When Hymen's fecret rite first join'd our hands
Remember what my tenderness exacted,
And what your vows affur'd me-still to hold
Elvira dear; but ftill, as death, to fhun
The crime of civil war! and O what doom,
What fate foever heaven may have in fore
For her you honour'd, never to forget,
Your father is your fovereign!
Don Ped. By the Power,
Whofe primal law has made our being one!
No promises shall stay a husband's arm
From theltering thee. There is on earth no claim,
No tie of duty strong enough to hold
My fierce impatience. Thou to me art all,
Faith, virtue, honour: or these fhadowy names
'All vanish at the brightnefs of thine eye!
· Elv. My Lord, I must not hear you--
'Don Ped. Then-retire:
Fly, if it must be, this tumultuous court,
This scene of ftorm and danger. To the fhade, 'To that fweet folitude where first our loves • Were ratify'd and bleft, where calm content And true repose have fix'd their soft abode, • Return, Elvira: fafety there awaits thee.
• Elv. O dear remember'd fcene! O hours of peace That are no more! Beneath its penfive pines, And by the murmurs of its mazy stream That breath'd out freshnefs on our fecret walk, 'The morn arose, the peaceful evening clos'd • On our united hearts! All fear was far, All jealoufy of courts; for Love himself 'Stood guardian of the shade!
Don Ped. No more, no more:
• These thoughts but foothe, but foften both to weakness.?
For me no colour of delay remains.
I know Alonzo well; his eye fevere,
His breaft inflexible: and I this hour
Must meet their utmost terror.
Should her unfleeping jealousy at last
Surprize the dangerous fecret of our loves,
The King, moft fure, to her infulted pride,
And to the voice of justice, would give up
B 2
Elvira's head-O fly, and guard my foul
From this diftracting fear!
Elv. It must not be.
For me to fly at present would be fatal :
At once difclofing what with all our care
We fhould conceal. 'Tis fafer to remain;
To guide our steps with prudence, and our breasts
With firmnefs arm. From this alarming hour,
We meet no more—and is it I, O heaven!
Who give the hard advice?- -no more exchange
A look, a fmile, where other eyes are prefent;
For all around are hoftile!
I go refolved-But, O my foul's best treasure!
O'er every motion, every look and word,
Let clofe-ey'd Caution watch.
Elv. Alas, my Lord!
All that a woman's feeble reason can,
Elvira will attempt. Ye pitying powers,
Who fee with what reluctance from his fight
I turn my parting fteps, around his head
Spread your protecting wings! for Oh! who knows
What can affure us, but we both receive,
And both an everlasting farewel give!
END of the FIRST ACT.
Nom. Then I hop'd in vain
To touch a king, in whom my heart reveres
A fecond father? Yet, a while delay
This promis'd union of your fon and me,
Till he himself with fond impatience chides
The tardy hours, and preffes to be mine.
It most becomes us both.
Alon. It fuits at least
The confcious pride that dignifies your fex.
More nicely fram'd, more delicately coy,
Than groffer man, fuch chafte referve, that spreads
New brightnefs o'er your charms, exalts them too..
Complaint, on fuch a theme, would ill befeem
A virgin's mouth. I know it: and the less
You urge my promife, a king's honour given,
Exacts, with ftricter care, its full performance..
My orders are already fent.
If my true cares, by all a daughter's duty
To merit your esteem, can have infpir'd
Alonzo's leaft regard; and if amidft
A kingdom's high concerns, you deign a thought
On what may stain Almeyda's life with fhame,
Or make it bright and happy! yet recall
Those orders: yet fufpend-
Alon. Your words amaze me !
I in my turn, am left in equal doubt;
Nor know I what this strange reluctance means.
My fon! Don Pedro !-
is he to your thoughts
An object of fuch horror! Why this dread
Of calling me your father? Muft I think
Contempt of him
Alm. Contempt? Alas, my Lord,
Could he deferve it, did my reafon judge him
Lefs worthy of the blood from whence he fprings;
I then-O Sir!-I then might wait his pleasure,.
