vote-killing Mandrakes The ghosts of misers that imprison'd gold Within the harmelesse bowels of the earth Are nights companions bawdes to lust and murder Be all propitious to my Act of iustice Vpon the scandalizers of her fame That is the life-blood of deliciousnesse Deem'd Isabella Cupids Treasurer Whose soule containes the richest gifts of loue Her beautie from my heart feare doth expell They rellish pleasure best that dread not hell Who 's there Enter Count Rogero Rogero A friend to thee if thy intents be iust honorable Sago Count Rogero speake I am the watch Rogero My name is Rogero do'st thou know me Sago Yes slanderous villen nurse of Obloquie Whose poison'd breath ha's speckl'd cleare fac't vertue And made a Leper of Isabella's fame That is as spotlesse as the eye of heau'n Thy vitall threds a cutting start not slaue Hee 's sure of sudden death heau'n cannot saue Count Rog. Art not Guiaca turn'd Apostata ha's pleasure once againe Turn'd thee againe a diuell art not Guiaca hah Sago O that I were then would I stab my selfe For he is mark't for death as well as thee I am Don Sago thy mortall enemie Whose hand loue makes thy executioner Rogero I know thee valiant Spaniard and to thee Murders more hatefull then is sacrilege Thy actions euer haue been honourable Sago And this the crowne of all my Actions To purge the earth of such a man turn'd monster Rogero I neuer wrong'd thee Spaniard did I speake I 'le make thee satisfaction like a souldiour Tell him all the Plot. A true Italian and a Gentleman Thy rage is treacherie without a cause Sago My rage is iust and thy heart bloud shall know He that wrongs beautie must be honors foe Isabels quarrell armes the Spaniards spirit Rogero Murder should keepe with basenesse not with merit I 'le answere thee to morrow by my soule And cleare thy doubts or satisfie thy will Sago Hee 's warres best scholler can with safety kill Take this to night now meete with me to morrow Shootes I come Isabella halfe thy hate is dead Valour makes murder light which feare makes dead Capt. The pistoll was shot here seize him Enter Capt. with a band of Soldiors Bring lights what Don Sago Collonell of the horse Ring the Alarum bell raise the whole Citie His Troops are in the towne I feare treacherie Whos 's this lies murdred speake bloud-thirstie Spaniard Sago I haue not spoil'd his face you may know his visnomy Capt. 'T is Count Rogero goe conuay him hence Thy life proud Spaniard answeres this offence A strong guard for the prisoner lesse the cities powers Rise to rescue him Begirt him with souldiours Sago What needs this strife Know slaues I prize reuenge aboue my life Fames register to future times shall tell That by Don Sago Count Rogero fell Exeunt omnes Finis Acti Quarti Actus quintus Scaena prima Enter MEDINA the dead body of GVIDO Alias Count Arsena and Souldiours Don Sago guarded Executioner Scaffold Medina DOn Sago quak'st thou not to behold this spectacle This innocent sacrifice murdred noblenes When bloud the maker euer promiseth Shall though with slow yet with sure vengeance rest I't is a guerdon earn'd and must be paide As sure reuenge as it is sure a deede I nee'r knew murder yet but it did bleed Canst thou after so many fearefull conflicts Betweene this obiect and thy guilty conscience Now thou art freed from out the serpents Iawes That vilde Adultresse whose sorceries Doth draw chaste men into incontinence Whose tongue flowes ouer with harmefull eloquence Canst thou I say repent this hainous Act And learne to loath that killing Cockatrice Sago By this fresh blood that from thy manly brest I cowardly sluct out I would in hell From this sad minute still the day of doome To re-inspire vaine Aesculapius And fill these crimson conduits feele the fire Due to the damned and this horrid fact Medina Vpon my soule braue Spaniard I beleeue thee Sago O cease to weepe in blood or teach me too The bubbling wounds doe murmure for reuenge This is the end of lust where men may see Murders the shadow of Adulterie And followes it to death Medina But hopefull Lord we doe commiserate Thy bewitch't fortunes a free pardon giue On this thy true and noble penitence With all we make thee Collonell of our horse Leuied against the proud Venecian state Sago Medina I thanke thee not giue life to him That sits with Risus and the full cheek't Bacchus The rich and mighty Monarchs of the earth To me life is ten times more terrible Then death can be to me O breake my breast Diuines and dying men may talke of hell But in my heart the seuerall torments dwell What Tanais Nilus or what Tioris swift What Rhenus ferier then the Cataract Although Neptolis cold the waues of all the northerne sea Should flow for euer through these guiltie hands Yet the sanguinolent staine would extant be Medina God pardon thee we doe Enter a messenger A shoute Messenger The Countesse comes my Lord vnto the death But so vnwillingly and