Draws off. A Grove.
Discovers Antonio sleeping on the Ground; Hippolyta sitting by,
who sings.
Ah false Amyntas, can that Hour
So soon forgotten be,
When first I yielded up my Power
To be betray’d by thee?
God knows with how much Innocence
I did my Heart resign
Unto thy faithless Eloquence,
And gave thee what was mine.
I had not one Reserve in store,
But at thy Feet I laid
Those Arms which conquer’d heretofore,
Tho now thy Trophies made.
Thy Eyes in silence told their Tale
Of Love in such a way,
That ’twas as easy to prevail,
As after to betray.
[She comes forth, weeps.
Hip. My Grief’s too great to be diverted this way.
[Pointing to Antonio.
Why should this Villain sleep, this treacherous Man —
Who has for ever robb’d me of my rest?
Had I but kept my Innocence intire,
I had out-brav’d my Fate, and broke my Chains,
Which now I bear like a poor guilty Slave,
Who sadly crys, If I were free from these,
I am not from my Crimes; so still lives on,
And drags his loathed Fetters after him.
Why should I fear to die, or murder him?
It is but adding one Sin more to th’ number.
This — would soon do’t — but where’s the Hand to guide it?
[Draws a Dagger, sighs.
For ’tis an act too horrid for a Woman.
[Turns away.
But yet thus sleeping I might take that Soul,
[Turns to him.
Which waking all the Charms of Art and Nature
Had not the Power t’effect.
Oh were I brave, I could remember that,
And this way be the Mistress of his Heart.
But mine forbids it should be that way won;
No, I must still love on, in spite of me,
And wake him quickly, lest one Moment’s thought
Upon my Shame should urge me to undo him.
Antonio, Antonio.
[He wakes, rises, and looks amazedly to see the Dagger in her Hand.
Ant. Vile Woman, why that Dagger in that Hand?
Hip. To’ve kill’d thee with,
But that my Love o’ercame my juster Passion,
And put it in thy Power to save thy self;
Thank that, and not my Reason for thy Life.
Ant. She’s doubly arm’d, with that and Injury,
And I am wounded and defenceless.
[Aside.
Hippolyta, why all this Rage to me?
[Kindly smiles.
Hip. Antonio, thou art perjur’d, false and base.
[In great Rage.
Ant. What said my fairest Mistress?
[Goes to her looking softly.
Hip. I said that thou wert perjur’d, false and base.
[Less in Rage.
Ant. My dear Hippolyta, speak it again,
I do not understand thee,
[Takes her by the Hand.
Hip. I said that thou wert perjur’d, my Antonio.
[Sighs.
Ant. Thou wert to blame, but ’twas thy Jealousy.
Which being a Fault of Love I will excuse.
Give me that Mark of Anger, prithee do,
It misbecomes thy Hand.
Hip. I’ve nothing left but this I can command,
And do not ravish this too.
Ant. It is unkind thus to suspect my Love;
Will you make no Allowance for my Humour?
I am by Nature rough, and cannot please,
With Eyes and Words all soft as others can,
But I can love as truly my blunt way.
Hip. You were so soft when first you conquer’d me.
[Sighs.
That but the Thoughts of that dear Face and Eyes,
So manag’d, and so set for Conquest out,
Would make me kind even to another Man;
Could I but thus imbrace and hide my Eyes,
And call him my Antonio.
[She leans on his Bosom, he the while gets her Dagger.
Ant. Stand off, false Woman, I despise thy Love,
Of which to every Man I know thou deal’st
An equal share.
Hip. I do not wonder that I am deceiv’d,
But that I should believe thee, after all thy Treachery.
But prithee tell me why thou treat’st me thus?
Why didst thou with the sacred Vows of Marriage,
After a long and tedious Courtship to me,
Ravish me from my Parents and my Husband?
For so the brave Alonzo was by promise.
Ant. Why, I will tell thee; ’twas not love to thee,
But hatred to thy Brother Don Marcel,
Who made Addresses to the fair Clarinda,
And by his Quality destroy’d my Hopes.
Hip. And durst you not revenge your self on him?
Ant. His Life alone could not appease my Anger;
And after studying what I had to do —
Hip. The Devil taught thee this.
Ant. Yes, and you I chose,
Because you were contracted to Alonzo,
That the disgrace might be more eminent.
Hip. I do believe thee, for when I reflect
On all thy Usage since thou hast betray’d me,
I find thou hast not paid me back one Sigh,
Or Smile for all that I have given thee.
Ant. Hear me out.
Hip. Most calmly.
Ant. From Town to Town you know I did remove you,
Under pretence to shun your Brother’s Anger:
But ’twas indeed to spread your Fame abroad.
But being not satisfy’d till in Madrid,
Here in your native Town, I had proclaim’d you;
The House from whence your Brother’s Fury chas’d us,
Was a Bordello, where ’twas given out
Thou wert a Venice Curtezan to hire,
Whilst you believ’d it was your nuptial Palace.
[Laughs.
Hip. Dost think I did not understand the Plot?
Yes, and was mad till some young Lovers came.
