University of Virginia Library

SCENE I.

Elvira
solus.
The Lot is cast, for Agnes, or Elvira,
If my good Genius watch not for me now,
Let it forever sleep, in dull Neglect;
My All depends on this important Project,
Curst if it fail, how bless'd if it succeed!
To see her Banish'd from Constantia's Heart,
The Prince's Presence, and my Brother's reach;
Fate sure will grudge so vast a sum of Joy,
Afraid to lose the dearest part of Pow'r,
And see me Happy, past a change to woe.
Enter Alvaro with a Train of Courtiers.
Brother, I must congratulate your Fortune,
This Days new Acquisitions to your Greatness,
The Royal Tokens of our Monarch's Favour,
Spreads through the Court, an universal Joy;
Your Friends are proud, to see you rais'd so High,
And Envy pleas'd, that you can rise no Higher:
You'll give me leave to bear a Sisters part.

Alvaro.
I have intended you a greater Share;
These Honours are our Instruments of Vengeance;
I never can forget your Injuries,
For which Iv'e long born Hatred to the Prince.
The World remembers still those warm Addresses,
Which rais'd the Malice of the Envious Fair,
And made you lift your Hopes to Royalty,
Now turn'd to worse than Hate, a cold Neglect;
What can they think, but that he whor'd my Sister?

Elvira.
And what of us, to bear the Infamy,
The shame of Scoffs, forsaken Maids receive?

Alvaro.
I waited but for Opportunity,
To take a lasting, deep, and full Revenge;
His Love presents us with the wish'd Occasion;
By that, by Agnes, we must punish him.

Elvira.
There spoke a God; that Thought was more than Human:
Oh! my dear Brother, there you hit the Point;
I hate her more, yet more, than I hate him,
Not for his Love alone, but for Constantia's;
With mine you will redress the Kingdoms Grievance:
We're all alike neglected for this Stranger,
The Princess thinks her Thoughts, sees with her Eyes,
She governs ev'n her Smiles, her smallest Favours;
The Spanish Fugitive, is Sovereign here.

Alvaro.
Fear not, she shall be soon but what I will;
Some Ceremonies past, I'le visit her,
And if my Glories has not mov'd her Heart,
By Heav'n, this Day, I'll force her to the Hymen.

Elvira.
The Hymen! that's indeed a brave Revenge!
Revenge upon our Selves.
To make her equal Partner in those Glories,
To place her in a Rank above your Sister,
And nearer to the Prince, is that Revenge?

Alvaro.
You take the Prospect wrong; turn off your Eyes,
From your unjust Aversion to Agnesia,
And fix 'em on the Wrongs the Prince has done us.
You see not how we shall torment his Soul,
By this New Obstacle to his Desires.

Elvira.
I see not the New Obstacle indeed,
None in her Husband, more than in his Wife;
Nor do you see, what now Constantia knows,
And all the Court will know, to your Reproach;
She loves the Prince, she entertains his Love,
The secret Correspondence is discover'd:
And you—

Alvaro.
Oh then we're sure to be reveng'd of both.

Elvira.
Your Passion makes all seem to it's Advantage;
But well I know, what e're our Sex pretend,
A Rape is less injurious in their Thoughts,
Than Slights from one who once was call'd their Subject.
Ten newly-vanquish'd Slaves wont countervail one Captive lost.
That shews it possible to break their Chains,
Which Womans Pride can't bear to have believ'd.
None take by Violence, but what they value;
Forsaking her, proclaims a Disesteem,
And that offends the Womans Spirit most
Trust me, for by experience I may speak.

Alvaro.
Ay Sister, but you lov'd the Slave you lost.

Elvira.
Then learn of one who lov'd as well as you,
To scorn, where you are scorn'd.

Alvaro.
You scorn, because that's all you have in Pow'r:
Cou'd you enjoy by Force the Man you lov'd,
You'd think that best Revenge.

Elvira.
Dote on then, let her triumph o're your Weakness,
Prevent her being banish'd by the Princess,
And fix her here to satiate her love,
Where the pleas'd Lovers ev'ry Day may meet,
And glance their Amourous Wishes to each other,
Their Souls enjoy in publick through their Eyes,
And in some stoll'n Hours (which Love will find
For all the care of watchful Jealousie)
We may be made the Subject of their Mirth.
When she has told her Arts to cheat the Husband,
He'll tell her, of the Sisters foolish Passion,
How credulous she was, and how deceiv'd.
You think that best Revenge.

Alvaro.
By all the Pow'rs of Hell,
I'll rather stab 'em both, than suffer it.

Elvira.
Think better of their Prudence, than t'imagine
They'll give you any subject for Suspicion;
No, you must like the rest of injur'd Husbands,
Alone be ignorant of your own Shame,
Whilst the least Curious, the most unconcern'd,
May point you out a Cloak to their Amours.

Alvaro.
Think better of my Prudence, than t'imagine
I'll give 'em the least Opportunity.
Trust me, to guard her strictly, when she's mine.
[Exit. Alvaro.

Elvira.
Trust me, to hinder her from being thine.
Alvaro's Wife!
Fortune can't favour her Ambition more;
And what cou'd love do more to serve the Prince,
Than fixing her in Portugal for ever,
Where they may sigh, gaze, talk, and—Oh what not?
That Thought has rais'd a Tempest in my Soul,
Not to be calm'd whilst hated Agnes lives.

Enter Bianca.
Bianca.
Madam, that serious Air ill suits your Fate;
Fortune this Day begins to change her Side;
Asham'd of favouring Fools, and Knaves so long,
To make some recompence she courts you now.
Does so obligingly assist your Wish,
It may regain the Honour she has lost;
And for her Blindness past, this Choice attones.

