a Feast So foreknowing the Cheat He escapes the Deceit And in spite of the Curse resolves to be Blest 2. If Children are Blessings his Comfort 's the more Whose Spouse has been known to be Fruitful before And the Boy that she brings ready made to his Hand May stand him instead for an Heir to his Land Shou'd his own prove a Sot When he 's Lawfully Got As when e're 't is so if he don't I 'le be hang'd Song for a GIRL 1. YOung I am and yet unskill'd How to make a Lover yield How to keep or how to gain When to Love and when to feign 2. Take me take me some of you While I yet am Young and True E're I can my Soul disguise Heave my Breasts and roul my Eyes 3. Stay not till I learn the way How to Lye and to Betray He that has me first is blest For I may deceive the rest 4. Cou'd I find a blooming Youth Full of Love and full of Truth Brisk and of a janty meen I shou'd long to be Fifteen Exeunt Omnes A Royal Chamber is discover'd by drawing the former Scene Veramond Garcia Ximena Victoria Celidea with a full Train of Courtiers and Guards amongst the Croud Ramirez Disguis'd with some of his Party Vera. to Vict. No more delays but go Ximen This is Inhumane To press her to a Marriage made by Force At least allow your self and her this day That each of you may think and one may change Vera. You mean the Times or Accidents may change And leave her for Alphonso Ximen Your Enemies are but without your Gates And soon they may return forbear for fear Vera. The sooner then I must prevent th' effect of their return What now remains but to compleat my Vows And Sacrifice to Vengeance Ximen Your own Daughter Vera. Even her my self and all the World together Vict. Can you refuse me one poor day to Live Vera. Obey me and be Blest if not Accurst A Father's Curse has wings remember that Thro this World and the next it will pursue thee And sink thee down for ever Vict. 'T is enough I know how far a Daughter owes Obedience But Duty has a bound like other Empires It reaches but to Life for all beyond it Is the Dominion of another World Where you have no Command For you Don Garcia You know the Pow'r a Mistress ought to have But since you will be Master take your Hour The next is mine Gar. I grant the Debt of Service which I owe you But 't is a Summ too vast to pay at sight If now you call it in I must be Bankrupt To all my future Bliss Vict. I find by you The Laws of Love are like the Laws of Heav'n All know but few will keep 'em To the Temple Where I my self am Victim Enter Alphonso Vnarm'd all seem Amaz'd Alph. Stay Veramond Vera. aside Alphonso here then all my Hopes are blasted The Town is his and I once more a Slave Alph. Dismiss thy fears and tremble not Old Man I neither come with purpose nor with Power T' avenge my wrongs but single and unarm'd This Head is necessary to thy Peace And to Victoria's violated Vows Who while I Live can never be Don Garcia's Take then this odious Life securely take it And glut thy Vengeance with Alphonso's Blood Behold the Man who forc'd thee in thy Strength In thy Imperial Town made thee a Captive Now give thy Fury scope Revenge th' Affront And shew more pity not to spare my Life Than I in sparing thine Ximen to Celidea Oh boundless Courage or extream Despair Celid. to her I tremble for th' event see the King reddens The Fear which seiz'd him at Alphonso's sight And left his Face forsaken of his Blood Is vanisht now And a new Tide returns upon his Cheeks And Rage and Vengeance sparkle in his Eyes Vera. aside All things are husht no noise is in the Streets Nor shouts of Souldiers nor the cries of Matrons To speak a Town in plunder Then I take To Alph. A Traytor 's Counsel once and thou shalt Die Condemn'd by thy own Sentence go to Death Nor shall thy seeming Generosity And feign'd assurance save thee 't is despair To see thy frustrate Hopes that brought thee hither To meet my just Revenge Alph. Yes I will Dye because I chuse to Dye Which had I not desir'd I had not come Unarm'd Unguarded and alone to tempt Thy known Ingratitude and barb'rous hate Boast not th' advantage which thou hold'st of me But know thy self for what thou art no more Than the