University of Virginia Library

SCENE The Palace-yard.
Drums and Trumpets within.
Enter Raymond, Alphonso, Pedro, and their Party.
Raym.
Now, valiant Citizens, the time is come
To show your Courage and your Loyalty:
You have a Prince of Sancho's Royal Bloud,
The Darling of the Heavens and Joy of Earth;
When he's produc'd, as soon he shall, among you;
Speak, what will you adventure to re-seat him
Upon his Father's Throne?

Omn.
Our Lives and Fortunes.

Raym.
What then remains to perfect our Success,
But o'er the Tyrant's Guards to force our way?

Omn.
Lead on, Lead on.

Drums and Trumpets on the other Side.
Enter Torrismond and his Party: as they are going to fight, he speaks.
Tor.
to his,
Hold, hold your Arms.

Raym.
to his,
Retire.

Alph.
What means this Pause?

Ped.
Peace: Nature works within them.

[Tor. & Ray. go apart.
Tor.
How comes it, good old Man, that we two meet
On these harsh terms! thou very reverend Rebel?
Thou venerable Traitor, in whose Face
And hoary Hairs Treason is sanctified;
And Sin's black dy seems blanch'd by Age to Vertue

Raym.
What Treason is it to redeem my King,
And to reform the State?

Tor.
That's a stale Cheat,
The primitive Rebel, Lucifer, first us'd it.
And was the first Reformer of the Skyes.

Raym.
What if I see my Prince mistake a Poison,
Call it a Cordial? Am I then a Traitor,
Because hold his Hand or break the Glass?

Tor.
How darst thou serve thy King against his Will?

Raym.
Because 'tis then the onely time to serve him.

Tor.
I take the blame of all upon my self,
Discharge thy weight on me.

Raym.
O, never, never!
Why, 'tis to leave a Ship tost in a Tempest
Without the Pilot's Care.

Tor.
I'll punish thee,
By Heaven, I will, as I wou'd punish Rebels,
Thou stubborn loyal Man.

Raym.
First let me see
Her punisht who misleads you from your Fame,
Then burn me, hack me, hew me into pieces,
And I shall dye well pleas'd.

Tor.
Proclaim my Title,
To save the effusion of my Subjects Bloud, and thou shalt still
Be as my Foster-father near my Breast,
And next my Leonora.

Raym.
That word stabs me.
You shall be still plain Torrismond with me,
Th'Abetter, Partner, (if you like that name,)
The Husband of a Tyrant, but no King;
Till you deserve that Title by your Justice.

Tor.
Then, farwell Pity, I will be obey'd.
(To the People.)
Hear, you mistaken Men, whose Loyalty
Runs headlong into Treason: See your Prince,
In me behold your murther'd Sancho's Son;
Dismiss your Arms; and I forgive your Crimes.

Raym.
Believe him not; he raves; his words are loose
As heaps of Sand, and scattering, wide from sense.
You see he knows not me, his natural Father;
But aiming to possess th'usurping Queen,
So high he's mounted in his Aiery hopes,
That now the Wind is got into his Head,
And turns his Brains to Frenzy.

Tor.
Hear me yet, I am—

Raym.
Fall on, fall on, and hear him not.
But spare his Person for his Father's sake.

Ped.
Let me come, if he be mad, I have that shall cure him.
There's no Surgeon in all Arragon has so much
Dexterity as I have at breathing of the Temple-vein.

Tor.
My Right for me.

Raym.
Our Liberty for us.

Omn.
Liberty, Liberty,—

[As they are ready to fight.
Enter Lorenzo and his Party.
Lor.
On forfeit of your Lives lay down your Arms.

Alph.
How, Rebel, art thou there?

Lor.
Take your Rebel back again Father mine.
The beaten Party are Rebels to the Conquerours.
I have been at hard-head with your butting Citizens;
I have routed your Herd; I have disperst them;
And now they are retreated quietly,
From their extraordinary Vocation of Fighting in
The Streets, to their ordinary Vocation of Cozening
In their Shops.

