to all allows And with submission to your Judgment bows He only hopes you will be pleas'd t' excuse Small faults in a raw unexperienc'd Muse Which trembling comes full of sad frights and fears And almost naked on the Stage appears No Paint no Patches to adorn her brow That is No thundering Consort nor no glareing show Those pretty knacks so much of late in use To varnish and set off a homely Muse Good easie sense our Poet bad me say Is all that he has aim'd at in this Play Well too he thinks if he that mark has hit Since the best Sense is ever the best Wit EPILOGUE THE Poet with the Soldier shares this fate Courting your favour he incurrs your hate Tho one does for your daily pleasure write The other for your darling int'rest fight Yet equally unkind you both do slight The Man of War forsooth's too rough unfit For civil Company The Man of Wit A meer pretending Fop a scribling Tool Made up of Madman half and half of Fool. What is it then that thus in ev'ry age Draws one toth field the other to the Stage No hope of Fame or Profit sure for they In this too like their harder Stars obey Both drudge for little Honour and less Pay What e're it is provokes 'em yet we see Each fondly courts his unkind destiny For as the gen'rous Warriour void of fear Presses on danger still as it draws near And tho he sees thousands before him fall Yet briskly ventures on and flings at all The Poet so tho daily on the Stage He sees the dire effects o' th' Criticks rage Yet fearless dares those doughty foes engage And one's no sooner fairly down but strait Vp perks another careless of his fate As for the Poet of this present night Who spite of all discouragement dares write He neither fears nor does the danger slight If you resolve to kill he says you may He only begs a very short delay Come all again and maul him the third day The Persons represented MEN. Beaufort Governour of Lyons Grammount Nephew to the Governour Dampierre Brother to Grammount Montigny Friend to Grammount WOMEN Elvira Wife to Grammount Leonora Sister to Grammount Lysette Woman to Elivira A Page and other Attendants The Scene is a Castle about a League distance from Lyons in France ACT I. SCENE I. Enter Beaufort and Dampierre Beau. NO more thou hast wrought a secret from my Breast Which may in time prove fatal to us both For now methinks I do begin to hate Thee Dampierre as the only Man on Earth Who has it in his power to check and blast Those Glories now in my declining years Which I so justly purchast in my Youth Damp. The languishing sick Man without reserve Freely lays open his Infirmities To his Physicians kill in hopes of Cure The hearty Penitent then only meets With true and real comfort when he dares Unload his o'ercharged Conscience and expose His nicest Scruples to the pious â—â—re Of some grave Ghostly Father Beauf. Ah Dampierre Could I with the good Penitent Confess And at the same time quit the darling Sin Or with the afflicted Patient hope for ease Of all my pains by telling my Disease I then were truly happy But alass Elvira's not so fair as she is good The shining lustre of her verâ—uous mind By far surpasses that of her bright Eyes Those Eyes which yet dart beams resistless As the Sun in his full Noon tide Glory Beams which strike me blind to vertue honour And indeed to all things else but love Oh Damp. Reflect not so severely on your faults I do beseech you Sir but as a man Allow some grains for humane frailty Beauf. Have I in my great Masters service spent Full Forty years and won renown enough To glut the most ambitious Hero's hopes Have I pass'd o'er the boyling heats of youth With an untainted reputation And shall I now now in my riper years Stain all the glories of my former life No Dampierre no it cannot must not be Damp. Do you in earnest love Elvira Sir Beauf. Love her does the devout Recluse that has Renounced this world aspire to Heaven Does the Ambitious Hero covet Fame Or the old Miser doat on hoarded Gold Love her By Heaven I ne'r lov'd glory Half so well nor so much dreaded the success Of doubtful War as now I do of Love Fearless I have a thousand times outbrav'd The greatest dangers and outfac'd grim Death In the most ugly shape that War could shew it Yet now want courage to encounter Her fair Eyes and like an arrant Coward Tremble and quake at her approach for fear Damp. For fear of what Sir of a Woman Elvira is no more no more than a Meer Woman an imperfect piece of Man Made only for his Pleasure Beauf. Hah by Heaven She 's Natures Master piece she 's all Divine Fair as an Angel Virtuous as a Saint But why alas do I so much as name Her hated Vertue Would she were a VVhore A Common Prostitute since she is Married Or rather since she is Married to Grammount O! let me wish her Dead laid in the Grave And hoarded up lâ—ke some old misers VVealth In the dark intralls of the happy Earth VVhere none the mighty Treasure could enjoy Since I cannot Damp. Nay now Sir I could chide VVish not Elvira Dead but think her still Amongst the living wonders of the Age The fairest much of her bewitching Sex VVho tho she may have charms enough to kill Yet may too entertain some soft desires To cure the wounds her fatal Beauty gives And therefore Sir you ought at least to hope Beauf. It is to innocent desires alone That hope dares shew a comfortable end But mine are guilty all How then can hope Pretend to flatter him who were he blest In all the joys successful Love can give Must yet be wretched miserable still Torn with the pains of a too late remorse Sharper than those of disappointed love Damp. These Sir are odd phantastick notions Of a working brain fitter for Schools Than for a Lovers care whose Mistriss is his all He who dares rifle the industrious Bee Snatches the Honey careless of the Sting And he who briskly plucks the blushing Rose Laughs at those Thorns that would revenge the Rape Beauf. How powerful do thy arguments appear To a mind wholly prepossessed with love Thou art a Master sure in that soft art And may'st assist me I alas am rough Grown old in Camps my Tongue unapt for talk And unaccustom'd to those softer terms Which Charm that fair that dear believing Sex Damp. Let me but know what you would have me do And think it done think your self happy Sir If in my power it be to make you so Beauf. Thou then shalt break the Ice prepare the way Thou hast a tongue nimble and fluent As the well feed Lawyers soft and smooth As the old crafty Courtiers who denies Your sute yet would perswade you he is still
