Chapter CXLI: Act II: Scene I.4369

General COLUMBO, HERNANDO, _two_ Colonels, ALPHONSO, _two_ Captains, _and other_ Officers, _as at a Council of War_.

_Colum._ I see no face in all this council that
Hath one pale fear upon ’t, though we arriv’d not
So timely to secure the town, which gives
Our enemy such triumph.

_1 Col._ ’T was betray’d.

_Alph._ The wealth of that one city 5
Will make the enemy glorious.[4370]

_1 Col._ They dare
Not plunder it.

_Alph._ They give fair quarter yet:
They only seal up men’s estates, and keep
Possession for the city’s use: they take up
No wares without security; and he, 10
Whose single credit will not pass, puts in
Two lean comrades, upon whose bonds ’t is not
Religion to deny ’em.

_Colum._ To repair this
With honour, gentlemen?

_Her._ My opinion is
To expect awhile.

_Colum._ Your reason?

_Her._ Till their own 15
Surfeit betray ’em; for their soldier[s,]
Bred up with coarse and common bread, will show
Such appetites on the rich cates they find.
They ’ll spare our swords a victory, when their own
Riot and luxury destroys ’em.

_Col._ That 20
Will show our patience too like a fear.
With favour of his excellence, I think
The spoil of cities takes not off the courage,
But doubles it on soldiers; besides,
While we have tameness to expect, the noise 25
Of their success and plenty will increase
Their army.

_Her._ ’T is considerable; we do not
Exceed in foot or horse, our muster not
’Bove sixteen thousand both; and the infantry
Raw, and not disciplin’d to act.

_Alph._ Their hearts, 30
But with a brave thought of their country’s honour,
Will teach ’em how to fight, had they not seen
A sword. But we decline[4371] our own too much;
The men are forward in their arms, and take
The use[4372] with avarice of fame. _They rise_, _and talk privately_.

_Colum._ —Colonel, 35
I do suspect you are a coward.

_Her._ Sir!

_Colum._ Or else a traitor; take your choice. No more.
I call’d you to a council, sir, of war;
Yet keep your place.

_Her._ I have worn other names.

_Colum._ Deserve ’em. Such 40
Another were enough to unsoul an army.
Ignobly talk of patience, till they drink
And reel to death! We came to fight, and force ’em
To mend their pace: thou hast no honour in thee,
Not enough noble blood to make a blush 45
For thy tame eloquence.

_Her._ My lord, I know
My duty to a general: yet there are
Some that have known me here. Sir, I desire
To quit my regiment.

_Colum._ You shall have license.—
Ink and paper! 50

[_Enter_ Attendant _with ink and paper_, _and exit_.]

_1 Col._ The general ’s displeas’d.

_2 Col._ How is ’t, Hernando?

_Her._ The general has found out employment for me;
He is writing letters back.

_Alph. and Capt._ To his mistress?

_Her._ Pray do not trouble me; yet, prithee, speak,
And flatter not thy friend. Dost think I dare 55
Not draw my sword, and use it, when a cause,
With honour, calls to action?

_Alph. and Col._ With the most valiant man alive.

_Her._ You ’ll do me some displeasure in your loves:
Pray to your places. 60

_Colum._ So; bear those letters to the king;
They speak my resolution, before
Another sun decline, to charge the enemy.

_Her._ [_Aside._] A pretty court way
Of dismissing an officer.—I obey; success 65
Attend your counsels! _Exit._

_Colum._ If here be any dare not look on danger,
And meet it like a man, with scorn of death,
I beg his absence; and a coward’s fear
Consume him to a ghost!

_1 Col._ None such [are] here. 70

_Colum._ Or, if in all your regiments you find
One man that does not ask to bleed with honour,
Give him a double pay to leave the army;
There ’s service to be done will call the spirits
And aid of men.

