A Pavilion in the middle of the Bower.

KING AND ROSAMOND

Thus let me lose, in rising joys,
Fierce impatience, fond desires,
Absence that flatt ring hope destroys,"
And life-consuming fires.

KING.

Not the loud British shout that warms The warrior's heart, nor clashing arms, Nor fields with hostile banners strewd, Nor life on prostrate Gauls bestow'd, Give half the joys that fill my breast, While with my Rosamond I'm blest.

ROSAMOND..

My Henry is my soul's delight, My wish by day, my dream by night. 'Tis not in language to impart.19. The secret meltings of my heart,

While I my conqueror survey,

And look my very soul away.

KING.

O may the present bliss endure,

From fortune, time, and death secure BOTH.9

may the present bliss endure"!'

KING.

My eye could ever gaze, my ear
Those gentle sounds could ever hear:
But oh! with noon-day heats opprest,
My aching temples call for rest!
In yon cool grotto's artful night
Refreshing slumbers I'll invite,
Then seek again my absent fair,
With all the love a heart can bear. [Exit King.
ROSAMOND, Sola.
From whence this sad presaging fear,
This sudden sigh, this falling tear?
Oft in my silent dreams by night

With such a look I've seen him fly,
Wafted by angels to the sky,
And lost in endless tracts of light;
While I, abandon'd and forlorn, á
To dark and dismal deserts borne,
Through lonely wilds have seem'd to stray,
A long, uncomfortable way. ll bak
"They're phantoms all; I'll think no more:
My life has endlss joys in store, 10%
Farewell sorrow, farewell fear, 670 !!
They're phantoms all! my Henry's here."

SCENE H. A

A Postern Gate of the Bower.

A

GRIDELINE AND PAGE. do.al

multou Ju1992 T
GRIDELINEgos 714 Į sini?*

My stomach swells with secret spite, ht!
To see my fickle, faithless knight,
With upright gesture, goodly, mien, G
Face of olive, coat of green,

That charm'd the ladies long ago,
So little his own worth to know,

On a mere girl his thoughts to place,
With dimpled cheeks, and baby face;
A child! a chit! that was not born,
When I did town and court adorn.
own and

PAGE.

}

Can any man prefer fifteen
To venerable Grideline.

GRIDELINE.

He does, my child; or tell me why
With weeping eyes so oft I spy

His whiskers curl'd, and shoe-strings ty'd,
A new Toledo by his side,

In shoulder-belt so trimly plac'd,
With band so nicely smooth'd and lac'd.

PAGE.

If Rosamond his garb has view'd,"
The knight is false, the nymph subdu'd.

GRIDELINE.

My anxious boding heart divines
His falsehood by a thousand signs;
Oft o'er the lonely rocks he walks,
And to the foolish Echo talks;
Oft in the glass he rolls his eye,
But turns and frowns if I am by;
Then my fond easy heart beguiles,
And thinks of Rosamond, and smiles.

PAGE.

Well may you feel these soft alarms,
She has a heart-

GRIDELINE

"O merciless fate!

PAGE.

"Deplorable state!

GRIDELINE.

"To die

PAGE.

"To be slain

GRIDELINE.

"By a barbarous swain,

Open the gate, if you are wise; -
I, in an unsuspected hour,

May catch them dallying in the bower,
Perhaps their loose amours prevent,
And keep Sir Trusty innocent.
GRIDELINE,

Thou art in truth

A forward youth,

Of wit and parts above thy age;
Thou know'st our sex. Thou art a page.

GRIDELINE,

Of such a faithful spy I've need*:
Go in, and if thy plot succeed,

Fair youth, thou may'st depend on this,

I'll pay thy service with a kiss.
GRIDELINE Sola.

"Prithee, Cupid, no more

Hurl thy dart at threescore,

[Exit Page.

* An opening scene discovers another view of the Bower.

To thy girls and thy boys
Give thy pains and thy joys
Let Sir Trusty and me
From thy frolics be free.

[Exit Grid.

i

O the soft delicious view,
Ever charming ever new! Be
Greens of various shades arise,
Deck'd with flow'rs of various dies:
Paths by meeting paths are crost,
Alleys in winding alleys lost;
Fountains playing through the trees,
Give coolness to the passing breeze.
"A thousand fairy scenes appear,
Here a grove, a grotto here,
Here a rock, and here a stream,
Sweet delusion,

Gay confusion,

...... All a vision, all a dream!?

SCENE IV.

QUEEN AND PAGE.

QUEEN.

At length the bow'ry vaults appear!
My bosom heaves, and pants with fear:
A thousand checks my heart control,
A thousand terrors shake my soul.

PAGE,

D

Behold the brazen gate unbarr'd!

She's fix'd in thought, I am not heard

[Apart.