 | Love and Liberty |  |
SCENE the Cittadel.
Enter King, Ronveir, Attendants and Guards.
KING.
Audacious Villains! to attempt my Life,
Surrounded by my Guards, and yet escape!
Oh! give me Patience, Gods! was ever Man
So serv'd with dastard, heartless Slaves as I am!
RONVEIR.
The Executioner should have secur'd 'em,
Then they had never thus endanger'd, Sir,
Your sacred Life—You have been too gentle.
KING.
You have been too negligent,
Else wherefore is this Life, the Life of Naples,
No better guarded from insulting Foes:
Those Traytors I had secur'd within my Power,
Destin'd to Vengeance; are from Justice fled,
And meditating Means to work my Ruin:
All their Efforts are vain! would but the Powers
Melt this bewitching Beauty into Softness,
Blest with the Charms of that consenting Goddess,
No mortal Hand could dash my solid Joys
With the least Mixture of Uneasiness.
But say, Ronveir—
How bears that stubborn, that disdainful Fair,
Our last, our final Resolution:
Will she comply, or must I seize my Prey.
RONVEIR.
Great Sir, I dread to tell what you must hear,
Solliciting your Suit this Evening on the Terras,
Her vigorous Vertue still rejecting all
That I could urge in your behalf, call'd out
For Heaven's Assistance, deprecating Vengeance,
And imploring Mercy—when streight
Two Ruffians masqu'd came on me unawares,
Seiz'd on their Prize, and quickly bore her off,
Leaving me bound upon the Place,
Till the Foot-Guards upon their first Patrole,
Came by, and set me free.
KING.
Confusion blast 'em!
But didst thou not pursue?
RONVEIR.
I did, but all too late, for none cou'd tell
Which way they went, from Street to Street
I rov'd, but all in vain, no Footsteps cou'd I trace:
So hasten'd to your Royal Palace, there t'inform
Your Majesty of what had past; nor let, great Sir,
What I relate give loose to boundless Rage,
Since what remains will add to your Surprize,
And strike your Soul with Horror!
Castruchio is escap'd—the Princess Martia
By your Royal Signet got his Enlargement,
Then fled confus'dly with him.
KING.
Thou ly'st! decrepid, old and spiritless Dotard.
RONVEIR.
My Lord.
KING.
Villain, Traytor.
RONVEIR.
I will deserve those Names, Traytor,
Or else Perdition seize me.
[Aside.
KING.
Ha!
Does the ungrateful Martia seek my Fall,
Whom I have cherish'd with paternal Care,
And lov'd beyond a doating Father's Fondness;
And is Dardania snatch'd from my Embraces!
Fortune has done her worst, the angry Gods,
With envious Eyes my Grandeur have beheld,
And send this double Bolt upon my Head,
To dash my Glories, and confound my Hopes:
Yet to the last I will exert the Monarch,
Face boldly these malignant Frowns of Fate.
Ronveir—set forth by Proclamation streight,
That whosoever brings Dardania to me,
And the false Martia—shall for each Soul receive
Ten thousands Crowns, with Honours and Preferment.
Let Martia fall a Victim to Revenge,
And fair Dardania quench my thirsty Love,
The Business of my Life is at an End,
Then act your Pleasure, Gods, I'm ready for you.
[Going.
Enter Rinaldo.
KING.
Your Business, Slave—
RINALDO.
The People, Sir, are up in Arms, Alphonso heads 'em,
They flock in Numbers from all Quarters to him;
And more t'enflame Rebellion, there's a Rumor,
That young Ascanio is this Day return'd
From Banishment, with Troops to their Assistance.
With formidable Noise they threaten Ruin;
And cry, down, down with the usurping Tyrant,
Ascanio is the lawful Heir of Naples.
KING.
Give Orders that our Guards be doubled,
Draw up the Castle-Bridge, and man our Walls:
'Gainst this rebellious Town, level the Ord'nance,
For if Alberto fall, Naples shall share
His Fate, and curse her sinking Monarch's Ruin.
[Exit King with Attendants.
Manent Ronveir and Rinaldo.
RONVEIR.
Was it for this? that I have toil'd, to keep
This tott'ring Monarch on his ill built Throne,
Wak'd Nights and Days with hazard of my Life,
To guard his Rest, and make him sleep secure;
And am I thus rewarded—branded thus.
With the opprobrious Names of Villain, Traytor—Ha!
Thou shalt have ample Reparation, Ronveir;
[Aside.
Rinaldo, I have Matters of Import
Demand your Aid—
RINALDO.
Your Lordship's Slave.
RONVEIR.
My Friend! that Title well you merit,
Thou seest how Matters go, Rinaldo,
And we must timely quit this drowning Monarch,
Lest he should drag us with him to Destruction;
These Keys open the Postern Gate, take them,
And quickly steal disguis'd to Prince Ascanio,
There offer him our future Services,
That we'll contrive to give him Entrance here,
If for past Crimes he will our Pardons seal.
Hast and return—you'll find me on the Terras,
There we'll consult what's further to be done.
RINALDO.
