University of Virginia Library

ACT II.

SCENE I.

A Great Hall looking into a Garden.
Ormondo with the Picture in his Hand, and Delbo.
Orm.
Charming Creature,
Every Feature
Of the Goddess I adore!
So sweet a Face
With such a Grace
Sure no Mortal Hand could frame;
Ah now I know
The God of Love,
'Twas he, 'twas he,
His fiery Dart
(No Human art)
This lovely form inspir'd!
Ah, now I know, &c.
Eyes that kill'd me with Disdain
Here with pitty seem to move;
'Tis he, 'tis he, the God of Love
'Tis he who gave the Wound.
But Repenting
And Relenting
Chooses here to ease my pain.
Eyes that kill'd me, &c.

SCENE II.

Enter Feraspe.
Fer.
Stand, Rebel, stand,
Receive thy Doom;
'Tis fit this Court should see
The Giant fall,
Who dares aspire so high.

Orm.
Inglorious Villain,
Words from thee
Move not a gen'rous Mind.
My Soul disdains so base a Foe:
But, since thou dost presume,
I scorn Advantage.
Delbo, take this.

[Gives him his Dagger.
Delbo.
If I dare approach it.

Orm.
This Scarf too.
[Gives him the Scarf.
And if I fall.

[Speaks to him in his Ear.
Delbo.
I'll do't, Sir.

Orm., Fer.
Feraspe,/Ormondo, fall on.

[Both.
Fer.
The Justice of my Cause take Place.

Orm.
No more:
We lose our Time.

Orm., Fer.
A hated Strife,/And Rebel's Life, this soon will end.

[Both.
[They engage, Ormondo disarms him.
Orm.
Deliver up thy Sword,
Thy Life is at my Mercy.

Fer.
I'll die first like a Man of Honour,
Though Fortune prove my Enemy,
I'll yield to none but Death.

Orm.
Feraspe, rise;
That Burden of a Life
I freely give thee.

Delbo.
Stick him, Sir, stick him;
Now he's on the Ground
Secure him there.

Fer.
O rather let me die,
Or, with my Life,
Restore my Sword

Orm.
I'll give it to Dorisbe,
Receive it from her.

Fer.
Ye Gods, I only wish to die;
Pity then, and take a Life
Scorn'd by Fortune,
Shunn'd by Death:
In Pity ease me! O, in Pity,
Ease me of a useless Breath.
Pity then, &c.

[Goes off.

SCENE III.

Dorisbe enters, sees Ormondo and is going.
Orm.
Stop, stop, perfidious, and ungrateful Fair!

Dor.
Perfidious!
Oh Heav'ns, in what have I offended?

Orm.
Unfaithful, did you not conceal
Feraspe in your Closet?
Farewel, I'll never see you more.
Blind God, from your Chains I am free;
My slighted Love,
Thy broken Vows,
Have set my Heart at Liberty.
Blind God, from your Chains I am free, &c.

Dor.
Ormondo, I am faithful.

Orm.
What Faith can be in you?

Dor.
My Heart! my Life! if ever—

Orm.
Peace, Disloyal.

Dor.
Ye Gods!

Orm.
Tempt them no more.

Dor.
Hear me, at least.

Orm.
What, can you think
I have forgot your Treachery?

Dor.
O Idol of my Love, I'm innocent!

Orm.
'Tis false.
At least I'm pleas'd with this Pretence.
[Aside.
Here, take this Sword,
[Gives her Feraspe's Sword.
Restore it to Feraspe, with your Love.
[Throws it on the Ground.
As you desire this will an Action be
Of Love to him, Inconstancy to me.

SCENE IV.

Dorisbe, and Delbo who stays to observe her.
Dor.
Conqu'ring, O! but cruel Eyes,
Why with Rigour will you kill
Her, who adores you,
And implores you?
Can you wish to triumph more?
Cease to sparkle with Disdain,
More to wound a bleeding Heart.
The Conquest sure,
Your Slave secure,
What Pleasure to encrease the Smart?
Can you wish to triumph more? &c.