just resentment should transport And hurry him beyond the limits of His usual moderation so engage The family in sad and endless broils Leon. Your goodness Madam is beyond example But may there not be danger in it Some men are of so base a temper That a pard'n proves but a new inducement To 'em to offend again Elv. 'T is in my power To hinder his offending in that kind Leon. 'T is true and yet I cannot choose but fear Tho what or why I must confess I know not Elv Prethee no more of thy kind fears I apprehend not any thing my dear Nor can I at the present think of ought But of thy Passion Child 't is a noble one Discreetly placed grounded on rational hopes Leon. For Heavens sake Madam Elv. Nay do not blush Montigny's one of such undoubted worth As justly may but see where he comes Where is Grammount Enter Montigny Mont. Gone Madam to the Governours Apartment Where he continues very busie in Dispatching some affairs of great Concern Elv. It has been still his chiefest care to ease The Governour in all he could and I Am glad he studies to oblige so good And generous a Kinsman Mont. His merit justly Madam claims that service Elv. And my Grammount pays it most willingly Would he were here Mont. I Madam wish it too Yet something within me what I know not Checks the fond wish and makes me almost dread Th' encounter of my dearest friend Alas How can I ever look him in the Face Again or hear him call me by the name Of friend whilst Dampierre lives Elv. Can you believe you should oblige Grammount In spilling of his only Brothers Blood Mont. In punishing so exquisite a Villain I do most certainly believe I should Leon. Yet that Villain still is Grammount's Brother Mont. Brother alas what signifies the name Or empty title of a Brother He who by vertue or by kindness merits The name of friend is not a friend alone But even a Brother too and much more so Than is the wretch that only claims by blood Elv. Too low methinks Montigny you depress Those sacred ties of blood on which the world Seems to rely so much Leon. Brother 's a name So dear that the meer title only seems Enough to justifie our kindness For the very worst of men Mont. 'T is true Much is by custom given to the name Of Brother and therefore only 't is Since decency disarms my Friend And will not suffer him to use his Sword That I believe my self engaged in honour To draw mine Elv. Equally impious In Grammount 't would be to wish revenge As act it Leon. And what he cannot wish without A crime you cannot do without a greater Elv. No more of this I know Montigny You are my Grammount's dearest Friend Consult not then his Honour only But his repose and that of all his Family Mont. Believe me Madam that 's my only aim Elv. I do and therefore beg you to conceal This shameful story Oh bury it In eternal silence let not Beaufort Let not Grammount suspect the least of Dampierre's Villany but above all beware of Making it more publick by a quarrel Mont. Ah Madam Elv. I must not be denied unless you have A mind to ruin him you call your friend And ever robb him of his sweetest rest I do conjure you then by all your Vows Of friendship to my dear Grammount By all that 's dearest to you in this World Elv. Press it no further Madam I Obey Tho Heaven knows I do it with regret Elv. We 'll leave you to your cooler thoughts Montigny Commending moderation still as best In this and all other cases between friends Come Leonora Ex. Elv. Leon. Mont. Just Heaven how much Beauty how much goodness have you bestow'd On this one Woman Ex. Montigny Enter Lysette follow'd by Dampierre Dam. What! threaten to turn thee out of Doors Basely expose thee to the scorn Of all thy laughing tribe rail at And revile thee for a matter of just nothing Lyset Nay 't is a fault not to be pardon'd And therefore I 'm resolved to be revenged Damp. Fault that 's a name too soft too mild For such a crime Why 't is Treason Downright Treason a flat Conspiracy Against thy Empire Child Lyset Right therefore once more I do pronounce She sinks under the mighty weight Of my displeasure Damp. Thou hast it in thy power my Girl To crush her into nothing Lyset I have indeed thanks to the dear delight You take in mischief Sir But hark ye now in cooler blood Pray tell me what mad pranks You play'd i th' Forest to put My Saint-like Lady into such Devilish Passion For when all s done my being out Of the way so small a time was but an Inconsiderable fault too slight To draw on so much anger Damp. No Pranks at all my Child Only an Argument arose by chance And I unluckily maintained my part With something too much heat Which put her Ladyship into a horrid pelt And made her rail at me at thee And every body else I think Lyset Yet out of her abundant kindness She has forgiven me forsooth And once again received me into favour But that 's no matter I have not yet Forgiven her Nor will I till to her cost I have made her know me better What! Pretend to turn me out of Doors No my blood rises at the very thoughts on 't Say when shall I be Revenged Damp. This night this very hopeful night Nay if you let slip this night You may perhaps look long enuff For such another opportunity Lyset With all my heart then let it be this night For now methinks I am prepared for any thing That looks like mischief Damp. Bravely resolved Know then Grammount at present Is at the Governours appartment Where multiplicity of business Committed to his care alone By the uneasy Beaufort will certainly Detain him longer than ordinary So that the Night which now draws on a pace Will in all probability be far spent E're he returns to his own Lodgings And then then my Girl Lyset Ay then will be the time when I Poor inconsiderable fool will with Such cunning play my Treacherous part As shall with ease impose upon the good Grammount Pluck from his faithfull breast Deep-rooted Love and in its room Plant the rank weed of Jealousie Turn dearest Friendship into mortal Hate And so give birth to general Confusion Dam. Revenge how sweet thou art Revenge now makes Thee undertake a part the Devil himself Would bogle at No Woman sure e're suckled thee Or something more than man club'd to thy getting But see the Governour appears Away and fail not when it comes to th' push Be sure Lyset Fear me not Exit Lyset Enter Beaufort Damp. This Wench is ripe for Hell Beauf. Well what News Dampierre from Elvira Knows she my Love does she speak Life or Death Damp. Hear the story then be your self the Judge Beauf. Proceed Damp.
