Chapter V: Act V: Scene I

_A Mask in_ Bassino_'s Lodgings_.

Bassino, Alonzo, Armando, _in a Disguise_; Placentia _in Man's Cloaths, Signior_ Pizalto, _Lady_ Pizalta, Lucy, &c.

_An Entry of three Men and three Women of several Nations._

_Bass._ I can't imagine where I dropt my Letter:
Pray Heaven it be where none can ever find it.
Gods! Let me once enjoy her, then call on me
Your Store of Plagues, and I will meet 'em all.

_Enter_ Ludovico, _singing_.

_Lud._ Ah! Mistress _Lucy_! I'm come thou see'st----I expect thou shalt be as good as thy Word, Child----is the Lady here?

_Lucy._ The Lady is forth-coming, if you are still in the same Mind?

L. _Piz._ My Lover here! Harkee, _Lucy_.

_Lucy._ By and by, Madam, I am catering for myself now----Well, Sir, will two thousand Pistoles do?

_Lud._ I must humour her----[_Aside._] Ay Child.

_Lucy._ Why then I take you at your Word, Sir, and can produce the aforesaid Sum----[_To_ Piz.] With a little of your Assistance, My Lord.

_Lud._ (_aside._) Hum----A pretty Wife I am like to have----Catch me there if you can----

_Piz._ Ha----How's that?

_Lud._ How! Mistress _Lucy_, worth two thousand Pistoles?

_Lucy._ Ay: And I have a very good Pay-master for one Half of it too--Do you know this Hand, my Lord? [_To_ Pizalto.] (_Shews the Bond._)

_Piz._ (_aside._) Confound your jilting Sneer.

_Lud._ Ha, ha, ha----What, a thousand Pistoles a Dish, my Lord? I hope you don't change often, ha----ha----

_Piz._ Hussy, I'll be reveng'd----'Tis all false, 'tis counterfeit.

_Lucy._ Ha--ha--But it had been current Coin, if I had suffer'd you to put your Stamp upon't----in my Bed-chamber, my Lord----

L. _Piz._ How, Mistress, have you trick'd my Husband out of a thousand Pistoles, and never told me of it?

_Lucy._ Nay, Madam, don't frown----Remember you have trick'd him out of something too, which I never told him of--Don't urge me to more Discoveries.

_Lud._ (_aside._) So----Here's Trick upon Trick: But, Faith, you shall never trick me out of my Liberty. I'm not so fond of a Wife to marry a Chamber-maid, tho' with ten Times as much Money: And so, sweet Mistress _Abigail_, your humble Servant. [_Exit_ Ludovico.

L. _Piz._ (_aside.]_) The Jade has me upon the Hip--I must be silent.

_She who has her Husband's Bed abus'd,_
_Can ne'er expect she should be better us'd._ [Exit.

_Lucy._ Ha----What! my Lover gone! With all my Heart: Better now than after; for whilst I have my Fortune in my own Hands, I must have no Need to sue for a separate Maintenance, and get nothing for it neither.

_Arm._ to _Pla._ Now, Madam, go: May Heaven be propitious
To your Designs: I'll stay and watch _Bassino_:
And when he goes, will follow with _Alonzo_.

_Pla._ Oh! my sick Fancy frames a thousand Forms,
Which tell me that our Meeting will prove fatal.
And warn me not to go, what shall I do?
Must I bear calmly my _Bassino_'s Loss?
Why do I tremble thus?
Sure it can't be the Fear of Death----No, for if
I go not I must lose him, and that's more
Than Death to me----and if I go, I can but fall,
And Life without him is the greater Woe,
Therefore I'll on, I'll use the softest Words
That Tongue can frame to sooth her into Pity,
And dissuade her from this impious Marriage.
If I succeed I am compleatly happy,
If not, I'd rather die than live with Hate,
But first, curst Rival, thou shalt share my Fate.
[_Exit_ Placentia.

_A Flourish of Musick._

_Bass._ 'Tis now the Time----but whither do I go?
Shall I a Maid, a Wife, a Friend betray?
No matter----
All Arguments are vain, where Love bears Sway.
[_Exit_ Bassino.