Elvira.
Fortune bestows her Gifts without Distinction,
She ne're considers, either Fools, or Wise,
But follows a Caprice, a love to Change:
The fawning Jilt ne're smiles but to deceive,
And but deludes me here with vain Success,
Whilst I'm defeated in my greatest Hopes;
In kindness she pretends to wound my Foes,
But basely turns my Weapons on my self.

Bianca.
Defend me Heav'n! you're not betray'd I hope!

Elvira.
'Tis worse, to see a Plot so well design'd,
Secret as Fates Decrees, yet unavailing.

Bianca.
Dear Madam, How have you been misinform'd?
The Princess bears it as we might expect,
Th'effect of her Displeasure's yet uncertain,
But we may hope the best.

Elvira.
It is not her I fear,
My Brothers Fondness gives me Apprehensions,
Which at my Souls expence I wou'd shake off.
But the Particulars of your Success!
You have not told me yet your grounds of Hope.

Bianca.
I sought you for that end.
When I'd receiv'd the Letter from your Hand,
I hasted to the Garden, where I found
The Princess leaning on her Rivals Neck;
They mingled Kisses with the tend'rest Words,
As if their Rivalship had made 'em dear;
Nor did she meet her Lord with greater Kindness:
As soon as he appear'd, Agnes desir'd
Permission to retire, which she obtain'd:
Th'occasion fairly offer'd, I observ'd,
And waited only, till the Prince had ended
His last Endearments, which were short, but kind.
Then I approach'd, the Paper in my Hand;
And to my Wish, she ask'd me what I held;
I told her 'twas a Letter Agnes dropp'd,
Just when she left her Highness;
I'll give it her th'unwary Princess said.
And took it with an Air so unconcern'd,
As plainly shew'd she fear'd not what she found,
And that a friendly Freedom made her read it,
No Spark of jealous Curiosity.

Elvira.
Dull, senseless peice of Earth! and then she smil'd,
As pleas'd her Friend took pity of her love,
Or wept for Grief that she disturb'd their Joys,
Say, How did it affect her?

Bianca.
She neither wept, nor smil'd, but as surpriz'd,
A Momentary Red o'respread her Face;
Soon as that disappear'd, she only sigh'd,
And read it twice with all her nat'ral Temper;
Then, with a Voice, and Aspect won'drous mild,
She gave Command that all, without exception,
Shou'd be deny'd admittance to her Chamber;
Agnes came often there, but was refus'd,
Which seiz'd her with so violent a Grief,
As shew'd her love surpass'd the Princesses,
Or that her Moderation was far less.

Elvira.
The Princess is a singular Example
Of Apathy, which Stoicks preach'd in vain;
For Nature's Laws were still more strong than theirs:
But sure Constantia's of another Kind,
Not made of the same Elements with us,
Or Nature, forming her, forgot the Fire.
Oh! cou'd I but infufe with that cold Mass,
Th'excessive part of Spirit which boils o're,
And burns within, with more than needful Force,
'Twou'd heat her to a generous active Rage,
Which soon wou'd free her from that Curse, a Rival.
I wou'd for such a Change, compound with Heav'n,
For all the Blessings meant to be my Lot:
But Miracles like that, are only wrought to ruine me.
My Brother is transform'd for my Destruction;
That noble Pride is lost, that haughty Soul,
Which look'd on all below it with Disdain,
Is now subjected to a Womans Scorn:
I met him going to that Sorceress,
Joyful to lay new Honours at her Feet,
And be again despis'd. Spight of her Slights,
He swears he'll marry her by Force if she refuse.
Gods! must she have all Hearts which I wou'd claim!
Why were our jarring Fates so nearly set?
One Heart can never long contain two Things,
So incompatible as Agnes and Elvira.
No, nor the World; or She, or I, must leave it.

Bianca.
Will not her Banishment suffice?

Elvira.
Her Banishment! What to my Brothers Arms?
Poor spirited Alvaro's grown so mean,
He'd take her from the Prince's Bed, to his;
Hell and Confusion! Must she be his Wife?

Bianca.
Rather than hope to be in time the Prince's.

Elvira.
Both's Death to me, and both must be prevented.

Bianca.
Have you consider'd, Madam, your Design,
The Danger, and the Shame, that must attend it?

Elvira.
So Agnes be involv'd in equal Fate,
I wou'd not stop, tho Hell were in my way;
'Tis past Dispute, she dies what e're oppose,
This Day shall end the Triumphs of her Eyes,
This Day be sacred to Revenge for ever.
We're certain now to find her, and alone,
Her Friendship is too nice in such a breach
To let her visit, or be visited.
Go you prepare with haste and secrecy,
Horses, and fit Disguises for us both,
That we may fly Coimbra, if suspected;
My Brother, and Lorenzo both have Interest,
And both Concern enough, to gain my Pardon;
Then Agnes has provok'd the King so far,
He'll easily forgive a Death he wishes:
If not, the World affords us choice Retreats,
Countries that much surpass our Portugal,
Where we may live as great, and more secure:
But let what will befal me, thou shalt see I'm not ungrateful.

Bianca.
May Fortune serve you faithfully as I,
And take your part in ev'ry Enterprize,
With the same Zeal, as you're obey'd by me.

Elvira.
As I dare trust thy Faith, I take thy Wish.
This is the Hour, if Fortune will be kind,
An Hour most fit to make Revenge compleat;
A single Death's too little for my Wrongs,
But Life, and Fame, at once, is worthy them;
This, for my Lover's, that my Brother's Heart.
Thus my Revenge, shall beyond Death extend,
And whilst her Name is known, will never end.

[Exeunt: