Castruccio Castrucani/Act I

by Letitia Elizabeth Landon

CASTRUCCIO CASTRUCANI.

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ACT I.

Scene I.—A Market-place.

Citizens grouped together, talking earnestly.

1st citizen.

How was he taken? for he would have fought

A dozen single handed.

2nd citizen.

Last night, returning from the Count Arrezi,

To whose fair daughter he has been betrothed,
He was surrounded by those foreign bandits
That wear Count Ludolph's colours.

1st citizen.

Work fitting to their mercenary hands.

2nd citizen.

I saw the whole, for I was late at work.

Castruccio pass'd me as I hurried home;

Dark as it was, I knew his stately form!
He cross'd the street, and out of ambush sprung
The secret enemy. I saw him fling
His cloak upon the ground—out flash'd his blade—
But the dark night was lit with glittering steel,
And twenty swords were drawn to meet but one.
I heard the clash, then a fierce struggle—oaths—
And he was hurried past: the moon shone out,
And there lay on the ground a broken sword,
But red with blood.

Enter Cesario.

1st citizen.

Here comes his young and trusted officer,

The Count Cesario; he will tell us more.

2nd citizen.

What of Castruccio's fate—what of our chief?

CESARIO.

The treachery of the nobles has prevail'd.

Castruccio lies within the city prison,
Thither convey'd by Ludolph's foreign band;
A thousand dangers circle him around,
The secret dagger, and the open scaffold.

2nd citizen.

Well, now we have no friend!

CESARIO.

He was your friend; the meanest citizen

Found, in the shadow of Castruccio's name,
His best security.

2nd citizen.

He never wrung from us our hard-earn'd gains.

1st citizen.

Our lives were precious to him; must he die?

2nd citizen.

The nobles are too strong.

CESARIO.

'Tis for your sake they are his enemies.

He might have shared their power, and kept ye slaves.

2nd citizen.

We have been much oppress'd; until he came,

No one could sit in quiet at his door.
Money and blood were the perpetual cry
Of our small tyrants.

CESARIO.

So will it be again,

If your protector perish.

ALL.

He shall not die!

CESARIO.

The nobles will not listen to your prayers.

1st citizen.

We will try threats.

CESARIO.

Threats are as vain as prayers—ye must try deeds.

2nd citizen.

What can we do? We are unarm'd and weak!

CESARIO.

But strong in your good cause. Oh, ye are strong,

If ye would know your strength!

2nd citizen.

When he was free, we could defy the world.

CESARIO.

Then give him what ye owe him—liberty.

2nd citizen.

All Lucca will rise up!

1st citizen.

Before this, I have fought upon his side;

Up! let our watch-word be Castruccio's name.

CESARIO.

Let the high Heaven hear it; will ye stand

Meek, pitiful spectators of his death?

2nd citizen.

The nobles will not shed Castruccio's blood.

1st citizen.

When have they been so merciful to spare?

2nd citizen.

They will not spare from mercy, but from fear.

CESARIO.

Who should they fear?

2nd citizen.

The oppress'd and desperate.

CESARIO.

Not if oppression find relief in words.

1st citizen.

There's not a street in Lucca but should run

Red with our blood before Castruccio die!

CESARIO.

'Tis well, if ye dare act upon these words.

ALL.

We dare.

CESARIO.

Let each one to his neighbours instantly;

Gather what force ye can; by two and threes
Return, and then we'll try the prison's strength.

2nd citizen

Three of the nobles come this way.

CESARIO.

We must disperse until the hour arrive,

What time the nobles seek the Senate-house.

2nd citizen.

Where they will meet to doom Castruccio's death.

CESARIO.

Short space is ours, be silent, and away.

In one half hour seek ye the market-place;
Castruccio Castrucani is the word.—[Exeunt.

Enter Nobles.

1st Noble (putting two of the Citizens aside).

Out of the way, ye loiterers.

2nd noble.

What do ye here, wasting what ye call time,

And then complain of want?

1st citizen (Aside).

Our time will come.—[Exit.

1st noble.

What said the knave?

2nd noble.

Good saints, I know as little as I care.

I do not share Castruccio's sympathy
For those who are the dust beneath my feet.

1st noble.

'Tis pity of him; for more gallant knight

Ne'er led the foremost, still himself the first.
I grudge the yielding to the Florentines
That now must follow.

2nd noble.

Better submission to the distant power

Than that within our gates; the citizens,
Stirr'd by Castruccio, talk of their rights:
Time was, a creditor, grown troublesome,
Might hang, a useful warning, at our door;
But Castrucani has so changed the state,
That not a knave who walks the market-place
But holds his life as precious as our own.
Why Lucca is as quiet as a bower.

1st noble.

We have had stirring times outside our walls,

Victory on victory o'er the Florentines.

