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Show I • 94 The *Difappointment; or% Clar. M a d a m , m y Lord. dlph. Miftrefs, you, I guefs your reverend Function by your Face. Nay, here's M o n y for you: A n Ounce of Gold for but a Grain of Truth: Canft thou inform m e of thy Lady's Thoughts! H o w they're employ'd! on w h o m ? O tell m e that, And I will yet believe thou may'ft live on Some Years in Sin, before th'art to be damn'd. Clar. Good Heav'n defend m y Lord! Alph. Nay, then thou art a praying Chamber-Baw< And Truth abhors thee. Foh! h o w fhe ftinks o'th'o [Thrufts he, Erm. M y Lord! m y much lov'd Lord! H o w has m y Ignorance betray'd m y Peace, And robb'd m e of your Love ? Alas! I own, Freely confefs the Frailties of m y Sex, With all its forms of Follies, here before you: O h thew if I have blindly ftumbled on A Fault, in pity to m y Weaknefs, you M y Lord, will pardon it. Alph. Does the remembrance of any Sia Upbraid your Thoughts? Erm. M y Sins are infinite, As is the Mercy of relenting Heav'n. But I defie m y Memory, combin'd "With the fevereft Malice of m y Fate, Since the firft happy Minute of our Loves, T o point m e to a Crime againft m y Lord. Alph. What! not in Thought, Erminia ? Erm. N o , indeed! Not even in Thought, as I do hope for Heav'n! Alph. Then where's the need of Pardon? youarejuftify1 Erm. Alas! I do befeech you on m y Knees, With ftreaming Eyes, and a poor bleeding Heart, Inform m e : Let that Tempeft on your Brow Fall on the wretched Head of loft Erminia-, But fpeak! O let m y Accufation come, And tell m e what I've done to m o v e you thus. ^ . D a m n a t i o n ! done! Speak, anfwer m e ! wkw The M O T H E R in Fa/hion. 95" K O, were it come to that; did I but once »Sfe a flight Sufpicion of the Deed j fwere not time for Words minia, I believe you've done no Fault; vm Then I a m happy in m y Innocence. Z There's not a Line in all that beauteous Face, ,/promifes the Picture of a Whore j Heav'n! fhe fhould be honeft to the Soulj 11 could curfe that firft feducing Pneft, ho with falfe Reafons triumph'd o'er the World, j reconcil'd Mankind to Slavery: lilft he, and all that reverend, fatted Tribe, ull'd in the Arts of Luxury, and Eafe, jfely refus'd the Doctrines that they taught, 1(j only damn'd the Laiety to a Wife. Irm. Did you not name your Wife? Alph. I did, Erminia •, d with a Curfe upon the cunning Prieft, at conjur'd us together in a Yoak, jat galls m e now. Irm. Wou'd I had never been, [never liv'd to hear you curfe m e from you. \Alph. No, I will ever blefs you to m y Grave. Irm. Will you! then fure, oh fure, you cannot hate m e ! Alph. By Heav'n and Earth! I never can, Erminia ! ID: by th'eternal Majefty that awes m e, anguifh with the fondnefs of m y Love, illdoat, and fain would keep thee to m y Heart: k! thou'rt the very Fountain of m y Joys, ie Spirit of m y Peace, m y Spring ot Life, ilthat m y Wifhes would, or Heav'n can give; |tt, oh eternal Torment to m y Love! emuft, w e muft, Erminia- . \lrm. What, m y Lord? fure my Heai bt muft we J I tire my Heart informs m e of m y Fate: lft we? *&. |