Know then that leaving you I went directly to Elvira's Lodgings But missing of her there and being told That she was gone attended by Lysette To take a turn i' th Neighbouring Forest Thither I follow'd her where I first met Lysette and quickly managed her so well As not to stand in awe of her too near Attendance The Woman so secured I boldly ventured to attack the Lady Whom as I could have wisht I found alone Our first discourse was of indifferent things Which yet I managed with such curious Art As drew her on at length to that of Love Beauf. Thy boldness makes me tremble Dampierre Damp. From Love in general we quickly came Down to particulars and then you may Believe I fail'd not to describe your flame As you your self could wish Beauf. nam'd you my name Damp. Not yet nor did I at first let her know She was the person Lov'd But still mad◠〈◊〉 Of borrow'd names till finding that my art Prevail'd and that the soft and moving Terms In which I told the story of your Love Had toucht her tender heart with pity of Your case then I reveal'd the secret told her all Beauf. And how did she receive it ha Damp. Why Sir with all the haughty marks of Pride And Scorn she could put on t is true she said Not much and fain would have been gone but I Made bold by the advantage of the place Stopt her and would have made her hear me out When on the sudden in stept Beauf. Lysette Damp. No Sir Montigny Beauf. Montigny say'st thou Hell and Confusion but say what follow'd Damp. Only this as soon as he appear'd With eager haste she flew into his arms Then with a scornful smile and slighting toss O' th' head she took her leave of me and so Triumphantly went off with her Gallant Beauf. Just Gods How can you wink at so much base And rank Hypocrisie If such crimes as these Meet with impunity the world will grow too wicked by the bad example Rather assert assert your Sovereign Power And darting Thunder at her devoted head Let her oh let her unpitied fall A wretched instance of offended Justice But tell me do'st thou believe Montigny Over heard thee Damp. Most certainly he did Beauf. What then in this unlucky case is to be done For sure if once Montigny knows I love 'T will not be long a secret to Grammount Advise me Dampierre Damp. Excuse me Sir I know no way but one That can effectually secure Mens Tongues Beauf. And what way 's that Damp. Faith Sir an easy one Cut but the Throat the Tongue will tell no tales Beauf. No that 's a way too rough I like it not Damp. Why now I think on 't better there may be Yet one way more not quite so safe perhaps As t'other but Beauf. Name it and I am thine For ever but no blood I charge you Damp. No this is a Gentler way it is but Subtly loosening that firm tie of Friendship Which seems so well and firmly knit between Montigny and Grammount and you have done Your business For if they are not Friends Most certain 't is they will be Enemies There is no mean and then you need not fear Beauf. Most true but then the difficulty is How to divide two souls so strictly and So long united in the dearest bands Of Friendship 's sacred and severest Laws Damp. Let me alone to manage that affair If Grammount Loves Elvira before To morrows Sun he shall as surely hate Montigny to the death Distrust me not But if you like the project Beauf. Like it yes I guess at thy design and like it well Grammount I pity thee tho' it is but just To let thee see thy danger e're thou art Too far impos'd on by a Treacherous friend And wanton Wife But it grows late And I am strangely discomposed Farewel Exit Beauf. Damp. Go go to bed old man sleep if thou can'st And dream of happy hours thou ne'er shalt see So he 's well prepar'd I think and I have Gain'd a mighty Patron to protect me Whatever mischief happens the more the better now since he is like to Answer all Poor I am but his humble Instrument Ha! Ha! Ha! I could e'en kill my self with Laughing now To see how strangely all things have conspir'd To Crown my Roguery with Success And me with Safety Exit Damp. Enter Grammount and a Page before him with a Flambeau Gram. Business unlucky business long has kept Me from Elvira Tho' all late as 't is Methinks some dark ill-boding fancy seems to tell me 't is too early yet to seek Those Joys I ever found in her dear Arms. A strange unusual damp has seized my soul And I who use with eager Joy to fly To my Elvira have now scarce the strength Or Will indeed to move one step that way Oh Dampierre Dampierre what was thy design Since I left thee my working thoughts have been In a perpetual hurrey thou alas Hast poyson'd all my dearest Joys and in My troubled mind laid the foundation Of Eternal Doubts Perplexing Gnawing Killing Doubts And yet I know thee Dampierre Base of a Poor Mean Low spirit too And so capable of any mischief Why then should'st thou gain credit with Grammount Who knows thou hat'st both him and his Elvira No from my memory henceforth I chase Thee and each thought of thy base Treachery Grammount's too happy in a vertuous Wife And Generous Friend tho' curst indeed in thee Thou Cruel and Unatural Brother But hark what noise is that A noise of opening a door and Lysette Enters who seeing Grammount pretends to avoid him He stops her and turning up her hood sees her tearing a Letter with her Teeth O 't is the door opens Hah Who art thou that stealest Away so guiltily Nay I must see Lysette Whither away at this Unseasonable time of night And what paper 's that thou Mumblest so Lyset Alas I am undone Pardon me sir Oh Pardon me I beseech you Gram. Would'st have me pard'n thee e're I know thy fault Confess and then perhaps thou may'st deserve it Lyset Oh never never all that I desire Is that you would be so just as to believe Me only guilty for on my life My Lady's innocent Gram. Hah thy Lady speak what of her Lyset Why she I do declare to all the world Is innocent by all that 's good she is Nay were I to die next minute My Tongue should end my story with that truth Gram. I ask not of her innocence but tell me And tell me truely as thou hop'st for any Mercy from me whither wert thou Stealing with that Letter and what Were the contents of it Lyset For Heaven sake and for your own Sir Press me no further here on my knees I beg you would not Gram. Ha! do'st thou dally with me Come speak quickly or by heaven thou diest Lyset Do with me what you please But force me not I do beseech you To a Confession
