Palante _and_ Clerimont _come forward_.
_Pal._ Oh! _Clerimont_, I swear by my malignant Stars,
Death brings no Terrors with it but for thee;
The Thoughts of thine, and that I have involv'd
In my sad Fate, my best and only Friend,
Sits heavy on my Soul, and gives me double Death:
My Father's Tears, whom now too late I know,
Pierce not my Breast with half this killing Grief,
This gnaws me worse than my _Lucasia_'s Loss;
And, like a _Vulture_, preys upon my Heart.
I was rewarded, call'd _Lucasia_ mine:
For such a Treasure who wou'd refuse to die?
But thou'rt condemn'd for only aiding me,
I am the Cause of thy sad Fate, my Friend;
Hurry'd by me to an untimely Grave:
Thou fall'st for him thou ever hast oblig'd.
_Cler._ No more _Palante_----
Why dost thou call me by the Name of Friend?
Yet think I cou'd descend from Friendship's Rules:
For so I must shou'd I repine at Death,
Or fear to suffer with so brave a Man.
To die is nothing to a Man resolv'd:
Why shou'd we wish to hold this mortal Frame,
By Nature subject to such various Ills,
Which first or last brings certain Death to all?
Were there no Hand, indeed, but human Laws
To cut the Thread of our Mortality,
Then we had Cause for Grief; but when we reflect
We only leap the Abyss a little sooner,
Where all Mankind must follow by degrees,
The Apprehension moves not me.
_Pal._ Oh! Noble Constancy----
After Ages shall record the Story,
And rank thee with the bravest _Roman_ Youths;
And melancholy Virgins when they read,
In moving Accents celebrate thy Name.
_Cler._ What baleful Planet rul'd when thou wert born,
That mark'd for thee this Path of Sorrow out?
Oh! ye malicious Stars, when ye had stood
So long the rude Buffets of blind Fortune,
And now just as the pleasing Scene appear'd,
I' th' Moment when th' art found of noble Birth,
And wed to thy long wish'd for Bride _Lucasia_,
Then to snatch thee hence, is twice to kill thee.
Oh! it is the Mock'ry of spiteful Fates,
When we with Labour reach the aim'd at Wish,
Straight this unstable Fairy World removes.
We die, or are dash'd back again to what we were.
_Enter_ Eugenio _and_ Lucasia.
_Luc._ Faithful _Irus_ how shall I reward thee?
Ha! see where stands _Palante_ and his Friend!
Oh! lead me _Irus_, quickly, lead me back,
Else I shall grow a Statue at this Sight:
Not all the frightful Noise of Chains we've past,
And meagre Looks of Wretches in Despair,
Are half so terrible as this.
_Pal._ My _Lucasia_!
Art thou come to take thy last Adieu, and
Bless my Eyes before they close for ever?
_Luc._ Oh! _Palante_!
_Pal._ What! no more? Give thy labouring Sorrows vent,
That like Convulsions heaves thy snowy Breasts,
And struggles for a Passage to thy Tongue.
_Luc._ O! I had dy'd e'er seen this fatal Hour;
But this good Man pursu'd with Care my Steps,
And stop'd my Hand, which else had giv'n the Blow,
When first I heard the sad and dreadful News,
That thou, _Palante_, wer't condemn'd to die.
_Eug._ Still all I ask is, that you wou'd have Patience;
I'll to Court where Lord _Euphenes_ is,
Now begging for his Son, in Hope to bring you Happiness.
[_Exit_ Eug.
_Luc._ Fly _Irus_, fly, and bring us instant Word.
Oh! my aking Brain is near Distraction;
For much I fear there is no Help for me.
_Pal._ Yet I rejoice in this, I'm found of Noble Birth--
That in succeeding Ages, when this Act,
With all its Circumstances shall be told,
No Blot may rest upon thy Virgin Fame;
No censuring Tongue reflect upon thy Choice;
And say thy Husband was a Wretch unknown,
And quite unworthy of _Lucasia_'s Arms.
