"Sustain her head, while I infuse this cordial

"Into her dying lips-from spicy drugs,

"Rich herbs and flow'rs, the potent juice is drawn; "With wond'rous force it strikes the lazy spirits, "Drives them around, and wakens life anew." Bel. Her weakness could not bear the strong surprize.

But see, she stirrs! And the returning blood

Faintly begins to blush again, and kindle

Upon her ashy cheek

Sh. So gently raise her

[Raising her up.

7. Sh. Ha! What art thou? Belmour!

Bel. How fare you, lady?

7. Sh. My heart is thrill'd with horror→→→

Bel. Be of courage→→→

Your husband lives! 'tis he, my worthiest friendJ. Sh. Still art thou there!-Still dost thou hover round mel

Oh, save me, Belmour, from his angry shade! Bel. 'I is he himself!—he lives! look up7. Sh. I dare not!

Oh! that my eyes could shut him out for ever

Sh. Am I so hateful, then, so deadly to thee, To blast thy eyes with horror? Since I'm grown A burthen to the world, myself, and thee,

Wou'd I had ne'er surviv'd to see thee more.

J. Sh. Oh! thou most injur'd-dost thou live, indeed!

Fall then, ye mountains, on my guilty head;

Hide me, ye rocks, within your secret caverns;

Cast thy black veil upon my shame, O night!'
And shield me with thy sable wings for ever.
Sh. Why dost thou turn away ?-

thus ?

-Why tremble

Why thus indulge thy fears? and in despair,
Abandon thy distracted soul to horror?

Cast every black and guilty thought behind thee,
And let 'em never vex thy quiet more.
My arms, my heart, are open to receive thee,
To bring thee back to thy forsaken home,
With tender joy, with fond forgiving love,
And all the longings of my first desires.

"J. Sh. No, arm thy brow with vengeance and

appear

"The minister of Heaven's inquiring justice.
"Array thyself all terrible for judgment,
"Wrath in thy eyes, and thunder in thy voice;
"Pronounce my sentence, and if yet there be
"A woe I have not felt, inflict it on me.

"Sh. The measure of my sorrows is compleat!
"And I am come to snatch thee from injustice.
"The hand of pow'r no more shall crush thy weak-

ness,

"Nor proud oppression grind thy humble soul.

"J. Sh. Art thou not risen by miracle from death? "Thy shroud is fall'n from off thee, and the grave "Was bid to give thee up, that thou might'st come "The messenger of grace and goodness to me, "To seal my peace, and bless me e'er I go.

"Oh! let me then fall down beneath thy feet, "And weep my gratitude for ever there; "Give me your drops, ye soft descending rains, "Give me your streams, ye never ceasing springs, "That my sad eyes may still supply my duty, "And feed an everlasting flood of sorrow.

"Sh. Waste not thy feeble spirits—I have long "Beheld, unknown, thy mourning and repentance; "Therefore my heart has set aside the past, "And holds thee white, as unoffending innocence: "Therefore in spite of cruel Gloster's rage, "Soon as my friend had broke my prison doors, "I flew to thy assistance." Let us haste, Now while occasion seems to smile upon us, Forsake this place of shame, and find a shelter. J. Sh. What shall I say to you? But I obeySh. Lean on my arm

J. Sh. Alas! I'm wond'rous faint :

But that's not strange, I have not eat these three

days.

Sh. Oh, merciless!

brought thee

"Look here, my love, I've

"Some rich conserves

"J. Sh. How can you be so good?

"But you were ever thus. I well remember

"With what fond care, what diligence of love,

"You lavish'd out your wealth to buy me plea

sures,

"Preventing every wish: have you forgot

"The costly string of pearl you brought me home, "And ty'd about my neck?

you?

How could I leave

"Sh. Taste some of this, or this

"J. Sh. You're strangely alter'd

"Say, gentle Belmour, is he not? How pale "Your visage is become? Your eyes are hollow; "Nay, you are wrinkled too-Alas, the day! "My wretchedness has cost you many a tear, "And many a bitter pang, since last we parted. "Sh. No more of that-Thou talk'st, but do'st

not eat.

"J. Sh. My feeble jaws forget their common of

fice,

"My tasteless tongue cleaves to the clammy roof, "And now a gen'ral loathing grows upon me." Oh! I am sick at heart!

Sh. Thou murd'rous sorrow!

Wo't thou still drink her blood, pursue her still!
Must she then die! Oh, my poor penitent!
Speak peace to thy sad heart: she hears me not;
Grief masters ev'ry sense-" help me to hold her”-

Enter CATESBY, with a guard.

Cat. Seize on 'em both, as traitors to the stateBel. What means this violence?

[Guards lay hold on Shore and Belmour.

Cat. Have we not found you,

In scorn of the protector's strict command,

1

Assisting this base woman, and abetting

Her infamy?

Sh. Infamy on thy head!

Thou tool of power, thou pander to authority!
I tell thee, knave, thou know'st of none so virtuous,
And she that bore thee was an Æthiop to her.
Cat. You'll answer this at full-Away with 'em.
Sh. Is charity grown treason to your court?
What honest man would live beneath such rulers ?
I am content that we should die together-

Cat. Convey the men to prison; but for her,
Leave her to hunt her fortune as she may.
J. Sh. I will not part with him-

for me!

Oh I must he die for me!

-for me!

[Following him as he is carried off-She falls.

Sh. Inhuman villains!

[Breaks from the guards. Stand off! The agonies of death are on her—————

She pulls, she gripes me hard with her cold hand.

J. Sh. Was this blow wanting to compleat my

ruin?

Oh let him go, ye ministers of terror.
He shall offend no more, for I will die,
And yield obedience to your cruel master.
Tarry a little, but a little longer,

And take my last breath with you.

Sh. Oh, my love!

"Why have I liv'd to see this bitter moment,

"This grief by far surpassing all my former ?”