mean Minister of my despair Vera. Whether to Heav'n's Jnstice or thy Choice I owe this happy Hour of sweet Revenge I 'le not be wanting to the wisht occasion Vict. You shall not Dye alone my dear Alphonso Tho much I blame this desp'rate Enterprize You shou'd have stay'd to see Th' Event of what I promis'd to perform For had I been so base to be another's That baseness might have cur'd your ill-plac'd Love But this untimely rashness makes you Guilty Both of your Fate and mine Alph. While I believ'd My Life was precious to my dear Victoria I valu'd and preserv'd it for her sake But when you broke from your Deliv'rer's Arms To put your self into a Tyrant's Power I threw a worthless wretched Being from me Abandon'd first by you Vict. Oh Cruel Man Where at what moment did that Change begin With which you tax my Violated Vows I left your Lawless Pow'r to put my self Into a Father's Chains my Lawful Tyrant If this be my upbraided Crime even this On that occasion wou'd I do once more But cou'd I with my Honour safe have stay'd In your dear Arms bear witness Heav'n and Earth Nor Threats nor Force nor Promises nor Fears Shou'd take me from your Love Alph. Oh I believe you Vanish my fears and causeless Jealousies Live my Victoria for your self not me But let th' unfortunate Alphonso Dye My Death will glut your Cruel Father's Rage When I am gone and his Revenge compleat Pity perhaps may seize a Parent 's Mind To free you from a hated Lover's Arms. Celid. to Ximen Speak Mother speak my Father gives you time He stands amaz'd irresolute and dumb Like the still Face of Heav'n before a Storm Speak and Arrest the Thunder e're it rowls Ximen I stand suspected but you Celidea The Favourite of his Heart his Darling Child May speak and ought your Int'rest is concern'd For if Alphonso Dye your hopes are lost I see your Father's Soul like glowing Steel Is on the Anvil strike while yet he 's hot Turn him and ply him set him straight betimes Lest he for ever warp Celid. I fear and yet wou'd speak but will he hear me Ximen For what is all this silence but to hear Bring him but to calm Reasoning and he 's gain'd Celid. Then Heav'n inspire my Tongue Sir Royal Sir He hears me not he lifts not up his Eyes But fixt upon the
good Madam but to come closer to the present Business betwixt Don Carlos and Don Sancho That is to say a Poor Young Wit and a Rich Young Fool put the Case Gentlewoman which of 'em wou'd you chuse Dalind If it were not for meer Necessity I have a kind of a loathing to a Fool. Lopez The more Fool you Madam Dalind Wou'd you have a Race of Booby Grandsons Lopez That 's as your Conscience serves ye I say only that your Husband shall be a Fool I say not your Childrens Father shall be one Sancho to Carlos This is a plaguy long whisper I do not like it And yet now I think on 't my left Eye itches some good luck is coming towards me Lopez to them I 'll be short and pithy with ye Don Sancho I think they call ye If out of my abundant Love I shou'd bestow my Dutiful Daughter on you what kind of Husband wou'd you make Sanch. Husband Sennor Why none at all None of my Predecessors were ever Marry'd My Father and my Mother never were and I will not be the first of my Family that shall degenerate I thought my 200 Pistols would have done my business with Dalinda and a little winking Mony with you Lop. What wou'd you make me a Pimp to my own Daughter Dalind And imagine my Chastity cou'd be corrupted with a petty Bribe Sanch. Nay I am not so obstinate neither against Marriage Carlos gave me this wicked Counsel on purpose to banish me and in revenge to him I will Marry Lop. I hope you 'll ask her leave first Sanch. Phoo I take that for granted no Woman has the power to resist my Courtship Lop. Suppose then as before suppos'd what kind of Husband wou'd you make Sanch. Then to deal roundly with you I wou'd run a rambling my self and leave the drudgery of my House to her management All things shou'd go at Sixes and Sevens for Sancho In short Sennor I will be as Absolute as the Great Turk and take as little care of my People as a Heathen God Lop. Now Don Carlos what say you Carlos aside