_Luc._ What Comfort's in this late Discovery found?
Will the Greatness of thy Race protect thee?
Virtue and ev'ry Good was thine before;
Yet the cruel Pow'rs are deaf to all my Prayers:
Nor will thy Merit plead with angry Heav'n,
To ward the Stroke, and save thy precious Life.
Oh Greatness! thou vain and vap'rish Shew,
That, like a Mist, dazzles the Eyes of Men,
And as the Fogs destroy the Body's Health,
That poisons deep, and gangrenes in the Soul;
But seldom's found t' assist the virtuous Man.
Thou wert----
As dear to these desiring Eyes before,
And honour'd full as much in this poor Heart.
Oh! I cou'd curse the Separating Cause,
And wish _Lucasia_ never had been born.
_Pal._ Be calm, my Love, my everlasting Dear,
Cease to lament, and give thy Spirits ease.
Oh! hear me Heav'n, and grant my last Request;
May Health, long Life, and ev'ry Bliss beside,
Conduce to make _Lucasia_ happy still.
Let nothing fall to interrupt her Joy,
But make it lasting as you make it great.
Grant this, and I to rigorous Destiny
Submit with Pleasure.
_Luc._ Long Life; no, rather wish me sudden Death,
To rid me of my Cares, and that Way give me Ease.
Ha! I'm seiz'd with an unusual Terror, Fear
And Horror swim in Shades of Night around,
How sad and dreadful are these Prison Walls!
Thy Voice seems hollow too, and Face looks pale.
Oh! my _Palante_, my Heart----
Throbs, as if the Strings of Life were breaking.
[_A Bell tolls within._
Hark! hark! Oh! 'twas this that it foretold.
Ope' Earth, hide me in thy unfathom'd Womb,
To drown the Call of Fate----this dismal Bell.
_Cler._ Madam----
Be patient, add not to his Misery;
For whilst he sees you thus, his Soul's unfit
For aught but Earth; th' Approach of Death is near,
A little Time is necessary now,
To calm his Mind to suffer like a Man.
_Luc._ Oh! Heav'n help me. [_Faints._
_Pal._ Oh! She's dying; do not thus rend my Soul with Grief.
_Enter an Officer._
_Officer._ Gentlemen, this Bell gives warning, that within Half an Hour
you must prepare to die.
_Pal._ 'Tis very well, we shall be ready.
Canst thou conduct this Lady to her Father's House?
_Luc._ Stand off, and touch me not: No, I will stay with thee.
Do not push me from thee, my dear _Palante_;
For I shall die apace, and go before.
_Officers._ The Officers all wait to conduct ye to the Place of
Execution.
_Cler._ We come now, Friend, when shall we meet again.
_Pal._ The bless'd Pow'rs can tell, in Heav'n sure.
Luc. _Oh! all ye Maids that now are crown'd above;_
_Did any feel, like me, the Wrecks of Love?_
_By Tempests torn from my dear Husband's Side,_
_And made a Widow, when I'm scarce a Bride._
SCENE _the Governor's House_.
_Enter Governor and Count_ Pirro, _and Lord_ Gravello.
_Govern._ This is strange _Palante_ should be found The Lord _Euphene_'s
Son; but fear not Nephew, the Law has pass'd, and he shall suffer.
_Pirro._ I urge still, my Lord, she was my promised Wife; Her Father so
design'd her, had he then been known Euphene's Son. I urge that, speak
my good Father.
_Grav._ My Lord, I had; yet let me own, I rather wish the unknown
_Palante_ had suffer'd for my Daughter, than the Son of one, who tho' my
Foe, I must acknowledge great and brave.
_Govern._ So wou'd I my Lord, but there's no Fence for Accidents; I do
expect to be beset with Prayers and Tears, but all in vain; see where he
comes.
_Enter_ Euphenes _and_ Alphonso.
