carefully every thing that is brought out; and if any

one is daring as to conceal the lnfant, I Will destroy

him and all his Generation: This Order shall

be up every where, and the inferior Mandarins

shall have notice, that if any one acts contrary to it

he shall be deemed guilty of the same Crime.

SCENE II.

PRINCESS, holding her Son in her Arms

It seems as tho' the Misfortunes of all Mankind

Were in league to me: I am Daughter to the

King of Tsin; the Traytor Tou ngan cou has destroyed

all my Family, except this poor Orphan I have in

my Arms remember that my Husband, just before

his Death, spoke these Words: My Princess, said

he, if you have a Son call him The Orphan of the

Tchao, and take great care or him, that

when he comes to Age he may revenge his Family;

but alas! how shall I convey him out of this Prison ?

There comes a Thought into my Head; I have now

no Relation but Tching Yng, he is Of my Husband's.

Family, and, happily for him, his Name was not in

Lift; when he comes I'll trust him with the Secret.

SCENE III.

TCHING YNG, with his Chest of Medicines.

I am called Tching yng, and am a Physician by Profession;

I serv'd the King's Son-in-Iaw, and he had

a Kindness for that he had not for any Other ; but

alas! this Villain, Tou ngan cou, has destroyed all the

Family of Tchao, tho' I was so fortunate as not to be

in the List: The Princess is at present in her own

House, and I Carry her Provisions every Day; I know

that she has called her Son The Orphan of Family

Tchao, and designs to bring him up, hoping that

Will one Day revenge the Death of his Father, and the 

hardly escape the Talons of the cruel Tou ngan cou.

It is said the poor Princess wants to give her Physick

undoubtedly after her Lying-in; I must make

haste, I am now at the Door; I have no Occasion to

send word, but will go in directly.

SCENE IV.

TCHING YNG, the PRINCESS.

T CHING Y N G.

Madam, I understand you have sent for me; what

would you be pleased to have with me ?

PRINCESS.

Alas! how has our Family been destroyed in a

cruel manner! Tcbing yng I have sent for you, and

the reason is this; I am brought to bed of a Son, and

his Father, just before his Death, gave him the Name

Of The Orphan of the Tchao: you are One Of

Our People, and have always been well used : Is there

no Method of conveying away my Son that he

One Day revenge his Family?

TCHING YNG.

Madam, I see plainly you don't yet know all; the

Traytor, Tou ngan cou, knowing that you have

Son has put up Advertisement at all the Gates,

That if any one offers to conceal the little Orphan

he and all his Family shall be put to death ; after

this who dares receive him, or convey him out OF the

Palace ?

The PRINCESS,

Tching yng , it is a common Saying, That  a Person

who wants speedy help thinks of his Relations, and when

he is in danger trusts to his ancient Friends ; if you save

my Son our Family will have an Heir: [She kneels

Down.] Tching yng, take pity on me, the three hundred

Persons that Tou ngan cou has massacred are contained

in this Orphan. 

Madam, rise I beseech you; if I hide my little

Master, and the Traytor comes to know it, he'll ask

where is your Son? and you will say I have given

him to Tching yng, and then both myself and Family

will be put death, and your Son will share the same

Fate.

PRINCESS.

Banish all Fear, and make haste away ; listen to

what I say, and behold my Tears; his Father died

by a Dagger, [She take her Girdle. ] the thing is

determined, the Mother will follow him.

TCHING YNG.

I did not think that the Princess would have hanged

Herself as I see she has done; 'tis not fare for me to

stay here moment, I'll my open my Chest of Medicines,

put the little Prince in it, cover him with Bundles

Of Physical Herbs. O Heaven! take compassion on

us ; all the Family of his perished by the

Sword, and none but this poor Orphan is left ; if I

can save him I shall be very happy, and do

great piece of Service; but if I am discovered I

shall be put to death, and all that belongs to me: Oh

Tching yng! consider a little, if this Orphan is saved

he must be taken out of the Hands of Tou ngan cou,

and to hope for this is to hope to get free from the

Nets of Heaven and Earth.

SCENE V.

HAN KOUE, attended with Soldiers.

I am Han Kouè, General under Tou ngan cou, he has

order'd me to guard the Palace of Tchao so's Widow;

bur why guard it? because the Princess has had a Son;

it seems he is afraid that they should carry off the Infant,

so has order'd me to keep strict guard, and if

any one takes him away he and all his Family will

be made shorter by the Head. Well, Tou ngan cou, 

King's best Subjects, and those of the greatest Merit?

[He sings] The two Families of Tou and Tchao nouish

an Enmity which will not soon be extinguished.

[He sing] O Tou nga cou, how odious art thou!

