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Show A 28o E S 0 P. Efop. Let m y Rival ftand next m e : Of all Men I'd have him be fatisfy'd. Or. Barbarous inhuman Monfter J Efop. N o w , Prieft, do thy Office. Flourifh with the Trumpets. Prieft. Since the eternal Laws of Fate decree, That H e , thy Husband; She, thy Wife fhou'd be, May Heaven take you to its Care, May Jupiter look down, \ Place on your Heads Contentment's Crown ; s And may his Godhead never frown • j Upon this happy Pair. [Flourifi again of Trumpets. [As the Priefl pronounces the laft Line, Efop joins Oronces and Euphronia'* Hands. Or. O happy Change! Bleftings on Bleftings wait on the generous Efop. Efop. Happy, thrice happy may you ever be, "\ And if you think there's fomething due to m e > Pay it in mutual Love and Conftancy. J Euph. to Efop.] You'll pardon me, moft generous Man, if in the prefent Tranfports of m y Soul, which you your felf have by your Bounty caus'd, m y willing Ton<uie is ty'd from uttering the Thoughts that flow from a moft grateful Heart. Efop. For what I've done I merit little Thanks Since what I've done m y Duty bound m e to. I wou'd your Father had acquitted his: But he who's fuch a Tyrant o'er his Children, T o facrifice their Peace to his Ambition, Is fit to govern nothing but hfmfelf. To Lear.] And therefore, Sir, at m y return to Court I fhall take care this City may be fway'd By more Humanity than dwells in you. Lear, afide.] I fhall be a great Man. Euph. to Efop.] Had I not reafon, from your conftant Goodnefs, T o judge your Bounty, Sir, is infinite, 1 fhou'd not dare to fue for farther Favours: But pardon m e , i, imitating Heaven and you, 1 eafily forgive m y aged Father, And ESOP. 28i And beg that Efip wou'd forgive him too. _ [Kneeling to him. hjop. The Injury he wou'd have done to you was great indeed : But 'twas a Bleffing he defign'd for me. If therefore you can pardon him, I may. To Lear.] Your injur'd Daughter, Sir, has on her Knees mtreated for her cruel barbarous Father ; and by her Goodnefs has obtain'd her Suit. If in the Remnant of your days you can find out fome way to recom-penfe her, do it, that M e n and Gods may pardon you, as fhe and I have done. But let m e fee, I have one Quarrel ftill to make up. Where's m y old Friend, Doris ? Dor. She's here, Sir, at your Service ; and as much your Friend as ever : True to her Principles, and firm to her Miftrefs. But fhe has a much better Opinion of you now than fhe had half an hour ago. Efop. She has reafon: For m y Soul appear'd then as deform'd as m y Body. But I hope now one may fo far mediate for t'other, that provided I don't make Love, the W o m e n won't quarrel with m e ; for they are worfe Enemies even than they are Friends. Come, Gentlemen, I'll humour m y Drefs a little longer, and fhare with you in the Diverfions thefe boon Companions have prepar'd us. Let's take our Places, and fee h ow they can divert us. Efop leads the Bride to her Place. All being feated, there's a fhort Confort of Hautboys, Trumpets, ckc. After vjhich a Dance between an old Man and a young Woman, who fijuns him fiill as he comes near her. At lafi he flops, and begins this Dia* logue ; which they fing together. Old Man. Why fo cold, and why fo coy ? What I want in Youth and Fire , I have in Love and in Defire : To my Arms, my Love, my Joy ; Why fo cold, and why fo coy ? Woman. |