The Distance 'twixt a Peafant and a Prince..

Dum. Nay, then my Lord! (drawing) Learn you by this how well

An Arm refolv'd can guard its Master's Life

[They fight.

J. Sh. Oh my diftracting Fears! hold, for fweet Heav'n. [They fight, Dumont disarms Lord Haftings.

L. Haft. Confufion ! baffled by a bafe-born Hind!

Dum. Now, haughty Sir, where is our Difference now ?
Your Life is in my Hand, and did not Honour,
The Gentleness of Blood, and inborn Virtue
(Howe'er unworthily I may feem to you)
Plead in my Bofom, I fhould take the Forfeit.
But, wear your Sword again; and know, a Lord'
Oppos'd against a Man, is but a Man.

L. Haft. Curfe on my failing Hand! Your better Fortune

Has giv'n you Vantage o'er me; but perhaps

Your Triumph may be bought with dear Repentance. [Exi: J. Sh. Alas! What have you done! Know you the Pow'r,

The Mightiness that waits upon this Lord?

Dum. Fear not, my worthiest Miftrefs; 'tis a Caufe,
In which Heav'ns Guard fhall wait you." O purfue,
Purfue the facred Counfels of your Soul,

Which urge you on to Virtue; let not Danger, D1, A
Nor the incumbring World, make faint your Purpofe,
Affifting Angels fhall conduct your Steps,

Bring you to Blifs, and crown your End with Peace.

J. Sh. Oh that my Head were laid, my fad Eyes clos'd, And

my cold Coarfe wound in my Shrowd to reft; My painful Heart will never ceafe to beat,

J

Will never know a Moment's Peace till then."
Dum. Wou'd you be happy? Leave this fatal Place,

Fly

Fly from the Court's pernicious Neighbourhood;
Where Innocence is fham'd, and blushing Modesty
Is made the Scorner's Jeft; where Hate, Deceit,
And deadly Ruin, wear the Mafques of Beauty,
And draw deluded Fools with Shews of Pleafure.

7. Sb Where fhould I fly, thus Helplefs and Forlorn, 1 Of Friends, and all the Means of Life bereft ?

Dum. Bellmour, whofe friendly Care still wakes to ferve you, Has found you out a little peaceful Refuge,

Far from the Court, and the Tumultuous City,
Within an ancient Foreft's ample Verge,
There ftands a lonely, but a healthful Dwelling,.
Built for Convenience, and the Ufe of Life:
Around it Fallows, Meads, and Paflures fair,
A little Garden, and a limpid Brook, a
By Nature's own Contrivance feem difpos'd;
No Neighbours, but a few poor fimple Clowns,
Honest and true, with a well-meaning Pricft:
No Faction, or Domestick Fury's Rage,

Did e'er difturb the Quiet of that Place,
When the contending Nobles fhook the Land
With Tork and Lancaster's difputed Sway.goo
Your Virtue there may find a fafe Retreat,
From the infultiug Pow'rs of wicked Greatness.
7. Sh. Can there be fo much Happiness in ftore !
A Cell, like that, is all my Hopes afpire to

Hafte then, and thither let us take our Flight,

Ere the Clouds gather, and the wintry Sky,

Defcends in Storms to intercept our Paffage.

Dum. Will you then go? Banish your Fears, caft all

You glad my very Soul;
your Cares on me;

Plenty,

Plenty, and Eafe, and Peace of Mind shall wait you,
And make your latter Days of Life most happy.
Oh, Lady! But I must not, cannot tell you,
How anxious I have been for all your Dangers,
And how my Heart rejoices at your Safety.
So when the Spring renews the Flow'ry Field,
And warns the pregnant Nightingale to build,
She feeks the fafeft Shelter of the Wood,

Where the truft her little tuneful Brood:

may

Where no rude Swains her fhady Cell may know,
No Serpents climb, nor blafting Winds may blow
Fond of the chofen Place, fhe views it o'er,
Sits there, and wanders thro' the Grove no more.
Warbling the charms it each returning Night,
And loves it with a Mother's dear delight.

The End of the Second Act.

[Exeunt,

T

ACT III. SCENE I.

Scene the Court.

Enter Alicia with a Paper.

Alic. His Paper, to the great Protector's Hand,
With Care and Secrefy must be convey'd s

His bold Ambition now avows its Aim,

To pluck the Crown from Edward's Infant Brow,

And fix it on his own. I know he holds

My taithlefs Haftings adverse to his Hopes,
And much devoted to the Orphan King;
On that I build: This Paper meets his Doubts,
And marks my hated Rival as the Cause
Or Haftings' Zeal for his dead Mafter's Sons.

Oh Jealousy! chou Bane of pleafing Friendship,
Thou wo Invader of our tender Bofoms;

1

es thy Kancour poifon all our Softness,

or our gentle Natures into Bitterness.

e he comes! Once my Heart's dearest Blessing,
ny chang'd Eyes are blafted with her Beauty;
ha: known Face, and ficken to behold her.

Enter Jane Shore.

Sb Nw whither all I fly, to find Relief?
chable Fa..d will aid me now?

ay my tailing Steps, fupport my Ruins,

And

wounded Mind with balany Comfort?

And heal

my

Oh, my

Alicia!

Alic. What new Grief is this?

What unforeseen Misfortune has furpriz'd thee,

That racks thy tender Heart thus?

J. Sh. Oh! Dumont !

Alic. Say! What of him?

7. Sb. That friendly, honest Man

Whom Bellmour brought of late to my Affistance
On whofe kind Cares, whofe Diligence and Faith
My fureft Truft was built, this very Morn
Was feiz'd on by the cruel Hand of Pow'r,

Forc'd from my House, and born away to Prifon.
Alic. To Prifon, faid you! Can you guefs the Caufe?
J. Sh. Too well, I fear. His bold Defence of me,
Has drawn the Vengeance of Lord Haftings on him.
Alic. Lord Haftings! ha!

7. Sh. Some fitter Time muft tell thee

The Tale of my hard Hap. Upon the prefent,
Hang all my poor, my laft remaining Hopes.
Within this Paper is my Suit contain'd;
Here, as the Princely Glofter paffes forth,
I wait to give it on my humble Knees,
And move him for Redrefs.

[She gives the Paper to Alicia, who opens and feems to read it.]

Alic. [Afide:] Now for a Wile,

To fting my Thoughtlefs Rival to the Heart
To blaft her fatal Beauties, and divide her,
For ever from my perjur'd Haftings' Eyes:
The Wanderer may then look back to me,

And