Delbo.
Ormondo's gone
And leaves Dorisbe weeping;
Sure his Heart is made of Marble.
Poor Lady, how you are mistaken?

[Delbo hearkens.
Dor.
Go, perjur'd Man!
Are these your plighted Vows?

Delbo.
Thank my Stars,
I am an honest Fellow, tho' a poor one.

Dor.
And am I innocent?
Condemn'd and innocent!
I'll take this Sword,
[Takes up the Sword.
And with it—

[Offers to stab her self.
Delbo.
O Madam, by no means; forbear.

Dor.
—I'll kill that barb'rous Villain!
When Justice sues for Punishment,
It goes not unreveng'd.
Delbo, what's that you do?

[Sees Delbo endeavouring to hide the Scarf in a great Fright.
Delbo.
Nothing, nothing.

Dor.
Where's Ormondo?

Delbo.
I cannot tell.

[Still endeavours to hide it.
Dor.
What is't you hide?
A Scarf and Dagger;
Ormondo's, are they not?
[Takes the Scarf and Dagger from him.
Speak—

Delbo.
Madam!

Dor.
'Tis his; Ormondo's Name,
Behold it carv'd upon the Steel.
Revenge, revenge!
'Tis now resolv'd
Th'usurping Queen shall lose her Crown,
And he his Life.
Assist ye Furies from the Deep,
Revenge, Revenge prepare!
Let not Rage and Murder sleep,
Revenge be all my Care.
Assist, &c.

SCENE V.

A Palace Hall. Arsinoe and Ormondo.
Arsin.
Doubtful Heart, O tell me why,
Why you love, and not comply?
If to Love you will not bend,
Whither do thy Wishes tend?

Orm.
Fearful Heart, I know not why,
(Since you love, and constant are)
Her pity you forbear to try;
Since pity you must find, or die.

Arsin.
Ormondo, did my Picture please you?

Orm.
Gods! how her Eyes dart through my Soul?
Each Word's a Wound,
Each single Look is Death!

Arsin.
All Love is blind, I know,
[Aside.
But this is dumb.
Ormondo, did my Picture please you?

[Ormondo sees Dorisbe enter with the Scarf about her.
Orm.
Gifts so rare,
Above us are;
Permit me to retire:
I want some little space
To bear so great a Grace.

[Arsinoe sees Dorisbe with the Scarf.
Arsin.
No, no, Ormondo, you must stay.

Orm.
Dorisbe with the Scarf?
Then I am lost!

[Aside.
Arsin.
My hopes are past.

[Aside.
Orm.
Was ever Fate;

[Aside.
Arsin.
Was ever State,
[Aside.
So hard as mine?

[Both.
Arsin.
To be despis'd,

[Looking at Ormondo.
Orm.
To be surpriz'd,
[Looking on Dorisbe.
By this Design.

[Both.
Dor.
Permit me, Madam, at your Feet to show
The Faith and Loyalty I owe.

[Kneeling.
Arsin.
What Loyalty, what Faith?
Base Woman, as thou art,
This Scarf was never thine.

[Tears the Scarf from her, and Dorisbe rises.
Dor.
Help, Heav'n!

Arsin.
And you, Ormondo, to despise
My Royal Gift;
I'll punish both:
You are a Traytor, she my Enemy.

Orm.
I am innocent—

Arsin.
Thou art guilty.

Dor.
My Queen!—

Arsin.
Thy Fury!

Orm.
In what have I offended?

Arsin.
In Treachery.

Dor.
At least—

Arsin.
At least with Death I'll punish thee.

Orm.
The Crime!—

Arsin.
It is too evident.

Dor., Orm., Arsin.
What Torment?/What Anguish?/What Despair is mine?

[All Three.
Dor.
I understand
The Queen's my Rival.

[Aside.
Arsin.
Thou vile, rash Man!—

Orm.
Not so, my Fair Arsinoe.

Arsin.
Base, aspiring Woman!

Dor.
I am Loyal and True.

Arsin.
Your Love and Lives
At once shall end—
The rest decide between your selves.

