The conquest of China by the Tartars a tragedy, acted at the Duke's Theatre / written by Elkanah Settle ...

SCENE.

Lyc.

Kind Stars, yonder he walks.

Exit with the Villains.

Orund.

Quitazo Stay, In thy Lov'd Arms, let but my Soul take Wing, And Death and Poison then shall want their sting. If you'l direct but one kind Look this way, My Gain's in Death my Loss of Life shall pay.

Enter Lycungus with Quitazo and Alcinda.

Quit.

Poison'd by her own Hand, and for my sake!

Lyc.

Yes Sir, by all the Guess that I can make. Despair in Love doe's at no Horrours shake.

Orun.

Quitazo, my Quitazo.—

Quit.

Madam tell By what Misfortunes so much Beauty fell. What fatal Reason, nay what God durst see And suffer such a Barb'rous Cruelty? Her fainting Breath's retir'd again.

Orun.

No, I Have Breath enough to tell you that I die; And though my little beauty wanted power To be th' unkind Quitazo's Conquerour, VVhen I am Dying be not Cruel now; Let me your Heart b••t for one hour subdue. And Dead I shall not claim your being true. Hers must your Love, and hers your pleasures be, But dedicate a Sigh, a Tear, to me. Kind Heaven, he weeps—Thus happy in the Charms Of dying in my dear Quitazo's Armes; My parting Soul, when it does upwards go, Shall keep th'impression which it took below.

Fill'd with the Bliss from this soft pity given, I'le by my Joys on Earth make up my Heaven.

Dies.

Quit.

Unhappy Princess, to bestow a heart On one that had none left for thee; No part Of thy two Prodigal Smiles paid back again! Shee that deserv'd so much, so little win! Thy Fall was Cruel, and my Fate was hard To want the Power such Kindness to Reward. Such Pious Griefs I'le pay thy Sacred Name; Such Tears, as even thy Rival shall not blame.

Alc.

No, shed a thousand Tears, Dear Sir, You must. It will indear my Love to see you just. You can't enough Deplore her wretched Fate. Bow down in Grief, and Sink under the Weight; And when you're Drown'd in Sorrow, be the Pain And Pleasure mine, to Raise you up again. Farewel Dear Princess: when such Vertue dies, It forces Pity from a Rivalls Eyes. You for Quitazo Die, and in that Deed My weaker Love and Merit do Exceed. As you my Pity, so my Envy share. When Story both our Passions shall Compare, Fame on your Love must set the higher Rate, As most Deserving, though less Fortunate.

Lyc.

There, seize the Poisoner. I've too long been blind:

The Villains rush from behind the Scenes, and dis∣arme and seize Quitazo & Al∣cinda.

Curse on my Innocence, that I could find This Cheat no sooner—

Quit.

Heav'ns! What do I hear?

Lyc.

The truth; thou art th'Princes Murd'rer.

Quit.

I Traytor!

Lyc.

Yes, you Traytor, tell me how She of this Close and private Meeting knew? How came she here, if not seduc'd by you?

Quit.

Mistaken Devil; I her Murderer! What ever Fate or Planet brought her here, I had no Knowledge of her coming.

Lyc.

No? You love Life better, than to say you know. No common Project could a General lead, A VValk so far out of his Army's Head.

1 Vill.

'Tis very well, the Plot was wond'rous fine, This close dark Place for such a Black Design.

Lyc.

Curse on false Tears. Inhumane Prisoner, cou'd Your barb'rous Hand attempt your Princess Blood?

Quit.

No, Monster, but would Fate my Sword Resign, And free my Arm, I'de make Attempts on thine.

Lyc.

Alcinda in Disguise an Actor too! VVhat man would e'r read Murder in that Brow? How strangely Providence our Fates Command! The VVorlds great Princess Falls by such mean Hands. Treason and Guilt o're Vertue getts the Odds, And yet we must believe, that there are God's.

Quit.

Yes, there are Gods, and such as do design Vengeance and Tortures for such Crimes as thine.

Lycun.

See my Commands with care Perform'd, and guard This Prisoner to that Dungeon I prepar'd. And be his Jaylors with strict Eyes till Night. I dare not trust his Person to the Light. His Sufferings his Army would Enrage, And for his Rescue th'Alarm'd Camp Engage: But Night will aid what is unsafe by Day. The Princess Body to the King Convey, VVith her this Poysoner. From his Breath you shall Receive your Sentence, and together fall A Bloody Victim at her Funeral.

Quit.

Hold, Cruel Sir, Revoke that harsh Decree. I was the Princess-Murderer, not she. Let me meet Tortures for my damn'd Offence, But spare, Oh spare her injur'd Innocence.

Lyc.

He owns the Guilt. Who, but a loving fool, VVou'd Damn his own to save a womans Soul?

Alc.

How from that Breath can such strang Words proceed? No, Sir, 'tis false, he durst not think that Deed. I know his Fancy's free from such ill Theames: His thoughts as guiltless as an Infants dreames. I know his Heart; for since it lodgeth here, It can no Stranger be that dwells so near.

