The British Drama

Alv. Turn, turn, Ximena, oh, prepare to hear

A story will distract thy sense with joy,
Drive all thy sorrows from thy sinking heart,
And crown thy duty with triumphant love.
Pardon, dread Sir, this tumult of my soul,
That carries in my rudeness my excuse :
Oh, press me not to tell particulars,
But let my tidings leap at once the bounds
Of your belief, and in one burst of joy
Inform my royal master, that his crown's sup-
port,

My vanquish'd friend, thy father, Gormaz lives; He lives in health confirm'd from mortal dan ger:

These eyes have seen him, these bless'd arms embraced him.

The means, th' occasion of his death supposed,

1139 Would ask more words than I have breath to utter.

Alonzo knows it all-Oh, where's my Carlos? King. Fly, Sanchez, make him with this news thy friend.

Alv. Oh, lead me, lead me to his heart's relief! [Exeunt ALV. and SAN. Xim. Oh, Heaven! Alvarez would not sure deceive me.

King. Proceed, Alonzo, and impart the whole;

Whence was his death so firmly credited,
And his recovery not before reveal'd?

Alon. My liege, the great effusion of his blood
Had such effect on his deserted spirits,
That I, who saw him, judged him quite ex-
pired:

But when the Abbot, at whose house he lay, With friendly sorrow wash'd his hopeless wound,

His heaving breast discover'd life's return; When calling straight for help, on stricter search, [tom: His wound was found without a mortal sympAnd when his senses had resumed their function, [cern His first words spoke his generous heart's conFor Carlos and Ximena; when being told How far her filial vengeance had pursued him, Is't possible, he cried? Oh, Heaven! then [ceal'd,

wept,

And begg'd his life might be one day con-
That such exalted merit of her duty
Might raise her virtue worthy of his love.
But, Sir, to tell you how Alvarez met him,
What generous reconcilements pass'd between
them,
[spare.
Would ask more time than public joy could
Let it suffice, the moment he had heard
Ximena had appealed brave Carlos to the lists,
We flew with terror to proclaim him living-
But, Sir, so soon the combat followed your
Decree, that, breathless, we arrived too late,
And had not his physicians, Sir, prescribed
His wound repose, himself had ventured forth
To throw his errors at your feet for pardon.

King. Not only pardon, but our love shall greet him.

ery

Brave Carlos shall himself be envoy of Our charge, and gratulate his bless'd recov[you? Has he your leave, Ximena, now t' approach Xim. My senses stagger with tumultuous joy, My spirits hurry to my heart's surprise, And sinking nature faints beneath the transport.

Enter ALVAREZ, SANCHEZ, and CARLOS. King. Look up, Ximena, and complete thy joy.

Xim. My Carlos !—Oh !

Car. Ximena! Oh, my heart! [Embracing. Alv. Oh, Carlos! Oh, Ximena! yet suppress These transports, till kind Gormaz' hand confirms them;

First pay your duty there, haste to his feet, And let his sanction consecrate your love. King. Lose not a moment from his sight

Oh, fly!

Tell him his king congratulates his health,
And will with loads of honour crown his vir-
Nor in his orisons let him forget [tues;
The hand of Heaven, whose providential care
Has order'd all, the innocent to save,
To right the injured, and reward the brave.
[Exeunt omnes.

EPILOGUE,

SPOKEN BY XIMENA.

Well, Sirs!

I'M come to tell you, that my fears are over,
I've seen papa, and have secured my lover.
And, troth, I'm wholly on our author's side,
For had (as Corneille made him) Gormaz died,
My part had ended as it first begun,
And left me still unmarried, and undone,
Or, what were harder far than both-a nun.
The French, for form indeed, postpones the
wedding,

But gives her hopes within a year of bedding. Time could not tie her marriage-knot with honour,

The father's death still left the guilt upon her: The Frenchman stopp'd her in that forced regard,

