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<DATE>2013-11-26</DATE>
<RESPSTMT>
<NAME>Enrique Valdivia</NAME>
<RESP>MURP</RESP>
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<ITEM>Checklist: x *Add TEMPHEAD, change DATE, validate
*Review structure: FRONT,BODY, BACK, DIV or rarely GROUP
*Add DIV TYPEs, make sure that @types makes sense as a navigational aide, and work in the context of the whole text, validate
*Survey book for troublesome formats of all kinds, including lists, illustrations, tables, music, math, end-notes, quasi-tabular arrangments, and marginalia. REND="margQuotes" x*Proof title page(s) x*Examine marginalia. Is it all best tagged as NOTE? x*Observe divtop and divbottom material marking beginnings and ends of divisions, check that they are correctly tagged as HEAD, TRAILER, CLOSER, OPENER, ARGUMENT, EPIGRAPH, SIGNED, DATELINE, BYLINE, etc. x*Check for GAPs x*Check PB placement and completeness, ensure sequence of N="" x*Check ^, italic I / J, _Initals. x*Check for illustrations and correct usage of FIGURE. Add FIGDESCs if necessary. x*Check q; startq endq Q x*If appropriate, check for yoghs. x*If appropriate, check for Latin problems, e.g. oe and ae digraphs x*If appropriate, check for abbreviation and brevigraph problems. x*If appropriate, check for units of measure, symbols (alchemical, astronomical, etc.) and the like. x*Correct illegibles from proofsheet x*Check illegible page, para, line, span, word, dollar signs x* Run Check x*Final validate Corrected [ ] illegible groups out of [ ]. Converted [ ] illegible groups to GAP DESC="illegible". DONE</ITEM>
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<EEBO>
<IDG S="marc" R="UM" ID="B22957">
<STC T="W">F907</STC>
<BIBNO T="oclc">[ocm]12039535</BIBNO>
<VID>199141</VID>
</IDG>
<TEXT LANG="eng">
<FRONT>
<DIV1 TYPE="title page">
<PB REF="1">
<PB REF="1" MS="y">
<P>THE <HI>Vnnatural Brother:</HI> A TRAGEDY.</P>
<P>As it was Acted by His MAJESTY's Servants, AT THE THEATRE in <HI>Little Lincolns-Inn-Fields.</HI></P>
<P><HI>LONDON,</HI> Printed by <HI>J. Orme,</HI> for <HI>Richard Wilkin,</HI> at the <HI>Kings-Head</HI> in St. <HI>Paul</HI>'s-Church-Yard. MDCXCVII.</P>
<FLOATEXT LANG="eng" TYPE="publisher's advertisement">
<HEAD>ADVERTISEMENT.</HEAD>
<P>There are lately publi&s;hed, <HI>Ibrahim</HI> the XIII. Emperor of the <HI>Turks,</HI> A Tragedy, and the <HI>Spani&s;h Wives a Farce:</HI> Both Written by Mrs. <HI>Mary Pix.</HI></P>
<P><HI>The Younger Brother, Or Amorous Jilt:</HI> Written by Mrs. <HI>A. Behn.</HI> Printed and Sold by <HI>Richard Wellington.</HI></P>
</FLOATEXT>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="preface">
<PB REF="2">
<PB REF="2">
<HEAD>THE PREFACE.</HEAD>
<P><HI>NOT many daies after the very cold reception which this Play met with on the Stage, as I was walking up and down my Chamber &s;omething di&s;contented, tho not much mortified neither, at the unkindne&s;s of the Town, I happened to ca&s;t my eye on a Book which lay in a Window, and that proving to be the fir&s;t Volume of Mr.</HI> Drydens <HI>Plays, I opened it, by meer chance, ju&s;t on a Prologue of his which begins thus,</HI></P>
<LG>
<L>Self love (which never rightly under&s;tood)</L>
<L>Makes Poets &s;till conclude their Plays are good:</L>
<L>And malice in all Criticks runs &s;o high,</L>
<L>That for &s;mall Errors they whole Plays decry;</L>
<L>So that to &s;ee this Fondne&s;s, and that Spite,</L>
<L>You'd think that none but Mad-men Judge or Write.</L>
</LG>
<P><HI>I was both &s;urpri&s;ed and plea&s;ed with that Chance which had &s;o thrown me on tho&s;e Ver&s;es. For whereas before, I had for &s;ome time tortured my Brain, to find out tho&s;e many imperfections which probably might have occa&s;ioned the ill &s;ucce&s;s of this Play, I then began to lay a&s;ide &s;ome part of that care, and to think that the Malice and ill Nature of the Critick, in catching at every little &s;lip, and improving of every incon&s;iderable fault, might perhaps have an equal hand in that misfortune, with the weakne&s;s or fondne&s;s of the Poet.</HI></P>
<P><HI>I had no other way to clear this point, and find out the truth of the mat|ter, but to employ all the Friends and Acquaintance I had about the Town, to inquire into tho&s;e objections which were generally made again&s;t this Play. They did it: and, as I have very good rea&s;on to believe, gave me a faithful account of all. And yet all, at la&s;t, came to no more than this: That the Play was too grave for the Age, That I had made choice of too few Per|&s;ons, and that the Stage was never filled; there &s;eldom appearing above two at a time, and never above three, till the end and winding up of the whole.</HI></P>
<PB REF="3">
<P><HI>The&s;e are the mighty faults that have &s;o intirely Damned this Play: and yet if the&s;e mu&s;t be thought faults now in our nicer Age, I am &s;ure they were not thought &s;uch heretofore by the Antients; for they generally made u&s;e of but few Per&s;ons, and never made it any part of their bu&s;ine&s;s to fill the Stage. Nay, we all know that</HI> Horace <HI>lays it down as a Rule.</HI></P>
<Q>&mdash;Nec quarta loqui per&s;ona laboret.</Q>
<P><HI>Nor were the&s;e thought faults by our more modern Criticks, about Fif|teen or twenty years ago, when that excellent Play of the</HI> Orphan <HI>fir&s;t ap|peared on the Stage. For that, tho liable to all the very &s;ame exceptions which hitherto have been made again&s;t this, yet was received with all the applau&s;e imaginable. I mu&s;t confe&s;s, fore&s;eeing part of what has &s;ince hap|pened, and meerly to gratifie the Rabble, after I had fini&s;hed this Play, I ad|ded a Comical part to it. Wherein, &s;o there were but a &s;mart kind of a hurry and confu&s;ion, with a Song or two at the end</HI></P>
<Q>&mdash;His nam plebecula gaudet.</Q>
<P><HI>I thought it would have pa&s;&s;ed well enough. But the Comedy being altoge|ther independent from the Tragedy, and the whole appearing &s;omething too long the fir&s;t time it was acted, I ea&s;ily con&s;ented to have it all left out, and &s;o threw my &s;elf wholly on the Men of &s;en&s;e for my Judges.</HI></P>
<Q><L>Verum Equitis quoque jam migravit ab aure voluptas</L>
<L>Omnis, ad incertos oculos &amp; gaudia vana.</L></Q>
<P><HI>For, to my co&s;t, I find that even our men of Sen&s;e, have been &s;o long entertained with the gaudy, glaring &s;plendor of our Operas, that nothing now can plea&s;e their eyes, but what dazels 'em: And that their ears have, of late, been &s;o well belabour'd with Drums, Kettle-Drums, Trumpets, and Hautboys, that they are almo&s;t become deaf to Sen&s;e, or any thing el&s;e, convey'd to 'em in a le&s;s Noi&s;e, than tho&s;e their darling-Con&s;orts generally are. But no more of this&mdash;which may &s;eem a little tart, and to &s;avour &s;trange|ly of the vanity of a di&s;contented Poet, who will be &s;ure to find out any other rea&s;on for the mi&s;carriage of his Play, than that which was perhaps the only true one, I mean the badne&s;s of it.</HI></P>
<P><HI>But I had almo&s;t forgot to acquaint the Reader with one objection more, again&s;t this Play, than what I have yet mentioned. On the third day, there was a certain Lady in one of the Boxes, who thought &s;he could not more ef|fectually decry it, than by declaring aloud that it was nothing but an old Story taken out of</HI> Ca&s;&s;andra. <HI>And I readily grant it: yet can by no
<PB REF="3"> means allow that to be a fault. Mr.</HI> Dryden <HI>has &s;aid too much in the defence of &s;uch an innocent piece of theft, and extremely well ju&s;tified the thing, both by his Arguments, and Practice. All I de&s;ire of that Lady, by way of amends, is, that if ever the&s;e Papers have the happine&s;s to reach her hands, &s;he would be plea&s;ed to renew her acquaintance with the &s;tory of</HI> Alcinoe <HI>in that Romance, and compare it with this Play: And then I dare be bold to affirm, &s;he will not think me over-much beholding to it: But may perhaps be &s;o charitable, as to entertain a more favourable opinion both of the Play, and of the Poet.</HI></P>
<P><HI>I have but one word more to the Reader, and then I &s;hall leave him to the Play, either to read it, or let it alone, which he plea&s;es: And that is, that he would not charge me with any Errors of the Pre&s;s. The Book&s;eller in my ab&s;ence, has undertaken the care of in&s;pecting it, and therefore he only ought to be accountable for all &s;uch faults.</HI></P>
<CLOSER><SIGNED>EDW. FILMER.</SIGNED></CLOSER>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="prologue">
<PB REF="4">
<HEAD>PROLOGUE.</HEAD>
<LG>
<L>BLe&s;s'd were the&s;e happy daies, if ever any,</L>
<L>When Poets flow'd with Wit, and you with Money.</L>
<L>But now, both Wit and Money run &s;o low,</L>
<L>They're at the poore&s;t Ebb they e're can know,</L>
<L>This Clipt, that dwindled into Farce and Show.</L>
<L>As for our Coin, the Wi&s;dom of the State,</L>
<L>May &s;top our ruine and prevent our Fate;</L>
<L>What will n<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter">t pa&s;s by Tale, may pa&s;s, by Weight.</L>
<L>But who can our corrupted Wit re&s;tore,</L>
<L>And make that Currant as it was before?</L>
<L>O! could we but with equal Balance &s;it,</L>
<L>And by the nice&s;t &s;<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter">ruples weigh out Wit,</L>
<L>How many pieces good, and fair to &s;ight,</L>
<L>Would yet be found by many Grains too light?</L>
<L>In this great dearth of Wit, our Poet here</L>
<L>Pre&s;umes to treat you with his Country fare,</L>
<L>Not that he thinks it better than your own,</L>
<L>Or what you daily meet with in this Town:</L>
<L>No, tho a Poet, he is not &s;o vain;</L>
<L>You are to judge, he but to entertain.</L>
<L>Freedom of Cen&s;ure he to all allows,</L>
<L>And with &s;ubmi&s;&s;ion to your Judgment bows.</L>
<L>He only hopes you will be pleas'd t' excu&s;e,</L>
<L>Small faults in a raw unexperienc'd Mu&s;e,</L>
<L>Which trembling comes, full of &s;ad frights and fears,</L>
<L>And almo&s;t naked on the Stage appears,</L>
<L>No Paint, no Patches, to adorn her brow,</L>
<L>That is</L>
<L>No thundering Con&s;ort, nor no glareing &s;how;</L>
<L>Tho&s;e pretty knacks, &s;o much of late in u&s;e,</L>
<L>To varni&s;h, and &s;et off a homely Mu&s;e.</L>
<L>Good, ea&s;ie &s;en&s;e, our Poet bad me &s;ay,</L>
<L>Is all that he has aim'd at in this Play;</L>
<L>Well too, he thinks, if he that mark has hit,</L>
<L>Since the be&s;t Sen&s;e, is ever the be&s;t Wit.</L>
</LG>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="epilogue">
<PB REF="4">
<HEAD>EPILOGUE.</HEAD>
<LG>
<L>THE Poet, with the Soldier &s;hares this fate,</L>
<L>Courting your favour, he incurrs your hate.</L>
<L>Tho one does for your daily plea&s;ure write,</L>
<L>The other, for your darling int're&s;t fight,</L>
<L>Yet equally unkind, you both do &s;light</L>
<L>The Man of War for&s;ooth's too rough, unfit</L>
<L>For civil Company; The Man of Wit,</L>
<L>A meer pretending Fop, a &s;cribling Tool,</L>
<L>Made up of Madman half, and half, of Fool.</L>
<L>What is it then, that thus in ev'ry age,</L>
<L>Draws one toth field, the other to the Stage?</L>
<L>No hope of Fame or Profit &s;ure, for they</L>
<L>In this too like, their harder Stars obey,</L>
<L>Both drudge for little Honour, and le&s;s Pay.</L>
<L>What e're it is provokes 'em, yet we &s;ee,</L>
<L>Each fondly courts his unkind de&s;tiny;</L>
<L>For as the gen'rous Warriour, void of fear,</L>
<L>Pre&s;&s;es on danger &s;till as it draws near,</L>
<L>And tho he &s;ees thou&s;ands before him fall,</L>
<L>Yet briskly ventures on, and flings at all:</L>
<L>The Poet &s;o, tho daily on the Stage,</L>
<L>He &s;ees the dire effects o'th' Criticks rage,</L>
<L>Yet fearle&s;s dares tho&s;e doughty foes engage.</L>
<L>And one's no &s;ooner fairly down, but &s;trait</L>
<L>&V;p perks another, carele&s;s of his fate.</L>
<L>As for the Poet of this pre&s;ent night,</L>
<L>Who &s;pite of all di&s;couragement dares write,</L>
<L>He neither fears nor does the danger &s;light.</L>
<L>If you re&s;olve to kill, he &s;ays you may,</L>
<L>He only begs a very &s;hort delay,</L>
<L>Come all again, and maul him,&mdash;the third day: </L>
</LG>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="dramatis personae">
<PB REF="5">
<HEAD>The Per&s;ons repre&s;ented,</HEAD>
<LIST>
<HEAD>MEN.</HEAD>
<LABEL>Beaufort</LABEL>
<ITEM>Governour of <HI>Lyons.</HI></ITEM>
<LABEL>Grammount</LABEL>
<ITEM>Nephew to the Governour.</ITEM>
<LABEL>Dampierre</LABEL>
<ITEM>Brother to <HI>Grammount.</HI></ITEM>
<LABEL>Montigny</LABEL>
<ITEM>Friend to <HI>Grammount.</HI></ITEM>
</LIST>
<LIST>
<HEAD>WOMEN.</HEAD>
<LABEL>Elvira</LABEL>
<ITEM>Wife to <HI>Grammount.</HI></ITEM>
<LABEL>Leonora</LABEL>
<ITEM>Si&s;ter to <HI>Grammount.</HI></ITEM>
<LABEL>Ly&s;ette</LABEL>
<ITEM>Woman to <HI>Elivira.</HI></ITEM>
</LIST>
<P>A Page and other Attendants.</P>
<P>The Scene is a Ca&s;tle about a League di|&s;tance from <HI>Lyons</HI> in <HI>France.</HI></P>
</DIV1>
</FRONT>
<BODY>
<DIV1 N="1" TYPE="act">
<PB N="1" REF="5">
<HEAD>ACT I. SCENE I.</HEAD>
<STAGE><HI>Enter</HI> Beaufort <HI>and</HI> Dampierre.</STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Beau.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>NO more: thou ha&s;t wrought a &s;ecret from my Brea&s;t&punc;</L>
<L>Which may in time prove fatal to us both.</L>
<L>For now methinks I do begin to hate</L>
<L>Thee, <HI>Dampierre,</HI> as the only Man on Earth</L>
<L>Who has it in his power to check, and bla&s;t</L>
<L>Tho&s;e Glories, now in my declining years,</L>
<L>Which I &s;o ju&s;tly purcha&s;t in my Youth!</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>The langui&s;hing &s;ick Man, without re&s;erve,</L>
<L>Freely lays open his Infirmities,</L>
<L>To his Phy&s;icians kill in hopes of Cure:</L>
<L>The hearty Penitent, then only meets</L>
<L>With true and real comfort, when he dares</L>
<L>Unload his o'ercharged Con&s;cience, and expo&s;e</L>
<L>His nice&s;t Scruples to the pious <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="2 letters">re</L>
<L>Of &s;ome grave Gho&s;tly Father.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Beauf.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Ah <HI>Dampierre!</HI></L>
<L>Could I with the good Penitent Confe&s;s,</L>
<L>And at the &s;ame time quit the darling Sin;</L>
<L>Or with the afflicted Patient hope for ea&s;e</L>
<L>Of all my pains, by telling my Di&s;ea&s;e,</L>
<L>I then were truly happy&punc; But ala&s;s!</L>
<L><HI>Elvira</HI>'s not &s;o fair, as &s;he is good:</L>
<L>The &s;hining lu&s;tre: of her ver<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter">uous mind,</L>
<L>By far &s;urpa&s;&s;es that of her bright Eyes.</L>
<L>Tho&s;e Eyes, which yet dart beams re&s;i&s;tle&s;s</L>
<L>As the Sun in his full Noon tide Glory,</L>
<L>Beams, which &s;trike me blind to vertue&punc; honour,</L>
<L>And indeed to all things el&s;e but love. Oh&mdash;</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Reflect not &s;o &s;everely on your faults,</L>
<L>I do be&s;eech you, Sir, but as a man,</L>
<L>Allow &s;ome grains for humane frailty.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<PB N="2" REF="6">
<SPEAKER>Beauf.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Have I, in my great Ma&s;ters &s;ervice &s;pent</L>
<L>Full Forty years, and won renown enough</L>
<L>To glut the mo&s;t ambitious Hero's hopes?</L>
<L>Have I pa&s;s'd o'er the boyling heats of youth</L>
<L>With an untainted reputation?</L>
<L>And &s;hall I now, now in my riper years,</L>
<L>Stain all the glories of my former life?</L>
<L>No, <HI>Dampierre,</HI> no, it cannot, mu&s;t not be.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Do you in earne&s;t love <HI>Elvira,</HI> Sir?</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Beauf.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Love her! does the devout Reclu&s;e that has</L>
<L>Renounced this world a&s;pire to Heaven?</L>
<L>Does the Ambitious Hero covet Fame?</L>
<L>Or the old Mi&s;er doat on hoarded Gold?</L>
<L>Love her! By Heaven, I ne'r lov'd glory</L>
<L>Half &s;o well, nor &s;o much dreaded the &s;ucce&s;s</L>
<L>Of doubtful War, as now I do of Love.</L>
<L>Fearle&s;s, I have a thou&s;and times outbrav'd</L>
<L>The greate&s;t dangers, and outfac'd grim Death</L>
<L>In the mo&s;t ugly &s;hape that War could &s;hew it;</L>
<L>Yet now want courage to encounter</L>
<L>Her fair Eyes, and like an arrant Coward,</L>
<L>Tremble and quake at her approach for fear.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>For fear of what, Sir, of a Woman?</L>
<L><HI>Elvira</HI> is no more, no more than a</L>
<L>Meer Woman; an imperfect piece of Man,</L>
<L>Made only for his Plea&s;ure.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Beauf.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Hah! by Heaven</L>
<L>She's Natures Ma&s;ter piece, &s;he's all Divine,</L>
<L>Fair as an Angel, Virtuous as a Saint.</L>
<L>But why, alas! do I &s;o much as name</L>
<L>Her hated Vertue: Would &s;he were a VVhore,</L>
<L>A Common Pro&s;titute, &s;ince &s;he is Married:</L>
<L>Or rather &s;ince &s;he is Married to <HI>Grammount,</HI></L>
<L>O! let me wi&s;h her Dead, laid in the Grave,</L>
<L>And hoarded up l<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter">ke &s;ome old mi&s;ers VVealth,</L>
<L>In the dark intralls of the happy Earth,</L>
<L>VVhere none the mighty Trea&s;ure could enjoy,</L>
<L>Since I cannot.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Nay, now, Sir, I could chide.</L>
<L>VVi&s;h not <HI>Elvira</HI> Dead, but think her &s;till</L>
<PB REF="6">
<L>Among&s;t the living wonders of the Age,</L>
<L>The faire&s;t much of her bewitching Sex.</L>
<L>VVho, tho &s;he may have charms enough to kill,</L>
<L>Yet may too entertain &s;ome &s;oft de&s;ires,</L>
<L>To cure the wounds her fatal Beauty gives:</L>
<L>And therefore, Sir, you ought at lea&s;t to hope.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Beauf.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>It is to innocent de&s;ires alone,</L>
<L>That hope dares &s;hew a comfortable end;</L>
<L>But mine are guilty all: How then can hope</L>
<L>Pretend to flatter him, who were he ble&s;t</L>
<L>In all the joys &s;ucce&s;sful Love can give</L>
<L>Mu&s;t yet be wretched, mi&s;erable &s;till,</L>
<L>Torn with the pains of a too late remor&s;e,</L>
<L>Sharper than tho&s;e of di&s;appointed love.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>The&s;e, Sir, are odd phanta&s;tick notions</L>
<L>Of a working brain, fitter for Schools</L>
<L>Than for a Lovers care, who&s;e Mi&s;tri&s;s is his all.</L>
<L>He who dares rifle the indu&s;trious Bee,</L>
<L>Snatches the Honey carele&s;s of the Sting:</L>
<L>And he who briskly plucks the blu&s;hing Ro&s;e,</L>
<L>Laughs at tho&s;e Thorns that would revenge the Rape.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Beauf.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>How powerful do thy arguments appear,</L>
<L>To a mind wholly prepo&s;&s;e&s;&s;ed with love!</L>
<L>Thou art a Ma&s;ter, &s;ure, in that &s;oft art,</L>
<L>And may'&s;t a&s;&s;i&s;t me: I alas! am rough,</L>
<L>Grown old in Camps, my Tongue unapt for talk;</L>
<L>And unaccu&s;tom'd to tho&s;e &s;ofter terms,</L>
<L>Which Charm that fair, that dear believing Sex.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Let me but know what you would have me do,</L>
<L>And think it done: think your &s;elf happy, Sir,</L>
<L>If in my power it be to make you &s;o.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Beauf.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Thou then &s;halt break the Ice, prepare the way.</L>
<L>Thou ha&s;t a tongue, nimble and fluent</L>
<L>As the well feed Lawyers, &s;oft and &s;mooth</L>
<L>As the old crafty Courtiers, who denies</L>
<L>Your &s;ute, yet would per&s;wade you he is &s;till</L>
<L>Your friend. Speak, wilt thou do it?</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Sir, I will.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Beauf.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>But art thou &s;ure thou wilt?</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Mo&s;t certain, Sir.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<PB REF="7">