_1 Col._ You give us all new flame, 75

_Colum._ I am confirm’d, and you must lose no time;
The soldier that was took last night, to me
Discover’d their whole strength, and that we have
A party in the town. The river, that
Opens the city to the west, [’s] unguarded;— 80
We must this night use art and resolution
We cannot fall ingloriously.

_1 Capt._ That voice
Is every man’s.

_Enter_ Soldier _and_ Secretary [ANTONIO] _with a letter_.

_Colum._ What now?

_Sold._ Letters. 85

_Colum._ Whence?

_Sold._ From the duchess.

_Colum._ They are welcome.— [_Takes the letter._]
Meet at my tent again this evening;
Yet stay, some wine.—The duchess’ health! [_Drinks._] 90
See it go round. [_Opens the letter._]

_Ant._ It wo’ not please his excellence.

_1 Col._ The duchess’ health! [_Drinks._]

_2 Capt._ To me! more wine.

_Ant._ The clouds are gathering, and his eyes shoot fire; 95
Observe what thunder follows.

_2 Capt._ The general has but ill news. I suspect
The duchess sick, or else the king.

_1 Capt._ May be
The Cardinal.

_2 Capt._ His soul has long been look’d for.

_Colum._ She dares not be so insolent. It is 100
The duchess’ hand. How am I shrunk in fame
To be thus play’d withal! She writes, and counsels,
Under my hand, to send her back a free
Resign of all my interest to her person,
Promise, or love; that there ’s no other way,
With safety of my honour, to revisit her. 106
The woman is possest with some bold devil,
And wants an exorcism; or, I am grown
A cheap, dull, phlegmatic fool, a post that ’s carv’d
I’ th’ common street, and holding out my forehead 110
To every scurril wit to pin disgrace
And libels on ’t.—Did you bring this to me, sir?
My thanks shall warm your heart. _Draws a pistol._

_Ant._ Hold, hold! my lord!
I know not what provokes this tempest, but
Her grace ne’er show’d more freedom from a storm 115
When I receiv’d this paper. If you have
A will to do an execution,
Your looks, without that engine, sir, may serve.—
I did not like the employment.

_Colum._ Ha! had she
No symptom, in her eye or face, of anger, 120
When she gave this in charge?

_Ant._ Serene, as I
Have seen the morning rise upon the spring;
No trouble in her breath, but such a wind
As came to kiss, and fan the smiling flowers.

_Colum._ No poetry.

_Ant._ By all the truth in prose, 125
By honesty, and your own honour, sir,
I never saw her look more calm and gentle.

_Colum._ I am too passionate; you must forgive me.
I have found it out; the duchess loves me dearly;
She exprest a trouble in her when I took 130
My leave, and chid me with a sullen eye:
’T is a device to hasten my return;
Love has a thousand arts. I ’ll answer it
Beyond her expectation, and put
Her soul to a noble test.—Your patience, gentlemen; 135
The king’s health will deserve a sacrifice
Of wine. [_Retires to the table and writes._]

_Ant._ [_Aside._] I am glad to see this change, and thank my wit
For my redemption.

_1 Col._ Sir, the soldier’s curse
On him loves not our master!

_2 Col._ And they curse 140
Loud enough to be heard.

_2 Capt._ Their curse has the nature of gunpowder.

_Ant._ They do not pray with half the noise.

_1 Col._ Our general is not well mixt;
He has too great a portion of fire. 145

_2 Col._ His mistress cool him, (her complexion
Carries some phlegm,) when they two meet in bed!

_2 Capt._ A third may follow.

_1 Capt._ ’T is much pity 149
The young duke liv’d not to take the virgin off.

_1 Col._ ’T was the king’s act, to match two rabbit-suckers.[4373]

_2 Col._ A common trick of state;
The little great man marries, travels then
Till both grow up, and dies when he should do
The feat; these things are still unlucky 155
On the male side.

