Scene changes to the Prison. -
Enter Gonsalez, disguis'd like a Mute, with a Dagger. -
GONS. Nor Centinel, nor Guard! the Doors unbarr'd!
And all as still, as at the Noon of Night!
Sure Death already has been busie here.
There lies my Way, that Door is too unlock'd. [Looks in.
Ha! sure he sleeps- all's dark within, save what
A Lamp that feebly lifts a sickly Flame,
By fits reveals- his Face seems turn'd to favour
Th' Attempt: I'll steal, and do it unperceiv'd.
What Noise! some body coming? 'st, Alonzo?
No body? sure he'll wait without- I would
'Twere done- I'll crawl, and sting him to the Heart;
Then cast my Skin, and leave it there to answer it. [Goes in. -
Enter GARCIA and ALONZO. -
GAR. Where? where, Alonzo? where's my Father? where
The King? Confusion! all is on the Rout!
All's lost, all ruin'd by Surprize and Treachery.
Where, where is he? Why dost thou thus mislead me?
ALON. My Lord, he enter'd but a moment since,
And could not pass me unperceiv'd- What hoa!
My Lord, my Lord, what, hoa! My Lord Gonsalez! -
Enter Gonsalez, bloody. -
GONS. Perdition choak your Clamours- whence this Rudeness?
Garcia!
GAR. Perdition, Slavery, and Death,
Are entring now our Doors. Where is the King?
What means this Blood? and why this Face of Horror?
GONS. No matter- give me first to know the Cause
Of these your rash and ill-tim'd Exclamations.
GAR. The Eastern Gate is to the Foe betray'd,
Who but for Heaps of Slain, that choak the Passage,
Had enter'd long 'ere now, and born down all
Before 'em, to the Pallace Walls. Unless
The King in Person animate our Men
Granada's lost; and to confirm this Fear,
The Traitor Perez, and the Captive Moor,
Are through a Postern fled, and join the Foe.
GONS. Would all were false as that; for whom you call
The Moor, is dead. That Osmyn was Alphonso;
In whose Heart's Blood this Ponyard yet is warm.
GAR. Impossible; for Osmyn flying, was
Pronounc'd aloud by Perez for Alphonso.
GONS. Enter that Chamber, and convince your Eyes,
How much Report has wrong'd your easie Faith. [GARCIA goes in.
ALON. My Lord, for certain truth, Perez is fled;
And has declar'd the Cause of his Revolt,
Was to Revenge a Blow the King had giv'n him.
GAR. [Returning.] Ruine and Horrour! O heart-wounding Sight!
GONS. What says my Son? what Ruine? ha? what Horrour?
GAR. Blasted my Eyes, and speechless be my Tongue,
Rather than or to see, or to relate
This Deed- O dire Mistake! O fatal Blow!
The King- -
GONS, ALON [Together.] The King!
GAR. Dead, welt'ring, drown'd in Blood.
See, see, attir'd like Osmyn, where he lies.
[They go in.
O whence, or how, or wherefore was this done?
But what imports the Manner, or the Cause?
Nothing remains to do, or to require,
But that we all should turn our Swords against
Our selves, and expiate with our own his Blood.
GONS. O Wretch! O curs'd, and rash, deluded Fool!
On me, on me, turn your avenging Sword.
I, who have spilt my Royal Master's Blood,
Should make Atonement by a Death as horrid;
And fall beneath the Hand of my own Son.
GAR. Ha! what? atone this Murther with a greater!
The Horrour of that Thought, has damp'd my Rage.
The Earth already groans to bear this Deed;
Oppress her not, nor think to stain her Face
With more unnatural Blood. Murder my Father!
Better with this to rip up my own Bowels,
And bathe it to the Hilt, in far less damnable
Self-Murder.
GONS. O my Son, from the blind Dotage
Of a Father's Fondness these Ills arose;
For thee I've been ambitious, base, and bloody:
For thee I've plung'd into this Sea of Sin;
Stemming the Tide, with one weak Hand, and bearing
With the other, the Crown, to wreath thy Brow,
Whose Weight has sunk me 'ere I reach'd the Shore.
GAR. Fatal Ambition! Hark! the Foe is enter'd: [Shout.
The Shrilness of that Shout speaks 'em at hand.
We have no time to search into the Cause
Of this surprizing and most fatal Errour.
What's to be done? The King's Death known, will strike
The few remaining Soldiers with Despair,
And make 'em yield to Mercy of the Conquerour.
ALON. My Lord, I've thought how to conceal the Body;
Require me not to tell the Means, 'till done,
Lest you forbid what then you may approve. [Goes in.
[Shout.
GONS. They shout again! Whate'er he means to do,
'Twere fit the Soldiers were amuz'd mean time
With Hopes, and fed with Expectation of
The King's immediate Presence at their Head.
GAR. Were it a Truth, I fear 'tis now too late.
But I'll omit no Care, nor Haste; and try
Or to repel their Force, or bravely die. [Exit.
GONS. What hast thou done, Alonzo?
ALON. Such a Deed
As but an Hour ago I'd not have done,
Tho' for the Crown of Universal Empire.
But what are Kings reduced to common Clay?
Or who can wound the Dead?- I've from the Body
Sever'd the Head, and in a Corner of
The Room dispos'd it, muffled in the Mute's
Attire; leaving alone to View, the bloody
And undistinguishable Trunk:
Which may be still mistaken by the Guards
For Osmyn, if in seeking for the King
They chance to find it.
GONS. 'Twas and Act of Horrour;
And of a piece with this Day's dire Misdeeds.
But 'tis not yet the time to ponder, or
Repent. Haste thee, Alonzo, hence, with speed,
To aid my Son. I'll follow with the last
Reserve, to re-inforce his Arms: at least,
I shall make good, and shelter his Retreat. [Exeunt.
