University of Virginia Library

Act the Fourth.

Scene First.

Manuel, Solus.

Enter a Servant with a Letter.
Man.
From whom?

2 Ser.
Sir, the Contents will soon resolve you.

[He reads.
Man.
Tell Rodorick he has prevented me
In my Design of sending to him first.
I'l meet him Single at the time and place;
But for my Friend tell him he must excuse me:
I'l hazard no Man in my Quarrel, but
[Exit Mess.
My self alone:—Who's within there?
Enter a Servant.
Go call my Sister, and Gonsalvo hither.
[Exit Servant.
'Twas push'd so far, that like two Armies, we
Were drawn so closely up, we could not part
Without ingagement:—But they must not know it.
Enter Julia, Gonsalvo, Amideo.
I have some Business calls me hence, and know not
When I shall return: But e'r I go,
That pow'r I have by my Dead Fathers will
Over my Sister, I bequeath to you:
(To Gonsalvo.
She and her Fortunes both be firmly Yours;
And this when I Revoke, let Cowardise
Blast all my Youth, and Treason taint my Age.

Gons.
Sir,—

Man.
Nay, good, no thanks, I cannot stay.—
[Exit Manuel.

Gons.
There's something more than ordinary in this:
Go Amideo, quickly follow him,
And bring me word which way he takes.

Amid.
I go Sir.
[Exit Amideo.

[Julia Kneels.
Gons.
Madam, When you implore the Pow'rs divine,
You have no Pray'rs, in which I will not joyn,
Though made against my Self.

[Kneels with her.
Jul.
—In vain I sue,
Unless my Vows maybe Conveigh'd by you.

Gons.
Conveigh'd by me?—My ill success in Love
Shews me too sure I have few Friends above.
How can you fear your just desires to want?
When the Gods pray, they both request and grant.

Jul.
Heav'n has resign'd my Fortune to your hand,
If you, like Heav'n, th'Afflicted understand.

Gons.
The Language of th'Afflicted is not new;
Too well I learnt it when I first saw you.

Jul.
In spight of me, you now command my Fate;
And yet the Vanquish'd seeks the Victors hate:
Ev'n in this low Submission, I declare,
That had I Pow'r, I would renew the Warr.
I'm forc'd to stoop, and 'twere too great a blow
To bend my Pride, and to deny me too.

Gons.
You have my Heart; dispose it to your will;
If not, you know the way to use it ill.

Jul.
Cruel to me, though Kind to your desert,
My Brother gives my Person, not my Heart:
And I have left no other means to sue,
But to you only to be freed from you.

Gons.
From such a Sute how can you hope success,
Which giv'n, destroys the Givers happiness?

Jul.
You think it equal you should not resign
That pow'r you have; yet will not leave me mine:
Yet on my will I have the Pow'r alone,
And since you cannot move it, move your Own.
Your Worth and Virtue my esteem may win,
But Womens passions from themselves begin;
Merit may be, but Force still is in vain.

Gons.
I would but Love you, not your Love constrain;
And though your Brother left me to command,
He plac'd his Thunder in a gentle hand.

Jul.
Your Favour from constraint has set me free,
But that secures not my Felicity;
Slaves, who, before, did cruel Masters serve,
May fly to Desarts, and in Freedome starve.
The noblest part of Liberty they loose,
Who can but shun, and want the Pow'r to choose.

Gons.
O whither would your Fatal reasons move!
You court my Kindness to destroy my Love.

Jul.
You have the Pow'r to make my Happiness,
By giving that which you can ne'r possess:

Gons.
Give you to Rodorick? there wanted yet
That Curse to make my Miseries compleat.

Jul.
Departing Misers bear a Nobler mind;
They, when they can enjoy no more, are Kind:
You, when your Love is Dying in despair,
Yet want the Charity to make an Heir.

Gons.
Though hope be Dying, yet it is not Dead;
And Dying people with small Food are fed.