A SONG.

_When the Winds rage, and the Seas grow high,_
_They bid Mankind beware,_
_But when they smooth and calm the Sky,_
_'Tis then they would ensnare._

_So the bright_ Thais _Kindness shows,_
_By frowning on her Lovers,_
_For Ruin only from her flows,_
_When she her Charms discovers._

_Piz._ Come now, Gentlemen and Ladies, be pleas'd to walk into the next Room, and take a small Collation--But where's my Lord _Bassino_? Come, Gentlemen, he's gone before us.

_Arm._ Where we will quickly follow. (_Aside._) _Alonzo_, a Word with you-- [_Exit Omnes_.

SCENE II.

_A Chamber in_ Aurelia's _House_.

_Two Arm-Chairs._ Aurelia _sola_.

_Aur._ I wonder much at my _Bassino_'s Stay:
Oh! Love! how swiftly fly thy Hours away
When we are blest! How tedious are thy Minutes
When cruel Absence parts two longing Lovers!

_Enter_ Florella.

Is my _Bassino_ come? speak----

_Flor._ No, Madam, a young Stranger desires to speak with you: He says, you are not acquainted with his Name, but will soon with his Business, which is something of great Import, that can be told to none but yourself.

_Aur._ A Stranger Business with me! I know of none
I have with Strangers--Heaven! what's this?
I feel a sudden Throbbing in my Heart,
As if 'twas conscious of some fatal News-- [_Aside._
Womanish Fears----Admit him--(_Exit_ Florella) it must be
One of _Bassino_'s Friends, whom he intrusts
To be a Witness of our Marriage Vows.

_Enter_ Placentia, _in Man's Cloaths_.

_Pla._ Madam, I was inform'd that Count _Bassino_
Was to be here--and having Things t'impart
That much concern him, I made bold to come----

_Aur._ Sir, I expect him straight--if you're his Friend
I will account you mine--Be pleas'd to sit. [_Both sit._

_Pla._ My Brother, Madam, is extremely happy
In being favour'd by so fair a Lady----

_Aur._ Your Brother, Sir! is then my Lord your brother?

_Pla._ Madam, he is.

_Aur._ Then I may call you Brother too;
For all the solemn Vows of Love have pass'd
'Twixt him and me--And blissful _Hymen_ waits
With lighted Torch to tie the sacred Knot,
Which shall be done this Hour----

_Pla._ This Hour! say you? Oh! Madam, have a Care:
You tread inchanted Ground, and e'er you know
What Path you take, you're hurried to Destruction.

_Aur._ Where lies the Danger?

_Pla._ Oh! 'Tis a fatal Tale, yet you must hear it;
Therefore summon your Courage to your Aid,
For you will need it all, whilst I relate
The fatal Story----

_Aur._ Ah! how I tremble!
Say, is he dead? has any murderous Villain
Kill'd my _Bassino_?

_Pla._ No--he is well in Health: but his distemper'd Mind
Is of a wild and feverish Disposition,
Longing to taste, what tasted will undo him.

_Aur._ Your Speech is all a Riddle: Pray speak plainer:
But yet, e'er you proceed, if Count _Bassino_ lives,
I care not what must follow, since he's mine.

_Pla._ No, he's not yours--Nor ever must.

_Aur._ 'Tis false----There's not a Pow'r on Earth can part us:
Perhaps,
You think my Blood too base to mix with yours----
But, Sir, your Brother loves me, and in Love
All Ranks are equal----

_Pla._ No----I wish that were all:
But there's a greater Obstacle----He--is--married--
Oh! Gods! unfortunately married!

_Aur._ Married!

_Pla._ Yes,----Married----to my Sister,
To my unfortunate, abandon'd Sister.
Oh! do not you conspire t'undo her quite;
It is enough, she's false _Bassino_'s Wife.

_Aur._ Gods! Married!
And is it possible! Oh! faithless Men!
Oh! Truth! Oh! Justice! Whither are you fled?
Now all my Fears and Horrors are explain'd.

