A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 15Dodsley, Robert
General
A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 15
Dodsley, Robert
English drama
+Don C.+ He knows not Porcia. Who was i' the right,
Don Henrique, you or I?
+Don H.+ He not know Porcia! why, 'tis not an hour
Since I saw him entertaining her at home,
Sure w' are enchanted, and all we see's illusion.
+Cam.+ Allow me, Henrique, to unspell these charms.
Who is't, Octavio, you pretend to? speak.
+Don O.+ You might have spar'd that question, madam: none
Knows so well as you, 'tis Porcia I adore.
+Don A.+ Porcia's my wife! disloyal man, thou diest.
[_Offers to make at +Don Octavio+._
+Cam.+ Hold, sir! which is the Porcia you lay claim to?
+Don A.+ Can you doubt of that? why, sure, you know too well
The conquest that you made so long ago[70]
Of my poor heart in Flanders.
+Don C.+ Conquest! poor heart! Flanders! what can this mean?
+Don H.+ New riddles every moment do arise,
And mysteries are born of mysteries.
+Don C.+ Sure, 'tis the pastime of the destinies
To mock us for pretending to be wise.
+Cam.+ Thanks be to heaven, our work draws near an end.
Cousin, it belongs to you to finish it.
+Por.+ To free you from that labyrinth, Antonio,
In which a slight mistake, not rectifi'd,
Involv'd us all, know the suppos'd Porcia,
Whom you have lov'd, is the true Camilla.
+Cam.+ And you, Don Henrique, know that Don Octavio
Has always been your sister's faithful lover,
And only feign'd a gallantry to me
To hide his real passion for my cousin
From your discerning eyes.
+Don A.+ Generous Octavio!
+Don O.+ Brave Antonio! how happy are we both. [_They embrace._
Both in our loves and friendships!
+Don A.+ Ah, how the memory of our crosses pass'd
Heightens our joys when we succeed at last!
+Don O.+ Our pleasures in this world are always mix'd:
'Tis in the next where all our joys are fix'd.
[_+Camilla+ takes +Don Antonio+ by the hand,
and leads him to +Don Carlos+._
+Cam.+ This, my dear brother, is that brave commander
To whom you owe your life and liberty;
And I much more--the safety of my honour.
+Don C.+ Is this that gallant leader who redeem'd us
With so much valour from the enemy?
+Cam.+ The very same.
+Don C.+ Why did you not acquaint me with it sooner?
'Twas ill done, Camilla.
+Cam.+ Alas! my dearest brother, gratitude,
[_Drawing +Don Carlos+ aside._
Conspiring with the graces of his person,
So soon possess'd him of my heart, that I,
Asham'd of such a visionary love,
Durst never trust my tongue with my own thoughts.
+Don C.+ 'Tis enough. Here, sir, take from me her hand,
[_Addressing to +Don Antonio+._
Whose heart your merit has long since made yours.
[_+Don Antonio+ takes +Camilla's+ hand and kisses it._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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