Thing As Virtue but will second your Attempts Phi. What do I live to hear Oh! Gentlemen As you would have your Names your deathless Names Fill the fair Annals of recorded Glory Blot not your Memories with a Stain so impious Dion No thou too matchless Honour can we live Those Galless-doves thus to behold such Virtue Loaded and crusht beneath thy Weight of Injuries Phi. My Injuries No my too generous Friends I have no Wrongs you do not hear me murmur Dion No Wrongs And such prodigious Services Thus barbarously paid thy Toyls thy Victories A conquer'd Kingdom and so lean a Harvest From such a Field of Lawrels Phi. Conquer'd Name it not The Chance of War meer Providence Consider It was my stars that battel'd and not I. But say that I have conquer'd grant me all Your utmost love can give Say I 've won Empires Worn Crowns upon my Sword in your King's Cause And he perhaps forgets me 'Las Gentlemen I want not his Remembrance If I 've done well the Glory of well-doing Repays it self Virtue 's its own Reward In its rich self a fair and ample Patrimony And stands above the poor and sordid thought Of mercenary Hope Dion Oh thou bright Miracle Of unexampled Worth Suppose that we Can bear thy Wrongs can we support our own Those poor Hen-hearted Slaves that abject Patience To see the fair Succession of a Crown Power 's Soveraign Regalia made th' Inheritance Of Lust and Shame Perhaps a base-got Brood Rais'd up to tread upon the Necks of Honour The Princess Sir that once lov'd Beauty now The universal Hate Phi. Why what of her Dion Is loath'd as much as he Phi. By what strange means Dion She 's known a Whore Phi. Thou liest Dion My Lord Phi. Thou liest And thou shalt feel it I had thought thy Mind Had been of Honour Thus to rob a Lady Of her good Name is an infectious Sin Not to be pardon'd be it false as Hell 'T will never be redeem'd if it be sown Amongst the People fruitful to increase All evil they shall hear Let me alone That I may cut off falshood whilst it springs Set Hills on Hills betwixt me and the Man That utters this and I will scale them all And from the utmost Top fall on his Neck Like Thunder from a Clowd Dion This is most strange Sure he does love her Phi. I do love fair Truth She is my Mistress and who injures her Draws Vengeance from me Sirs let go my Arms. Thra. Nay good my Lord. be patient Cler. Sir remember this is your honour'd Friend That comes to do his Service and will shew you Why he utter'd this Phi. I ask you Pardon Sir My Zeal to Truth made me unmannerly Should I have heard dishonour spoke of you Behind your back untruly I had been As much distemper'd and enrag'd as now Dion But this my Lord is Truth Phi. O say not so good Sir forbear to say so Is it then truth that Woman-kind is false Urge me no more it is impossible Why should you think the Princess light Dion Why she was taken at it Phi. 'T is false by Heaven 't is false It cannot be Can it Speak Gentlemen for Heaven's Love speak Is 't possible can Women all be damn'd Dion Why no my Lord Phi. Why then it cannot be Dion And she was taken with her Boy Phi. What Boy Dion A Page a Boy that serves her Phi. Oh good Gods a little Boy Dion I know you him my Lord Phi. Hell and Sin know him Sir you are deceiv'd I 'll reason it a little coldy with you If she were lustful would she take a Boy That knows not yet desire She would have one Should meet her Thoughts and know the Sin he acts Which is the great delight of Wickedness You are abus'd and so is she and I. Dion How you my Lord Phi. Why all the World 's abus'd In an unjust Report Dion Oh noble Sir your Vertues Can't look into the subtle Thoughts of Woman In short my Lord I took them I my self Phi. Now all the Devils thou didst fly from my Rage Would thou hadst ta'ne Furies ingendring Plagues When thou didst take them hide thee from my Eyes Would thou hadst taken Thunder on thy Breast When thou didst take them or been strucken Dumb For ever that this foul Deed might have slept In silence Thra. Have you known him so ill temper'd Cler Never before Phi. The Winds that are let loose From the Four several Corners of the Earth And spread themselves all over Sea and Land Kiss not a chaste one What Friend bears a Sword To run me through Dion Why my Lord are you so mov'd at this Phi. When any fall from Vertue