Jul.
The greatest kindness Dying friends can have,
Is to dispatch them when we cannot save.

Gons.
Those Dying people, could they Speak at all,
That pity of their Friends would Murder call.
For Men with Horrour dissolution meet;
The Minutes, ev'n of painfull Life are sweet.

Jul.
But I'm by Pow'rfull inclination led;
And Streams turn seldome to their Fountain head.

Gons.
No, 'tis a Tide which carries you away;
And Tides may turn though they can never stay.

Jul.
Can you pretend to Love, and see my Grief
Caus'd by your Self, yet give me no relief?

Gons.
Where's my Reward?

Jul.
The honour of the Flame.

Gons.
I loose the Substance then, to gain the Name.

Jul.
I do too much a Mistress's pow'r betray;
Must Slaves be won by Courtship to Obey?
Thy Disobedience does to Treason rise,
Which thou, like Rebells, would'st with Love disguise.
I'l Kill my Self, and if thou can'st deny
To see me Happy, thou shalt see me Dye.

Gons.
O stay! I can with less Regret bequeath
My love to Rodorick, than you to Death:
And yet.—

Jul.
What new Objections can you find?

Gons.
But are you sure you never shall be Kind?

Jul.
Never.

Gons.
What never?

Jul.
Never to remove.

Gons.
Oh fatal Never to Souls damn'd in Love!

Jul.
Lead me to Rodorick.

Gons.
If it must be so!

Jul.
Here, take me Hand, swear on it thou wilt go.

He kisses her Hand.
Gons.
Oh balmy Sweetness! but 'tis lost to me,
Like Food upon a Wretch condemn'd to Dye:
Another, and I Vow to go:—one more;
If I Swear often I shall be forswore.
Others against their Wills may haste their Fate;
I only Toyl to be unfortunate:
More my own Foe than all my Stars could prove;
They give her Person, but I give her Love.
I must not trust my Self.—Hippolito.

Enter Hippolito.
Hip.
My Lord!

Gons.
Quickly go find Don Rodorick out:
Tell him the Lady Julia will be Walking
On the broad Rock that lies beside the Port,
And there expects to see him instantly.
In the mean time I'l call for Amideo.

Jul.
You'l keep your promise to Don Rodorick.

Gons.
Madam, Since you bring Death I welcome it;
But to his Fortune not his Love submit.—
[Exit Gonsalvo.

Hip.
I dare not ask what I too Fain would hear:
But, like a tender Mother, Hope and Fear;
My equal Twins, my equal care I make;
[Aside.
And keep Hope quiet least that Fear should wake.
[Exit Hippolito.

Jul.
So, now I'm firmly at my own Dispose;
And all the Lets, my Virtue cans'd, remov'd:
Now Rodorick I come.—

Enter Gonsalvo again.
Gons.
Madam, My Boy's not yet return'd.

Jul.
No matter, wee'l not stay for him.

Gons.
Pray make not too much haste.

[Exeunt Julia, Gonsalvo.

Scene the Second.

Enter Don Rodorick, and Servant.
Rod.
Have you bespoke a Vessel as I bid you?

1 Serv.
I have done better; for I have employ'd
Some, whom I know, this Day to seize a Ship;
Which they have done; Clapping the Men within her
All under Hatches, with such speed and silence,
That though she Rides at Anchor in the Port
Among the rest, the Change is not discover'd.

Rod.
Let my best Goods and Jewels be Embarqued
With secrecy: wee'l put to Sea this Night.
Have you yet found my Sister, or her Woman?

Serv.
Neither Sir; but in all probability
She is with Manuel.

Rod.
Would God the meanest Man in Alicante
Had Angellina rather than Don Manuel:
I never can forgive, much less forget
How he (the younger Souldier) was preferr'd
To that Command of Horse which was my due;

Serv.
And after that, by force Disseiz'd you of
Your Quarters.—

Rod.
Should I meet him sev'n Years hence
At th'Altar, I would Kill him there:—I had
Forgot to tell you the Design we had;
To carry Julia by force away
Will now be needless; Shee'l come to the Rock
To see me, you unseen shall stand behind,
And carry her into the Vessel.

