University of Virginia Library

ACT V.

Enter Osmond as affrighted.
Osm.
Grimbald made Prisoner, and my Grove destroy'd!
Now what can save me—Hark the Drums and Trumpets!
Drums and Trumpets within.
Arthur is marching onward to the Fort,
I have but one Recourse, and that's to Oswald;
But will he Fight for me, whom I have injur'd?
No, not for me, but for himself he must;
I'll urge him with the last Necessity;
Better give up my Mistress than my Life.
His force is much unequal to his Rival;
True;—But I'll help him with my utmost Art,
And try t'unravel Fate.
Exit Osmond.

Enter Arthur, Conon, Aurelius, Albanact, and Soldiers.
Con.
Now there remains but this one Labour more;
And if we have the Hearts of true Born Britains,
The forcing of that Castle Crowns the Day.

Aurel.
The Works are weak, the Garison but thin,
Dispirited with frequent Overthrows,
Already wavering on their ill mann'd Walls.

Alban.
They shift their places oft, and sculk from War,
Sure Signs of pale Despair, and easie Rout;
It shews they place their Confidence in Magick,
And when their Devils fail, their Hearts are Dead.

Arth.
Then, where you see 'em clust'ring most, in Motion,
And staggering in their Ranks, there press 'em home;
For that's a Coward heap—How's this, a Sally?
Enter Oswald, Guillamar, and Soldiers on the other side.
Beyond my Hopes, to meet 'em on the square.

Osw.
advancing.
Brave Britains hold; and thou their famous Chief
Attend what Saxon Oswald will propose.
He owns your Victory; but whether owing
To Valour, or to Fortune, that he doubts.
If Arthur dares ascribe it to the first,
And singl'd from a Crowd, will tempt a Conquest,
This Oswald Offers, let our Troops retire,
And Hand to Hand, let us decide our Strife:
This if Refus'd, bear Witness Earth and Heaven,
Thou steal'st a Crown and Mistress undeserv'd.

Arth.
I'll not Usurp thy Title of a Robber,
Nor will upbraid thee, that before I proffer'd
This single Combat, which thou didst avoid;
So glad I am, on any Terms to meet thee,
And not discourage thy Repenting shame;
As once Eneas my Fam'd Ancestor,
Betwixt the Trojan and Rutilian Bands,
Fought for a Crown, and bright Lavinia's Bed,
So will I meet thee, Hand to Hand oppos'd:
My Auguring Mind, assures the same Success.
To his Men.
Hence out of view; If I am Slain, or yield,
Renounce me Britains for a Recreant Knight,
And let the Saxon peacefully enjoy
His former footing in our famous Isle.
To Ratifie these Terms, I swear—

Osw.
You need not;
Your Honour is of Force, without your Oath.
I only add, that if I fall, or yeild,
Yours be the Crown, and Emmeline.

Arth.
That's two Crowns.
No more; we keep the looking Heav'ns and Sun
Too long in Expectation of our Arms.

Both Armies go clear off the Stage.
They Fight with Spunges in their Hands, dipt in Blood; after some equal Passes and Closeing, they appear both Wounded: Arthur Stumbles among the Trees, Oswald falls over him, they both Rise; Arthur Wounds him again, then Oswald Retreats. Enter Osmond from among the Trees, and with his Wand, strikes Arthurs's Sword out of his Hand, and Exit. Oswald pursues Arthur. Merlin enters, and gives Arthur his Sword, and Exit, they close, and Arthur in the fall, disarms Oswald.
Arth.
Confess thy self o'ercome, and ask thy Life.

Oswa.
'Tis not worth asking, when 'tis in thy Power.

Arth.
Then take it as my Gift.

Oswa.
A wretched Gift,
With loss of Empire, Liberty, and Love.
A Consort of Trumpets within, proclaiming Arthur's Victory, while they Sound, Arthur and Oswal. seem to Confer.
'Tis too much Bounty to a vanquish'd Foe;
Yet not enough to make me Fortunate.

Arth.
Thy Life, thy Liberty, thy Honour Safe,
Lead back thy Saxons to their Antient Elb:
I wou'd Restore thee fruitful Kent, the Gift
Of Vortigern for Hengist's ill bought aid,
But that my Britain's brook no Foreign Power,
To Lord it in a Land, Sacred to Freedom;
And of its Rights, Tenacious to the last.

Osw.
Nor more then thou hast offer'd wou'd I take.
I would Refuse all Britain, held in Homage;
And own no other Masters but the Gods.

Enter on one side; Merlin, Emmeline, and Matilda. Conon, Aurelius, Albanact, with British Soldiers, bearing King Arthur's Standard display'd. On the other side, Guillamar and Osmond, with Saxon Soldiers, dragging their Colours on the Ground.
Art.
going to Emm. and embracing her.
At length, at length, I have thee in my Arms;
Tho' our Malevolent Stars have strugled hard,
And held us long asunder.

Emm.
We are so fitted for each other Hearts,
That Heav'n had err'd, in making of a third,
To get betwixt, and intercept our Loves.

