University of Virginia Library

ACT I.

SCENE I.

The City of Jerusalem besieg'd, A Prospect of the Walls, and a Gate on the plainest side of the Town. Part of the Christian Camp on the right side of the Stage; Enter Godfrey, attended by Almirena, Rinaldo, and Eustatio, and surrounded by his Guards.
Godfrey, Almirena, Rinaldo, Eustatio.
Godfrey.
Now great Rinaldo, have our Warlike Toils
Nigh reach'd their wish'd Reward.
Yon Tow'ring Walls
Shall shortly feel the shock of Christian Pow'r!
Their Eastern Sun shines with redoubled Rays,
To light our righteous Arms the Way to Sion!

Rin.
Asia, great Sir, pierc'd by your wise Commands,
Beneath the Thund'ring of this warlike Arm,
Groans, at the near Approach of Ruin's Tread.
Those impious Tow'rs, their Masters last vain Hope,
Shall at the mention of thy glorious Name,
Tumble, unbatter'd, down, and crush the Slaves,
Unworthy of a Sword, so fam'd as thine,
Remember then, victorious Prince, my Claim
To Almirena's Charms;—
Let Marriage smile,
And bless my Heart and Hand with equal Joy.
All Virtues join'd grow stronger.

Godf.
Undaunted Hero, tho' no hostile Force,
Can shake thy mighty Mind;
Yet in the Road to Glory fall not back,
But pass by Love when thy fair Fame invites Thee.
When Sion, falling, shall more glorious rise,
Be Almirena's Love Rinaldo's Prize.

Alm.
Consider lov'd Rinaldo, each Delay.
Stamps a grim Spot on the bright Face of War;
Go fight, successful 'gainst our Faith's proud Foe,
Till Sion's freed from her inglorious Yoke.
Then gay with Conquest, come triumphant back,
And boast how bravely Mars has won his Venus.
The Force of Love has Valour oft suppress'd,
And Glory freezes in an amorous Breast.

Eust.
Illustrious Warrior, mark these Counsels well,
Ungovern'd Passions easily Rebel.

Rin.

SCENE II.

A Trumpet Sounds, and the City Gate being thrown open, discovers a Herald, attended by two Guards, who advances towards Godfrey, &c.
Herald.
Thou mighty Chief, whose vast capacious Soul
Rivals the starry Height of Heavenly Pow'r;
By me the King my Master bids Thee hail;
And not contented, that the Tongues of Slaves
Shou'd speak his sovereign Pleasure, comes himself
To a free Conference.

Godf.
Why, let him come,
My Honour is his Passport.

Eust.
We shall hear—
What strange Proposals this fierce Monarch makes.

SCENE III.

Argantes from the City, drawn through the Gate in a Triumphal Charriot, the Horses white and led in by arm'd Blackamoors. He comes forward attended by a great Number of Horse and Foot Guards, and descending from his Chariot addresses himself to Godfrey, who advances to meet him.
Arg.
(To Godf.)
Christian, That Strumpet Fortune,
That hitherto has on thy Rapines smil'd,
Is still inconstant and can change her Mind.
If then thou art but Wise, as thou art Brave,
To recompense the mighty Ills thou'st done,
Be once by Reason led; For three short Days
Suspend the Rage of War. Nay wait not Thought
A three Days Truce will three Days Safety give.

Godf.
He that on Virtue builds the Aim of War,
Needs never fear the blackest Turn of Fate,
Thou with disdainful Accents seek'st to cloath
A poor Petition; and I grant thy Pray'r;
For generous Souls are far more flow to ask,
Than to bestow, like me.

SCENE IV.

Argantes
alone.
Oppress'd with Doubts of War, my anxious Breast
Forgets the Touch of Peace. But far more strong,
Love and Armida rack my hurried Soul;
Armida, full of Wisdom, and of Force,
At once my Mistress, and my brave Allie,
Now absent from her Lover's longing Eyes,
In the dark Cyphers of mysterious Fate,
Seeks to read means to save this Land and me.

SCENE V.

Armida in the Air, in a Chariot drawn by two huge Dragons, out of whose Mouths issue Fire and Smoke.
Armida
Descending.

The Chariot being descended, The Dragons rush forward, and draw her towards Argantes, who advances to meet her.
Arg.
How timely, Charmer, art thou thus arriv'd,
To heal the Wounds of my disorder'd Soul!
I, who, at thy Departure, felt such Grief,
Was all Impatience for thy wish'd Return;
The Christian Tyrant grants the Truce propos'd,
Say, may our Asia thence resume lost Hope?

Arm.
As much perplex'd as all Fates Riddles are,
I, with tremendous Charms, have plung'd my search
Down to the deepest Chanels of her Will!
My Pow'r has forc'd from her obscure Abyss,
This clear Prediction of thy Country's Hepe,
If, from the hostile Europæan Camp,
The great Rinaldo's Aid can be withdrawn,
Asia, now desolate, may smile again.

