University of Virginia Library

ACT. I.

SCÆNE. I.

The Room in the Inn.
Enter Don Fernando, and at another door his servant Fabio, both in Riding Cloathes, Booted.
Don Fer.
Have you been with him Fabio, and given him
The Note?

Fabio.
I found him newly got out of his bed,
He seem'd much satisfied, though much surpris'd
With your arrival, and as soon as possibly
He can get ready, hee'l be with you heer.
He says, he hopes some good occasion brings you
To Valencia, and that he shall not be
At quiet, till he know it. 'Twas not fit
For me, without your Orders, to give him
Any more light, then what your Ticket did.

Don Fer.
'Tis well, go now and see if Donna Elvira
Be stirring yet, for I would gladly have her
A witness, even at first, to what shall pass
Betwixt my friend and me, in her concernments:
If she be still asleep Fabio, make bold
To knock, and wake her, w'have no time to loose.
O'heer she comes, wait you Don Julio.

(Enter Donna Elvira.
(Exit Fabio.
Don. Elv.
Ah, can you think my cares and sleep consistent?
Slumber and tears, have sometimes met in dreams,
But hearts with such a weight as mine opprest,
Find still the heaviest sleep too light a Guest.

Don Fer.
Madam, though such, least pity do deserve,
Who by their own unsteadiness, have drawn
Misfortune on themselves; Yet truly Elvira
Such is my sense of Yours, and my compassion,
To see a Lady of your Quality,
Brought to such sad extreams, in what is dearest,
As makes me even forgit my own resentments,
Granting to Pity, the whole place of Love,
And at that rate I'le serve you. Yet thus far
You must allow th'eruption of a heart
So highly injur'd, as to tell you franckly,
'Tis to comply with my own Principles
Of Honour, now, without the least relation
To former passion, or to former favours.

Don. Elv.
Those you have found a ready way to cancel;
Your sullen silence, during all our journy,
Might well have spared you these superfluous words,
That had sufficiently instructed me
What power, meer appearances, have had
Without examination to destroy
With an umbragious nature, all that Love
VVas ever able on the solid'st grounds
To found and to establish. Yet me thinks,
A man that boast such principles of Honour,
And of such force to sway him in his Actions
In spight of all resentments, should reflect,
That Honour does oblige to a suspense
At least, of judgement, when surprising chances
Yet unenquired into, tempt gallant men
To prejudicial thoughts of those, with whom
They had setled friendship, upon vertuous grounds.
But 'tis from heaven I see, and not from you,
Elvira must expect her vindication;
And until then submit to th'hardest fate,
That ever can befal a generous spirit,
Of being oblig'd by him that injures her.

Fer.
Nay, speak Elvira, speak, You have me attentive,
(With a kind of scornful accent.
It were a wonder worthy of your wit,
To make me trust my Ears, before my Eyes.

Don. Elv.
Those are the witnesses indeed, Fernando,
To whose true testimonies false Inference,
You owe my moderation, and my silence,
And that I leave it to the gods and time,
To make appear both to the world and you,
The Maxime false, That still the worst proves true.

(Enter Fabio.
Fabio.
Don Julio is without.

Fer.
VVait on him in,
(Exit Fabio.
And now Elvira
If you'l be pleas'd to rest your self a while
VVithin that Closet, you may hear what passes
Betwixt my friend and me, until such time
As I by some discourse having prevented
Too great surprise, you shall think fit t'appear;
He is the man, (as I have often told you
During my happy days) for whom alone
I have no reserves, and 'tis to his assistance,
That I must owe the means of serving you,
In the concernments of your safety and honour;
And therefore, Madam, 'twill be no offence
I hope, to trust him with the true occasion
That brings me hither, to employ his friendship,
Observing that respect in the relation,
VVhich I shall always pay you.

(Elvira retiring as into the Colset.
Don. Elv.
There needs no management in the Relation,
I am indifferent what others think,
Since those who ought, t'have thought the best, have fail'd me:
Sir, I obey, resign'd up to your conduct,
Till Mistriss of my own.

(Exit.
Enter Don Julio, and Fernando, and he Embrace.
Don. Jul.
My joy to have my dear Fernando heer
So unexpectedly, as great as 'tis
Cannot make Julio unsensible
Of th'injury you have done him, t'have alighted
And past a night within Valencia,
At any other place than at his house,
Donna Blanca her self, will scarce forgive it
VVhen she shall know it.

