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And distant mountains, where they feed their
flocks,

The happy shepherds leave their homely huts,
And with their pipes proclaim the new-born day.
There's no condition sure so curs'd as mine-
Monimia! O Monimia!

Enter MONIMIA and FLORella.
Mon. I come!

I fly to my ador'd Castalio's arms,
My wishes' lord. May every morn begin
Like this: and, with our days, our loves renew!
Cas. Oh-

Mon. Art thou not well, Castalio? Come lean
Upon my breast, and tell me where's thy pain.
Cas. 'Tis here-'tis in my head-'tis in my
heart-

Tis every where it rages like a madness,
And I most wonder how my reason holds.
No more, Monimia, of your sex's arts:
They're useless all-I'm not that pliant tool;
I know my charter better-I am man,
Obstinate man, and will not be enslav'd!
Mon. You shall not fear't; indeed my na-
ture's easy:

I'll ever live your most obedient wife!
Nor ever any privilege pretend

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And grieve for what as much may please another?
Should I upbraid the dearest friend on earth
For the first fault? You would not do so,
would you?

Cham. Not if I'd cause to think it was a friend.
Mon. Why do you then call this unfaithful
dealing?

I ne'er conceal'd my soul from you before: Beyond your will; for that shall be my law;-Bear with me now, and search my wounds Indeed I will not.

Cas. Nay, you shall not, madam;
By yon bright heaven, you shall not: all the day
I'll play the tyrant, and at night forsake thee;
Nay, if I've any too, thou shalt be made
Subservient to all my looser pleasures;
For thou hast wrong'd Castafio.

Mon. Oh, kill me here, or tell me my offence!
I'll never quit you else; but on these knees,
Thus follow you all day, till they're worn bare,
And hang upon you like a drowning creature.
Castalio!-

Cas. Away!-Last night! last night!-
Mon. It was our wedding night.
Cas. No more!-Forget it!
Mon. Why! do you then repent?
Cas. I do.

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[Castalio drags her to the Door, breaks from her, and exit. Help me to hold this yet lov'd, cruel man! Castalio!-Oh! how often has he sworn, Nature should change-the sun and stars grow dark,

Ere he would falsify his vows to me!
Make haste, confusion, then! Sun, lose thy light!
And stars, drop dead with sorrow to the earth,
For my Castalio's false!

False as the wind, the waters, or the weather!
Cruel as tigers o'er their trembling prey!
I feel him in my breast; he tears my heart,
And at each sigh he drinks the gushing blood!
Must I be long in pain?

Enter CHAMONT.

Cham. In tears, Monimia!
Mon. Whoe'er thou art,
Leave me alone to my belov'd despair!
Cham. Lift up thy eyes, and see who comes
to cheer thee!

Tell me the story of thy wrongs, and then
See if my soul has rest, till thou hast justice.

no further;

For every probing pains me to the heart.
Cham. 'Tis sign there's danger in't, and
must be prob'd.

Where's your new husband? Still that thought
disturbs you-,
What! only answer me with tears?—Castalio!-
Nay, now they stream: —
Cruel, unkind Castalio!-Is't not so?
Mon. I cannot speak; — grief flows so fast

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upon me,

It chokes, and will not let me tell the cause.
Oh!-

Cham. My Monimia! to my soul thou'rt dear
As honour to my name!

Why wilt thou not repose within my breast
The anguish that torments thee?

Mon. Oh! I dare not.

[confide

Cham. I have no friend but thee. We must
In one another.-Two unhappy orphans,
Alas, we are! and when I see thee grieve,
Methinks it is a part of me that suffers.

Mon. Could you be secret?
Cham. Secret as the grave.

Mon. But when I've told you, will you keep
your fury

Within its bounds? Will you not do some rast
And horrid mischief? For indeed, Chamont,
You would not think how hardly I've been us
From a dear friend-from one that has my son
A slave, and therefore treats it like a tyrant.
Cham. I will be calm. But has Castali
wrong'd thee?

Has he already wasted all his love?
What has he done? quickly! for I'm a
trembling

With expectation of a horrid tale!
Mon. Oh! could you think it?