Tor.
to Raym.
You see 'tis vain contending with the Truth,
Acknowledge what I am.

Raym.
You are my King: wou'd you wou'd be your own;
But by a fatal fondness you betray
Your Fame and Glory to th'Usurper's Bed:
Enjoy the Fruits of Bloud and Parricide,
Take your own Crown from Leonora's Gift,
And hug your Father's Murtherer in your Arms.

Enter Queen and Teresa: Women.
Alph.
No more: behold the Queen.

Raym.
Behold the Basilisk of Torrismond,
That kills him with her eyes, I will speak on,
My Life is of no further use to me:
I would have chaffer'd it before for Vengeance:
Now let it go for Failing.

Tor.
(Aside.)
My Heart sinks in me while I hear him speak,
And every slackn'd fiber drops its hold,
Like Nature letting down the Springs of Life:
So much the Name of Father aws me still.
Send off the Crowd:
For you, now I have conquer'd, I can hear with honour your Demands.

Lor.
to Alph.
Now, Sir, who proves the Traitor? My Conscience
Is true to me, it alwaies whispers right when
I have my Regiment to back it.

[Exeunt omnes præter Tor. Ray. Leon.
Tor.
O Leonora! what can Love do more?
I have oppos'd your ill Fate to the utmost:
Combated Heaven and Earth to keep you mine:
And yet at last that Tyrant, Justice! Oh—

Queen.
'Tis past, 'tis past: and Love is ours no more:
Yet I complain not of the Powers above;
They made m'a Miser's feast of Happiness,
And cou'd not furnish out another meal.
Now, by yon' Stars, by Heaven, and Earth, and Men;
By all my Foes at once; I swear, my Torrismond,
That to have had you mine for one short day
Has cancell'd half my mighty sum of Woes:
Say but you hate me not.

Tor.
I cannot hate you.

Raym.
Can you not? say that once more;
That all the Saints may witness it against you.

Queen,
Cruel Raymond!
Can he not punish me but he must hate?
O! 'tis not Justice, but a brutal Rage,
Which hates th'Offender's person with his Crimes:
I have enough to overwhelm one Woman,
To lose a Crown and Lover in a day:
Let Pity lend a Tear when Rigour strikes.

Raym.
Then, then you should have thought of Tears and Pity,
When Vertue, Majesty, and hoary Age
Pleaded for Sancho's Life.

Qu.
My future days shall be one whole Contrition;
A Chapel will I build with large Endowment,
Where every day an hundred aged men
Shall all hold up their wither'd hands to Heaven,
To pardon Sancho's Death.

Tor.
See, Raymond, see: she makes a large amends:
Sancho is dead: no punishment of her
Can raise his cold stiff limbs from the dark Grave;
Nor can his blessed Soul look down from Heaven;
Or break th'eternal Sabbath of his Rest,
To see with Joy her Miseries on Earth.

Raym.
Heaven may forgive a Crime to Penitence,
For Heaven can judge if Penitence be true;
But man, who knows not Hearts, should make Examples;
Which like a Warning-piece must be shot off,
To fright the rest from Crimes.

Queen,
Had I but known that Sancho was his Father.
I would have pour'd a Deluge of my Bloud
To save one Drop of his.

Tor.
Mark that, Inexorable Raymond mark!
'Twas fatal Ignorance that caus'd his Death.

Raym.
What if she did not know he was your Father?
She knew he was a Man, the Best of men,
Heaven's Image double stampt, as Man and King.

Qu.
He was, he was, ev'n more than you can say,
But yet—

Raym.
But yet you barbarously murther'd him.

Queen,
He will not hear me out!

Tor.
Was ever Criminal forbid to plead?
Curb your ill manner'd Zeal.