<SPEAKER>Beauf.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Ha&s;t thou con&s;ider'd well?</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Yes, I have.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Beauf.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Perhaps already thou forget'&s;t</L>
<L>Who 'tis I love.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>No, it is <HI>Elvira,</HI> is it not?</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Beauf.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>It is indeed <HI>Elvira,</HI> but then &s;ure</L>
<L>There &s;hould be more of that Dear Name than one&punc;</L>
<L>Hah! What &s;ay&s;t thou?</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Not that I know of, Sir,</L>
<L>'Tis <HI>Grammount</HI>'s Wif<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter"> I mean.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Beauf.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Thou &s;hould'&s;t have &s;aid</L>
<L>Thy Brothers, thy Brothers&punc; Wife, on whom</L>
<L>Thy Uncle, the unhappy <HI>Beanfort</HI> doats.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>I &s;hould indeed, nor did I wave that word,</L>
<L>For any &s;uch great kindne&s;s it imports,</L>
<L>As might o'erthrow the re&s;olution</L>
<L>I have made to &s;erve you, Sir: no, were &s;he mine,</L>
<L>This fair <HI>Elvira</HI> mine, as &s;he is now</L>
<L><HI>Grammont</HI>'s; I'd not retract one &s;yllable&punc;</L>
<L>Of what I have &s;aid, but freely &s;acrifice&punc;</L>
<L>My Life, my Honour, all in &s;hort, that's dear</L>
<L>To your repo&s;e.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Beauf.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Come, come to my Arms then,</L>
<L>Let me embrace and hug thee, <HI>Dampierre.</HI></L>
<L>By Heaven thou art&mdash;a mo&s;t illu&s;trious</L>
<L>Villain, a rank Pander. Oh <HI>Grammount</HI></L>
<L>How de<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter">ply would thy Brothers ba&s;ene&s;s wound</L>
<L>Thy generous Soul, could'&s;t thou but gue&s;s</L>
<L>His foul intent. But thou art good, &s;o true</L>
<L>To Virtue and to Honour, thou can'&s;t ne'er</L>
<L>Think on a crime &s;o Black, as this ba&s;e wretch</L>
<L>Dares act; this mi&s;erable wretch, who at</L>
<L>One fatal blow, would &s;trike a Dagger</L>
<L>To his Brothers Heart, damn both him&s;elf and me&punc;</L>
<L>And plunge us all into a horrid gulf</L>
<L>Of everla&s;ting mi&s;ery.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>If my too forward zeal be an offence,</L>
<L>Puni&s;h my giddy ra&s;hne&s;s as you plea&s;e:</L>
<L>Yet do it, Sir, &s;omething a gentler way.</L>
<L>Charge me not with &s;uch black and horrid crimes,</L>
<L>As Heaven knows my very Soul dete&s;ts.</L>
<L>Or rathertake my hated Life, &s;ee here,</L>
<PB N="5" REF="7">
<L>My naked brea&s;t ready to meet the blow,</L>
<L>My Tongue prepar'd to ble&s;s the hand that &s;trikes.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Beauf.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>I &s;corn to &s;tain my Sword with &s;uch ba&s;e blood,</L>
<L>Live, and repent thy ra&s;hne&s;s if thou can'&s;t,</L>
<L>If not, re&s;olve never to &s;ee my face agen.</L>
<STAGE>Ex. Beauf.</STAGE>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Not &s;ee your face agen, but on the terms</L>
<L>Of penitence, my noble Uncle. Yes,</L>
<L>Yes, but I &s;hall, or I am much deceived.</L>
<L>This qualm of Con&s;cience, is in him no more,</L>
<L>Than a meer agui&s;h fit; the cold one gone,</L>
<L>A hot one then will certainly &s;ucceed.</L>
<L>O all you black and di&s;mal fiends of Hell,</L>
<L>Who take delight in mi&s;chiefs baneful &s;port,</L>
<L>Feed &s;till, and blow up his ince&s;tuous flame</L>
<L>To a re&s;i&s;tle&s;s highth; then from his pa&s;&s;ion,</L>
<L>Ill conceal'd, as from a flowing &s;pring</L>
<L>Let daily doubts, fears, jealou&s;ies, heart burnings</L>
<L>And eternal jarrs, ari&s;e within the&s;e walls:</L>
<L>Let <HI>Beaufort</HI> hate <HI>Grammount, Grammount Elvira,</HI></L>
<L>And <HI>Elvira</HI> both, whil&s;t <HI>Dampierre</HI> hates 'em all,</L>
<L>And ju&s;tly too.</L>
<L>I was the fir&s;t&punc; pretender to <HI>Elvira,</HI></L>
<L>But by the faithle&s;s <HI>Grammount</HI> under-min'd,</L>
<L>All my be&s;t hopes &s;oon vani&s;ht into air,</L>
<L>And I beheld her circled in his Arms.</L>
<L>Nor dur&s;t I then think of revenge on him</L>
<L>That did the wrong, he was but too &s;ecure,</L>
<L>Supported by a partial Uncle's power,</L>
<L>And by <HI>Elvira</HI>'s Friends. But now I know</L>
<L>That <HI>Beaufort</HI> doats on her, from this dear day</L>
<L>I date my hopes of a &s;evere revenge.</L>
<L>But &s;ee, <HI>Grammount</HI> appears in clo&s;e di&s;cour&s;e</L>
<L>With his in&s;eparable friend <HI>Montigny:</HI></L>
<L>My mind at pre&s;ent's &s;trangely ruffled,</L>
<L>Therefore I'll withdraw, ere they perceive me.</L>
<STAGE>Ex. Damp.</STAGE>
<STAGE><HI>Enter</HI> Grammount <HI>and</HI> Montigny.</STAGE>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Gram.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Ble&s;t in the &s;ofte&s;t Pa&s;&s;ion of my Soul,</L>
<L>Po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ing, in my dear <HI>Elvira,</HI> all</L>
<L>The world calls Vertuous, or my eyes think fair;</L>
<L>How can I, friend, without a blu&s;h complain,</L>
<L>Or murmur mid&s;t &s;uch va&s;t, &s;uch charming joys,</L>
<PB N="6" REF="8">
<L>As ta&s;ted once, would make an Anchoret</L>
<L>Forget his way to Heaven, and think to find</L>
<L>It here below.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Mont.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Forbear, my deare&s;t friend,</L>
<L>Take heed, &s;hould'&s;t thou be ra&s;h enough to pine,</L>
<L>While&s;t with a liberal hand, kind Heaven</L>
<L>Pours all it's choice&s;t ble&s;&s;ings on thy Head,</L>
<L>Such black ingratitude, no doubt, would be</L>
<L>Severely puni&s;ht by &s;ome &s;ignal judgment</L>
<L>From above.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Gram.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Unkind, cruel <HI>Montigny,</HI></L>
<L>Thou know'&s;t, at each &s;ad thought of lo&s;ing thee,</L>
<L>Tho circled in my dear <HI>Elvira</HI>'s Arms,</L>
<L>I feel &s;uch &s;trange di&s;tructing pangs of grief,</L>
<L>As nought but the mo&s;t perfect friend&s;hip</L>
<L>Can excu&s;e; &s;o va&s;t, &s;o &s;en&s;ible a pain,</L>
<L>As wounds my very Soul, and damps and &s;oures</L>
<L>The &s;weete&s;t joys of a po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ing Lover.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Mont.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Thou be&s;t of Men, and deare&s;t too of Friends,</L>
<L>Let me embrace, and hug, and pre&s;s thee thus,</L>
<L>Near to that heart which owns no other bands,</L>
<L>But tho&s;e of everla&s;ting friend&s;hip for</L>
<L>The generous <HI>Grammount:</HI> Heaven knows with what</L>
<L>Regret I leave thee, Friend; yet mu&s;t we part.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Gram.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>O &s;ay not &s;o, each word's a mortal wound,</L>
<L>Each &s;yllable a Dagger to my heart.</L>
<L>Rather recall the ha&s;ty &s;entence, and</L>
<L>Repenting thy unkindne&s;s, give me Life,</L>
<L>And what I value more, my Friend.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Mont.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>O my <HI>Grammount,</HI> forbear; thy kindne&s;s el&s;e</L>
<L>Will be the ruin of thy friend; do not,</L>
<L>Oh do not force me to repeat,</L>
<L>What equally afflicts my Soul as thine,</L>
<L>It mu&s;t be &s;o.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Gram.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>It mu&s;t not, by all that's good,</L>
<L>Thou art no more tha<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter"> Friend I took thee for,</L>
<L>If thou can&s;t thus for&s;ake me, leave me thus,</L>
<L>And not give one poor &s;hadow of a rea&s;on</L>
<L>For &s;o &s;evere a &s;eparation.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Mont.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Honor, my Friend, 'tis honour calls me hence:</L>
<L>Honour, that Idol to which all mu&s;t bow.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<PB N="7" REF="8">
<SPEAKER>Gram.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Honour! whither can Honour call thee friend,</L>
<L>That <HI>Grammount</HI> would not go to &s;hare the Prize?</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Mont.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>While&s;t I lie here, &s;upinely &s;urfeiting</L>
<L>On all the joys of &s;oft bewitching ea&s;e;</L>
<L>My aged Sire, laden with years and fame,</L>
<L>Plays the young man, and makes the <HI>Spaniards</HI> feel</L>
<L>The &s;mart of Wounds, I only &s;hould have given.</L>
<L>Thither I go, thither I fly, my Friend,</L>
<L>To court fair Honour in the mid&s;t of Blood,</L>
<L>Horror and dire Confu&s;ion.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Gram.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Tho&s;e Frontier bickerings call not for thee,</L>
<L><HI>Montigny,</HI> there's little honor to be gain'd:</L>
<L>But if thou art re&s;olv'd to go, refu&s;e not</L>
<L>Th' a&s;&s;i&s;tance of my Sword, oh let me &s;hare</L>
<L>The Toyl, and Glory, with my deare&s;t Friend.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Mont.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Thou mu&s;t no more think on the Wars, <HI>Grammount,</HI></L>
<L>But from the Genial bed, reaping the &s;weet</L>
<L>Reward of all thy glorious labours pa&s;t,</L>
<L>Rai&s;e up a race of Hero's, who&s;e bright fame,</L>
<L>For early vertues, may &s;oon equal thine.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Gram.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Since honours &s;tricte&s;t Laws mu&s;t yield to Love,</L>
<L>Let Beauty then prevail, tho friend&s;hip cannot.</L>
<L>I have a Si&s;ter, by the world thought fair,</L>
<L>Virtuous and young &s;he is: her Fortune's &s;uch</L>
<L>As may at lea&s;t equal the large&s;t hopes</L>
<L>Of the mo&s;t Noble Youths our Age can &s;hew:</L>
<L>If thou can&s;t learn to Love my Friend, &s;he's thine</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Mont.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>How Prodigal! how Lavi&s;h my <HI>Gram.</HI></L>
<L>Thy Friend&s;hip makes thee, with a carele&s;s hand</L>
<L>Thou &s;catter'&s;t Trea&s;ures &s;hou'd be the Reward</L>
<L>Of a va&s;t merit only: or the price</L>
<L>Of many great and glorious Services.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Gram.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Nay now thou trifle&s;t&mdash;</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Mont.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>By Heaven I do not:</L>
<L>Tho yet my heart a &s;tranger be to Love,</L>
<L>Yet 'tis with admiration I behold</L>
<L>The rare perfections of that beauteous Maid,</L>
<L>But I mu&s;t &s;tudy to de&s;erve her, friend.</L>
<L>Happy, if after all the noble&s;t toiles</L>
<L>I may a&s;pire to &s;uch a recompenc<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter">,</L>
<L>And with thy leave, my generous <HI>Grammount,</HI></L>
<PB N="8" REF="9">
<L>Lay all the Trophies of &s;ucce&s;sfull War</L>
<L>At the fair Charming <HI>Leonora</HI>'s Feet.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Gram.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Away preach to rough Seamen in a Storm,</L>
<L>Or whi&s;per to the boi&s;terous Winds when in</L>
<L>Their lowde&s;t fury, and they &s;hall &s;ooner</L>
<L>Hearken to thy tale than I: But &s;ee,</L>
<L>My dear <HI>Elvira</HI> coming to my aid,</L>
<L>And <HI>Leonora</HI> too; thou can&s;t not &s;ure</L>
<L>Hope to maintain thy ground again&s;t us all.</L>
<STAGE><HI>Enter</HI> Elvira <HI>and</HI> Leonora.</STAGE>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Elv.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>From tho&s;e dark Clouds which in thy Face appear,</L>
<L>My boading heart foretells a ri&s;ing Storm</L>
<L>Of grief within thy Brea&s;t, &s;peak, my <HI>Grammount,</HI></L>
<L>what ruder cares, to thy <HI>Elvira</HI> yet</L>
<L>Unknown, &s;it heavy on thy drooping Soul?</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Gram.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Thou be&s;t of Women, pard'n the guilty cau&s;e</L>
<L>Of this di&s;order in my troubled mind.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Elv.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Oh name not pardon, but quickly let me &s;hare,</L>
<L>And bear an equal part of all thy care.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Gram.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Ha&s;t thou not &s;een &s;ome men, extremely Rich,</L>
<L>Tell me <HI>Elvira,</HI> 'mong&s;t their deare&s;t &s;tore</L>
<L>Of Gold, and Silver, Jewels, and other things</L>
<L>Of highe&s;t value, lock &s;ecurely up</L>
<L>Some pretty, favourite toy:</L>
<L>Who when returning to review their wealth,</L>
<L>And mi&s;&s;ing only that, yet could not bear</L>
<L>The petty lo&s;s, tho all the re&s;t were &s;afe?</L>
<L>The ca&s;e, my dear <HI>Elvira,</HI> is my own,</L>
<L>Thou art the deare&s;t trea&s;ure of my Soul,</L>
<L>Thou art&mdash;</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Elv.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Forbear, <HI>Grammount,</HI> I gue&s;s the re&s;t,</L>
<L>Tho not &s;o much from what thou now ha&s;t &s;aid,</L>
<L>As from <HI>Montigny</HI>'s &s;ilence, and thy grief.</L>
<L>Each &s;eems a like concern'd, each dreads the lo&s;s</L>
<L>Of a dear friend; yet, you <HI>Montigny,</HI> will,</L>
<L>Nay mu&s;t be gone.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Gram.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Mu&s;t, oh no, ala&s;s!</L>
<L>He will be gone, uncall'd, unask'd, un&s;ent for,</L>
<L>He will for&s;ake his friend. Oh <HI>Elvira,</HI></L>
<L>Oh <HI>Leonora,</HI> yet try all you can,</L>
<PB N="9" REF="9">
<L>Your &s;ofte&s;t Arts, to move this cruel Man.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Elv.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>What may be done let us re&s;olve to do,</L>
<L>I for a Husband plead, a Brother you.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Leon.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Sure friend&s;hips cau&s;e, argued before a friend,</L>
<L>Cannot but meet with a &s;ucce&s;sfull end.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Mont.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Such powerful advocates who can with&s;tand?</L>
<L>Honour! thou &s;trange fanta&s;tick airy thing,</L>
<L>Thou lo&s;ing bargain to the brave&s;t Souls,</L>
<L>Thou ea&s;ie purcha&s;e, co&s;tly to maintain,</L>
<L>Thou cloke to bold ambition's re&s;tle&s;s hopes;</L>
<L>No more, to thy capricious humours will</L>
<L>I blindly bow, nor court thee as a &s;lave.</L>
<L>The pre&s;ent time to friend&s;hip I will give,</L>
<L>And what that &s;pares, &s;hall be intirely thine;</L>
<L>Still all that man in rea&s;on ought, I'll do</L>
<L>To &s;atisfie my Friend and Honour too.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Elv.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>See my <HI>Grammount,</HI> the cruel man repents,</L>
<L>Friend&s;hip has wrought its much de&s;ir'd effect,</L>
<L>And fixt the Rover here.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Leon.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>What would you more?</L>
<L>He yields and gives you the glory of the day;</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Mont.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Half vanqui&s;ht by my friend, I dur&s;t not<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter">&s;t and</L>
<L>The &s;hock of &s;o much Beauty as you brought</L>
<L>To Storm the Fort: Honour it &s;elf dur&s;t not</L>
<L>Pretend to hold it out again&s;t &s;uch odds.</L>
<L>Can you, my Friend, pardon a proud Rebell</L>
<L>Now imploring Grace?</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Gram.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Talk not of Pardon, my Friend,</L>
<L>Give me thy Hand, <HI>Elvira, Montigny</HI> thine.</L>
<L>Thus guarded, I dare challenge all the World,</L>
<L>To &s;how but one Man more, as happy, as</L>
<L>My &s;elf. Methinks mankind &s;hould envy me,</L>
<L>Thus ble&s;t in a la&s;ting full fruition</L>
<L>Of all tho&s;e glorious Charms, the &s;weete&s;t love,</L>
<L>Or true&s;t, deare&s;t friend&s;hip can afford.</L>
<L>Henceforth, be every day, within the&s;e Walls,</L>
<L>By all, kept as a &s;olemn Fe&s;tival,</L>
<L>Sacred to Love and Friend&s;hip: and to me,</L>
<L>May both, as now, ever propitious be.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<TRAILER>The End of the Fir&s;t ACT.</TRAILER>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 N="2" TYPE="act">
<PB N="10" REF="10">
<HEAD>ACT II. SCENE I.</HEAD>
<STAGE><HI>Enter</HI> Dampierre <HI>pulling in</HI> Ly&s;ette.</STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>NAy prethee why &s;o refractory?</L>
<L><HI>Ly&s;et.</HI> I am in ha&s;te, or if I were not,</L>
<L>What bu&s;ine&s;s pray can you have with me?</L>
<L>You, who have &s;carce vouch&s;afed</L>
<L>One look this way, this long, long</L>
<L>Day or two.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Bu&s;ine&s;s of importance Child,</L>
<L>And &s;uch as in the end might prove</L>
<L>To thy advantage if di&s;creetly manag'd.</L>
<L>But&mdash;</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Ly&s;et.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>But what, nay pray out with it.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Why, thou art a very fooli&s;h ignorant</L>
<L>Young Wench, that ever &s;tand'&s;t in thy</L>
<L>Own light.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Ly&s;et.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Your wi&s;dom's much mi&s;taken in my</L>
<L>Character, I dare a&s;lure you Sir,</L>
<L>For I am n<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter">ither &s;o &s;illy, nor &s;o igonrant,</L>
<L>I thank my kinder Stars, but that I very</L>
<L>Well under&s;tand the po&s;t I am in, with all</L>
<L>The by-advantages, that may be made by</L>
<L>One of my profe&s;&s;ion that has wit.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Wit! prethee of what u&s;e is Wit in your</L>
<L>Commonwealth, hah!</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Ly&s;et</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Oh, Sir, believe me, that Waiting-woman</L>
<L>That wants it, is the greate&s;t &s;lave in</L>
<L>Nature. Whereas we that have it, rather</L>
<L>Command than &s;erve, and in a very little</L>
<L>Time b<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter">come real Mi&s;tre&s;&s;es, whil&s;t</L>
<L>They, poor Ladies, only enjoy the empty,</L>
<L>U&s;ele&s;s Title.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Good!</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<PB N="11" REF="10">
<SPEAKER>Ly&s;et.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>For by our witty, &s;ly, and &s;ubtle in&s;inuations,</L>
<L>We at length become &s;o ab&s;olutely nece&s;&s;ary to 'em,</L>
<L>That they live not but in us;</L>
<L>They &s;ee with our Eyes, here with our ears,</L>
<L>And judge not of any thing but by our wi&s;e</L>
<L>Directions.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Admirable!</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Ly&s;et.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>So that if love once fires their tender Hearts,</L>
<L>'Tis we that either fan the growing flames,</L>
<L>Or el&s;e &s;uppre&s;s them quite.</L>
<L>Wi&s;ely, we manage their inclinations</L>
<L>To our be&s;t advantage: and &s;uffer 'em to love,</L>
<L>But when, and where, as little, or as much,</L>
