University of Virginia Library

ACT I.

SCENE I.

Arsinoe Sleeping in a Garden. The Time Night, the Moon Shining.
Enter Ormondo and Delbo.
Ormondo.
Queen of Darkness,
Sable Night,
Ease a wandring Lovers Pain!
Guide me,
Lead me,
Where the Nymph whom I adore,
Sleeping,
Dreaming
Thinks of Love, and me no more.
Guide me, Lead me, &c.

Delbo.
The farther I walk
(Stumbling.)
I Stumble the more,
I grope out my way
And tremble with Fear.

Orm.
Ye Gods what Heavenly Fair
Ormondo finds Arsinoe Sleeping.
What more than Mortal here
Do I behold?
Two Radiant Stars
On Phœbus Face
So shrow'd their Light.
Milky Hands;
And Purple Cheeks,
Lips of Coral,
Breasts of Snow!
Lillies, Roses, Pearly Dew
Yield in Beauty all to you!
Lillies, Roses, &c?

SCENE II.

Enter one Masqu'd, with Bow and Arrows ready to shoot at Arsinoe, and Sings.
Now Tyrant take thy Doom
Thy Time is come,
Dye Tyrant, dye.

(He shoots and misses.
Orm.
Hold Traytor first
Thy Salvage Blood
I'll Sacrifice.

The Masquer lets fall his bow. Ormondo pursues him. Arsinoe wakes, Delbo falls on the Ground.
Arsinoe.
Help me ye Gods
Assist my Flight.

Arsinoe flies off the Stage in a fright.

SCENE III.

Delbo on the Ground.
Delbo.
Am I wounded, or am I dead?
My Faultring Tongue,
Can utter no more,
I find I am Dead.

SCENE IV.

Enter Arsinoe with Ormondo his Sword drawn, and Delbo on the Ground.
Orm.
As Roses show
More Pale with Dew,
So Suites this suddain Fright
My Charming Fair with you.
Detain me not,
I will pursue the Foe.

Arsinoe.
Hold, hold!
Ye Powers Divine
(Aside) as Fainting.)
How ev'ry Word
Melts down my Soul.

Orm.
Gods do you bleed?

Arsin.
Yes in my Heart,
(Aside.)
And owe my Life to you.

Orm.
Who can this be?
She walks and speaks a Deity!

(Aside.)
Arsin.
Who can this be?
Who Life, and Death bestows on me!

(Aside)
Orm.
Heavens! O what Anguish!

Arsin.
Gods! how I languish?

Orm., Arsin.
Leave me/Relieve me Blind God of Love

(Both)
Orm., Arsin.
Ease me/Release me Blind God of Love.

(Both)
Arsin.
Hah! then you know me.

Orm.
We may adore
A Deity unknown.

Arsin.
He seems Ormondo
It cannot be,
Ormondo's at the War.

Orm., Arsin.
So sweet an Air/So high a mean was never seen.

(Both)
Arsin.
Ye Gods! who can this be?

Orm.
A Lover.

Arsin.
Then depart.

Orm.
I go,
And leave my Heart.

(Is going.)
Arsin.
O stay,
Resolve not quite so soon!
Take this, and know
(She gives him a Scarf.)
I owe my Life to you.
If not enough,
(Aside.)
I owe my Heart and Crown.

(She goes out.)

SCENE V.

Delbo on the Ground.
Delbo.
For thy Ferry-Boat Charon
I thank thee,
But thrust me not out
Tho' I bring you no News,
For I came in a hurry.

Orm.
Delbo.

Delbo.
My Lord.

Orm.
Asleep;

Delbo.
I shall never wake more,
I am Dead.

Orm.
Thou Dreaming Sot
Where art thou?

Delbo.
In the World below
I seek a new Master:

(Delbo rises.)
Orm.
Rise Slave
No more
And you Dorisbe
Now forgive me,
Charming Fair adieu:
A greater Power
Controuls my Soul;
It boyls, and Reigns
Within my Veins;
Adieu! adieu!
Dorisbe, Charming Fair adieu!
Old Laws must yield to New.
Adieu, adieu!
Old Laws must yield to New
Dorisbe, Charming Fair adieu, &c.

