Classic and Contemporary Poetry
A SCAEN OF SIR ROBERT HOARD'S PLAY, by JOHN WILMOT Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: Lead faster on why creep you thus to fight Last Line: Finis Alternate Author Name(s): Rochester, 2d Earl Of Subject(s): Howard, Sir Robert (1626-1698); War | ||||||||
The Army appeares drawn up in three Battalions The Empresse Leading the maine Body, on the right hand Hyachian, on the left Lycungus. Emp: Lead faster on why creep you thus to fight Faintly to charge is shamefuller than flight. Your Emperour Deify'd hovers in the aire Commands revenge and does rewards prepare For the brave Glory, for the base despaire. Perhaps they think or would perswade the Foe, Warr led by women must be cold or slow. This day I'le prove the Injustice of that scorne Men treat our Sex withall, Woman is borne With equall thirst of Honour and of Fame But treacherous man misguides her in her aime Makes her believe that all her Glories lye In dull obedience, Truth and Modesty, That to bee Beautifull is to bee Brave And calls her Conquerer when she's most his Slave Forbidding her those noble Paths to tread, Which through bold daring deeds to Glory lead With the poore Hypocriticall pretence That Womans merit is her Innocence, Who, treacherously advis'd Retaining thus The sole Ambition to be vertuous Thinks 'tis enough if she's not Infamous On these false grounds is mans stol'n Triumph laid Through Craft alone the Nobler Creature made; Women henceforth by my Example taught To vaster heights of vertue shall bee wrought, Train'd up in Warre and Armes she shall despise The mean pretended Conquests of her Eyes Nor be contented with the low applause Left to her Sex, by mans tyrrannique Lawes. Glory was never got by sitting still, The Lazy merits of not doing ill. Who e're aspires to reach a Glorious name By Acting greatly must lay in their Claime Storm, tear, and fight with all the world for Fame. Hyach: Now all the powers of Warre and Victory Forever to your Armes propitious bee, And may that Fame they for your sword reserve Equall the Glory wee obtain to serve. Lycun: I will not mingle wishes with the Crowd Nor till my service pleases you bee proud, But, if revenge through conquest you designe For that depend on this Sole Arme of mine Guarded by this, Danger you may despise And finde your Sword as powerfull as your Eyes Whose brightness shoud the God of Battel see As full of Charmes as they appeare to mee Hee'd think his Venus were grown young againe Leap down from Heaven and Resume his Chaine Nor though a God shou'd hee your fetters weare Without the hazzard of a Rivall here; Emp: That Prince who to my Aide his Army brings I doe expect shall fight not say fine things If his presuming Vanity bee such Let him take care his Courage bee as much, And with his daring hand build a pretence To bee forgiv'n his Tongues Impertinence. Lycun: Pride and contempt that often blinde the faire Make them least pertinent when most severe From unaffected Truths noe Errours flow I thinke you Lovely and I hold you soe. What of my selfe I said I shall make good And when I fight bee better understood. Emp: Fighting indeed your Riddle will explaine Distinguishing the Valiant from the Vaine. Hyach: And that distinction quickly will be made For I perceive from yonder gloomy shade Which those tall woods doe o're the Valleys throw Like swelling Tides the numerous Tarters flow, Their glittering Helmets force a brighter day And moving Shields Like dancing Billows in the sunbeames Play. Emp: They meet my just Revenge and their own Fate And have the manners not to make mee waite. To Hyac: But you, brave Prince, whose deeds advance your name Even with the foremost in the mouth of Fame Who, wheresoe e're you come, bring Victory Blush not this day to leave a part to mee. I to your conduct will the trust afford Of the first blooming Honour of my Sword. All here to your unequall'd worth must yield This day I make you Generall of the field. Hyach: Few conquests yet my feeble hand has wrought But, were my deeds as humble as my thought Rank't with the meanest slave that does pursue The matchless Glory here to fight for you, Since on my Arme you place such confidence To think it worthy of your Fames defence The sole Ambition not to prove unjust May raise my Merit equall to my trust. Emp: My judgement I but weakly shoud expresse To value you soe much and trust you lesse But in what order will you now bestow The Bold Chinesses to receive the Foe? Whose discipline as well as ours you know; Hyach: Fiercely the Tartars with confusion Charge In broken order here and there at Large With wilde Excursions to and fro they bound And if not well observ'd will charge you round But a large front shall hinder that designe Half the first Legion draw into a line Let the other halfe the two extreames inforce And let the point bee wing'd with all the horse I'th middle which the greatest shock must prove Let the maine Body of the Army move. Emp: My selfe and guards will at the head be plac't Hyach: My force may follow next Emp: Lycungus last Now Father draw thy vailing Cloud and see Thy vow'd revenge thy daughter pays to thee While from the walls each gazing Slave admires Thy daring Glory this revenge inspires-- Exit Emp. Lycun: Lycungus last! Empresse I thank your Care Tis for Hyachian then that wee make warre. You who Create what difference can you see Twixt this admir'd Hyachian and mee Woman! ah worthlesse woman! erring still In the wilde maze of thy fantastick Will Equally shar'd betwixt thy Pride and Lust Averse to all that's good and blinde to all that's just For ever is that man of worth undone, Whom Fate into thy Barb'rous pow'r hath thrown Who in the dumb green sickness of her minde Still hungers for the trash of all mankinde Not an insipid Fopp on Earth does move For whom some woman does not die in Love. Enter an Officer. Officer: Both Armies Sir by this time are so neare They'l bee engag'd ere you can reach the Reare. Lycun: Bid my advancing Troops with speed bee gone Bid em stand still be quiet and look on. Exit off Eternall God, but sure there can be none To see injustice and looke Idly on But if there bee, Which of you all below or in the skies Is not in debt to mee for Sacrifice? To the bright shining God some prayers I make Some to the Hurtfull grim Bloudthirsty Black, Where either hope or fear points out the way With Equall zeal, I sacrifice, and Pray. If all my Prayers cannot these Blessings raise Have you the Conscience to expect my Praise Though hitherto My Innocent desires success doe want? But I'le ask favours, you'l not stick to grant When wee for Blessings shue, you stop your Eares But if wee curse there's not one God but heares. Assist mee then to bring full ruine downe On this insulting Woman and her Crowne. Are yee not scorn'd, blasphem'd, deny'd each day For letting Chance in mortall Actions sway? You'll mend the matter well, if you permit The Rule of things to woman's Will, or Wit. Woman of all the Creatures you did make The only signe and profe you cou'd mistake That heap of contradictions mass of Lyes Snare of our wishes Bane of all our Joyes If for a Blessing they were sent us, why Have you not given them one good quality? If for a Curse, how are you just or wise To lend em your own form for a disguise? Enter a Soldier. Sold: The overpower'd Chinesses give ground, The Empress with her Guard's incompass'd round, The Prince Hyachians to her rescue fled And both by this time taken or else dead The wings retire the main battalian's broke. Lycun: No matter, see my men fight not a stroak. Exit Sold: Before the sun dip in the azure wave She shall be Deaths the Tartars or my slave My Slave, my wife, My hated Wife, now my revenge grows strong And may this way bee equall to my wrong, Thanks to your pow'rs who marriage have allow'd To make them wretched whom you first made proud. But first Hyachian must in dust be lay'd The Army next deserted or betray'd. Tis worth the Blackest mischief I can doe To bee reveng'd and get an Empire too. If on the Tartars side the day bee lost I'le take advantage of my noble Post, When the pursuit most eager does appeare I'le fall on the Chinesses in the reare If they are put to flight, my forces Lye Nearest the Towne, and thither first I'le fly And if my beaten Empress scape the rout