has shewn his care of me, in placing my little affairs in such honourable hands. Stan. He gave me a particular charge of you, madam, very particular; so particular, that you will be surprised when I tell you. Char. What, pray, sir? Stan. I am engaged to get you a husband, I promised that before I saw you; and now I have seen you, you must give me leave to offer you myself. Lucy. Nay, cousin, never be coy upon the matter: to my knowledge, my brother always designed you for this gentleman. Stan. You hear, madam, he has given me his interest, and 'tis the favour I would have begg'd of him. Lord! you are so like him—— Char. That you are obliged to say, you like me for his sake. Stan. I should be glad to love you for your own. Char. If I should consent to the fine things you can say to me, how would you look at last, to find them thrown away upon an old acquaintance? Stan. An old acquaintance! Char. Lord, how easily are you men to be imposed upon! I am no cousin newly arrived from England, not I; but the very Welldon you wot of. Stan. Welldon! Char. Not murdered, nor made away, as my sister would have you believe, but am in very good health; your old friend in breeches that was, and now your humble servant in petticoats. Stan. I'm glad we have you again. But what service can you do me in petticoats, pray? Char. Can't you tell what? Stan. Not I, by my troth: I have found my friend, and lost my mistress, it seems, which I did not expect from your petticoats. Char. Come, come, you have had a friend of your mistress long enough, 'tis high time now to have a mistress of your friend. Stan. What do you say? Char. I am a woman, sir. Stan. A woman! I would have endeavoured to have been so too; but you say you like me, and therefore I have ventured to discover the truth. Stan. Like you! I like you so well, that I'm afraid you won't think marriage a proof on't: Shall I give you any other? Char. No, no, I'm inclined to believe you, and that shall convince me. At more leisure I'll satisfy you how I came to be in man's clothes; for no ill I assure you, though I have happened to play the rogue in them: they have assisted me in marrying my sister, and have gone a great way in befriending your cousin Jack with the widow. Can you forgive me for pimping for your family? Enter JACK STANMORE. Stan. So, Jack, what news with you? J. Stan. I am the fore part of the widow, you know; she's coming after with the body of the family, the young squire in her hand, my son-inlaw that is to be, with the help of Mr Welldon. Char. Say you so, sir? [Clapping JACK upon the back. Enter Widow LACKITT, with her son DANIEL. Wid. So, Mrs Lucy, I have brought him about again; I have chastised him, I have made him as supple as a glove for your wearing, to pull on, or to throw off, at your pleasure. Will you ever rebel again? Will you, sirrah? but come, come, down on your marrow-bones, and ask her for giveness. [DANIEL kneels.] Say after me, Pray forsooth, wife. Dan. Pray forsooth, wife. Lucy. Well, well, this is a day of good-nature, and so I take you into favour: but first take the oath of allegiance. [He kisses her hand, and rises.] If ever you do so again Dan. Nay, marry, if I do, I shall have the worst on't. Lucy. Here's a stranger, forsooth, would be glad to be known to you, a sister of mine, pray salute her. [Starts at CHARLOTTE. Wid. Your sister, Mrs Lucy! what do you Char. As arrant a woman as you would have mean? This is your brother, Mr Welldon; do had me but now, I assure you. Stan. And at my service? Char. If you have any for me in petticoats. Stan. You might have had it cheaper a great deal. Char. I might have married you in the person of my English cousin, but could not consent to cheat you, even in the thing I had a mind to. Stan. 'Twas done as you do every thing. Char. I need not tell you, I made that little plot, and carried it on only for this opportunity. I was resolved to see whether you liked me as a woman, or not. If I had found you indifferent, you think I do not know Mr. Welldon? Lucy. Have a care what you say: this gentleman's about marrying her: you may spoil all. Wid. Fiddle faddle! what, you would put a trick upon me? Char. No faith, widow, the trick is over, it has taken sufficiently; and now I will teach you the trick, to prevent your being cheated another time. Wid. How! cheated, Mr Welldon! Char. Why, ay, you will always take things by the wrong handle; I see you will have me Mr Welldon: I grant you, I was Mr Welldon a little while, to please you, or so: but Mr Stanmore here has persuaded me into a woman again. Wid. A woman! pray let me speak with you. [Drawing her aside.] You are not in earnest, I hope! A woman! Char. Really a woman. Wid. Gads my life! I could not be cheated in every thing: I know a man from a woman at these years, or the devil's in't. Pray, did not you marry me? Char. You would have it so. Wid. And did not I give you a thousand pounds this morning? Char. Yes indeed, 'twas more than I deserved; but you had your pennyworth for your penny, I suppose: you seemed to be pleased with your bargain. Wid. A rare bargain I have made on't, truly! I have laid out my money to fine purpose upon a woman. Char. You would have a husband, and I provided for you as well as I could. Wid. Yes, yes, you have provided for me. Char. And you have paid me very well for't; I thank you. Wid. 