University of Virginia Library

ACT. III.

The Scene is a view of Dover, taken from the Sea: a row of Cliffs fill up each side of the Stage, and the Sea the middle of it, which runs into the Peer: beyond the Peer, is the Town of Dover: on each side of the Town, is seen a very high Hill; on one of which is the Castle of Dover; on the other, the great Stone which they call the Devils drop. Behind the Town several Hills are seen at a great distance which finish the view.
Enter Albion bareheaded: Acacia or Innocence with him.
Albion.
Behold yee Pow'rs! from VVhom I own
A Birth immortal, and a Throne:

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See a Sacred King uncrown'd,
See your Offspring, Albion, bound:
The gifts you gave with lavish hand,
Are all bestow'd in vain:
Extended Empire on the Land,
Unbounded o'er the Main.

Acacia.
Empire o'er the Land and Main,
Heav'n that gave can take again;
But a mind that's truly brave,
Stands despising,
Storms arising,
And can ne'er be made a Slave.

Albion.
Unhelpt I am, who pity'd the distress'd,
And none oppressing, am by all oppress'd;
Betray'd, forsaken, and of hope bereft:

Acacia.
Yet still the Gods and Innocence are left.

Albion.
Ah! what canst thou avail,
Against Rebellion arm'd with zeal,
And fac'd with publick good?
O Monarch's see
Your Fate in me!
To rule by Love,
To shed no Blood,
May be extol'd above;
But here below,
Let Princes know
'Tis fatal to be good.

Chorus of both.
To rule by Love &c.

Albion.
But see! what prodigies are these?

Acacia.
Your Father Neptune from the Seas,
Has Nereids and blew Triton's sent,
To charm your discontent.


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Nereids
rise out of the Sea and Sing, Tritons dance.

[1.]

From the low Palace of old Father Ocean,
come we in pity your cares to deplore:
Sea-raceing Dolphins are train'd for our Motion,
Moony Tides swelling to rowl us a-shore,

2.

Ev'ry Nymph of the flood, her Tresses rending,
Throws of her Armlet of Pearl in the Main;
Neptune in anguish his Charge unattending,
Vessels are foundring, and Vows are in vain.

Enter Tyranny, Democracy, represented by Men, attended by Asebia, Zelota, Women.
Tyran.
Ha, ha, 'tis what so long I wish'd and vow'd,
Our Plots and delusions,
Have wrought such confusions,
That the Monarch's a Slave to the Crowd.

Democ.
A Design we fomented,

Tyr.
By Hell it was new!

Dem.
A false Plot invented,

Tyr.
To cover a true.

Democ.
First with promis'd faith we flatter'd,

Tyr.
Then jealousies and fears we scatter'd.

Asebia.
We never valu'd right and wrong,
But as they serv'd our cause;

Zelot.
Our Business was to please the throng,
And Court their wild applause:

Asebia.
For this we brib'd the Lawyers Tongue,
And then destroy'd the Law's.

Chor.
For this, &c.

Tyran.
To make him safe, we made his Friends our Prey;

Dem.
To make him great we scorn'd his Royal sway,

Tyran.
And to confirm his Crown, we took his Heir away.


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Dem.
T'encrease his store,
We kept him poor:

Tyran.
And when to wants we had betray'd him,
To keep him low,
Pronounc'd a Foe,
Who e're presum'd to aid him.

Asebia.
But you forget the noblest part,
And Masterpiece of all your Art,
You told him he was sick at Heart.

Zelot.
And when you could not work belief
In Albion of th'imagin'd grief;
Your perjur'd vouchers in a Breath,
Made Oath that he was sick to Death;
And then five hundred Quacks of skill
Resolv'd t'was fit he should be ill.

Asebia.
Now heigh for a Common-wealth,
Wee merrily Drink and Sing,
'Tis to the Nations Health,
For every Man's a King.

Zelot.
Then let the Masque begin,
The Saints advance,
To fill the Dance,
And the Property Boys come in.

The Boys in White begin a Fantastick Dance.
Chor.
Let the Saints ascend the Throne.

Dem.
Saints have Wives, and Wives have Preachers,
Guifted men, and able Teachers;
These to get, and those to own;

Chor.
Let the Saints ascend the Throne.

Asebia.
Freedom is a bait alluring;
Them betraying, us securing,
While to Sovereign pow'r we soar.

Zelota.
Old delusions new repeated,
Shews 'em born but to be cheated,
As their Fathers were before.


