus, know
My
Polyeuctes wholy doth take up
Paulina's thoughts, he hath but a short moment▪
To live, you are the innocent cause thereof:
I know not if your soul might have presum'd
To frame some hope to your desires upon
His ruine, but assure your self, there is▪
[Page 45] No death so cruel whereunto I would not
With fearless steps address, nor in Hell horrors
So dreadfull which I would not rather suffer,
Then fully my fame to espouse a man,
After his sad fate, who in any kind
Might cause his death, and if you should believe me
Of so unsound a mind, the Love I bear you
Would turn all into hatred; you are generous,
Be so unto the end; My Father is
In a condition to deny you nothing;
He fears you, and I will be bold to adde
This word, that if he doth destroy my Husband,
It is to you he sacrificeth him;
Save this unfortunate, use your interest for him,
Indeavour, pray, to serve him as a Prop;
I know tis much what I demand of you,
But how much greater the indeavour is,
So much more is the glory on't, preserve
A Rivall that you'r jealous of, it is
A tract of vertue which belongeth not
But unto you; if this be not sufficient
Renown unto you, tis much that a woman
Sometimes belov'd, and yet perhaps whose love
May touch you, should owe that to your great heart
Which she esteems most dear. Lastly, remember
You are
Severus, after this Petition
I'le go without an Answer, and if you
Be not the same which Ile presume to vaunt,
To prize you still, I will be ignorant.—
Exit.
Scena Sexta.
Severus, Fabian.
Severus.
FAbian, What feel I? what new clap of Thunder
Falls on my fortune, and reduceth it
To dust? the more I do esteem it near
The farther 'tis, I find all lost, when I
Think all is gain'd, and envious Destiny
Resolv'd to hurt me still, cuts off my hope▪
As soon as it is born. Before I offer
[Page 46] My fair devotions, I receive refusals,
Sad alwaies and asham'd to see that basely
It durst spring up again, that yet more basely
It durst appear, and lastly that a Woman
In an afflicted state should give me lessons
Of generosity. Your fair soul,
Paulina,
Is as high as it is unfortunate,
But tis as cruel too as generous,
And your griefs tyrann ze with too much rigour
Upon a Lovers heart that's wholely yours.
Tis not enough to lose you then, unless
I give you, I must serve a Rivall when
He doth abandon you, and by a cruell
And generous triall, to give you unto him,
Must snatch him from his death.
Fab.
Leave this ingratefull family to their fate,
Let it accord the father with the Daughter,
The Husband with the Wife, and
Polyeuctes,
With
Felix; What reward hope you to have
For such a cruel triall?
Sev.
Only
Fabian,
The glory to shew to this beauteous soul,
Severus equals her, and doth deserve her,
That she was due unto me, and that Heaven,
In taking her from me was too injurious.
Fab.
Without accusing Heaven, or Destiny
Think on the danger you draw on upon you
By such an Act, you hazard very much;
Consider well, you enterprise to save
A Christian, you cannot be ignorant
What is, and always was the hate of
Decius
Unto that impious Sect; tis unto him
A crime so great, so capitall, that even
To you his only Favourite may be fatall.
Sev.
This were good counsel for some common soul,
Though he hold in his hand my life and fortune,
I am
Severus still, and all this great
And mighty power can nothing on my glory,
Nothing upon my duty; honour here
Obligeth me and I will satisfie it;
Let fortune afterward shew her self kind
Or cruel, as her nature's still inconstant,
[Page 47] Dying in glory I shall dye content:
I'le tell thee more, but with some confidence,
The Christian Sect is not the same we take it,
We hate them, and the reason for't I know not,
And I can see
Decius unjust in nothing
But in this point; for curiosity
I fain would know them; they are held for Sorcerers,
Whose Master Hell is, and on this belief
The secret mysteries, which we are not able
To understand, are punished with death:
But
Ceres, Eleusina, and the goddess
Bonna at
Rome, and in
Greece have their secrets
Like them; we suffer likewise in all places
All kind of gods, their God only excepted:
All the Aegyptian Monsters haue their Temple
In
Rome; our predecessors, as they lik'd,
Made a god of a man, and their blood with us
Retaining still their errors, we fill Heaven
With all our Emperors; but to speak truly
Of so much Apothaesis, the effect
Is very doubtfull of these Metamorphoses:
The Christians have but one God, absolute Master
Of all, whose only will doth execute
What he resolves, but if I durst to speake
Between us what I think, ours very often,
Me thinks, agree together very ill,
And should their anger crush me 'fore thine eyes,
I must speak this, we have too many of them
To be true gods. Perhaps these publick faiths
Are but inventions of wise Polyticks,
To keep the People under, and to awe them,
And to establish their power on their weakness.
