"Tis true-1 know thee now-A mischief on thee! Thou art that fatal fair, that cursed she,

That set my brain a madding. Thou hast robb'd me;
Thou hast undone me-Murder! O, my Hastings!
See his pale bloody head shoots glaring by me!
Avaunt; and come not near me→

Jane S. To thy hand

I trusted all; gave my whole store to thee,
Nor do I ask it back; allow me but

The smallest pittance, give me but to eat,
Lest I fall down and perish here before thee.

Alic. Nay! tell not me! Where is thy king, thy
Edward,

And all the cringing train of courtiers,
That bent the knee before thee?

Jane S. Oh! for mercy!

Alic. Mercy! I know it not-for I am miserable. I'll give thee misery, for here she dwells, This is her house, where the sun never dawns, The bird of night sits screaming o'er the roof, Grim spectres sweep along the horrid gloom, And nought is heard but wailings and lamentings. Hark! something cracks above! it shakes! it totters! Aud see the nodding ruin falls to crush me! "Tis fall'n, 'tis here! I felt it on my brain!Let her take my counsel:

Why shouldst thou be a wretch? Stab, tear thy heart, And rid thyself of this detested being:

I wo' not linger long behind thee here.

A waving flood of bluish fire swells o'er me;
And now 'tis out, and I am drown'd in blood.

Ha! what art thou! thou horrid headless trunk?
It is my Hastings! see he wafts me on!

Away! I go! Ifly! I follow thee.

[Runs off.

Jane S. Alas! she raves; her brain I fear is turn'd,

In mercy look upon her, gracious heav'n,

Nor visit her for any wrong to me.

Sure I am near upon my journey's end;
My head runs round, my eyes begin to fail,
And dancing shadows swim before my sight,

I can no more, [Lies down] receive me, thou cold earth,

Thou common parent, take me to thy bosom,
And let me rest with thee.

Enter BELMOUR.

Bel. Upon the ground!

Thy miseries can never lay thee lower.

Look up, thou

poor

afflicted one! thou mourner,

Whom none has comforted! Where are thy friends, The dear companions of thy joyful days,

Whose hearts thy warm prosperity made glad,

Whose arms were taught to grow like ivy round thee,
And bind thee to their bosoms?-Thus with thee,
Thus let us live, and let us die, they said.

Now where are they?

Jane S. Ah, Belmour! where indeed! They stand aloof,

And view my desolation from afar!

And yet thy goodness turns aside to pity me.
Alas! there may he danger; get thee gone.
Let me not pull a ruin on thy head.

Leave me to die alone, for I am fall'n
Never to rise, and all relief is vain.

Bel. Yet raise thy drooping head; for I am come
To chase away despair. Behold! where yonder
That honest man, that faithful, brave Dumont,
Is hasting to thy aid-

Jane S. Dumont! Ha! where!

[Raising herself, and looking about. Then heav'n has heard my pray'r; his very name Renews the springs of life, and cheers my soul. Has he then 'scap'd the snare?

Bel. He has; but see

He comes unlike to that Dumont you knew,
For now he wears your better angel's form,

And comes to visit you with peace and pardon.

Enter SHORE.

Jane S. Speak, tell me! Which is he! And ho! what

would

This dreadful vision! See it comes upon me

It is my husband-Ah!

Shore. She faints! support her!

[She swoons.

Bel. Her weakness could not bear the strong surprise. But see, she stirs! And the returning blood Faintly begins to blush again, and kindle

Upon her ashy cheek

Shore. So-gently raise her

[Raising her up.

Jane S. Ha! what art thou? Belmour!

Bel. How fare you, lady?

Jane S. My heart is thrill'd with borror

Bel. Be of courage

Your husband lives! 'tis he, my worthiest friendJane S. Still art thou there!-Still dost thou hover round me!

Oh, save me, Belmour, from his angry shade!
Bel. "Tis he himself! he lives! look up-

Jane S. I dare not!

Oh! that my eyes could shut him out for ever-
Shore. Am I so hateful then, so deadly to thee,
To blast thy eyes with horror? Since I'm grown
A burden to the world, myself, and thee,

Would I had ne'er surviv'd to see thee more.

Jane S. Oh! thou most injur'd-dost thou live, indeed?

Fall then, ye mountains, on my guilty head;
Hide me, ye rocks, within your secret caverns;
Cast thy black veil upon my shame, O night!
And shield me with thy sable wing for ever.
Shore. Why dost thou turn away?—Why tremble
thus?

Why thus indulge thy fears? and, in despair,
Abandon thy distracted soul to horror?

Cast every black and guilty thought behind thee,
And let 'em never vex thy quiet more.

My arms, my heart, are open to receive thee,
To bring thee back to thy forsaken home,
With tender joy, with fond forgiving love,
Let us haste.

Now while occasion seems to smile upon us,
Forsake this place of shame, and find a shelter.
Jane S. What shall I say to you? But I obey-
Shore. Lean on my arm-

Jane S. Alas! I'm wondrous faint:

But that's not strange, I have not eat these three days.

Shore. Oh, merciless!

Jane S. Oh! I am sick at heart!

Shore. Thou murd'rous sorrow!

Wo't thou still drink her blood, pursue her still?
Must she then die? O my poor penitent!

Speak peace to thy sad heart; she hears me not:
Grief masters ev'ry sense-

Enter CATESBY, with a Guard.

Cates. Seize on 'em both, as traitors to the stateBel. What means this violence?

[Guards lay hold on Shore and Belmour.

Cates. Have we not found you,

In scorn of the protector's strict command,
Assisting this base woman, and abetting
Her infamy?

Shore. Infamy on thy head!

Thou tool of power, thou pander to authority!
I tell thee, knave, thou know'st of none so virtuous,
And she that bore thee was an Ethiop to her.

Cates. You'll answer this at full-away with 'em.
Shore. Is charity grown treason to your court?
What honest man would live beneath such rulers?
I am content that we should die together-

Cates. Convey the men to prison; but for her,
Leave her to hunt her fortune as she may.

Jane S. I will not part with him-for me!-for me! Oh! must he die for me?

[Following him as he is carried off. She falls. Shore. Inhuman villains! [Breaks from the Guards. Stand off! The agonies of death are on herShe pulls, she gripes me hard with her cold hand. Jane S. Was this blow wanting to complete my ruin? Oh! let me go, ye ministers of terror. He shall offend no more, for I will die, And yield obedience to your cruel master, Tarry a little, but a little longer, And take my last breath with you.

Shore. Oh, my love!

Why dost thou fix thy dying eyes upon me,
With such an earnest, such a piteous look,
As if thy heart were full of some sad meaning
Thou couldst not speak?

Jane S. Forgive me! -but forgive me!
Shore. Be witness for me, ye celestial host,
Such mercy and such pardon as my soul
Accords to thee, and begs of heav'n to show thee;
May such befall me at my latest hour,

And make my portion blest or curst for ever.

Jane S. Then all is well, and I shall sleep in peace"Tis very dark, and I have lost you now

Was there not something I would have bequeath'd you? But I have nothing left me to bestow,

Nothing but one sad sigh. Oh! mercy, heav'n! [Dies.
Bel. There fled the soul,

And left her load of misery behind.
Shore. Oh, heavy hour!

Fare thee well

[Kissing her. Now execute your tyrant's will and lead me To bonds or death, 'tis equally indifferent.

Bel. Let those, who view this sad example, know
What fate attends the broken marriage vow;
And teach their children in succeeding times,
No common vengeance' waits upon these crimes,
When such severe repentance could not save
From want, from shame, and an untimely grave.

[The Curtain descends slowly to Music.