Your friend Speak wilt thou do it Damp. Sir I will Beauf. But art thou sure thou wilt Damp. Most certain Sir Beauf. Hast thou consider'd well Damp. Yes I have Beauf. Perhaps already thou forget'st Who 't is I love Damp. No it is Elvira is it not Beauf. It is indeed Elvira but then sure There should be more of that Dear Name than one Hah What sayst thou Damp. Not that I know of Sir 'T is Grammount's Wifâ— I mean Beauf. Thou should'st have said Thy Brothers thy Brothers Wife on whom Thy Uncle the unhappy Beanfort doats Damp. I should indeed nor did I wave that word For any such great kindness it imports As might o'erthrow the resolution I have made to serve you Sir no were she mine This fair Elvira mine as she is now Grammont's I 'd not retract one syllable Of what I have said but freely sacrifice My Life my Honour all in short that 's dear To your repose Beauf. Come come to my Arms then Let me embrace and hug thee Dampierre By Heaven thou art a most illustrious Villain a rank Pander Oh Grammount How deâ—ply would thy Brothers baseness wound Thy generous Soul could'st thou but guess His foul intent But thou art good so true To Virtue and to Honour thou can'st ne'er Think on a crime so Black as this base wretch Dares act this miserable wretch who at One fatal blow would strike a Dagger To his Brothers Heart damn both himself and me And plunge us all into a horrid gulf Of everlasting misery Damp. If my too forward zeal be an offence Punish my giddy rashness as you please Yet do it Sir something a gentler way Charge me not with such black and horrid crimes As Heaven knows my very Soul detests Or rathertake my hated Life see here My naked breast ready to meet the blow My Tongue prepar'd to bless the hand that strikes Beauf. I scorn to stain my Sword with such base blood Live and repent thy rashness if thou can'st If not resolve never to see my face agen Ex. Beauf. Damp. Not see your face agen but on the terms Of penitence my noble Uncle Yes Yes but I shall or I am much deceived This qualm of Conscience is in him no more Than a meer aguish fit the cold one gone A hot one then will certainly succeed O all you black and dismal fiends of Hell Who take delight in mischiefs baneful sport Feed still and blow up his incestuous flame To a resistless highth then from his passion Ill conceal'd as from a flowing spring Let daily doubts fears jealousies heart burnings And eternal jarrs arise within these walls Let Beaufort hate Grammount Grammount Elvira And Elvira both whilst Dampierre hates 'em all And justly too I was the first pretender to Elvira But by the faithless Grammount under-min'd All my best hopes soon vanisht into air And I beheld her circled in his Arms. Nor durst I then think of revenge on him That did the wrong he was but too secure Supported by a partial Uncle's power And by Elvira's Friends But now I know That Beaufort doats on her from this dear day I date my hopes of a severe revenge But see Grammount appears in close discourse With his inseparable friend Montigny My mind at present's strangely ruffled Therefore I 'll withdraw ere they perceive me Ex. Damp. Enter Grammount and Montigny Gram. Blest in the softest Passion of my Soul Possessing in my dear Elvira all The world calls Vertuous or my eyes think fair How can I friend without a blush complain Or murmur midst such vast such charming joys As tasted once would make an Anchoret Forget his way to Heaven and think to find It here below Mont. Forbear my dearest friend Take heed should'st thou be rash enough to pine Whilest with a liberal hand kind Heaven Pours all it 's choicest blessings on thy Head Such black ingratitude no doubt would be Severely punisht by some signal judgment From above Gram. Unkind cruel Montigny Thou know'st at each sad thought of losing thee Tho circled in my dear Elvira's Arms I feel such strange distructing pangs of grief As nought but the most perfect friendship Can excuse so vast so sensible a pain As wounds my very Soul and damps and soures The sweetest joys of a possessing Lover Mont. Thou best of Men and dearest too of Friends Let me embrace and hug and press thee thus Near to that heart which owns no other bands But those of everlasting friendship for The generous Grammount Heaven knows with what Regret I leave thee Friend yet must we part Gram. O say not so each word 's a mortal wound Each syllable a Dagger to my heart Rather recall the hasty sentence and Repenting thy unkindness give me Life And what I value more my Friend Mont. O my Grammount forbear thy kindness else Will be the ruin of thy friend do not Oh do not force me to repeat What equally afflicts my Soul as thine It must be so Gram. It must not by all that 's good Thou art no more thaâ— Friend I took thee for If thou canst thus forsake me leave me thus And not give one poor shadow of a reason For so severe a separation Mont. Honor my Friend 't is honour calls me hence Honour that Idol to which all must bow Gram. Honour whither can Honour call thee friend That Grammount would not go to share the Prize Mont. Whilest I lie here supinely surfeiting On all the joys of soft bewitching ease My aged Sire laden with years and fame Plays the young man and makes the Spaniards feel The smart of Wounds I only should have given Thither I go thither I fly my Friend To court fair Honour in the midst of Blood Horror and dire Confusion Gram. Those Frontier bickerings call not for thee Montigny there 's little honor to be gain'd But if thou art resolv'd to go refuse not Th' assistance of my Sword oh let me share The Toyl and Glory with my dearest Friend Mont. Thou must no more think on the Wars Grammount But from the Genial bed reaping the sweet Reward of all thy glorious labours past Raise up a race of Hero's whose bright fame For early vertues may soon equal thine Gram. Since honours strictest Laws must yield to Love Let Beauty then prevail tho friendship cannot I have a Sister by the world thought fair Virtuous and young she is her Fortune 's such As may at least equal the largest hopes Of the most Noble Youths our Age can shew If thou canst learn to Love my Friend she 's thine Mont. How Prodigal how Lavish my Gram. Thy Friendship makes thee with a careless hand Thou scatter'st Treasures shou'd be the Reward Of a vast merit only or the price Of many great and glorious Services Gram. Nay now thou triflest Mont. By Heaven I do not Tho yet my heart a stranger be to Love Yet 't is with admiration I behold The rare perfections of that beauteous Maid But I must study