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Six Sectaries begin a formal affected Dance, the two gravest whisper the other Four, and draw 'em into the Plot: They pull out and deliver Libels to 'em, which they receive.
Democr.
See Friendless Albion there alone,
Without Defence
But Innocence;
Albanius now is gone.

Tyran.
Say then, What must be done?

Dem.
The Gods have put him in our hand.

Zelota.
He must be slain!

Tyran.
But who shall then Command?

Dem.
The People: for the right returns to those,
VVho did the trust impose.

Tyran.
'Tis fit another Sun shou'd rise,
To cheer the VVorld, and light the Skyes.

Dem.
But when the Sun,
His race has run,
And neither cheers the VVorld, nor lights the Skies;
'Tis fit a Common-wealth of Stars shou'd rise.

Asebia.
Each noble vice,
Shall bear a Price,
And Vertue shall a drug become:
An empty Name
VVas all her Fame,
But now she shall be Dumb.

Zelota.
If open Vice be what you drive at,
A Name so broad we'll ne'er connive at.
Saints love Vice, but more refin'dly,
Keep her close, and use her kindly.

Tyran.
Fall on.

Dem.
Fall on: Ere Albion's death we'll try,
If one or many shall his room supply.


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The white Boys dance about the Saints: The Saints draw out the Association, and offer it to 'em: They refuse it and quarrel about it: Then the white Boys and Saints fall into a confus'd Dance, imitating fighting: The white Boys at the end of the Dance, being driven out by the Sectaries with Protestant Flails.
Albion.
See the Gods my cause defending,
VVhen all humane help was past!

Acacia.
Factions mutually contending,
By each other fall at last.

Albion.
But is not yonder Proteus Cave,
Below that steep,
Which rising Billows brave?

Acacia.
It is: And in it lies the God asleep:
And snorting by,
We may descry,
The Monsters of the deep.

Albion.
He knows the past,
And can resolve the future too.

Acacia.
'Tis true!
But hold him fast,
For he can change his hew.

The Cave of Proteus rises out of the Sea, it consists of several Arches of Rock work, adorn'd with mother of Pearl, Coral, and abundance of Shells of various kinds: Thro' the Arches is seen the Sea, and parts of Dover Peer: In the middle of the Cave is Proteus a sleep on a Rock adorn'd with Shells, &c. Like the Cave. Albion and Acacia seize on him, and while a Symphony is playing, he sinks as they are bringing him forward, and changes himself into a Lyon, a Crocodile, a Dragon, and then to his own shape again: He comes toward the front of the Stage, and Sings.
Symphony.
Proteus.

[1]

Albion , lov'd of Gods and Men,
Prince of Peace too mildly Reigning,

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Cease thy sorrow and complaining;
Thou shalt be restor'd agen:
Albion, lov'd of Gods and Men.

2.

Still thou art the care of Heav'n,
In thy Youth to Exile driv'n:
Heav'n thy ruin then prevented,
Till the guilty Land repented:
In thy Age, when none could aid Thee,
Foes conspir'd, and Friends betray'd Thee;
To the brink of danger driv'n,
Still thou art the Care of Heav'n.

Albion.
To whom shall I my preservation owe?

Proteus.
Ask me no more! for 'tis by Neptune's Foe.

Proteus descends.
Democracy and Zelota return with their Faction.
Democ.
Our seeming Friends, who joyn'd alone,
To pull down one, and build another Throne,
Are all disperst and gone:
We brave republick Souls remain.

Zelot.
And 'tis by us that Albion must be Slain:
Say, whom shall wee employ
The Tyrant to destroy?

Democ.
That Archer is by Fate design'd,
With one Eye clear, and t'other blind.

Zelota.
He seems inspir'd to do't.

Omnes.
Shoot Holy Cyclop, shoot.

The one Ey'd Archer advances, the rest follow: A fire arises betwixt them and Albion.
[Ritornel.
Democ.
Lo! Heav'n and Earth combine,
To blast our bold design.

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What Miracles are shown?
Nature's alarm'd,
And Fires are arm'd,
To guard the Sacred Throne.

Zelota.
What help, when jarring Elements conspire
To punish our audacious Crimes.
Retreat betimes,
To shun th'avenging Fire.

Chor.
To shun the avenging Fire.

[Ritor.
As they are going back a Fire arises from behind: They all sink together.
Albion.
Let our tuneful accents upwards move,
Till they reach the vaulted Arch of those above;
Let us adore 'em;
Let us fall before 'em:

Acacia.
Kings they made, and Kings they love
When they protect a rightful Monarch's Reign,
The Gods in Heav'n, the Gods on Earth maintain.