_Pla._ I'm glad I reach'd this Place in Time, to hinder
Those Ills that must have waited on your Marriage,
Now it is in your Power, both to be happy,
And, in some Measure, make my Sister so. [_Both rise._

_Aur._ A Paradox in Nature----Bid _Aurelia_
Be happy, when you rob her of her Heaven!
Her dear _Bassino_!
Indeed your Sister may be counted happy,
If she's his Wife--Ha--Wife--by Heaven! 'tis false--
No, no--He has no other Wife but me----
He is not married, you bely him basely----
He cannot be so treacherous----

_Pla._ Madam, I swear, whate'er I said is Truth--
Do but defer this Marriage for a Day,
And if I don't produce convincing Proofs,
May all the Plagues a Woman can invent
Fall on my perjur'd Head----

_Aur._ Defer our Marriage--No, by Heaven I will not.
I can't suspect him--Neither do I think
You durst maintain this Story to his Face.

_Pla._ Madam, I dare; nay, which is more, I'll die,
Or vindicate my injur'd Sister's Honour----

_Aur._ Bold Arrogance!
Oh! That he were but here to answer the Affront!
Perhaps he may have wrong'd your Family:
Debauch'd your Sister; for which you would force him
To marry her?----But, I must tell thee, Boy,
He's mine already: nor would he forsake me
To hold Command o'er all the Universe.

_Pla._ Oh! Heaven! must I bear this!

_Aur._ Nay, expect more, if he should find you here,
'Tis not your being Brother to his Mistress,
That will secure you from his just Revenge.

_Pla._ Revenge! Nay, then away with all Disguise,
Pity be gone----And in its Room fell Rage
Take place, that I may dash that haughty Insolence
That dares to treat me thus--Know, Madam,
I am his Wife--his lawful wedded Wife.
With borrow'd Shape I came to try your Virtue,
Which I have found so light that the least Puff
Of wanton Love will blast it----Else my Visit
Had met a better Welcome--Here with Sword in Hand
I'll wait his coming, [_Draws._
And as he enters, pierce thy haughty Breast.
I know he loves thee, and therefore 'tis brave
Revenge to let him see thy dying Pangs:
Thy parting Sighs will rack him worse than Hell.

_Aur._ His Wife! Oh! Insolence!
In vain you waste your Breath, it moves not me:
So much I love him, so much I'm belov'd,
That should an Angel from yon Heaven descend,
To tell me he's marry'd, I'd not credit him,
Kill me if you dare--He will revenge my Death:
That pleasing Thought gives Courage to my Soul:
To live without him would be Death indeed!
No--he'll ne'er leave me for a common Thing,
For such I'm sure thou art----

_Pla._ Common! Proud Wretch----by Heaven that Word gives Wings
To my Revenge--Vile Creature, die-- [_Stabs her._

_Aur._ Help,--Murder, murder----

_Enter_ Bassino.

_Bass._ Ha--That to thy Heart----[_Kills_ Plac.] Wer't
thou a Demi-god
And durst attempt this Shrine, thus should'st thou fall--

_Pla._ (_Falling._) Oh! _Bassino_! Oh!

_Aur._ Oh! hold, my Lord, what has your Rashness done?
I only should have dy'd----I'll not upbraid
Your Treachery--No, 'tis the Hand of Heaven
That guides the Stroke that takes my guilty Life,
For being faithless to _Alonzo_.

_Bass._ Talk not of Death, my fair, my dear _Aurelia_;
That very Sound does harrow up my Soul.
But who art thou, whose sacrilegious Hand
Durst to profane the Temple of my Love?

_Pla._ I am your Wife--Your loving Wife _Placentia_.
Oh! pardon this rash Deed; blame jealous Love--
And grace me with a Sigh, that I may die contented.

_Bass._ My Wife! and kill'd by me!
Under what Load of Miseries I stand!
Oh! Horror! Horror! Infinity of Guilt!
Hurl now your vengeful Bolts, Almighty Powers,
On my devoted Head!
Oh! I have wrong'd you both: Deceiv'd you basely:
Thus prostrate on the Ground, let me beg Pardon:
[_Throws himself on the Ground._
I do not ask it with Design to live.

