Or, if thou wilt, the heads of these. I am rapt
Beyond myself with joy. Speak, speak, what is it?
Paul. But twelve short hours reprieve for this
base couple.

Asam. The reason, since you hate them?
Paul. That I may

Have time to triumph o'er this wretched woman.
I'll be myself her guardian; I will feast,
Adorned in her choice and richest jewels :

Commit him to what guards you please. Grant this,
I am no more mine own, but yours.
Asam. Enjoy it;

Repine at it who dares: bear him safe off

To the black tower, but give him all things useful: The contrary was not in your request?

Paul. I do contemn him.

Don. Peace in death denied me !

Paul. Thou shalt not go in liberty to thy grave;

For one night a sultana is my slave.

Musta. A terrible little tyranness!

Asam. No more;

Grim. Sir, all things are in readiness; the Turks, That seized upon my ship, stow'd under hatches; My men resolved and cheerful. Use but means To get out of the ports, we will be ready To bring you aboard, and then (heaven be but This, for the viceroy's fleet! [pleased)

Fran. Discharge your parts;

In mine I'll not be wanting: Fear not, master; Something will come along to fraught your bark, That you will have just cause to say you never Made such a voyage.

Mast. We will stand the hazard.

There is no further danger can look towards me. Paul. This only then-canst thou use means to carry

This bake meat to Vitelli ?

Mant. With much ease;

I am familiar with the guard; beside,

It being known it was I that betray'd him,
My entrance hardly will of them be question'd.
Paul. About it then. Say, that 'twas sent to

him

From his Donusa: bid him search the midst of it,
He there shall find a cordial.
Mant. What I do

Shall speak my care and faith.

Don. Good fortune with thee!
Paul. You cannot eat?
Don. The time we thus abuse
We might employ much better.
Paul. I am glad

[Exit.

To hear this from you. As for you, Carazie,
If our intents do prosper, make choice, whether
You'll steal away with your two mistresses,
Or take your fortune.

Car. I'll be gelded twice first;
Hang him that stays behind.

Paul. I wait you, madam.

Were but my brother off, by the command

Of the doting viceroy, there's no guard dare stay

me;

And I will safely bring you to the place, Where we must expect him.

Don. Heaven be gracious to us!

[Exeunt.

SCENE VI.-A Room in the Black Tower. Enter VITELLI, Aga and Guard, at the door. Vitel. Paulina to fall off thus! 'tis to me More terrible than death, and, like an earthquake, Totters this walking building, such I am; And in my sudden ruin would prevent, By choaking up at once my vital spirits, This pompous preparation for my death. But I am lost; that good man, good Francisco, Deliver'd me a paper, which till now

I wanted leisure to peruse.

Aga. This Christian

[Reads the paper.

Fears not, it seems, the near approaching sun, Whose second rise he never must salute.

Enter MANTO with the baked-meat.

1 Guard. Who's that?

2 Guard. Stand.

Aga. Manto!

Mant. Here's the viceroy's ring,

Gives warrant to my entrance; yet you may
Partake of anything I shall deliver.
'Tis but a present to a dying man,

Sent from the princess that must suffer with him.
Aga. Use your own freedom.
Mant. I would not disturb
This his last contemplation.
Vitel. O, 'tis well!

He has restored all, and I at peace again
With my Paulina.

Mant. Sir, the sad Donusa,

Grieved for your sufferings, more than for her
Knowing the long and tedious pilgrimage [own,
You are to take, presents you with this cordial,
Which privately she wishes you should taste of ;
And search the middle part, where you shall find
Something that hath the operation to
Make death look lovely.

Vitel. I will not dispute

SCENE VII.-An upper Room in the same.

Enter VITELLI with the baked-meat.

Vit. There's something more in this than means A hungry appetite, which I must discover. [to cloy She will'd me search the midst: thus, thus I pierce it. [thread! -Ha! what is this? a scroll bound up in packWhat may the mystery be? [Reads.