'Tis very well; I may be with child too, for aught I know, and may go look for the father. Char. Nay, if you think so, 'tis time to look about you indeed. Even make up the matter as well as you can, I advise you as a friend, and let us live neighbourly and lovingly together. Wid. I have nothing else for it, that I know now. Char. For my part, Mrs Lackitt, your thousand pounds will engage me not to laugh at you. Then my sister is married to your son, he is to have half your estate, I know; and indeed they may live upon it, very comfortably to themselves, and very creditably to you. Wid. Nay, I can blame nobody but myself. Char. You have enough for a husband still, and that you may bestow upon honest Jack Stanmore. Wid. Is he the man then?' Char. He is the man you are obliged to. J. Stan. Yes, faith, widow, I am the man. I have done fairly by you, you find, you know what you have to trust to before-hand. Wid. Well, well, I see you will have me; ev'n marry me, and make an end of the business. Stan. Why, that's well said, now we are all agreed, and all provided for. Enter a Servant to STANMORE. Serv. Sir, Mr Blandford desires you to come to him, and bring as many of your friends as you can with you. Stan. I come to him. You'll all go along with me.-Come, young gentleman, marriage is the fashion, you see you must like it now. Dan. If I don't, how shall I help myself? Lucy. Nay, you may hang yourself in the noose, if you please, but you'll never get out on't with struggling. Dan. Come then, let's ev'n jog on in the old road. Cuckold, or worse, I must be now contented: I'm not the first has married, and repented. [Exeunt. SCENE II. Enter Governor with BLANDFORD, and Blan. Have you no reverence of future fame? Enter STANMORE, J. STANMORE, CHARLOTTE, So, Stanmore, you, I know, the women too, [To the Women 1 Plan. Never mind 'em, governor; he ought to be made an example for the good of the plantation. 2 Plan. Ay, ay, 'twill frighten the negroes from attempting the like again. 1 Plan. What, rise against their lords and masters! at this rate no man is safe from his own slaves. 2 Plun. No, no more he is. Therefore one and all, governor, we declare for hanging. Om. Plan. Ay, ay, hang him, hang him. Wid. What! hang him! O! forbid it, gover nor. Cha. Lucy. We all petition for him. J. Stan. They are for a holiday; guilty or not is not the business, hanging is their sport. Blan. We are not, sure, so wretched, to have these, The rabble, judge for us: the changing crowd; He should be where he is: good governor, Blan. Discretion! no, he yielded on your word; And I am made the cautionary pledge, The last resort of truth, and trust on earth: But in the common intercourse of men, (Where the dread majesty is not invok❜d, Wid. Come, come, you'll be as good as your word, we know. Stan. He's out of all power of doing any harm now, if he were disposed to it. Char. But he is not disposed to it. Blan. To keep him where he is, will make him soon Find out some desperate way to liberty: The Scene drawn, shews OROONOKO upon his back, his legs and arms stretched out, and chained to the ground. Enter BLANDFORD, STANMORE, &c. Blan. O miserable sight! help every one, Assist me all to free him from his chains. [They help him up, and bring him forward, Most injur'd prince! how shall we clear ourselves? Blan. It is our curse, but make it not our crime; Stan. Profligates! Whose bold Titanian impiety Blan. We are not so: believe us innocent. We come To offer a redress of your base wrongs. If there is any thing that can atone; To thank, and bless you, there is yet a way OROONOKO alone. [Exeunt. Oro. Forget! forgive! I must indeed forget, When I forgive: But while I am a man, In flesh, that bears the living marks of shame, The print of his dishonourable chains, My memory still rousing up my wrongs, I never can forgive this governor, This villain; the disgrace of trust and place, And just contempt of delegated power. What shall I do? If I declare myself, I know him, he will sneak behind his guard Of followers, and brave me in his fears. Else, lion-like, with my devouring rage, I would rush on him, fasten on his throat, Tear a wide passage to his treacherous heart, And that way lay him open to the world. Pausing. If I should turn his Christian arts on him, SCENE-The Governor's House. Enter Governor. [Exit. Gov. I would not have her tell me, she consents; In favour of the sex's modesty, Which love, and she, expect I should employ: Enter to him BLANDFORD, the STANMORES, DANIEL, Mrs LACKITT, CHARLOTTE, and LUCY. Wid. O governor! I'm glad we have lit upon you. Gov. Why! what's the matter? Char. Nay, nothing extraordinary. But one good action draws on another. You have given the prince his freedom: now we come a begging for