The Works of Aphra Behn Volume V Part 10

p. 207 _one Banister_. Sergeant Major James Banister being, after Byam's departure in 1667, 'the only remaining eminent person' became Lieutenant-Governor. It was he who in 1668 made the final surrender of the colony. Later, having quarrelled with the Dutch he was imprisoned by them.

[Footnote 5: Nell Gwynne had no part in the play.]

Cross-Reference from Critical Notes: _Oroonoko_

Note to p. 180: For the elder brother, Henry Marten, (1602-80), see note Vol. I, p. 457.

Vol. I, p. 457 note (referring to _The Roundheads_, V, ii):

p. 414 _Peters the first_, _Martin the Second_. Hugh Peters has been noticed before. Henry Martin was an extreme republican, and at one time even a Leveller. He was a commissioner of the High Court of Justice and a regicide. At the Restoration he was imprisoned for life and died at Chepstow Castle, 1681, aged seventy-eight. He was notorious for profligacy and shamelessness, and kept a very seraglio of mistresses. [[The date "1681" is in the original.]]

AGNES DE CASTRO.

INTRODUCTION.

The 'sweet sentimental tragedy' of Agnes de Castro was founded by Mrs.

Behn upon a work by Mlle S. B. de Brillac, _Agnes de Castro, nouvelle portugaise_ (1688), and various subsequent editions. In the same year (1688) as Mrs. Behn's _Agnes de Castro; or, The Force of Generous Blood_ was published there appeared 'Two New Novels, i. _The Art of Making Love_.[1] ii. _The Fatal Beauty of Agnes de Castro_: Taken out of the History of Portugal. Translated from the French by P. B. G.[2] For R. Bentley' (12mo). Each has a separate t.i.tle page. Bellon's version does not differ materially from Mrs. Behn, but she far exceeds him in spirit and niceness of style.

So much legend has surrounded the romantic history of the beautiful Ines de Castro that it is impossible fully to elucidate every detail of her life. Born in the early years of the fourteenth century, she was the daughter of Pedro Fernandez de Castro, major domo to Alphonso XI of Castille. She accompanied her relative, Dona Constanca Manuel, daughter to the Duke of Penafiel, to the court of Alphonso IV of Portugal when this lady was to wed the Infante Don Pedro. Here Ines excited the fondest love in Pedro's heart and the pa.s.sion was reciprocated. She bore him several children, and there can be no doubt that Dona Constanca was madly jealous of her husband's amour with her fair friend. 13 November, 1345, Constanca died, and Pedro immediately married his mistress at Braganza in the presence of the Bishop of Guarda. Their nuptials were kept secret, and the old King kept pressing his son to take a wife.

Before long his spies found out the reason of the Infante's constant refusals; and, beside himself with rage, he watched an opportunity whilst Pedro, on a great hunting expedition, was absent from Coimbra where they resided, and had Ines cruelly a.s.sa.s.sinated 7 January, 1355.

The grief of Pedro was terrible, he plunged the country into civil war, and it was only by the tenderest solicitations of his mother and the authority of several holy monks and bishops that he was restrained from taking a terrible revenge upon his father. Alphonso died, his power curtailed, his end unhappy, May, 1357.

A very literature has grown up around the lovely Ines, and many more than a hundred items of interest could be enumerated. The best authority is J. de Araujo, whose monumental _Bibliographia Inesiana_ was published in 1897. Mrs. Behn's novel was immensely popular and is included, with some unnecessary moral observations as preface, in Mrs. Griffith's _A Collection of Novels_ (1777), Vol. III, which has a plate ill.u.s.trating the tale. It was turned into French by Marie-Genevieve-Charlotte Tiroux d' Arconville (1720-1805), wife of a councillor of the Parliament, an aimable blue-stocking who devoted her life wholly to literature, and translated freely from English. This work is to be found in _Romans (les deux premiers . . . tires des Lettres Persanes . . . par M. Littleton et le dernier . . . d'un Recueil de Romans . . . de Madame Behn) traduits de l' Anglois_, (Amsterdam, 1761.) It occurs again in _Melanges de Litterature_ (12mo, 1775, etc.), Vol. VI.

A tragedy, _Agnes de Castro_, written by that philosophical lady, Catherine Trotter (afterwards c.o.c.kburn), at the early age of sixteen, and produced at the Theatre Royal, 1696, with Powell, Verbruggen, Mrs.

Rogers in the princ.i.p.al parts, is directly founded upon Mrs. Behn. It is a mediocre play, and the same can even more truly be said of Mallet's cold _Elvira_ (1763). This was acted, however, with fair success thirteen times. Garrick played Don Pedro, his last original part, and Mrs. Cibber Elvira. Such dull exercises as C. Symmons, _Inez, a tragedy_ (1796), and _Ignez de Castro_, a tragedy in verse, intended for _Hoad's Magazine_ call for no comment.

