University of Virginia Library

SCENE a Prison.
Castruchio in Chains.
CASTRUCHIO.
All ye mute Race to Heavens Decrees submit,
And Pain, or Ease, contentedly endure,
Nor murmur they, nor wish for Dissolution;
The generous Horse obeys the Rider's Rein,
And chearful Birds in their wir'd Prisons sing,
Man, Man alone—that grumbling Brute of Sence,
Still think himself accurss'd in every Station,
Reason, the Badge of our Humanity,
Is Misery's dire Scourge—I tast that Scorpion's Sting,
Oh curs'd Reflection!—Hapless Dardania,
Perhaps ev'n now that lovely spotless Creature,
Is made the sportful Drudge of his rank Hours,
Oh give me Patience, Gods!—
The lustful Monster riots in her Charms,
And see the violated Matron now,
In Tears of Blood bewails her sully'd Honour,
And I must tamely bear this Load of Shame;
Too rigid Fate! It cannot, must not be;
No, let me tear my labouring Breast in Pieces,
Then dash my Heart against the stony Pavement,
And give the Wing to my imprison'd Soul.

Enter Martia and Camilla.
MARTIA.
Where is this Hero, whose undaunted Virtue
Seems like the Palm to flourish under Weight,
A Soul so temper'd for the Assaults of Fortune,
Her Smiles could never lull him into Vice,
Nor her Frowns stagger his intrepid Courage.

CASTRUCHIO.
Ha! Martia here!—sure that proud Beauty comes not
Ingloriously t'insult a Wretch in Chains,
And take her full Amends for slighted Love;
Alas, Fate has been much before-hand with her,
And I'm below the Curse of Pity now,
Yet what remains unfinish'd, say you Gods!
What further Miseries have you in store?

MARTIA.
Our Life is Shade and Sunshine, Troubles, Pleasures,
Fortune, Misfortune, Sickness, Health, Grief, Joy,
Succeed each other with unwearied Steps,
And the alternate Change fresh Vigour gives,
New Pleasures to the Sense;
But when too cruel Fate seems to have fix'd
Virtue like yours, the constant Mark of Vengeance,
All generous Souls as near ally'd or nearer,
Must pity and condole their Fellows Sufferings.

CASTRUCHIO.
So this Profusion of your Goodness, Madam,
Serves only, that for this faint Gleam of Light,
I shall more exquisitely tast my Sorrows,
It rouzes my lethargick Memory,
And wakes my endless cruel Torturer:
Alass, I'm wedded to Misfortune, grown
Familiar with my Fate.

MARTIA.
Suppose I more than pity'd you, Castruchio;
Suppose your Life and Liberty should both
At once be frankly offer'd, the Gift
Would be well worth receiving; wou'd it not?

CASTRUCHIO.
Indulge not, Madam, my expiring Hope,
Revive it not, for when that Flatterer dies,
I shall be nothing, and at Ease.

MARTIA.
You wou'd not think your self too much oblig'd,
To pay a trifling Ransom for your Freedom,
Within there—who waits?—

[Enter an Officer.
OFFICER.
What would your Highness?

MARTIA.
—Unbolt your Prisoner;
Hah, starts the Slave!—See my Authority.

[Shews the Royal Signet, and he unbolts Castruchio.
CASTRUCHIO.
Eternal Mercy with unwearied Wings,
Still meeting in a Circle crown your Years,
And bless you for this generous Act of Goodness.

MARTIA.
That's in your Power to grant.

CASTRUCHIO.
Oh name it,
And I will fly to execute your Orders,
Or may this Arm ne're right my Injuries,
Oh my glad Heart impatiently desires
To know a little how it may discharge
Its new Engagement—

MARTIA.
That Heart, Castruchio, is the Recompence,
That Heart, which like a Rock of Adamant,
Hath stood all Shocks of Fate, and Blasts of Fortune,
That Heart I love, admire, and doat upon.

CASTRUCHIO.
Oh my unhappy Stars, I have it not to give,
Alass, my Wife—

MARTIA.
She has not carry'd with her to the Grave
Your Love.

CASTRUCHIO.
—Hold Martia—hold—
What Earthquake shakes my Soul?—said you my Wife

MARTIA.
I say the Dead enjoy eternal Peace,
And thou art free from every Obligation.

