University of Virginia Library

SCEN. VI.

Scene, The Lord Bevill's House.
Enter my Lord Bevil and Lovis.
Lovis.
'Tis yet within your pow'r, Sir, to maintain
Our Honour, and prevent this threatning stain.

L. Bev.
Forbear this wicked insolence: Once more
I charge you think on your Obedience.
[Exit L. Bevill.

Lovis.
Beauty, what art thou, we so much admire!
Thou art no real, but a seeming fire,
Which, like the glow-worm, only cast'st a light
To them whose Reason Passion does benight.
Thou art a Meteor, which but blazing dies,
Made of such vapours as from us arise.
Within thy guilty beams lurk cruel Fates,
To peaceful Families, and warring States.
Unhappy Friend, to doat on what we know—

[Ent. a Servant.
Serv.
Sir, Colonel Bruce, unexpectedly released from
His Imprisonment, is come to wait upon you.
[Exit Servant.

Lovis.
What shall I do! Ye Powers above be kind,
Some counsel give to my distracted mind:
Friendship and shame within me so contend,
I know not how to shun or meet my Friend.

Enter Bruce.
Bruce.
Where is my gen'rous Friend? Oh Noble Youth,
How long have I been rob'd of this content?
[They embrace.
Though deprivation be the greatest pain,
When Heav'n restores our happiness again,
It makes amends by our encrease of joy,
Perfecting that which it did once destroy.
Dear Friend, my love does now exact its due;
Graciana must divide my heart with you:
Conduct me to your Sister, where I may
Make this my morn of Joy a glorious day.
What means this sad astonishment!

Lovis.
How can we chuse but with confusion greet,
When I your Joys with equal Sorrows meet?

Bruce.
O Heav'n! must my afflictions have no end!
I scap'd my Foe, to perish by my Friend.
What strange disaster can produce this grief!
Is Graciana dead? Speak, speak; be brief.

Lovis.
She lives; but I could wish her dead.

Br.
Rash man! why should your envy swell so high,
To wish the world this great calamity?
Wish the whole frame of Nature were dissolv'd;
That all things to a Chaos were revolv'd.
There is more charity in this desire;
Since with our loss, our sorrows wou'd expire.

Enter Aurelia.
Lovis.
Here comes Aurelia, sent for my relief;
Heav'n knows her tongue can best express this grief:
Examine her, and you shall find ere long
I can revenge, though not relate your wrong.

Bruce.
For pity haste, Aurelia, and declare
[Kisses her hand.
The reasons of your Brothers frighting care:
My soul is rack'd with doubts, until I know.
[After a pause.
Your silence and your looks, Aurelia, show
As if your kindness made you bear a part
Of those great sorrows that afflict his heart.

Aurel.
His passion is so noble and so just,
No gen'rous Soul can know it but it must
Lay claim unto a portion, as its due:
He can be thus concern'd for none but you.

Bruce.
Kind Maid, reveal what my misfortunes are;
Friendship must not engross them, though it share.
I wou'd not willingly my Love suspect;
And yet I fear 'tis answer'd with neglect.

Aurel.
My Sister, by unlucky stars misled,
From you and from her happiness is fled;
Unskilful in the way, by passion press'd,
She has took shelter in anothers breast.

Bruce.
Fate, thou hast done thy worst, thy Tryumph sing;
Now thou hast stung so home, th'ast lost thy sting.
I have not power, Graciana, to exclaim
[After a pause.
Against your fault; indeed you are to blame.

Lovis.
Tell me, did she her promise plight, or give
Your love encouragement enough to live?

Bruce.
It was her pity sure, and not her Love,
That made her seem my passion to approve:
My story was unpleasant to her ear
At first; but time had made her apt to hear
My Love: She told me that it grew her grief,
As much as mine, my pain found no relief;
Then promis'd she'd endeavour the decrease
Of that in her which warr'd against my peace.
'Twas in this joyful spring of Love that I
Was ravish'd from her by our enemy:
My hopes grew strong, I banish'd all despair:
These glowing sparks I then left to the care
Of this fair maid, thinking she might inspire
My passion, and blow up the kindling fire.

Lovis.
Alas! she, to my knowledg, has been true;
Sh'as spoke and sigh'd all that she cou'd for you.

Aurel.
When you were forc'd to end, I did proceed,
And with success the catching fire did feed;
Till Noble Beaufort, one unlucky day,
A visit to our Family did pay;
Newly arriv'd from Forreign Courts, and Fraught
With all those Virtues that in Courts are taught:
He with his am'rous Tales so charm'd her ear,
That she of Love from none but him wou'd hear.

Bruce.
That heart which I so long with toyl and pain
Besieg'd, and us'd all stratagems to gain,
[Enter a Servant, and whispers with Lovis.
Is now become within a trice we see
The Tryumph of anothers Victory.
There is a fate in love, as well as war;
Some though less careful more successful are.

Lovis.
Do not this opportunity withstand;
These Lovers now are walking hand in hand
I'th'Garden; fight him there, and sacrifice
His heart to that false Womans cruel eyes:
If fate be so unjust to make thee fall,
His blood or mine shall wait thy Funeral.

Bruce.
Young man, this rashness must have my excuse,
Since 'tis your friendship does your fault produce;
If Powers above did not this passion sway,
But that our Love our Reason did obey,
Your Sister I with Justice might accuse,
Nor wou'd I this occasion then refuse.

Lovis.
Does Bruce resolve thus tamely to decline
His int'rest, and like foolish women pine?
Can that great heart which in your breast does dwell
Let your fond griefs above your courage swell?

Bruce.
My passions grow unruly, and I find
Too soon they'l raise a Tempest in my mind.
Graciana, like fond Parents, y'are to blame
You did not in its youth correct my flame;
'Tis now so head-strong, and so wild a fire,
I fear to both our ruines 'twill conspire:
I grow impatient, Friend, come lead me where
I may to her my injur'd Love declare.
Graciana, yet your heart shall be my Prize,
Or else my heart shall be your Sacrifice.
Despair's the issue of ignoble minds,
And but with Cowards entertainment finds.

[Exeunt Lovis and Bruce.
Aurel.
Heav'n grant some moderation to this rage,
That Reason their swel'd passions may asswage.
Oh, Bruce! thou little think'st the Fates in me
Have to the full reveng'd thy injury.

[Exit.