soever Mov'd you to take this murder on yourself Or you to strike your self into the hazard I or his redemption 't is to me a stranger But I conceive you are both innocent Lor. As new-born vertue I did accuse My innocence to rid me of a life Lookt uglier then death upon an injury I had done this vertuous wife Abst And I accusd My innocence to save the belov'd life Of my most noble husband Anto. Why then now 't would grieve you Death should unkindly part ye Lor. Oh but that sir We have no sorrow now to part from her Since heaven hath new married and new made us I had rather leap into a den of Lyons Snatch from a hungry Bear her bleeding prey I would attempt desperate impossibilities With hope rather then now to leave her Anto. This makes for me Abst And rather then leave you sir I would eat Hot coles with Portia or attempt a terrour Nature would snail-like shrink her head in at And tremble but to think on Anto. Better and better If you so love him what can you confess The greatest kindness can express that love Abst To save his life since there is no hope Seeing he so strongly has confest the murder We shall meet the happyness to dye together Anto. Fire casts the bravest heat in coldest weather I 'll try how ardently you burn for know Upon my faith and as I am a gentleman I have in the next room and in the custody Of a true friend the man that did the deed You stand accus'd for Abst Hark there Lorenzo Lor. Will you not let him go sir Anto. That 's in suspence but mistress you did say You durst eat coals with Protia to redeem The infinitely loved life of your husband Abst And still strongly protest it Lor. Oh my Abstemia Anto. You shall redeem him at an easier rate I have the murderer you see in hold Lor. And we are blest in your discovery of him Anto. If you will give consent that I shall taste That sence-bereaving pleasure so familiar Unto your happy husband Abst How Anto. Pray hear me Then I will give this fellow up to th' law If you deny horses stand ready for us A bark for transportation where we will live Till law by death hath sever'd ye Lor. But we will call for present witness Anto. Look ye Shews the Pistol Experienc'd navigators still are fitted For every weather 't is almost past call To reach the nimblest ear yet but offer it I part ye presently for ever Consider it The enjoying him thou so intirely lov'st All thy life after that when mirth-spent time Hath crown'd your heads with honour you may sit And tell delightful stories of your loves And when ye come to that poor minutes scape Crowns my desire ye may let that slip by Like water that ne'er the meets Millers eye Compare but this to th' soon-forgotten pleasure Of a pair of wealthy minutes the thirstiest Lapidarie Knows the most curious Jewel takes no harm For one days wearing could you sir did your eye Not see it worne your wife having lent your cloak If secretly return'd and folded up Could you conceive when you next look'd upon 't It had neatly furnish'd our a poor friends want Be charitable and think on 't Lor. Dost hear Abstemia Oh shall we part for ever when a price So poor might be our freedome Abst Now goodness guard ye Where learnt you sir this language Lor. Of true love You did but now profess that you would dye To save my life and now like a forward chapman Catch'd at thy word thou giv'st back asham'd To stand this easie proffer Abst Could you live And know your selfe a cuckold Anto. What a question 's that Many men cannot live without the knowledge How can ye tell Whether she seems thus to respect your honour But to stay till the law has choak'd ye it may be then She will do 't with less intreaty Lor. I there there ' t is Abst 'T is your old fit of jealousie so judges A foul devil talks within him Lor. Oh the art The wondrous art of woman ye would do it daintily You would juggle me to death you would perswade me I should dye nobly to preserve your honour That dead ignobly you might prove dishonourable Forget me in a day and wed another Abst Why then would I have dyed for you Anto. That was but a proffer that dying you might Idolize her love 'T would have put her off the better Lor. Oh you have builded A golden Palace strew'd with Palm and Roses To let me bleed to death in How sweetly You would have lost me Abstemia you have learn'd The cunning Fowlers art who pleasantly Whistles the bird into the snare good heaven How you had strew'd the inticing top o' th' cup With Arabian Spices but you had laid i' th' bottom Ephesian Aconite you are loves hypocrite A rotten stick in the nights darkness born And a fair Poppie in a field of corn Abst Oh sir I hear me Kneels Lor. Away I will no more Look pearl in mud Oh slie hypocrisie Durst ye but now die for me good heaven die for me The greatest act of pain and dare not buy me With a poor minutes pleasure Abst No sir I dare not there is little pain in death But a great death in very little pleasure I had rather trust me bear your death with honour Then buy your life with baseness as I am expos'd To th' greatest battery beauty ever fought Oh blame me not if I be covetous To come off with greatest honour if I do this To