Gov. Refuse you! No, no, what have I to do to refuse you?

Wid. You won't refuse to send her to him, she

means.

Gov. I send her to him!

Wid. We have promised him to bring her.

Gov. You do very well; 'tis kindly done of you: ev'n carry her to him, with all my heart.

Luc. You must tell us where she is.

Gov. I tell you! why, don't you know?

Blan. Your servant says she's in the house.

Gov. No, no, I brought her home at first, indeed; but I thought it would not look well to keep her here; I removed her in the hurry, only to take care of her. What! she belongs to you: I have nothing to do with her.

Char. But where is she now, Sir?

Gov. Why, faith, I can't say certainly: you'll hear of her at Parham-house, I suppose: there, or thereabouts: I think I sent her there.

Blan. I'll have an eye on him.

[Aside.

[Exeunt all but the Governor.

Gov. I have ly'd myself into a little time,

And must employ it: "they'll be here again; "But I must be before 'em."

[Going out, he meets Imoinda, and seizes her.

Are you come ?

I'll court no longer for a happiness
That is in my own keeping: you may still

Refuse to grant, so I have power to take.

The man that asks deserves to be deny'd.

[She disengages one hand, and draws his sword from his side upon him; Governor starts and retires; Blandford enters behind him.

Imo. He does indeed, that asks unworthily.

Blan. You hear her, Sir, that asks unworthily.
Gov. You are no judge.

Blan. I am of my own slave.

Gov. Begone, and leave us.

Blan. When you let her go.

Gov. To fasten upon you.
Bland. I must defend myself.
Imo. Help, murder, help!

[Imoinda retreats towards the door, favoured by Blandford; when they are closed, she throws down the sword, and runs out. Governor takes up his sword, they fight, close and fall, Blandford upon him. Servants enter,

and part 'em.

Gov She sha'not 'scape me so, I've gone too far,

Not to go farther. Curse on my delay:
But yet she is, and shall be in my power.

Blan. Nay, then it is the war of honesty;

I know you, and will save you from yourself.
Gov. All come along with me.

Enter OROONOKO.

[Exeunt.

Oro. To honour bound, and yet a slave to love! I am distracted by their rival powers,

And both will be obeyed. O great revenge!

Thou raiser and restorer of fall'n fame!

Let me not be unworthy of thy aid,

For stopping in thy course: I still am thine ;
But can't forget I am Imoinda's too.

She calls me from my wrongs to rescue her. No man condemn me, who has never felt A woman's power, or try'd the force of love: "All tempers yield and soften in those fires: "Our honours, interests resolving down, "Run in the gentle current of our joys; "But not to sink, and drown our memory; "We mount again to action, like the sun, "That rises from the bosom of the sea, "To run his glorious race of light anew, "And carry on the world." Love, love will be My first ambition, and my fame the next.

Enter ABOAN bloody.

My eyes are turn'd against me, and combine
With my sworn enemies to represent
This spectacle of horror. Aboan!
"My ever faithful friend!"

Abo. I have no name

That can distinguish me from the vile earth,
To which I'm going: a poor abject worm,
That crawl'd a while upon the bustling world,
And now am trampled to my dust again.
Oro. I see thee gash'd and mangled!

Abo. Spare my shame

To tell how they have us'd me; but believe

The hangman's hand would have been merciful.

Do not you scorn me, Sir, to think I can
Intend to live under this infamy.
I do not come for pity, to complain.
I've spent an honourable life with you,
The earliest servant of your rising fame,
And would attend it with my latest care;
My life was yours, and so shall be my death.
You must not live

Bending and sinking, I have dragg'd my steps
Thus far, to tell you that you cannot live :
To warn you of those ignominious wrongs,
Whips, rods, and all the instruments of death
Which I have felt, and are prepar'd for you.
This was the duty that I had to pay :
'Tis done; and, now, I beg to be discharg'd.
Oro. What shall I do for thee?

Abo. My body tires,

And wo'not bear me off to liberty;

I shall again be taken, made a slave.
A sword, a dagger, yet would rescue me.
I have not strength to go and find out death,
You must direct him to me.

Oro. Here he is,

[Gives him a dagger.

The only present I can make thee now.
And, next the honourable means of life,
I would bestow the honest means of death.
Abo. I cannot stay to thank you. If there is
A being after this, I shall be yours

In the next world, your faithful slave again.
This is to try. [Stabs himself.] I had a living sense

K

Of all your royal favours; but this last

Strikes through my heart. I wo'not say farewell,

For you must follow me.

Oro. In life and death

The guardian of my honour! Follow thee!
I should have gone before thee; then perhaps
Thy fate had been prevented. All his care
Was to preserve me from the barbarous rage
That worry'd him, only for being mine.
Why, why, ye gods! why am I so accurs'd,
That it must be a reason of your wrath,

A guilt, a crime sufficient to the fate
Of any one, but to belong to me?

[Dies.

My friend has found it out, and my wife will soon : My wife! the very fear's too much for life.

I can't support it. Where's Imoinda? Oh!

1

[Going out, she meets him, running into his arms. Thou bosom softness! Down of all my cares!

I could recline my thoughts upon this breast
To a forgetfulness of all my griefs,

And yet be happy; but it wo'not be.

Thou art disorder'd, pale, and out of breath!
If fate pursues thee, find a shelter here.
What is it thou wouldst tell me?

Imo. 'Tis in vain to call him villain.

Oro. Call him Governor is it not so?

Imo. There's not another, sure.

Oro. Villain's the common name of mankind here;

But his most properly. What! what of him?