John Dryden - Delphi Poets Series

by John Dryden

  He led my forces.

  Ram. Yes, and made them too

  By his example; else they ne’er had conquered.

  Vera. A bargain! a plain compact! a confederacy,

  Betwixt my son and thee, to give me part

  Of what my better stars make all my own.

  Alph. Sir, I must speak —

  Vera. Dare not, I charge thee, dare not!

  Alph. Not vindicate my honour?

  By heaven I will, to all the world, to you:

  My honour is my own, and not derived

  From this frail body, and this earth you gave me;

  But that ethereal spark, which heaven inspired,

  And kindled in my new-created soul.

  You tell me, I have bargained with Ramirez,

  To make his ransom cheap.

  Vera. To make it nothing,

  To rob thy father of his victory,

  And, at my cost, oblige my mortal foe.

  Fool, dost thou know the value of a kingdom?

  Alph. I think I do, because I won a kingdom.

  Vera. And knowest not how to keep it.

  Ram. What claim have you? What right to my Castile?

  Vera. The right of conquest; for, when kings make war,

  No law betwixt two sovereigns can decide,

  But that of arms, where fortune is the judge,

  Soldiers the lawyers, and the bar the field.

  Alph. But with what conscience can you keep that crown,

  To which you claim no title but the sword?

  Vera. Then ask that question of thyself, when thou

  Thyself art king. I will retain my conquest;

  And if thou art so mean, so poor of soul,

  As to refuse thy sword in keeping it,

  Then Garcia’s aid, —

  Whose share of honour in that glorious day

  Was more than thine, — during my life, shall guard it,

  And, at my death, shall heir it.

  Alph. Don Garcia is indeed a valiant prince;

  But this large courtesy, this overpraise

  You give his worth, in any other mouth,

  Were villainy to me.

  Xim. That was too much, Alphonso; show the reverence

  That sons should bear to fathers.

  Alph. [To her.] Did I not say, in any other mouth,

  The king excepted still?

  Ram. Had I a son, a son like your Alphonso,

  The pride of war, and darling of the field,

  I should not thus receive him, nor detract

  From such high actions. Let me tell you, sir

  (For I, who felt his arm, can best report him),

  There lives not one, who breathes this vital air,

  That e’er could boast he made Ramirez bend,

  Before Alphonso undertook the task.

  Vera. Confederacy again! How they enhance

  Their mutual worth, and bandy fame betwixt them,

  Into each other’s hand! —

  [Looks on Ramirez, and starts back.

  What’s this I see?

  Nay, now I wonder not the captive prates

  With so secure presumption to his king.

  Well may he brave me, while his murdering sword

  Sits as before, insulting on his side. —

  Who gave thee back that weapon?

  Alph. I, who took it.

  Vera. A careful son, to trust a foe with arms

  So near his father. — Haste, disarm the prisoner.

  Alph. Ere you dishonour me, first hear me speak:

  I took his royal word, to be my prisoner;

  And, on his honour, I restored his sword,

  Because I thought that mark of sovereign justice,

  And awful power, should not for one short moment

  Be wanting to a monarch.

  Vera. Then, when he lost the power, he lost the claim,

  And marks of sovereign right;

  Nor, without my consent, couldst thou dispose

  Of him, or of his sword, or of his life. —

  Once more, disarm him: — What, am I betrayed?

  [Guards look amazed, but stir not.

  Have I no subject left?

  Xim. Submit, Alphonso.

  I, who am partial to you, must condemn

  This carriage, as unduteous to your father.

  Ram. [To Alph.] Brave prince, too warmly

  . you assert my cause,

  Though ’tis indeed the common cause of kings.

  But, to prevent what ills on my account

  May hence ensue betwixt a son and parent,

  Take here the sword you trusted in my hands,

  Which you alone could take. — Now, Veramond,

  [Presents his sword to Alphonso.

  Dispose of old Ramirez as thou pleasest:

  [He presents it sullenly to Veramond, who puts it into the hand of an Officer.

