that thought disturbs me Sure she 'll forgive a Crime which Love committed Let it be how it will I have her now And she is all my own Enter Arapsia Arap. My Lord I 've waited all this morning To speak with you I should have don 't last night But could not find you Cor. I 'm glad to see you and will wait on you Any where else if this place ben't convenient Arap. My Lord last night my Lady order'd me To wait on you and keep you still in mind Of the Commands she gave you about your Marriâ—ge With the Lord Segerdo's Sister and by me Desires to know your Resolution Cor. Madam 't is this I will not marry her But with submission to my Mothers Right Over her Son desire she 'd give me leave In this the last great action of my Life On which my future happiness depends To make a choice my self Arap. Sir I dare promise you she will and except One Person You may have leave to marry whom you please Cor. Who is that Person whom I am debarr'd Arap. My Lord there has been whisp'ring 'mongst the Servants And those who have more Curiosity than Business That you are fallen in Love with Eromena This is the reason I suppose which makes Your Mother press you to resolve For to be plain 't is she you are forbid Cor. And all the rest Heaven knows I do despise Arap. My Lady farther bid me say That If by your discourse I found the Rumour true To tell you from that hour you resolved Any such thing as gaining Eromena That hour she 'd shut her self from humane Eyes And in Distraction end her wretched Life Cor. And all this is because poor Eromena Is most unhappy in her Birth and Fortune Oh! the curse of Money The sure destroyer both of Love and Friendship 'T will bring a common Courtezan to Repentance And make her wish she 'd liv'd on Bread and Water And would you have me prize it No no Arapsia since my Mother keeps A Womans Mercenary Quality I 'll shew the World her Son has no Inheritance But what is noble therefore to cut off all desputes For I perceive that it must come to this I here protest before the face of Heaven Never to marry ought but Eromena Arap. And is this Sir your final Resolution Cor. It is Arapsia but I 'd have you think I 'd not have shown this seeming disobedience Had not my Mother ta'n the way she has Not only upon me but upon Eromena Commanding her to force her Inclinations And marry Lord Segerdo But to prevent it I 'll not lose a moment Till I have shewn the World she 's mine for ever Arap. My Lord I have a secret to impart Which I am sure must stop you in this Love But you must swear by all the sacred ties That can bind Men never to speak of it Not even to your Mother Cor. If what you say be to remove my Love I 'd have you save your self the needless trouble For t is impossible it cannot be I love my Eâ—â—mena more than Life And do not Love her like a Boy whose Love So longer lasts than till it see 's another Bâ—t â—ith a manly passion not to be removed Mâ—thinks it is mâ— Duty as well as Inclination Arap. It is I must confess indeed your Duty For not to hold you longer in suspense She is your Sister Cor. How Arap. She is Indeed my Lord. Cor. How and which â—ay She 's not my Father's Child I 'm sure he did long before she was born Do not Arapsia strive by these mean ways Inventing stories which must be proved false As soon as told to break a passion which Must break my heart e'er you can bring 't about Arap. My Lord it is no story which I speak of But a firm truth such as will bear the Test Of the most strict Examination Cor. It must be this way then my Mothers Bastard Ha! can that be then thou must be the Bawd You could not know the story else so well Is this the secret which I must not speak off Call back thy words and swear thou 'st told a lye Or by the Rage which if thou dost speak truth Must take the place of Duty and Revenge My injur'd Fathers wrongs I 'll fly Even to this Mother who has shaken hands With honour to part with it for ever Just now I 'll fly and make her Infamy so loud 'Till she shall gladly do the thing she threatens And never shew her Strumpets face again Arap. Whatâ—s to be done now I must prevent The worst by telling him the worst Aside My Lord the promise that I did desire And then this Action shall be plainer made If not I 'm dumb upon this story ever Remember 't is never to tell your Mother Cor. I swear by all things Sacred by those powers Those only powers that e'er can make me happy Never to speak on 't to my Mother Arap. Then thus it is my Lord I will not run Thro' all the passages between my Lady And your Father for you know my Lord They parted Beds some years before he died But I would have your Lordship call to mind The night before that you were sent to Travel You 'd past an Engagement with a young And foolish Maid i' th' House to meet that night Your Father had made such another appointment Which was by one discovered to your Mother And my unhappy Lady in her stead Resolv'd to meet her Husband but by Accident She did mistake the room and came to you But in