University of Virginia Library

SCENE IV.

A Prison.
Cortez discovered, bound by one Foot, Almeria talking with him.
Alm.
I come not now your constancy to prove,
You may believe me when I say I Love.

Cort.
You have too well instructed me before,
In your intentions to believe you more.

Alm.
I'm justly plagu'd by this your unbelief,
And am my self the cause of my own grief;
But to beg Love, I cannot stoop so low;
It is enough that you my passion know:
'Tis in your choice; Love me, or Love me not,
I have not yet my Brother's Death forgot.

Lays hold on the Dagger.
Cort.
You Menace me and Court me in a breath:
Your Cupid looks as dreadfully as Death.

Alm.
Your hopes, without, are vanish'd into smoak:
Your Captains taken, and your Armies broke.

Cort.
In vain you urge me with my miseries:
When Fortune falls high Courages can rise.
Now should I change my Love, it would appear
Not the effect of gratitude, but fear.

Alm.
I'le to the King, and make it my Request,
Or my Command that you may be releast;
And make you Judge, when I have set you free,
Who best deserves your passion, I, or she.

Cort.
You tempt my Faith so generous a way,
As without guilt might constancy betray:
But I'm so far from meriting esteem,
That if I Judge, I must my self Condemn;
Yet having given my worthless heart before,
What I must not possess I'le still adore;
Take my devotion then this humbler way;
Devotion is the Love which Heaven we pay.

[Kisses her hand.
Enter Cydaria.
Cyd.
May I believe my Eyes! what do I see!
Is this her Hate to him, his Love to me!
'Tis in my Breast she sheaths her Dagger now.
False Man, is this the Faith? is this the Vow?

[To him.
Cort.
What words, dear Saint, are these I hear you use?
What Faith, what Vows are these which you accuse?

Cyd.
More cruel then the Tyger o're his spoyl;
And falser then the Weeping Crocodile:
Can you adde Vanity to Guilt, and take
A Pride to hear the Conquests which you make?
Go publish your Renown, let it be said
You have a Woman, and that Lov'd, betray'd.

Cort.
With what injustice is my Faith accus'd?
Life, Freedom, Empire, I at once refus'd;
And would again ten thousand times for you.

Alm.
She'l have too great content to find him true;
And therefore since his Love is not for me,
I'le help to make my Rivals misery.
[Aside.
Spaniard, I never thought you false before:
[To him.
Can you at once two Mistresses adore?
Keep the poor Soul no longer in suspence,
Your change is such as does not need defence.

Cort.
Riddles like these I cannot understand!

Alm.
Why should you blush? she saw you kiss my hand.

Cyd.
Fear not, I will, while your first Love's deny'd,
Favour your shame, and turn my Eyes aside;
My feeble hopes in her deserts are lost:
I neither can such power nor beauty boast:
I have no tye upon you to be true
But that which loosned yours, my Love to you.

Cort.
Could you have heard my words!

Cyd.
—Alas, what needs
To hear your words, when I beheld your deeds?

Cort.
What shall I say! the Fate of Love is such,
As still it sees too little or too much.
That act of mine which does your passion move
Was but a mark of my Respect, not Love.

Alm.
Vex not your self excuses to prepare:
For one you love not is not worth your care.

Cort.
Cruel Almeria take that life you gave;
Since you but worse destroy me, while you save.

Cyd.
No, let me dye, and I'le my claim resign;
For while I live, methinks you should be mine.

Cort.
The Bloodiest Vengeance which she could pursue,
Would be a triffle to my loss of you.

Cyd.
Your change was wise: for had she been deny'd,
A swift Revenge had follow'd from her Pride:
You from my gentle Nature had no Fears,
All my Revenge is only in my Tears.

Cort.
Can you imagine I so mean could prove,
To save my Life by changing of my Love?

Cyd.
Since Death is that which Nat'rally we shun,
You did no more then I, perhaps, had done.

Cort.
Make me not doubt, Fair Soul, your constancy;
You would have dy'd for Love, and so would I.

Alm.
You may believe him; you have seen it prov'd.

Cort.
Can I not gain belief how I have Lov'd?
What can thy ends, Inhumane Creature be:
Can he who kill'd thy Brother live for thee?

[A noyse of Clashing of Swords.
[Vasquez within, Indians against him.
Vasq.
Yield Slaves or dye; our Swords shall force our way.

[within.
Ind.
We cannot, though o're-powr'd, our trust betray.

[within.
Cort.
'Tis Vasquez voice, he brings me Liberty.

Vasq.
In spight of Fate I'le set my General Free:
[within.
Now Victory for us, the Town's our own.