2nd noble.

And this has dazzled ye: ye have not mark'd

How stronger, hour by hour, has grown his sway.
Among ourselves, if it were left to him,
We should not have a single privilege
Beyond the meanest citizen.

Enter the Count Leoni, as if from a journey, speaking to his Page as he enters.

See all your charges safe: then follow me,
Bringing the casket where my cousin's name
Is work'd in pearls.

1st noble.

Welcome again to Lucca, Count Leoni.

(All gather round him.)

LEONI.

Kind greeting to you all: I am right glad

To see my friends and native walls again.

2nd noble.

You're come upon us in a stirring time.

1st noble.

Tell him at once Castruccio is our prisoner.

2nd noble.

You're over hasty; for the count may be

One of Castruccio's partisans.

1st noble.

Arrezi always liked the strongest side,

And hence betrothed his daughter to Castruccio.

LEONI.

What, to my cousin—to the fair Bianca?

1st noble.

You do not look as if you liked the news.

2nd noble.

Will you go with us to the Senate-house?

Your uncle will be there.

LEONI.

As yet I am too new to join your councils.

2nd noble.

We may not loiter, even now awaits

The envoy sent from Florence.

LEONI.

Make ye what terms ye can—secure yourselves:

The Florentines will gladly aid your cause.
They hate Castruccio—hate, because they fear.

2nd noble.

We are too late: farewell, we meet anon.[Exeunt.

LEONI (Solus).

Well, fortune, thou hast stood my friend at last!

I came to struggle with mine enemy,
And, lo! he is subdued. Castruccio lies
A prisoner at the mercy of his foes.
For him there is one only ransom—death!
Soon will these hasty nobles want a head:
The power and wealth of our most ancient house
Point to Arrezi as the nobles' chief,
And he will be a cypher in my hands.
Now will my secret trafficking with Florence
Stand in good stead: my path is clear before me.
The odium of the Castrucani's death,
And the inglorious peace they now must make,
Rests with the nobles. Fortune, now thy tide
Is on the turn—I dare to ride thy waves.
Strange that Castruccio, who through life has been
My too successful rival, now should make
My first step in the ladder of ambition.
Now must I seek my cousin, fair Bianca,
So nearly lost; how will she greet me now?
Castruccio's sway has been right absolute,
Or never had Arrezi let his child
Link with our house's ancient enemy.Exit.

Scene II.—The Senate-house.

Count Gonsalvi, Count Arrezi, Nobles, Attendants, &c.

GONSALVI (taking a seat)

Henceforward Florence claims your fealty;

She will secure you in all ancient rights,
Immunity, and privilege: her sword
Will stand between ye and your enemies.
For this a yearly tribute must be paid
Of twenty thousand florins.

2nd noble.

Our treasury's low, my lord.

GONSALVI.

And so is ours,

Exhausted by the late vexatious war.

2nd noble.

Urged by the Count Castruccio, not ourselves.

GONSALVI.

It must be paid.

2nd noble.

Well, well,

The goldsmiths round our market-place are rich.
The citizens, too, better being poor,
As more obedient, right that they should pay
The penalty of their rebellious spirit.

GONSALVI (rising).

I leave you till to-morrow, when I bring

The treaty ready for your signatures,
And will receive your homage and your oaths.—[Exit.

1st noble.

Homage and tribute—these are bitter words!

2nd noble.

Less bitter than the Castrucani's sway.

1st noble.

To-day must fix his fate. What is his doom?

SEVERAL NOBLES.

Death!

ARREZI.

Rather say exile.

2nd noble.

Yes, and one week sees him again our chief!

ARREZI.

He may be kept strict prisoner.

2nd noble.

And keep perpetual terror o'er our heads.

SEVERAL NOBLES.

His scaffold is our safety.

ARREZI.

We dare not raise that scaffold.

SEVERAL NOBLES.

Dare not!

ARREZI.

The citizens would rise in his defence.

1st noble.

Not with our swords to teach them what they are.

2nd noble.

Why risk a tumult that we well may spare,

While Lucca has a dagger?

1st noble.

He shall not perish by the assassin's hand.

2nd noble.

So that he perish, little matters how.

ARREZI.

The tumult would be fearful.

1st noble.

Even now

The people gather fiercely in the streets.

2nd noble.

Let them not see him, they will soon forget.

ARREZI.

Hark to the shouts!

1st noble.

I have a useful knave, who, give him gold,

Stabs and forgets; I'll send him to the prison.

2nd noble.

The noise approaches, look ye to your swords.

1st noble.

Delay is fatal—let Castruccio die!

(While he is speaking the doors are burst open,
and Castruccio enters, armed and attended.

CASTRUCCIO.

