of Hope They plunge me in eternal black Despair Agn. The Princess dy'd for me it is but just My Death should in return preserve his Life Who was the dearest thing to her on Earth Prin. Preserve it 't is the surest Blow of Fate Death comes with more than double force through you Agn. Dear Prince for I in Death may call you so Talk not of Dying least you anger Heav'n Who shows itself concern'd that you shou'd Live By thus miraculously guarding you Your Thanks are due for that peculiar Care And to your Stars for timely taking from you One they foresaw would prove your Life's Incumbrance Disturb your Joys breed Envy Hate Confusion A Nation 's Murmurs and a Father's Anger Prin. All Triffles to thy Loss thou brightest Blessing Ah art thou gone speak once again my Soul Agn. How have you Charm'd my fleeting Spirits back I felt unusual Glowings at my Heart It warm'd and kindled into Life again But Death extinguishes the new-born Fire Ah lovely Prince must I for ever lose you Dies Prin. For ever are you then for ever lost I 'm torn with racking Griefs ineffable Oh let me pour my 〈◊〉 on the World Tear up this guilty Fabrick from its Center Destroy all Nature but 't is done already She 's gone and Earth's a Chaos all Confusion Where shall I wreck my Vengeance where on what On whom but on thyself for whom she dy'd This only Sacrifice can make Attonement As the Prince is going to fall upon his Sword Lorenzo with others Enters Lorenzo holds him Lor. Just Heav'n forbid that were a Blow too fatal Great Sir on your's the Kingdom 's Fate depends Your Life 's it's Safety and your Fall it's Ruine Prin. No Kingdom not a World shou'd make me live Thou do'st but lengthen out my Woes a moment Enter King Attend. K. What dismal Scene is this of Bloud and Horror Prin. Horrid and Bloudy yet imperfect still Alvaro has perform'd the saddest part But I am to compleat the Tragedy Struggles Lor. He 'll force himself away I cannot hold him Prin. Barbarous Friends oh Father if you Love me Why do you keep me from the only Good Why wou'd you have your Son be miserable K. Hop'd you to live in Luxury and Ease Courted by Joys and Pleasures without end Did you ne'r hear of Pains and Cares in Life That thus Misfortunes seize you unprepar'd How were you going by so mean an Action To blot out all the Great Ones of your Life Your Valour never made you do before But what a Coward sometimes does for fear 'T is in these Wars the Combats of the Mind Where Courage from false Brav'ry is distinguish'd And if you fly from them to Death 't will show There was danger which you durst not meet Prin. What ever Man can bear I dare Encounter It was not Fear nor Despiration arm'd me But hopes to overtake her mounting Soul Who wou'd not follow such a charming Guide Tho all that 's Gay or Great entic'd 'em back But I can Die without the help of Weapons I wrong'd my Love by making that Attempt As if I thought it wonted Strength to Kill me 〈◊〉 wait the ling'ring leisure of my Grief Thus kneeling at thy Feet sigh out my Soul And grow a Statue to adorn thy Tomb. K. His Grief oppos'd wou'd only rage the more When at full heigth 't will fall again of course Our greatest Passion 's have their ebbs and flows Were Nature constant she 'd destroy herself So strong her Motions they 'd overthrow her But fiercest Transports soonest moderate grow Thus to our Frailty we our Safety owe. Exeunt Omnes FINIS
if their Rivalship had made 'em dear Nor did she meet her Lord with greater Kindness As soon as he appear'd Agnes desir'd Permission to retire which she obtain'd Th' occasion fairly offer'd I observ'd And waited only till the Prince had ended His last Endearments which were short but kind Then I approach'd the Paper in my Hand And to my Wish she ask'd me what I held I told her 't was a Letter Agnes dropp'd Just when she left her Highness I 'll give it her th' unwary Princess said And took it with an Air so unconcern'd As plainly shew'd she fear'd not what she found And that a friendly Freedom made her read it No Spark of jealous Curiosity Elvira Dull senseless peice of Earth and then she smil'd As