Pavements looks the way That points to Death She pulls him Oh hear me hear me Father Have you forgot that dear indulgent Name Never before in vain pronounc'd by me Vera. Ha! who disturbs my Thoughts Celid. kneeling 'T is Celidea Alas I wou'd relieve you if I durst If ever I offended even in Thought Or made not your Commands The bounds of all my Wishes and Desires Bid me be dumb or else permit me Speech Vera. Oh rise my only unoffending Child Who reconciles me to the Name of Father Speak then but not for her and less for him Celid. Perhaps I wou'd accuse 'em not defend For both are Guilty dipt in equal Crimes And are obnoxious to your Justice both Vera. True Celidea thou confirm'st my Sentence 'T is just Alphonso Dye Ximen aside Forgive her Heav'n she aggravates their Faults And pushes their destruction Celid. Speak Alphonso Can you deny when Royal Veramond Then thought your Father and by you so deem'd When he requir'd your Captive old Ramirez And order'd his Confinement did you well Then to controul the Pleasure of that King Under whose just Commands you Fought and Conquer'd Alph. I did not well but heat of boyling Youth And ill-weigh'd Honour made me disobey Vera. That Cause is gain'd for he confesses Guilt Proceed most equitable Judge proceed Celid. to Alph. Next I reproach you with a worse Rebellion The King 's first Promise to Don Garcia made You dar'd t' oppose forbad his fair Addresses Then made a Ruffian Quarrel with that Prince And last were guilty of Incestuous Love I will not load my Sister with Consent But in strict Virtue listning to a Crime And not rejecting is it self a Crime Vict. Is this a Sister's Office Peace for shame We Lov'd without transgressing Virtues bounds We fixt the limits of our tend'rest Thoughts Came to the verge of honour and there stopt We warm'd us by the Fire but were not scorcht If this be Sin Angels might Love with less And mingle Rays of Minds less pure than ours Our Souls enjoy'd but to their Holy Feasts Bodies on both sides were forbidden Guests Celid. Now help me Father or our Cause is lost For much I fear their Love was innocent Vera. With my own Troops Alphonso seiz'd my Person In my own Town to my perpetual Shame Pass on to that and strike the Traytor Dead Celid. Yes Proud Alphonso you were banisht hence Your Father was confin'd and doom'd to Death The Beauty you Ador'd was made another's How durst you then attempt t' avenge your wrongs And force your Mistress from your Rival's Arms Rather than Dye contented as you ought Alph. Even for those very Reasons you alledge Ximen aside At last I find her drift Vera. Thou Justifiest and not Accusest him Celid. Patience good Father and hear out the rest To Alph. Thought you because you bravely Fought and Conquer'd For Royal Veramond nay sav'd his Life And set him free when you had Conquer'd him Only because he was Victoria's Father Thought you for such-slight Services as these That he shou'd spare you now O Generous Madman To give your Head to one who ne're forgave Vera. aside Oh she stings me Celid. And you Don Garcia witness to this Truth You were his hated Rival fairly vanquisht And yet he spar'd your Life Garc. At your request I owe it to you both That he dismist my Sister 't was her Fault I charge it not on him but 't was his Folly A Capital Fool he was in that last Error For which he justly stands Condemn'd to Death Your Sentence Royal Sir Vera. That he shou'd Live Shou'd Live Triumphant over Veramond And shou'd Live Happy in Victoria's Love Oh I have held as long as Nature cou'd Convinc'd in Reason obstinate in Will I saw the Pleader's aim found her design I long'd to be o'recome and yet resisted What have I done against thee my Alphonso And what hast thou not done for Veramond Ximen Oh fortunate Event Vict. Oh happy Day Alph. Oh unexpected Bliss and therefore double Vera. to Alph. Can you forgive me yes I know you can Alphonso can forgive Victoria's Father But yet in pity Pardon not too soon Punish my Pride a while And make me linger for so great a Good Lest extasie of Joy prevent the Blessing And you instead of Pardon give me Death He offers to kneel to Alphonso Alphonso tales him up and kneels himself Alph. Oh let me raise my Father from the ground Vera. rising 'T is your peculiar Virtue my Alphonso Always to raise me up Alph. Here let me grow till I obtain your Grace My Life has been one Universal Crime And you like Heav'n accepting short Repentance Forgive my length of Sins Vera. raising him Let us forget from whence offence began But since to fave my shame thou wilt be Guilty Impute thy hate for me to sure instinct That show'd thee thy True Father in my Foe Now Grafted on my Stock be Son to both turning to Garc. To you Don Garcia