him beg to know what known shall pinch And gall him to the quick They love too well For Man and Wife and what 's yet worse So good an understanding between them Sutes not with mine nor with my Uncles purposes But he retuns not as I thought he would And to find out the reason much perplexes me But see where he comes all melancholy Sad and pensive almost lost in his own Wild distracting thoughts The Devil now works Hard and I 'le not be his hindrance But wait Then take my time to lend a helping hand In this our common Business He retires to a corner of the Stage Enter Beaufort Beauf. How poor And how contemptâ—ble a thing is man Made but more wretched by those very same Distinctive faculties of the Soul Which yet seem to sooth and flatter him With an imaginary Excellence Above the rest of the Creation Damp. Good Beauf. Reason what art thou but the very source And spring from whence flow all our miseries Thou art that glimm'ring light by which alone We can discern those crimes which otherwise We n'er had understood at least as such And so had known no guilt Damp. Better and better Beauf. Our phlegmatick dull Priests have all mistook Their errand sure and grosly hitherto Imposed upon the credulous world Whilst with an erring Zeal they 've preach'd down Lust Yet given a Pass to more pernicious Love For Lust is at the worst but a brisk Generous heat and natural ferment Of the blood lay'd by the next dear Child Of joy that dares contribute to the cure But when the Devil tempts us to love one And only one not all the Sex beside Can quench the hellish flame But be she Mother Daughter Aunt or Niece How near soever tyed to us by Blood It matters not She she alone can cure That gave the fatal wound Damp He 's fast enough I am sure now I 'le bolt If I dare venture to approach you Sir It is with the same awful reverence As penitent sinners do th' offended Gods With the same humble hopes too that at length Your mercy o'r your justice may prevail Pard'ning those crimes I have with tears bewayl'd And would have expiated with my blood Would you have suffer'd it Beauf. Ha! Dampierre And in this humble posture too nay then No change to me can ever appear strange Since in so very very small a time Thou art turn'd Saint and I a Devil Damp. Far be it Sir from me to assume The Glorious title of a Saint and yet A very little time may usher in Strange alterations Believe mine real then And make your vertue as remarkable In pard'ning as in censuring a crime Committed but in thought and hatched there Only by too warm a zeal for the great Beauforts Service Beauf. Curse on thy ill tim'd change Which only comes unseasonably now To upbraid my weakness Pard'n thee Yes withall my heart I pard'n thee But on this one condition let it be That thou n'er talk to mâ— of vertue more Damp. Alas what mean you Sir Beauf. Be wicked still Be vitious as thou ever wert Go boldly on and stop at nothing Thy wanton fancy represents as pleasing To thy senses but gratifie'em all Even to a loath'd satiety Then come and waving all uneasie qualms Teach by experience the vast pleasure Of unbounded vice gladly I 'le hear thee And become thy wanton Proselyte my great My glorious Master Damp. Heaven protect you Sir Now you talk strangely perhaps you doubt me And this way only hope to learn the truth For you I know are eminently good And vertuous Beauf. Hah that lie will damm thee Past all hopes of mercy I am nor good Nor vertuous but by much more wicked Than an honest heart dares think I rage I burn in an Unlawful and Incestuous flame Alas there 's a perpetual tumult In my distracted mind nor can I fix One wandering thought but what still leads me To the very brink of Hell Oh Elvira Damp. Forget her Sir I once dearly lov'd her Yet when I found she could prefer My Brother 's tardy passion before mine I quickly shook the lazy off and With an indiffernt eye could safely gaze On all those Beauties I before adored Beauf. Forget her no too easily alas I can forget that she is Grammount's Wife Or Beaufort's Niece but that she is fair That she is charming above all others Of her Beauteous Sex that that I never Can forget Damp. If you must think on her Think then at the same time on her too rigid Vertue that eternal bar to all your Guilty hopes Beauf. There is no bar to impetuous Love At least Vertue I 'am sure is but a weak one But why do I vainly talk of Vertue I am convinced there 's no such thing on Earth No all 's but pretence all 's meer Hypocrisie Look Dampierre round this vast Machine the World 'T is but a larger Theater on which Each skilful Actor plays that part alone Which for his profit he can manage best Come then unmask thou seest my naked heart To all the world beside be the reformed The good the pious Dampierre but to me Be what thou ever wert Damp. Hah what 's that Sir Beauf. Nay perhaps I may not find a name for 't That may please you But to be plain and short Help me to the enjoyment of Elvira And I 'll disclaim Grammount I 'll cut off all His fairer hopes to make a way for thee My darling to the possession of my Envied Wealth Damp. Misled by a too hasty Zeal I made an offer once not all your wealth Nor even that of the whole world Can e're prevail with me to make again That kindness then was slighted scorn'd repai'd With cruel injuries and a boisterous Storm of black reproaches Beauf. Upbraid me not With what is past Damp. By what is past I but Too plainly see the kind return my best Endeavours for your service in that kind Are sure to meet with Beauf. By various and insulting Passions agitated I felt unheard of torments in my mind My very Soul was as it were stretched on The Rack and all that storm was nought but the Strong Convulsions of a dying Vertue Damp. Heaven forbid the generous Beaufort So much renowned for solid Vertue should In a Storm of Passion yet make shipwreck Of it all No to the Wars Sir there Beauf. Talk not to me of War too long already I have toyl'd i' th' barren Fields of Mars Wasted my Youth and Vigor in rough Camps And bloody broils Deaf to the Virgins Plaints The Widows Curses or the Orphans Cries For Lovers Husbands Parents Butcher'd all In hateful War In short I loath that Trade Of cutting throats and am resolv'd henceforth To Love and that Elvira too Damp. Oh Sir think what the censorious world will say Beauf. E'en let the world say what it will I care not she I 'm sure is a meer Stranger to my blood Come then be once more Kind I
