With all my elder Brothers I would fight,
And fo from partial Nature force my Right.
Emp. Had we but lafting Youth, and Time to fpare,
Some might be thrown away on Fame and War:
But Youth, the perifhing Good, runs on too fast:
And unenjoy'd will spend it felf to waste;
Few know the Use of Life before 'tis past.
Had I once more thy Vigour to Command,
I would not let it die upon my Hand:
No Hour of Pleasure fhould pafs empty by,
Youth fhould watch Joys, and fhoot 'em as they fly:
Mor. Methinks all Pleafure is in Greatnefs found.'
Kings, like Heav'n's Eye, fhould fpread their Beams around.
Pleas'd to be feen, while Glory's Race they run:
Reft is not for the Chariot of the Sun.
Subjects are stiff-neck'd Animals, they foon
Feel flacken'd Reins, and pitch their Rider down.
Emp. To thee that Drudgery of Pow'r I give:
Cares be thy Lot: Reign thou, and let me live.
The Fort I'll keep for my Security;
Bus'nefs, and publick State refign to thee.
Mor. Luxurious Kings are to their People loft:
They live, like Drones, upon the publick Coft.
My Arms, from Pole to Pole, the World shall shake:
And, with my felf, keep all Mankind awake.
Emp. Believe me, Son, and needlefs Trouble fpare;
Tis a bafe World, and is not worth our Care.
The Vulgar, a fcarce animated Clod,
Ne'er pleas'd with ought above 'em, Prince or God.
Were I a God, the drunken Globe fhould roul:
The little Emmets with the human Soul
Care for themfelves, while at my Eafe I fat,
And fecond Caufes did the Work of Fate.
Or, if I would take Care, that Care fhould be
For Wit that fcorn'd the World, and liv'd like me.
To them, Nourmahal, Zayda, and Attendants.
[Embracing her Sea. This Day propitious to us all has been:
You're now a Monarch's Heir, and I a Queen.
Your youthful Father now may quit the State,
And find the Eafe he fought, indulg'd by Fate.
Cares fhall not keep him on the Throne awake,
Nor break the golden Slumbers he would take.
Emp. In vain I ftruggl'd to the Goal of Life,
While Rebel-Sons, and an imperious Wife
Still dragg'd me backward into Noife and Strife.
Mor. Be that remembrance loft; and be't my Pride
To be your Pledge of Peace on either fide.
To them, Aureng-Zebe.
Aur. With all th'affurance Innocence can bring,
Fearless without, because fecure within,
Arm'd with my Courage, unconcern'd I fee
This Pomp; a Shame to you, a Pride to me.
Shame is but where with Wickedness 'tis join'd;
And, while no Baseness in this Breast I find,
I have not loft the Birth-right of my Mind.
Emp. Children (the blind Effect of Love and Chance, Form'd by their sportive Parents ignorance)
Bear from their Birth th' Impreffions of a Slave:
WhomHeav'n for Play-games firft,and then for Service gave.
One then may be difplac'd, and one may reign:
And want of Merit, render Birth-right vain.
Mor. Comes he t'upbraid us with his Innocence?
Seize him, and take the preaching Brachman hence.
Aur. Stay, Sir; I, from my Years, no Merit plead:
[To his Father,
All my Designs and Acts to Duty lead.
Your Life and Glory are my only End;
And for that Prize I with Morat contend.
Mor. Not him alone; I all Mankind defie.
Who dares Adventure more for both than I?
Ar. I know you brave, and take you at your Word: That prefent Service which you vaunt, afford. Our two Rebellious Brothers are not dead: Though vanquish'd, yet again they gather Head. I dare you, as your Rival in Renown, March out your Army from th' Imperial Town: Chufe whom you pleafe, the other leave to me: And fet our Father abfolutely free.
This, if you do, to end all future Strife,
I am content to lead a private Life:
Disband my Army to fecure the State,
Nor aim at more, but leave the rest to Fate.
Mor. I'll do't. Draw out my Army on the Plain;
War is to me a Paftime, Peace a Pain.
You fee your felf inclos'd beyond Escape,
And therefore, Proteus-like, you change your Shape.
Of Promife prodigal, while Pow'r you want,
And preaching in the felf-denying Cant.
Mor. Plot better; for thefe Arts too obvious are,
Of gaining Time, the Mafter-piece of War;
Is Aureng-Zebe fo known?
-If Acts like mine,
So far from Int'reft, Profit, or Design,
Can fhow my Heart, by thofe I would be known:
I wish you could as well defend
your own.
My abfent Army for my Father fought:
Yours, in thefe Walls, is to inflave him brought.
