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Romance and Poetry: Garces

They show him the stake; it is a Cupid made of diamonds. Alvaro knows it directly for his own marriage gift to his dead wife. He begs to see its owner, who, the soldiers tell him, won it a few weeks ago in the sack of Galera. This man, Garces, recounts the fearful tragedy to him:-- "I rushed in, found her So adorned with gems, so garnished With rich jewels, that she seemed some Fair, her lover's steps awaiting; Not for burial deck'd, but bridal. Seeing such beauty, I, for ransom Of her life, her love requested. But she, soon as I had grasped her By one white hand, spake thus: 'Christian, Since my death to thee were shameful, For a woman's blood can brighten Sword of no man, but must stain it, Let these gems content thy longing; Leave untouched the faith well guarded Of a breast which holds love's secret As a thing not yet known plainly.' But I seized her."

After an interruption from Alvaro, who says-- "Stop this moment! Hear me! Go not forward; stay thee; Seize her not !--What am I saying? Speak on as to one who cares not"-- Garces continues-- "Then she cried for some defender Of her life and fame. I, hearkening To the steps of men approaching, Saw one conquest from me taken, And not both to lose determined; Nor that others should be sharers In the riches I had seized on. So the thought of love I changed Straightway for the thought of vengeance (For full swiftly passion passes Out of one extreme to other), And, driven on by fury nameless, As in rage my arm uplifting (E'en to tell such deed now shames me), Or, as fierce a diamond jewel And a string of pearls I snatched thence, Which behind left a whole heaven Of pure snow with veins of azure, I her breast pierced."

Alvaro, who has with difficulty obtained the mastery of his passion, says, "Does this resemble that same stab?" while planting his dagger into the breast of Garces.

It is this play of Calderon's which, Sismondi says, "makes us better acquainted with the revolt of Granada than do the details of any author." There is considerable romantic interest in the "Lennox" or "Darnley" jewel, now in the possession of the Queen. It was formerly in Horace Walpole's collection at Strawberry Hill, but, much to be regretted, he has not recorded how he became possessed of it. The jewel is thus noticed in the description of Strawberry Hill (1784):-- "A golden heart set with jewels, and ornamented with emblematic figures enamelled, and Scottish mottoes made by order of the Lady Margaret Douglas, mother of Henry, Lord Darnley, in memory of her husband, Matthew Stuart, Earl of Lennox and Regent of Scotland, murdered by the Papists." By the command of the Queen, a description of this jewel was published in 1843 by the late Mr. Patrick Fraser Tytler. The jewel is a golden heart, measuring two inches and one-eighth in each direction. Around it is this verse-- "Qvha hopis stil constanly vith patience Sal obtein victorie in yair pretence;" signifying, Who hopes still constantly with patience shall obtain victory in their claim. The old Scottish word "pretence" for claim appears to be of French derivation. On the outer face is a crown, surmounted with three white fleurs-de-lys upon an azure ground, and set with three rubies and an emerald. Beneath it is a heart formed of a sapphire, with wings enamelled blue, red, green, and yellow. These emblems are supported by enamelled figures representing Faith, Hope, Victory, and Truth. The jewelled crown opens, and within the lid is this device:--Two hearts united by a blue buckle, and a golden true-love knot pierced with two arrows, feathered with white enamel and barbed with gold, and above them the motto, "Qvhat ve resolv" ("What we resolve"). Below this device, in the cavity within the crown, are the letters "M.S.L." in a cipher, enamelled white, blue, and red, with a verdant chaplet over it. The heart of sapphire also opens, and within the lid is this device:--Two hands conjoined, holding a green hunting horn by red cords, with this motto, rhyming to the former-- "Deathe sal desolve" ("Death shall dissolve"). Within the cavity is a skull, with cross-bones, enamelled. The reverse of the heart is covered with devices, and bears the following verse around the margin:-- "My stait to yir I may comper For zoo qvha is of bontes rair." ("My state to these I may compare For you who are of goodness rare.") The emblems are the sun in glory, amidst the azure starry skies, and the crescent moon. Below the sun is a salamander, crowned, amidst flames, and underneath this is the pelican in piety. Beneath the moon is the phoenix in the flames, and under it a man lying on the ground, with something resembling a royal crown on his side, so small as to be seen only with a magnifying glass; out of the crown issues a sunflower. Behind him is a laurel (?), in which sits a bird, and on the leaves of the sunflower is a lizard. The heart opens, being hinged at the top, and within the lid are the following emblems:--A stake, such as is represented in pictures of martyrs, surrounded with flames, and in the flames a number of little crosses; near it is a female figure on a throne, with a tiara on her head; and above her appears a scroll, inscribed, "Gar tel my reloes" ("Cause tell my relief"). There appears next a complicated group of emblems--a figure with two faces and two bodies, the upper part evidently representing Time, with his forelock, wings, and hourglass; the back of his head presents a second face or mask; and the lower portion of the figure, separated by a marked line, is that of a demon, with cloven feet, standing on a celestial sphere. On one side, Time is pulling a naked female figure, meant for Truth, out of a well; on the other side is a representation of hideous black jaws, like the hell-mouth of mediaeval art, from which issue flames and three winged demons. Above Time is a scroll, inscribed, "Tym gares al leir" ("Time causes all to learn"). Below Time, and immediately connected with the sphere under his feet, is another scroll, "Ze seim al my plesvr" ("You seem all my pleasure"). Lastly, in the lower part are two groups; a warrior with sword and shield, standing over another who is vanquished and overcome; on the ground, by his side, lies his shield, red, surmounted by a crown, and charged with a face; the fallen man seems to be pointing towards it. The other group is a crowned warrior with a drawn sword, holding a female by her dishevelled hair, as if about to kill her. To neither of these groups is attached any legend.