next Garc. Before you speak Permit me Sir t' assume some little Merit In this days Happiness your Promise made Victoria mine Alph. What then Garc. Nay hear me out He kept his Royal Word he gave her me I lost her when I fell beneath your Sword Or if I have a Title I resign it And make her yours Alph. I take her as your Gift Garc. to Vera. Make me but Blest in Celidea's Love She sav'd my Life and hers it is for ever 'T is pity she who gain'd another's Cause Shou'd lose her own Vera. presenting Celidea She 's yours Celid. My Joys are full Vict. And mine o're-flow Alph. And mine are all a Soul can bear and Live Vera. Then seek we out Ramirez To make him Partner of this happy day That gives him back his Crown and his Alphonso Ram. Behold me here unsought with some few Friends Taking off his Vizard Resolv'd to Save my Son or Perish with him Thus far I trac'd and follow'd him unknown And here have waited with a beating Heart To see this blest Event Vera. Just like the winding up of some Design Well form'd upon the crowded Theatre Where all concern'd surprizingly are pleas'd And what they wish see done Lead to the Temple Let Thanks be paid and Heav'n be prais'd no less For private Union than for publick Peace Epilogue NOW in Good Manners nothing shou'd be sed Against this Play because the Poet 's dead The Prologue told us of a Moral here Wou'd I cou'd find it but the Devil knows where If in my Part it lyes I fear he means To warn us of the Sparks behind our Scenes For if you 'l take it on Dalinda's Word 'T is a hard Chapter to refuse a Lord. The Poet might pretend this Moral too That when a Wit and Fool together woo The Damsel not to break an Ancient Rule Shou'd leave the Wit and take the Wealthy Fool. This he might mean but there 's a Truth behind And since it touches none of all our Kind But Masks and Misses faith I 'le speak my Mind What if he Taught our Sex more cautious Carriage And not to be too Coming before Marriage For fear of my Misfortune in the Play A Kid brought home upon the Wedding day I fear there are few Sancho's in the Pit So good as to forgive and to forget That will like him restore us into Favour And take us after on our good Behaviour Few when they find the Mony Bag is rent Will take it for good Payment on content But in the Telling there the difference is Sometimes they find it more than they cou'd wish Therefore be warn'd you Misses and you Masks Look to your hits nor give the first that asks Tears Sighs and Oaths no truth of Passion prove True Settlement alone declares true Love For him that Weds a Puss who kept her first I say but little but I doubt the worst The Wife that was a Cat may mind her house And prove an Honest and a Careful Spouse But faith I wou'd not trust her with a Mouse FINIS
down his Head Forc'd at the last my shameful pain I tell Victo No more We know our mutual Love too well Both look up and meet each others Eyes Alph. Two Lines in reading had escap'd my sight Shall I go back and do the Poet right Victo Already we have read too far I fear But read no more than Modesty may bear Alphonso reading For I lov'd too and knowing not my wound A secret Pleasure in thy Kisses found He offers to kiss her and she turns her Head away May we not represent the Kiss we read Victo Alphonso no Brother I shou'd have said Alphonso reading again When half denying more than half content Embraces warm'd me to a full Consent Then with tumultuous Joys my Heart did beat And Guilt that made 'em Anxious made 'em Great She snatches the Book and throws it down then rises and walks he rises also Victo Incendiary Book Polluted Flame Dare not to tempt the Chast Victoria's Fame I love perhaps more than a Sister shou'd And Nature prompts but Heav'n restrains my Blood Heav'n was unkind to set so strict a Bound And Love wou'd struggle to forbidden Ground Oh let us gain a Parthian Victory Our only way to conquer is to fly Alph. No more Victoria tho my Love aspires More high than yours and fiercer are my Fires I cannot bear your looks new Flames arise From ev'ry Glance and kindle from your Eyes Pure are the Beams which from those Suns you dart But gather blackness from my sooty Heart Then let us each with hasty steps remove Nor spread Contagion where we meant but Love Victo Hear Heav'n and Earth and witness to my Vows And Love thou greatest Power that Nature knows This Heart Alphonso shall be firmly thine This Hand shall never with another joyn Or if by force my Father makes me wed Then Death shall be the Bridegroom of my Bed Now let us both our shares of Sorrow take And both be wretched for each others sake Alph. By those relentless powerâ— that rule the Skies And by a greater Power Victoria's Eyes No Love but yours shall touch