Upon the sod, no falling dew-drops have

Dis urb'd the print. [All are going to follow Grimbald.
Phil sings. Hither this way.

Chor. of Phil spirits. Hither this way, this way bend.
Gbor. of Grim spirits. This way, this way bend.
Fbil spirits. Trust not that malicious fiend.

Grim spirits. Trust me, I'm no malicious fiend.

Phil spirits. Hither this way, &c. [All incline to Philidel. Grim speaks. Curse on her voice, I must my prey forego;

Thou, Philidel, shalt answer this below.

[Grimbald sinks in a flush of fire.

Artb. At length the cheat is plain;

The cloven-footed fiend is vanish'd from us;
Good angels be our guards, and bring us back.
Phil singing. Come, follow, follow, follow me.
Cbor.
Come follow, &c.

And me-and me-and me.

Verse. 2 Voc. And green-sward all your way shall be.

Chor.

Vers.

Chor.

Vers. 3

Chor.

Come follow, &c.

No goblin or elf shall dare to offend ye.
No, no, no, &c.

No goblin or elf shall dare to offend ye.

Voc. We brethren of air.

Your herces will bear

To the kind and the fair that attend ye.
We brethren &c.

[Philidel and the spirits go off singing, with King Arthur and the rest in the middle of them.

SCENE, a Camp, and EMMELINE's pavilion, with a bank. Moonlight.---Enter EMMELINE, led by Ma

TILDA.

Fm. No news of my dear love, or of my father?
Mat. None, Madam, since the gaining of the battle.
Em. If Arthur's slain,

I mean to die: but there's a greater doubt;

For since I never saw him here,

How shall I meet him in another world?

Mat. Indeed I know not.

Em. Oh surely I should find him

Among

Among a thousand angels in the sky.

Mat. But what kind of man do you suppose him?
Em. He must be made of the most precious things,
And I believe his mouth, and eyes, and cheeks,
And nose, and all his face, are made of gold.,

Mat. Heav'n bless us, madam, what a face you make him!

Em. Yet I must know him better: of all colours, Tell me which is the purest and the softest.

Mat. They say 'tis black.

Em. Why then, since gold is hard, and yet is precious, His face must all be made of soft black gold.

Mat. But, madam

Em. No more; I have learn'd enough for once.

Enter OSWALD and GUILLAmar.

Osw. The night has wilder'd us; and we are fall'n Among the foremost tents.

Guil. Ha; what are these!

They seem of more than vulgar quality.

Em. What sounds are those? they cannot far be distant Where are we now, Matilda ?

Mat. Just before your tent,

Fear not, they must be friends,

Em. My Arthur, speak, my love, are you return'd To bless your Emmeline?

Osw. (to Guillarmar) 1 know that face:

'Tis the ungrateful fair, who, scorning mine, Accepts my rivals love: heav'n, thou'rt bounteous, Thou ow'st me nothing.

Mat. Speak what you are; speak, or I call for help. Osw. We are your guards.

Mat. Ah me! we are betray'd; 'tis Oswald's voice. Em. Let them not see our voices, and then they cannot

find us.

Osw. Passions in men oppress'd are doubly strongI take her from king Arthur; there's revenge:

Fear nothing, ladies, you shall be safe.

[Oswald and Guillamar seize Emmeline and Maida. Em. and Mat. Help, Help!

Osw. By heav'n ye injure me; tho' force is us'd, Your honour shall be sacred,

Em.

Em. Help, help! Oh Britons, help!
Osw. Your Britons cannot help you:

This arm through all their troops shall force my way:
Yet neither quit my honour nor my prey.

[Exeunt the women still crying.

SCENE, rocks and water.-Enter AURELIUS and foldiers.

Aur. Furl up our colours, and unbrace our drums;
Dislodge betimes, and quit this fatal post.

Th' imbattled legions of fire, air, and earth,
Are banded for our foes.

But who are these?

Stand!-Conon, what's th' alarm?

Enter CONON, captains of guards and foldier s.
Con. Our victory is spoil'd,

And we are outwitted by the Saxons,
My Emmeline, my daughter's carried of!
Aur. Mishap, indeed!-and here

Some more than mortal power assaults our guards.
How fares it with great Arthur?

