Sof. Ay, the t'other Sofia has been with her too; and has us'd her barbaroufly: barbarously, that is to fay, uncivilly; and uncivilly, I am afraid that means too civilly.

[Afide. Phad. You had beft deny you were here this Morning! And by the fame Token

Sof. Nay, no more Tokens, for Heaven's Sake, dear Phædra. Now muft I again ponder with myself a little, whether it be better for me to have been here, or not to have been here, this Morning. [Afide.

Enter a Servant.

Serv. Phædra, my Lord's without; and will not enter till he has firft fpoken with you. [Exit Servant. Phad. [To him in private] O, that I cou'd ftay to help worry thee for this Abuse; but the best on't is, I leave thee in good Hands-Farewel Thimble,

-To him, Bromia. [Exit Phædra. Brom. No; to be sure you did not beat me, and put me into a Swoon, and deprive me of the natural Use of my Tongue for a long half Hour: You did not beat me down with your your little Wand: But I fhall teach you to use your Rod another Time -I fhall.

Sof. Put her into a Swoon, with my little Wand, and fo forth: That's more than ever I could do. These are terrible Circumftances, that fome Sofia or other has been here: [Afide} Well, but Bromia-if I did beat thee down with my little Wand, I warrant, I was monftrous kind to thee afterwards.

Brom. Yes, monftrous kind indeed! You never faid a truer Word; for, when I came to kiss you, you pull'd away your Mouth, and turn'd your Cheek to me.

Sof. Good.

Brom. How, Good! Here's fine Impudence: What, do you infult upon me too?

Sof. No, I do not infult upon you :-But, for a certain Reafon, that I best know, I am glad that Matter ended so fairly and peaceably betwixt us.

Brom. Yes, 'twas very fair and peaceably; to ftrike a Woman down, and beat her moft outrageously.

Sof. Is it poffible that I drubb'd thee?

Brom. I find your Drift - You wou'd fain be provoking me to a new Trial now: But i'faith, you fhall bring me to no more Handy-blows - I shall make bold to trust to my Tongue hereafter. You never durft have offer'd to hold up a Finger against me, till you went a Trooping.

Sof. Then I am Conqueror; and I laud my own Courage. This Renown I have atchiev'd by Soldiership and Stratagem.

Know your Duty, Spoufe, henceforward, to your fupreme Commander.

Enter Jupiter and Phædra.

Phad. Indeed I wonder'd at your quick Return.

[Strutting.

Jup. Ev'n fo Almighty Love wou'd have it, Phædra;
And the ftern Goddefs of fweet-bitter Cares,

Who bows our Necks beneath her brazen Yoke.
I wou'd have mann'd my Heart, and held it out:
But, when I thought of what I had poffeft;
Thofe Joys, that never end but to begin,
My Duty foon was overborn; I fcorn'd
The bufy Malice of cenforious Tongues,
And, careless to conceal my ftolen Journey,
Determin'd one Day more to spend in Thebes.

Phad. And yet a fecond Time you left Alcmena, With Looks unkind that threaten'd longer Abfence. 'Twas but ev'n now

Jup. Wou'd it had never been!

I die to make my Peace.

Phæd. 'Tis difficult..

Jup. But nothing is impoffible to Love;

To Love like mine: for I have prov'd its Force.
If I fubmit, there's Hope.

Phad. It is poffible I may follicit for you.

Jup. But wilt thou promise me to do thy best?
Phad. Nay, I promife nothing-unless you begin

To promise first.

Jup. I wo'not be ungrateful.

Phad. Well, I'll try to bring her to you.
Jup. That's all I ask :

And I will fo reward thee, gentle Ph drå

66

[Curt'fying,

Phad. What with the sweet Sound of "gentle Phædra, and

my kind Advocate."

Jup. No, there's a Sound will please thee better.

[Throwing her a Purse. Phad. Ay, there's fomething of Melody in this Sound.

I could dance all Day, to the Mufic of Chink, Chink. [Exit Phæð. Jup. Go, Sofia,

To Polidas, to Tranio, and to Gripus,

Companions of our War: invite 'em all

To join their Pray'rs to smooth Alcmena's Brow;
And, with a folemn Feaft, to crown the Day.

Sof. [Taking Jupiter about the Knees] Let me embrace you, Sir. --[Jupiter pushes him away] Nay, you must give me leave to exprefs my Gratitude. I have not eaten, to fay eating, nor drunk,

to

to fay drinking, never fince our villainous encamping fo near

the Enemy...

Jup. You, Bromia, fee that all Things be prepar'd

With that Magnificence, as if fome God

Were Gueft, or Master here.

Sof. Or, rather, as much as if twenty Gods were to be Guefts, or Mafters here.

Brom. That you may eat for To-day, and To-morrow.

Sof. Or, rather again, for To-day and Yefterday; and as many Months backward, as I am indebted to my own Belly. fup. Away both of you. [Exeunt Sofia and Bromia feverally. Now I have pack'd him hence; thou, other Sofia,

(Who tho' thou art not prefent, hear'ft my Voice) Be ready to attend me at my Call,

And to fupply his Place.

Enter Mercury to Jupiter; Alcmena and Phædra alfo enter, but
Alcmena feeing Jupiter, turns back and retires frowning.
Jup. See, the appears!
[Seeing Alcmena.

Oftay.

Merc. She's gone; and feem'd to frown at parting.
Jup. Follow, and thou fhalt see her foon appeas'd;
For I, who made her, know her inward State:

No Woman, once well-pleas'd, can throughly hate.
I gave 'em Beauty, to fubdue the Strong;

(A mighty Empire, but it lafts not long.)

I

gave 'em Pride, to make Mankind their Slave;
But, in exchange, to Men I Flattery gave.
Th' offending Lover, when he loweft lies,
Submits, to conquer; and but kneels, to rife.

A C T IV. SCENE I.

Jupiter following Alcmena; Mercury, and Phædra.

fup. alm. No, I wou'd fly thee to the Ridge of Earth ; Stay, my dear Alcmena, hear me speak.

And leap the Precipice, to 'fcape thy Sight.
Jup. For Pity-

Alcm. Leave me, thou ungrateful Man!
I hate myself, for having lov'd thee once.'

Jup. Hate not the best and fairest of your Kind: Nor can you hate your Lover, tho' you wou'd. Your Tears, that fall fo gently, are but Grief: There may be Anger; but there must be Love. The Dove that murmurs at her Mate's Neglect, But counterfeits a Coyness to be courted.

Alem. Courtship from thee, and after fuch Affronts! Jup. Is this that everlasting Love you vow'd, laft Night? Alem. Think what thou wert, and who cou'd fwear too much? Think what thou art, and that abfolves the Oath.

fo

Jup. Can you forfake me, for so small a Fault?

'Twas but a Jeft, perhaps too far purfu'd;

'Twas but, at moft, a Trial of your Faith, How you could bear Unkindness:

"Twas but to get a reconciling Kifs,

A wanton Stratagem of Love.

Alem. See how he doubles, like a hunted Hare!

A Jest, and then a Trial, and a Bait ;

Jup. Think me Jealous, then.

Alem. O that I could, for that's a noble Crime;
And which a Lover can, with ease, forgive:
'Tis the high Pulfe of Paffion, in a Fever;
A fickly Draught but fhews a burning Thirst:
Thine was a Surfeit, not a Jealoufy:
And in that Loathing of thy fatiate Love,
Thou fawft the odious Object with Difdain.

fup. O think not that: For you are ever new-
Your Fruits of Love, like thofe of endlefs Spring
In happy Climes, where fome are in the Bud,
Some green, and ripening fome, while others fall.

Alc. Ay, now you tell me this. Your puny Like the deprav'd Defires of fretful Sickness, Raves in fhort Fits of Craving and Difguft:

Paffion,

This

This Morn at Break of Day you wou'd be gone;
Then chang'd your Purpofe and came back; then raged
Because th' Effect of Chance was not foreseen;

Then left me in difguft, with Infult toos
And now, return'd again, you talk of Love.
But never hope to be receiv'd again:
You would again deny you were receiv'd,
And brand my spotless Fame.

Jup. I will not dare to juftify my Crime:
No, I confefs I have deferv'd your Hate.

Too charming Fair, I kneel for your Forgiveness:
I beg by thofe fair Eyes,

Which gave me Wounds that Time can never cure ;
Receive my Sorrows, and reftore my Joys.

Alem. Unkind, and cruel! I can fpeak no more.
fup. O give it vent, Alcmena, give it vent;

I merit your Reproach, I wou'd be curs'd:

Let your Tongue curfe me, while your Heart forgives.
Alc. Can I forget such Usage?

Jup. Can you hate me ?

[Kneeling.

Alc. I'll do my beft: for fure I ought to hate you.
Jup. That Word was only hatch'd upon your Tongue,

It came not from your Heart. But try again;

And if, once more, you can but fay, I hate you,
My Sword fhall do you Juftice.

Alc. Then, I hate you

Jup. Then you pronounce the Sentence of my Death?
Alc. I hate you much ;-but yet I love you more.

Jup. To prove that Love, then say, that you forgive me :
For there remains but this Alternative;

Refolve to pardon, or to punish me.

Alc. Alas, what I refolve, appears too plain : In faying that I cannot hate, I pardon.

[Kiffes her Hand.

Jup. But what's a Pardon worth, without a Seal?
Permit me, in this Tranfport of my Joy-
Alc. Forbear; I am offended with myself,

[Putting him gently away with her Hand.
-Let me go.

That I have fhewn this Weakness

[Going and looking back on him.

But come not you;
Left I should spoil you, with excess of Fondness,
And let you love again-

Jup. Forbidding me to follow, fhe invites me.
This is the Mould of which I made the Sex:
I gave 'em but one Tongue, to say us Nay;
And two kind Eyes, to grant. Be fure that none
Approach, to interrupt us.

F 2

[Exit Alcmena. [Afide.

[To Merc. [Exit Jupiter after Alcmena. Mercury