Life 〈◊〉 know'st I love 〈◊〉 witness Heav'n I wou'd to make him blest Resign my part in all I hold most dear Nay ev'n himself if I were sure he 〈◊〉 it Oh Friend This Husband gives me not his Heart And much I fear some other robs me of it Agnes Causless Suspicions can the Prince alone Neglect that Virtue which Mankind adores Who else can claim the Empire of his Heart More by their Merit than their Marriage yours For who in Portugal deserves like you Banish these Fears they may prove Fatal to you Light Jealousies like Prunings to a Plant The tender wound improves and helps loves growth But if they enter deep the Branches fade And the rich stock decays and dies at last Princess Alas In vain I gave my self advice Strove to excuse the Coldness of his Heart Which through his forc'd caresses still appear'd His Melancholly all the Court observes Though only I can guess th' unhappy cause At Night I watch him when he thinks I sleep He Tosses Sighs impatient for the Day And often leaves me e'ere it does approach Agnes Th' Effect of temper Madam but for Love He seems design'd a Pattern to the World The Virgins at Coimbra beg of Fate To give them Husbands like the Prince to you So fond so careful with such nice respect Princess Were he my Slave he could not give me more A Lover Agnes cou'd not shew so much Agnes I thought respect the highest mark of Love 'T is all that Heav'n requires what would you more Princess Alas Thy thoughts of Love are as imperfect As their Idea of vast distant Lands Who never saw 'em but in Maps and Pictures What shall I say to make thee understand Love levels all he knows no Quality No Titles but those soft ones which he makes Th'Insensible my Husband never felt A transport of Fierce Love that cou'd one Moment Make him forget his Wife was born a Princess Agnes How exquisite a Torturer you are grown You rack your Wit for torments to your Soul Princess These are the Nat'ral thoughts of Love my Child But I 'm impatient Bianca stays The Prince this Night seem'd sad and discompos'd Much more than usual he started up And with confusion in his Words and Action He left me and refus'd to be attended A strange disturb'd I know not what within Mov'd me to send Bianca to observe him Two hours ago and yet she 's not return'd Agnes What can you hope from such an Enquiry Why shou'd you search for that which if you find Ascertains Miseries you now but fear Princess Then I shall mourn for one but whilst I doubt I feel a thousand Pains for ev'ry ill That 's barely possible to be the Cause Agnes Compose your self Madam I beg your Highness Princess That was a Word of too much distance Agnes Looks like the Prince's cold indifference In Ceremonious respect disguis'd Leave it I wou'd believe I have thy Heart The only comfort for the loss of his For you are both so equal dear to me So closely wove by Fate to my fond breast That neither can be sever'd from my love Without unravelling this Web of Life Enter Bianca What News Bianca Speak where went the Prince Where has thou left him Bianca In the Garden Madam Thither I follow'd him far off unseen He stopp'd sometimes and walk'd disorderly Till he had reach'd the foot o' th middle walk Where ent'ring one of the cool shady Grots He sat him down and seem'd o'erwhelm'd in thought Then through the Boughs I could discern him write And folding up the Paper when he 'd done He threw himself with force upon the Ground Sighing and Groaning words I could not hear Till seeming tir'd with Grief he fell asleep When I had watch'd a while with cautious steps I went in hopes to serve your Highness well And stole the Paper which the Prince had writ Perhaps it may contain what you wou'd know For fearing that I durst not open it Lest I discover'd what you wou'd conceal Gives the Paper Princess I thank thee for thy care leave us Bianca Exit 〈◊〉 After reading Doubly unhappy Princess Agnes my Fears are true All that I fear'd More than I fear'd is true Agnes It can't be the Prince is not so stupid To Love Elvira still I heard indeed He had a while amus'd himself with her Before your Marriage but what Charms has she To vie with those perfections all Divine Which grace your Body and 〈◊〉 your Soul Princess Ah! She who robs me of my Husband's Heart Is all a Charm to plead for his Excuse Young Beautiful Discreet and Chast as Fair By Nature form'd to captive ev'ry Heart My Reason must approve the Prince's choice For I my self prefer her to my self And love her too as tenderly as he Agnes Who can this Angel be Princess Are there are so many merit more than I Thou can'st not guess among ' em Agnes Indeed I know not one deserves like you And therefore cannot guess Princess Have you so long been privy to my Thoughts Yet know not her who is so dear to me Who with the Prince shares my divided Heart So equally I cannot tell my self To which I have given most know you not her For if you know my Friend you know my Rival Agnes How very Miserable must I be When I 'm reduc'd to wish you did not love me Those marks of that peculiar dear affection Which ev'ry day your partial kindness gave Are Witnesses which I would disbelieve Oh! Let me think your Friendship was divided Tell me you have another nearer Friend For I had rather lose your Love for ever Than be the wretched Cause of your misfortune Rather be hated by you than deserve it Oh ease my cruel fears and name some other Princess Too sure alas the Prince does Love thee Agnes And I 'm so