 | Alphonso : King of Naples |  |
ACT II.
Enter Cesario, Vincentio, Sigismond and Soldiers.Cesario.
Command a Halt.
1 Soldier.
Halt.
2. Soldier.
Halt.
3. Soldier.
Halt.
Cesar.
The King sure had Intelligence.
10
Most certain.
Cesar.
'Tis strange!
Is it not possible we have mistook the Place,
Transported with our Victory?
Speak, Gentlemen, is't so, or do we dream?
Vincent.
Those Walls
Are certainly the same, and that the City,
Peopled when we set out, and full of Prayers
For our Success.
Sigism.
It may be they reserve
Their welcome till we march into the City.
Vincent.
Nay, they may have some Conceit.
Cesar.
A general Silence, like Night, dwells round about us,
And no sign that Men inhabit here.
Have we won abroad to lose our selves at home?
Or, what is worse,
Has, whilst we went, some Monster landed here,
Made the Place desolate, devoured the Natives,
And made 'em creep into their Mother Earth?
Sigism.
Not one Salute for our Return, such cold reception?
Cesar.
Sure they don't take us for their Enemies.
Captain, enquire the Cause; let none else move:
Yet stay; sure it must be some strange Mortality,
And yet that cannot be. Have we brought home
Their Safeties, purchas'd through so many Horrours,
And is this all the payment for our Conquest,
To shut the Gates upon us?
Vincent.
Force 'em open;
'sDeath! let us shake their Walls about their Ears,
They are asleep sure.
Cesar.
Such another Rashness
Forfeits thy Head; Go to; Be temperate:
As I grudge none the Merit of their Valour,
I must hear none so bold.
Vincent.
I've done, Sir.
Cesar.
Subjects are bound to fight for Princes,
They not ty'd to the Reward of every Service;
I look upon thee now dy'd o'er in Blood,
And have forgot thy Errour, give no breath
To such a Thought hereafter; Honour pays
Double where Kings neglect, and he
Indeed is valiant, that forgets to be rewarded.
11
This is cold Comfort for a Knapsack-Man.
Cesar.
And yet 'tis strange the King shou'd thus neglect us;
This is cheap Entertainment for a Conquerour,
Is't not Vincentio? Misery of Soldiers!
When they have sweat Blood for their Countries Honour,
They lie at others Mercy!
Vincent.
They have slept since, and dreamt not of our Sufferings.
Cesar.
There's something would fain mutiny within me.
Strangle these Snakes betimes, Cesario.
So fold up your Ensigns, throw off all the Pride
That may express a Triumph; we'll march on,
As we had over-bought our Victory.
Vincent.
The Gates are open now, and we discover,
A Woman, by her Habit, coming this Way.
Cesar.
Alone! more strange and fatal!
It may be, 'tis my Genius come to give
A Melancholy Warning of my Death,
As Brutus had from his: I'll stand my Destiny:
Yet bearing the Resemblance of a Woman,
It will less terrifie. Who should this be?
Enter Urania veil'd.
Lady,
Who e'er you are, there's something in that Cloud,
That mournful Cloud! which speaks some wondrous Sadness;
Would I'd the Power to dispossess your Sorrow.
Urania.
My dear Cesario!
Cesar.
My beloved Urania!
I'm now rewarded, had Cesario taken
Into his Body, Wounds not to be number'd,
This Kiss had cur'd 'em all; or but one Drop
Of this rich Balsom; for I know thy Tears
Are shed for Joy to see Cesario safe.
The King, with all the Glories of his Province,
Cannot do greater Honour to his General;
For I've a greater Empire in thy Love,
Than Fame or Victory has ever boasted.
My Life! My Soul! Urania!
Uran.
Call again that Temper which has made Cesario Honour'd,
And if my Tears (which carry something more
Than Joy to welcome home my most loved Lord)
12
View well my Looks, which I have not put on
To counterfeit a Grief, and they will tell you,
There is necessity for you to know,
Somewhat to check the Current of your Triumph.
Cesar.
I was too careless,
Of thy sad Looks, my Joy to see thy Face
Made me distinguish nothing else; proceed,
And punish my too prodigal Embraces;
It is not fit I be in one Thought blest,
And thou in such a Livery.
Uran.
When you say,
You've strength enough to entertain the Knowledge.
Of such an Injury.
Cesar.
