University of Virginia Library

SCENE IV.

RODERIGO to them.
RODERIGO.
To save the trouble of
Pursuing me, behold I'me here before you,
Glut your selfe with the pleasure of my death.

CIMENA.
What place is this, Elvira? who is this?
Roderigo in my house! before my face!

RODERIGO.
Spare not my bloud, but taste the sweetnesse of
My death, and your revenge, without resistance.

CIMENA.
Aye me!

RODERIGO.
Heare me Cimena.

CIMENA.
I dye.

RODERIGO.
A word

CIMENA.
Away and let me dye.

RODERIGO.
And afterwards
Make me no answer but with this my sword.

CIMENA.
That sword be smear'd with th'bloud of my dead father.

RODERIGO.
My Cimena

CIMENA.
Fye, take away that object
Which to myne eyes upbraids thy crime, and life.

RODERIGO.
Looke on it rather to increase thy hate
T'excite thine anger, and to speed my death.

CIMENA.
'Tis dy'd in my owne bloud.

RODERIGO.
Plunge it in mine,
And make it lose the colour so of thine.

CIMENA.
What cruelty is this, which in one day
Father and daughter both deprives of life,
One by the sword, the other by the sight?
Remove that object of my hate, thy sword,
Thou would'st be heard of her thou mean'st to kill.

RODERIGO.
I doe obey, yet with the same desire
To dye by thee. For from my affection
Never expect a cowardly repentance
Of a good action, the box o'th eare
Thy father gave, dishonor'd mine, thou know'st
How home that touches any man of spirit,
I shar'd in the affront and went to seeke
The Author, having found him I reveng'd
Mine and my fathers honor: wer't to doe
Againe I'de do't, yet thinke not but thy love
Held out against my father, and my selfe,
A combat long enough, and made me doubt
Whether I should displease thee or sit down
By th'injury receav'd. I held my hand
And blam'd my selfe for too much violence:
And without doubt thy beauty had o're sway'd,
Had I not cast in ballance, that a man
Dishonor'd never could be worthy thee,
That she who lov'd me when my fame stood cleare,
Would hate me, stain'd with infamy. 'Tis true,
I did thee an affront, and 'tis as true
I ought to doe it both to save my honor
And merit thee. But having thus acquitted
My father and my selfe, 'tis onely you
That I now come to satisfie, and make
A present of my bloud. I know the thought
Of a slaine father, armes thy hate against mee,
Nor will I rob thee of thy sacrifice
Here, offer to the blood already shed
The blood of him, that glories to have shed it,

CIMENA.
True Roderigo, (though thine enemy)
That thou did'st shun disgrace, I cannot blame thee,
And whatsoever face my griefes put on
I not accuse thee, but my owne misfortune.
I know what honour, after such an out rage,
Demaund's of any brave and generous spirit.
Thou did'st thy duty but in doeing it
Thou t'aught'st me mine. The same regard thou had'st
To vindicate thine owne, and fathers honor
Fall's now on me, and the more t'afflict me
Of thee I must require, what I have lost;
It is thy interest makes me despaire,
Had any other hand, or sad misfortune
Depriv'd me of my father, I had found
My comfort in thy sight, the onely charme
Against my griefes: When by so deare a hand
My teares had beene wip'd off: but now I must
Lose him and thee too, and what's more cruell,
I'me bound my selfe to labour thy destruction,
For never looke from my affection
The least resentment for thy punishment;
For though our love would speak in favour of thee,
Mine honour yet must goe as high as thine;
Thou in my wrong shewd'st thy selfe worthy me,
I in thy death will appeare worthy thee.

RODERIGO.
Never deferre then longer what your honour
Requires of you. It demands my head,
To stay till justice give't you, will delay
As well your glory, as my punishment.
I shall die happy, dying by your hand.

CIMENA.
Away, I'me thy accuser, not thy heads-man,
Is't fit for me to take the head thou offer'st?
'Tis of another that I must obtaine it;
I must pursue thy crime, not punish it.

RODERIGO.
Though love speake to thee in my favour, yet
The brav'ry of thy minde ought to answer mine,
Which trust me (my Cimena) cannot be,
If to revenge thou borrow'st other hands.
For my revenge I us'd none but my owne,
And thou for thine, must use thy hand alone.

CIMENA.
Cruell! to be so obstinate in this,
If without helpe thou did'st revenge thy selfe,
Why do'st thou offer't me? I'le follow thee,
My courage is too great to let thee beare
The least part in my glory, neither shall
Mine, or my fathers honour stoop so low
As to thy love, or thy despaire to owe.

RODERIGO.
Hard point of honour! can I by no way
Obtaine this grace? punish me in the name
Of thy dead father, or our dearest love,
Either do't in revenge, or else in pity.
'Twill to thy lover prove a gentler fate,
To die thus by thy hand, than to live with thy hate.

CIMENA.
Away, I hate thee not.

RODERIGO.
Thou ought'st to hate me.

CIMENA.
I can't.

RODERIGO.
But fear'st thou not the blame and scandall
Which men will raise, when they shall know my crime,
And the continuance of thy love; no, rather
Force 'um to silence, and without more words,
By my death give thy reputation life.

CIMENA.
It will live better, if I let thee live;
I'le ha' the voice of the most blacke mouth'd envie
Admire my glory, and pitty my hard sufferings,
When they shall know, that though I love thy person,
I prosecute thy crime. Goe Rodorigo,
And let the darknesse of the night conceale
Thy parting hence, mine honour cannot runne
A greater hazzard, than if men shall know
That I have kept thee company so long.

RODERIGO.
'Tis death to heart this.

CIMENA.
Away.

RODERIGO.
But what, are you resolv'd to doe.

CIMENA.
Spight of this loving fire which would restraine
That of my anger, I shall doe my best
To have full vengeance for my fathers death,
And yet in spight of this so cruell honor,
My desire is to have my desires crost.

RODERIGO.
O miracle of love!

CIMENA.
But heap'd with griefes.

RODERIGO.
How many teares will these our fathers cost us?

CIMENA.
Who would ha' thought it Roderigo?

RODERIGO.
Cimena would ha' said it?

CIMENA.
That our joyes
Should be so nigh us and so quickly lost.

RODERIGO.
And that so neere the Port a suddaine storme
Should shipwrack all our hopes.

CIMENA.
Goe Roderigo,
And thinke I cannot, dare not, heare thee longer.

RODERIGO.
I goe then to draw out a dying life,
Till thy pursuit shall bring it to an end.

CIMENA.
If I obtaine th'effect, I sadly vow
Not to draw breath one minute after thee,
Adieu, and have a care thou be not seene.