University of Virginia Library

SCENE II.

Cydaria, Alibech, Betwixt the two Armies.
Alib.
Blessings will Crown your Name if you prevent
That Blood, which in this Battel will be spent;
Nor need you fear so just a fute to move,
Which both becomes your duty and your Love.

Cyd.
But think you he will come? their Camp is near,
And he already knows I wait him here.

Alib.
You are too young your power to understand,
Lovers take wing upon the least command;
Already he is here.

Enter Cort. and Vasq. to them.
Cort.
Methinks like two black storms on either hand,
Our Spanish Army and your Indians stand;
This only space betwixt the Clouds is clear,
Where you, like day, broke loose from both appear.

Cyd.
Those closing Skies might still continue bright,
But who can help it if you'l make it night?
The Gods have given you power of Life and Death,
Like them to save or scatter with a breath.

Cort.
That power they to your Father did dispose,
'Twas in his choice to make us Friends or Foes.

Alib.
Injurious strength would rapine still excuse,
By off'ring terms the weaker must refuse;
And such as these your hard conditions are,
You threaten Peace, and you invite a War.

Cort.
If for my self to Conquer here I came,
You might perhaps my actions justly blame.
Now I am sent, and am not to dispute
My Princes orders, but to execute.

Alib.
He who his Prince so blindly does obey,
To keep his Faith his Vertue throws away.

Cort.
Monarchs may err, but should each private breast
Judge their ill Acts, they would dispute their best.

Cyd.
Then all your care is for your Prince I see,
Your truth to him out-weighs your love to me;
You may so cruel to deny me prove,
But never after that, pretend to Love.

Cort.
Command my Life, and I will soon obey,
To save my Honour I my Blood will pay.

Cyd.
What is this Honour that does Love controul?

Cort.
A raging fit of Vertue in the Soul;
A painful burden which great minds must bear,
Obtain'd with danger, and possest with fear.

Cyd.
Lay down that burden if it painful grow,
You'l find, without it, Love will lighter go.

Cort.
Honour once lost is never to be found.

Alib.
Perhaps he looks to have both passions Crown'd:
First dye his Honour in a Purple Flood,
Then Court the Daughter in the Father's Blood.

Cort.
The edge of War I'le from the Battel take,
And spare her Father's Subjects for her sake.

Cyd.
I cannot Love you less when I'm refus'd,
But I can dye to be unkindly us'd;
Where shall a Maids distracted heart find rest,
If she can miss it in her Lovers breast!

Cort.
I till to morrow will the fight delay,
Remember you have conquer'd me to day.

Alib.
This grant destroys all you have urg'd before,
Honour could not give this, or can give more;
Our Women in the foremost ranks appear,
March to the Fight, and meet your Mistress there,
Into the thickest Squadrons she must run,
Kill her, and see what Honour will be won.

Cyd.
I must be in the Battel, but I'le go
With empty Quiver, and unbended Bow;
Not draw an Arrow in this fatal strife,
For fear its point should reach your Noble life.

Cort.
No more, your kindness wounds me to the death,
Honour be gone, what art thou but a breath!
I'le live, proud of my infamy and shame,
Grac'd with no Triumph but a Lovers name;
Men can but say Love did his reason blind,
And Love's the noblest frailty of the mind,
Draw off my Men, the War's already done.

Piz.
Your orders come too late, the Fight's begun,
The Enemy gives on with fury led,
And fierce Orbellan combats in their head.

Cort.
He justly fears a Peace with me would prove
Of ill concernment to his haughty Love;
Retire, fair Excellence, I'le go to meet
New Honour, but to lay it at your feet.

Exeunt Cort. Vasq. Piz.
Enter Odm. and Guy. to Alib. and Cyd.
Odm.
Now, Madam, since a danger does appear
Worthy my Courage, though below my Fear,
Give leave to him who may in Battel dye,
Before his Death to ask his destiny.

Guy.
He cannot Dye whom you command to Live,
Before the Fight you can the Conquest give;
Speak where you'l place it?

Alib.
—Briefly then to both,
One I in secret Love, the other Loath;
But where I hate, my hate I will not show,
And he I Love, my Love shall never know;
True worth shall gain me, that it may be sed,
Desert, not fancy, once a Woman led.
He that in fight his courage shall oppose
With most success against his Countries Foes,
From me shall all that recompence receive
that Valour Merits, or that Love can give:
'Tis true my hopes and fears are all for one,
But hopes and fears are to my self alone,
Let him not shun the danger of the strife,
I but his Love, his Country claims his Life.

Odm.
All obstacles my Courage shall remove.

Guy.
Fall on, fall on.

Odm.
—For Liberty,

Guy.
—For Love.

Exeunt the Women following.