approach one sally of her Breath repells But yet the Women of her Shape and Face May well enough for Countrey Beauties pass Thus I with Fame in nothing did accord My Tongue blaspheming what my Heart ador'd And by this Artifice did so work and move The King that he consented to my Love Which I pretended was by Interest led That so I might the heir of Cornwall wed Alfr. At once to wrong me yet to Love pretend I judg'd the same a Lover and a Friend Perhaps in truth these blemishes you find And rambling Fame that talk'd so loud was blind The best is if this Face a Tempest raise One sally of my Breath will all appease That if you rest from other Crimes secure You safely may the shock of this endure Ethelw Still fatally to my destruction bent Vain Woman go pursue your dire intent Alfr. The King may yet some small suspicions bear One sight of me those dangerous doubts will clear Ethelw Your beauty who denies denies the Sun To your large Glass have I not seen you run There all intent intemperately gaze Fill your stretch'd eyes with the reflected rays And in that luxury consume the day Till drunk with the sweet draught you reel'd away Alfr. I might my beauty prize in some degree When I your love and low respects did see That Conquest seem'd a Miracle for me Nor might I think that England can afford Then Ethelwold a more illustrious Lord. Ethelw O tongue too subtle for a Lover's heart Let us divide and both submit in part Be you content your self unseen to see And I indulge your curiosity Cover those Beams and let that natural Light Obscur'd by Art less fiercely strike the Sight My Crime may lurk beneath your Twilight-ray Laid open you discovering all your Day Your Face disguis'd I may securely pass Alfr. With what foul Blots would you Heav'ns gifts disgrace Heav'ns that in earnest angry oft retort What we affect or counterfeit in sport Ethelw Vexatious still Dispute not but obey Alfr. To my Obedience my Disputes make way Let me your Grief and worst Misfortunes share But Fraud and Wrong I dare not tamper there Ethelw Howe're you to your Face allow no part Your many words declare you false at Heart Scarce are we joyn'd the Marriage-knot scarce ty'd How many Jarrs and Jealousies divide Blaze on dire Comet may thy Influence be To Crowns and Empires fatall as to me Alfr. Whither do your rash words and passion fly To calm your mind my utmost power I 'll try If I receive advantage from my Dress 'T is that I you might with advantage please If wanting this your Love be not impair'd These Ornaments I readily discard Pulls off her Patches Ethelw Those Trifles did your Beauty but rebate If this be all you 'll doe how desperate is my state Pull out those Eyes and then my work is done To what extremes will my resentment run Pulls her away Exeunt SCENE VIII Queen returns with Women Ethelg. Shew not my Nuptialls now to England more Then Syria Greece or Rome e're saw before More Kings their Homage to my Edgar pay Then Planets to the Monarch of the Day He sits on high illustrious and large They blow and tugg and launch along his Barge SCENE IX The King in a Triumphant Barge appears within the Scenes rowed by eight Kings towards the Stage c. The Kings enter in procession with their gilded Oars after them Edgar with Alfrid in his hand his eyes fixt on her Ethelwold behind The Kings successively salute Edgar 1. King The Hands that lately shining Scepters bore Learning new tasks are blister'd with the Oar. A Homage ever shall be paid by me To him that rules and that defends the Sea 2. King His part of Earth to every Prince is due Whilst on the Waters none is King but You. 3. King In narrow bounds are our Dominions pent The strongest Winds fall dead their last breath spent E're they attain your Empire 's vast extent 4. King The spacious Heaven and Nature's care scarce stretch So far as your immense Dominions reach 5. King Nothing is seen that your large Power confines Except in Globes imaginary Lines 6. King What Nation dares your Dictates disobey He shakes the Earth who can the Ocean sway 7. King Your Sea without you to assert your Power Invades and conquers the rebellious Shore Stretches its swelling Arms and grasps each Land And combats all that own not your Command 8. King Your Sails must lowr when Winds and Storms are high And on the Water all but Heav'n defie Edgar What art thou from whence what far-distant Coast Sends thee proud Spoils and vanquisht Kings to boast To Alfrid Those Eyes do all our Pomp and Glory brave And in the midst of Triumph make me Slave Now all the Homage which was lately paid By me resign'd at your fair Feet is laid From what height is my Pride untimely thrown Snow which some lofty Mountain's head doth crown When the South-wind's warm breath once issues forth Thus shrinks dissolves and sinks into the Earth Why was this Face or why not sooner seen Yet after all thou shalt be thou art Queen Speak Nymph asswage my pain Alfr. So new a thing It is for me to see