Cham. What?

Mon. I fear he'll kill me!

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Dash thee disdainfully away, with scorn?
Mon. He did.

Cham. What! throw thee from him?
Mon. Yes, indeed he did!
Cham. So may this arm

Throw him to th' earth, like a dead dog despis'd.
Lameness and leprosy, blindness and lunacy,
Poverty, shame, pride, and the name of villain,
Light on me, if, Castalio, I forgive thee!

Mon. Nay, now, Chamont, art thou unkind as he is!

Didst thou no: promise me thou wouldst be calm?

Keep my disgrace conceal'd?

Alas, I love him still; and though I ne'er
Clasp him again within these longing arms,
Yet bless him, bless him, gods, where'er he goes!

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Cham No, Pll calmly hear the story; For I would fain know all, to see which scale Weighs most.-Ha! is not that good old Acasto? What have I done?---Can you forgive this folly? Acas. Why dost thou ask it?

Cham. Twas the rude o'erflowing Of too much passion-Pray, my lord, forgive [Kneels. Acas. Mock me not, youth! I can revenge

me.

a wrong. Cham. I know it well but for this thought| of mine,

Cham. Indeed I've been to blame; For you've been my fatherYou've been, her father too.

[Takes Monimia by the Hand. Acas. Forbear the prologue,

And let me know the substance of thy tale.
Cham. You took her up, a little tender flower,
Just sprouted on a bank, which the next frost
Had nipp'd; and with a careful, loving hand,
Transplanted her into your own fair garden,
Where the sun always shines: there long she
flourish'd;

Grew sweet to sense, and lovely to the eye;
Till at the last a cruel spoiler came,
Cropp'd this fair rose, and rifled all its sweetness,
Then cast it like a loathsome weed away.

Acas. You talk to me in parables, Chamont: You may have known that I'm no wordy man. Fine speeches are the instruments of knaves, Or fools, that use them when they want good But honesty

sense:

Needs no disguise or ornament. Be plain.
Cham. Your son-

Acas. I've two; and both, I hope, have honour.
Cham. I hope so too; but
Acas. Speak.

Cham. I must inform you,
Once more, Castalio-

Acas. Still Castalio!

Cham. Yes;

Your son Castalio has wrong'd Monimia!
Acas. Ha! wrong'd her?
Cham. Marry'd her.

Acas. I'm sorry for't.
Cham. Why sorry

?

By yon blest heaven, there's not a lord
But might be proud to take her to his heart.
Acas. I'll not deny't.

Cham. You dare not; by the gods,
You dare not. All your family combin'd
In one damn'd falsehood, to outdo Castalio,
Dare not deny't.

Acas. How has Castalio wrong'd her? Cham. Ask that of him. I say my sister's wrong'd: Monimia, my sister, born as high And noble as Castalio.-Do her justice, Or, by the gods, I'll lay a scene of blood Shall make this dwelling horrible to nature. I'll do't.-Hark you, my lord, your son Castalio, Take him to your closet, and there teach him

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own me.

Acas. When you'll complain to me, I'll
prove a father.
[Exit.

Mon. Now I'm undone for ever! Who on
earth

Pity a madman's frenzy, and forget it.
Acas. I will; but henceforth pr'ythee be more Is there so wretched as Monimia?
[Raises him. First by Castalio cruelly forsaken;
I've lost Acasto now; his parting frowns

kind. Whence came the cause?

May well instruct me rage is in his heart.
I shall be next abandon'd to my fortune,
Thrust out, a naked wand'rer to the world,
And branded for the mischievous Monimia!
What will become of me? My cruel brother
Is framing mischiefs too, for aught I know,
That may produce bloodshed and horrid murder!
I would not be the cause of one man's death,
To reign the empress of the earth; nay, more,
I'd rather lose for ever my Castalio,
My dear, unkind Castalio.

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[Sits down.

I come, my love, to kiss all sorrow from thee. What mean these sighs, and why thus beats

thy heart?