_Aur._ Oh! dear _Bassino_ live:
And try to save her, for she's innocent:
We only are in Fault----
I urg'd my wretched Fate with impious Language,
For which I beg Forgiveness: Generous Lady,
Let not my Soul depart with Guilt opprest.

_Pla._ As I forgive you, so may Heaven me.

_Bass._ Oh! _Placentia_! Oh! my Wife!

_Aur._ One thing more, and I'm happy----
Were but _Alonzo_ here, that I might ask
Forgiveness for my Falshood! But, alas!
My Spirits faint within my frozen Veins,
And every Thing seems double to my Sight:
Oh! How I dread the uncertain future State!

_Bass._ Unhappy Maid! Oh! my once dear _Aurelia_!
Curst, Curst _Bassino_! Oh! my Wife! How dare
I stand the View of both these injured Women!
Oh! Heaven! Why name I Heaven! Heaven will not hear
A Wretch like me----No, even Hell wants Torment
Proportion'd to my Guilt--Oh! my _Placentia_! Oh!

_Pla._ Oh! my dear Lord, I cannot see you thus:
Live, live, my Lord; be happy when I'm dead.
Nay, for your Sake, I with _Aurelia_ too
May live to make you happy----

_Bass._ Oh! Hold!
Heap not more Curses on me by your Kindness;
I wish that she might live, but not for me.
Only to clear me from her guilty Blood----
Oh! _Placentia_!

_Pla._ Rise, my Lord, rise: Do not indulge your Woe,
Your Sighs atone for all, and make e'en Death a pleasure----
I see him coming, he will soon be here----

_Bass._ No, I will never rise: ne'er see the Day.
The Sun would blush to shine on such an impious Wretch.
Here let me lie, and tear with these curst Hands
[_Tears the Ground in a distracted Manner._
A Passage thro' the Earth, and hide my Face for ever.

_Alon._ (_Within._) Where where's this Villain? Where's _Bassino_?

_Aur._ 'Tis _Alonzo_'s Voice.
Oh! fly, my Lord, fly from his just Revenge.

_Enter_ Alonzo _hastily_.

_Bass._ Fly----
Where shall I fly from Justice? No, Heaven is kind
In sending him to help my Journey forward.

_Alon._ Where's _Bassino_?

_Bass._ (_Rising._) Here Sir, I stand.

_Alon._ Then there stands a Villain----Ha--what
Do I see!----_Aurelia_ murder'd!
Oh! treacherous Maid, thy Love has cost thee dear,
Think on thy broken Vows, and call to Heaven for Mercy.
Thy Death I will revenge, because I lov'd thee once.

_Aur._ Oh! _Alonzo_, pardon me.

_Alon._ to _Bass._ Now Villain, now what Story, what Pretence
Canst thou invent to avoid my just Revenge?
Oh! that I ne'er had list'ned to thy Tongue!
Thy base perfidious Tongue! Then all these Murders
Had been prevented, and thou curst in Hell----
Thou monstrous Fiend----

_Bass._ You talk too much--Let's see what you can do:
Thus I return your Villain----

_Alon._ Take thy Reward. [_They fight_, Bassino _falls_.

_Enter_ Armando.

_Arm._ Hold! hold: Oh Gods! I'm come too late,
What has my fatal Friendship done!
Ha----_Placentia_ too--curst Letter!

_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.

At the very beginning of Act 5, Scene 1, a speech wrongly given to Ludovic has been assigned to Lucy in keeping with the logic of the dialogue.

Two obvious typographical errors were corrected: "Reputatron" became "Reputation" in Act 2, Scene 2 (Ludovic); "connot" was changed to "cannot" in Act 4, Scene 1 (Placentia).

Two further changes to the text are listed below:

In Act 1, scene 3, the word "I" was added before the first occurrence of the word "cannot" in the following passage spoken by Aurelia:

In vain I strive to check my new-born Love, I cannot, cannot
live without _Bassino_

In Act 3, scene 2, one instance of the word "own" was deleted in the following sentence spoken by Lucy:

What would you say now, Madam, if I should contrive a Way to
have your Lover in your own Chamber?

End of Project Gutenberg's The Perjur'd Husband, by Susanna Centlivre