Lastly the manners of the Christians
Are innocent, vertues do flourish with them,
Vices appear not; never an Adulterer,
A Traytor, Drunkard, Murtherer, or Thief
Is seen amongst them, there is nothing else
But love and charity, they live together
Like Brothers, they pray for us that do persecute them;
And have we ever since the time we first
Tormented them, seen them in mutiny?
Have we seen them rebellious! have our Princes
[Page 48] Had Souldiers more faithfull; fierce in war
They suffer our tormentors patiently;
Lions in fight, they dy as meek as Lambs.
I've too much pitty for them not to help them:
Come, let us find out
Felix presently,
And so by one sole action satisfie
Paulina, my compassion, and my glory.
The End of the fourth Act.
Actus Quintus.
Scena Prima.
Felix, Albin, Cleon.
Felix.
ALbin, perceiv'st thou
Severus plot?
Seest thou his hate, and my sad misery?
Alb.
I see nought in him but a generous Rivall,
And in you nothing but a rigorous Father.
Fel.
How ill thou know'st him? all he doth's but shew,
In heart he hates me, and disdains
Paulina,
And though he sometime lov'd her he esteemes now
A Rivals Relique too unworthy of him.
He speaks in his behalf, prays, threatens me,
And sayes he will destroy me, if I grant not
Pardon unto him, p
[...]ssing from generous
He thinks to fear me, but the Artifice
Is too gross not to be discovered:
I know the Court, and all its subtle windings
Before him, I'm acquainted with its plots,
And all its practises, it is in vain
For him to storm, and faign to be in fury,
I see what he intendeth to the Emperor,
Of that which he requests me, he'd accuse me,
Sparing his Rivall, I should be his Victime;
And if he had to do with some young Novice,
The plot is wel laid, without doubt he would
Destroy him easily, but an old Courtier
Is not so credulous, he seeth well
When one's in jeast, and when he is in earnest;
[Page 49] And for my part, I've seen so many of them
Of all kinds, that if need were, I could give
Lessons even unto him.
Alb.
Gods! how you torture
Your self by this distrust?
Fel.
To stand in Court
It is the highest skill; when once a man
Hath cause to hate us, we ought to presume
That he seeks all the wayes he can to ruine us;
Then all his friendship is to be suspected;
If
Polyeuctes forsakes not his Sect,
What ever his Protector intends for him
I'le boldly follow th' order is prescrib'd me.
Alb.
Pardon, Sir, pardon, let
Paulina's prayers
And tears obtain it.
Fel.
Th' Emperours pardon,
Albin,
Shall not come after mine, and so far am I
From drawing him out of this perilous pass,
As not to do what will destroy us both.
Alb.
But Sir,
Severus promiseth—
Fel.
I mistrust him,
And know better then he the hate of
Decius,
In favour of the Christians if he should
Oppose his anger without doubt he would
Ruine himself with us, I will try yet
Another way.—Bring
Polyeuctes here,——
to Cleon.
And if I send him back again, if he
Remain insensible of this last attempt,—
Cleon returns.
At his departure hence he surely dies.
Alb.
Your order is too rigorous.
Fel.
