censurd by himselfe These for assalting my Fortunio For Fit we to censure wrongs done to our selues I le be their aduocate they must not die Whom hath they wrongd not law for none is slayne They did but punish me If anie wrong were done t was done to these If anie death be due t is due to me Duke By breach of prison they haue forfeted For No my Lord for they were vniustly punished An I pardon thee Fortunio for all thy wrongs For pleading zealously for innocents Lu But if thou keepe my father from the sword I le paie thee further kindnes than I owe. Enter Brishio Bri Preuent not zealous faith you angrie heauens Let raging rigor stay till Brishio come What liue they yet liues Lelio liue my sonnes bound censured prest to die the heads-man heere Come let me make the fourth thou minister Leade me to death with these if these must die Duke How dares thy child Brishio visit vs Fearest thou not law Brish Yes prince I honor law And for the loue I beare to iustice now I come to paie my ransome of contempt And leaue my life in Venice for my crime 2. Sen Thy fault deserues not death The law requires a hundred crowns for penalty froÌ„ thee Bri I haue no crownes my head must be my coine I had one friend and you will rob me of him I haue two sonnes and they are bound to die Thus all my wealth is in your hands my Lords Giue these to me giue me these liuing ioyes For whom I haue aduentured breach of law Then take this hand cut it off for one And take this other cut it off for him But take for this my bodie hart and all Ah Lelio Lelio couldst thou serue me so Sen We looke for monie Brishio not for plaints Lu You shall haue monie heere receiue my dowrie I le paie my grandsires penaltie my selfe Bri No no redeeme the yonger sort let me die Lel Mightie magnificent and gracious lord Why staie you silly soules with dalliance Command these murdering hands to cut my throate And if that iustice florish in this state Pittie my father friend my ioy and weale Bri Call not for death my sonne he cals not thee For pittie Corrodino censure me For if I loose these I must loose my lyfe And if I loose him I loose my soule Then let vs all haue lyfe or lets all die Taxing this state with inhumanitie Du Drawe all these souldiers presently apart The Senators will counsell of these euents Enter Sempronio Sem Let vertue liue let villanie be slaine let Lelio liue for vertue liues in him O pittie thy campe is pitched heere But griefe and sorrow that remaineth here But faith and honestie that remaineth here Come Charitie and lend to me a tong Else Penitent Experience is quite vndone Bri Thou hast a tongue then raue not so Sem I haue no tongue because I cannot shew Nor tell to thee the secrets of my thoughts I haue no speech but such as helpe me not But such as sings thy vertue thy deserts Thy bountie thy true heart thy honestie O were there one could find Sempronio out How might we make a famous comedie Du Shall this conclusion stand you noble peeres Sen Wee ratifie the same by our consent Du Bring forth the prisoners Brishio march thou forth Waying the wondrous working of the heauens We thus conclude That Brishio shall be free from his supposd exile and inioy the goods and fortune he inioyd before We likewise doo release his forward sonnes and pardon their defaults what ere they be We grant the pension of a thousand crownes To Lucida as we haue promised Onely in this our iustice stands in force That Lelio must for murther suffer death Bri Nay my lorde spare all or none wee craue no further grace Sem Let Fortune spite or hate do what she can Here is a knacke to know an honest man Not age not life not sonnes not wealth nor friend Can drawe thee from affecting thy deare friend O let me make the third if Lelio die Hie thee kind charitie lend me a tongue Duke Beare hence the prisoner we dissolue the court Sem Stay suffer Penitent Experience inioy one boone For Dispatch then and tell vs what it is Se Let none but I be executioner to cut off Lelios head Duke We grant thy sute Sem Then giue me this keene sword Since none but Experience Hath power to cut off vertues noble head Thou shalt not die For Do not delude our trust Sem Nor do you condemne a guiltles man O Charitie is come I see him now Enter olde Phillip Du Heads-man dispatch except Sempronio liue Lelio must die Phil Sempronio liues my Lord see where he stands Du Hermit why dalliest thou Sempronio was yong but this is olde Sempronio was dead but he doth liue Her Old Sempronio now is young againe And dead Sempronio now doth liue Beholde him Lelio dost thou know him now Lel Sempronio Sem Ah deare Lelio Her This Lord left dead by shepheards in the field Was found againe and healed thus by me And by my art hauing his haire disguisde He past a solemne oath to hide his name And doo good deeds where he had liued loose Since when cald Penitent Experience He hath remaind and liu'd a pensiue life Speake my Sempronio for I discharge thy vow Tell thou the rest for why my vision Foretolde and promist such an accident As neuer Venice had or sawe the like Sem Sempronio liues and Lelio now must liue Greeu'd for my breach of faith greeu'd for my crime Heere are the tokens of my fatall wounds Which when I eyed Annetta I haue wept To thinke vpon my loose vnbrideled