_Bass._ My Friend _Armando_! Oh! I blush to see thee: But let me have your Pardon----now I need it. _Arm._ Oh! first pardon me---- For I have been the Cause of all this Mischief. Whilst my officious Friendship strives to save you, I bring you all to this unhappy End. Say, can you pardon me? _Bass._ I do---- And Oh! my Friend! had Virtue been my Guide, As it was thine, I still were truly happy. _Aur._ Where am I? Why do I hover thus 'twixt Rest and Misery? Oh! good _Alonzo_, say you pardon me, And let me die in Peace, else full of Horror My guilty Soul must wander in the Shades Of gloomy Night, and never, never rest. _Alon._ Thou hast my Pardon, and with it this Promise Never to love again---- _Aur._ Oh! you're----too----kind--and I want-- Breath to thank----you----Farewel, [_Dies._ _Bass._ Oh! _Placentia_! [_Embraces her._ Thus in thy Arms my Thread of Life shall break. _Pla._ My Lord, my Husband, Oh! come nearer yet, That I may take a parting Kiss, to smooth My Passage to the Realms of endless Night. [_Kissing him._ So--Now--I die----much happier than I lived. Farewel---- [_Dies._ _Bass._ Farewel, fair Excellence! Thou best of Wives! But I shall quickly follow--Yet before I go, I beg, _Alonzo_, let my Death atone For all the Injuries my Life has done you. Oh! spare my Memory, when I'm no more. _Alon._ By Heaven! I see such Virtue struggling in thy Breast, As makes me wish I could prevent the Flight Of thy departing Soul---- _Bass._ No, No----I would not live: Hadst thou not come, my Hand had set me free, But now I fell more nobly, and less guilty. My Friend, my dear _Armando_, Haste to inform my Prince, _Bassino_ rests; But hide, if possible, my Shame: And let One Grave hold both this wretched Corps and mine, Oh! my _Placentia_---- [_Dies._ _Alon._ Unhappy Pair! But far more wretched me! For I must live, and live without _Aurelia_! Tho' I'm convinc'd she lov'd me not, I can't Banish her Image from my Love-sick Mind. Oh! that I ne'er had seen the charming Fair! _Arm._ The Gods are just in all their Punishments: And by this single Act, we plainly see That Vengeance always treads on Perjury; And tho' sometimes no Bolts be at us hurl'd, Whilst we enjoy the Pleasures of this World; Yet a Day awaits, a Day of general Doom, When guilty Souls must to an Audit come; Then that we may not tremble, blush, or fear, Let our Desires be just; our Lives unsullied here. [_Exeunt omnes._ [Decoration] TRANSCRIBER'S NOTE Contemporary spellings and hyphenation have been retained, even where inconsistent; so the text contains both, e.g. thou'rt and thour't, you'rs and your's.