(They go out.)

SCENE VI.

Dorisbe's Apartment. Enter Feraspe.
Feraspe.
Happy he who void of Love
No beauty Prizes,
Or dispises,
Never fearing,
Or despairing.
Not Aspiring,
Or desiring,
Happy living void of Love.
Never fearing, &c.

Enter Nerina.
Feraspe.
Nerina?

Nerina
My Lord.

Fer.
Where is Dorisbe?

Ner.
In her Apartment.
But how came you here?

Fer.
Nerina kind Nerina,
You alone
Can help to ease my Pain

Ner.
My tender Heart
Ev'n melts with Grief,
What can I do?

Fer.
Show me Dorisbe,
Let me see
The Charming Fair:
I Perish in a Storm of Love,
Am sinking in Despair.

Ner.
If you are Wise,
You'll take Advice,
And live as others do;
'Tis the Fashion
Without Passion
To make Love, and not be true
'Tis the Fashion, &c.

Fer.
Behold she comes,

Ner.
I'm lost undone:

Fer.
Peace, I'll abscond.

Ner.
There in the Closet.
Bolt the Door,
(He retires, and Harkens.)
If she perceives,
I am undone.

(Goes out.

SCENE VII.

Dorisbe, Ormondo.
Dorisbe.
Ormondo now the time is come,
And we alone.
I will impart
A Secret.

Orm.
You may rely
On my Fidelity,
I can be Secret
Tho' I cannot love

(Aside)
Dorisbe.
You know Arsinoe,
Whose haughty Pride
Has rob'd my Father of his Life,
And shed my Brothers blood.

Orm.
Inhuman Deed!
What would you do?

Dor.
Revenge, revenge
With impious blood appease
Their angry Ghosts.

Orm.
Ye Gods!

Dor.
But Yesterday I sent
To give her Death,
And know not how
She 'scap'd the blow.

Orm.
Ha! 'twas the Queen
Whom I reliev'd!

Dor.
Ormondo you are brave
Espouse my quarrel,
And revenge my Cause.

Orm.
My Honour withstands.

Dor.
Dorisbe Commands.

Orm., Dor.
But pitty/Entreaty shou'd move you.

(Both.)
Orm.
Gods I must feign
(Aside.)
My Love, I will obey.

SCENE VIII.

A Table. Ormondo feigns to Write.
Dor.
Foul Offspring of eternal Night
Hells darling Plague
Alecto rise
Rejoyce and see
With me
The fall of Proud Arsinoe.
Alecto rise, &c.

Orm.
The Paper's seal'd,
Dispatch it to the King of Thrace:

Dor.
First let me know
What it Contains?

Orm.
I ask for Arms,
And Succour in your Name.

Feraspe apart.
Heavens! they conspire.

Dor.
'Tis well, 'tis well
'Tis now resolv'd
Arsinoe shall Dye.

Feraspe.
Rebels is this the Love
(He comes boldly out.)
And Faith you show
To Queen Arsinoe.

(Ormondo drops the Letter.)
(Aside.)
Orm., Dor.
Betray'd/Dismay'd I am undone.

(Both.)
Feraspe.
Arsione shall live
And be reveng'd
Of both her Foes.

Orm., Fer.
Ungrateful!/Unfaithful! so to deceive me

(Both to Dorisbe.)
Orm.
Combin'd with a Rival
Your Witness employ.

Fer.
Design'd by a Villain
The Queen to Destroy.

Dor.
Then 'tis decreed
(She Weeps.)
Arsinoe must Live
Dorisbe bleed.

Orm., Fer.
And thou, bold Slave!/Bold Traytor thou! draw.

(Both)
Dor.
Soldiers forbear,
This Royal Place
Is not for War.