Alphonso's Heart Nor Time nor Death my vow'd Affections part Nor shall my hated Rival live to see That hour which envious Fate denies to me Now seal we both our Vows with one dear Kiss Victo No 't is a hot and an incestuous Bliss Let both be satisfi'd with what we swore I dare not give it lest I give you more Exit Victoria looking back on him and he gazing on her Alph. Oh Raging Impious and yet hopeless Fire Not daring to possess what I desire Condemn'd to suffer what I cannot bear Tortur'd with Love and Furious with Despair Of all the Pains which wretched Mortals prove The fewest Remedies belong to Love But ours has none for if we shou'd enjoy Our fatal Cure must both of us destroy Oh Dear Victoria cause of all my Pain Oh Dear Victoria whom I wou'd not gain Victoria for whose sake I wou'd survive Victoria for whose sake I dare not live Enter Garcia with Attendants The two Princes salute but Alphonso very coldly Garci I come to shew my grief for your Distemper For if my Noble Brother saw my Heart There shou'd you find a Plain a Holy Friendship Unmixt with Interest equally partaking Of what affects you both of good and ill Alphon. I thank you but my Malady increases At your approach I have no more to say But wish you better health than I can boast And to my self a lonely Privacy Garci I find I am not welcome to your sight But know not from what cause Alphon. angrily My surest Remedy is in your absence 'T is hard my Lodgings cannot be my own But importun'd with Visits undesir'd And therefore I must tell you troublesom Garci 'T is an odd way of entertaining Friends But since I find you discompos'd with sickness That shall excuse your Humours where I go I hope for better Welcome Alphon. Sir I must ask whom you pretend to visit Garci My Mistress Prince Alphon. Your Mistress who 's that Mistress Garci What need I name Victoria Alphon. Who my Sister Garci Whom else cou'd you imagine Alphon. Any other Garci And why not her Alphon. Because I know not if she will admit you Garci Her Father has allow'd it Alph. But not she Or if both have yet my consent is wanting You take upon you in a Foreign Kingdom As if you were at home in your Navarre Garci And you methinks As if you had no Father or no King Farewell I will not stay Alphon. You shall not go Thus as I am thus single thus unarm'd And you with Guards attended Gar. You Teach me to forget the Rule of Manners Alph. I mean to Teach you better As Garcia is going to pass by him Alphonso runs to one of his Attendants and snatches his Sword away then steps between Garcia and the Door Enter Veramond and Ximena Attended Vera. What means this rude Behaviour in my Court As if our Arragon were turn'd to Thrace Unhospitable to her Guests and thou Alphonso a Lycurgus Alphon. He would pass Without my Sister's leave into her Lodgings By Heav'n if this be suffer'd to proceed The next will be to Treat the Royal Maid As coursly as she were some Suburb Girl Gar. to Vera. Had I not your Permission Sir Vera. You had But these Alphonso are thy Ruffian Manners How dar'st thou Boy to break my Orders And then asperse thy Sister with thy Crime Alphon. She said his Presence was unpleasing to her Vera. Come thou bely'st her Innocence and Duty She did not durst not say it Alph. If she did not I dare and will maintain to all the World That Garcia is not worthy of my Sister Vera. Not worthy Alphon No I say once more not worthy Garcia Not in my self for who deserves Victoria But since her Royal Father bids me hope Not less unworthy than another Prince To Ver. And none with your permission Sir shall dare To interpose betwixt my Love and Me. Alph. Sure a less Price than our Infanta's Bed Might pay thee for thy Mercenary Troops Vera. Peace Insolent too long I have indur'd Thy Haughty Soul untam'd and turbulent But if I Live this shall not pass unpunisht Darkness and Chains are Medicines for a Madman Ximena My Lord I humbly beg you spare your Son And add not Fury to a Raging Fire He soon will recollect his scatter'd Reason Which Heat of Youth and Sickness and Fatigues Have dissipated in his boyling Blood Give him but time and then his Temperate Humour Will soon return into the Native Channel And unoppos'd be calm Vera. No never more The Moon has roul'd above his Head and turn'd it As Peals of Thunder sow'r the generous Wine To Alph. Hence from my Presence thou no more my Son Ximena If he be Mad be Madness his excuse And Pardon Nature's Error not his own Vera. Ximena you have fonded him to this I Prophesied and now 't is come to pass
