 | The Rival Ladies |  |
Scene First.
Enter Gonsalvo, Servant.The Scene a Wood.
Gons.
Nay, 'twas a strange as well as cruel Storm,
To take us almost in the Port of Sevil,
And drive us up as far as Barcellona;
The whole Plate-Fleet was scatter'd, some part wrack'd;
There one might see the Sailors diligent
To cast o'r-board the Merchants envy'd Wealth,
While he, all Pale, and Dying, stood in doubt
Whether to ease the Burden of the Ship
By Drowning of his Ingots, or himself.
Serv.
Fortune is a Woman every where,
2
Gons.
Had that been all
I should not have Complain'd but ere we could
Repair our Ship, to drive us back again
Was such a Cruelty—
Serv.
Yet that short time you staid at Barcellona
You Husbanded so well, I think you left
A Mistress there.
Gons.
I made some small Essays
Of Love, what might have been I cannot tell:
But to leave that, upon what part of Spain
Are we now cast?
Serv.
Sir, I take that City to be Alicante.
Gons.
Some days must of necessity be spent
In looking to our Ship; then back again
For Sevil.
Serv.
There you'r sure you shall be welcome.
Gons.
I, if my Brother Rodorick be return'd
From Flanders; but 'tis now three Years since I
Have heard from him, and since I saw him twelve.
Serv.
Your growth, and your long absence in the Indies
Have alter'd you so much, he'l scarcely know you.
Gons.
I'm sure I should not him, and less my Sister;
Who, when I with my Uncle went this Voyage,
Was then one of those little prating Girls
Of whom fond Parents tell such tedious stories:
Well, go you back.
Serv.
I go Sir.
Gons.
And take care
None of the Sea-men slip ashore.
Serv.
I shall Sir;
[Exit Servant.
Gons.
Ile walk a little while among these Trees,
Now the fresh Evening air blows from the Hills,
And breaths the sweetness of the Orange flowers
Upon me, from the Gardens neer the City.
Robbers within.
1 Rob.
I say, make sure, and Kill him;
Hip.
For Heaven's dear sake have pity on my Youth;
[Within.
3
Some violence is offer'd in the Wood
By Robbers to a Traveller: Who ere
Thou art, humanity obliges me
To give thee succour.
Hip.
Help! Ah cruel men!
[Within.
Gons.
This way I think the Voice came, 'tis not far.
[Exit.
The Scene draws, and discovers Hippolito bound to a Tree, and two Robbers by him with drawn Swords.
2 Rob.
Strip him, and let him go:
1 Rob.
Dispatch him quite; off with his Doublet quickly.
Hip.
Ah me unfortunate!
Enter Gonsalvo, seizes the Sword of one of them, and runs him through; then after a little resistance Disarms the other.
2 Rob.
If you have mercy in you spare my Life;
I never was consenting to a Deed
So black as Murder, though my Fellow urg'd me:
I only meant to Rob, and I am punisht
Enough, in missing of my wicked aim.
Gons.
Do they rob Angels here? This sweet Youth has
A Face so like one which I lately saw
It makes your Crime of Kin to Sacrilege:
But Live; and henceforth
Take nobler Courses to maintain your Life:
Here's something that will rescue you from want,
Till you can find employment.
[Gives him Gold, and unbinds Hippolito.
Hip.
What strange adventure's this! How little hop'd I,
When thus Disguis'd I stole from Barcellona,
To be reliev'd by brave Gonsalvo here?
[Aside.
2 Rob.
That Life you have preserv'd shall still be yours;
And that you may perceive, how much my Nature
Is wrought upon by this your generous Act;
That goodness you have shown to me, Ile use
To others for your Sake, if you dare trust me
A moment from your Sight.
4
Nay, take your Sword,
I will not so much crush a Budding virtue
As to suspect.
[Gives him his Sword.
[Exit Robber.
—Sweet Youth, you shall not leave me
Till I have seen you safe.
Hip.
You need not doubt it:
Alas! I find I cannot if I would;
I am but freed to be a greater Slave:
[Aside.
How much am I oblig'd, Sir, to your Valour?
Gons.
Rather to your own Sweetness, pretty Youth;
You must have been some way preserv'd, though I
Had not been neer; my Aid did but prevent
Some Miracle more slowly setting out
To save such Excellence.
Hip.
How much more gladly could I hear those words,
If he that Spoke them knew he Spoke to me!
[Aside.
Enter the Robber again with Don Manuel, and Julia bound.
My Brother and my Sister Pris'ners too!
They cannot sure discover me through this
Disguise; however Ile not Venture it.
[Steps behind the Trees.
2 Rob.
This Gentleman and Lady
[To Gonsalvo privately.
My Fellows bound.
[Exit Robber.
Man.
We must prepare to Dye;
This is the Captain of the Picarons.
Jul.
Me-thinks he looks like one; I have a strange
Aversion to that Man; He's fatal to me.
Gons.
I ne'r saw Excellence in Woman-kind
[Stares on her.
Till now, and yet discern it at the first:
Perfection is discover'd in a moment.
He that ne'r saw the Sun before, yet knows him.
Jul.
How the Villain stares upon me!
Gons.