Serv.
Shall I not help you to dispatch Don Manuel?

Rod.
I neither doubt my Valour, nor my Fortune:
But if I Dye, revenge me: presently
About your business; I must to the Rock
For fear I come too late.

[Exeunt severally.

Scene the Third.

Through a Rock is discover'd a Navy of Ships Riding at a distance.
Enter Amideo.
Amid.
Thus far unseen by Manuel, I have trac'd him:
He can be gone no farther than the Walk
Behind the Rock; I'l back and tell my Master.

Enter Hippolito at the other end.
Hip.
This is the place where Rod'rick must expect
His Julia:—How! Amideo here!

Amid.
Hippolito!

Hip.
This were so fit a time
For my Revenge; had I the Courage, now:
My Heart swells at him, and my Breath grows short,
But whether Fear or Anger choaks it up,
I cannot tell.

Amid.
He looks so Ghastfully,
Would I were past him; yet I fear to try it,
Because my mind mis-gives me he will stop me.
B' your leave Hippolito.

Hip.
Whether so fast?

Amid.
You'l not presume to hinder my Lords business?
He shall know it.

Hip.
I'l make you sure, before,
For telling any Tales: Do you remember
Since you defended Angellina's Beauty
Against Honoria's; nay, and would maintain it.

Amid.
And so I will do still; (I must feign Courage
[Aside.
There is no other way.)

Hip.
I'l so revenge
That Injury (if my Heart fails me not.)

Amid.
Come, confess truly, for I know it fails you.
What would you give to avoid Fighting now?

Hip.
No, 'tis your Heart that fails.

Amid.
I scorn the Danger;
Yet, what Compassion on your Youth might do
I cannot tell; and therefore do not work
Upon my Pity; for I feel already
My stout Heart melts.

Hip.
Oh! Are you thereabout?
Now I am sure you fear; and you shall Fight.

Amid.
I will not Fight.

Hip.
Confess then Angellina
Is not so Fair as is Honoria:

Amid.
I do confess; now are you satisfied?

Hip.
There's more behind; confess her not so worthy
To be belov'd; nor to possess Gonsalvo
As Fair Honoria is.

Amid.
That's somewhat hard:

Hip.
But you must do't or Dye.

Amid.
Well, Life is sweet;
She's not so worthy: now let me be gone.

Hip.
No, never to my Master; Swear to quit
His Service, and no more to see his Face.

Amid.
I fain would save my Life, but that which you
Propose, is but another Name to Dye.
I cannot Live without my Master's Sight.

Hip.
Then you must Fight with me for him.

Amid.
I would
Do any thing with you, but Fighting for him.

Hip.
Nothing but what will serve.

Amid.
Lay by our Swords
And I'l scratch with you for him.

Hip.
That's not Manly.

Amid.
Well, since it must be so, I'l Fight:—Unbutton.
[Hippolito unbuttons slowly.
How many Buttons has he? I'l be one
Behind him still.
[Aside.
[Unbuttons one by one after him.
Hippolito makes more haste.
You are so Prodigal; if you Lov'd my Master
You would not tear his Doubtlet so:—How's this!
Two swelling Breasts! a Woman, and my Rival!
The Stings of Jealousie have giv'n me Courage
Which Nature never gave me:
Come on thou vile Dissembler of thy Sex;
Expect no mercy; either thou or I
Must Dye upon this Spot: Now for Gonsalvo.—
Sa.—Sa.—

Hip.
This courage is not counterfeit; Ah me!
What shall I do? for pity, gentle Boy.—

Amid.
No pity; such a Cause as ours
Can neither give nor take it: If thou yield'st
I will not spare thee, therefore Fight it out.