Raym.
Sing to him Syren;
For I shall stop my Ears: now mince the Sin,
And mollifie Damnation with a Phrase:
Say you consented not to Sancho's Death,
But barely not forbad it.

Qu.
Hard hearted Man, I yield my guilty cause,
But all my Guilt was caus'd by too much Love.
Had I for Jealousie of Empire sought
Good Sancho's Death, Sancho had dy'd before.
'Twas alwaies in my Power to take his Life:
But Interest never could my Conscience blind
Till Love had cast a mist before my Eyes;
And made me think his Death the onely means
Which could secure my Throne to Torrismond.

Tor.
Never was fatal Mischief meant so kind,
For all she gave, has taken all away.
Malicious Pow'rs! is this to be restor'd?
'Tis to be worse depos'd than Sancho was.

Raym.
Heaven has restor'd you, you depose your self:
Oh! when young Kings begin with scorn of Justice,
They make an Omen to their after Reign,
And blot their Annals in the foremost page.

Tor.
No more; lest you be made the first Example,
To show how I can punish.

Raym.
Once again:
Let her be made your Father's Sacrifice,
And after make me her's.

Tor.
Condemn a Wife!
That were to attone for Parricide with Murther!

Raym.
Then let her be divorc'd! we'll be content
With that poor scanty Justice: Let her part.

Tor.
Divorce! that's worse than Death, 'tis Death of Love.

Queen.
The Soul and Body part not with such Pain
As I from you: but yet 'tis just, my Lord:
I am th'Accurst of Heaven, the Hate of Earth,
Your Subjects Detestation, and your Ruin:
And therefore fix this doom upon my self.

Tor.
Heav'n! Can you wish it? to be mine no more!

Queen,
Yes, I can wish it as the dearest Proof
And last that I can make you of my Love.
To leave you blest I would be more accurst
Than Death can make me; for Death ends our Woes,
And the kind Grave shuts up the mournfull Scene:
But I would live without you; to be wretched long:
And hoard up every moment of my life,
To lengthen out the Payment of my Tears,
Till ev'n fierce Raymond, at the last, shall say,
Now let her dye, for she has griev'd enough.

Tor.
Hear this, hear this thou Tribune of the People:
Thou zealous, publick Bloud-hound hear, and melt.

Raym.
(Aside.)
I could cry now, my Eyes grow womanish,
But yet my Heart holds out.

Queen,
Some solitary Cloister will I chuse,
And there with holy Virgins live immur'd:
Course my Attire, and short shall be my Sleep,
Broke by the melancholy midnight Bell:
Now, Raymond, now be satisfied at last.
Fasting and Tears, and Penitence and Prayer
Shall doe dead Sancho Justice every hour.

Raym.
(Aside.)
By your leave, Manhood!

[Wipes his Eyes.
Tor.
He weeps, now he's vanquish'd.

Raym.
No! 'Tis a salt rheum that scalds my Eyes.

Qu.
If he were vanquish'd, I am still unconquer'd,
I'll leave you in the height of all my Love,
Ev'n when my Heart is beating out its way,
And struggles to you most.
Farwell, a last Farwell! My dear, dear Lord
Remember me; speak, Raymond, will you let him?
Shall he remember Leonora's Love,
And shed a parting Tear to her Misfortunes?

Raym.
(Almost crying.)
Yes, yes, he shall, pray goe.

Tor.
Now, By my Soul, she shall not goe: why, Raymond,
Her every Tear is worth a Father's Life;
Come to my Arms, come, my fair Penitent,
Let us not think what future Ills may fall,
But drink deep Draughts of Love, and lose 'em all.

[Exit Tor. with the Queen.
Raym.
No matter yet, he has my Hook within him,
Now let him frisk and flownce and run and rowle,
And think to break his hold. He toils in vain:
This Love, the Bait he gorg'd so greedily,
Will make him sick, and then I have him sure.

