Ara. Indeed I’me very glad you’ve found it, but yet——
[sighs.
Bon. Yet, What my Dear? from whence proceeds that sigh?
Ara. Alas, I know not!
Some busie Genius Whispers to my Soul,
The loss of this upon my Wedding Day
Portend’s a greater e’re the Day be past.
Bon. Banish such Fears, let’s in and see our Friends.
Ara. Indeed they all expect you; come I’ll lead the way.
Bon. I’ll go with you. Barn-Elms you say?
[Aside to Friendly.
Fri. Yes that’s the place, at Seven precisely;
Bon. I’ll meet you on the Exchange, and go together;
If you are there before me, Take a turn or two.
[Exit Bonvile, and Arabella.
Fri. Oh my Dear Bonvile! Art thou then the Man?
The only, only Man that I can call Friend,
And only Friend that I am bound to Kill?
A Friend, that for my sake wou’d stake his Life,
Leave a Chast Bride and untouch’d Nuptial Bed
For me base Man, nay worse than Savage Beast:
The generous Lyon, never kills his kind
They say, althô provoked to utmost rage;
Yet I vile Monster, more ungrateful Man,
Thus unprovoked, must kill my Brother Creature,
And which is worse, my Dear and only Friend!
All for the pleasure of a Foolish Woman.
O cruel Woman thus to Command
A Task so hard, Yet what I can't withstand!
Oh! thou rare Copy of the Original,
By which free Man at first received his fall;
For she not only wou’d her self undo,
And all her Sex, but Damn all Mankind too. [Exit.