 | Agnes de Castro |  |
11
ACT II.
SCENE. I.
Enter the King, Alvaro, and Attendants.King.
If I have Pow'r, or if she have Ambition,
(Which is a part Essential in a Woman,
As Pow'r to a King) Alvaro she is thine.
Alvaro.
I fear she has too much Ambition Sir,
The Prince's Love too may encrease that flame;
She treats me as she were some mighty Queen,
And I her meanest, despicable Slave.
King.
The better,
Her Pride will sooner draw her to the Hook,
Which I will hang with such a glitt'ring Bait,
She can no more resist the gay Temptation,
Than Streams can stop, or turn their wonted Current.
Pride, is the Sexes principle of action;
From the same Cause flow contrary effects,
As the Sun's heat both hardens and dissolves;
'Tis that which makes 'em coyly fly with scorn,
And that too makes 'em yield, to bright allurements;
By it, Disdainful Agnes shall be caught;
I'll heap such shining honours on thy head,
Shall dazzle all the little World below;
Th'aspiring Maid shall strive to reach thy Glories,
And aiming throws her gently in thy Arms.
Alvaro.
My Royal Master, how shall I deserve—
But 'tis a Crime, a Blasphemy, to think
To Merit, or return, a Monarch's Favours,
Which can no more than Heavens be repaid,
And are like those, bestow'd on Mortals, gratis;
All we can give in sign of grateful Hearts,
Is Thanks and Blessings. Which thus low I pay.
[Bowing.
King.
Thou art my Faithfullest, best Counsellor;
Statesmen like thee, are Bucklers to a Crown,
Which more than Armies guard it from a Foe,
And when we cast 'em off, or not reward 'em,
Their ruine is a sure Presage of ours.
Thou hast deserved
All that I have given, and all that I can give.
Alvaro.
Pardon, Great Sir, you much o'er-rate my Actions.
King.
Thou art too modest, but I know thy worth.
'Tis strange, I have not seen my Son this Morning,
I have some Orders for him e'er he goes,
But he perhaps will own no Duty now,
And but begins, th'injustice with his Wife.
12
Sir, I'm inform'd, that since the Prince return'd,
And found the Princess, grieving for his Love,
He has not left her.
King.
We'll meet him there; and if we find your Mistress,
I'll be your Advocate before his Face.
Alvaro.
So the Almighty whilst the World's his care,
Neglects not, th'inconsiderablest Infect.
Exeunt.
The Scene Opens. The Prince and Princess sitting; Agnes, Elvira, Bianca by them; the King and Alvaro enter to them.
King
to the Prince.]
Since you keep State to day, I wait on you,
It well becomes me to attend your Highness.
Princess.
Sir, you must pardon, for my sake, the Prince,
This short neglect, a Father may allow,
To the sad tenderness, of parting Lovers.
King.
'Tis well he is so kind. Your time is short,
[The King and Ag. advance from the rest, the Pr. and Prs. seem to talk.
We will not interrupt your soft Farewells.
Agnes, a Word; I have a suit to move,
Which if you grant, you will oblige a King,
And raise your self beyond your highest wish.
Agnes.
A King's request, is but a Milder name
For his command, I will obey you Sir.
King.
If you are just to high desert, you will;
Alvaro's Merit claims reward from you:
We know you are a Heav'n of Glorious charms,
Bright as the Stars above, which Guide our actions:
And Hearts like his, all Brave, all Just, and Great,
Deserves the kindest Influence of those Eyes.
Agnes.
My Eyes pretend not, Sir, to any pow'r,
But if Alvaro is of such high worth,
'Twere more than Arrogance, a Treason in 'em,
Encroaching on your great Prerogative,
To think of paying with so mean a slock,
What you alone are able to reward;
Such Subjects, must by such a King be paid.
King.
Such Lovers, must be paid by such a Mistress,
You only can return the Heart he gives,
He offers it, fill'd with the tenderest Love,
And I'll adorn it with the Richest Honours;
Think Agnes, think; Alvaro has my Favour,
Think, that with it, he has my Pow'r too;
Think your self rais'd the Envy of your Sex,
All may be yours, Ambitious Souls desire.
Agnes.
Who wou'd resign a Quiet, though Poor, freedom,
To be with glitt'ring, gaudy trappings deck'd;
Which but inform the World, whose Slaves they are.
13
Than to forsake it, though for Golden Chains,
A shining Prison, is a Prison still.
King.
By this Contempt, proud Maid, of him I've chose,
From all my Court, to place my Friendship on,
You more despise my Favourite, than Alvaro;
And seem to tax me, of an ill made choice.
Agnes.