I am distracted I have an Interest in 't Dion But good my Lord recall your self And think what 's best to be done Phi. I thank you I will do it Please you to leave me I 'll consider of it To-morrow I will find your Lodging forth And give you answer Dion All the Gods direct you The readiest way Thra. He was extream impatient Cler. It was his Virtue and his noble Mind Ex. Dion Cler. Thra. Phi. I had forgot to ask him where he took them I 'll follow him O that I had a Sea Within my Breast to quench the Flames I feel More Circumstances will but fan this Fire It more afflicts me now to know by whom This Deed is done than simply that ' t is done And he that tells me this is honourable As far from lies as she is far from truth O that like Beasts we could not grieve our selves With that we see not Bulls and Rams will fight To keep their Females standing in their sight But take 'em from them and you take at once Their Spleens away and they will fall again To their fair Pastures growing fresh and fat And taste the Waters of the Springs as sweet As 't was before They find no start in sleep Enter Bellario But miserable Man See see you Gods He walks still and the Face you let him wear When he was Innocent is still the same Not blasted Is this Justice Do you mean To intrap Mortality that you allow Treason so smooth a Brow I cannot now Think he is guilty Bel. Health to you my Lord The Princess does commend her Love her Life And this to your dear Hand Phi. Oh Bellario Now I perceive she loves me she does shew it In loving thee my Boy she has made thee brave Bel. My Lord she has attir'd me past my Wish Past my Desert most fit for her Attendant Tho' far unfit for me who do attend Phi. Thou art grown courtly Boy O let all Women That love black Deeds learn to dissemble here Here in this Paper She does write to me As if her Heart were Mines of Adamant To all the World besides but to me only A Maiden-snow that melted with my looks Tell me my Boy how does the Princess use thee For I shall guess
can be we are Philaster's safety Is that great Cause will Arm the Gods to joyn us Dion Enough my Friends come to my Arms. Embracing No King The Head you aim at cost more setting on Than to be lost so slightly If it must off Like a wild overflow that shakes down Bridges Cracks the strong Hearts of Pines whose Cable Roots Held out a thousand Storms a thousand Thunders And so made mightier takes whole Towers Towns Palaces And lays 'em desolate so shall thy Head Thy noble Head bury the Lives of Thousands That shall bleed with thee in thy purple Ruines Thra. Lead on thou Champion Genius of our Swords Dion But we lose time the lucky Minute calls You Thraselin haste instantly to th' Forum Where you will find a Band of honest Citizens That only wait the kind inviting Trumpet To call 'em forth to Glory Souls so brave Will make Day smile to see 'em shine in Arms. You Cleremont haste to the Royal Cittadel You 'll find the Bolts of Steel and Gates of Brass Will all fly open at Philaster's Name For me my Post shall be t' attend his Person And watch the Motions of his hungry Hunters Now all retire a Royal Head to save Push your fair Cause and Fortune Crown the Brave Exeunt Thraselin and Cleremont Enter King and Attendants King Hold hold my bursting Heart and drowning Eyes Oh Arethusa Arethusa Lend me Some pitying God a Tongue to vent my Groans This more then execrable Deed Philaster Could'st thou do this Could the rich Veins of Kings Thou born of Royal Race A Prince A Butcher A Ruffian and a Hangman Crime like this A Cannibal would blush at Wolves and Blood-hounds Would turn their aking Nostrils from this sight And howl o'er wounds so barbarous Tell me Friends For you have seen the killing Object seen That once dear Garden of fair blooming Sweets All rooted by the Tusks of this wild Boar And say my honest loyal Hearts in all The blackest Legends of recorded Murder Is there that Chronicle can match this Monster Dion Yes there are Chronicles can match this Monster If he be one King Ha! If he be one Dion Yes Sir If he be one King That if But Sir go on Dion Then Sir to give plain dealing Truth fair play You 've lost a Daughter a King's Daughter True And by a blow perhaps not altogether So Manly as befits the weight of that Great Arm when lifted up to fall with