University of Virginia Library

SCENE IV.

Cimena.
KING.
Oh, Madam,
The date now of your crueltie is out,
Your coldnesse, and your hate no more in season:
Roderigo for my sake has quitted you,
And if he had an interest in your person,
He has now put me in full possession of it.

CIM.
Sir, Roderigo's free and may renounce me,
I have no scepters to bestow upon him,
But yet I think my birth is not so mean,
As to live under his command; A slave
I am not yet, and my affections
Are not to be inclin'd and rule by his,
Since greatnesse is the thing, not love he aymes at,
Let him have his desires, I shan't be jealous
Though love do wound him with more pleasing darts
So that the tyrant which shall end his sufferings,
Do not put me on new, nor that his great
Felicitie be purchast at the rate
Of my lost honour, or my libertie.

RO.
Madam, think better of the man which loves you,
To get you happinesse I quit mine own:
And to obtain the sovereigne power for you,
I make my affection stoop unto my duty,
If when I see a Crown is offerd you,
I should come in, to crosse your better fortune,
I must believe my love did then betray you,
And had relation to my self not you.

CIM.
This Roderigo were a faire pretext,
If both our thoughts were levell'd at one height,
But let not any right that I can plead
Divert your deare ambition, mount upon
A throne, and taste its sweetnesse, as for me
I am so farre from blaming this your change,
You cannot finde more pleasure then I praise,
T'applaud your act; you see sir, I submit
To the same laws your self has made.

IN.
Oh, heavens!
Aside.
How am I faln from all my hopes at once,
He is Roderigo still, and she Cimena.

K.
You are resolv'd then Madam, to continue
In the same cruelty? my love I see
Is uselesse, and my vowes superfluous:
Yet think I am a King, and can command.
What you deny my love, you'l give my power,
And since I can't perswade, I must constrain.

CIM.
Sir since my presence does but move your anger
Suffer me to retire I beseech you.

Exit.
K.
See Roderigo, how my love is answered,
She flies my presence; leaving not so much
As a kinde look behinde her; if by this
She thinks to coole the fire which burns my heart,
She is deceiv'd; for this her suddainnesse
Does not restrain but quicken more my flame,
Tell me was ever King so rudely treated?

RO.
This her judicious and wise retreat,
Being no effect of spight or arrogance,
Should not excite your anger: sir you know
A modest feare keeps subjects in restraint,
When they are neer their King, and in that sex
The dazling lustre of a Princes person,
Strikes more respect into their hearts then love.

K.
Why, was I made a King then? if my quality
Must crosse my dearest wishes, let me be
A subject, any thing, so I have her:
Some kinde fare rob me of my crown and scepter,
And you shall see that I will blesse your rigour,
If in exchange you'le give me but one heart:
Cimena limits my ambition,
On her depends either my life or death,
Then if thou ever hadst a thought to please me,
Roderigo winne Cimena to my love,
Accomplish what thou hast begun, and try
To melt the ice which circles in her heart,
Or if it be a fire, oh turn it this way,
From thee I must expect all my content:

Exit.
RO.
And I from you sir, all my punishment:
Did ever any mischief equall this,
I'me made the confident of my own rivall,
To my self faithlesse, true to him that wrongs me,
My duty and my love run contraries,
One bindes me to obay a wilfull Prince,
Th'other my Mistris, whom my heart adores,
If I obay my love, I get his hate,
And if my dutie, I must lose her love,
But that I may however, since the King
Has power to take her from me when he will:
Then let me serve my King which I have promis'd,
But that Cimena claims as well as he;
On both sides thus engag'd, and thus distracted.
Roderigo, what canst thou resolve to do,
Since with thy love or dutie thou must part
Give him thy life, and let her have thy heart.

Exit.