Lyf. Then, tho' perhaps my Sifter's Birth might challenge An higher Match,

I'll weigh your Merits on the other fide,

To make the Ballance even.

Phil. I go, my Lord, this Minute.

Lyf. My best Wishes wait on you. [Exit Lyfimantes.
SCENE V.

Enter the Queen and Asteria.

Queen. Yonder he is; have I no other way? Aft. O Madam, you must stand this brunt: Deny him now, and leave the rest to me:

I'll to Candiope's Mother,

And under the Pretence of Friendship, work
On her Ambition to put off a Match

So mean as Philocles.

Queen. You may approach, Sir:

We two difcourfe no Secrets.

[To Phil.

Phil. I come, Madam, to weary out your Royal Bounty. Queen. Some Suit I warrant for your Coulin Celadon. Leave his Advancement to my Care.

Phil. Your Goodness ftill prevents my Wishes.

Yet I have one Request,

Might it not pafs almost for Madness, and

Extream Ambition in me.

Queen. You know you have a favourable Judge ; It lies in you not to ask any thing

I cannot grant

Phil. Madam, perhaps you think me too faulty: But Love alone infpires me with Ambition,

Tho' but to look on fair Candiope were an Excufe for both. Queen. Keep your Ambition, and let Love alone;

That I can cloy, but this I cannot cure.

I have fome Reasons (invincible to me) which must forbid Your Marriage with Candiope.

Phil. I knew I was not worthy.

Queen. Not for that, Philocles; you deferve all things, And to fhow I think it, my Admiral I hear is dead.

His vacant Place (the best in all my Kingdom)
I here confer on you.

Phil. Rather take back all you had giv'n before,
Than not give this.

For believe, Madam, nothing is so near

My Soul, as the Poffeffion of Candiope.

Queen. Since that Belief would be to your Difadvantage,

I will not entertain it.

Phil. Why, Madam, can you be thus cruel to me?
To give me all things which I did not ask,
And yet deny that only thing I beg:

And fo beg, that I find I cannot live
Without the hope of it.

Queen. Hope greater things;

But hope not this. Hafte to o'ercome your Love,
It is but putting a fhort-liv'd Paffion to a violent Death.
Phil. I cannot live without Candiope.

But I can die without a Murmur,

Having my Doom pronounc'd from your fair Mouth
Queen. If I am to pronounce it, live my Philocles,
But live without (I was about to say)

Without his Love, but that I cannot do;

Live Philocles without Candiope.

[Afide.

Phil. Madam, could you give my Doom fo quickly,

And knew it was irrevocable!

'Tis too apparent

You who alone love Glory, and whose Soul

Is loofen'd from your Senfes, cannot judge
What Torments mine of groffer Mould endures.
Queen. I cannot fuffer you

To give me Praises which are not my own:
I love like you, and am yet much more wretched
Than you can think felf.

your

Phil. Weak Bars they needs muft be, that Fortune puts 'Twixt Sovereign Power, and all it can defire.

When Princes love, they call themselves unhappy,

Only, because the Word founds handsome in a Lover's Mouth,

But you can ceafe to be fo when you please,

By making Lyfimantes fortunate.

B 5

Quer

Queen. Were he indeed the Man, you had fome Reason; But 'tis another, more without my Power,

And yet a Subject too.

Phil. O, Madam, fay not fo,

It cannot be a Subject, if not he,
It were to be injurious to your felf

To make another Choice.

Queen. Yet, Lyfimantes, fet by him I love,
Is more obfcur'd than Stars too near the Sun;,
He has a Brightness of his own,

Not borrow'd of his Father's, but born with him.
Phil. Pardon if I fay, who-e'er he be,
He has practis'd fome ill Arts upon you Madam
For he, whom you defcribe, I fee is born
But from the Lees o' th' People.

Queen. You offend me, Philocles.

Whence had you leave to use those infolent Terms
Of him I please to love? One, I muft tell you,
(Since foolishly I have gone thus far)

Whom I efteem your Equal,

And far fuperiour to Prince Lyfimantes ;

One, who deferves to wear a Crown

Phil. Whirlwinds bear me hence, before I live To that detefted Day,That Frown affures me

I have offended, by my Over-freedom

But yet methinks a Heart fo plain and honeft

And zealous of your Glory, might hope your Pardon for it. Queen. I give it you; but

When you know him better,

You'll alter your Opinion; he's no ill Friend of yours.
Phil. I well perceive

He has fupplanted me in your Efteem;

But that's the leaft of Ills this fatal Wretch

Has practis'd--Think, for Heav'n's fake, Madam, think

If

you have drunk no Philter.

Queen. Yes, he has given me a Philter;

But I have drunk it only from his Eyes.

Phil. Hot Irons thank 'em for't.

T

[Softly, or turning from her?

Queen

Queen. What's that you mutter?

Hence from my fight: I know not whether
I ever fhall endure to fee you more.
Phil. But hear me, Madam.

Queen. I fay begone--See me no more this Day.I will not hear one Word in your Excufe:

Now, Sir, be rude again; And give Laws to your Queen. [Exit Philocles bowing.

Afteria, come hither.

Was ever Boldness like to this of Philocles?

Help me to reproach him, for I refolve

Henceforth no more to love him.

Aft. Truth is, I wonder'd at your Patience, Madam: Did you not mark his Words, his Mein, his Action, How full of Haughtinefs, how fmall Refpect?

Queen. And be to ufe me thus, he whom I favour'd, Nay more, he whom I lov'd?

Aft. A Man methinks of vulgar Parts and Prefence! Queen. Or allow him fomething handfome, valiant, Or fo- Yet this to me!

Aft. The Workmanship of inconfiderate Favour, The Creature of rafh Love; one of thofe Meteors Which Monarchs raife from Earth,

And People wondring how they came fo high,

Fear, from their Influence, Plagues, and Wars, and Famine. Queen. Ha!

At One, whom inftead of banishing a Day,

You fhould have plum'd of all his borrow'd Honours,
And let him fee what abject things they are

Whom Princes often love without Defert.

Queen. What has my Philocles deferv'd from thee,
That thou fhouldft ufe him thus ?

Were he the basest of Mankind, thou could'st not
Have given him ruder Language.

Aft. Did not your Majefty command me?
Did not your felf begin?

Queen. I grant I did, but I have right to do it; I love him, and may rail;- -in you 'tis Malice ; Malice in the most high degree; for never Man Was more deferving than my Philocles.

Or,

Or, do you love him, ha! and plead that Title?
Confefs, and I'll forgive you-

For none can look on him, but needs muft love.
Aft. I love him, Madam! I beseech your Majesty
Have better Thoughts of me.

Queen. Doft thou not love him then!

Good Heav'n, how ftupid, and how dull is she?
How most invincibly infenfible !

No Woman does deferve to live

That loves not Philocles

Aft. Dear Madam, recollect your felf; alas! How much distracted are your Thoughts; and how Dif-jointed all your Words

The Sibyls Leaves more orderly were laid.

Where is that Harmony of Mind, that Prudence
Which guided all you did! that Senfe of Glory,
Which rais'd you, high above the reft of Kings,
As Kings are o'er the Level of Mankind!

Queen Gone, gone, Afteria; all is gone,
Or lot within me, far from any use.
Sometimes I ftruggle like the Sun in Clouds,
But ftraight I am o'er-caft-

Aft. I grieve to fee it

Queen. Then thou haft yet the Goodness

To pardon what I said

Alas, I use my self much worse than thee.

Love rages in great Souls,

For there his Power moft Oppofition finds;

High Trees are shook, because they dare the Winds.

[Exeunt omnes.

ACT