Fate Yet let me tell you Sir King Hold Profane Insolent Gods can there be that Impudence so Steel'd Pleaders and Advocates for Guilt so horrid But that my Arm 's reserv'd for Nobler Vengeance Thy Head thou reverend Rebel But to Answer thee I 'll call the judging World Nay let thy own Accusing Conscience speak Is there that Monument Though big and high as Pelion can be able To cover this base Murder Make it rich With Brass with purest Gold and shining Jasper Like the Pyramides lay on Epitaphs Such as make Great Men Gods 't is all too weak Too shallow Rhetorick But I am too tame Lead forth that Monster to his speedy doom Dion So speedy no too hasty King you 'll find it not that o'er easie Work Enter Philaster Guarded Phil. Sir you are pleas'd To call me forth to Justice And behold Your Summons are obey'd King Oh my weak Eye-balls How can I look upon that Face of Horror Phil. Yes how indeed King Thou Merciless Inhumane But why do I seek words for guilt beyond A Name too deep for shallow sounds to reach Say then thou all unutterable Cruelty What hast thou done Phil. Say first Thou bold Examiner How darst thou ask that Question King Dare Phil. Dare ask it For know thou bold Demander thou requirest me To make thee the Relation of a Deed Which art thou sure thou' rt Man enough to hear me King Thou Counsel'st well Indeed I ought to muster All the most fortified Resolves about me The summon'd strength of my whole guarded Heart To hear this dismal Tale. Phil. Then hear and Tremble Oh King thou hadst a Beauteous Daughter Beauteous Each common Flower and every Garden Rose May boast that name Beauty she was so fair A piece so lovely that the whole Groating Divinity that form'd it when it mingled Her dazling Compounds dropt it self into The Mould and mixt the God to finish it Dion All Raptures Phil. Then for her Vertue King her Beauteous Mind Her rich fair Soul Ay that all in land Paradisc O Virtue Virtue thy Celestial Charms She was that all Original Perfection A Wonder sure set up by Priding Heav'n For Homaging Worlds to kneel to yet that wonder That radiant Temple of Angelick Truth Has this Rebellious infidel destroy'd But haste dull King thy drowne Thunder sleeps The loud Tongu'd Cries of those affrighting wounds Demand that swiftest executing Arm Her punisht Murderer King Enter Bellario Bell. Yes Royal Sir Her punisht Murderer Phil. Ay Boy if he can punish him if all The Impotent weak Rods of feeble Vengeance Earth has it to invent or Hell to give it him Bell. Yes Sir if all the weight of angry Kings Axes or Gibbets all the swift Revenge For your dear Daughters Blood can expiate Those ever gaping wounds Arm Arm your Bolts For this detested Head the vile Bellario Phil. Bellario Sayst thou Bell. Most wrong'd Prince Bellario Thy lovely Princess Murderer this young Blood-hound With all his Mass of Guilt stands here before you King Good Gods Bellario Phil. What means this all amazing Wonder Gods Is there a Goodness in the World so Prodigal Oh King I 've liv'd too long This generous Boy Would take Death from me Bell. Ha! What says my Lord Phil. That dear all prodigy brings its sweet Innocence A bleating Lamb to save a bloated Tyger Bell. How my dear Lord Phil. Oh do not talk Bellario Quick send me to my Death Remember King Your Daughter's Murderer Bell. My noble Lord Oh whither does your headlong transport run Thou thou her Murderer Phil. No more no more I shall be shot from Heaven as now from Earth If thou continuest this stupendious kindness Bell. Did you e're hear the like Oh my amazement Gods how he talks What Dreams what Shapes and Fantoms My King my Lords speak all Let Justice Reason Nay common Sense be the fair judg between us The great Philaster so much Royal Honour For him to Murder Women That unprincely Nay that unmanly blow Yes and to kill The only Darling Idol of his Soul Could he do this Dion Now Truth begins to speak Bell. But for a wicked Boy a Low-born-slave The vilest rubbish outcast of the World His Soul as poor as the base Veins that hold it Cashier'd and banisht and turn'd out to starve For me to swell with Gall and burst with Poyson And in the rage of my resenting Fury To strike a Dagger to my Mrs. Heart Me to act all this Phil. Hold hold malitious Boy Dear lovely Thief thou sweetest
