Five new plays ... as they were acted by His Majesty's servants at the Theatre-Royal / written by the Honourable Sir Robert Howard.

ACT I.

SCENE I.

Enter Ynca, Orazia, Montezuma, Acasis, Prisoners, with Peruvians.

Ynca.

THrice have the Mexicans before us fled, Their Armies broke, their Prince in Triumph led; Both to thy Valour, brave young Man, we owe; Ask thy Reward, but such as it may show It is a King thou hast oblig'd, whose Mind Is large, and like his Fortune unconfin'd.

Mont.

Young and a Stranger to your Court I came, There by your Favour rais'd to what I am: I Conquer, but in right of your great Fate, And so your Arms, not mine, are Fortunate.

Ynca.

I am impatient, till this Debt be paid, Which still encreases on me while delay'd; A Bounteous Monarch to himself is kind; Ask such a Gift as may for ever bind Thy service to my Empire, and to me.

Mont.

What can this Gift he bids me ask him be! Perhaps he has perceiv'd our mutual Fires, And now with ours, wou'd crown his own Desires; 'Tis so, he sees my Service is above All other payments but his Daughters Love.

Aside.

Ynca.

So quick to merit, and to take so slow? I first prevent small wishes, and bestow This Prince, his Sword and Fortunes to thy hand; He's thine unask'd; Now make thy free demand.

Mont.

Here, Prince, receive this Sword, as only due

Gives Acacis his Sword.

To that excess of Courage shown in you. When you without demand, a Prince bestow, Less than a Prince to ask of you, were low.

Ynca.

Then ask a Kingdom; say where thou wilt Reign.

Mont.

I beg not Empires, those my Sword can gain; But for my past and future Service too, What I have done, and what I mean to do; For this of Mexico which I have won, And Kingdoms I will Conquer yet unknown; I only ask from fair Orazia's Eyes To reap the Fruits of all my Victories.

1. Peru

Our Ynca's Colour mounts into his Face.

2. Peru.

His Looks speak Death.

Ynca.

Young Man of unknown Race, Ask once again, so well thy Merits plead; Thou shal't not Die for that which thou hast said: The price of what thou ask'st, thou dost not know; That Gift's too high.

Mont.

And all besides too low.

Ynca.

Once more I bid thee ask.

Mont.

Once more I make The same demand.

Ynca.

The Ynca bids thee take Thy choice, what Towns, what Kingdoms thou wouldst have.

Mont.

Thou giv'st me only what before I gave. Give me thy Daughter.

Ynca.

Thou deserv'st to dye. O thou great Author of our Progeny, Thou glorious Sun, dost thou not blush to shine, While such base Blood attempts to mix with thine!

Mont.

That Sun thou speakst of did not hide his face, When he beheld me Conquering for his Race.

Ynca.

My Fortunes gave thee thy success in Fight; Convey thy boasted Valour from my sight; I can o'recome without thy feeble aid.

Exit. Ynca, Orazia, Peruvians.

Mont.

And is it thus, my Services are paid? Not all his Guards—

Offers to go, Acaces holds him.

Aca.

Hold, Sir.

Mont.

Unhand me.

Aca.

No, I must your Rage prevent, From doing what your Reason wou'd repent; Like the vast Seas, your Mind no limits knows, Like them lies open to each Wind that blows.

Mont.

Can a Revenge that is so just be ill?

Aca.

It is Orazia's Father you wou'd kill.

Mont.

Orazia, how that name has charm'd my Sword?

Aca.

Compose these wild Distempers in your Breast; Anger, like Madness, is appeas'd by Rest.

Mont.

Bid Children sleep, my spirits boil too high; But since Orazia's Father must not Dye, A nobler Vengeance shall my Actions guide, I'll bear the Conquest, to the conquered side, Until this Ynca for my Friendship sues, And proffers what his Pride does now refuse.

Aca.

Your Honour is oblig'd to keep your trust.

Mont.

He broke ••hat Bond in ceasing to be just.

Aca.

Subjects to Kings shou'd more Obedience pay.

Mont.

Subjects are bound, not Strangers, to obey.

Aca.

Can you so little your Orazia prize, To give the Conquest to her Enemies? Can you so easily forego her sight? I that hold Liberty more dear than Light: Yet to my freedom, shou'd my chains prefer, And think it were well lost to stay with her.

Mont.

How unsuccessfully I still o'recome, I brought a Rival, not a Captive home;

Yet I may be deceiv'd; but 'tis too late To clear those doubts, my stay brings certain fate.

Aside.

Come, Prince, you shall to Mexico return, Where your sad Armies do your absence mourn; And in one Battle I will gain you more Than I have made you lose in three before.

Aca

No, Montezuma, though you change your side, I as a Prisoner am by Honour ty'd.

Mont.

You are my Prisoner, and I set you free.

Aca.

'Twere baseness ••o accept such Liberty.

Mont.

From him that Conquer'd you, it shou'd be fought.

Aca.

No, but from him, for whom my Conqueror fought.

Mont.

Still you are mine, his Gift has made you so.

Aca.

He gave me to his General, not his Foe.

Mont.

How poorly have you pleaded Honours Laws? Yet shun the greatest in your Country's Cause.

Aca.

What succour can the Captive give the Free?

Mont.

A needless Captive is an Enemy, In painted Honour you wou'd seem to shine; But 'twou'd be clouded, were your wrongs like mine.

Aca.

When Choler such unbridled power can have, Thy Vertue seems but thy revenge's Slave: If such injustice shou'd my Honour stain, My Aid wou'd prove my Nations loss, not gain.

Mont.

