University of Virginia Library

ACT. V.

Enter Mendoza, and the Castellano.
Me.
A very goodly pile; a hansom prison!

Ca.
It has been grac'd with persons of some honor.

Me.
They had but little grace, as well as I,
That came to be your Tenants for all that.
Signior, where is my quondam servant?
My fellow prisoner, Pedro.

Ca.
He is singing, Sir.

Me.
What?

Ca.
Catches.

Me.
He has a fine time on't.
He need not clear his throat for a confession,
He has done that already, and I too;
That trouble's over; and yet call him hither;
But I'll not sing. Poor Julio, thou art gone,
And with thy eyes all my delights are clos'd,
My senses vanish too apace—I was
Too hasty when my Dutchess lay a dying
To visit her; had I but stayd one hour,
She had been speechless, and I had been happy
Without the reach of this unlucky Secret.

Enter Castellano and Pedro.
Pe.
Does the house fill, Sir? these are active times,
And if all men had their deserts, the State
Must be at charge to build new tenements
For Traytors.

Ca.
The times are busie, Sir.

Pe.
They are indeed,
Good for al squires of the delinquent body
And sable Twig.

Ca.
You are very pleasant, Sir.

Pe.
You would not smile, I think, so much, if Justice
Should take a toy and turn about, it is
Within the hand of fate to fetch a compass,
With your own rod, & whip, you know what follows.

Me.
Is this a time and place convenient, Pedro,
To sing your catches?

Ex. Cast.
Pe.
Yes, and please your Grace.
And cause my songs are set for three parts, Sir,
If it will please your Grace to take the Tenor,
And get the Prince's Page, newly committed,
To sing the Treble, for the Base, let me alone.

Me.
You can sing that part at first sight.

Pe.
I can reach double ef-fa-uth: Shall the boy come?

Me.
Yes, yes, why should I grieve?

Pe.
Why now you are right;
Let men that have no hope to get their freedom
Be sullen, whine like whelps, and break thelr sleep,
We must be jolly, and drink sack, and sing.

Me.
We? why we? is any thing in our condition
Can promise hope to be enlarg'd before
The rest? our state, if you consider, Pedro,
Exceeds, in being desperate, other mens,
As we out-sin them in the fact.

Pe.
Why, there's your error, we are in for Treason, Sir,
That's to our comfort.

Me.
Comfort? can there be
A greater charge?

Pe.
Oh our discharge the nearer;
Poor things, whose highest thoughts are pilfering,
Lye by't, and languish Sessions after Sessions,
Till they have worn away their clothes, and skins too,
And often are repriev'd, when he that's sent
Hitherfor Treason, quickly comes to th'bar,
Pleads his not guilty, and is hang'd compendiously.

Me.
Yet some, with reverence to your observations,
Are not dispatcht.

Pe.
Then, doubt their causes mainly;
Your Grace, I hope, shall not complain for want
Of timely execution; I am thinking
What Speech is best to please the people at it.

Me.
I shall have cause to name your treachery.

Pe.
Why so, there's more argument by that
To stuff out your confession.

Me.
Tell me, and tell me truly,
How long since you discover'd this Court Secret
To Don Piracquo?

Pe.
I was tender hearted, Sir,
And knew that I had but a weak memory,
Therefore the first time that I saw his Lordship,
After he came from Portugal, I told him
The punctual story, lest I should forget, Sir;
What should a man dissemble, & lose time for?
I did it for your good.

Me.
It does appear.

Pe.
It was no fault of mine, you came no sooner
To this preferment.

Me.
It might have sav'd my Julio's life indeed,
And then though I had dyed—

Pe.
Yet you were against it still;
These jealousies and fears do seldom prosper;
I knew by instinct t'were better, but as it is
'Tis well, your death will be more pittied,
And remarkable.

Me.
But what have you got by betraying me?

Pe.
The credit to be hang'd for treason, as
I told your Grace, besides the benefit
Of being read in Chronicles with Lords,
And men of worship, I have prepar'd a business,
For the present, a provision, Sir,
Will serve any turn.

Me.
What's that?

Pe.
A ballad, Sir,
Before I dye, to let the people know
How I behav'd my self upon the scaffold;
With other passages, that will delight
The people, when I take my leave of the world,
Made to a Pavin tune,
Will you hear it?