Don. Fer.
I hope she's well.

Jul.
She is so, thanks to heaven,
But I must bid you expect a chiding from her.

Fer.
You both, might well accuse me, of a failure,
Did not th'occasion of my coming hither
Bring with it an excuse, alass too just,
As you will quickly find.

Don Jul.
Nay, then you raise disquiet, ease me quickly,
By telling me what 'tis; of this be sure
Heart, hand, and fortune, are entirely yours
At all Essays.

Fer.
It is not new t'ee, that I was a Lover
(After pawsing a while.
Ingaged in all the passion, that e're Beauty,
In heigth of it's perfection, could produce,
And that confirm'd by reason, from her wit,
Her Quality, and most unblemish't conduct;
Nor was there more, to justifie my love,
Then to perswade my happiness, in her
Just correspondance to it, by all the ways
Of honourable admission, that might serve
To make esteem transcend the pitch of Love.

Don Jul.
Of all this I have not only had knowledge
But great participation in your joys;
Than which, I thought nothing more permanent,
Since founded on such virtue as Elvira's.

Don Fer.
Ah, Julio, how fond a creature is the man,
That founds his bliss, upon a womans firmness,
Even that Elvira, when I thought my self
Securest in my happiness; nothing wanting
To make her mine, but those exterior forms,
VVithout which, men of honour that pretend
In way of Marriage, would be loath to find
Greater concession, where the love is greatest.
As I was sitting with her, late at night,
By usual admittance to her Chamber,
As two whose hearts in VVed-lock Bands were joyn'd,
And seem'd above all other care but how
Best to disguise things, to a wayward Father,
Till time, and art, might compass his consent;
A suddain noise was heard in th'inner Room
Belonging to her Chamber, she starts up
In manifest disorder, and runs in,
Desiring me to stay, till she had seen
What caus'd it; I impatient, follow,
As fearing for her, had it been her Father:
My head no sooner was within the Room,
But straight I spied behind a Curtain shrinking
A goodly Gallant, but not known to me.

Don. Jul.
Heavens what can this be?

Fer.
You will not think that there, and at that hour,
I stay'd to ask his Name, he, ready as I,
To make his Sword th'expresser of his mind,
We soon determin'd what we sought, I hurt
But slightly in the arm, he fell as slain
Run through the body: What Elvira did,
My rage allow'd me not to marke; But straight
I got away, more wounded to the heart,
Then he I left for dead.

Jul.
Prodigious accident! Where can it end?

Fer.
I got safe home, where carefully conceal'd,
I sought by Fabio's diligence to learn
Who my slain Rival was, and what became
Of my unhappy Mistriss, and what course
Don Pedro de Mendoza took to right
The honour of his house.

Don Jul.
You long'd not more to know it then, then I
Do now.

Don. Fer.
All could be learn't was this. That my Rival
Whom I thought dead, was likely to recover,
And that he was a stranger lately come
Up to the Court, to follow some pretensions.
His name he either learn't not perfectly,
Or did not well retain; As for Elvira,
That none knew where she was, and that Don Pedro
Had set a stop to prosecution
In any publick way, with what reserves
Was not yet known.

Don Jul.
More and more Intricate.

Don Fer.
I must now come to that, you least would look for.
I had but few days past, in my Concealment
(Resentment and Revenge still boyling in me)
When late one evening, as I buried was
In deepest thought, I suddainly was rows'd
By a surprising Apparition, Julio,
Elvira in my Chamber, speaking to me
With rare assurance, Thus—Don Fernando
I come not heer to justifie my self,
That were below Elvira, towards one
Whose action in deserting me hath shown
So disobligingly, his rash judgement of me.
I come to mind you of Honour, not of Love:
Mine, can protection seek, from none but yours,
I've hitherto been shelter'd from the Fury
Of my enrag'd Father, by my Cousin Camilla,
But that's no place you easily may judge
For longer stay, I do expect from you
To be convey'd, where free from violence
And from new hazards of my wounded Fame,
I may attend my righting from the gods.

Don Jul.
Can guilt maintain such confidence in a Maid?
Yet how to think her Innocent, I know not.

