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Show n^cTTind am aniam'd it mould be feen. SSiflSAaW a aueen. fe^o?. Claims«-*ChS?. t^ _For JWI have too much confefs d, And for a Lover not enough eKprelsd. Ki:Stt:X- . is******** p S What is it, Sir, that fhakes your eighty mind? A & Somewhat fam afham'd that thou ftiou^t find. Placid. If it be Love that does your Soul polfeis Max. \ K you my Rival, that fo foon you guefs? Placid. Far! mighty Prince, be fuch a Crime from me, C * " < * - * Which, with the Pride, includes Impiety. Could you forgive it, yet the Gods above Would never pardon me a Chriftian Love. Max. Thou ly'ft there's not a God inhabits there, But for'this Chriftian would all Heav'n forfwear. < Ev'n Jove would try more Shapes her Love to win, And in new Birds, and unknown Bfcafts, would fin: At leaft, if Jove could love like Maximin. PUid. A Captive, Sir, who would a Martyr dye > Max. She courts not Death, but fhuns Captivity. Great Gifts, and greater Promifes I'll make, And what Religion is't, but they can (hake? She fhall live high: Devotion in Diftrefs Is born, but vanifhes in Happinefs. L Extt Maximui. Placid. fiUts. His Son forgot, his Empiefs unappeas'd * . How foon the Tyrant with new Love is feiz'd! Love various minds does varioufly infpire: He ftirs in gentle Natures gentle Fire, Like that of'lncenfe on the Altars laid: But raging Flames tempeftuous Souls invade. A Fire"which every windy Paffion blows ^ With Pride it mounts, and with Revenge it glows. But I, accurs'd, who fervilely muft move, And fmooth his Paffion, for his Daughters Love! Small Hope, 'tis true, attends m y mighty Care, But of all Paffions, Love does laft defpair. Q Exit | ACT III. SCENE I. Tbe Royal Pavilion. Maximin, Placidius, Guards and Attendants. Max. TT His Love that never could my Youth engage, *- Peeps out his Coward Head to dare m y Age. Where haft thou been thus long, thou fleeping Form, That wak'ft like drowfie Sea-men in a Storm? A fullen hour thou chufeft for thy Birth : M y Love {hoots up in Tern pelts, as the Eardi Is ftrrd and loofen'd in a bluftring Wind, Whofe Blafts to waiting Flowers her W o m b unbind. Placid. Forgive me, if I fay your Paffions are So rough, as if in Love you would make W a r. 7 be Royal Martyr. ~] 5~r But Love is foft And with foft Beauty tenderly complies, In Lips it laughs, and languishes iti Eyes. Max. There let it Laugh, or like an Infant' W e e p : I cannot fuch a fupple Paffion keep. Mine, ftiff with Age, and ftubborn as m y Arms, Walks upright, ftoops not to, but meets her Chirms. Placid. Yef fiercenefs Tints not with her gentle kind: They brave Aflaults, but m a y be undefmin'd. Max. Till I in thofe mean Arts a m better read, Court thou, and fawn, and flatter in m y ftead.' Enter S. Catharine. She comes, and now, methinks, I could obey: Her Form glides through me, and m y Heart gives way: This Iron Heart, which no impreflion took From Wars, melts down and runs-, if the but look. [Exit. Maximin. Placid. Madam, I from the Emperor a m come T'applaud your Virtue, and reverfe your Doom. He thinks, whatever your Religion be, This Palm is owing to your Conftancy. S. Cath. M y Conftancy from him feeks no Renown, Heaven, that propos'd the Courfe, will give the Crown. Placid. But Monarchs are the Gods Vicegerents here , Heav'n gives Rewards, but what it gives they bear: From Heav'n to you the ^Egyptian Crown is fent, Yet 'tis a Prince w h o does the Gift prefent. S. Cath. The Deity I ferve, had he thought fit, Could have preferv'd m y Crown unconquer'd yet : But when his fecret Providence defign'd To level that, he levell'd too m y Mind, Which by contracting its Defires, is taught The humble quiet of poffeffing naught. Placid, To Stoicks leave a Happinefs fo mean: Your Virtue does deferve a Nobler Scene. You are not for Obfcurity defign'd : But, like the Sun, muft chear all Humane kind. •9. Cath. N o Happinefs can be where is no reft : Th' unknown, untalk'd of M a n is only Bleft. He, as in fome fafe Cliff, his Cell does keep. From thence he views the labours of the Deep : The Gold-fraught Veflel which mad Tempefts beat, He fees n o w vainly make to his retreat: And, when from far, the Tenth W a v e does appear. Shrinks up in filent joy that he's not there. Placid. You have a Pilot w h o your Ship fecures, The Monarch both of Earth and Seas is yours. He w h o fo freely gives a Crown away, Yet asks no Tribute but what you m ay pay. One Smile on hi m a greater Wealth beftows, Than Mgypt yields, when Nilus overflows. S. Cath. I cannot wholly innocent appear. Since I have liv'd fuch words as thele to hear. O Heav'n, which doft of Chaftiry take care! - Placid. W h y do you lofe an unregarded Pray'r ? If Happinefs, as you believe, be Reft, That Quiet fure is by the Gods poffeft : 'Tis Greatnefs to neglect, or not to know The little bufinefs ofthe World below. S. Cath. This Doctrine well befitted him, w h o thought A cafual World was from wild Atomes wrought: But fuch an Order in each chance w e fee, (Chaind to its Caufe, as that to its Decree,) Thai |