_Colum._ This to the duchess’ fair hand.
[_Gives_ ANTONIO _a letter._]

_Ant._ She will think
Time hath no wing, till I return. [_Exit._]

_Colum._ Gentlemen,
Now each man to his quarter, and encourage
The soldier. I shall take a pride to know 160
Your diligence, when I visit all your
Several commands.

_All._ We shall expect.

_2 Col._ And move
By your directions.

_Colum._ Y’ are all noble. _Exeunt._

[SCENE II.][4374]

_Enter_ CARDINAL, DUCHESS, _and_ PLACENTIA.

_Car._ I shall perform a visit daily, madam,
In th’ absence of my nephew, and be happy
If you accept my care.

_Duch._ You have honour’d me;
And if your entertainment have not been
Worthy your grace’s person, ’t is because 5
Nothing can reach it in my power; but where
There is no want of zeal, other defect
Is only a fault to exercise your mercy.

_Car._ You are bounteous in all. I take my leave,
My fair niece, shortly, when Columbo has 10
Purchas’d more honours to prefer his name
And value to your noble thoughts; meantime,
Be confident you have a friend, whose office
And favour with the king shall be effectual
To serve your grace.

_Duch._ Your own good deeds reward you, 15
Till mine rise equal to deserve their benefit.— _Exit_ CARDINAL.
Leave me awhile.— _Exit_ PLACENTIA.
Do not I walk upon the teeth of serpents,
And, as I had a charm against their poison,
Play with their stings? The Cardinal is subtle,
Whom ’t is not wisdom to incense, till I 21
Hear to what destiny Columbo leaves me.
May be the greatness of his soul will scorn
To own what comes with murmur;—if he can
Interpret me so happily.—Art come? 25

_Enter_ Secretary [ANTONIO] _with a letter_.

_Ant._ His excellence salutes your grace.

_Duch._ Thou hast
A melancholy brow. How did he take my letter?

_Ant._ As he would take a blow; with so much sense
Of anger, his whole soul boil’d in his face;
And such prodigious flame in both his eyes, 30
As they ’d been th’ only seat of fire, and at
Each look a salamander leaping forth,
Not able to endure the furnace.

_Duch._ Ha! thou dost
Describe him with some horror.

_Ant._ Soon as he
Had read again, and understood your meaning, 35
His rage had shot me with a pistol, had not
I us’d some soft and penitential language,
To charm the bullet.

_Duch._ Wait at some more distance.—
My soul doth bathe itself in a cold dew;
Imagine I am opening of a tomb; [_Opens the letter._] 40
Thus I throw off the marble, to discover
What antic posture death presents in this
Pale monument to fright me.—Ha! _Reads._
My heart, that call’d my blood and spirits to
Defend it from the invasion of my fears, 45
Must keep a guard about it still, lest this
Strange and too mighty joy crush it to nothing.—
Antonio.

_Ant._ Madam.

_Duch._ Bid my steward give thee
Two thousand ducats. Art sure I am awake?

_Ant._ I shall be able to resolve you, madam, 50
When he has paid the money.

_Duch._ Columbo now is noble. _Exit._

_Ant._ This is better
Than I expected,—if my lady be
Not mad, and live to justify her bounty. _Exit._

[SCENE III.][4375]

_Enter_ KING, ALVAREZ, HERNANDO, _and_ Lords.

_King._ The war is left to him; but we must have
You reconcil’d, if that be all your difference.
His rage flows like a torrent, when he meets
With opposition; leave to wrastle with him,
And his hot blood retreats into a calm, 5
And then he chides his passion. You shall back
With letters from us.

_Her._ Your commands are not
To be disputed.

_King._ Alvarez. [_Takes him aside._]

_1 Lord._ Lose not
Yourself by cool submission; he will find
His error, and the want of such a soldier. 10

_2 Lord._ Have you seen the Cardinal?

_Her._ Not yet.

_1 Lord._ He wants no plot—

_Her._ The king I must obey;
But let the purple gownman place his engines
I’ th’ dark, that wound[4376] me.

