O! cease then coldly to fufpect my love; 290 And let my deed, at least, my faith approve. Alas! no youth fhall my endearments share; Nor day nor night fhall interrupt my care; No future story shall with truth upbraid The cold indiff'rence of the Nut-brown Maid: Nor to hard banishment fhall Henry run; While careless Emma fleeps on beds of down. View me refolv'd, where-e'er thou lead'ft, to go, Friend to thy pain, and partner of thy woe: For I atteft fair Venus, and her fon, 296 300 That I, of all mankind, will love but thee alone. HENRY. Let prudence yet obftruct thy vent❜rous way; And take good heed, what men will think and say: That beauteous Emma vagrant courses took; Her father's house and civil life forsook; 305 That, full of youthful blood, and fond of man, 310 And leave a banish'd man through lonely woods to rove. EMMA. Let Emma's hapless case be falfely told By the rash young, or the ill-natur'd old : Let ev'ry tongue its various cenfures chufe ; Abfolve with coldness, or with spight accuse: Fair Truth at last her radiant beams will raise; And malice vanquish'd heightens virtue's praise. Let then thy favour but indulge my flight; O! let my presence make thy travels light; And potent Venus shall exalt my name Above the rumours of cenforious Fame; Nor from that bufie demon's restless pow'r Will ever Emma other grace implore, 325 Than that this truth fhould to the world be known, That I, of all mankind, have lov'd but thee alone. HENRY. 331 But canft thou wield the fword, and bend the bow? With active force repel the sturdy foe? When the loud tumult speaks the battel nigh, And winged deaths in whistling arrows fly; Wilt thou, tho' wounded, yet undaunted stay, Perform thy part, and share the dangerous day? Then, as thy ftrength decays, thy heart will fail, Thy limbs all trembling, and thy cheeks all pale; With fruitless forrow, thou, inglorious maid, Wilt weep thy fafety by thy love betray'd: Then to thy friend, by foes o'ercharg❜d, deny 341 Then wilt thou curfe the chance that made thee love A banish'd man, condemn'd in lonely woods to rove. EMMA. With fatal certainty Thalestris knew 345 350 Near thee, miftrust not, conftant I'll abide, And fall, or vanquish, fighting by thy fide. Though my inferior ftrength may not allow, That I should bear or draw the warrior bow; 355 With ready hand, I will the fhaft fupply, And joy to fee thy victor arrows fly. Touch'd in the battel by the hostile reed, Should't thou (but Heav'n avert it!) fhould'st thou bleed; To stop the wounds my finest lawn I'd tear, 360 Wash them with tears, and wipe them with my hair: Bleft, when my dangers, and my toils, have shown, That I, of all mankind, could love but thee alone. HENRY. 365 But can't thou, tender maid, canft thou fuftain And feats, where Eafe and Plenty brooding fate Wilt thou not then bewail ill-fated love, And hate a banish'd man, condemn'd in woods to rove. EMMA. Thy rife of fortune did I only wed, From it's decline determin'd to recede ? Did I but purpose to embark with thee On the smooth furface of a fummer's fea; While gentle Zephyrs play in profp❜rous gales, } When from the cave thou riseft with the day, To beat the woods, and rouse the bounding prey; The cave with mofs and branches I'll adorn, And cheerful fit, to wait my lord's return: And, when thou frequent bring'ft the fmitten deer (For feldom, archers fay, thy arrows err), 401 I'll fetch quick fuel from the neighb'ring wood, And strike the sparkling flint, and dress the food; With humble duty, and officious haste, I'll cull the furtheft mead for thy repaft: 405 411 The choiceft herbs I to thy board will bring; |