Mon. Let me alone to sorrow; 'tis a cause None e'er shall know; but it shall with me die. Pol. Happy, Monimia, he to whom these sighs, These tears, and all these languishings are paid! I know your heart was never meant for me; That jewel's for an elder brother's price. Mon. My lord!

Pol. Nay, wonder not; last night I heard His oaths, your vows, and to my torment saw Your wild embraces; heard the appointment made;

I did, Monimia, and I curs'd the sound.
Wilt thou be sworn, my love? wilt thou be ne'er
Unkind again?

Mon. Banish such fruitless hopes!
Have you sworn constanoy to my undoing?
Will you be ne'er my friend again?
Pol. What means my love?

Mon. Away! what meant my lord Last night?

Pol. Is that a question now to be demanded?
Mon. Was it well done

Tassault my lodging at the dead of night,
And threaten me if I deny'd admittance
You said you were Castalio.

Pol. By those eyes,

It was the same: I spent my time much better. Mon. Ha!-have a care!

Pol. Where is the danger near me? Mon. I fear you're on a rock will wreck your quiet,

And 'drown your soul in wretchedness for ever. A thousand horrid thoughts crowd on my mem

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Let mischiefs multiply! let every hour
Of my loath'd life yield me increase of horror!
O let the sun, to these unhappy eyes,
Ne'er shine again, but be eclips'd for ever!
May every thing I look on seem a prodigy,
To fill my soul with terrors, till I quite
Forget I ever had humanity,
And grow a curser of the works of nature!
Pol. What means all this?
Mon. O Polydore! if all

The friendship e'er you vow'd to good Castalio
Be not a falsehood; if you ever lov'd
Your brother, you've undone yourself and me.
Pol. Which way can ruin reach the man
that's rich,

As I am, in possession of thy sweetness?
Mon. Oh! I'm his wife!
Pol. What says Monimia?
Mon. I am Castalio's wife!
Pol. His marry'd, wedded wife?
Mon. Yesterday's sun

Saw it perform'd!

Pol. My brother's wife?
Mon. As surely as we both

Must taste of misery, that guilt is thine..
Pol. Oh! thou may'st yet be happy!
Mon. Couldst thou be

Happy, with such a weight upon thy soul?

Pol. It may be yet a secret.-I'll go try To reconcile and bring Castalio to thee! Whilst from the world I take myself away, And waste my life in penance for my sin. Mon. Then thou wouldst more undo me: heap a load

Of added sins upon my wretched head! Wouldst thou again have me betray thy brother, And bring pollution to his arms? - Curs'd thought!

[Exit.

Oh! when shall I be mad indeed!
Pol. Then thus I'll go-
Full of my guilt, distracted where to roam:
I'll find some place where adders nest in winter,
Loathsome and venomous; where poisons hang
Like gums against the walls: there I'll inhabit,
And live up to the height of desperation.
Desire shall languish like a with'ring flower,
Horrors shall fright me from those pleasing harms,
And I'll no more be caught with beauty's

CASTALIO

charms.

ACT V.

SCENE I.-A Garden.

[Exil

discovered lying on the Ground. Soft Music.

Cas. See where the deer trot after one another: No discontent they know; but in delightful Wildness and freedom, pleasant springs, fresh herbage,

Calm arbours, lusty bealth and innocence,
Enjoy their portion:-if they see a man,
How will they turn together all, and gaze
Upon the monster!

Once in a season too they taste of love:
Only the beast of reason is its slave;
And in that folly drudges all the year.

Enter ACASTO.

Acas. Castalio! Castalio!

Cas. Who's there

So wretched but to name Castalio?

Acas. I hope my message may succeed.

Cas. My father!

Tis joy to see you, though where sorrow's nourish'd.

Acas. Castalio, you must go along with me, And see Monimia.

Cas. Sure my lord but mocks me: Go see Monimia?

Acas. I say, no more dispute. Complaints are made to me that you have wrong'd her.

Cas. Who has complain'd?

Acas. Her brother to my face proclaim'd her wrong'd,

And in such terms they've warm'd me.

Cas. What terms? Her brother! Heaven!

Where learn'd he that?

