Mirza a tragedie, really acted in Persia, in the last age : illustrated with historicall annotations / the author, R.B., Esq.

ANNOTATIONS UPON THE FIFTH ACT.

[(1) IF we cannot recover him, give out he is baptiz'd, and so in∣capable, 'Tis no new way, in India, ASAPH did it] Duke Asaph chief Favorite and Brother in Law to Shaw Selyn (or Jangheer) the Mogul, he having married (for his la•• wife) Normal, Asaphs Sister; and his Son Sultan Curroon (who af∣terwards (because by that name he was proclaimed Traytor by his Father) changed his name to Shaw Iehan, or King Iohn) having married Asaphs Daughter, he sent his Powers to set the Crown upon his Son in Law Curroons head; but the old Mogul, Selym made the Nobles swear not to accept Curroon, because he mu••dered his elder Brother, but Bloche the young son and law∣full heir of that murdered Prince. Selym being dead (not with∣out suspition of poyson given him by Asaph, Blockee is set up: The Queen Normal pretends for her Son Seriare, youngest Son to Selym: Her brother Asaph for his Son in Law Curroon, and two Sons of the old Kings elder Brothers Morad or Amurath for themselves: The other two young Princes, Asaph found meanes to murder outright, but these two last by circumstance, causing them against their wills) by some Portugals to be baptized into the faith of Christ, so making them utterly uncapable of the Crown or Kingdom (for the Alcoran forbids a Christian to wear a Crown where Mahomet is worshipped) though afterwards, for his further security, he destroy'd them at Lahore, and without further difficulty set up his Son in Law Curroon. Herbert.

[(2) The Injury, &c. See the eighth note upon the 3d. Act.

[(3) ABBA'S Thirty Kingdoms] King Abbas his title over 30. Kingdoms runs thus: The most high, most mighty, most invin∣cible Emperor, Abbas, King of Persia, Farthia, Media, Bactria, Chorazon, Candahor, Heri of the Ouzbeg Tartar, Hircania, Draconia, Evergeta, Parmenia, Hydaspia, Sogdiana, Aria, Paropaniza, Draw∣ginna,

Arachosia Mergiana, Carmania (as far as stately Indus) Ormus Larr, Arabia, Sufiana, Chaldea, Mesopotamia, Georgia, Armenia, Sarc••hia, and Van. Lord of the imperious Mountains of Ararat, Taur••s, Caucasus and Periardo, commander of all Creatures from the Sea of Chorazen to the Gulfe of Persia. Of true descent from Mortys-dly. Prince of the four Rivers, Euphrates, Tygris, Araxis, and Indis, Governour of all Sultans, Emperor of Mussulmen, Bud of Honour, Mirrour of Vertue, and Rose of delight: Though the R••••der may know that among these he claims some Kingdoms which he enjoyes not, as the Turk and others of his neighbours do sone others of these in his Poss••ssion: An usuall, thing with all Princes▪ Herbert. Lodovic. De Wellen, de Reg. Pers. &c.

[(4)—Delights as far fetch't as dear bought.] It was an anti∣en nicitie among the Persian Monarchs (still continued) that n•• wine could please their palate but the Chalydonian in Syria; ••or no bread but what grew at Assos in Phrygia; no salt but what was brought from Aegypt, (though Ormus nearer hand by much, afforded much better) nor no water but that of the River Copa••paes, the same which Pliny calls Euleus, and Daniel (cap. ••.) Vlai; it waters Shushan (now called Valdack) in Susiana, and at length imbowells her selfe into the Persian Gulfe, not far from Bals••ra; one stream of it runs 'twixt Shiras and old Per∣saepolis, over which there is a well-built bridge, called Fully∣chawn. Herbert &c.