vnprepar'd That she is rather forst thinking the summe She sent to you of twenty thousand pound Would haue assured her of life Medina O Heauens Is she not wearie yet of lust and life Had it been Cressus wealth she should haue died Her goods by law are all confiscate to vs And die shee shall her lust Would make a slaughter house of Italy Ere she attain'd to foure and twenty yeeres Three Earles one Vicount and this valiant Spaniard Are knowne to abeene the fuell to her lust Besides her secret louers which charitably I iudge to haue beene but few but some they were Here is a glasse wherein to view her soule A Noble but vnfortunate Gentleman Cropt by her hand as some rude passenger Doth pluck the tender Roses in the budde Murder and lust the least of which is death And hath she yet any false hope of breath Enter ISABELLA with her haire hanging downe a chaplet of flowers on her head a nosegay in her hand Executioner before her and with her a Cardinall Isabella What place is this Cardin. Madame the Castle greene Isab. There should be dancing on a greene I thinke Card. Madame to you none other then your dance of death Isabell. Good my Lord Cardinall doe not thunder thus I sent to day to my Phisician And as he say's he findes no signe of death Card. Good Madame doe not iest away your soule Isab. O seruant how hast thou betrai'd my life To Sago Thou art my dearest louer now I see Thou wilt not leaue me till my very death Bless't be thy hand I sacrifice a kisse To it and vengeance worthily thou didst He died deseruedly not content to inioy My youth and beauty riches and my fortune But like a Chronicler of his owne vice In Epigrams and songs he run'd my name Renown'd me for a Strumpet in the Courts Of the French King and the great Emperor Didst thou not
our endered kinsman These voluntary murderers That confesse the Murder of him that is yet aliue Wee 'll sport vvith serious Iustice for a vvhile In shew wee 'll frowne on them that make vs smile 2 Sen. Bring forth the Prisoners we may heare their answeres Enter brought in with Officers CLARIDIANA and MIZALDVS Duke Stand forth you Vipers that haue suck'd bloud And lopt a branch sprung from a royall tree What can you answere to escape tortures Rog. We haue confest the fact my Lord to God and man Our ghostly father and that worthy Captaine We beg not life but fauourable death Duke On what ground sprung your hate to him we lou'd Clarid. Vpon that curse laid on Venecians ielousie Wee thought he being a Courtier would haue made vs Magnificoes of the right stampe and haue plaid at Primero in the presence vvith gold of the Citie brought from our Indies Rog. Nay more my Lord vve feared that your kinsman for a messe of Sonnets would haue giuen the plot of vs and our wiues to some needy Poet and for sport and profit brought vs in some Venician Comedy vpon the Stage Duke Our Iustice dwels with mercy be not desperate 1 Sen. His Highnesse faine vvould saue your liues if you would see it Rog. All the Law in Venice shall not saue mee I vvill not be saued Clar. Feare not I haue a tricke to bring vs to hanging in spite of the Law Rog. Why now I see thou louest me thou hast confirm'd Thy friendship for euer to me by these vvordes Why I should neuer heare Lanthorne and candle call'd for But I should thinke it was for me and my Wife I le hang for that forget not thy tricke Vpon 'em with thy tricke I long for sentence 2 Sen. Will you appeale for mercy to the Duke Clar. Kill not thy Iustice Duke to saue our liues We haue deserued death Rog. Make not vs presidents for after wrongs I will receiue punishment for my sinnes It shall be a meanes to lift me towards heauen Clar. Let 's haue our desert we craue no fauour Duke Take them asunder graue Iustice makes vs mirth That man is soulelesse that ne'er sinnes on earth Signior Mizaldus relate the weapon you kill'd him with and the manner Rog. My Lord your lustfull kinsman I can title him no better came sneaking to my house like a Promoter to spye flesh in the Lent now I hauing a Venecian spirit watcht my time and with my Rapier runne him through knowing all paines are but trifles to the horne of a Citizen Duke Take him aside Signior Claridiana what weapon had you for this bloudy act vvhat dart vs'd Death Clar. My Lord I brain'd him with a leauer my neighbour lent me and he stood by and cryed strike home olde boy Duke With seuerall Instruments Bring them face to face With what kill'd you our Nephew Rog. With a Rapier Leige Clar. T is a lye I kill'd him with a leauer and thou stood'st by Rog. Dost think to saue me hang thy selfe no I scorne it is this the tricke thou said'st thou had'st I kill'd him Duke Hee onely gaue consent 't was I that did it Clar. Thou hast alwayes beene crosse to me and wilt be to my death Haue I taken all this paines to bring thee to hanging and dost thou slip now Rog. We shall neuer agree in a tale till we come to the gallowes then we