this and thou shalt share Fiue hundred Crownes Cast. What is 't Dorid. The old businesse Cast. And not yet sign'd This t' is to be modest Had I had reputation in thy Creede Enter Foreste It had beene done long since There 's my agent Hence and prouide me thanks Saue you Signior Fores. You may with charitie Cast. Am I in your remembrance sir Fores. Signior Castruchio as I take you Cast. The same Because I neuer did desire To gaine by being troublesome I lost The deere benifit of the practique part Custom 's a sutors safe encourager I the Duke haue seru'd since I was able To serue my selfe Yet neuer had the luck To get by it and as the times promise Neuer shall Vnlesse I imitate the Crab And find my way as he doth his backwards That is to make petition to the foote That he will please t' instruct and teach the head When to comiserate my affaire Fores. Signior I neede a comment to your words Cast. If you will mooue my Lord the Count To get the Dukes faire hand subscribed heere Then shall I feele my selfe well vnderstood Fores. Sir my abillities are most pregnant When I find I may be profitable To any Courtiers iust and modest sute I pray what sense carries the inscription Cast. Only this Sir There is an Engine made Which spends its strength by force of nimble wheeles For they once screwed vp in their returne Will riue on Oake but with such subtill force That motion giues no leasure to impediment The large and ponderous Logge is soone consum'd To shauings more transparant then a Glasse Of these the skilfull Boxes make Scabbards Sheathes Cheasts and molds for childrens Cabinets Fores. Trust me an Engine of importance great But now what would the Enginere himselfe Cast. Faith Signior nought but a Monopoly For all those wares his Engine makes Fores. Keepe it Good sir keepe it A monopoly Why sir the common-wealth hath beene so crush'd With th' insulting Charter of such Parents That now the very word defiles the cause I had thought you Signior would haue ingag'd My industry in such a sute as might Noway disparedg though it did enrich How euer not abuse the publique weale Cast. Very good Sir My Lord the Count your selfe His seruile Instrument and some others Of this new faction that now engrosse All Offices and send your Scoutes abroad Intelligencers strict that bring you home The number and the rate of what your selues Or others in the darke can put to sale Nature hath not altered yet the first And antick method to preserue our breaths We must eate bread if we intend to liue Which how to get vnlesse this humble way That you deride In troth I cannot tell It makes me mad to thinke you should expose Vs Men of Heart to those fastidious helpes That scape your owne acceptance Your wide Threats That soone will swallow any thing which fills Although it nourish not A pox vpon you all Fores. I did expect you would begin to rayle Good troubled Soule I knew you well before You are the only Man whose wealthy Muse Doth furnish all the Fidlers in the State With desp'rate Ballads and inuectiue Songs Libells of such weake fancy and composure That we doe all esteeme it greater wrong T' haue our Names extant in such paltery Ryme Then in the slanderous sence Cast. Very well Sir Fores. You you must be a Satyrist forsooth Calumniate by instinct and inspiration As if iust Heauen would borrow Gall of you Wherewith to write our faults O strict account Your Gall which in the Pen so ouerflowes That still it blots where in inscribs You imitate the propertie of Doggs Who barke and snarle most at him they know not For else among all those you scandalize Why nam'd you me almost a stranger to your Eye My Ancestors that built no Monument For their fames to dwell in You also bring Into the knowledge of the criticke World Why I could neuer see thee yet but drunke Which makes thy Verses reele and stagger so Cast. Come sir We may exchange one thrust vnseene They draw fight close For stings down Cas disarmes him Fores. A prety Curr dare it bite as well as barke How now sir your Mathematicall thrusts Then haue at ye Yeeld me thy Sword or else thou dy'st I haue no ioy to set at liberty A Soule so vnprepar'd And as thou art My Enemy I take a full reuenge By suffering thy corrupted blood to dwell Enter a Monke And taint within thy vaines W' are discouered Take thy sword Now get thee home and rayle vpon 't Because t' would fight no better Cast. Yet we may meete i' th' darke You haue a throat And there are Kniues in Italy Exit Castruchio Forest. A good day attend my ghostly Father Doth this your tariance heere discouer ought You would with me Monke Your leasure shall produce my vtterance O Sonne your fame is of complexion cleere Such as ensnares the virtuous Eye to loue And adoration Such as would procure All the skilfull Angels sutors to her And such as serues for my encouragement For I no letters haue from Noble friends Which a requitall from themselues inuite By Courtship bold and troublesome to others Nor am I with that wicked mettall stor'd That rules the mighty and betrayes the minde To toyle in a designe which angers Heauen And makes the Deuill blush But yet deere Sonne I haue a suite to thee Fores. Which I desire to know Monke In the ancient Covent of S. Austine There is a holy brother