Be cousend by thy guilty honesty, To make thy self thy Countrey's Enemy.

Aca.

I do not mean in the next Fight to stain My Sword in Blood of any Mexican, But will be present in the fatal strife To guard Orazia's, and the Ynca's Life.

Mont.

Orazia's Life, fond Man: First guard thy own, Her Safety she must owe to me alone.

Aca.

Your Sword that does such Wonders, cannot be, In an ill Cause, secure of Victory.

Mont.

Hark, hark.

Noise of trampling.

Aca.

What noise is this invades my ears? Fly, Montezuma, fly; the Guards are near To favour your Retreat: I'le freely pay That Life, which you so frankly gave this day.

Mont.

I must retire, but those that follow me, Pursue their Deaths, and not their Victory.

Ex. Mont.

Aca.

Our Quarrels kinder, than our Friendships prove: You for my Country Fight, I for your Love.

Enter Ynca and Guards.

Ynca.

I was to blame, to leave this mad Man free, Perhaps he may revolt to th' Enemy, Or stay, and raise some fatal Mutiny.

Aca.

Stop your Pursuits, for they must pass through me.

Ynca.

Where is the slave?

Aca.

Gon.—

Ynca.

Whither?

Aca.

O're the Plain.— Where he may soon the Camp, or City gain.

Ynca.

Curse on my dull neglect—

And yet I do less cause of wonder find, That he is gone, than that thou stayest behind.

Aca.

My treatment since you took me was so free, It wanted but the name of liberty. I with less shame can still your Captive live, Than take that freedom which you did not give.

Ynca.

Thou brave young Man, that hast thy years out-done, And losing Liberty hast Honour won: I must my self thy Honour's Rival make, And give that freedom which thou wou'dst not take. Go and be safe.—

Aca.

But that you may be so— Your dangers must be past before I go. Fierce Montezuma will for sight prepare, And bend on you the fury of the War, Which by my presence I will turn away, If Fortune gives my Mexicans the Day.

Ynca.

Come then, we are alike to honour just, Thou to be trusted thus, and I to trust.—

Ex. all.

Enter Zempoalla, Traxalla, and Attendants.

Zemp.

O my Acacis! Does not my grief, Traxalla, seem too rude, Thus to press out before my Gratitude Has paid my debts to you?—yet it does move My Rage and Grief, to see those Powers above Punish such Men, as if they be Divine, They know will most Adore, and least Repine.

Trax.

Those that can only mourn when they are crost, May lose themselves with grieving for the lost. Rather to your retreated Troops appear, And let them see a Woman void of fear: The shame of that may call their Spirits home. Were the Prince safe, we were not overcome, Though we retir'd: O his too youthful heat, That thrust him where the dangers were so great! Heaven wanted power his Person to protect, From that which he had Courage to neglect: But since he's lost, let us draw forth, and pay His Fun'ral Rites in Blood; that we are they May in our Fates perform his Obsequies, And make Death Triumph when Acacis dies.

Zemp.

That Courage thou hast shown in Fight seems less Than this, amidst Despair to have Excess: Let thy great deeds force Fate to change her mind, He that courts Fortune boldly makes her kind.

Trax.

If e'r Traxalla so successful proves, May be then say he hopes as well as Loves; And that aspiring Passion boldly own, Which gave my Prince his Fate, and you his Throne? I did not feel Remorse to see his Blood ••ow from the spring of life into a flood; Nor did it look like Treason, since to me You were a Sovereign much more great than he.

Zemp.

He was my Brother, yet I scorn'd to pay Nature's mean debts, but threw those Bonds away;

When his own Issue did my hopes remove, Not only from his Empire, but his Love. You that in all my wrongs then bore a part, Now need not doubt a place within my heart: I cou'd not offer you my Crown and Bed, Till Fame and Envy with long time were dead; But Fortune now does happily present Occasions fit to second my intent. Your Valour may regain the Publick Love, And make the Peoples Choice their Queens approve.

Shout.

Hark, hark, what noise is this that strikes my Ear!

Trax.

'Tis not a sound that should beget a fear; Such Shouts as these have I heard often fly From Conquering Armies crown'd with Victory.

Zemp.

Great God of Vengeance, here I firmly vow, Make but my Mexicans successful now, And with a thousand Feasts thy flames I'll feed; All that I take shall on thy Altars bleed; Princes themselves shall fall, and make thy Shrine, Dy'd with their blood, in glorious blushes shine.

Enter Messenger.

Trax.

How now!— What News is this that makes thy haste a flight?

Mess.

Such as brings Victory without a Fight; The Prince Acaces lives.—

Zemp.

Oh, I am blest.—

Mess.

Reserve some joy till I have told the rest. He's safe, and only wants his liberty; But that great Man that carries Victory Where e'er he goes; that mighty Man by whom In three set Battels we were overcome; Ill us'd (it seems) by his ungrateful King, Does to our Camp his Fate and Valour bring. The Troops gaze on him, as if some bright Star Shot to their Aids, call him the God of War: Whilst he, as if all Conquest did of right Belong to him, bids them prepare to fight; Which if they shou'd delay one hour, he swears He'll leave them to their Dangers or their Fears, And Shame (which is th' ignoble Cowards choice.) At this the Army seem'd to have one Voice, United in a shout, and call'd upon The God-like Stranger, Lead us, lead us on. Make haste, Great Sir, lest you should come too late, To share with them in Victory or Fate.

Zemp.

My Gen'ral go; the Gods be on our side; Let Valour act, but let Discretion guide.

Exit Traxalla.

Great God of Vengeance— I see thou dost begin to hear me now; Make me thy Off'ring if I break my Vow.

Exeunt.