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And feem to drown the ftars;
Th' affaulted clouds return the fhock,
Blue light'nings finge the waves,
And thunder rends the rock.

Then Jové ufurps his father's crown,
Inftructing mortals to aspire;
The father would deftroy the fon,
The fon dethrones the fire.
The Titans, to regain their right,
Prepare to try a fecond fight,
Briareus-arms his hundred hands,

And marches forth the bold gigantic bands.

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Pelion upon Offa thrown,

Steep Olympus they invade,

Gods and giants tumble down,
And Mars is foil'd by Encelade.
Horror, confufion, dreadful ire,
Daggers, poifon, fword and fire,
To execute the deftin'd wrath conspire.
The furies loose their snaky rods,
And lash both men and gods.
Chorus repeat the lafl Stanza.
Then Symphony for Love.
A fingle Voice.

But when love bids difcord ceafe,
The jarring feeds unite in peace;
O the pleasures past expreffing!
O the rapture of poffeffing!
Melting, dying, heavenly bleffing,
O the rapture of poffeffing!
Hail to love, and welcome joy!
Hail to the delicious boy!

In Cyprus firft the God was known,

Then wandering, wandering o'er the main, He in Britannia fix'd his reign, And in Oriana's eyes his thronę.

Bafe and perfidious man! Let me be heard, and anfwer if you can. Was it your love, when trembling by your fide I wept, and I implor'd, and almost dy'd, Urging your ftay: was it your love that bore Your faithlefs veffel from the Britifh fhore? What faid I not, upon the fatal night, When you avow'd your meditated flight? Was it your love that prompted you to part, To leave me dying, and to break my heart? See whom you fled, inhuman and ingrate, Repent your folly-but repent too late. Amadis:

Miftaken princefs; by the flars above, The powers below, and by immortal Jove Unwilling and compell'd.

Oriana. Unwilling and compell'd! vain, vain pretence For bafe neglect, and cold indifference. Was it your love, when by those stars above, Thofe powers below, and that immortal Jove, You vow'd, before the firft revolving moon, You would return ?—Did you return?—The fun Thrice round the circled globe was seen to move, You neither came, nor fent-was this your love? Amadis.

Thrice has that fun beheld me on your coaft, By tempefts beaten, and in shipwrecks lost.

Oriana.

And yet you chofe thofe perils of the sea, Of rocks, and ftorms-or any thing-but me. The raging ocean, and the winter wind, Touch'd at my paffion, with my wishes join'd, No image, but of certain fate, appear'd, Less I your absence, than your danger, fear'd; In vain they threaten'd, and I fued in vain, More deaf than ftorms, more cruel than the main ; No prayer, nor gentle meffage could prevail To wait a calmer fky, or fofter gale; You brav'd the danger, and defpis'd the love, Nor death could terrify, nor paffion move.

Amadis.

Of our past lives, the pleasure, and the pain,
Fix'd in my foul, for ever fhall remain;
Recall more gently my unhappy state,

And charge my crime, not on my choice, but fate :
In mortal breaft, fure, honour never wag'd
So dire a war, nor love more fiercely rag'd:
You faw my torment, and you knew my heart,
'Twas infamy to stay, 'twas death to part.

Oriana.

In vain you'd cover, with the thirst of fame,
And honour's call, an odious traitor's name:
Could honour fuch vile perfidy approve?
Is it no honour to be true to love?

O Venus! parent of the Trojan race,

In Britain too, fome remnants found a place;
From Brute defcending in a line direct,
Within these veins thy favourite blood refpect;
Mother of love, by men and gods rever'd,
Confirm these vows, and let this prayer be heard.
The Briton to the Gaul henceforth fhall bear
Immortal hatred, and eternal war;

Nor league, nor commerce, let the nations know,
But feeds of everlasting difcord grow;
With fire and fword the faithlefs race purfue,
This vengeance to my injur'd love is due :
Rife from our afhes fome avenging hand,
To curb their tyrants, and invade their land;
Waves fight with waves, and fhores with fhores
engage,

And let our fons inherit the fame rage.

Amadis.

Might I be heard a word in my defence.

Oriana.

