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Take me； Hilarion 〃We will walk this world
Yoked in all exercise of noble end！
And so through those dark gates across the wild
That no one knows！〃 Indeed； I love thee Come！
Finale
〃With joy abiding〃
Princess： With joy abiding；
Together gliding
Through life's variety；
In sweet society；
And thus enthroning
The love I'm owning；
On this atoning
I will rely！
Chorus： It were profanity
For poor humanity
To treat as vanity
The sway of Love。
In no locality
Or principality
Is our mortality
It's sway above！
Hilarion： When day is fading；
With serenading
And such frivolity
Of tender quality
With scented showers
Of fairest flowers；
The happy hours
Will gaily fly！
The happy hours will gaily fly！
Chorus： It were profanity
For poor humanity
To treat as vanity
The sway of Love。
In no locality
Or principality
Is our mortality
It's sway above！
1st Sops： In no lo… Others：
cality Or princi… Its
pality Is our mor… sway
tality It's sway a… a…
bove！ bove！
Princess & With scented Others：
Hilarion： showers Of fairest Its
flowers； The happy sway
hours will gaily a…
fly！ bove！
All： In no locality
Or principality
Is our mortality
Above the sway of love！
Curtain
RUDDIGORE
or
The Witch's Curse
DRAMATIS PERSONAE
MORTALS
SIR RUTHVEN MURGATROYD （disguised as Robin Oakapple； a Young
Farmer）
RICHARD DAUNTLESS （his Foster…Brother； a Man…o'…war's man）
SIR DESPARD MURGATROYD； OF RUDDIGORE （a Wicked Baronet）
OLD ADAM GOODHEART （Robin's Faithful Servant）
ROSE MAYBUD （a Village Maiden）
MAD MARGARET
DAME HANNAH （Rose's Aunt）
ZORAH and RUTH （Professional Bridesmaids）
GHOSTS
SIR RUPERT MURGATROYD （the First Baronet）
SIR JASPER MURGATROYD （the Third Baronet）
SIR LIONEL MURGATROYD （the Sixth Baronet）
SIR CONRAD MURGATROYD （the Twelfth Baronet）
SIR DESMOND MURGATROYD （the Sixteenth Baronet）
SIR GILBERT MURGATROYD （the Eighteenth Baronet）
SIR MERVYN MURGATROYD （the Twentieth Baronet）
and
SIR RODERIC MURGATROYD （the Twenty…first Baronet）
Chorus of Officers； Ancestors； Professional Bridesmaids； and
Villagers
ACT I
The Fishing Village of Rederring； in Cornwall
ACT II
The Picture Gallery in Ruddigore Castle
TIME
Early in the 19th Century
ACT I
SCENE。 The fishing village of Rederring （in Cornwall）。 Rose
Maybud's cottage is seen L。
Enter Chorus of Bridesmaids。 They range themselves in front of
Rose's cottage。
CHORUS OF BRIDESMAIDS。
Fair is Rose as bright May…day；
Soft is Rose as the warm west…wind；
Sweet is Rose as the new…mown hay
Rose is queen of maiden…kind！
Rose； all glowing
With virgin blushes； say
Is anybody going
To marry you to…day？
SOLOZORAH。
Every day； as the days roll on；
Bridesmaids' garb we gaily don；
Sure that a maid so fairly famed
Can't long remain unclaimed。
Hour by hour and day by day；
Several months have passed away；
Though she's the fairest flower that blows；
No one has married Rose！
CHORUS。
Rose； all glowing
With virgin blushes； say
Is anybody going
To marry you to…day？
ZORAH。 Hour by hour and day by day；
Months have passed away。
CHORUS。 Fair is Rose as bright Mayday； etc。
（Enter Dame Hannah； from cottage。）
HANNAH。 Nay； gentle maidens； you sing well but vainly； for
Rose is still heart…free； and looks but coldly upon her many
suitors。
ZORAH。 It's very disappointing。 Every young man in the
village is in love with her； but they are appalled by her beauty
and modesty； and won't declare themselves； so； until she makes
her own choice； there's no chance for anybody else。
RUTH。 This is； perhaps； the only village in the world that
possesses an endowed corps of professional bridesmaids who are
bound to be on duty every day from ten to fourand it is at
least six months since our services were required。 The pious
charity by which we exist is practically wasted！
ZOR。 We shall be disendowedthat will be the end of it！
Dame Hannahyou're a nice old personyou could marry if you
liked。 There's old AdamRobin's faithful servanthe loves you
with all the frenzy of a boy of fourteen。
HAN。 Naythat may never be； for I am pledged！
ALL。 To whom？
HAN。 To an eternal maidenhood！ Many years ago I was
betrothed to a god…like youth who woo'd me under an assumed name。
But on the very day upon which our wedding was to have been
celebrated； I discovered that he was no other than Sir Roderic
Murgatroyd； one of the bad Baronets of Ruddigore； and the uncle
of the man who now bears that title。 As a son of that accursed
race he was no husband for an honest girl； so； madly as I loved
him； I left him then and there。 He died but ten years since； but
I never saw him again。
ZOR。 But why should you not marry a bad Baronet of
Ruddigore？
RUTH。 All baronets are bad； but was he worse than other
baronets？
HAN。 My child； he was accursed。
ZOR。 But who cursed him？ Not you； I trust！
HAN。 The curse is on all his line and has been； ever since
the time of Sir Rupert； the first Baronet。 Listen； and you shall
hear the legend：
LEGENDHANNAH。
Sir Rupert Murgatroyd
His leisure and his riches
He ruthlessly employed
In persecuting witches。
With fear he'd make them quake
He'd duck them in his lake
He'd break their bones
With sticks and stones；
And burn them at the stake！
CHORUS。 This sport he much enjoyed；
Did Rupert Murgatroyd
No sense of shame
Or pity came
To Rupert Murgatroyd！
Once； on the village green；
A palsied hag he roasted；
And what took place； I ween；
Shook his composure boasted；
For； as the torture grim
Seized on each withered limb；
The writhing dame
‘Mid fire and flame
Yelled forth this curse on him：
〃Each lord of Ruddigore；
Despite his best endeavour；
Shall do one crime； or more；
Once； every day； for ever！
This doom he can't defy；
However he may try；
For should he stay
His hand； that day
In torture he shall die！〃
The prophecy came true：
Each heir who held the title
Had； every day； to do
Some crime of import vital；
Until； with guilt o'erplied；
〃I'll Sin no more！〃 he cried；
And on the day
He said that say；
In agony he died！
CHORUS。