Don. Fer.
'Twere loss of time to dwell on circumstances,
Either of my wonder, or reply; In short,
What I found honour dictated, I did,
Within two hours I put her in a Coach,
And favour'd by the night, convey'd her safe
Out of Madrid to Ocana, and thence
In three days, hither to Valencia,
The only place where by your generous aide,
I could have hopes to settle and secure
Her Person and her honour: That once done
Farewell to Spain; I'le to the Wars of Millan
And there soon put a Noble end to cares.

Don Jul.
Let us first think how to dispose of Her,
Since heer you say she is; That done which presses,
You will have time to weigh all other things.

Don Fer.
My thoughts can pitch upon no other way
Decent or safe for her, but in a Convent,
If you have any Abbess heer to friend.

Don Jul.
I have an Aunt, ruling the Ursulins,
With whom I have full power, and she is wise,
In case that course were to be fix't upon;
But that's not my opinion.

Don Fer.
What can your reason be?

Don Jul.
Last remedies, in my judgement
Are not to be used, till easier have been try'd;
Had this strange accident, been thoroughly
Examin'd, in all it's Circumstances,
And that from thence, she were convicted guilty,
Nought else were to be thought on, but a Cloister,
But as things stand, imperfectly discover'd
Although appearances, condemn her strongly,
I cannot yet conclude a person guilty
Of what throughout so contradictory seems
To the whole tenor of her former life,
As well as to her Quality, and VVit,
And therefore lets avoide precipitation.
Let my house be her shelter for a while,
You know my sister Blanca is discreet,
And may be trusted, she shall there be serv'd
By her and me, with care and secrecy.

Don Fer.
The offer's kind but no-wise practicable,
And might prove Hazardous to Blanca's honour,
VVhen it should once break out, (as needs it must)
From servants seeing such a Guest so treated.

Don Jul.
That I confess I know not how to answer,
But could Elvira's mind, submit unto it,
I could propose a course without objection.

Don Fer.
That she can soon resolve, VVhat is it Julio?

Don Jul.
A Gentlewoman who waited on my sister,
Hath newly left her service for a husband,
And it is known, she means to take another,
I have a ready way to recommend one,
By Violante of whose love and mine
You are not ignorant, since that e're this
We had been Married, had not kindred forc't us
To wait a Dispensation for't from Rome;
Blanca I'me sure will readily imbrace,
Any occasion of obliging her.

Don Fer.
That were a right expedient indeed,
Could but Elvira's spirit brook it.

(Enter Elvira as from the Closet.
Elv.
You have ill measures of Elvira's spirit,
Mistaken Don Fernando: Till heaven's justice
Shall her entirely to her self restore,
The lowlyer shape, her fate shall hide her under
The more t'will fit her humor.

(Julio starts back as it were amazed
Don Julio
, aside.
O heavens can guilt with such perfection dwell!
And put on such assurance! It cannot be.

(Don Julio addressing himself to her, and beginning.
Don Jul.
Madam!

(She holding out her hand and interrupting him.
Elv.
Spare complements, and let your actions speak,
Those may oblige both him, and me, your words
Cannot comply with both.

Julio
aside,
—Did ever yet
Such Majesty with misery combine!
But in this Woman.
To her,
—Madam, I obey,
And since you are pleas'd t'approve what I proposed,
No moment shall be lost in th'execution.
(Exit Julio.

(Fernando accompanying him and Fabio.
Elvira
Sola.
O how unkindly have the heavens dealt
With Woman kind, above all other creatures!
Our pleasure, and our glory! to have placed
All on the brink of Precipices, such,
As every breath, can blow the least light of us
Headlong into, past all hopes of Redemption:
Nor can our wit, or vertue, give exemption.
'Tis true I lov'd; But justifi'd therein
By spotless thoughts, and by the objects merit,
I deem'd my self above the reach of malice,
When in an instant by anothers folly,
I am more lost then any by her own.
Accurst Don Zancho, what occasion
E're gave Elvira to thy mad Intrusion?
Unless disdain, and scorn, Incentives are,
To make men's passions more irregular.
Ah, matchless Rigor, of the Powers above;
Not only to submit our honours fate,
Unto the vanity of those we love,
But to the rashness even of those we hate.

(Exit.
Enter Donna Blanca at one door reading a paper with great marks of Passion and Disturbance, and her Waiting-woman Francisca at another, observing her.
Blan.
Ah, the Traitor!

Francis.
Aside,
—What can this mean?

