Only to save yourselves.

[The women with their children gathering about the men. Oro. I'll hear no more.

"Women. Hear him, hear him; he takes no care " of us."

Gov. To those poor wretches, who have been se

duc'd

And led away, to all, and every one

We offer a full pardon

Oro. Then fall on.

[Preparing to engage.

Gov. Lay hold upon't before it be too late;

Pardon and mercy.

[The women clinging about the men, they leave Oroonoko,

and fall upon their faces, crying out for pardon.

Slaves, Pardon, mercy, pardon.

Oro. Let them go a

all. Now, Governor, I see,

I own the folly of my enterprise,

The rashness of this action; and must blush,
Quite through this veil of night, a whitely shame,
To think I could design to make those free,
Who were by nature slaves; wretches design'd
To be their masters dogs, and lick their feet.
Whip, whip them to the knowledge of your gods
"Your Christian gods, who suffer you to be
"Unjust, dishonest, cowardly, and base;
"And give them your excuse for being so."
I would not live on the same earth with creatures,
That only have the faces of their kind.

Why should they look like men, who are not so ?
When they put off their noble natures for

The grov'ling qualities of down-cast beasts, "I wish they had their tails.

"Abo. Then we should know them."

Oro. We were to few before for victory,

We're still enow to die.

[To Imoinda and Aboan.

Enter BLANDFORD.

Gov. Live, royal Sir;

Live, and be happy long on your own terms; Only consent to yield, and you shall have What terms you can propose for you and yours. Oro. Consent to yield! shall I betray myself? "Gov. Alas, we cannot fear that your small force, "The force of two, with a weak woman's arm, "Should conquer us! I speak in the regard "And honour of your worth, in my desire "And forwardness to serve so great a man. "I would not have it lie upon my thoughts, "That I was the occasion of the fall

"Of such a prince, whose courage, carried on "In a more noble cause, would well deserve

"The empire of the world.

"Oro. You can speak fair.

"Gov. Your undertaking, though it would have

"brought

"So great a loss to us, we must all say

"Was generous and noble; and shall be "Regarded only as the fire of youth,

"That will break out sometimes in gallant souls; "We'll think it but the natural impulse,

"A rash impatience of liberty;
"No otherwise.

"Oro. Think it what you will.

"I was not born to render an account
"Of what I do, to any but myself.

[Blan. comes forward."
Blan. I'm glad you have proceeded by fair means.
[To the governor.

I came to be a mediator.

Gov. Try what you can to work upon him.
Oro. Are you come against me too?

Blan. Is this to come against you?

[Offering his sword to Oroonoko,

Unarm'd to put myself into your hands?
I come, I hope, to serve you.

Oro. You have serv'd me;

I thank you for't; and I am pleas'd to think
You were my friend, while I had need of one;
But now 'tis past; this farewel, and begone.

[Embraces him.
Blan. It is not past, and I must serve you still.
"I would make up these breaches, which the sword
"Will widen more, and close us all in love."

Oro. I know what I have done; and I should be
A child, to think they ever can forgive.
Forgive! were there but that, I would not live
To be forgiven. Is there a power on earth,
That I can ever need forgiveness from?

Blan. You sha'not need it.

Oro. No, I wo'not need it.

Blan. You see he offers you your own conditions,

For you

and yours.

Oro. Must I capitulate ?

Precariously compound, on stinted terms,

To save my life?

Blan. Sir, he imposes none.

You make them for your own security.

"If your great heart cannot descend to treat, « In adverse fortune, with an enemy,

"Yet sure your honour's safe; you may accept "Offers of peace and safety from a friend."

Gov. He will rely on what you say to him. [To Blan. Offer him what you can, I will confirm

And make all good. Be you my pledge of trust.
Blan. I'll answer with my life for all he says.
Gov. Ay, do, and pay the forfeit if you please.

[Aside.

Blan. Consider, Sir; can you consent to throw That blesssng from you, you so hardly found, [Of Imo. And so much valu'd once?

Oro. Imoinda! Oh,

'Tis she that holds me on this argument
Of tedious life! I could resolve it soon,
Were this curs'd being only in debate.
But my Imoinda struggles in my soul:
She makes a coward of me, I confess.
I am afraid to part with her in death,
And more afraid of life, to lose her here.

Blan. This way you must lose her. Think upon The weakness of her sex, made yet more weak

With her condition, requiring rest,

And soft indulging ease, to nurse your hope,
And make you a glad father.

Oro. There I feel

A father's fondness, and a husband's love.
They seize upon my heart, strain all its strings,
To pull me to them from my stern resolve.
Husband and father! all the melting art
Of eloquence lives in those soft'ning names.
Methinks I see the babe, with infant hands,
Pleading for life, and begging to be born.
"Shall I forbid its birth, deny him light,
"The heavenly comforts of all cheering light,
"And make the womb the dungeon of his death,
*. His bleeding mother his sad monument?"
These are the calls of nature, that call loud;
They will be heard, and conquer in their cause;
He must not be a man who can resist them.
No, my Imoinda, I will venture all
To save thee, and that little innocent.
The world may be a better friend to him,
Than I have found it. Now I yield myself:

[Gives up his sword. The conflict's past, and we are in your hands. [Several men get about Oroonoko and Aboan, and seize them.

Gov. So you shall find you are. Dispose of them, as I commanded you.

Blan. Good Heav'n forbid! you cannot mean

Gov. This is not your concern.

[To Blandford, who goes to Oroonoko.