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Show ', $A Secret-Love : Or, Phil, I only judge his aaions by m y own. Qu. I've heard too much, and you too muc 1, laid. 0 Heav'ns, the fecret of m y Soul's betray'd ! H e knows m y love, I read it m Ins Face, A nd blufhes, confcious of his Queen's difgrace.- [Afide. Hence quickly, hence, or I ftiall die with fhame. [To htm. Phil. N o w I love both, and both with eqiul flame. Wretched I came, more wretched I retire, .«.••', When two Winds blow it w h o can quench the lire xit Philocles- Qu. O m y Afteria I know not w h o m t' accufe j But either m y own Eyes or you, have told M y love to Philocles. \ Is't poffible that he fhould know it, M a d a m ! Qu. Methinks you ask'd that queftion guiltily. Confefs, for I will know, what was thefubjeet of your long difcourfe [Her hand on Afteria's fhoulder. V th' Antichamber with him. Aft. It was bufinefs to convince him, Madam, H o w ill he did, being fo much oblig'd, T o ioin in your Imprifonment. Qu. Nay, now I am confirm'd m y thought was true; For you could give him no fuch reafon Of his Obligements as m y Love. Aft. Becaufe I faw him much a Malecontent, I thought to win him to your intereft, Madam, By telling him it was no want of kindnefs Made your refufal of Candiope. And he perhaps Qu. What of him now. Aft. As Men are apt, interpreted m y words T o all th' advantage he could wreft the fence, As if I meant you lov'd him. Qu. Have I depofited within thy Breaft The deareft Treafure of m y Life, m y Glory, And haft thou thus betray'd m e ! B^it w h y do I accufe thy Female weaknefs And not my«.own for tiufting thee ! Unhappy Queen, Philocles knows thy fondnefs, And needs muft think it done by thy Command. . Dear Madam, think not fo. Qu. Peace, Peace, thou fhould'ft for ever hold thy tongue. For it has fpoke too much for all thy life. [To her. 1 hen Philocles has told Candiope, And courts her kindnefs with his feorn of me. O whither am I fallen! But I muft rouze m y felr^ and give aftoo T o all thefe ills by headlong Paffion caus'd; in hearts refolv'd weak love is put to flight, And only conquers when w e dare not fight. But w e indulge our harms, and while he gains An entrance, pleafe our felves into our pains. Enter Lyfimantes. Aft. Prince Lyfimantes, Madam! '. C o m e near you poor deluded Criminal; how Ambition cheats you : thought to find a Prifoner here, But you behold a Queen. Lyf. And may you long be fo : 'tis true this Act May caufe fome wonder in your Majefty. Qg. None, Coufin, none; I ever thought you Ambitious, Proud, defigning. Lyf. Yet all m y Pride, Defigns, and m y Ambition TV ere taughtf m e by a Mafter With w h o m you are not unacquainted, Madam. Qg Explain your felf; dark purpofes, like yours, ia an Interpretation. ; - - I •!•!• •••••• I 1 - 1 The Maiden-Queen. x g^ Lyf. 'Tis Love I mean. Qu. Have m y low Fortunes giv'n thee ThisInfolence, to name it to thy Queen? Lyf. Yet you have heard love nam'd without offence As much below youasyou think m y Paffion, I can look down onyouis. Qv. Does he know it too ! This is th' extremeft Malice of m y Stars / t /tflJ* Lyf. You fee, that Princes faults, J {Row e'r they think 'em fafe from publick view) Fly out through thc dark Crannies oftheirClofets: W e know what the Sun does, Ev'n when w e fee him not in t' other World. Qu. M y actions, Coufin, never fear'd the light. Lyf. Produce him then, you darling ofthe dark, For fuch an one you have. Qu. I know no fuch. Lyf. You know, but will not own him. Qu. Rebels ne'er want pretence to blacken Kings, And this, it feems, is yours: do you produce him, Or ne'er hereafter fully m y Renown With this afperfion : • Sure he dares not name him. [Afide. Lyf. I a m too tender of your Fame ; or elfe Nor are things brought to that extremity: Provided you accept m y Paffion, I'll gladly yield to think I was deceiv'd. Qu. Keep in your error ftill; I will not buy Your good opinion at fo dear a rate, As m y own Mifery by being yours. Lyf D o not provoke m y Patience by fuch fcorns' For fear I break through all and name him to you. Qu. Hope not to fright m e with your mighty looks ; Know I dare ftem that tempeft in your brow, And dafh it back upon you. Lyf. Spight of Prudence it will out : 'Tis Philocles. N o w judge, when I was made a property T o cheat m y felf by making him your Prifoner, Whether I had not right to take up Arms ? * Qu. Poor envious Wretch! W a s this the Venome that fwell'd up thy Breaft? M y grace to Philocles mif-deem'd m y Love! Lyf. 'Tis true, die Gentleman is Innocent; He ne'er finn'd up fo high, not in his wifhes ; You know he loves elfewhere. Qu. You mean your Sifter. Lyf. I wifh fome Sybil now would tell m e W h y you refus'd her to him ? Qu. Perhaps I did not think him worthy other. ^ Lyf. Did you not think him too worthy, Madam? This is too thin a Vail to hinder your Paffion, T o prove you love him not, yet give her him, And I'll engage m y honour to lay down m y Arms. Qu. He is arriv'd where I would wifh • [Afide. Call in the Company and you fhall fee what I will do. - - E Lyf. W h o waits without there ? 1 [Exit Lyf Qu. N o w hold, m y heart, for this one act of honour, And 1 will never ask more Courage of thee : Once more I have the means to reinftate m y felf into m y glory; I feel m y love to Philocles within me Shrink, and pull back m y heart from this hard tryal, But it muft be when glory fays it muft, As Children wading from fome Rivers Bank Firft try the Water with their tender Feet; • Then fhruddring up with cold, ftep back again, A a And |