Do not approach until I send :" 'twas so;
And 'tis a law that binds above my blood.
Enter Confessor and Servant.

Make haste, good father, and if Heaven deny
Him life, let not his charity die too:

One curse may sink us both. Say how I kneel,
And beg he would bequeathe me but his blessing.
Then, though Francisco be his heir, I shall
Live happy, and take comfort in my tears,
When I remember him so kind a father.
Conf. It is your duty.
Fer. Do thy holy office.

Those fond philosophers that magnify
Our human nature, and did boast we had
Such a prerogative in our rational soul,
Conversed but little with the world, confined

To cells, and unfrequented woods, they knew not
The fierce vexation of community;

Else they had taught, our reason is our loss,
And but a privilege that exceedeth sense
By nearer apprehension of what wounds,
To know ourselves most miserable. My heart
Enter Physician and FRANCISCO.

Is teeming with new fears.-Ha! is he dead?
Phy. Not dead, but in a desperate condition;
And so that little breath remains we have
Remitted to this confessor, whose office
Is all that's left.

Fer. Is he not merciful to Fernando yet?
No talk of me?

Phy. I find he takes no pleasure

To hear you named: Francisco to us all
He did confirm his heir, with many blessings.
Fer. And not left one for me? O take me in,
Thou gentle earth, and let me creep through all
Thy dark and hollow crannies, till I find
Another way to come into the world;

For all the air I breathe in here is poison'd.
Fran. We must have patience, brother, it was no
Ambitious thought of mine to supplant you;
He may
live yet, and you be reconciled.
Fer. That was some kindness yet, Francisco: but

[Exit.

I charge thee by the nearness of our blood,
When I am made this mockery and wonder,
I know not where to find out charity,

If unawares a chance direct my weary

And wither'd feet to some fair house of thine, Where plenty with full blessings crowns thy table, my thin face betray my want of food,

If

Do not despise me, 'cause I was thy brother.
Enter Confessor.

Fran. Leave these imagined horrors; I must not
Live when my brother is thus miserable.
Fer. There's something in that face looks comfortably.
Conf. Your father, sir, is dead. His will to make
Francisco the sole master of his fortunes
Is now irrevocable: a small pension

He hath given you for life, which, with his blessing,
Is all the benefit I bring.

Fer. Ha! blessing! speak it again, good father.
Conf. I did apply some lenitives to soften

His anger, and prevail'd; your father hath
Reversed that heavy censure of his curse,

And in the place bequeathed his prayer and blessing. Fer. I am new-created by his charity.

Conf. Some ceremonies are behind: he did

Desire to be interr'd within our convent,

And left his sepulture to me; I am confident,
Your pieties will give me leave-

Fran. His will in all things I obey, and yours,
Most reverend father: order as you please
His body; we may after celebrate
With all due obsequies his funeral.

Fer. Why you alone obey? I am your brother:
My father's eldest son, though not his heir.
Fran. It pleased my father, sir, to think me worthy
Of such a title; you shall find me kind,

If you can look on matters without envy.
Fer. If I can look on matters without envy!
Fran. You may live here still.

Fer. I may live here, Francisco!

Enter a Gentleman with a letter.
Conditions! I would not understand
This dialect.

Fran. With me, from madam
Gent. If you be signor Francisco.
Fer. Slighted!—

?

I find my father was not dead till now.
Crowd not, you jealous thoughts, so thick into
My brain, lest you do tempt me to an act,
Will forfeit all again.

FERNANDO tells FELISARDA that his father is dead.
Fer. I have a story to deliver;

A tale, will make thee sad: but I must tell it.
There is one dead, that loved thee not.

Fel. One dead,

That loved not me? this carries, sir, in nature
No killing sound': I shall be sad to know
I did deserve an enemy or he want

A charity at death.

Fer. Thy cruel enemy,

And my best friend, hath took eternal leave,
And's gone, to heaven, I hope: excuse my tears;
It is a tribute I must pay his memory;

For I did love my father.

Fel. Ha! your father!

Fer. Yes, Felisarda, he is gone, that in

The morning promised many years, but death
Hath in a few hours made him as stiff, as all

The winds and winter had thrown cold upon him,
And whisper'd him to marble.

FRANCISCO offers to restore FERNANDO his birthright. FERNANDO dares not take it.

FRANCISCO.

Fran. What demands

Fernando ?

FERNANDO. DON CARLOS.

Fer. My inheritance, wrought from me

By thy sly creeping to supplant my birth,
And cheat our father's easy soul, unworthily
Betraying to his anger, for thy lust

Of wealth, the love and promise of two hearts,
Poor Felisarda and Fernando now

Wither at soul, and robb'd by thee of that

1 Like the reply of Manoah in Samson Agonistes: "Sad, but nɔt saddest, the desolation of a hostile city."

Should cherish virtue, like to rifled pilgrims
Met on the way, and having told their story,
And dropp'd their even tears for both their loss,
Wander from one another.

Fran. 'Tis not sure

Fernando, but his passion (that obeys not
The counsel of his reason) would accuse me :
And if my father now, since spirits lose not
Intelligence, but more active when they have
Shook off their chains of flesh,) would leave his dwelling,
And visit this coarse orb1 again; my innocence
Should dare the appeal, and make Fernando see
His empty accusations.

Fer. He that thrives

By wicked art, has confidence to dress

His action with simplicity and shapes,

To cheat our credulous natures: 'tis my wonder
Thou durst do so much injury, Francisco,
As must provoke my justice to revenge,
Yet wear no sword.

Fran. I need no guard; I know

Thou darest not kill me.

Fer. Dare I not?

Fran. And name

Thy cause: 'tis thy suspicion, not Francisco,
Hath wrought thee high and passionate. To assure it;
If you dare violate, I dare possess you

With all my title to your land.

Car. How is that?

Fran. Let him receive it at his peril.

Fer. Ha!

Fran. It was my father's act, not mine: he trembled
To hear his curse alive; what horror will

His conscience feel, when he shall spurn his dust,
And call the reverend shade from his blest seat
To this bad world again, to walk and fright him!
Fer. Can this be more than a dream?

Fran. (Gives him the will.) Sir, you may cancel it.
But think withal,

How
you can answer him that 's dead, when he
Shall charge your timorous soul for this contempt
1 Dirty planet.-Sterne.

To nature and religion; to break

His last bequest, and breath, that seal'd your blessings! Car. These are fine fancies.

Fer. (Returns the will.) Here; and may it prosper,
Where my good father meant it: I am overcome
Forgive me, and enjoy it.

[Is going.

His father RAMIRES (supposed dead) appears above, with FELIFARDA.

Ram. Fernando, stay.

Fer. Ha, my father and Felisarda:

Are they both dead?--I did not think
To find thee in this pale society

Of ghosts so soon.

Fel. I am alive, Fernando;

And Don Ramires still thy living father.
Fran. You may believe it, sir, I was of the council.
Car. Men thought you dead.

Ram. It lay within

The knowledge of Francisco, and some few,
By this device to advance my younger son
To a marriage with Jacinta, sir, and try
Fernando's piety, and his mistress' virtue;

[Kneels.

Which I have found worth him, and my acceptance.
With her I give thee what thy birth did challenge:
Receive thy Felisarda.

Fer. 'Tis a joy

So flowing, it drowns all my faculties.

My soul will not contain, I fear, but loose,
And leave me in this ecstasy.

THE LADY OF PLEASURE: A COMEDY,
BY JAMES SHIRLEY.

SIR THOMAS BORNEWELL expostulates with his Lady on her extravagance and love of pleasure.

BORNEWELL. ARETINA, his lady.

Are. I am angry with myself;

To be so miserably restrain'd in things,
Wherein it doth concern your love and honour
To see me satisfied.

Bor. In what, Aretina,