the morning slipping from her Husband As she believ'd for fear of a discovery She met my Lord just come from his Intrigue And then she found too late her fatal error You may Remember your remove was sudden And to be short poor Eromena was The first-fruit of that nights most unnatural meeting And is your Daughter now as well as Sister Born some few months after your Father died Cor. It is impossible I 'll not believe it It is a trick devis'd to break the marriage Arap. By all that 's Good and Sacred it is True Cor. It is impossible to be supposed 'T is all a trick but have a care 't is dangerous To trifle with me now and I must have More Witnesses before I can believe Arap. Who is it you can have but her whose Soul Must leave her Body when she finds you know it Cor. By Heaven the very thought has stunn'd my reâ—son But stay let me consider Yes I will I 'll know the truth from this unhappy Mother Arap. Alas my Lord do not forget your promise Cor. Away with promises my Life nay Soul Depends upon this knowledge What my Daughter And by my Mother too Oh! double mischief If it be false expect thou wretched Creature Thou that hast thrown my Soul upon the wreck Expect such Vengeance for thou hast told a story Would stagger Nature make her shrink to nothing For being capable
Fortune and the lucky hour The Women are sure never to fail me Well that wou'd some men give to be so prosperous in all their attempts of this nature as I am Gad I wou'd give a great deal not to be so successfull it would make me relish my Ladies with a sharper Appetite Well however I won't lose my time now it is not a thing to be slighted till about four hours hence and then she may take her leave of me and really I wish That she may have the same desire to part For faith I should be loath to break her heart Exit Con. Scene Changes to a Chamber Enter Beringaria and Arapsia Ber. Tell me now quickly don't delay a moment How do you knoâ— the Truth of what you say Speak oh speak whlist I have life to hear you Arap. Madam I set my Lady Margaretta's Woman to watch and overheâ—r all their discourse in the Garden where I saw them walking but she was call'd away by her Lady before she could know the result but she says all she could find out was that when Cornaro propos'd marrying her she insisted upon her Gratitude to you so that I hope her resolution will prevent the mischiefs you apprehend Or if there is no other way 't is but your telling him the Truth or if you will not let me take that Office Ber. Oh! help me now if there are Powers aboâ—e Or I shall lose all my remains of Reason O! 't is gone I find 'thas leâ—t the place it did inhabit And â—â—ies up higher to you lâ—fty Râ—â—ion Come Come Arapsia help me to a Dagger I 'll cut all Eromena's Veins and let the blood Mingle with Clay to make her self a monument The wretched Creature Shall sink to shades like Clouds beneath the Sun To clear that sky Cornaro shall appear in Ara. Madam I hope there is no Dagger you 're too impatient a little time will dissâ—pate these Clouds you know the Remedy shou'd he mean to do the worst you can fear 't is bâ—t to tell him on her the truth and that will sure prevent it Ber. Oh 't is the worst of Remedies and sure distraction Will seize on me for ever when 't is known Let me consider All this train of sorrow Is the effect of following thy Counsel Now let me know What I can do to mend this Tell me a way that will Not make me wretched and then I 'll thank thy Curs'd Damn'd Contrivance But as it is tho' it is most unreasonable I loath and hate thee forâ—t yes hate my self Find out a way be sure you do a safe one Or look to see me mad to see this hand arm'd with a Rais'd Dagger to destroy you my self and Eromena Ara. Madam you are indeed unreasonable to lay This blame on me because the effect haâ—'t answer'd Your design Ber. Let me not think O let me fly fly from that Enemy To my Repose Remembrance restless Remembrance That blots out all the good of my whole life To double all the bad What with my Son Oh! let me think no more My Son and Daughter Ha by this time may be they are Man and Wife If it be so I 'll get a Cloud to hide me And bear me from that Judgment I must have Can I shun that no no it cannot be Then let me suffer bravely like the first of mortals Punish'd for such a sin oh 't is glorious to suffer For the greatest Crime was ever done by Woman I 'm lost in misery find find me not Heaven I dare not ask nor hope to be forgiven Exit Ber. Ara. Alas I fear her reason is not right What 's to be done in this extremity I 'll run the hazard to disclose this secret And make Cornaro swear not to reveal it Even to his Mother his Love will then of course Cease to Eromena and she may then marry my Lord Segerdo This as I think is the most likely way But stay Perhaps he does not love her to that degree But that he may by Arguments be perswaded To marry her his Mother has propos'd I 'll try all ways to keep the thing Concealed But to prevent the worst I