English

ACT IV. Scene I.

G ONDIBERT .

H AIL Marriage! Fountain of unsullied Bliss,
Descending from above, to quench the Thirst
Of Holy Love, and bathe the Soul in Sweetness.
Hail Hymeneal Rose, without a Thorn!
How have thy Leaves distill'd into my Heart
Their balmy Dews, as pleasant as the Drops
Which softly fall upon our Fields and Hills.
But see the beauteous Partner of my Life,
My Birtha moves this Way. Her modest Cheeks

SCENE IV.

RHODOLINDA, LAURA.

R HODOLINDA .

Am I despis'd for Birtha then, for Birtha?
Patience , I give Thee to the Fiends — Confusion.

Laura .

This very Hour my Husband gain'd the Secret
From Ulfinore , who dies himself for Birtha .

R HODOLINDA .

Hah! am I Rhodolinda , am I Daughter

SCENE III.

KING, ASTRAGON, PHILOSOPHERS.

King .

The Wonders I have heard and seen surprise me.
The Life of Knowledge is the Life of Bliss.
What Scenes of Glory open on my Mind
With new Delight, which Ignorance had veil'd!
How often I beheld yon azure Vault,
The spangel'd Firmament, and glittering Host
Of Stars innumerable sparkling round,
With cold Neglect and stupid Inattention?
Till You, ye Sons of Wisdom and of Virtue,

SCENE II.

UNFINORE, TIBALT.

T IBALT .

You strive in vain to hide your Sorrows from me,
Your Words, your Silence equally betray you.
Your Cheeks are tinctur'd with the yellow Plague
Of Jealousy, which marks you for her Conquest.
If Friendship may relieve you speak your Grief,
My Counsel may direct you to the Port
Of sweet Contentment and the Paths of Peace;
Or is my Friendship and its Proffers slighted?

ACT III. Scene I.

GONDIBERT, BIRTHA,

G ONDIBERT .

I Feel myself more light, my Spirits flow
Serener on, and Life is less a Burthen,
Since I have made this Vow to marry Birtha .
But I will go to comfort the poor Mourner,
Who weeps and groans in Bitterness of Spirit.
For, Thula tells me, when She heard the News
Of Rhodolinda , Life forgot its Office;
She dy'd away with tender Fears, and sigh'd
With all the piteous Harmony of Sorrow:

SCENE VI.

RHODOLINDA, LAURA.

R HODOLINDA .

He's gone: nor wou'd He listen to my Love.
Patience direct me! to be left so coldly!
Left, when I just was pouring out my Heart
In Words which might have been Ambrosia to Him:
For which ev'n Kings had laid there Scepters by,
And thought themselves more blest to drink them in,
Than if the Queen of Beauty had caress'd them,
Unloos'd her Charms, and giv'n up all her Sweetness.

SCENE V.

GONDIBERT, RHODOLINDA, LAURA.

G ONDIBERT .

Ambition reaches out a Crown in vain,
To raise me into Misery for ever.
Cease, gilded Bait, to swim before my Eyes;
My Love is fixt and stedfast as the Pillars
Which prop the Sky: Ambition, cease to tempt me;
Thy Efforts all are light as empty Air.
— My Birtha 's dearer than ten thousand Crowns,
Tho' every Crown was spangled o'er with Stars,

SCENE IV.

ARIBERT, GONDIBERT, ASTRAGON.

A RIBERT .

Thy Actions, Gondibert , were so conspicuous
That Fame employ'd Her hundred Tongues to spread Them.
And charm'd the Ears of Envy with thy Valour.
When all the Battle glow'd, and bloody War
Frown'd horrible; when Shrieks and dying Groans,
Tormenting dismally in Peals the Air,
Roll'd, as the Murmurs of Despair, along,
And Spears, like Light'ning, blasted half the Field;

SCENE III.

BIRTHA and THULA.

B IRTHA .

A strange Variety divides my Soul:
Now smiling Hope with golden Pinions fans me,
Now Terror chills my Blood. I find a Sigh
Unbidden stealing from my inmost Breast,
And agonizing Tremblings shake my Frame: —
Again my Spirits nimbly dance their Rounds,
Warm rolls the purple Tide of Life again,
And all is Peace within. Begone, my Fears,
Nor dare to enter where the charming Youth,

SCENE II.

ASTRAGON, ULFINORE, TIBALT,

T IBALT .

My Alfinore! let me embrace my Friend,
And strain Him to my Heart. — Your reverend Port
And humble Dignity bespeak you Astragon:
That good old Man whose Care and healing Labours
Have piously restor'd to Life and Health,
The noble Gondibert: for which the King,
In Honour of your Virtue, comes to thank you.

U LFINORE .