Enter the King and Orgulius.

Org.  If murder’d Innocence do cry for Justice, Can you, great Sir, make a defence against it?

King.  I think I cannot.

Org.  Sir, as you are pious, as you are my King,
The Lover and Protector of your People,
Revenge Erminia’s Murder on Alcippus.

Gal.  If e’er my Mother, Sir, were dear to you,
As from your Tears I guest whene’er you nam’d her;
If the remembrance of those Charms remain,
Whose weak resemblance you have found in me,
For which you oft have said you lov’d me dearly;
Dispense your mercy, and preserve this Copy,
Which else must perish with th’Original.

King.  Why all this Conjuration, Galatea?

Gal.  To move you, Sir, to spare Alcippus’ Life.

King.  You are unjust, if you demand a Life Must fall a Sacrifice to Erminia’s Ghost, That is a debt I have ingag’d to pay.

Gal.  Sir, if that Promise be already past,
And that your Word be irrevocable,
I vow I will not live a moment after him.

King.  How, Galatea!  I’d rather hop’d you’d join’d Your Prayers with his.

Gal.  Ah, Sir, the late Petition which I made you
Might have inform’d you why these Knees are bow’d;
’Twas but this night I did confess I lov’d him,
And you would have allow’d that Passion in me,
Had he not been Erminia’s: 
And can you question now what this Address meant?

Org.  Remember, Sir, Erminia was my Daughter.

Gal.  And, Sir, remember that I am your Daughter.

Org.  And shall the Traitor live that murder’d her?

Gal.  And will you by his Death, Sir, murder me?  In dear Erminia’s Death too much is done; If you revenge that Death, ’tis two for one.

Org.  Ah, Sir, to let him live’s unjust in you.

Gal.  And killing me, you more injustice do.

Org.  Alcippus, Madam, merits not your Love, That could so cruel to Erminia prove.

Gal.  If Lovers could be rul’d by Reason’s Laws,
For this complaint on him we’ad had no cause. 
’Twas Love that made him this rash act commit;
Had she been kind, ’t had taught him to submit. 
—­But might it not your present Griefs augment,
I’d say that you deserve this punishment,
By forcing her to marry with the General;
By which you have destroy’d Philander too,
And now you would Alcippus’ Life undo.

Org.  That was a fault of duty to your Majesty.

King.  Though that were honest, ’twere not wisely done;
For had I known the passion of my Son,
And how essential ’twas to his content
I willingly had granted my consent;
Her Worth and Beauty had sufficient been
T’ave rais’d her to the Title of a Queen. 
Did not my glorious Father, great Gonzal,
Marry the Daughter of his Admiral? 
And I might to my Son have been as kind,
As then my Father did my Grandsire find.