  Secure thy hate, ambition, and thy fear,

  And give Ramirez death, who scorns a life

  Which he must owe to thee.

  Vera. [To the Guards.] Go, bear him to the castle; at more leisure

  His doom shall be decreed.

  Ram. Whene’er it comes, ’tis welcome; only this, —

  (If enemies be suffered to request)

  Forgive the imprudent zeal thy son has shown

  On my behalf, and take him to thy bosom;

  A noble temper shines even through his faults,

  And gilds them into virtues.

  Vera. Take him hence.

  [Ramirez is led off by Sancho and Carlos, and followed by the Guards; Alphonso looking frowningly. The rest stay.

  Alph. [Aside.] How I abhor this base inhuman act!

  But patience! he’s my father.

  Vera. Thus all his praises are thy accusations;

  And even that very sword, —

  Punish me, heaven, if I believe not so! —

  Is far less dangerous in his hand than thine.

  Xim. Forgive the hasty sallies of his youth.

  Vera. He never loved me.

  Alph. You never gave me cause.

  Xim. [To Alph.] Come, you both loved,

  But both were jealous of each other’s kindness.

  His silence shows, he longs to pardon you. —

  And did not you, my lord, observe Alphonso,

  [Turning to Veramond,

  How, though at first he could not rule his passion, —

  Not at the very first, for that’s impossible

  To hasty blood, like his, and yours, my lord, —

  Yet in the second moment he repented,

  As soon as thought had leisure to be born?

  Vera. For aught I see, you do him better office

  Than he desires, Ximena.

  Alph. [Kneeling.] Sir, your pardon;

  And, if you please, your love.

  Vera. Receive the first;

  The last as you deserve.

  Re-enter Don Garcia, with Victoria, Celidea, and the Ladies. Veramond sees them at a distance.

  Vera. This had not been thus easily o’erpast,

  But that I see Don Garcia with your sisters.

  A fair occasion offers you this hour

  To cancel your offences; mark, and take it.

  [ The King, Queen, and Alphonso entertain

  Garcia in dumb show, while Victoria and Celidea speak at a distance.

  Cel. What think you, sister, of this youthful hero?

  Vict. Our dear Alphonso?

  Cel. No, I mean Navarre.

  Vict. As of a valiant prince; what would you more?

  Cel. Methinks you give him a short commendation;

  Yet all his applications were to you.

  Vict. I minded not his words.

  Cel. He made a warm beginning of a love.

  Vict. It seems my thoughts were otherwise employed.

  Cel. Neither your thoughts nor eyes could be employed

  Upon a noblèr object.

  Vict. That’
s your judgment.

  Cel. His every action, nay, his every motion,

  Were graceful, and becoming his high birth.

  Vict. All of a piece, and all like other men.

  [He seems to me a common kind of creature,

  One that may pass among a crowd of courtiers,

  And not be known for king.

  Cel. Sure you forget the troops he brought our father,

  Besides his personal valour in the fight.

  Vict. You more forget Alphonso’s greater actions,

  When the young hero, yet unfledged in arms,

  Made the tough age of bold Ramirez bend:

  He fought, like Mars descending from the skies,

  And looked, like Venus rising from the waves.

  Cel. Navarre had done the same; ’twas fortune’s fault,

  That showed him not Ramirez.

  Vict. You are too young to judge of men or merits;

  You praise the vulgar flight a falcon makes,

  When Jove’s imperial bird, that bears the thunder,

  Is towering far above him.

  Re-enter Carlos, Sancho, and the rest of the Officers.

  Vera. Are my commands performed?

  Carl. With all exactness.

  Vera. Approach, Victoria, and you, Celidea,

  That in your presence I may pay some part

  Of what I owe your brave deliverer.

  Cel. We cannot show too much of gratitude.

  Vera. Victoria, what say you?

  Vict. He did the duty of a brave ally:

  I do not know the war, nor dare I load

  His modesty with larger commendations.

  Gar. Even those are much too large, when given by you,

  To whom my soul, with all my future service,

  Are with devotion offered.

