Er. Ah, would I could that fatal gift deny;
Without him you; and with him, I must die;
My Soul your royal Brother does adore,
And I, all Passion, but from him, abhor;
But if I must th’unsuit Alcippus wed,
I vow he ne’er shall come into my Bed.
Gal. That’s bravely sworn, and now I love thee more
Than e’er I was oblig’d to do before,
—But yet, Erminia, guard thee from his Eyes,
Where so much love, and so much Beauty lies;
Those charms may conquer thee, which made me bow,
And make thee love as well as break this Vow.
Er. Madam, it is unkind, though but to fear Ought but Philander can inhabit here. [Lays her hand on her heart.
Gal. Ah, that Alcippus did not you approve,
We then might hope these mischiefs to remove;
The King my Father might be won by Prayer,
And my too powerful Brother’s sad despair,
To break his word, which kept will us undo:
And he will lose his dear Philander too,
Who dies and can no remedies receive:
But vows that ‘tis for you alone he’ll live.
Er. Ah, Madam, do not tell me how he dies,
I’ve seen too much already in his Eyes:
They did the sorrows of his Soul betray,
Which need not be confest another way:
’.was there I found what my misfortune was,
Too sadly written in his lovely face.
But see, my Father comes: Madam, withdraw a while,
And once again I’ll try my interest with him.
[Exeunt.
SCENE III. A room in the house of Orgulius.
Enter Orgulius, Erminia weeping, and Isillia.
Er. Sir, does your fatal resolution hold?
Org. Away, away, you are a foolish Girl, And look with too much pride upon your Beauty; Which like a gaudy flower that springs too soon, Withers e’er fully blown. Your very Tears already have betray’d Its weak inconstant nature; Alcippus, should he look upon thee now, would swear thou wert not that fine thing he lov’d.