<L>As we think fit.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Incomparable!</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Ly&s;et.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>In &s;hort, Sir,</L>
<L>It is by our all powerful intere&s;t,</L>
<L>That the ugly, and the awkwerd fool, if liberal,</L>
<L>Succeeds in his Amours: Whil&s;t the gay,</L>
<L>Well bred, hand&s;om wit, too oft mi&s;carries</L>
<L>By his un&s;ea&s;onable thrift.</L>
<L>'Tis we indeed, do all, gain us, and they are yours;</L>
<L>Proportion but your gifts, to your de&s;ires,</L>
<L>And you can never fail: Since to confe&s;s</L>
<L>The very truth, 'tis we that &s;et to &s;ale,</L>
<L>Their favours, and good graces of all &s;orts</L>
<L>And &s;izes, even from a &s;imple, &s;ingle &s;mile,</L>
<L>To full fruition, Sir.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Hold, hold, enough: the world cannot produce</L>
<L>Thy equal, here, here's Gold for thee.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Ly&s;et.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>For me, Sir, and why, I pray?</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>No matter Child, here's yet more take it,</L>
<L>And de&s;erve it, Girl.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Ly&s;et.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Let me but know which way,</L>
<L>And much may be done.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Why, watch <HI>Elvira</HI> narrowly, let not</L>
<L>One look, one &s;mile e&s;cape thy diligence,</L>
<L>Never be from her, but be a con&s;tant Spy</L>
<L>On all her actions.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Ly&s;et.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Ple do't:</L>
<PB N="12" REF="11">
<L>And yet, I doubt, I &s;hall but lo&s;e</L>
<L>My labour, and you your mony,</L>
<L>At lea&s;t, if you expect any thing</L>
<L>Extraordinary from my ob&s;ervations.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>No matter, I'le venter my money.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Ley&s;t.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>And I my pains: tho I am confident</L>
<L>You will be &s;trangely di&s;appointed,</L>
<L>When from an exact Diary of all her</L>
<L>Actions, you will only find, that of</L>
<L>Sixteen long hours, &s;he dayly &s;pends,</L>
<L>At lea&s;t twelve in Prayer, or ful&s;om</L>
<L>Dalliance with her onw lawful Husband.</L>
<L>And &s;o I am your Humble Servant, Sir.</L>
<STAGE>Ex Ly&s;et.</STAGE>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Go on, and pro&s;per Girl:</L>
<L>For if I catch <HI>Elvira</HI> tripping,</L>
<L>Or can but find the lea&s;t appearance of a &s;lip,</L>
<L>I'le quickly make a Mountain of a Molehill.</L>
<L>Then to <HI>Grammount</HI> I'le go, and tell him all,</L>
<L>Yet &s;eem to leave much more behind untold:</L>
<L>So make him beg to know, what known &s;hall pinch</L>
<L>And gall him to the quick. They love too well</L>
<L>For Man and Wife, and what's yet wor&s;e,</L>
<L>So good an under&s;tanding between them,</L>
<L>Sutes not with mine, nor with my Uncles purpo&s;es.</L>
<L>But he retuns not, as I thought he would,</L>
<L>And to find out the rea&s;on, much perplexes me.</L>
<L>But &s;ee, where he comes, all melancholy,</L>
<L>Sad and pen&s;ive, almo&s;t lo&s;t in his own</L>
<L>Wild di&s;tracting thoughts. The Devil now works</L>
<L>Hard, and I'le not be his hindrance: But wait,</L>
<L>Then take my time to lend a helping hand,</L>
<L>In this our common Bu&s;ine&s;s.</L>
<STAGE>He retires to a corner of the Stage.</STAGE>
<STAGE><HI>Enter</HI> Beaufort.</STAGE>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Beauf.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>How poor,</L>
<L>And how contempt<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter">ble a thing is man,</L>
<L>Made but more wretched, by tho&s;e very &s;ame</L>
<L>Di&s;tinctive faculties of the Soul,</L>
<L>Which yet &s;eem to &s;ooth, and flatter him,</L>
<L>With an imaginary Excellence,</L>
<L>Above the re&s;t of the Creation.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<PB N="13" REF="11">
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Good!</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Beauf.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Rea&s;on, what art thou, but the very &s;ource,</L>
<L>And &s;pring, from whence flow all our mi&s;eries?</L>
<L>Thou art that glimm'ring light, by which alone,</L>
<L>We can di&s;cern tho&s;e crimes, which otherwi&s;e,</L>
<L>We n'er had under&s;tood; at lea&s;t, as &s;uch.</L>
<L>And &s;o had known no guilt.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Better and better!</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Beauf.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Our phlegmatick dull Prie&s;ts, have all mi&s;took</L>
<L>Their errand &s;ure, and gro&s;ly hitherto</L>
<L>Impo&s;ed upon the credulous world:</L>
<L>Whil&s;t with an erring Zeal, they've preach'd down Lu&s;t,</L>
<L>Yet given a Pa&s;s, to more pernicious Love.</L>
<L>For Lu&s;t is, at the wor&s;t, but a brisk,</L>
<L>Generous heat, and natural ferment</L>
<L>Of the blood, lay'd by the next dear Child</L>
<L>Of joy, that dares contribute to the cure.</L>
<L>But when the Devil tempts us to love one,</L>
<L>And only one: not all the Sex be&s;ide,</L>
<L>Can quench the helli&s;h flame;</L>
<L>But be &s;he Mother, Daughter, Aunt, or Niece,</L>
<L>How near &s;oever tyed to us by Blood,</L>
<L>It matters not: She, &s;he alone can cure,</L>
<L>That gave the fatal wound.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp&punc;</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>He's fa&s;t enough, I am &s;ure, now I'le bolt.</L>
<L>If I dare venture to approach you, Sir,</L>
<L>It is with the &s;ame awful reverence,</L>
<L>As penitent &s;inners do th' offended Gods:</L>
<L>With the &s;ame humble hopes too, that at length</L>
<L>Your mercy, o'r your ju&s;tice, may prevail;</L>
<L>Pard'ning tho&s;e crimes I have with tears bewayl'd,</L>
<L>And would have expiated with my blood,</L>
<L>Would you have &s;uffer'd it.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Beauf.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Ha! <HI>Dampierre,</HI></L>
<L>And in this humble po&s;ture too, nay then,</L>
<L>No change, to me, can ever appear &s;trange:</L>
<L>Since in &s;o very, very, &s;mall a time,</L>
<L>Thou art turn'd Saint, and I a Devil.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Far be it, Sir, from me to a&s;&s;ume</L>
<L>The Glorious title of a Saint, and yet,</L>
<PB N="14" REF="12">
<L>A very little time, may u&s;her in</L>
<L>Strange alterations. Believe mine real then,</L>
<L>And make your vertue, as remarkable</L>
<L>In pard'ning, as in cen&s;uring, a crime</L>
<L>Committed but in thought, and hatched there</L>
<L>Only by too warm a zeal, for the great</L>
<L><HI>Beauforts</HI> Service.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Beauf.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Cur&s;e on thy ill tim'd change,</L>
<L>Which only comes, un&s;ea&s;onably now,</L>
<L>To upbraid my weakne&s;s.</L>
<L>Pard'n thee! Yes, withall my heart I pard'n thee,</L>
<L>But on this one condition let it be,</L>
<L>That thou n'er talk to m<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter"> of vertue more.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Alas, what mean you, Sir?</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Beauf.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Be wicked &s;till;</L>
<L>Be vitious, as thou ever wert,</L>
<L>Go boldly on, and &s;top at nothing.</L>
<L>Thy wanton fancy, repre&s;ents as plea&s;ing</L>
<L>To thy &s;en&s;es, but gratifie'em all,</L>
<L>Even to a loath'd &s;atiety.</L>
<L>Then come, and waving all unea&s;ie qualms,</L>
<L>Teach by experience the va&s;t plea&s;ure</L>
<L>Of unbounded vice: gladly I'le hear thee,</L>
<L>And become thy wanton Pro&s;elyte, my great,</L>
<L>My glorious Ma&s;ter.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Heaven protect you, Sir,</L>
<L>Now you talk &s;trangely; perhaps you doubt me,</L>
<L>And this way only hope to learn the truth:</L>
<L>For you, I know, are eminently good</L>
<L>And vertuous.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Beauf.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Hah! that lie will damm thee</L>
<L>Pa&s;t all hopes of mercy: I am nor good,</L>
<L>Nor vertuous, but, by much, more wicked,</L>
<L>Than an hone&s;t heart dares think. I rage,</L>
<L>I burn in an Unlawful, and Ince&s;tuous flame:</L>
<L>Alas! there's a perpetual tumult</L>
<L>In my di&s;tracted mind, nor can I fix</L>
<L>One wandering thought, but what &s;till leads me</L>
<L>To the very brink of Hell. Oh <HI>Elvira</HI>&mdash;</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<PB N="15" REF="12">
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Forget her, Sir, I once dearly lov'd her,</L>
<L>Yet when I found &s;he could prefer,</L>
<L>My Brother's tardy pa&s;&s;ion before mine,</L>
<L>I quickly &s;hook the lazy off, and</L>
<L>With an indiffernt eye, could &s;afely gaze</L>
<L>On all tho&s;e Beauties I before adored.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Beauf.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Forget her! no, too ea&s;ily alas!</L>
<L>I can forget that &s;he is <HI>Grammount</HI>'s Wife,</L>
<L>Or <HI>Beaufort</HI>'s Niece, but that &s;he is fair,</L>
<L>That &s;he is charming, above all others</L>
<L>Of her Beauteous Sex, that, that, I never</L>
<L>Can forget.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>If you mu&s;t think on her,</L>
<L>Think then, at the &s;ame time, on her too rigid</L>
<L>Vertue, that eternal bar to all your</L>
<L>Guilty hopes.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Beauf.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>There is no bar to impetuous Love,</L>
<L>At lea&s;t, Vertue I'am &s;ure is but a weak one.</L>
<L>But why do I vainly talk of Vertue?</L>
<L>I am convinced, there's no &s;uch thing on Earth.</L>
<L>No, all's but pretence, all's meer Hypocri&s;ie.</L>
<L>Look <HI>Dampierre,</HI> round this va&s;t Machine the World,</L>
<L>'Tis but a larger Theater, on which</L>
<L>Each skilful Actor, plays that part alone,</L>
<L>Which, for his profit, he can manage be&s;t.</L>
<L>Come then unmask: thou &s;ee&s;t my naked heart,</L>
<L>To all the world be&s;ide, be the reformed,</L>
<L>The good, the pious <HI>Dampierre,</HI> but to me,</L>
<L>Be what thou ever wert.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Hah! what's that, Sir?</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Beauf.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Nay perhaps I may not find a name for't,</L>
<L>That may plea&s;e you: But to be plain, and &s;hort,</L>
<L>Help me to the enjoyment of <HI>Elvira,</HI></L>
<L>And I'll di&s;claim <HI>Grammount,</HI> I'll cut off all</L>
<L>His fairer hopes, to make a way for thee,</L>
<L>My darling, to the po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ion of my</L>
<L>Envied Wealth.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<PB N="16" REF="13">
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Mi&s;led, by a too ha&s;ty Zeal,</L>
<L>I made an offer once, not all your wealth,</L>
<L>Nor even that of the whole world,</L>
<L>Can e're prevail with me to make again</L>
<L>That kindne&s;s then was &s;lighted, &s;corn'd, repai'd</L>
<L>With cruel injuries, and a boi&s;terous</L>
<L>Storm of black reproaches.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Beauf.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Upbraid me not</L>
<L>With what is pa&s;t.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>By what is pa&s;t, I but</L>
<L>Too plainly &s;ee, the kind return my be&s;t</L>
<L>Endeavours, for your &s;ervice, in that kind,</L>
<L>Are &s;ure to meet with.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Beauf.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>By various and in&s;ulting Pa&s;&s;ions agitated,</L>
<L>I felt unheard of torments in my mind,</L>
<L>My very Soul was, as it were, &s;tretched on</L>
<L>The Rack, and all that &s;torm, was nought but the</L>
<L>Strong Convul&s;ions of a dying Vertue.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Heaven forbid, the generous <HI>Beaufort</HI></L>
<L>So much renowned for &s;olid Vertue, &s;hould</L>
<L>In a Storm of Pa&s;&s;ion, yet make &s;hipwreck</L>
<L>Of it all: No, to the Wars, Sir, there&mdash;</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Beauf.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Talk not to me of War, too long already</L>
<L>I have toyl'd i'th' barren Fields of <HI>Mars,</HI></L>
<L>Wa&s;ted my Youth and Vigor in rough Camps,</L>
<L>And bloody broils: Deaf to the Virgins Plaints,</L>
<L>The Widows Cur&s;es, or the Orphans Cries,</L>
<L>For Lovers, Husbands, Parents, Butcher'd all</L>
<L>In hateful War. In &s;hort, I loath that Trade</L>
<L>Of cutting throats, and am re&s;olv'd henceforth</L>
<L>To Love, and that <HI>Elvira</HI> too.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Oh, Sir, think what the cen&s;orious world will &s;ay.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Beauf.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>E'en let the world &s;ay what it will:</L>
<L>I care not, &s;he, I'm &s;ure, is a meer</L>
<L>Stranger to my blood. Come then, be once more</L>
<L>Kind, I know thou lov'&s;t me, <HI>Dampierre,</HI></L>
<L>I know thou do'&s;t.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Dam.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>You may be well a&s;&s;ured I do.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<PB N="17" REF="13">
<SPEAKER>Beauf.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>O let me embrace, and hold thee in the&s;e Arms,</L>
<L>Till thou ha&s;t granted all I can de&s;ire.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Had you before been half thus kind?</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Beauf.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>It is not now too late.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Fool that I am, to &s;tand here, only to</L>
<L>Be tempted to my Ruin. Oh! why</L>
<L>Do I not rather fly, not from you only,</L>
<L>But, for your &s;ake, from all Mankind?</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Beauf.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Nay, now thou art too cruel: Come, thou mu&s;t,</L>
<L>Thou &s;halt, thou wilt.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Alas! What would you have me do?</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Beauf.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Go to <HI>Elvira.</HI></L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Well, for once I will.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Beauf.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Tell her&mdash;by Heav'n I know not what&mdash;tell her&mdash;</L>
<L>Yes&mdash;if &s;he delights in martial Stories,</L>
<L>Tell her the many glorious Deeds I've done</L>
<L>In War, the bloody Battles I have won,</L>
<L>The Towns I have taken: Tell her, in &s;hort,</L>
<L>All that may make her hearken to the Name</L>
<L>Of <HI>Beaufort</HI> with Delight.</L>
<L>Then, in a gentle Sigh, tell her I die</L>
<L>For Love, and if, after all that, thou dare&s;t</L>
<L>Proceed yet further, tell her at la&s;t</L>
<L>It is for her I die.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Something like this, I am re&s;olved to do,</L>
<L>But cannot yet tell what. I&punc;ll in&s;tantly</L>
<L>Go to her, and with my utmo&s;t Cunning</L>
<L>Try to dive to the very bottom</L>
<L>Of her Heart: Where if I find yet any</L>
<L>Room for a new Pa&s;&s;ion, you may be well</L>
<L>A&s;&s;ured, that to your be&s;t Advantage,</L>
<L>I will turn the Weakne&s;s of her yielding Mind.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Beauf.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Go, fly: Oh may we both &s;ucce&s;sful prove,</L>
<L>Thou in thy &s;ubtle Arts, and I in love.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<TRAILER>The End of the Second Act.</TRAILER>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 N="3" TYPE="act">
<HEAD>ACT III. SCENE I. <HI>A Fore&s;t.</HI></HEAD>
<STAGE>Leonora <HI>alone.</HI></STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Leon.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>WHil&s;t all rejoyce, <HI>Montigny,</HI> at thy &s;tay, only wa&s;te in Tears the time away:</L>
<L>Uncertain, what to hope, or what to fear,</L>
<L>I wi&s;h thee gone, yet fain would keep thee here.</L>
<PB N="18" REF="14">
<L>All <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter">ays I try, to cha&s;e thee from my mind,</L>
<L>All Arts I u&s;e, yet can no Comfort find:</L>
<L>For if, t'elude the Torments I endure,</L>
<L>My Hopes from Ab&s;ence &s;eem t<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter"> expect a Cure;</L>
<L>Even tho&s;e Hopes ridiculous appear,</L>
<L>Since how can he be ab&s;ent who's lodg'd here?</L>
<STAGE>Laying her Hand on her Heart.</STAGE>
<L>A welcom, yet a fatal Gue&s;t to me,</L>
<L>Whil&s;t I the Pri&s;oner am, and he is free.</L>
<L>What then, poor <HI>Leonora,</HI> wilt thou do,</L>
<L>Thou love&s;t alas! but art forbid to woo,</L>
<L>That is Man's dear prerogative alone,</L>
<L>Thou mu&s;t in &s;ecret &s;igh, in &s;ecret moan:</L>
<L>And taught by &s;tricter Rules of Mode&s;ty,</L>
<L>What mo&s;t thou lov'&s;t thou mu&s;t pretend to flie.</L>
<L>Thus &s;trangely wretched, &s;urely there can be,</L>
<L>For all thy Woes, but one &s;ad Remedy:</L>
<L>Die then, yet in thy Death, &s;o lucky prove,</L>
<L>That all the World may know, thou died&s;t for love.</L>
<L>Each Poet then, thy Pa&s;&s;ion will rehear&s;e,</L>
<L>Sing thy &s;ad Fate in everla&s;ting Ver&s;e,</L>
<L>And every Lover &s;trew thy pa&s;&s;ing Her&s;e.</L>
<STAGE><HI>Enter</HI> Elvira <HI>and</HI> Ly&s;ette.</STAGE>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Lyf.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>See Madam, where &s;he is.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Elv.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Retire a little.</L>
<STAGE><HI>Ex.</HI> Ly&s;ette</STAGE>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Leon.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Oh Heavens! I am &s;urpriz'd.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Elv.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>What? in this di&s;mal &s;olitary Place</L>
<L>Alone, and all in Tears, my Dear?</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Leon.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Tho&s;e treacherous Teras will be my Ruine.</L>
<STAGE>A&s;ide.</STAGE>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Elv.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Nay, &s;eek not to hide 'em from your deare&s;t</L>
<L>Friend, that would be too unkind: Oh! rather,</L>
<L>Let me know the unhappy Cau&s;e of this</L>
<L>Di&s;order.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Leon.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>I will, but you &s;hall pa&s;s your Word then,</L>
<L>Not to laugh at me.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Elv.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>My deare&s;t Child, I do,</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Leon.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Nay, but I am confident you will laugh,</L>
<L>Since I my &s;elf indeed, can &s;carce forbear,</L>
<L>When I reflect on it.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Elv.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>I will not,</L>
<L>Nay, I cannot laugh at what moves thee to weep.</L>
<L>Thy Tears, my Dear, would extort Pity</L>
<L>From an Enemy, much more from one that loves thee.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Leon.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>This your unmerited Kindne&s;s, Madam,</L>
<L>makes me yet more a&s;hamed than ever,</L>
<L>To betray my Folly&punc; For it was nothing more,</L>
<PB N="19" REF="14">