_Euph._ Behold! Lord Governor, my aged Knees, are bent to thee,
'Tis in thy Power to wrest this heavy Judgment of the Law;
Suspend it at least, till the King shall hear the Cause,
And save my Son.
_Gover._ Rise _Euphenes_, your Speech carries a double Meaning, you pray
and threaten with the same Breath, we are not to be frighted Lord; the
Laws of _Sicily_ have had their Course, your Son falls by them.
_Euph._ Oh! mistake me not, I am as humble as your Pride can wish me;
but give me Leave to speak, tho' 'tis my hard Fortune to offend; let me
the Anguish of my Soul deliver to that injurious Lord, the Father of
_Lysander_'s, or by the more known Name, _Palante_'s Wife; hard-hearted
Man! had'st thou no other Way to wreck thy canker'd and long foster'd
Hate upon my Head, but this? Thus cruelly, by my Son's Suffering, and
for such a Fault as thou shou'dst Love him, rather? Is thy Daughter
injur'd by this Marriage? Is his Blood base? Or can his now rising
Fortunes know an Ebb? This Law was made to restrain the Vile from
wronging noble Persons, by Attempts of such a kind; but where Equality
meets in the Match, there is no Crime! or if there is, forgive his
Youth, and have Pity on him.
_Gover. Euphenes_, you wrong your Virtue when you'd save a Criminal, the
Law condemns; tho' the righteous Judgment falls upon your Son, and your
Appeal shall come too late.
_Euph._ Then you have set a Period to a loyal House and Family that have
been Props of the _Sicilian_ Crown and with their Blood in Wars, won
many an honour'd Field. I can spend no more in Tears, I'll spend the sad
Remnant of my childless Age, and only wish to rest i'th' Grave together.
_Alph._ Hear me thou Governor, not kneeling, but erect as old Age and
Slavery has left me: This noble _Sicilian_ Youth was lost in defending
_Sicily_ from the fam'd Fortress, which beat back a thousand Times,
invading Foes, and sunk 'em in the working Seas, from thence the Child
was ta'en, and must he 'scape the Hazards of the rowling Waves, Rocks,
Tempests, Pirates, and ignominious Fate, to perish in his native Isle:
Oh, barbarous Usage, stop yet at least his Judgment, and let this poor
old Man see once again, his dear _Palante_; for that I'll bow my
stubborn Knees, and ask the Blessings as I importune Heaven.
_Euph._ Oh! my Lord, let my unhappy Son appear before ye, e'er the cruel
Sentence comes to Execution.
_Grav._ If you deny them this, it may be ill represented to the King.
_Pirro._ I fear, my Lord, you are staggering.
_Gover._ Nephew, be silent, and be safe; they shall have their Will, but
to no Purpose, only a Moment's short Delay; for I have sworn, and he
shall die----Guard bring here the Prisoner.
_Euph._ I thank the Governor.
_Gov._ Oh spare thy Thanks, till thou hast real Cause: the Law, the
Statute's plain, and he must die for't, there is no Remedy.
_Enter, brought in by the Guards_, Palante, Clerimont,
Lucasia _and_ Eugenio.
_Euph._ Oh! Son!
_Alph. Palante!_
_Pal._ Pardon me, Sirs, I have too much Tenderness upon my Soul already,
too many Clogs that drag it downwards; oh! forgive me, if I beg ye wou'd
not add more Weight to Death.
_Gra._ Madam, 'twere more becoming your Quality and Modesty, to be at
Home; thou dost but ill return thy Father's Care.
_Luc._ I have no Father, nor ever had that I remember, but born and
destin'd for an out-cast Wretch, and curst to ruin a most noble Husband:
Oh he was the Pride of the _Sicilian_ Youths, and Glory of the World;
but he is dead, or doom'd to die, and that's alike distracting.
