To a bad hand and Murther watches sure Then give me leave to fear Mo. I 'll keep Prevention's Eye upon the Watch But I disdain to fear For Death must come And 't is no matter when Once in the Grave Long Life and short are both become the same Death levels all Age Beauty Wealth and Titles Lye undistinguish'd huddled up together And none complain of what or when or how Oh! I cou'd wish my Dust with thy dead Parents Lay blended in one Urn on Africk's Shore Rather than languish thus in hopeless Love And see my Father's Glory Turn rusly in this Brother Zem. Ah! my Lord That rusts not since it shines so bright in you Mor. Zemet no more I here expect Placentia This is her way from Chappel See she comes Withdraw Exit Zemet She comes and weeps for me For the false News I brought her Cruel Fate Deal me less Pity and some Love Enter Placentia Weeping Mor. to himself I shiver How my Heart beats Ev'n thro' this hue I fear She 'll read my Soul's Disorder Now I burn Let Love be drawn no more with golden Darts But arm'd with Fires I feel him in my Veins How shall I speak Plac. Oh! gen'rous Don Vincentio As soon shall I forget my self as thee Mo. aside Now by my Love there 's Life in that kind Sorrow It bids me hope and speak To her Why Madam will you lavish thus your Tears On my dead Friend He ne're cou'd gain your Love Yet if departed Souls see things on Earth Placentia is Vincentio's present Object And not one Tear she sheds but he must prize At a much greater Value than his Life Plac. Can I do less than weep for that brave Lord Oh! Sir you were a Stranger to his worth Mor. No Madam none cou'd know Vincentio better Than did Morat and you will think so too When I relate some Passages he told me He said you were the Cause of all those Sighs He had betray'd so often and I pitied He said such Beauty and such Cruelty Ne're met in one before and yet methinks Your Tears and Sorrow contradict his Words Aside If I talk long I shall betray my self Plac. Since my best Lord for so I always call'd him Made you no Stranger to those humble Thoughts The only Blemish of his noble Life I will a little clear that passage to you His Vertuous Mother for what Cause I know not Took me from humble Birth to breed me as her Child Mor. Madam he told me this and that his Mother Had made your Fortune equal to her Daughters Commanding him to see you nobly married or a Nun. But Love he said doubled that Pious Charge And he ne'er wish'd for any Wife but you Oh! why did you refuse to make him happy Plac. To clear my self to you I 'll tell you that Which shou'd not be reveal'd were he still living Mor. aside Now I begin to tremble Plac. His Mother found out that unhappy Love And lest it shou'd dishonour his great Name Taught me t' obey him as my Lord and Brother But charg'd me as I tender'd Heav'n my Soul Her Memory or any Thing that 's Sacred I ne're shou'd marry him Mor. aside Oh! Patience Heav'n Plac. This was her daily and her last Request And that I might Religiously perform it Resolving with my self a single Life I solemnly did swear Never to wed above my humble Birth Mor. aside 'T will be in vain to live after this Story Oh! Mother you mix'd the worst of Curses with that Breath That gave your wretched Son his latest Blessing Plac. You 're strangely mov'd But see Ricardo I wou'd shun him Enter Ricardo Servants after him Ric. You were my Brother's Servants I dismiss you Placentia stay Serv. My Lord our Wages Ric. Do Men like me pay Wages Serv. My Lord Ric. Talk with my Steward hence Be gone Ex. Servants Well Madam Plac. My Lord. Ric. So scornful still I will no longer bear it Pla. asi How I dread his vile Love since now he 's Master here Ric. How now Morat What you 've been talking now Of my dead Brother and the Creature weeps 'T is true the humble Fop indulg'd her Pride With honourable Love tho' still she scorn'd him Mo. asi Hold Patience yet Thus most Heirs treat the Dead To Ric. My Lord I was your