Not yet, nor by your hand! Thanks, gentlemen,

For an indifferent lodging. I have learnt
That prisons, tenanted with thoughts of death,
Is not a punishment to order lightly;
Therefore, ye shall not fill my vacant place.

2nd noble.

The game is yours—I, for one, ask not mercy!

CASTRUCCIO.

And, therefore, worthier to have unask'd.

Ye do mistake me, signors: all my thoughts
To ye are grateful ones. But for your rash
And ill-advised attempt, I had not known
How true the love on which my power is built—
How strong the cause the people trust with me!

Re-enter Count Gonsalvi

GONSALVI.

I must demand some escort: for the streets

Are fill'd with people, and unwillingly
Would I shed blood. What! Castrucani here?

CASTRUCCIO.

Ready to give the Count Gonsalvi audience,

And ask, what are the terms he brings from Florence?

GONSALVI.

With these, the representatives of Lucca,

I have arranged our treaty.

CASTRUCCIO.

On what terms?

GONSALVI.

That ye submit yourselves, and pledge your faith

True vassals unto Florence: and each year
Remit your tribute—twenty thousand florins!

CASTRUCCIO.

Tribute and homage! can they sink so low,

Men who have met ye bravely in the field?
Now hear me, Count Gonsalvi: Lucca rather
Would see her walls dismantled, than consent
To yield such base submission!

GONSALVI.

These are her chiefs—in their consent she yields.

CASTRUCCIO

You see that they are silent. By my voice

Does Lucca speak: she would be glad of peace,
An equal, sure, and honourable peace—
To terms like these she has but one reply—defiance.

GONSALVI.

Florence will teach you better in the field!

CASTRUCCIO.

This to your conqueror: not three weeks have pass'd

Since, in the field, we met. I think you found
More service from your spurs than from your swords.

GONSALVI.

'Twas an unlucky chance of war.

CASTRUCCIO.

Not so, my lord; there was a higher cause—

The right against the wrong. Your army came,
A mercenary and a selfish band,
Some urged by false ambition, some for spoil.
No noble motive noble impulse gave:
Ye were aggressors, and ye fought like such.
I tell you, count, with not a third your numbers
I chased your flying hosts within your gates.

GONSALVI.

I came not for a boast but for an answer—

War or submission.

CASTRUCCIO.

War or submission! sad such choice and stern:

Vast is the suffering—great the wrong of war!

But—and all Lucca speaketh in these words—
Rather we take the suffering; and the wrong
Rests on the oppressor's head, than we submit.
Not while one hand can strike on Lucca's side,
Not while one stone is left of Lucca's walls,
Not while one heart beats in our country's cause,
Will Lucca stoop beneath a foreign yoke.
Ye only fight for conquest or for spoil:
We for our homes, our rights, our ancient walls!
The sword is drawn—God be the judge between us!

GONSALVI.

Have ye no other answer?

CASTRUCCIO.

None! Cesario is your escort to the gates.

GONSALVI.

I take your answer—war, then, to the death.—[Exit.

2nd noble.

Are ye not rash in this? how weak our state,

Compared with Florence.

CASTRUCCIO.

Twice have we met them in the open field,

Each time they fled before us. Oh! my friends,
If I may call ye such, we are not weak
Who have our own good swords, and urge a war
Just in the sight of heaven. Our weakness lies
In our dissension, in the small base aims
That disunite us from the common cause.
Lucca were strong, had Lucca but one heart!
Why should ye be mine enemies? I seek
Yours in the general good. I stand between

Ye and a people whom ye would oppress.
Know ye not, love has stronger rule than fear?
A country, fill'd with tyrants and with slaves,
What waits upon her history?—crime and shame!
But the free state, where every rank is knit
By general blessings, freedom shared by all,
There is prosperity—there those great names
Whose glory lingers though themselves be gone.
It is not I ye serve, it is your country!—(Applause.)

2nd noble (Aside).

I see that we must yield, or seem to yield;

He's master now.

CASTRUCCIO.

And for this base submission

To your hereditary enemies,
There is no yoke so galling as the yoke
Foreign invaders place upon your neck!
The heavy and the arbitrary sway
That ye would fix upon your countrymen,
Would soon be on yourselves. Lucca is free;
To keep her so is trusted to your swords!
I march to meet the Florentines to-morrow;
Will ye not follow me for Lucca's sake?

NOBLES.

We will.

CASTRUCCIO.

Now must I forth to thank the citizens.

(Sees Arrezi.) The Count Arrezi here!

ARREZI.

I came here as your friend.

CASTRUCCIO.

Then bear but hence my greetings to your daughter.

ARREZI.

My lord, she is much honour'd!(Shouts without.)

CASTRUCCIO.

The people are impatient, let us forth:

I am impatient, too, to thank their love.
We will go forth together, and with them
Make common cause.[Exeunt.

END OF THE FIRST ACT.