_Euph._ Heav'n bless thee, thou Mirrour of thy Sex, that in the Sea of
thy transcendant Virtues, drown'st all thy Father's Malice, and in my
Thought, redeem'st more than thy Race can lose.
_Gov._ Lord _Euphenes_, what End had you in this, in bringing here the
Criminals?
_Euph._ To move your Mercy was my End; but Wolves and Tygers know not
what Pity means.
_Gov._ Forbear Reproach, and hear me; I'll stand it to the King, and all
the World; here is an Heiress stole, the worst of Robberies; he is
condemn'd by the Law, he fell to the Judgment of the Law; I surrender
him. Guards, carry on the Pris'ners.
_Luca._ Oh! cruel Sentence! hear me, Sir.
_Gov._ Away with 'em.
_Eug._ Stay yet a little, thou most imperious Governor; for I will be
heard.
_Gov._ Thou! What art thou?
_Eug._ My Name is _Irus_; Lord _Pirro_ knows me.
_Pirro._ Ha!
_Eug._ Thou tremblest, Lord, hear; you that have condemn'd these noble
Friends, and hunt their Lives for a mere Trifle; sentence to Death a Man
for loving and being belov'd; hear, a black Deed will start your Soul
with Horror, and make you own the Crime before ye nothing.
_Gov._ What means the Fellow!
_Eug._ Nay, 'tis not a Frown can stop me, nor will my Fate be long; know
then, this Lord gave out his Son _Eugenio_ dy'd at _Rome_, but he was
well, and in this City.
_Palan._ How say'st thou?
_Luc._ Proceed, dear _Irus_.
_Eug._ First stop Lord _Pirro_; for my Story will not please him: I say
_Eugenio_ lived; which when I discover'd to that trembling Lord, he
brib'd me with a thousand Crowns to poison him: Here's the Agreement
under his own Hand; and here's a Letter from _Eugenio_ to his Father,
which denotes that he was poison'd, and dying.
_Gra._ Let me see it: Oh! 'tis his Hand. Wretch that I am, is my
dissembled Grief turn'd to true Sorrow? Were my acted Tears but
Prophecies of my ensuing Woe? And is he dead? Oh! pardon me, dear Ghost
of my _Eugenio_! 'twas my Crimes that call'd this hasty Vengeance from
above, and shorten'd thus thy Life; for whilst with Fallacies I sought
to fasten Wealth upon our House, I brought a Cannibal to be the Grave of
me and mine; base, bloody, murdering Lord.
_Pirro._ Vile Cozener, Cheater and Dissembler, now indeed we both are
caught.
_Euph._ Oh! cruel Man! now see the Justice of offended Heav'n; thou who
pursu'st the poor _Palante_'s Life with so much Violence, thou now must
feel the Weight of a Son's Loss.
_Gov._ This will prove a Tragedy indeed; away with the Prisoners. Your
Trial's next, Lord _Pirro_.
_Pirro._ I do confess----
_Eug._ Hold, is there no means left to save them? Wou'd not you now,
Lord _Gravello_, give your Daughter freely to _Palante_?
_Gra._ More willingly than I wou'd live another Hour.
_Euph._ Oh! You are kind too late; had you been thus when Need required,
you had sav'd yourself and me, and both our hapless Sons.
_Gov._ Oh Nephew, my Prompter still in Cruelty,
Now thou thyself must feel the Rigour of the Law.
_Eug._ Now ye behold the Good from Bad, which nought but this Extremity
had shewn; yet all be safe, _Eugenio_ lives, and fair _Lucasia_ is no
Heiress now.
_Omnes._ How! lives!
_Eug._ Yes, lives to call thee Brother, worthy _Palante_, and thou, my
dear _Lucasia_, Sister. [_Throws off his Disguise._
_Luc._ Oh, _Irus, Eugenio, Palante_, where am I?
_Palan._ Oh! _Lucasia, Clerimont_; my Friend, my Love, my Wife.