No, not a word. What fpecious forc'd pretence Would you invent, to gild a weak defence? To falfe Æneas, when 'twas given by fate To tread the paths of death, and view the Stygian state,

Forfaken Dido was the first that ftood

To ftrike his eye, her bofom bath'd in blood
Fresh from her wound: pale horror and affright
Seiz'd the falfe man, confounded at the fight,
Trembling he gaz'd, and fome faint words he
fpoke,

Some tears he fhed, which, with difdainful look,
Unmov'd fhe heard, and faw, nor heeded more
Than the firm rock, when faithlefs tempefts roar,
With one last look, his falfenefs the upbraids,
Then fullenly retires, and feeks eternal fhades.
Lead me, O lead me where the bleeding queen,
With just reproaches loads perfidious men,
Banifh'd from joy, from empire, and from light,"
In death involve me, and in endless night,
But keep that odious object—from my fight.

Arcalaus.
WELCOME as after darkness cheerful light,
Or to the weary wanderer downy night:
Smile, fmilc my Arcabon, for ever smile,
And with thy gayeft looks reward my toil,
That fullen air but ill becomes thee now,
Seeft thou not glorious conqueft on my brow?
Amadis, Amadis-

Arcabon.
Dead, or in chains? Be quick in thy reply.
Arcalaus.

He lives, my Arcabon, but lives to die.
The gnawing vulture, and the restless wheel,
Shall be delight, to what the wretch fhall feel.
Arcabon.

Goddess of dire revenge, Erinny's, rife,
With pleasure grace thy lips, with joy thy eyes;
Smile like the queen of love, and ftrip the rocks
Of pearls and gems, to deck thy jetty locks;
With cheerful tunes difguife thy hollow throat,
And emulate the lark, and linnet's note;
Let envy's felf rejoice, defpair be gay,
For rage and murder shall triumph to-day.
Arcalaus.

Arife, O Ardan, from the hollow womb Of earth, arife, burft from thy brazen tomb, Bear witnefs to the vengeance we prepare, Rejoice, and rest for ever void of care. Arcabon.

Pluto, arife, infernal king, release Thy tortur'd flaves, and let the damn'd have peace,

But double all their pains on Amadis.
Arcalaus.

Mourn all ye heavens, above yon azure plain
Let grief abound, and lamentation reign,
The thunderer with tears bedew his fky,
For Amadis, his champion's doom'd to die.
Arcaban.

Death be my care; for to complete his woe, The flave fhall perish by a woman's blow; Thus each by turns fhall his dire vow fulfil, Iwas thine, to vanquish, and 'tis mine to kill, Zircalaus.

So look'd Medea, when her rival bride, Upon her nuptial day, confuming dy'd:

King.

Not to be found the muft, fhe fhall be found; Difperfe our parties, fearch our kingdoms round; Fellow Conftantius, feize him, torture, kill; Traitor! what vengeance I can have, I will. Well have thy goda, O Rome! fecur'd thy peace, Planted behind fo many lands and feas, Or thou shouldst feel me, city, in thy fall, More dreadful than the Samnite, or the Gaul. But to fupply and recompenfe this want, Hear, O ye guardians of our ifle, and grant That wrath may rife, and kife immortal come Betwixt the gods of B.itain, and of Rome.

[Excunt.

SCENE HII.

The Scene changes to a Scene of Tombs and Dungeons,
Men and Women chained in Ratus, oppofile to one
another. in the Front of the Captives, Florestan and
Corifanda. A magnificent Monument erected to the
Memory of Ardan, with this Infcription in large
Letters of Gold:

Revenge is vow'd, reft quiet, gentle shade,
The living fhall be reftlefs till 'tis had.
Plaintive Mufic.

A Guard of Demons.

To be fung by a captive King,
Look down, ye powers, look down,
And caft a pitying eye
Upon a monarch's mifery.
Look down, look down,
Avenge, avenge, avenge
Affronted majelly.

I who but now on thrones of gold,
Gave laws to kingdoms uncontrʊul'd,
To empire born,
From empire torn,
A wretched flave,

A wretched flave,

Am now of flaves the fcorn. Alas! the fmiles of fortune prove As variable as womens love.

By a captive Lover.

The happiest mortals once were we,
I lov'd Myra, Myra me;

Each defirous of the bleffing,

Nothing wanting but poffeffing;

I lov'd Myra, Myra me,

The happiest niortals once were we.