let you live I kill your name and give My soul a wound I crush her from sweet grace And change her Angels to a furies face Try me no more then but if you must bleed boast To preserve honour life is nobly lost Lor. Thou wealth worth more then kingdoms I am now confirm'd Past all suspition thou that art far sweeter In thy sincere truth then a sacrifice Deck'd up for death with garlands the Indian winds That blow off from the coast and cheer the Saylor With the sweet savour of their spices want The delight flowes in thee look here look here Oh man of wilde desires we will die the Martyrs Of Marriage and stead of the loose ditties With which they stab sweet modestie and ingender Desires in the hot room thy noble storie Shall lawrel-like crown honest ears with glory Anto. Murder murder murder Enter the three Dukes with Lords Mill Ha who cries murder Phil. As y' are a gentleman now be true to me Abst Sir Ven. Sister Vero. My shame art thou there Ven. Oh sister can it be A Princes blood should stain that white hand Ambo Hear us Anto. No no no hear me 't was I cry'd murder Because I have found them both stain'd with the deed They would have throtled me Lor. Hear us by all Mill. Upon your lives be silent speak on sir Had they both hands in our sons
swear you saw it not and are forsworn 1 Slave 'Sfoot Stratzo Spin. This is the other fellow took his oath Vere VVhat come you here to say sir 2 Slave That we swore falsely may it please your Grace Hyr'd by my Lord with gifts and promises And as I now have spoke the muth so heaven Forgive my former perjury Vero. Hear you cosen 1 Slave VVould you would say something I have nettles in my breeches Lor. Now now I hope your eyes are open Lords The bed of snakes is broak the tricks's comes about And here 's the knot i' th' rush good heaven good heaven That craft in seeking to put on disguise Should so discover her self Vero. Explain your self Lor. Now see sir where this scorpion lutks to sting Mine honour unto death this noble Dule By nature is ingag'd to defend a sister And to this Duke so ingag'd this malitious Lord For sin still ha her scourger makes repair And prepossesses him with that suppos'd innocence Of an injur'd sister which he had hir'd this Slave To follow him and affirm and layes the cause To scruple and to conscience they did consent To steal belief by seeming accident Sin Jugler-like casts sin before our eyes Craft sometimes steals the wonder of the wise VVith an equal hand now weigh me and if I want A grain of honour tear me from your blood And cast me to contempt 1 Slave My Lord would have made an excellent state-sophister Vero. In what a strange dilemma judgement sits Charm'd to her chair with wonder Ven. Shall I have justice Pan. Yes in that this fellow swears for the Duke Reach him the book you shall see him again Take the former oath Vero. This doubt must be so ended If it give not satisfaction send back our hostage You have fair regress to your forces but The blood remains on you and still remember The price of blood is pretious Phil. Let us end it Ven. Oh what a Combat Honour holds with Conscience Reach him the book and if thou false dost say May thine own tongue thine own foul heart betray 1 Slave Amen say I Give me the book my oath must end all then Spin. It must Lor. Now you shall hear him swear He saw them both in the base act 1 Slave Nay I swear They are now both seen in the base act Omn. How 's this Pan. 'T is a strange oath 1 Slave 'T is true though Lor. True villain are both now seen in the base act 1 Slave Yes both Lor. VVhich both 1 Slave You and I sir Omn. How 1 Slave Both you and I are seen in the base act Slandering spotless honour an act so base The barbarous Moor would blush at Phil. D' ye hear him now Lor. Out Slave wilt thou give ground too fear works upon ' em Did you not both here swear i' th' Senate-chamber You saw them both dishonest 1 Slave Then we swore true sir Lor. I told you 't was but fear Vero. Swore ye true then sir when ye swore Ye both saw them dishonest 1 Slave Yes marry did we sir For we were both two villains when we saw them So we saw them dishonest Ven. Heaven thou art equal 1 Slave This is a jealous Lord his Lady chaste A rock of christal not more clear this gentleman Basely abus'd this great Prince dishonour'd And so we kneel for mercy Vero. You have redeem'd it Depart prove honest men that I should bear Dishonour in my blood Omn. Much injur'd Lady Ven. VVhat justice sir belongs unto the injur'd Vero. First witness heaven I tear thee from my blood And cast thee off a stranger Assume you sir Since the great cause is yours my seat of justice And sentence this foul homicide it must be And suddenly he will infect the air else Proceed great sir with rigor whilst I stand by And do adore the sentence Ven. Answer Lorenzo Art thou not guilty Lor. Give me my merit death Princes can build and ruine with one breath Ven. The cause may seem to merit death in that Two souls were hazarded a Princess iame A Duke dishonour'd and a noble Lord Wounded in reputation but since she lives And that no blood was spilt though something dearer Mercy thus far stretches