Brother's worthless Friend And know how much he did esteem this Lady As I believe not without due defert Ric. Oh dull Morat thou dost not know this Trifle Thou art a Moor and look'st on outward Toys Fine Cloaths and Jewels why these Things are mine I 'll strip her of 'em all if she consents not To yield to my Embraces Mor. My Lord I fancy 't is not in your Power Ric. Hark you Morat I suffer'd you my House For the good News this Morning you confirm'd But ne're believe I made you of my Council Mor. No if you had I shou'd advise you better Than thus to forfeit all your House's Honour By most ignoble Actions Ric. How 's this Slave Mo. By all my former Honour that Name Slave Did not you share your noble Brother's Blood Shou'd cost the dearest Drop about your Heart Ric. Sure he 's run mad Out of my House thou Frenzy Mor. I will not stir Your Brother made me Joynt-Executor With this fair Lady I 'll soon prove his Will And till I 've seen it all perform'd I 'll stay Ric. You mean till th' Inquisition seizes you Do you not Moor you two Executors Mor. Laugh not too fast my Lord Your Inquisition Can't fright me for tho' my Complection's black My Soul is white and Christian which I fear The Holy Font has not made yours Ric. Insolent Slave who waits what hoa not one Of my new Train to rid me of this Moor Nay then I 'll do 't my self Draws Mor. closes with him and disarms him Mor. Inhospitable Wretch Plac. Hold help help Mor. Here take your Sword and put it up proud Lord But oh insult no further if you 'd live Gives him back his Sword Enter Servants and Zemet Ric. aside Disarm'd and by a Moor But he 's not worth A second Danger I 've some trusty Bravo's Who safely shall correct his Insolence To his Servants Hence Slaves there 's now no need of you Exeunt Servants and Zemet Mor. My Lord yet think from what great Stock you sprung And how a Nobleman shou'd keep that Name 'T is not to be preserv'd by dead Mens Actions You must have living Vertues or 't is lost Come I perceive that you attend with shame My too severe Reproof and I repent it I 'll leave you to repent too for the Cause Madam some other Time I 'll wait on you Exit Morat Pla. aside and going A brave good Man well worth Vincentio's Friendship Ri. Stay scornful Thing Pla. I must not Ri. Must not Pla. No you 've forfeited at last all the Respect I ow'd you Ri. Yes you shall stay I 'll know what you 've been
hatching That I 'm thus brav'd with a forg'd Will 'T is vain Your Reign is out The Fool my Brother 's dead And I 'll command what hitherto I begg'd You 're now my Ward my Prisoner if I please You 're not in those cold Climes where Maids and Wives Rove where they please as shameless as unquestion'd To wrong the dull contented Herd of Men. If you 'll be paid my Mother's Legacy That lavish Gift a Portion for a Princess Your proud pretended Vertue laid aside Meet my Embraces willingly to morrow Or soon by Force you shall Till then think of it Pla. I 'll think on Daggers for the Ravisher To cool his Fires or save my self from shame Yes ev'n the fam'd Lucretia I 'll out-vye Not let the Tarquin force the brutal Joy But kill him first or with my Honour dye Exit Placen Ri. Thou fir'st me so that for Revenge I cou'd I cou'd even marry thee young Fury But at a cheaper Rate I 'll ease my Rage She and my Sisters harden one another In rigid Coyness and in hate of me But they shall Wed and leave this House to morrow Then by Wiles Threats or Force I 'll deal with t'other Who waits Enter Servant Serv. My Lord Ric. Call both my Sisters Serv. Yes my Lord. Exit Servant Ric. I must prepare 'em to receive new Lovers Tho' now few Women need such Preparations Enter Morella and Melinda Ric. Still weeping D' you grieve at my good Fortune Come I 've got Young Husbands for you That I take to be The surest way to dry a Virgin 's Tears To morrow Don Fabiano shall be yours Morella and Don Paulo yours Melinda Mel. aside His lewd Friend Paulo Morel