I must follow it,
If I'le prevent disorder which may happen;
I see the People mov'd to take his part,
And thou thy self lately advertis'd me;
In the zeal which they do express for him,
I know not how long he may be within
My power; perhaps this evening to night,
To morow I may see th' effects I fear;
And suddenly
Severus flying to
His vengeance, may go to calumniate me
With some intelligence, I must break this stroak,
That would be fatall to me.
[Page 50] Alb.
What a strange evil is this diffidence?
Every thing hurts and ruines you, gives you shadows,
But see you not, Sir, that his death will put
This people into rage? tis a wrong way
To cure them, for to make them desperate.
Fel.
After his death it is in vain to murmur,
And if they dare proceed to any violence,
Tis but to give way for a day or two
Unto the insolence, I shall have done
My duty whatsoever may arrive;
But
Polyeuctes comes, let us indeavour
To save him, retire Souldiers, and guard
The port well.—
Polyeuctes comes with the Guards, who retire suddenly.
Scena Secunda.
Felix, Polyeuctes, Albin.
Felix.
HAst thou then such a hate to life, unfortunate
And wretched
Polyeuctes, and the Law
Of Christians? doth it thus injoyn thee to
Forsake thy friends?
Pol.
I hate not life, and love
The lawfull use of it, but without dotage,
Which savoureth of slavery, always ready
To render it to God▪ from whom I hold it,
Reason ordains it and the Christian Law,
And thereby I instruct you how to live,
If you have but the heart to follow me.
Fel.
To follow thee into the Gulph, where thou
Wilt cast thy self?
Pol.
Rather unto the glory
Where I am going to ascend.
Fel.
At least
Let me have time to know't, to make me Christian,
Be thou my guide, and be not scrupulous
T'instruct me in thy faith, if thou refusest,
Tis thou shalt answer't to thy God for me.
Pol.
Felix, Jeast not, tis he shall be your Judge,
There is no flying from him, Kings and Shepheards
[Page 51] Are of one rank with him, he will revenge
The blood of his upon you.
Fel.
I'le shed no more,
And come what will on't, in the Christian faith
I'le suffer them to live and will protect them.
Pol.
No, no, proceed to persecute, and be
The Instrument of our felicities;
A Christian is at best, when he doth suffer;
The cruel'st torments are but recompences
Unto us; God that rendereth the Centuple
Unto good actions giveth persecutions
To make up the full measure, but these Secrets
Are very hard for you to comprehend,
Tis but to his Elect that God reveals them.
Fel.
I speak to thee unfaignedly, and would
Be a true Christian.
Pol.
Who can then retard
Th'effect of such a great and signall happiness?
Fel.
The presence—
Pol.
Of whom? of
Severus?
Fel.
Only
For him I've feigned so much anger 'gainst thee.
Dissemble for a while, till he be gone.
Pol.
Is it thus,
Felix, that you speak unfeignedly?
Bear to your Pagans, carry to your Idols
The impoysoned honey which your words powr forth:
A Christian feareth nothing, knoweth not
How to dissemble, to the eyes of all
The world, he's still a Christian.
Fel.
This zeal
Of thy faith serveth thee but to seduce thee,
If thou run to thy death before thou dost
Instruct me.
Pol.
I should speak unto you here
Unseasonably, it is a gift of Heaven,
And not of reason, there it is that I
Seeing God face to face shall obtain for you
This Grace more easily.
Fel.
In the mean time
Thy loss will make me desperate.
Pol.
You can
Repair it; free of one Son, you may have
[Page 52] Another when you please, whose quality
Answereth yours better; my loss, Sir, would be
But a change advantagious unto you.
Fel.
For bear to injure me with this discourse,
I have esteem'd thee more then thou deserv'st,
Bt in spight of my goodness which increaseth
When thou provok'st it, in the end this insolence
Would make thee odious and revenge mee on thee
Aswell as our gods.
Pol.
How? d'ee change so soon
Honour and Language? doth the zeal of your gods
Enter again into you? and to be
A Christian vanisheth? was it by chance
That you said you would speak unfeignedly?
Fel.