Wonder prepares my Soul, and then Love enters:
But wonder is so close pursu'd by Love,
That like a Fire it warms as soon as born.
5
If we must Dye, what need these Circumstances?
Jul.
Heav'n defend me from him.
Gons.
Why Madam, can you doubt a Rudeness from me?
Your very Fears and Griefs create an awe,
Such Majesty they bear; me-thinks I see
Your Soul retir'd within her inmost Chamber,
Like a fair Mourner sit in State, with all
The silent Pomp of Sorrow round about her.
Man.
Your Language does express a Man bred up
To worthier ways than those you follow now:
Gons.
What does he mean?
[Aside,
Man.
If (as it seems) you Love; Love is a passion
Which kindles honour into noble Acts:
Restore my Sisters liberty; oblige her,
And see what Gratitude will work.
Gons.
All this is stranger yet.
Man.
What ere a Brothers power
To morrow can do for you, claim it boldly.
Gons.
I know not why you think your selves my Pris'ners;
This Ladies freedome is a thing too precious
To be dispos'd by any but her Self:
But value this small Service as you please,
Which you reward too Prodigally, Ly
Permitting me to Pay her more.
Jul.
Love from an Out-law? from a Villain love?
If I have that pow'r on thee thou pretend'st,
Go and persue thy Mischiefs, but presume not
To follow me:—come Brother.
[Exeunt Julia, Manuel.
Gons.
Those foul names of Out-law, and of Villain,
I never did deserve: They raise my wonder.
[Walks.
Dull that I was, not to find this before?
She took me for the Captain of the Robbers:
It must be so; Ile tell her her mistake.
Goes out hastily, and returns immediately.
She's gone, She's gone, and who or whence she is
I cannot tell; me-thinks she should have left
A Track so bright I might have follow'd her;
Like setting Suns that Vanish in a Glory.
O Villain that I am! O hated Villain!
6
Hip.
I cannot suffer you to wrong your self
So much; for though I do not know your Person,
Your Actions are too fair, too noble, Sir,
To merit that foul Name:
Gons.
Prithee do not flatter me, I am a Villain,
That admirable Lady said I was.
Hip.
I fear you Love her, Sir.
Gons.
No, no; not Love her:
Love is the name of some more gentle passion;
Mine is a Fury grown up in a moment
To an extremity, and lasting in it:
An heap of Powder set on Fire, and burning
As long as any ordinary Fewel.
Hip.
How could he Love so soon? and yet alas!
What cause have I to ask that question?
Who lov'd him the first Minute that I saw him:
I cannot leave him thus, though I perceive
His heart ingag'd another way.
[Aside.
Sir, can you have such pity on my Youth,
[To him.
On my forsaken, and my helpless Youth,
To take me to your Service?
Gons.
Would'st thou serve
A Mad-man? how can he take care of thee
Whom Fortune and his Reason have abandon'd?
A Man that saw, and Lov'd, and disoblig'd,
Is Banish'd, and is Mad, all in a moment.
Hip.
Yet you alone have Title to my Service;
You make me Yours by your preserving me:
And that's the title Heav'n has to Mankind.
Gons.
Prithee no more.
Hip.
I know your Mistriss too:
Gons.
Ha! dost thou know the person I adore?
Answer me quickly; Speak, and Ile receive thee:
Hast thou no Tongue?
Hip.
Why, Did I say I knew her?
7
To Live with-him, is but to be Unhappy.
[Aside.
Gons.
Thou false and lying Boy, to say thou knewst her;
Prethee say something, though thou Cosen'st me.
Hip.
Since you will know, her name is Julia, Sir,
And that young Gentleman you saw, her Brother,
Don Manuel de Torres.
Gons.
Say I should take thee, Boy, and should employ thee
To that fair Lady, wouldst thou serve me faithfully?
Hip.
You ask me an hard question; I can Dye
For you, perhaps I cannot Woo so well.
Gons.
I knew thou wouldst not do't.
Hip.
I swear I would:
But, Sir, I grieve to be the Messenger
Of more unhappy News; She must be Married
This Day to one Don Rodorick de Sylva,
Betwixt whom and her Brother there has been
A long (and it was thought a mortal) Quarrel,
But now it must for ever end in Peace:
For hapning both to Love each others Sisters,
They have concluded it in a cross Marriage;
Which, in the Pallace of Don Rodorick,
They went to Celebrate from their Country-house,
When, taken by the Thieves, you rescu'd them.
Gons.
Me-thinks I am grown patient on a suddain;
And all my Rage is gone: Like losing Gamesters
Who fret and storm, and swear at little Losses:
But, when they see all hope of Fortune vanish'd,
Submit and gain a Temper by their Ruine.
Hip.
Would you could cast this Love, which troubles you
Out of your mind.
Gons.
I cannot Boy; but since
Her Brother, with intent to Cozen me,
Made me the promise of his best assistance;
Ile take some course to be reveng'd of him.
Is going out,
But stay, I charge thee, Boy, discover not
To any who I am;
8
Alas, I cannot, Sir, I know you not.
Gons.
Why, there's it; I am Mad again; Oh Love!
Hip.
Oh Love!
[Exeunt ambo.
| The Rival Ladies | |