Fabiano poor Placentia's Lover Ric. What Dumb Are they not Noble Rich and Young Morel Oh! Let us hear of nothing Sir but Grief Alas we cannot even think of those My Brother's Choice design'd us once for Husbands Ric. You need not For their hopes like him must dye No more Compose your Looks to meet my Friends Enter a Servant Ser. Don Ferdinand My Lord is just a lighting Ric. aside The Governor He brings his Son Fabiano I 'll meet him Sisters stay till I return Exit Ric. and Serv. Morel Oh! dismal News now we indeed are wretched Compleatly wretched Alas poor Vincentio How soon we feel thy Loss thou best of Brothers Enter Placentia Plac. Dear Orphan Ladies let us mingle Sorrows Alas I 'm an unhappy Orphan too Like you methinks I mourn a Brother's Loss And what 's yet more a Friend 's Morel A Friend 's indeed alas my Dear I doubt Your Tears like ours will flow from several Springs I 'm bid to wed to morrow your Fabiano Plac. Hah But why am I startled and disorder'd Tho' to my Soul 's eternal dear Disquiet We love each other ev'n to meer Distraction My hopes are lost for I must keep my Vow I wish a mutual Love might link your Fates Morel Oh! wish not this my Dear my Heart is fix'd Don Philip or a Cloyster Plac. Fabiano with his Father Oh my Heart I must not stay yet I am rooted here Ric. Sister Morella let my Lord be us'd As his great Merit and my Choice deserve Ferd. Son scorn Ignoble Love See there your better Fate Ri. aside to Ferd. Let 's not seem to observe 'em while he whispers His first Love-Complement All Infancies are bashful And that of Love is most Pla. aside Amazement sure he loves her how they whisper What do I feel 't is more than Love 't is Jealousie I fear Am I then Jealous What of him I 'd lose I will not Sure he came in hopes to see me Away curst Jealousie Thou needless Physick That turn'st our Health to voluntary Sickness I dash thee from me like a Poyson yet I will look Mel. aside to Plac. My Dear you 're Jealous Pla. aside Not at all yet I must gaze I 'm rack'd I cannot bear it Exit Placentia Mel aside I must follow her Exit Mel. Ferd. What 's that bright Vision which now shot from hence Swift as a Star Ric. A falling one a glaring fatal Meteor The worthless Creature of my Mother's Favour Her Fortune ample but her Birth unknown Ferd. 'T is a fair Destruction I blush to own I 've heard my Son was dazled By her deluding Beams This made me hasten To fix him quickly in a nobler choice Which was my Motive to demand your Sister When I engag'd to get your Pardon sign'd Fa. aside to Morel Madam you know the tye upon my Heart The longings of my Soul Placentia's Love My Trust in your kind Pity brought me hither Which all my Father's Threats cou'd scarce have done Then let 's retire since by your gen'rous Suff'rance I may see her once more For if I stay I shall act Love so ill it will betray us Ex. Fa. and Morel Ric. She 's his My Lord The Conqu'ror leads his Prize Ferd. aside Now as I love bright Honour this sight charms me And makes my Age in spight of Time run back 'T is true this Lord has dimm'd his House's Glory But now I hope 't will clear High Birth tho' clouded With fashionable Vices will at last Exert it self and shine Enter a Servant to Ricardo Ser. My Lord a Lady in a Veil desires to speak with your Lordship Fer. My Lord I 'll leave you and in an Hour return Ri. Your Lordship's Servant Ex. Ferd. and Servant To his Serv. Conduct the Lady in I fear 't is Laura But why shou'd I fear She 's kind she 's fair But oh I 'm bound to wed her I on that score was trusted with her Fortune And lost it all at Play She 's heard the News And comes prepar'd to share my Joys I dread her Let me wed nothing but variety But I 'll dissemble yet for tho' when pleas'd She 's smiling as the Morn cool as the Evening And calm as is the Night when urg'd she rages Like the Meridian Sun 's collected Beams Proud of her Charms tho' lavish of her Love Gen'rous and free and daring like a Man But Jealous and Revengeful like a Woman 'T is she Now help me Cunning once to feign A Joy as great as hers My Laura Enter Laura Lau. Fly off my Veil Oh! let me rush at once Into his Heart into his very Soul Ri. My Life my all Lau. Oh let me gaze I cannot speak for Joy-Oh happy Change When the Profuseness of my Love had left me Nothing to give to save thy Life but mine To see thee rais'd at once to Honour Wealth and Freedom From Shame from Death and Ruine 'T is Rapture 't is Delight transcending Words Too vast for Thought and ev'n too strong for Souls 'T is perfect Joy and Pleasure in extream Ri. Oh! do not talk of Honour Wealth and Freedom Your self your self 's the greatest dearest Blessing Lau. In being so to thee thy Laura's blest Life of my Life and Genius of my Soul Thy very Shadow brings
tho 't were a Dream That I may know one joyful Moment more The Ladies and Ri. run to embrace him he makes 'em sign to forbear Vin. Spare Compliments It is your love I 'd have When I am sure of that the rest is needless Ri. My Lord your Ear a moment Ri. whispers Vin. Vinc. I find there have been strange disorders here Placentia as for you I hear you 're grown An absolute disposer of your self Pla. Ah can your Soul more than your face be chang'd You did not use to meet our joys this way Oh! my best Lord upon my knees I beg That Calumny may not possess your Soul Vin. aside How am I chang'd indeed I can stand by And see Placentia kneel Oh! jealousy Thou hast perverted all my noble nature Thou drov'st out flatt'ring hope when most secure And all my Gen'rous passions follow'd it Fa. Do's it become Placentia thus to kneel my Lord Vin. If you dislike her low Condition raise her Fa. So I can Sir and to as high a pitch As yours tho mounted thus in all its pride Vin. My Lord you 've in my absence stoln a Jewel To F. aside I priz'd above my life my very being Restore it me again on your Sword 's point And by the Grove where I kill'd rash Don John Fa. to him I 'll meet you say no more Rise noble Maid Pla. No I will grow to Earth except my Lord Turns merciful again and hears me speak Vin. aside Hopes of Revenge have beat out jealousy And I 'm my self again Ah lovely Maid To what but Heav'n shou'd so much Beauty kneel Oh! I was mad Placentia quickly rise Or I shall sink into the Earth for shame His words made no impression on my Mind Ri. My Lord pray keep your Temper nor suspect me For I have proofs I wish the Moor were here He first betray'd their ill designs to me Vin. Why then ye equal judges hear him speak I am the Moor do you start base Traducer But thou' rt below my Thoughts 'T is you Placentia I now must chide Why Cruel fair Why will you thus shut out your lovely self From all the World I prize no other Wealth And wou'd you wou'd you steal your self from him Who without you must dye for oh Placentia None can divide the Body from the Soul Yet make that Body live Pla. Alas Vows firm as fate for ever part us Vin. Yet stay That I may see you shine at Court Pla. Ah no! my Lord vertue shines best in Cloysters Vin. But oh if you 're resolv'd to live recluse And make your fond Vincentio miserable Why must another offer you to Heav'n Pla. You shall dispose of me My Lord my heart Is by a secret charm bound to Fabiano But yet its Duty must be wholly yours Vin. Oh! break that cursed charm or else deny All thoughts that prompt a friendship or respect Respect was welcome from you when I thought None had a stronger Tye upon your Soul But that respect is now below contempt Pla. Oh! tho I love him Vin. Oh unspeak those words Ten thousand Vipers stung me at the sound Ten thousand thoughts all wild all black all dismal Work my mad Brain Oh say you love him not You weep you are dumb you will not Cruel Maid Teach me yet Pow'rs to move her Oh I wou'd invoke Men Angels Friends to wrest him from her heart But 't will be vain how long have I not su'd Hours Days Months Years are past yet still she 's Marble I 'll dye then yes but first my Rival shall I 'm ripe for ruin like some batter'd wall But haughty Foe I 'll crush thee with my fall Fa. Kill me I 'll thank you for I 'm hopeless too But live my Lord and think me not your foe Nothing but barbarous wrong done to Placentia Cou'd make me draw my Sword against my friend Vin. Must I be wicked e're I can be eas'd Take take your friendship back Oh why am I thus curst My Brother a base wretch my Friend my Rival And what 's yet worse a Rival lov'd Oh Tortures But what most racks my Soul this very evening I thought my self the happy'st man on earth From such a hope in full career to bliss Thus to be hurried down a precipice To dash on deep despair It kills my reason Confounds my Brains my Heart and tears my very Soul Flings himself on the ground Pla. Compose his mind good Heav'n Morel Rise my dear Brother Mel. Oh why will you lye thus Vin. Oh why indeed indeed my sword my sword shou'd end me and my pain rises and draws his Sword Fa. Hold are you mad Takes his Sword from him and others hold him Let Reason end 'em and preserve your Life Vin. Away Life 's my worst foe and you the next Think not t' impose it on me Reason's self Nay Patience says my ills are past her cure Oh harship I 'm ev'n deny'd the priviledge of dying Then hear thou heav'n why sleeps thy thunder end me Delay not thus my wisht for Dissolution Oh rid me of Intolerable Life Fa. Forgive your Friends and live my Lord. Vin My Friends wou'd you be thought my Friend Fa. Yes from my Soul Vin. Then dare be such and rid me now of Life Fa. Wou'd that be like a Friend Reflect my Lord Exert your Soul and bear like your great self Vin. Will you not kill me then Fa. Were ev'ry door to ease shut up but Death Unwillingly I wou'd Vin. There 's no other Fa. Then I must be cruelly kind draws his Sword Pla. My Lord Fa. Madam forbear Let one friend ease another Vin. Well said Come take your Sword my Friend and lay its point close to my Breast Fa. gives him back his Sword That when I do you the same hated Office We both may fall at once Vin. What both forbid it friendship I dare not buy my ease at your Life's Cost Fa. See whither passion hurried you my Lord Were wilful Death an ease shou'd you deny it him That gives it you for I too am most wretched But Life 's the Gift of Heav'n and we must wait Till heav'n commands it back to gain a better Vin. Oh! you have touch'd my Soul Come to my Arms I 'm reconcil'd to wretchedness to Life Nay ev'n to you Tho Rivals we 'll agree Let 's all three joyn as partners in affliction Till heav'n be mov'd while nature mourns to find Three hearts so wretched yet so truly kind Enter Zemet Zem. My Ld Don Ferdinand with guards was forcing Entrance But hearing you 're return'd wou'd only kiss your hand Fa. My Lord conceal me lest I be detain'd Vin. to Fab. Retire into that Room Go bring him in To Zem. Exit Fa. and Zemet severally Enter Don Ferdinand with Zemet with him Fer. Welcome my Lord to Portugal that mourn'd The brave Vincentio's loss The King himself Has worn a noble sorrow for your Death And doubtless will rejoyce to see you contradict That most
unwelcome news Vin. I must employ my Friends my Lord for a new pardon 'T was I that caus'd the Rumour to be spread But 't was to save a Brother Fer. He 's no Brother Vin. My Lord he 's but an ill one I confess Yet nature still will work Fer. I 'll say no more till I have got your promise of one thing Vin. Name it my Lord a gift that you can ask Must needs be too well plac'd to be deny'd Fer. I had a Son and hope once more to have him If this fair Lady will restore him to me Once I despis'd her but admire her now I ask her for his Wife my Lord that 's all Vin. All ask me my Lord to rip my breast my self And give you thence my heart Ask any thing Rather than ask Placentia for your Son She must be mine or no man's in the World Fer. My Lord she is your Sister Vin. Hah my Sister Ri. aside