must reveal it Exit SCENE A Hall Dandalo alone Dan. Well I wish all that have a mind to make Cuckolds may be married Men themselves to see how good it is I have been tormented more in my thoughts than a poor Felon the night before Execution for my Fate is as certain as his tho' not so dangerous sure 't is not come to pass yet there may be a way to prevent it I have observ'd that damn'd Captain hanker hereabouts Well I must find a way to dispose of her to make my self easie in a little time Enter Cleonista Oh! Niece what are you contriving to ruin your Uncle by making him a Cuckold For you know I am no Tradesman so that it can never turn to my advantage Cleo. Oh! Sir pray forgive me my taking that naughty Womans part alas I did not know then what I do now Dan. Why what do you know Oh Ruin and Destruction I find it is past and all the World can't recall it I 'll tear her to pieces did I marry her for this did she not promise to Love Honour and Obey me till death us did part and does she think making a Cuckold e'er a one of the Conditions Cleo. Pray Sir don't be too much disturb'd for tho' my Aunt be to blame yet it is not so far gone but you may prevent it Dan. Oh! let me but know how this time and I 'll be sure to prevent the like danger for the future Cleo. Truly Sir I must beg your pardon for having too good an opinion of your Wife but what I have to tell you is that I over-heard just now Dan. Oh! Tell me my dear Niece thou hast now convinc'd me there are Women that can be good but it must be in Policy then and not in any sence of Justice or because they knew not how to be otherwise Cleo. Why truly Sir you must understand that walking in the Garden I over-heard my Aunt make an appointment with the Captain to steal up the back stairs about this time or a little after drest in Womans Cloathes and that she would slip out of her own Chamber and meet him in that which joyns to yours Which has really troubled me so that I could not rest till I had told you Dan. I thank you Niece tho' since you 've been a meanes to bring this certain plague to mankind about I had as live you had let your information alone Cleo. Sir 't is in your pow'r to prevent this mischief for you may see at that door when the Gentleman will slip up the back Stairs and so may order the Servants to bang him soundly if you please which I would do were it my Case Consider good Uncle and consider you have but a little time and pray don't tell my Aunt Exit Cleo. Dan. Can this be
of such an error Arap. Alas I do repent I have told it you But 't is too true and see my Lady comes I cannot bear to see the grief 't will cost her But since you do resolve to know the truth Break not your Mothers heart in the discovery Exit Arap. Enter Beringaria Per. Cornaro have you thought of my proposals For all are Friends to my design but you I have but the care of well disposing thee And theâ— lie down in my cold grave in peace Cor. What shall I say I dread the discovery And yet must know it now Madam I beg If I must marry that you 'd give me leave To make my choice my self Ber. With all my heart If you make choice of one that suits your honour She 's yours and you shall have my free consent Cor. I thank you on my knees I love a Maid To that degree I cannot live without her I cannot think of loving any other Since you must know e'er your consent be had I will presume to tell you who it is 'T is Eromena Ber. Ha! what was 't you said Oh! never let me hear that word again 'T is fatal both to yours and my Repose Is this the Match you would prefer before A thousand others Cor. Madam I love her that has made the beauty And for a fortune you know well I want none Ber. Name it no more take the whole World before you Make choice of the most abject Creature living I will receive and own her for my Daughter But do not think on her unless that minute You do resolve to see me mad indeed O Heaven I beg you 'd stop this coming mischief And in exchange let me have thousand plagues Were never heard of yet Cor. O Mother Mother I am lost indeed This has almost confirm'd me Answer me One Question more and I have done for ever Is Eromena then my Daughter and born of you Why do you Change or Colour She swoons Help help within there Enter Arapsia Look to my Mother her silence has undone me Oh Heaven can it be true My Daughter Sister and my Wife and all My marry'd bedded Wife Why oh Heaven Did you permit nature to make this stumble Where was the Sacred power of Instinct now That foolish boast of undiscerning nature Cou'd it permit so gross an Act to master all its policy What my Sister Daughter Wife all in one Woman Oh Heav'n Compleat thy Vengeance and strike me to the Center Falls Arap. Help help within there Enter Cleonista Margareâ—ta and all the Gentlemen The Men go to Cornaro Women to Beringaria Ber. Who told the secret did you mention it Raving Cornaro where art thou now Dead then I am safe A stab to either will prevent my shame Who are you here that croud about