<L>Believe me, than a meer childi&s;h Pa&s;&s;ion.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Elv.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Whate'er it was, imparting it to me,</L>
<L>You will oblige me much.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Leon.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Were it a Secret,</L>
<L>Or of the lea&s;t Importance, I would ne'er</L>
<L>Try to conceal it from you: Be &s;o kind,</L>
<L>Dear Madam, as to impute my Folly</L>
<L>To my tender Years.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Elv.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Ah <HI>Leonora!</HI></L>
<L>'Tis not your Folly, but your Cunning now,</L>
<L>That I have rea&s;on to complain of.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Leon.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Were I as capable of Cunning, Madam,</L>
<L>As you believe I am, yet certainly</L>
<L>I would not u&s;e it to impo&s;e on you,</L>
<L>To whom I &s;tand &s;o many ways engag'd.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Elv.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>I know you ought not, yet I'm &s;ure you do.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Leon.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Su&s;pect it not, indeed you wrong me much.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Elv.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>No, 'tis you that wrong your &s;elf, wrong me,</L>
<L>And all our mutual Vows of Friend&s;hip too.</L>
<L>For know, that with no &s;mall concern of late,</L>
<L>I have ob&s;erv&punc;d your gayer Humour fade,</L>
<L>And change into a &s;ad, dull and deadly</L>
<L>Melancholy: With Grief I have beheld</L>
<L>You fly all &s;orts of plea&s;ing Company,</L>
<L>Only to court Retirement in &s;ome Grove.</L>
<L>This made me &s;et <HI>Ly&s;ette</HI> to watch your Steps,</L>
<L>By whom, ju&s;t now inform'd, That you were gone</L>
<L>This way alone, I quickly follow'd you,</L>
<L>Tho' not without &s;ome Apprehen&s;ions,</L>
<L>From the di&s;mal Wildne&s;s of this uncouth place,</L>
<L>Altho' I knew <HI>Montigny</HI> and <HI>Grammount,</HI></L>
<L>Were here before, &s;eeking Diver&s;ion&punc;</L>
<L>In the&s;e o'ergrown Woods. Come then confe&s;s,</L>
<L>What brought you to this unfrequented place?</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Leon.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Ah, what would you have me do?</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Elv.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Tell me the Truth,</L>
<L>For &s;hould you &s;till endeavour to conceal it,</L>
<L>The &s;welling Secret would, in time,</L>
<L>Grow too unruly for your tender Brea&s;t,</L>
<L>And force its way, at la&s;t, with much more Noi&s;e,</L>
<L>And eager Violence, than would be fit</L>
<L>For &s;o much Innocence to own.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Leon.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>I yield:</L>
<L>Your kind and tender importunity,</L>
<L>At length has con<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter">uer'd all my Fears.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<PB N="20" REF="15">
<L>Share then that fatal &s;ecret which, of late,</L>
<L>Has robbed me of my Re&s;t, of all my Peace.</L>
<L>Yet &s;pare, oh &s;pare my Tongue, th'ungrateful Task,</L>
<L>Of naming what I &s;till mu&s;t blu&s;h to own:</L>
<L>But let the&s;e Tears convey it to your Brea&s;t,</L>
<L>Whil&s;t on my tender Knees I thus implore</L>
<L>Your Pity, and your Pardon.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Elv.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Ri&s;e, ri&s;e, my Dear,</L>
<L>Take this Ki&s;s, and with it too my pardon,</L>
<L>My Pity, and my faithful promi&s;e,</L>
<L>To a&s;&s;i&s;t thee in thy Love: For Love it is,</L>
<L>If I mu&s;t gue&s;s, that has po&s;&s;e&s;t thy Soul.</L>
<L>If &s;o, my Dear, you mu&s;t be plainer yet,</L>
<L>And name the happy object of your Vows</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Leon.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Ah Madam, I doubt I have already</L>
<L>Said too much, for &s;ee, my Brother coming,</L>
<L>Oh give me Leave to hide my Grief from him,</L>
<L>And all the World but you.</L>
<STAGE>Enter <HI>Dampierre. Leonora</HI> runs out, and <HI>Elvira</HI> offering to follow her, is &s;taid by <HI>Dampierre.</HI></STAGE>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Nay, Madam,</L>
<L>You mu&s;t excu&s;e my Rudene&s;s, I but &s;eize</L>
<L>The next at Hand, to know by what &s;trange fate</L>
<L><HI>Dampierre</HI> of late is grown &s;o terrible,</L>
<L>As to oblige you with &s;uch eager ha&s;te,</L>
<L>To fly him.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Elv.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>You cannot think your Si&s;ter &s;hould avoid you,</L>
<L>Nor ought you to believe I would.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>But, Madam, may I not believe my Eyes?</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Elv.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>You may, for they can only tell you,</L>
<L>That <HI>Leonora</HI> fled, and that I followed,</L>
<L>And all perhaps without one Thought of you.</L>
<L>But you of late are &s;trangely alter'd &s;ure,</L>
<L>You would not el&s;e &s;o ea&s;ily &s;u&s;pect</L>
<L>Your Friends of &s;o much incivility;</L>
<L>Believe me 'tis a Fault &s;carce pard'nable.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Since my too light Su&s;picion &s;eems a Crime,</L>
<L>With all Submi&s;&s;ion I intreat your Pardon:</L>
<L>Alas! I am no more the Man I was&mdash;</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Elv.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Why, what &s;trange Misfortune has befallen you?</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>So great a one i'th' per&s;on of my Friend,</L>
<L>As Heaven, in all its Anger, &s;carcely could.</L>
<L>Have &s;ent a greater. Ah! had tho&s;e fair Eyes,</L>
<L>Madam, beheld what the&s;e have lately &s;een,</L>
<PB N="21" REF="15">
<L>How much would they have lo&s;t, by this time</L>
<L>Of their wonted lu&s;tre: at lea&s;t, if &s;orrow,</L>
<L>Sighs, or frequent tears, could have dimini&s;ht it.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Elv.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>You think me very tender hearted &s;ure,</L>
<L>Or el&s;e have &s;ome &s;trange &s;tory to relate,</L>
<L>Extremely moving.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Believe me, Madam,</L>
<L>It is a tale would move the harde&s;t heart</L>
<L>To &s;ome compa&s;&s;ion: Think then, you &s;ee</L>
<L>A man, compleatly ble&s;t above all others,</L>
<L>In the riche&s;t gifts of Nature, and of</L>
<L>Fortune; a Man, renown'd abroad for Arms,</L>
<L>And no le&s;s famed at home for goodne&s;s,</L>
<L>And for Virtue.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Elv.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>You have &s;aid enough,</L>
<L>To let me know he is your Friend, who e're he be:</L>
<L>But &s;ure a Man of his high Character,</L>
<L>Can never prove unfortunate enough</L>
<L>To want our Pity.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Yet, Heaven knows, much more</L>
<L>Unfortunate he is, than either good,</L>
<L>Or great: In &s;hort, he Loves, Loves where he &s;carce</L>
<L>Dares ever hope to be belov'd again;</L>
<L>So, &s;adly lingers out a hated Life,</L>
<L>In all the torments of a deep de&s;pair.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Elv.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Believe me, 'tis pity he &s;hould &s;o mi&s;place,</L>
<L>His love on one, who &s;ure de&s;erves it not.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>I'll not pretend to rate her mighty worth,</L>
<L>But only tell you &s;he is wondrous fair,</L>
<L>Fair as the faire&s;t of her charming Sex;</L>
<L>Fair as <HI>Elvira,</HI> as hard hearted too;</L>
<L>And what's yet wor&s;t of all, like her, &s;he is</L>
<L>Married to another.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Elv.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>How! his pa&s;&s;ion</L>
<L>Then is criminal, and &s;hould be hopele&s;s.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>'Tis criminal indeed, and yet the crime,</L>
<L>Renders it but the more con&s;picuous;</L>
<L>Or if you will give me leave to &s;ay &s;o,</L>
<L>Meritorious; dear Devil tempt me not.</L>
<STAGE>A&s;ide.</STAGE>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Elv.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>I under&s;tand you not, or if I did,</L>
<L>I am not now at lei&s;ure to di&s;pute</L>
<L>The merits of a guilty pa&s;&s;ion:</L>
<L>But come, let us move homewards pray,</L>
<L>And leave the re&s;t to a more fitting time.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>No time more fitting; nor no place more free</L>
<L>Than this.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<PB N="22" REF="16">
<SPEAKER>Elv.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>But I am weary, and want re&s;t.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Here you may have it, if you plea&s;e,</L>
<L>I beg you would hear me.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Elv.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>I cannot now.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Say rather that you will not.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Elv.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>That would be rude.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>And therefore only will not hear, becau&s;e</L>
<L>It is th' unlucky <HI>Dampierre</HI> that entreats.</L>
<L>Ju&s;t Gods! mu&s;t I be &s;till neglected,</L>
<L>Still de&s;pi&s;ed, and whether for my &s;elf I plead,</L>
<L>Or for another, &s;till cut &s;hort? no, &s;tay,</L>
<L>And tho you'll hear no more of his &s;ad tale,</L>
<L>Be pleas'd at lea&s;t to lend an ear to mine.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Elv.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>What mean you, <HI>Dampierre?</HI></L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Since my friends pa&s;&s;ion is condemn'd, oh! give</L>
<L>Me Leave to entertain you with another;</L>
<L>Which tho not wholly innocent, perhaps,</L>
<L>Yet owing all it has of guilt in it,</L>
<L>To you alone, by you at lea&s;t, &s;hould be</L>
<L>E&s;teem'd as &s;o.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Elv.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>You grow my&s;terious now,</L>
<L>Your looks are wild, and you much di&s;compos'd.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Behold me well: And in the&s;e troubled looks</L>
<L>Read the di&s;order of my Soul; &s;pringing</L>
<L>From Love, oppo&s;ed by hatred and more &s;weet</L>
<L>Revenge. Do you not tremble, Madam?</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Elv.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Why &s;hould I tremble?</L>
<L>If Heaven, as I believe, protects</L>
<L>The Innocent, I am &s;ecure enough.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>You are indeed, for love at length has got</L>
<L>The day; that little God, tho di&s;po&s;&s;e&s;t</L>
<L>Some time by my too ju&s;t re&s;entment,</L>
<L>Is now return'd Victorious to his Throne,</L>
<L>And firmly rein&s;tated in the Empire</L>
<L>Of my heart.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Elv.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>I do begin to under&s;tand you now:</L>
<L>But <HI>Dampierre,</HI> have a care, de&s;i&s;t in time,</L>
<L>All yet is well: but if you dare proceed,</L>
<L><HI>Grammount</HI> &s;hall &s;urely know your good de&s;ign.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Tu&s;h:</L>
<L>Meer bugbear words to &s;care young &s;inners with;</L>
<L>You would fain make me angry,</L>
<L>But I at pre&s;ent want the lei&s;ure:</L>
<L>A &s;ofer, nobler pa&s;&s;ion rules my Soul.</L>
<L>I am all Love, all Fire, my wanton blood</L>
<PB N="23" REF="16">
<L>Runs high, ready to force a pa&s;&s;age</L>
<L>Through my di&s;tended veins.</L>
<L>This gloomy place, invites us too to Love,</L>
<L>Who&s;e kinder &s;hades, not only will conceal</L>
<L>Our amorous Thefts, but even forbidding</L>
<L>Entrance to the Sun,</L>
<L>Will &s;hroud us in an artificial night:</L>
<L>That all things may be done with greater decency.</L>
<L>Come then,</L>
<STAGE>Offers to ki&s;s her hand.</STAGE>
<L>Take this warm earne&s;t of a greater Bli&s;s,</L>
<L>And think, with how much plea&s;ure to your &s;elf,</L>
<L>You may in one poor fleeting minutes time,</L>
<L>Even o'erpay me for an age of &s;ufferings.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Elv.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Mon&s;ter of a Man, Villain unhand me,</L>
<L>Let me quickly go, or I will fill the&s;e Woods</L>
<L>With cries, &s;uch moving cries, as &s;hall awake,</L>
<L>And from their di&s;mal hollow caverns draw,</L>
<L>Each nobler Bea&s;t of prey to be a Guard</L>
<L>To me, to thee ba&s;e wretch, a &s;hame and terrour.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Come, come you need not u&s;e the&s;e common arts,</L>
<L>The&s;e faint denials, little &s;trugling fits</L>
<L>May &s;erve indeed as whets, to a weak</L>
<L>And puleing appetite: But mine is &s;harp, wound</L>
<L>To the utmo&s;t pitch, keen as the greedy Hawks,</L>
<L>That's ready ju&s;t to &s;eize his long'd for prey.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Elv.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L><HI>Ly&s;ette, Ly&s;ette:</HI></L>
<L>Ra&s;h, heedle&s;s Girl, oh whither art thou fled?</L>
<L>And thou, my dear <HI>Grammount,</HI> where art thou</L>
<L>Now? the di&s;tre&s;s'd <HI>Elvira</HI> wants thy help.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Call louder yet, he an&s;wers not, perhaps</L>
<L>He may not now &s;o much as think of you:</L>
<L>At lea&s;t you &s;ee he is not here to help you,</L>
<L>Therefore be wi&s;e, and what you cannot</L>
<L>Hope to avoid, &s;ubmit to patiently.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Elv.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Villain thou lie&s;t, he's in the&s;e very Woods.</L>
<L>Tremble, ba&s;e wretch, at the bare thoughts</L>
<L>Of his approach; for tho he be not yet</L>
<L>Within the reach of my too feeble voice,</L>
<L>I doubt not but ju&s;t Heaven will &s;end him,</L>
<L>Either to re&s;cue, or revenge his dear <HI>Elvira:</HI></L>
<L>And either way, to thy Confu&s;ion Mon&s;ter.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Hah! &s;ay you &s;o, what mu&s;t be done then,</L>
<L>Mu&s;t be quickly done: and when 'tis done,</L>
<L>I'll tru&s;t thee for betraying thy own &s;hame</L>
<L>Scarce forty paces hence, there is a gloomy</L>
<PB N="24" REF="17">
<L>Place &s;o private, as if kind nature had</L>
<L>Contrived it only for our u&s;e: There at</L>
<L>Thy beauteous &s;hrine, I ll offer up my be&s;t</L>
<L>Devotions; and fill thee with &s;uch melting</L>
<L>Joys, as fir&s;t &s;hall tempt thee to forgive,</L>
<L>Then make thee beg me to renew the Offence.</L>
<L>Nay hang not back, for if you do, by Heaven</L>
<L>I'll drag you thither.</L>
<STAGE>Offers to force her.</STAGE>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Elv.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Oh all you ju&s;ter</L>
<L>Powers above, &s;end &s;ome relief: or give me</L>
<L>Strength enough to puni&s;h the ba&s;e Villain.</L>
<L>Help, help, for Heaven's &s;ake help.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Hah! what envious Devil has &s;ent him?</L>
<L>Oh, Madam, dry up tho&s;e precious Tears,</L>
<L>Forbear tho&s;e Cries, whil&s;t <HI>Dampierre</HI> lives</L>
<L>You're &s;afe enough.</L>
<STAGE>He di&s;co<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter">ers <HI>Montigny</HI> at a di&s;tance.</STAGE>
<STAGE><HI>Enter</HI> Montigny.</STAGE>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Mont.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Whence came tho&s;e di&s;mal Cries?</L>
<L>Hah; was it you, Madam, that &s;o loudly</L>
<L>Call'd for help, &s;peak, Madam, &s;peak I beg you,</L>
<L>What means this &s;trange di&s;order in your looks,</L>
<L>Or do thou <HI>Dampierre,</HI> I conjure thee, tell me</L>
<L>What was the matter?</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>I know not I,</L>
<L>She &s;urely be&s;t can tell what caus'd her fear:</L>
<L>Fortune, and her loud cries, directed me,</L>
<L><HI>Montigny,</HI> as they have brought you hither.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Elv.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Generous <HI>Montigny,</HI> wa&s;te not the time</L>
<L>In fruitle&s;s que&s;tions, but rather</L>
<L>If you have any friend&s;hip for <HI>Grammount,</HI></L>
<L>Help, O quickly help me hence,</L>
<L>Whil&s;t I have yet &s;ome little &s;trength</L>
<L>Remaining.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>If <HI>Dampierre,</HI> Madam,</L>
<L>May in any thing be &s;erviceable,</L>
<L>Pray be &s;o free as to command him too.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Elv.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Mon&s;ter, avoid my &s;ight.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Hear you that, <HI>Montigny,</HI></L>
<L>Look to her well, for much I fear &s;he's craz'd.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Elv.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Oh horrid impudence! but come, let us,</L>
<L><HI>Montigny,</HI> fly this fatal place:</L>
<L>And yet my trembling joynts an&s;wer my ha&s;te</L>
<L>But ill.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Mont.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Fear nothing, Madam, but accept this hard</L>
<L>For your &s;upport.</L>
<STAGE><HI>Ex.</HI> Mont. <HI>and</HI> Elv.</STAGE>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<PB N="25" REF="17">
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Impudence a&s;&s;i&s;t me now,</L>
<L>Or el&s;e this one rever&s;e of Fortune</L>
<L>Ruins all, renders abortive all the</L>
<L>Hopeful projects of my labouring brain,</L>
<L>And leaves me naked to the mercy</L>
<L>Of offended ju&s;tice. Cur&s;e on my rebellious Blood,</L>
<L>Cur&s;e on that flatt'ring opportunity,</L>
<L>Which &s;miled on, yet betray'd, my deare&s;t hopes.</L>
<STAGE><HI>Enter</HI> Grammount.</STAGE>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Gram.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Well met Brother, &s;aw you <HI>Montigny?</HI></L>
<L>I lo&s;t him &s;trangely.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Dam.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Yes, ju&s;t now I &s;aw him.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Gram.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Where, which way is he gone?</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Dam.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Homewards I think,</L>
<L>But make not too much ha&s;te to overtake</L>
<L>Him, lea&s;t you &s;hould chance to come</L>
<L>Before you are welcome.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Gram.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>What mean you, <HI>Dampierre?</HI></L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>I mean, that he's already in good Company,</L>
<L>And would not willingly admit of more.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Gram.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>I fear it not, my friend to me is ever</L>
<L>Welcome, and by my &s;elf I judge of him.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>You may, and yet may be mi&s;taken too:</L>
<L>There are &s;ome certain times and &s;ea&s;ons,</L>
<L>When even the very be&s;t of friends</L>
<L>Are but importunate.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Gram.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>That very minute,</L>
<L>My friend &s;hould think me &s;o, I &s;hould think him</L>
<L>No more my friend.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Be not too po&s;itive:</L>