Nay then 't is time to fly These perjur'd Monks Tho he 's not dead have made the secret known Fer. Lay hold on him going is stopt by the Lieutenant Enter the 2 Monks This Villain shall no longer be your plague 1. Monk No he 's a peasants Son and she your Sister Vin. Can Heav'n and Earth conspire to make me wretched Sister that word ne're sounded ill till now Sister brings in 't eternal separation Fathers you shou'd be Messengers of joy 1. Monk I hope My Lord we shall if you 'll but hear Vin Let me hear any thing but Sister from you That fatal sound will murther me at once I dare not understand you But since I 'm doom'd to hear some dreadful story 'T is fit I shou'd possess my Soul with Thoughts Of the most dismal kind I need not study Placentia Loves another That 's enough Alas what Racks what tortures can be worse Now tell the rest yet on the Ground I 'll lye Lest I drop down when she is prov'd my Sister ' There wretched Lover measure out thy Grave Throws him on the ground Now strike the blow that must cut off all hopes 1. Monk Read that my Lord It is a declaration Under his Parents hands Gives Vinc. a paper Vin. This is enough Placentia is my Sister Oh! my heart Turn turn thy self about that I may ask Why this was done 1 Monk My Lord you 've heard your sickly Infancy Gave but a doubtful promise of your Life This made your Father wish another Son But Daughters still deceiv'd him Now your Mother Then big with Child had heard him rashly say If that too prov'd a Daughter he should wish She never had been his This made such an impression on her mind That to preserve his Love he being absent Seeing it prov'd a Girl she chang'd the Child This fault her youth committed and her age repented So she with us deposited this Trust To be reveal'd if you dy'd without Issue If not to be kept secret But just heav'n Has brought the secret out before its time Yet with no breach of trust on our-side neither Since we believ'd you dead when we reveal'd it Vin. Have I not patience fathers thus to hear Such killing news yet lye here without raving But I 'll do something too starts up and Exit Monks and Servant after him Pla. Look to my Lord Fer. Alas he 's much disturb'd As for these Villains To dungeons with them But for this mock-Lord Degrade him first Strip of this rich garb Then Cloath him as befits his state and Birth Ex. Saylors Bravoes and Ricardo That thus my Lord may see him dragg'd to prison Morel Oh Sister 't is more joy to find you thus Than 't is to lose that wretch Pla. This doubles the delight I took in Friendship But my Love for you was so great before it cannot now encrease Re-enter Ricardo in an old Gown with Attendants Ri. Now Fortune Nature I owe you nothing but a wretched Being Take back the thankless gift and then we 're even Nor rack my Soul with dread of endless Flames There 's Hell enough on Earth in guilty minds To lose at once the heav'n of Love and Greatness Then be condemn'd to Life or dye a branded Villain Curst Thought a branded Villain Ha! I feel A warmth new to my heart thaw the hard lump And shake my shudd'ring frame Oh my past Life thou mak'st me doubt the future Alas I dare not hope I may repent Laura Oh run for pities sake she is poyson'd Get Antidotes But tell her not I did it Fer. Run help the Lady Exit Servant Ri. Oh! lead me from her Sight to Chains and Galleys To toyl to shame to want to pinching cold To scorching heat to stripes to worse Remorse And ever-new variety of Woes All all these pains are slight to those I bear Struggling for hope with horror and despair Laura in the passage Stay Poys'ner Fiend take this and this Exit Ricardo bloody Guarded by the Lieutenant c. Ser. Hold Madam Pla. More horrors yet oh let 's avoid that Sight Ex. Pla. with Fer. Morel and Mel. Enter Laura and Richardo She holds a Dagger in her hand and drops it as she struggles with the Servants Lau. Why do you hold me let me end that Monster Ri. Strike injur'd Goodness