Osw.
Were there but this, this only sight to see,
The price of Britain shou'd not buy my stay.

Merl.
Take hence that Monster of Ingratitude,
Him, who betray'd his Master, bear him hence,
And in that loathsom Dungeon plunge him deep,
Where he plung'd Noble Oswald.

Osm.
That indeed is fittest for me,
For there I shall be near my Kindred Fiends,
And spare my Grimbald's Pains to bear me to 'em.

Is carried off.
Mer.
to Arth.
For this Days Palm, and for thy former Acts,
Thy Britain freed, and Foreign Force expell'd,
Thou, Arthur, hast acquir'd a future Fame,
And of three Christian Worthies, art the first:
And now at once, to treat thy Sight and Soul,
Behold what Rouling Ages shall produce:
The Wealth, the Loves, the Glories of our Isle,
Which yet like Golden Oar, Unripe in Beds,
Expect the Warm indulgency of Heav'n
To call 'em forth to Light—
To Osw.
Nor thou, brave Saxon Prince, disdain our Triumphs;
Britains and Saxons shall be once one People;
One Common Tongue, one Common Faith shall bind
Our Jarring Bands, in a perpetual Peace.

Merlin waves his Wand; the Scene changes, and discovers the British Ocean in a Storm. Æolus in a Cloud above: Four Winds hanging, &c.
Æolus
singing.
Ye Blust'ring Brethren of the Skies,
Whose Breath has ruffl'd all the Watry Plain,
Retire, and let Britannia Rise,
In Triumph o'er the Main.
Serene and Calm, and void of fear,
The Queen of Islands must appear:
Serene and Calm, as when the Spring
The New-Created World began,
And Birds on Boughs did softly sing,
Their Peaceful Homage paid to Man,
While Eurus did his Blasts forbear,
In favour of the Tender Year.
Retreat, Rude Winds, Retreat,
To Hollow Rocks, your Stormy Seat;
There swell your Lungs, and vainly, vainly threat.

Æolus ascends, and the four Winds fly off. The Scene opens, and discovers a calm Sea, to the end of the House. An Island arises, to a soft Tune; Britannia seated in the Island, with Fishermen at her Feet, &c. The Tune changes; the Fishermen come ashore, and Dance a while; After which, Pan and a Nereide come on the Stage, and sing.
Pan and Neriede
Sings.
Song of three Parts.

The last Stanza sung over again betwixt Pan and the Nereide. After which the former, Dance is varied, and goes on.
Enter Comus with three Peasants, who sing the following Song in Parts.
Com.
Your Hay it is Mow'd, & your Corn is Reap'd,
Your Burns will be full, and your Hovels heap'd:
Come, my Boys, come;
Come, my Boys, come;
And merrily Roar out Harvest Home;
Harvest Home,
Harvest Home;
And merrily Roar out Harvest Home.

Chorus.
Come, my Boys, come, &c.

1 Man.
VVe ha' cheated the Parson, we'll cheat him agen;
For why shou'd a Blockhead ha' One in Ten?
One in Ten,
One in Ten
For why shou'd a Blockhead ha' One in Ten?

Chorus.
One in Ten
One in Ten;
For why shou'd a Blockhead ha' One in Ten?

2.
For Prating so long like a Book-learn'd Sot,
Till Pudding and Dumplin burn to Pot;
Burn to Pot,
Burn to Pot;
Till Pudding and Dumplin burn to Pot.

Chorus.
Burn to Pot, &c.

3.
We'll toss off our Ale till we canno' stand,
And Hoigh for the Honour of Old England:
Old England,
Old England;
And Hoigh for the Honour of Old England.

Chorus.
Old England, &c.

The Dance vary'd into a round Country-Dance.
Enter Venus.
Venus.

SONG by Mr. HOWE.
She.

He.

She.

He.

Chorus of Both.

He
alone.
I'll be constant, you be kind.

She
alone.
You be constant, I'll be kind

Both.
Heav'n can give no greater Blessing
Than faithful Love, and kind Possessing.

After the Dialogue, a Warlike Consort: The Scene opens above, and discovers the Order of the Garter.
Enter Honour, Attended by Hero's.
Merl.
These who last enter'd, are our Valiant Britains,
Who shall by Sea and Land Repel our Foes.
Now look above, and in Heav'ns High Abyss,
Behold what Fame attends those future Hero's.
Honour, who leads 'em to that Steepy Height,
In her Immortal Song, shall tell the rest.

(Honour sings.)
Hon.
A full Chorus of the whole Song: After which the Grand Dance.

Arth.
to Merl.
Wisely you have, whate'er will please, reveal'd,
What wou'd displease, as wisely have conceal'd:
Triumphs of War and Peace, at full ye show,
But swiftly turn the Pages of our Wo.
Rest we contented with our present State;
'Tis Anxious to enquire of future Fate.
That Race of Hero's is enough alone
For all unseen Disasters to atone.
Let us make haste betimes to Reap our share,
And not Resign them all the Praise of War.
But set th'Example; and their Souls Inflame,
To Copy out their Great Forefathers Fame.