lately dead Whose place if you will but confirme on me By the Dukes letter to the brother-hood Then shall I better leasure haue to pray For you my Patron Fores. Alas my Father The times are more obseruant to your Tribe It is the method now that your deserts Need not to vsher but succeed reward The Treatise written lately to confute The desperate sect in Mantua calls it you The Author Monks It knowes no other Fores. There your preferment safely taketh roote Beleeue me ghostly Father I will choose The fittest time to woke in your behalfe Monke Heauen prosper your designes Exit Monke Forest. What throngs of great impediments besiege The vertuous minde so thick in multitude They iostle one another as they come Hath Vice a charter got that none must rise But such who of the Deuils faction are The way to honour is not euermore The way to Hell a vertuous Man may climbe Let the flatterer sell his Lies else where It is vnthrifty merchandize to change My gold for breath Of all Antagonists Most charitie I finde in enuious men For they doe sooner hurt themselues then hurt Or me or him that rays'd me vp An enuious man is made of thoughts To ruminate much doth melt the braine And make the heart grow leane Such men as these That in opposing waste their proper strengths That sacrifice themselues in silly hope To butcher vs saue Reuenge a labour And dye to make
Cos. I am heere Speake low Cosen Castruchio Cast. I am heere too Why are we scattered thus Cos. T' is in search of Borachio who fearing Danger in this action commits himselfe Very tamely to his Heeles Cast. Let him be damn'd vnthought of Haue you heard Or seene a Passenger Cos. No yet Lothario giues me notice Of a noyse farre off but you know the length Of an Asses eare Loth. Pastes there say you who is 't Cos. He ecchoes by mistake No body but My Cousen says he 'le lugge the Asses eare Speaking of your Man Loth. The Butchers dog shall saue him a labor Cast. Well Gentlemen I haue intelligence By my Boy that Foreste and the Count Are comming hither Looke to 't But let the Count Be safe You know his voyce Lothario Loth. Very distinctly Cast. Well any Man but he that stirres his Tongue Enuites his owne ruine Giue me your Hands I 'le bring ye to a doore through which if they Doe passe it must be ouer vs Loth. Leaue Foreste to my charge for I am His impediment Cos. Softely softely Exeunt Omnes The Duke on his Bed is drawne forth Enter Foreste Lucio Luinna Fores. Now set the reflex at liberty He opens a darke Lanthorne Heere let me beg your tariance 'till I Resolue a doubt that most concernes my Heart Lucio You shall But doe not execute reuenge Vpon the Duke till my assent encourage thee Fores. My actions are confin'd Vpon not in The Bed Guilt confounds all order and makes Our rest vnnaturall Mistresse stand you there He leads Her to stand at the Beas feete Duke Hah from whence that light who waites within Foreste is it you what doe you meane By this vnciuill visitation Fores. I am not so vnthrifty of time To ioyne replys vnto demands I must Depriue you of your Soule Duke How Is this Language lawfull vnto me Thy Soueraigne Prince Did not high-prouidence Treble the assurance of my safety By Guards inuisible when I was first Predestinate to this supreame function And darst thou tempt the strength of Heauen Fores. I know t' were a prophane curiosity In me to question the prerogatiues Of a free Prince For Ignorance and a dull Easie faith must flatter bondage still Or Libertie th' eldest Child of Nature Confounds predominance by suing for Equalitie amongst the Sonnes of Men And so reuokes a Chaos Duke Which soone returnes vnlesse distinction Perswade thee fixe my Royalty aboue Thy reach that art my naturall Subiect Fores. Enough false Sir Warme not the ayre with words Be still or I conclude ye in a trice And now requite the Leasure I permit For prayer by a true reply to what I shall demand Duke I will Fores. Looke on your opposite Did you euer make her an Adulteresse Speake truth so come your Soule to Heauen Duke Neuer So come my Soule to Heauen as I Speake truth Fores. O Sir Take heede the Periurer hath little hope On the last day to hide himselfe i' th' Crowde He is a sinner much too eminent But what meant that Iewell which you gaue her And which she conceald till its owne lusture Did betray it Duke I gaue it to disguise the cause for which I sent the other vnto Corsa Lucio That name will prick my fury on although I striue to be propitious Fores. I know Luinna thou art mercifull Forgiue me gentle Girle It was the first Bargaine we did make i' th' Church to Share In sufferance Luin. And 't is my duty Sir to be most prompt In the obseruance Fores, My Lord Lucio A rude summons that calls me as a Iudge To censure on the errors of my Prince Duke What Is he there too O killing obiect Fores. Behold yong Lord the cruell Rauisher Whom Time himselfe shall neuer parallell Though he suruay his old Records and scratch His reuerend Head to waken memory Lucio O horror furnish vs sweet Heauen with some Instinct Inspire remorse or we accuse Thy skilfulnesse to predestine vs a Prince Murdring whom thou didst annoint our Soueraigne Fores. My heart swells I 'm full of griefe and danger Some Iron Hoopes to helpe my Ribbes or I shall