<L>Suppo&s;e an a&s;&s;ignation made by thee</L>
<L><HI>Grammount,</HI> to meet &s;ome kind, &s;ome yielding fair,</L>
<L>Here in this very favourable place;</L>
<L>And when that you were ready ju&s;t to reap,</L>
<L>The deare&s;t fruits of many waking nights,</L>
<L>And painfull days, your friend &s;hould then, ju&s;t then</L>
<L>Rudely ru&s;h in to interrupt your joys.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Gram.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>You are wanton, <HI>Dampierre,</HI> but at pre&s;ent</L>
<L>That's not <HI>Montigny</HI>'s ca&s;e I'm &s;ure.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>I hope it is not, yet I'll not &s;wear</L>
<L>For any one.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Gram.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Why, hope it is not?</L>
<L>Pray tell me, what from <HI>Montigny</HI>'s Conduct,</L>
<L>Can you, <HI>Dampierre,</HI> have, either to hope,</L>
<L>Or fear?</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<PB N="26" REF="18">
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Oh much, too much indeed,</L>
<L>Or el&s;e the&s;e eyes are &s;hamefully mi&s;taken.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Gram.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>This is all riddle, prithee be plainer.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>You will allow, <HI>Grammount,</HI></L>
<L>That when two equal Game&s;ters meet to play</L>
<L>Upon the &s;quare, each with a high opinion</L>
<L>Of the others honour, if in that ca&s;e,</L>
<L>The one play foul, the other is thereby</L>
<L>Expo&s;ed to a more certain lo&s;s,</L>
<L>Than if he playd with one he knew to be</L>
<L>The mo&s;t notorious Cheat alive?</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Gram.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>No doubt o'nt, his confidence in th' others</L>
<L>Honour, makes him carele&s;s, blind to all</L>
<L>Tho&s;e little tricks, which in another,</L>
<L>He would &s;oon di&s;cover.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Well then, there's none &s;o likely to di&s;cern the fraud;</L>
<L>As &s;ome good skillful hone&s;t &s;tander by&punc;</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Gram.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>'Tis granted.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>I am that hone&s;t &s;tander by,</L>
<L>Who in a &s;trange unequal game, &s;ee thee,</L>
<L><HI>Grammount,</HI> mo&s;t mi&s;erably cheated:</L>
<L>Y<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="2 letters"> m<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter">re, I am your Brother, which ought</L>
<L>At lea&s;t to add &s;ome weight to what I &s;ay.</L>
<L>Take my advice then, e're it be too late,</L>
<L>And of a<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter">l men beware <HI>Montigny,</HI></L>
<L>By whom you are betray'd, wrong'd, and abus'd,</L>
<L>Beyond all patience.</L>
<L>In &s;hort, all in this world you hold mo&s;t dear,</L>
<L>Eyes now at &s;take, whil&s;t he, that treacherous friend,</L>
<L>Plays foul, &s;hamefully foul, thinking at one</L>
<L>Well managed throw, to rob you of your re&s;t,</L>
<L>Your honour, fixing an everla&s;ting &s;tain</L>
<L>On you, and all your injur'd family;</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Gram.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>My honour, <HI>Dampierre? Montigny</HI> &s;eek to</L>
<L>Rob me of my Honour? Have a care,</L>
<L>And it thou lov&punc;&s;t thy &s;elf-proceed no farther.</L>
<L>By heaven, thou art not &s;afe, unle&s;s thou can&s;t</L>
<L>So plainly prove each guilty circum&s;tance</L>
<L>Again&s;t him, as can leave no room for doubt.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Having di&s;charg'd my duty I have done&punc;</L>
<L>If you are carele&s;s, well may I be &s;o:</L>
<L>For tho I firmly do believe you wrong&punc;d,</L>
<L>Yet is it not impo&s;&s;ible for me</L>
<L>To be mi&s;taken, &s;ince chance perhaps,</L>
<L>Not a&s;&s;ignation, may have brought them hither.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<PB N="27" REF="18">
<SPEAKER>Gram.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Cur&s;e on thy double Tongue, hold me not thus</L>
<L>In doubt: but tell me quickly, what chance,</L>
<L>What a&s;&s;ignation do'&s;t thou dream of, Hah!</L>
<L>Tell me, who were they thou &s;aw'&s;t here?</L>
<L>Speak, wretch, &s;peak, or by all that's &s;acred</L>
<L>I &s;hall forget thou art my Brother.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>You are &s;trangely pa&s;&s;ionate, tho all at la&s;t</L>
<L>May come to nothing: I only &s;ay</L>
<L>I &s;aw 'em here, I mean <HI>Montigny</HI> and <HI>Elvira,</HI></L>
<L>Here in this di&s;mal &s;olitary place,</L>
<L>Alone too, but what of that, all places</L>
<L>Are alike, company, or no company,</L>
<L>'Tis all one, you now, to per&s;ons that</L>
<L>Are vertuou&s;ly inclined. And if you can</L>
<L>Believe them &s;uch, why, there's an end of all.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Gram.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Ju&s;t Gods! that I &s;hould ever live to hear,</L>
<L>The &s;ofte&s;t, tendere&s;t Wife, and true&s;t friend</L>
<L>Thus to my face abu&s;ed, yet mu&s;t not puni&s;h</L>
<L>The offender.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>You wrong your &s;elf, <HI>Grammount,</HI></L>
<L>In ra&s;hly blaming me, who jealous of</L>
<L>Your Honour, do in pure kindne&s;s only,</L>
<L>Speak my rea&s;onable fears.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Gram.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>True:</L>
<L>I wrong my &s;elf, my Wife, my Friend, and thee,</L>
<L>In blaming thee good, hone&s;t <HI>Dampierre:</HI></L>
<L>Indeed I am a&s;hamed, that by too prompt</L>
<L>A pa&s;&s;ion, I &s;hould &s;eem to give thee &s;o</L>
<L>Much credit, as &s;hould make me entertain</L>
<L>The lea&s;t &s;u&s;picion, either of <HI>Elvira</HI></L>
<L>Or <HI>Montigny.</HI> Farewell unworthy man,</L>
<L>Be not hereafter &s;o extremely jealous</L>
<L>Of my honour, but con&s;ult your own.</L>
<L>And know, I wear a Sword, will do me right</L>
<L>Again&s;t all the world except a Brother.</L>
<STAGE>Ex. Gram.</STAGE>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>So, now 'tis all again&s;t <HI>Dampierre,</HI></L>
<L><HI>Dampierre</HI> again&s;t all: no matter,</L>
<L>Thanks be to Fortune, and my lucky brain,</L>
<L>All things do yet go rea&s;onably well.</L>
<L>I have, by way of accu&s;ation,</L>
<L>Got the &s;tart both of <HI>Montigny</HI> and <HI>Elvira,</HI></L>
<L>And that's no &s;mall advantage, in my ca&s;e.</L>
<L>For now whether <HI>Grammount</HI> begins with them,</L>
<L>Or they to him complain; in all appearance,</L>
<L>I am equally &s;ecure, &s;ince either way,</L>
<PB N="28" REF="19">
<L>Whate're is &s;aid of me, will &s;eem contriv'd</L>
<L>Only to bla&s;t my reputation,</L>
<L>And &s;o be all &s;u&s;pected: Wondrous good&punc;</L>
<L>Go bravely on then, <HI>Dampierre,</HI> pu&s;h at all,</L>
<L>Honour attends th' attempt, tho thou &s;hould&s;t fall.</L>
<TRAILER>The end of the Third ACT.</TRAILER>
</LG>
</SP>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 N="4" TYPE="act">
<HEAD>ACT IV. SCENE I.</HEAD>
<STAGE><HI>Enter</HI> Elvira <HI>and</HI> Leonora.</STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>E<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 span"></SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>'TIs true, my Dear, your incon&s;iderate</L>
<L>And ha&s;ty flight, was tho the innocent,</L>
<L><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 word"> the only cau&s;e of that adventu<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter">e.</L>
<L>Alas! I tremble when I reflect</L>
<L><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 word"> th<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter"> great danger you were in, and blu&s;h</L>
<L><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 word"> I con&s;ider I mu&s;t call him Brother,</L>
<L>Who could be guilty of &s;o barbarous</L>
<L>An attempt.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Elv.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>No more of that, for if you</L>
<L>Call him Brother, &s;o does my dear <HI>Grammount,</HI></L>
<L>From whom with care this &s;ecret mu&s;t be kept,</L>
<L>Lea&s;t a too ju&s;t re&s;entment &s;hould tran&s;port,</L>
<L>And hurry him beyond the limits of</L>
<L>His u&s;ual moderation, &s;o engage</L>
<L>The family in &s;ad and endle&s;s broils.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Leon.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Your goodne&s;s, Madam, is beyond example,</L>
<L>But may there not be danger in it?</L>
<L>Some men are of &s;o ba&s;e a temper,</L>
<L>That a pard'n, proves but a new inducement</L>
<L>To 'em, to offend again.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Elv.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>'Tis in my power</L>
<L>To hinder his offending in that kind.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Leon.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>'Tis true, and yet I cannot choo&s;e but fear,</L>
<L>Tho what, or why, I mu&s;t confe&s;s I know not.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Elv</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Prethee no more of thy kind fears,</L>
<L>I apprehend not any thing, my dear,</L>
<L>Nor can I at the pre&s;ent think of ought</L>
<L>But of thy Pa&s;&s;ion, Child, 'tis a noble one,</L>
<L>Di&s;creetly placed grounded on rational hopes.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<PB N="29" REF="19">
<SPEAKER>Leon.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>For Heavens &s;ake, Madam&mdash;</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Elv.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Nay, do not blu&s;h:</L>
<L><HI>Montigny</HI>'s one of &s;uch undoubted worth,</L>
<L>As ju&s;tly may&mdash;but &s;ee where he comes,</L>
<L>Where is <HI>Grammount?</HI></L>
<STAGE><HI>Enter</HI> Montigny.</STAGE>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Mont.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Gone, Madam, to the Governours Apartment,</L>
<L>Where he continues very bu&s;ie in</L>
<L>Di&s;patching &s;ome affairs of great Concern.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Elv.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>It has been &s;till his chiefe&s;t care to ea&s;e</L>
<L>The Governour in all he could, and I</L>
<L>Am glad he &s;tudies to oblige &s;o good</L>
<L>And generous a Kin&s;man.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Mont.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>His merit ju&s;tly, Madam, claims that &s;ervice.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Elv.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>And my <HI>Grammount</HI> pays it mo&s;t willingly.</L>
<L>Would he were here.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Mont.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>I, Madam, wi&s;h it too,</L>
<L>Yet &s;omething within me, what I know not,</L>
<L>Checks the fond wi&s;h, and makes me almo&s;t dread</L>
<L>Th' encounter of my deare&s;t friend. Alas!</L>
<L>How can I ever look him in the Face</L>
<L>Again, or hear him call me by the name</L>
<L>Of friend, whil&s;t <HI>Dampierre</HI> lives.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Elv.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Can you believe you &s;hould oblige <HI>Grammount,</HI></L>
<L>In &s;pilling of his only Brothers Blood.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Mont.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>In puni&s;hing &s;o exqui&s;ite a Villain,</L>
<L>I do mo&s;t certainly believe I &s;hould.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Leon.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Yet that Villain &s;till, is <HI>Grammount</HI>'s Brother;</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Mont.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Brother, alas! what &s;ignifies the name</L>
<L>Or empty title of a Brother?</L>
<L>He who by vertue, or by kindne&s;s merits</L>
<L>The name of friend, is not a friend alone,</L>
<L>But even a Brother too, and much more &s;o,</L>
<L>Than is the wretch that only claims by blood.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Elv.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Too low methinks, <HI>Montigny,</HI> you depre&s;s</L>
<L>Tho&s;e &s;acred ties of blood, on which the world</L>
<L>Seems to rely &s;o much.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Leon.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Brother's a name</L>
<L>So dear, that the meer title only &s;eems</L>
<L>Enough to ju&s;tifie our kindne&s;s</L>
<L>For the very wor&s;t of men.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Mont.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>'Tis true,</L>
<L>Much is by cu&s;tom given to the name</L>
<L>Of Brother, and therefore only, 'tis,</L>
<PB N="30" REF="20">
<L>Since decency di&s;arms my Friend</L>
<L>And will not &s;uffer him to u&s;e his Sword,</L>
<L>That I believe my &s;elf engaged in honour</L>
<L>To draw mine.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Elv.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Equally impious</L>
<L>In <HI>Grammount</HI> 'twould be to wi&s;h revenge,</L>
<L>As act it.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Leon.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>And what he cannot wi&s;h without</L>
<L>A crime, you cannot do without a greater.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Elv.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>No more of this, I know <HI>Montigny</HI></L>
<L>You are my <HI>Grammount</HI>'s deare&s;t Friend,</L>
<L>Con&s;ult not then his Honour only,</L>
<L>But his repo&s;e, and that of all his Family.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Mont.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Believe me, Madam, that's my only aim.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Elv.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>I do; and therefore beg you to conceal</L>
<L>This &s;hameful &s;tory. Oh bury it</L>
<L>In eternal &s;ilence, let not <HI>Beaufort,</HI></L>
<L>Let not <HI>Grammount,</HI> &s;u&s;pect the lea&s;t of <HI>Dampierre</HI>'s</L>
<L>Villany: but above all, beware of</L>
<L>Making it more publick by a quarrel.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Mont.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Ah, Madam&mdash;</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Elv.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>I mu&s;t not be denied, unle&s;s you have</L>
<L>A mind to ruin him you call your friend,</L>
<L>And ever robb him of his &s;weete&s;t re&s;t.</L>
<L>I do conjure you then by all your Vows</L>
<L>Of friend&s;hip to my dear <HI>Grammount,</HI></L>
<L>By all that's deare&s;t to you in this World&mdash;</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Elv.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Pre&s;s it no further, Madam I Obey,</L>
<L>Tho Heaven knows I do it with regret.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Elv.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>We'll leave you to your cooler thoughts, <HI>Montigny,</HI></L>
<L>Commending moderation &s;till, as be&s;t,</L>
<L>In this and all other ca&s;es between friends.</L>
<L>Come <HI>Leonora.</HI></L>
<STAGE><HI>Ex.</HI> Elv. Leon.</STAGE>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Mont.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Ju&s;t Heaven! how much</L>
<L>Beauty, how much goodne&s;s have you be&s;tow'd</L>
<L>On this one Woman.</L>
<STAGE><HI>Ex.</HI> Montigny.</STAGE>
<STAGE>Enter <HI>Ly&s;ette</HI> follow'd by <HI>Dampierre.</HI></STAGE>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Dam.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>What! threaten to turn thee out of Doors,</L>
<L>Ba&s;ely expo&s;e thee to the &s;corn</L>
<L>Of all thy laughing tribe, rail at,</L>
<L>And revile thee for a matter of ju&s;t nothing?</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Ly&s;et.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Nay, 'tis a fault not to be pardon'd,</L>
<L>And therefore I'm re&s;olved to be revenged.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Fault! that's a name too &s;oft, too mild,</L>
<PB N="31" REF="20">
<L>For &s;uch a crime: Why, 'tis Trea&s;on,</L>
<L>Downright Trea&s;on, a flat Con&s;piracy</L>
<L>Again&s;t thy Empire Child.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Ly&s;et.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Right, therefore once more I do pronounce</L>
<L>She &s;inks under the mighty weight</L>
<L>Of my di&s;plea&s;ure.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Thou ha&s;t it in thy power, my Girl,</L>
<L>To cru&s;h her into nothing.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Ly&s;et.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>I have indeed, thanks to the dear delight</L>
<L>You take in mi&s;chief, Sir.</L>
<L>But hark ye now, in cooler blood,</L>
<L>Pray tell me what mad pranks</L>
<L>You play'd i th' Fore&s;t, to put</L>
<L>My Saint-like Lady into &s;uch Devili&s;h Pa&s;&s;ion.</L>
<L>For when all&punc;s done, my being out</L>
<L>Of the way &s;o &s;mall a time, was but an</L>
<L>Incon&s;iderable fault, too &s;light</L>
<L>To draw on &s;o much anger.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>No Pranks at all my Child,</L>
<L>Only an Argument aro&s;e by chance,</L>
<L>And I unluckily&punc; maintained my part</L>
<L>With &s;omething too much heat,</L>
<L>Which put her Lady&s;hip into a horrid pelt,</L>
<L>And made her rail at me, at thee,</L>
<L>And every body el&s;e I think.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Ly&s;et.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Yet, out of her abundant kindne&s;s,</L>
<L>She has forgiven me for&s;ooth,</L>
<L>And once again received me into favour.</L>
<L>But that's no matter, I have not yet</L>
<L>Forgiven her: Nor will I, till to her co&s;t&punc;</L>
<L>I have made her know me better.</L>
<L>What! Pretend to turn me out of Doors,</L>
<L>No, my blood ri&s;es at the very thoughts on't,</L>
<L>Say when &s;hall I be Revenged?</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>This night, this very hopeful night,</L>
<L>Nay if you let &s;lip this night,</L>
<L>You may perhaps look long enuff</L>
<L>For &s;uch another opportunity.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Ly&s;et.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>With all my heart then, let it be this night:</L>
<L>For now, methinks, I am prepared for any thing</L>
<L>That looks like mi&s;chief.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Bravely re&s;olved.</L>
<L>Know then, <HI>Grammount</HI> at pre&s;ent</L>
<L>Is at the Governours appartment,</L>
<L>Where multiplicity of bu&s;ine&s;s,</L>
<PB N="32" REF="21">
<L>Committed to his care alone,</L>
<L>By the unea&s;y <HI>Beaufort,</HI> will certainly</L>
<L>Detain him longer than ordinary:</L>
<L>So that the Night, which now draws on a pace,</L>
<L>Will in all probability be far &s;pent,</L>
<L>E're he returns to his own Lodgings;</L>
<L>And then, then my Girl.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Ly&s;et.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Ay, then will be the time, when I</L>
<L>Poor incon&s;iderable fool, will with</L>
<L>Such cunning play my Treacherous part,</L>
<L>As &s;hall with ea&s;e impo&s;e upon the good <HI>Grammount,</HI></L>
<L>Pluck from his faithfull brea&s;t</L>
<L>Deep-rooted Love, and in its room</L>
<L>Plant the rank weed of Jealou&s;ie,</L>
<L>Turn deare&s;t Friend&s;hip into mortal Hate,</L>
<L>And &s;o give birth to general Confu&s;ion.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Dam.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Revenge, how &s;weet thou art! Revenge now makes</L>
<L>Thee undertake a part, the Devil him&s;elf</L>
<L>Would bogle at: No Woman &s;ure e're &s;uckled thee,</L>