pleas'd her Friend took pity of her love Or wept for Grief that she disturb'd their Joys Say How did it affect her Bianca She neither wept nor smil'd but as surpriz'd A Momentary Red o'respread her Face Soon as that disappear'd she only sigh'd And read it twice with all her nat'ral Temper Then with a Voice and Aspect won'drous mild She gave Command that all without exception Shou'd be deny'd admittance to her Chamber Agnes came often there but was refus'd Which seiz'd her with so violent a Grief As shew'd her love surpass'd the Princesses Or that her Moderation was far less Elvira The Princess is a singular Example Of Apathy which Stoicks preach'd in vain For Nature's Laws were still more strong than theirs But sure Constantia's of another Kind Not made of the same Elements with us Or Nature forming her forgot the Fire Oh! cou'd I but infufe with that cold Mass Th' excessive part of Spirit which boils o're And burns within with more than needful Force ' Twou'd heat her to a generous active Rage Which soon wou'd free her from that Curse a Rival I wou'd for such a Change compound with Heav'n For all the Blessings meant to be my Lot But Miracles like that are only wrought to ruine me My Brother is transform'd for my Destruction That noble Pride is 〈◊〉 that haughty Soul Which look'd on all below it with Disdain Is now subjected to a Womans Scorn I met him going to that Sorceress Joyful to lay new Honours at her Feet And be again despis'd Spight of her Slights He swears he 'll marry her by Force if she refuse Gods must she have all Hearts which I wou'd claim Why were our jarring Fates so nearly set One Heart can never long contain two Things So incompatible as Agnes and Elvira No nor the World or She or I must leave it Bianca Will not her Banishment suffice Elvira Her Banishment What to my Brothers Arms Poor spirited Alvaro's grown so mean He 'd take her from the Prince's Bed to his Hell and Confusion Must she be his Wife Bianca Rather than hope to be in time the Prince's Elvira Both's Death to me and both must be prevented Bianca Have you consider'd Madam your Design The Danger and the Shame that must attend it Elvira So Agnes be involv'd in equal Fate I wou'd not stop tho Hell were in my way 'T is past Dispute she dies what e're oppose This Day shall end the Triumphs of her Eyes This Day be sacred to Revenge for ever We 're certain now to find her and alone Her Friendship is too nice in such a breach To let her visit or be visited Go you prepare with haste and secreey Horses and fit Disguises for us both That we may fly Coimbra if suspected My Brother and Lorenzo both have Interest And both Concern enough to gain my Pardon Then Agnes has provok'd the King so far He 'll easily forgive a Death he wishes If not the World affords us choice Retreats Countries that much surpass our Portugal Where we may live as great and more secure But let what will befal me thou shalt see I 'm not ungrateful Bianca May Fortune serve you faithfully as I And take your part in ev'ry Enterprize With the same Zeal as you 're obey'd by me Elvira As I dare trust thy Faith I take thy Wish This is the Hour if Fortune will be kind An Hour most fit to make Revenge compleat A single Death 's too little for my Wrongs But Life and Fame at once is worthy them This for my Lover's that my Brother's Heart Thus my Revenge shall beyond Death 〈◊〉 And whilst her Name is known will never end Exeunt SCENE II. Enter Agnes and her Woman Agnes The Light offends me let the Room be darkned And none be suffer'd to disturb my Thoughts Exit Woman How much our Souls and Bodies sympathize Now that my Mind is fill'd with gloomy Sadness The chearful Light is hateful to my Eyes Woman returns Woman Madam here 's Don Alvaro to wait on you He won't be refus'd Admittance Agnes What pains a hated Lover takes to see himself despis'd Enter Alvaro Alvaro He whom all Portugal obeys and fears Who scarce beholds a Creature not below him With pain obtains the Grace to kneel to you Agnes It is not fit a Man of Power so vast Shou'd stoop to any but his God or King I pay but what I owe your Quality