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Answer me, if thou hast not lost them

Thy honour at a sordid game?

Mon. I will,

I must, so hardly my misfortune loads me :

That both have offered me their love's most true.

Cham. And 'tis as true too they have both undone thee.

Mon. Though they both with earnest vows

Have pressed my heart, if e'er in thought I yielded

To any but Castalio

Cham. But Castalio!

my discourse.

Mon. Still will you cross the line of Yes, I confess that he hath won my soul By generous love and honourable vows, Which he this day appointed to complete, And make himself by holy marriage mine.

Cham. Art thou then spotless? hast thou still preserved Thy virtue white, without a blot, untainted?

Mon. When I'm unchaste, may Heaven reject my prayers;
O more, to make me wretched, may you know it!
Cham. Oh, then, Monimia, art thou dearer to me
Than all the comforts ever yet blessed man.
But let not marriage bait thee to thy ruin.
Trust not a man; we are by nature false,
Dissembling, subtle, cruel, and inconstant:
When a man talks of love, with caution trust him;
But if he swears, he'll certainly deceive thee.

I charge thee, let no more Castalio soothe thee;
Avoid it, as thou wouldst preserve the peace

Of a poor brother, to whose soul thou'rt precious.
Mon. I will.

Cham. Appear as cold, when next you meet, as great

ones,

When merit begs; then shalt thou see how soon
His heart will cool, and all his pains grow easy.

Mon. Yes, I will try him, torture him severely;
For, O, Castalio, thou too much hast wronged me,
In leaving me to Polydore's ill usage.

[Exit.

He comes; and now, for once, O Love, stand neuter,
Whilst a hard part's performed; for I must tempt,
Wound his soft nature, though my heart aches for't.

Thomas Southerne.

ISABELLA; OR, THE FATAL

MARRIAGE

SABELLA, supposing her Husband, BIRON, was killed at the Siege of Candy, and reduced to extreme Poverty, consents to marry VILLEROY. Shortly after her second Marriage, BIRON arrives, the news of his Death being false. He seeks ISABELLA, not knowing her Union with VILLEROY, and, not wishing to alarm her, first sends a Ring by ISABELLA's Nurse, feigning to be a Messenger from her late Husband.

ISABELLA, NURSE, BIRON.

Enter ISABELLA.

Isa. I've heard of witches, magic spells, and charms,
That have made Nature start from her old course:
The sun has been eclipsed, the moon brought down
From her career, still paler, and subdued

To the abuses of this under world;
Now I believe all possible. This ring,
This little ring, with necromantic force,
Has raised the ghost of pleasure to my fears,
Conjured the sense of honour and of love

Into such shapes, they fright me from myself;

I dare not think of them

Enter Nurse.

Nurse. Madam, the gentleman's below.
Isa. I had forgot; pray let me speak with him.

[Exit Nurse.

This ring was the first present of my love
To Biron, my first husband: I must blush
To think I have a second. Biron died
(Still to my loss) at Candy; there's my hope.
Oh, do I live to hope, that he died there?
It must be so; he's dead, and this ring left,
By his last breath, to some known faithful friend,
To bring me back again;

That's all I have to trust to

Enter BIRON. [ISABELLA looking at him.]

My fears were woman's—I have viewed him all;
And let me, let me say it to myself,

I live again, and rise but from his tomb.

Bir. Have you forgot me quite?

Isa. Forgot you!

Bir. Then farewell my disguise, and my misfortunes:

My Isabella!

Isa. Ha!

[He goes to her; she shrieks, and faints.

Bir. Oh, come again!

Thy Biron summons thee to life and love;

Thy once loved, ever-loving husband calls

Thy Biron speaks to thee.

Isa. My husband! Biron!

Bir. Excess of love and joy, for my return,

Has overpowered her- -I was to blame
To take thy sex's softness unprepared:

But sinking thus, thus dying in my arms,
This ecstasy has made my welcome more
Than words could say.

Isa. Where have I been? why do you keep him from me? I know his voice: my life, upon the wing,

Hears the soft lute that brings me back again,
"Tis he himself, my Biron !

If I must fall, death's welcome in these arms.
Bir. Live ever in these arms.

Isa. But pardon me,

Excuse the wild disorder of my soul;

The joy, the strange, surprising joy, of seeing you,
Of seeing you again, distracted me

What hand of Providence has brought you back

Το your own home again ?

O, tell me all,

For every thought confounds me.

Bir. My best life! at leisure, all.

Isa. We thought you dead; killed at the siege of Candy.
Bir. There I fell among the dead;

But hopes of life reviving, from my wounds,
I was preserved, but to be made a slave;
I often writ to my hard father, but never had

An answer; I writ to thee too

Isa. What a world of woe

Had been prevented but in hearing from you!

Bir. Alas! thou couldst not help me.

Isa. You do not know how much I could have done;

At least I'm sure I could have suffered all;

I would have sold myself to slavery,.

Without redemption; given up my child,

The dearest part of me.to basest wants—

Bir. My little boy!

Isa. My life! but to have heard

You were alive

Bir. No more, my love; complaining of the past,
We lose the present joy. 'Tis over price

Of all my pains, that thus we meet again;
I have a thousand things to say to thee-
Isa. Would I were past the hearing!

[Aside.

Bir. How does my child, my boy, my father, too?

I hear he's living still.

Isa. Well, both; both well;

And may he prove a father to your hopes,

Though we have found him none.

Bir. Come, no more tears.

Isa. Seven long years of sorrow for your loss Have mourned with me

Bir. And all my days behind

Shall be employed in a kind recompense

For thy afflictions-Can't I see my boy?

Isa. He's gone to-bed; I'll have him brought to you. Bir. To-morrow I shall see him; I want rest

Myself, after this weary pilgrimage.

Isa. Alas! what shall I get for you?

Bir. Nothing but rest, my love! To-night I would not Be known, if possible, to your family:

I see my nurse is with you; her welcome

Would be tedious at this time;

To-morrow will do better.

Isa. I'll dispose of her, and order every thing

As

you would have it.

[Exit.

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