 | The Second Part of The Cid |  |
Act V.
Scene I.
Roderigo, Cimena.CIM.
Th' Infanta's lodgings are that way.
RO.
Madam.
CIM.
You are mistaken, sir, I am Cimena,
He that courts titles must forget a name
That sounds not Princesse, nor would I divert
The full stream of your hopes: here lies my way.
RO.
Madam, Cimena, stay and heare.
My ruine.
RO.
One word.
CIM.
Pray let me go.
RO.
The last I mean
To speak to any of your sex: what rigor
Is this you use, did ever any yet
Refuse to be a witnesse to a Will?
CIM.
Was ever any cruelty like this?
Ah Roderigo, is it not enough,
First to betray me to your love, and then
Leave me, unlesse to shake my resolution:
You set upon me with new batterie,
I cannot heare and live.
RO.
I do not come
To urge ought in my own behalf, my dutie
And promise made to him, who may command me,
Forces this from me, can you love the King?
CIM.
Can you be Roderigo, and demand it.
RO.
I have no more to say then, but to take
My last farewell, perhaps when I'me remov'd
Your dutie or ambition will perswade
What from your servant is not credited,
And when by this your obstinacie (as sure
It must fall out so) my poore life grows forfeit,
You will too late repent the losse of both.
A lover and a Crown.
CIM.
Tis vainly urg'd.
Renounces me? a Crown I never had,
And if I never seek it, as I shall not,
Where is my losse? but rather where's thy courage
Ah Roderigo must the feare of death
Only come in to make some small pretence
For leaving me, you did not use to be
Frighted at such a name.
RO.
Nor must you think
That I am now, yet would I live to see
Cimena in that lustre with her vertues
Ever design'd her to, for me I think
Nothing can adde unto my present state
More happinesse then to have been the ground
Where on my Mistris would erect her glory.
CIM.
And can you think Cimena will go lesse,
While you discourse thus, you but teach my duty,
The honour of our love must not be yours
More then mine own, I have as great a share
In it as you, and should it come to suffering
I can as well expect to see you great
As my self miserable; which must be so
If fortune once divide us.
RO.
Can our faith
Be so rewarded? heavens, where is your justice?
If we must needs be sever'd; why to both
Gave you an equall minde, and thoughts alike?
CIM.
That being parted, we might be more neere,
For they that love alike are always one,
Since but the sight nought can distinguish them.
RO.
These mysteries Cimena, are not strange
Any thing known, or easie, yet me thinks,
We might finde out a way for intercourse.
CIM.
Thy love is too materiall Roderigo,
I could be satisfied with thy Idea.
RO.
And I with thine, but is it not some pleasure
To stand thus, and to gaze on one another?
CIM.
Go Roderigo, for I feel within me
Since this thy stay, some thing, that prompts me to
Desire thy company, which must be fatall
To both of us; adiew, and think we may
Be sever'd yet continue still our selves.
Exit.
RO.
Our selves! am I Roderigo, or has she
Bereft me of my spirit, can she brave
The majesty of Kings secur'd within
Her own firme constancy, and must I tremble,
If the Kings will have not the wish'd successe?
I ought him duty, and I have perform'd it,
I've offerd with my life all my desires,
Yet though I give, I may refuse to take,
He cannot force me to a new affection,
Or make me love her lesse, then she does mee,
In other things he rules, in this I'me free.
Exit.
SCENE II.
Don Sancho, Seriffa.D. SAN.
Madam believe, I could not justifie
The love I did pretend, if in this businesse
I should preferre my passion before
Your honour and content, I heare your brother
The King has reconcil'd to you, it refts
I let him know how much he owes to justice.
SER.
But as you do it, spare my modesty,
I would not be an offer, but his choice.
D. SAN.
As you have given credit to my faith,
In this distrust not my discretion,
It is your honour which I seek, to which
I made my love submit, and can you think
I will not now preserve it, I am here
T'attend the King as sent for, and shall use
All opportunities to do you service,
Please but your Highnesse to retire.
SER.
Bequeathing to thy care, the hopes of all
My future happinesse.
Exit.
D. SAN.
Your Highnesse servant.
SCENE III.
King, Celimant, Don Sancho.KING.
In this sir, I confesse, Spheranti has
Oblig'd our Family, the Prince is noble,
And I could wish my sister would embrace
The love he offers, what I can conferre,
He may be sure of: but you know th'Jnfanta
Is promis'd Roderigo, to whose valour
She has been long a debt, and yet this businesse
Is not arrived so farre as to cut off
This noble Rivals hopes, sometimes a moment
Alters the state of things; a Ladies minde
Is not lesse changable: tell him from me
He shall have all assistance.
CEL.
Tis the summe
Of his desires, your Majestie wi'l pardon
Th'abruptnesse of my parting, he's my friend
And such a happinesse he longs to heare
As much as I to tell him.