If I come fingly, you an armed Gueft,
The World with cafe may judge whose Cause is beft.
Mor. My Father faw you ill Defigns pursue:
And my Admiffion fhow'd his Fear of you.
Aur. Himfelf best knows why he his Love withdraws: I owe him more than to declare the Cause.
But ftill I prefs our Duty may be shown
-I'll vanquish all his Foes alone.
Aur. You fpeak as if you could the Fates command
And had no need of any other Hand.
But, fince my Honour you fo far fufpect,
'Tis juft I fhould on your Designs reflect.
To prove your felf a loyal Son, declare
You'll lay down Arms when you conclude the War.
Mor. No prefent Anfwer your Demand requires;
The War once done, I'll do what Heav'n infpires,
And while the Sword this Monarchy fecures,
Tis manag'd by an abler Arm than yours.
Emp. Morat's Defign a doubtful Meaning bears: [Apart. In Aureng-Zebe true Loyalty appears.
He, for my Safety, does his own defpife;
Still, with his Wrongs, I find his Duty rife.
I feel my Virtue ftrugling in my Soul,
But ftronger Paffion does its Pow'r Controul.
Yet be advis'd your Ruin to prevent. [To Aur, apart.
You might be safe, if you would give confent.
Aur. So to your Welfare I of ufe may be,
My Life or Death are equal both to me.
Emp. The Peoples Hearts are yours; the Fort yet mine Be wife, and Indamora's Love refign.
I am obferv'd: Remember that I give
This my laft Proof of Kindness, die, or live.
Aur. Life, with my Indamora, I would chufe But, lofing her, the End of Living lofe.
I had confider'd all I ought before;
And Fear of Death can make me change no more.
The Peoples Love fo little I efteem,
Condemn'd by you, I would not live by them.
May he who muft your Favour now poffefs,
Much better ferve you, and not love you lefs.
Emp. I've heard you; and, to finifh the Debate, [Aloud. Commit that Rebel Pris'ner to the State.
Mor. The deadly Draught he fhall begin this Day: 'And languish with infenfible Decay.
Aur. I hate the lingring Summons to attend, Death all at once would be the nobler End.
Fate is unkind methinks a General
Should warm, and at the Head of Armies fall.
And my Ambition did that Hope pursue,
That fo I might have dy'd in fight for you. [To his Father.
Mor. Would I had been Difpofer of thy Stars;
Thou fhouldft have had thy Wish, and dy'd in Wars.
'Tis I, not thou, have reason to repine,
That thou shouldft fall by any Hand, but mine.
Aur. When thou wert form'd, Heav'n did a Man begin; But the brute Soul, by chance, was fhuffl'd in. In Woods and Wilds thy Monarchy maintain: Where valiant Beafts, by Force and Rapine, reign.
In Life's next Scene, if Tranfmigration be,
Some Bear or Lion is referv'd for thee.
Mor. Take heed thou com'ft not in that Lion's way
I prophecy thou wilt thy Soul convey
Into a Lamb, and be again my Prey.
Hence with that dreaming Prieft.
Nour.Let me prepare.
The pois'nous Draught His Death fhall be my Care.
Near my Apartment let him Pris'ner be:
That I his hourly Ebbs of Life
Aur. My Life I would not Ranfome with a Pray'r: 'Tis vile, fince 'tis not worth my Father's Care. I go not, Sir, indebted to my Grave:
You paid your felf, and took the Life you gave.
Emp. O that I had more Senfe of Virtue left,
Or were of that, which yet remains, bereft,
I've just enough to know how I offend,
And, to my Shame, have not enough to mend.
Lead to the Mofque-
Mor. Love's Pleafures why fhould dull Devotion stay? Heav'n to my Melefinda's but the
[Exeunt Emperor, Morat, and Train. Zayd Sure Aureng-Zebe has fomewhat of Div ne, Whofe Virtue through fo dark a Cloud can fhine. Fortune has from Morat this Day remov'd
The greatest Rival, and the best belov'd.
Nour. He is not yet remov❜d.
But foon muft die, and, what I mourn, by you.
Nour. My Zayda, may thy Words prophetic be:
[Embracing her eagerly.
I take the Omen, let him die by me.
He ftifl'd in my Arms fhall lofe his Breath:
And Life it felf fhall envious be of Death.
Zayd. Bless me, you Pow'rs above!
Nour. Why doft thou start?
Is Love fo ftrange? or have not I a Heart?
Could Aureng-Zebe fo lovely feem to thee,
And I want Eyes that noble Worth to fee?
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