The Prince’s Lodgings.
Enter Page with Lights, sets ‘em on the Table.
[Ex.
Enter Mirtilla, led by Mrs. Manage.
Mir. Ha! where am I, Manage?
Man. Heav’n be thanked, Madam, at the Prince’s Lodgings.
Mir. What happy Star conducted us, and sav’d us from the Fury of the Flames?
Man. Those whose Influence are always gracious to your Ladyship.
Mir. But where’s the Prince? where’s my illustrious Lover?
Man. Waiting the Return of the Chair, Madam.
Mir. But my Endimion? — Is Endimion safe?
Man. Madam, he is: I saw him in the Garden.
Mir. Then perish all the rest — Go send to search him out, and let him instantly be brought to me — Hah — Lejere.
Enter George.
Geo. Baud, stand aside — and do your Office yonder —
[Puts away Manage.
Why are you frighted, Madam, because I’m not the Lover you expected?
Mir. What Lover! be witness, Heaven —
Geo. That thou art false, false as the insatiate Seas, that smiling tempt the vain Adventurer, whom flattering, far from any saving there, swell their false Waves to a destructive Storm.
Mir. Why all this mighty Rage? — Because I disappointed you to night?
Geo. No, by Heaven, I dully cou’d have waited for the Hour; have hop’d, and wish’d, and languish’d out an Age. But, oh Mirtilla! Oh thou perjur’d Fair! — But vanish all the Softness of my Soul, I will be satirical.
A Plague, a Torment, to your fickle Sex,
Those smiling, sighing, weeping Hypocrites.
Mir. And can you think my Flight is criminal? because I sav’d this worthless Life — for you —
Geo. What Innocence adorns her Tongue, and Eyes! while Hell and Furies give her Heart its motion. You know not where you are?
Mir. Perhaps I do not.
Geo. Swear, for thou’rt damn’d already, and by what black Degrees I will unfold: When first I saw this gay, this glorious Mischief, though nobly born, ’twas hid in mean Obscurity; the shining Viper lay half dead with Poverty, I took it up, and laid it next my Heart, fed it, and call’d its faded Beauties back.
Mir. Confess’d; And what of this?
Geo. Confirm’d you mine, by all the Obligations Profuseness cou’d invent, or Love inspire.
Mir. And yet at your Return you found me marry’d to another.
Geo. Death and Hell! that was not yet the worst: You flatter’d me with some Pretence of Penitence; but on the Night, the dear destructive Night, you rais’d my Hopes to all distracting Love cou’d wish — that very Night — Oh, let me rave and die, and never think that Disappointment o’er!
Mir. What, you saw me courted at the Ball, perhaps.
Geo. Perhaps I saw it in your Chamber too. Breathless and panting, with new-acted Joys, the happy Lover lay — Oh Mirtilla!
Mir. Nay, if he knows it, I’ll deny’t no more.
[Aside.
Geo. There is no Honesty in all thy Kind.
Mir. Or if there be, those that deal in’t are weary of their Trade. But where’s the mighty Crime?
Geo. No, I expect thou shouldst out-face my Eyes, out-swear my Hearing, and out-lye my Senses. — The Prince! the Prince! thou faithless dear destruction.
Mir. The Prince! good Heaven! Is all this Heat for him?
Geo. Thou own’st the Conquest then?
Mir. With as much Vanity as thou wouldst do, if thou hadst won his Sword: Hast thou took care wisely to teach me all the Arts of Life, and dost thou now upbraid my Industry? Look round the World, and thou shalt see, Lejere, Ambition still supplies the place of Love. The worn-out Lady, that can serve your Interest, you swear has Beauties that out-charms Fifteen; and for the Vanity of Quality, you feign and languish, lye, protest, and flatter — All Things in Nature cheat, or else are cheated.
Geo. Well said; take off thy Veil, and shew the Jilt.
Mir. You never knew a Woman thrive so well by real Love, as by Dissimulation: This has a thousand Arts and Tricks to conquer; appears in any Shape, in any Humour; can laugh or weep, be coy or play, by turns, as suits the Lover best, while simple Love has only one Road of Sighs and Softness; these to Lejere are due: But all my Charms, and Arts of gay dissembling, are for the credulous Prince. — Ha — he’s here! — and with him the dear Youth that has enslav’d me, who triumphs o’er the rest.
[Aside.
Enter Prince Frederick, Olivia following, sees Mirtilla, and
withdraws.
Oliv. Ha! Mirtilla, and my Brother here? Oh, how I long to see that Stranger’s Face.
[Aside.