K.
Your own time
You may command brave Celimant: Don Sancho
This Prince has royall thoughts & more your friend,
Then you could hope.
Your Majesty still puts
Fresh obligations on your humble vassall,
I am your creature, and the Prince through you,
Looking on me, may happily bestow
His grace upon me as I am your servant,
Though otherwise I be not worth his thought.
K.
This modesty becomes thee, and sets off
Thy vertues which I cherish; in reward
Of which, and for thou hast been still an aid
To my desires, I have assisted thine,
The love thou mad'st to Corduba's Infanta,
I have tane notice of, and though another
Might suffer in the like attempt, in thee
I've not dislik'd it, but commend thy choice,
She is as great, in beauty as in birth.
D. SAN.
She is an object for which mighty Kings
Being rivals should take arms, such excellence
Was never meant to be attain'd with ease.
K.
You speak sir, like a lover, but Don Sancho
What would he say, that should be made the owner
Of this rare beauty by consent of all?
D. SAN.
That fortune had left nothing to confer,
Being undone in this, hope cannot look
So high.
K.
She shall be thine, nay more, she is.
D. SAN.
Leave me not now my faith and honesty.
Aside.
For I had nere more need of your assistance.
K.
Thou dost not answer, has thy suddain joy
D. SAN.
I must confesse, I'me ravish'd with this offer;
And on my knees in signe of gratitude
I here restore her to you.
K.
Dost thou mock,
My courtesie, or is it madnesse in thee?
Return unto thy self.
D. SAN.
Your favours, sir,
Have come so thick upon me, that my thanks
Are still ore taken, only now my fortune,
Has given me leave to shew my gratitude,
This Princesse whom you offer I adore,
But dare not love, nor any but your self.
K.
Thou mak'st me wonder, how can she concern me?
D. SAN.
In justice, sir, she is your wife, if contracts
Can stand in force with Princes, by your father,
In your minority, with her a match
Was made and ratifide, of which Don Diego
Cannot be ignorant, nor Don Arias,
Who did transact the businesse.
L.
Some such thing
I heard, but have forgotten, my Cimena
Cals back my thoughts and fixes them on her;
Beside she lov'd the Cid, and for his sake
Betray'd her Country and her brother.
D. SAN.
True,
She did, but not for him: had you great sir,
But heard the story of her love, and how
It grew up in her fancy, since the time
To her yet infant apprehension,
And gave your picture to her, you would say
Love entring by degrees, gathers his strength
From small beginnings, but makes sure his hold.
In fine, your Majestie has been the object,
For whom she has despis'd the Prince Spheranti.
Endur'd her brothers fury, and at length
To colour her desires, made the occasion
Of Roderigo's being there, the means
To bring her to your Court, and acted that
Unto the Cid, she truly meant to you:
Feigned love is often better shew'd then true.
K.
I must confesse my self a debtor to her,
But yet Cimena is my choice, the Princesse
Consulted well for her own modestie,
And no lesse for her good, when she made you
Her speaker, I shall think on't: call Don Diego,
My sister and Seriffa, to them all
I have to say. Intreat the faire but cruell.
Cimena come, and Roderigo too.
I shall dispose of them: how unhappy
Exit San.
Are Princes that must love by others reason,
And not their own affections, this Princesse
Is faire and loves me, so is my Cimena,
But she abhors me; should I sacrifice
To fame, Seriffa must be mine, but if
To love, Cimena; one of these I'me led to
By reason, to the other forc'd by love:
Must a Prince suffer violence? he must
Or else imprison them that offer it,
(His wilde desires) there being no other course,
But to submit to reason or to force.
SCENE IV.
All the Actors, and Infanta and Cimena on one side; Roderigo, Celimant, and Spheranti on the other.[K.]
But there they are: sister, I am resolv'd
This day to see you married, and to make
Your joy more perfect, I shall give you leave
To choose your husband: the Prince of Toledo
Courts you with such a love as nought can equall
But his perfections, which you must honour,
As well as he your beauty: yet Roderigo
Is for himself so much to be considered,
That we can hardly finde a Mistris for him,
Which may deserve his vertues; both of them
Out-weigh your merits, yet since equally
They make an offer of their service to you,
Declare which is the object of your choice.
IN.
I cannot, sir, believe my self so happy,
As to have either of em for my husband:
But if they do submit to my desires,
Being both equall, I have no election.
K.
They both adore you, and on this assurance
IN.
How, both.
I doubt it much.
K.
If you do not believe me,
From their own voice I shall confirme it to you.
SP.
Yes divine beauty from my heart I speak,
That heart which your fair eyes have set on fire,
The light of which may shew you how I love.
And if J lose my hope, J lose my life.
K.
Can you doubt yet of his affection?
And Roderigo sure will say as much.
RO.
