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Show tjg The FATAL MARRIAGE; Ifa. Pray let me go: For both our fakes permit p * l ? _ ^ . ^ Bir. Rack m e not with Imaginations Of things impoffible Thou can ft not mean What thou haft faid Yet fornething fl>e muft* >Twas madnefs all Compofc thy felf, my The Fit is paft; all may be well again. Let us to Bed. Ifa. T o Bed! You've rais'd the Storm Will fever us for ever. O m y Biron\ While I have Life, ftill I muft call you mine: I k n o w I am, and always was unworthy T o be the happy Partner of your Love: And n o w muft never, never fhare it more. But, oh! if ever I was dear to you, As fometimes you have thought m e ; on m y Kncesj (The laft time I fhall care to be believ'd) I beg you, beg to think m e innocent, Clear of all Crimes, that thus can banifh m e From this World's Comforts, in m y lofing you. Bir. Where will this end ? Ifa. The rugged Hand of Fate has got between Our meeting Hearts, and thrufts 'em from their Joy?; Since w e muft part Bir. Nothing fhall ever part us. Ifa. Parting's the leaft that is fet down for me: Heav'n has decreed, and w e muft fuffer all. Bir. I k n o w thee Innocent 5 I k n o w m y felf fo, Indeed w e both have been Unfortunate: But fure Misfortunes ne'er were Faults in Love. Ifa. O h ! There's a fatal St. ry to be told; Be deaf to that, as Heav'n has been to m e ! And rot the Tongue that fhall reveal m y Shame. W h e n thou (halt hear h o w much thou haft been wron H o w wilt thou curfe thy fond believing Heart, Tear m e from the w a r m Bofom of thy Love, And throw m e like a pois'nous Weed away. Can I bear that ? Bear to be cur ft and torn, And thrown out from thy Family and Name, Or, The Innocent Adultery. 15^ .. a pifeafe? Can I bear this from thee? r never can $ No, all things have their End. When I am dead, forgive and pity m e pgrfj Bir Yet ftay, « the fad N e w s at laft muft come, Thou art m y Fate, and beft may fpeak m y Doom. [Exit after her. A C T V. S C E N E I. Enter Biron, Nurfe following him. ijrf Know enough: th*important Queftion I Of Life or Death, fearful to be refolv'd, Isclear'd to m e : I fee where it muft end; And need enquire no more Pray let m e have pcn ink, and Paper, I muft write a while, And then I'll try to reft to reft! for ever. [Exit Nurfe, Poor Ifabella! N o w I k n o w the Caufe, The Caufe of thy Diftref?, and cannot wonder That it has turn'd thy Brain. If I look back Upon thy Lofs, it will diftraft m c too. 0, any Curfe but this might be remov'd! But'twas the rancorous Malignity Of all ill Stars combin'd, of Heav'n, and Fate, To put it quite out of their Mercies reach, To fpeak Peace to us: If they could repent, They cannot help us now. Alas! I rave: Why do I tax the Stars, or Heav'n, or Fate? They are all innocent of driving us Into Defpair; they have not urg'd m y Doom.' My Father, and m y Brother are m y Fates, That drive me to m y Ruin. They knew well I was alive: Too well they knew how dear My IfMla - O m y Wife no more! How dear her Love was to m e Yet they ftcod, With a malicious filent Joy, flood by, And |