Prince. Mirtilla, thou Charmer of Life’s dull and tedious Hours, how fares thy Heart? Dwells any Pantings there, but those that Love, and his dear Joys create?
Mir. Or if there do, you shou’d excuse it now.
Geo. How many Devils reign in beauteous Woman!
Prince. My dear Lejere, congratulate my Joys; take all my Friendship thou — but thou my Soul. Come, come, my Friend, let us retire together; I’ll give thee leave to gaze upon my Heaven, and feed on all the Sweets that Friendship may: But all the rest of the vast Store is mine.
Man. Madam, Endimion is already here.
[Aside to her.
Mir. Thou hast reviv’d me — Let him wait my Call.
[Exit Prince with Mirtilla, George goes out, and peeps at
the Door. Olivia comes forward.
Oliv. Spite, Spite, and dire Revenge seize my fond Soul! — Oh, that I were a Man, a loose leud Man; how easily wou’d I rob him of her Heart, and leave him but the shadow of Enjoyment!
Re-enter George.
Geo. Now, my dear Sister, if thou ever lov’dst me, revenge thy Brother on this perjur’d Woman, and snatch her from this gallant Rival’s Arms. She loves thee — Dissemble thou to love again; meet her Advances with an equal Ardour, and when thou hast wound her up to dalliance, I’ll bring the Prince a witness of her Shame.
Oliv. But what if he shou’d kill me —
Geo. I’ll take care of that.
Oliv. Then e’er the morning dawns, you shall behold it: She languishes to see me, and I wait on purpose for her Commands.
Geo. As I cou’d wish: Be sure to act the Lover well.
[Exit.
Oliv. As well as I can act it.
Enter Welborn, habited as last.
That all Mankind are damn’d, I’m positive; at least all Lovers are.
Wel. What have we here? the Spark that rally’d me about a Woman at the Ball to night? Who is it, Sir, you curse so heartily.
Oliv. Ha, how beautiful he is — how many Charms dwell in that lovely Face —
[Aside.
’Tis you I curse.
Wel. Gad, I thank you for that, you were kinder to night, when you told me of a fine Woman that was in love with me.
Oliv. Why, what have you to do with Woman-kind?
Wel. A pretty civil Question; has the Lady that sent you a mind to be inform’d.
Oliv. Or if she had, you’re not at leisure now, you are taken up, Sir, with another Beauty. Did not you swear, never to speak to Woman-kind, till I had brought her, I told you, sigh’d for you?
Wel. Right, and I have kept my word religiously.
Oliv. The Devil you have, witness the Joy Mirtilla gave your Soul: Even now you were all Transport, all Extasy of Love; by Heaven, you had forgot you brought me in, and past triumphant in Mirtilla’s Arms, Love in your Heart, and Pleasure in your Eyes.
Wel. Ay, sure he mistakes me for the amorous Prince, and thus, perhaps, has mistook me all the Night: I must not undeceive him.
[Aside.
Whate’er you saw, I have a Heart unwounded, a Heart that never soundly loved, a little scratch it got the other day by a young Beauty in the Mall, her Name I know not, but I wish’d to know it, and dogg’d her Coach, I sigh’d a little after her, but since ne’er saw the lovely Vision.
Oliv. Sure this was I.
[Aside.
What Livery had she, Sir?
Wel. That I took notice of, ’twas Green and Gold — Since that, I trifle now and then with Love, to chase away this Image, and that’s all.
Oliv. Ha, now I view him well, ’tis the same handsome Fellow that entertain’d us in the Mall last Thursday.
Wel. Come, Sir, ’tis late, please you to take a Bed with me to Night, where we’ll beget a better Understanding.
Oliv. A better than you imagine— ‘Sdeath, to bed with him, I tremble at the thought — Sir, I do not love a Bedfellow.
Wel. Sir, I have lent my Lodgings to a Stranger of Quality, or I wou’d offer you a single Bed — but for once you may dispense with a Bedfellow.
Oliv. I will not put you to that trouble, Sir.
Wel. Do you design to make me your Friend, and use me with Ceremony? Who waits there?
Enter Footman.
Oliv. ‘Slife, what shall I do? I cou’d even consent, to prevent his going to Mirtilla — besides, I have no home to go to —
Wel. Come, no more Scruples — here — a Night-Gown and a Cap for the Gentleman.
Oliv. What shall I do? — I have a little urgent Business, Sir.
Wel. If there be absolute necessity, I’ll see you to your Lodgings.
Oliv. Oh, by no means, Sir. ‘Sdeath, whither can I go?