Enter Castell. and Clara.
Me.
Away you knave.

Cast.
Sir, your Daughter.

Pe.
She comes to condole.
I'll see you another time; your Graces servant.

Ex.
Cl.
Sir, I beseech you tell me; for I dare not
Believe the busie noise, they say you have
Confest strange things, and he that was receiv'd
These many years, Prince Carlo, and so lately
Slain, is my brother Julio.

Me.
Sad truth, Clara.

Cl.
I have heard my Mother say, he dyed an infant.

Me.
And I believ'd it too, but at her death
She told me another story, Clara, that
Prince Carlo by some Pirats had been stoln
An infant from our Castle, on which loss,
She sent me word to Court, my son dyed suddenly;
At which the King fearing some danger might
Follow to the Prince her charge, commanded him
To court, instead of whom, she sent thy brother,
Who was believ'd the Kingdoms heir, untill
Pedro, who waited then nearest thy Mother,
And knew the imposture, brake his oath, and told
Piracquo all the Secret, by whose charge
My death and shame must make up the full Tragedy.

Cla.
Manuel kill'd my brother then?

Me.
He has don't;
And if thou hast a Sister's soul, thou must
Joyn with thy father, to pull curses on him.

Cl.
That wil not call poor Julio back again;
They say that Charity will open Heaven.

Me.
Charity? will you not curse your brother's murderer?
Upon my blessing I command thee curse him.

Cl.
That would but wound us more, & not reach him;
Beside, 'twere an intrenchment upon heaven,
So boldly to prescribe our own revenge,
It were a sin might draw another punishment,
Great as the loss of you.

Me.
You are a baggage;
But if thou hast a thought to wish him live,
Here I disclame thee; if thou wert a son,
I would pronounce thee bastard, if thou didst not
Kill himself thy self, but as it is, I sha'not
Be satisfied, since my own hands are bound,
If thou attempt not something in his danger.

Cl.
Good Sir, you speak, as you were to expect
No killing sentence from the offended Law.

Me.
I'll study some revenge my self.

Exit.
Cl.
He's lost;
And in this storm like a distracted passenger,
Whose bark has struck upon some sand, I look
From the forsaken deck upon the seas,
I find my own despair, which every wave
Swels high, and bids me die for fear of drowning.
Enter Castellano.
May I not see Don Manuel your prisoner?

Ca.
Yes Madam, if you expect untill
Princess Maria, who is come to visit him—

Cl.
My affairs concern 'em both,
Direct me with more hast.

Ca.
Then this way, Madam.

Exe.
Enter Manuel and Maria, (a Taper on the Table.)
Ma.
Madam, I ow to your charity this light,
And yet this little Taper may be useless,
I fear the King will lose part of his sentence
When you go hence, for such a full light waits
About you, when you take away your person,
It will be some day still, as I foresee
As you appear'd some dawning of the morning.

Ma.
I would I could bring comfort to thee, Manuel.

Man.
What comfort can you wish me?

Ma.
Life and liberty;
With these my self, if fate, and thy consent
Were to allow the gift.

Man.
It is not well,
Unless you doubted, Madam, my repentance,
To afflict me with these mockeries.
When will you rather perfect what your own
Revenge must prompt you to, my death for Carlo,
Your Princely Brother, Madam? I confess
This hand rob'd him of life.

Ma.
Yet in my heart
I dare pronounce thy pardon, Manuel.

Man.
It is not possible.
Enter Clara.
Is not that Clara?
That's come to take her leave, before I print
My everlasting farewell on her lip?
Which I shall hardly find, if this rain last,
To drown these lovely meadows; thou shalt be
A Judge between the Princess and poor Manuel,
To enable thee for sentence, take upon thee
Her person, Clara; Be the Princess, wo't?
And hear me plead against my self and her,
Till she repent her love, and leave me to
A quiet death. I know not how to think
(Maria) you can mean this love to me,
Or that your voice, when it does chime the sweetest,
Is more than preface to my dirge; say that
You have a heart less penetrable than
The scale of Dragons, and as many stings
When they make war, and I'll give faith to you;
For such an enemie as I, must not
Be look'd on, but with all your wrath upon me;
Me-thinks I hear your brother call you, Madam,
And hovering, as he scorn'd to touch the earth
Sustains his Murderer, is pointing to
The wounds I made, whose fountains are still weeping.
I feel a purple dew descend upon me,
And I am all a bloody rock allready;
Are not you stiff with wonder yet? if once
You had when I appear'd a man, fair thoughts
Of me; it is too much to love me now,
You must convert them into curses, Madam,
And I will call it justice.