There is a French play by Lamotte on the subject of Ines de Castro, which was first produced 6 April, 1723. Voltaire found the first four acts execrable and laughed consumedly. The fifth was so tender and true that he melted into tears. In Italian we have, from the pen of Bertoletti, _Inez de Castro_, tragedia, Milano, 1826.

In Spanish and Portuguese there are, of course, innumerable poems, treaties, tragedies, studies, romances. Lope de Vega wrote _Dona Inez de Castro_, and the beautiful episode of Camoens is deservedly famous.

Antonio Ferreira's splendid tragedy is well known. First published in _Comedias Famosas dos Doctores de Sa de Mirande_ (4to, 1622), it can also be read in _Poemas lusitanos_ (2 Vols., 8vo, Lisbon, 1771). Domingo dos Reis Quita wrote a drama, _Ignez de Castro_, a translation of which, by Benjamin Thompson, was published in 1800. There is also a play _Dona Ignez de Castro_, by Nicolas Luiz, which was Englished by John Adamson, whose version was printed at Newcastle, 1808.

[Footnote 1: Mr. Arundell Esdaile in his _Bibliography of Fiction_ (_printed before 1740_) erroneously identifies this amusing little piece with Mrs. Behn's _The Lover's Watch_. It is, however, quite another thing, dealing with a pseudo-Turkish language of love.]

[Footnote 2: i.e., Peter Bellon, Gent. Bellon was an a.s.siduous hackney writer and translator of the day. He has also left one comedy, _The Mock Duellist; or, The French Valet_ (4to, 1675).]

THE HISTORY OF _AGNES de CASTRO_.

Tho' Love, all soft and flattering, promises nothing but Pleasures; yet its Consequences are often sad and fatal. It is not enough to be in love, to be happy; since Fortune, who is capricious, and takes delight to trouble the Repose of the most elevated and virtuous, has very little respect for pa.s.sionate and tender Hearts, when she designs to produce strange Adventures.

Many Examples of past Ages render this Maxim certain; but the Reign of _Don Alphonso_ the IVth, King of _Portugal_, furnishes us with one, the most extraordinary that History can produce.

He was the Son of that _Don Denis_, who was so successful in all his Undertakings, that it was said of him, that he was capable of performing whatever he design'd, (and of _Isabella_, a Princess of eminent Virtue) who when he came to inherit a flouris.h.i.+ng and tranquil State, endeavour'd to establish Peace and Plenty in abundance in his Kingdom.

And to advance this his Design, he agreed on a Marriage between his Son _Don Pedro_ (then about eight Years of Age) and _Bianca_, Daughter of _Don Pedro_, King of _Castile_; and whom the young Prince married when he arriv'd to his sixteenth Year.

_Bianca_ brought nothing to _Coimbra_ but Infirmities and very few Charms. _Don Pedro_, who was full of Sweetness and Generosity, lived nevertheless very well with her; but those Distempers of the Princess degenerating into the Palsy, she made it her request to retire, and at her Intercession the Pope broke the Marriage, and the melancholy Princess conceal'd her Languishment in a solitary Retreat: And _Don Pedro_, for whom they had provided another Match, married _Constantia Manuel_, Daughter of _Don John Manuel_, a Prince of the Blood of _Castile_, and famous for the Enmity he had to his King.

_Constantia_ was promised to the King of _Castile_; but the King not keeping his word, they made no Difficulty of bestowing her on a young Prince, who was one Day to reign over a number of fine Provinces. He was but five and twenty years of Age, and the Man of all _Spain_ that had the best Fas.h.i.+on and Grace: and with the most advantageous Qualities of the Body he possest those of the Soul, and shewed himself worthy in all things of the Crown that was destin'd for him.

The Princess _Constantia_ had Beauty, Wit, and Generosity, in as great a measure as 'twas possible for a Woman to be possest with; her Merit alone ought to have attach'd _Don Pedro_, eternally to her; and certainly he had for her an Esteem, mix'd with so great a Respect, as might very well pa.s.s for Love with those that were not of a nice and curious Observation: but alas! his real Care was reserved for another Beauty.

_Constantia_ brought into the World, the first Year after her Marriage, a Son, who was called _Don Louis_: but it scarce saw the Light, and dy'd almost as soon as born. The loss of this little Prince sensibly touched her, but the Coldness she observ'd in the Prince her Husband, went yet nearer her Heart; for she had given her self absolutely up to her Duty, and had made her Tenderness for him her only Concern: But puissant Glory, which ty'd her so entirely to the Interest of the Prince of _Portugal_, open'd her Eyes upon his Actions, where she observ'd nothing in his Caresses and Civilities that was natural, or could satisfy her delicate Heart.