I question not Alvaro's merit, Sir,
Nor have contemn'd him, though I have refus'd;
But Heav'n, who ordain'd soft Mutual Love,
A stronger tye of Souls than Marriage Vows,
Had surely given me a Heart more tender,
If 'twere design'd for such an Union;
I feel no melting, no soft Passion there;
None but for charming Liberty, and Glory,
Then Sir, wou'd you controul the Will of Heav'n;
Who made me not for Love?
King.
Dissembler, were you free as you pretend,
You wou'd have met what I propos'd, with joy,
But you have dreamt away your Liberty,
In vain Idea's, and Fantastick Notions:
Mistaken Maid, renounce these airy hopes,
Whilst you pursue the shadow thus of Greatness,
You'll lose the Substance, and repent too late.
The Prince wou'd please; but he's beyond your reach;
And though my Son were not already joyn'd
To one whose worth, and tender love to you,
Shou'd make you blush for your Imprudent Conquest,
Know, Agnes, know, he never shou'd be yours.
Agnes.
Sir, for the Prince, if he have weaknesses,
He ne'er communicated 'em to me,
Nor have I wilfully contributed,
Or once in thought approv'd, th'unlucky Flame.
King.
Marrying Alvaro, is an easie way,
To cure the Prince, and justify your self.
Agnes.
Perhaps I know an easier way for both,
Absence will be a surer remedy,
And that too will preserve my Honour safe;
Yes, Sir, I'll quit Coimbra soon with joy,
Nor shall this Man who is so dear to you,
This Favourite, so worthy of your Love,
Have any part in my more Noble thoughts.
King.
So, haughty Agnes! sure you know me not.
Agnes.
I know you, Sir, to be Constantia's Father,
A Princess, whom I love with all respect.
King.
And you shall know me, as I am a King;
I'll find a way, t'abate this Insolence.
[Goes from her.
Don Pedro, you must hasten your departure,
Follow me to the Gallery, we'll talk a while.
14
I attend you, Sir.
Madam, I'll see you in the Palace-Garden.
[Exit K. Prince, Al.
Agnes.
What fatal Planet govern'd at my Birth?
Which now begins its baleful Influence,
With Cruelties so great, they rather seem
The last Effect of torturing Tyranny,
The Finishment of a long study'd Curse.
Princess.
You amaze me!
Agnes.
Can there be Misery more compleat than mine,
Forc'd by my Stars for ever from your Highness,
In whom I'd center'd all my happiness:
The wild effects of this unhappy Face,
Drives me to search for some obscure retreat,
Where it may never more create such Plagues,
Fatal to you, to me, and Innocence.
Princess.
Can you resolve to leave me then? Alas!
Thy absence will be far more fatal here,
Instead of rend'ring me my Husband's Heart,
Wou'd he not hate me as the Cause of it?
Wou'd he not fly to you where-e'er you were?
And wou'd it not be Savage Cruelty,
To rob a Lover so Unfortunate,
Of all the poor relief is left, his Love?
Agnes.
My Honour, Madam, is not here secure;
The King already does believe me guilty.
Princess.
I know thee, Agnes, and shall ne'er accuse thee,
For my sake bear the rest.
Agnes.
What is it for your sake I wou'd not bear!
Witness th'all-seeing Pow'rs that know my Heart,
If by my Marriage I cou'd give you back,
That love which barb'rous Fate has rob'd you of:
Though Don Alvaro's horror to my Eyes,
Though my Soul loaths him by Antipathy,
I'd break through those strong Bars which Nature's fix'd,
And Sacrifice my own, for your repose.
But that alas, cou'd never cure the Prince,
Still he wou'd look on me with Criminal Eyes,
And I am accessary whilst I stay.
Princess.
The Crime's to me: I can absolve thy guilt.
Dear, Agnes, if thou'st ever lov'd thy Friend,
Give not the Prince this Subject of Despair,
My Life is ty'd to his, his Grief is mine.
Agnes.
You are the sole Disposer of my Actions;
But, Madam, think, weigh well e'er you Command,
What dangerous mischiefs, may attend my stay.
Princess.
None that can equal that of losing thee,
Compar'd to it, all Ills are but a Name.
Agnes.
Govern'd by you, I will believe all safe,
Tho' my sad Soul some dreadful thing forebodes;
15
Encourag'd by the King, whom I've incens'd;
He's Base, as Great, and all is to be fear'd,
From one, whom want of Pow'r alone restrains,
In what the most irregular desire:
Princess.
Be satisfy'd, whilst I am thy Protectress.
The Prince by this time may be in the Garden,
He is to pass that way. Instruct me as we go
In all that pass'd betwixt the King and you,
From thence I'll take my measures,
[Exit Princess, and Agnes
Elvira.