her silver wings Over your trespass we do banish you Both from our Dukedomes Limits and your own If you but set a daring foot upon them Whilest life lends you ability to stand You fall into the pit of death unless You shall finde out our most unfortunate sister And bring her to our Court. Lor. You sir are merciful Vero. This let me adde in that you have made impartial justice sir Princes should punish vice in their own blood Until you finde that excellent injur'd Lady Upon this gentleman who hath suffer'd for you We confer your lands revenues and your place That during three days stay within our confines It shall be death to any that relieves you But as they do a begger at their door So cast him from our presence Lor. Your dooms are just Oh love thy first destruction is distrust Exeunt Lord Jaspro and Jovani Vero. For you fair sir until we shall hear tydings Of your most injur'd sister please you to call My Court your own conceive it so where live Two partnersin one passion we will be And sweeten sorrow with a sympathy Exeunt Enter Lodovico like a Fryer Jaspro and Jovani Lod. What am I fitted gallants am I fitted Jasp To th' life able to cheat suspition and so like Father Antony the confessor that I protest There 's not more semblance in a pair of egges Jov. An apple cut in half is not so like Lod. VVell of Lords you 're mad Lords to counsel me to this but now in this habit shall I know the very core of her heart all her little pedling sins which will shew in my book as foils to her giant-bodied vertues Jasp. That will be admirable Jov. We 'll step aside by this she 's upon coming Jasp. We shall know all Lod. Reveal confession but go your ways as much as may lawfully be reveal'd we 'll laugh as at next meeting Jasp. Come let 's be gone but once upon a time sir A begger found a larks nest and o'er-joy'd At his suddain glut for he thought 't was full of young ones Looking they were all gone he was forc'd again to beg For he found in the Larks nest a Serpents egge So much good d' ye sir Exeunt Enter Dorothea Lod. Well thou surpassest all the courtiers in these pretty ones if a man had the wit to understand them Yonder she comes I can hardly forbear blushing but that for discovering my self Right reverend habit I honour thee With a Sons obedience and do but borrow thee As men would play with flyes who i' th' midst of modest mirth With care preserve themselves Dor. Hail holy Father Lod. Welcome my chaste daughter Dor. Death having taken good father Jacomo Upon the plenal and approv'd report Of your
it Such wondrous wealth is vertue it makes the woman Wears it about her worthy of a king Since kings can be but vertuous farewel A crown is but the care of deceiv'd life He 's king of men is crown'd with such a wife Exit Antonio and the Lord after him Slave Are your thoughts levell'd at that white then This shall to th' Duke your dad sir he can never talk with me But he twits me still with I took thee at that fight VVe made before Parlermo I did command Men as he did there Turks and valaint men And though to wind my self up for his ruine That I may fall and crush him I appear 'To renounce Mahomet and seem a Christian T is but conveniently to stab this Christian Or any way confound him and scape cleanly And one expects the deed to hasten it This letter came even now which likewise certifies He waits me three leagues off with a horse for flight Of a Turkish Captain commander of a Gally He keeps me as his slave because indeed I plaid the devil at sea with him but having Thus wrought my self into him I intend To give him but this day to take his leave Of the whole world he will come back by twilight I 'll wait him with a pistol Oh sweet revenge Laugh our great prophet he shall understand When we think death farthest off he 's neerest hand Enter Philippo Phil. You and I must meet no more sir there 's your kick again Kicks him Slave Hold hold what mean you sir Phil. I have brought your kick back sir Shoots him Slave Hold man I am not Falls Phil. Thou hast spoken true thou art not What art thou But I am for Verona Exit Slave Mine own words catch me 't is I now understand When we think death farthest off he 's neerest hand Dies Enter Lorenzo She lives not sure in Millain report but wore Her usual habit when she told in Verona She met Abstemia here Oh Abstemia How lovely thou look'st now now thou appearest Chaster then is the mornings modestie That rises with a blush over whose bosom The Western wind creeps softly Now I remember How when she sat at Table her obedient eye Would dwell on mine as if it were not well Unless it look'd where I look'd Oh how proud She was when she could cross her self to please me But where now is this fair soul like a silver cloud She hath wept her self I fear into th' dead sea And will be found no more this makes me mad To rave and call on death but the slave shrinks And is as far to finde as she Abstemia If thou not answer or appear to knowledg That here with shame I sought thee in this wood I 'll leave the blushing witness of my blood Exit Enter the Duke of Millain Sebestian Sanchio and the Lord. Mil. Followed you