me so Stand off I say I am Cornaro's Wife Let me run to him how does my dearest Son What Wife and Mother that was a mistake Give me a draught of poison presently Will you not fetch it has my Infamy Made me despis'd and not to be obey'd Even by my Children nor my Servants neither Gab. How fares my Lord Cor. A little at a loss A fatal Love has ruin'd poor Cornaro Let me intreat you Ladies to take care Of my unhappy Mother and Gentlemen You will oblige me much if you 'll retire And leave me for some time A little to recall my wandring reason Ber. Let me not see him ever whilst I live Iâ—ll have a veil shall cover me with night D' ye think the dead know what we do when living They say they do My Husband then knows of this accident And calls me Strumpet Yes I hear him speak it But I 'll wipe out this stain in nature and then Go to my dead Husband Chaste and Entire O quickly quickly shew shew me the way Exit Cor. O sad state 'till now unkown to all the World but me What had I done just Heaven to be so curst as to be made A sad example to the babbling World To follow the advice of Resolution I should not live But here 's a sight must now for ever Curse me O does she know my shame Enter Eromena Ero. Alas my Love why in that Mournful posture Why are you sad Oh! cheer your looks with mine Youâ—â—e often said my Lord you lov'd me dearly And can you have a grief now I am yours Alas I fear our Marriage is revealed I see a sad distraction in the House O speak to me my Lord is it not so Cor. Oh! Eromena Eromena Ero. Why do you sigh my Love You were prepar'd for this before and had resolved to go To Rome with me and there to pass our days If that you found your cruel Mother would not forgive The Violent effects of our stoln Loves Cor. Fly fly Eromena from a wretch that has undone thee Destroy'd that lovely form pluck'd up by the roots That beautious Flower and planted it with nought but stinking Weeds With Shame with Infamy and sure Dishonour Ero. What means my Life thou could'st not be so cruel O do not turn away my only dear If I 've offended let me know my fault And if 't is not too great to be forgiven Look on my true submission and receive me Cor. Some pittying power reveal to her her Fate I cannot do it prithee leave me here For I have something which disturbs me so That even thy Company is irksome now Ero. I will my Lord obey you whilst I live Nay I will be your Slave if you Command it I think it does become me to be so Cou'd Wives but see how very odiously Authority becomes 'em how much more like The Courtezan than Wife it does appear They sure wou'd blush that by their proud behaviour They rank themselves with the most vicious Women Cor. Can I hear this and know the loss I 've had Yet keep within my Temper Farewell farewell all thoughts of patience now Thus on the Earth I 'll throw my cursed body Sure it shou'd open to receive a weight Too heavy for 't to bear Oh! Eromena Lost Eromena quite undone by me Thou had'st been happy had'st thou never seen me Fly Eromena Fly I do Conjurâ— thee Oh! last night last night never to be possess'd again Yet to my Arms I 'll snatch thee And print a thousand kisses on thy Lips But from a Father now and not a Husband Ero. Let it be so I 'll love you as a Daughter And since you please to banish me your bed Thus on my knees I give this humble kiss And do receive your dear Paternal Love So you will love me in what name you please My Soul I 'm sure is Chaste and ne'er was Touch'd With any loose desires Cor. Oh Eromena canst thou be so Chaste as thou Hast said Can that dear Heaven of Beauty consent to be The idle part of the Creation Can that Charming Body Fit to bring forth an Angel like it self Be by my means deprived of all
the honest Joys Of Loyal Wives But why do I reflect upon thy Beauties that after this sad hour must never see thee more Ero. What will you banish me your sight and all Kill me then I cannot bear it kill me or I shall fall By my own hand and miss the last of pleasures left for me The dying in your arms Cor. Oh! Eromena didst thou know thy Fate thou wou'd'st Not wish my hand shou'd come so near thee Ero. Come tell me then t' excuse thy perjury I would Be glad I ow'd this strange indifference to any thing But to thy want of Love Cor. Wilt thou be patient then and bear thy Fate Ero. I think I can I have been used to misery Cor. Oh! I can't tell it yet I will Let me but lean my head upon thy Bosom thus and not see thy Confusion Nor shew my own Ero. Oh Heavens I do begin to fear but what I know not Enter Beringaria mad Ber. Who 's there Ha! together Let me separate you You two incestuous Monsters 'T is not they This is my Husband do not chide me Sir for what I did Was for the love of you 't was Love that did occasion My mischance Can you forgive it I 'll weep thus at Your feet a thousand thousand years to beg your pardon Cor. Oh! Heaven and Earth see Eromena see Thy only Mother sure as she was mine Thou never hadst another nor another Father Than