_2 Lord._ Be assur’d
Of what we can to friend you; and the king 15
Cannot forget your service.

_Her._ I am sorry
For that poor gentleman.

_Alv._ I must confess, sir,
The duchess has been pleas’d to think me worthy
Her favours, and in that degree of honour
That has oblig’d my life to make the best 20
Return of service, which is not, with bold
Affiance in her love, to interpose
Against her happiness, and your election.
I love so much her honour, I have quitted 24
All my desires; yet would not shrink to bleed
Out my warm stock of life, so the last drop
Might benefit her wishes.

_King._ I shall find
A compensation for this act, Alvarez;
It hath much pleased us.

_Enter_ DUCHESS _with a letter_; Gentleman-Usher.

_Duch._ Sir, you are the king,
And in that sacred title it were sin 30
To doubt a justice: all that does concern
My essence in this world, and a great part
Of the other’s bliss, lives in your breath.

_King._ What intends the duchess?

_Duch._ That will instruct you, sir. [_Gives the letter._]—Columbo
has, 35
Upon some better choice, or discontent,
Set my poor soul at freedom.

_King._ ’T is his character. _Reads._
“Madam, I easily discharge all my pretensions to your love and
person; I leave you to your own choice; and in what you have obliged
yourself to me, resume a power to cancel, if you please. 41
Columbo.”
This is strange!

_Duch._ Now do an act to make
Your chronicle belov’d and read for ever.

_King._ Express yourself.

_Duch._ Since by divine infusion,— 45
For ’t is no art could force the general to
This change, second this justice, and bestow
The heart you would have given from me, by
Your strict commands to love Columbo, where
’T was meant by Heaven; and let your breath return 50
Whom you divorc’d, Alvarez, mine.

_Lords._ This is
But justice, sir.

_King._ It was decreed above;
And since Columbo has releas’d his interest,
Which we had wrought him, not without some force
Upon your will, I give you your own wishes: 55
Receive your own Alvarez. When you please
To celebrate your nuptial, I invite
Myself your guest.

_Duch._ Eternal blessings crown you!

_All._ And every joy your marriage!
_Exit_ KING, _who meets the_ CARDINAL; _they converse_.

_Alv._ I know not whether I shall wonder most, 60
Or joy to meet this happiness.

_Duch._ Now the king
Hath planted us, methinks we grow already,
And twist our loving souls, above the wrath
Of thunder to divide us.

_Alv._ Ha! the Cardinal
Has met the king! I do not like this conference; 65
He looks with anger this way. I expect
A tempest.

_Duch._ Take no notice of his presence;
Leave me to meet, and answer it. If the king
Be firm in ’s royal word, I fear no lightning.
Expect me in the garden.

_Alv._ I obey; 70
But fear a shipwrack on the coast. _Exit._

_Car._ Madam.

_Duch._ My lord.

_Car._ The king speaks of a letter that has brought
A riddle in ’t.

_Duch._ ’T is easy to interpret. 74

_Car._ From my nephew? May I deserve the favour?
[DUCHESS _gives him the letter_.]

_Duch._ [_Aside._] He looks as though his eyes would fire the paper.
They are a pair of burning glasses, and
His envious blood doth give ’em flame.

_Car._ [_Aside._] What lethargy could thus unspirit him?
I am all wonder.—Do not believe, madam, 80
But that Columbo’s love is yet more sacred
To honour and yourself, than thus to forfeit
What I have heard him call the glorious wreath
To all his merits, given him by the king,
From whom he took you with more pride than ever 85
He came from victory: his kisses hang
Yet panting on your lips; and he but now
Exchang’d religious farewell to return,
But with more triumph, to be yours.

_Duch._ My lord,
You do believe your nephew’s hand was not 90
Surpris’d or strain’d to this?

_Car._ Strange arts and windings in the world! most dark
And subtle progresses! Who brought this letter?