barbarous Innocence Gods wilt thou rob me of the power to die This is too much Bellario Bell. Ay now hear him Now he speaks plain he wants the power to die The gaping wounds of his dear Murder'd Princess Have struck those bolts of horror through his Soul Till wild Despair and his distracted Love Leads forth with his wandring Sense to Tombs and Charnels And Courts grim Death and yawning Graves to follow her Phil. Yet hold thou kind delusion Stop Oh stop This swelling Torrent of confounding Goodness Or I shall sink and drown And King Oh King If Earth was ever honour'd with that Mass Of shining Virtues that astonisht Mortals Might dazle but to View behold 'em there In that dear Boy to save his Master's Life He owns this hideous Murder Bell. Love blind Love Despairing raging Love Phil. No King All Truth all Oracle Bell. All Love Love Love Phil. Oh thou too kind dissembler Yet Sir hear me I tell thee King Bell. Yes he does tell thee King A Tale so monstrous that all wild distraction But oh Sir let these bending knees conjure you If Heav'n be just and Kings are Heav'ns Vicegerents Do Justice Sir for by yond Starry Roof The Guilt that Murder'd your dear Arethusa Was all Bellario's Dion Now Sir I hope Your Ears and Eyes are open'd King Yes my Friends These Ears have heard too much seize that Young Russian Dion Ay now the righteous Voice of Justice speaks King And quick to Death to Death with the black slave Phil. Gods I can hold no longer Oh Bellario If thou must Dye such Truth such Honour dye Let these Embraces be thy Executioners These twining Arms and stiffling Kisses kill thee Oh thou dear all Divine Now Gentlemen If there be Cruelty enough amongst you To point a Javlin at this sacred Breast Strike through both Hearts for by yond fair Eterniâ—y I 'll not out live the hour such Virtue bleeds Enter Messinger Mess Hold Royal Sir instead of Tragick Scaffolds And Mourning Scenes of Death prepare for Jubilees Your Beauteous Daughter Lives Phil. My Princess Lives Bell. Nay then just Heav'n King Oh thou sweet Voice of Triumph Repeat that joyful sound Mess The Princess Lives King Lives Mess Though her loss of Blood her Wound and Griefs O' th' two the deeper blow all join'd together Too rude shock for a weak Female Heart Had chain'd up Life by the Industrious care Of her Assisting Slave's recovered and restored She safely breaths and Lives Enter Second Messinger 2 Mess Yes Sir she lives And to preserve that Life she holds by all The tyes of King and Father She conjures you To check all angry thoughts against the Innocence Of her Dear Lov'd Philaster for 't was only By her own Hand she Bled King By her own Hand Phil. Since that fair Oracle Lives and blushing Truth At last will speak by her own Hand she fell 2 Mess And Sir so strong her Love so great 's her fears For her too dear Philaster's threatning danger That on her bended Knees she does beseech you To bring that guarded Life safe to her Arms. King Oh Love What is thy Power But quick Philaster Oh let us fly with all the Wings of Love To Embrace that Darling Fair The Scene opens and discovers Arethusa seated on a Couch who enters forward led by her Women Areth. My Lord my Life Phil. Dear Angel guest thou beauteous Resurrection Let my bent Knees and grasping Arms receive thee King Oh Arethusa does thy happy Father Once more Embrace thee what a Scene of wonders Has mighty Love this day perform'd But oh Too Faithful and too Generous Philaster Here take thy Honour and thy Truth 's reward And with her the Succession to my Crown Areth. This charming voice of Life Phil. Oh my kind King How shall I ever pay thee for this blessing Not bending Knees Altars nor Hecatombs King Oh Prince no more I cannot hear this language For I have heap'd that world of grief upon thee Wrong'd both your Virtuous loves that oh my Children Learn to forgive me first and then to thank me Enter Rabble and Pharamond Prisoner All. Long live Philaster the brave Prince Philaster Phil. I thank you Gentlemen But why are these Rude weapons brought abroad to teach your Hands Uncivil Trades Capt. My Royal Rosiclear We are thy Myrmidons thy Guard thy Roarers And when thy Noble Person is in danger Thus do we clap our rusty Murrions on And trace the streets in Terror Is it Peace Thou Mars of Men Is the King sociable And bids thee