I 'll fit 'em for a Husband To Lopez Why Sennor I wou'd be the most careful Creature of her Business I wou'd inspect every thing wou'd manage the whole Estate to save her the trouble I wou'd be careful of her Health by keeping her within doors she shou'd neither give nor receive Visits nor kneel at Church among the Fops that Look one way and Pray another Dalind Oh abominable Lopez Why thou ungrateful Fellow wou'dst thou make a Slave of my Daughter And leave her no Business that is to say no Authority in her own House Dalind Ay and to call Fine Young Gentlemen Fops too To lock me up from Visitants which are the only Comfort of a Disconsolate Miserable Married Woman Lopez And 't were not for fear thou shou'dst beat me I cou'd find in my Heart to beat thee Don Sancho I have an Olla at home and you shall be welcome to it Farewel Kinsman To Carlos Exeunt Lopez and Sancho leading out Dalinda Carlos Now If I had another Head I cou'd find in my Heart to run this Head against that wall Nature has given me my Portion in Sense with a Pox to her and turn'd me out into the wide World to starve upon it She has given Sancho an empty Noddle but Fortune in revenge has fill'd his Pockets just a Lord's Estate in Land and Wit Well I have lost Dalinda and something must be done to undermine Sancho in her good Opinion Some pernicious Counsel must be given him He is my Prince and I am his States-Man and when our two Interests come to clash I hope to make a meer Monarch of him And my Hunger is somewhat in my way to quicken my Invention Want whets the Wit 't is true but Wit not blest With Fortune's Aid makes Beggars at the best Wit is not fed but sharpn'd with Applause For Wealth is solid Food and Wit but hungry Sause Exit ACT II. SCENE I. The Scene is a Bed-Chamber a Couch prepar'd and set so near the Pit that the Audience may hear Alphonso enters with a Book in his hand and sits reads to himself a little while Enter Victoria and sits by him then speaks Victo IF on your Private Bus'ness I intrude Forgive th' excess of Love that makes me rude I hope your sickness has not reacht your Heart But come to bear a suff'ring Sister's part Yet lest I shou'd offend you by my stay Command me to depart and I obey Alphon. The Patient who has pass'd a sleepless night Is far less pleas'd with his Physician 's sight Welcome thou pleasing but thou short Reprieve To ease my Death but not to make me live Welcome but welcome as a Winter's Sun That rises late and is too quickly gone Victo You are the Star of Day the publick Light And I am but your Sister of the Night Eclips'd when you are absent from my sight Alphon. Death will for ever take me from your Eyes But grieve not you for when I Sett you Rise Don Garcia has deserv'd to be your Choice And 't is a Brother's Duty to rejoyce Victo And yet methought you gave him not your Voice Alph. You saw a sudden Sickness left me weak I had no Joy to give nor Tongue to speak And therefore I withdrew to seek Relief In Books the fruitless Remedies of Grief Victo But tell me what Philosopher you found To cure your Pain Alph. The fittest for my Wound Who best the gentle Passions knows to move Ovid the soft Philosopher of Love His Love Epistles for my Friends I chose For there I found the Kindred of my Woes Victo His Nymphs the Vows of Perjur'd Men deplore One in the Woods and one upon the Shoar All are at length forsaken or betray'd And the false Hero leaves the faithful Maid Alphon. Not all for Linus kept his Constancy And one perhaps who more resembled me Victo That Letter wou'd I view in hope to find Some Features of the Fair that rules your Mind Alph. Read for the guilty Page is doubled down The Love too soon will make the Lover known Giving her the Book Read if you dare and when the Crime you see Accuse my cruel Fate but pity me Victo aside 'T is what I fear'd th' unhappy Canace Read you for to a Brother 't was design'd To him And sent him by a Sister much too kind Alphonso takes the Book and reads Why did thy Flames beyond a Brother's move Why lov'd I thee with more than Sister's Love He looks upon her and she holds down her Head He reads again My Cheeks no longer did their Colour boast My Food grew loathsom and my Strength I lost Still e're I spoke a sigh wou'd stop my Tongue Short were my slumbers and my Nights were long I knew not from my Love those Griefs did grow Yet was alas the thing I did not know She looks on him and he holds