How stupidly she hugs the Poys'nous Serpent!
She must be sharply stung before she'll wake;
Sure, if she thought her Rival did betray her,
She'd shake her off, for all this foolish fondness.
Bianca.
The difficulty is t'inspire that thought,
The Princess is possess'd with a belief
Of Agnes's Virtue, which her last request
Of leaving her, must needs have much confirm'd.
Elvira.
But what if I should play the Anti-Bee,
And from this Nice Romantick Honour draw,
A Poyson, to destroy her good Opinion?
Bianca.
That were a Master-piece of Art indeed.
Elvira.
'Tis the peculiar cunning of our Sex,
To make Good, Ill, and Ill for Good appear;
And things which seem directly contrary,
We turn, and use to compass our designs.
I'll write a Note as from the Prince to Agnes,
It shall express a free converse with her,
And joy for having overcome her Scruples,
Then beg her to obtain his Wife's consent,
On the pretence of shunning him, to leave Coimbra,
That he may see her with more easie freedom,
Than watchful Eyes, wou'd e're permit him here.
This you shall take an Opportunity,
(Be sure it be the first) to give the Princess;
Tell her you saw it drop from Agnes's Pocket,
And watch her ev'ry motion when she reads;
I'll instantly about the mighty work,
Such Joys I find in others Misery,
If all were Damn'd, Hell wou'd be Heav'n to me.
[Ex. The Scene shuts
Enter as in a Gallery the King, Prince, Alvaro, and Attendants.
Prince.
Were the Audacious Rebels boasted Pow'r,
Encreas'd by twice the number which they bring,
And ev'ry single Foe of Gyants strength,
I wou'd not doubt success in such a Cause;
16
Disables ev'ry Paricidial Arm.
King.
Thy well-prov'd Valour gives me surer hopes,
Which in thy softer Youth was bravely try'd,
Against the powerful, fierce Alboacen;
I saw my Son do seats beyond his Age,
Whilst ev'ry stroke the Soldiers rung his name,
He seem'd to fire their Courage, raise their hopes,
And bring the Foe inevitable Death.
Prince.
They have not, Sir, forgot what you perform'd,
You taught us all the way to Victory.
King.
I think they never saw me fly from danger;
Go, as my Gen'ral, quell this rash Rebellion,
But Prince, subdue your self, and be my Son.
Prince.
If I do ought unworthy of that Name,
May I become the Vilest Peasant's scorn.
King.
Spoke from the Heart, I dare believe my Son;
Go, and return a double Conqueror.
Prince.
Commanded thus, I dare all opposition
To morrow's dawn, full Victory shall bring;
For Virtue, for my Father, and my King.
Exit Prince.
King.
Am I a King, Alvaro?
Alvaro.
Great Monarch—
King.
By Heav'n your scornful Mistress, braves my Pow'r,
Disdains my Favourite, slights my Noblest Gifts,
I bear it all, and yet I am a King.
Alvaro.
No Monarch's Pow'rs so vast, as Woman's Empire,
The Conquerors of the World, submit to them.
King.
'Tis but a Voluntary Condescension,
They have no right to govern in themselves,
And yet ungenerously the Tyrants use,
That Pow'r to our Destruction, which we give.
Alvaro.
Something they have beyond what we have giv'n,
A strange ascendant, unaccountable,
From Nature, or by Witchcraft over Men;
I call'd my Pride, and Reason to my aid,
So arm'd, methought I cou'd defie her Charms,
Yet spight of both, I trembled when she frown'd:
Gods! Though I hate her, must I still obey!
King.
'Tis in your choice, t'obey, or be obey'd;
What she denies your Prayers, by Force obtain.
Don Pedro's absence favours the Design,
And when she's in your pow'r, you've nought to fear;
He'll lose his hopes by seeing her your Wife,
She'll make a Virtue of Necessity, and dutifully, seem, at least to love.
I need not sure instruct a Lover more
Alvaro.
Divinity on Earth, how graciously
You order all things, to your Creature's wish.
But first I'll see, this Coy, this haughty Fair,
17
More reasonable Pride, on second Thoughts,
May shew her all the Bounty of a King,
In most magnificent, prevailing Pomp.
King.
This Moment, she, and Portugal shall know,
That but in Name, I will be more than thee;
Th'Effect may move her more than Promises.
Alvaro.
I cannot throughly wish she may consent,
Revenge wou'd then remain unsatisfy'd;
I love, and hate her, both with Violence,
And both the Passions equally wou'd please,
T'enjoy her were for Love a happy Fate,
But 'tis the Rape, wou'd satisfy my Hate.
[Exeunt.
The End of the Second Act.
| Agnes de Castro | |