If it only point at me,
Speak it at once, I am collected,
And dare all Shafts that level at this Head:
If it concern thy self, let it not flow too fast,
But rather let my Ears receive it
By such Degrees as may not kill too soon,
But leave me some Life only to revenge it.
Uran.
The King, (although my Father, I must speak)
The King, for whom you shed your Blood abroad,
Has ill-rewarded you at home.
Cesar.
Speak, how?
Uran.
Since your departure, here arriv'd a Prince,
From Thessaly, permitted by my Father,
To make his Court to me, which I resisted;
His Personal Visits, Messages, rich Presents,
Left me not quiet to enjoy my self;
I told him I had given my Faith already,
Contracted yours: Impatient of my Answers,
He urg'd his Greatness, vow'd he would possess me;
Yet I resisted still, and still am free,
Preserv'd, and welcome home, my dearest Lord.
Cesar.
Is't possible?
Uran.
This is but half the Story;
By his Command none dare salute your Victory,
Or pour their glad Hearts forth at your Return:
Nay more; Unless I yield to wed the Prince
13
Has vow'd your everlasting Banishment:
And in it murders me, for when you're gone,
I cannot, will not, must not, dare not live.
Cesar.
Yes, live Urania, tho' you live my Rival's.
Let not the Icy arms of Death infold thee.
Better thy Sex beside were all extinguisht,
And thou the only God-like Woman left
T'adorn the VVorld. Vincentio, dost hear this?
We must ask pardon that we have been valiant,
Repent our Duties, and that Victory
We bought so dear. VVe shou'd have dy'd abroad,
And then perhaps, been talkt of, in the Crowd
Of honest men, for giving up those Lives,
Which, for our service, they may now take from us.
We are not yet i'th' Snare, and have the power
To stifle their designs.
Vincent.
The Soldiers hearts are yours.
Cesar.
No, no, Vincentio, let 'em be the King's.
If such as they forget their Office, we
Must keep our Thoughts unstain'd: I'll to the King,
But without any Train.
Sigis.
In this you do not consult your Safety.
Cesar.
Safety is a Lecture
To be read to Children. But for me, I carry
My own Security within. The King I know
Is gracious, tho' at present
His Passion reigns too strongly in his Breast.
Uran.
Hear me, Cesario, e'er you see the King.
Hear me, or poor Urania's lost for ever.
Cesar.
VVhat says my Love?
Uran.
Swear then to grant my Suit,
And I will name the means to make us happy.
Cesar.
Oh speak!
And bless my Ears with the dear Sound.
Uran.
Command your Soldiers first to greater distance.
[Cesar. waves his hand, the Soldiers fall back.
You see Cesario, how our Hopes are crost:
And if you love, as you have often swore,
You will not stop at any thing to gain me.
Cesar.
Propose a Means that may not blot my Fame,
14
Not all the Dangers that can threaten Man,
Shall barr Cesario from Urania's Arms.
Uran.
Were it not better in some distant Clime,
To live, and love, and peaceably possess
The small Remainder of our Lives to come?
What, though we quit all glittering Pomp and Greatness;
The busie, noisy Flatteries of Court;
We shall enjoy Content, in that alone
Is Greatness, Power, VVealth, Honour all summ'd up.
Cesar.
I cannot guess thy Meaning;
Instruct me plainer what you'd have me do.
Uran.
Since then the King will ne'er let me be thine,
Let's in the dead of Night retire from Court,
And to th'Arcadian Plains direct our Steps;
There amongst Nymphs and Shepherds we may live,
And quite forget that we were ever great.
Cesar.
My Soul, my more than Life! now thou art too kind;
But can my dear Urania, born a Princess,
Nurs'd up in all the Tenderness of Power;
The Pride, the Pomp and Glory of a Court;
From her Arch'd Roofs, and Golden Towers, descend
To homely Weeds, and humble Cottages,
And all for worthless me?
Uran.
For thee, my Love!
Thou Lord of all my Joys! Cells, Caves, and Desarts,
Are Palaces with thee, Oh my Cesario!
There there where True Love reigns is only Empire.
Cesar.
Thou Angel-kind, and more than Angel fair!
Sigism.
My Lord, the King comes this way.
Uran.
Now, Cesario, thou hast thy Choice, Love or Ambition;
Either to challenge bravely, or resign me poorly:
But yet, might I instruct you in your Choice,
Since rather than wed Ferdinand, this hand
Should give me Death; yet Oh! If I must die,
Let me expire in Pleasure, not in Torment.