or hear a King My Eye 's too weak to look on Majesty And Tongue unskill'd to fashion a Reply Edg. Proceed sweet Harm'nie Let your Tongue Love sing And your tun'd Heart consent in every string Let every Sense to Love's soft Charms incline Alfr. Might I presume or any thing define Your words seem aim'd at one in equal Sphere And ill descend into a Subject's ear Unfit for Love we dread your Majestie And low to that at distance prostrate lie Edg. All Majesty and Distance I disown If Subject born you are my Sovereign grown You all Divine with radiant Beauty crown'd In me the very thought of Power confound Pardon bright Form if I approach too near A sudden raw unpractis'd Worshipper Alfr. If Beauty were a thing to be ador'd England would be like barbarous Egypt stor'd In every Grange you might an Idol see And nothing rare or singular in me Edg. There 's something in you sure divinely rare Am I a Slave to every Maid that 's fair Me you accuse your self whilst you impair No common Planets in your Birth were joyn'd No influence for common Fates assign'd I feel the power resistless infinite Then Majesty more strong and more then Beauty sweet My burning Veins prove your full Presence there And my astonisht Soul declares you every-where Alfr. 'T is Glory Sir 't is Glory that inflames Your mighty Soul which still of Glory dreams Whose Image wanders bright before your eyes And you to that more nobly sacrifice Those Hymns are not to Humane kind addrest Nor Edgar's Soul to earthly Frames debas't Edg. 'T is my good Angell that I hear and see My Eyes and Ears confess a Deitie Yet my Devotions were not pure the Man Aside The Earthly
Courage reigns He their glad Veins with generous Fire distends And to each Heart the brave Infection sends From Edgar 't is that England's Glory grows Prot. More then one Edgar Fate to England owes These retiring Tritons dance They retiring 3 Sirens arise out of the Sea and sing THE SONG 1. Siren. LOve the Ambrosia of the Blest 'T is Love in Heav'n that makes the Feast O Mortalls Mortalls come and tast 2. Sir Whilst jingling Honour strives for place And Vertue sets her ugly Face The Moments the sweet Moments pass 3. Sir It cools alas how fast it cools Fall to ye men ye men with Souls And Ceremony leave to Fools All. When Nature invites And keen Appetites Care tearing your Hearts and tormenting Is some Devil in the way That creates your Delay Or a Bug of some Bigott's inventing Three Celestiall Sirens approach skymming on the surface of the waters The former Sirens dive hastily and disappear These looking after them say 1. Sir Fly Monsters fly with your deceitfull Breath That warbling strikes and pleases unto Death Each tender ear ev'n yet the Accents wound And th' Air yet trembles with the impious Sound 2. Sir A Heav'nly Voice and Beauty they prophane With the unblest abominable Train Which their false boasted Pleasures do's detect Sweet to the Sense but Poison in effect 3. Sir Great Edgar from those Charms is safe To all but those of Glory deaf Glory whose Chariot drives an height 'Bove the rude Jolt of sensuall Delight And hurry of low Passions Victory On silver Wings and Triumph with them fly These 3 dance and after they retiring the Sea seems troubled Andromeda appears ty'd to a Rock a great Sea-monster making towards her Perseus is seen in the Air on Pegasus with his Scimitar and Gorgon Shield When Edgar abruptly starting up turns from the Masque and with Face towards the Pit speaks Edg. Glory had once th' Ascendant Glorie's Dart Did from all other Flames my Breast assert Which raging now torment m' enfeebled Heart A Dream of Majesty a King no more These Shows are now less Shadows then my Power They represent Love's utmost Malice try'd Has me dethron'd degraded and destroy'd If ought survive if ought of me remain 'T is but the sense of an immortall Pain Love I obey and Captive follow thee To Solitude a fitter Scene for me Exit Edgar gone all in a consternation goe of and the Scene changes to a Garden SCENE I. Enter Lewis solus Lewis Unhappy Princes who a just War make And onely Arms when necessary take For me yet cruell Heav'ns determine worse Against my own to head a forrein Force By those that no Allegeance owe obey'd Born to protect the Nation I invade They have the Blows yet I partake the Pain A Subject lost in every Foe that 's slain My Mind 's distress'd whilst my bold War succeeds My Heart at every Wound they suffer bleeds The English must my juster Cause decide Whilst them I in new paths of Glory guide How can the Continent their Shock sustain Whose Arms ev'n force an Empire on the Main But I shall teach them thus perhaps a way That France may wish untaught another day In France again their fatall Banners spread This Heav'n avert I love their Vertue but their Valour dread Ambition blunted by these soft Regrets My Love provokes and to fierce Action whets 'T is not my Crown alone that I forgoe But with my Crown I lose Editha too