<L>Or &s;omething more than man club'd to thy getting.</L>
<L>But &s;ee, the Governour appears,</L>
<L>Away, and fail not when it comes to th' pu&s;h</L>
<L>Be &s;ure.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Ly&s;et.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Fear me not.</L>
<STAGE>Exit Ly&s;et.</STAGE>
<STAGE><HI>Enter</HI> Beaufort.</STAGE>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>This Wench is ripe for Hell.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Beauf.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Well, what News <HI>Dampierre</HI> from <HI>Elvira?</HI></L>
<L>Knows &s;he my Love, does &s;he &s;peak Life or Death?</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Hear the &s;tory, then be your &s;elf the Judge.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Beauf.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Proceed.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Know then, that leaving you</L>
<L>I went directly to <HI>Elvira</HI>'s Lodgings,</L>
<L>But mi&s;&s;ing of her there, and being told,</L>
<L>That &s;he was gone, attended by <HI>Ly&s;ette,</HI></L>
<L>To take a turn i'th Neighbouring Fore&s;t,</L>
<L>Thither I follow'd her, where I fir&s;t met</L>
<L><HI>Ly&s;ette,</HI> and quickly managed her &s;o well,</L>
<L>As not to &s;tand in awe of her too near</L>
<L>Attendance: The Woman &s;o &s;ecured,</L>
<L>I boldly ventured to attack the Lady,</L>
<L>Whom, as I could have wi&s;ht, I found alone.</L>
<L>Our fir&s;t di&s;cour&s;e was of indifferent things,</L>
<L>Which yet I managed with &s;uch curious Art,</L>
<L>As drew her on at length to that of Love.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<PB N="33" REF="21">
<SPEAKER>Beauf.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Thy boldne&s;s makes me tremble, <HI>Dampierre.</HI></L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>From Love in general, we quickly came</L>
<L>Down to particulars, and then you may</L>
<L>Believe I fail'd not to de&s;cribe your flame</L>
<L>As you your &s;elf could wi&s;h.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Beauf.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>nam'd you my name?</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Not yet, nor did I at fir&s;t let her know</L>
<L>She was the per&s;on Lov'd: But &s;till mad<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter"> <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 word"></L>
<L>Of borrow'd names, till finding that my art</L>
<L>Prevail'd, and that the &s;oft and moving Terms,</L>
<L>In which I told the &s;tory of your Love,</L>
<L>Had toucht her tender heart with pity of</L>
<L>Your ca&s;e, then I reveal'd the &s;ecret,</L>
<L>told her all.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Beauf.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>And how did &s;he receive it ha!</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Why Sir, with all the haughty marks of Pride,</L>
<L>And Scorn, &s;he could put on; tis true, &s;he &s;aid</L>
<L>Not much, and fain would have been gone, but I</L>
<L>Made bold by the advantage of the place,</L>
<L>Stopt her, and would have made her hear me out,</L>
<L>When on the &s;udden in &s;tept&mdash;</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Beauf.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L><HI>Ly&s;ette.</HI></L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>No, Sir, <HI>Montigny.</HI></L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Beauf.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L><HI>Montigny</HI> &s;ay'&s;t thou!</L>
<L>Hell and Confu&s;ion! but &s;ay what follow'd.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Only this, as &s;oon as he appear'd,</L>
<L>With eager ha&s;te &s;he flew into his arms,</L>
<L>Then with a &s;cornful &s;mile, and &s;lighting to&s;s</L>
<L>O'th' head, &s;he took her leave of me, and &s;o</L>
<L>Triumphantly went off with her Gallant.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Beauf.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Ju&s;t Gods! How can you wink at &s;o much ba&s;e</L>
<L>And rank Hypocri&s;ie: If &s;uch crimes as the&s;e</L>
<L>Meet with impunity, the world will grow</L>
<L>too wicked by the bad example.</L>
<L>Rather a&s;&s;ert, a&s;&s;ert your Sovereign Power,</L>
<L>And darting Thunder at her devoted head,</L>
<L>Let her, oh let her unpitied fall</L>
<L>A wretched in&s;tance of offended Ju&s;tice.</L>
<L>But, tell me, do'&s;t thou believe <HI>Montigny</HI></L>
<L>Over heard thee?</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Mo&s;t certainly he did.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Beauf.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>What then in this unlucky ca&s;e is to be done.</L>
<L>For &s;ure if once <HI>Montigny</HI> knows I love,</L>
<L>'Twill not be long a &s;ecret to <HI>Grammount.</HI></L>
<L>Advi&s;e me <HI>Dampierre.</HI></L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<PB N="34" REF="22">
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Excu&s;e me, Sir, I know no way but one</L>
<L>That can effectually &s;ecure Mens Tongues.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Beauf.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>And what way's that?</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Faith, Sir, an ea&s;y one.</L>
<L>Cut but the Throat, the Tongue will tell no tales.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Beauf.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>No, that's a way too rough, I like it not.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Why now I think on't better there may be</L>
<L>Yet one way more, not quite &s;o &s;afe perhaps</L>
<L>As t'other, but&mdash;</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Beauf.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Name it and I am thine</L>
<L>For ever, but no blood I charge you.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>No, this is a Gentler way, it is but</L>
<L>Subtly loo&s;ening that firm tie of Friend&s;hip,</L>
<L>Which &s;eems &s;o well and firmly knit, between</L>
<L><HI>Montigny</HI> and <HI>Grammount,</HI> and you have done</L>
<L>Your bu&s;ine&s;s: For if they are not Friends,</L>
<L>Mo&s;t certain 'tis they will be Enemies,</L>
<L>There is no mean, and then you need not fear</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Beauf.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Mo&s;t true: but then the difficulty is,</L>
<L>How to divide two &s;ouls &s;o &s;trictly, and</L>
<L>So long united, in the deare&s;t bands</L>
<L>Of Friend&s;hip's &s;acred, and &s;evere&s;t Laws.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Let me alone to manage that affair,</L>
<L>If <HI>Grammount</HI> Loves <HI>Elvira,</HI> before</L>
<L>To morrows Sun he &s;hall as &s;urely hate</L>
<L><HI>Montigny</HI> to the death: Di&s;tru&s;t me not,</L>
<L>But if you like the project&mdash;</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Beauf.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Like it, yes,</L>
<L>I gue&s;s at thy de&s;ign, and like it well:</L>
<L><HI>Grammount</HI> I pity thee, tho' it is but ju&s;t</L>
<L>To let thee &s;ee thy danger, e're thou art</L>
<L>Too far impos'd on by a Treacherous friend,</L>
<L>And wanton Wife. But it grows late,</L>
<L>And I am &s;trangely di&s;compo&s;ed. Farewel.</L>
<STAGE><HI>Exit</HI> Beauf.</STAGE>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Go, go to bed old man, &s;leep if thou can'&s;t,</L>
<L>And dream of happy hours thou ne'er &s;halt &s;ee.</L>
<L>So, he's well prepar'd I think, and I have</L>
<L>Gain'd a mighty Patron to protect me</L>
<L>Whatever mi&s;chief happens; the more</L>
<L>the better now, &s;ince he is like to An&s;wer all.</L>
<L>Poor I am but his humble In&s;trument,</L>
<L>Ha! Ha! Ha!</L>
<L>I could e'en kill my &s;elf with Laughing now,</L>
<L>To &s;ee how &s;trangely all things have con&s;pir'd,</L>
<L>To Crown my Roguery with Succe&s;s,</L>
<L>And me with Safety.</L>
<STAGE>Exit <HI>Damp.</HI></STAGE>
<STAGE><PB REF="22">Enter <HI>Grammount</HI> and a Page before him with a Flambeau.</STAGE>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Gram.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Bu&s;ine&s;s, unlucky bu&s;ine&s;s long has kept</L>
<L>Me from <HI>Elvira:</HI> Tho' all late as 'tis,</L>
<L>Methinks &s;ome dark, ill-boding fancy &s;eems</L>
<L>to tell me, 'tis too early yet, to &s;eek</L>
<L>Tho&s;e Joys I ever found in her dear Arms.</L>
<L>A &s;trange unu&s;ual damp has &s;eized my &s;oul,</L>
<L>And I who u&s;e, with eager Joy to fly</L>
<L>To my <HI>Elvira,</HI> have now &s;carce the &s;trength,</L>
<L>Or Will indeed, to move one &s;tep that way.</L>
<L>Oh <HI>Dampierre, Dampierre,</HI> what was thy de&s;ign?</L>
<L>Since I left thee, my working thoughts have been</L>
<L>In a perpetual hurrey; thou, alas!</L>
<L>Ha&s;t poy&s;on'd all my deare&s;t Joys, and in</L>
<L>My troubled mind, laid the foundation</L>
<L>Of Eternal Doubts, Perplexing, Gnawing,</L>
<L>Killing Doubts. And yet I know thee, <HI>Dampierre,</HI></L>
<L>Ba&s;e, of a Poor, Mean, Low &s;pirit too,</L>
<L>And &s;o, capable of any mi&s;chief.</L>
<L>Why then &s;hould'&s;t thou gain credit with <HI>Grammount,</HI></L>
<L>Who knows thou hat'&s;t both him and his <HI>Elvira.</HI></L>
<L>No, from my memory henceforth I cha&s;e</L>
<L>Thee, and each thought of thy ba&s;e Treachery.</L>
<L><HI>Grammount</HI>'s too happy in a vertuous Wife,</L>
<L>And Generous Friend; tho' cur&s;t indeed, in thee,</L>
<L>Thou Cruel, and Unatural Brother.</L>
<L>But hark, what noi&s;e is that?</L>
<STAGE><HI>A noi&s;e of opening a door and</HI> Ly&s;ette <HI>Enters who &s;eeing</HI> Grammount <HI>pre|tends to avoid him. He stops her and turn|ing up her hood &s;ees her tearing a Letter with her Teeth.</HI></STAGE>
<L>O, 'tis the door opens. Hah!</L>
<L>Who art thou that &s;teale&s;t</L>
<L>Away &s;o guiltily?</L>
<L>Nay, I mu&s;t &s;ee, <HI>Ly&s;ette!</HI></L>
<L>Whither away at this</L>
<L>Un&s;ea&s;onable time of night,</L>
<L>And what paper's that thou</L>
<L>Mumble&s;t &s;o?</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Ly&s;et.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Alas! I am undone, Pardon me; &s;ir,</L>
<L>Oh Pardon me I be&s;eech you.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Gram.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Would'&s;t have me pard'n thee e're I know thy fault,</L>
<L>Confe&s;s, and then perhaps thou may'&s;t de&s;erve it.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Ly&s;et.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Oh never, never, all that I de&s;ire,</L>
<L>Is that you would be &s;o ju&s;t, as to believe</L>
<L>Me only guilty, for on my life</L>
<L>My Lady's innocent.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<PB REF="23">
<SPEAKER>Gram.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Hah! thy Lady, &s;peak, what of her?</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Ly&s;et.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Why, &s;he I do declare to all the world</L>
<L>Is innocent, by all that's good &s;he is,</L>
<L>Nay were I to die next minute,</L>
<L>My Tongue &s;hould end my &s;tory with that truth.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Gram.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>I ask not of her innocence, but tell me,</L>
<L>And tell me truely, as thou hop'&s;t for any</L>
<L>Mercy from me, whither wert thou</L>
<L>Stealing with that Letter, and what</L>
<L>Were the contents of it?</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Ly&s;et.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>For Heaven &s;ake, and for your own, Sir,</L>
<L>Pre&s;s me no further, here on my knees</L>
<L>I beg you would not.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Gram.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Ha! do'&s;t thou dally with me?</L>
<L>Come, &s;peak quickly, or by heaven thou die&s;t.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Ly&s;et.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Do with me what you plea&s;e,</L>
<L>But force me not, I do be&s;eech you,</L>
<L>To a Confe&s;&s;ion that&mdash;</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Gram.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>What! Speak I &s;ay, tell me,</L>
<L>What was that Paper, to whom directed,</L>
<L>And from whom?</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Ly&s;et.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Alas I die for fear&mdash;</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Gram.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>If thou continue&s;t ob&s;tinate,</L>
<L>Not all the world &s;hall &s;ave thee from my Fury.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Ly&s;et.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>It was&mdash;</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Gram.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>What was it, &s;peak I &s;ay?</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Ly&s;et.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>It was a Letter&mdash;</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Gram.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>From whom?</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Ly&s;et.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>It was a Letter from my Lady&mdash;</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Gram.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Well &s;aid, to whom?</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Ly&s;et.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>To&mdash;Yet, Sir, excu&s;e me I conjure you.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Gram.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Hah more trifling, out with it boldy, or&mdash;</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Ly&s;et.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>'Twas to <HI>Montigny,</HI> Sir,</L>
<L>Your be&s;t, and deare&s;t friend, <HI>Montigny.</HI></L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Gram.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>To <HI>Montigny!</HI></L>
<L>Was it to <HI>Montigny,</HI> that <HI>Elvira</HI> &s;ent thee</L>
<L>With that Letter at this un&s;ea&s;onable hour?</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Ly&s;et</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>It was: But why &s;hould that &s;o much di&s;turb you?</L>
<L>A petty quarrel parted 'em in the evening,</L>
<L>When tho' <HI>Montigny</HI> humbly &s;ued for pardon,</L>
<L>She would not grant it, till at the la&s;t, good Lady,</L>
<L>Repenting her &s;everity, &s;he could not re&s;t,</L>
<L>Till &s;he had given him an a&s;&s;urance, under</L>
<L>Her hand, that what he then &s;o earne&s;tly</L>
<L>De&s;ired, was now as freely granted, and&mdash;</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<PB N="37" REF="23">
<SPEAKER>Gram.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Peace Screech-Owl,</L>
<L>Peace, thou rank me&s;&s;enger of lu&s;t:</L>
<L>By heaven, I know not why I do not kill thee,</L>
<L>Hence from my &s;ight I &s;ay, away.</L>
<STAGE><HI>Exit</HI> Ly&s;ette.</STAGE>
<L>But which way now, wretched <HI>Grammount,</HI> wilt thou</L>
<L>Direct thy wandring &s;teps, where e're thou goe&s;t,</L>
<L>De&s;truction, Horror, and Amazament will attend thee.</L>
<L>Thy faithful cares, deaf to all other tales,</L>
<L>Will turn each &s;ound into this one &s;ad &s;tory,</L>
<L><HI>Elvira</HI>'s fal&s;e, <HI>Montigny</HI>'s fal&s;e, and now</L>
<L><HI>Grammount</HI>'s become, the &s;corn of all the world,</L>
<L>Oh 'tis too much for mortal man to bear,</L>
<L>By heaven, i'll make my &s;ad, and ju&s;t Revenge</L>
<L>As &s;ignally notorious as my wrongs.</L>
<L>But hu&s;h, be &s;till y' unruly pa&s;&s;ions of</L>
<L>My mind, and think <HI>Grammount,</HI> that to revenge</L>
<L>is but the way to publi&s;h thy di&s;grace.</L>
<L>Patience then, oh patience, grant me ju&s;t heav'n</L>
<L>More patience, or take from me that little</L>
<L>I am yet ma&s;ter of, and in return</L>
<L>Ble&s;s me with madne&s;s, eternal madne&s;s,</L>
<L>Madne&s;s without one minutes interval of &s;en&s;e.</L>
<L>Grief, Rage, De&s;pair po&s;&s;e&s;s my totur'd mind,</L>
<L>Make me but mad, ye Gods, and you'll be kind.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<TRAILER>The end of the fourth Act.</TRAILER>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 N="5" TYPE="act">
<PB N="38" REF="24">
<HEAD>ACT V. SCENE I.</HEAD>
<STAGE><HI>Enter</HI> Elvira <HI>and</HI> Leonora.</STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Elv.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>NO more, no more; my <HI>Grammount</HI> is unkind,</L>
<L>Fickle, incon&s;tant, wavering, and fal&s;e;</L>
<L>Some fatal Beauty has &s;urpriz'd his Heart,</L>
<L>And cha&s;ed th' unfortunate <HI>Elvira</HI> thence</L>
<L>For ever, as a &s;tranger to his Love.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Leon.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Judge not &s;o hardly, Madam, of a Flame</L>
<L>So pure, &s;o exemplary, and &s;o cha&s;te</L>
<L>As his.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Elv.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>What other Judgment can I make?</L>
<L>In vain I have wept, in vain I have pray'd,</L>
<L>In vain all night pur&s;ued his flying &s;teps</L>
<L>From place to place, yet cannot get one Look</L>
<L>That may &s;eem kind, nor one poor Word</L>
<L>By which I might but gue&s;s at the &s;ad Cau&s;e</L>
<L>Of his pretended Grief.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Leon.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>This his proceeding</L>
<L>Seems to me mo&s;t &s;trange, I mu&s;t confe&s;s,</L>
<L>But yet&mdash;</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Elv.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Seek not, dear <HI>Leonora,</HI></L>
<L>To excu&s;e him, but rather pity me.</L>
<L>Ah! had&s;t thou been a Witne&s;s of my grief,</L>
<L>And of tho&s;e rough returns he la&s;t night made</L>
<L>To all the &s;ofte&s;t and engaging Arts</L>
<L>My Love could then invent, or his de&s;ire,</L>
<L>Thou would&s;t with Tears lament, not doubt his change.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Leon.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>What &s;trange Unkindne&s;s was he guilty of!</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Elv.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Long had I wi&s;ht my dear <HI>Grammount</HI>'s return,</L>
<L>With all th' impatience of a loving Wife,</L>
<L>Ready to &s;hare and &s;ooth his neare&s;t Cares,</L>
<L>And lull his wearied Body in the&s;e Arms</L>
<L>To gentle Re&s;t. The Night far &s;pent, at length</L>
<L>He came; but when with open Arms I ran</L>
<L>To meet him, alas! how was I &s;urpriz'd,</L>
<L>When I read nought but Fury in his Face!</L>
<L>Doubting his Health, and vent'ring yet nearer</L>
<L>To him, he frown'd, and rudely flung me off:</L>
<L>Yet by degrees his Rage began to wa&s;te;</L>
<L>And giving place to &s;ome more gentle Thoughts,</L>
<L>A fullen deadly Grief &s;eem'd to &s;ucceed it:</L>
<PB N="39" REF="24">
<L>When I, once more, attempting to draw near,</L>
<L>He gently only put me by, then with</L>
<L>A deep and di&s;mal &s;igh turn'd &s;hort away,</L>
<L>Leaving me all in tears, and almo&s;t dead</L>
<L>With grief. Yet I re&s;olv'd to follow him;</L>
<L>And &s;o indeed we pa&s;s'd the tedious Night,</L>
<L>He flying &s;till, I &s;till pur&s;uing, tho' in vain.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Leon.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>With all my Heart I pity you, and wi&s;h</L>
<L>Twere in my power to &s;erve you, Madam.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Elv.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Ah, my dear Child, what can thy Kindne&s;s do</L>
<L>For mi&s;erable me, unle&s;s perhaps</L>
<L>It teach thee now to bear me company</L>
