University of Virginia Library

4t h. Act.

Scene the Second.

P. Par.
[OMITTED] till I catch the Substance.
[OMITTED] Granvel to the Princess of Parma

Gra.
Alone; in Tears too?—Madam, I intrude.

P. Parm.
No, my good lord, You are welcome.

Gra.
I am sorry
To see your Highness wear these marks of sorrow
On your fair cheeks. Good truth! we need to case
Our hearts in steel to combat these rough times
Hard task for bosoms soft as your's: To wield
The sword of justice asks Herculean Nerves,
When bold Rebellion lifts it's shield against it,
And threatens proud defiance.

P. Parm.
True my lord,
It asks some firmness to encounter crimes
Black as the stygian womb which gave 'em birth
And frightful as ingratitude can make them.
But school'd by You and hardened by my task
I trust to show some reasonable rigour,
When fit examples offer.

Gra.
Let this moment
Now put it to the proof.

Pr. Parm.
Agreed; on whom?

Gra.
Th'Arch-Rebel Raymond's seized.

Pr. Parm.
Bring him before me.
(Exit Grenvel)
Now Pride and Shame and Indignation aid me
Egmont shall feel me in the tenderest part,
And Justice minister to my Revenge.

Scene the Third

Prin. of Parm. Granvel and Raymond
Pr. of Parm.
There's one my lords amongst us that should blush
At this encounter—You make no reply (To Raymond)

And do You fix your eyes thus stedfastly
On my lord Cardinal?—'Tis You I mean,
That conscious of your guilt—But to say truth,
My presence rather ought to chase the blood
From your affrighted cheeks, than call it forth:
But You appear so easy and assured
As if You had no crimes, or felt them not.

Raym.
That I have crimes and feel them, Heaven's my witness,
My sins are numberless; there needs no rack
To force that self-inspired confession from me:
My conscience in my Inquisitor.

Pr. Parm.
My lord,
Your temporal judge I speak not of offences
Against divine, but human laws, My Province
Extends no farther. You stand charged, Count Raymond,
Of taking Arms with William Prince of Orange
And other Rebels more, against the state
And Person of my Sovereign Lord and Brother
Philip your rightful King.

Raym.
I see my accuser;
And wait my condemnation.

Pr. Parm.
So impatient
For what may come too Soon? Yet let me ask You,
(For much it moves my wonder) what delusion,
Grand as You was with every splendid favour
Which my too partial hand could shower upon You,
What fiend could tempt You to this base revolt?
Others less favour'd may plead some excuse:
There are, whose desperate Fortunes push them on
To every rash adventure; whom the dread
Of Justice drives to rear rebellion's standard;
But thou—to push Prosperity aside
And seek assured destruction, to conspire,
Leagued with a treacherous crew of needy Outlaws,
And hatch Confusion which thyself must share
Surpasses all belief; nor can I find,
'Midst the whole Catalogue of human passions
A Cause to spur You on.

Raym.
There is a cause,
(A truly noble one) a glorious ardour
To prop the reeling Freedom of my country
Doubly invaded by the sword of Alva,
And the dire shackles of imposing Rome.

Granvel
Blasphemer, Peace: This insolence of language
Accumulates thy guilt.

Ray.
I own I want
That worldly wisdom call'd hypocracy
To varnish o'er my deeds—But 'tis too late

Pr. Parm.
True 'tis indeed too late; You confidence
Excludes my mercy: You assert, my Lord,
That for your country's sake You take up arms,
The Rebel's vulgar plea: Ingrateful Man!
Where is the act of mine You can complain of?
Yourself have known them all and committed most.
To nurse the rightful liberties of Flanders,
To lead her smoothly in the paths of duty,
And lightly sway my delegated sceptre,
Has been my ceaseless care.

Raymond
Perish the Man!
That can impute Oppression to thy nature:
No 'tis the Yoke of unrelenting Alva
Which we complain of; 'tis the assertive spirit
Of brave Montigny and his guiltless friends
That calls us forth in Arms: it is the dread
Of Racks of Tortures and the direful Office
Where this fell Tyrant reigns; tis the abhorrence
Of the Soul's slavery, which bids us rise
And perish rather by the swords of Alva,
Than feast the Eyes of sanguinary Priests.

Gran.
But You my Lord had no such martial Fury,
Destined to meet a more ignoble Death,
You fled his presence in the paths of honor.

Raym.
Foe as thou art to every tender feeling,
I scorn to urge the friendship that undid me:
To save a guiltless man and disappoint
Thy arts is gain tho' purchased with my life
But thou, whose heart, tho' shielded by his rigour
Knows and approves my Motives.