Enter Alphonso, and Pedro.
Alph.
Brother, there's News from Bertran; he desires
Admittance to the King, and cryes aloud,
This day shall end our Fears of Civil War:
For his safe Conduct he entreats your Presence,
And begs you would be speedy.

Raym.
Though I loath
The Traitor's sight, I'll go: Attend us here.
[Exit Ray.

Enter Gomez, Elvira, Dominic, with Officers, to make the Stage as full as possible.
Pedro.

Why, how now Gomez: what mak'st thou here with a
whole Brother-hood of City Bailifs? why, thou lookest like Adam

in Paradise, with his guard of Beasts about him.

Gom.

Ay, and a man had need of them, Don Pedro: for here
are the two old Seducers, a Wife and Priest, that's Eve and the Serpent,
at my Elbow.

Dom.

Take notice how uncharitably he talks of Church men.

Gom.

Indeed you are a charitable Belswagger: my Wife cry'd
out Fire, Fire; and you brought out your Church buckets, and
call'd for Engines to play against it.

Alph.

I am sorry you are come hither to accuse your Wife, her
Education has been vertuous, her Nature mild and easie.

Gom.

Yes! she's easie with a Vengeance, there's a certain Colonel
has found her so.

Alph.

She came a spotless Virgin to your Bed.

Gom.

And she's a spotless Virgin still for me—she's never the
worse for my wearing, I'll take my Oath on't: I have liv'd with
her with all the Innocence of a Man of Threescore; like a peaceable
Bedfellow as I am—

Elvi.

Indeed, Sir, I have no reason to complain of him for
disturbing of my Sleep.

Dom.

A fine Commendation you have given your self; the
Church did not marry you for that.

Pedro,

Come, come, your Grievances, your Grievances.

Dom.

Why, Noble Sir, I'll tell you.

Gom.

Peace Fryar! and let me speak first. I am the Plaintiff.
Sure you think you are in the Pulpit where you preach by hours.

Dom.

And you edifie by minutes.

Gom.

Where you make Doctrins for the People, and Uses and
Applications for your selves.

Pedro,

Gomez, give way to the old Gentleman in black.

Gom.

No! the t'other old Gentleman in black shall take me if
I do! I will speak first! nay, I will, Fryar! for all your Verbum
Sacerdotis, I'll speak truth in few words, and then you may come
afterwards, and lye by the clock as you use to doe. For, let me
tell you, Gentlemen, he shall lye and forswear himself with any
Fryar in all Spain: that's a bold words now—

Dom.

Let him alone: let him alone: I shall fetch him back with
a Circumbendibus I warrant him.

Alph.

Well, What have you to say against your Wife, Gomez?

Gom.

Why, I say, in the first place, that I and all men are married
for our Sins, and that our Wives are a Judgement; that a Batchelour-cobler

is a happier man than a Prince in Wedlock; that we
are all visited with a Houshold Plague, and, Lord have mercy upon
us should be written on all our doors.

Dom.

Now he reviles Marriage which is one of the seven blessed
Sacraments.

Gom.

'Tis liker one of the seven deadly Sins: but make your
best on't, I care not: 'tis but binding a man Neck and Heels for all
that! But as for my Wife, that Crocodile of Nilus, she has wickedly
and traiterously conspir'd the Cuckoldom of me her anointed
Sovereign Lord: and, with the help of the aforesaid Fryar, whom
Heaven confound, and, with the Limbs of one Colonel Hernando,
Cuckold maker of this City, devilishly contriv'd to steal herself
away, and under her Arm feloniously to bear one Casket of Diamonds,
Pearls, and other Jewels, to the Value of 30000 Pistols.
Guilty, or Not guilty; how saiest thou Culprit?

Dom.

False and scandalous! Give me the Book. I'll take my
corporal. Oath pointblank against every particular of this Charge.

Elvi.

And so will I.

Dom.

