AMAD. Might I be heard one word in my defenceORI. No, not a word. What fpecious forc'd pretence Would you invent to gild a weak defence?

To falfe Æneas, when 't was giv'n by Fate

605

To tread the paths of Death, and view the Stygian Forfaken Dido was the first that stood

[ftate,

To ftrike his eye, her bofom bath'd in blood
Fresh from her wound: pale horror and affright
Seiz'd the falfe man; confounded at the fight, 611
Trembling he gaz'd, and fome faint words he spoke,
Some tears he fhed, which, with difdainful look,
Unmov'd the heard and faw, nor heeded more
Than the firm rock when faithlefs tempefts roar:
With one last look his falfeness she upbraids,
Then fullenly retires, and feeks eternal fhades.
Lead me, O lead me! where the bleeding queen
With just reproaches loads perfidious men.
Banifh'd from joy, from empire, and from light,
In death involve me, and in endless night,
But keep--that odious object--from my fight. [Exit.

Enter ARCALAUS.

616

621

ARCAL. With her laft words fhe fign'd his dying

breath;

Convey him ftraight to tortures and to death.

AMAD, Let me not perish with a traitor's name.

Naked, unarm'd, and fingle, as I am,

Loofe this right hand▬▬▬▬▬

626

ARCAL. Hence to his fate the valiant boafter bear. [Sinks under the flage with him.

For him let our infernal priests prepare

Their knives, their cords, and altars-But for her Soft beds, and flow'ry banks, and fragrant bow'rs, Mufic and fongs, and all thofe melting pow'rs 632 With which love fteals on hearts, and tunes the mind To tenderness and yielding

Superior charms enchant us to be kind.

The Act concludes with dancing.

ACT III. SCENE I.

ARCALAUS and ARCABON meeting.

ARCALAUS.

WELCOME as after darkness cheerful light,
Or to the weary wand'rer downy night.
Smile, fmile, my Arcabon! for ever fmile,
And with thy gayeft looks reward my toil:
That fullen air but ill becomes thee now;
Seeft thou not glorious conqueft on my brow?
Amadis, Amadis!-

[Exit.

636

640

ARCAB. Dead, or in chains? Be quick in thy reply. ARCAL. He lives, my Arcabon, but lives to die:

645

The gnawing vulture and the restless wheel
Shall be delight to what the wretch fhall feel.
ARCAB. Goddess of dire revenge, Erinnys! rife;

With pleasure grace thy lips, with joy thy eyes;

650

Smile like the queen of Love, and ftrip the rocks
Of pearls and gems to deck thy jetty locks;
With cheerful tunes difguife thy hollow throat,
And emulate the lark and linnet's note;
Let Envy's felf rejoice, Despair be gay,
For Rage and Murder shall triumph to-day.

ARCAL. Arife, O Ardan! from the hollow womb
Of earth arife; burft from thy brazen tomb; 656
Bear witness to the vengeance we prepare;
Rejoice, and reft for ever void of care.

ARCAB. Pluto! arife; infernal King! release Thy tortur'd flaves, and let the damn'd have peace, But double all their pains on Amadis.

661

ARCAL. Mourn, all ye heavens; above yon' azure Let grief abound, and lamentation reign, The Thunderer with tears bedew his fky, For Amadis, his champion, is doom'd to die.

[plain

665

ARCAB. Death be my care; for, to complete his

[woe,

The flave fhall perish by a woman's blow;
Thus each by turns fhall his dire vow fulfil:
'T was thine to vanquifh, and 't is mine to kill.
ARCAL. So look'd Medea when her rival bride
Upon her nuptial day consuming dy'd:

O never more let love difguife a face

671

By rage adorn'd with fuch triumphant grace! ARCAB. In fweet revenge inferior joys are loft, And Love lies fhipwreck'd on the ftormy coaft; 675

Rage rules all other paffions in my breast,

And, fwelling like a torrent, drowns the reft.
Should this curs'd wretch, whom moft my foul abhors,
Prove the dear man whom moft my foul adores,
Love fhould in vain defend him with his dart; 680
Thro' all his charms I'd ftab him to the heart.

[Exeunt.

SCENE II.

Enter King CELIUS, CONSTANTIUS, LUCIUS a Roman, and a numerous attendance of Britons.

KING. From contracts fign'd, and articles agreed,

With British faith it fuits not to recede:

How may the world interpret fuch neglect,
And on her beauty or her fame reflect?
Roman! confider well what courfe you run;
Refolve to be my pris'ner or my fon.

685

If this founds rude, then know, we Britons flight
Thofe fupple arts which foreigners delight,
Nor ftand on forms to vindicate our right. 690
[Exit King and attendants.

LUC. Happy extremity! Now, Prince! be blefs'd,
Of all you love and all you with poffefs'd:
No cenfure you incur, conftrain'd to chufe,
Poffefs'd at once of pleasure and excufe.

CON. If for myfelf alone I would poffefs, "T were fenfual joy, and brutal happiness.

695

When most we love, embracing and embrec'd,
The particle fublime of blifs is plac'd

In raptures that we feel the ravith'd charmer tale,
Oriana! no-tho' certain death it be,

700

I'll keep my word --I. Il die or fet thee fiec.
Hafte, Lucius! hatte, found loud our trumpets, call
Our guard to arms; tho' few, they 're Romans ali.
Now tremble, favage King! a Roman hand
Shall ne'er be bound that cana fword command. 705

As they go eff, re-enter King C8111 8, attended as before,

KING. Not to be found! the muft, the thall be found;

Difperfe out parties, fearch our kingdoms round.
Follow Condantias; feize him, torture, kill:

Traitor! what vengeance I can have I will.
Well have thy gods, O Rome! fecur'd thy peace,
Planted behind fo many lands and teas,

Or thou shouldit feel me, City! in thy fall.
More dreadful than the Samnite or the Gaul :

715

But to supply and recompenfe this want,
Hear, O ye Guardians of our Iile' and grant
That wrath may rife and ftrife immortal come
Betwixt the gods of Britain and of Rome. [Exeunt.

R