University of Virginia Library

Act II.

Scene 3.

Nefarius with a Band of Villans.
Ex. severall wayes, Ne. remains hid.
Eumena, Lizania.
Eu.
The Night is at her full Obscurity.
Thou silent Harbinger of Love, my thanks:
These wandring steps, lost in thy gloomy shade,
Can, if persued, no more be traced out;
Then may the fleeting progresse of a Bark
Upon the surface of the Ocean:
Cast off thy sullen vesture, and give way
To her supplies the Office of the Day,
Come, Lizania, where art thou?

Liz.
Here, Madam.

Eu.
Give me thy hand, Thou tremblest with thy fears.
This weakness of our Sex prevailes in thee,
Because not arm'd with Love.

Liz.
With equall Love; not equal innocence;
I do repent too late, what I too soon
to her self.
Have done. Love is a hardy Champion
Madam, yet often undertakes beyond
His faculty. Pray Heav'n it prove not so.
The secret working of my groundless fears,
Can, in my judgement, no fare presage be.

Eu.
Thou art dismaid with nights obscurity,
Lets hasten forward.

Liz.
For ought I know, we backward do return
Our erring steps finde no direction.

Eu.
To this Ascent I perfect knowledge have;
Where once arriv'd; we will attend a while
The rising of the Moon.

Ziz.
And whither doth your Highnesse purpose then?
To a sequestered society
Of Vestals, not far from thence: with whom we
(Pretending to be come with privacy
For our devotion) will some time remain,
Till we have learnt Ludaster's Residence.

Ziz.
Love may attempt with Resolution well,
Since he is as inventive, as hee's bold.

Eu.
Thy fears grow pleasant in security;
I like it well. Let us renew our course:

Ziz.
If no prevention, nought can like me worse.
Ex. Ziz.

Ne.
Approach not rudely, they are close at hand;
If possible, attach them without fright.

Ex. omn.
Ne. whistles, his companions gather to him: Shreek within.

Scene 4.

Ludaster disguised in a Hermits habit.
Fairwell thou splendid Theater of glory,
Whose active heat was wont to animate
These fluent veins beyond the faculty
Of nature: I have, though too late, disclos'd
A fairer way true Peace to ratifie,
Than yet the successe of thy tragick paths
Hath ever traced out. More noble far,
Though not so Popular; whose fame is rais'd
Not on the loud voice of the multitude;
But on the secret approbation
Of the Good. A Glory stable, 'cause not
Envied. A Tryumph not enriched
With the Spoils of others: the price whereof
Is not the Widows nor the Orphans tears.
Alas! the happy issue of this strife
Tends not t'extinguish, but reforme a life,
Which Man too vainly seeking to cherrish,
Dissipates, catching at things unusefull,
Or superfluous, with such a greedy toil,
As his Existence meerly did depend
On his own Industry: to which he wades
Through any difficulty: meets the vastest
Limmits of the Sea: Laies ope' the secret'st
Shadows of the Deep; And to each end his
Servile thoughts put on a several form,
And like a desperate Gamester casts at All;
As if the spacious world for All was fram'd,
Too little were for one.
How sweet a change my thoughts already prove!
Here no Alarum breaks a calm Repose,
Which gently slides but to discharge the debt
Of Nature, and without starts discloses
As the Day; invited with the cheerfull
Notes of the Hu'n neighbouring Quire to view
The smooth face of Nature, which even smiles
With an affected flattery to charm
The soul in her deep speculation:
In which immoved with a future care,
She waits her flight, till she almost forget
Her Mansion's ministry. So Bounteous
Is the Law of Nature, whose Immunities
Ev'n free the soul from all subjection.
Noyse. Fidelius en.
Who's there?

Fil.
Your Servant Sir.

Lud.
Fidelius! the happy relick of my churlish Fate,
What wouldst thou?

Fil.
Not to disturb your privacy, Good Sir,
You too much do endear your solitude.
I come to beg my Lute may to it yield
Some Intermission.

Lud.
Thy growth in vertue hath out-stript thy years:
Of thy observance this the tendernesse
Can nought expect from me, but empty thanks,
A weake foundation to thy future hopes,
Thou art yet young, and wisely should'st direct
Thy Industry but to support thy Age.

Fi.
Your unjust sufferings will, I need not fear,
Make uselesse to me such a Providence,
And early intercept the Course of Life:
If otherwise, Sir, I beseech you think,
My dillegence shall ne're be mercenary.

Lays his hand on his shoulder, and strokes him on the cheek.
Lu.
I do, I do, thou hast a mind too great,
To ground so mean a doubt; yet I could wish
Thou wouldst more careful of thy welfare be,
Here's no convenience, scarce for Necessity.
Thou lately in the Camp, didst from me part,
Most dangerously sick, sick past beleif
Of safety. Trust me, Fidelius, there were
Affirmed they had seen thee buried.
Why blushest thou?