his wife: you won't refuse us? Gov. Refuse you? No, no, what have I to do to refuse you? Wid. You won't refuse to send her to him, she means. Gov. I send her to him! Wid. We have promised him to bring her. Gov. You do very well; 'tis kindly done of you: ev'n carry her to him, with all my heart. Lucy. You must tell us where she is. Gov. I tell you! why, don't you know? Blan. Your servants say she's in the house. Gov. No, no, I brought her home at first indeed; but I thought it would not look well to keep her here: I removed her in the hurry, only to take care of her. What! she belongs to you: I have nothing to do with her. Char. But where is she now, sir? Gov. Why, faith, I can't say certainly: you'll hear of her at Parham House, I suppose: there, or thereabouts: I think I sent her there. Blan. I'll have an eye on him. [Aside. Exeunt all but the Governor. Gov. I have lied myself into a little time, And must employ it: they'll be here again; But I must be before 'em. [Going out, he meets IMOINDA, and seizes her. Are you come? I'll court no longer for a happiness That is in mine own keeping: you may still Refuse to grant, so I have power to take. The man that asks deserves to be denied. [She disengages one hand, and draws his sword from his side upon him. Governor starts and retires, BLANDFORD enters behind him. Imo. He does indeed, that asks unworthily. Blan. You hear her, sir, that asks unworthily. Gov. You are no judge. Blan. I am of my own slave. Gov. Be gone, and leave us. Blan. When you let her go. Gov. To fasten upon you. Blan. I must defend myself. Imo. Help, murder, help! [IMOINDA retreats towards the door, favoured by BLANDFORD; when they are closed, she throws down the sword, and runs out. Governor takes up his sword, they fight close, and fall, BLANDFORD upon him. Servants enter, and part them. Gov. She shall not 'scape me so. I've gone too far, Oro. To honour bound! and yet a slave to love! I am distracted by their rival powers, And both will be obey'd. O great revenge! Thou raiser and restorer of fall'n fame! Let me not be unworthy of thy aid, For stopping in thy course: I still am thine; But can't forget I am Imoinda's too. She calls me from my wrongs, to rescue her. No man condemn me, who has never felt A woman's power, or tried the force of love: All tempers yield, and soften in those fires: Our honours, interests, resolving down, Run in the gentle current of our joys; But not to sink, and drown our memory; We mount again to action, like the sun, That rises from the bosom of the sea, To run his glorious race of light anew, And carry on the world. Love, love will be My first ambition, and my fame the next. Enter ABOAN, bloody. My eyes are turn'd against me, and combine Abo. I have no name, That can distinguish me from the vile earth, Oro. I see thee gash'd and mangled. To tell how they have used me: But believe Bending and sinking, I have dragg'd my steps you must follow me. Oro. In life and death, fare [Dies. The guardian of my honour! Follow thee! My friend has found it, and my wife will soon : arms. Thou bosom softness! down of all my cares! Imo. 'Tis in vain to call him villain. Imo. There's not another, sure. Oro. Villain's the common name of mankind here ; But his most properly. What! what of him? I fear to be resolv'd, and must enquire. He had thee in his power. Imo. I blush to think it. | And for his sake, I'll think it possible Oro. His own gods damn him then! for ours have none, No punishment for such unheard-of crime. Imo. This monster, cunning in his flatteries, When he had wearied all his useless arts, Leap'd out, fierce as a beast of prey, to seize me. I trembled, feared. Oro. I fear, and tremble now. What could preserve thee? What deliver thee? Imo. That worthy man, you used to call your friend Oro. Blandford. Imo. Came in, and saved me from his rage. Oro. He was a friend indeed to rescue thee! To save me yours, sure you would promise me Never to see me forc'd from you again. Oro. To promise thee! O! do I need to pro mise? Oro. Mangled and torn, resolved to give me time To fit myself for what I must expect, Imo. What! to be butcher'd thus- Imo. By barbarous hands, to fall at last their prey! Oro. I have run the race with honour; shall Lag, and be overtaken at the goal? Oro. I must look back to thee. Oro. Have a care, [Tenderly. Say, Thou'rt on a precipice, and dost not see Imo. Alas! that sigh! why do you tremble so? Nay, then 'tis bad indeed, if you can weep. Öro. My heart runs over; if my gushing eyes Betray a weakness which they never knew, Believe, thou, only thou could'st cause these tears: The gods themselves conspire with faithless men, To our destruction. Imo. Heaven and earth our foes! Oro. It is not always granted to the great, To be most happy: if the angry powers Repent their favours, let them take 'em back: The hopes of empire, which they gave my youth, By making me a prince, I here resign. Let them quench in me all those glorious fires, Which kindled at their beams: that lust of fame, That fever of ambition, restless still, இ |