The bliss returns, and we receive
Transports greater than we give.

KING.

O quickly relate
This riddle of fate!
My impatience forgive,
Does Rofamond live?
QUEEN.

The bowl, with drowsy juices fill'd,
From cold Egyptian drugs diftill'd,
In borrow'd death has clos'd her eyes;
But foon the waking nymph fhall rife,
And, in a convent plac'd, admire
The cloister'd walls and virgin choir:
With them in fongs and hymns divine
The beauteous penitent shall join,
And bid the guilty world adieu.

KING.

How am I bleft if this be true!

QUEEN.

Atoning for herself and you.
KING.

I ask no more! fecure the fair

In life and blifs: I afk not where:
For ever from my fancy fled

May the whole world believe her dead.
That no foul minifter of vice
Again my finking foul intice
Its broken paffion to renew,
But let me live and die with you.

[Afide.

QUEEN.

QUEEN.

How does my heart for such a prize
The vain cenforious world defpife,
Though diftant ages, yet unborn,
For Rofamond fhall falfly mourn;
And with the present times agree,
To brand my name with cruelty;
How does my heart for fuch a prize
The vain cenforious world defpife!

But fee your flave, while yet I speak,
From his dull trance unfetter'd break!
As he the potion shall survive

Believe

your Rofamond alive.

KING.

O happy day! O pleasing view!

My Queen forgives

QUEEN.

-My Lord is true.

KING.

No more I'll change.

QUEEN.

No more I'll grieve:

BOTH.

But ever thus united live.

Sir TRUSTY awaking.

In which world am I! all I fee,

Every thicket, bush and tree,

So like the place from whence I came,
That one would fwear it were the fame.
My former legs too, by their pace!
And by the whifkers, 'tis my face!

The

The felf-fame habit, garb and mien!
They ne'er would bury me in

green.

SCENE IV.

GRIDELINE and Sir TRUSTY.

GRIDELINE.

Have I then liv'd to fee this hour,
And took thee in the very bow'r?
Sir TRUSTY.

Widow Trusty, why so fine?

Why doft thou thus in colours fhine?
Thou should'st thy husband's death bewail
In fable vesture, peak and veil.

GRIDELINE.

Forbear these foolish freaks, and fee How our good King and Queen agree. Why should not we their steps purfue, And do as our fuperiors do?

Sir TRUSTY

Am I bewitch'd, or do I dream ?
I know not who, or where I am,
Or what I hear, or what I fee;
But this I'm fure, howe'er it be,
It fuits a perfon in my ftation

T'observe the mode, and be in fashion.
Then let not Grideline the chafte
Offended be for what is paft,

And hence anew my vows I plight
To be a faithful courteous knight.

GRIDE LINE.

I'll too my plighted vows renew,
Since 'tis fo courtly to be true.
Since conjugal paffion

Is come into fashion,

And marriage fo bleft on the throne is,
Like a Venus I'll fine,

Be fond and be fine,

And Sir Trufty shall be my Adonis.
Sir TRUSTY.

And Sir Trusty shall be thy Adonis.
The KING and QUEEN advancing.
KING.

Who to forbidden joys would rove,
That knows the fweets of virtuous love ?
Hymen, thou fource of chafte delights,
Chearful days, and blissful nights,
Thou doft untainted joys dispense,
And pleasure join with innocence:
Thy raptures laft, and are fincere,
From future grief and present fear.

BOTH.

Who to forbidden joys would rove,
That knows the fweets of virtuous love?

CATO.

C

АТ

A TO.

A

TRAGEDY.

Ecce fpectaculum dignum, ad quod refpiciat, intentus operi fuo, Deus! Ecce par Deo dignum, vir fortis cum malâ fortunâ compofitus! Non video, inquam, quid habeat in terris Jupiter pulchrius, fi convertere animum velit, quàm ut fpectet Catonem, jam partibus non femel fractis, nihilominus inter ruinas publicas erectum.

Sen. de Divin. Prov.