Both.
When they protect, &c.

Albion.
But see what glories guild the main.

Acacia.
Bright Venus brings Albanius back again,
With all the loves and graces in her train.

A Machine rises out of the Sea: It opens and discovers Venus, and Albanius sitting in a great Scallop-shell, richly adorn'd: Venus is attended by the Loves and Graces, Albanius by Hero's: The Shell is drawn by Dolphins: It moves forward, while a Simphony of Fluts-Doux, &c. is playing till it Lands 'em on the Stage, and then it closes and sinks.
Venus
Sings.
Albion , Hail; The Gods present Thee,
All the richest of their Treasures,
Peace and Pleasures,

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To content Thee,
Dancing their eternal measures:

Graces and Loves, Dance an Entry.
Venus.
But above all humane blessing;
Take a Warlike Loyal Brother,
Never Prince had such another:
Conduct, Courage, truth expressing,
All Heroick worth possessing.

Here the Hero's Dance is perform'd.
Chor. of all.
But above all, &c.

[Ritor.
Whilst a Simphony is playing; a very large, and a very glorious Machine descends: The figure of it Oval, all the Clouds shining with Gold, abundance of Angels and Cherubins flying about 'em, and playing in 'em; in the midst of it sits Apollo on a Throne of Gold: he comes from the Machine to Albion.
Phœb.
From Jove's Imperial Court,
Where all the Gods resort;
In awful Council met,
Surprizing news I bear:
Albion the Great,
Must change his Seat,
For Hee's adopted there.

Ven.
What Stars above shall we displace?
Where shall he fill a Room Divine?

Nept.
Descended from the Sea Gods Race,
Let him by my Orion shine.

Phœb.
No, Not by that tempestuous sign:
Betwixt the Balance and the Maid,
The Just,
August,
And peaceful shade,
Shall shine in Heav'n with Beams display'd,
While great Albanius is on Earth obey'd:

Ven.
Albanius Lord of Land and Main,
Shall with fraternal vertues Reign;

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And add his own,
To fill the Throne;
Ador'd and fear'd, and lov'd no less:
In VVar Victorious, mild in Peace,
The joy of men, and Jove's increase.

Acacia.
O Thou! Who mount'st th'Æthereal Throne,
Be kind and happy to thy own;
Now Albion is come,
The People of the Sky,
Run gazing and Cry,
Make Room, make Room,
Make room for our new Deity.

Here Albion mounts the Machine, which moves upward slowly.
A full Chorus of all that Acacia sung.
Ven.
Behold what Triumphs are prepar'd to grace
Thy glorious Race,
Where Love and Honour claim an equal place;
Already are they fixt by Fate,
And only ripening Ages wait.

The Scene changes to a walk of very high Trees: At the end of the Walk is a view of that part of Windsor, which faces Eaton: In the midst of it is a row of small Trees, which lead to the Castle-hill: In the first Scene, part of the Town and part of the Hill: In the next the Terrace Walk, the King's Lodgings, and the upper part of St. George's Chappel, then the Keep; and lastly, that part of the Castle, beyond the Keep.

In the Air is a Vision of the Honors of the Garter; the Knights in Procession, and the King under a Canopy: Beyond this, the upper end of St. George's Hall.

Fame rises out of the middle of the Stage, standing on a Globe; on which is the Arms of England: The Globe rests on a Pedestal: On the Front of the Pedestal is drawn a Man with a


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long, lean, pale. Face, with Fiends Wings, and Snakes twisted round his Body: He is incompast by several Phanatical Rebellious Heads, who suck poyson from him, which runs out of a Tap in his Side.


Fame.
Renown, assume thy Trumpet!
From Pole to Pole resounding:
Great Albion's Name;
Great Albion's Name shall be
The Theme of Fame, shall be great Albion's Name,
Great Albion's Name, Great Albion's Name.
Record the Garters glory:
A Badge for Hero's, and for Kings to bear:
For Kings to bear!
And swell th'Immortal Story,
With Songs of Gods, and fit for Gods to hear;
And swell th'Immortal Story,
VVith Songs of Gods, and fit for Gods to hear;
For Gods to hear.

A full Chorus of all the Voices and Instruments: Trumpets and Ho-Boys make Returnello's of all Fame sings; and Twenty four Dancers joyn all the time in a Chorus, and Dance to the end of the Opera.
FINIS.