To take their leaves, before my banishment. Poly. Your exile in both sexes friends can find: I see the ladies, like the men, are kind. Palm. Alas, I came but Poly. Add not to your crime [Seeing PALMYRA. [Kneeling. A lie: I'll hear you speak some other time. Rho. Yield, sir; what use of valour can be shewn? [He reaches at one of the Guards' halberds, and is seized behind. I wonnot lose my breath In fruitless prayers; but beg a speedy death. ACT V. SCENE I. [Exeunt. PALAMEDE, STRATO. PALAMEDE with a letter in his hand. Pala. This evening, sayest thou? will they both be here? Stra. Yes, sir, both my old master, and your mistress's father. The old gentlemen ride hard this journey; they say, it shall be the last time they will see the town; and both of them are so pleased with this marriage, which they have concluded for that I am afraid they will live some years longyou, er to trouble you, with the joy of it. Pala. But this is such an unreasonable thing, to impose upon me to be married to-morrow; 'tis hurrying a man to execution, without giving him time to say his prayers. you, Stra. Yet, if I might advise sir, you should not delay it; for your younger brother comes up with them, and is got already into their favours. He has gained much upon my old master, by finding fault with innkeepers' bills, and by starving us, and our horses, to shew his frugality; and he is very well with your mistress's father, by giving him recipes for the spleen, gout and scurvy, and other infirmities of old age. Pala. I'll rout him, and his country education: Pox on him, I remember him before I travelled, he had nothing in him but mere jockey; used to talk loud, and make matches, and was all for the crack of the field: Sense and wit were as much banished from his discourse, as they are when the court goes out of town to a horse race. Go now and provide your master's lodgings. Stra. I go, sir. [Exit. Pala. It vexes me to the heart, to leave all my designs with Doralice unfinished; to have flown her so often to a mark, and still to be bobbed at retrieve: If I had once enjoyed her, though I could not have satisfied my stomach with the feast, at least I should have relished my mouth a little; but now Enter PHILOTIS. Phil. Oh, sir, you are happily met; I was coming to find you. Pala. From your lady, I hope. Phil. Partly from her; but more especially from myself: She has just now received a letter from her father, with an absolute command to dispose herself to marry you to-morrow. Pala. And she takes it to the death? Phil. Quite contrary: The letter could never have come in a more lucky minute; for it found her in an ill-humour with a rival of yours, that shall be nameless, about the pronunciation of a French word. Pala. Count Rhodophil? never disguise it, I know the amour: But I hope you took the occasion to strike in for me? Phil. It was my good fortune to do you some small service in it; for your sake I discommended him all over, clothes, person, humour, behaviour, every thing; and, to sum up all, told her, it was impossible to find a married man that was otherwise; for they were all so mortified at home with their wives' ill humours, that they could never recover themselves to be company abroad. Pala. Most divinely urged! Phil, Then I took occasion to commend your good qualities; as the sweetness of your humour, the comeliness of your person, your good mein, your valour; but, above all, your liberality. Pala. I vow to Gad I had like to have forgot that good quality in myself, if thou hadst not remembered me of it: Here are five pieces for thee. Phil. Lord, you have the softest hand, sir, it would do a woman good to touch it: Count Rhodophil's is not half so soft; for I remember I felt it once, when he gave me ten pieces for my newyears-gift. Pala. O, I understand you, madam; you shall find my hand as soft again as Count Rhodophil's: There are twenty pieces for you. The former was but a retaining fee; now I hope you'll plead for me. Phil. Your own merits speak enough. Be sure only to ply her with French words, and I'll warrant you'll do your business. Here are a list of her phrases for this day: Use them to her upon all occasions, and foil her at her own weapon; for she's like one of the old Amazons, she'll never marry, except it be the man who has first conquered her. Pala. I'll be sure to follow your advice: But you'll forget to further my design. Phil. What, do you think I'll be ungrateful?But, however, if you distrust my memory, put some token on my finger to remember it by: That diamond there would do admirably. Pala. There 'tis; and I ask your pardon heartily for calling your memory into question: I assure you I'll trust it another time, without putting you to the trouble of another token. Enter PALMYRA and ARTEMIS. Art. Madam, this way the prisoners are to pass; Here you may see Leonidas. Palm. Then here I'll stay, and follow him to death. Enter MELANTHA, hastily. Mel. O, here's her highness! Now is my time. to introduce myself, and to make my court to her, in my new French phrases. Stay, let me read my catalogue-Suite, figure, chagrin, naiveté, and let me die, for the parenthesis of all. Pala. [Aside.] Do, persecute her; and I'll persecute thee as fast in thy own dialect. Mel. Madam, the princess! let me die, but this is a most horrid spectacle, to see a person, who makes so grand a figure in the court, without the suite of a princess, and entertaining your chagrin all alone:-Naiveté should have been there, but the disobedient word would not come in. [Aside. Palm. What is she, Artemis? Art. An impertinent lady, madam; very ambitious of being known to your highness. Pala. [To MELANTHA.] Let me die, madam, if I have not waited you here these two long hours, without so much as the suite of a single servant to attend me; entertaining myself with my own chagrin, till I had the honour of seeing your ladyship, who are a person that makes so considerable a figure in the court. Mel. Truce with your douceurs, good servant; you see I am addressing to the princess; pray do not embarrass me-Embarrass me! what a delicious French word do you make me lose upon you too! [To the Princess.] Your highness, madam, will please to pardon the beveue which I made, in not sooner finding you out to be a princess: But let me die if this eclaircissement, which is made this day of your quality, does not ravish me; and give me leave to tell you Pala. But first give me leave to tell you, madam, that I have so great a tendre for your person, and such a penchant to do you service, that Mel. What, must I still be troubled with your sottises? (There's another word lost, that I meant for the princess, with a mischief to you!) But your highness, madam Pala. But your ladyship, madam-——————————— Enter LEONIDAS, guarded and led over the stage. Mel. Out upon him, how he looks, madam! now he's found no prince, he is the strangest figure of |