As I was walking in the Streets, telling my Beads, and
praying to my self, according to my usual custom, I heard a foul
Out-cry before Gomez his Portal; and his Wife, my Penitent,
making dolefull Lamentations: Thereupon, making what haste
my Limbs would suffer me, that are crippl'd with often kneeling,
I saw him Spurning and Fisting her most unmercifully; whereupon,
using Christian Arguments with him to desist, he fell violently
upon me, without respect to my Sacerdotal Orders, pusht
me from him, and turn'd me about with a Finger and a Thumb,
just as a Man would set up a Top. Mercy, quoth I. Damme,
quoth he. And still continued Labouring me, till a good minded
Colonel came by, whom, as Heaven shall save me, I had never
seen before.

Gom.

O Lord! O Lord!

Dom.

Ay, and, O Lady! O Lady too I redouble my Oath,
I had never seen him. Well, this Noble Colonel, like a true Gentleman,
was for taking the weaker part you may be sure—whereupon
this Gomez flew upon him like a Dragon, got him down,
the Devil being strong in him, and gave him Bastinado on Bastinado,
and Buffet upon Buffet, which the poor, meek Colonel, being
prostrate, suffered with a most Christian Patience.

Gom.

Who? he meek? I'm sure I quake at the very thought of

him; why, he's as fierce as Rhodomont, he made Assault and Battery
upon my Person, beat me into all the colours of the Rainbow.
And every word this abominable Priest has utter'd is as
false as the Alcoran. But if you want a thorough pac'd Lyar that
will swear through thick and thin, commend me to a Fryar.

Enter Lorenzo, who comes behind the Company, and stands at his Father's back unseen, over against Gomez.
Lor.
(Aside.)

How now! What's here to doe? my Cause a
trying, as I live, and that before my own Father: now Fourscore
take him for an old bawdy Magistrate, that stands like the Picture
of Madam Justice, with a pair of Scales in his Hand, to
weigh Lechery by Ounces.

Alph.

Well—but all this while, who is this Colonel Hernando?

Gom.

He's the First-begotten of Beelzebub, with a Face as terrible
as Demogorgon.

Lorenzo peeps up over Alph. head, and stares at Gomez.
No! I lye, I lye:

He's a very proper, handsom fellow! well proportion'd, and
clean shap'd, with a Face like a Cherubin.

Ped.

What, backward and forward Gomez? dost thou hunt
counter?

Alph.

Had this Colonel any former Design upon your Wife?
for, if that be prov'd, you shall have Justice.

Gom.
(Aside.)

Now I dare speak; let him look as dreadfully
as he will. I say, Sir, and I will prove it, that he had a leud Design
upon her Body, and attempted to corrupt her Honesty.

[Lor. lifts up his Fist clench'd at him.

I confess my Wife was as willing—as himself; and, I believe,
'twas she corrupted him: for I have known him formerly a very
civil and modest person.

Elvi.

You see, Sir, he contradicts himself at every word: he's
plainly mad.

Alph.

Speak boldly man! and say what thou wilt stand by:
did he strike thee?

Gom.

I will speak boldly: He struck me on the Face before
my own threshold, that the very walls cry'd shame on him.

[Lor. holds up again.

'Tis true, I gave him Provocation, for the man's as peaceable a
Gentleman as any is in all Spain.

Dom.

Now the Truth comes out in spight of him.

Ped.

I believe the Fryar has bewitch'd him.

Alph.

For my part, I see no wrong that has been offer'd him.

Gom.

How? no wrong? why, he ravish'd me with the help of
two Souldiers, carried me away vi & armis, and would have put
me into a Plot against the Government.

[Lor. holds up again.

I confess, I never could endure the Government, because it was
Tyrannical: but my Sides and Shoulders are Black and Blew, as
I can strip, and shew the Marks of 'em.

[Lor. again.

But that might happen too by a Fall that I got yesterday upon
the Pebbles.

[All laugh.
Dom.