The bolder Briton weds her in reward: He knew your taste would ne'er endure their billing [willing. Should be so long deferr'd, when both were Your formal Dons of Spain an age might wait, But English appetites are sharper set. 'Tis true, this difference we indeed discover, That, though like lions you begin the lover, To do you right, your fury soon is over. Beside, this scene thus changed, the moral bears,

That virtue never of relief despairs :

But while true love is still in plays ill-fated, No wonder you gay sparks of pleasure hate it

Bloodshed discourages what should delight

you, [you! And from a wife, what little rubs will fright And virtue not consider'd in the bride, How soon you yawn, and curse the knot you've tied! [quarter, How oft the nymph, whose pitying eyes give Finds in her captive she has caught a Tartar! While to her spouse, that once so high did rate her, [her. She kindly gives ten thousand pounds to hate So, on the other side, some sighing swain, That languishes in love whole years in vain, Impatient for the feast, resolves he'll have ber, And in his hunger vows he'll eat for ever; He thinks of nothing but the honey-moon, But little thought he could have dined so

soon.

Is this not true? Speak, dearies of the pit,
Don't you find too how horribly you're bit?
For the instruction, therefore, of the free,
Our author turns his just catastrophe.
Before you wed, let love be understood,
Refine your thoughts, and chase it from the
blood:

Nor can you then of lasting joys despair,
For when that circle holds the British fair,
Your hearts may find heroic daughters there.

RULE A WIFE AND HAVE A WIFE:

A COMEDY,

IN FIVE ACTS.

BY BEAUMONT AND FLETCHER.

REMARKS.

AMONGST the numerous plays that the associated poets, Beaumont and Fletcher, have left to posterity, none stands higher in the public favour than this drama,

If we look for nature in this composition, we contemplate it either in its most loathsome state of distortion, as in Cacafogo; or of depravity, as in Margritta and others. A more arrant knot of sharpers, swindlers, and impostors, were never assembled for the purpose of forming the cast of a comedy; whilst the grossness of the principal lady of the piece exceeds all bounds.

Upon the whole, if it be enough to form a lively fable, that has neither nature, character, nor moral, to recommend it, the object is accomplished; and this play, which has received the sanction of those who went before us, will continue to give pleasure to those who shall come after us.

PLEASURE attend ye, and about ye sit,
The springs of mirth, fancy, delight, and wit,
To stir you up; do not your looks let fall,
Nor to remembrance our late errors call,
Because this day we're Spaniards all again;
The story of our play, and our scene Spain:
The errors, too, do not for this cause hate,
Now we present their wit, and not their state.
Nor, ladies, be not angry, if you see

A young fresh beauty, wanton and too free,
Seek to abuse her husband, still 'tis Spain;
No such gross errors in your kingdom reign:
You're vestals all, and though we blow the fire,
We seldom make it flame up to desire:
Take no example, neither, to begin,
For some by precedent delight to sin;
Nor blame the poet if he slip aside,
Sometimes lasciviously if not too wide. [ease;
But hold your fans close, and then smile at
A cruel scene did never lady please.

Nor, Gentlemen, pray be not you displeased, Though we present some men fool'd, some diseased,

Some drunk, some mad, we mean not you,
you're free,

We tax no further than our comedy,
You are our friends; sit noble, then, and see.

ACT I.

SCENE I-A Chamber.

Enter DON JUAN DE CASTRO and MICHAEL
PEREZ.

Mich. Are your companies full, colonel?
Juan. No, not yet, Sir:

Nor will not be this month yet, as I reckon.
How rises your command?
Mich. We pick up still,

And as our moneys hold out, we have men

come.

Of any gentleman that saw him angry. Mich. Preserve him, he'll conclude a peace if need be;

Many as stout as he will go along with us, That swear as valiantly as heart can wish; Their mouths charged with six oaths at once,

and whole ones,

Juan. Pr'ythee, be modest. Mich. I'll be any thing.

Enter Servant, DONNA CLARA, and ESTIFANIA, veiled.

Juan. You're welcome, ladies.

Mich. Both hooded! I like 'em well though; They came not for advice in law sure hither; May be they'd learn to raise the pike; I'm for 'em. They're very modest! 'tis a fine preludium. Juan. With me, or with this gentleman, would you speak, lady?