Tis true great King, all men adore the Princesse,
She has such universall power ore harts,
She cann't be seen by any, and not lov'd,
But here's the difference between my love
And theirs, they live with hope, I with despaire.
K.
What robs thee of thy hope?
RO.
Love.
K.
Speak more cleerly,
Tis without reason that thou sayst: can love
Take thy hope from thee, when it gives it thee?
RO.
Then when I love, my hope forsakes me quite.
K.
But now it does restore what then it took.
RO.
In doing so it keeps me further from't.
These terms are too obscure, I cann't conceive em;
RO.
Time and my constancie will make it plain.
K.
But I would know their meaning at this present.
RO.
Th'effect will quickly tell you.
K.
What effect.
RO.
My death.
K.
Thy death, who can cause it?
RO.
Cimena, sir.
K.
Cimena, thou hast yielded her to me.
RO.
It was your will prescrib'd that Law unto me,
I am your subject sir, and you my King.
K.
Though you be so, I never had intent
To do you wrong, to do my self a pleasure:
Thou knowst how deare thy person is to me,
And that my sister is thy valours prize,
Will you refuse her your affection.
RO.
I have not, sir, ambition enough
To look so high: pray sir, regard not me,
But leave me to my self, possesse Cimena;
In your love let her drown the memory
Of mine, I am your subject, you my King.
K.
Well then since you refuse my profferd honours,
And that my sister cannot touch your heart,
I shall accept Cimena, and this Princesse
You are content to part with, are you not?
What do you fix upon?
RO.
On what I ought,
I am your subject sir, and you my King.
K.
Spheranti, if my sister be your choice,
So that your father will give his consent,
I freely shall give mine.
SP.
Your Majestie
Shall quickly see that cleerd, I know my father
Will be well satisfied, when he shall heare
That I have joyn'd the Kingdoms of Toledo
And Sevill by a match: but may I Madam
Receive this happinesse from your consent?
IN.
The King has made you, sir, disposer of me,
And what he chooses answers my desires.
K.
Th'art silent Roderigo, what dost think?
RO.
That she could hardly have a braver Prince,
Nor he hope more then her.
K.
And you Cimena,
Will you not put an end unto my sufferings,
Will you be still obdurate to your King?
CIM.
Sir, I have no other faith then what I have given,
You know your father made me weare these bonds,
Which only death can break.
K.
My constancie
The ground and cause of thy aversion,
Thou hast some feeble hope t'enjoy the Cid,
But that's without apparance; his own mouth
Has ruin'd it, speak it again Roderigo,
Assure her that her hopes but flatter her,
Or if thou dost repent thy courtesie,
Deal freely with me, say thy minde is chang'd,
And that thou lov'st her spight of all her rigors.
RO.
Great sir, my duty here restrains my tongue,
It is enough for me that I have told you,
You are my King, and I your humble vassall.
K.
Though I am so, I will not force my subject
To suffer for concealing his desires.
RO.
Ah sir, cast off all thoughts that may retard
The course of your contentments, when a businesse
Concerns the good of such a gracious King,
What is the death of one unhappy man?
Twill be a faire employment for my arme,
To punish him thats troublesome to his Prince.
K.
Well thou hast overcome, thy extream vertue
Shall serve for an example to thy King.
To Seriffa.
See where I am oblig'd, Madam, Don Sancho,
I hope has tane these blushes off, I know
What right you have to me, and I to you.
This should have been your work Don Diego rather
Then his that did it, you were privy to
All passages between our fathers; but
You'l say, as all else do, 'tis dangerous
To turn the stream of Kings affections.
D. DIE.
Your Majestie is gracious, and prevents
No more in my own defence.
K.
Here J restore to thee thine own Cimena,
(Most perfect lover) Madam, I hope your rigour
Is not habituall, he's Roderigo,
Who spight of my desires, has always lov'd
And honour'd you, do not defer then longer,
His and your own contentment, let his love
Wrack'd with so many storms, finde here its harbour,
He has conquer'd still abroad, let him not lose
At home, but adde thy Mirtles to his Lawrels,
And so confirming to him the same faith,
Thou gav'st him once, receive him for thy husband.
CIM.
On what shall I resolve?
RO.
To take my life,
If you denie the price of my deare love,
For since the hope of that has yet preserv'd it,
They both must fall together, and twill be
Some satisfaction to have dy'd your lover.
CIM.
Rise, tis enough, I am Cimena ever,
Thou Roderigo, and I wholy thine.
K.
Live happy Lovers then, and taste the pleasures,
Which with so many crosses you have purchast:
Quit all your cares, and celebrate this day,
My Court shall be Loves Palace, come faire Princesse:
Y are mine by a double tie of love and dutie,
Which J shall still preserve, since J am taught
To do not what J would; but what J ought.
FINIS.
| The Second Part of The Cid | |