With the remembrance of an ancient friendship. Cas. I am a villain, if I will not seek thee, Till I may be reveng'd for all the wrongs Done me by that ungrateful fair thou plead'st for. Cham. She wrong'd thee? By the fury in my heart,

Thy father's honour's not above Monimia's; Nor was thy mother's truth and virtue fairer. Acas. Boy, don't disturb the ashes of the dead With thy capricious follies; the remembrance Of the lov'd creature that once fill'd these armsCham. Has not been wrong'd.

Cas. It shall not.

Cham. No, nor shall

Monimia, though a helpless orphan, destitute
Of friends and fortune, though th' unhappy sister

What, does she send her hero with defiance? Of poor Chamont, whose sword is all his portion,

He durst not sure affront you?

Acas. No, not much:

But

Cas. Speak, what said he?

Acas. That thou wert a villain: Methinks I would not have thee thought a villain. Cas. Shame on the ill-manner'd brute! Your age secur'd him; he durst not else have said Acas. By my sword,

I would not see thee wrong'd, and bear it vilely: Though I have pass'd my word she shall have justice.

Cas. Justice! to give her justice would undo her.

Think you this solitude I now have chosen,
Wish'd do have grown one piece
With this cold clay, and all without a cause?

Enter CHAMONT.

Cham. Where is the hero, famous and renown'd

B' oppress'd by thee, thou proud, imperious traitor!

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For wronging innocence, and breaking vows; It
Whose mighty spirit, and whose stubborn heart,
No woman can appease, nor man provoke?
Acas. I guess, Chamont, you come to seek
Castalio?

Cham. I come to seek the husband of Monimia.
Cas. The slave is here.

Cham. I thought ere now to have found you
Atoning for the ills you've done Chamont:
Ir you have wrong'd the dearest part of him.
Monimia, young lord, weeps in this heart;
And all the tears thy injuries have drawn
From her poor eyes, are drops of blood from
hence.

Cas. Then you are Chamont?

Cham. Yes, and I hope no stranger

is great Castalio.

Cas, I've heard of such a man,
That has been very busy with my honour.
i own I'm much indebted to you, sir,
And here return the villain back again
I sent me by my father.

Cham. Thus I'll thank you. [Draws. Acas. By this good sword, who first presumes to violence,

Lakes me his foe. [Draws and interposes. Cas. Sir, in my younger years with care you taught me

at brave revenge was due to injur'd honour: pose not then the justice of my sword, at you should make me jealous of your love. Cham. Into thy father's arms thou fly'st for safety, Because thou know'st that place is sanctify'd

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Acas. For my sake, Castalio, and the quiet of my age. Cas. Why will you urge a thing my na

ture starts at?. Acas. Pr'ythee forgive her.

Cas. Lightnings first shall blast me!

I tell you, were she prostrate at my feet,
Full of her sex's best dissembled sorrows,
And all that wondrous beauty of her own,
My heart might break, but it should never soften.
Acas. Did you but know the agonies she feels―
She flies with fury over all the house;
Through every room of each apartment, crying,
'Where's my Castalio? Give me my Castalio!"
Except she sees you, sure she'll grow distracted!
Cas. Ha! will she? Does she name Castalio?
And with such tenderness? Conduct me quickly
To the poor lovely mourner.

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Acas. Then wilt thou go? Blessings attend thy purpose!

Cas. I cannot hear Monimia's soul's in sadness, And be a man: my heart will not forget her. Acas. Delay not then; but haste and cheer thy love..

Cas. Oh! I will throw my impatient arms about her!

In her soft bosom sigh my soul to peace;

Till through the panting breast she finds the way (With torment I must tell it thee, Castalio),
To mould my heart, and make it what she will. Ever to be a stranger to thy love,
Monimia! Oh!
[Exeunt. In some far distant country waste my life,
And from this day to see thy face no more.

SCENE II.-A Chamber.

Enter MONIMIA.

Mon. Stand off, and give me room; I will not rest till I have found Castalio, My wish's lord, comely as the rising day. I cannot die in peace till. I have seen him.

Enter CASTALIO.

Cas. Why turn'st thou from me; I'm alone already.