Let Kingdoms my Despair in Ashes mourn A meaner Flame the Universe will burn SCENE II. Enter two old French Statesmen They on their Knees say Both. Long live King Lewis 1. Statesm The Usurper gone France with one Voice recalls you to your Throne Your Absence they lament Lew. Is Rodulph dead 2. Statesm And to the just Reproach of Heav'n in Bed Yet his black Soul did th' Air and Heav'n deform And dying Breath did bluster to a Storm As if the Troubles since he ceas'd to live Which to the Earth he could no longer give He still would through the Aiery Regions drive 1. Statesm The Day which did his last black Night precede The bloudy Tyrant had your Death decreed And hearing that to th' English Court you fled Sent two Embassadours to demand your Head 2. Statesm But these things may in vacant hours be said Our Bark my Liege waits ready to convey You safe e're Fame the Secret shall betray Kings caught on forrein Ground are lawfull Prize And for a King what Ransom can suffice Lew. I my Condition may some time conceal But cannot from this Court so rudely steal Nor can I fear the Danger you foretell Knowing the King and English Hearts so well 1. Statesm Their generous Minds as nobly you report But who can find an English-man at Court No private Mind can any Courts controll All mov'd by Interest their common Soul 2. Statesm Hot Places those where Vertue cannot look But withers dies and vanishes in Smoak 1. Statesm The private Love is ended that he bore Since you are now the Private man no more To ruine all your Cause he might advance And loving you declar'd his Hate to France 2. Statesm Your Kingdome he may without Wrong invade Till Articles and formall Leagues are made Friendship with Kings requires a certain Date Engross'd and seal'd on Instruments of State Nor this 'gainst crafty Counsels a Defence Who weaker Words suborn against the Sense To sacred Interest their bald Heads they nod That they adore and know no other God 1. Statesm Possess your Kingdom first and then send back Embassadours your Complements to make Lew. Is that the Court Your Message do's invite Me thither and from thence your Maximes fright Maximes within the English Verge not known Nor shall in France whilst I possess the Throne Pardon me King to Friendship if unjust I yield unwilling to a Friend's Distrust Aside I on my Throne shall mourn with the Disgrace If in your Breast I forfeited my place Attend me there till I in such Disguise Points to a distant place Return as shall deceive observing Eyes Exeunt Statesmen SCENE III. Lewis solus For my Ambition Fortune could no more Yet am I after all this Fortune poor Ambition is not all I will not move One Step from hence till prosperous in my Love No Power no Scepters shall allure me hence Love too shall feast though at my Pride's expence Blest Omen see her Image strikes mine Eyes Heav'n guides her hither SCENE IV. Enter Editha Madam To Editha Edi. That false Tongue No more I 'll hear Lew. Alas I Triumph sung Aside Too hasty cheated by an empty Dream Yet free from Guilt I may the Tempest stemme To Editha Edi. An Innocence presume not to perswade These Eyes beheld the Conference which you had The strict new League and Interchanges made Lew. She saw me with Gunilda late embroil'd When Kenneth was in the same Errour toil'd Aside What League what Conference Edi. New Allies to make With Strangers
where new Fires you give and take Goe 'mongst the Hearts by your feign'd Love engrost Goe and Editha in the Number boast She offers to goe he stops her Lew. Let Heav'n not own nor Earth sustain me more If God or Mistris I save one adore Both which by me too rudely were prophan'd If whilst in presence here of both I stand I durst be false Edi. She present Also She Is some invisible Divinity Lew. Around she do's such dazzling Lustre shed Ev'n like the Sun in her own Beams she 's hid And o're all other Beauties bears such Sway They disappear like the Stars feeble Ray Drown'd in the Light and Deluge of the Day Edi. The Path I mark'd your wary Language shuns And safely wide a wild Vagary runs You traverse not the Charge against you laid But would by cunning Sophistry evade Me your ill-tim'd and dawbing Flatteries paint When for your Self you a just Colour want But injur'd Friendship why should I relate You must contest with Generous Kenneth that All All will in Gunilda be repai'd And Denmark now comes bustling to your Aid Yet though to th' English you the Dane prefer I envy not your Arms successfull War For your good Cause whoever shall assist Will my best Wishes on your Party list Lew. From a wrong'd Friendship I've no Blemish drawn And for Success that rests on You alone Your favourable Wishes give me more Then they my Crown and Kingdome who restore Kingdoms by Marks and narrow Bounds confin'd You fill the vast Ambition of my Mind Edi. When with arm'd Threats you should th' Usurper brave You vainly like an idle Lover rave Lew. Is there a Secret I may not impart To