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Dear Madam； if at any time you feel
A…weary of the Prince； you can return
To Castle Adamant； and rule your girls
As heretofore； you know。
Princess： And shall I find
The Lady Psyche here？
Psyche： If Cyril； ma'am；
Does not behave himself； I think you will。
Princess： And you Melissa； shall I find you here？
Melissa： Madam； however Florian turns out；
Unhesitatingly I answer； No！
Gama： Consider this； my love； if your mama
Had looked on matters from your point of view
（I wish she had）； why where would you have been？
Blanche： There's an unbounded field of speculation；
On which I could discourse for hours！
Princess： No doubt！
We will not trouble you。 Hilarion；
I have been wrong I see my error now。
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。