University of Virginia Library

ACT III.

SCENE, Count Baldwin's House.
Enter Count Baldwin and Carlos.
C. Bald.
Married to Villeroy, sayst thou?

Car.
Yes, my Lord.
Last Night the Priest perform'd his holy Office,
And made 'em one.

C. Bald.
Misfortune join 'em!
And may her violated Vows pull down
A lasting Curse, a Constancy of Sorrow
On both their Heads—I have not yet forgot
Thy slighted Passion, the refus'd Alliance;
But having her, we are reveng'd at full.
Heav'n will pursue her still, and Villeroy
Share the Judgments she calls down.

Car.
Soon he'll hate her;
Tho' warm and violent in his Raptures now;
When full Enjoyment palls his sicken'd Sense,
And Reason with Satiety returns,
Her cold constrain'd Acceptance of his Hand,
Will gall his Pride, which (tho' of late o'erpower'd
By stronger Passions) will, as they grow weak,
Rise in full Force, and pour its Vengeance on her.

C. Bald.
Now, Carlos, take Example to thy Aid;
Let Biron's Disobedience, and the Curse
He took into his Bosom, prove a Warning,
A Monitor to thee to keep thy Duty
Firm, and unshaken.

Car.
May those rankling Wounds
Which Biron's Disobedience gave my Father,
Be heal'd by me.

C. Bald.
With Tears I thank thee Carlos—
And may'st thou ever feel those inward Joys,
Thy Duty gives thy Father—but my Son
We must not let Resentment choak our Justice;
'Tis fit that Villeroy know he has no claim
From me, in Right of Isabella—Biron,
(Whose Name brings Tears) when wedded to this Woman,
By me abandon'd, sunk the little Fortune
His Uncle left, in Vanity and Fondness:
I am possest of those your Brother's Papers
Which now are Villeroy's, and shou'd ought remain,
In Justice it is his; from me to him
You shall convey them—follow me and take 'em.
[Exit C. Bald.

Car.
Yes, I will take 'em; but e'er I part with 'em,
I will be sure my Interest will not suffer
By these his high, refin'd, fantastic Notions
Of Equity and Right—What a Paradox
Is Man! My Father here, who boasts his Honour,
And ev'n but now was warm in Praise of Justice,
Can steel his Heart against the Widow's Tears,
And Infant's Wants; the Widow, and the Infant
Of Biron; of his Son, his fav'rite Son.
'Tis ever thus weak Minds, who court Opinion,
And dead to virtuous Feelings, hide their Wants
In pompous Affectation—Now to Villeroy—
E'er this his Friends (for he is much belov'd)
Croud to his House, and with their nuptial Songs
Awake the wedded Pair: I'll join the Throng,
And in my Face, at least, bear Joy and Friendship.

[Exit.
SCENE, a Hall in Villeroy's House. A Band of Music, with the Friends of Villeroy.
Enter a Servant.
1st Fr.
Where is your Master, my good Friend?

Ser.
Within, Sir,
Preparing for the Welcome of his Friends.

1st Fr.
Acquaint him we are here: Yet stay,
The Voice of Music gently shall surprise him,
And breath our Salutations to his Ear.
Strike up the Strain to Villeroy's Happiness,
To Isabella's:—But, he's here already.

Enter Villeroy.
Vil.
My Friends, let me embrace you:
Welcome all—
What means this Preparation?

[Seeing the Music.
1st Fr.
A slight Token
Of our best Wishes for your growing Happiness—
You must permit our Friendship—

Vil.
You oblige me—

1st Fr.
But your lovely Bride,
That Wonder of her Sex, she must appear,
And add new Brightness to this happy Morning.

Vil.
She is not yet prepar'd; and let her Will,
My worthiest Friend, determine her Behaviour:
To win, and not to force her Disposition,
Has been my seven Years Task. She will anon,
Speak welcome to you all: The Music stays.

[Villeroy and his Friends seat themselves.
EPITHALAMIUM.
AIR. Miss YOUNG.
Let all, let all be gay,
Begin the rapt'rous Lay,
Let Mirth, let Mirth and Joy
Each happy Hour employ,
Of this fair bridal Day.