[Exit.
Orm.
Thus sinking Mariners,
In sight of Land are lost;
Dash'd on the Rocks,
And cannot reach the Coast.

[Exit.

SCENE VI.

Dorisbe alone.
Dor.

SCENE VII.

Enter Nerina and Delbo.
Ner.
Delbo, if thou wilt not Woe me,
Prithee spare a single Kiss;
Good Faith, it is a Wrong you do me,
To deny so small a Bliss.

Delbo.
And you, perhaps, believ'd
So easie to find Pity;
O Lips you are deceiv'd,
You are not yet so pretty.

Ner.
Prithee knit no more thy Brows,
Frowns disgrace
A charming Face,
And but make us Pastime lose:
Put on a little dimpling Smile;
Pleasing Looks the Heart beguile.

Del.
The more you entreat,
The more 'twill be so:
I shall ever repeat,
No, no, no, no.

SCENE VIII.

Arsinoe alone. A Garden.
Arsin.
To War, my Thoughts! to War!
My Passions rage,
And Jealousie I call to Fight;
To Jealousie I'll give a total Rout.
The Trumpet sounds;
An Eccho rebounds,
Let her die, let her die; let Jealousie die.
Dorisbe and Ormondo both conspire
To rob my Soul of Rest:
I die, I die
A Sacrifice, to Love and Jealousie!
Arsinoe repose,
And ponder thy Misfortune now:
[Sits down, and Reposes on her Arm.
Must I, who am a Queen,
The Laws of Love receive?
Share with the trifling Boy my Crown?
Oh! what a vast Command I have,
At once a Monarch and a Slave?

Enter Dorisbe.
Dor.
Behold, the Tyrant sleeps!
[Comes up to Arsinoe with the Dagger in her Hand.
Death, seal her Eyes;
She sleeps her last:
I'll write my Wrongs in Blood;
At once pierce hers, and cure my bleeding Heart.

SCENE IX.

Enter Ormondo on a sudden, who holds Dorisbe.
Orm.
Hold, hold your Hand!

Dor.
I am in haste, let go.

Orm.
What would you do?

[They struggle.
Dor.
Ah let me!

Orm.
Forbear.

Arsin.
What do I hear?

Dor.
She wakes; help, help!

[She runs off, leaving the Dagger in Ormondo's Hand.
Orm.
Vilest of all thy Sex,
Wicked Dorisbe!

Arsin.
Treason, Treason!
Who comes to succour me?

[She rises up.
Orm.
My Valour and Fidelity.

Arsin.
Traitor, thou ly'st.

Orm.
My Queen, you do me wrong.

Arsin.
Villain, what Wrong?
Did you not hold a Dagger at my Breast?

Orm.
I swear by all that's good,
My Life, my Love!—

Arsin.
O talk no more of Love,
Thou perjur'd Wretch!
Reveal the Plot:
Who spurr'd you on to this Design?
Dorisbe, was it not?

Orm.
I'll never tell.
[Aside.
I'll first endure—

Arsin.
This Dagger, is it yours?

Orm.
'Tis mine.

Arsin.
Perfidious Destiny!
[Aside.
Then you design'd to murder me!

Orm.
No.

Arsin.
Who then is guilty?

Orm.
I cannot tell.

Arsin.
Thou shalt discover all,
If Tortures can produce Confession.
Feraspe!

[She calls aloud.
Enter Feraspe.
Fer.
My Soveraign!

Arsin.
Seize Ormondo.
Let him a Pris'ner be!
My Kingdom I would lose
[Aside.
To find him innocent.

[She goes off slowly, looking at him.
Fer.
Guards! take him hence,
Conduct him to the Tower.

Orm.
I go, Arsinoe, I go,
Where you and Destiny command!
Grant me but one Look more,
To be more wretched than before:
[Arsinoe stops and looks back at him, just going off.
Alas! too soon that Look is gone,
It's gone, and with it draws another on;
I must look once again,
And so be quite undone.
Farewel! since you will have it so.
[Arsinoe goes off.
I go!
And part with Life more easie than with you.

SCENE X.

Feraspe alone.
Fer.