SCENE, ISABELLA's House.

Enter ISABELLA and Nurse: Isabella's little Son at
Play upon the Floor.

Isa. Sooner, or latter, all things pass away,
And are no more: the beggar and the king,
With equal steps tread forward to their end;
Tho' they appear of different natures now;
They meet at last; the reconciling grave
Swallows distinction first, that made us foes;
Then all alike lie down in peace together.
When will that hour of peace arrive for me!
In heav'n I shall find it—not in heav'n,
If my old tyrant father can dispose
Of things above-but, there, his interest
May be as poor as mine, and want a friend
As much as I do here.

Nurse. Good madam, be comforted.

child:

Isa. Do I deserve to be this out-cast wretch?
Abandon'd thus, and lost? but 'tis my lot,
The will of heav'n, and I must not complain :
I will not for myself: let me bear all
The violence of your wrath! but spare my
Let not my sins be visited on him:
They are; they must; a general ruin falls
Ou every thing about me; thou art lost,
Poor nurse, by being near me.

Nurse. I can work, or beg, to do you service.
Isa. Cou'd I forget

What I have been, I might the better bear

What I am destin d to; "I'm not the fist

[Weeping.

That have been wretched; but to think how much

I have been happier! Wild hurry ing thoughts

Start every way from my distracted soul,

To find out hope, and only meet despair.

What answer have I?,

Enter SAMPSON.

Samp. Why truly, very little to the purpose; like a Jew as he is, he says you have had more already than the jewels

are

are worth; he wishes you would rather think of redeeming 'em, than expect any more money upon 'em.

Isa. 'Tis very well

So-poverty at home, and debts abroad!

[Exit Sampson.

My present fortune bad; my hopes yet worse!
What will become of me!

This ring is all I have left of value now;
'Twas given me by my husband his first gift
Upon our marriage: I've always kept it,
With my best care, the treasure next my life;
And now but part with it, to support life;
Which only can be dearer. Take it, nu se,
"Twill stop the cries of hunger for a time;
Provide us bread, and bring a short reprieve,
Tout off the bad day of beggary,

That will come on too suon. Take care of it;
Manage it, as the last remaining friend

That would relieve us. [Exil Nurse.] Heav'n can only tell
Where we shall find another-My dear boy !

The labour of his birth was lighter to ne
Than of my fondness now; my fears for him
Are more, than in that hour of hovering death,
They could be for myself-he minds me not.
His little sports have taken up his thoughts:
O may they never feel the pangs of mine.
Thinking will make me mad; why must I think,
When no thoughts bring me comfort?

Nurse returns.

Nurse. O Madam! you are utterly ruin'd and undone your creditors of all kinds are come in upon you; they have muster'd up a regiment of rogues, that are come to plunder "Your house, and seize all that you have in the world; they are below: what will you do, madam ?

Isa. Do nothing; for I am born to suffer.

Enter CARLOS to her.

Car. O sister! can I tell you by that nanie,
And be the son of this inhuman man,
Inveterate to your ruin? Do not think
I am a kin to his barbarity:

I must abhor my father's usage of you;

And

And from my bleeding honest heart, must pity,
Pity your lost condition: can you think
Of any way that I may serve you in?
But what inrages most my sense of grief,
My sorrow for your wrongs, is, that my father,
Fore-knowing well the storm that was to fall,
Has order'd me not to appear for you.
Isa. I thank your pity; my poor husband fell
For disobeying him; do not you stay
To venture his displeasure too for me.
Car. You must resolve on something-
Isa. Let my fate.

Determine for me; I shall be prepar'd;
The worst that can befal me, is to die;
When once it comes to that, it matters not
Which way 'tis brought about; whether I starve,
Or hang, or drown, the end is still the same;
Plagues, poison, famine, are but several names
Of the same thing, and all conclude in death.
-But sudden death! O for a sudden death,
To cheat my persecutors of their hopes,
Th' expected pleasure of beholding me
Long in my pains, ling'ring in misery!
It will not be; that is deny'd me too.
Hark, they are coming; let the torrent roar :
It can but overwhelm me in its fall;

And life and death are now alike to me.

[Exit.

[Exeunt, the Nurse leading the Child.

SCENE opens, and shews CARLOS and VILLEROY with the officers.

Vil. No farther violence.

The debt in all is but four thousand crowns:

Were it ten times the sum, I think you know

My fortune very well can answer it.

You have my word for this: I'll see you paid

Off. That's as much as we can desire: s we have the money, no matter whence it comes.

Vil. To-morrow you shall have it.

Car. Thus far all's well

Enter

Enter ISABELLA and Nurse with the child.

And now my sister comes to crown the work.

[Aside.

Isa. Where are these rav'ning blood hounds, that pursue

In a full cry, gaping to swallow me?

I meet your rage, and come to be devour'd:

Say, which way are you to dispose of me!
To dungeons, darkness, death!

Car. Have patience.

Isa. Patience!

Off. You'll excuse us; we are but in our office:

Debts must be paid.

Isa. My death will pay you all.

[Distractedly.

Off. While there is law to be had, people will have their

own.

Vil. 'Tis very fit they should; but pray be gone. To-morrow certainly

Isa. What of to-morrow?

Am I then the sport,

[Exeunt Officers.

The game of fortune, and her launching fools?

The common spectacle, to be expos'd

From day to day, and baited for the mirth

Of the lew'd rabble? Must I be reserv'd
For fresh afflictions?

Vil. For long happiness

Of life I hope.

Isa. There is no hope for me.

The load grows light, when we resolve to bear:
I'm ready for my trial.

Car. Pray be calm,

And know your friends.

Isa. My friends! have I a friend?

Car. A faithful friend; in your extremest need

Villeroy came in to save you——

Isa. Save me! how?

Car. By satisfying all your creditors.

Isa. Which way? for what?

Vil. Let me be understood,

And then condemn me: you have given me lcave
To be your friend; and in that only name,

1 now appear before you.

I cou'd wish

There had been no occasion of a friend,
Leca se 1 know you hate to be oblig'd;

5 Vol. 2

And

And still more loth to be oblig'd by me.
Isa. 'Twas that I would avoid

Vil. I am most unhappy, that my services
Can be suspected to design upon you;

I have no farther ends than to redeem you
From fortune's wrongs; to shew myself at last,
What I have long profess'd to be, your friend:
Allow me that; and to convince you more,
That I intend only your interest.

Forgive what I have done, and in amends
(If that can make you any, that can please you)
I'll tear myself from ever from my hopes,
Stifle this flaming passion in my soul,
That has so long broke out to trouble you,
And mention my unlucky love no more.
Isa. This generosity will ruin me.

Vil. Nay, if the blessing of my looking on you
Disturbs your peace, I will do all I can
To keep away, and never see you more.
Car. You must not go.

Vil. Could Isabella speak

Those few short words, I should be rooted here,
And never move but upon her commands.
Car. Speak to him, sister; do not throw away
A fortune that invites you to be happy.
In your extremity he begs your love;
And has deserv'd it nobly. Think upon
Your lost condition, helpless and anon.

Tho' now you have a friend, the time must come
That you will want one; him you may secure
To be a friend, a father, a husband to you.

Isa. A husband!

Car. You have discharg'd your duty to the dead,

And to the living; tis a wilfulness

Not to give way to your necessities,
That force you to this marriage.

Nurse. What must become of this poor innocence ?

Car. He wants a father to protect his youth
And rear him up to virtue; you must bear
The future blame, and answer o the world,.
When you refuse the easy honest means
Of taking care of him.

[Aside.

[Aside.

[To the child.

Nurse.