[He still sings, and threatens Tou ngan cou with the

Punishments of Heaven] I command you to keep

strict Watch, and if anyone comes out of the Palace

give me immediate notice.

[To the soldiers.

SCENE VI.

TCHING YNG, HAN KOUE', and Soldiers.

HAN KUE.

Seize this Man that carries a Physician's Chest.

Who are you ?

TCHING YNG.

I am a poor Physician called Tching.

 HAN KOUE

Whence come you ? Whither do you go ?

TCHING YNG.

I come from the Princess to whom I have been

giving Physick.

 HAN KOUE

What Physick have you given her?

TCHING YNG.

That which is proper for Childbed-Women.

HAN KOUE.

What is it then that you carry in your Chest?

TCHING YNG

'Tis full of Medicines.

HAN KOUE

What Medicines ?

TCHING YNG

Such as is usually taken.

HAN KOUE

Is there nothing else? 

No, nothing else in the World.

HAN KOUE

If what you say is true you may be gone about

Business. [He goes away, and Han koué calls

Tching yng back.] Tching ying, Tching yng come back and

tell me what is in your Chest.

TCHING YNG.

Medicines.

HAN KOUE.

Is there nothing else besides?

TCHING YNG.

Nothing at all.

Go your ways then. [He goes away, Han kouè recalls

him, be returns.] You certainly conceal something

or other, for when I say Be gone you seem to

fly and when I say Come back you seem scarce able

to walk: O Tching yng, do you think I don't know

you? You are of the Family of Tchao,

an d I am under Tou ngan cou: I am sure you have

got the young Child in that Chest, who is not yet

a Month old: O take notice of what I

say. how can you get out of the Tiger's

Den? Am not I the next General to Tou ngan cou?

Do you think I will let you go without asking any

Questions? O know you have great

Obligations to the Family OF Tchao.

TCHING YNG.

I own it, I know them, and will endeavour to repay them.

HAN KOUE sing.

You say you will repay the Favours you have

received, but I am afraid you Cannot save yourself. [He

sends the Soldiers away.] Withdraw; if I call

come; if I don't call you, don't come.

SOLDIERS.

We will do as you say. 

O Tching yng, you said there was nothing here but

Medicines, and see here is a little Man.

[Tching yng fell upon his knees in confusion; Han kouè

sings over the Infant that he found.

TCHING YNG.

My Lord, I beseech you be not angry, but permit

me to tell you how things have happened : Tchao tun

was one of the King's most faithful Subjects, Tou

Ngan cou was jealous of him, and would have killed

him by a Dog; Tchao made his Escape, and got

out of the Palace ; his Chariot could not get along,

but the brave Ling che, remembring the Favours he

had received, carried him into the Mountains, where

it is not known what is become of him; the King

believed the Calumnies of Tou ngan cou; the Son of

Tchao tun had Orders to kill himself, the princess

was confined to her Palace, where she had a Son she

Called The Orphan, the Mother and Child were without

any Assistance; the Princess trusted me with her son; 

you have found him, my Lord, and I hope

you won't blame me ; you cannot desire to destroy

this young Branch, and extinguish the Family without

Redemption.

HAN KOUE.

Tching yng, you see that if I was to Carry this

Child to its Enemy, there are no Riches or Honours

that I might not gain ; but Han Kouè has too much

Integrity to commit so base Action.

If Tou ngan cou was to see Child —O Tching yng,

wrap up the dear Orphan; if Tou ngan cou asks where

he is I'll answer for you.

TCHING YNG.

How great are my Obligations !

[He wraps up the Infant, goes his way, returns back and

Kneels down.

Tching yng, when I required you go it was not

to deceive you, therefore make the best of your way.

TCHING YNG

Sir, a thousand Thanks.

[He goes his way and returns back again.

HAN KOUE

Tching yng, why do you return so often? [He sings]

you are afraid I should deceive you : O

if you have not Courage to expose your Life, what

obliges you to save the Orphan against your Inclinations?

Learn that a faithful Subject is not afraid to

die, and he who is afraid to die is not a faithful

Subject.

TCHING YNG.

Sir, if I go out of the Palace they'll send after me,

and I shall be taken, and this poor Orphan will be

put to death; be it as it will —go, Sir, receive the

Reward; all that I wish is to die with Orphan of

the Family of Tchao.

HAN KOUE.

You may easily save yourself and the Orphan, but

you are afraid to credit what I say.

[He sings to express his last thought, and kills himself.

TCHING YNG.

Alas! what do I see? Han Kouè has laid violent

Hands on himself; if one of the Soldiers mould give

notice of it to Tou ngan cou what will become of

Me and the Infant? We will be gone as fast as possible,

and make the best of our way to the Village

Tai ping, and there we will consider Of proper Measures.