Son, let down this packthread at the west window of the castle. By it you shall draw up a ladder of ropes, by which you may descend: your dearest Donusa with the

rest of your friends below attend you. Heaven prosper you!

O best of men! he that gives up himself
To a true religious friend, leans not upon
A false deceiving reed, but boldly builds
Upon a rock; which now with joy I find
In reverend Francisco, whose good vows,
Labours, and watchings, in my hoped-for freedom,
Appear a pious miracle. I come,

I come with confidence; though the descent
Were steep as hell, I know I cannot slide,
Being call'd down by such a faithful guide.

[Exit.

SCENE VIII.— A Room in ASAMBEG's Palace.
Enter ASAMBEG, MUSTAPHA, and Janizaries.
Asam. Excuse me, Mustapha, though this
night to me

Appear as tedious as that treble one
Was to the world, when Jove on fair Alcmena
Begot Alcides.
[hours
Were you to encounter
Those ravishing pleasures, which the slow-paced
(To me they are such) bar me from, you would,
With your continued wishes, strive to imp
New feathers to the broken wings of time,
And chide the amorous sun, for too long dalliance
In Thetis' watery bosom.

Musta. You are too violent

In your desires, of which you are yet uncertain;
Having no more assurance to enjoy them,
Than a weak woman's promise, on which wise men
Faintly rely.

Asam. Tush! she is made of truth;
And what she says she will do, holds as firm
As laws in brass, that know no change: [A cham-
ber shot off] What's this?
Some new prize brought in, sure-
Enter Aga hastily.

So ghastly? Villain, speak!·· Aga. Great sir, hear me,

Why are thy looks

Then after, kill me :-we are all betray'd.
The false Grimaldi, sunk in your disgrace,
With his confederates, has seized his ship,
And those that guarded it stow'd under hatches.
With him the condemn'd princess, and the mer-

chant,

That, with a ladder made of ropes, descended From the black tower, in which he was enclosed, And your fair mistress

Asum. Ha!

Aga. With all their train,

And choicest jewels, are gone safe aboard :
Their sails spread forth, and with a fore-right gale
Leaving our coast, in scorn of all pursuit,
As a farewell, they shew'd a broadside to us.
Asam. No more.

Musta. Now note your confidence!
Asam. No more.

O my credulity! I am too full

Of grief and rage to speak. Dull, heavy fool!
Worthy of all the tortures that the frown
Of thy incensed master can throw on thee,
Without one man's compassion! I will hide
This head among the desarts, or some cave
Fill'd with my shame and me; where I alone
May die without a partner in my moan.

[Exeunt.

I did discharge the trust imposed upon me,
Being your guardian.

Bell. 'Tis with truth acknowledged.

Cham. The love I then bore to you, and desire
To do you all good offices of a friend,
Continues with me, nay, increases, lady;
And, out of this assurance, I presume,

What, from a true heart, I shall now deliver,
Will meet a gentle censure.

Bell. When you speak,
Whate'er the subject be, I gladly hear.

Cham. To tell you of the greatness of your state,
And from what noble stock you are derived,
Were but impertinence, and a common theme,
Since you well know both. What I am to speak of,
Touches you nearer; therefore, give me leave
To say, that, howsoever your great bounties,
Continual feasting, princely entertainments,
May gain you the opinion of some few
Of a brave generous spirit, (the best harvest
That you can hope for from such costly seed,)
You cannot yet, amongst the multitude,
(Since, next unto the princes of the blood,
The eyes of all are fix'd on you,) but give
Some wounds, which will not close without a scar,
To your fair reputation, and good name;
In suffering such a crew of riotous gallants,
Not of the best repute, to be so frequent

Both in your house and presence; this, 'tis rumour'd,

Little agrees with the curiousness of honour,
Or modesty of a maid.

Bell. Not to dwell long

Upon my answer, I must thank your goodness,
And provident care, that have instructed me
What my revenues are, by which I measure
How far I may expend; and yet I find not
That I begin to waste; nor would I add
To what I now possess. I am myself;
And for my fame, since I am innocent here,
This, for the world's opinion!