burst Duke The cause deserues great alteration More then mortallity can see and yet Be safe I wonder Heauen takes so little Notice of it I am not sindg'd to death With Lightning Like the Dorr nor murdred through The Eare with thunder like a Batt O Lucio Minde not my former loue but strike vntill I groane my last Lucio Foreste sheath thy sword It must not be He was our Royall Master once and might In modesty compare himselfe with all But Princes whom Fame reserues as Paternes For my sake sheath your Sword Duke O I shall suruiue my Royall Charter My creature is more beautifull then I More wealthy in his loue Fores. For my owne part I will annihilate My selfe for should I liue I should grow madde But I am bound to care for you my Lord Take heede I know the tricks of Maiestie They thinke they cannot be secure after Doing ill but by doing worse that is By killing quite whom erst they did but wound Lucio And that 's the surgery which I desire I will endure all O my Lord my Lord I will not bid Posterity tell tales nor charge Historians to insert in Annalls On such a Night a great Italian Duke Rauish'd his Creature Lucio's Wife Sister To Foreste his actiue Councellor Fores. Lucio compos'd of such an humble loue That to secure his Masters feete would spread And scatter all his Limmes for him to walke vpon Lucio And Foreste whose industry and care Outwatch'd Leane-vigilance 'till she grew mad But come Let 's leaue him to contriue our deaths My Heart so fills my mouth I cannot speake Duke Lucio stay Foreste stay awhile Leaue me not thus anatomiz'd with breath He riseth from the Bed Dissect me really with your good Swords Behold my Breast take out my Heart and if You finde your figures there then vse my Fame With Mercy Lucio Foreste come away Fores. Make hast Luinna Luin. I am wak'd out of a strange amazement Exeunt Foreste Lucio Luinna Duke Hide me swelling Hills rough and scabbed Rocks Ye Quarrles cleaue and sucke me in then ioyne Againe Would it not make a Patriarke mad O who shall bribe the Sunne that in the day Of generall accompts he may auouch He neuer saw me heere Hah false Memory I forgot to tell 'em of Castruchio T is best to o'retake 'em I cannot guesse Which way they went Exit the other way Enter Castruchio Lothario Cosimo Cast. Hell and the Pillary take such dull Eares It cannot be but they haue pass'd the Cloysters And e're this with helpe of priuate Keyes Entred the Dukes Bedchamber Loth. Those were Authors of that noyse I spoke of Cast. The very same A pox vpon demurres Cos. Will you lead the way that we may hearken enter Duke If they be there or no Duke If I should come too late Loth. That 's none of the Counts voyce Haue at ye sir Duke O O O I am surpriz'd in my owne snare Cast. It is Foreste sure Let 's make safe worke Kill Lothario lay him by him and depart Cos. A match Loth. O Villaines O O O. Luthario dies Enter Foreste Lucio Luinna Fores. What noyse is that Cast. Another Foreste Lucio My Royall Master bleeding on the Ground O murderous Villaines Luin. Murder murder Helpe oh helpe Exit Lucio fights with Cossimo Foreste with Castruchio Fores. The Duke my Soueraigne slaine and Lucio Bleeding at his feete Villaine take this thrust At my owne preiudice Lucio I am foyld by a base hand Cast. Flie Cosimo flie Exeunt Cast and Cos. Fores. Some comfort yet remaines in that I am Proscrib'd to share in thy fate though it be bad I loose much blood O triuiall fortitude False Sinnewes doe you begin to shrinke He fals downe Duke Lucio Let my Soule cary your pardon With her vnto Heauen and yours Foreste This stratageme was mine but the successe Was much against my will Lucio Sir I forgiue you all Fores. Nay let vs ioyne Hands We doe forgiue Each other and the World The like mercy May Heauen bestow on vs Duke Amen Amen Lucio Amen Amen they die Fores. There his heartstrings broke Lucio my Patron Already Chapfalne to that sight deserues a Teare Though I should stabb my Eies to warrant it Enter Dorido Luinna Courtiers with Light Castruchio and Cosimo led in Dor. Bring the slaues in their deeds will soone conuince Their faint deniall where did you leaue 'em Lady Luin. Here here O my Lord my Lord Fores. I haue not breath enough to comfort thee With words mercy Heauen dies Luin. O my Lord my Husband He 's dead he 's dead Dor. Hold the Lady there O dire spectacle the Duke Lucio Foreste and Lothario Lye here breathlesse I did suspect some blacke Conspiracy Which made me haunt them two Vnto the Pallace but I did loose 'em By the Chappell staires bloody dogs what Deuill Prompted thee to this action Cast. I hope I 'ue not so much Blood left as will preserue Me for an answeere Cos. I feele my end to neere Dor. Take em away and close their wounds though there Be some mercy shewne by thus deferring That reward which your blacke soules shall receaue In Hell Yet know the Law will heere on Earth Prouide such tortures as shall make your deaths Exemplary to all succeeding times exeunt some with Cast and Cos. Gentlemen your silence may be excus'd Where there 's so much cause of admiration Some helpe transfer the dead from hence others Call vp the Councellors of state So intricate is Heauens reuenge gainst lust The righteous suffer here with the vniust Exeunt omnes FINIS