# Dramas (Baillie)/Romiero/Act 1

ROMIERO.
ACT I.
SCENE I.—The Sea Shore after a Storm, with the Masts of a wrecked Vessel seen above the Water at a Distance, and Casks and various Chests, Boards, &c. floating on the Waves. Enter shipwrecked Mariners and Passengers, followed by Sebastian, who keeps apart from the others.
FIRST PASSENGER.
Makes the heart glad and thankful.
FIRST MARINER.
For a dry grave at home is, after all,
The secret wish and prayer of every seaman,
Ay, even the boldest of us.
None hath so long or roughly lived at sea
As to be careless where his bones are laid,—
In sacred ground, or in the gulphy deep.
And thou, too, think'st so, if I read thee right.
(To Second Passenger.)
SECOND PASSENGER.
Devoutly as the tempest louder wax'd,
Nor am ashamed to own it.
SECOND MARINER.
Let me, as oft as fortune beckons me, On summer seas or rough December's waves,
Career it boldly with my jolly mates;
But let me die at last in mine own cot,
With all my kinsfolk round me. My poor wife!
She listens to the winds when others sleep,
And thinks.—Well, well! we are all safe on shore.
THIRD MARINER.
Men on dry land are hungry and lack food;
We cannot live on safety only. See,
Here comes a countryman. Ho! friend, I say!
(Calling off the stage.)
(Voice answering without.)
THIRD MARINER.
Or any charity; come near, I pray thee.
Enter Pietro.
PIETRO.
THIRD MARINER.
What shore is this? Be there or food, or shelter,
Or Christian pity in these parts? Thou see'st
What miserable shipwreck'd men we are.
PIETRO.
And Christian pity never are withheld
From those who want them. See'st thou through the trees
That castle? There a noble lady dwells,
Who will have pity on you.
THIRD MARINER.
When once they take to goodness, are most bountiful:
The best of all; the men to them are nothing.
FIRST PASSENGER.
PIETRO.
Kept at the King's high court, as it is said, But my opinion is———
THIRD MARINER.
That is not our concern. What is his name?
PIETRO.
SEBASTIAN (advancing hastily).
PIETRO.
Ye need not fear for that.
SEBASTIAN.
Who is, ye say, so good?
PIETRO.
SEBASTIAN.
I mean, all ladies sprung from noble blood
Are, from their birth, to generous actions train'd;
At least, it should be so.
PIETRO.
Good birth and breeding, as in my own lady.
With gracious kindness joined.
SEBASTIAN.
PIETRO.
How her poor father———
SEBASTIAN (turning away).
I am a man withdrawn from worldly coil,
Who hears or cares for nothing.
PIETRO (to third Mariner).
THIRD MARINER.
We took him up at sea from a small boat,
Which, by the moonlight, we descried afar,
Like a black cockle on the shimm'ring waves;
But whether earth or hell had sent him to us,
We doubted much.
FIRST MARINER.
We scarcely doubted, and were once resolved
To cast him overboard. Yet, ne'ertheless,
He hath escaped; and, God be praised, we did not.
PIETRO.
In lucky hour ye come; for in that wood
Not many paces hence, amongst the trees,
Donna Zorada takes her morning walk;
You'll find her there. Come, I will lead you to her;
And, as we go, there are some words of counsel
Which I shall give to you. They may be useful;
For age, and some small share of shrewd observance,
Have made me, though I say it, fit to counsel.
FIRST MARINER.
[Exeunt all but Sebastian.
SEBASTIAN (alone).
Even to her very door! And I shall shortly
See her again, and hold her to my heart!
My child! my child! Oh! when those gentle eyes
Look on my woe-worn face and alter'd form, And these coarse weeds, how will thy piteous heart
Swell ev'n to bursting? In that wood hard by,—
So near me! Blessed Heaven hath brought me here. [Exit.
SCENE II.
A Wood, with various Walks and Alleys cut through it. Enter Zorada and Beatrice, speaking as they enter.
BEATRICE.