Alvaro How cruelly you shew your mock-respect Respect to Slaves condemn'd is but Derision A Barbarous Tyrannical Insult Agnes From you 〈◊〉 learn'd that witty Tyranny For under colour of dissembled Love You plague and torture more effectually Than all the Hate of bare-fac'd Enemies Alvaro If loving you almost to Adoration And throwing all my Honours at your Feet If that be tort'ring you how are you pleas'd Agnes Obedience pleases me Alvaro I wou'd obey unjust relentless Fair But if I cease my Suit I lose my Hopes Where 's then the Fruit of such a vain Obedience Agnes Enjoy the Fruit then of your Disobedience A Hate as obstinate as fix'd as that Alvaro Nature has been unjustly lavish here To have bestow'd so rich a Stock of Beauty As must impoverish half the World beside On one who churlishly denies Relief to starving Beggars Whilst the wretched Miser but hoards a Treasure Which she cannot use nor will it's Value last Agnes If Beauty be a Treasure sure 't was meant For a Reward to Vertue whilst the rest The Riches Honours all the Gifts of Fortune Are blindly giv'n to those who least deserve Whose Servile Souls make 'em more fit to stoop Through all the little ways that lead to Greatness Alvaro The Great are only Vertuous What but Pow'r Makes Actions Right or Wrong Accept my Love And you shall see your self above controul Where none in Thought dare tax you of a Fault Agnes My Innocence is more to me than Fame Your boasted Pow'r can only give a Name A Name which all that know you will despise I see you worshipp'd like a God 't is true But 't is with Worship such as Indians paid They fear but hate and curse you at the Heart My pure unbyass'd Soul from Int'rest free Unmov'd
But there are Atheists tho the Deity Is visibly express'd in all his Works Agn. Oh that malicious Scandals rais'd of us Were no more prejudicial than to Heav'n In the Conversion of an Infidel The Being he Prophan'd is Glorify'd But tho we prove an Accusation false To us 't is Shameful to have been suspected That 's a Dishonour not to be repair'd A sulli'd Fame no Art can throughly clear But to avoid occasions of Reproach I 'll fly from hence back to my Native Country Spain will not hear perhaps of my Disgrace Prin. Where e're you take your flight it will proclaim The strange Barbarity of Portugal We shall become a Proverb to our Neighbours T' express the most unhospitable Usage But 't is no matter this ungrateful Court Is most unworthy your Consideration Agn. It 's Prince's Generosity attones For all they did or all they meant against me Prin. Such are the gross Affronts you have receiv'd I scarce dare ask so great a Blessing for us As your continuing here but if I 've done What Honour or what Justice did require If I have show'd your Merit just esteem Or if Constantia e're deserv'd from you Do not desert a place she lov'd so well Be gen'rous like yourself forgive your Wrongs Agn. They need no Pardon who design not Ill My Wrongs were by mistake on well-built grounds And 't were as great Injustice to revenge 'em As 't wou'd be vain to think of doing it By taking such a worthless Trifle from 'em But Sir my Friends in Spain will now expect me Unwillingly they suffer'd me to leave 'em When no Intreaties cou'd diswade me from it So much my Princess was more dear to me Than Kindred Country or what else I valu'd Now she is lost what shou'd retain me here Where I can meet with nought but Shame and Grief All I foresee makes my Departure needful I find no grounds to raise the least Debate Prin. Does not a Prince's Life deserve your care Ah cruel Virgin how you rack my Breast What Constancy is proof against this Tryal My Resolution to suppress my Flame Is lost is vanish'd I can hold no longer By Heav'n if you pursue your rigorous Purpose You kill a Wretch who loves you who adores you Agn. How justly wou'd the World condemn my Conduct If I shou'd stay after this Declaration Prin. My Fear has only made my Ruine suerer And all I gain is but to Fall unpity'd So Slaves compell'd by Torments own their Crimes For which their sentenc'd to more rigid Pains But my Offence was