 | The Cid |  |
ACT IV.
SCENE I.
CIMENA. ELVIRA.CIMENA.
But is this true, Elvira? art thou sure on't?
ELVIRA.
How hard it is to beget faith in you,
When every man extoll's the glorious actions
Of this young Heros: The Moores before him
Appear'd, but to their shame. They quickly landed,
But quicker was their flight. Three houres fight
Left to our men a victory intire,
And two Kings prisoners. Their leaders valour
Could meet with nothing durst stand in its way.
And was't Roderigo's hand that did these wonders.
ELVIRA.
The two Kings which he vanquish'd are his prize.
CIMENA.
Whence could'st thou gather this strange news, Elvira?
ELVIRA.
From those who sound his praises up and downe,
The people, who with one voice doe salute him
Their Guardian Angell, saver of their Countrey.
CIMENA.
How does the King looke, upon this his valour?
ELVIRA.
Roderigo dares not yet appeare in Court,
But Don Diego, in the Conquerours name,
Has made a present of these Crowned Captives,
And all he does demand, is, that the King
Would daigne to see the hand that freed his Country.
CIMENA.
But has he got no wound?
ELVIRA.
I know not that.
Why change you colour so? resume your spirits.
CIMENA.
Let me resume my anger, which my love
Has so enfeebled; must my care for him
Make me forget my selfe? peace, peace my love,
And let my anger worke; though he have vanquish'd
Two kings, he has not overcome my duty.
These mourning habits, where I read my miseries,
Are the first fruits his valour did produce,
And though all tongues should speake in his defence
All objects here doe represent his crime.
Veile, Cypres, and these blacks sad memories
Of my dead Father, keepe a little up
Mine honour 'gainst my passion, and when love
I owe a duty to a Father slaine.
ELVIRA.
Be not transported so: The Infanta's here.
SCENE II.
INFANTA. CIMENA. LEONORA. ELVIRA.INFANTA.
I come not here, Cimena, with faint comforts
To plead against thy griefe, but with sad sighs
To mingle with thy teares.
CIMENA.
Nay rather, Madame,
Share in the common joy, and fully taste
The happinesse, kind heaven has sent to you,
I only am design'd for grief; the dangers
From which y'are rescu'd by Roderigo's hand,
And all your safeties purchas'd by his armes.
To me alone bequeath these teares and sighs,
'Tis he has sav'd the Citty, serv'd his King,
And onely ruin'd me.
INFANTA.
'Tis true, Cimena,
He has done wonders.
Yes the unwelcome newes,
Has pierc'd my eares already, I can heare
How the voyce goes, and that hee's fam'd no lesse
A valiant Souldier, than a lucklesse lover.
INFANTA.
How comes this newes to be unwelcome to you?
Was not the man they prais'd your servant once?
And had not he your heart? in honouring him
They honour much your choise.
CIMENA.
I needs must say
His honours are but due, and yet to me
Each praise of him, is a new punishment,
For I can't chose but know how great my losse is,
Finding the value of the thing I lose
The more his merit, and my love increases,
The more my duty gets advantage of me,
And spight of my affection puts me on
To prosecute his crime.
INFANTA.
But will you, Madam,
Beleeve the counsell of a faithfull friend.
CIMENA.
Not to obey you were a sin unpardonable.
INFANTA.
Though yesterday pursuing your revenge,
You did so much that all the Court admir'd
Your height of spirit, and bewaild your love;
Yet the same way is not now to be taken.
Roderigo's now the onely hope and stay
Of all Castile. The terrour of the Mores.
His valour has restor'd us what before
It tooke away, in him your father seemes
To live againe, and in a word pursuing
His death, you goe about the publicke ruine,
To give your Country up to its Enemies?
And are we to be punish'd for his fault?
I say not this, that I would have you marry
The man y'are bound to prosecute. I'de rather
You should avoid that envy, and deprive
Him of your love, but not us of his life.
CIMENA.
Ah, Madam, give my spirit its full course,
Though my heart make a faction against me,
Though he be lov'd by the King, ador'd by th'people,
Though he be compass'd with the stoutest Souldiers,
Ile overwhelme his Laurell, with my Cipresse.
INFANTA.
I must confesse, it is a marke of spirit
To prosecute the life you lov'd so dearely,
Yet I should thinke, it were more noble far
To give up to the publick interest
The private ones of bloud. For credit me,
Cimena, 'tis enough, to leave to love him:
Banish him from your heart and he will find
A heavy punishment. Your Countries good
Requires this, besides you must not thinke
The King should grant you your request.
CIMENA.
He may.
Refuse me if he please, but I must speake.
INFANTA.
Consider well, Cimena, what it is
You goe about, and thinke of it at leasure.
SCENE III.
KING. D. DIEGO. D. ARIAS. D. RODERIGO.KING.