  Vera. I have indeed disclosed to her alone

  The important secret of the intended match;

  And that, perhaps, has made her fear to praise

  A prince who shortly is to be her own.

  Alph. [Aside.] O heavens! what bode these words?

  [ The Queen and Celidea show amazement,

  Alphonso and Victoria discontent.

  Vera. Now therefore I declare the wished alliance.

  Ximena, you may give your daughter joy;

  And you your sister, of the imperial crown,

  [To Celidea.

  Which Garcia puts on our Victoria’s head. —

  Your share, Alphonso, in this happy day

  [To Alphonso.

  Is not the least, nor will you be the last,

  To applaud my worthy choice of such a son.

  Alph. A sudden damp has seized my vital spirits;

  I see but through a mist, and hear far off. —

  Nay, trouble not yourselves: a little time

  Of needful rest, and solitary thought,

  Will mend my health; till when, excuse my presence.

  [Exit Alphonso, and looks back on Victoria.

  Xim. [Aside.] He’s much disturbed, — a sickness of the soul;

  Or I mistake, he does not like this marriage. —

  Assist us, heaven, if I divine aright,

  And prosper thy own work!

  Vera. [Aside.] I like not this,

  But must dissemble, till I clear my doubts. —

  Fortune, brave prince, has given us this allay;

  [To Garcia.

  Our joys were else too full:

  An hour of sleep will bring him back restored;

  Meantime we may withdraw.

  Gar. [To Vict.] Come, my fair mistress, by your father’s leave

  I seize this precious gage.

  Vict. Then thank my father;

  He may dispose of all things but my heart,

  And that’s my own. — [Aside.] Alas! I wish it were.

  [Exeunt Veramond, Ximena, Celidea,

  Garcia, Victoria and all the Courtiers,

  Men and Women. The Guards follow:

  Sancho, Carlos, remain.

  San. Good news, Carlos; the old Jew, is dead.

  Carl. What Jew?

  San. Why, the rich Jew, my father. He’s gone to the bosom of Abraham his father, and I, his Christian son, am left sole heir. Now do I

  I intend to be monstrously in love.

  Carl. With whom, colonel?

  San. That’s not yet resolved, colonel; but with one of the court ladies. You may stand a man’s friend, Carlos, in such a business.

  Carl. You may depend on me, Sancho, because my dependence is on you. You got plunder in the battle; while I was hacked and hewed, and almost laid asleep in the damned bed of honour.

  San. Nay, I confess I am a lucky rogue, for

  I was born with a caul upon my head.

  Carl. I’m sure I came bare enough into the world, and live as barely in it.

  San. Make me but lustily in love, and I’ll adopt thee into my fortune; but thou standest shall I, shall I, till all the ladies are out of sight. Here, take that billet-doux, which I have pulled out by chance from amongst twenty, that I always wear about me for such occasions.

  Carl. But to which of them shall I deliver it?

  San. Even to her thou canst first overtake. —

  Nay, do not lose thy time in looking on’t, there’s no particular direction, man. Fortune ever superscribes my letters to the fair sex: I let her alone to find me out a handsome mistress; and let me alone to make her kind afterwards.

  Carl. But suppose I should happen to deliver it to my own mistress, for she was in the presence with her father.

  San. Then I suppose thou wilt be the first that shall repent it; for she will certainly fall in love with me.

  Lopez and Dalinda re-enter, and walk softly over the Stage.

  Look, there’s one of them already; my heart beats at the very sight of her. This must and shall be she, by Cupid.

  Carl. And, by Venus, the very she I love!

  San. Pr’ythee, no more words then, for fate will have it so.

  Carl. [Aside.] I know it’s impossible for her father to receive him, or her to love him; and yet his good fortune, and my rascally, threepenny planet, make me suspicious without reason. But hang superstition! I’ll draw such a picture of him as shall do his business.

  San. Now will I stand incognito, like some mighty potentate, and see my own embassy delivered.

  [Carlos overtakes Lopez and Dalinda, just going off, and salutes them.

  Lop. Cousin Carlos, you are welcome from the wars; I think I saw you in the show to-day.