But fince cruel fates diffever,
Torn from love, and turn for ever,
Tortures end me,

Death befriend me:

Of all pains, the greatest pain,
Is to love, and love in vain.

By a captive Liberting.
Plague us not with idle flories,
Whining loves, and fenfeless glories;
What are lovers, what are kings?
What at beft but flavish things.
Free I liv'd, as Nature made me,
No proud beauty durft invade me,
No rebellious flaves betray'd me,
Free I liv'd, as Nature made me.
Each by turns, as sense inspir'd me;
Bacchus, Ceres, Venus, fir'd me;
I alone have loft true pleasure;
Freedom is the only treasure.
Chorus of Dæmons.
Cease, ye flaves, your fruitlefs grieving,
No, úc,

The powers below

No pity know;

Ceafe, ye flaves, your fruitless grieving.

A Dance of Demons infulting the Prisoners,

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So to th' appointed grove the feather'd pair Fly chirping on, unmindful of the fnare, Pursuing love, and wing'd with amorous thought, The wanton couple in one toil are caught, In the fame cage in mournful notes complain Of the fame fate, and curfe perfidious man. A Captive.

O heavens, take pity of our pains, Death is a milder fate than chains.

[A Flourise of Iuftruments of Horror. Arcabon defcends in a Chariot drawn through the Air by Dragons, guarded by infernal Spirits. She alights and comes forward, armed with a Dagger in her Hand.

Arcabon.

Your vows have reach'd the gods, your chains and breath

Have the fame date

Prepare for freedom, for I bring you death.
He who so oft has 'fcap'd th' affaults of hell,
Whom yet no charms could bind, no force could

quell,

By whom so many bold enchanters fell,
Amadis, Amadis, this joyful day,
Your guardian Deity's himself our prey.
From all their dungeons let our captives come,
Idle spectators of their hero's doom.

[Fleurifb of loud Inftruments of divers Sorts. Other Dungeons open, and discover more Captives. Amadis chained to an Altar, infernal Priests on each Side of him with Knives up-lifted ready for the Sacrifice. Arcabon advancing baftily to ftab him, farts and flops.]

Arcabon.

Thou dy't-What strange and what refiftlefs charm,

With fecret force, arrefts my lifted arm?

What art thou, who with more than magic art, Doft make my hand unfaithful to my heart? Amadis.

One, who disdaining mercy, fues to die;
I ask not life, for life were cruelty.

Of all the wretched, fearch the world around,
A more unhappy never can be found;
Let loofe thy rage, like an avenging God,
Fain would my foul encumber'd caft her load.
Arcabon. [Afide.]

In every line and feature of that face,
The dear enchanter of my foul I trace:
My brother! had my father too been flain,

The blood of my whole race fhould plead in vain.
The ties of nature do but weakly move,
The strongest tie of nature, is in love.

Amadis.

O Floreftan! I fee thofe chains with fhame, Which I could not prevent-O ftain to fame! O honour loft for ever! Thefeus fell, But Hercules remain'd unconquer'd still, VOL. VII.

And freed his friend-What man could do-I did,
Nor was I overpower'd but betray'd

O my lov'd friend! with better grace we stood
In arms repelling death, wading in blood
To victories; the manly limb that trod
Firm and erect, beneath a treble load
Of ponderous mail, these shameful bonds disdains,
And finks beneath th' inglorious weight of chains.
Floreftan.

Where fhall the brave and good for refuge ruP2
When to be virtuous, is to be undone?
Arcabon.

He spoke-and every accent to my heart Gave a fresh wound, and was another dart: He weeps but reddening at the tears that fall; Is it for these? Be quick, and free them all, Let every captive be releas'd from chains: How is it that I love, if he complains? Hence every grief, and every anxious care, Mix with the feas and winds, breed tempefts there Strike all your ftrings, to joyful measures move, And every voice found liberty and love.

[Flourish of all the Mufic; the Chains at once fall of from all the Captives. Arcabon frees Amadis bera ff.] Chorus of all the Captives. liberty!

Liberty

A fingle Voice.

Arm, arm, the generous Britons cry,
Let us live free, or let us die;
Trumpets founding, banners flying,
Braving tyrants, chains defying,
Arm, arm, the generous Britons cry,
Let us live free, or let us die;
Liberty! liberty!

Chorus repeat,

Liberty liberty!

