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Show <Tyranmck Love, Or. 360 ____A "t* For your own lakTyop cruel V o w deter, *&£ Mf^aloneTny Enemies^., fright; A n d ? my Men I'll f« m y careful Spies, Totatch Rebellion in their very Eyes * ' ' Enter Valeria. Fife™ here I How Fortune Treats me ftill With various Harms, Magnificently 111. T y ^ ^ Afoc. W W a , I was fending to your Tent, L Buf m y Commands your Prefence does prevent. This is the Hour wherein the Prieft fhall pin Your Holv Loves, and make Porphyrius mine. Val 2 1 ] Now hold, my Heart, and lenus I implore, Be lodge if fhe he loves deferves him more. Por ,)I ] Paft hope! and all in vain I would preferve M v Life not for m y felf, but her I ferve. , „ Vd. I come, Great Sir, your Juftice to Demand. C To the E*np. Max. You cannot doubt it from a Father s Hand. Por. Sir, I confefs before her Suit be known, And by my felf condemnd, m y Crime I own. I have refus'd Val. Peace, Peace, while I contels I have refus'd thee for Unworthinefs. Por. I am amaz'd. Max. What Riddles do you ufe? Dare either of you m y Commands refufe? Val. Yes, I dare own, howe're 'twas wifely done T'adopt fo mean a Perfon for your Son: So low you fhould not for your Daughter chute: And therefore, Sir, this Marriage J refufe. Max. You lik'd the Choice when, firft 1 thought it fit. Val. I had not then enough confidertl it. M m . And you have now confujer'd it too much: Secrets of Empire are not fife to touch. Por. Let not your mighty Anger rife too hi 'Tis not Valeria merits it, but 1. M y own unworthinefs fo well I knew., That from her Love I confeioufly withdrew, Val. Thus rather than endure 'the little fhame To be refus'd, you blaft a Virgin's name. You to refufe, and I to be deny'd ! Learn more Difcretion, or betaugbt lefs Pride Por. 0 Heav'n, in what a Lab'rinth am 1 led ! I could get out, but fhe detains the Thred ! Now I muft wander On till I can fee, Whether her Pity or Revenue it be! £ Afide. Max. With what Child's Anger do yon think you play ." I'll punifh both, if cither difobey. Val. Since all the fault was mine, I am concent Porphyrins flioukl not fhare thc punifhment. Por. Blind thai I tfas tiJ! now, that could not fee, Twas all th' effects of Generofity. She loves me, e'en to fuffer fox m y fake, And on her felf would m y refufal take. Max. Children to ferve their Parents Int'reft live. Take heed whit Doom againft your felf you give. Por. Since fhe muft fuffcr if i do not fpeak, 'Tis time the Laws of Decency to break. She told me, Sir, that the your choice approval, And (though I blufh to own it) faid (he lov'd, Lov'd Tbe Royal Martyr. 361 Lov'd me defertlefs, who, with Shame, confeit Another Flame had feiz'd upon m y Breaft. Which, when, too late, the generous Princefs knew, And fear'd your Juftice would m y Crime purfue, Upon her felf the makes the Tempefts fall, And her Refufal her Contempt would call. Val. He Raves, Sir, and to cover m y Dildain, Unhandfomly would lite Denial feign. And all means failing him, at laft would try T'ufurp the Credit of a Scorn, and Die. But let him live - h i s Punifhment fhall be The Grief his Pride will bring for lofing me. Max. You both obnoxious to m y Juftice are , And, Daughter, you have not deferv'd m y Care. 'Tis m y Command you ftrictly guarded be, Till your fantaftick Quarrel you agree. Por. Sir Max. I'll not hear you fpeak , her Crime is plain, She owns her Pride, which you perhaps may feign. She fhall be Pris'ner till fhe bend her Mind To that which is for both of you defign'd. Val. You'll find it hard m y free-born W;ill to bound. Max. I'll find that Pow'r o'er "Wills which Heav'n ne'er found. Free Will's a Cheat in any one but m e, In all but Kings 'tis willing Slavery. An unfeen Fate which forces the defire, Thc Will of Puppets Danc'd upon a Wire. A Monarch is Thc Spirit of the World in every Mind , \ He may match Wolves to Lambs, and make it kind. Mine is the bufinefs of your little Fates j And though you W a r like petty wrangling States, You're in m y Hand , and when" I bid you ceafe, You fhall be crufh'd together into Peace. Val. afide. Thus by the World m y Courage will be priz'd , Seeming to fcorn, who am, alas, defpis'd : Dying for Love's, fulfilling Honour's Laws, A fecret Martyr while I own no Caufe. [_ Boat Valeria. Max. Porphyrius, ftay, there's fomething I would hear : You faid you Lov'd, and you muft tell me where. Por. All Heav'n is to m y fole Deftruttion bent. £ Afide. Max. You would, it feems, have leifure to invent. Por. Her Name, in Pity, Sir, I muft forbear, Left m y Offences you Revenge on her. Max. M y Promife for her Life I do Engage. Por. Will that, Sir, be remembred in your Rage? Max. Speak, or your Silence more m y Rage will move 3 'Twill argue, that you Rival me in Love. Por. Can you believe that m y ambitious Flarrie Should mount fo high as Berenice's Name > Max. Your Guilt dares not approach what it would hide But draws me off ( and Lap-wing like) flies wide. 'f is not m y Wife, but Miftrefs you Adore : Though that Affronts, yet this Offends me more. Who"Courts m y Wife Does to m y Honour more injurious prove, But he who Courts m y Miftrefs, wronss m y Love. Por. Th' JEgyptian Princefs ne'r could move m y Heart. Max. You could not perifh by a Nobler Dart. Por. Sir, I prefume not Beauties to compare : But in m y Eye m y Princefs is as fair. Max. Your Princefs I then it feems, though you deny Her Name you Love, you own her Quality. A a Lor. |