sure you wou'd not run into the Toyl How ill your Actions with your Words agree Vict. This Friend is still at hand to set me free Holding up the Dagger Alph. Let me not live to see that Fatal Hour Rather return into your Father's Pow'r Rather return into his Arms again For whom your Lost Alphonso you disdain If one must dye to set your Honour free You have already cast the Lot on me Death is my only way to clear my Fame Which must be Branded with a Coward 's Name If basely I resign Victoria's Charms And tamely give you to my Rival's Arms. Vict. To give me to my Father is no Crime Alph. 'T is still the same your Father gives you him Ungrateful Woman Vict. More ungrateful Man More than I ought I give and all I can But if my Duty I prefer to you Be satisfi'd with all that Love can do Alph. Not satisfi'd but yet your Will shall be Like Fates inviolable Law to me Since my Unhappy Stars will have it so Depart from hence and leave your Father's Foe Go then but quickly go for while you stay As on a Rack I find my self decay And every Moment looks a part of me away Vict. I wish I with my Duty cou'd dispence Heav'n knows how loath I am to part from hence So from the Seal is soften'd Wax disjoyn'd So from the Mother Plant the tender Rind But take the latest Pledge that Love can give Have Courage and for your Victoria Live She offers him her Hand he Kisses it Exit Victoria he Looking after her Enter Ramirez Attended by Carlos Ramirez Embraces Alphonso Ram. Prop of my Age and Pattern of my Youth But such as far excels th' Original Ten Thousand Blessings on thee for this Deed. Alph. Heav'n and my Fate speak other Language to me No Blessings none but millions of their Curses Like burning Glasses with contracted Beams Are pointed on my Head Ram. What words are these on this Auspicious Day Alph. Oh fly me fly me Sir Lest the Contagion of my Woes Pollute my Father's Joys Victoria's gone And with her went Alphonso's Life and Soul Ram. You had her in your Pow'r and were too easie Alph. Or rather she too cruel Her Duty forc'd her hence in scorn of Love Ram. You must resume your Arms And force her Father's Will to make her yours Why like a Woman stand you thus complaining Born to the Strength and Courage of a Man Rouze up your Spirits to a just Revenge Like Lightning wastful and like Thunder loud Rivers of Blood shall run about the Town For which you were so lavish of your own Garcia shall Dye and by his Death remove The cause of Jealousie and Injur'd Love The King himself th' ungrateful King shall fall Of all our Ills the curst Original Alph. Beseech you Sir no more Ram. Your Reason Son Alph. For you have giv'n my Soul so large a swing That it bounds back again with double force Only because you carried it too far You 've set an Image of so vast destruction Before my sight that Reason shuns th' approach And dares not view the fearful precipice Ram. Is Vengeance which is said so sweet a Morsel That Heav'n reserves it for its proper Tast Is it so soon dis-relisht Alph. What have the People done The Sheep of Princes That they shou'd perish for the Shepherd's Fault They bring their yearly Wool to cloath their owners And yet when bare themselves are cull'd for Slaughter Shou'd I do this what cou'd the Wolf do more Than what the Master did Ram. Then Garcia must he scape Alph. 