[Tears open his Doublet.
Hip.
Death to my Hopes! a Woman! and so rare
A Beauty that my Lord must needs Doat on her.
I should my Self if I had been a Man:
But as I am, her Eyes shoot Death at me.

Amid.
Come, have you said your Pray'rs?

Hip.
For thy Confusion
Thou Ravenous Harpy, with an Angel's face;
Thou art Discover'd, thou too Charming Rival;
I'l be Reveng'd upon those fatal Eyes.

Amid.
I'l tear out thine.

Hip.
I'l bite out hungry Morsels
From those plump Cheeks, but I will make 'um thinner.

Amid.
I'd beat thee to the Blackness of a Moor,
But that the Features of thy Face are such;
Such Damnable, invincible good Features,
That as an Ethiop thou would'st still be Lov'd.

Hip.
I'l quite unbend that black Bow o'r thine Eyes;
I'l Murther thee, and Julia shall have him,
Rather than thou.

Amid.
I'l Kill both thee and her
Rather than any one but I shall have him.

Hip.
Come on, thou Witch.

Amid.
Have at thy Heart thou Syren.

They draw, and Fight awkardly, not coming near one another.
Amid.
I think I paid you there.

Hip.
O stay a little
And tell me in what Corner of thy Heart
Gonsalvo lies, that I may spare that place:

Amid.
He lies in the last drop of all my Blood,
And never will come out, but with my Soul.

Hip.
Come, come, we Dally;
Would one of us were Dead, no matter which.

[They Fight nearer.
Enter Don Manuel.
Man.
The pretty Boys that serve Gonsalvo, Fighting!
I come in time to save the Life of one.

Hippolito gets Amideo down in Closing: Manuel takes away the Swords.
Hip.
For goodness sake hinder not my Revenge.

Amid.
The Noble Manuel has sav'd my Life:
Heav'ns, how unjustly have I hated him!

[Aside.
Man.
What is it, gentle Youths that moves you thus?
I cannot tell what Causes you may find;
But trust me, all the World, in so much Sweetness,
Would be to seek where to begin a Quarrel:
You seem the little Cupids in the Song,
Contending for the Honey-bagg.

Hip.
'Tis well
You'r come; you may prevent a greater mischief:
Here 'tis Gonsalvo has appointed Rodorick.—

Man.
To Fight?

Hip.
What's worse; to give your Sister to him.
Won by her Tears, he means to leave her free,
And to redeem her Misery with his:
At least I so Conjecture.

Man.
'Tis a doubtfull
Problem; either he Loves her Violently,
Or not at all.

Amid.
You have betray'd my Master:—

[To Hippolito, Aside.
Hip.
If I have Injur'd you, I mean to give you
The satisfaction of a Gentlewoman.—

Enter Gonsalvo, and Julia.
Man.
Oh they are here; now I shall be resolv'd.

Jul.
My Brother Manuel! what Fortune's this!

Man.
I'm glad I have prevented you.

Gons.
With what
Variety my Fate torments me still!
Never was Man so Dragg'd along by Virtue;
But I must follow her.

Jul.
Noble Gonsalvo,
Protect me from my Brother.

Gons.
Tell me, Sir,
When you bestow'd your Sister on me, did not
You give her freely up to my dispose?

Man.
'Tis true, I did; but never with intent
You should restore her to my Enemy.

Gons.
'Tis past; 'tis done: She undermin'd my Soul
With tears; as Banks are Sapp'd away by streams.

Man.
I wonder what strange Blessing she expects
From the harsh Nature of this Rodorick;
A Man made up of Malice and Revenge.

Jul.
If I possess him I may be unhappy;
But if I loose him I am surely so.
Had you a Friend so desperately Sick,
That all Physitians had forsook his Cure;
All Scorch'd without, and all Parch'd up within,
The Moisture that maintain'd consuming Nature
Lick'd up, and in a Feaver fry'd away;
Could you behold him Beg, with Dying eyes
A glass of Water, and refuse it him
Because you knew it Ill for his Disease?
When he would Dye without it, How could you
Deny to make his Death more easie to him?

