Seof. They come, my Lord. King. Look to him well; for, by yon Thy Life fhall pay for his, if he escape: [Shout dreadful Altars, First kill him, plunge thy Poinard in his Bofom, [Exe. King, Seofrid, Guards and Attendants. Prieft. Be chear'd, my Lord, Nor keep one Doubt of me; I am your Slave. Enter Rodogune, Soldiers, and other Attendants. Rodo. Well have our Arms prevail'd: Behold, he lives, Ungrateful as he is, by me he lives. Do I not come with too officious Hafte, [To Aribert, Ari. If I refus'd the Bleffing from your Hands, Forget me, blot my Name from thy Remembrance, I break thy Chain-Would I could break my own. [Afide Enter an Officer. Officer. A Party of our Horse, that late went forth To mark the Order of the Britons Camp, Met Met in their course fome Servants of the King; For fo they call'd themselves. Ours judg'd 'em Traitors, The reft, for fo your Princely Brother wills, Rodo. Let 'em enter. A Woman!- Enter Ethelanda, and two Attendants, guarded. Ethel. Is there then an End of Sorrows! [Running to Aribert. Has then that cruel Chance that long pursu'd me, That vext me with her various Malice long, Been kind at last, and bleft me to my Wish, Lodg'd me once more within thy faithful Arms! Ari. Oh my foreboding Heart! Oh fatal Meeting! Ethel. Why droops my Love, my Lord, my Aribert ? Why doft thou figh and press me? and oh! wherefore, ] Wherefore thefe Tears that ftain thy manly Visage? They told me Heav'n had ftrove for thy Deliverance, Had rais'd thee up some kind, some great Preferver, To fave thee from thy cruel Brother's Hand. Why therefore do'ft thou mourn, when thou art bleft? Or does fome new Affliction wound thee? Say: Perhaps I am the Caufe. Rodo. By all the Tortures, The Pangs that rend my groaning Breaft, 'tis fhe, Ari. Oh Ethelinda! Why art thou here? Is this the Britons Camp? Ari. Me! -what can I do for thee? For we are wretched both. Rodo. I'll doubt no more. My jealous Heart confeffes her its Foe, Nor fhall fhe Triumph o'er me. No, ye Gods! If I am doom'd by you to be a Wretch, She too Thall fuffer with me. Prince, you feem [To Arib. Ethel. Alas! to Death!. what [To the Guards: What mean you? fay, by Unknown, unwilling Crime have I offended? Το you And learn my Crime from you. Ari. Learn it from me; I am thy Crime, 'tis Aribert destroys thee. [Kneeling, Ethel. If thou art my Offence I've finn'd indeed, Ev'n to a vaft and numberless Account; For from the Time when I beheld thee first, [To Aribert My Soul has not one Moment been without thee; Still Still thou haft been my Wifh, my conftant Thought, And the dear Dream of all my fweetest Slumbers, Ethel. Nor will you think it [To Rodogune A Crime to love, for that I love is true. Would it be just that you should die for loving? Rodo. Be dumb for ever, let the Hand of Death Ari. Oh hold! for Rodo. Wherefore dost thou catch my Garment? Thou that haft fet me on the Rack; com'ft thou To double all my Pains, and with new Terrors, Dreadful, to shake my agonizing Soul? Ari. What fhall I fay to move thee? Rodo. Talk for ever, Winds shall be still, and Seas forget to roar, The Din of babling Crowds, and peopled Cities, All fhall be hush'd as Death, while thou art speaking, For there is Musick in thy Voice. Ari. Then hear me; With gentleft Patience, with Compaffion hear me, Thus Thus, with a bleeding Heart, and ftreaming Eyes, Rodo. Tho' thou wert dearer to my doating Eyes If fuch there are, who rule o'er Love and Jealoufie, Ari. Then I have only one Request to make, Rodo. Ungrateful Wretch! Yet I would make thy Life my Care Ari. No more: Now I fcorn Life indeed. Tho' you had Beauty, Glory, and Wealth, and Pow'r, were yours to give," And fleep for ever with her in the Grave. Rodo. Then take thy Wifh, and let both die together. Yes, I will tear thee out from my Remembrance, And be at Eafe for ever. Ethel. Oh my Love! What can I pay thee back for all this Truth? Where |