know thou lov'st me Dampierre I know thou do'st Dam. You may be well assured I do Beauf. O let me embrace and hold thee in these Arms Till thou hast granted all I can desire Damp. Had you before been half thus kind Beauf. It is not now too late Damp. Fool that I am to stand here only to Be tempted to my Ruin Oh! why Do I not rather fly not from you only But for your sake from all Mankind Beauf. Nay now thou art too cruel Come thou must Thou shalt thou wilt Damp. Alas What would you have me do Beauf. Go to Elvira Damp. Well for once I will Beauf. Tell her by Heav'n I know not what tell her Yes if she delights in martial Stories Tell her the many glorious Deeds I 've done In War the bloody Battles I have won The Towns I have taken Tell her in short All that may make her hearken to the Name Of Beaufort with Delight Then in a gentle Sigh tell her I die For Love and if after all that thou darest Proceed yet further tell her at last It is for her I die Damp. Something like this I am resolved to do But cannot yet tell what I ll instantly Go to her and with my utmost Cunning Try to dive to the very bottom Of her Heart Where if I find yet any Room for a new Passion you may be well Assured that to your best Advantage I will turn the Weakness of her yielding Mind Beauf. Go fly Oh may we both successful prove Thou in thy subtle Arts and I in love The End of the Second Act. ACT III. SCENE I. A Forest Leonora alone Leon. WHilst all rejoyce Montigny at thy stay only waste in Tears the time away Uncertain what to hope or what to fear I wish thee gone yet fain would keep thee here All â—ays I try to chase thee from my mind All Arts I use yet can no Comfort find For if t'elude the Torments I endure My Hopes from Absence seem tâ— expect a Cure Even those Hopes ridiculous appear Since how can he be absent who 's lodg'd here Laying her Hand on her Heart A welcom yet a fatal Guest to me Whilst I the Prisoner am and he is free What then poor Leonora wilt thou do Thou lovest alas but art forbid to woo That is Man's dear prerogative alone Thou must in secret sigh in secret moan And taught by stricter Rules of Modesty What most thou lov'st thou must pretend to flie Thus strangely wretched surely there can be For all thy Woes but one sad Remedy Die then yet in thy Death so lucky prove That all the World may know thou diedst for love Each Poet then thy Passion will rehearse Sing thy sad Fate in everlasting Verse And every Lover strew thy passing Herse Enter Elvira and Lysette Lyf See Madam where she is Elv. Retire a little Ex. Lysette Leon. Oh Heavens I am surpriz'd Elv. What in this dismal solitary Place Alone and all in Tears my Dear Leon. Those treacherous Teras will be my Ruine Aside Elv. Nay seek not to hide 'em from your dearest Friend that would be too unkind Oh! rather Let me know the unhappy Cause of this Disorder Leon. I will but you shall pass your Word then Not to laugh at me Elv. My dearest Child I do Leon. Nay but I am confident you will laugh Since I my self indeed can scarce forbear When I reflect on it Elv. I will not Nay I cannot laugh at what moves thee to weep Thy Tears my Dear would extort Pity From an Enemy much more from one that loves thee Leon. This your unmerited Kindness Madam makes me yet more ashamed than ever To betray my Folly For it was nothing more Believe me than a meer childish Passion Elv. Whate'er it was imparting it to me You will oblige me much Leon. Were it a Secret Or of the least Importance I would ne'er Try to conceal it from you Be so kind Dear Madam as to impute my Folly To my tender Years Elv. Ah Leonora 'T is not your Folly but your Cunning now That I have reason to complain of Leon. Were I as capable of Cunning Madam As you believe I am yet certainly I would not use it to impose on you To whom I stand so many ways engag'd Elv. I know you ought not yet I 'm sure you do Leon. Suspect it not indeed you wrong me much Elv. No 't is you that wrong your self wrong me And all our mutual Vows of Friendship too For know that with no small concern of late I have observ d your gayer Humour fade And change into a sad dull and deadly Melancholy With Grief I have beheld You fly all sorts of pleasing Company Only to court Retirement in some Grove This made me set Lysette to watch your Steps By whom just now inform'd That you were gone This way alone I quickly follow'd you Tho' not without some Apprehensions From the dismal Wildness of this uncouth place Altho' I knew Montigny and Grammount Were here before seeking Diversion In these o'ergrown Woods Come then confess What brought you to this unfrequented place Leon. Ah what would you have me do Elv. Tell me the Truth For should you still endeavour to conceal it The swelling Secret would in time Grow too unruly for your tender Breast And force its way at last with much more Noise And eager Violence than would be fit For so much Innocence to own Leon. I yield Your kind and tender importunity At length has conâ—uer'd all my Fears Share then that fatal secret which of late Has robbed me of my Rest of all my Peace Yet spare oh spare my Tongue th' ungrateful Task Of naming what I still must blush to own But let these Tears convey it to your Breast Whilst on my tender Knees I thus implore Your Pity and your Pardon Elv. Rise rise my Dear Take this Kiss and with it too my pardon My Pity and my faithful promise To assist thee in thy Love For Love it is If I must guess that has possest thy Soul If so my Dear you must be plainer yet And name the happy object of your Vows Leon. Ah Madam I doubt I have already Said too much for see my Brother coming Oh give me Leave to hide my Grief from him And all the World but you Enter Dampierre Leonora runs out and Elvira offering to follow her is staid by Dampierre Damp. Nay Madam You must excuse my Rudeness I but seize The next at Hand to know by what strange fate Dampierre of late is grown so terrible As to oblige you with such eager haste To fly him Elv. You cannot think your Sister should avoid you Nor ought you to believe I would Damp. But Madam may I not believe my Eyes Elv. You may for they can only tell you That Leonora fled and that I followed And all perhaps without one Thought of you But you of late are strangely alter'd sure You would not else so easily suspect Your
things Death Oh may Confusion Rage Despair and Everlasting Jealousie attend 'em to their Graves Lys Amen say I but yet suppose they should At last come to a right Understanding What would become of me I pray Were it not better think you to decamp In time and leave them to themselves Damp. By no means that would make 'em presently Smell out thy Roguery and their own Error Rather be more diligent and more assiduous In your attendance now than ever Consult their Looks for till you find the weather Clearing there you need not fear a Storm And then at last it will be time enough to fly In the mean time here thou hast been Offers a pair of Gloves Industrious and dost deserve Encouragement Lys A nasty dirty pair of Gloves I warrant you Foh I 'll have none of ' em Damp. Away thou' rt a Fool and knowst not what Thou hast refus'd they are I tell thee Gloves of the richest scent besides each Finger's Lin'd with Gold here wear 'em for my sake Lys Well for once I care not if I do the cordial Gold Perhaps may keep my Spirits up and give me Strength to bear the brunt of all Adieu Sir Exit Lys Damp. Go thy ways thou art a dainty Girl and dost love Mischief well for which I love thee tho' I dare not Trust thee Thou art indeed a thought too mercenary And may'st at last for Gold sell me as thou already hast Thy Mistress