Riego; or, the Spanish Martyr, Act III (drama) [pp. 302-306]

304 Riego; or, the spanish Martyr. MAY,
Sprung from the Bourbon blood, I come to free
"Your captive monarch; save your suffering priests;
"And rescue Spain from slavery. That done,
"We seek again our homes, proud to have restored
"Your happiness and honor.-Louis Antoine."
Riego. Sefiors! Ye've heard the high behests of France.
Disclaiming war, already she hath forced
Bidazoa's neutral stream, and plants her foot
Upon the neck of Spain. Like hungry wolves
Adown the Pyrenees her legions rush
Upon our plains, eager for Spanish blood.
Aye! roused by th' outcry of a baffled tyranlt,
The league of despots haste to avenge his cause.
A second Bourbon: comes to give us law;
And loose the hand of Spain's unnatural son: A parricide at heart. Shame! Tenfold shame
On France! whose giddy sons erst seizing Freedom's
Torch, fired her holy temple, and would now,
Breaking God's primal law, wrap th' earth in darkness.
Must Spaniards quaff this cup of infamy?
Like passive slaves submit,-and be forgiven?
Or trusting to the God of battles, teach
The meddling Gaul, Spain needs no foreign hanld, —
And least of all a Bourbon's-to maintain
Her freedom or her honor. Seiors! Your answer.
Abis. Seiiors! A hundred thousand bayonets gleam.
O'er Spain: your wisdom, still may rescue her;
Your rashness make her fields a lake of blood.
Is war a pastime, think ye, to be played
With empty coffers? troops half clothed, half armed,
Dispirited?'gainst numbers twice their own,Whom one day's march may bring upon Madrid?
Banos. Who stops to count his country's enemies?
'Tis not their valor:-treachery at home
Invites them on. Were all who murmur true,
These skipping Gauls would show the morning sun
Their homeward tracks upon the mountain snows.
[Sev. Voices. True, Banos, true!]
Ferrer. Aye! Seiiors! Well the Royal Duke hath said,
A faction curses Spain;-a vile French faction
Is it, longing to leap into his arms.
Ruis. A foul conspiracy, hatched in the palace;
And this day, I trust, here to be strangled.
Abis. Arrows when shot in air, are apt to fall
Upon the bowman's head. Abisbal's honor
Questioned, here or elsewhere, finds a ready voucher.
[ Touches his sword.]
Rmis. Abisbal's sword, which leaps not forth to meet
The foes of Spain, will never daunt her friends.
Riego. [Rings the bell.] Sejiors! No place is this for
warlike weapons
Or bloody feuds. Ye wander from the questionr:Your answer to the Duke.
Ruiis. What need of answer? Rather tear
The canting manifesto into shreds!
Then trample it beneath our feet-full in
His envoy's face-and send him back to tell
His Master. [Cheers.]
Ferrer. Nay, best use the trashy stuff
As wadding for our cannon, and so make
It carry its own answer back;'twill go
The quicker.
Seal. Voices. Right! Ferrer! Right!
Morillo. Seaiors, this is no time for jests.
Ballasteros. True, Morillo: nor will these air-gun pellets
fright the French.
Abis. The Duke still proffers peace: why spurn his
friendship?
Why doubt his royal word?
Argwelles. I fear, my friends,
Ye're rash with our good King's good Cousin and Brother.
Hath he not led his Cor don Sanitair e
Across our snowy barrier, here,-into
The very midst of pestilence,-to fright
It off with guns and trumpets? I A laugh.] How then doubt
His royal word-ye, who know princes are
Mirrors of Truth and Honor? Mark ye, [Reads.] "France
" Wars- not with Spain"-why, no! She doth but send
Her hundred thousand bayonets to ensure
Our peace! She would have as free-free as herself,And sends her hund'red thousand slaves to teach us
Freedom! She would annul our naughty lavw;
Giving instead, sage pandects-much approved,
At Laybach and Troppau. She is our friend;
Our ally: come to rescue Spain from —SpaniardsAnd give her to the care of Gauls and Calmucks! [ Cheers
from the Liberals.]
How can we thank enough such friends who, from
Sheer love, would force us to be free? Wage war
To give us peace;-and only cut our throats
To make us happy! But why-why this vile
Hypocrisy expose, seen and despised
By every honest heart?'Tis Liberty,
My friends-that, that's the pestilence whose sprea d
These holy allies dread-what tyrant doth not?
O, shame! that England-Sidney's England-views
With freezing look the death-strife of a people
Left by the world-in the worl(d's cause-alone,
To meet the damned conspiracy of Kings.:
But spite of open foe and treacherous friendi
Spain shall be fiee. Let the proud Bourbon come!
When France appeals to her crusading Saint,
Spain shall invoke her God-the God of JusticeWho crowned her arms at Roncesvaux and Quentin.
[Cheers'from the Liberals.]
Sec. [Reads. ] "Our healt h yet needs r eprieve from
cares of state"We hope anon, in peison, we may greet
",The Cortes: meanwhile, through' our trusty Saez,
" Near by, we'll hearken to your grievances,
",If any such ye have, and thereupon
"Make known to ye our pleasure. I, the King.
Ferrer. A fetch! a worn-out trick to dodge the l,aw's
Pursuit.'Tis but the King's old malady;
A civil an(d most courtier-like complaint
Which, at his bidding, comes and goes.
Ruis. Don Joaquin
Doth err:'tis a rebellious ague which
Irreverently hath seized on Majesty;
Nor will vield save to mighty Angouleme..
If Ferdinand contemn our summons, and
Stand mute,'tis proof of guilt.
Arg. Whene'er the king
Faileth in duty to the realm, the Charter
Holds him no longer capable of rule;
And all his powers devolve upon the Cortes.
Abis. His Majesty responds through Saez; anti such
His right.
Riego. Of right the King doth sit among us:
All others by courtesy alone.
Abis. To one accused, the boon was ne'er denied
To urge by proxy his defence; would ye
304
-Riego; or, the Spanish Martyi-.
[MAY,
[Several members of the King's party rise to speak.
Enter at the door of the Ante-chamber- S'AEZ and a MESSENGER.]
Officer. A message from his Majesty!
Riego. Ile seated,
Seiiors! the royal message claims precedence.
[The MESSENGER advances and hands a paper to the SEc RETARY. SAEZ Remains.1