strike again I 'll thank you Compleat the work of Death that moves too slow But oh first hear me take some Antidote Lau. Must I be held and punisht with his sight Free me or take him hence for horror shakes me Ev'n at the thoughts that he 's of humane form Ri. he kneels Oh stay look on the most undone of Creatures A Devil in guilt but a repenting Devil Oh! cou'd but heav'n and you forgive Lau. Avant Devils can't repent nor be forgiven Ri. But ev'n the worst of Men thus prostrate trembling Not daring to look up near death will sigh to heav'n Oh! you 're so much its likeness Sure its best attribute Divine forgiveness May yet be show'r'd ev'n on a wretch like me A Wretch more more than a wretch there 's not a name That can express my miserable state Lau. Let go my Robes Ri. Oh never never The drowning wretch cannot forego his hold That lost I sink for ever Lau. I 'd sink with thee that thou might'st sink yet lower Think on my wrongs thou Fiend thy breach of Vows Ingratitude that ev'n thy Sex must startle Poyson thy kind return for all my wealth For all my Love and what cries most for Vengeance Those poor young Orphans Oh my ruin'd Children Ri. Oh! take some Antidote Lau. No I wou'd dye what shou'd I live for now see behind me nothing left in Life â—ut misery terrible misery Ri. Oh Laura Lau. Wil't thou still plague me Dye and let me dye Ri. Oh! had you heard me but an hour ago We might have liv'd Alas you little know What 's now divulg'd I 'm not Vincentio's Brother Death to a wretch like me has lost its horror Death shou'd have snatch'd
me in my fancy'd greatness But now my base original my Crimes My shame call for severer punishments The Rack shou'd stretch my Limbs and show me death in view Then pull the blessing back that I might long be tortur'd Then let me starve with those poor helpless Orphans Whom I have robb'd of the support their dying Father left Lau. Oh now thou 'st touch'd my Soul And laid my Crimes as well as thine in view I I was left entrusted with the Care How shall I meet my Husbands shade methinks I see his angry Ghost he frowns oh hide me Forgive blest soul forgive a poor deluded Woman But oh my Children how can you forgive me Yet once more let me see 'em stay I dare not Oh dismal fâ—â—e a dying mother dreads to see her Children Ri. Oh not to you to me they owe their Ruin Oh me on me alone shou'd Vengeance fall Add to my torments heav'n so they have ease Oh! tho' she curst me still tho' she ne're knew 'T was for their good I strove to wed Placentia I 'd bear an age of Hell to mend your fates Lau. Amazement his guilt lessens Can it be He pities me pities my Children too Take back thy pity take it back Ricardo It gains so much upon my easy heart That I shall wrong my self and give thee mine Ri. Pity'd am I then pityd oh thou goodness If thou can'st pity sure thou can'st forgive But oh the poyson That must wake Heav'ns Vengeance And seal the ears of mercy Lau. T was Charity to kill me but thy falshood Was a worse poyson to my doating heart Yet we 've all faults Alas we all want mercy We must forgive heav'n pardon thee and me Ri. What do I hear Lau. But fly my Children's sight may force forgiveness back Ri. Is that forgiveness see I bleed apace Oh pardon e're I dye Lau. Oh! I've a vice of mercy in me Ri. Let me Embrace your Knees breath out my Soul Embraces her knees Enter Children Lau. My Children off away pushes him away Ri. I dare not see 'em and I cannot leave her throws himself on his Face Lau. Away you dearfond wretches Why d' you cling I 've ruin'd you but oh I 'm ruin'd worse Poor Innocents they little know their misery I feel it double for them wretched Mother Oh had my Woes fall'n only on my self I 'd think 'em gentle but this worse affliction Intail'd on you poor helpless guiltless Orphans It turns my Brains distracts me 'T is too much Oh dreadful change oh vanity of life Death is the only blessing a fond Mother She falls and then