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Show Mov'd me to fay, Leonidas was yours, But when I heard Pdtnyra J ^ * ° * c ' Confcience, The fear of Guiltlefs Blond to ftun my That I refolv'd. ev'n with m y Shame, to Your Daughter's Life. . th,t that Intereft, Poly. But how can I be t m m , ^ Which mov'd you firft to fay ) O u r ^ r D a u g h t e r > Docs not now move you too, to W yo ? nQW Her. Vou had but then m y V W d \b^ll on his Knees a Jewel, and a Letter. Authentick Teftimonies. Sir, m h o , u*« If this will not convince you, let me lufler. 1*^/frtf ** P./v. I know this Jewel well, tw as once m y ^ Which, marrying, I prefented to m y Wife. And this, O this, is m y Eudoaa s Hand. ^^ This was the Pledge of Love given to Eu^Cia, Wfc, 4 * * *> &r young Palmyra few*. *»*'*& ! W * my deareftLor^ receive,^ Own her, and thinkon me, dying fcudoaa. ^ Argaleon. ME f fear, Sir, this is your intended Pageant. You fport your felf at poor Palmyras colt, But if you think to make me proud, Indeed I cannot be fo : I was b om With humble thoughts, and lowly, like m y Birth. A real Fortune could not make me Haughty, Much lefs afeign'd^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ I haVe too much deferv'd thou (hould'ft fufpeft That I am not thy Father , but m y love Shall henceforth fhow I am. Behold m y byes, And fee a Father there begin to flow: This is not feign'd, Palmyra. Palm. I doubt no longer, Sir, you are a King, And cannot Lie: Fallhood's a Vice too bale To find a Room in any Royal breaft. 1 know, in fpight of m y Unworthinefs I am your Child, for when you would have kill d me, Methought I lov'd you then. Arty. Sir, we forget the Prince Leonidas'. His Greatnefs ihould not ftand neglected[thus.. Poly. Guards, you may now retire: Give him his Sword, And leave him free. Leon. Then the firft ufe I make of Liberty; Shall be, with your permiffion, mighty Sir, . -l^V To pay that Reverence to which Nature binds me. {Knelesto Hermogenes. Arga. Sure you forget your Birth, thus to mifplace This Act of your Obedience, you fhould kneel To nothing but to Heav'n, and to a King. Leon. I never fhall forget what Nature owes, Nor be afham'd to pay it, though m y Father Be not a King, I know him brave and honeft, And well deferving of a worthier Son. Poly. He bears it Gallantly. Leon. W h y would you not Inftruct me, Sir, before, [To Herm. Where I fhould place m y duty ? From which, if Ignorance have made mefwerve, I beg your Pardon for anJErringSon. Palm. I almoft grieve I am a Princefs, fince It makes him lofe a Crown. Leon. And next, to you, m y King, thus low I Kneel, T'imrloreyour mercy, if in that fmall time I had the Honour to be thought your Son, I pay'd not ftrict Obedience to your will: •Mgc A-la-Mode. 4.9; I thought, indeed, I fhould not be compelfcP But thought it as your Son, fo what I took In Duty from you, f reftor'd in Courage, Becaufe your Son fhould not be fore'd.' Poly. You have m y Pardon for it. Leon. To you, fair Princefs, 1 congratulate Your Birth, of which I ever thought you worthy: And give me leave to add, that I am proud The God's have pick'd me out to be the M an By whofe dejected Fate yours is to rife, Becaufe no M a n could more defire your Fortune, Or franklier part with his to make you great. Palm. I know the King, though you'are not his Son, Will ftill regard you as m y Fofter-Brother, And fo conduct you downward from a Throne, By flow degrees, fo unperceiv'd and foft, That it may feem no Fall: or, if it be, M a y Fortune lay a Bed of D o w n beneath you. Poly. He fhall be rank'd with m y Nobility, And kept from Scorn by a large Penfion giv'n him. Leon. You are all Great and Royal in your Gifts 5 f Bowing. But at the Donor's Feet I lay 'em clown : Should I take Riches from you, it would feem As I did want a Soul to bear that Poverty To which the Gods defign'd m y Humble Birth : And fhould I take your Honours without Merit, It would appear, I wanted Manly Courage To hope em, in your Service, from m y Sword. Poly. Still*brave, and like your felf. The Court fhall fhine this Night in its full fplendour, And celebrate this new Difcovery. Argaleon, lead m y Daughter : As we go I fhall have time to give her m y Commands, In which you are concern'd. [ Exeunt all but Leonidas. Leon. Methinks 1 do not want That huge long train of fawning followers, That fwept a Furlong after me* 'Tis true, I am alone, So was the Godhead e'r he made the World, And better ferv'd Himfelf than ferv'd by Nature. And yet I Have a Soul Above this Humble Fate. I could Command, Love to do good, give largely to true Merit, All that a King Ihould do: Bat, though thefe are not M y Province, I have Scene enough within To exercife m y Virtue. All that a Heart, fo fix'd as mine, can move, , Is, that m y niggard Fortune ftarves m y Love. {Exit. SCENE II. Palamede and Doralice meet: She with a Bookin her Hand, ferns to ftart at fight of him. Dor. 'Tis a ftrange thing that no warning will ferve your turn , and that no Retirement will fecure me from your impertinent Addreiles! Did not I tell you, that I was to be private here at m y Devotions? ill Yes • and you fee I have obferv'd m y Cue exactly: I am come to relieve you from themlcome, (hut up, fnut up your Book , the Mans come, who is to fuppiy all your Ncccffities. , \tr.^Lx~~i Dor Then it Teems, you are fo impudent to think it was an Affignation? taac&&x^ast^& |