Prisoner And on his Honour I restor'd his Sword Because I thought that mark of Sovereign Justice And Awful Power shou'd 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 cou'dst thou dispose Of him or of his Sword or of his Life Once more disarm him What am I betray'd Guards look amaz'd but stir not Have I no Subject left Xime Submit Alphonso I who am partial to you must condemn This Carriage as undutious to your Father Ramir. to Alphon. Brave Prince too warmly you assert my Cause Tho' 't is 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 cou'd 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 Ramir. When e're it comes 't is welcome only this If Enemies be suffer'd to request Forgive th' 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 follow'd by the Guards Alphonso looking frowningly The rest stay Alphon. aside How I abhor this base Inhumane Act But Patience he 's my Father Veram Thus all his Praises are thy Accusations And even that very Sword Punish me Heav'n if I believe not so Is far less dangerous in his Hand than thine Xime Forgive the hasty Sallies of his Youth Vera. He never lov'd me Alphon. You never gave me cause Xime to Alphon. Come you both lov'd 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 Veram How tho' at first he cou'd 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 Veram For ought I see you do him better Office Than he desires Ximena Alphon. 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 'em at a distance Vera. This had not been thus easily o're-past 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 K Q. and Alphonso entertain Garcia in dumb show while Victoria and Celidea speak at a distance Celid. What think you Sister of this Youthful Hero Victo Our dear Alphonso Celid. No I mean Navarre Victo As of a Valiant Prince what wou'd you more Celid. Methinks you give him a short Commendation Yet all his Applications were to you Victo I minded not his words Celid. He made a warm beginning of a Love Victo It seems my thoughts were otherwise employ'd Celid. Neither your thoughts nor eyes cou'd be employ'd Upon a Nobler Object Victo That 's your Judgment Celid. His every Action nay his every Motion Were graceful and becoming his high Birth Victo 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 Celid. Sure you forget the Troops he brought our Father Besides his Personal Valour in the Fight Victo You more forget Alphonso's greater Actions When the young Hero yet unfledg'd in Arms Made the tough Age of bold Ramirez bend He fought like Mars descending from the Skies And look'd like Venus rising from the Waves Celid. Navarre had done the same 't was Fortune's fault That show'd him not Ramirez Victo You are too young to judge of Men or Merits You praise the Vulgar Flight a Faulcon makes When Jove's Imperial Bird that bears the Thunder Is tow'ring far above him Re-enter Carlos Sancho and the rest of the Officers Vera. Are my Commands perform'd Carlos 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 Celid. We cannot show too much of Gratitude Vera. Victoria what say you Victo He did the Duty of a brave Allie I do not know the War nor dare I load His modesty with larger Commendations Garci Even those are much too large when giv'n by you To whom my Soul with all my future Service Are with Devotion offer'd Vera. I have indeed disclos'd to her alone Th' important Secret of th' intended Match And that perhaps has made her fear to praise A Prince who shortly is to be her own Alphon. aside Oh Heav'ns what bode these words The Queen and Celidea shew amazement Alphonso and Victoria discontent Vera. Now therefore I declare the wisht alliance Ximena you may give your Daughter joy And you your Sister of th' Imperial Crown To Celid. Which Garcia puts on our Victoria's Head Your share Alphonso in this happy day To Alphon. Is not the least nor will you be the last T' applaud my worthy choice of such a Son Alphon. A sudden damp has seiz'd my Vital Spirits I see but through a mist and hear far off Nay trouble not your selves 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 Xime aside He 's much disturb'd a sickness of the Soul Or I mistake he does not like this Marriage Assist us Heav'n 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 Garci Our Joys were else too full An hour of sleep will bring him back restor'd Mean time we may withdraw Garci to Victo Come my fair Mistress by your Father's leave I seize this precious Gage Victo 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 Vara. Xime Celid. Garci Victo and all the Courtiers Men and Women The Guards follow San. and Carl. remain San. Good news Cartos the old Jew is dead Carl. What Jew Sanch. 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 intend to be monstrously in love Carl. With whom Colonel Sanch. That 's not yet resolv'd Colonel but with one of the Court Ladies You may stand a Man's Friend Carlos in such