shall iumpe Clar. I le shew you a crosse-point if you crosse me thus When thou shalt not see it Rog. I le make a wry mouth at that or it shall cost me a fall 'T is thy pride to be hang'd alone because thou scorn'st my company but it shall be knowne I am as good a man as thy selfe and in these actions will keepe company with thy betters Iew Clar. Monster Rog. Dog-killer Clar. Fencer They bustle Duke Part them part 'em Rog. Hang vs and quarter vs we shall ne'er be parted til then Duke You doe confesse the murther done by both Clar. But that I vvould not haue the slaue laugh at mee And count me a coward I haue a very good mind to liue Aside But I am resolute 't is but a turne I doe confesse Rog. So doe I Pronounce our doome wee are prepar'd to dye 1 Sen. We sentence you to hang till you be dead Since you were men eminent in place and vvorth We giue a Christian buriall to you both Clar. Not in one graue together we beseech you wee shall ne'er agree Rog. He scornes my company till the day of Iudgement I le not hang vvith him Duke You hang together that shall make you friends An euerlasting hatred death soone ends To prison with them till the day of death Kings words like Fate must neuer change their breath Rog. You malice-monger I le be hang'd afore thee And 't be but to vexe thee Cla. I le doe you as good a turne or the hangman shall fall out Exeunt ambo guarded Enter MENDOSA in his night gowne and cap guarded with the Captaine Duke Now to our kinsman shame to royall blood Bring him before vs Theft in a Prince is sacrilege to honour 'T is vertues scandall death of Royalty I blush to see my shame Nephew sit downe Iustice that smiles on those on him must frowne Speake freely Captaine where found you him wounded Capt. Betweene the widowes house these crosse neighbors Besides an Artificiall ladder made of ropes Was fastned to her window which he confest He brought to rob her of Iewels and coine My knowledge yeelds no further circumstance Duke Thou know'st too much would I were past all knowledge I might forget my griefe springs from my shame Thou monster of my blood answere in briefe To these Assertions made against thy life Is thy soule guilty of so base a fact Mend. I doe confesse I did intend to rob her In the attempt I fell and hurt my selfe Lawes thunder is but death I dread it not So my Lentulus honor be preseru'd From black suspition of a lustfull night Duke Thy head 's thy forfeit for thy harts offence Thy bloods prerogatiue may claime that fauour Thy person then to death doomb'd by iust lawes Thy death is infamous but worse the cause Enter ISABELLA alone GVIACA following her Isabella O heau'ns that I was borne to be hates slaue The foode of Rumor that devour's my fame I am call'd Insatiat Countesse lusts paramowre A glorious Diuell and the noble whore I am sick vext and tormented O reuenge Guiaca On whom would my Isabella be reueng'd Isab. Vpon a Viper that does get mine honour I will not name him till I be reueng'd See her 's the Libels are diuulg'd against me An euerlasting scandall to my name And thus the villen writes in my disgrace She reads Who loues Isabella the insatiate Needs Atlas back for to content her lust That wandring Strumpet and chaste wedlockes hate That renders truth deceipt for loyall trust That sacrilegious thiefe to Himens rights
and out-wept The clouds in that same o'er-passionate moode When they drown'd all the world yet now forsakes me Women your eyes shed glances like the Sunne Now shines your brightnesse now your light is done On the sweetest Flowers you shine 't is but by chance And on the basest Weede you 'll waste a glance Your beames once lost can neuer more be found Vnlesse we waite vntill your course runne round And take you at fist hand Since I cannot Enioy the noble title of a man But after-ages as our vertues are Buryed whilst we are liuing will sound out My infamie and her degenerate shame Yet in my life I le smother 't if I may And like a dead man to the world bequeath These houses of vanitie Mils and Lands Take what you will I will not keepe among you Seruants And welcome some religious Monasterie A true sworne Beads-man I le hereafter be And wake the morning cocke with holy prayers Ser. Good my Lord noble Master Rob. Disswade me not my will shall be my King I thanke thee Wife a faire change thou hast giuen I leaue thy lust to woo the Loue of Heauen Exit cum seruis Guid. This is conuersion is 't not as good as might haue beene He turnes religious vpon his Wiues turning Curtezan This is iust like some of our gallant Prodigals When they haue consum'd their Patrimonies wrongfully They turne Capuchins for deuotion Exit Finis Actus secundi Actus tertij Scaena prima CLARIDIANA and ROGERO being in a readinesse are receiued in at one anothers houses by their Maids Then Enter MENDOSA with a Page to the Lady LENTVLVS Window Mendosa NIght like a solemne Mourner frownes on earth Enuying