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The heavens do witness; they can witness too
A rape done on my truth: how I do love thee
Yet, Orgilus, and yet, must best appear
In tendering thy freedom; for I find
The constant preservation of thy merit,
By thy not daring to attempt my fame
With injury of any loose conceit,

Which might give deeper wounds to discontents.
Continue this fair race; then, though I cannot
Add to thy comfort, yet I shall more often
Remember from what fortune I am fallen,
And pity mine own ruin.-Live, live happy,
Happy in thy next choice, that thou may'st people
This barren age with virtues in thy issue!
And, oh, when thou art married, think on me
With mercy, not contempt; I hope thy wife,
Hearing my story, will not scorn my fall.-—
Now let us part.

Org. Part! yet advise thee better:
Penthea is the wife to Orgilus,

And ever shall be.

Pen. Never shall, nor will.
Org. How!

Pen. Hear me; in a word I'll tell thee why.
The virgin-dowry which my birth bestow`d,
Is ravish'd by another; my true love
Abhors to think, that Orgilus deserv'd
No better favours than a second bed.
Org. I must not take this reason.
Pen. To confirm it;

Should I outlive my bondage, let me meet

Another worse than this, and less desired,

If, of all men alive, thou should'st but touch
My lip, or hand again!

Org. Penthea, now

I tell you, you grow wanton in my sufferance; Come, sweet, thou art mine.

Pen. Uncivil sir, forbear,

Or I can turn affection into vengeance;
Your reputation, if you value any,

Lies bleeding at my feet. Unworthy man,
If ever henceforth thou appear in language,
Message, or letter, to betray my frailty,
I'll call thy former protestations lust,
And curse my stars for forfeit of my judgment.
Go thou, fit only for disguise, and walks,
To hide thy shame; this once I spare thy life.
I laugh at mine own confidence; my sorrows
By thee are made inferior to my fortunes:
If ever thou didst harbour worthy love,
Dare not to answer. My good Genius guide me,
That I may never see thee more!-Go from me!
Org. I'll tear my veil of politic French off,
And stand up like a man resolv'd to do:-
Action, not words, shall shew me.-Oh Penthea!
[Exit.

Pen. He sigh'd my name sure, as he parted

from me;

I fear I was too rough. Alas, poor gentleman!
He look'd not like the ruins of his youth,
But like the ruins of those ruins.

Honour,

How much we fight with weakness to preserve

thee!

[Walks aside.

Enter BASSANES and GRAUSIS.

Bass. Fie on thee! damn thee, rotten maggot, damn thee!

Sleep? sleep at court? and now? Aches, convulsions,

Imposthumes, rheums, gouts, palsies, clog thy

bones

A dozen years more yet!

Grau. Now you are in humours.

Bass. She's by herself, there's hope of that; she's sad too;

She's in strong contemplation; yes, and fix'd: The signs are wholesome.

Grau. Very wholesome, truly.

Bass. Hold your chops, nightmare!——Lady, come; your brother

Is carried to his closet; you must thither.
Pen. Not well, my lord?

Bass. A sudden fit, 'twill off;

Some surfeit or disorder.-How dost, dearest ?

Pen. Your news is none o'th' best.

Enter PROPHILUS.

Pro. The chief of men,

The excellentest Ithocles, desires

Your presence, madam.

Bass. We are hasting to him.

Pen. In vain we labour in this course of life To piece our journey out at length, or crave Respite of breath; our home is in the grave. Bass. Perfect philosophy!

Pen. Then let us care'

To live so, that our reckonings may fall even,
When we're to make account.

Pro. He cannot fear

Who builds on noble grounds: sickness or pain
Is the deserver's exercise; and such

Your virtuous brother to the world is known.
Speak comfort to him, lady, be all gentle;
Stars fall but in the grossness of our sight,
A good man dying, th' earth doth lose a light.

ACT III. SCENE I.

The Study of TECNICUS.

[Exeunt.

Enter TECNICUS, and ORGILUs in his usual Dress.
Tec. Be well advised; let not a resolution
Of giddy rashness choke the breath of reason.
Org. It shall not, most sage master.

Tec. I am jealous;*

For if the borrow'd shape so late put on,

1

Pen. Then let us care, &c.] The old copy gives this to Bassanes; but it is evidently the continuation of Penthea's ideas in the former speech; and to her, therefore, I have restored it. The answer of Prophilus, which is directed to Penthea, proves the necessity of the alteration.

I am jealous.] i. e. I am fearful, suspicious, of it: a Scoticism; and probably once common to most of our remote provinces.

Inferr'd a consequence, we must conclude
Some violent design of sudden nature
Hath shook that shadow off, to fly upon
A new-hatch'd execution. Orgilus,
Take heed thou hast not, under our integrity,
Shrowded unlawful plots; our mortal eyes
Pierce not the secrets of your heart, the gods
Are only privy to them.

Org. Learned Tecnicus,

Such doubts are causeless; and, to clear the truth From misconceit, the present state commands

me.

The prince of Argos comes himself in person
In quest of great Calantha for his bride,
Our kingdom's heir; besides, mine only sister,
Euphranea, is disposed to Prophilus :
Lastly, the king is sending letters for me
To Athens, for my quick repair to court;
Please to accept these reasons.
Tec. Just ones, Orgilus,

Not to be contradicted: yet, beware
Of an unsure foundation; no fair colours
Can fortify a building faintly jointed.

I have observ'd a growth in thy aspèct

Of dangerous extent, sudden, and—look to't— I might add, certain

Org. My aspect! could art

Run through mine inmost thoughts, it should not

sift

An inclination there, more than what suited
With justice of mine honour.

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