But you had set a Price too high upon me,
No brisk young Man durst venture,
I had expos’d my self at cheaper Rates.
Ant. Your Price, I pray, young Sinner?
[Pulls off his Hat in scorn.
Hip. Thy Life; he that durst say Antonio lives no more,
Should have possest me gratis.
Ant. I would have taken care none should have don’t;
To show, and offer you to Sale, was equally as shameful.
Hip. Well, what hast thou more to do? this is no
Place to inhabit in, nor shall thou force me further;
And back into the Town thou dar’st not go.
Ant. Perhaps I had been kinder to you,
Had you continu’d still to give me that —
Might have begot a Passion in me.
Hip. I have too much Repentance for that Sin,
To increase it, at the Price of being belov’d by thee.
Ant. Consider what you do, this Place is silent,
And far from any thing that may assist you.
Come lead me to the Covert of this Grove.
[Takes her rudely.
Enter Haunce and Gload drunk; Haunce seeing them, offers to
go out again.
Glo. Hold, hold, Sir, why do you run away?
Hau. Thou Fool, dost not see the Reason?
Glo. I see a Man and a Lady, Sir.
Hau. Why, you Coxcomb, they are Lovers;
Or some that are going to do the deed of Love.
Ant. How! Men here? Your Business.
Hau. Prithee, Friend, do not trouble your self with ours, but follow your own; my Man is a little saucy in his Drink indeed, but I am sober enough to understand how things go.
Ant. Leave us then.
Hau. Leave us then — good Words, good Words, Friend; for look ye, I am in a notable Humour at present, and will be intreated.
Glo. Yes, Sir, we will be intreated.
Ant. Pray leave us then.
Hau. That’s something — but hark ye, Friend, say a Man had a mind to put in for a share with you.
Ant. Rude Slaves, leave us.
Hau. Ha, Slaves!
Glo. Slaves said you, Sir? hah —
Hip. Oh, as you’re a Gentleman, assist me.
[To Haunce.
Hau. Assist thee? this Fellow looks as he would not have his Abilities call’d in question; otherwise I am amorous enough to do thee a kindness.
[Offers still to go, she holds him.
Hip. Sir, you mistake me; this is a Ravisher —
Hau. A Ravisher! ha, ha, ha, dost like him the worse for that? No, no, I beg your Pardon, Madam.
Hip. Have you no Manhood, Sir?
Glo. She is in earnest; now if I durst stay, how I would domineer over my Master; I never try’d perhaps, I may be valiant thus inspir’d. Lady, I am your Champion, who dares ravish you, or me either?
Ant. Rascal, unhand her.
[He comes up to them, Gload puts the Lady before him.
Hau. How now, Gload ingag’d! nay, I scorn to be out-done by my Man. Sirrah, march off with the Baggage, whilst I secure the Enemy.
Ant. Rash Man, what mean you?
Hau. I say, stand off, and let him go quietly away with the Wench, or look you —
Ant. Unmanner’d Fool, I will chastise thy Boldness.
[Goes up to him with his Dagger.
Hau. How, how, hast thou no other Weapon?
Ant. No, if I had, thou durst not have encounter’d me.
Hau. I scorn thy Words, and therefore there lies my Sword; and since you dare me at my own Weapon, I tell you I am good at Snick-a-Sne as the best Don of you all —
[Draws a great Dutch Knife.
Ant. Can I endure this Affront?
Glo. The best way to make a Coward fight, is to leave him in Danger — Come, Lady —
[Goes out.
Ant. Thou base unmanner’d Fool, how darst thou offer at a Gentleman, with so despis’d a thing as that?
Hau. Despis’d a thing? talk not so contemptibly of this Weapon, I say, do not, but come on if you dare.
Ant. I can endure no longer —
[Flies at him, Haunce cuts his Face, and takes away, after
a-while, his Dagger.
Injustice! can such a Dog, and such a Weapon vanquish me?
Hau. Beg your Life; for I scorn to stain my Victory in Blood — that I learnt out of Pharamond.
[Aside.
Ant. He does not merit Life, that could not defend it against so poor and base a thing as thou: Had but Marcel left me my Sword —
Hau. O then I perceive you are us’d to be vanquish’d, and therefore I scorn to kill thee; live, live.
Ant. How the Rascal triumphs over me!
Hau. And now, like a generous Enemy, I will conduct thee to my Tent, and have thy Wounds drest — That too I had out of Pharamond.
[Aside.
Ant. What if I take the offer of this Sot? so I may see Hippolyta again. But I forget —
[Aside.
Hau. Will you accept my Offer?
Ant. For some Reasons I dare not venture into the Town.
Hau. My Lodging is at St. Peter’s Gate, hard by; and on the Parole of a Man of Prowess you shall be safe and free — Pharamond again.
[Aside.
Ant. I’ll trust him, for worse I cannot be.
[Aside.
Lead on, I’ll follow, Sir —
Hau. Not so, for tho the Captive ought to follow the Victor, yet I’ll not trust my Enemy at my backside. Politicks too. —
[Aside.
Ant. You must command —
[Go out.