Arg.
I fly to stab the Slave—

Arm.
Argantes hold!
'Tis not the force of Arms, but Art like mine,
Must draw that fated Hero from their Camp,
I'll find a safer Way—

Arg.
Why then—Farewel—
In Thee, and Thee alone, my Soul confides.

Armida
alone.

SCENE VI.

A delightful Grove in which the Birds are heard to sing, and seen flying up and down among the Trees.
Almirena.
Come my ador'd and bless me with thy Presence.

Enter Rinaldo.
Rin.
Charm'd by the Magick of those pow'rful Lips,
My hurrying Soul flies outward to thy Call;
I'm not prophane; but if I kneel to Thee,
My Idol's Brightness will my Guilt attone;
That spotless Flame, your Virtue kindled up,
Your Beauty sets a blazing in my Soul;
Share in the Heat, or cool my scorch'd Desire.

Alm.
How lovely terrible in those dear Eyes,
Shines the fierce Light'ning of Love's brightest Heav'n!

Rin.
For Thee alone, Thou Goddess of my Wishes,
In humble Sacrifice my Off'rings burn,
For Thee my Incense smoaks in Sighs of Love!

Alm.
Thou art the Calm of Peace, when my poor Mind
Is toss'd in Storms of War.—

Rin.
Thy Presence gives me Life, and Death thy Absence.

Alm.
Gazing with heedless Wonder on thy Face,
The sporting Graces smil'd me into Love.

Rin.
Loves God has plac'd an Ambush in thy Lips,
And ev'ry sallying Accent makes a Slave.

SONG in Two Parts, by Rin. and Alm..

SCENE VII.

Armida enters and seizing forcibly on Almirena's Hand, is leading her away.
Arm.
To the superior Courage of my Arm,
Yield Thou this noble Prize.

Alm.
Aid me ye Pow'rs!

Rin.
Yield Almirena? No—
I'll never yield her, till with Lightning charg'd
The Thund'rer shall demand her.

Arm.
Then thus, presumptious shall my Claim make Way.

They have drawn their Swords, and are making at each other; when a black Cloud descends, all fill'd with

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dreadful Monsters spitting Fire and Smoke on every side. The Cloud covers Almirena and Armida, and carries 'em up swiftly into the Air, leaving in their Place, two frightful Furies, who having grinn'd at, and mock'd Rinaldo, sink down, and disappear.
Rinaldo
alone.
Where art Thou gone, my Love, my dear betroth'd?
Where are thy Beauties now?
Return alas! Thou ravish'd Heav'n, return
To an abandon'd Lover's sad Complaint,
And save a Life, that dies for loss of Thee;
But shall I bear this Loss? No Furies, no!
Here on the very Borders of your Hell,
Disdainful of your black Resolves I stand,
And bear my Vengeance in my dreadful Hand.

SCENE VIII.

Godfrey, Eustatio, &c. enter to Rinaldo, who stands immoveable with his Eyes fix'd on the Ground.
Godf.
What unaccustom'd Grief, illustrious Friend,
Has fix'd those piercing Eyes?

Eust.
What wondrous Chance
Has from thy Looks exhal'd the sparkling Fire?
Thou, that like fabled Jove,
Wer't wont to hurl loud Thunder thro' the Camp;
Can'st thou be subject to a Change like this?
Can Sadness seize Rinaldo?

Rin.
Such new Amazement has my Senses seiz'd,
Such Grief unbounded, galls my panting Soul,
That 'tis with mortal Pain my Words find way;
As here in Peace and Innocence I stood,
And held the lovely Almirena's Hand,
Unbosoming my heavy Load of Love,
A furious Amazon, (O painful Thought)
Entred, and fiercely seiz'd the trembling Maid.
Enrag'd, I, swift as Light'ning, drew my Sword,
In the Defence of my assaulted Dear,
When an amazing Host of Hell's black Fiends,
With sudden Horrour, burst in Clouds upon me,—
And, in a moment hurried, thro' the Air,
My Mistress, and my Foe—Pluto, perhaps,
Mistook the Fair one for his Proserpine,
And, ravish'd with her Charms, has stole her from me.

Godf.
Paternal Sorrow freezes up my Thoughts.

Eust.
Unusual, and amazing Accident!
But hope Rinaldo, Brother droop not thus;
Not distant far from you tall Mountain's Foot,
A gloomy Cave of rocky Entrance lies,
Where dwells a Man, who by his magick Skill,
Can read the starry Characters of Heav'n;
And tell the Virtues, Stones and Herbs contain;
This Man, by long familiar Converse bound,
Is my fast, faithful Friend; thither we'll go,
And from his Councils our best Measures know.

Godf.
Revive, distemper'd Heart!

Eust.
'Tis brave to hope!

All but Rinaldo go out.

SCENE IX.

Rinaldo
alone.
A Ray of Hope returns with lightsome Beams,
To cheer my fainting Soul;
Yes, lovely Fair, I fly to bring thee Aid,
Give me thy Wings thou God of faithful Love.