live if not we are thy Castle Phil. Oh hold forbear this impious profanation The King 's all God-like good and for me Gentlemen I am what I desire to be your Friend I am what I am proud to be your Prince Phar. Sir there is some Humanity in you You have a noble Soul forget my name And know my misery set me safe aboard From these wild Cannibals and as I live I 'll leave the Land for ever Phil. Deliver me the Prince I 'll warrant you I shall be old enough to find my safety Now my good friends return home to your Houses And know there shall be nothing in my Power You may deserve but you shall have your wishes Continue still your Love and for an Earnest Drink this All. Long mayst thou live brave Prince Exeunt Shouting Phil. And for you Prince of Spain you have still leave To make an honourable Voyage home And if you will go furnisht to your Realm With fair Provision I do see a Lady Methinks would gladly bear you company How do you like this piece Megr He likes it well For he has try'd it Sir and found it worth His Princely liking But thou unkind Prince Can shame remain perpetually in me And not in others or have Princes salves To cure ill names that meaner People want Phil. What mean you Megr You must get another Ship To bear the Princess and the Boy together Others took me and I took her and him At what all Women may be ta'ne sometimes Ship us all four my Lord we can endure Weather and Wind alike Phil. Oh thou black Envy Is thy Infernal Fire-brand never quench'd Bell. Sir let that work be mine Thou vilest Creature Permit this Lord to talk with me alone And I will utter truths shall with a breath Confound the shame of this malicious Woman My Lord. Dion Why speak'st thou not Bell. Know you this face my Lord Dion No! Bell. Have you not seen it nor the like Dion Yes I have seen the like but readily I know not where Bell. I have been often told In Court of one Euphrasia a Lady And Daughter to you betwixt whom and me They that would flatter my bad Face wou'd swear There was such near resemblance that we two Could not be known asunder drest alike Dion By Heav'n and so there is nay and thou speakst As like her as thou look'st Is 't possible Oh let me gaze upon thee art
Is it so take heed Dion Sir take you heed how 't is you dare the Powers That must be just King Alas what are we Kings Why do you Gods place us above the rest To be serv'd flatter'd and ador'd till we Believe we hold within our Hands your Thunder And when we come to try the Power we have There 's not a Leaf shakes at our threatnings I have fin'd it 's true yet wou'd not thus be punisht Dion He Articles with the Gods wou'd some body wou'd draw Bonds for the performance of Covenants between them Enter Pharamond Galatea and Megra King What is she found Phar. No we have ta'ne her Horse He Gallopt empty by You Galatea Rod with her into the Wood Why left you her Gal. She did Command me King Command you Gal. ' Twou'd ill become my Fortunes and my Birth To disobey the Daughter of my King King You are all cunning to obey us for our hurt But I will have her Phar. If I have her not By this Hand there shall be no more Sicily Dion What will he carry it to Spain in his Pocket King I see the Injuries I have done must be reveng'd Dion Sir This is not the way to find her out King Run all disperse your selves The Man that finds her or if she's kill'd the Traytor I 'll make him Great Phar. Come let us seek King Each Man a several way Here I my self Dion Come Gentlemen we here Exeunt severally SCENE Changes Enter Arethusa Areth. Where am I now Feet find me out a way Without the Counsel of my troubled Head I 'll follow you around these wander'd Woods O'er Mountains thoro ' Brambles Pits and Floods A heavyness near Death sits on my Brow And I must sleep Kind Heav'n I hope my Hour Lyes down Of peace draws on a dulness shuts my Eyes And I am giddy Oh that I cou'd take So sound a sleep that I might never wake Enter Bellario Bell. Yonder 's my Lady Heav'n knows I want nothing Because I do not wish to live Yet I Will try her Charity oh hear You that have plenty from that tlowing store But see the lively Red is gone to guard her Heart I fear fhe saints Madam look up She breaths not Open once more those Rosy twins and send My Lord your last farewell But see she stirs How is it Madam speak comfort Kneeling to help her Areth. 