only in confessing Why will you punish what you forc'd me to You tortur'd me you tore the Secret from me Agn. Unhappy Creature what I thought shou'd hinder Precipitates the very Ill I fear'd But oh no more of this ill-tim'd Discourse Ah! is it thus we shou'd lament the Princess Prin. No dear Constantia she upbraids me justly Thy Love deserv'd eternal Gratitude Thy Vertue shou'd for ever be remembred All these Complaints and Sighs of Love for Agnes Shou'd burst in Tears of lasting Grief for thee I 've judg'd I have condemn'd myself already And willingly submit to your Decree To Agnes You can effectually revenge the Princess Go Madam I deserve the harshest Usage Go tho your Cruelty will give me Death Go boast that tho you knew my Love to you Stronger than Reason Honour or my Vertue Yet your impartial Justice was not Brib'd To save a perjur'd and ungrateful Man Agnes Farewel farewel to you and Life For I will lose those Blessings both at once No sooner shall you leave this hateful place Than you shall hear your Lover is no more Agn. Oh! how his Words prevail upon my Heart To herself It melts 't will yield I fear why shou'd it not Shou'd he who for my Freedom Fame and Life Expos'd his own receive his Death from me Is treating thus the Man my Princess lov'd The way to pay her Memory respect And do I thus obey her dying Charge Brave Prince if I have Pow'r you must not Die That were a loss too great to be permitted For nothing but a Name a puff of Breath What tho my Honour lye at Stake I 'll stay Yet let convenient Decency be kept I must not dare not entertain your Passion Prin. Oh no this Condescention is enough Great as I wish'd beyond my Expectation By all your goodness I 'll conceal my flame Till you yourself shall license it to blaze But then Oh do not give me this repreive Only t' encrease the Fear and pain of Death Then may I hope you 'll not disdain my Love Agn. Your Birth requires Respect from all the World Your Vertue more commands our Admiration And what I owe particularly to you Wou'd make Disdain most unexcusable I 'm not ingrateful nor insensible My Heart resented deeply all you felt You peirc'd my Soul with your Complaints and Sighs But I shou'd hide my tender Virgin-frailty You search too far and I have shown too much Prin. No for I never shall abuse your favour Your Mercy shall not make your Slave presume But whilst I 'm ty'd to Rules by Vows con fin'd Some bolder happier Man not aw'd like me May snatch that lovely Prize I dare not claim And I must lose you without murmuring Agn. I reverence my dear dead Princess more Than yet to think of ought that looks like Joy Of Marriage Love or any thing but Grief To her I 'll consecrate my tender Thoughts Nor dare to think of you but for her sake Nothing is to be fear'd save Violence I dread the base Alvaro more than Death Prin. The watchful Dragon guarded not the Fruit With half that Care with which I 'll keep my Love Alvaro shall not dare to look on her Alv. By Lucifer he 's much to be lamented Gods do I tamely stand and hear all this Alvario behind draws his Sword and is making at the Prince Agnes shrieks the Prince turning about and stepping aside to avoid the Blow it passes to Agnes Prin. Oh treacherous Villain quickly call for help Prince draws he and Alvaro fights Alvaro wounded Stay savage Traytor stay for my Revenge But what 's his Life how poor a Satisfaction For such a loss so irreparable This Jewel of inestimable Value Alv. If you wou'd be Reveng'd conceal your Grief I have not lost my Aim whilst you are Tormented Your Groans and Sighs are Musick to my Soul Softens my Death charms all the Pain away I Die with Joy and Pleasure more than Wounds And cou'd not wish to have succeeded better I 've left you Life indeed bare Life 's a Curse When all the Joys of it are ta'n away And may eternal Curses be your lot Dies Prin. Insernal Fiend thou cou'd'st not frame a Curse T' encrease my Torments Oh thou bleeding Fair For what does Heav'n thus persecute my Life One moment's Bliss is grudg'd me by my Stars And for a taste nay scarce a taste of Joy A faint imperfect glimm'ring