Cla.
I came not
To hear this Comment on my brother's story,
Whom you have kill'd.

Man.
Observe her act your person,
And speak now, as if the sorrow were her own,
And she had lost a brother.

Cl.
Indeed,
I have wept before, and came not now to learn
A grief for him that was so near my blood:
But I've consider'd too, the ties of nature
Should have no force against the rules of Justice;
Allthough it be a sorrow, to remember
He took his great misfortune from your sword,
You did not murder him, nay you did not kill him,
You fought in his revenge, and while he came
Hid in the name and person of a Traytor,
It was your virtue made him bleed, and yet
He was my brother, Sir.

Man.
Your brother? more,
He was your Prince too, Madam, think o'that,
The full blown expectation of the Kingdom,
One that redeem'd my life from banishment,
And yet I kill'd him, can you forgive me?
You cannot, must not, Madam.

Cla.
Yes, and dare
Say, I still love you.

Man.
She will punish me,
For giving up my interest to Carlo,
If she encourage thus Maria, Madam,
Do you consider how few sands are left
In my poor glass of time, I cannot promise
Three minutes here, Law and the Kings decree
Have turn'd two parts of me to dust allready;
I feel the third unsettle, and make fit
To be dissolv'd, but could fate give my life
The period to be wished (remember whom
I speak to Clara) and I need no more
Accuse my self, my heart was long since given
Away, and you as soon may reconcile
Time and Eternity to one growth, and age,
As hope my love and yours should ever meet.

Cla.
Then it is time to dye.

Man.
Madam, she faints,
Oh help, she has forgot her part, this was
Not meant to Clara.

Mar.
Madam, Madam.

Man.
Clara, so, so, she returns,
I should have quickly followed else.

Mar.
I see
Your loves are sacred, and 'tis sin to attempt
Your separation; though I lov'd thee Manuel,
I can resign to Clara, whom I hop'd
Her Brothers death might have provok'd to leave thee.

Man.
Her Brothers? let me hear Clara speak; her Brothers death?
Having so little time to stay with thee
Alive, why didst thou make such hast?

Cla.
Did not
You Sir pronounce it was impossible
That our two loves should meet?

Man.
Thou didst not
Represent Clara then, thou wert the Princess.

Cla.
I know not, but your last profession
That our two hearts should never grow together,
Followed so close my Brother's death, I thought
The meaning look'd on me.

Man.
Thy Brothers death?

Mar.
You have not slain the Prince my Brother, Manuel,
But Clara's, this may yet appear a mystery.

Cla.
'Tis too true.

Man.
But stay; and can my Clara then forgive me?
No man despair to find Mercy in Heaven,
There is so great a Charity upon Earth.
But doe not leave me lost i'th' wonder, Madam,
Allthough it would be happiness to know
The Prince not dead, I cannot hear without
A wound next his, that I ha' kil'd thy Brother;
It cannot be, allthough thou wouldst forgive me,
I cannot be so miserable.

Mar.
How
Their Souls agree? 'twere tyranny to part 'em.
Clara, I envyed, now allow thy happiness,
And will have no more thoughts upon your loves,
But what shall be employ'd in hearty wishes
That Manuel may live still to reward it;
Thou hast deserv'd him better than I have
Antonio.

Cla.
If my death may speak
Addition to the love I owe thee; 'tis
In my resolution, at that minute
Thy Soul takes leave, my own shall wait upon it,
And take a journey through the Clouds together:
Who knows but they may fill one Star? Farewell,
Till we begin that progress.

Man.
Doe not make
Death horrid to me Clara, for to think,
When this unworthy Frame must fall to pieces,
Thy Soul, a fairer Tenant to this building,
Should wander in persuit of mine—

Mar.
No more;
Let me advise your griefs, I have tears for both,
Divide at distance, you may kiss in heart.

Man.
With such a groan souls from their bodie part

The Castellano lights away the Ladies, and Manuell retires to his Prison.
Enter Roderigo and Isabella.
Isa.
How, an Impostor! though the Peoples tongues,
That catch at every noise, and wave their duty,
As they are prescrib'd by Faction, or lewd Pamphlets,
Doe talk this loud—

Rod.
Upon my honour, Madam.