'T is not gently done To put me in a miserable Life And hold me there I prethee let me go I shall do best without thee Enter Philaster Phil. I was to blame to be so much in rage I 'll tell her coolly when and where I heard This killing Truth I will be temperate In speaking and as just in hearing Ha! Scorpions and Basilisks Bell. My Lord help help the Princess Areth. I am well Forbear and leave me Phil. Some good God look down And shrink my Veins up what before my Face Poyson of Asps between your Lips Diseases Be your best Issues Nature make a Curse And throw it on you Areth. Dear Philaster leave To be inrag'd and hear me Phil. I have done Not the calm'd Sea when Aeolus locks up His windy Brood is less disturbed than I. Nay Arethusa I 'll be calmer still Yes when my wrongs have laid me in my Grave Say am I raging now If I were Mad I should desire to live No feel my Pulse and try if you have known A Man in a more equal Tune to die Bell. Alas my Lord. Your Pulse beats Mad-man's time So does your Tongue Phil. I blame not thee Bellario Thou'hast done but that Which Gods would have transform'd themselves to do But haste thou young perdition take thy Face For ever from my sight Fly from my Rage Far as the wander'd World can bear thy shame Or yond fair Lamp of blushing Heav'n can light thee For we are two Earth cannot hold at once Bell. For ever from your sight For ever That Dire Voice of Fate But if I must be gone Permit my too dear Lord these bending knees To leave one parting dying Prayer behind me Kind Heav'ns if in your everlasting Treasury You have a Hoard of some uncommon Blessings Show'r 'em on that dear Brow and Oh uncloud His shaded Peace and his benighted Reason Till the fair Truth of that all beauteous Innocence Shine round his Soul with thousand thousand Charms Yes thou too happy Prince didst thou but know The Price of that fair Gem the Wealth thou' rt Lord of How would thy twining Arms grasp her dear knees And thy fond Lips kiss the blest Earth she treads on For by my wrongs below and hopes above Earth does not hold a Chaster So farewell Exit Areth. Thou faithful Herauld of my Fame farewell But dear Philaster if thy listning Patience Has lent a gentle Ear to the poor Boy Am I forbid to speak No my dear Lord With these wet Eyes and these uplifted Hands With the same Vows and the same Heav'n my witness Permit me to repeat the same true Oracle Earth does not hold a Chaster Phil. Feeble Flatterer Why these poor Arts How vainly dost thou labour To wash thy Ethiop shame Run from a Court A Father and a Crown thou vile dishonour To Woods and shades to meet your darling Boy Yet Earth not holds a Chaster Areth. Meet the Boy An Accident meer chance Phil. Chance Areth. Chance blind Chance By what directing Curse he found me here My persecuting Stars canonly tell 'T is true I left a Court a Crown and Kingdom All worthless Trifles when I lost thy Heart My sighs and tears for thee led me this Wanderer And am I thus rewarded Phil. Fye no more They who dare act a Sin so black as thine Can talk as fair as thou The Soul of Treason Ne'er wants the Face of Innocence Areth. Treason Good Gods is truth so hard to be believ'd Phil. Truth Areth. By yond Azure Roof and all the bless'd Inhabitants above My Soul 's all spotless truth Phil. Oh Arethusa 'T is easie to call Heav'n they talk it loudest Who think it least Yes thou too fair Delusion The Syren Sings not Death though she acts Death And even the blackest Cloven-footed Fiend Retains his Voice of Angels No smooth falshood Can aery breath and empty sounds restore The Peace that I have lost Areth. Then my poor Heart Thou hast nothing now to do but break and die Phil. No Madam That 's my part the shaft of Death Is only levell'd here And if to all My Mass of wrongs thou hast one Grain of pity Here Arethusa take this glittering Mercy Presenting his Sword to her And guide it to my Heart Areth. Kill thee Phil. Yes Kill me It will be wondrous kind and when I set My resting Foot beneath yond Roof of Glory For that dear generous Blow an act so kind I 'll Tune thee my first Song in Choires of Angels Areth. But oh Philaster Dost thou know what Death is Phil. A Minutes pain to cure an