<L>In tears, to echo forth my &s;ighs from thy</L>
<L>Compa&s;&s;ionate Brea&s;t, and kindly &s;hare</L>
<L>The &s;harpe&s;t Pangs of a too ju&s;t De&s;pair?</L>
<L>All this, my Dear, I dare expect from thee,</L>
<L>And from thy Love; and yet even all this</L>
<L>Would but augment, not ea&s;e my Mi&s;ery.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Leon.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Yet &s;omething more I'll do, I'll to <HI>Grammount,</HI></L>
<L>And force that fatal Secret from his Brea&s;t,</L>
<L>Which he yet keeps &s;o clo&s;e.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Elv.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>But can you think.</L>
<L>That he will hear a Si&s;ter, who is deaf</L>
<L>To all the &s;ighs of a once dear-lov'd Wife?</L>
<L>No, no; too much you wrong my dear <HI>Grammount&punc;</HI></L>
<L>Were he the Man he was, with Joy he'd hear</L>
<L>His dear <HI>Elvira;</HI> but not being &s;o,</L>
<L>Be yet &s;o ju&s;t as to believe him deaf</L>
<L>To all the World be&s;ide, as well as her.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Leon.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Whither will your di&s;temper'd Fancy lead</L>
<L>You, Madam? Oh, think&mdash;</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Elv.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Alas, I know not.</L>
<L>Ah my <HI>Grammount!</HI> could&s;t thou but gue&s;s to what</L>
<L>A wretched &s;tate thy cruel u&s;age has</L>
<L>Reduc'd the poor unfortunate <HI>Elvira,</HI></L>
<L>'Twould make thee &s;oon repent, and give new life</L>
<L>To thy expiring Love.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Leon.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Madam, once more</L>
<L>I do be&s;eech you give me leave to try</L>
<L>My Fortune with <HI>Grammount;</HI> I may prevail.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Elv.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Never: alas, he will de&s;pi&s;e thy Sex,</L>
<L>And &s;light thy tender age. No, were he to be</L>
<L>Prevail'd on by Entreaties, <HI>Montigny</HI></L>
<L>Be&s;t of all the World might hope to do it.</L>
<L>But&mdash;</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<PB N="40" REF="25">
<SPEAKER>Leon.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>De&s;pair not, Madam, Friend&s;hip, perhaps,</L>
<L>May do what Love at pre&s;ent cannot.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Elv.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Ah, tempt me not to entertain a Hope</L>
<L>Which, once deceiv'd, will but encrea&s;e my Pain.</L>
<L>Yet for thy &s;ake, my Dear, I do &s;ubmit.</L>
<L>Go to <HI>Montigny</HI> then, and faithfully</L>
<L>Relate my Story; but leave the re&s;t to him,</L>
<L>Who&s;e Genero&s;ity will better teach</L>
<L>Him how to act, than all that we can &s;ay.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Leon.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Madam, I fly.</L>
<STAGE><HI>Exit</HI> Leon.</STAGE>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Elv.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>And I in the mean time will once more &s;eek</L>
<L>My Dear, my fal&s;e, ungrateful Fugitive</L>
<L><HI>Grammount.</HI></L>
<STAGE><HI>Exit</HI> Elvira.</STAGE>
<STAGE><HI>Enter</HI> Dampierre <HI>and</HI> Ly&s;ette.</STAGE>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Well met; what News, my little Fury,</L>
<L>From thy Quarters?</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Ly&s;.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>News, my great Lord of Mi&s;chief, worthy of</L>
<L>Thy Ear. In &s;hort, I've play'd my part</L>
<L>Mo&s;t rarely well, and now the Devil, I think,</L>
<L>Is playing his.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>As how, I pray? What, is the wi&s;e virtuous</L>
<L><HI>Grammount</HI> caught at la&s;t? Does he begin to powt?</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Ly&s;.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Oh, extreamly.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>And <HI>Elvira,</HI> what does &s;he? ha!</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Ly&s;.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Why, &s;he e'en whines, and pines, and blubbers,</L>
<L>Like any o'ergrown Girl that had been</L>
<L>Newly whipt.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Good, wondrous good.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Ly&s;.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Yes, yes; all yet goes wondrous well indeed;</L>
<L>But what the end will be, for my part,</L>
<L>I cannot gue&s;s.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>No matter, let there be no end at all,</L>
<L>But that which puts an end to all things, Death.</L>
<L>Oh, may Confu&s;ion, Rage, De&s;pair, and</L>
<L>Everla&s;ting Jealou&s;ie attend 'em to their Graves.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Ly&s;.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Amen, &s;ay I: but yet &s;uppo&s;e they &s;hould</L>
<L>At la&s;t come to a right Under&s;tanding,</L>
<L>What would become of me, I pray?</L>
<L>Were it not better, think you, to decamp</L>
<L>In time, and leave them to them&s;elves?</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>By no means; that would make 'em pre&s;ently</L>
<L>Smell out thy Roguery and their own Error:</L>
<L>Rather be more diligent, and more a&s;&s;iduous</L>
<L>In your attendance now than ever:</L>
<L>Con&s;ult their Looks, for till you find the weather</L>
<PB N="41" REF="25">
<L>Clearing there, you need not fear a Storm;</L>
<L>And then at la&s;t it will be time enough to fly.</L>
<L>In the mean time, here; thou ha&s;t been</L>
<STAGE>Offers a pair of Gloves.</STAGE>
<L>Indu&s;trious, and do&s;t de&s;erve Encouragement.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Ly&s;.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>A na&s;ty dirty pair of Gloves, I warrant you;</L>
<L>Foh! I'll have none of 'em.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Away, thou'rt a Fool, and know&s;t not what</L>
<L>Thou ha&s;t refus'd: they are, I tell thee,</L>
<L>Gloves of the riche&s;t &s;cent; be&s;ides, each Finger's</L>
<L>Lin'd with Gold; here, wear 'em for my &s;ake.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Ly&s;.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Well, for once I care not if I do, the cordial Gold</L>
<L>Perhaps may keep my Spirits up, and give me</L>
<L>Strength to bear the brunt of all. Adieu, Sir.</L>
<STAGE><HI>Exit</HI> Ly&s;.</STAGE>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Go thy ways, thou art a dainty Girl, and do&s;t love</L>
<L>Mi&s;chief well, for which I love thee, tho' I dare not</L>
<L>Tru&s;t thee. Thou art indeed a thought too mercenary,</L>
<L>And may'&s;t at la&s;t, for Gold, &s;ell me, as thou already ha&s;t</L>
<L>Thy Mi&s;tre&s;s; therefore I can but pity thee. Tho&s;e Gloves,</L>
<L>How rich &s;oe&punc;er and &s;weet their &s;cent may &s;eem,</L>
<L>Yet once well heated on the Hand, will ca&s;t a &s;trong</L>
<L>And deadly &s;mell, mo&s;t fatal to the Brain, a Poy&s;on</L>
<L>Not only certain, but &s;trangely &s;udden in its operation,</L>
<L>As I was told, at lea&s;t, by an <HI>Italian</HI> famous in that helli&s;h</L>
<L>Art, from whom I had 'em. If it be &s;o, my bu&s;ine&s;s is</L>
<L>Compleatly done, and thou, poor fool, <HI>Ly&s;ette,</HI> ha&s;t</L>
<L>The Reward of all thy Services.</L>
<STAGE><HI>Exit</HI> Damp.</STAGE>
<STAGE><HI>Enter</HI> Grammount.</STAGE>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Gram.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>What is that thing call'd Happine&s;s, which Men</L>
<L>With &s;o much noi&s;e and eager zeal pur&s;ue</L>
<L>So many &s;everal ways, each hoping to</L>
<L>Attain it in the po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ion of &s;ome</L>
<L>Di&s;tant long'd-for Ble&s;&s;ing, tho' all alike</L>
<L>In vain? For even that darling Ble&s;&s;ing</L>
<L>Plac'd in a nearer light, and once enjoy'd,</L>
<L>Lo&s;es but too much of its wonted lu&s;tre;</L>
<L>Or el&s;e, encounter'd with rude Cro&s;&s;es from</L>
<L>Abroad, is lo&s;t and buried in a thick</L>
<L>And di&s;mal Cloud of rank unea&s;ie Cares.</L>
<L>There's no &s;uch thing then as a happy man</L>
<L>On this &s;ide of the Grave. Look on me, all</L>
<L>You vain Pretenders, look on me, and own</L>
<L>At la&s;t this Truth; for all the deare&s;t Joys</L>
<L>Of Life did &s;eem to court and flatter me:</L>
<L>Yet all tho&s;e Joys are in one moment dampt,</L>
<L>All vani&s;ht, all lo&s;t to me for ever.</L>
<PB N="42" REF="26">
<L>Friend&s;hip and Love, which once made up</L>
<L>The &s;weete&s;t part of 'em, do now con&s;pire</L>
<L>My ruin. Oh <HI>Elvira!</HI></L>
<STAGE><HI>Enter</HI> Elvira.</STAGE>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Elv.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Oh <HI>Grammount!</HI></L>
<STAGE>He turns from her.</STAGE>
<L>Nay, turn not, turn not, cruel man, away,</L>
<L>But look upon thy poor di&s;con&s;olate</L>
<L><HI>Elvira,</HI> almo&s;t drown&punc;d in tears: &s;peak,</L>
<L>Oh &s;peak at la&s;t, and let her know wherein</L>
<L>She has been faulty or unfortunate</L>
<L>Enough to merit this hard u&s;age from</L>
<L>Her much-lov'd <HI>Grammount.</HI></L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Gram.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Art thou <HI>Elvira?</HI></L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Elv.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Why do&s;t thou ask that unkind Que&s;tion?</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Gram.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Becau&s;e <HI>Elvira</HI> ever loved <HI>Grammount,</HI></L>
<L>And &s;o could never be a trouble to him.</L>
<L>But thou, alas! art mo&s;t importunate;</L>
<L>Prithee be gone, thou art not <HI>Elvira,</HI></L>
<L>Not the &s;ame <HI>Elvira,</HI> that I'm &s;ure of.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Elv.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Yes, I am the very &s;ame I ever was,</L>
<L>The very &s;ame <HI>Elvira</HI> &s;till, on whom</L>
<L>With deare&s;t Tran&s;ports thou did&s;t once be&s;tow</L>
<L>Ten thou&s;and Vows of everla&s;ting Love:</L>
<L>The &s;ame unfortunate <HI>Elvira&punc;</HI></L>
<L>Who, charm'd by thy &s;weet, &s;oft, bewitching Arts,</L>
<L>Heard with delight tho&s;e many treacherous Vows</L>
<L>By thee intended for her ruine.</L>
<L>In &s;hort, I am the &s;ame <HI>Elvira</HI> that</L>
<L>At la&s;t crown'd all thy hopes&punc; paying down Love</L>
<L>For Love, as I then thought, tho' &s;ince I find,</L>
<L>With pure&s;t Gold I only purchas&punc;d Dro&s;s.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Gram.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Forbear, forbear <HI>Elvira,</HI> and recall</L>
<L>Not to my Memory tho&s;e happy days</L>
<L>In which I dearly lov'd, and thou wert kind;</L>
<L>Too much, alas! 'twill aggravate my Grief,</L>
<L>Since I within this Brea&s;t already feel</L>
<L>Torments, to which nothing, I'm &s;ure, can add</L>
<L>New Pains, but a reflection on that Heaven</L>
<L>I once en<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter">oyed in thee and thy dear Love.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 word">.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>If in <HI>Elvira</HI>'s Love thou once wert ble&s;t,</L>
<L>Why art thou not &s;o &s;till&punc;</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Gram.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Oh <HI>Elvira!</HI></L>
<L>All things <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="2 letters">e &s;trangely alter'd &s;ince that time;</L>
<L>Love once was pure, and Friend&s;hip &s;acred held,</L>
<L>Yet now the one is little el&s;e but Lu&s;t,</L>
<PB N="43" REF="26">
<L>The other all de&s;ign. Vertue is fled,</L>
<L>And Vice Reigns now Triumphant in each &s;ex,</L>
<L>We are all wond'rous weak alas, and frail. Oh&mdash;</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Elv.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>'Tis true, mo&s;t true my dear <HI>Grammount,</HI> and yet</L>
<L>What weakne&s;s can&s;t thou ju&s;tly tax me with;</L>
<L>Unle&s;s perhaps my loving thee too well,</L>
<L>Be an infirmity unpardonable</L>
<L>In the unfortunate <HI>Elvira.</HI></L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Gram.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Oh&mdash;</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Elv.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Alas! what means that &s;ad and di&s;mal groan,</L>
<L>By grief extorted from thy manly brea&s;t:</L>
<L>Thou can&s;t not &s;ure be &s;o unju&s;t, as to</L>
<L>Su&s;pect my Love. Yet if thou art, &s;peak</L>
<L>I conjure thee, but &s;peak plainly then,</L>
<L>And not in un-intelligible groans.</L>
<L>Speak, cruel man, oh &s;peak, do I not love thee?</L>
<L>Am I fal&s;e? oh may <HI>Elvira</HI> live no longer,</L>
<L>Than with a pa&s;&s;ion Innocent and Pure</L>
<L>She loves her dear <HI>Grammount.</HI></L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Gram.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>What pity 'tis our hearts are not expos'd</L>
<L>To open view, as are our faces, that</L>
<L>So, even our mo&s;t private thoughts might all</L>
<L>Appear, naked and bear as at their fir&s;t</L>
<L>Conception, e're dre&s;t up in ornamental</L>
<L>Words, of a much different import.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Elv.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Ah, could'&s;t thou but &s;ee into my heart,</L>
<L>Thou there would'&s;t &s;oon perceive thy error</L>
<L>And my innocence. But &s;ince, my dear <HI>Grammount,</HI></L>
<L>That cannot be, believe my words, believe</L>
<L>The&s;e tears, believe my Actions, oh &s;ee,</L>
<L>I am here ready to receive thee &s;till,</L>
<L>Rude and Unkind, Ungrateful and Inhumane</L>
<L>As thou art. Come then, come to the&s;e arms,</L>
<L>Ne're yet &s;tretcht out to thee in vain.</L>
<L>Wilt thou not come, not yet? thou can&s;t not &s;ure</L>
<L>Deny me now, when all I beg of thee,</L>
<L>Is, that once more thou would'&s;t be happy.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Gram.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Why &s;hould'&s;t thou de&s;ire impo&s;&s;ibilities?</L>
<L>Alas! I never can be happy more.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Elv.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>If thou <HI>Grammount</HI> can'&s;t ne're be happy more,</L>
<L>Then mu&s;t I be for ever mi&s;erable.</L>
<L>Cruel man, &s;hew yet &s;ome &s;mall remainder</L>
<L>Of humanity; be not &s;o ra&s;h,</L>
<L>Either accu&s;e, or el&s;e acquit me,</L>
<L>But pa&s;s not &s;entence on me e're I'm heard,</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<PB N="44" REF="27">
<SPEAKER>Gram.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>No, fear not too ha&s;ty, or too hard</L>
<L>A &s;entence from my mouth. Fal&s;e as thou art,</L>
<L>I cannot hate, where once I loved &s;o well.</L>
<L>Live then <HI>Elvira,</HI> live long, but live a</L>
<L>Stranger to <HI>Grammount.</HI> And that thou may'&s;t live</L>
<L>Happily, wipe from thy memory the</L>
<L>Deare&s;t pa&s;&s;ages of &s;ome few pa&s;t years,</L>
<L>And &s;ee thou quite forget, there e're was &s;uch</L>
<L>A wretch i'th' world as I am.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Elv.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Hold, oh hold!</L>
<L>It is too much, alas! in&s;ult not poorly</L>
<L>O're my weakne&s;s, nor play the wanton</L>
<L>With my grief: Why do'&s;t thou bid me live,</L>
<L>I fit mu&s;t be without <HI>Grammount?</HI></L>
<L>Why do'&s;t thou wi&s;h me happy? when all my happine&s;s,</L>
<L>Thou know'&s;t depends upon thy love,</L>
<L>Yet that thou &s;ay'&s;t is forfeited, is lo&s;t</L>
<L>To me for ever, oh my <HI>Grammount.</HI></L>
<L>It is emiff thou art unkind,</L>
<L>Be not unju&s;t to thy <HI>Elvira.</HI></L>
<L>For pities &s;ake grant &s;omething to the dear</L>
<L>Memory of our mutual Love,</L>
<L>And if thou know'&s;t me fal&s;e, tell me wherein,</L>
<L>When, or with whom I have offended.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Gram.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>What &s;atisfaction would it be to thee</L>
<L><HI>Elvira,</HI> &s;hould I tell thee all: &s;ince all</L>
<L>Alas! can be no more, than what thou know'&s;t,</L>
<L>As well at lea&s;t, if not much better than</L>
<L>My &s;elf. In &s;hort, I am convinced thou can'&s;t not</L>
<L>Clear thy &s;elf; and if &s;o, con&s;ider that</L>
<L>A weak defence is wor&s;e than none at all.</L>
<L>Tempt me not then to &s;peak, &s;ince 'twill but add</L>
<L>To thy Confu&s;ion, and my Shame:</L>
<L>But I would willingly &s;pare both, as much</L>
<L>As may be with my honour.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Elv.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Confu&s;ion,</L>
<L>S<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="2 letters">me, Contempt, and everla&s;ting Infamy,</L>
<L>For ever be my Lot, if e're I wronged</L>
<L>Thy Love &s;o much as in one guilty thought.</L>
<L>Oh my <HI>Grammount</HI> my dear, my Lov'd <HI>Grammount,</HI></L>
<L>See thy <HI>Elvira</HI> o<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter"> her tender knees,</L>
<L>From whence &s;he ne're will ri&s;e, till &s;he has learnt</L>
<L>The &s;trange and fatal cau&s;e of her di&s;grace.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Gram.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Away, this thy affected ob&s;tinacy,</L>
<L>Would make me hate thee, were it po&s;&s;ible.</L>
<PB N="45" REF="27">
<L><HI>Elvira,</HI> is it not enough that thou ha&s;t</L>
<L>Wrong'd my Honour? but that I my &s;elf</L>
<L>Mu&s;t here repeat the &s;hameful Tale</L>
<L>Only to gratifie thy wanton curio&s;ity.</L>
<L>Perhaps indeed, I know not half thy brave</L>
<L>Exploits, &s;o my imperfect tale may yeild.</L>
<L>Thee &s;ome diver&s;ion: But have a care,</L>
<L>The Cuckold yet bears his misfortune</L>
<L>Patiently enough, make him not then thy &s;port,</L>
<L>For if thou do'&s;t, by Heaven away, away</L>
<L><HI>Elvira,</HI> I would not be provokt, away I &s;ay,</L>
<L>Whil&s;t yet I'm Ma&s;ter of my growing Pa&s;&s;ion.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Elv.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Do what thou wilt, be rude, be cruel,</L>
<L>Be inhuman as thou ha&s;t been, to the Poor</L>
<L><HI>Elvira,</HI> yet whil&s;t &s;he has any &s;trength,</L>
<L>She never will let go this hold, unle&s;s</L>
<L>Thou fir&s;t communicate the fatal &s;ecret.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Gram.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Away, thou'lt force me to be rude.</L>
<L>Be not &s;o &s;trangely ob&s;tinate, alas!</L>
<L>I would be civil, tho I can't be kind.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Elv.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Barbarous man! yet &s;peak, what have I done?</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Gram.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Will nothing el&s;e content thee? then thus</L>
<L>I throw thee off, and force my way.</L>
<STAGE>Strives to get from her, and drags her about the Stage.</STAGE>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Elv.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>And thus</L>
<L>I cling to thee, clo&s;e as the tender Ivie</L>
<L>To the &s;turdy Elm. Do, do mercile&s;s</L>
<L><HI>Grammount,</HI> do, pull, hale, tear, drag, nay kill me,</L>
<L>Yet I'll not willingly let go: But oh!</L>
<L>His cruel &s;trength prevails.</L>
<STAGE>He breaks from her.</STAGE>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Gram.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Farewell thou mo&s;t importunate of Women.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Elv.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Stay, &s;tay my <HI>Grammount,</HI> give me but one poor</L>
<L>Minute more, and all is done: Fear not,</L>