Go to, presume not, whatsoe'r I swear
Unto thee, that I'le follow the imposture
Of thy new Doctors, I but flattered
Thy madness, to the end to snatch thee from
The fearfull precipice whereinto thou art
Ready to fall, I would gain time to Husband
Thy life after that
Decius Favourite
Were with-drawn hence, but I have done too great
An injury to our omnipotent gods.
Chuse whether thou wilt give thy blood unto them.
Or incense?
Pol.
I'm not doubtfull in my choise,
But, O heaven! see
Paulina.
Scena Tertia.
Felix, Polyeuctes, Paulina, Albin,
Paulina.
WHich of you two do murther me to day?
Is't both together, or each at his turn?
What? can I neither bend nature, nor love?
And shall I obtain nothing either from
A Husband, or a Father?
Fel.
Speak to your Husbond,
Paul.
Live with
Severus.
Paul.
Tiger, murther me
Without this injury.
[Page 53] Pol.
My pitty seeks
As much as possible it may, to comfort you.
Our love doth carry you to such true griefs,
That nothing but another love can cure
Those wounds; since then so great a merit could
Inflame you, his fair presence hath a right
To charm you, you did love him, he doth love you,
And his augmented glory.—
Paul.
Cruel, What have I done unto thee that
Thou treat'st me thus, as to reproach me with,
In contempt of my faith, so great a love
Which I've subdu'd for thee? see now, to make thee
Vanquish so strong an adversary, what attempts
I was to make against my self, what combats
I had to give to thee a heart, so justly
Due to its first subduer; if ingratitude
Sway not my heart, make some attempt upon thee
To give thee to
Paulina; learn of her
To force thy proper sentiment, take her vertue
For guide unto thy blindness, suffer her
T'obtain thy life from thee thy self, to live
Still subject to thy laws; but if thou canst
Reject such just desires, at least regard
Her tears, attend her sighs, and make not desperate
A soul that doth adore thee.
Pol.
I've said to you already, and
Paulina,
I say again to you, live with
Severus,
Or die with me, I despise not your tears,
Nor yet your faith, but henceforth I must have
No commerce with you, nor know you no more
Unless you be a Christian.
Felix, 'tis
Enough on't, take again your anger to you,
And on this insolent revenge your gods
And you.
Paul.
Oh Father! I confess, his crime's
Scarce pardonable, but if he distracted,
You, Sir, are reasonable; nature is too strong,
And its fair characters imprinted in
The blood are ne'r defac'd, a Father is
Always a Father, and on this assurance
I dare hald up some small remains of hope:
Cast a paternall look upon your daughter,
[Page 54] It is decreed my death shall forthwith follow
The death or this dear Criminall, and the gods
Will find her punishment unlawfull, since
She'le mingle innocence and crime together,
And so by this redoublement will change
Into an unjust rigour, a just chastisement.
Our destinies made by your hands inseperable,
We ought to make happy or miserable
Together, and you should be cruell even
Unto the extreamest point to dis-unite
What you have joyned, one heart to another
United once, never retires it self,
You cannot seperate them unless you tear them;
But you are sensible of my just griefs,
And with a Fathers eye behold my tears.
Fel.
Yes, Daughter, it is true, a Father is
Always a Father, nothing can raze out
The sacred character thereof, I carry
A sensible heart, and you have pierced it,
I joyn me with you against this distracted.
Unfortunate, and wretched
Polyeuctes,
Art thou alone insensible, and wilt
Thou only make thy crime unpardonable?
Canst thou hear so many heart-breaking sighs
From such a tender breast? canst thou behold
So much love, and be nothing touched with it?
Acknowledgest thou neither Father-in-Law
Nor Wife, without amity for the one,
Or love for th' other? to resume the names
Of Son and Husband, wilt thou see us both
Fall at thy feet, and so imbrace thy knees?
Pol.
Oh! how unhandsome is this artifice,
After twice having tryed threatning,
After making me see
Nearchus dying,
After imploying love, and its effort,
After declaring to me that great thirst
Of baptism to oppose to God the interest
Of God himself. You joyn your selves together?
