The Stolen Heiress: (continued 2)

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 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?