therefore I can but pity thee Those Gloves How rich soe er and sweet their scent may seem Yet once well heated on the Hand will cast a strong And deadly smell most fatal to the Brain a Poyson Not only certain but strangely sudden in its operation As I was told at least by an Italian famous in that hellish Art from whom I had ' em If it be so my business is Compleatly done and thou poor fool Lysette hast The Reward of all thy Services Exit Damp. Enter Grammount Gram. What is that thing call'd Happiness which Men With so much noise and eager zeal pursue So many several ways each hoping to Attain it in the possession of some Distant long'd-for Blessing tho' all alike In vain For even that darling Blessing Plac'd in a nearer light and once enjoy'd Loses but too much of its wonted lustre Or else encounter'd with rude Crosses from Abroad is lost and buried in a thick And dismal Cloud of rank uneasie Cares There 's no such thing then as a happy man On this side of the Grave Look on me all You vain Pretenders look on me and own At last this Truth for all the dearest Joys Of Life did seem to court and flatter me Yet all those Joys are in one moment dampt All vanisht all lost to me for ever Friendship and Love which once made up The sweetest part of 'em do now conspire My ruin Oh Elvira Enter Elvira Elv. Oh Grammount He turns from her Nay turn not turn not cruel man away But look upon thy poor disconsolate Elvira almost drown d in tears speak Oh speak at last and let her know wherein She has been faulty or unfortunate Enough to merit this hard usage from Her much-lov'd Grammount Gram. Art thou Elvira Elv. Why dost thou ask that unkind Question Gram. Because Elvira ever loved Grammount And so could never be a trouble to him But thou alas art most importunate Prithee be gone thou art not Elvira Not the same Elvira that I 'm sure of Elv. Yes I am the very same I ever was The very same Elvira still on whom With dearest Transports thou didst once bestow Ten thousand Vows of everlasting Love The same unfortunate Elvira Who charm'd by thy sweet soft bewitching Arts Heard with delight those many treacherous Vows By thee intended for her ruine In short I am the same Elvira that At last crown'd all thy hopes paying down Love For Love as I then thought tho' since I find With purest Gold I only purchas d Dross Gram. Forbear forbear Elvira and recall Not to my Memory those happy days In which I dearly lov'd and thou wert kind Too much alas 't will aggravate my Grief Since I within this Breast already feel Torments to which nothing I 'm sure can add New Pains but a reflection on that Heaven I once enâ—oyed in thee and thy dear Love 〈◊〉 If in Elvira's Love thou once wert blest Why art thou not so still Gram. Oh Elvira All things â—â—e strangely alter'd since that time Love once was pure and Friendship sacred held Yet now the one is little else but Lust The other all design Vertue is fled And Vice Reigns now Triumphant in each sex We are all wond'rous weak alas and frail Oh Elv. 'T is true most true my dear Grammount and yet What weakness canst thou justly tax me with Unless perhaps my loving thee too well Be an infirmity unpardonable In the unfortunate Elvira Gram. Oh Elv. Alas what means that sad and dismal groan By grief extorted from thy manly breast Thou canst not sure be so unjust as to Suspect my Love Yet if thou art speak I conjure thee but speak plainly then And not in un-intelligible groans Speak cruel man oh speak do I not love thee Am I false oh may Elvira live no longer Than with a passion Innocent and Pure She loves her dear Grammount Gram. What pity 't is our hearts are not expos'd To open view as are our faces that So even our most private thoughts might all Appear naked and bear as at their first Conception e're drest up in ornamental Words of a much different import Elv. Ah could'st thou but see into my heart Thou there would'st soon perceive thy error And my innocence But since my dear Grammount That cannot be believe my words believe These tears believe my Actions oh see I am here ready to receive thee still Rude and Unkind Ungrateful and Inhumane As thou art Come then come to these arms Ne're yet stretcht out to thee in vain Wilt thou not come not yet thou canst not sure Deny me now when all I beg of thee Is that once more thou would'st be happy Gram. Why should'st thou desire impossibilities Alas I never can be happy more Elv. If thou Grammount can'st ne're be happy more Then must I be for ever miserable Cruel man shew yet some small remainder Of humanity be not so rash Either accuse or else acquit me But pass not sentence on me e're I 'm heard Gram. No fear not too hasty or too hard A sentence from my mouth False as thou art I cannot hate where once I loved so well Live then Elvira live long but live a Stranger to Grammount And that thou may'st live Happily wipe from thy memory the Dearest passages of some few past years And see thou quite forget there e're was such A wretch i' th' world as I am Elv. Hold oh hold It is too much alas insult not poorly O're my weakness nor play the wanton With my grief
Soul That you should thus all at one fatal blow Oppress the wretch with your severest Judgments Oh that some Mountain now would fall on me And in its dreadful ruines hide my head But hark methinks the Gods grow loud hark how Their awful thunder grumbles in the Sky See how the fiery balls fly whizzing by Dealing amazement and destruction all a round Ha ha ha ha See you old miser laden with swelling bags Of ill-got Gold with how much awkar'd haste He limps away to shelter see how he ducks And dives and dodges with the Gods and all Only in hope t' avoid for some few daies Perhaps the just reward of his accursed extortion The hot Adulterer now all chill and impotent With fear leaps from the polluted bed And crams himself into a cranny Those mighty men of blood who make a Trade Of murder forget their wonted fierceness Outnois'd they shrink aside and shake for fear O' th' louder threatnings of the angry Gods Whilst I I only tho' the wickedest wreâ—ch of all with an erected countenance stand to 't Courting those dangers others seek to avoid And yet there 's not one dart one ball for me Tho I Heaven knows deserve 'em all Oh He throws himself on the ground Elv. Let not the knowledge of my innocence My dear Grammount add to thy grief Rather believe me guilty still alas Thy generous easy nature was abused Imposed on by a Brothers wicked arts Thou still art innocent and so am I Who freely can forgive thy greatest faults Come then Grammount come to thy Elvira And with a kiss a cold and dying kiss I 'll seal thy pardon Gram. My dear Elvira this thy prodigious Goodness does but encrease my misery Yet I will come yes my Elvira