If thou disclaimst me, slighted and despised,
In that distracted Thought I shall die wretched;
But if my dearest Lord will Nobly own me,
Charm'd with that Bliss, then I can breath out Life
Like Saints in Martyrdome; not one weak Nerve,
15
But the great cause shall sweeten all the pain.
Cesa.
Guide me you Gods in this Unhappy Labyrinth.
Enter King, Ferdinand, Oswell, Fabio, &c.
[Cesa. kneels.
Most Royal Sir, Alas, you too much honour
The poor Cesario; who at your Feet
Lays all his Lawrels, the fair Grove,
That your kind Sun has warm'd and cherisht.
King.
Did I not give you a strict Charge, that none
Shou'd pass the Gates? Tell me how she came hither?
[To Fab.
Fab.
Indeed, an't please your Majesty, you did
Give Order that no Man shou'd, but she said
She was a Woman, and I askt no farther.
King.
Hence you Buffoon.
Cesario, rise. I shall not flatter you:
Nor indeed have I any Grace for him,
Who durst attempt to steal my Kingdoms Heir.
Cesa.
Thus prostrate to the Earth, I sue for Pardon,
That my ambitious Passion soars so high.
But oh, there's Irresistless Force in Love;
The Gods have felt it, then can Man withstand it.
Such is my Fate, nay kill me, 'tis the same;
For though I know 'tis Death to ask the Gift,
Yet on my Knees I beg the fair Urania.
King.
What says the Traytor! off, thy Breath will blast me,
I see it, like a Mist, infect the Air.
Good Gods! was ever Insolence like this!
But sure I dream, this cannot be Cesario.
Vincentio, Souldiers speak, is this your General?
Ferd.
Yes, yes, Great Sir. This is that Valiant Man,
That fought for Loyalty, and not Ambition.
Now you may see for what he drew his Sword,
'Twas for Urania that he fought and Conquer'd;
'Tis she, 'tis she, that must be his reward:
O Sir, deny him not, make him your Son,
Mould that course humble Clay t'Imperial Honour:
And mix it with the Royal Blood of Naples.
Cesa.
This humble Clay! what saist thou haughty Lord!
By Heaven that Tongue, did not the King protect it,
16
Thou titled Vanity! thou Courtier, made for peace,
How much my Merits, for the fair Urania,
Exceed thy poor Pretences; thou all Feather,
Too tender for the very VVind to ruffle:
When Wars loud Trumpet, in a Field of Death,
Call'd me to wounds, and dy'd me o'er in Blood,
Thou slepst securely, lull'd on Beds of Downe,
Less soft than the effeminate Lord that fill'd 'em.
King.
Be silent, Traytor, this is perfect Raving;
Your Valour has been paid in the Success;
What you have done was Duty.
Cesar.
True, it was;
I must confess that it was Duty all.
King.
To shew us then you have not mix'd our Cause
With private and particular Revenge,
Resolve, before to morrow Sun appears,
To quit Urania to Prince Ferdinand,
Or be for ever banisht from our Kingdom;
And, Daughter, resolve you to meet his Love,
And make Cesario to your Heart a Stranger,
Or else expect to feel the worst of Tortures;
Consult your safest way. Come, Gentlemen,
And from a grateful King you all shall find
The just Reward that's due to Truth and Honour.
Uran.
Ah my prophetick Fear! To night, Cesario.
[Aside.
Cesar.
To night, my fair Remembrancer.
[Aside to Uran.
[Exeunt King, Ferd. Osw. Fab. Vincent. Sigism. and Soldiers.
Manent Cesario and Urania.
Cesar.
Good Heaven! Can this be real? what, all gone!
I, that this morning was the Lord of Thousands,
Am not the Owner now of one poor Servant:
Banisht from Love, or Naples; this is hard:
But yet indeed 'tis not a wonder here,
In this unhospitable Court of Naples.
So my unhappy Brother fell before me,
Who, for the slaying of this King's Court Minion,
Was doom'd for ever from his Native Soil.
Oh Tachmas! what e'er Corner of the VVorld
Now hides thy exil'd Head? Thy wretched Brother,
The poor Cesario too must share thy Fate.
17
And never more in Cursed Courts be great:
And when I go t'injoy Her Sacred Charms,
What though I quit the VVorld in those dear Arms!
Oh with what glory will th'exchange be given,
When I shall Lose Earth only, and find Heaven!
[Exit Cesa.
| Alphonso : King of Naples | |