OCR Text |
Show i78 Secret-Love : Or, SONG. I J . ich fo torments • both pains my Heart, and yet contents m 'lis fitch a ; •''•', and I fo love it, That I had rather die than once remove it. he for whom I grieve ft all never know it, My Tonga ot betray, nor my Eyesjbow it r a Tear, my Pain dtfdofes, But thi • tike dew on Roles. Thus to my Love from being cruel, .orifice as 'tis the fuel: And while I fuffer this to give him quiet, My Faith rewards my Love, though he deny On his Eyes will I gaze, and the} ne ; While I conceal my Love, >. To be more Happy I dare not afpire ; Nor can I fall more low, mounting no higher. Qu. Peace! methinks I hear the noife Of clafliing Swords, and clatt'ring Arms below. Enter Flavia. N o w , what News, that you prefs in fo rudely? Fla. Madam, the worft that can be ; Your Guards upon the fudden are furpriz'd, Difarm'd, fome Slain, all Scatter'd. Qu. By w h o m ? tla. Prince Lyfimantes, and Lord Philocles. Qu. It cannot be; Philocles is a Prifoner. Fla. W h a t m y Eyes faw Qu. Pull 'em out, they are falfe Spectacles. '/. O Vertue, impotent and blind as Foi r W h o would be good, or pious, if this Queen T h y great Example fuffers! Qu. Peace, Afteria, accufe not Vertue; She has but given m e a great occafion Of fhowing what l a m when Fortune me. Aft. Philocles, to do this! Qu. I, Philocles, I muft confefs 'twas hard! But there's a fate in kindnefs Still, to be leaft return'd where moft 'tis given. Where's Candiope ? Fla. Philocles was w hifpering to her. Qu. Hence Screech-Owl • call m y Guards quickly there: Put 'em apart in feveral Prifons. 5! I had forgot I have no Guards, But thofe which are m y Jaylors, Never till n o w unhappy Queen: The ule of Pow'r, till loft, is feidom known; N o w I would ftrike I find m y thund6l. gpne; [£^ Q ^ ^ ^ m , ,n Philocles Enters, and meets Afteria going out. Phil. Afteria ! Where's the Queen ? -Aft. Ah m y Lord what have you done» I came to feek you. Phil. Is it from her you come ? Aft No, but on her behalf: her heart's too grc S ? lo¥. e t b of Fortu^, to intreat. h ™ \ ' ^ls b^t a fhort Eclipfe, Which paft a glorious day will foon enfue : 1 $£d a?a favour t00' from you. Thofe r W ^ ^ n q U e r 0 ^ s P e t l t i o n ' they C o m m a n d : Thofe that can Captive Queens, w h o can withftand ? pM The Maiden-Queen. Phil. She, with her happinefs, might mine create ; 'Yet feems indulgent to her o w n ill fate : But fhe, in fecret, hates m e fure ; for w h y If not, fhould file Candiope deny ? Aft. If you dare truft m y knowledge of her mind, She has no thoughts of you that are unkind. Phil. I could m y forro*vs with fome patience bear, Did they proceed from any one but her : But from the Queen ! whofe Perfon I adore, By Duty much, by inclination more. Aft. H e is inclin'd already, did he know That flic lov'd him, h o w would this Paffion grow ! Phil. That her fair hand with Deftiny Combines ! Fate ne'er ftrikes deep, but when unkindnefs pins / For, to confefs the' fecret of m y mind., Something fo tender for the Queen I find, ^ That ev'n Candiope can fcarce remove, And, were fhe lower, I fhould call it love. Aft. She charg'd m e not this fecret to betray, But I beft ferve her if I difobcy : For, if he loves, 'twas for her int'reft done ; If not, he'll keep it fecret for his own. Phil. W h y are you in obliging m e fo flow? Aft. T h e thing's of great importance you would know ; And you muft firft fwear fecrefie to all. Phil. I fwear: Aft. Yet hold ; your Oath's too general: Swear that Candiope fhall never know. Phil. I fwear: Aft. N o not the Queen her felf: Phil. I vow. Aft. Y o u wonder w h y I a m fo cautious grown In telling what concerns your felf alone : But fpare m y V o w , and guefs what it m a y be That makes the Queen deny Candiope.- . • 'Tis neither hate nor pride that moves her mind ; Methinks the Riddle is not hard to find. ' Phil. Y o u feem fo great a wonder to intend, As were, in m e , a Crime to apprehend. Aft. 'Tis not a Crime to know ; but would be one T o prove ungrateful when your Duty's known. Phil. W h y would you thus m y eafie Faith abufc .' I cannot think the Queen fo ill would chufe. But ftay, n o w your Impofture will appear; She has her felf confefs'd fhe lov'd eliewhe.'e O n fome ignoble choice has plac'd her fieart; One w h o wants Quality, and more Deiert. Aft. This though unjuft, you have moft right to lay, For, if you'll rail againft your felf, you may. Phil.'Dull that I was/ A thoufand things n o w crowd m y Memory, That makes m e know it could be none but I. Her Race was Love : and its tempeftuous Flame, _ Like Lightning, fliow'd the Heaven from w hence jt came. But in her Kindnefs m y o w n Shame I fee; Have I Dethron'd her then, for loving m e ? I hate m y felf for that which I have done, M u c h more, difeover'd, than I did unknown. H o w does fhe brook her ttrange Impnfonrnent Aft. A s great Souls fhould, that make them o w n content. The hardeft term fhe for your aft could find W a s only this, O Philocles, unkind ! . Then, fetting free a figh, from her fair Eyes She wip'd two Pearls, the remnant ot wild fhow Which hung, like drops upon the Bells ot Flowers: |