Orm., Fer.
Prepare. prepare/To meet elsewhere to thy Disgrace.

(Both.)
(Dorisbe and Ormondo go off seperately.)

SCENE IX.

Feraspe going off takes up the Letter, and Sings alone.
Fer.
Directed to the King of Thrace
So now 'tis Plain
Ormondo has conspir'd:
I thank my Stars
And hasten to the Queen;
My Rival dyes,
Dorisbe shall be mine.

(Goes off.)

SCENE IX.

The Queen's Apartment. Arsinoe alone upon a Couch.
Arsin.
Wounded I
And Sighing lye,
Yet know not whom I love.
'Twixt hope and fear
So nigh Despair,
I cannot hence remove
'Twixt hope and fear, &c.
Still I feel the raging Pain:
Alas too soon
Alas to soon
I am undone.
My freedom to regain,
Alas too soon, &c.
(She rises.)
Ye Gods could I
The Scarfe but see
I should my Lover know!

SCENE X.

Enter Ormondo kneeling with a Wreath of Lawrel in his Hand, as from the Battle. The Scarfe upon his Arm.
Orm.
Behold O Royal Fair
The Conquest you have gain'd;
Trophies, which below you are,
Beneath your Feet are laid.

(Presents the Lawrel kneeling.)
Arsin.
Ye Gods behold the Scarfe!
(Aside.)
Ormondo you have Conquer'd.
Conquer'd me.

(Aside.)
Orm.
She sees the Scarfe
(Speaks aside kneeling.)
And changes pale.
I burn, I burn,
Am bound in Chains,
And would not now be free.

(Aside all.)
Arsin.
Rise brave Ormondo,
Who like you
In Peace and War
Triumphing are
May all Subdue.

(She rises.)
Orm.
Great Queen your Mighty Foe
The Persian King
Is overthrown
Dispose of Kingdoms and a Crown
Which to you Obedience own.

Arsin.
Ormondo I applaud
What you have done.
But are you hurt?
I see you bound.

Orm.
Ye Gods!
(Sighing.)
I'm hurt, and bound by you

(Aside.)
Arsin.
You Sigh.

Orm.
If Sighing would do!

Arsin.
Oh! then you Love?

Orm.
Where Love is due.

Arsin.
Are you requited?

Orm.
If not slighted.

Arsin.
You hope?

Orm.
I Fear:

Arsin.
Ormondo dare
Be bold and dare,
Altho' a Queen—
Ye Gods what have I said?

(Aside.)
Orm.
Altho' a Queen!
I comprehend.
She hides Disdain
In pitty of my Pain.

Arsin.
You may implore
Whom you admire,

Orm.
I'll dye, I'll dye,
And say no more.

Arsin.
Altho' a Queen your Love inspire
To Queens Ormondo may aspire.

Orm.
I'll dye, I'll dye,
And say no more.

Arsin.
He does not understand
(Aside.)
Speak timorous Soul,
Thy Pardon's sign'd;
Here's Love and Majesty Combin'd.
Whom do you Love?

Orm.
She bids me tell
I can no longer hold,
I'll speak, and Dye—
It is—Arsinoe—

Arsin.
No more,
I faint.

(Aside.)
Orm.
Your Pitty I implore

Arsin.
Audacious Wretch!

Orm.
O, forgive me!

Arsin.
Proud Slave! no more.
Take this, and part
(Gives her Picture.)
But that I know—
—You Understand—
I'd have thy Heart.

Orm.
I've said too much,
And take my Doom
In this sweet Martyrdom.

(Goes off.)

SCENE XI.

Arsinoe alone.
Arsin.
O Love, O Love
O Love I have gain'd
My Power maintain'd,
Concealing the Chains I endure!
O Love, O Love
O Love I have gain'd
A Victory sure.
Joy allures me,
Hope assures me,
Both secure me!
How sweet are the Pains
Of Love-sick Wounds
When once we obtain?
O Love, O Love,
O Love, I have gain'd
A Victory sure!