'T is true I had him at my Mercy once I shou'd have Kill'd him then or once forgiven Shou'd spare him now Ram. aside His Noble Soul relents Alph. But then I give Victoria to his Arms And make my own Destruction my own Act That fires my Blood again yet if she Love him Is Killing him she Loves the way to gain her No let him Live But Veramond shall Dye Who when he was my Father as he thought When I deserv'd his Love then hated me Ram. aside Oh! now the Tempest drives another way Alph. No more deliberation there it goes I 'le Kill him first to satisfie my Vengeance And then t' Attone her Anger Kill my self Seems going hastily Ram. Hold hold Alphonso Heav'n and Earth and I Who have a Father's Title to your Life Forbid that Parricide Alph. Wou'd you refuse a Mad-Man leave to Sleep 'T is Sleep must cure me and that Sleep is Death Ram. A Mad-Man must be cool'd to make him Sleep I have prepar'd a gentle Opiat for you One Moment's Patience and I will infuse it You see me dispossest of all my State Alph. Yes to my Grief and to enhance that Grief 'T is to my Sword my Father ows his Ruin Ram. And 't is that only Sword that can restore me It must and ought you owe it to your Duty Alph. Duty was what Victoria urg'd to me I hate that fatal word because she us'd it And for a Cruel Father left her Love Ram. Cou'd she do that for Veramond a Tyrant Which you refuse to me The Conquering Troops of Arragon are yours You are their Life their Idol and their Soul Conduct me Home and with their Aid Restore me And that once done we shall not need to Treat For Veramond himself will send and sue For that Alliance which his Pride now scorns Alph. Long e're that time Victoria will be Garcia's Her Father will not lose one moment's space To gratifie his Vengeance with my Ruine If I wou'd force him this must be the time Which since I now refuse 't is lost for ever Hear then and take it as my last resolve Lead you the Troops you need not fear their Faith The Guilt of their Rebellion make 'em yours With them and with your own Restore your self Ram. Then what becomes of you Alph. No matter what Provide your self of some more worthy Heir For I am lost beyond Redemption lost Farewel the Joys of Empire from this moment Farewel the Honours of the dusty Field Here lay I down this Instrument of Death Vngirds his Sword and lays it down And may it gird some Happier Souldier's side For nothing it cou'd gain can countervail To me the loss of my Victoria's Love Your Blessing and farewel Kneels Ram. Alas I fear some fatal Resolution Is harbour'd in your Soul if thus you leave me My Mind forbodes we never more shall meet Alph. Give not so black an Omen to this parting For we may meet again if Heav'n thinks fit A Beam of Comfort like the Moon thro' Clouds Gilds the brown Horrour and directs my way Blast not my purpose by refusing leave Nor ask the means but know I will not Dye Till I have prov'd th' extreamest Remedy And if Unarm'd I go to tempt my Fate Think my despair is from Victoria's Hate Exit Alphonso Ram. I might have us'd the Pow'r Heav'n gives to Parents And hindred his
down his Head Forc'd at the last my shameful pain I tell Victo No more We know our mutual Love too well Both look up and meet each others Eyes Alph. Two Lines in reading had escap'd my sight Shall I go back and do the Poet right Victo Already we have read too far I fear But read no more than Modesty may bear Alphonso reading For I lov'd too and knowing not my wound A secret Pleasure in thy Kisses found He offers to kiss her and she turns her Head away May we not represent the Kiss we read Victo Alphonso no Brother I shou'd have said Alphonso reading again When half denying more than half content Embraces warm'd me to a full Consent Then with tumultuous Joys my Heart did beat And Guilt that made 'em Anxious made 'em Great She snatches the Book and throws it down then rises and walks he rises also Victo Incendiary Book Polluted Flame Dare not to tempt the Chast Victoria's Fame I love perhaps more than a Sister shou'd And Nature prompts but Heav'n restrains my Blood Heav'n was unkind to set so strict a Bound And Love wou'd struggle to forbidden Ground Oh let us gain a Parthian Victory Our only way to conquer is to fly Alph. No more Victoria tho my Love aspires More high than yours and fiercer are my Fires I cannot bear your looks new Flames arise From ev'ry Glance and kindle from your Eyes Pure are the Beams which from those Suns you dart But gather blackness from my sooty Heart Then let us each with hasty steps remove Nor spread Contagion where we meant but Love Victo Hear Heav'n and Earth and witness to my Vows And Love thou greatest Power that