Enter the Captain, with his crew.

Capt. Here, here, here they are, Governor. What, seize upon my ship!

Come, boys, fall on

[Advancing first, Oroonoko hills him.

Oro. Thou art fall'n indeed;

Thy own blood be upon thee.

Gov. Rest it there.
He did deserve his death.

"Take him away."
[The body removed.

You see, Sir, you and those mistaken men
Must be our witnesses, we do not come
As enemies, and thirsting for your blood.
If we desir'd your ruin, the revenge
Of our companion's death had push'd it on.
But that we overlook in a regard

To common safety, and the public good.

Oro. Regard that public good: draw off your men, And leave us to our fortune. We're resolv'd. Gov. Resolv'd! on what? Your resolutions Are broken, overturn'd, prevented, lost: "What fortune now can you raise out of them? "Nay, grant we should draw off, what can you do? "Where can you move? What more can you re

"solve,

"Unless it be to throw yourselves away?"
Famine must eat you up, if you go on.
You see our numbers could with ease compel
What we request; and what do we request?

Only to save yourselves.

[The women with their children gathering about the men. Oro. I'll hear no more.

"Women. Hear him, hear him; he takes no care " of us."

Gov. To those poor wretches, who have been se

duc'd

And led away, to all, and every one

We offer a full pardon

Oro. Then fall on.

[Preparing to engage.

Gov. Lay hold upon't before it be too late;

Pardon and mercy.

[The women clinging about the men, they leave Oroonoko, and fall upon their faces, crying out for pardon. Slaves. Pardon, mercy, pardon.

Oro. Let them go all. Now, Governor, I see, I own the folly of my enterprise,

The rashness of this action; and must blush, Quite through this veil of night, a whitely shame, To think I could design to make those free, Who were by nature slaves; wretches design'd To be their masters dogs, and lick their feet. "Whip, whip them to the knowledge of your gods "Your Christian gods, who suffer you to be "Unjust, dishonest, cowardly, and base ; "And give them your excuse for being so."

I would not live on the same earth with creatures,

That only have the faces of their kind.

Why should they look like men, who are not so ?
When they put off their noble natures for

The grov'ling qualities of down-cast beasts, "I wish they had their tails.

"Abo. Then we should know them,"

Oro. We were too few before for victory,

We're still enow to die.

[To Imoinda and Aboan.

Enter BLANDFORD.

Gov. Live, royal Sir;

Live, and be happy long on your own terms;
Only consent to yield, and you shall have

What terms you can propose
for you and yours.
Oro. Consent to yield! shall I betray myself?

"Gov. Alas, we cannot fear that your small force, "The force of two, with a weak woman's arm, "Should conquer us! I speak in the regard "And honour of your worth, in my desire "And forwardness to serve so great a man. "I would not have it lie upon my thoughts, "That I was the occasion of the fall

"Of such a prince, whose courage, carried on "In a more noble cause, would well deserve

"The empire of the world.

"Oro. You can speak fair.

"Gov. Your undertaking, though it would have

"brought

"So great a loss to us, we must all say

"Was generous and noble; and shall be "Regarded only as the fire of youth,

"That will break out sometimes in gallant souls; "We'll think it but the natural impulse,

"A rash impatience of liberty; "No otherwise:

"Oro. Think it what you will.

"I was not born to render an account "Of what I do, to any but myself.

[Blan. comes forward." Blan. I'm glad you have proceeded by fair means.

I came to be a mediator.

[To the governor.

Gov. Try what you can to work upon him.
Oro. Are you come against me too?

Blan. Is this to come against you?

[Offering his sword to Oroonoko.

Unarm'd to put myself into your hands?
I come, I hope, to serve you.

Oro. You have serv'd me;

I thank you for't; and I am pleas'd to think
You were my friend, while I had need of one;
But now 'tis past; this farewel, and begone.
[Embraces him.

Blan. It is not past, and I must serve you still. "I would make up these breaches, which the sword "Will widen more, and close us all in love."

Oro. I know what I have done; and I should be A child, to think they ever can forgive. Forgive! were there but that, I would not live To be forgiven. Is there a power on earth, That I can ever need forgiveness from?

Blan. You sha'not need it.

Oro. No, I wo'not need it.

Blan. You see he offers you your own conditions,

For you and yours.

Oro. Must I capitulate?

Precariously compound, on stinted terms,

To save my life?

Blan. Sir, he imposes none."

You make them for your own security.

"If your great heart cannot descend to treat, "In adverse fortune, with an enemy,

"Yet sure your honour's safe; you may accept "Offers of peace and safety from a friend."

Gov. He will rely on what you say to him, [To Blan. Offer him what you can, I will confirm

And make all good. Be you my pledge of trust.
Blan. I'll answer with my life for all he says.
Gov. Ay, do, and pay the forfeit if you please.

[Aside.

Blan. Consider, Sir; can you consent to throw That blessing from you, you so hardly found, [Oƒ Imo. And so much valu'd once?

Oro. Imoinda! Oh,

'Tis she that holds me on this argument
Of tedious life! I could resolve it soon,
Were this curs'd being only in debate.
But my Imoinda struggles in my soul:
She makes a coward of me, I confess.
I am afraid to part with her in death,
And more afraid of life, to lose her here.

Blan. This way you must lose her. Think upon The weakness of her sex, made yet more weak