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Show 55, Tbe JJngnatwn: Of, 1 fimply lov'd, and meant ( with Shame I own it) To truft m y Virgin Honour in your hands. I ask'd not Wealth, for hire , and, but by chance, (I wonder that I thought on't) begg'd one Tryal, And, but for Form, to have pretence to yield, And that you have deny'd me. Farewel: I could Have lov'd you, and yet, perhaps, I Duke. 0 fpeak, fpeak out, and do not drown that word , It feem'd as if it would have been a kind one, And yours are much too precious to be loft. Luc. Perhaps 1 cannot yet leave loving you. There 'twas. But I recall'd it in m y Mind, And made it falfe before I gave it Air. Once more, farewel Iwo'not, N o w I can fay I wo'not, wo'not love you. [ Going. Duke. You fhall, and this fhall be the Seal of m y Affection. [ Gives the Letter. There, take it, m y Lucretia: I give it with more Joy, Than I with Grief receiv'd it. Luc. Good night, I'll Thank you for't fome other time. Duk'. You'll not abufe m y Love ? Luc N o , but fecure m y Honour. Duke. I'll force it from your Hands. [_ Lucretia runs. Luc Help, help, or I am Ravifh'd, help, fof Heaven's fake. Hippolita, Laura and Violetta. within, in fever al places. Within. Help, help Lucretia^ they bear away Lucretia byTorce. Dulie. I think there is a Devil in every corner. Enter Valerio. Val. Sir, the defign was laid on purpofe for you, and all the W o m e n plac'd to cry. Make hafte away, avoid the fhame for Heaven's fake. Duke going. ] O, I could fire this Monaftery. Enter Frederick and Afcanio. [ Frederick Entring, fpeaks as to fome behind him. ] Fred. Pain of your Lives, let none of you prefume to Enter but m y felf. Duke. M y Son ! O, I could burft with Spite, and die with Shame, to be thus apprehended! this is the bafenefs and cowardife of Guilt: A n A r m y now were not fo dreadful to me as that Son, o'er w h o m the right of Nature gives mc power. D Fred. Sir, I a m c o m e - - - Duke. To Laugh at firft, and then to blaze abroad The Weaknefs and the Follies of your Father. Vol. Sir, he has M en in Arms attending him. ^D"k% l -k/!!0W n!yJ°2m then' Y o u Have taken a P°Pul*r occafion , I am now a Rav.fher of Chaftity, fit to be made Prifoner firft, and then Depos'd. rred. You will not hear me, Sir. Duke. No, I confefs I have deferv'd m y Fate • For, What had thefe gray Hairs' to do with Love ? ffii '^^.^eemly Folly would poflefs me, W by fhould I chufe to make m y Son m y Rival > r\ [r°? the L,§ht of lt> 'Lucretia's Eyes. M e R&h, £7- '%**? a g?fa t'f t n iy'C r i™s, thou giv'ft Me Right to luftifie em: Thou doubly.art m v Slave Both Son andSubjedr. I can do thee no w r Z ^ Nor haft thou right t'arraign or punifh me • * Bet thou inquir ft into thy Father's Years, ' Thy fwift Ambition could it* ftay m y Death But muft ride Poft to Empire. Le'ad me now': 1 hy Crimes have made me guiftlefs to m y felf Fred. I have fome Friends. Duk'- Speak plainly your intent I love not a fophifticated Truth ' With am-allay of Lye in't Fred Lc ue in a Nunnery. 5 j <• Fred, kneeling. J This is not, Sir, the pofture of a Reb But of a Suppliant, if the N a m e of Son Be too much Honour to me. W h a t firft I purpos'd, I fcarce know m y felf. Love, Anger, and Revenge then rowl'd within m e ; And yet, ev'n then, I was not hurry'd farther Than to preferve m y own. Duke. : Your o w n ! W h a t mean you Fred. M y Love, and, m y Lucretia, which I thought, In m y then boiling Paffion, you purfu'd With fome Injuftice, and much Violence , This led m e to repel that force by force. 'Fwas eafie to furprize you, when I knew Of your intended Vifit. Duke. - Thank m y Folly. Fred. But Reafon now has reaflum'd its place, And makes m e fee h o w black a Crime it is To ufe a Force upon m y Prince and Father. Duke. You give m e hope you will refign Lucretia Fred. A h no : I never can refign her to you , But, Sir, I can m y Life : Which, on m y Knees,- I tender, as th' attoning Sacrifice: Or if your Hand (becaufe you-are a Father) Be loath to take away that life you gave, I will redeem your Crime by making it M y o w n : So you fhall ftill be innocent, and I Die Blefs'd, and unindebted for m y Being. Duke. Embraing him, ] O Frederick,you are too much a Son, And I too little a m a Father: You, And you alone, have merited Lucretia. 'Tis n o w m y only Grief, ] can do nothing to requite this Virtue J For to reftore her to you Is not an A & of Generofity,- But a fcant, niggard Juftice, yet I love her So much, that even this Iktle which I do Is, like the bounty of an Ufurer, High to be priz'd from me, _•_.!_.. Becaufe 'tis drawn from furh a wretched Mind. Fr. kijfmg his hands.] ^> give m e now a fecond better Lite, But, that the Gift may be more eafie to you, Confider, Sir, Lucretia did not love you: I fear to fay ne'er would. . Duke. You do well to help m e to oercome that difficulty: I'll weigh that, too, herafter. For a Love, So violent as mine, will ask long time, And much of Reafon, to effecT the Cure. M y prefent Care fhall be to make you happy , For that will make m y With impoffible And then the Remedies will be more eafie. ; Enter Sophronia, Lucretia, Violetta, Laura, Hippolita. Soph. I have, with Joy, o'erheard this happy change, And come with Bleffing? to applaud your Conqueft, Over the greateft of Mankind, your felt. Duke I hope 'twill be a full and lafting one. Both to mv Prince, and Father ? Dull Rife, rife, loo charming Maid, for yet I cannot Call you Daughter: That firft N a m e Lucretia, Hanson my Lips, and would be ftill pronouncd- Look not too kindly on m e one fweet glance, Perhaps, would ruine both : Therefore: I g o . And try to get new ftrength to bear your Eyes. . m then, Farewell, Be fure you love^ Frederick, ^ |