Man.
Talk not to me of Love, when Honour suffers,
The Boys will Hiss at me.

Gons.
I suffer most
Had there been choice, what would I not have chose?
To save my Honour I my Love must lose:
But promises once made are past debate,
And Truth's of more necessity than Fate.

Man.
I scarce can think your Promise absolute;
There might some way be thought on, if you would
To keep both her, and it.

Gons.
No, no, my promise was no trick of State:
I meant to be made truly Wretched first,
And then to Dye; and I'l perform them both.

Man.
Then that Revenge I meant on Rodorick
I'l take on you.

[Draws.
Gons.
—I draw with such Regret
As Merchants throw their Wealth into the Sea,
To save their sinking Vessels from a Wrack.

Man.
I find I cannot lift my Hand against thee:
Do what thou wilt; but let not me behold it.
Goes off a little way.
I'l cut this Gordian Knot I cannot loose:
To keep his promise, Rodorick shall have her,
But I'l return and rescue her by force;
Then giving back what he so Franckly gave,
At once my Honour and his Love I'l save.
[Exit Manuel.

Enter Rodorick.
Rod.
How! Julia brought by him?—Who sent for me?

Gons.
'Twas I.

Rod.
I know your business then; 'tis Fighting.

Gons.
You'r mistaken; 'tis something that I fear:

Rod.
What is't?

Gons.
Why,—'twill not out: Here take her;
And deserve her; but no thanks;
For fear I should consider what I give,
And call it back.—

Jul.
O my dear Rodorick!

Gons.
O cruel Julia!
For pity shew not all your Joy before me;
Stifle some part of it one Minute longer
Till I am Dead.

Jul.
My Rodorick shall know
He ows his Julia to you; thank him, Love;
In faith I take it Ill you are so slow.

Rod.
You know he has forbid me; and beside
Hee'l take it better from your Mouth than mine;
All that you do must needs be pleasing to him:

Jul.
Still sullen and unkind!

Rod.
Why then in short,
I do not understand the benefit:

Gons.
Not, to have Julia in thy free Possession?

Rod.
Not brought by you; not of another's leaving:

Jul.
Speak softly Rodorick: let not these hear thee;
But spare my Shame for the ill Choice I made
In loving thee.

Rod.
I will speak Loud, and tell thee,
Thou com'st, all Cloy'd and tyr'd with his Embraces,
To profer thy pall'd Love to me: his Kisses
Do yet bedew thy Lips; the very Print
His Arms made round thy Body, yet remains.

Gons.
O Barb'rous Jealousie!

Jul.
'Tis an harsh word,
I am too Pure for thee; but yet I Love thee:

Offers to take his Hand.
Rod.
Away, foul Impudence.

Gons.
Madam, you wrong
Your Virtue thus to clear it by Submission.

Jul.
Whence grows this boldness, Sir? did I ask you
To be my Champion?

Rod.
He chose to be your Friend, and not your Husband:
Left that Dull part of Dignity to me;
As often the worst Actors play the Kings.

Jul.
This Jealousie is but excess of Passion,
Which grows up, Wild, in every Lovers breast;
But changes Kind when Planted in an Husband.

Rod.
Well, what I am, I am; and what I will be,
When you are mine, my Pleasure shall determine.
I will receive no Law from any Man.