Wel. Why do you pause? Deal freely with me, Sir, I hope you do not take me for a Lover of my own Sex — Come, come to bed.
Oliv. Go you, Sir, I’ll sit and read by you till Day.
Wel. ‘Sdeath, Sir, d’ye think my bed’s infectious?
Oliv. I shall betray my Sex in my denial, and that at last I can but do if Necessity compel me to’t.
[Aside.
Go on, Sir, you have shamed me.
[Exeunt.
Enter Prince and George.
Prince. And thus thou hast my whole Adventure out, short was the Conquest, but the Joys are lasting.
Geo. I am glad on’t, Sir.
Prince. Why dost wear a Cloud upon thy brows, when Love’s gay Sunshine dances in my Eyes? If thou’rt her Lover too, I pity thee; her solemn Vows breath’d in the height of Love, disarm me of thy hopes, if Friendship wou’d permit thee.
Geo. I do not think it, Sir —
Prince. Not think it, not think that she has sworn!
Geo. Yes, doubtless, Sir — she’s prodigal of Vows, and I dare swear, by all she’s sworn by, she’ll break ‘em all: She has less Faith than all the fickle Sex, uncertain and more wanton than the Winds, that spare no Births of Nature in their wild course, from the tall Cedar to the Flowers beneath, but ruffle, ravish, and ruin all.
Prince. I speak of my Mirtilla.
Geo. Why, so do I — of yours, of mine, or any Man’s Mirtilla.
Prince. Away, she that with force of Love can sigh and weep —
Geo. This very she, has all the while dissembled! Such Love she deals to every gaudy Coxcomb, how will she practice then upon a Hero?
Prince. Away, it cannot be.
Geo. By all your Friendship to me, Sir, ’tis truth.
Prince. Racks and Tortures! — let her have made of me a mere Example, by whom the cozen’d World might have grown wise: No matter, then I had been pleas’d, though cullyed — Why hast thou ruined my Repose with Truths that carry more Damnation than a Lye? But Oh — thou art my Friend, and I forgive thee.
Geo. Sir, I have done, and humbly ask your Pardon.
[Offers to go.
Prince. Stay, stay, Lejere, — if she be false, thou’rt all the World has left me; and I believe — but canst thou prove this to me?
Geo. Perhaps I may before the Morning’s dawn.
Prince. Ha, prove it here — here, in this very House!
Geo. Ay, here, Sir.
Prince. What, in my Lodgings will she receive her Spark — by Heaven, were he the darling Son of a Monarch, an Empire’s Hope, and Joy of all the Fair, he shou’d not live to rifle me of Peace. — Come, shew me this destin’d Victim to my Rage.
Geo. No, my Revenge is only comical — If you wou’d see how Woman can dissemble, come on, and follow me.
Prince. What, disturb her Rest! Didst thou not see her fainting with the Fatigues this Night had given her, and begg’d me I would leave her to Repose?
Geo. Yes, and wonder’d at her Art; and when you begg’d to watch by her Bed-side, with what dear Promises she put you off; while every word fell feebly from her Tongue, as if’t had been her last, so very sick she was — till you were gone — Hark — a Door opens — I will obscure the Lights.
[Puts away the Lights.
Enter Olivia. They retire a little.
Oliv. Was ever Maid so near to being undone? Oh Heavens! in bed with the dear Man I love, ready to be betray’d by every Sigh.
[George peeps.
Geo. ’Tis Olivia.
Enter Manage groping.
Man. I left him here — what, by dark? Endimion, young, handsome Sir, where are you?
[Calls Olivia.
Geo. Do you hear that, Sir?
Man. Oh, are you here? —
[Runs against Olivia.
Oliv. ‘Slife, ’tis Manage — how shall I escape? —
[Aside.
Man. Come, Sir, my Lady Mirtilla has dismiss’d her troublesome Lovers, for your more agreeable Company.
Geo. D’ye hear that, Sir?
Man. Come softly on, Sir, and follow me.
Oliv. I’m all Obedience —
She cannot ravish me, and that’s a Comfort.
[Aside, going out.
Prince. Oh, Lejere — can this be possible? Can there be such a Woman?
Geo. Follow him, Sir, and see —
Prince. See what! — be witness of her Infamy? Hell! Hell, and all the Fires of Lust possess her! when she’s so old and leud, all Mankind shun her. — I’ll be a Coward in my own dire Revenge, and use no manly Mercy. — But oh, I faint, I faint with Rage and Love, which like two meeting Tides, swell into Storms. — Bear me a minute to my Couch within.
Geo. What have I done! now I repent my Rashness.
[Exeunt.