Thou brave descendent of a noble race,
Who have been still supporters of my kingdome,
(Who's valour the first proofe of thine has equall'd)
My power is too narrow for thy merit.
To free thy Country of so rude a foe
As are the Moores, before my selfe could give
Order for their repulse, is such an act
As flies beyond all thought of recompence.
But the two captiv'd Kings which thou hast taken,
Shall give thee thy reward, they both have nam'd thee
Their CID before me; which in their tongue founds
As much as Lord in ours, and this faire title
I will not envy thee; from henceforth be
Their CID, that at thy name the Moores may tremble.
And that my Subjects hearing it may know
Thy value, and how much to thee I owe.
RODERIGO.
Let not your Majesty confound your servant
With too much shame, to set so high a prise
Upon so poore a service. I must blush
To see such honour done so slender merit.
The bloud I live by, and the aire I breath;
And when I lose 'um for so faire an object,
I doe, Sir, but the duty of a Subject.
KING.
Few of those whom their duty binds to serve me,
Can so acquit themselves, as thou hast done,
Suffer then thy just praises, and at full
Relate the story of thy Victory.
RODERIGO.
Sir, you have heard how in this urgent danger,
Which put the City in so great a tumult,
A company of my friends met at my fathers,
Mov'd me to goe upon this enterprize,
But I crave pardon of your Majesty:
For daring to imploy 'um without leave,
The danger was at hand, So were my friends;
The hazard of my head, made me I durst not
Appeare at Court, and I had rather lose
My life in the defence of the whole State,
Than give it up unto Cimena's plaints.
KING.
I must excuse the heat of thy revenge,
The State defended speakes in thy defence,
Henceforth Cimena moves me but in vaine,
Whom if I heare 'tis but to give her comfort;
But on with your relation.
RODERIGO.
Under me
This troop advanc'd with such a confidence,
And so good order, that where ere they pass'd
They diffus'd courage through the lookers on,
We number'd but five hundred, ere we reacht
The Port, we were increas'd into three thousand,
Two thirds of these when I ariv'd, I hid
Ith'bottom of our ships, which there I found,
The rest, whose number every houre increas'd,
Lay close to the ground, and in deep silence past
The greatest part of that faire night away.
To th'guard I gave commaund to doe the like,
Affirming stoutly that I had your order,
For what I did. At length the glimmering star light
Made us discover thirty saile comming up
With a full tide, for the swolne Sea at once
Powr'd both it selfe, and them into our Haven,
We let 'um passe discovering none of us
Ith'haven, or the wals, and this our silence
Made them so confident of our surprise,
That presently they landed, fiercely running
To meet the ruine which awaited them.
Then rose we up, having receiv'd the signall
From those within our ships;
Who starting up in armes, did so confound
The Moores, that they were frighted ere halfe landed.
They came to pillage, but they met with War
At Sea and Land, we bore 'um down before us,
Many we slew ith'place before they could
Fall into ranke or make the least resistance,
When sudainly in spight of our endeavours,
Their Princes rally'd their dispersed troops,
And from a shame they felt, to dye so tamely,
They tooke new courage, and restor'd their ranks,
With their swords drawne, making their fight on foot,
Then fell the bravest of our Souldiers
Mixt with their Captains, the land, the water,
Their Fleet, our Haven, seem'd a feild of slaughter
Where death did onely triumph; blood, and darknesse
Who fought thus in the darke, had they been seene.
I, on all sides encourag'd our own men;
Some I made fall upon the foe, and others
I kept from falling from us, those that came
I rang'd in order, put 'urs on the places
Which they were to make good; but what was done
We had no meanes to know, 'till the first light
Shew'd us our victory, and their losse.
They seeing a new supply come to our aide,
Fled now more fiercely, than before they fought.
They got into their ships, and cut their cables,
Disorderly retreating, and not minding
Whether their Kings retir'd or stay'd behind,
Feare more prevailing, made them lose their duty.
They came in with the flood, and with the ebb.
They went away. In the meane time their Kings,
And some few of their men ingag'd amongst us,
Sold their lives deare enough; I bid'um yeeld,
But while they had a Sword to fight, they would not,
Till seeing their Souldiers fall about their feet
And that alone they must defend themselves,
They ask'd who was our leader, I was nam'd,
They yeild themselves to me. So was this Battaile
Ended for want of men to fight it out.
And thus, Sir, when we are about your service
To them D. ALONSO.
D. ALONSO.
Sir, here's Cimena come to aske you justice.
KING.
What shall I doe? I would not have her see thee,
But ere thou leav'st the Court, returne againe
Unto thy Kings embraces.
D. DIEGO.
'Tis strange, she should
Pursue the man thus, whom she faine would save.
KING.
I'me told she is in love with him. I'le try,
Cimena ent.
Make shew as you were sad. At length Cimena,
Content your self, for your desires have met
With their successe. Though Roderigo's valour
Ha'got the better of the Moores. Himselfe
Has perish'd with the wounds he there receiv'd,
Give thankes to heaven that has given you vengeance;
Her colour's chang'd already.