A sound came to my ears, as it had been
The distant roar of wheels, and then I dreamt
Of coursing chariots and approaching crowds,
And courtly tournaments, and tried in vain
To cast my richest mantle o'er my form
To meet the coming show.
ZORADA.
BEATRICE.
Still, as one tassell'd end across my shoulders
I had composed, the others to the ground
Fell dangling all awry. Then I look'd down,
And, O sight of confusion! Canst thou guess
What saw I then?
ZORADA.
BEATRICE.
That on the checker'd floor began to move
In dancing measure. Yea, the very blood
Rush'd to my cheeks; I felt it in my dream.
ZORADA.
In thy fantastic brain, my little friend.
On such a dreadful night?
BEATRICE.
ZORADA.
BEATRICE.
Else thou, belike, hadst ta'en the mighty blast
For the quick waving of some gallant's hat
To cool thy glowing cheek, or the soft winnowing
Of outstretch'd pinions—Cupid's wings, perhaps;
Or those of downy swans, as I have seen them,
Scared from the sedgy margin of the lake,
Bending their hurried flight across thy path.
ZORADA.
The war of elements, whose mingled roar
Brought to mine ear the howl of raging fiends,
The lash of mountain billows, the wild shrieks
Of sinking wretches; and at intervals
Cross'd strangely with the near distinctive sounds
Of clatt'ring casements, creaking beams and doors
Burst from their fastenings, swinging in the blast.
It was a fearful night; and many a soul,
On sea and land, have found a dismal end.
BEATRICE.
When seated round our evening fire. Alas!
It will be piteous; but, the ill then past,
It will be soft and pleasing piteousness.
ZORADA.
Follows the seaman's hardy, perilous life;
And the poor passengers, torn from their homes
To toss upon the rude and fathomless deep,
Who shall no more on the dry land set foot,
Nor find a peaceful rest ev'n for their bones.
It is a dismal thought.
BEATRICE.
As if it laugh'd at all the late turmoil.
There's not a cloud in the whole azure sky.
ZORADA.
That, like bewilder'd things, are hasting on
Like sea-birds to their rock.—What men are these?
Enter Mariners, &c.
FIRST MARINER.
Poor shipwreck'd seamen, cast upon your shore;
Our all is lost; and we are spent and faint
For want of food.
ZORADA.
Go to the Castle, where all needful succour
Will be provided for you.—From what port?
But stop not now to answer idle questions.
Are ye all mariners?
FIRST MARINER (pointing to Passengers).
And he who lingers yonder 'midst the bushes,
Is one we found at sea, some leagues from shore.
We know not what he is.
ZORADA.
FIRST MARINER (calling off the Stage).
ZORADA.
How is it that he moves so tardily?
THIRD MARINER.
Like other men.
ZORADA.
Of one so circumstanced; your fellow-sufferer.
(Enter Sebastian, bending his head, and keeping his eyes fixed on the ground.)
And be not so desponding.
(He bows in silence, and she seems agitated.)
(To the Mariners, &c.) Pass on, my friends; this lady will conduct you.
Wilt thou, my Beatrice, do this kind office?
And I will follow shortly. Tell my people
To serve these shipwrecked strangers bountifully.
MARINERS, &c. (speaking all together).
[Exeunt all but Zor. and Seb.
ZORADA (eagerly).
SEBASTIAN.
ZORADA.
SEBASTIAN.
They may look back and see us.
ZORADA.
My yearning heart will burst; how slow they move! (Stands looking after them impatiently and trembling all over for a few minutes.)
My father! my dear father!
SEBASTIAN.
ZORADA.
In peril of discovery? too, too kind!
Dear father! kind, and good, and dear to me,
How and where'er thou art. I fear, I fear
Thou art not as I would: tears in thine eyes,
And anguish on thy face! How hast thou fared?
SEBASTIAN.
ZORADA.
Lean on the grass and I will fetch thee nourishment.
SEBASTIAN (preventing her from going).
I am composed again, and from my side
Thou shalt not move, till I have told thee all.
