oaths forbid it: is your avarice, Or, if there be such, any viler passion To have its giddy range, and to be gorged, It rises over all your sacraments, A hooded mystery, holier than they all.

p. 10

Rod. Hear me, Don Julian; I have heard thy wrath Who am thy king, nor heard man’s wrath before.

Jul. Thou shalt hear mine, for thou art not my king.

Rod. Knowest thou not the alter’d face of war? Xeres is ours; from every region round True loyal Spaniards throng into our camp: Nay, thy own friends and thy own family, From the remotest provinces, advance To crush rebellion: Sisabert is come, Disclaiming thee and thine; the Asturian hills Opposed to him their icy chains in vain; But never wilt thou see him, never more, Unless in adverse war, and deadly hate.

p. 11Jul. So lost to me! So generous, so deceived! I grieve to hear it.

p. 11

Rod. Come, I offer grace, Honour, dominion: send away these slaves, Or leave them to our sword, and all beyond The distant Ebro to the towns of France Shall bless thy name, and bend before thy throne. I will myself accompany thee, I, The king, will hail thee brother.

Jul. Ne’er shalt thou Henceforth be king: the nation, in thy name, May issue edicts, champions may command The vassal multitudes of marshall’d war, And the fierce charger shrink before the shouts, Lower’d as if earth had open’d at his feet, While thy mail’d semblance rises tow’rd the ranks, But God alone sees thee.

Rod. What hopest thou? To conquer Spain, and rule a ravaged land? To compass me around, to murder me?

Jul. No, Don Roderigo: swear thou, in the fight p. 12That thou wilt meet me, hand to hand, alone, That, if I ever save thee from a foe—

p. 12

Rod. I swear what honour asks—First, to Covilla Do thou present my crown and dignity.

Jul. Darest thou offer any price for shame?

Rod. Love and repentance.

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