vain to think that only thou Cou'd gain a Heart to which I laid a claim Read from his Hand the sad amazing truth Agnes reads 1. IN Vain Oh Sacred Duty you oppose In Vain your Nuptial tye you plead Those forc'd devoirs Love overthrows And breaks the Vows he never made 2. Fair Princess you to whom my Faith is due Pardon the Destiny that drags me on 'T is not my fault my Hearts untrue I am compell'd to be undone 3. Your Eyes Fair Agnes Agnes Heav'n strike 'em blind for the base treachery Where shall I hide these curst these guilty Eyes They dare not look upon the Injur'd Princess Tho she was all they took delight to see How cou'd Heav'n make so great a contradiction As in one Person Friend and Enemy Princess Thou art not my Enemy I know you love me Agnes Yet I have rob'd you of your dearest part Destroy'd your soft tranquillity of Soul And left you nothing but Despair and Sorrow I only have done this ev'n I who love you I who to serve you wou'd abandon Life Oh! Can I say I am the 〈◊〉 of yours But all ill
by what the Vulgar tremble at Defies that Devil which it sees within I see it through the gilded thin disguise Alvaro That Devil you defie may make you fear Your God is absent for your Worship 's known I 'll seize his Heav'n h 'as fix'd it in your Charms And give him Hell to see you in my Arms. Exit Alvaro Agnes Monster of Nature I detest the Thought Enquire if the Princess may be seen Exit Womans If she is chang'd What can remain the same The Heav'ns did not more regularly move She seem'd immediately inspir'd from thence So just and of a Piece was all her Thoughts She is inspir'd 't is Heav'n directs her now For Heav'n is angry that this Day shone Where shall a persecuted Virgin fly What can I hope abandon'd by the Princess Whose Goodness only chas'd away my fears Oh! she 's unkind she 's in one hour transform'd What have I done nay thought that cou'd displease her Did I not part from her with some regret Was I not griev'd she gave me leave to go Methought I wish'd to see the Prince once more And then began to apprehend his Danger With anxious fears I had not known till then But if she knew those Thoughts she 'd know as well I check'd the sinful Tumult in my Breast Not less offended with the Guilt than she Enter Woman Woman Madam the Princess has just left her Chamber Agnes Whither does she intend Woman It is not known Only suppos'd she went to walk in private Being unattended Agnes Perhaps she may I 'le seek her in the Garden And know my Crime or die for Expiation Exit Enter Princess Princess Already dark Time does not creep so slow That we had need t'anticipate the Night Woman 'T was my Lady's Order to entertain her Grief But if your Highness pleases I 'll Princess Oh no let it be thus I like it well All that looks mournful suits my Misery To her self But why should she be sad Can Guilt and Innocence have like Desires This Melancholly Fancy pleases me Where is your Lady Woman Madam she 's just gone out with a design To wait upon your Highness Princess Tell her I will expect her here Exit Woman 'T were most unjust to punish her unheard Thus far I owe to one that was my Friend To one who tho ungrateful still I love Something methinks pleads strongly for her Truth Tells me she may be wrong'd and innocent Yet what shou'd move Bianca to deceive me What Interest cou'd she have What end in that No no 't is plain Agnes is false as false as she was true For she was true till by the Prince seduc'd The Prince that Name 's enough for her excuse What Vertue can be proof against his Charms That irresistable that God-like Man Yet much she might have suffer'd much for me For none cou'd love more tenderly than I I found in her suppos'd Fidelity Full Recompence for all I lost before My Husband 's want of Love her Love atton'd This was a Blow struck to the very Heart There 's now no Remedy in Nature left No both shall see me quickly in my Grave My Death will make your Loves more innocent Your Guilt and my Misfortunes in one Tomb for ever shall be laid Enter Elvira behind the Princess Elvira Alone in Darkness and so fitly plac'd Now vanish all that 's womanish or soft Stabs her in the Back Rival Revenge has said this Hour's thy last And to torment thee in thy latest Gasp Know by my Means the Princess thinks thee false Princess Wicked Elvira thy mistaking hand Has done a Deed too good for thy Design Heav'n guided it to ease me of a Life Which was a heavy grievous Burthen grown And hinder thy Intent to snatch from hence The choicest Jewel which the World cou'd boast Elvira Curst be the fatal Pow'r that guided me Curst be the Arm that blindly did obey Take the Reward thy Treachery deserves Stabs her Arm and throws away the Dagger Oh! I have bravely hazarded my Life To make a Passage open for my Rival To bring her safely to the Prince's Arms To give the longing Lovers all they wish'd Curst curst Elvira Enter Agnes Here 's my proud Enemy Ha is she here I feel new Mischief brooding in my Soul Aid me this once the great Infernal Tribe For Agnes Death my Soul shall be the Bribe Exit El. Princess Now let me die in Peace since Heav'n allows Me once to see thee dearest injur'd Maid Agnes Now let my Soul be calm die all my Fears Since you the Object of my Hopes are kind Not Ships in Storms not Travellers benighted Amongst wild Beasts left in a lonely Wood Can half express the Anguish I have felt Depriv'd of you my Light my Guard my All. Princess Forgive me Child be