AIR. Mr. BEARD.
Ye love-wing'd Hours, your Flight,
Your downy Flight prepare,
Bring ev'ry soft Delight
To sooth the Brave and Fair.
Hail happy Pair, thus in each other blest,
Be ever free from Care, of ev'ry Joy possest.


I thank you for this Proof of your Affection,
I am so much transported with the Thoughts
Of what I am, I know not what I do.
My Isabella! but possessing her,
Who wou'd not lose himself?—You'll pardon me:
Oh! there was nothing wanting to my Soul,
But the kind Wishes of my loving Friends—
But our Collation waits; where's Carlos now,
Methinks I am but half myself, without him.

2d Fr.
This is wonderful! Married a Night and a
Day, and yet in Raptures.

Vil.
Oh! when you all get Wives, and such as mine,
(If such another Woman can be found)
You will rave too, doat on the dear Content,
And prattle in their Praise out of all Bounds:
I cannot speak my Bliss? 'Tis in my Head,
'Tis in my Heart, and takes up all my Soul—
The Labour of my Fancy. You'll pardon me,
About some twelve Months hence I may begin
To speak plain Sense—Walk in and honor me.
Enter Isabella.
My Isabella! O, the Joy of my Heart,
That I have Leave at last to call you mine;
When I give up that Title to the Charms
Of any other Wish, be nothing mine:
But let me look upon you, view you well.
This is a welcome Gallantry indeed.
I durst not ask, but it was kind to grant,
Just at the Time: Dispensing with your Dress
Upon our Bridal-Day.

Isa.
Black might be ominous;
I would not bring ill Luck along with me.

Vil.
Oh! if your melancholy Thoughts could change
With shifting of your Dress—Time has done Cures
Incredible, this Way, and may again.

Isa.
I could have wish'd, if you had thought it fit,
Our Marriage had not been so public.

Vil.
Do not you grudge me my Excess of Love:
That was a Cause it could not be conceal'd:
Besides 'twould injure the Opinion
I have of my good Fortune, having you;
And lessen it in other People's Thoughts,
Busy on such Occasions to enquire,
Had it been private.

Isa.
I have no more to say.

Enter Carlos.
Vil.
My Carlos too, who came in to the Support
Of our bad Fortune, has an honest Right,
In better Times, to share the good with us.

Car.
I come to claim that Right, to share your Joy;
To wish you Joy; and find it in myself;
For a Friend's Happiness reflects a Warmth,
A kindly Comfort, into every Heart
That is not envious.

Vil.
He must be a Friend,
Who is not envious of a Happiness
So absolute as mine; but if you are
(As I have Reason to believe you are)
Concern'd for my Well-being, there's the Cause:
Thank her for what I am, and what must be.
[Music flourish.
I see you mean a second Entertainment,
My dearest Isabella, you must hear
The Rapture of my Friends, from thee they spring;
Thy Virtues have diffus'd themselves around,
And made them all as happy as myself.

Isa.
I feel their Favours with a grateful Heart,
And willingly comply.

RECIT.

Take the Blessing Gods intend ye;
Grateful meet the proffer'd Joy:
Truth and Honour shall attend ye,
Charms that ne'er can change or cloy.

DUETTO. Mr. BEARD.
O, the Raptures of possessing,
Taking Beauty to thy Arms:

Miss YOUNG.
O the Joy, the lasting Blessing,
When with Virtue Beauty charms!

Mr. BEARD.
Purer Flames shall gently warm ye;

Miss YOUNG.
Love and Honour both shall charm thee.

BOTH.
O the Raptures of, &c. &c.

CHORUS.
Far from hence be Care and Strife,
Far, each Pang that tortures Life:
May the circling Minutes prove
One sweet Round of Peace and Love!

Car.
You'll take my Advice another Time, Sister.

Vil.
What have you done? A rising Smile
Stole from her Thoughts, just red'ning on her Cheek,
And you have dash'd it.

Car.
I am sorry for't.