Blan.
continuing,
VVas this thy sweet Pretention at Madrid,
Drawn out in length, and hindring thy return?
Thy fair pretence, thou should'st have said false man.

Fran.
For loves sake Madam, what can move you thus?

Blan.
For hates sake say, and for revenge Francisca,
And so thou mai'st perswade me to discover
My shame unto thee; Read, read, that Letter:
'Tis from your favourite Chichon.

(Francisca takes the Letter and reads it.
Blan.
Have I not a worthy Gallant think you!

Fran.
Madam, this comes of being over curious,
And gaining servants to betray their Masters;
How quiet might you have slept, and never felt
VVhat past with your Don Zancho at Madrid!
His pale and dismal looks, at his return
Though caus'd by loss of blood, in the hot service
Of other Dames, might fairly have been thought
Effects of care, and want of sleep for you;
And taken so, have past for new Indeerments.
Who ever pryed into anothers Letter?
Or slyly hearkn'd to anothers whisper?
But saw, or heard, somewhat that did not please him;
'Twas Eves curiosity, undid us all.

Blan.
Away with thy moralities dull Creature,
I'le make thee see, and false Don Zancho feel,
That Blanca's not a Dame, to be so treated.
But who are those I hear without, who e're
They be, they come at an unwell-come hour.

(Fran. looks out.
Fran.
Madam, it is a Page of Violantes
Ushering a handsome Maid.

Enter a Page with a Letter and Elvira, the Page presents the letter to Blanca, she adresses her self to Elvira, and she throws up her Vail.
Blan.
This Letter is in your behalf fair Maid,
(Having read the Letter.
There's no denying such a Recomender,
But such a face as yours is, needed none.
Page, tell your Lady as much; And you Silvia
(Turning
(For so she says you are call'd) be confident
Y'are fallen into the hands of one, that knows
How to be kind, more as your friend then Mistriss,
If your demeanour, and good nature, answer
But what your looks do promise.

Elv.
Madam, it is the Noble charity
(By the name of Silvia
Of those you cast upon me, not mine own,
To which I must acknowledge any advantage
I ever can pretend to, more then what
Fair Violantes mediation gives me.

(to Francisca
Blan.
Shee's strangely handsom, and how well she speaks.

(Aside
Fran.
So, so, Methinks, you know new comers, Madam,
Set still the best foot forward.

Blan.
And know as well that you decaying Stagers
Are always jealous of new comers, Young,
And handsome.

Fran.
You may be as sharp upon me, as you please,
I know to what t'attribute your ill humour.

Blan.
Francisca entertain her, I'le go write
To Violante, and then rest a while
In hopes to ease the headach that hath seized me;
That done, sweet Silvia we shall talk at leisure.
Exit Blanca.

Fran.
Sweet Silvia, kind Epithites are for new faces.

(Aside.
Silv.
Now comes the hard part of my task indeed,
(Aside.
To act the fellow Waiting-woman right.
But since the Gods already have conform'd
My mind to my Condition, I do hope
They'l teach me words, and gestures sutable.

(Fran. embraces Silv.
Fran.
Let me embrace thee my sweet Sister, and beg you
To be no Nigard of a little kindness:
A very little serves with such a face,
To gain what heart you please.

Silv.
If it can help to gain me yours, I'le take it
For the best office, that it ever did me,
And love it much the better.

Fran.
Make much on't then, for that 't has done already.

Silv.
If you will have me vain enough to think it,
You must confirm it, by the proof of being
My kind Instructer how to please my Lady,
For I am very rawe in service.

Fran.
—O that
I were so too, and had thy Youth t'excuse it;
But my experience, sister, shall be yours,
By free communication. Come, let's in
And rest us in my Chamber, there I'le give you
First handsell of the frankness of my Nature.

(Exeunt Sil. & Fran.
Enter Don Zancho and Chichon his man, in riding habit.
Don Zan.
I must confess Chichon the very smell
Of sweet Valencia, has even revived my spirits.
There is no such pleasure, as to suck and breath
One's Native air.

Chich.
Chiefly after being in so fair a way
As you, of never breathing any more.

Don. Zanc.
Prithy no more of that, since I have forgot it,
Methinks thou easily may'st.

Chich.
Faith hardly Sir, whilst still your ghastly face
Doth bear, such dismal Memorandums of it,
Apter to raise inquisitiveness in those
Know nothing of the matter, then t'allay
Remembrance in Partakers.

