A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 15Dodsley, Robert
General
A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 15
Dodsley, Robert
English drama
I have set those will watch my brother's coming.
+Don A.+ Madam, I am not Octavio.
+Por.+ Not Octavio! who are you then, and who's
That shadow there?
+Don H.+ I can hold no longer. [_Aside._] I'm thy destiny,
[_Draws his sword._
Vile woman, and his mortal enemy.
+Don A.+ Ha, my mortal enemy?
+Don H.+ Yes, villain. Whoe'er them art, thou shalt pay
This treachery with thy life.
+Don A.+ Vain man! whoe'er thou art, know [that] the life
Thou threaten'st is guarded by a trusty sword.
[_+Don Carlos+ draws, and they all enter the garden fighting._
+Don H.+ Make fast the door. [_To +Don Carlos+._
Thou art some desperate villain hir'd to murder.
[_+Octavio+ and +Diego+ come to the door._
+Don A.+ Hir'd by friendship, and honour's my salary. [_In the garden._
+Don O.+ That's Antonio's voice within the garden:
[_Runs to the door and finds it shut._
What, the door shut! my friend engaged, and I
Excluded! cursed fate! this tree may help me
To climb o'er; if not, I'll fly t' him. [_He climbs up._
+Diego.+ You may do so; your sprightly love has wings,
And's ever fledg'd;[63] 'tis moulting-time with mine:
Yet I'll up too; the hazard's not in climbing.
[_+Diego+ climbs the tree._
Here I will sit, and out of danger's reach
Expect the issue.
_Scene changes to a garden, out of which they issue
fighting._
+Don O.+ Courage, brave friend; you have Octavio by you.
+Don A.+ So seconded, a coward would grow firm.
+Don H.+ What, is there more of your crew? then 'tis time
To call for help. Ho! Silvio, Geraldo,
Pedro! come forth, and bring out torches with you.
_Enter +Silvio+, with his sword drawn._
+Sil.+ Here am I, sir, my camarades[64] will follow [_They fight._
As soon as they have lighted their torches.
+Don A.+ How I despise these slaves, Octavio,
Having you by me!
+Diego.+ Their swords do clatter bravely in the dark. [_In the tree._
+Sil.+ I'm slain.
[_+Silvio+ falls. +Don Henrique+, stepping back, falls over
+Silvio+, and loses his sword, and Carlos runs in to
him._
+Don C.+ What,[65] are you hurt?
+Don H.+ No, I fell by chance; help me to find my sword.
+Don O.+ What, do you give back? you do well to take breath,
Whilst you have any left; 'twill not be long,
Now that the rising moon lends us some light.
[_The rising moon appears behind the scene. +Porcia+ runs out
to +Octavio+._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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