Discovers a Room hung with Black, a Hearse standing in it with Tapers round about it, Alcippus weeping at it, with Isillia, and other Women with long black Veils round about the Hearse.

Isil. I humbly beg, my Lord, you would forbear.

Alcip. Oh Isillia, Thou knowest not what vast Treasure this incloses, This sacred Pile; is there no Sorrow due to it? Alas, I bad her not farewel at parting. Nor did receive so much as one poor Kiss. —Ah wretched, wretched Man!

Enter the Prince.

How, the Prince! How suddenly my Grief submits to Rage.

Phi. Alcippus, why dost thou gaze thus on me? What Horror have I in my looks that frights thee?

Alcip. Why, Sir, what makes you here? I have no more Wives, no more Erminias; Alas, she is dead— Will you not give her leave to rest in peace?

Phi. Is this the Gratitude you pay my Favours, That gave ye life, after your wrongs to me? But ‘twas my Sister’s Kindness that preserv’d thee And I prefer’d my Vengeance to the Gods.

Alcip. Your Sister is a Saint whom I adore; But I refuse a Life that comes from you.

Isil. What mean you, Sir?

Alcip. To speak a truth, as dying Men should do.

Phi. Alcippus, for my Sister’s sake who loves you, I can bear more than this—you know my power, And I can make you fear. [Offers to go out.

Alcip. No, Prince, not whilst I am in love with dying.

Phi. Your love to that I see has made you impudent.

Isil. The Storm comes on, your Highness should avoid it.

Phi. Let him give place, I’ll keep possession here.

Isil. It is the Prince’s pleasure, Sir, you quit the Presence.

Alcip. No, this I call my Home; And since Erminia’s here that does entitle it so, I will not quit the Presence.

Phi. Gave thee a Title to’t, Alcippus?

Alcip. Me, Philander!

[They come to each other’s breast, and so draw.

Phi. Thee.

Alcip. Me, what dare you now?

Phi. I dare declare that I can hear no more; Be witness, Heaven, how justly I’m compell’d.

Alcip. Now, Sir, you are brave and love Erminia too.

[The Women run all away crying; they draw out some one way, and some another, leaving some their Veils behind them, some half off, half on.

Phi. We are here not safe, these Women will betray us.

Alcip. Sir, ‘tis a work that will soon be dispatcht, And this a place and time most proper for’t.

[A pass or two. Fal. _peeps in and runs away.

Enter_ Pisaro, runs between.

Pis. Hold, Sir, are you grown desperate? What means your Highness? [To the Prince. Alcippus, what is’t you design in this?

Alcip. To fight, Pisaro, and be kill’d.

Pis. By Heaven, you shall not fight, unless with me, And you have so anger’d me with this rash action, I could almost provoke you to it.

Enter Alcander.

Alcan. Gods, Sir, that you should thus expose your self, The World’s great Heir, against a desperate Madman!

Pis. Have you forgot your Apparition, Sir?

Alcip. Oh, ‘twas an idle lying one, Pisaro, And came but to intrap me.

To them Galatea, Aminta, and Olinda.

Gal. Ah, Brother, why so cruel to your Sister?

Phi. Here, Galatea, punish my misfortune, For yet I want the will to injure thee. Heaven knows what provocations I receiv’d E’er I would draw a Sword on him you lov’d.

Gal. Unjust Alcippus, how dost thou reward me?

Alcip. Ah, Madam, I have too much shame to live. Had Heaven preserv’d my Innocence intire, That I with confidence might have ador’d you, Though I had been successless; Yet I had liv’d and hop’d, and aim’d to merit you: But since all hopes of that are taken from me, My Life is but too poor a Sacrifice, To make atonement for my Sins to you.

Gal. I will not answer thee to what thou hast said, But only beg thou wilt preserve thy life, Without which mine will be of little use to me.

Alcip. Might I without a sin believe this Blessing, Sure I should be immortal.

Falatio peeps in again.

Fal. I think I may venture, the fury is past, and the great shot spent, the mad Captain General’s wounded; so, I hope ‘twill let out some of his hot blood—

Enter the King, Cleontius, and Attendants.