Con. As when the lover with the king is mixt,
He puts the gain of Britain in one scale,

Which weighing with the loss of Emmeline,
He thinks he's scarce a saver.

But see,

He comes, with Merlin, in whose aid we trust.

Enter MERLIN and ARTHUR.

Mer. Wait heav'ns time,

There's not a tree in that enchanted grove,
But's number'd out, and givʼn by tale to fiends:
And under ev'ry leaf a spirit couch'd.

But

what method to dissolve these charms,

Is yet unknown to me.

Artb. Hadst thou been here (for what can thwart thy skill?)

Nor Emmeline had been the boast of Oswald;

Nor 1, forwarn'd, been wanting to her guard.

Con. Her darken'd eyes had seen the light of heav'n ; That was thy promise too, and this the time. Mer, Fear not: ere long she shall receive her sight.

Arth.

Arth. Oh might I hope (and what's impossible
To Merlin's art!) to be myself the bearer,
That with the light of heav'n she might discern
Her lover first.

Mer. 'Tis wond'rous hazardous:

Yet I foresee th' event, 'tis prosperous.

I'll bear ye safe, and bring ye back unharm'd:
Then lose not precious time, but follow me. [Exeunt omnes.

SCENE, a wood, with the sun.-Enter PHILIdel.

Phil. I left all safe behind:

At every walk I pass'd, I drew a spell:

S that if any fiend, abhorring heav'n,

There sets his foot, it roots him to the ground.
Now could I but discover Emmeline,

My task was fairly done.

[Grim rushes out, seizes Phil. and binds him in a chain.
Grim O rebel, have I caught thee
Pbil. Ah me! what haid mishap!
Grim. What just revenge?

Thou miscreant elf, thou renegado scout,
So clean, so finbish'd, so renew'd in white,

The livery of my foes; I see thee through:

What mak'st thou here? thou trim apostate, speak.
Pbil. Ah, mighty Grimbald,

Who would not fear when seiz'd in thy strong gripe!,
I'm fled from Merlin, free as air that bore me,
T'unfold to Osmond all his deep designs.

Grim. I believe nothing: oh thou fond imposter! But since thou say'st thy errand was to Osmond, To Osmond shalt thou go. March, know thy driver. Pbil. (kneeling.) Oh spare me, Grimbald, and I'll be thy slave;

Tempt hermits for thee in their holy cells,

And virgins in their dreams.

Grim, Canst thou, a devil, hope to cheat a devil?

A spy! why that's a name abhorr'd in hell.

Haste, forward, forward, or I'll goad thee on

With iron spurs.

Phil. ut use me kindly tne):

Pull not so hard to hurt my airy limbs:

1

I'll follow thee unforc'd: look, there's thy way.

Grim. Ay, there's thy way, indeed; but for more surety. I'll have an eye behind:-not one word more,

But follow decently.

[Gim goes out, dragging Philidel.

Phil. So catch him, spell.

Grim. (within) O help me, help me, Philidel.
Phil. Why what's the matter!

Grim. Oh, I'm ensnar'd;

[aside.

Heav'ns birdlime wraps me round, and glues my wings. Loose me and I will free thee:

Do, and I'll be thy slave.

Phil. What to a spy, a name abhorr'd in hell!

Grim. Do not insult. Oh, I grow to the ground!

The fiery net draws closer on my limbs. Oh! oh! oh! Phil. Thou shalt not have the ease to curse in torments: Be dumb for one half hour; so long my charm

Can keep thee silent, and there lie

Till Osmond breaks thy chain. [Phil unbinds his own fetters.

Enter MERLIN.

Mer. Well hast thou wrought thy safety with thy wit, My Philidel; go meritorious on:

Me other work requires.

Meanwhile thy fellows summon, and compound
The precious drops I taught thee to collect,
And to the Spirit of Light her task assign;
Then may'st thou shew great Arthur to his love,
Though short must be their interview.

Fbil. Pleas'd I obey, and haste the mystic ites
That give fair Emmeline to light and love.

[Exit.

Your