Page:Poems of Anne Countess of Winchilsea 1903.djvu/490

 352 THE POEMS OP ANNE �Phila. I shall my Lord! �Now follow me, I'll lead ye to his Lodgings. [To the Guards [Exit Phila with the Guards bearing off Aristor. �Aristom. Whoe'er she be, �May Heaven reward her, if she means his Safety. [Aside. Now I can meditate on my own Fortunes, And slight the worst can reach me. �Anax. He's deep in Thought which may produce a Change. 100 �Again I'll try him [To Clar. �Now, Aristomenes, that this wild Chance Has given you time to think upon our Sentence, Have you enough considered of its Horror, To bend your stubborn Will to our Demands ? �Aristom. Yes, Anaxander, I have weigh'd it well: That active Faculty, which we call Phancy, Soon as you spoke, dragg'd me thus bound by Slaves Thro' the throng'd Streets, exciting several Passions ; The Barb'rous Croud shouted their clamorous Joy, 110 �Because unpunish'd they might sport with Blood; Old Men and Matrons, destin'd long for Death, With envious Pleasure saw me forced before them To tread that Path, in spight of vigorous Nature, Whilst tender Virgins turned aside their Heads, And dropt, in Silence, the soft Tears of Pity: But, Oh! the Soldiers; from the Soldier's hands Methoughts I saw their Swords neglected thrown, When Fortune shew'd they cou'd not save the Bravest (If once she frown'd) from such a Fate as mine. 120 �Clar. He'll move the Croud; urge him to speak directly. �Anax. All this is from the purpose ; plainly tell Whether you'll meet our Mercy, or the Dungeon. �Aristom. My Train of Thoughts to that dark Cave had led me ; ��� �