Borgia: A Period Play

B O R G I A
“ ... Autant en emporte ly vens”
A P E R I O D P L A Y LONDON A. H. BULLEN 1905
An apartment of the Vatican: at the further end the door of the Treasury by which the Lord Cardinal Casanova is seated .
The Lord Alexander VI. and an Envoy from Naples .
The Pope is seated; from time to time he plunges his hands into a coffer of pearls, letting the pearls stream through his fingers .
All are for her! Each an epitome Of her—the very skin of them her own, Our Pearl above all others. So your monarch Will mate his nephew with her?
He consents, Holiness, Having o’erlooked the letter Giovanni, lord of Pesaro, has written In affirmation of her virgin state— The fault being his.
This sorry Milanese! He raves with spite and proves himself a man By foul detraction of her family. We chuckle at the weakling. He may hoot! Your Don Alfonso is a noble lad, A girl’s new phœnix....
But your master pauses To give his only daughter to my son?
A cardinal!
A cardinal, we cannot yet release him From vows—your ear!—he holds detestable. My second son, where were his livelihood Without the Church’s revenue? All prudence Must hold him to the priesthood for a while. Betroth him to the daughter of your king— Your king and I, at leisure, will provide Some principality for Cesare To match his sees and yielded cardinalate.