Isa.
I hope your Lordship has another knowledge,
And faith, than to disgrace your bloud, the Prince—

Ro.
I say he is no Prince, and we are sorry
A Lady of your greatness should i'th' height
Of such a glorious expectation, lose
What did invite your person hither.

Isa.
Ha!
Then I am lost, that Letter has undone me,
Which full of love and satisfaction, made
Me hasty to destroy my self.

Ro.
'Tis yet
Within your choice to lose no honour, Madam,
And in my sense of what you else might suffer,
I come to tender reparation,
Both to your love and greatness.

Isa.
'Tis not possible.

Ro.
If you can find within your heart a will
To entertain my love, I'm no Impostor,
The King will call me Brother, be kind Madam,
And what is past shall vanish like a dream.
Secure me with a smile.

Isa.
My Lord, I thank you;
But there will still remain some characters
By which the world may guess at my sad story.

Ro.
There cannot.

Isa.
Yes, I find some printed here,
For I did love the person, I confess,
Of him you call the Impostor: did he know
Himself a Counterfeit?

Ro.
Let me be just,
And quit him from that Treason.

Isa.
That is something
To plead his innocence to me; I dare not
Yet ask his name, when I remember what
My tongue consented to before the Priest
So late; yet 'twill be known; if he be not
The Prince we thought, tel me his other name;
Say, is he basely born?

Ro.
He is the Duke
Mendoza's son.

Isa.
That is a comfort yet,
And in the confidence of this truth, my Lord,
I am well again, I thank you.

Ro.
If this please you,
Doe you remember Madam, he hath wounds
Fatall upon him, that allready may
Exclude him from the living?

Isa.
'Twould be impious,
While there is any life remaining Sir,
To make another promise; when you say
He's dead, I may with modest freedom hear
What you too early now prepare me for.
Exit Isa.

Ro.
You honour me enough.
I find her judgement
Allready meet what I propound, he cannot,
He sha'not live to cross me.
Enter Piracquo.
'Tis Piracquo,
He can assure me; you look sad my Lord,
As if with Julio's giving up the ghost,
Your sons life now were forfeit.

Pir.
'Tis too true.

Ro.
I'll follow, and acquaint her; yet 'tis safer
She take it from another.

Pir.
All my hopes
Are in your Grace, the King is coming hither,
If you will bind an old mans prayers, and service,
Second my feeble breath, and mediate
His mercy to my boy, you may be satisfied
In conscience, he had no thoughts to kill him;
The Prince's death will not engage you now
To be poor Manuel's enemy; good my Lord,
Forgive what past in my rash language.

Ro.
Does not
Your Lordship call to mind there was a sum
Of fifty thousand Ducats?

Pi.
They shall be sent to your Grace's Secretary, nay,
I'll make 'em fifty thousand more, and think
It cheap to save his life, now you are mercifull—

Ro.
The bargain would doe well, but you are cozen'd,
I will not take a Maravide, not I,
If upon other honourable tearms
I may possess you favour, I shall meet
Your just commands; ha' you forgot my Lord?
Some men doe keep Records, but I am charitable,
And will not rack your patience—

Pi.
Y'are gratious.

Ro.
Ten millions of Ducats shall not ransome
Your Darling from the Scaffold: you observe?
You know your self, your fortune, and upon
What strength you must depend, now I have said—

Pi.
Will your Grace hear?
My son shall live then, and not lose one hair,
If you would pawn your soul to have it otherwise.
I have said too.

Ro.
So peremptory?

Pi.
Your Grace must pardon me the truth, I have
A scurvy sullen humour where I meet
A worse, and cannot hold, though I should hang for't,
And so God bu'y to your Grace, we are alone—

Ro.
Be merry with your head on—time may come—

Pi.
I would take boldness, once more, to intreat
That the young man may live till the next Spring,
And then your Grace may purge—

Ro.
So Sir,
I shall find waies to stay your vomiting—
The King.

Enter King and Lords.
1. Lo.
Good Sir be comforted.

Ki.
Good Sir give me reasons;
I had a son till now, yet long since lost him.

Ro.
Now you may take revenge.