thou she Where wert thou born Bell. In Syracuse Dion What 's thy Name Bell. Euphrasia Dion Oh my shame Now all 's discovered King What is discovered Sir Dion Her Vertue and my Shame It is a Woman Phil. How Say that again Dion It is a Woman King Lay hold upon that Lady To Megra Phil. It is a Woman Oh my Arethusa Thy fair and vertuous Name shall live to Ages In spite of all Hells malice King But speak You Where lies his Shame Bel. I am his Daughter Areth. The Gods are just Dion I dare accuse none but before you two The vertue of our Age I bend my knee For Mercy Phil. Take it freely for I know Though what thou didst was indiscreetly done 'T was meant well Areth. And for me I have the Power To Pardon Sins as oft as any Man Has Power to wrong me Phil. But Bellario for I must call thee still so tell me why Thou didst conceal thy Sex it was a fault A Fault Bellario though thy other Deeds Of Truth out-weigh'd it All these Jealousies Had flown to nothing if thou hadst discovered What now we know Bell. My Father would oft speak Your Worth and â—irtue and as I did grow More and more apprahensive I did thirst To see the Man so praised But yet all this Was but a Maiden longing to be lost As soon as found till sitting in my Window Printing my thoughts in Lawn I saw a God I thought but it was you enter'd our Gates Then was I call'd away to entertain you Never was Pleasure sure that equall'd mine You left a kiss upon these Lips which I Will keep from you for ever When you were gone I grew acquainted with my Heart and searched What stird it so Alas I found it Love Yet far from an impure desire for cou'd I but have lived In presence of you I had had my end For this I did delude my noble Father With a feind Pilgrimage and drest my self In habit of a Boy And for I knew My Birth no match for you I was past hope Of that high Bliss And understanding well That when I made discovery of my Sex I cou'd not stay with you I made a Vow By all the most Religious things a Maid Could call together never to be known Whilst there was hopes to hide me from men's Eyes Then sate I by the Fount where first you took me up King Search out a Match through my whole Kingdoms And I will pay thy Dowry and thy self Will't well deserve him Bell. Never Sir will I Marry it is a thing within my Vow But if I may have leave to serve the Princess And see the Virtues of her Lord and her I shall have hope to live Areth. Yes live with me Live free as I do she that loves my Lord With thy chast flame Curst be that Wife that hates her Phil. I grieve such Vertue should be laid in Earth Without an Heir Hear me my Royal Father Think not to take Revenge on that base Woman Her Malice cannot hurt us Set her free From all but Shame and Sin King Set her at Liberty But leave the Court for ever You Prince Pharamond Shall have safe Conduct home Phil. Yes Pharamond return Back to thy Spain till then I am thy friend But when we meet again For we shall meet Phar. Yes let me meet thee Prince meet thee to bid Thy native Arragon once more call thee Lord For Oh! Thou hast vanquish'd me Such conquering Virtue Has won thee back thy Crown King And now blest Pair Joyn Joyn your Hands in one Enjoy Philaster This Kingdom which is yours And after me Whatever I call mine Let Princes learn By this to Rule the Passions of their Blood For what Heav'n Wills can never be withstood FINIS THE EPILOGUE Spoken by a Girle LAdies to supplicate our Plays success Hither I am sent a small Embassadress Once our Philaster was a Lady's Play And if in the last Age so warm a Ray From that high Sphear the glittering Boxes shin'd Shall Beauties bright Succession be less kind If he pleas'd then he must your Favour share For Goodness is entail'd upon the Fair. I would implore the Mens sweet kindness too But I 'm too Young for their dear smiles to sue Beside what hopes has my weak Eloquence My slender Oratory feeble Sense Perhaps I may speak Reason three Years hence Then a soft Story whisper'd in your Ear Would be a Tale you wou'd be glad to hear However though I am too young a Face Kind Gallants in your Eyes to hope for Grace Yet for once let me my request obtain I beg this Play may live nor let me beg in vain Nay Sirs if nothing else your smiles can buy Be but so kind out of meer Policy To grant me my first suite On these Conditions That I may one Day grant you your Petitions