CASTRUCHIO.
There broke the Strings of Life;
She has out-done me, reach'd the Goal of Fate,
And I the Coward, base Castruchio,
Tremble and lagg at the last Heat of Life.
But say—pierce my tormented, dying Ears,
With the sad Sounds; how did she meet her Fate?

MARTIA.
To save inviolate her Chastity
From my unhappy Father's lawless Passion,
She plung'd a Ponyard in her spotless Bosom.

CASTRUCHIO.
Oh! glorious End of unexampled Honour!
Yes she shall rise, rise to eternal Glory,
Whiles the hot Letcher burns in livid Sulphur,
Revenge will over-take him.
Give me my Chains again, I'll not receive
Inglorious Liberty from any Branch,
Of that accursed Tree—Die first Revenge,
And let Dardania's Ghost still wander
Unappeas'd—

MARTIA.
Would you avoid your Obligations thus?
I had no Hand, my Lord, in your Confinement,
Nor was I Cause of her unhappy Fate:
Have I for you forgot ev'n Nature's Law,
Forsook my Father, Honour, Glory, Fame,
Given the severest Proof of pure Affection;
And for a generous Return, this Hero,
This Demi-God, whom Naples doats upon,
Most gratefully rewards me with his Hate,
Leaves me to Shame, to Wretchedness, and Want.

CASTRUCHIO.
To what a Heighth of Misery am I wrought,
Misfortunes come so thick, no Shield can ward 'em,
I have no Power to give thee Misery,
And equally deny'd to make thee happy.

MARTIA.
I ask you nothing but your Love, Castruchio,
Let Hymen light his Torch, and join us ever.

CASTRUCHIO.
Hah! Know you what you ask?
I bear this hated Life but till I tear
Thy curs'd licentious Father from his Throne,
Then strike him to the Center, shrink my self
Into my Tomb, and follow my Dardania.

MARTIA.
I'll wean thee from thy Cares with my Indulgence,
Fidelity, and ever-living Love,
Shall blot the Memory of whose I was,
And quite expunge Alberto's Injuries,
Nor shou'd thy own Dardania merit more.

CASTRUCHIO.
Unhappy Maid! My Heart is all a wild,
A barren Soil, o'er-grown with Weeds and Cares,
Thou know'st the Blight has been abroad—Thy Father.

MARTIA.
Have I not lost him?
Disown'd him all, I've shun'd even Glory for thee,
That dazling Tempter of my Sex, Ambition,
Stir'd not my weak, my Womanish Resolves,
Love in the advers Ballance weigh'd down all.

CASTRUCHIO.
Ill fated Virgin, curs'd to love a Wretch,
Whom every God pursues with hoarded Plagues,
Thou may'st be warn'd by my Dardania's Fate,
That Innocence, nor Virtue are Secure
From partial Destiny's unerring Hand,
Thy Father's Justice must o're-take thy Folly,
And too severely punish thy Misfortune.

MARTIA.
Why dost thou vainly plead? why idly hope
To fright my Resolution with weak Reason?
Is there a Torture like despairing Love?
What is a Father's Rage? Alas, Castruchio,
A burning Fever preys upon my Vitals.

CASTRUCHIO.
There are a thousand happy blooming Youths
Not worn with Cares, nor wrinkled with Misfortunes,
Whom the hard Hand of Misery ne're grip'd,
That would with mutual Transports meet your Arms:
Sorrow, that fatal Winter, has benum'd,
And with her Icy Fingers froze my Blood.

MARTIA.
Then in these Arms let your Misfortunes vanish,
As Sol's bright genial Rays melt the cold Blood,
I'll warm you into Youth; the stagnate Pool
Shall circulate, and every Artery
Feel the enliv'ning Heat—these Cares that cloud
Your Brows, shall fly like Mists before the Rays,
The influencing Rays of Love and Beauty.

CASTRUCHIO.
Love, Honour, Gratitude, and Godlike Vengeance,
Swell my big Heart, rend my distracted Soul.
—Oh Martia! whither am I going?

MARTIA.
To a new Heaven of Love, to lasting Joys,
After a miserable Scene of Woe,
To tast the sweet Reward of suffering Virtue.

CASTRUCHIO.