Oh policy of Hell! must we o'recome
So many times before we triumph? sure
Your resolutions are so slow, take yours
At last, since, I've already taken mine.
[Page 55] I adore but one God, the Master of
The Universe, under whose feet, the Heaven,
The Earth, and Hell doth tremble, one God which
Loving us with an infinite love, dy'd for us
With ignominy, and which by an excess
Of that same love will every day be offer'd
As Victim for us; But I am too blame
To speak of this to those can't understand me:
See the blind error that you dare defend;
You defile all your gods with foulest crimes,
You punish not one sin whose Master's not
I'th' heaven by your accompt,
Adultery, Incest, Prostitution,
Theft, Murther, and what ever we detest,
It is the example which your Deities
Give you to follow; I've profan'd their Temple,
And broken down their Altars, I would do it
Again, if I could reach them, even before
The eyes of
Felix, yea, before
Severus,
And more, even in the presence of the Senate,
Or of the Emperour himself.
Fel.
At last
My goodness giveth place to my just fury,
Adore them, or thou dy'st.
Pol.
I am a Christian.
Fel.
Thou impious wretch, I say again, adore them,
Or renounce life.
Pol.
I am a Christian.
Fel.
Art thou? O heart too obstinate! Souldiers, execute
The order that I gave,—
Cleon and the other Guards take
Polyeuctes away,
Paulina follows him.
Paul.
Where lead you him?
Fel.
To death.
Pol.
To glory.
Adiew my dear
Paulina, love my memory.
Paul.
I'le follow thee throughout, and even to death.
Pol.
Forsake your errour, or not follow me.
Fel.
Take him away, and see I be obey'd,
Since he desires to dye, 'tis fit he perish.
Scena Quarta.
Felix, Albin.
Felix.
ALbin, I do me violence, but I must,
My gentle nature would have easily
Dest oy'd me, let the peoples rage at present
Display it self, and let
Severus thunder,
And f
[...]et with fury having performed this
I am secure; but art not thou surpriz'd
With this unshaken constancy? seeth thou
Impenetrable hearts like his, or such
Horrid impieties? I have satisfied
My grieved heart, and have neglected nothing
To make his soft and yielding; I have feigned
Before thy eyes base wickedness, and surely
Had it not been for his last blasphemies,
Which fill'd me suddenly with fear and anger,
I should have scarce triumphed o'r my self.
Alb.
You'l one day curse perhaps this victory,
Which savoureth of I know not what an action
Too black, unworthy
Felix, and a
Roman,
Shedding your blood thus by your proper hand.
Fel.
So sometime
Brutus, and stout
Manlius shed it,
Which added to their glory, far from lessening it;
Never have our old
Hero's had ill blood,
But they have opened their proper bowels
To let it out.
Alb.
Your hea
[...] seduceth you;
But whatsoe'r it tell you, when you once
Shall find it cold, when you shall see
Paulina,
And that her sad despair expressed by
Her crys and waylings shall come forth to move you.—
Fel.
Thou mak'st me to remember that she follow'd
That Traytor, This despair which she will shew,
May interrupt the effect of my command;
Go therefore, and giue order it be done,
See what he doth, break any obstacle
Her griefs may give unto it, and withdraw her
From that sad spectacle, if thou canst indeavour
[Page 57] To comfort her; go then, who holdeth thee?
Alb.
There is no need, Sir, she returns her self.
Scena Quinta.
Felix, Paulina, Albin.
Paulina.
BArbarous Father, finish thy black work,
This second sacrifice is worth thy rage,
Joyn thy sad Daughter to thy Son-in-Law,
Why tarry'st thou? thou seest here the same crime,
Or the same vertue; thy barbarity
In her hath the same matter; my dear Husband
Left me his lights in dying, his just blood,
With which his Executioners are comming
To cover me, hath opened mine eyes:
I see, I know, I do believe, and am
Free of mine error, I am undeceiv'd,
Thou seest me baptis'd with that blest blood;
Lastly, I am a Christian, have I not
Spoken enough? keep in destroying me,
Thy rank and credit, fear the Emperour.
