University of Virginia Library

SCENE I.

The Grove before the Temple.
Enter Queen and Dumnacus, with the People Arm'd.
Dum.
I fear your Passion has betraid our Cause,
For while we thus divide, our Pow'r is weak'n'd.

Queen.
If they will fight, there yet remain enow
To vanquish his small handful; if they won't,
Thus we secure at least this Place of Safety;
And there make sure the Pledge of future Peace;
Or if all fail the happy Means of Vengeance.

Dum.
Your Reason's good, Capt. surround the Temple;
Place Guards at every door, and every Loop-hole;
Let none come out, or enter but the Queen.
Our common Safety's built upon your Care.

Capt.
My Lord, your Orders shall be strictly follow'd

[exit.
Enter a Messenger.
Mes.
As soon, my Lord, as you'd drawn off these Forces.
As if with you, their Soul and Courage went,
The Rest assaulted, by the furious King,
Like Crouds of helpless Women fell, or fled.
Till weary of the slaughter he recall'd
His conqur'ing Troop to lead 'em against you.

Dum.
Curse on their timo'rous Souls, full of proud Boasts.
Let him come on, I here will wait his Onset.

Enter two Messengers.
2. Mes.
My Lord, most strange, and most surprizing News!
The Gods, when Mortal Aid forsook us, sent,
I think from heav'n new force against the King.

Queen.
Speak thou again, thou bring'st new Life, new hopes.

2. Mes.
Whilst in the Valley we withstood the King,
The British Fleet all anchor'd in our Port,
This by the Cambrian Pris'ners was discover'd;
Who from the Ramparts leapt into the Sea,
Swam all aboard, with loud Applause were welcom'd,
And then, with fury, Rhesus led his Men
To shore.

Queen.
(Aside.)
O! Mischief unforeseen! the freedom
My fondness gave him, has undone my hopes!

3. Mes.
This the King hear'd while we were Pris'ners led,
And gave us Freedom, alarm'd with this new Terror,
He drew his Guards t'oppose the Britains landing,
In vain—for Rage, Revenge, and Courage led 'em on.

Enter a Fourth Messenger.
Dum.
What new Advice bring'st thou?

4. Mes.
The King, my Lord,
Dispairing to oppose the British Pow'rs,
Headed by Rhesus,
Has left a Party of his Guards to face 'em:
While he retires this way to the Temple.

Dum.
That's as my Soul cou'd wish, his Journey's ended!
The Journey of his guilty Life here Ends,
The Britains press behind, and we before
Oppose his Flight, betwixt, us he must fall,
What more, my Daughter, cou'd our fortune give us?

Queen.
What more! good Gods! what worse cou'd happen!

Dum.
He must be for us, for we fight his Battel.

Queen.
Oh! no! he ne'r will join with us, besure,
Who have design'd his Queen's, and Children's Deaths.
(Aside ... )
If he prevail, I doubly am undone,
I loose my Vengeance, and I loose my Love!—
He, that in Dungeons cou'd my Love despise,
What will he do with Conquest on his Sword?
Bear off in Triumph, my detested Rival!
And leave me here, slighted! ruin'd! wretched.
Oh! Gods! I cannot, bear that Thought!—
No to the Temple I'll this Moment flie;
There seize my Victim, and before I die,
I with this hand my Rival will remove,
And Rhesus so, as well, as I shall prove
The Pangs of my Despair, that durst despise my Love. ( ... Aside)


Exit.
Enter King, and Soldiers with their Swords drawn,
King.
My fellow-Soldiers,
The Foe, you see, is but a Nerveless Limb
Of those tame Rebels, you but now have beaten.
The Foe behind, that like a roaring Torrent
Comes rolling on you, with a swift Destruction,
Has left thro' these our only way to Safety,
The only passage to my conquering Army.

Enter chief Druid, with a troop of Druids, and holy Banners.
Dum.
Fall on my Friends.

Chief Druid.
Ha! Rebel! dare you view these awful Banners?
These consecrated Robes? these holy Wreaths?
And know the Doom that dwells upon my Tongue,
Yet stand in Arms against your King, and me?

Dum.
I'm not his Subject but an injur'd King.

Druid.
Lay down your Arms Rebels e're I curse ye,
And pour th'avenging Plagues of angry Heav'n
On all your impious heads, 'tis I 'tis Heav'n,
That summon your Obedience! quit,—forsake
Fly that Ingrateful instantly—or—

Dum.
Hell, and Furies! this canting Dotard routs me!
Will you be aw'd from Liberty, by Words?
Assess; Dolts;—fall on—Liberty! Liberty!

None come forward but Dumnacus, who advancing to attaque the Druid, and the King is Immediatly kill'd.
Dum.
Confusion seize you all! I'm slain—
[Falls.
[when he is fall'n.]
Ye abject Wretches!
Who durst not strike one Blow for all your Wishes!
How you cou'd mutter 'gainst your vile Oppressions;
Talk big in Corners what your Swords shou'd do
For Liberty, and Ease. But when, like Men
You shou'd do something Worthy such bold Threats,
You quake, and tremble, you are by Nature slaves.
So may you sink beneath your Burdens all!
Domestic Plagues consume you! home-bred Feuds
Destroy you all! Confinement, Poverty,
And all the Curses of a Tyrants Reign
Be—still—your Lot—oh!—
[Dies.

King
Bear off his Body.

[They bear it off.
Enter some Soldiers flying.
Soldiers.
Flie, flie, my Lord, the furiuos Britains come.

King.
Turn, Souldiers, turn! You that have Vanquish'd Romans
Flie not from Britains.
You that love Liberty—
[to the People.
Against Invaders now defend your Country.

Ch. Druid.
Save You your Country, and restore their Queen.

King.
Restoring her, we loose a Pledge of Safety.

Ch. Druid.
Restore you her, and I'll ensure your Safety.

King.
Ha! Traytor! thou ensure our Safety!
Then thou'rt Confedrate with thy Countries Foes!
Begon, thou, and thy venal Tribe begon;
Begon, I say, e're my just Vengeance reach you.

Ch. Druid.
Yes, we will go—but here too late thou'lt wish us,
To shield thee from the Wrath of angry Heaven!

[Exeunt Druids.
Enter Rhesus, and Britains driving in the Gauls flying before them.
Rhesus advancing toward the King, as his men do toward the Gauls.
Rhes.
Oh! art thou found again?
What greater Fear made insecure thy flight?
And fixt thee here, no more t'escape my Sword?

King.
Hold Britains hear me; for it much imports you.

Rhes.
What wou'dst thou say?

King.
Return, with speed return!
Flie to your ships this moment, while you may;
My conqu'ring Army comes, 'till when this Pass
With ease We can maintain against your Fury.
When they arrive, no Britain I will spare.

Rhes.
Peace, Vanquish'd Gaul, nor think to brow-beat Britains
When ever Love, or Glory leads us on
The Gallic Nation is too weak to stop us.

King.
Hold yet your Swords; and once more hear me speak!

Rhes:
Vain Trifler, I've no time to dally.

King.
Hold!—
For your first Blow gives Guinoenda Death.

Rhes.
Ha!—
Thou can'st not be so base, to kill a Woman?

King.
Depend on that, and see her bleed this Moment.

Rhes.
Thou say'st thou lov'st her,

King.
Better far than thou do'st.

Rhes.
And yet woud'st kill her?

King.
Rather, than see her thine; because I love her.

Rhes.
No, no, thy self alone thou lov'st, not her.

King.
The Love of both's so join'd, I can't divide them.

Rhes.
If you lov'd her, you'd seek her Happiness.

King.
But with my self not thee.

Rhes.
With thee, she's wretched.

King.
That yet she knows not; give her time to try.

Rhes.
Dar'st thou thus provoke me?

King.
Why not? provoke thee?
What Terrors do'st thou fancy, that thou wear'st?
In mortal Duel I have vanquish'd Romans,
In League with Fortune, and the partial Gods,—
How can I then fear thee?

Rhes.
Come boast no more what thou hast done but do,
What e'r with Romans thou hast done, thou dar'st not
Attaque a British King.

King.
Dare not?

Rhes.
Dare not.
I will forgoe the Odds my Fortune gives me,
And on this single Arm repose Success.
Thy Quarrel is unjust, and all thy own;
Spare then thy Men; I dare thee to the Combate.

King.
Oh! that thou durst but do this!

Rhes.
'Tis thy Fear,—
Thy Fear alone, that makes thee seem to doubt it.
Thy tim'rous Heart confiding in mean Wiles
Thou fear'st to trust thy Love to thy own Prowess.

King.
I'm all on fire to pierce thy haughty Bosome.

Rhes.
My fellow Soldiers, and my Country-men.
When Public Good, or Safety calls, you all
Shall share my Dangers: but my private Wrongs
I will revenge my Self. For I shou'd blush
On those to lavish Subjects, such as You.
Not one of you advance to my Assistance
'Tis my Command.

[to the Britains.
King.
You I command the same.
[to the Gauls.
Come on; for Love and Guinoenda!—
Have at thy heart so swell'd with Pride of Virtue,
As if thou wert a God! come this to try—

Rhes.
Come on Despiser of Heroic Virtue.

They Fight and the King falls.
King.
Ha! to me indeed, thou art immortal!
I feel Deaths Icy Hand about my heart!
O! Guinoenda!—oh!—

[Dies.
Rhes.
Bear your King's Body hence.

[To the Gauls.
The Gauls bear off the King's Body.
Rhes.
Let not Injustice ever think to prosper,
For soon or late the watchful Gods o'retake it,
So perish all the foes of Britain!
Now, my brave friends, advance we to the Temple
There from the Gods the dear Reward to gain
The Aim of all our Toil, the End of all our Pain.

[Exeunt Omnes.