<L>I will no longer urge my innocence,</L>
<L>It is enough that thou believe&s;t me fal&s;e:</L>
<L>Oh, for thy own repo&s;e, may'&s;t thou for ever</L>
<L>Think me &s;o. Farewell, methinks I feel,</L>
<L>My lab'ring &s;oul &s;triving, and &s;trug'ling,</L>
<L>With its utmo&s;t force, to break it's wretched</L>
<L>Pri&s;on, yet &s;omething, I know not what, &s;till</L>
<L>Makes re&s;i&s;tance and ob&s;tructs its pa&s;&s;age.</L>
<L>I &s;ee <HI>Grammount,</HI> thou like&s;t not the delay,</L>
<L>I will di&s;patch then, and for thy &s;ake,</L>
<L>Ha&s;ten the &s;low approaches of my fate.</L>
<L>Art thou then fled, art thou then gone for ever?</L>
<PB N="46" REF="28">
<L>Farewel my dear, unkind, <HI>Grammount,</HI> farewell</L>
<L>And when I'm dead, think what the poor <HI>Elvira</HI></L>
<L>Would have done to have kept thy love, who on</L>
<L>Her own tender brea&s;t dares thus revenge</L>
<L>The fatal lo&s;s.</L>
<STAGE>She pulls out a Dagger and &s;tabs her &s;elf.</STAGE>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Gram.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Hold, hold, <HI>Elvira</HI> hold!</L>
<L>By Heaven 'twas boldly done, and nothing could</L>
<L>Have given &s;o &s;ure a blow but Innocence</L>
<L>It &s;elf. Yes my <HI>Elvira,</HI> every drop</L>
<L>Of that dear blood, loudly procliams to all</L>
<L>The world, thy innocence and my &s;ad guilt.</L>
<L>Oh ye ju&s;t powers above! to what &s;trange fate</L>
<L>Am I at length re&s;erved! &s;ee, at thy feet</L>
<L>My dear <HI>Elvira,</HI> the wretched'&s;t thing alive,</L>
<L>A thing, unworthy of the name of Man,</L>
<L>A Penitent, who dares not hope for pardon</L>
<L>Either from Heaven or thee, tho both alas!</L>
<L>Are infinitly good, and merciful.</L>
<STAGE><HI>Enter</HI> Montigny.</STAGE>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Mont.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Where is <HI>Grammount,</HI> where is my deare&s;t Friend?</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Gram.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Who is it names <HI>Grammount,</HI> hah!</L>
<STAGE>Starting up.</STAGE>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Mont.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L><HI>Elvira</HI> all in blood! Oh Heavens!</L>
<L>I hardly dare believe my Eyes, what wretch</L>
<L>Could have the heart to do &s;o Villanous</L>
<L>A deed?</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Gram.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>See here that mi&s;erable wretch,</L>
<L>That bloody Villain thou wa&s;t &s;peaking of.</L>
<L>He was thy friend, oh, if thou &s;till art his,</L>
<L>Do him one friendly office, draw, and &s;heath</L>
<L>Thy Sword in this di&s;loyal Brea&s;t; &s;trike home</L>
<L>Be &s;ure, and with one kind obliging blow</L>
<L>At once deliver me, from the too ju&s;t</L>
<L>Reproaches of the world, from this dear, yet</L>
<L>Killing &s;pectacle, and from my hated &s;elf.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Elv.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>This wound, believe me, came not from his hand,</L>
<L><HI>Elvira</HI>'s arm, a&s;&s;i&s;ted by di&s;pair,</L>
<L>Had &s;trength enough to give the fatal blow.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Mont.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Oh my <HI>Grammount,</HI> oh my dear friend,</L>
<L>What a va&s;t Trea&s;ure ha&s;t thou lo&s;t.</L>
<L>Alas! what can I do but pity thee,</L>
<L>Thy crime carries its own puni&s;hment</L>
<L>Along with it, a puni&s;hment beyond</L>
<L>What the &s;evere&s;t ju&s;tice can inflict.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<STAGE><PB N="47" REF="28"><HI>Enter</HI> Beaufort</STAGE>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Beauf.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Tell me what means this general mourning,</L>
<L>A &s;ad confu&s;ion &s;eems to reign within</L>
<L>The&s;e walls, where e're I go I meet with deep</L>
<L>De&s;pair, and if I chance to ask the cau&s;e,</L>
<L>I'm an&s;wered only with a &s;igh, &s;ome tears,</L>
<L>And a di&s;tracted gha&s;tly look, and that</L>
<L>Is all th' intelligence I can get.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Gram.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Here be informed then, oh &s;ee here a Sight,</L>
<L>Will &s;hake thy generous &s;oul with horror:</L>
<L>A Sight, will make even thee look pale,</L>
<L>And tremble, tho' long ennured to &s;laughter,</L>
<L>And brought up in blood. Nay, &s;tart not Sir,</L>
<L>It is <HI>Elvira</HI> welt'ring in her gore,</L>
<L><HI>Elvira</HI> fal'n by her own hand,</L>
<L>But murdered by <HI>Grammount.</HI></L>
<STAGE><HI>Enter</HI> Leonora.</STAGE>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Leon.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Never did &s;o much joy, as here I bring</L>
<L>Spring from &s;o &s;ad a cau&s;e.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Beauf.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Hah! who's that un&s;ea&s;onably mentions joy</L>
<L>Here in this place of everla&s;ting Woe.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Leon.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Oh heavens! are all my deare&s;t hopes thus da&s;ht?</L>
<L>Oh Madam, who has done this bloody deed?</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Elv.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>'Twas I, 'twas I my &s;elf&punc; my dear, weep not</L>
<L>For me, but rather go, and comfort</L>
<L>If thou can&s;t the poor <HI>Grammount.</HI></L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Leon.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Oh <HI>Grammount!</HI></L>
<L>Unfortunate <HI>Grammount,</HI> mo&s;t gro&s;ly ha&s;t</L>
<L>Thou been impo&s;ed on, &s;trangely abu&s;ed</L>
<L>By that prodigious Mon&s;ter <HI>Dampierre.</HI></L>
<L>Know then, that Letter, thought directed</L>
<L>By <HI>Elvira</HI> to <HI>Montigny,</HI></L>
<L>And &s;ent, at that dead guilty time of night,</L>
<L>Was but a trick, a meer device, the whole,</L>
<L>Only a &s;cene contrived by <HI>Dampierre,</HI></L>
<L>Acted by <HI>Ly&s;ette.</HI></L>
<L>This truth, from her own mouth I ju&s;t now learnt,</L>
<L>And &s;he confirmed it with her late&s;t breath.</L>
<L>For &s;he is dead, poy&s;oned by <HI>Dampierre.</HI></L>
<L>This confe&s;&s;ion was to me, I mu&s;t confe&s;s,</L>
<L>Mo&s;t welcome, and welcome &s;ure it would have been</L>
<PB N="48" REF="29">
<L>To all, had it been made but &s;ome few minutes</L>
<L>Sooner.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Gram.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Gods! what has this mi&s;erable Caitif done.</L>
<L>To draw down all your anger on his head?</L>
<L>What horrid crimes before had &s;tained his Soul</L>
<L>That you &s;hould thus, all at one fatal blow,</L>
<L>Oppre&s;s the wretch with your &s;evere&s;t Judgments?</L>
<L>Oh, that &s;ome Mountain now would fall on me,</L>
<L>And in its dreadful ruines hide my head.</L>
<L>But hark methinks the Gods grow loud; hark, how</L>
<L>Their awful thunder grumbles in the Sky,</L>
<L>See how the fiery balls fly whizzing by!</L>
<L>Dealing amazement, and de&s;truction all a round.</L>
<L>Ha, ha, ha, ha.</L>
<L>See you old mi&s;er, laden with &s;welling bags</L>
<L>Of ill-got Gold, with how much awkar'd ha&s;te,</L>
<L>He limps away to &s;helter: &s;ee how he ducks,</L>
<L>And dives, and dodges with the Gods, and all</L>
<L>Only in hope t' avoid, for &s;ome few daies</L>
<L>Perhaps, the ju&s;t reward of his accur&s;ed extortion.</L>
<L>The hot Adulterer now, all chill and impotent</L>
<L>With fear, leaps from the polluted bed,</L>
<L>And crams him&s;elf into a cranny,</L>
<L>Tho&s;e mighty men of blood, who make a Trade</L>
<L>Of murder, forget their wonted fiercene&s;s:</L>
<L>Outnois'd they &s;hrink a&s;ide, and &s;hake for fear</L>
<L>O'th' louder threatnings of the angry Gods.</L>
<L>Whil&s;t I, I only, tho' the wickede&s;t wre<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter">ch of all,</L>
<L>with an erected countenance &s;tand to't,</L>
<L>Courting tho&s;e dangers others &s;eek to avoid.</L>
<L>And yet there's not one dart one ball for me,</L>
<L>Tho I, Heaven knows, de&s;erve 'em all. Oh</L>
<STAGE>He throws him&s;elf on the ground.</STAGE>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Elv.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Let not the knowledge of my innocence,</L>
<L>My dear <HI>Grammount,</HI> add to thy grief,</L>
<L>Rather believe me guilty &s;till, alas!</L>
<L>Thy generous ea&s;y nature was abu&s;ed,</L>
<L>Impo&s;ed on by a Brothers wicked arts.</L>
<L>Thou &s;till art innocent, and &s;o am I,</L>
<L>Who freely can forgive thy greate&s;t faults.</L>
<L>Come then <HI>Grammount,</HI> come to thy <HI>Elvira,</HI></L>
<L>And with a ki&s;s, a cold and dying ki&s;s,</L>
<L>I'll &s;eal thy pardon.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Gram.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>My dear <HI>Elvira,</HI> this thy prodigious</L>
<L>Goodne&s;s, does but encrea&s;e my mi&s;ery.</L>
<L>Yet I will come, yes my <HI>Elvira,</HI></L>
<PB N="49" REF="29">
<L>With a down dejected countenance,</L>
<L>Not daring to look up, but creeping thus,</L>
<L>And crawling on the earth, I do approach</L>
<L>Thy feet, here, &s;purn the vile thing, tread, trample</L>
<L>The mi&s;erable in&s;ect into nothing.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Elv.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Oh my <HI>Grammount,</HI> yield not too much to grief.</L>
<L>It is a fatal, tho a &s;low di&s;ea&s;e.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Gram.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>I thank thee, dear <HI>Elvira,</HI> for that hint.</L>
<L>Now thou art kind, and giv'&s;t me good advice.</L>
<L>Whoever would endure an age of pain,</L>
<L>When one &s;uch blow as this, might give him pre&s;ent ea&s;e?</L>
<STAGE>Stabbs him&s;elf.</STAGE>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Beauf.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Hold, oh hold <HI>Grammount.</HI></L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Leon.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Oh heavens what has he done?</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Mont.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Too much alas! altho' no more than what</L>
<L>I apprehended from his ju&s;t de&s;pair.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Gram.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Help me, my friend, and place me near that Saint.</L>
<L>So, now 'tis pretty well, pardon me my dear</L>
<L><HI>Elvira,</HI> that &s;o long I have defer'd</L>
<L>This piece of Ju&s;tice, or rather pardon me,</L>
<L>That at la&s;t I dur&s;t pre&s;ume to mingle.</L>
<L>My polluted blood, with tho&s;e pure &s;treams of thine.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Elv.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Oh my <HI>Grammount!</HI></L>
<L>My Love can pardon thee any thing,</L>
<L>Yet 'twas unkind, to give me thus</L>
<L>A &s;econd wound, a wound more grievous</L>
<L>To the poor <HI>Elvira,</HI> than the fir&s;t</L>
<L>Which gave her death.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Elv.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Where, where art thou my <HI>Grammount</HI></L>
<L>A ri&s;ing mi&s;t has on a &s;udden &s;natched</L>
<L>Thee from my &s;ight, alas! I faint, I dye,</L>
<L>Death &s;eizes now on every part, and my</L>
<L>Affrighted Soul &s;its hovering on my pale</L>
<L>And trembling lips, ju&s;t ready to begin</L>
<L>Its flight.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Gram.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Oh &s;tay, <HI>Elvira,</HI> for thy dear <HI>Grammount,</HI></L>
<L>Stay yet, but one poor minute, then,</L>
<L>As we have long liv'd and lov'd,</L>
<L>So let us &s;till Love, and lanch together</L>
<L>Into a va&s;t eternity, where we may Love</L>
<L>For ever.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Elv.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Oh no, imperious death commands</L>
<L>And I mu&s;t needs obey. But do thou live,</L>
<L>Live yet, if it be po&s;&s;ible, and Love</L>
<L>The memory of the poor <HI>Elvira,</HI></L>
<L>Farewel&mdash;Farewel&mdash;my dear <HI>Grammount</HI>&mdash;For ever</L>
<STAGE>She dies.</STAGE>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<PB N="50" REF="30">
<SPEAKER>Gram.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>She's gone, and all my comfort is, that I</L>
<L>Shall quickly follow her. Yes, this &s;ight wounds</L>
<L>Deeper than the &s;harpe&s;t dagger. And yet</L>
<L>How many Charms remain Unconquer'd &s;till,</L>
<L>As Beauty lies Triumphant over Fate,</L>
<L>And &s;eems to flouri&s;h in the arms of death.</L>
<L>Oh let me &s;teal one parting ki&s;s, at lea&s;t,</L>
<L>From tho&s;e cold lips.</L>
<L>But e're I go, my Friend</L>
<L>On thee I here be&s;tow all I have left</L>
<L>Of value in the world, this weeping Maid.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Mont.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>If the fair <HI>Leonora</HI> will confirm</L>
<L>The gift, I &s;hall be but too happy.</L>
<L>Oh, my <HI>Grammount</HI> I beg thee to believe</L>
<L>Since Fate deprives me of my deare&s;t Friend,</L>
<L>Nought but &s;o rich a pre&s;ent from his hand</L>
<L>Could bribe me to &s;urvive &s;o &s;en&s;ible a lo&s;s,</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Gram.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Here take her then.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Beauf.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>And with her all my wealth,</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Gram.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>The poor <HI>Grammount</HI> can only thank you Sir.</L>
<L>Come <HI>Leonora</HI>&mdash;</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Leon.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>For Heavens &s;ake&mdash;</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Gram.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>This mode&s;ty's un&s;ea&s;onable now.</L>
<L>Deny me not the &s;atisfaction</L>
<L>To &s;ee thee e're I die &s;o well be&s;towed,</L>
<L>Give me thy hand. Take her <HI>Montigny.</HI></L>
<L>And may this &s;aithful Wi&s;e abundantly</L>
<L>Supply the want of an Unfortunate</L>
<L>But real Friend&mdash;</L>
<L>Farewel! a long farewel to all. Hark, hark</L>
<L>Methinks I hear <HI>Elvira</HI> call. I come,</L>
<L>I come <HI>Elvira,</HI> my a&s;piring Soul</L>
<L>Begins to mount, not to o'retake, but at</L>
<L>An awful di&s;tance to attend and wait</L>
<L>On thine above, in tho&s;e ble&s;t Regions</L>
<L>Of eternal peace.</L>
<STAGE>He dies</STAGE>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Beauf.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Fate now has done its wor&s;t, and from me torn</L>
<L>All the delight and comfort of my age.</L>
<L>Who waits there? hah!</L>
<STAGE>Enter Servants at one door, <HI>Damp,</HI> at the other.</STAGE>
<L>But &s;ee, ju&s;t Heaven has &s;ent him to receive</L>
<L>The due reward of all his crimes. Seize,</L>
<L>Seize on that Villain <HI>Dampierre</HI> in&s;tantly.</L>
<STAGE>they &s;eize him.</STAGE>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>What means this rudene&s;s, hah!</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Beauf.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Look there, <HI>Grammount</HI> is dead, <HI>Elvira</HI>'s dead,</L>
<PB N="51" REF="30">
<L>And all this mi&s;chief is but the effect</L>
<L>Of thy black helli&s;h arts.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Why, if they are dead,</L>
<L>Let 'em be buried: What is't to me?</L>
<L>They might have longer lived, or &s;ooner died</L>
<L>For ought I know, who is it dares blame me?</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Leon.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>I, tho thy Si&s;ter, mu&s;t accu&s;e thee wretch</L>
<L>Think, think on <HI>Ly&s;ette,</HI> poy&s;oned by thee,</L>
<L>She with her late&s;t breath di&s;covered all</L>
<L>Thy arts.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Then my <HI>Italian</HI> was a Ra&s;cal,</L>
<L>Away, thou art a Girl, and &s;hould'&s;t be whipt</L>
<L>For prating.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Leon.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Ah! was't not enough, that in the Fore&s;t</L>
<L>Thou on <HI>Elvira</HI>'s honour made&s;t a ba&s;e</L>
<L>Attempt, but to reward her goodne&s;s</L>
<L>In concealing thy black crime,</L>
<L>Thou mu&s;t Con&s;pire her death too?</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Beauf.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Hah! how's that, can that be true?</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Mont.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Mo<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="2 letters"> true, believe me Sir, and had not I,</L>
<L>Directed by her cries, come in by chance,</L>
<L>The Villain had accompli&s;ht his de&s;ign.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Beauf.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Heavens I is it po&s;&s;ible?</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Yes, employ'd by thee,</L>
<L>I would have been thy ta&s;ter <HI>Beaufort.</HI></L>
<L>I would have wanton'd with her, &s;troked, and tamed</L>
<L>The vertuous fool, then brought her gentle,</L>
<L>To thy longing arms.</L>
<L>Do'&s;t thou not Love me for't? yes in thy heart</L>
<L>I know thou do'&s;t, for who but I, would e're</L>
<L>Have taken &s;o much pains to &s;erve thy Lu&s;t?</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Beauf.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Ju&s;tly thou do'&s;t reproach me <HI>Dampierre</HI></L>
<L>We are both Villains, and on both I will</L>
<L>My &s;elf &s;ee &s;peedy Ju&s;tice done. Thou who</L>
<L>In &s;pite of all my caution, ha&s;t yet dipt</L>
<L>Thy hands in blood, &s;halt &s;uffer death with the</L>
<L>Mo&s;t cruel tortures our &s;evere&s;t Laws</L>
<L>Inflict on murderers. As for my &s;elf,</L>
<L>Here I renounce the world, and all its joys,</L>
<L>Re&s;olved henceforth in &s;ome Remote</L>
<L>And Unfrequented Hermitage to &s;pend</L>
<L>The &s;mall remainder of my wretched days</L>
<L>At Nature's charge: Where the cold clammy earth</L>
<L>Shall be my bed: homely, but whole&s;ome roots</L>
<L>My daily food, and water from the</L>
<PB N="52" REF="31">
<L>Neare&s;t Spring my only drink. There on my</L>
<L>Bended knees I'll try to appea&s;e the anger</L>
<L>Of offended Heaven, and with repeated</L>
<L>Earne&s;t vows &s;olicit pardon for all my faults.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Ha ha ha!</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Beauf.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Can&s;t thou laugh wretch?</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Yes heartily, at thee and thy pretended penance.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Beauf.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Away with him, and load him well with Irons.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Damp.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Do thy wor&s;t old man, I fear not thee, nor death.</L>
<STAGE><HI>Damp.</HI> is led out</STAGE>
</LG>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Beauf.</SPEAKER>
<LG>
<L>Now there is little left for me to do,</L>
<L>But to di&s;charge my duty to the dead.</L>
<L>In &s;ad and &s;olemn pomp I will attend</L>
<L>Them to the earth, and give them both one grave.</L>
<L>There, when in peace their dear lov&punc;d A&s;hes lie,</L>
<L>From Treacherous ea&s;e, from all vain joys i'll fly,</L>
<L>And tho I live, yet to the world i'll dye.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
<TRAILER>FINIS</TRAILER>
</DIV1>
</BODY>
<BACK>
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<PB REF="31">
</DIV1>
</BACK>
</TEXT>
</EEBO>
</ETS>