  Carl. The ceremony hindered me from paying my respects; but I made haste, you see ——

  Lop. I hope you’ll no more be a stranger to my house, than you have been formerly. Your mistress here will be proud to entertain you; and then you shall tell me the whole expedition.

  I love battles wonderfully, when a man may hear them without peril of his person.

  San. [Aside.] Nothing of my letter all this while! — why, when, Carlos?

  [ Whispering aloud to him.

  Carl. [Aside.] Now I dare not but deliver it, because he sees me. — Don Lopez, I have a foolish kind of petition to you. [To Lopez.

  Lop. Why do you call it a foolish petition?

  Carl. Because I bring it from a fool. There’s a friend of mine, of a plentiful fortune, that’s desperately in love with your fair daughter,

  Dalinda; and has commanded me, by your permission, to deliver this letter to her.

  Lop. A rich man’s letter may be delivered.

  [Carlos gives her the letter.

  Dal. What’s here? A note without a superscription. [She seems to read.] As I live, a bill of exchange for two hundred pistoles, charged upon a banker, and payable to the bearer! An accomplished cavalier, I warrant him; he writes finely, and in the best manner.

  Carl. [Aside.] There’s the covetous sex, at the first syllable! The fool’s good planet begins to work already; but I shall stop its influence.

  Lop. Good cousin colonel, what m
anner of man is my son-in-law that may be?

  Carl. D’ye see that sneaking fellow yonder?

  Lop. Who, that gallant cavalier?

  Dal. I wish it were no worse.

  Carl. Plague, ye make me mad betwixt ye.

  His outside’s tawdry, and his inside’s fool. He’s an usurer’s son, and his father was a Jew.

  Dal. No matter for all that, he’s rich.

  Carl. He was begot upon the wife of a desperate debtor, out of pure good husbandry, to save something. He’s covetous by the father’s side, a blockhead by the mother’s, and a knave by both.

  Lop. I see nothing like your description of him, at this distance. Call him hither, I would fain speak with him.

  Carl. Come hither, Don Sancho, and make good the character I have given of you.

  [Sancho comes up, and salutes them awkwardly.

  Lop. Cavalier, I shall be glad to be better known to you.

  San. [To Carl.] You see I have luck in a bag, Carlos.

  Carl. [Aside.] Ay, in a bag of money; I see it to my sorrow. — Try his wit, senor, you’ll find it as heavy as lead. — [Aside to Lopez.

  Lop. [To Sancho.] So his money be silver, I care not. — Come, cavalier, what say you to my daughter?

  San. Why, I say, I was resolved to love the first fair lady that I met.

  Dal. O Lord, sir!

  Carl. [To Lop.] Do but mark his breeding.

  Lop. I like him never the worse for his plain dealing.

  Dal. Bluntness, methinks, becomes a soldier.

  Carl. [Aside.] How naturally old men take to riches, and women to fools!

  Lop. [To San.] You have made a noble declaration of your love, sir, with a handsome present of two hundred pistoles.

  San. What, I hope I have not mistaken papers, and sent you my letter of exchange for two hundred pistoles, charged upon the banker Porto Carrero? Pray return that letter, madam, and I’ll look out for another, that shall treat only of dry love, without those terrible appendixes.

  Dal. Why, did not you intend this for me, cavalier?

  San. No; you shall hear me rap out all the oaths in Christendom, that I am wholly innocent of this accusation.

  Dal. Come, you belie your noble nature.

  Look upon me again, cavalier [She makes the doux yeux to him], and then examine your own heart, if you meant it not to me.

  San. Nay, I confess my heart beats a charge towards ye; — and yet two hundred pistoles is a swinging sum for one kind look, Carlos!

  Carl. A damnable hard pennyworth! hold you there, Don Sancho.

  [Dalinda looks upon him again more sweetly.

  San. She has two devils in her eyes; that last ogle was a lick-penny. — Well, madam, I dedicate those fair two hundred pistoles to your more fair hand; and, now you have received them, I meant