Pr. of Parm.
Come no more;
Spite of my wrongs, I must confess Thee noble,
Concessions more than this expect not from me
Justice demands thy life; in me to spare
Were to partake thy guilt. Hence to thy prison,
I must not bid thee hope.

Granvel-
Yet under favor
(Discoveries of importance being made)
The public safety will admit of pardon
You will remember Count where I surprised You;
Disclose your guilty friendship; 'tis an Act
Of Justice to the State, and may attone
For wrongs, which else your death alone can cancel.

Ram.
I know thy thirst for Blood for Egmont's blood,
But when thy racks can force me to accuse
A guiltless friend; may my soul sink to tortures
Dreadful as those which are reserved for thee
(Exit Raymond)

Granvil
Insolent wretch! each hour this traytor lives
Is a fresh stab to Justice. What prevents
Immediate Execution, since he scorns
Our proffer'd terms and glories in his Crimes?

Pr. Parm.
Fear not, my lord, your vengance shall be sated,
But wait my orders.
(Exit P. Parma

Granvel
I submit with patience.
This looks auspiciously; but still I doubt
A woman's firmness. By a public Fate
To cut him off were best; but other means
Must be provided in reserve—Alive
Hence he departs no more: And yet my vengance
How incomplete, while Egmont lives? 'Tis true
The Death of Raymond stings him to the heart;
Why that is well—To drive him to distraction,
And out of that—Wou'd Alva were arriv'd;
These arts were needless then: I must employ
Lopez; 'tis true he knows too much already;
But there are ways to seal his lips—He's here.

Scene the Fourth

Granvil & Lopez.
Granvil.
Well, Lopez, Fortune smiles upon our work
The Princess or affects a constancy,
Or has it: By a public death to morrow
I trust that Raymond fall—yet, O my friend
Whilst Egmont lives what joy can Granvel feel?
Destroy him & be all my Power can make You.

Lopez.
Who guards the Prison?

Gra.
The Castilian Band.

Lopez
Where is Velasco?

Granvel
Gone with suden Pride
Back to the Camp: what moved him to it I know not;
But it is thought a slight disgrace received
From our imperious Princess; the dull drone
I could have spared at any other time.

Lopez.
The freakish sallies of Castilian pride
Who can expound? Contemptible resentment!
But say my lord, is not the heart of Egmont
Warm, open, indiscreet?

Granvel
It is. What then?

Lopez.
Why then I'll move him to attempt the Rescue
Of his imprisoned friend.

Granvil
Hah! that is something.

Lopez.
This act of fury by your care defeated
Throws your unguarded rival on your mercy;
Divests the Princess of the power to save him,
And quickens Raymond's death.

Granvil
Or say, my Lopez,
Amidst the wild disorder of the fray,
Might not some friendly hand be found to strike
This well-aimed dagger to the Heart of Egmont?

(Producing a dagger)
Lopez
Hah! to the Heart?

Gran.
Yes, Lopez, to the Heart.

Lopez
Nay but 'twill grieve thee.

Gran.
Oh! 'twill glad my soul.

Lopez.
Art sure of that? What strike it to the heart?
Thou wilt relent & curse me for the deed.

Gran.
Oh, never, never; thou shalt be my hero,
My friend

Lopez.
I've strong temptations to the deed:
Egmont has done me wrong.

Granvel
Revenge it then.

Lopez.
Shall it be so; or say'st thou this to prove me,
And practice on my spirit?

Granvil
No, by Heav'n!
Serious as death; if thou would'st be revenged,
Thou handlest that, which in a brave man's grasp
Would not be idle long.

Lopez.
I'll do it; he dies.

Granvil
Why this is well: Be constant! Let us hence
And in a fitter place consult upon it.

Lopez.
Your patience good my Lord, if I presume
Again to urge my former suit to You
Some portion of the traitrous Raymond's fortune
My services without a boast may claim

Granvel
Claim, say'st thou?

Lopez
Do I use too bold a phrase?
When by my Industry the whole was gain'd
Am I too sanguine to expect a part?

Granvel
How, Lopez, would You make conditions with me?
Remember Raymond lives and Egmont lives:
Remember likewise what and where I found You,
Sinking beneath accumulated guilt
And crusht with Penury, Despair and Shame.
No more of this: Think humbly of thyself,
As it becomes thee. Follow me.

(Exit)
Lopez
Thou villain!
Blast me, ye fires of Heav'n if I forgive him!

(Exit)