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Show 28 The FAIR PENITENT. Hor. N o n e fhou'd; but 'tis a bufy, taking World That w th licentious Breath blows like the Wind, As freely en tht Palace, as the Cottage. Cal. Whatmyftick Riddle lurks beneath thy Words, Which thou wou'd ft feem unwilling to expref, AvS meant Difhonour to m y Virtue ? A v. ambiguous fhuffling Pharfe, A n d lei thy Oracle be uauerftood. Hvr. Lothario \ Cal. H a ! what wou'dft thou mean by him ? Hor. Lothario and Califtal Thus they join T w o Names, which Heav'n decreed fhould never meet; Hence have the Talkers of this populous Gty, A ftumeful Tale to tell for Sport, O f an unhappy Beauty, a falle Fair One, W h o plighted to a nohle Youth her Faith, W h e n /lie had giv'n her Honour to a Wretch. Caf. Death! and Confufion! Have fliv'd to this? Thus to be trc-ated with unmanly Ir.folencc! T o be the Sport of aloofe Rutiian's Tongue! Thus to be u^'d! thus like rhe vihft Creature, T h a t ever was a Slave to Vice and Infamy. Hor. By Honour and fur Truth, you wrong m e much; Fo~, on m y Soul, nothing but ftrong Neceftity Gnu*d urge m y Tongue t»this ungrateful Office : 1 cam? with ftrong Relucl-ir^cc, as if Death Hzd ftood a-crofsmy way to fave your Honour, "Yours rrd Sciolto^s] yours and Altumr,nt'ls; L/k" one w h o venturts through a burning Pile, T o fave his tender Wife w ih all her Brood O f little Fond'ings, from the dreadful Puin. C h s! is th s th? famous Fr end of Altamont I For r.ob'e Worth, and Deeds of Arms renown'd? jstlv's! this Tale-bearing, officious Fell :r, Thar \v?fcbcs *or inrelt-gence from E\cs; This wretched Argm ot s jealous Husband, lb.: f.Vs his e-fy Eirs w to monftrous Tales, And rrakes him tofs, and rave, and wreak at length Rleod | Revenge on h s defenct ltfs W»fc; U h o guif Ufs diea, becaufe her Fool ran msd. Ihx. Or TkFAIR PENITENT. *9 m A^as! this Rage is vain; t*tfi^2£' f P ce be worth your Care, you muft be calm, A d iften to the Means are left to frve em. JiSthelucky Minute of your Fate. 1Z sour Genius fpeaks, by m e it warns you, >-iver to fee that curft Lotpano more; U*lefs you mean to be defpis'd, be fhunn d By all your virtuous Maids and noble Matrons; To Infamy, Difeafes, Proftitution Cal Difhonour blaft thee, bafe, unmanner d Slave! That dar'ft forget my Birth, and iacred Sex, And fhock nVwith the rude unhallow'd Sound. ^ Hor. Here kneel, and in the awiul Face of rieav n Breath out a folemn Vow, never to fee, ^ Nor think, rfpoflible, on him that ru'.n'd thee ; Or by my Altamont's dear Life I fwear, Ibis'Paper 1 Nay you muft not fly! This Paper, [Ho'din^ber. This guilty Paper fhall divulge your Shame Cal. What oiean'ft thou by that Psper? What Contrivance lh.il thou been forg'ng to deceive m y Father, T o turn his He.-rt againlf his wretched Daughter, That Altamont add, thou may fhare his Wealth ? A Wrong like this will make m e ev'n forget The Weaknefs of my Sex Oh for a Sword, To urge my Vengeance on the Villain's Hand That mrg'd the Scrowl. Her. Behold, can this be forg'd ? See where Califta'* N a m e - . r , rr, A , [Skewing the Letter near, Caf. T o Atoms thus, [Tearing it. Thus let me tear the vile, detefted Falfhood> " fhe wicked, lying Evidence of Shame. Hor. Lonfufion! Ca\1. Henceforth, thou officious Fool, Meddle no more, nor dare ev*n on thy L i * I\L f '/u i C C f m that m a ? ^uch m y Virtue: 1 am myfelf the Gurdian of m y Honour, ' And wo not bear fo mfoleot a Monitor; Enter |
