Some unsuspected Hoard of darling Grief,

Which they unseen my wail, and weep, and mourn,

And Glutton-like alone devour.

LEO. Indeed I knew not this.

ALM. O no, thou know'st not half- thou know'st nothing-

-If thou didst!-

If I should tell thee, wouldst thou pity me?

Tell me: I know thou wou'dst, thou art compassionate.

LEO. Witness these Tears.-

ALM. I thank thee- indeed I do-

I thank thee, that thou'lt pity thy sad Mistress;

For 'tis the poor Prerogative of Greatness,

To be wretched and unpitied-

But I did promise I would tell thee- What?

My Griefs? Thou do'st already know 'em:

And when I said thou didst know nothing,

It was because thou didst not know Alphonso:

For to have known my Loss, thou must have known

His Worth, his Truth, and Tenderness of Love.

LEO. The Memory of that brave Prince stands fair

In all Report-

And I have heard imperfectly his Loss;

But fearful to renew your Troubles past,

I never did presume to ask the Story.

ALM. If for my swelling Heart I can, I'll tell thee.

I was a welcome Captive in Valentia,

Ev'n on the Day when Manuel, my Father,

Led on his conqu'ring Troops, high as the Gates

Of King Anselmo's Pallace; which in Rage,

And Heat of War, and dire Revenge, he fir'd.

Whilst the good King, to shun approaching Flames,

Started amidst his Foes, and made Captivity his Refuge.

Would I had perish'd in those Flames-

But 'twas not so decreed.

Alphonso, who foresaw my Father's Cruelty,

Had born the Queen and me, on board a Ship

Ready to sail, and when this News was brought

We put to Sea; but being betray'd by some

Who knew our Flight, we closely were pursu'd,

And almost taken; when a sudden Storm

Drove us, and those that follow'd, on the Coast

of Africk: There our Vessel struck the Shore,

And bulging 'gainst a Rock was dash'd in pieces.

But Heaven spared me for yet more Affliction!

Conducting them who follow'd us, to shun

The Shoal, and save me floating on the Waves,

While the good Queen and my Alphonso perish'd.

LEO. Alas! were you then wedded to Alphonso?

ALM. That Day, that fatal Day, our Hands were join'd;

For when my Lord beheld the Ship pursuing,

And saw her Rate so far exceeding ours;

He came to me, and beg'd me by my Love,

I would consent the Priest might make us one;

That whether Death, or Victory ensu'd,

I might be his, beyond the Power of future Fate:

The Queen too did assist his Suit- I granted,

And in one Day, was wedded, and a Widow.

LEO. Indeed 'twas mournful-

ALM. 'Twas that,

For which, I mourn, and will for ever mourn;

Nor will I change these black and dismal Robes,

Or ever dry these swoll'n and watry Eyes;

Or ever taste Content, or peace of Heart,

While I have Life, or Memory of my Alphonso.

LEO. Look down, good Heav'n, with Pity on her Sorrows,

And grant, that Time my bring her some Relief.

ALM. O no! Time gives Encrease to my Afflictions.

The circling Hours, that father all the Woes,

Which are diffus'd thro' the revolving Year,

Come, heavy-laden with the oppressing Weight,

To me; with me, successively, they leave

The Sighs, the Tears, the Groans, the restless Cares,

And all the Damps of Grief, that did retard their Flight;

They shake their downy Wings, and scatter all

The dire collected Dews on my poor Head;

Then fly with Joy and Swiftness from me.

LEO. Hark!

The distant Shouts proclaim your Father's Triumph; -

[Shouts at a distance. -

O cease, for Heaven's sake, asswage a little

This Torrent of your Grief; for, much I fear

It will incense him, thus to see you drown'd

In Tears, when Joy appears in every other Face.

ALM. And Joy he brings to every other Heart,

But double, double Weight of Woe to mine;

For with Him Garcia comes- Garcia, to whom

I must be sacrific'd, and all my Faith

And Vows I gave my Dear Alphonso, basely

Violated-

No, it shall never be; for I will die first,

Die Ten thousand Deaths- Look down, look down, [Kneels.

Alphonso, hear the Sacred Vow I make;

Leave for a Moment to behold Eternal Bliss,

And bend thy glorious Eyes to Earth and me;

And thou Anselmo, if yet thou art arriv'd

Thro' all Impediments of purging Fire,

To that bright Heav'n, where my Alphonso reigns,

Behold thou also, and attend my Vow.

If ever I do yield, or give consent,

By any Action, Word or Thought, to wed

Another Lord; may then just Heav'n show'r down

Unheard of Curses on me, greater far

(If such there be in angry Heav'n's Vengeance)

Than any I have yet endur'd.- and now [Rising.

Methinks my Heart has some Relief: Having

Discharg'd this Debt, incumbent on my Love.

Yet, one thing more I would engage from thee.

LEO. My Heart, my Life and Will, are only yours.

ALM. I thank thee. 'Tis but this; anon, when all

Are busied in the General Joy, that thou

Wilt privately with me

Steal forth, and visit good Anselmo's Tomb.

LEO. Alas! I fear some fatal Resolution.

ALM. No, on my Life, my Faith, I mean no Violence.

I feel I'm more at large,

Since I have made this Vow:

Perhaps I would repeat it there more solemnly.

'Tis that, or some such melancholy Thought,