Another fingle Voice.

Happy ifle, all joys poffeffing,

Clime resembling heaven above, Freedom 'tis that crowns thy bleffing,

Land of liberty and love!

When thy nymphs, to cure complaining;
Set themselves and lovers free,

In the bleffing of obtaining,

Ah! how sweet is liberty!

Dance of Captives, expreffing Joy for Liberty.

[Arcabon having freed Amadis, they come forward too gether; the reft ftanding in Rows on each Side of the Theatre, bowing as they advance.]

Arcabon.

When rage, like mine, makes fuch a fudden pause,

Methinks 'twere eafy to divine the cause:
The dullest warrior, in a lady's face,
The fecret meaning of a blush may trace,
When short-breath'd fighs, and catching glances,
From dying eyes, reveal the kind intent.
Let glory fhare, but not poffels you whole,
Love is the darling transport of the foul.
Amadis.

The lords of fate, who all our lots decree, Have deftin'd fame, no other chance for me; ¿ A

Arcabon. [fide |

Those formal lovers be for ever curft,
Who fetter'd free-born love with honour first,
Who through fantaftic laws are virtue's fools,
And against nature will be flaves to rules.

To bim.] Your captive friends have freedom from this hour,

Rejoice for them, but for thyself much more:
Sublimer bleffings are referv'd for thee,
Whom love invites to be poffefs'd of me.
The shipwreck'd Greeks caft on Exa's fhore,
With trembling fteps the dubious coaft explore,
Who first arrive, in vain for pity plead,
Transform'd to beafts, a vile and monftrous breed;
But when Ulyffes with fuperior mien [queen,
Approach'd the throne where fat th' enchantrefs
Pleas'd with a prefence that invades her charms,
She takes the bold advent'rer in her arms,
Up to her bed she leads the conqu'ror on,
Where he enjoys the daughter of the fun.

[She leads Amadis out. Floreflan and Corifanda, and the releafed Captives only remain. Floreflan and Corifanda run into each other's Arms.]

Corifunda.

Soul of my foul, and charmer of my heart. From thefe embraces let us never part. Florefian.

Never, O never-in fome fafe retreat, Far from the noife and tumults of the great, Secure and happy on each other's breast, Within each other's arms we'll ever reft; Those eyes fhall make my days ferene and bright, Thefe arms, thus circling round me, bless the night. [Exeunt Flor. and Cor.

[The remaining Captives express their Joy for Liberty by finging and dancing.]

Chorus of all the Captives together.
To fortune give immortal praife,
Fortune depofes, and can raise;
Fortune the captives chains does break,
And brings despairing exiles back ;

However low this hour we fall,
One lucky moment may mend all.

The Aa concludes with Variety of Dances.

ACT IV. SCENE I.

Arcabon and Arcalaus.

Arcalaus.

Or women tyrants 'tis the common doom,
Each haughtily fets out in beauty's bloom,
Till late repenting, to redeem the past,
You turn abandon'd prostitutes at last.
drcabin,

Who hate declares, is fure of hate again;
Rage begets rage, disdain provokes disdain:
Why, why, alas! fhould love left mutual prove?
Why is not love return'd with equal love?
Arcalaus.

Bleffings when cheap, or certain, we despise;
From sure poffeffion what defire can rise?
Love, like ambition, dies as 'tis enjoy'd,
By doubt provok'd, by certainty destroy'd,
Arcibon.

To govern love, alas! what woman can?
Yet 'tis an eafy province for a man.
Why am I then of hope abandon'd quite ?
There is a cure-I'd afk it-if I might.
Forgive me, brother, if I pry too far,
I've learnt my
I've learnt my rival is your pris'ner here;
If that be true

Arcalaus. But yet

This Vulcan has that Mars within his net.
Your counfel comes too late, for 'tis decreed,
To make the woman fure, the man fhall bleed.
[Exit. furlily.

Arcabon.
First perish thou; earth, air, and feas, and sky,
Confounded in one heap of chaos lie,
And every other living creature dic.

I burn, I burn; the ftorm that's in my mind
Kindles my heart, like fires provok'd by wind:
Love and refentment, wifhes and disdain,

Blow all at once, like winds that plough the main. Furics Alecto aid my juft design: で

But if, averfe to mercy, you decline
The pious task, assist me, powers divine;

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