_Duch._ I enquir’d not his name; I thought it not
Considerable[4377] to take such narrow knowledge.

_Car._ Desert and honour urg’d it here, nor can 96
I blame you to be angry; yet his person
Oblig’d you should have given a nobler pause,
Before you made your faith and change so violent,
From his known worth, into the arms of one,
However fashioned to your amorous wish, 101
Not equal to his cheapest fame, with all
The gloss of love and merit.

_Duch._ This comparison,
My good lord Cardinal, I cannot think
Flows from an even justice; it betrays 105
You partial where your blood runs.

_Car._ I fear, madam,
Your own takes too much license, and will soon
Fall to the censure of unruly tongues.
Because Alvarez has a softer cheek,
Can, like a woman, trim his wanton hair, 110
Spend half a day with looking in the glass
To find a posture to present himself,
And bring more effeminacy than man,
Or honour, to your bed, must he supplant him?
Take heed, the common murmur, when it catches 115
The scent of a lost fame—

_Duch._ My fame, lord Cardinal?
It stands upon an innocence as clear
As the devotions you pay to Heaven.
I shall not urge, my lord, your soft indulgence
At my next shrift.

_Car._ You are a fine court lady! 120

_Duch._ And you should be a reverend churchman.

_Car._ One
That, if you have not thrown off modesty,
Would counsel you to leave Alvarez.

_Duch._ ’Cause
You dare do worse than marriage, must not I
Be admitted what the church and law allows me? 125

_Car._ Insolent! Then you dare marry him?

_Duch._ Dare!
Let your contracted flame and malice, with
Columbo’s rage, higher than that, meet us
When we approach the holy place, clasp’d hand
In hand we ’ll break through all your force, and fix 130
Our sacred vows together there.

_Car._ I knew
When, with as chaste a brow, you promis’d fair
To another. You are no dissembling lady!

_Duch._ Would all your actions had no falser lights
About ’em! 135

_Car._ Ha!

_Duch._ The people would not talk, and curse so loud.

_Car._ I ’ll have you chid into a blush for this.

_Duch._ Begin at home, great man, there ’s cause enough:
You turn the wrong end of the perspective[4378] 140
Upon your crimes, to drive them to a far
And lesser sight; but let your eyes look right,
What giants would your pride and surfeit seem!
How gross your avarice, eating up whole families!
How vast are your corruptions and abuse 145
Of the king’s ear! at which you hang a pendant,
Not to adorn, but ulcerate, while the honest
Nobility, like pictures in the arras,
Serve only for court ornament. If they speak,
’T is when you set their tongues, which you wind up 150
Like clocks, to strike at the just hour you please.
Leave, leave, my lord, these usurpations,
And be what you were meant, a man to cure,
Not let in, agues to religion:
Look on the church’s wounds.

_Car._ You dare presume, 155
In your rude spleen to me, to abuse the church?

_Duch._ Alas, you give false aim, my lord; ’t is your
Ambition and scarlet sins, that rob
Her altar of the glory, and leave wounds
Upon her brow; which fetches grief and paleness 160
Into her cheeks, making her troubled bosom
Pant with her groans, and shroud her holy blushes
Within your reverend purples.

_Car._ Will you now take breath?

_Duch._ In hope, my lord, you will behold yourself
In a true glass, and see those injust acts 165
That so deform you, and by timely cure
Prevent a shame, before the short-haired men[4379]
Do crowd and call for justice; I take leave. _Exit._

_Car._ This woman has a spirit, that may rise
To tame the devil’s: there ’s no dealing with
Her angry tongue; ’t is action and revenge 171
Must calm her fury. Were Columbo here,
I could resolve; but letters shall be sent
To th’ army, which may wake him into sense
Of his rash folly, or direct his spirit 175
Some way to snatch his honour from this flame.
All great men know the soul of life is fame. _Exit._