| OCR Text |
Show Tyrannic^ Love, That none canTh^nka Wo^Wp & rare ^ ^_ Son^e News! S will your Happinefs regard. For what a greater Happinefs can be Than to be Courted and be Lov d by me ? The Mgyption Crown I to Y ™ ^ * "m ! t 5 r^e <** ,/*. And with it, take his Heart who offers it. L J gS you my Perfon and my Gift contemn? S.Cath. My Hopes purfuea brighter Diadem. Max. Can any brighter than the 22MM* be ? I find my proffer'd Love has cheapen d me : Since you neglect to anfwer my Defires, Know, Princefs, you (hall burn in other Fires. AVhy fhould you urge me to fo black a Deed? Think all my Anger did from Love proceed. S. Cath. Nor threats, nor Promifes my Mind can move : Your furious Anger, nor your impious Love. Max. The Love of you can never impious be, You are fo pure- • . That in the Aft 'twou'd change th impiety. Heav'n would unmake it fin • S. Cath. I take my felf from thy deteftcd fight : To my Refped thou haft no longer Right: Such pow'r in Bonds true Piety can have, That I Command, and thou art but a Slave. I Exit. o. Cath. Max. To what a height of Arrogance fhe fwells! Pride or ill Nature ftill with Virtue dwells, Her Death fhall fet me free this very Hour, But is her Death within a Lovers Pow'r? Wild with my Rage, more Wild with my Defire, Like meeting Tides but aiine are Tides of Fire. What petty Promife was't that caus'd this Frown ? Placid. You heard: No lefs than the Mgyption Crown. Max. Throw JEgypt's by, and offer in the ftead , Offer-the Crown off Berenice's Head. I am refolv'd to double till I win, About it ftraight, and fend Porphyrius in. W e look like Eagles tow'ring in the Sky, While her high flight, ftill raifes mine more high. [ To him Porphyrius. Por. I come, Sir, to expect your great Commands. Max. My Happinefs lies only in thy hands : And, fince I have adopted thee my Son, I'll keep no Secret from thy Breaft unknown. Led by the Int'reft of my rifing Fate, I did efpoufe this Emprefs whom I hate : And therefore with lefs fhame I may declare, That I the Fetters of thy Captive wear. Por. Sir, you amaze me with fo ftrange a Love. Max. Pity, my Son, thofe Flames you difapprove. The caufe of Love can never be affign'd , Tis in no Face, but in the Lover's Mind. Por. Yet there are Beauties which attract all Hearts, And all Mankind lies open to their Darts, Whofe Sovereignty, without difpute, we grant, Such Graces, fure, your Emprefs does not want Max. Beauty has bounds And can no more to every Heart be fo, Than any Coin through every Land can go. Some fecret Grace, which is but fo to me, Though not fo great, may yet more pow'rful be: All guard themfelves when ftronger Foes invade, Yet, by the weak, furprizes may be made: But you, my Son, are not to judge, but aid. P Tbe Royal Martyr. 253 Por. What i€ it, Sir, you can require of me ? Max. I would from Berenice's Bonds be free, This Yoke of Marriage from us both remove, Where Two are bound to draw, th6 neither Love. Por. Neither the Gods nor Man will give confent, To put in practice your unjuft intent. Max. Both muft confent to that which I decree. Por. The Soldiers love her Brother's Memory, And for her fake fome Mutiny will ftir. Max. Our parting therefore fhall be fought by her. Go, bid her fue for a Divorce, or Dye, I'll cut the knot, if fhe will not untye: Hafte to prepare her, and thy felf return, Thy Hymens Torch this day with mine fhall burn. [Exit. Per. Rather my Funeral Torch -for though I know Valeria's Fair, and that fhe loves me too, 'Gainft her my Soul is arm'd on every part: Yet there are fecret Rivets to my Heart, Where Berenice's Charms have found the way. Subtile as Lightnings, but more fierce than they. How fhall I this avoid, or gain that Love ! So near the Rock, I to the Port muft move. [ To him, Valeria *toufei» Vol. Porphyrins, now my joy I may exprefs, Nor longer hide the Love I muft poffefs. Should I have ftaid till Marriage made us One, You might have thought it was by Duty done, But of my Heart I now a Prefent make, And give it you, e're it be yours to take. Accept it as when early Fruit we fend : And let the rarenefs the fmall Gift commend. Por. Great Monarchs, like your Father, often give What is above a Subject to receive: But faithful Officers fhould countermand, And ftop the Gift that paffes through their hand : And to their Prince that mafs of Wealth reftore, Which lavifh'd thus, would make whole Nations poor. Val. But to this Gift a double Right you have: My Father gives but what before I gave. Por. In vain you fuch unequal Prefents make, Which I ftill want Capacity to take. Such fatal Bounty once the Gauls did fhew, They threw their Rings, but threw their Targets too. Bounty fo plac'd, does more like ruine look, You pour the Ocean on a narrow Brook. Val. Yet if your Love before prepares a Boat, The Stream fo pour'd, drowns not, but makes it float. Por. But when the Veflel is on Quick-Sands caft, The flowing Tide does more the finking haft, Val. And on what Quick-Sands can your Heart be thrown? Can you a Love befides Valeria's own ? Por. If he who at your Feet his Heart would lay, Be met with firft, and robb'd upon the way, You may indeed the Robbers ftrength accufe, But pardon him who did the Prefent lofe. Vol. W h o is this Thief that does my Right poflefs? Name her, and then we of her ftrength may guefs-- > From whence does your unwonted filence come? Por. She bound and gagg'd me, and has left me dumb. Val. But of my wrongs I will aloud complain, Falfe Man, thou would'ft excufe thy felf in vain: For thee I did a Maidens blufh jforfake. And own'd a Love thou haft refus'd to take. Por. Refus'd it like a Mifer 'midft his Store, W h o grafps, and grafps, till he can hold no more * |