Vil.
My Friends, will you forgive me, when I own
I must prefer her Peace to all the World?
Come, Isabella; let us lead the Way:
Within we'll speak our Welcome to our Friends,
And crown the happy Festival with Joy.

[Exeunt.
SCENE, a Room.
Enter Sampson and Nurse.
Samp.

Ay, marry Nurse, here's a Master indeed!
He'll double our Wages for us! If he comes on as fast
with my Lady, as he does with his Servants, we are all
in the Way to be well pleas'd.

Nurse.

He's in a rare Humour; if she be in as good
a one—

Samp.

If she be, marry we may e'en say, they have
begot it upon one another.

Nurse.

Well; Why don't you go back again to your
old Count? You thought your Throat cut, I warrant you,
to be turn'd out of a Nobleman's Service.

Samp.

For the Future, I will never serve in a House,
where the Master or Mistress of it lie single: They
are out of Humour with every Body, when they are
not pleas'd themselves. Now, this Matrimony makes
every thing go well: There's Mirth, and Money stirring
about, when those Matters go as they should do.

Nurse.

Indeed, this Matrimony, Sampson—

Samp.

Ah Nurse! this Matrimony is a very good
Thing.—But, what now my Lady is marry'd, I hope
we shall have Company come to the House: There's
something always coming from one Gentleman or other
upon those Occasions, if my Lady loves Company.

Nurse.
Odso, my Master! we must not be seen.

[Exit.
Enter Villeroy with a Letter, and Isabella.
Vil.
I must away this Moment—see his Letter,
Sign'd by himself: Alas! he cou'd no more;
My Brother's desperate, and cannot die
In Peace, but in my Arms.

Isa.
So suddenly!

Vil.
Suddenly taken, on the Road to Brussels,
To do us Honour, Love; unfortunate!
Thus to be torn from thee, and all those Charms,
Tho' cold to me and dead.

Isa.
I'm sorry for the Cause.

Vil.
O! cou'd I think;
Cou'd I persuade myself that your Concern
For me, or for my Absence, were the Spring,
The Fountain of these melancholy Thoughts,
My Heart wou'd dance, spite of the sad Occasion,
And be a gay Companion in my Journey;
But—
Enter Carlos from Supper.
My good Carlos, why have you left my Friends?

Car.
They are departed Home.
They saw some sudden melancholy News
Had stolen the lively Colour from your Cheek—
You had withdrawn, the Bride alarm'd had follow'd,
Meer Ceremony had been Constraint; and this
Good-natur'd Rudeness—

Vil.
Was the more obliging.
There, Carlos, is the Cause.

[Gives the Letter.
Car.
Unlucky Accident!
Th'Archbishop of Malines, your worthy Brother,
With him To-night? Sister, will you permit it?

Vil.
It must be so.

Isa.
You hear it must be so.

Vil.
Oh, that it must!

Car.
To leave your Bride so soon!—

Vil.
But having the Possession of my Love,
I am the better able to support
My Absence, in the Hopes of my Return.

Car.
Your Stay will be but short?

Vil.
It will seem long!
The longer that my Isabella sighs:
I shall be jealous of this Rival, Grief,
That you indulge, and fondle in my Absence.
It takes so full Possession of thy Heart,
There is not Room enough for mighty Love.
Enter Servant, and Bows.
My Horses wait: Farewel, my Love! You, Carlos,
Will act a Brother's Part, 'till I return,
And be the Guardian here. All, all I have
That's dear to me, I give up to your Care.

Car.
And I receive her as a Friend and Brother.

Vil.
Nay, stir not, Love; for the Night-Air is cold.
And the Dews fall—here be our End of Parting;
Carlos will see me to my Horse.

[Exit with Carlos.
Isa.
O, may thy Brother better all our Hopes!
A sullen Melancholy bakes my Blood;
Forgive me, Villeroy—I do not find
That cheerful Gratitude thy Service asks:
Yet, if I know my Heart, and sure I do,
'Tis not averse from honest Obligation.
I'll to my Chamber, and to Bed; my Mind,
My harass'd Mind is weary.

[Exit.