Priest. Since the eternal Laws of Fate decreed,
That he thy Husband, she thy Wife shou'd be,
May Heaven take you to its Care,
May Jupiter look kindly down, }
Place on your Heads Contentment's Crown! }
And may his Godhead never frown }
Upon this happy Pair.
[Flourish again of Trumpets.
[As the Priest pronounces the last Line, Esop joins Oronces and Euphronia's Hands.
Oron. O happy Change! Blessings on Blessings wait on the generous Esop!
Esop. Happy, thrice happy, may you ever be, }
And if you think there's something due to me, }
Pay it in mutual Love and Constancy. }
Euph. to Esop.] You'll pardon me, most generous Man,
If in the present Transports of my Soul,
Which you yourself have by your Bounty caus'd,
My willing Tongue is ty'd from uttering
The Thoughts that flow from a most grateful Heart.
Esop. For what I've done, I merit little Thanks,
Since what I've done, my Duty bound me to.
I wou'd your Father had acquitted his:
But he who's such a Tyrant o'er his Children,
To sacrifice their Peace to his Ambition,
Is fit to govern nothing but himself.
To Lear.] And, therefore, Sir, at my return to Court,
I shall take care this City may be sway'd
By more Humanity than dwells in you.
Lear. aside.] I shall be a great man!