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Show "MaTmgc A-la-Mode. 4- Enter Leonidas. Icon. Hermogenes and E^K**^* Thofe of our Party, whom left without, ^ ^ ^ ^ Expect your Aid and Counfel. Palm. I Ihould, Leonidas, ™ ^ g This happy Change ot y ^ « ^ f t _ £ * But, as 23 Joy, fo ^ J ^ e f s thaTof U : Leon. I frame not any to be hid from you. You, in my Love, all my Mf*™?**^ But what have Love and you defignd for me? Fo t me, once more, has fet the Ballanccjng : Firft cnuall'd us inlownefs, then, in height. £ £ ' o f t have fo long, like Gamefters thrown Till Fate comes round, and gives to each his own. As Fate is equal, fo may Love appear: Tell me, at leaft, what I muft Hope, or Fear. Palm. After fo many Proofs, H o w canyon call M v Love in doubt ? Fear nothing, and Hope, all. Think what a Prince, with Honour, may receive, Or I mav aive without a Parents leave. IeTnVou give, and then reftrain the Grace you (how , Asoftentatious Priefts, when Souls they wooe, Promife their Heav'n to all, but Grant to lew. But do for me, what I have dar'd for you. I did no Argument from Duty bring : Duty's a N a m e , and Love's a Real thing. Palm. Man's Love may, like wild Torrents, overflow : Woman's as deep, but in its Banks muft go. M y Love is mine , and that I can impart, But cannot give m y Perfon with m y Heart. Leon. Your Love is then no Gift: For when the Perfon it does not convey, 'Tis to give Gold, and not to give the Key. Palm. Then ask m y Father. Leon, . He detains m y Throne: W h o holds back mine, will hardly give his own. Palm. W h a t then remains ? Leon. •-That I muft have recourfe To Arms, and take m y Love and Crown by force. Hermogenes is forming the Defign, And with him all the Brave and Loyal join. Palm. And is it thus you Court Palmyras Bed? Can fhe the Murd'rer of her Parent W e d ? Defift from Force: So much you well may give To Love, and Me, to let m y Father live. Leon. Each Act of mine m y Love to you has fhown , But you, who tax m y want of it, have none. You bid me part with you, and let him live, But they fhould nothing ask, who nothing give. Palm. I give what Virtue, and what Duty can, In vowing ne'er to W e d another Man. Leon. You will be fore'd to be Argaleoti's Wife. Palm. I'll keep m y Promife, though 1 lofe m y Life. Leon. Then you lofe Love, for which we both contend, For Life is but the means, but Love's the end. Palm. Our Souls fhall love hereafter. Leon. 1 much fear That Soul which could deny the Body here, To Tafte of Love, would be a niggard there. Palm. Then 'tis paft Hope ; our cruel Fate, I fee, Will make a fad Divorce 'twixt you and me. Marriage A-la-Mode. .f peZ. T^zzzl^f °** **«* \\fu°"c' THo,d' once mo] vet as he W h o foapes a dangerous Leap, I ,oks bact to fee. So I defire, now I am paft m y tear 9 To know what was that Oath you meant to fwear falm I meant, that if you hazarded your Life Or fought m y Father's, ne'er to be your Wife Leon. S K now Palmyra, how unkind you prove* Could you, with fo much eafe, forfwear m y Love ?' I aim. You force m e with your ruinous Defign. Leon. Your Father s Life is more your Care than mine. Palm. You wrong me : 'tis not, tho it ou«mt to be You are m y Care Heav'n knows,'as well af h Y ' Leon. If now the execution I delay M y Honour, and m y Subjects, I betray All is prepared for the juft Enterprize • And the whole City will to Morrow KKc. The Leaders of the Party are within, And Eubulus has Sworn that he will bring To head their Arms, the Perfon of their King. Palm In telling this, you make me guilty too; 1 therefore muft difcover what I know : What Honour bids you do, Nature bids me prevent- But kill me firft, and then purfue your black intent. ' Leon. Palmyra, no, you fhall not need to die; Yet I'll not truft fo ftrict a Piety. Within there. Enter Eubulus. ' -Eubulus, a Guard prepare , Here I commit this Pris'ner to your Care. < Kifies PaJmyra's Hand, then Palm. Leonidas, I never thought thefe Bands 1 .ha it to Eubulus. Could e er be giv n me by a Lover's Hands. Leon. Palmyra, thus your Judge himfelf arraigns, [ Kir din- He who impos'd thefe Bonds, ftill wears your Chains • W h e n you to Love or Duty falfe muft be, ^ Or to your Father guilty, or to me, C Thefe Chains alone, remain to fet you free. \ Noife of Swords clajlho. Poly. {Within. ] Secure thefe, firft, then fearch the inner Room. Leon. From whence do thefe tumultuous Clamours come? Enter Hermogenes haflilj. Her. W e are betray'd ,#and there remains alone This Comfort, that your Perfon is not known. Enter the King, Argaleon, Rhodophil, Palamede, Guards , fame like Citizens as Prifoners. Poly. What mean thefe Midnight-conlultations here, Where I, like an unfummon'd Gueft, appear? Leon. Sir, • Arga. There needs no excufe , 'tis underftood, You were all watching for your Prince's good. Poly. M y Reverend City-Friends, you are well met! On what great W o r k were your grave Wifdoms fet ? Which of m y Actions were you fcanning here? What French Invafion have you found to Year? Leon. They are m y Friends, and come, Sir, with intent To take their leaves before m y Banifhmenr. Poly. Your Exile, in both Sexes, Friends can find: I fee the Ladies, like the Men, are kind. [ Seeing Palmyra** Palm. Alas, I came but - [ Kneel Poly. • Add not to your Crime A Lie: I'll hear you fpeak fome other time. T t t |