OCR Text |
Show Tyrannic^ Love, Or, sVhiueh ofGuihitii my refu (allies Thatpebior-liken- Oi on e again could fome new way invent ? o S e u f o n m y f e l f y o j r p m i . f t^ I fent for you to let you know that ftill f Thorn* now I want the Pow'r ) I have the Will. { PLuid. Can all this Ocean of vour Kindnefs be Poind vron him, and not one drop on me? rV" 'Tis pour'd, but falls from this ungrateful Man, Like drops of Water from a rifing Swan. Upon his Breaft no fign of W e t remains * He bears his Love more proudly than his Chains. P ^ This Thanklefs Man his Death will foon remove. And quickly end fo undeferv'd a Love. Vol Unthankful as you are, I know not why, Bnt ftill I love too well to fee you Die. > Placidius, Can you Love and fee m y Griet, And for m y fake not offer fome Relief ? ' PUid. Not all the Gods his Ruine fhall prevent* Your Kindnefs does but urge his Punifhment. Befides, W h a t can I for his Safety do ? He has declar'd himfelf your Father's Foe. Vol. Give out he is cfcap'd, and fet him free: And ifyou pleafe, lay all the fault on me. Por. 0 do not on thofe tearms m y Freedom name : Freed by your danger I fhould die with Shame. Placid. I muft not farther by your Pray'rs be w on : L l° *«> All I could do I have already done. Val. To bring Porphyrins only to m y fight, W a s not to fhew your Pity, but your Spight: Would you but half oblige her you Adore > You fhould not have done this, or fhould do more. Placid. Alas, W;hat hope can there be left for me, When I muft fink into the Mine I fee > M y Heart will fall before you if I ftay, Each word you fpeak Taps part of it away. Yet all m y Fortune on his Death is fet: And he may lovelier, though he loves not yet. He muft and yet fhe fays he muft not Die: O, if I could but wink, I could denie. [ To them Albinus. Alb. The Emperour expe&s your Pris'ner ftrait; And, with impatience, for his Death does wait. Placid. Nay, then it is too late m y Love to weigh. [Exit Alb. Your Pardon, Madam, if I muft obey. Lor. I am prepar'd, he fhall not long attend. Val. Then here m y Pray'rs and m y Submiflions end. Placidius, know, that Hour in which he dies, M y Death (fo well I love) fhall wait on his. Placid. O, Madam, do not fright me with your Death! Val. M y Life depends alone upon his Breath. But, if I iivein him, you do not know How far m y Gratitude to you may go. I do not promife but it fo may prove, That Gratitude, in time, may turn to Love. Try me Placid. - N o w I confider it, I will: [Mufng a little. 'Tis in your Pow'r to Save him, or to Kill. I'll run the hazard to preferve his Life, If, after that, you vow to be m y W;ife. Val. Nay, good Placidius, now you are too hard : Would you do nothing but for meer Reward ? 7be Royal Martyr. 1^9 [Going with Porpbc [ Turning her Face away. [ Looking on him. c Going, he takes Ijer \ Hand and k$j Like Ufurers to M e n in want you prove, W h e n you would take Extortion for m y Love. Placid. You have concluded then that he muft Die. Val. O ftay,if no price elfe his Life can buy, M y Love a Ranfom for his Life I give : [Holding ber Handkerchief before her Face. Let m y Porphyrius for another Live. Por. You too much vajue the fmall Merchandize: M y Life's O'er-rated, when your Love's the Prize. Enter Albinus.' Alb. I long have lift'ned to your, generous ftrife, As much concern'd for brave Porphyria Lite. For mine, I to his Favour ow'd this Day • Which wirti m y fature Service I will pay. Placid. Left any your intended Flight prevent, IJ1 lead you firft the back way to m y Tent: Thence in Difguife you may the City gain, While fome excufe for your efcape I feign. Val. Farewel, I muft not fee you when you part: For that laft Look would break m y tender Heart. Yet-let it break-I muft have one look more : Nay, now I'm lefs contented than before. For that laft Look draws on another too, Which fure I need not to remember you. For ever-yet I muft one glance repeat, But quick and fhort, as ftarving People eat. So much Humanity dwells in your Breaft, Sometimes to think on her w h o loves you beft. Por. M y wandring fteps where ever Fortune bear, Your Memory I in m y Breaft will wear: Which as a precious Amulet I ftill Will carry, m y Defence and guard from 111. Though to m y former Vows I muft be true, I'll ever keep one Love entire for you. That Love which Brothers with chafte Sifters make : And by this Holy Kifs which now I take from your fair Hand- This common Sun, which abfent, both fhall fee, Shall ne'r behold a breach of Faith in me. t Val. Go, go, m y Death will your fhort Vows reftore : You've faid enough, and I can hear no more. {Exit Valeria one way, and Placid. Love and good Nature, h ow do you betray! I Porph. and Wb.another. Mifleading thofe w h o fee and know their way ! I, w h o m deep Arts of State could ne'er beguile, Have fold m y felf to Ruine for a Smile. Nay, I am driven fo low, that I muft take That Smile, as Alms, giv'n for m y Rival's fake. Enter Maximin talking with ValentiS. Max. And w h y was I not told of this before ? Val. Sir, She this Evening landed on the Shore. For with her Daughter being Pris'ner made, She in another Veflel was convey'd. Max. Bring hither the Mgyption Princefs ftrait. And you, Valerius, on her Mother wait. Placid. The Mother of th' Mgjptian Princefs here, Max. Porphyrius s Death I will a while defer. And this new opportunity improve To make m y laft effort upon her Love - Thofe who have Youth may long endure to Court; But he muft quickly catch whofe Race is fhort. I in m y Autumn do m y Siege begin , And muft make hafte, ere Winter comes to win. This Hour-no longer (hall m y Pains endure. Her Love fhall Eafe me, or her Death mail Cure, [7* Placid. Exit Valerius. [Exit Placid. B b b |