Nature knows This Heart Alphonso shall be firmly thine This Hand shall never with another joyn Or if by force my Father makes me wed Then Death shall be the Bridegroom of my Bed Now let us both our shares of Sorrow take And both be wretched for each others sake Alph. By those relentless powerâ— that rule the Skies And by a greater Power Victoria's Eyes No Love but yours shall touch Alphonso's Heart Nor Time nor Death my vow'd Affections part Nor shall my hated Rival live to see That hour which envious Fate denies to me Now seal we both our Vows with one dear Kiss Victo No 't is a hot and an incestuous Bliss Let both be satisfi'd with what we swore I dare not give it lest I give you more Exit Victoria looking back on him and he gazing on her Alph. Oh Raging Impious and yet hopeless Fire Not daring to possess what I desire Condemn'd to suffer what I cannot bear Tortur'd with Love and Furious with Despair Of all the Pains which wretched Mortals prove The fewest Remedies belong to Love But ours has none for if we shou'd enjoy Our fatal Cure must both of us destroy Oh Dear Victoria cause of all my Pain Oh Dear Victoria whom I wou'd not gain Victoria for whose sake I wou'd survive Victoria for whose sake I dare not live Enter Garcia with Attendants The two Princes salute but Alphonso very coldly Garci I come to shew my grief for your Distemper For if my Noble Brother saw my Heart There shou'd you find a Plain a Holy Friendship Unmixt with Interest equally partaking Of what affects you both of good and ill Alphon. I thank you but my Malady increases At your approach I have no more to say But wish you better health than I can boast And to my self a lonely Privacy Garci I find I am not welcome to your sight But know not from what cause Alphon. angrily My surest Remedy is in your absence 'T is hard my Lodgings cannot be my own But importun'd with Visits undesir'd And therefore I must tell you troublesom Garci 'T is an odd way of entertaining Friends But since I find you discompos'd with sickness That shall excuse your Humours where I go I hope for better Welcome Alphon. Sir I must ask whom you pretend to visit Garci My Mistress Prince Alphon. Your Mistress who 's that Mistress Garci What need I name Victoria Alphon. Who my Sister Garci Whom else cou'd you imagine Alphon. Any other Garci And why not her Alphon. Because I know not if she will admit you Garci Her Father has allow'd it Alph. But not she Or if both have yet my consent is wanting You take upon you in a Foreign Kingdom As if you were at home in your Navarre Garci And you methinks As if you had no Father or no King Farewell I will not stay Alphon. You shall not go Thus as I am thus single thus unarm'd And you with Guards attended Gar. You Teach me to forget the Rule of Manners Alph. I mean to Teach you better As Garcia is going to pass by him Alphonso runs to one of his Attendants and snatches his Sword away then steps between Garcia and the Door Enter Veramond and Ximena Attended Vera. What means this rude Behaviour in my Court As if our Arragon were turn'd to Thrace Unhospitable to her Guests and thou Alphonso a Lycurgus Alphon. He would pass Without my Sister's leave into her Lodgings By Heav'n if this be suffer'd to proceed The next will be to Treat the Royal Maid As coursly as she were some Suburb Girl Gar. to Vera. Had I not your Permission Sir Vera. You had But these Alphonso are thy Ruffian Manners How dar'st thou Boy to break my Orders And then asperse thy Sister with thy Crime Alphon. She said his Presence was unpleasing to her Vera. Come thou bely'st her Innocence and Duty She did not durst not say it Alph. If she did not I dare and will maintain to all the World That Garcia is not worthy of my Sister Vera. Not worthy Alphon No I say once more not worthy Garcia Not in my self for who deserves Victoria But since her Royal Father bids me hope Not less unworthy than another Prince To Ver. And none with your permission Sir shall dare To interpose betwixt my Love and Me. Alph. Sure a less Price than our Infanta's Bed Might pay thee for thy Mercenary Troops Vera. Peace Insolent too long I have