King. My Love, Alcippus, is despis’d I see, And you in lieu of that return you owe me, Endeavour to destroy me. —Is this an Object for your Rage to work on? Behold him well, Alcippus, ‘tis your Prince. —Who dares gaze on him with irreverend Eyes? The good he does you ought to adore him for, But all his evils ‘tis the Gods must punish, Who made no Laws for Princes.

Alcip. Sir, I confess I’m culpable, And were it not a sin equal to that, To doubt you could forgive me, I durst not hope your mercy after it.

King. I think with all the Tenderness I’m guilty of, I hardly shall be brought to pardon thee.

Phi. I humbly beg you will forgive him, Sir, I drew him to it against his will; I forc’d him, And gave him language not to be indur’d By any gallant man.

King. Whilst you intreat for him, who pleads for you? For you are much the guiltier of the two, And need’st a greater interest to persuade me.

Alcip. It were not just to contradict my Prince, A Prince to whom I’ve been so late a Traitor; But, Sir, ‘tis I alone am criminal, And ‘twas I, Justly I thought provok’d him to this hazard: ’.is I was rude, impatient, insolent, Did like a Madman animate his Anger, Not like a generous Enemy. Sir, when you weigh my Sorrows with this Action, You’ll find no base Design, no Villany there; But being weary of a Life I hated, I strove to put it off, and missing that way, I come to make an offer of it here.

King. If I should take it, ‘twere no more than just; Yet once again I will allow it thee, That thou mayst owe me for’t a second time: Manage it better than the last I gave— [Ex. King.

Phi. Alcippus, may I credit what thou’st said, Or do you feign repentance to deceive me?

Alcip. I never could dissemble at my best, And now methinks your Highness should believe me, When my despairs and little love to life Make me despise all ways that may preserve it.

Phi. If thou wouldst have me credit thee, Alcippus, Thou shouldst not disesteem a Life, which ought To be preserv’d, to give a proof that what thou say’st Is true, and dispossess me of those fears I have, That ‘tis my Life makes thine displeasing to thee.

Alcip. ‘Tis a high proof to give you of my Duty, Yet that’s more ease to me than your Unbelief.

Phi. Let me embrace and thank thee for this goodness. [He offers to embrace him, but he is shy, and keeps a little off. Why dost receive me coldly? I’m in earnest; As I love Honour, and esteem thee generous, I mean thee nothing but a perfect Friendship; By all my hopes I’ve no more quarrels to thee, All ends in this Embrace, and to confirm it I give thee here my Sister to thy Wife.

Alcip. Your Pardon, Sir, I must refuse your bounty, till I know By what strange turn of Fate I came thus blest. To you, my Prince, I’ve done unheard-of injuries, And though your Mercy do afford me life, With this rich present too; Till I could know I might deserve them both, That Life will prove a Plague, and this great Gift Turn to the torment of it.

Phi. Alcippus, ‘tis not kind to doubt me still, Is this a present for a Man I hate?

Alcip. ‘Tis true, Sir, and your bounty does amaze me; Can I receive a blessing of this magnitude With hands, yet have not wash’d away the sin Of your Erminia’s murder? think of that, Sir; For though to me it did appear most just, Yet you must hate the Man that has undone you.

Gal. I see Erminia still usurps your thoughts.

Alcip. I must confess my Soul is scarce diverted Of that fond Passion which I had for her; But I protest before the Gods and you, Did she still live, and I might still possess her, I would refuse it, though I were ignorant Of what the Gods and your fair self design me.

Phi. To doubt thee were a sin below my nature, And to declare my faith above my fear, Behold what I present thee with.

[Goes out, and enters again with Erminia.

Alcip. Ha—Erminia? [He looks afrighted. —It is the same appear’d to me last night, —And my deluded Fancy Would have persuaded me ‘twas but a dream.

Phi. Approach her, Sir, ‘tis no fantasm.

Alcip. ‘Tis she her self, Oh Gods, Erminia! [She goes a little back, as afraid, he kneels. —Ah, Madam, do not fear me in this posture, Which I will never quit till you have pardon’d me; It was a fault the most excusable, That ever wretched Lover did commit; And that which hinder’d me from following thee, Was that I could not well repent the Crime; But like a surly Sinner fac’d it out, And said, I thought ‘twas just, yes, fair Erminia; Hadst thou been mine, I would i’th’ face of Heaven, Proclaim it just and brave revenge: But, Madam, you were Wife to my Prince, And that was all my sin: Alas, in vain I hop’d for some return, And grew impatient of th’unkind delay, And frantickly I then out-run my happiness.

Er. Rise, I forgive thee, from my soul I do; Mayst thou be happier In thy more glorious Passion for the Princess, And all the Joys thou e’er couldst hope from me, Mayst thou find there repeated.

Enter King, Orgulius, and the rest.

Org. First, I’ll keep my word with thee, Receive the welcome present which I promis’d.

[Gives him Erminia, she kneels.

Er. Can you forgive the Griefs I’ve made you suffer?

Org. I can forgive, though ‘twas not kind To let me languish in a desperate Error; Why was this Blessing hid from me alone?

Er. Ah, Sir, so well I knew you lov’d Alcippus, That had you known it e’er the Prince had own’d me, I fear you had restor’d me back again, A Sin too great to load your Soul withal.

Org. My King already has forgiven that Error, And now I come to make my Peace with thee, And that I may with greatest speed obtain it, —To you, Sir, I resign her with as much Joy, [To the Prince. And when they undeceiv’d me Of my opinion of her being dead—

Phi. And I with greater Joy receive your gift. [Bows and takes her.

King. My Lord Alcippus, are you pleas’d with this?

Alcip. Sir, I am so pleas’d, so truly pleas’d with it, That Heaven, without this Blessing on my Prince, Had found but little trouble from my thanks, For all they have shower’d on me; ’.was all I wisht, next my Pretensions here.

King. Then to compleat thy happiness, Take Galatea, since her Passion merits thee, As do thy Virtues her.

[Gives him Gal. they both bow.

Er. Sir, I’ve an humble suit t’your Majesty.

King. Conclude it granted then.

Er. Falatius, Sir, has long made love t’ Isillia, And now he’as gain’d her Heart, he slights the Conquest, Yet all the fault he finds is that she’s poor.

King. Isillia’s Beauty can supply that want; Falatius, what d’ye say to’t?

Fal. By Jove, Sir, I’ll agree to any thing; for I believe a handsome young Wife at Court may bring a Man a greater Fortune than he can in Conscience desire. [Takes Isillia.

Er. Aminta, be persuaded. [Aside to Am.

Am. He’d use me scurvily then.

Alcan. That’s according as you behav’d yourself, Aminta.

Am. I should domineer.

Alcan. I then should make love elsewhere.

Am. Well, I find we shall not agree then.

Alcan. Faith—now we have disputed a point I never thought on before, I would willingly pursue it for the humour on’t, not that I think I shall much approve on’t.

Pis. Give him your hand, Aminta, and conclude, ’.is time this haughty humour were subdu’d. By your submission, whatsoe’er he seem, In time you’ll make the greater Slave of him.

Am. Well—not from the hope of that, but from my Love, His change of humour I’m content to prove. Here take me, Alcander; Whilst to Inconstancy I bid adieu, I find variety enough in you.

[He takes her and bows.

King. Come my brave Youths, we’ll toil our selves with Joys, And when we’re weary of the lazy play, We’ll search abroad to find new Conquests out, And get fresh Appetites to new Delights: It will redouble your vast stock of Courage, And make th’uneasy Humour light and gentle; When you remember even in heat of Battle, That after all your Victories and Spoil, You’ll meet calm Peace at home in soft Embraces. Thus may you number out your happy years,

Till Love and Glory no more proofs can give Of what they can bestow, or you receive.

[Exeunt.

EPILOGUE,

By a Woman.

We charged you boldly in our first advance, And gave the Onset à la mode de France, As each had been a Joan of Orleance.

_Like them our Heat as soon abated too; Alas we could not vanquish with a Show, Much more than that goes to the conquering you.

The Trial though will recompense the Pain, It having wisely taught us how to reign; ’.is Beauty only can our Power maintain.

But yet, as tributary Kings, we own It is by you that we possess that Throne, Where had we Victors been, we’ad reign’d alone.

And we have promised what we could not do; A fault, methinks, might be forgiven too, Since ‘tis but what we learnt of some of you.

But we are upon equal treatment yet, For neither conquer, since we both submit; You to our Beauty bow, we to your Wit_.