Her who holds in Custody my Heart Th' Usurper's dead now for Relief I wait At your Hands onely Edi. I congratulate The Happiness of your recover'd Throne Lew. No Kingdom I without your Favour own Edi. This is a Copy of your private Mind You 'll scarce the Record in your Kingdom find When Royall Cares once fill your larger Breast No place remains for any forrein Guest Lew. My Dignity will not my Guest discharge But rather furnish and the Room enlarge Which since your Image do's so nobly grace Majesty will a brighter Power confess Gunilda comes And yield to you the Consecrated place Edi. She by Appointment comes false man where She Attends the Love you practis'd but on Me I leave you to Her Exit Editha Lew. The same Path I take I must the Chain of these Suspicions break Exit Lewis SCENE V. Gunilda looking on a Letter Gun My Brother how Depos'd and Sigar reigns His Title own'd by the perfidious Danes Fortune and Fate what have I now to claim The wandring Shadow of an empty Name Speedy Assistence he from Kenneth craves See how unknowing he my Folly braves See the just Curse on my Inconstancy And loe a Victim injur'd Love to thee Now will the Scots about me fleering run And to vile Pipes my sad Disasters tune Yet spite of Fortune I this Scepter hold With this in Hand I will not be controul'd Pulls out a Dagger By this within an Empire I maintain And there unmov'd a perfect Princess reign SCENE VI. Enter Kenneth Ken. Can any Trouble Princess touch your Breast And mine not sink beneath the Load opprest Disclose fair Princess your sharp Grief disclose I know the Pain a stranger to the Cause Gun Read this and laugh Do you before the rest Gives him the Letter he reads Of fresh Revenge the rasie Pleasure tast Ken. 'T is done swift Orders I dispatch and all The Kingdom to our Royall Standard call In Person I will join them on the Shoar Nor will I wait a Wind to waft us o're Nor will I rest till Sigar's Faction quell'd The Throne again is by your Brother fill'd Gun I stand astonisht at your forward Heat You have not weigh'd half my Misfortune yet To your feign'd Love what lighted first the way Our Riches are the ravenous syrant's prey Despis'd despoil'd of all Gunilda see Nor with her Portion save in Misery Ken. Give me Gunilda and no Want I fear No other Wealth deserves a Monarch's Care Leave the gross Fewel for ignoble Fires A fairer Prey do's nourish my Desires Gun Your Language has that generous sense displai'd As but too much my Errours do's upbraid And Constancy so easily shaken tax Ken. Heav'n ne'r made that a Vertue of the Sex Ah! look not back when present Joys invite And Hymen calls with thousand Torches light Gun 'T is Love alone has right those Joys to boast But Love would here in Gratitude seem lost Ken. Deep Gratitude the firm Foundation lies Whilst we behold Love's glorious Structure rise There will we reign there drink eternal Joys And touching Heav'n the low dull World despise Gun On equall Grounds I your Desires would meet But Fortune thrusts me now below your Feet Which makes my Love suspected and that I Against my Choice forc'd by Necessity Forsaken hopeless broken by Distress Into your Arms as my last Refuge press No Malice I thy hissing Snakes defy Thus arm'd none e're was wretched that could die Dagger in hand I in my Heart can no Retrenchment find Nor have I lost one Atome of my Mind Nor will in ought diminisht to you come Ken. Frail Riches gone to Courage left the Room Enter Edgar Edg. What Discord Lovers speak let me decide But leave me ' las I am within employ'd Too much my self Exeunt Ken. and Gunilda SCENE VII Edgar solus How tedious turns the Wheel Of Time how slow where men in Torments dwell One Day would make Eternity in Hell To me this Instant that Long day has been Hell I have felt for something Heav'nly seen Ethelwold found some other of the Name This She who rides on the white wings of Fame And I may This the True my Alfrid claim My giddy Thoughts run wild and rave about My Mind is all Distraction I will shut Shut close my Eyes lock the deceitfull Door I will not see come near think on her more SCENE VIII Alfrid in Man's habit as Edgar goes in hast from behind a Bush runs against him My Mind 's unhindg'd and the whole Fabrick shakes This Boy my labour'd Resolution breaks Alfr. Fate sees through my Disguise and makes me run Aside Into his very Arms I strive to shun Edg. I in this Face the matchless Alfrid see Heav'ns are ye not her Brother Should he be Mad and inconstant what were that to me Are you the bashfull Grace the pretty Fear All Alfrid Alfrid to my Soul endear Sympathie is 't or some new Charm do's seise Ravish my Breast and violently please Insensibly on me the Poison stole 'T is now within and mingles with my Soul Oh Fire oh Rage oh certainly Divine No humane power could thus could thus disjoin And fix ev'n in the Centre of my Life Sense Reason vain and fruitless is your Strife In vain contesting that this is not She. 'T