Ki.
Tis well remembred.
Mendoza is the Traytor, he shall bleed
For Carlo's loss.

Ro.
And he deserves, that would
Have cozen'd the whole Kingdom.

Ki.
Send for him;
I'll ask him in what wilderness the boy
Has hid himself, command him hither presently,
And if he give me not a satisfaction,
It will be justice then to send his soul
About the world, to find him out.

1. Lo.
The Prince Antonio, Sir.

Enter Antonio and Maria.
An.
If at a time, when sorrow
Hath exercised his sting, you can admit
To hear me happy in Maria's love,
Let me begin to call you father, and
Till Carlo find your blessing, think you have
One to supply his duty.

Ki.
It is some
Allay to Carlo's loss, Maria has
Not left her father.

Ma.
I shall ever live
Within your precept to express a daughter
As unto him a wife.

Ki.
Both to my heart!
Sit down, where is your sister Isabella?

Ro.
She not despairs
To be a Bride to one, that may repair
My Nephews loss; and if she smile on me,
It wil not draw I hope your frown upon it.

Enter Isabella, Julio, Piracquo.
An.
Is not that Isabella?

Isa.
And this he,
Who, if you call me Sister, must be worth
Your noblest Friendship, and embrace.

Ro.
Alive?

Ju.
Your pardon Sir, they knew me innocent,
Made me usurp Prince Carlo's name for Julio's.

Ro.
Confusion!

Enter Manuel and Clara.
Pi.
I appeal Sir to your justice, and have brought
My son, to hear your breath pronounce his pardon.

Ki.
Thus all meet happiness but I; receive
Him free Piracquo, onely I must mourn
The loss of mine.

Enter Mendoza and Pedro.
Ju.
I am no Prince, Don Manuel, my fate
Has been unriddled.

Cla.
My Brother living? we are all safe.

Me.
Ha! my Julio?

Ju.
Your blessing now.

Me.
Take it, and with it all my tears, I scorn
To shed one other drop, my joyes are mighty,
My heart is all one bonefire—

Ki.
Plead no more,
Mendoza dies, the sentence is irrevocable.

Pe.
There is a cooler Sir after your bonefire.

Ju.
Sister, I'll kiss these sorrows off.

Cl.
You cannot while my Father's doom'd to death.

Ro.
Why does Mendoza live?

Pi.
Because he must not dye yet. Pedro—

Pe.
My Lord.

[Pi. and Pe. whisper with the King.
Men.
I'll give thee Clara first, here take her Manuel,
I see she loves thee, lose no tears for me,
My Taper has burnt dim this many years.

Ki.
Antonio! Maria! Isabella!
Mendoza! witness all—proceed Piracquo—

Pi.
I was that Pirat Sir, that stole your son,
And being desperate meant by this surprise
To make my peace—

Pe.
I was in the Confederacy,
And must affirm this truth.

Pi.
But just when I had fitted my design,
And did expect t'have brought Don Carlo home,
I heard he was at Court, no loss deplor'd,
For by the Dutchess of Mendoza's art
Julio supply'd the Princes name, and person.

Me.
And sent me word to Court my Son was dead? ha!

Pi.
This made me think my Kinsman had deceiv'd me,
And then resolv'd my stay in Portugal,
Where, as my own, I bred, and call'd him Manuel;
Till after many years your Grace redeem'd us,
And I at my return confirm'd i'th' story
By Pedro, hitherto protracted time,
With hope to serve Don Julio for our freedome.
I have your pardon Sir for all.

Ki.
Thou hast.

Pe.
I am included, trust me with a Secret Sir
Another time, I knew 'twould come to this
At last, and with some justice did but punish
Your fears and jealousies; is not this better
Than sending me to the Wars, or shipping me
For t'other World before my time?

Me.
Th'art my best Servant.

Pi.
And my heir agen.

Car.
Depose me from this glorious title, Sir,
Unless my Clara may divide the honor.

Ki.
Providence meant her thine, both call me father.

Ro.
There is no remedy, Nephew, welcom home,
And Neece, we shall be kindred now Mendoza,
Piracquo we are friends too, and I'll try,
How I can love you heartily.

Ki.
I hear
The Altar call, make hast, the triumph will
Attend too long, the clouds are chac'd away,
Night ne'r was mother to so bright a day.

Exeunt omnes.