_Eug._ Pardon me ye most afflicted Sufferers,
That I thus long have kept myself conceal'd;
My End was honest, to let my Father see
The Frailty, I will not call it by a harder Name,
Of Count _Pirro_; the Son he coveted so eagerly,
To raise the Storms to their most dreadful Height,
That Calms, and Peace might be more pleasing.
_Gra._ I see it was _Eugenio_, and thou _Palante_.
Now, my Son, give me thy Hand, here take thy Wife,
And for the Wrong that I intended thee, thy Portion
shall be double.
_Pal._ Oh! I am over-paid, _Lucasia_ and my Friend secure. This is the
Work of Heav'n, and oh ye gracious Powers I thank ye for it.
_Cler._ Joy rises from my Heart, and with unutterable Transports stops
my Speech; thus once again let me embrace thee.
_Euph._ And has a Father nothing from a Son?
_Alph._ And old _Alphonso_ too expects a Welcome.
_Pal._ Oh! take me, Father, Brother, Friend, _Lucasia_! There's the Sum
of all.
_Luc._ Sure such Hours as these give us a Taste of Immortality.
_Gra._ My Lord _Euphenes_, I hope all Enmity is now forgot betwixt our
Houses.
_Euph._ Let it be ever so; I do embrace your Love.
But speak _Eugenio_, what hast thou to ask?
Whose timely Care prevented our undoing.
_Eug._ My Lord, you have a virtuous Niece, for whom I long have sigh'd,
I beg your leave to own my Flame.
_Euph._ She's yours; I've often heard her praise _Eugenio_. And all
Things else within my Power command.
My Lord the Governor, you alone seem sad.
_Gov._ I am not so at your good Fortune, but that my Nephew whom I have
found so base, urg'd me to such Cruelty: Be gone, and hide thy
ignominious Head, for I will never see thee more.
_Pirro._ No matter, I am free, and will enjoy myself in spight of all
Mankind. [_Exit._
_Gov._ However this my Care shall do, I will solicit earnestly the King
to mitigate this cruel Law, and make the Thefts of Love admit of Pardon.
Who have we here? they seem to rejoice too.
_Enter_ Larich _singing_, Francisco, Lavinia, Sancho _and_ Trist.
_Larich._ Ha, hey, what, every body in Joy! Good News, Coz, _Palante_
come off safe; my pretty Niece pleas'd here, and Son-in-law,
_Francisco_, just receiv'd a certain Information of an Uncle's Death,
that has left him, let me see, let me see; ay, ay, enough to please me.
_Sancho._ Nay, nay, hold, every body is not so well pleas'd neither; I
am melancholy, I came hither to see the Execution; but I see no body has
occasion to be hanged but myself, for I have lost my Mistress; faith I
have, _Tristram_. What Account shall I give my Father of this Match?
_Tris._ Fackins, Master, I cannot tell.
_Larich._ Then _Lavinia_ is a pure Virgin still, for all the Tricks she
play'd; faith she is: Was it not a sly one, ha, Brother?
_Gra._ I know nothing of the Matter.
_Luc._ Cousin, I wish you Joy, as large a Share as I possess, and Fate
itself can give no more.
_Lav._ I am doubly bless'd to see you happy.
_Fran._ And I have nothing left to wish.
_Pal._ Come, my _Lucasia_, now we are bless'd, let us retire, and give a
loose to Raptures yet unknown.
_Virtue survives thro' all the Turns of Fate,_
_Let not impatient Man think Mercy late;_
_For Heaven does still the justest Side regard,_
_And virtuous Lovers always meet Reward._
TRANSCRIBER'S NOTE
Very occasional misspellings have been silently corrected. These
include misspelled character names (Engenio for Eugenio; Euphanes for
Euphenes). Several of the characters' names are abbreviated in a
variety of ways in the original text and have not been standardised. A
single misprint affected the meaning; wont was changed to won't in the
passage:
Thou won't visit her in that Dress, sure?