University of Virginia Library

SCENE. V.

A Garden.
Enter King and Semanthe.
Sem.
My Lord, If I did e're possess your love,
If you have any kindness for Semanthe,
Tell me the meaning of your clowded brow,
And why you seem thus troubled?

King.
I have cause:
O my Semanthe, in my last nights sleep,
My troubled fancy has been so perplex'd
With dreadfull dreams, and hideous Apparitions,
That take away my quiet; for methought,
(O dreadfull sight!) methought the verge of Heav'n,
Was Ring'd with flames, and all the upper vault,
Thick laid with flakes of fire, i'th midst of which
A Blazing Comet shot his threat'ning tail,
Just in my face; I thought 'twas terrible;
But Oh what after came was that distracts me,
I saw, (O that I cou'd forget the sight)
Just in that Bower, (mark what I say Semanthe)
I saw thee sit, and in a short time after,
Lord Ithocles came with a lovers speed,
Imbrac'd, Carress'd thee, you requited him
With Amorous looks, soft kisses, twining arms,
With these kind words, O my dear Ithocles,
Let us be still thus Secret in our Loves,
And keep it close from the deluded King:
[Seizes Semanthe roughly by the Hands.]
But by the Honour of Anoynted heads,
Were both of you hid in a Rock of fire,
Guarded by flaming Ministers of Hell,
By Heav'n I have a sword shou'd make my way,
Through fire, and darkness furies Death to hew
Each Gangreen'd Limb of thee Infernal Sorceress.

Sem.
Mercy Protect me, will you murder me?
Alas! I cannot guess the cause of this.

King.
O Pardon me Semanthe, do not blame me,
For such another dream wou'd quite distract me:
But tell me love, was't not a dreadfull vision?

Sem.
It was indeed my Lord, a wond'rous one,
Yet but a dream, for shou'd so great a guilt
Hang on my Honour, 'twere but Justice in you,
If you shou'd tear my false disloyall heart out,

King,
Thy heart! nay Strumpet even thy very Soul.
[Seizes her again.
Tear it with fury from thy Cursed Carkass,
And damn it ever in Immortall Death.

Sem.
Alas what mean you Sir!

King.
O I am mad.
Forgive me dear Semanthe, for methinks,
I dream anew, and it distracts me so,
That I take Idle visions to be reall;
Leave me Semanthe, when these dreadfull thoughts
Have left my troubl'd breast, I'le visit thee.

Sem.
The Heav'ns preserve you from those frightfull dreams,
That thus disturb the quiet of my Lord:
[Ex. Sem.

Manet King.
King.
Can she be false! no 'tis impossible:
The vision I have now related to her,
Was only what Menaphon sayd he saw.
If she were Guilty, there must needs appear,
Something of a mistrust she was discover'd.
But she looks sweet as Roses, and appears,
Like virgin Lillies in unsully'd Infancy.
If she be Chast then Menaphon beware,
For I will have a dire revenge on thee,
The torments us'd in Bloudy Massacres;
And more, if any more can be invented,
Shall surely fall upon thee; but if not,
If she be false, Destruction Ruine, Horrour,
Bloud, bloud, and Death, fair Infidell's thy doom:
And if for Injur'd love's Consummating vengeance,
Beyond the Grave, one Hotter place there be,
In all the hideous sphear of wrath divine,
The very Center of damnation's thine.
Ex. King.