him thus far Lord. Just to this place fir The slave he loves left him here they parted Mil. Certain he has some private haunt this way Seb. Ha private indeed sir Oh behold and see Where he lies full of wounds Lords My Lord. Mill. My son Antonio who hath done this deed Sanch. My Lord Antonio Mill. He 's gone he 's gone warm yet bleeds fresh and whilst We here hold passion play we but advantage The flying murderer Bear his body gently Unto the lodge Oh what hand hath so hid That sunlike face behind a crimson cloud Use all means possible for life but I fear Charity will arrive too late To horse Disperse through the wood run ride make way The Sun in Millain is eclips'd this day Omn. To horse and raise more pursuit Exeunt Enter Lorenzo with his sword drawn Lor. Abstemia Oh take her name you winds upon your wings And through the wanton Region of the Air Softly convey it to her there 's no sweet sufferance Which bravely she past through but is a thorn Now to my sides my will the center stood To all her chaste endeavours all her actions With a perfection perpendicular Pointed upon she is lost Oh she The well-built fort of vertues victory For still she conquer'd since she is lost then My friendly sword find thou my heart Within Follow follow Enter Millain Sanchio Sebastiano Mill. This way what 's he lay hands on him Sebast The murderer on my life my Lord here in the wood Was close beset he would have slain himself Mill. Speak villain art thou the bloody murderer Lor. Of whom Sanch. His dissembled ignorance speaks him the man Seb. Of the Dukes son the Prince Antonio sir 't was your hand that kill'd him Lor. Your Lordship lyes it was my sword Mill. Out slave Ravens shall fedst upon thee Speak what cause Hadst thou with one unhappy wound to cloud That Star of Millain Lod. Because he was an erring star Not fix'd nor regular I will resolve nothing I did it do not repent it and were it To do again I 'd do 't Omn. Blood-thirsty villain Mill. Leave him to swift destruction tortures and death Oh my Antonio how did thy youth stray To meet wild winter in the midst of May Lor. Oh my Abstemia Who cast thy fate so bad To clip affliction like a husband clad Exeunt Enter Antonio and Abstemia Abst Good sir the Prince makes known his wisdom To make you speaker in his cause Anto. Me know Mistress I have felt loves passions equal with himself And can discourse of loves cause had you seen him When he sent me to ye how truly he did look And when your name slip'd through his trembling lips A lovers lovely paleness straight possest him Abst Fie fie Anto. Go says he to that something more then woman And he look'd as if by something he meant saint Tell her I saw heavens army in her eyes And that from her chaste heart such excellent goodness Came like full rivers flowing that there wants nothing But her soft yeilding will to make her wife Unto the Prince Antonio Oh will you flie A fortune which great Ladies would pursue Upon their knees with prayers Abst No Lorenzo Had law to this new love made no denial A chaste wifes truth shines through the greatest tryal Enter Morbo Mor. How now what makes you i' th' wood here where 's my old Lady Abst I know not Mor. All the countrie 's in an uprore yonder the Prince Antonio's flain Ambo How Mor. Nay no man can tell how but the murderer with 's sword in 's hand is taken Anto. Is he of Millain Mor. No of Verona I heard his name and I have forgot it Anto. I am all wonder 't is the slave sure Mor. Lor Lor Lorenzo Abst Ha Lorenzo VVhat I pray Mor. Lorenzo Me Medico has run him in the eye some thirty three inches two barly corns they could scarce know him for the blood but by his apparel I must find out my Lady he us'd our house intelligence has been given of his pilgrimage thither I am affraid I shall be fing'd to
death with torches and my Lady stew'd between two disnes Anto. VVhy hath this thus amaz'd you Mistress Abst Oh leave me leave me I am all distraction Struck to the soul with sorrow Enter Millain Lords and Lorenzo guarded Anto. See where they come My father full of tears too I 'll stand by Strange changes must have strange discovery Abst 'T is he heart how thou leap'st Oh ye deluded And full of false rash judgement why do ye lead Innocence like a sacrifice to slaughter Get garlands rather let palm and lawrel round Those temples where such wedlock-truth is found Lor. Ha Omnes Wedlock Abst Oh Lorenzo thou hast suffer'd bravely And wondrous far look on me here I come Hurried by conscience to confess the deed Thy innocent blood will be too great a burthen Upon the judges soul Lor. Abstemia Abst Look look how he will blind ye by and by he 'll tell ye We saw not one another many a day In loves cause we dare make our lives away He would redeem mine 't is my husband sir Dearly we love together but I being often By the dead Prince your son solicited To wrong my husband bed and still resisting Where you found him dead he met me and the place Presenting oportunity he would there Have forc'd me to his will but prizing honesty Far above proffer'd honour with my knife In my resistance most unfortunately I struck him in the eye he fell