OCR Text |
Show Or, !il jff^SSfite make hafte into the Cloyfter, d-V^^^sssar** M* °nce entred in,°Reli" Soph, to the Duke Tis not-H" ]dl Trnngs. And told me, that from her I ftould be ^| Where to beftow large Alms, and great nnu On fome near Monaftery. Lucretia, - • •< 4 • The Holv Villon s Will muft be obey d fea_ / * i&fe. He does not know me, fure , ana > Region is the leaft of * * * * £ * £ * , in any Hahit. Were a much fitter Scene for yours, than b Vc^^»orid;*»W^^M feitinc her Voice. So fix d, and raisd above 11. ? lis humble Cell contains and bounds m y W fccs^ M y Charity gives you m y Prayers, and that s all m y Converfe with humane kind. and ken u p o n the(;e eqUal />&. Since when, Madam, have rne v> j Terms of Hoftility? Time was you have b o m ^ ^ e m e m b r a n c e 0f thofe T«V. N o doubt I have been vain, and fintul, out dQ nQt days cannot be pleafant to me now, and therefore, ) F "ft^ThiTwmSo: Your Voice, your Meen, your Stature, betray yon for the fame I (aw laft Night: You know the time and place. £«-. You were not in this Chappel; and I am bound by vow to Itir no farther. , . ,. Duke. But you had too much Wit to keep that Vow. Luc If you perfift, Sir, in this raving Madnefs, I can bring Witnefs of m y Innocence. L S £ D » £ T o fave that Labour, fee if you know that Hand, ^]^Jh^ g ™ you. . L Luc. W h a t do I fee! m y Ruine is inevitable. Duke. You know you merit it: You us'd me ill, and now are in m y Power. Luc. But you, I hope, are much too Noble to deftroy the Fame of a Poor Slly W o m a n ? Duke. Then, in few Words, for I am bred a Soldier, And muft fpeak plain, it is your Love I ask : If you deny, this Letter is produc'd ^ You know the Confequence. Luc I hope I do not: For though there are Appearances againft me, Enough to give you hope I durft not fhun you; Yet, could you fee m y Heart, 'tis a white Virgin-Tablet, On which no Characters of earthly Love Were ever writ: And, 'twixt the Prince and me, lf there were any Criminal Affection, May Heaven this Minute- Duke. Swear not • I believe you : For could 1 think m y Son had e'er enj *'d >'°U> X b»M Love in a Nunnery. 54.1 I fhould not be his Rival. Since he has not, I may have fo much Kindnefs for m y felf, To wifh that Happinefs. Luc. You ask m e what I muft not grant $ Nor, if I lov'd you, would : You know m y V o w of Chaftity. Duke. Yet again that fenfelefs Argument ? The Vows of Chaftity can ne'er be broken, Where Vows of Secrecy are kept: Thofe I'll fwear with you. But 'tis enough, at prefent, you know m y Refolution. I would perfuade, not force you to m y Love 5 And to that end I give you this Night's Refpite. Confider all, that you may fear or hope5 And think that on your Grant, or your Denial, Depends a double Welfare, yours and mine. [Exit. Luc. A double Ruine, rather, if I grant: For what can I expect from fuch a Father, when fuch a Son betrays me ! Could I think of all Mankind, that Frederick could be bafe? And, with the Vanity of Vulgar Souls betray a Virgins Fame? one w h o efteem'd him, and I much fear did more than barely f o - B ut I dare not examine m y felf farther; for fear of confefting to m y o w n Thoughts, a Tendernefs of which he is unworthy. Enter Hippolita. Hip. I watch'd till your old Gallant was gone, to bring you News of your young one. A Mifchief on thefe old dry Lovers, they are good for nothing but tedious Talking : Well, yonder's the Prince at the Grate; I hope I need fay no more to you. Luc. I'll come when I have recover'd m y felf a little. I a m a wretched Creature, Hippolita t the Letter I writ the Prince • Hip. I know it is fain into his Father's Hands by accident. He's as wretched as you too. Well, well, it fliall be m y part to bring you together 5 and then, if two young People that have opportunity, can be wretched and melancholy-- I'll go before and meet Afcanio. [Exit. Luc. I am half unwilling to go, becaufe I muft be Acceffary to her Aliignation with Afcanio h but, for once, I'll meet the Prince in the Garden Walk: I am glad however that he is lefs Criminal than I thought him. [Exeunt SCENE IV. The Nunnery-Garden. Hippolita, Afcanio, meeting Laura and Violetta. Hip. I hear fome Walking this way. W h o goes there ? Lau. W e are the two new Penfioners, Laura and Violetta. Hip' G o in, to your Devotion: Thefe undue Hours of Walking favour too much of Worldly Thoughts. * , Lau. Let us retire to the Arbour, where, by this time, I believe our Friends are. Goodnight, Sifter. v ,r ._ Hip. Good Angels guard you. [J* * f * a * Violetta N o w Brother, the coaft is clear, and we have the Garden to our felves. D o you 'remember how you threatened me ? But that's all one, how good foever the Opportunity may be, fo long as we two refolve to be Virtuous. A felr Speak tor your felf, Sifter, for I am Wickedly inchnd. Yet, I confefs, I have fome Remorfe, when I confider you are in Religion Hio W e fhould do very well to confider that, both of us h for, indeed, W hat fhoufd young People do/but think of Goodnefs and Religion , elpecally when they love one another, aad are alone too Brother ? life* A Curfe on't, here comes m y Lord, and Lucretia W e might hate accompliid all, and been Repenting by this time , yet who the Devil would have thought they thould have come fo foon > _.&* ^ ^ ^ "~T^AWhc7riT Devil would have put it to the Venture ? This is always tbe and we that are elder can feldom get one--- AJ? u a n a Enter Frederick and Lucretia. |