At first she fancy'd her self deceiv'd, but time having confirmed her in what she fear'd, she sighed in secret; yet had that Consideration for the Prince, as not to let him see her Disorder: and which nevertheless she could not conceal from _Agnes de Castro_, who lived with her, rather as a Companion, than a Maid of Honour, and whom her Friends.h.i.+p made her infinitely distinguish from the rest.

This Maid, so dear to the Princess, very well merited the Preference her Mistress gave her; she was beautiful to excess, wise, discreet, witty, and had more Tenderness for _Constantia_ than she had for her self, having quitted her Family, which was ill.u.s.trious, to give her self wholly to the Service of the Princess, and to follow her into _Portugal_. It was into the Bosom of this Maid, that the Princess unladed her first Moans; and the charming _Agnes_ forgot nothing that might give ease to her afflicted Heart.

Nor was _Constantia_ the only Person who complained of _Don Pedro_: Before his Divorce from _Bianca_, he had expressed some Care and Tenderness for _Elvira Gonzales_, Sister to Don _Alvaro Gonzales_, Favourite to the King of _Portugal_; and this Amus.e.m.e.nt in the young Years of the Prince, had made a deep Impression on _Elvira_, who flatter'd her Ambition with the Infirmities of _Bianca_. She saw, with a secret Rage, _Constantia_ take her place, who was possest with such Charms, that quite divested her of all Hopes.

Her Jealousy left her not idle, she examined all the Actions of the Prince, and easily discover'd the little Regard he had for the Princess; but this brought him not back to her. And it was upon very good grounds that she suspected him to be in love with some other Person, and possessed with a new Pa.s.sion; and which she promised herself, she would destroy as soon as she could find it out. She had a Spirit altogether proper for bold and hazardous Enterprizes; and the Credit of her Brother gave her so much Vanity, as all the Indifference of the Prince was not capable of humbling.

The Prince languished, and concealed the Cause with so much Care, that 'twas impossible for any to find it out. No publick Pleasures were agreeable to him, and all Conversations were tedious; and it was Solitude alone that was able to give him any ease.

This Change surprized all the World. The King, who loved his Son very tenderly, earnestly pressed him to know the Reason of his Melancholy; but the Prince made no answer, but only this, That it was the effect of his Temper.

But Time ran on, and the Princess was brought to bed of a second Son, who liv'd, and was called _Fernando_. _Don Pedro_ forc'd himself a little to take part in the publick Joy, so that they believ'd his Humour was changing; but this Appearance of a Calm endur'd not long, and he fell back again into his black Melancholy.

The artful _Elvira_ was incessantly agitated in searching out the Knowledge of this Secret. Chance wrought for her; and, as she was walking, full of Indignation and Anger, in the Garden of the Palace of _Coimbra_, she found the Prince of _Portugal_ sleeping in an obscure Grotto.

Her Fury could not contain it self at the sight of this loved Object, she roll'd her Eyes upon him, and perceived in spite of Sleep, that some Tears escaped his Eyes; the Flame which burnt yet in her Heart, soon grew soft and tender there: But oh! she heard him sigh, and after that utter these words, _Yes, Divine +Agnes+, I will sooner die than let you know it: +Constantia+ shall have nothing to reproach me with._ _Elvira_ was enraged at this Discourse, which represented to her immediately, the same moment, _Agnes de Castro_ with all her Charms; and not at all doubting, but it was she who possest the Heart of _Don Pedro_, she found in her Soul more Hatred for this fair Rival, than Tenderness for him.

The Grotto was not a fit Place to make Reflections in, or to form Designs. Perhaps her first Transports would have made her waken him, if she had not perceived a Paper lying under his Hand, which she softly seiz'd on; and that she might not be surprized in the reading it, she went out of the Garden with as much haste as confusion.

When she was retired to her Apartment, she open'd the Paper, trembling, and found in it these Verses, writ by the Hand of _Don Pedro_; and which, in appearance, he had newly then compos'd.

_In vain, Oh! Sacred Honour, you debate The mighty Business in my Heart: Love! Charming Love! rules all my Fate; Interest and Glory claim no part.

The G.o.d, sure of his Victory, triumphs there, And will have nothing in his Empire share._

_In vain, Oh! Sacred Duty, you oppose; In vain, your Nuptial Tye you plead: Those forc'd Devoirs LOVE overthrows, And breaks the Vows he never made.

Fixing his fatal Arrows every where, I burn and languish in a soft Despair._

_Fair Princess, you to whom my Faith is due; Pardon the Destiny that drags me on: 'Tis not my fault my Heart's untrue, I am compell'd to be undone.

My Life is yours, I gave it with my Hand, But my Fidelity I can't command._