that Day should force her doffe her roabes Or Phoebus chase away her Melancholy Heauens eyes looke faintly through her sable masque And siluer Cinthia hyes her in her Sphaere Scorning to grace blacke nights solemnitie Be vnpropitious Night to villaine thoughts But let thy Diamonds shine on vertuous loue This is the lower house of high-built heauen Where my chaste Phaebe sits inthron'd 'mong thoughts So purely good brings her to heauen on earth Such power hath soules in contemplation Sing boy though night yet like the mornings Larke Musicke playes A soule that 's cleare is light though heauen be darke The Lady LENTVLVS at her window Lent Who speakes in Musicke to vs Mend. Sweet 't is I Boy leaue me and to bed Exit Page Lent I thanke you for your Musicke now good-night Men. Leaue not the World yet Queene of Chastitie Keepe promise with thy Loue Endimion And let mee meete thee there on Latmus top 'T is I whose vertuous hopes are firmely fixt On the fruition of thy chaste vow'd loue Lent My Lord your honor made me promise your ascent into my house since my vow barr'd my doores By some wits engine made for theft and lust Yet for your Honour and my humble fame Checke your blouds passions and returne deare Lord Suspition is a Dogge that still doth bite Without a cause this act giues foode to Enuy Swolne big it bursts and poysons our cleare flames Men. Enuy is stinglesse when she lookes on thee Lent Enuy is blinde my Lord and cannot see Men. If you breake promise faire you breake my hart Lent Then come Yet stay Ascend Yet let vs part I feare yet know not what I feare Your Loue 's precious yet mine Honor 's deare Mend. If I doe staine thy Honor with foule lust May Thunder strike me to shew Ioue is iust Lent Then come my Lord on earth your vow is giuen This aide I le lend you He throwes vp a ladder of cords which she makes fast to some part of the window he asends and at top fals M. Thus I mount my heauen Receiue me sweete Lent O me vnhappy wretch How fares your Honour speake Fate-crost Lord If life retaine his seate within you speake Else like that Sestian Dame that saw her Loue Cast by the frowning billowes on the sands And leane death swolne big with the Hellespont In bleake Leanders body like his Loue Come I to thee one graue shall serue vs both Mend. Stay miracle of women yet I breathe Though death be enter'd in this Tower of flesh Hee is not conquerour my heart stands out And yeelds to thee scorning his tyranny Lent My doores are vow'd shut and I cannot helpe you Your wounds are mortall wounded is mine Honour If there the Towne-guard finde you Vnhappy Dame Reliefe is periur'd my vow kept shame What hellish Destinie did twist my fate Mend. Rest ceaze thine eye-lids be not passionate Sweet sleepe secure I le remoue my selfe That Viper Enuy shall not spot thy fame I le take that poyson with me my soules rest For like a Serpent I le creepe on my breast Lent Thou more then man loue-wounded ioy and griefe fight in my bloud Thy wounds and constancie Are both so strong none can haue victory Mend. Darken the world earths-Queene get thee to bed The earth is light while those two Starres are spread Their splendor will betray me to mens eyes Vaile thy bright face for if thou longer stay Phoebus will rise to thee and make night day Lent To part and leaue you hurt my soule doth feare Mend. To part from hence I cannot you being there Lent Wee 'll moue together then Fate Loue controules And as we part so bodies part from soules Mend. Mine is the earth thine the refined fire I am mortall thou diuine then soule mount higher Lent Why then take comfort sweet I le see'ou to morrow Exit Men. My wounds are nothing thy losse breedes my sorrow See now 't is darke Support your Master legges a little further Faint not bolde heart with anguish of my wound Try further yet can bloud weigh downe my soule Desire is vaine without abilitie He staggars on and then fals downe Thus fals a Monarch if Fate push at him Enter a Captaine and the Watch Capt. Come on my hearts we are the Cities securitie I le giue you your charge and then like Courtiers euery man spye out let no man in my company be afraid to speake to a Cloake lined with Veluet nor tremble at the sound of a gingling Spurre 1 Watch. May I neuer be counted a cock of the game if I feare Spurres but be gelded like a Capon for the preseruing of my voyce Cap. I le haue none of my Band refraine to search a veneriall house though his Wifes sister be a lodger there nor take two shillings of the Bawd to saue the Gentlemens credits that are aloft and so like voluntary Pandars leaue them to the shame of all Halbardiers 2. Nay for the Wenches wee 'll tickle them that 's flat Cap. If you meete a Sheuoiliero that 's in the grosse phrase a Knight that swaggers in the streete and being taken has no money in his Purse to pay for his fees it shall be a part of your duty to entreate me to let him goe 1. O meruailous