Fresh Straw, and a dark Chamber: a most manifest Judgment,
there never comes better of railing against the Church.

Gom.

Why, what will you have me say? I think you'll make
me mad: Truth has been at my Tongue's end this half hour,
and I have not power to bring it out for fear of this bloudy minded
Colonel.

Alph.

What Colonel?

Gom.

Why, my Colonel: I mean, my Wife's Colonel that appears
there to me like my malus genius, and terrifies me.

Alph.
(Turning.)

Now you are mad indeed, Gomez; this is my
Son Lorenzo.

Gom.

How! your Son Lorenzo! it is impossible.

Alph.

As true as your Wife Elvira is my Daughter.

Lor.

What, have I taken all this pains about a Sister?

Gom.

No, you have taken some about me: I am sure, if you
are her Brother, my Sides can shew the Tokens of our Alliance.

Alph.
to Lor.

You know I put your Sister into a Nunnery, with
a strict Command, not to see you, for fear you should have
wrought upon her to have taken the Habit, which was never my
Intention; and consequently, I married her without your knowledge,
that it might not be in your power to prevent it.

Elvi.

You see, Brother, I had a natural affection to you.

Lor.

What a delicious Harlot have I lost! Now, Pox upon me,
for being so near akin to thee.

Elvi.

However, we are both beholding to Fryar Dominit, the
Church is an indulgent Mother, she never fails to doe her part.

Dom.

Heaven! what will become of me?

Gom.

Why, you are not like to trouble Heaven; those fat Guts
were never made for mounting.

Lor.

I shall make bold to disburthen him of my hundred Pistols,
to make him the lighter for his Journey: Indeed, 'tis partly
out of Conscience, that I may not be accessary to his breaking his
Vow of Poverty.

Alphon.

I have no secular Power to reward the Pains you have
taken with my Daughter: But I shall do't by Proxy, Fryar, your
Bishop's my Friend, and is too honest to let such as you infect a
Cloister.

Gom.

Ay, doe Father-in-law, let him be stript of his Habit, and
dis-order'd—I would fain see him walk in Quirpo, like a ca'sd
Rabbit, without his holy Fur upon his Back, that the World may
once behold the inside of a Fryar.

Dom.

Farwell, kind Gentlemen: I give you all my Blessing before
I go—

May your Sisters, Wives, and Daughters, be so naturally lewd,
that they may have no occasion for a Devil to tempt, or a Fryar
to pimp for 'em.

[Exit, with a Rabble pushing him.
Enter Torrismond, Leonora, Bertran, Raymond, Teresa, &c.
Tor.
He lives! he lives! my Royal Father lives!
Let every one partake the general Joy.
Some Angel with a golden Trumpet sound,
Kind Sancho lives! and let the echoing skies
From Pole to Pole resound, King Sancho lives.
O Bertran, ô! no more my Foe, but, Brother:
One act like this blots out a thousand Crimes.

Bertr.
Bad men, when 'tis their Interest, may doe good:
I must confess, I counsel'd Sancho's Murther;
And urg'd the Queen by specious Arguments:
But still, suspecting that her Love was chang'd,
I spread abroad the Rumour of his Death,
To sound the very Soul of her Designs:
Th'Event you know was answering to my Fears:
She threw the Odium of the Fact on me,
And publickly avow'd her Love to you.

Raym.
Heaven guided all to save the Innocent.

Bert.
I plead no Merit, but a bare Forgiveness.

Tor.
Not onely that, but Favour: Sancho's Life,
Whether by Vertue or Design preserv'd,
Claims all within my power.

Queen.
My Prayers are heard;
And I have nothing farther to desire,
But Sancho's leave to authorize our Marriage.

Tor.
Oh! fear not him! Pity and he are one;
So mercifull a King did never live;
Loth to revenge, and easie to forgive:
But let the bold Conspirator beware,
For Heaven makes Princes its peculiar Care.

[Exeunt omnes.