Cham. Take heed, madam.

That [world's] opinion, which you slight, confirms This lady for immodest, and proclaims

Another for a modest; whereas the first

Ne'er knew what loose thoughts were, and the
Had never a cold dream.

Bell. I dare not argue:
But what means to prevent this?
Cham. Noble marriage.

[praised second

Bell. Pardon me, sir; and do not think I scorn Your grave advice, which I have ever followed, Though not pleased in it.

Would you have me match with wealth? I need it
Or hunt for honour, and increase of titles? [not:
In truth, I rest ambitious of no greater
Than what my father left. Or do you judge
My blood to run so high, that 'tis not in
Physic to cool me? I yet feel no such heat:
But when, against my will, it grows upon me,
I'll think upon your counsel.

Cham. If you resolve, then,
To live a virgin, you have
To which you may retire, and ha-
To

In

And live cont

Bell. What proof

Should I give of my continence, if I lived
Not seen, nor seeing any? Spartan Helen,
Corinthian Lais, or Rome's Messaline,

So mew'd up, might have died as they were born,
By lust untempted: no, it is the glory

Of chastity to be tempted, tempted home too,
The honour else is nothing! I would be
The first example to convince, for liars,
Those poets, that with sharp and bitter rhymes
Proclaim aloud, that chastity has no being,
But in a cottage: and so confident

I am in this to conquer, that I will
Expose myself to all assaults; see masques,
And hear bewitching sonnets; change discourse
With one that, for experience, could teach Ovid
To write, a better way, his Art of Love:
Feed high, and take and give free entertainment,
Lend Cupid eyes, and new artillery,
Deny his mother for a deity;

Yet every burning shot he made at me,

Meeting with my chaste thoughts, should lose

their ardour;

Which when I have o'ercome, malicious men Must, to their shame, confess it's possible, For a young lady, (some say fair,) at court, To keep her virgin honour.

Cham. May you prosper

In this great undertaking! I'll not use
A syllable to divert you: but must be
A suitor in another kind.

Bell. Whate'er it be,

'Tis granted.

Cham. It is only to accept

A present from me.

Bell. Call you this a suit?

Cham. Come in, Calista.

Enter BEAUPRE, disguised as a Moorish Slave.

Phil. Here they come.

Ladies. All happiness to your majesty !
Courtiers. And victory sit ever on your sword!
Char. Our thanks to all.

But wherefore come you in divided troops,
As if the mistresses would not accept

Their servants' guardship, or the servants, slighted,
Refuse to offer it? You all wear sad looks:
On Perigot appears not that blunt mirth
Which his face used to promise; on Montrose
There hangs a heavy dulness; Cleremond
Droops e'en to death, and Clarindore hath lost
Much of his sharpness; nay, these ladies too,
Whose sparkling eyes did use to fire the court
With various inventions of delight,
Part with their splendour.
from whence

Proceeds this alteration?

Peri. I am troubled

What's the cause?

Bell. Ere they durst Presume to offer service to a lady,

[Aside.

In person they perform'd some gallant acts
The fame of which prepared them gracious hearing,
Ere they made their approaches: what coy she,
Though great in birth, not to be parallel'd [then,
For nature's liberal bounties, both set off

With fortune's trappings, wealth; but, with delight,
Gladly acknowledged such a man her servant,
To whose heroic courage, and deep wisdom,
The flourishing commonwealth, and thankful king,
Confess'd themselves for debtors? Whereas, now,
If you have travelled Italy, and brought home
Some remnants of the language, and can set
Your faces in some strange and ne'er-seen posture,
Dance a lavolta, and be rude and saucy;
Protest, and swear, and damn, (for these are acts
That most think grace them,) and then view your.
In the deceiving mirror of self-love,
You do conclude there hardly is a woman
That can be worthy of you.

[selves