With a down dejected countenance Not daring to look up but creeping thus And crawling on the earth I do approach Thy feet here spurn the vile thing tread trample The miserable insect into nothing Elv. Oh my Grammount yield not too much to grief It is a fatal tho a slow disease Gram. I thank thee dear Elvira for that hint Now thou art kind and giv'st me good advice Whoever would endure an age of pain When one such blow as this might give him present ease Stabbs himself Beauf. Hold oh hold Grammount Leon. Oh heavens what has he done Mont. Too much alas altho' no more than what I apprehended from his just despair Gram. Help me my friend and place me near that Saint So now 't is pretty well pardon me my dear Elvira that so long I have defer'd This piece of Justice or rather pardon me That at last I durst presume to mingle My polluted blood with those pure streams of thine Elv. Oh my Grammount My Love can pardon thee any thing Yet 't was unkind to give me thus A second wound a wound more grievous To the poor Elvira than the first Which gave her death Elv. Where where art thou my Grammount A rising mist has on a sudden snatched Thee from my sight alas I faint I dye Death seizes now on every part and my Affrighted Soul sits hovering on my pale And trembling lips just ready to begin Its flight Gram. Oh stay Elvira for thy dear Grammount Stay yet but one poor minute then As we have long liv'd and lov'd So let us still Love and lanch together Into a vast eternity where we may Love For ever Elv. Oh no imperious death commands And I must needs obey But do thou live Live yet if it be possible and Love The memory of the poor Elvira Farewel Farewel my dear Grammount For ever She dies Gram. She 's gone and all my comfort is that I Shall quickly follow her Yes this sight wounds Deeper than the sharpest dagger And yet How many Charms remain Unconquer'd still As Beauty lies Triumphant over Fate And seems to flourish in the arms of death Oh let me steal one parting kiss at least From those cold lips But e're I go my Friend On thee I here bestow all I have left Of value in the world this weeping Maid Mont. If the fair Leonora will confirm The gift I shall be but too happy Oh my Grammount I beg thee to believe Since Fate deprives me of my dearest Friend Nought but so rich a present from his hand Could bribe me to survive so sensible a loss Gram. Here take her then Beauf. And with her all my wealth Gram. The poor Grammount can only thank you Sir Come Leonora Leon. For Heavens sake Gram. This modesty's unseasonable now Deny me not the satisfaction To see thee e're I die so well bestowed Give me thy hand Take her Montigny And may this saithful Wise abundantly Supply the want of an Unfortunate But real Friend Farewel a long farewel to all Hark hark Methinks I hear Elvira call I come I come Elvira my aspiring Soul Begins to mount not to o'retake but at An awful distance to attend and wait On thine above in those blest Regions Of eternal peace He dies Beauf. Fate now has done its worst and from me torn All the delight and comfort of my age Who waits there hah Enter Servants at one door Damp at the other But see just Heaven has sent him to receive The due reward of all his crimes Seize Seize on that Villain Dampierre instantly they seize him Damp. What means this rudeness hah Beauf. Look there Grammount is dead Elvira's dead And all this mischief is but the effect Of thy black hellish arts Damp. Why if they are dead Let 'em be buried What is' t to me They might have longer lived or sooner died For ought I know who is it dares blame me Leon. I tho thy Sister must accuse thee wretch Think think on Lysette poysoned by thee She with her latest breath discovered all Thy arts Damp. Then my Italian was a Rascal Away thou art a Girl and should'st be whipt For prating Leon. Ah! was 't not enough that in the Forest Thou on Elvira's honour madest a base Attempt but to reward her goodness In concealing thy black crime Thou must Conspire her death too Beauf. Hah how 's that can that be true Mont. Moâ—â— true believe me Sir and had not I Directed by her cries come in by chance The Villain had accomplisht his design Beauf. Heavens I is it possible Damp. Yes employ'd by thee I would have been thy taster Beaufort I would have wanton'd with her stroked and tamed The vertuous fool then brought her gentle To thy longing arms Do'st thou not Love me for 't yes in thy heart I know thou do'st for who but I would e're Have taken so much pains to serve thy Lust Beauf. Justly thou do'st reproach me Dampierre We are both Villains and on both I will My self see speedy Justice done Thou who In spite of all my caution hast yet dipt Thy hands in blood shalt suffer death with the Most cruel tortures our severest Laws Inflict on murderers As for my self Here I renounce the world and all its joys Resolved henceforth in some Remote And Unfrequented Hermitage to spend The small remainder of my wretched days At Nature's charge Where the cold clammy earth Shall be my bed homely but wholesome roots My daily food and water from the Nearest Spring my only drink There on my Bended knees I 'll try to appease the anger Of offended Heaven and with repeated Earnest vows solicit pardon for all my faults Damp Ha ha ha Beauf. Canst thou laugh wretch Damp. Yes heartily at thee and thy pretended penance Beauf. Away with him and load him well with Irons Damp. Do thy worst old man I fear not thee nor death Damp. is led out Beauf. Now there is little left for me to do But to discharge my duty to the dead In sad and solemn pomp I will attend Them to the earth and give them both one grave There when in peace their dear lov d Ashes lie From Treacherous ease from all vain joys I 'll fly And tho I live yet to the world I 'll dye FINIS THe Inhuman Cardinal or Innocence Betrayed A Novel by Mrs. Mary Pix Now in the Press and will suddenly be published the second part of the proposal to the Ladies wherein a Method is offered for the improvement of their minds By the Author of the first part 12o. Printed for R. Wilkin OVid Travestie or a Burlesque on Ovid ' s Epistles by Captain Alexander Radcliff of Grayes-Inn The Old Batchelor A Comedy by Mr. Congreve The Family Physician being a Choice Collection of the best Remedies for the Cure of all Diseases incident to humane Bodies very useful in Families and serviceable to Country People To which is added the true English Wine-Cellar being the best method to make all English Wines and Metheglin with a Collection of the Choicest Cosmetick Remedies to preserve the Complexion of Ladies Published by George Hartman Phylo-Chymist and Servant to Sir Kenelm Digby till he Dyed Price 2 s. 6 d. Printed for Richard Wellington at the Lute in St. Paul ' s Church-Yard