A Select Collection of Old English Plays Volume Vii Part 10

GISMUNDA. The dead fear not the force of men.

CHORUS 1. His care and grief.

GISMUNDA. That neither car'd for me, Nor grieved at the murther of my love.

My mind is settled; you with these vain words Withhold me but too long from my desire.

Depart ye to my chamber.

CHORUS. We will haste To tell the king hereof.

[CHORUS _depart into the palace_.

GISMUNDA. I will prevent Both you and him. Lo, here this hearty draught, The last that in this world I mean to taste, Dreadless of death, mine Earl, I drink to thee.

So now work on; now doth my soul begin To hate this light, wherein there is no love; No love of parents to their children; No love of princes to their subjects true; No love of ladies to their dearest loves: Now pa.s.s I to the pleasant land of love, Where heavenly love immortal flourisheth.

The G.o.ds abhor the company of men; h.e.l.l is on earth; yea, h.e.l.l itself is heaven Compar'd with earth. I call to witness heaven; Heaven, said I? No; h.e.l.l[86] record I call, And thou, stern G.o.ddess of revenging wrongs, Witness with me, I die for his pure love.

That lived mine.

[_She lieth down, and covereth her face with her hair_.

ACT V., SCENE 3.

TANCRED _in haste cometh out of his palace with_ JULIO.

TANCRED. Where is my daughter?

JULIO. Behold, here, woful king!

TANCRED. Ah me! break, heart; and thou, fly forth, my soul.

What, doth my daughter Gismund take it so?

What hast thou done? O, let me see thine eyes!

O, let me dress up those untrimmed locks![87]

Look up, sweet child, look up, mine only joy, 'Tis I, thy father, that beseecheth thee: Rear up thy body, strain thy dying voice To speak to him; sweet Gismund, speak to me.

GISMUNDA. Who stays my soul? who thus disquiets me?

TANCRED. 'Tis I, thy father; ah! behold my tears, Like pearled dew, that trickle down my cheeks, To wash my silver hairs.

GISMUNDA. O father king, Forbear your tears, your plaint will not avail.

TANCRED. O my sweet heart, hast thou receiv'd thy life From me, and wilt thou, to requite the same, Yield me my death? yea, death, and greater grief-- To see thee die for him, that did defame Thine honour thus, my kingdom, and thy name?

GISMUNDA. Yea, therefore, father, gave you life to me, That I should die, and now my date is done.

As for your kingdom and mine own renown, Which you affirm dishonoured to be, That fault impute it where it is; for he, That slew mine Earl, and sent his heart to me, His hands have brought this shame and grief on us.

But, father, yet if any spark remain Of your dear love; if ever yet I could So much deserve, or at your hands desire, Grant that I may obtain this last request.

TANCRED. Say, lovely child, say on, whate'er it be, Thy father grants it willingly to thee.

GISMUNDA. My life I crave not, for it is not now In you to give, nor in myself to save; Nor crave I mercy for mine Earl and me, Who hath been slain with too much cruelty.

With patience I must a while abide Within this life, which now will not be long.

But this is my request--father, I pray That, since it pleased so your majesty, I should enjoy my love alive no more, Yet ne'ertheless let us not parted be, Whom cruel death could never separate: But as we liv'd and died together here, So let our bodies be together tomb'd: Let him with me, and I with him, be laid Within one shrine, wherever you appoint.

This if you grant me, as I trust you will, Although I live not to requite this grace, Th'immortal G.o.ds due recompense shall give To you for this: and so, vain world, farewell-- My speech is painful, and mine eyesight fails.

TANCRED. My daughter dies--see how the bitter pangs Of tyrannous death torments her princely heart!

She looks on me, at me she shakes her head; For me she groans; by me my daughter dies; I, I the author of this tragedy.-- On me, on me, ye heavens, throw down your ire!

Now dies my daughter! [_she dies_] hence with princely robes! [_He throws aside his robes_.

O fair in life! thrice fairer in thy death!

Dear to thy father in thy life thou wert, But in thy death dearest unto his heart; I kiss thy paled cheeks, and close thine eyes.

This duty once I promis'd to myself Thou shouldst perform to me; but ah! false hope, Now ruthful, wretched king, what resteth thee?

Wilt thou now live wasted with misery?

Wilt thou now live, that with these eyes didst see Thy daughter dead? wilt thou now live to see Her funerals, that of thy life was stay?

Wilt thou now live that wast her life's decay?

Shall not this hand reach to this heart the stroke?

Mine arms are not so weak, nor are my limbs So feebled with mine age, nor is my heart So daunted with the dread of cowardice, But I can wreak due vengeance on that head, That wrought the means these lovers now be dead.

Julio, come near, and lay thine own right hand Upon my thigh[88]--now take thine oath of me.

JULIO. I swear to thee, my liege lord, to discharge Whatever thou enjoinest Julio.

TANCRED. First, then, I charge thee that my daughter have Her last request: thou shalt within one tomb Inter her Earl and her, and thereupon Engrave some royal epitaph of love.

That done, I swear thee thou shalt take my corpse Which thou shalt find by that time done to death, And lay my body by my daughter's side-- Swear this, swear this, I say.

JULIO. I swear.

But will the king do so unkingly now?

TANCRED. A kingly deed the king resolves to do.

JULIO. To kill himself?

TANCRED. To send his soul to ease.

JULIO. Doth Jove command it?

TANCRED. Our stars compel it.

JULIO. The wise man overrules his stars.

TANCRED. So we.

JULIO. Undaunted should the minds of kings endure.

TANCRED. So shall it in this resolution.

Julio, forbear: and as thou lov'st the king, When thou shalt see him welt'ring in his gore.

Stretching his limbs, and gasping in his groans, Then, Julio, set to thy helping hand, Redouble stroke on stroke, and drive the stab Down deeper to his heart, to rid his soul.

Now stand aside, stir not a foot, lest thou Make up the fourth to fill this tragedy.

These eyes that first beheld my daughter's shame; These eyes that longed for the ruthful sight Of her Earl's heart; these eyes that now have seen His death, her woe, and her avenging teen; Upon these eyes we must be first aveng'd.

Unworthy lamps of this accursed lump, Out of your dwellings! [_Puts out his eyes_] So; it fits us thus In blood and blindness to go seek the path That leadeth down to everlasting night.

Why fright'st thou, dastard? be thou desperate; One mischief brings another on his neck, As mighty billows tumble in the seas, Now, daughter, seest thou not how I amerce My wrath, that thus bereft thee of thy love, Upon my head? Now, fathers, learn by me, Be wise, be warn'd to use more tenderly The jewels of your joys. Daughter, I come.

[_Kills himself_.