Quit.

Beleive her not, Fond Woman as she is, The poison'd Princess fell my Sacrifice,

Aim all your Justice and Revenge at me; But let her Youth and pity'd Vertue be, As from my Guilt, so from my Sentence free.

Luc.

Fond Lover as you are, to save her head, Your Kindness not her Innocence does plead, The Acts of Lovers hold together still, As Stars are in Conjunction good or ill,

Quit

VVhat could her hand? Heaven in her sex ne'r built So weak a Frame to lodge such weighty Guilt. What Crimes has she to expiate? what stayn? Unless her Love to me, to me perfidious Man, Who wanted Eyes and Ears to be her Guard Against thy Rage.

Lyc.

Her Death's too long deferr'd. Away with them.

Quit.

Hold.

I Vill.

Go.

Quit

Take her not hence. Your black Commission surely may dispence This Charity to Martyr'd Innocence, T'allow one Minute ere to Death we go.

Vill.

Aye Sir, As if I had nothing else to do; A man of Business and Concern's like mine, Should stay to hear two blub'ring Lovers whine. Away.

Quit.

Hold Barb'rous Dogg: When thy damn'd Soul, Shall in just Hells Eternal Torments howl, In Vengeance may thy greatest Sufferings be, To want that Pity thou deny'st to me.

I Vil.

Are you so Brisk? Hence take her from his sight, You and your Bug-bear Hell, you see, can't fright. Vengeance, and Hell, and Devils did you say?

Quit.

Oh! no Sir; grant her but one Minutes stay, And I'le Recall that Word: bless but our Eyes With one kind pa••ting Look before she Dyes: And when our Souls shall Meet above; we'l pay You Back this favour: To the Gods we'l say Such kind things of you, speak your praise so high, Till all your Murders, Treasons, Villany,

Till all, were they a thousand more, by Heaven For this one pious Act shall be forgiven.

I. Vil.

Well, for so Short a stay I will be wonn: Go, fool away a Minute, and have done

The Villains let'em loose.

Quit.

Farewell, most Injur'd of thy Sex, farewell. When Shrieks of Screech Owls, or some fiend from Hell Shall to my Eares thy Savage Murder tell: Oh the fierce Horrors which must Seize my Soul: When all this sweetness Dies, these Soft fires cool, These Roses wither, and that charming breath Stopt and untun'd by the harsh Hand of Death, Shall all delight, all Harmony give ore! When those Fair Eyes, take and give light no more; Then, Oh! then what harsh doom's ordain'd for me? Yet in that Plague this comfort I foresee; Quitazo's destiny shall follow thine, I too shall set that hour you cease to shine.

Alcin.

To make Death lighter yet, expect to see Half of the well-come burden Borne by me. When Death takes you, I'le follow my dear Lord; With open Armes I'le rush upon the Sword, Though it in Tortures comes, fates power desy; On Constancy and me look Back, and Dy.

Exit, forced out by Villains.

Quit.

Others on Heaven in their Misfortunes call, T'ask pardon for their Sins that Cause their fall: But when my fortune a just Lover bears, The Gods should ask his pardon, not he their's: For 'tis a stain to their Eternall State To Order such a Beauty such a Fate

Exeunt

Enter King of China, and Lycungus.

King of China.

My Daughter poison'd for Alcinda's sake! Could desperare Love this Barbarous progress take? But since, kind Sir, you have disclos'd the fact, And Seiz'd the Savage Poysoners in the Act; See the Disguis'd Alcinda be secur'd; Her distiny shall be a while defer'd; Then Publickly let False Quitazo be Proclaim'd a Traitour to the State and me.

And in his Room to you my worthy Friend I the whole Charge of China's power Commend. When thus Degraded all his fame's expir'd, His Sword rebated, and his power retir'd, Let him be brought to me; Then for this fact These Lovers shall be both together rackt. Then, Dear Orunda, from thy Heav'n look down, And see that Vengeance which attends my frown.

Exit

Lyc.

A Sawcy Murmur does my peace molest, And Greatness preach to my uneasiy brest. Why am I not already great? my hand

points to his Sword.

Bears this, and I an army do Command. True; But we rarely our own greatness Spy, When we see greater than our selves Stand by. At that damp thought my greatness Hangs her wing I am a General, but not a King. But how are we less than Kings? Or, Whence can they more Sense of Glory feel? There's Brightness in a Crown, but Edge in Steel. These Can Raise Majesty, Or pluck it down. Swords have Securer titles than a Crown. But though we Souldiers through the World strike Awe; We make Obedience, but Kings give it Law. And all the Trophies of a Conquering Sword Do but build Temples, where their Name's ador'd. Men dread the Voice of Thunder, but admire, And Reverence the Gods that lend it fire. Well, whether an Arm'd hand or a Crown'd Head Be best or worst, if my designs succeed, I will aspire to both; To ease my doubt, Wear Sword and Crown, and find the difference out. 'Tis he puts Reason to the Surest Test, Who tryes, and not disputes, which is the best.

Exit