D. DIEGO.
But, Sir, marke
Her swoundings, and by them how she betrayes
The secrets of her Soule, surely she loves him.
CIMENA.
Is Roderigo dead then?
KING.
No, no, he lives,
And still remaines thy true, and constant lover,
Thou shalt enjoy him, take thy mirth againe.
CIMENA.
Sir, we as often faint with joy as sadnesse,
And when excesse of that surprizes us,
It soone confounds our senses.
KING.
Thou would'st faine
Beleeve impossibles; but here thy sadnesse
Has shew'd it selfe too plain.
CIMENA.
Well, Sir, you may
Adde this too, if you please, to my misfortunes,
And call my swoundings the effects of griefe,
I must confesse. I grieved to see my selfe
Rob'd of the life I sue for. If he dye
Of wounds he has receiv'd for's Countries good,
My vengeance is lost, and my designes betray'd,
I aske his death, but not a glorious one;
I would not have him dye ith'bed of honour,
But on a Scaffold, that his name may rot,
And his memoriall perish, 'Tis no shame
To say I love his victory, by it
He has assur'd the State, and render'd me
A noble sacrifice, in stead of Flowers
Crown'd with victorious baies, and such a one,
As I'de have offer'd to my Fathers ghost.
But why, alas, am I transported so?
Roderigo needs not feare what I can doe.
What can a Virgins teares despis'd and scorn'd.
Your Kingdome is to him a place of free
Security, and he shall triumph over me
As 'ore his enemies, the bloud oth'Moores
Shall choake up justice here, which must be made
A Trophee to the Victors crimes; Whilest I
Amongst the rest, adorne his victory.
KING.
Sweet heart y'are too much hurri'd with your passions.
We, when we render Justice use to cast
Each thing in ballance, Roderigo kill'd
Thy Father, but he gave the first offence.
To the first injur'd. But before thou accuse him,
Aske counsaile of thy heart. Of which hee's master.
I'me sure thy love, secretly thankes thy King,
Whose favour keepes so brave a Lover for thee.
CIMENA.
For me! my Enemy the Author of
My miseries, the murderer of my father.
Is my just suite so slighted that I'me thought
To be oblig'd because I am not heard?
Sir, since my teares cannot obtaine it of you,
Let the sword, I beseech you, give me justice
By that I'me injur'd and by that I crave
To be reveng'd. Of all your Cavaliers
I aske his head, to him that brings it me,
As to the Conquerour I give my selfe,
The Combat ended, he shall be my husband,
This, I beseech your Majesty may be publish'd
By your authority.
KING.
This Countries custome,
More ancient than good, under the colour
Of punishing unjust attempts, has rob'd
The state of its best Souldiers, and often
The successe does not answer the intent,
The guilty scape, and kill the innocent;
I must dispense with Roderigo's bloud,
It is more pretious to me, than so slightly
To be expos'd to hazard, though his spirit
Forc'd him to doe an outrage, yet in freeing
His Country from the Moores, h'has freed himselfe.
D. DIEGO.
How, Sir, for him must you reverse your lawes,
The people, or the tongue of envy say,
Hearing he lives by your protection?
And that it only serves him for a colour
To hide his cowardise. These are favors, Sir,
Which bring dishonor, with'um to the takers,
The Count durst doe a wrong, my Sonne durst punish,
Let him maintaine the honour hee has won.
KING.
Since you will have it so, let it be done,
But if Roderigo be expos'd to all
That will come in to fight for such a prize
He must be sure to want no enemies.
I will have onely one t'incounter him.
Choose whom you will, Cimena, and choose wisely,
But after this, urge me to nothing farther.
D. SANCHO.
An't please your Majesty to let the lists
Be opened, I shall be th'undertaker;
Madam, you know your promise, I beseech you
Let me obtaine the grace to be your Champion.
KING.
What say you, Cimena, shall he be the Man?
CIMENA.
Sir, I have promised him.
KING.
Be ready than to morrow.
D. DIEGO.
Defer it not so long, Sir;
A man of courage is at all times ready.
Shall he no sooner be returned from one,
But he must enter on another fight?
D. DIEGO.
He has tane breath, Sir, in recounting it.
KING.
How ere, an houre or two let him repose,
But lest I should be thought to countenance
Proceedings of this bloudy nature, neither
My selfe nor any of my Court shall see it perform'd,
Doe you looke to it, and take care that both
Present themselves, as befits men of armes,
The Combat done, bring me the Conquerour,
I meane my selfe to give him to Cimena.
CIMENA.
That were t'impose too hard a law upon me.
KING.
Thy love dares not a vow this thy complaint,
If Roderigo conquer, thou must have him,
Never dispute my sentence or repine,
Who ere is Victor, I will make him thine.
| The Cid | |