(After a pause.) Thou know'st the bitter wrongs and foul affront
Which my ungrateful monarch put upon me,
As meet reward for many years of service.
Ay, though I say it, valiant, faithful service
In field and council.
ZORADA.
That he should so requite thee! Some base wretch
Hath tempted him with——
SEBASTIAN.
I think it once was noble,—was abused
By the base machinations of my foes.
Say what thou wilt; I was a man, a soldier.
And sought revenge, that baleful remedy
For bitterness of heart.
ZORADA.
Thou art too much distress'd.
SEBASTIAN.
One misery is past. Leagued with three chiefs, Resentful as myself, we did in secret
Devise the means, and soon had reach'd our mark.
ZORADA.
SEBASTIAN.
But be not so disturbed.—Our mark indeed
Was vengeance, but not murder.—On his throne
We meant to place a nobler prince, whose hand
Had even justice to his subjects dealt.
We meant to place on Pedro's worthless brow
That which became it better than a crown.
ZORADA.
I'm glad you did not mean to shed his blood.
SEBASTIAN.
And while revenging my especial wrongs,
We should have freed Castile from a hard master,
Who now sheds noble blood upon the scaffold
As lavishly as hinds the common water
Of village pool cast o'er their arid fields.
And yet to kindle in our native land
The flames of civil discord, even for this,
Has often rack'd my mind with many doubts,
Recoiling thoughts, and feelings of remorse.
ZORADA.
Had your concerted enterprise succeeded.
But speak not now of this. How did you fail?
SEBASTIAN.
Like Judas lurk'd, and to the royal ear
Divulged the whole.—But we were warn'd of this,
And fled, each as he might. I gain'd the coast,
And lay disguised till I could find a boat,
In which I reach'd last night that founder'd bark,
Whose slender mast just peeps above the surge
Like some black wizard's wand, token of ill.
ZORADA.
'Tis Heaven hath sent thee here.
My Lord did write to me some distant hints
Of your sad story. When he shall return,
He will protect you. Cherish'd here with us,
You shall in secret live, till fair occasion
Shall offer to convey you where you would,—
Some land of safety.
SEBASTIAN.
He may not be my friend.—Nay, it is said
That he and others, from their kindred ties
Suspected as abettors of our treason,
To clear themselves, have sworn unto the King,
Dead or alive, wherever they may find us.
Our bodies to deliver to his power.
ZORADA.
Do not believe it. Some false Judas also
Hath, in this point, deceived you. No, he did not—
He swore no oath so cruel and so base.
Do not believe it.—Hark! the castle bell!
(Bell sounds.)
SEBASTIAN.
ZORADA.
With heartless ceremony to receive
A most unwelcome guest.—
Enter that tangled path; it leads to shelter, An aged woman's cot, where thou may'st rest
And have refreshment. She will minister
To thy necessity. O woe is me!
That any hand but mine should have that office!
SEBASTIAN.
ZORADA.
Near to the northern postern. Heaven watch o'er thee!
There's some one coming! part as we were strangers,
Without one sign of love. That is the path.
[Exit Sebastian, and after a pause Don Maurice enters by the opposite side.
MAURICE.
ZORADA.
MAURICE.
His train is in the court; and joyful vassals,
Hearing the notice bell, crowd in to greet him.
I have not seen him yet, but am in haste
Come to apprise you of it.
(Observing Zorada motion with her hand, and point as to something at a distance.)
ZORADA.
But was about to take the erring path.
MAURICE.
I'll go myself and guide him through the wood.
ZORADA.
MAURICE.
And hold some parley with that stranger. Surely
He is no common man.
ZORADA.
MAURICE.
ZORADA.
MAURICE.
ZORADA.
MAURICE.
ZORADA.
I pray thee let me lean upon thine arm.
MAURICE.
And let me bear thee up: thou dost but grasp me
As if to hold me fast. The pain is violent
ZORADA.
But I walk lamely still. Let us proceed. [Exeunt.