With less emotion trembling at this heart.
To you I dare difclofe its inmost weakness,
Tho' fhame arifes blufhing to forbid me-
Then know-because I love-I dread his answer !!
Yes, from the moment I beheld him first,
A fudden softness, to myself unknown,
Sprung in my bofom; charm'd at once and pain'd me
With all the mingled war of love and doubt;
And
me
gave foon- -alas! too foon to know,,
Almeyda's future fate was in his power!
And if I mifs'd his heart
Alon. Proceed, fair princess.
The blush that reddens there is virtue's colour:
Her chafte hand fpreads it. But proceed unmov'd:
And be affur'd a parent's kindeft ear
Is open to your tale.
Alm. I need not fay
How, with his rifing fame, my paffion grew.
'Twas glory fed it: and each added conqueft,
Like heaven's kind dew upon th' unfolding rofe,
Nurs'd the new bloffom into strength and beauty.
But, more unhappy as more fondly his,
The cold that hangs on his constrain'd address
Is winter here, and withers all my hopes!
Hence grows, my Lord, the backwardness you blame :
Permit it to my sex, till ripening time
Shall warm his bofom into mutual foftnefs.
Alon. Daughter!--for that dear name is justly due
To fuch exalted opennefs of heart,
True honour's fair companion-trust to me;
Rely on all a father's love. I feel,
Yes, feel already every foft emotion
These tender names convey. Let not a dream,
A diftant doubt of ills impoffible
Alarm that gentle bofom. No, Almeyda!
When you fhall learn, as inftantly you may,
Not his obedience only, but his love,
Your fears will fly before them.
Ram. Sir, the Prince
Attends your pleafue.
Alm. Ah! I must be gone:
But if my tears have influence
Alon. Go, my daughter,
And on my love repofe your every care
Alon. [Sits.] My fubjects, Prince, the triumphs of your Have oft beheld, oft hail'd with loud applaufe; [fword Alonzo too has felt a parent's fhare
Of joy in theirs. The time is come at last
For other feftivals, the gentler triumphs
That wait on love and hymeneal rites.
These are the honours that can best reward
The warrior's glorious toils: and much it moves
My wonder, Prince, that I, who ought to find
In your impatience all a lover's ardor,
Must here advise, nay muft impofe, obedience!
Don Ped. Sir, from a father's kindness I had hop'd
Commands lefs rigid, lefs feverely urg'd:
And that his love would in my filence read,
What filial reverence ftifles on my tongue.
Ah, Sir! recall this harsh command.
Alon. Recall it !
By heaven, this rude demeanour, fhould I give
The rein to my just wrath, might coft thee dear
Nor think thy blindnefs to Almeyda's worth,
This favageness of foul by love unfoften'd,
Thy fole offence.
Don Ped. Alas! what else can stir
My fovereign's anger? -
Alon. A King's word is past!
Alonzo's word and oath! the league too feal'd
And ratify'd, on this exprefs condition!
Don Ped. And yet, Don Pedro's heart-
Alen. Ha! canst thou dream,
The nuptials of a prince, those general ties
On which depend the peace and blifs of millions,
Are bound with flowery bands which fancy twists
With idle fingers? twifts for those alone,
Th' inferior herd, who live but for themselves?
Far other maxims guide the royal choice,
More noble, more exalted. Not enflav'd
By vulgar forms,' the common good decides
A prince's fate: and, where his people's welfare
Directs his judgment, there he gives his hand.
Don Ped. Then-in the dearest interest of our heart, Its trueft blifs or its fevereft woe,
The heart itself has no election left!
This would be binding hard, nay rivetting,
Thofe artificial chains, which craft of state
First forg'd, and vanity ftill deigns to wear.
Yet nature has her claims, her elder rights,
More holy, more inviolably binding.
Are these extinguish'd only to the wretch,
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