Don Zanc.
Heaven shield us from Donna Blanca's queries,
No matter for the rest.

Chich.
You would not wish to find her so unconcern'd,
I'me sure you would not; Faith, I long to hear
Th'ingenious defeats, I make account
You are prepared to give to her suspicions.

Don Zanch.
Let me alone for that: but on thy life
Be sure that nothing be scrued out of thee,
Neither by her, nor by her sly Francisca.

Chich.
Be you Sir, sure, that from your true Chichon,
They'l know no more to day, then yesterday,
They did, nor thence, more to the worlds end,
Then what they did, before we left Madrid.

Don Zanc.
Truly Chichon, we needs must find the means
To get a sight of her this very night,
I die if I should miss it.

Chich.
Last week left gasping for Elvira's love,
And scarce revived, when presently expiring
For Blanca's again; I did not think Don Cupid
Had been a Merchant, of such quick returns.

Don Zanch.
Thou art an Ass, and want'st distinctiveness
T'wixt love and love; that was a love of sport,
To keep the serious one in breach.

Chich.
Faith Sir, I must confess my ignorance,
That when I saw you groveling in your blood,
I thought your Love had been in sober sadness.

Don Zanch.
Prithy leave fooling, and let's carefully
Gain the back way into my house unseen,
That none may know of my return, till Blanca
Find me at her feet: and be you industrious
T'observe Don Julio's going forth this evening,
Doubtless hee'l keep his usual hours abroad
At Violantes, since not married yet.

Chich.
I shall observe your orders punctually.

(Exeunt.
Enter Don Julio and knocks as at Blanca's door.
Don Jul.
What Sister! at your Siest already? if so
You must have patience to be wak'd out of it,
For I have news to tell you.

(Enter Blanca.
Blan.
No Brother, I was much more pleasingly
Employ'd, in serving you; that is, making
My Court to Violante; by receiving
To wait upon me in Lucilla's place,
A Gentlewoman of her recomending.

Don. Jul.
Where is she? let me see her.

Blan.
—T'were not safe,
She is too handsome; You think now I jest;
But without Rallery, she is so lovely,
That were not Violante very assured
Of her own Beauty, and the strong Idæas
That still upholds within you, one might question
Her wit, to have set her in her Gallant's way.
But what's the news you mean!

Jul.
That our dear friend and kinsman Don Fernando
Is come to Town, and going for Italy:
The secret of it, doth so much import him,
It forc't him to forbear alighting here,
And lodging with us as he used to do;
But yet he says, nothing shall hinder him
From waiting on you in the dusk of th'evening:
I hope you'l find wherewith to Regalar him.

Blan.
As well as you have drain'd my Cabinets,
Of late in presents to your Mistriss, some
Perfumes will yet be found, such as at Rome
It self, shall not disgrace Valencia.

Don Jul.
I know your humour, and that the best present
Can be given you, is to give you the occasion
Of presenting; But I am come in now
Only to advertise you, and must be gone;
Yet not I hope without a sight of One
So recommend, and commended so.

Blan.
I should have thought you strangely chang'd in humour
Should you have gone away so uncuriously.

Fran.
Ho.

(She knocks.
Enter Francisca.
Fran.
—What please you Madam.

Blan.
Prithy tell Silvia I would speak with her.
(Exit Fran.
(to Jul.)
Well, cleer your Eyes, and say I have no skill
If she appears not t'ye exceeding handsome.

Enter Francisco with Silvia, Julio salutes her.
D. Jul.
Welcome fair Maid into this Family,
Where whilst you take a servants name upon you
To do my Sister honour, you must allow
It's Master to be yours, and that by strongest Tyes
Knowing who plac't you here, and having Eyes.

Silv.
I wish my service Sir, to her and you,
May merit such a happy Introduction.

D. Jul.
Farewell Sister, till anon, Accompanied
As now you are, I think you'l miss me little.
(Exit Julio.

Blan.
I must confess I ne'er could better spare you
(Aside.
Then at this time, but not for any reason
That you I hope can guess at.
Francisca, you and Silvia may retire
(To them.
(Exeunt Silvia and Francisca.
And entertain your selves; I'le to my Closet
And try to rest.
—Or rather to vent freely
My restless thoughts. O the self-torturing part!
(Aside.
To force complaisance from a jealous heart.

(Exeunt.