 | A Fairy Tale |  |
15
SCENE V.
A Camp and Emmeline's Pavilion, with a bank.Enter Emmeline led by Matilda.
Em.
No news of my dear love, or of my father?
Mat.
None, madam, since the gaining of the battle:
Great Arthur is a royal conqueror now;
And well deserves your love.
Em.
But now I fear
He'll be too great to love poor silly me.
If he be dead, or never come again,
I mean to die: but there's a greater doubt;
Since I ne'er saw him here,
How shall I meet him in another world?
Mat.
Indeed I know not.
Em:
I should find him,
For surely I have seen him in my sleep;
And then methought he put his mouth to mine,
And eat a thousand kisses on my lips.
Sure by his kissing I could find him out,
Among a thousand angels in the sky.
Mat.
But what a kind of man do you suppose him?
Em.
He must be made of the most precious things,
And I believe his mouth, and eyes, and cheeks,
And nose, and all his face, are made of gold.
Mat.
Heav'n bless us, madam, what a face you make him!
If it be yellow he must have the jaundice,
And that's a bad disease.
Em.
Why then do lovers give a thing so bad
As gold, to women, whom so well they love?
Mat.
Because that bad thing, gold, buys all good things.
Em.
Yet I must know him better: of all colours,
Tell me which is the purest, and the softest.
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They say 'tis black.
Em.
Why then, since gold is hard, and yet is precious,
His face must all be made of soft black gold.
Mat.
But, madam—
Em.
No more; I have learn'd enough for once.
Mat.
Here are a crew of Kentish lads and lasses,
Wou'd entertain you, till your lord's return,
With songs and dances, to divert your cares.
Em.
O bring 'em in.
For tho' I cannot see the songs, I love 'em;
And love, they tell me, is a dance of hearts.
Enter Kentish Lads and Lasses.
SONG. Sung by Mr. Vernon.
While drums and trumpets are sounding alarms!
Over our lowly sheds all the storm passes;
And when we die, 'tis in each others arms.
All the day on our herds, and flocks employing:
All the night on our flutes, and in enjoying.
Chor.
All the day, &c.
Let not your days without pleasure expire;
Honour's but empty, and when youth is ended,
All men will praise you, but none will desire.
Let not youth fly away without contenting;
Age will come time enough for your repenting.
Chor.
Let not youth, &c.
I.
How blest are shepherds, how happy their lasses,While drums and trumpets are sounding alarms!
Over our lowly sheds all the storm passes;
And when we die, 'tis in each others arms.
All the day on our herds, and flocks employing:
All the night on our flutes, and in enjoying.
Chor.
All the day, &c.
II.
Bright Nymphs of Britain, with graces attended,Let not your days without pleasure expire;
Honour's but empty, and when youth is ended,
All men will praise you, but none will desire.
Let not youth fly away without contenting;
Age will come time enough for your repenting.
Chor.
Let not youth, &c.
17
1
Shepherds, shepherds, leave decoying,Pipes are sweet a summer's day;
But a little after toying,
Women have the shot to pay.
II.
Here are marriage vows for signing,Set their marks that cannot write:
After that, without repining,
Play, and welcome, day and night.
3
CHORUS.Come, shepherds, lead up a lively measure;
The cares of wedlock are cares of pleasure;
But whether marriage bring joy or sorrow,
Make sure of this day, and hang to-morrow
Osw.
The night has wilder'd us; and we are fall'n
Among their formost tents.
Guil.
Ha! what are these!
They seem of more than vulgar quality.
Em.
What sounds are those? They cannot far be distant;
Where are we now, Matilda?
Mat.
Just before your tent.
Fear not, they must be friends, and they approach.
Em.
My Arthur, speak, my love, are you return'd
To bless your Emmeline?
Osw.
[to Guilla.]
I know that face:
'Tis the ungrateful fair, who, scorning mine,
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Thou ow'st me nothing now.
Mat.
Fear grows upon me:
Speak what you are; speak, or I call for help.
Osw.
We are your guards.
Mat.
Ah me! we are betray'd; 'tis Oswald's voice.
Em.
Let them not see our voices, and then they cannot find us.
Osw.
Passions in men oppress'd are doubly strong,
I take her from king Arthur; there's revenge;
If she can love, she buoys my sinking fortunes:
Good reasons both: I'll on—Fear nothing ladies,
You shall be safe.
Oswald and Guillamar seize Emmeline and Matilda.
Em. and Matil.
Help, help!
Osw.
By heav'n ye injure me; tho' force is us'd,
Your honour shall be sacred.
Em.
Help, help, Oh, Britons, help.
Osw.
Your Britons cannot help you;
This arm, thro' all their troops, shall force my way:
Yet neither quit my honour nor my prey.
[Exeunt, the women still crying.
[An alarm within; and a cry of Follow, follow, follow.
Enter Albanact, Captain of the Guards, and Soldiers.
Alb.
Which way went th'alarm?
1 Sol.
Here, towards the castle.
Alb.
Plague o' this victory, and stop your shouting;
The princess in the clutches of your foes
Blasts all our laurels—a hundred victories
Will not half pay the loss of Emmeline:
We are outwitted by the Saxons;
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All drunk or whoring:—this way.
Enter an Officer.
Offic.
How sits the conquest on great Arthur's brow?
Alb.
As when the lover with the king is mixt,
He puts the gain of Britain in a scale,
Which weighing with the loss of Emmeline,
He thinks he's scarce a saver.
[Trumpet within.
Offic.
Hark! a trumpet!
It sounds a parley.
Alb.
'Tis from Oswald then,
An echo to king Arthur's friendly summons,
Sent since he heard the rape of Emmeline,
To ask an interview.
[Trumpet answering the other side.
Offic.
But hark! already
Our trumpet makes reply; and see both present.
[Exit.
| A Fairy Tale | |