"In all the terrors of their cruelty?
"For now, if we should fall into their hands,
"Could they invent a thousand murd'ring ways,
"By racking torments, we should feel them all.
"Hot. What will become of us?

"Oro. Observe him now. [To Abo. concerning Hot. "I could die, altogether like a man,

"As you, and you, and all of us must do; "But who can answer for his bravery "Upon the rack, where fainting, weary life, “Hunted thro' every limb, is forc'd to feel "An agonizing death of all its parts ? "Who can bear this? Resolve to be impal'd, "His skin flea'd off, and roasted yet alive; "The quiv'ring flesh torn from his broken bones "By burning pincers? Who can bear these pains? "Hot. They are not to be borne.

[Discovering all the confusion of fear. "Oro. You see him now, this man of mighty "words!

"Abo. How his eyes roll!

"Oro. He cannot hide his fear.

"I try'd him this way, and have found him out.

"Abo. I could not have believ'd it. Such a blaze, "And not a spark of fire!

"Oro. His violence

"Made me suspect; now I'm convinc'd.

"Abo. What shall we do with him?

"Oro. He is not fit

"Abo. Fit! hang him, he is only fit to be

"Just what he is; to live and die a slave,
"The base companion of his servile fears.
"Oro. We are not safe with him.

"Abo. Do you think so?

"Oro. He'll certainly betray us.

"Abo. That he shan't:

"I can take care of that: I have a way "To take him off his evidence.

"Oro. What way?

Abo. I'll stop his mouth before you; stab him " here,

"And then let him inform.

"[Going to stab Hotman, Oroonoko holds him.

"Oro. Thou art not mad ?

"Abo. I would secure ourselves.

"Oro. It sha'not be this way; nay, cannot be :

"His murder will alarum all the rest,

"Make them suspect us of barbarity.

"And, may be, fall away from our design.

"We'll not set out in blood. We have, my friends,

"This night to furnish what we can provide

"For our security and just defence.

"If there be one amongst us, we suspect

"Of baseness, or vile fear, it will become

"Our common care to have an eye on him. "I wo'not name the man.

"Abo. You guess at him.

[To Hotman.

"Oro. To-morrow early as the breaking day, "We rendezvous behind the citron-grove. "That ship secur'd, we may transport ourselves

"To our respective homes. My father's kingdom "Shall open her wide arms to take you in, "And nurse you for her own, adopt you all, "All who will follow me.

"Omnes. All, all follow you.

"Oro. There I can give you all your liberty; "Bestow its blessings, and secure them

yours. "There you shall live with honour, as becomes "My fellow-sufferers and worthy friends. "Thus, if we do succeed: but if we fall "In our attempt, 'tis nobler still to die, "Than drag the galling yoke of slavery.

[Exeunt.

ACT IV. SCENE I.

Enter WELLDON "and JACK STANMORE.

"Welldon.

"You see, honest Jack, I have been industrious "for you; you must take some pains now to serve "yourself.

"J. Stan. Gad, Mr. Welldon, I have taken a 66 great deal of pains; and, if the widow speak ho"nestly, faith and troth, she'll tell you what a pains"taker I am.

"Well. Fie, fie! not me. I am her husband, you "know. She won't tell me what pains you have "taken with her: besides, she takes you for me.

G

"J. Stan. That's true; I forgot you had married "her. But if you knew all

"Well. 'Tis no matter for my knowing all, if she << does.

"J. Stan. Ay, ay, she does know, and more than "ever she knew since she was a woman, for the time, "I will be bold to say; for I have done

"Well. The devil take you; for you'll never have "done.

"J. Stan. As old as she is, she has a wrinkle be"hind more than she had, I believe; for I have "taught her what she never knew in her life before.

"Well. What care I what wrinkles she has, or "what you have taught her; if you'll let me advise you, you may; if not, you may prate on, and ruin "the whole design.

"J. Stan. Well, well, I have done.

"Well. Nobody but your cousin, and you, and I, "know any thing of this matter.

I have married

"Mrs. Lackitt, and put you to bed to her, which "she knows nothing of, to serve you. In two or "three days I'll bring it about so, to resign up my "claim, and with her consent, quietly to you.

"J. Stan. But how will you do it?

"Well. That must be my business. In the mean "time, if you should make any noise, 'twill come "to her ears, and be impossible to reconcile her. “J. Stan. Nay, as for that, I know the way to "reconcile her, I warrant you.

"Well. But how will you get her money? I am "married to her.

"J. Stan. That I don't know, indeed.

"Well. You must leave it to me, you find. All "the pains I shall put you to, will be to be silent. "You can hold your tongue for two or three days? "J. Stan. Truly, not well in a matter of this naI should be very unwilling to lose the repu❝tation of this night's work, and the pleasure of tell❝ing it.

❝ture.

"Well. You must mortify that vanity a little. You "will have time enough to brag and lie of your "manhood, when you have her in a bare-fac'd con"dition to disprove you.

"J. Stan. Well, I'll try what I can do; the hopes "of her money must do it.

"Well. You'll come at night again? 'Tis your own "business.

"J. Stan. But you have the credit on't.

"Well. 'Twill be your own another day, as the "widow says. Send your cousin to me: I want his "advice.

"J. Stan. I want to be recruited, I am sure. A "good breakfast, and to bed. She has rock'd my "cradle sufficiently.

[Exit.

"Well. She would have a husband; and if all be "as he says, she has no reason to complain; but "there is no relying on what men say upon these "occasions: they have the benefit of their bragging, "by recommending their abilities to other women: