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TAMERLANE.
Thy borrow'd Name of Brother, mine of Sister;Hiding beneath that Veil the nearer tie,Our mutual Vows had made before the Priest;Kindling to Rage at hearing of my Story,Then be it so, he cry'd. Think'st thou thy VowsGiv'n to a Slave shall barr me from thy Beauties?Then bad the Priest pronounce the Marriage Rites,Which he perform'd, whilst shrieking with Despair,I call'd in vain the Pow'rs of Heav'n to aid me.
Mon.Villain! Imperial Villain!———Oh, the Coward!Aw'd by his Guilt, tho' back'd by Force and Power,He durst not to my Face avow his Purpose;But in my absence like a lurking ThiefStole on my Treasure, and at once undid me.
Arp.Had they not kept me from the means of Death,(Forgetting all the Rules of Christian Suffering)I had done a desperate Murder on my Soul,E're the rude Slaves, that waited on his Will,Had forc'd me to his.———
Mon.Stop thee there, Arpasia,And bar my Fancy from the guilty Scene;Let not Thought enter, lest the busie MindShould muster such a train of monstrous Images,As wou'd distract me. Oh! I cannot bear it.Thou lovely Hoard of Sweets, where all my JoysWere treasur'd up, to have thee rifled thus!Thus torn untasted from my eager Wishes!But I will have thee from him. Tamerlane(The Sovereign Judge of Equity on Earth)Shall do me Justice on this mighty Robber,And render back thy Beauties to Moneses.
Arp.And who shall render back my Peace, my Honour,The spotless Whiteness of my Virgin Soul?Ah! no, Moneses———think not I will everBring a polluted Love to thy chaste Arms:I am the Tyrant's Wife. Oh, fatal Title!And, in the sight of all the Saints, have sworn,By Honour, Womanhood, and blushing Shame,
To