Jul.
This strange unkindness of my Rodorick,
I owe to thee, and thy unlucky Love;
Henceforth go Lock it up within thy Breast;
'Tis only harmless while it is conceal'd,
But opened spreads Infection like a Vault.
Go, and my Curse go with thee:—

Gons.
I cannot go till I behold you Happy:—
—Here, Rodorick, receive her on thy Knees;
Use her with that respect which thou would'st pay
Thy Guardian Angel if he could be seen.
—Do not provoke my Anger by refusing.—
I'l watch thy least Offence to her; each Word,
Nay, every sullen Look:—
And as the Devils, who are Damn'd to Torments,
Yet have the Guilty Souls their Slaves to punish:
So under me, while I am Wretched, thou
Shalt be Tormented.—

Rod.
Would'st thou make me the Tenant of thy Lust;
To Toyl, and for my Labour take the Dreggs,
The Juicy Vintage being left for thee?
No; She's an Infamous, leud Prostitute;
I loath her at my Soul;

Gons.
I can forbear
No longer; Swallow down thy Lye, foul Villain.

[They Fight, off the Stage, Exeunt.
Jul.
Help, Help!

Amid.
Here is that Witch whose fatal Beauty
Began the Mischief; She shall pay for all.

[Goes to Kill Julia.
Hip.
I hate her for it more than thou can'st do;
But cannot see her Dye my Master loves.

[Goes between with her Sword.
Enter Gonsalvo, following Rodorick; who Falls.
Rod.
So, now I am at rest:—
I feel Death rising higher still, and higher,
Within my Bosom; every Breath I fetch
Shuts up my Life within a shorter compass:
And like the Vanishing sound of Bells, grows less
And less each Pulse, till it be lost in Air.

[Swoons away.
Gons.
Down at your Feet, much injur'd Innocence,
I lay that Sword, which—

Jul.
Take it up again,
It has not done its work till I am Kill'd:
For ever, ever, thou hast Robb'd me of
That Man, that only Man, whom I could Love:
Dost thou thus Court thy Mistress? thus Oblige her?
All thy Obligements have been Fatal yet,
Yet the most Fatal now would most Oblige me.
Kill me:—yet I am Kill'd before in him.
I lye there on the Ground; Cold, cold, and Pale:
That Death I Dye in Rodorick is far
More pleasant than that Life I live in Julia.—
—See how he stands—when he is bid dispatch me!
How Dull! how Spiritless! that Sloath possest
Thee not, when thou didst Kill my Rodorick.

Gons.
I'm too Unlucky to Converse with Men:
I'l pack together all my Mischiefs up,
Gather with care each little remnant of 'um
That none of 'um be left behind: Thus loaded,
Fly to some Desart, and there let them loose,
Where they may never prey upon Mankind.
But you may make my Journey shorter:—Take
This Sword; 'twill show you how:—

Jul.
I'l gladly set you on your way:—

[Takes his Sword.
Enter three of Rodoricks Servants.
1.
Make haste; He's now Unarm'd; we may with ease
Revenge my Masters Death.

Jul.
Now these shall do it.

Gons.
I'l Dye by none but you.—

Hip.
O here, take my Sword, Sir.

Amid.
He shall have mine.

[Both give their Swords to Gonsalvo.
Enter Manuel.
Man.
Think not of Death,
Wee'l Live and Conquer.

[They beat them off.
Man.
These Fellows, though beat off, will strait return
With more; we must make haste to save our selves.

Hip.
'Tis far to th'Town,
And ere you reach it you will be Discover'd.

Gons.
My Life's a burden to me, were not Julia's
Concern'd; but as it is, she being present
Will be found accessary to his Death.

Man.
See where a Vessel lies, not far from Shore;
And near at hand a Boat belonging to her;
Let's haste Aboard, and what with Pray'rs and Gifts
Buy our Concealment there:—Come Julia.

Gons.
Alas, She Swoons away upon the Body.

Man.
The Night grows on apace; Wee'l take her in
Our Arms and bear her hence.

Exeunt Gonsalvo, and the Boys with Manuel, carrying Julia.
The Servants enter again.
1.
They are all gone, we may return with Safety:
Help me to bear the Body to the Town.

2.
He Stirs, and Breaths a little; there may be
Some hope.

3.
The Town's far off, and th'Evening cold,
Let's carry him to th'Ship.

1.
Hast then away:
Things once resolv'd are ruin'd by Delay.

[Exeunt.