visitor of the town; and yet manages her time so well, that she seems ubiquitary. For my part, I can compare her to nothing but the sun; for, like him, she takes no rest, nor ever sets in one place, but to rise in another.

Pala. I confess, she had need be handsome, with these qualities.

Rho. No lady can be so curious of a new fashion, as she is of a new French word: she's the very mint of the nation; and as fast as any bullion comes out of France, coins it immediately into our language. Pala. And her name is

Rho. No naming; that's not like a cavalier: Find her, if you can, by my description; and I am not. so ill a painter that I need write the name beneath the picture.

Pala. Well, then, how far have you proceeded in your love?

Rho. 'Tis yet in the bud, and what fruit it may bear I cannot tell; for this insufferable humour, of haunting the court, is so predominant, that she has hitherto broken all her assignations with me, for fear of missing her visits there.

Pala. That's the hardest part of your adventure. But, for aught I see, fortune has used us both alike: I have a strange kind of mistress too in court, besides her I am to marry.

Rho. You have made haste to be in love, then; for, if I am not mistaken, you are but this day arrived.

Pala. That's all one: I have seen the lady already, who has charmed me; seen her in these walks, courted her, and received, for the first time, an answer that does not put me into despair.

To them ARGALEON, AMALTHEA, and ARTEMIS. I'll tell you more at leisure my adventures. The

walks fill apace, I see. Stay, is not that the young lord Argaleon, the king's favourite?

Rho. Yes, and as proud as ever, as ambitious, and as revengeful.

Pala. How keeps he the king's favour with these qualities?

Rho. Argaleon's father helped him to the crown: besides, he gilds over all his vices to the king, and, standing in the dark to him, sees all his inclinations, interests, and humours, which he so times and soothes, that, in effect, he reigns.

Pala. His sister Amalthea, who, I guess, stands by him, seems not to be of his temper.

Rho. O, she's all goodness and generosity. Arga. Rhodophil, the king expects you earnestly.

Rho. 'Tis done, my lord, what he commanded: I only waited his return from hunting. Shall I attend your lordship to him?

Arga. No; I go first another way. [Exit hastily. Pala. He seems in haste, and discomposed. Amal. [to RHOD. after a short whisper.] Your friend? then he must needs be of much merit.

Rho. When he has kissed the king's hand, I know he'll beg the honour to kiss yours. Come, Palamede.

[Exeunt RHODO. and PALA. bowing to AMAL.

Arte. Madam, you tell me most surprising news. Amal. The fear of it, you see,

Has discomposed my brother; but to me,

All, that can bring my country good, is welcome. Arte. It seems incredible, that this old king, Whom all the world thought childless,

Should come to search the farthest parts of Sicily, In hope to find an heir.

Amal. To lessen your astonishment, I will

Unfold some private passages of state,

Of which you are yet ignorant: Know, first,
That this Polydamus, who reigns, unjustly
Gained the crown.

Arte. Somewhat of this I have confusedly

heard.

Amal. I'll tell you all in brief: Theagenes,
Our last great king,

Had, by his queen, one only son, an infant
Of three years old, called, after him, Theagenes.
The general, this Polydamus, then married;
The public feasts for which were scarcely past,
When a rebellion in the heart of Sicily
Called out the king to arms.

Arte. Polydamus

Had then a just excuse to stay behind.

Amal. His temper was too warlike to accept it.
He left his bride, and the new joys of marriage,
And followed to the field. In short, they fought,
The rebels were o'ercome; but in the fight
The too bold king received a mortal wound.
When he perceived his end approaching near,
He called the general, to whose care he left
His widow queen, and orphan son; then died.
Arte. Then false Polydamus betrayed his trust?
Amal. He did; and, with my father's help,-for
which

Heaven pardon him!-so gained their soldiers' hearts,
That, in a few days, he was saluted king:
And when his crimes had impudence enough
To bear the eye of day,

He marched his army back to Syracuse.
But see how heaven can punish wicked men,
In granting their desires: The news was brought
him,

That day he was to enter it, that Eubulus,

Whom his dead master had left governor,

Was fled, and with him bore away the queen,
And royal orphan; but, what more amazed him,
His wife, now big with child, and much detesting
Her husband's practices, had willingly

Accompanied their flight.

Arte. How I admire her virtue !

Amal. What became

Of her, and them, since that, was never known;
Only, some few days since, a famous robber
Was taken with some jewels of vast price,
Which, when they were delivered to the king,
He knew had been his wife's; with these, a letter,
Much torn and sullied, but which yet he knew
To be her writing.

Arte. Sure, from hence he learned

He had a son?

Amal. It was not left so plain:

The paper only said, she died in child-bed;
But when it should have mentioned son or daugh-

ter,

Just there it was torn off.

Arte. Madam, the king.

To them POLYDAMUS, ARGALEON, Guard and At

tendants.

Arga. The robber, though thrice racked, confessed no more,

But that he took those jewels near this place.
Poly. But yet the circumstances strongly argue,
That those, for whom I search, are not far off.
Arga. I cannot easily believe it.

Arte. No,

You would not have it so.

[Aside.

Poly. Those, I employed, have in the neighbour

ing hamlet,

Amongst the fishers' cabins, made discovery

Of some young persons, whose uncommon beauty, And graceful carriage, make it seem suspicious They are not what they seem: I therefore sent The captain of my guards, this morning early, With orders to secure and bring them to me.

Enter RHODOPHIL and PALAMEDE.

O, here he is. Have you performed my will? Rho. Sir, those, whom you commanded me to bring,

Are waiting in the walks.

Poly. Conduct them hither.

Rho. First, give me leave

To beg your notice of this gentleman.

Poly. He seems to merit it. His name and quality?

Rho. Palamede, son to lord Cleodemus of Palermo,

And new returned from travel.

[PALAMEDE approaches, and kneels to kiss the King's hand.

Poly. You are welcome.

I knew your father well, he was both brave.
And honest; we two once were fellow soldiers
In the last civil wars.

Pala. I bring the same unquestion'd honesty
And zeal to serve your majesty; the courage
You were pleased to praise in him,

Your royal prudence, and your people's love,
Will never give me leave to try, like him,
In civil wars; I hope it may in foreign.

Poly. Attend the court, and it shall be my care
To find out some employment, worthy you.
Go, Rhodophil, and bring in those without.

[Exeunt RHо. and PALA.