indur'd Thy Haughty Soul untam'd and turbulent But if I Live this shall not pass unpunisht Darkness and Chains are Medicines for a Madman Ximena My Lord I humbly beg you spare your Son And add not Fury to a Raging Fire He soon will recollect his scatter'd Reason Which Heat of Youth and Sickness and Fatigues Have dissipated in his boyling Blood Give him but time and then his Temperate Humour Will soon return into the Native Channel And unoppos'd be calm Vera. No never more The Moon has roul'd above his Head and turn'd it As Peals of Thunder sow'r the generous Wine To Alph. Hence from my Presence thou no more my Son Ximena If he be Mad be Madness his excuse And Pardon Nature's Error not his own Vera. Ximena you have fonded him to this I Prophesied and now 't is come to pass
Pavements looks the way That points to Death She pulls him Oh hear me hear me Father Have you forgot that dear indulgent Name Never before in vain pronounc'd by me Vera. Ha! who disturbs my Thoughts Celid. kneeling 'T is Celidea Alas I wou'd relieve you if I durst If ever I offended even in Thought Or made not your Commands The bounds of all my Wishes and Desires Bid me be dumb or else permit me Speech Vera. Oh rise my only unoffending Child Who reconciles me to the Name of Father Speak then but not for her and less for him Celid. Perhaps I wou'd accuse 'em not defend For both are Guilty dipt in equal Crimes And are obnoxious to your Justice both Vera. True Celidea thou confirm'st my Sentence 'T is just Alphonso Dye Ximen aside Forgive her Heav'n she aggravates their Faults And pushes their destruction Celid. Speak Alphonso Can you deny when Royal Veramond Then thought your Father and by you so deem'd When he requir'd your Captive old Ramirez And order'd his Confinement did you well Then to controul the Pleasure of that King Under whose just Commands you Fought and Conquer'd Alph. I did not well but heat of boyling Youth And ill-weigh'd Honour made me disobey Vera. That Cause is gain'd for he confesses Guilt Proceed most equitable Judge proceed Celid. to Alph. Next I reproach you with a worse Rebellion The King 's first Promise to Don Garcia made You dar'd t' oppose forbad his fair Addresses Then made a Ruffian Quarrel with that Prince And last were guilty of Incestuous Love I will not load my Sister with Consent But in strict Virtue listning to a Crime And not rejecting is it self a Crime Vict. Is this a Sister's Office Peace for shame We Lov'd without transgressing Virtues bounds We fixt the limits of our tend'rest Thoughts Came to the verge of honour and there stopt We warm'd us by the Fire but were not scorcht If this be Sin Angels might Love with less And mingle Rays of Minds less pure than ours Our Souls enjoy'd but to their Holy Feasts Bodies on both sides were forbidden Guests Celid. Now help me Father or our Cause is lost For much I fear their Love was innocent Vera. With my own Troops Alphonso seiz'd my Person In my own Town to my perpetual Shame Pass on to that and strike the Traytor Dead Celid. Yes Proud Alphonso you were banisht hence Your Father was confin'd and doom'd to Death The Beauty you Ador'd was made another's How durst you then attempt t' avenge your wrongs And force your Mistress from your Rival's Arms Rather than Dye contented as you ought Alph. Even for those very Reasons you alledge Ximen aside At last I find her drift Vera. Thou Justifiest and not Accusest him Celid. Patience good Father and hear out the rest To Alph. Thought you because you bravely Fought and Conquer'd For Royal Veramond nay sav'd his Life And set him free when you had Conquer'd him Only because he was Victoria's Father Thought you for such-slight Services as these That he shou'd spare you now O Generous Madman To give your Head to one who ne're forgave Vera. aside Oh she stings me Celid. And you Don Garcia witness to this Truth You were his hated Rival fairly vanquisht And yet he spar'd your Life Garc. At your request I owe it to you both That he dismist my Sister 't was her Fault I charge it not on him but 't was his Folly A Capital Fool he was in that last Error For which he justly stands