[(5) The antient death of Boats.] Mithridates vainly boasting in his drink that it was he that had slain Cyrus (whom indeed he wounded) in his rebellious competition with his elder Bro∣ther Artaxerxes the second (surnamed Mnemon, of great Me∣mory) for the Crown of Persia, was accused to the King, who was desirous of the honour to have it believed that it was hee himself that slew him; wherefore esteeming himself touched in his credit by Mithridates his report, he condemned him to the antient death of boats, usuall among the Persians for hainous offendors, the manner this; They took two boats made of pur∣pose so even, that the one exceeded not the other neither in length nor in breadth; then laid they the offendor in one of them upon his back, and covered him with the other; then did they fasten both boats together, so that the Malefactors feet, hands and head came out at holes made purposely for him, the rest of his body being all hidden within. They gave him meat as much as he would eat, which if he refused, they forced him to take, by thrusting aules into his eyes; having eaten, they gave him to drink honey mingled with milk which they did

not onely pour into his mouth, but also all his face over, turn∣ing him full against the Sun, to tempt the flies and waspes to his face; and of his excrements in the bottom of the boat en∣gendred worms that fed upon his body, so that being dead they found his flesh consum'd with them, even to the entrals. Seaven∣teen daies together did Mithridates languish in these torments, and then died, for his folly in not contenting himself with orna∣ments and gifts which the King had given him for wounding of his rebellious Brother, but he must rob him of the honour of his death (which he knew he most desired) so procu••ing his own, Crimine laesae Majestatis. Plutarch. in vit. Artaxerx.

[(6)—Beat her brains out Ith' antient way ordain'd for poyso∣ners, &c. Parysatis the mother of Ataxarxes King of Persia, took a grudge against his wife because she thought she exaspented him too much against his Rebellious Brother Cyrus, insom••ch as in her revengfull mind she plotted the death of her daugh••er in Law the beautious Statira; the wicked determination was exe∣cuted by poyson, by the help (saith Dinon) of Gigis, one of the women of her Chamber; The King was so favourable to hi•• Mother, as he onely confined her (according to her own Peti∣tion) to Babylon; swearing that whilst she lived he would never see Babylon; but Gigis he condemned to suffer the paines of Death ordained by the Persians for poysoners; in this manner; They lay the head of the Malefactor upon a large plain stone, and with another stone they presse and strike it so long, til they have dashed the brains out; so died Gigis. Plutarch in vit. Artax.

[(7) Then burn her limbs with Cats dung.] This may seem a ridiculous kind of Punishment, but 'tis very antient, and fre∣quent all over Asia; sometimes (but by favour) it is perfor∣med with Dogs dung; So Mr. Herbert tells us that when it was told King Abbas that Nogdibeg his quondam Embassadour into England had poisoned himself (wilfully for four daies feeding onely upon Opium, not daring to see his Master, or justifie him∣self against his adversary Sir Robert Sherley, then on his journey to the Court to purge his honour before the King, of the staines which the aspersions of Nogdibeg had thrown upon him) the King said it was well he had poysoned himself; for had he come to Court, his body should have been cut in 365. pieces, and burnt in the open market place with dogs dung; but for the grea∣ter terror and shame its usually performed with cats dung, the Cat being the baser beast, as only used to destroy vermine.

[(8) Let me suck thy last breath.— &

[(9)—When thy hand shall close mine aged eyes.

The••e two concluding notes I put together because they re¦••ate to customes about the same subject, viz. the parting office of friends to friends, observed by the antient Romanes and o∣thers and still retained by the Persians and Grecians; when any one was dying the next of the Kin used to receiue the last gaspe of breath from the sick person, into his mouth, as it were by kissing hi••; (to shew thereby how unwillingly and with what regret t••ey parted with their friend) and closed his eyes be∣ing deceased. Virgil makes Anna say of her Sister Dido newly dead,

—Vulnera lymphis A••luam, & extremus si quis super halitus errat, ore legam.—Aen. 4.

—Some water, I the wound may bath, And if yet wanders any of her breath My lipps shall gather it:—

And Ovid makes Penelope (wishing that her Son Telemachus might outlive her self and his Father, write thus to her husband

Di' precor hoc jubeant, vt euntibus ordine fatis, Ille meos oculos comprimat, ille tuos.Aepist. 1.

This may Heaven grant, whilst fate in order goes, That his hand mine eyes, and thine too may close!

Statius hath both the customes together, —Socios{que} amplectitur artus. Herentem{que} animam non tristis, in ora mariti Transtulit, & charae pressit sua lumina dextra.Stat. Silv. l. 5.

She him imbrac't, delivering (in glad wise) Between his lips her cleaving soul, and dies, With his dear 〈◊〉〈◊〉 closing her sinking eyes.

FINIS.