A new opera called Brutus of Alba, or, Augusta's triumph as it is acted at the theatre in Dorset-Garden, by His Majesty's servants.
Powell, George, 1658?-1714., Purcell, Daniel, 1660?-1717., Verbruggen, John, d. 1708?, Tate, Nahum, 1652-1715. Brutus of Alba.
Page 52
ACT V.
SCENE, the Thames▪
As the King enters, the Cave of Proteus rises, which consists of Twelve Arches of the Tuscan Order: The Frontispiece is adorn'd with a Tritan, a Neired, and several Sea-monsters, enrich'd with Mother-Pearl, Coral, and Sea-shells. At the far∣ther end Proteus appears, with his Followers, who come forward and sing.
A SONG
Proteus.
ALbion, belov'd of Earth and Heaven,
Bid rough War and Battel cease;
Return with Fame when thou hast driven
The hunted Tyrant down, and given
Europe a Vniversal Peace.
Chor.
Albion belov'd, &c.
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Proteus.
Albion! Albion! Heaven attends him;
Heaven its Guardian-Angels lends him:
Nor wonder Heaven's best smile defends him,
When for Heaven his Sword he draws,
His Standard's Heaven, and Heaven's his Cause.
King.
You great all-knowing Powers, that rule the World,
Who still to sure Success have guided me;
Thus on my Knees I pay, with humble Duty,
Submissive Thanks for all these wondrous Blessings.
And you my faithful Subjects still shall find,
Your Liberties and Laws I will maintain;
And not with Terror, but with Mercy reign.
Exit.
SCENE changes to a stately Palace, compos'd of wreath'd Columns of the Corinthian Order; the Wreathings are adorn'd with Ro∣ses, and the Columns have several little Cupids flying about 'em▪ and a single Cupid standing upon every Capitol. At a good di∣stance are seen three Arches, which divide the first Court from the other part of the Building. The Arches are beautified with Festoons; all the Cupids, Capitol, and Enrichments are of Gold.
Enter Locrinus and Amarante.
Locr.
Canst thou, my Fair One, be so charitable,
So kind, so full of Goodness to forgive me?
Page 54Canst thou into thy Bosom take the Wretch,
Whose base Injustice banish'd thee his Sight?
Ama.
My Lord! I do with greater Joy receive ye,
Than I with Grief did leave ye. Oh, my Lord!
Did you but know the racking Pains I've suffer'd
For every moment you were absent from me,
Had I been guilty, you'd have pitied me.
Locr.
My best belov'd, I have sympathiz'd with thee:
Nor can I speak the Torments I've endur'd.
Prometheus Vulture gnawing at his Heart
Was a Delight to that which fed on me.
But laying thus my Head upon thy Bosom,
I find a soveraign Balm for all my Sorrows.
Enter King attended.
King.
Rise, rise, you greatest Blessings of my Age;
You great and virtuous Patterns of all Goodness.
Ama.
Welcome, my Royal Lord, Ten thousand Welcomes.
Your drooping Kingdom now will raise her Head,
And gaze with Joy upon her great Deliverer.
King.
Come hither Son, and from my Hand receive
The greatest Gift that I have Power to give.
May you be happy both, and Hymen wait,
With all the Marriage-Joys, about your Bed.
Roth
Eternal Blessings Crown your Royal Head.
Soft MVSICK. Seraphino descends.
King.
Ha! Behold my Son,
The Heavenly power, that unseen was with us,
Page 55Now shews its dazling Form, and wondrous Beauty.
Ama.
Thou Glorious Minister of those Powers we serve:
For thou art more than Mortal; Is't for us
That thou hast left thy Heavenly Habitation?
And vouchsat'st, tho Glorified, to take my Servants habit,
For put off thy Divinity. So look'd
My lovely Seraphino.
Seraph.
Know I am the same,
And still the Servant to your Piety:
Your Zealous Prayers and Pious Deeds first won me,
To Guide your Steps. I tried your Charity,
When in a Beggars shape you took me up
And cloath'd my naked Limbs; and after fed me.
O let the world by your example learn
To look upon the poor with gentle Eyes:
I never left you yet, nor will I now;
But will be still a Guard to you and Albion,
Blessings shall wait on him, where e're he goes;
And Great Augusta Triumph o're her Foes.
MVSICK.
A very large Machine descends, the Figure of it is Oval, the Clouds Gold, with Figures of Cherubims flying about. In this Machine sits Apollo, Cupid, Mars, Vulcan, Juno, Venus, &c.
Apollo sings.
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Apollo.
From the Imperial Court of Jove,
From the great Divan above,
I come to bid the Conquering Albion reign,
Soveraign Lord of Land and Main:
Albion, nurst in Honour's School,
Shall with Heroick Virtues rule.
A Symphany: After that, a Dialogue.
Cupid Sings.
Cupid.