all thy Wrongs forgot For ever wash'd away in my Life's Blood Agnes Better all Womankind at once shou'd perish Than you the sole Perfection of the Sex The greatest Blessing of the whole Creation Princess Say rather the Incumbrance of the Earth One who but liv'd for an unhappy Plague To the most Noble most Divine of Men Which Heav'n grown mild most kindly does remove With this additional Favour to my Death That it preserves thy dearer envy'd Life And in thy Life the Prince's Agnes Horrible Mystery of Life and Death Oh ease my trembling Heart What mean you Madam Princess Fear only for thy Self for I am well But Agnes thou hast many Enemies The Death I have receiv'd was meant for thee Elvira's black Design whose Envy first Contriv'd against thy Fame and then thy Life But by a happy Error both are safe At once she gave the welcome Deadly Blow And with malicious Boasting clear'd thy Vertue Agnes Perish the Sacrilegious Hellish Hand Too fatally it wounded where it aim'd And gave me double Death in striking you Ah cruel Fate Was there no other way To make us Friends but parting us for ever Wou'd I had rather dy'd unjustify'd Contemn'd and loath'd by you and all the World Princess Be less transported thy too moving Grief Had almost forc'd from me a Wish to live Agnes Alas my heedless Sorrow had forgot To call Assistance for my dearest Princess Going the Princess holds her Princess It wou'd be vain for Death has seiz'd me all And if thou go'st I ne're shall see the more These Eyes will be shut up in lasting Night Stay and receive a dying Friend's Request Believe thou always hast been dear to me Ev'n when I fear'd thee False I thought thee True And let this Forgery excuse my Fear Gives her a Letter Then if thou 'st ever bore me true Affection Double it on the Prince my better part Intreat him to forgive me for thy sake The Troubles I unwillingly have caus'd him Be thou to young Fernando what I was Speak of me to him Don't forget thy Friend Remember with my latest Breath I beg I charge thee love the Prince I charge thee marry
of Hope They plunge me in eternal black Despair Agn. The Princess dy'd for me it is but just My Death should in return preserve his Life Who was the dearest thing to her on Earth Prin. Preserve it 't is the surest Blow of Fate Death comes with more than double force through you Agn. Dear Prince for I in Death may call you so Talk not of Dying least you anger Heav'n Who shows itself concern'd that you shou'd Live By thus miraculously guarding you Your Thanks are due for that peculiar Care And to your Stars for timely taking from you One they foresaw would prove your Life's Incumbrance Disturb your Joys breed Envy Hate Confusion A Nation 's Murmurs and a Father's Anger Prin. All Triffles to thy Loss thou brightest Blessing Ah art thou gone speak once again my Soul Agn. How have you Charm'd my fleeting Spirits back I felt unusual Glowings at my Heart It warm'd and kindled into Life again But Death extinguishes the new-born Fire Ah lovely Prince must I for ever lose you Dies Prin. For ever are you then for ever lost I 'm torn with racking Griefs ineffable Oh let me pour my 〈◊〉 on the World Tear up this guilty Fabrick from its Center Destroy all Nature but 't is done already She 's gone and Earth's a Chaos all Confusion Where shall I wreck my Vengeance where on what On whom but on thyself for whom she dy'd This only Sacrifice can make Attonement As the Prince is going to fall upon his Sword Lorenzo with others Enters Lorenzo holds him Lor. Just Heav'n forbid that were a Blow too fatal Great Sir on your's the Kingdom 's Fate depends Your Life 's it's Safety and your Fall it's Ruine Prin. No Kingdom not a World shou'd make me live Thou do'st but lengthen out my Woes a moment Enter King Attend. K. What dismal Scene is this of Bloud and Horror Prin. Horrid and Bloudy yet imperfect still Alvaro has perform'd the saddest part But I am to compleat the Tragedy Struggles Lor. He 'll force himself away I cannot hold him Prin. Barbarous Friends oh Father if you Love me Why do you keep me from the only Good Why wou'd you have your Son be miserable K. Hop'd you to live in Luxury and Ease Courted by Joys and Pleasures without end Did you ne'r hear of Pains and Cares in Life That thus Misfortunes seize you unprepar'd How were you going by so mean an Action To blot out all the Great Ones of your Life Your Valour never made you do before But what a Coward sometimes does for fear 'T is in these Wars the Combats of the Mind Where Courage from false Brav'ry is distinguish'd And if you fly from them to Death 't will show There was danger which you durst not meet Prin. What ever Man can bear I dare Encounter It was not Fear nor Despiration arm'd me But hopes to overtake her mounting Soul Who wou'd not follow such a charming Guide Tho all that 's Gay or Great entic'd 'em back But I can Die without the help of Weapons I wrong'd my Love by making that Attempt As if I thought it wonted Strength to Kill me 〈◊〉 wait the ling'ring leisure of my Grief Thus kneeling at thy Feet sigh out my Soul And grow a Statue to adorn thy Tomb. K. His Grief oppos'd wou'd only rage the more When at full heigth 't will fall again of course Our greatest Passion 's have their ebbs and flows Were Nature constant she 'd destroy herself So strong her Motions they 'd overthrow her But fiercest Transports soonest moderate grow Thus to our Frailty we our Safety owe. Exeunt Omnes FINIS