Cla. With you, Sir, as I guess, Juan de Cas

tro.

Mich. Her curtain opens; she is a pretty gentlewoman.

Juan. I am the man, and shall be bound to fortune,

If I

may do any service to your beauties. Cla. Captain, I hear you're marching down to Flanders,

To serve the Catholic king.

Juan. I am, sweet lady.

Cla. I have a kinsman, and a noble friend, Employ'd in those wars; may be, Sir, you know him;

Don Campusano, captain of carbines, [hills. To whom I would request your nobleness That make the drunken Dutch creep into mole-To give this poor remembrance. [Gives a Letter. Juan. 'Tis true; such we must look for. But,

Michael Perez,

When heard you of Donna Margaritta, the great heiress?

Mich. Thear every hour of her, though I ne'er

saw her;

She is the main discourse. Noble Don Juan de Castro,

How happy were that man could catch this
wench up.
And live at ease! She's fair, and young, and
wealthy.

Infinite wealthy, and as gracious too
In all her entertainments, as men report.

Juan. I shall do it;

know the gentleman, a most worthy captain. Cla. Something in private.

Juan. Step aside; I'll serve thee.

[Exeunt JUAN and CLARA. Mich. Pr'ythee, let me see thy face. Estif. Sir, you must pardon me; Women of our sort, that maintain fair memories,

And keep suspect off from their chastities,

Had need wear thicker veils.

Mich. I'm no blaster of a lady's beauty, No bold intruder on her special favours: I know how tender reputation is,

Juan. But she is proud, Sir, that I know for And with what guards it ought to be preserved.

certain,

And that comes seldom without wantonness : He that shall marry her, must have a rare hand. Mich. Would I were married; I would find

that wisdom,

[man

With a light rein to rule my wife. Ife'er woOf the most subtile mould went beyond me, I'd give boys leave to hoot me out o' the par

ish.

Enter SERVANT.

Serv. Sir, there be two gentlewomen attend And 'tis a sin to fling away affection;

I have no mistress, no desire to honour
Any but you.

I know not, you have struck me with your modesty

So deep, and taken from me

All the desire I might bestow on others—
Quickly, before they come.

Estif. Indeed, I dare not.

But since I see you're so desirous, Sir,
To view a poor face that can merit nothing
But your repentance-

Mich. It must needs be excellent.

Estif. And with what honesty you ask it of me;

When I am gone let your man follow me,
And view what house I enter. Thither come,
For there I dare be bold to appear open;
And, as I like your virtuous carriage, then

Juan. You will command me no more services ?

She fears her youth will not hold out, Alonzo.
Alon. I would I had the sheathing on't.
San. They say too,

She has a greedy eye, that must be fed
With more than one man's meat.
Alon. Would she were mine,

Cla. To be careful of your noble health, I'd cater for her well enough: but, Sanchio,

dear Sir,

That I may ever honour you.

Juan. I thank you,

And kiss your hands. down there.

Wait on the ladies

Thou never leave whoring?

Alon. There is less danger in't than gunning, Sanchio;

[mortal;

There be too many great men that adore her; Princes, and princes' fellows, that claim pri

vilege,

San. Yet those stand off i' the way of mar

riage;

[bour. To be tied to a man's pleasure is a second laAlon. She has bought a brave house here in

town.

San, I've heard so.

Alon. If she convert it now to pious uses,

And bid poor gentlemen welcome.

San. When comes she to it?

Alon. Within these two days: she's in the country yet,

And keeps the noblest house.

San. Then there's some hope of her. Wilt thou go my way?

Alon. No, no, I must leave you, And repair to an old gentlewoman that Has credit with her, that can speak a good word.

San. Send thee good fortune, but make thy body sound first.

Alon. I am a soldier,

And too sound a body becomes me not; So, farewell, Sanchio.

SCENE III.-Another Street.

[Exeunt.

Though we be shot sometimes, the shot's not SCENE IV.—A Chamber in MARGaritta's

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