Condemn'd to Death Your Sentence Royal Sir Vera. That he shou'd Live Shou'd Live Triumphant over Veramond And shou'd Live Happy in Victoria's Love Oh I have held as long as Nature cou'd Convinc'd in Reason obstinate in Will I saw the Pleader's aim found her design I long'd to be o'recome and yet resisted What have I done against thee my Alphonso And what hast thou not done for Veramond Ximen Oh fortunate Event Vict. Oh happy Day Alph. Oh unexpected Bliss and therefore double Vera. to Alph. Can you forgive me yes I know you can Alphonso can forgive Victoria's Father But yet in pity Pardon not too soon Punish my Pride a while And make me linger for so great a Good Lest extasie of Joy prevent the Blessing And you instead of Pardon give me Death He offers to kneel to Alphonso Alphonso tales him up and kneels himself Alph. Oh let me raise my Father from the ground Vera. rising 'T is your peculiar Virtue my Alphonso Always to raise me up Alph. Here let me grow till I obtain your Grace My Life has been one Universal Crime And you like Heav'n accepting short Repentance Forgive my length of Sins Vera. raising him Let us forget from whence offence began But since to fave my shame thou wilt be Guilty Impute thy hate for me to sure instinct That show'd thee thy True Father in my Foe Now Grafted on my Stock be Son to both turning to Garc. To you Don Garcia next Garc. Before you speak Permit me Sir t' assume some little Merit In this days Happiness your Promise made Victoria mine Alph. What then Garc. Nay hear me out He kept his Royal Word he gave her me I lost her when I fell beneath your Sword Or if I have a Title I resign it And make her yours Alph. I take her as your Gift Garc. to Vera. Make me but Blest in Celidea's Love She sav'd my Life and hers it is for ever 'T is pity she who gain'd another's Cause Shou'd lose her own Vera. presenting Celidea She 's yours Celid. My Joys are full Vict. And mine o're-flow Alph. And mine are all a Soul can bear and Live Vera. Then seek we out Ramirez To make him Partner of this happy day That gives him back his Crown and his Alphonso Ram. Behold me here unsought with some few Friends Taking off his Vizard Resolv'd to Save my Son or Perish with him Thus far I trac'd and follow'd him unknown And here have waited with a beating Heart To see this blest Event Vera. Just like the winding up of some Design Well form'd upon the crowded Theatre Where all concern'd surprizingly are pleas'd And what they wish see done Lead to the Temple Let Thanks be paid and Heav'n be prais'd no less For private Union than for publick Peace Epilogue NOW in Good Manners nothing shou'd be sed Against this Play because the Poet 's dead The Prologue told us of a Moral here Wou'd I cou'd find it but the Devil knows where If in my Part it lyes I fear he means To warn us of the Sparks behind our Scenes For if you 'l take it on Dalinda's Word 'T is a hard Chapter to refuse a Lord. The Poet might pretend this Moral too That when a Wit and Fool together woo The Damsel not to break an Ancient Rule Shou'd leave the Wit and take the Wealthy Fool. This he might mean but there 's a Truth behind And since it touches none of all our Kind But Masks and Misses faith I 'le speak my Mind What if he Taught our Sex more cautious Carriage And not to be too Coming before Marriage For fear of my Misfortune in the Play A Kid brought home upon the Wedding day I fear there are few Sancho's in the Pit So good as to forgive and to forget That will like him restore us into Favour And take us after on our good Behaviour Few when they find the Mony Bag is rent Will take it for good Payment on content But in the Telling there the difference is Sometimes they find it more than they cou'd wish Therefore be warn'd you Misses and you Masks Look to your hits nor give the first that asks Tears Sighs and Oaths no truth of Passion prove True Settlement alone declares true Love For him that Weds a Puss who kept her first I say but little but I doubt the worst The Wife that was a Cat may mind her house And prove an Honest and a Careful Spouse But faith I wou'd not trust her with a Mouse FINIS