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Show fo OEDIPUS. M y Upper-Garment, to put on, throw off, As I think beft: 'Tis m y obedient Confcience. tAdraft. Infamous Wretch/ Cre. M y Confcience fhall not do m e the ill OffiCc T o fave a Rival's Life: W h e n thou art dead (As dead rhou flialt be, or be yet more bafe Than thou think'ft m c , By forfeiting her Life, to fave thy own } K n o w this , and let it grate thy very Soul, She fhall be mine •, (flic is, if Vows were binding;] Mark me; the Fruit of all thy Faith and Paition Ev'n of thy foolifh Death, fhall all be mine. ' . eAdrafi. Thine fay'ft thou, Monfter? Shall m y Love be rhine? O h , I can bear no morel Thy cunning Engines have with Labour rais'd M y heavy Anger , like a mighty Weight, T o fall, and pufli thec dead/ See here thy Nuptials: fee thou rafh Ixion, [Dw#j( Thy promis'd \uno vanifli'd in a Cloud i And in her room avenging Thunder rolls, T o blaft thec t h u s - Come b o t h .- Cre. 'Tis what I wifh'd : [Bothdmt N o w fee whofe A r m can launch the finer Bolt, And who's the better Jove. [FK4 Eur. Help; Murder j help/ Enter Ha*mon and Guards, run betwixt them, a»d beat down their Swords. Hxm. Hold, hold your impious Hands: I think the Furies, T o w h o m this Grove is hallow'd, have infpir'd you: N o w , by m y Soul, the holicft Earth of Thebes You have prophan'd with W a r . Nor Tree* nor Plant Grows here, but what is fed with Magick juice; All full of humane Souls, that cleave their Barks, Ti I O E D I PV S JI To dance at Midnight, by the Moon's pale Beams. At leaft two hundred Years thefe reverend Shades Uare known no Blood, but of black Sheep and Oxen, Shed by the PrieflTs o w n Hand, to Proferpine. ' ^draft. Forgive a Stranger's Ignorance: I knew The Honours of the Place. (not Htm. Thou , Creon , didft. Mot Oedipus , were all his Foes here lodg'd, Durit violate the Religion of thefe Groves, To touch one fingle Hair -, but muft, unarm'd , Parle, as in Truce, or furlily avoid Whar moft he long'd to kill. Cre. I drew not firft ; But in m y o w n defence. tAdrajl. I was provok'd Beyond Man's Patience: All Reproach cou d urge, Was us'd to kindle one not apt to bear. Ham. 'Tis Oedipus, not I, muit judge this Act. Lord Creon , you and Diodes retire: Tircfias and the Brotherhood of Priefts , Approach the place : None at thefe Rites afliit, But you th' accus'd; w h o by the Mouth of Lajus Muft be abfolv'd , or doom'd. tjdrafl. I bear m y Fortune. Eur. And I provoke m y Trial. Ham. 'Tis at hand: . . „ . ,, For, fee, the Prophet comts, with Vervain crown d; The Priefts with Yeugh ; a venerable Band : W e leave you to the Gods. [£x<f.Ha;mon, 'with Crcon andDioclcs. Enter Tirefias , led by Manto: The Priefts follow, all cloathed in long blacl^ Habits Tir. Approach, ye Lovers: Ill-fated Pair/ w h o m feeing nor, I know: This Day your kindly Stars in Heav'n were joyn di 11 D l When |