I fly, my Lord, to serve you.
[Exeunt.
Enter King, Ronveir, Attendants and Guards.
KING.
Audacious Villains! to attempt my Life,
Surrounded by my Guards, and yet escape!
Oh! give me Patience, Gods! was ever Man
So serv'd with dastard, heartless Slaves as I am!
RONVEIR.
The Executioner should have secur'd 'em,
Then they had never thus endanger'd, Sir,
Your sacred Life—You have been too gentle.
KING.
You have been too negligent,
Else wherefore is this Life, the Life of Naples,
No better guarded from insulting Foes:
Those Traytors I had secur'd within my Power,
Destin'd to Vengeance; are from Justice fled,
And meditating Means to work my Ruin:
All their Efforts are vain! would but the Powers
Melt this bewitching Beauty into Softness,
Blest with the Charms of that consenting Goddess,
No mortal Hand could dash my solid Joys
With the least Mixture of Uneasiness.
But say, Ronveir—
How bears that stubborn, that disdainful Fair,
Our last, our final Resolution:
Will she comply, or must I seize my Prey.
41
Great Sir, I dread to tell what you must hear,
Solliciting your Suit this Evening on the Terras,
Her vigorous Vertue still rejecting all
That I could urge in your behalf, call'd out
For Heaven's Assistance, deprecating Vengeance,
And imploring Mercy—when streight
Two Ruffians masqu'd came on me unawares,
Seiz'd on their Prize, and quickly bore her off,
Leaving me bound upon the Place,
Till the Foot-Guards upon their first Patrole,
Came by, and set me free.
KING.
Confusion blast 'em!
But didst thou not pursue?
RONVEIR.
I did, but all too late, for none cou'd tell
Which way they went, from Street to Street
I rov'd, but all in vain, no Footsteps cou'd I trace:
So hasten'd to your Royal Palace, there t'inform
Your Majesty of what had past; nor let, great Sir,
What I relate give loose to boundless Rage,
Since what remains will add to your Surprize,
And strike your Soul with Horror!
Castruchio is escap'd—the Princess Martia
By your Royal Signet got his Enlargement,
Then fled confus'dly with him.
KING.
Thou ly'st! decrepid, old and spiritless Dotard.
RONVEIR.
My Lord.
KING.
Villain, Traytor.
RONVEIR.
I will deserve those Names, Traytor,
Or else Perdition seize me.
[Aside.
KING.
Ha!
Does the ungrateful Martia seek my Fall,
42
And lov'd beyond a doating Father's Fondness;
And is Dardania snatch'd from my Embraces!
Fortune has done her worst, the angry Gods,
With envious Eyes my Grandeur have beheld,
And send this double Bolt upon my Head,
To dash my Glories, and confound my Hopes:
Yet to the last I will exert the Monarch,
Face boldly these malignant Frowns of Fate.
Ronveir—set forth by Proclamation streight,
That whosoever brings Dardania to me,
And the false Martia—shall for each Soul receive
Ten thousands Crowns, with Honours and Preferment.
Let Martia fall a Victim to Revenge,
And fair Dardania quench my thirsty Love,
The Business of my Life is at an End,
Then act your Pleasure, Gods, I'm ready for you.
[Going.
Enter Rinaldo.
KING.
Your Business, Slave—
RINALDO.
The People, Sir, are up in Arms, Alphonso heads 'em,
They flock in Numbers from all Quarters to him;
And more t'enflame Rebellion, there's a Rumor,
That young Ascanio is this Day return'd
From Banishment, with Troops to their Assistance.
With formidable Noise they threaten Ruin;
And cry, down, down with the usurping Tyrant,
Ascanio is the lawful Heir of Naples.
KING.
Give Orders that our Guards be doubled,
Draw up the Castle-Bridge, and man our Walls:
'Gainst this rebellious Town, level the Ord'nance,
For if Alberto fall, Naples shall share
His Fate, and curse her sinking Monarch's Ruin.
[Exit King with Attendants.
43
RONVEIR.
Was it for this? that I have toil'd, to keep
This tott'ring Monarch on his ill built Throne,
Wak'd Nights and Days with hazard of my Life,
To guard his Rest, and make him sleep secure;
And am I thus rewarded—branded thus.
With the opprobrious Names of Villain, Traytor—Ha!
Thou shalt have ample Reparation, Ronveir;
[Aside.
Rinaldo, I have Matters of Import
Demand your Aid—
RINALDO.
Your Lordship's Slave.
RONVEIR.
My Friend! that Title well you merit,
Thou seest how Matters go, Rinaldo,
And we must timely quit this drowning Monarch,
Lest he should drag us with him to Destruction;
These Keys open the Postern Gate, take them,
And quickly steal disguis'd to Prince Ascanio,
There offer him our future Services,
That we'll contrive to give him Entrance here,
If for past Crimes he will our Pardons seal.
Hast and return—you'll find me on the Terras,
There we'll consult what's further to be done.
RINALDO.
I fly, my Lord, to serve you.
[Exeunt.
| Love and Liberty | |