was found The pursuit rais'd and ere I could get home My husband met me I confest all to him He excellent in love as the sea-inhabitant Of whom 't is writ that when the flattering hook Has struck his female he will help her off Although he desperately put on himself But if he fail and see her leave his eye He swims to land will languish and there die Such is his love to me for pursu'd closely He bid me save my self and he would stay With his drawn sword there about the place on purpose To require my loyalty though with his death Fear forc'd my acceptance then but conscience Hath brought me back to preserve innocence Seb. The circumstances produce probability Lor. By truth her self she slanders truth she and I Have not met these many months Oh my Abstemia Thou wouldst be now too excellent Anto. These are strange turns Mill. Let not love strangle justice speak on thy soul Was it her hand that slew the Prince Lor. Not on my life 'T is I have deserv'd death Abst Love makes him desperate Conscience is my accuser Oh Lorenzo The Duke and Lords whisper Live thou and feed on my remembrance When thou shalt think how ardently I lov'd thee Drop but a pair of tears from those fair eyes Thou offer'st truth a wealthy sacrifice Lor. Did ye hear her sir Mill. No what said she Lor. She ask'd me why I would cast my self away thus VVhen she in love devis'd this trick to save me Sanch. There may be jugling sir in this it may be They have both hands i' th' deed and one in love VVould suffer for 't Enter a Lord. Mill. VVhat newes Lord. The Dukes of Venice and Verona VVith some small train of gentlemen are privately This hour come to th' Court Mill. Bear them to prison Until we have given such entertainment sorrow VVill give us leave to shew until that time The satisfaction of my lost sons life Must hover 'twixt a husband and a wife Exeunt manet Antonio Anto. How strangely chance to day runs the slave kill'd In my apparel and this fellow taken for 't VVhom to my knowledg I ne'er saw she loves him Past all expression dearly I have a trick In that so infinitely dear she loves him Has seal'd her mine already and I 'll put This wondrous love of woman to such a nonplus Time hath produc'd none stranger I will set Honour and love to fight so life and death Beautie as Castles built of cards with a breath Is levell'd and laid flat Enter Philippo putting on a disguise lays down a pistol Phil. Misery of ignorance It was the Prince Antonio I have slain Anto. Ha! the clew of all this errour is unravelled This is the valiant gentleman so threaten'd me He met the flave doubtless in my habit And seal'd upon him his mistaken spleen If it be so there hangs some strange intent In those accuse themselves for 't Phil. It seems some other had laid the plot to kill him This paper I found with him speaks as much And sent to the intended murderer Happen'd it seems to his hands it concurs For they say there is one taken for the fact And will do me the courtesie to be hang'd for me Antonio takes up the Pistol There 's comfort yet in that so so I am fitted And will set forward Anto. Goose there 's a fox in your way Phil. Betray'd Anto. Come I have other business afoot I have no time to discover 'em now sir see I can inforce ye but by this hand go but with me and keep your own counsel garden-houses are not truer bawds to cuckold-making then I will be to thee and thy stratagem Phil. Th' art a mad knave art serious Anto. As a usurer when he 's telling interest-mony Phil. VVhatere thou art thy bluntness begets belief go on I trust thee Anto. But I have more wit then to trust you behind me sir pray get you before I have a private friend shall keep you in custody till I have past a project and if you can keep your own counsel I will not injure you and this for your comfort the Prince lives Phil. Living thou mak'st my blood dance but prithee let 's be honest one to another Anto. Oh sir as the Justices clarke and the Constable when they share the crowns that drunkards pay to the poor pray keep fair distance and take no great strides Exeunt Enter Lorenzo and Abstemia as in prison Lor. Can then Abstemia forgive Lotenzo Abst Yes if Lorenzo can but love Abstemia She can thus hang upon his neck and call This prison true loves palace Lor. Oh let Kings Forget their crowns that know what 't is to enjoy The wondrous wealth of one so good now Thou art lovely as a young spring and cornly As is the well-spread Cedar the fair fruit Kist by the sun so daily that it wears The lovely blush of maids seems but to mock Thy souls integrity here let me fall And with pleading sighs beg pardon Enter Antonio Abst Sir it meets you Like a glad pilgrim whose desiring eye Longs for the long-wish'd altar of his vow But you are far too prodigall in praise And crown me with the garlands of your merit As we meet barks on rivers the strong gale Being best friends to us our own swift motion Makes us believe that t'other mimbler rows Swift vertue thinks small goodness fastest goes Lor. Sorrow hath bravely sweetned thee what are you Anto. A displeasant black cloud though I appear dismal I am wondrous fruitful what cause