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Show 88 The cDifap]>Qintment; or, And caft about, to fi d this treacherous Slave That has abus'd you; if I then forfake you, May the fevereft Vengeance of your Fury Fall here, and mark m e with the Villain's Shame. Alph. O ! think'ft thou I a m thus, without juJftCau& Had any broad-moutb'd, ftand'rous Villain faid it, I would have turn'd him outward to the Sun, Diiplay'd th' infe&ed Fountain of his Thoughts, And ftabb'd the venom'd Lie d o w n to his Heart: But w h e n the Duke's o w n Character confirms it! Lor.^ Friend, have a care h o w you purfue thtt Though There's Danger in the way, therefore no more. Alph. And yet, by Heav'n ! I cannot blame the Dak For fhe has Beauty that may juftifie All Actions, that are meant to compafs her. O h ! I a m well acquainted with her Pow'r : I have devoured the Spirit of her Love, *Till drunk with Joy, I reel'd to m y Undoing, Her Eyes have fhot m e with a thoufand Fires j A thoufand Times, the little weeping Loves, That wanton'd in the liquid Cryftal there, Like April Showers melting on m y Cheeks, RefrefiYd m y Veins into a wanton Spring. O fhe is more than I can fpeak or think, T h e fofteft Bofom-Dear! the tendereft Wife! Lor. Yet you would part with her. Alph. Not for the Wealth of Pluto, were ike true: But fhe is falfe, and all m y Comfort n ow Maft be to drive her from m y Thoughts for ever. Lor For ever! Alph. Yes, among the Follies of m y Life, I wou'd Forget the Sex : I wou'd not call to- Mind H o w I have fold the Charter of m y Manhood, T o pleafe the fondnefs of a Woman's Longing: I would not count thofe tedious Hours again, (Tho' in m y Thoughts !) which I have facrihVd T o the fantaftick Pride of that vain Sex. But what I wou'd have bury'd to the World, Is the remembrance of that fatal Hour, In which 1 fondly yentur'd out m y Hopes; K ^ M O T H E R in Fajhion. 89 , peace of Mind, my Honour, aid my Love, Ua «,eak finking Bottom of a Wife: & t f T t a g & . and I fhall be at Eafe! , You fpeak Is if there were no W o m a n true & I know not what I fpeak : But if m y Wife, I Erminia's falfe, the Sex is damn d j Jw it $ and fhe was the laft that fell. lr Call old Rogero's Daughter to your Mind, prove there may be Virtue in that Sex, 0'tempted by Neceflity, and W a n t % t Gold could not corrupt, nor P o w r betray. k What, poor! and honeft! and a W o m a n too I /(he ftill keep that Point ? Then w h o can tell I may be abus'd ? tr. By Heav'n you are! e Villain pradifes againft your Peace, om Time will beft difcover : For Erminia, well I know the Conduct of her Life, flake m y Soul upon her Innocence. )b. Is this thy Thought ? , By Heav'n, m y Friend, it is. ft. Wou'd I cou'd make it mine. % Go fee her then. Ift, I dare not truft m y Temper. 7, Come, you fhall, given m y Word. fy. To w h o m ? tr. Your mourning Wife. Ijb. You mock m y Mifery? r. I am your Friend. Ifr. But did Erminia make it her Requeft ? k, cou'd fhe ? O the fuffring Innocence ! Words have darted Hope into m y Soul, Comfort dawns upon m e ! O fpeak on! Her Soul in Sadnefs, and her Eyes in Tears, ig, fhe faid, She fear'd her Heart might break j fhe wou'd learn the Virtue of a Wife, labour patiently to fuffer all ; at my Feet, in all the Storm of Grief, begg'd me, as for Life, to fee her Lord 5 Ai |