Fi.
To finde the errour of Credulity.

Lu.
Thy Relapse would to my Misfortune ad,
Which to prevent, I purpose to commend
Thy safety to my Friend, who shall provide
For thee a fit retreat, till time confirm
Thy strength.

Fi.
I thank your Charity, Good Sir, but I
Find no such indisposition, as it
Figureth to you: to yeeld without need
To your appointment, were but to abuse
Your Goodness.

Lu.
Tis but the fervor of thy will lends thee
Abilitie. The strictnesse of thy Love
Must not oppresse thy Nature; be advis'd.

Fi.
If your Intention tend to cast me off?
Proceed yet more directly; let me know
The Cause; My vanity, as yet, was ne're
So indiscreet to think I might not err:
Nor yet my frailty so indocile, as
To render a Correction frivolous.
If my Attendance, too Officiously,
Prest with untimely duty, interrupt
The secret entertainment of your thoughts;
I will restrain it to a Modesty,
Indifferent as neglect; though it will be
More difficult then assiddutie
To me. Or if, as improfitable,
You would discarde me, a superfluous charge;
I will inure these hands, though yet unapt,
To make my service usefull.

Lu.
How! infinitly beyond all Art extends
The Innocence of thy expressions!
I could stand Ages here, still as the Night,
To hear thee plead to have; what, Nations fight
To shun. Thy servitude. In troth, 'tis well
Thy happy Nature guides thee to be good.
Thou hast a native faculty would else
All justice have corrupted. I must yeeld.
Thou shalt henceforth receive no Rule beyond
Thy own direction. Do as thou wilt.
Yet I would have thee secretly depart
From hence, to find Ambigamor my Friend,
Him only of my being here inform.
And farther let him know, I lately have
Intelligence of some disorders sprung,
'Mongst our disbanded troups; which to appease
(If yet their fury start beyond their murmur)
I here am plac't at hand in this disguise:
And shall be succour'd, when occasion calls,
By some dispersed troups Gratianus
Holds in hand with hope of new Imployment.

Fi.
I strictly shall observe your will;
And with a speedy diligence return.

Lu.
Not so, Fidelius, I would have thee stay
Sometime with him, the better to direct
His Messages to me; and cautious be
When thou return'st of thy Discovery.

Fi.
Though naught in me pretendeth to avail,
Save Prayer. My absence of your safety will
Be jealous. Heav'n be your safeguard Sr.

Lu.
Farwell, my pretty Boy farewell.
Ex. Fi.
Such Love would melt an unrelenting Heart.
All my misfortunes, fluent as they are,
Have not forc't from me so much woman yet:
Seems to weep.
Gratianus Ent.
Gratianus! so suddenly, thou preced'st
My Expectation: what news abroad?

Gra.
strange news Sir, news
Will awake all that is Man about us.

Lu.
Thy earnestnes doth intercept thy hast:
What is't?

Gra.
The Princess, Sir, is given out for lost.

Lu.
Good heav'n forbid! as how?

Gra.
Fled, as pretented is; a hood for fools.
But those that have but half their senses, Sir,
Must judge there's jugling in't. The Fox's train
Grows rank; and I prepare me for the Chase.

Lu.
Temper thy Ardour to a soft restraint,
Thy rashness will ore-throw our purposes.

Gra.
Why? can you to them e're expect to find
A fairer Introduction?

Lu.
Thou dost mistake, I question not the ground
To be sufficient to declare our selves;
But think it wanteth time to ripen it.
Perhaps the Princess is thus privately
Retyred onely to some holy Place
For her devotion. Perhaps sequestred
From the importunate tumult of the Court,
To make her pleasures more agreeable.
Perhaps this rumour may suggested be
But to intrap a blinde Temerity.

Gra.
You say well; or this, or that may be;
In womens ways is little certainty.
Y'are better read in Politiques, than I;
I know no vertue, but Fidelity;
Nor vice, but want of courage: what is, Sir,
To be done?

Lu.
Time will bring truth to light; wait yet a while,
Set Spies to gather perfect Evidence:
Dispose your troups in readiness: and then
Repair to me, we on the manner will
Deliberate.

Gra.
This shall be done immediately; but how
If in th'interim you should discover'd be?

Lu.
In case I should; I fear no violence,
But from the County Officers Since I
Assure my self, no Souldier will attempt
Th'Attachement of my Person.

Gra.
You may, upon my life, be confident
On their Loves. But how resist the other?

Lu.
I have th'advantage of the Hill, and on
The least emotion will a signall give
By flag, by day; by fire in the night.

Gra.
I shall be vigilant, and certain in
My succour: Heav'n favour our Endeavours
To repair your wrongs.

Lu.
Thanks, honest, Gratianus; make no stay;
As haste is dangerous, so may prove delay.