The God of Love, with all his Train,
Shall wait great Albion o'er the Main;
My Mother Venus shall attend him▪
And great Mars in War befriend him:
Mars, Venus, and Cupid shall all be at hand
To wait your great Hero's Command.
Vulcan.
Why how' now Youngster! now I find
It is by your kind Aid
My Virtuous Wife to Mars is joyn'd,
And I a God-like Cuckold made.
O Cupid!
Cupid.
O Vulcan!
Vulcan.
Is this like a Son,
To see your poor Daddy abus'd?
Cupid.
And was't like a wise God to marry with one
That to Cuckolding was so much us'd?
Vulcan.
Come, come, young God, since it is so,
I'll break your Arrows and your Bow.
Vulcan.
As great a Knave to others as thou'st been to me.
Mars.
Cease Vulcan, cease, or strait prepare
To feel the angry God of War:
Thy Son 'gainst all thy Force I will maintain,
And soon will,
Vulcan.
Cuckold me again.
Then repine not you Mortals, but lead merry Lives;
For a God can be Bully'd you see:
Then lose not your Blood in defence of your Wives;
But he Cuckolds, tame Cuckolds, like me.
Mars, Venus, Vulc. Cupid.
Then repine not, you Mortals, but lead merry lives;
For a God can be Bully'd you see:
Then lose not your Blood in defence of your Wives;
For a Cuckold great Vulcan must be.
Page 58A SONG.
I
'TIS vain to tell me I am deceiv'd;
For Celia seems so kind,
'Twere Sin she shou'd not be believ'd,
Since I no Cheat can find.
If Flattery with Falshood lye
In her soft Youth conceal'd,
A thousand times I'd rather dye,
Than have the Truth reveal'd.
II.
Let busie Fools in Libels rail,
Their Malice I'll outbrave;
O•r me no Scandal shall prevail,
So she the Appearance save:
For if I think I have her Heart,
My own for hers is due;
Let her but act the tender part,
I'll think the Ioy is true.
A Symphany.
As Apollo's Heaven ascends, the Temple of Fame rises from underneath the Stage, in which is Fame, and his Followers: Fame comes forward, with his Followers, and sings:
Fame.
You Nymphs that attend the Soveraign Barge,
Guard, guard your Royal Charge;
And let your loyal Hands the Bark support,
With all the Glory of your Watry Court.
Chor.
Then let your Royal, &c.
Fame.
Pleasure and Ioy shall waft him o'er,
And Triumph eccho round from Shore to Shore.
Grand Chor.
Pleasure and Ioy, &c.
A Dialogue between an Old Man and a Young Girl.
O. Man.
WHy dost thou fly me, pretty Maid?
Tho' old, I feel Loves Fires,
Which can't be quench'd without thy Aid.
Then prithee, Fair One, be not cold;
For tho', 'tis true, I'm very old,
I still have young Desires.
Girl.
Nay, prithee dear Nestor, cease, cease this Discourse
For I have often been told,
That for a young Virgin there is nothing worse,
Than to Bed with a Man that is old.
O. Man.
You much mistake, my pretty Fair,
For Old Men always constant are.
Girl.
I do not doubt your Constancy,
For Age, of course, must constant be:
Page 61Your Youthful Vigour being gone,
You scarce can think of more than One.
O. Man.
Is there nothing then can gain ye?
Girl.
Yes, yes, there is.
O. Man.
Here's Gold; will that obtain ye?
Girl.
O sie, pish, pish.
O. Man.
See, here is store of Gold.
Girl.
O fie, fie, fie! you'r Old.
O. Man.
No matter, Child, here's Gold.
She takes it.
Girl.
Well, I'll take it for once, but I must have more,
For this is too little to win me.
O. Man.
Nay, rather than so, thou sha't have all my store,
And if that fail, the Devil is in thee.
Girl.
I thank you, and now I must go.
O. Man.
And I will go with thee.
Girl.
O no, no, no, no.
O. Man.
Why sure, Child, you won't serve me so.
O. Man.
Then give me my Gold.
Girl.
No; I never make Presents to Men that are Old.
She runs off, and he after her.
Fame.
Now Fame's loudest Trumpet sound;
Albion from Pole to Pole rebound:
Let all, let all his Titles rattle,
Founder of Peace, and God of Battle.
King.
Let's haste to pay, or Sacrifice to Heaven,
And then to War I will again return:
Our Foes, I hear, already take the Field,
Therefore, my Son, to you I leave the Charge
Of this my Kingdom, with full Power to act
As you shall best think fit.
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Locr.
Which Power, my Lord,
I hope I shall discharge with Care and Justice.
Now Amarante, now the time is come
That I so long have with Impatience wish'd for.
Yet, tho' I'm blest with Love, I still shall mourn,
And find no Joy till your most-wish'd Return.
FINIS.
