Chorus of singers after the dance.
Music so charms, and does so sweetly wound
That ev'ry sense is ravish'd with the sound,
A single voice,

When nymphs are coy,
And fly from joy,

The shepherd takes his reed
He plays a tune,
She stops as soon,
And straight they are agreed.
The battle near,

When cowards fear,

The drum and trumpet sounds;
Their courage warms,
They rush to arms,

And brave a thousand wounds.

CHORUS.

By harmony our souls are sway'd;
By harmony the world was made.
A second dance.-Singers again advance
A single voice.

When with adoring looks we gaze
On bright Oriana's heavenly face,
In ev'ry glance, and ev'ry grace,
What is it that we see,

But harmony,
Celestial harmony!

Our ravish'd hearts leap up to meet
The music of her eyes,

The music of her eyes,

And dance around her feet.

Full chorus of voices and instruments, as at first,

Sound the trumpet, touch the lute.
Strike the lyre, inspire the flute;

In harmony,
Celestial harmony,

All magic charms are found;
Sound the trumpet, sound.

A third dance.

Urganda and Delia come forward.

URGANDA.

This care for Amadis, ye gods, approve, For what's a soldier's recompence but love? When fore'd from Britain, call'd to distant war, His vanquish'd heart remain'd a captive here; Oriana's eyes that glorious conquest made, Nor was his love ungratefully repaid.

DELIA.

By Arcabon, like hostile Juno, crost, And, like Eneas, driv'n from coast to coast, The wand'ring hero wou'd return too late, Charg'd by Oriana with the crimes of Fate ; Who anxious of neglect, suspecting change, Consults her pride, and meditates revenge.

URGANDA.

Just in the moment, when resentment fires, A charming rival tempts, a rugged king requires i Love yields at last, thus combated by pride, And she submits to be the Roman's bride.

DELIA.

Did not your art with timely charms provide Oriana were his wife, and not his bride,

URGANDA.

In ancient times, ere chivalry was known
The infant world with monsters overgrown,
Centaurs and giants, nurst with human blood,
And dire magicians, an infernal brood,

Vex'd men and gods: but most the fair complain
Of violated loves, and lovers slain.
To shelter innocence, and injur'd right,
The nations all elect some patron-knight,
Sworn to be true to love, and slaves to fame,
And many a valiant chief enrolls his name;
By shining marks distinguish'd they appear,
And various orders various ensigns wear.

Bound by strict oaths, to serve the brightest eyes,
Not more they strive for glory, than the prize;
While to invite the toil, the fairest dame
Of Britain is the boldest champion's claim.

Nuptials of form, of interest, or of state,
Those seeds of pride, are fruitful in debate;
Let happy men for generous love declare,
And choose the gentle virgin, chaste, and fair:
Let women to superior fortune born,
For naked virtue, all temptations scorn;
The charm's immortal to a gallant mind,
If gratitude cement whom love has join'd.
And Providence, not niggardly, but wise,
Here lavishly bestows, and there denies,
That by each other's virtue we may rise.
Weak the bare tie of man and wife we find,
But friend and benefactor always bind.

The King advances, followed by priests and train.

KING.

Our priests recover: 'Twas a holy cheat; Lead back the bride, the ceremonies wait.

ORIANA.

What Heaven forbids

KING.

'Twas ignorance of my will, Our priests are better taught: what now is ill, Shall, when I please, be good; and none shall dare Preach or expound, but what their king would hear. [Priests bow profoundly low.

Ere they interpret, let 'em mark my nod,
My voice their thunder, this right arm their god.
[Looking sternly at 'em, they bow again as before.
Prince take your bride,

ORIANA.

'Twere impious now to suffer him my hand. [Refusing her hand.

KING.

How dar'st thou disobey, when I command? Mind, mind her not, nor be disturb'd at tears, A counterfeited qualm of bridal fears:

ORIANA.

Too late to be recall'd, or to deny, I own the fatal truth-if one must die, You are the judge; say, is it you—or I? A messenger from the temple.

MESSENGER.

The king is much displeas'd at this delay. CONSTANTIUS, walking about in a passion And let him wait, while 'tis my will to stay,

ORJANA.

Bear back a gentler answer: we 'll obey. [Exit messenger,

CONSTANTIUS.

Hence every sound that 's either soft, or kind; O for a war like that within my mind! Say, flatterer, say, ah! fair deluder, speak, Answer me this, ere yet my heart shall break; Since thus engag'd, you never could intend Your love, why was I flatter'd with your hand?

ORIANA.

To what a father and a king thinks fit, A daughter and a subject must submit. Think not from tyranny that love can grow; I am a slave, and you have made me so. Those chains which duty hath put on, remove; Slaves may obey, but they can never love.

CONSTANTIUS.

Cruel Oriana, much you wrong my flame,
To think that I could lay so harsh a claim.
Love is a subject to himself alone,
And knows no other empire but his own;
No ties can bind, which from constraint arise,
Where either 's forc'd, all obligation dies.
O fatal law! requiring to resign
The object lov'd; or hated, keep her mine.
ORIANA. [Soothingly.

Accuse me not of hate; with equal eyes
I judge your merit, and your virtue prize:
Of all my love, what can I offer more?
Friendship, esteem, be yours; bereft before
Your rival's image in your worth I view,
And what I lov'd in him, esteem in you;
Had your complaint been first, it might have mov'd;
He then had been esteem'd, and you belov'd:
Then blame me not, since what decides your fate
Is that you pleaded last, and came too late.

To love, and have the power to pussess, And yet resign, can Nature yield to this: Shall Nature, erring from her first command, Self-preservation, fall by her own hand? By her own act, the springs of life destroy, The principles, and being of her joy? Tormenting thought! Can Nature then approve Blessings obtain'd, by cursing those we love. Possessing, she is lost-renouncing-I

[die.

Mistake me not-no-Amadis shall die, If she is pleas'd, but not disturb her joy; Nice honour still engages to requite

AMADIS.

If she is true, why all this nuptial noise, Still echoing as we pass her guilty joys? Trusts a frail bark, with a tempestuous wind. Who to a woman trusts his peace of mind, Thus to Ulysses, on the Stygian coast His fate inquiring, spake Atrides' ghost; "Of all the plagues with which the world is curst, Of every ill, a woman is the worst ; Trust not a woman."--Well might he advise, Who perish'd by his wife's adulteries.

FLORESTAN.

Thus in despair, what most we love, we wrong, Not Heaven escapes the impious atheist's tongue.

AMADIS.

Enticing crocodiles, whose tears are death, Syrens, who murder with enchanting breath: Like Egypt's temples, dazzling to the sight, Pompously deck'd, all gaudy, gay, and bright; With glittering gold, and sparkling gems they shine, But apes and monkies are the gods within.

FLORESTAN.

My love attends with pain, while you pursue This angry theme ;-I have a mistress too : The faultless form no secret stains disgrace, A beautcous mind unblemish'd as her face; Not painted and adorn'd to varnish sin, Without all angel, all divine within; By truth maintaining what by love she got ; A heaven without a cloud, a sun without a spot. AMADIS. [Embracing him.

Forgive the visions of my frantick brain, Far from the man I love be all such pain: By the immortal gods I swear, my friend, The Fates to me no greater joy could send, Than that your labours meet a prosperous end. After so many glorious toils, that you Have found a mistress beautiful and true.

ORIANA and CORISANDA. Help, help, oh! Heavens, help

AMADIS.

[Without.

What cries are these?

FLORESTAN.

It seem'd the call of Beauty in distress. Of savage beasts and men, a monstrous brood Possess this land

ORIANA and CORISANDA.

Help, help

AMADIS.

Again the cry's renew'd.

But if, like mine, the stubborn heart retain

A wilful tenderness, the brave must feign,

In private grief, but with a careless scorn

In public, seem to triumph, not to mourn.

FLORESTAN.

Hard is the task, in love or grief, to feign; When passion is sincere, it will complain : Doubts which from rumour rise, you should suspend; From evil tongues what virtue can defend? In love, who injures by a rash distrust,

Is the aggressor, and the first unjust.

[Exeunt, drawing their swords. Oriana and Corisanda cross the stage, pursued by party of Arcalaus' magicians.