A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 15Dodsley, Robert
General
A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 15
Dodsley, Robert
English drama
+Ort.+ I am but in a scurvy condition now, if
She comes to life again, for they will
Examine one another, how the mistake
Came between them, and then I am
Sure it must come to light. [_Aside._
+Amph.+ Who's that,--duke Archimedes?
+Duke.+ The same, sweet angel.
+Amph.+ O sir, I am come from heaven to see you,
Since there I heard you love me still.
+Duke.+ Dear Amphelia, thou hast dream'd all this while;
Heaven, 'tis true, is where thou art, but 'twas
My voice that said I love thee.
+Amph.+ Was not my head struck off just now?
+Duke.+ Canst thou ask that, while I have
A head and heart?
+Amph.+ Why, have you lov'd me still?
+Duke.+ With as much truth as ever lover did.
+Amph.+ So have I you with equal constancy.
+Ama.+ Well, sir, now you are satisfied, pray let
Me be so too, and let Zoranzo's head
Be struck off quickly,
I see he's mean as well as false, to quit
Me for a woman that does not love him.
+Amph.+ Hold, Amarissa, hear me speak, before
Zoranzo dies; and be assur'd he loves
You still.
+Ama.+ Would you deceive me too?
+Amph.+ Indeed I don't; when we were going to die,
You may remember that we whispered,
Then we called heaven and ourselves to witness,
That both our loves were true,
Mine to Archimedes, and his to you.
+Ama.+ You can forgive me, sir? [_Kneels._
+Zor.+ I cannot answer yet;
Thy civility has took away my speech.
+Duke.+ Dear Amphelia, how came this sad mistake
'Twixt you and I?
+Amph.+ I'll tell you, sir, in part;
When you were in this last war, my woman
Receiv'd a letter from one of the gentlemen
Of your chamber, wherein he did assure
Her that you had a new mistress in that
Country, and therefore bid her tell me
Of it, that I might by degrees wean my
Affections from so false a man as you.
+Duke.+ Here has been some foul play; for this very man
You spoke of, receiv'd a letter from your woman,
Wherein she bid him assure me, that you
Were prov'd false in my absence, and lov'd my
Cousin Ortellus. Guard, go fetch them both
Hither immediately; they shall die
Without mercy.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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