And doubt
Severus, if thou wilt not perish,
My death is necessary,
Polyeuctes cals me
Unto his happy death, I see
Nearchus
And he both stretching forth their hands unto me:
Bring me to see thy gods which I detest,
They broke but one, I will break all the rest,
There you shall see me brave all that you fear,
Those silly Thunder-bolts which you depaint
Within their hands, and holily rebellious
Unto the Laws of birth, thou once shalt see me
Fail in obedience to thee; it is not
My grief that I do make appear therein,
Tis grace within me speaks, and not despair.
May I say it again?
Felix, I am
A Christian, settle by my death thy fortune
And mine, the stroke to both on's will be precious,
Since it assureth the one earth, and lifts me
Unto the Heavens.
Scena Ultima.
Felix, Severus, Paulina, Albin, Fabian.
Severus.
UNnaturall Father, wretched Polititian,
Ambitious slave to a Chymerick fear,
Is
Polyeuctes dead then by your cruelties,
And think you to conserve your sorry dignities?
The favour which for him I offer'd you,
Instead of saving him, hasted his death;
I prayed, threatned, but I could not move you;
You thought me false, or but of little power,
But you shall know at your cost that
Severus
Boasts not of any thing but what he can
Perform and by your ruine he will make you
To judge that he who can destroy you, could
Have protected you; continue to
The gods this faithfull service▪ by such horrors
Shew them your zeal, adiew, but when the storm
Shall break upon you, doubt not of the arm
From whence the strokes shall come.
Fel.
Severus, stay,
And with a quiet mind suffer that I
Give you an easie vengeance, by my cruelties
Cease to reproach me more, I do indeavour
To keep my sorry dignities, I dispose
Their false deceitfull lustre to your feet;
That glory whereunto I dare t'aspire
Is a rank more Illustrious, I do find
My self forc'd to it by a secret bait,
I yield to those transports I do not know,
And by a wo
[...]king which I understand not,
I from my fury pass unto the zeal
Of my blest Son-in-law; tis he no doubt,
Whose innocent blood prays an Almighty God
For me his Persecutor, his love spred
On all the Family, draws after him
As well the Father as the Daughter, I
Have made a Martyr of him, and his death
Hath made me Christian, I procur'd his bliss,
He will work mine, so is it that a Christian
[Page 59] Is angry and revengeth, happy cruelty
Whose event is so sweet!
Paulina, give me
Thy hand, bring fetters here, and sacrifice
Unto your gods these two new Christians
I am one, She is so, observe your anger.
Paul.
How happily at last I find my Father!
This blessed change maketh my joy compleat.
Fel.
Daughter, it doth belong but to the hand
That doth it.
Sev.
Who would not be touch'd with
A spectacle so tender? I believe
Such changes come not without miracle,
Your Christians without doubt, which we in vain
Do persecute, have something in them which
Surpasseth humane, they do lead a life
With so much innocence, that Heaven doth owe them
Some great acknowledgement; to shew themselves
More strong the more they are oppress'd, is not
Th' effect of common vertues; I still lov'd them,
What ever might be said on't, I ne'r saw them
To dye, but this heart sighed for't, and perhaps,
I shall one day be better known unto them:
In the mean time I like that every one
Should have his own gods, and that he should serve them
After his own way without fear of punishment,
If you are Christians, fear no more my hate,
I love them,
Felix, and from their Protector,
I will not make a Persecutor of them
In you: guard well your power, take it again,
Serve your God, serve your Monarch, I will lose
My credit with his Majesty, or he
Shall shake off this severity, by his
Unjust hate he doth too much wrong himself.
Fel.
Daign gracious Heaven to end his work in you,
And one day to give you what you deserve,
T'inspire into you all his sacred Truths:
For us we blesse this fortunate adventure,
Come, let us go to give our Martyrs buriall,
To kiss their precious bodies, and to put them
In holy place, in consecrated ground,
Then let us make the name of God resound.
FINIS.