I'le let her in, but shut the Army out Then shall shee from the wall a prospect take Of the free massacre the Tartars make. If after she'l consent to marry mee When she's my Slave, I'le set her Empire free From my own province call a fresh supply And beat Syunges home with Infamy. If the proud wretch my proferr'd hand disdaine, In stead of mee ruine and death shall reigne. With desolation I'le the City fill And my fierce Troops shall plunder, fire and kill, When in their bloud the murder'd people swim And flames for want of more supply grow dim Enter an Officer. I'le ravish her and call the Tarters in. Offic: The China Army Sir has lost the day And drivn by conquering Tartars fly this way Your forces unengag'd your orders waite. Lycun: Bid em retire and seize the City gate. You with some chozen horse must stay behinde And if the false Hyachian you can finde Among the scatter'd runawayes of the field Bee it your business Sir to see him kill'd. Goe on, Lycungus Murder and betray All Acts that lead to thy designes obey Noe mischiefe is so Black no crime soe high But to the World success will Justify And you Pale deadly Daemons of the Night Whom Altars bath'd in humane Gore delight Assist my Plots, to make my conquests good And when I reigne you shall not want for food. Exit. A noise of fighting and running Enter Hyachian Bloudy with his Sword Drawne stopping some who fly -- Hyach: Stay yee Base wretches, whither would you fly? Is it a Race for chaines and Infamy? Are you such Cowards to hide yourselves in Graves Or have ye hopes to bee the Tartars Slaves? In shamefull flight what safety does appeare Can yee escape a greater Hell than feare? Enter an Officer. Officer: Ah my deare Lord are you alive and free? Hyach: Yes and ashamed to see your Infamy. How durst you bee my friend and run away? Offic: Where Torrents drive what single force can stay? North Winds broke loose you might assone recall Fix scatter'd leaves that in the Autumne fall, Resist the Rapid motion of the Spheare As stop the flowing Tide of Pannique feare. Through every Rank a swift report was spread That you were taken and the Empress dead At which they flying cry'd After such losses twas not worth their Paines To fight for conquest or decline their Chaines. Hyach: The Empresse by Rash honour driven on Into the thickest of the Foe was flowne; I to her rescue ran midst showers of Darts Cutting my Bloudy way through Tartars hearts On foot I found her, for her horse was kill'd Strewing with gasping carcasses the field. Some drops of Blood Which from her wounds on her faire neck did flow Like Rubies set in Rocks of Silver show; Alone she fought expos'd to Vulgar Blowes, Like a maim'd Eagle in a flock of Crowes, While I sought death with her I cou'd not Save One more than all the rest generous and Brave Presses in through the Assassinating Crowd And with a voice of Terrour cryes alowd, Desist for shame the Feeble murderers, Stain not with Womans Bloud your Cymeters Ile lead you on to Nobler Victories. The Men obey him and away hee flys. Thus got wee time our Army to regaine But where's Lycungus taken, fled or slaine? Officer: Lycungus Sir has never charg'd at all And now stands gazing ore the City Wall. Hyach: In him the stupid Rage of Envy see Though Brave turns Coward to be reveng'd on mee. Enter an Officer. Officer: The scatter'd Troops At Amacoa's presence stay their flight And led by her renew a Bloudy fight. Hyach: Noe more shall Nations in distress and thrawll On helpless man for Aid in Battails call: This Woman's Valour is above us all -- Where ere she fights, Beauty and Ruine joyne Rage on her Arme, While in her Eyes they shine. With Story and with death the field she fills Soe thunder led by lightning shines and kills. Finis | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...I AM YOUR WAITER TONIGHT AND MY NAME IS DIMITRI by ROBERT HASS MITRAILLIATRICE by ERNEST HEMINGWAY RIPARTO D'ASSALTO by ERNEST HEMINGWAY WAR VOYEURS by JUAN FELIPE HERRERA THE DREAM OF WAKING by RANDALL JARRELL THE SURVIVOR AMONG GRAVES by RANDALL JARRELL SO MANY BLOOD-LAKES by ROBINSON JEFFERS |
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