Alm.
All-hopes of safety and of love are gone:
As when some dreadful Thunder-clap is nigh,
The winged Fire shoots swiftly through the Skie,
Strikes and Consumes e're scarce it does appear,
And by the sudden ill, prevents the fear:
Such is my state in this amazing wo;
It leaves no pow'r to think, much less to do:
—But shall my Rival Live, shall she enjoy
That Love in Peace I labour'd to destroy?

[Aside.
Cort.
Her looks grow black as a Tempestuous wind;
Some raging Thoughts are rowling in her mind.

Alm.
Rival, I must your jealous Thoughts remove,
You shall, hereafter, be at rest for Love.

Cyd.
Now you are kind.

Alm.
—He whom you Love is true:
But he shall never be possest by you.

[Draws her Dagger, and runs towards her.
Cort.
Hold, hold, ah Barbarous Woman! flye, oh flye!

Cyd.
Ah pity, pity, is no succour nigh!

Cort.
Run, run behind me, there you may be sure,
While I have Life I will your Life secure.

[Cydaria gets behind him.
Alm.
On him or thee light Vengeance any where:
[She stabs and hurts him.
—What have I done? I see his blood appear!

Cyd.
It streams, it streams from every Vital part:
Was there no way but this to find his Heart?

Alm.
Ah! Cursed Woman, what was my design!
At least this Weapon both our Blood shall joyn.

[Goes to stab her self, and being within his reach he snatches the Dagger.
Cort.
Now neither Life nor Death are in your power.

Alm.
Then sullenly I'le wait my Fatal hour.

Enter Vasquez and Pizarro with drawn Swords.
Vasq.
He Lives, he Lives.

Cort.
—Unsetter me with speed;
Vasquez, I see you troubled that I bleed:
But 'tis not deep, our Army I can head.

Vasq.
You to a certain Victory are led;
Your Men all Arm'd, stand silently within,
I with your Freedom, did the work begin.

Piz.
What Friends we have, and how we came so strong,
We'l softly tell you as we March along.

Cort.
In this safe place let me secure your fear:
[To Cydaria.
No Clashing Swords, no Noyse can enter here.
Amidst our Arms as quiet you shall be
As Halcyons Brooding on a Winter Sea.

Cyd.
Leave me not here alone, and full of fright,
Amidst the Terrors of a Dreadful night:
You judge, alas, my Courage by your own,
I never durst in Darkness be alone:
I beg, I throw me humbly at your Feet.—

Cort.
You must not go where you may dangers meet.
Th'unruly Sword will no distinction make:
And Beauty will not there give Wounds but take.

Alm.
Then stay and take me with you; though to be
A Slave to wait upon your Victory.
My Heart unmov'd, can Noyse and Horrour bear:
Parting from you is all the Death I fear.

Cort.
Almeria, 'tis enough I leave you free:
You neither must stay here, nor go with me.

Alm.
Then take my Life, that will my rest restore:
'Tis all I ask for saving yours before.

Cort.
That were a Barbarous return of Love.

Alm.
Yet leaving it you more inhumane prove:
In both extreams I some relief should find:
Oh either hate me more, or be more kind.

Cort.
Life of my Soul do not my absence Mourn:
But chear thy Heart in hopes of my return.
[To Cydaria.
Thy Noble Father's Life shall be my care;
And both thy Brothers I'm oblig'd to spare.

Cyd.
Fate makes you Deaf while I in vain implore,
My Heart forebodes I ne'r shall see you more:
I have but one request, when I am Dead
Let not my Rival to your Love succeed.

Cort.
Fate will be kinder then your Fears fore-tell;
Farewel my Dear.

Cyd.
—A long and last farewel:
—So eager to imploy the cruel Sword;
Can you not one, not one last look afford!

Cort.
I melt to Womanish Tears, and if I stay,
I find my Love my Courage will betray;
Yon Tower will keep you safe, but be so kind
To your own Life that none may entrance find.

Cyd.
Then lead me there—
[He leads her.
For this one Minute of your Company,
I go methinks, with some content to Dye.

[Exeunt Cortez, Vasquez, Pizarro, Cydaria.
Alm.
Farewel, O too much Lov'd, since Lov'd in vain!
[Sola.
What Dismal Fortune does for me remain!
Night and Despair my Fatal Foot-steps guide;
That Chance may give the Death which he deny'd.

[Exit.
[Cortez, Vasquez, Pizarro, and Spaniards, return again.
Cort.
All I hold dear, I trust to your defence;
[To Pizarro.
Guard her, and on your Life, remove not hence.

[Exeunt Cortez, and Vasquez.
Piz.
I'le venture that—
The gods are good; I'le leave her to their care,
Steal from my Post, and in the Plunder share.

[Exit.