MESSENGER kneeling.
All Happiness to my dread Lord of Liege:
Your faithful Senators, great Sir, by me
Thus humbly throw them at your Highness' Feet,
And beg you to resume your rightful Sceptre:
The Nobles greet you, and the meaner Sort,
Big with rude Joy, forget their wonted Labour,
And pass the Day in Pray'r for your Return.

DUKE.
I pr'ythee, Friend, unfold thy mystick greeting:
Thy Salutation savours of sweet Comfort;
To such unus'd we understand thee not:
If I am Liege, say what is Ferdinand?

MESSENGER.
My Lord, your Brother Ferdinand's no more;
A sad Remorse for the Injustice done
To you, and your fair Daughter; join'd with Grief
For the late Loss of Lady Julia,
His only Child, seiz'd on him all at once,
Like a rude Canker preying on his Heart,
And hurry'd him to an untimely Grave.
The Crown he left to you, and to each Nobleman
That follow'd you, restor'd his forfeit Lands:
Some few Hours since he call'd me to his Bed,

Bade me I shou'd commend him to your Highness,
And to this fair Assembly; with his dying Breath
Beg'd your Forgiveness, bless'd you, and expir'd.

JULIA.
Alas my Father! Oh!

DUKE.
Poor Ferdinand!
Wou'd thou had'st liv'd, and I had still been banish'd;
To lose a Brother the first Day I found him so,
Is Grief unlook'd, and past the Strength of Nature.
Farewel, and Peace attend thy Memory;
Thy Wrongs to me lie with thee in the Grave.
Weep not my Friends, I'll mourn enough for all;
Over his Tomb will I a Convent build;
Ourselves will grace it with our royal Presence,
And in sweet Pray'r for his departed Soul,
Wear out our few remaining Hours of Life.
To you, my Children, I resign my Dukedom,
And may the Crown sit easier on your Brows,
Than e'er it did on mine.—Come you, who love me
Kneel here, and hail Vincentio Duke of Liege. [Duke stands bare, the rest kneel.

ALL.
Long live Vincentio, and the fair Camilla,
Our Duke and Dutchess!

VINCENTIO, and CAMILLA kneeling.
We beseech your Highness.

DUKE raising them.
No more—What little Power I have left,
I use it here; make much of these few Friends,
And you shall find them such in Time of Need.
This happy Union, as 'twas here begun,
Shall in the Forest here be celebrated

With all due Pomp, and Ceremony;—then,
Three Days allowing for Refreshment here,
And a fit Preparation for our Journey,
I'll lead you forward on your Way to Liege.

MARCELLUS turning to the Audience.

Well, Gentlemen and Ladies, I'm afraid I make but an odd Sort of a Figure here among you, after what has happen'd.—I confess, I have acted a little out of Character, and a great deal below the Dignity of a Philosopher:— what can be said?—When I found myself so far gone in a Disease, which of you can blame me for making Choice of the most effectual Remedy: For