Methinks I stand upon a naked beach, Sighing to winds, and to the seas complaining, Whilst afar off the vessel sails away, Where all the treasure of my soul's embark'd; Wilt thou not turn?-Oh! could those eyes but speak,

Cas. Who talks of dying, with a voice so sweet I should know all, for love is pregnant in 'em; That life's in love with it?

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In dark oblivion but a few past hours,
We might be happy.

Cas. Is't then so hard, Monimia, to forgive A fault, where humble love, like mine, implores thee?

For I must love thee, though it prove my ruin.
I'll kneel to thee, and weep a flood before thee.
Yet pr'ythee, tyrant, break not quite my heart;
But when my task of penitence is done,
Heal it again, and comfort me with love.

Mon. If I am dumb, Castalio, and want words
To pay thee back this mighty tenderness,
It is because I look on thee with horror,
And cannot see the man I have so wrong'd.
Cas. Thou hast not wrong'd me.
Mon. Ah! alas, thou talk'st
Just as thy poor heart thinks. Have not I
wrong'd thee?

Cas. No.

Mon. Still thou wander'st in the dark, Castalio; But wilt, ere long, stumble on horrid danger.

Cas. My better angel, then do thou inform me What danger threatens me, and where it lies; Why wert thou (pr'y thee smile, and tell me why), When I stood waiting underneath the window, Deaf to my cries, and senseless of my pains? Mon. Did I not beg thee to forbear inquiry? Read'st thou not something in my face, that speaks

Wonderful change, and horror from within me?
Cas. If, lab'ring in the pangs of death,
Thou wouldst do any thing to give me ease,
Unfold this riddle ere my thoughts grow wild,
And let in fears of ugly form upon me.
Mon. My heart won't let me speak it; but
remember,

Monimia, poor Monimia, tells you this:
We ne'er must meet again-

Cas. Ne'er meet again?

Mon. No, never.

Cas. Where's the power

On earth, that dares not look like thee, and say so?
Thou art my heart's inheritance: I serv'd
A long and faithful slavery for thee;
And who shall rob me of the dear-bought
blessing?

Mon. Time will clear all; but now let this

content you: Heaven has decreed, and therefore I've resolv'd

They swell, they press their beams upon me still: Wilt thou not speak? If we must part for ever, Give me but one kind word to think upon, And please myself withal, whilst my heart's breaking.

Mon. Ah! poor Castalio! [Exit. Cas. What means all this? Why all this stir to plague

A single wretch? If but your word can shake This world to atoms, why so much ado With me? think me but dead, and lay me so.

Enter POLYDORE.

Pol. To live, and live a torment to myself, What dog would bear't, that knew but his condition?

We've little knowledge, and that makes us cowards,

Because it cannot tell us what's to come.

Cas. Who's there?

Pol. Why, what art thou?
Cas. My brother Polydore?
Pol. My name is Polydore.
Cas. Canst thou inform me-
Pol. Of what?

Cas. Of my Monimia?
Pol. No. Good day!
Cas. In haste!

Methinks my Polydore appears in sadness.
Pol. Indeed! and so to me does my Castalio
Cas. Do I?

Pol. Thou dost.

Gos. Alas, I've wondrous reason! I'm strangely alter'd, brother, since I saw thee Pol. Why?

Cas. I'll tell thee, Polydore; I would repos Within thy friendly bosom all my follies; For thou wilt pardon 'em, because they're mine

Pol. Be not too credulous; consider first, Friends may be false. Is there no friendship false Cas. Why dost thou ask me that? Doc this appear

Like a false friendship, when, with open arm
And streaming eyes, I run upon thy breast.
Oh! 'tis in thee alone I must have comfort!
Pol. I fear, Castalio, I have none to give the
Cas. Dost thou not love me then?
Pol. Oh, more than life;

I never had a thought of my Castalio, Might wrong the friendship we had vow together.

Hast thou dealt so by me?
Cas. I hope I have.

Pol. Then tell me why this morning, disorder?

Cas. O Polydore, I know not how to tell th Shame rises in my face, and interrupts The story of my tongue.

Pol. I grieve, my friend

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