she sees the Dagger by her and takes it up privately Can wish her dearest Children ha the Dagger Do's not Fate hint by this I ought to ease ' em Must they be left to want to beg to starve I 'll do 't but oh what Arm can hurt such sweetness I cannot strike I cannot bear their Looks But must they live to curse me shame their name And dye perhaps an ignominious Death No I must strike 1. Child Pray mother don't look so indeed it frights me Oh pray ben't angry oh I 'll hug and kiss you Lau. Away we 're ruin'd and we ought to dye 1. Child Oh my dear Mother live We 'll beg for you Lau. Beg cou'd you Beg 1. Child Yes for our dearest mother Lau. Oh this disarms me Live my dearest Children Live and be happier you instruct your Mother She throws away the Dagger and embraces her Children And I too ought to Live If there be means but oh the poyson It works hah it shoots Hell into my Blood I am all wound My head my breast I burn Heart I cleave my sides Brains burst my skull help help Oh gently gently They offer to help her Ri. Oh horror Curse thy sufferings off on me Thou martyr'd Goodness hurl your Bolts you Powers Grind grind me into dust And on each atom double all her pains So Laura's eas'd Ricardo will not murmur Lau. Oh! give me ease where 's Death The Coward dares not come affrighted at my torments My Brâ—â—th's a fire Help Water Ice Heav'n pity me Give 〈◊〉 some of the cold my Children are to suffer Lieut. Take hence these innocents too much they move Lau. Oh pity them I call'd on Death and lo he 's come at last But oh the thoughts of them makes me now welcome him With that sad heaviness that sinks despairing Sinners Oh Heav'n Oh my Children Dyes Wom. She 's dead she 's dead Ri. Hah and do I still live Be dry my Eyes and you my Wounds weep faster Oh let me look and sigh my last at once Oh killing sight when shall I overtake thee Thou only fair Oh! never never never 'T is not for guilt like mine to mount with thee I feel my self in Hell and mercy's self Can never stoop so low Fain wou'd I pray ha a Grim Vision frights me Oh heav'n oh save me hah a hand is stretcht To raise me up to heav'n let me get hold But oh dark vapours rise between I cannot see it Re-enter Ferdinand and a Servant No News yet of Vincentio Oh most dismal sight Fer. Remove that Scene of Grief force off that wretch Ri. Oh you shall never part us No I will I will Be joyn'd with her at least in Death Oh Laura Laura Laura is carried off Ricardo follows bolding by the garments but is forced off faints falls and is carried off Fer. A doleful Scene but where 's my Lord Vincentio I dread some greater mischief from his Stay Enter Zemet Zem. Run find Placentia Don Vincentio's coming A Conqu'ror o're his noble self at last Exit Servant He brings my Lord Fabiano to be blest Fer. My Son Enter Vincentio and Fabiano at one Door Placentia Morella and Melinda at the other Vin. Love's sacrific'd at last to Reason Take her She 's yours my Lord. Fa. Oh 't is too much at once oh rapture oh Placentia Pla. Oh my lov'd Lord He embraces her Fa. My Life my Soul oh I am lost in Bliss and suffer with delight Thou kind omnipotence forgive my doubts I thought thou cou'dst not thus have blest a mortal My Lord my Father kneels to his Father Fer. Oh my dear Son be blest and let my tears Now speak my Joy as once they did my Grief Vin. Thus Providence has wrought my desperate cure Oh! you no more my Mistress nor my Rival Live happy Long be crown'd With blessings which no single state can give My heart has fed so long on hopeless Love That it wou'd surfeit shou'd it feed on other Glory shall be my Darling Mistress now Off then soft frenzy let me rouze my Soul In martial Fields let Fame possess it whole While all who know whence sprung these dangers here Learn from small Crimes great mischiefs to beware Ex. Omnes FINIS Books Printed for D. Brown at the Black Swan and Bible without Temple-bar 1 THe Canterbury Guess Or a Bargain broken A