Chapter 3

I that ne'er mention'd aught my Arm has done,Will now urge all to save my darling Son.

[Exeunt.

ACT V. SCENEa Prison.PalanteandClerimontcome 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'dIn 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 myLucasia's Loss;And, like aVulture, preys upon my Heart.I was rewarded, call'dLucasiamine: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 morePalante——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 LawsTo cut the Thread of our Mortality,Then we had Cause for Grief; but when we reflectWe 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 bravestRomanYouths;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 stoodSo 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 BrideLucasia,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.EnterEugenioandLucasia.Luc.FaithfulIrushow shall I reward thee?Ha! see where standsPalanteand his Friend!Oh! lead meIrus, 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.MyLucasia!Art thou come to take thy last Adieu, andBless 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 LordEuphenesis,Now begging for his Son, in Hope to bring you Happiness.[ExitEug.Luc.FlyIrus, 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 ofLucasia'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 wishLucasianever 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 makeLucasiahappy still.Let nothing fall to interrupt her Joy,But make it lasting as you make it great.Grant this, and I to rigorous DestinySubmit 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, FearAnd 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! myPalante, 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 unfitFor 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 dearPalante;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.SCENEthe Governor's House.Enter Governor and CountPirro,and LordGravello.Govern.This is strangePalanteshould be found The LordEuphene'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 unknownPalantehad 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.EnterEuphenesandAlphonso.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.RiseEuphenes, your Speech carries a double Meaning, you pray and threaten with the same Breath, we are not to be frighted Lord; the Laws ofSicilyhave 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 ofLysander'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 theSicilianCrown 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 nobleSicilianYouth was lost in defendingSicilyfrom 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 dearPalante; 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, LucasiaandEugenio.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 theSicilianYouths, 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.LordEuphenes, 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 isIrus; LordPirroknows 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 SonEugeniody'd atRome, but he was well, and in this City.Palan.How say'st thou?Luc.Proceed, dearIrus.Eug.First stop LordPirro; for my Story will not please him: I sayEugeniolived; 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 fromEugenioto 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 myEugenio! '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 poorPalante'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, LordPirro.Pirro.I do confess——Eug.Hold, is there no means left to save them? Wou'd not you now, LordGravello, give your Daughter freely toPalante?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,Eugeniolives, and fairLucasiais no Heiress now.Omnes.How! lives!Eug.Yes, lives to call thee Brother, worthyPalante, and thou, my dearLucasia, 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 seeThe Frailty, I will not call it by a harder Name,Of CountPirro; 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 wasEugenio, and thouPalante.Now, my Son, give me thy Hand, here take thy Wife,And for the Wrong that I intended thee, thy Portionshall be double.Pal.Oh! I am over-paid,Lucasiaand 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 oldAlphonsotoo 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 LordEuphenes, I hope all Enmity is now forgot betwixt our Houses.Euph.Let it be ever so; I do embrace your Love.But speakEugenio, 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 praiseEugenio. 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.EnterLarichsinging, Francisco, Lavinia, SanchoandTrist.Larich.Ha, hey, what, every body in Joy! Good News, Coz,Palantecome 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.ThenLaviniais 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, myLucasia, now we are bless'd, let us retire, and give a loose to Raptures yet unknown.

Cler.No morePalante——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 LawsTo cut the Thread of our Mortality,Then we had Cause for Grief; but when we reflectWe 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 bravestRomanYouths;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 stoodSo 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 BrideLucasia,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.

EnterEugenioandLucasia.

Luc.FaithfulIrushow shall I reward thee?Ha! see where standsPalanteand his Friend!Oh! lead meIrus, 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.MyLucasia!Art thou come to take thy last Adieu, andBless 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 LordEuphenesis,Now begging for his Son, in Hope to bring you Happiness.[ExitEug.

Luc.FlyIrus, 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 ofLucasia'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 wishLucasianever 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 makeLucasiahappy still.Let nothing fall to interrupt her Joy,But make it lasting as you make it great.Grant this, and I to rigorous DestinySubmit 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, FearAnd 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! myPalante, 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 unfitFor 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 dearPalante;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.

SCENEthe Governor's House.Enter Governor and CountPirro,and LordGravello.

Govern.This is strangePalanteshould be found The LordEuphene'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 unknownPalantehad 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.

EnterEuphenesandAlphonso.

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.RiseEuphenes, your Speech carries a double Meaning, you pray and threaten with the same Breath, we are not to be frighted Lord; the Laws ofSicilyhave 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 ofLysander'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 theSicilianCrown 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 nobleSicilianYouth was lost in defendingSicilyfrom 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 dearPalante; 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, LucasiaandEugenio.

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 theSicilianYouths, 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.LordEuphenes, 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 isIrus; LordPirroknows 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 SonEugeniody'd atRome, but he was well, and in this City.

Palan.How say'st thou?

Luc.Proceed, dearIrus.

Eug.First stop LordPirro; for my Story will not please him: I sayEugeniolived; 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 fromEugenioto 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 myEugenio! '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 poorPalante'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, LordPirro.

Pirro.I do confess——

Eug.Hold, is there no means left to save them? Wou'd not you now, LordGravello, give your Daughter freely toPalante?

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,Eugeniolives, and fairLucasiais no Heiress now.

Omnes.How! lives!

Eug.Yes, lives to call thee Brother, worthyPalante, and thou, my dearLucasia, 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 seeThe Frailty, I will not call it by a harder Name,Of CountPirro; 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 wasEugenio, and thouPalante.Now, my Son, give me thy Hand, here take thy Wife,And for the Wrong that I intended thee, thy Portionshall be double.

Pal.Oh! I am over-paid,Lucasiaand 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 oldAlphonsotoo 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 LordEuphenes, I hope all Enmity is now forgot betwixt our Houses.

Euph.Let it be ever so; I do embrace your Love.But speakEugenio, 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 praiseEugenio. 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.

EnterLarichsinging, Francisco, Lavinia, SanchoandTrist.

Larich.Ha, hey, what, every body in Joy! Good News, Coz,Palantecome 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.ThenLaviniais 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, myLucasia, 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 and can be identified in the body of the text by a grey dotted underline; wont was changed to won't in the passage:Thou won't visit her in that Dress, sure?

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