thy wretched Husband It was the work of Fate And thou art now my Daughter Sister Oh Heavens and my Wife Fly reason fly why dost thou stay to curse me Hadst thou been kind thou had not staid so long Ero. I hope my Lord I do not understand you Cor. Too well thou dost this is thy Fate and mine Ero. Oh! Heavens What have I done Ber. See there she is in that false Husbands arms Does she engross my Husband and my Son Nay then 't is time a quick dispatch Stabs Ero. Take that thou only ruin of my Life and Fame Ber. Oh! Mother Mother do not kill your Child Oh! cruel Woman what is' t you have done Ber. Sent her to Heaven to know if ever I shall arrive there for if I may I must take care I have a great deal of business to do before I can Provide for such a journey but if not I shall have No trouble for all 's pack'd up for t'other place already Runs off Cor. Oh! Eromena may I call you Wife Is this the happiness I have designed What have I done Good Heaven what have I done To be more curs'd than all mankind besides Oh! Eromena those pale looks now tell me All thy wretched life is past Ero. I thank the blow upon my knees I do And do with joy receive this first of blessings From my most noble Mother Life had been a Curse I could not bear Sir how to look on you I do not know But let my ignorance excuse me both to the World and you Oh I am in pain but you will call it a pleasure Because it brings me now a sure release Oh! Father Father give me your blessing too A Pass-port for me to the other World And let me hide my face within your Bosom And give you back that life you did bestow Dies Cor. If she be dead what have I then to do Oh! Eromena dead vanished like a deluding dream Of happiness for sure this was a dream I find I wake to curse the World and all Mankind My self and all If I should live I should turn Monster sure Hence with a thought of life Weep Eyes And burst your strings that hold you in that I may 'scape The shame of seeing the face of mankind more Enter Segerdo Seg. What are they so close I like not that But 't is no matter since I know that they must part Rise Cornaâ—o rise behold a Friend that 's truly sorry For thy misfortune tho' 't is the only thing Cou'd make him happy Cor. What barbarous wretch art thou that buildst Thy happiness on anothers ruin Oh Eromena Seg. I do forgive thee thy mistaken anger And own the disapointment is too great Easily to be born Speak fairest Eromena speak May I now hope a reward for all my sorrows past Since all your wishes for Cornaro now Are turn'd to duty for a kind Relation Cor. Hence wretch com'st thou to Triumph over misery Base and Unworthy have I not Grief enough Not yet enough must thou add more do I not bear enough Have I not caused this dear poor wretches death Is not that load enough Seg. Ha! is Eromena dead What cold pale dead The object of my Soul my only wish Are these my promis'd hopes Inhuman wretch And didst thou murder her Oh Eromena Unfortunate Fair Creature I shall not stay Behind thee long Oh! let me leave my Soul Here on thy Lips and if Heaven have pitty Make me now like thee Cor. Hence how darst thou touch my Wife before my face Seg. Thy Wife take care Cornaro brand not thy self With such an Infamy I know she is thy Sister Cor. Why then you know the Truth I tell thee she is both Wife and Sister nay and Daughter too she 's all she can be In one Woman Seg. How dar'st thou be alive After this Action marrying thy Sister and robbing me Of all my Joys on Earth by murdering the poor wretch Oh! Eromena Let me die now at thy feet Cor. Judge me Just Heaven have I done a willful fault Yes I have indeed by Marrying against her Will that bore me Had I but been obedient half my misery I had escaped How can'st thou upbraid my lost Condition Wert thou of humane race thou cou'dst not do it Cou'd any Creature Triumph o're a wretch suffering the Law Just breaking on the Wheel Thou see'st me worse than that Rise Rise I say or I shall add yet to my cruel Actions And kill thee as thou liest Seg. It would be like thee I draw this Sword now in a Noble cause To Revenge poor Eromena's murder that Had no fault but being kind to thee Cor. Heaven grant thee Vengeance equal They Fight To thy Wish I thank thee now Segerdo Cor. Falls Thou hast prevented self-murder all my miseries end here Enter Gabinius Dandalo Conall Cleon. Maâ—gar Cleo. How fares my dearest Brother What was the cause of this unhappy Quarrel How Eromena dead Gab. My Lord how is it with you Cor. Like one who in a fright securing what he thought His own mistakes and takes anothers Treasure And for that innocent Theft 's Condemned So I by the All-seeing powers am cast For doing that which but to think of doing Wou'd make me wish I never had been born Arapsia knows the story of our misery And after I am dead may tell it you But let it not be told whilst I 'm alive My Lord Segerdo you have been unkind In thinking me consenting to Eromena's death She did receive it from my Mothers hand Gabinius I 've