loue Let vs not ioy in words but ioy in hearts And let our armes our tongues discourse imbrace Where our three liues are heard of agen Call them three knackes to finde out honest men Du God wrought these things we do applaud his works See how by mute imbrace these friends imbrace Marke how they whisper in each others eares Their troublous fortunes cares discontents And now loue workes see how Lelio hand in hand Ioynes Sempronio with his Lucida The holy hermit knitteth vp the knot And all applaud this vnitie of peace How now what seekes this maide Enter Phillidae Phil. Pardon for my father Du Comst thou to plead for Seruio Phillida Go fetch him forth ioy shall haue fulnes now Sempronio stand aside we le make some sport Exit Phillida Enter Phillida with her father Seruio Duke Now Seruio for thy forfeit to the state What fine wilt thou affoord for libertie Ser Dread Lord those lands and profits fell to me By deare Sempronios death my neere a kin I frankly giue in lieu of my contempt Du What wilt thou make bequeath of others lands Why man he liues againe Ser First tell me I am dead my Lord. Du Thou must restore to him his goods againe Sâ—r O misery Is he restord to life to take away my goods Command me death nay prisonment and what ye wil So he reuiue not so I meet him not Sem See here the picture of true auarice Where men preferre their goods before their friends How fare you vnkle Ser Iesus blesse me a spirit What cosin Sem I vnkle the same and grieue not to yeeld your kinsman his right Du Nay force perforce he shall restore thy owne Phillida behold thy vnkle liues See my Lords no care of kindred holdeth her She runs to meet Orphinio loue conducteth her Phil Are you returnd my Lord what safe returnd Orp Returnd to keepe my faith with Phillida Du Knit vp that knot within with iollitie And Register record this commoditie Sem Nay stay my Lord before this comicke end Let measure knackes to finde out honest men For all these listning eares would finde them out Who list to know a perfect honest man Shall see his purse still open to the poore His tongue detesting lewd detractions He scornes to grieue the needfull heart with griefe But liues as borne to euerie mans releefe A knaue will gaine by all vnlawfull meanes But good men still their goods by vertue gleanes A knaue makes shift his thrift forsweares and lies An honest man on loue and faith relyes A knaue makes lust his loue respects no friend An honest man for friendship life will spend Oh how I should tire both tong thought and pen To scan out knaues from perfect honest men Point where I list if so my finger light On honestie I sweare I point aright Du Thankes good Sempronio for this worthie skill To register the memorie of this Henceforth where ere this historie is heard The worlde shall praise thee in whose life began The perfect knacke to knowe an honest man Finis
a cord Stretch me the villanes lymes force him to confesse What haue I made thee the marquesse of Saint Marks And gaue thee charge of all the Citie keyes And hast thou playd me such a part To let those caitiue boyes escape my hands Ser Iust God great Duke can witnesse it with me With what great griefes I lost the prisoners Duke Who doubtes but God beholds thy treachery And therefore the minister of God Will punish thee and make thee to confesse Whether corruption or affliction Made thee discharge the prisoners of my wrath Se. Racke me to death shew all extremities You shall but wrecke your wrathes on Innocense Duke This is but delaying racke him I say Ent. Phil. Phil. Worke no iniustice great Venetian Duke Vnbind my aged father cruell man These pangs belongs to none but guiltie soules Inflict them then on those that merit them Se. What art thou that hinders Iustice so Phil. The haplesse daughter of this haplesse man I stole my fathers keyes by night I freed Orphinio and Zepheronio And if this deed doe meryt death my Lord Let lose my father wrecke your hate on mee Duke If you be she that set my prisoners free I am the Iudge and sentence thee to dye Slaues strangle her let Seruio be releast Ser. Oh pardon the daughter let the father dye Phil. Why stay you ministers is not the sentence past Must I not dye Enter Sempronio with Fortunio bound Sem. No marry must you not you foolish girle Good Lord how apt the world is now adaies To finde inuention to destroy a man VVhen as the greatest arts of our age Can neuer make or hardely mend a man Great Corridino let me councell thee If thou wilt punish damned and wretched men Put me these gray beards quickly from their seates And racke them soundly and they will confesse How they preferre their gold before their God Their lands and honors before their honestie Or if thou wilt conceiue the truth of things See here the man who drawne by lawlesse lust Did seeke sinisterly in time of night In company of that lewd letcher there To rauish Lucida Lord Lelios daughter And force the mother in whose iust defence Orphinio and Zepherius drew their swordes Then were these young men Iustifiers of right And this lewd man was he deserued death Looke on this prisoners face you know him well The world esteemes him next a kin to you Duke Fortunio what my sonne what meanes these bands For. What else but bandes belong to guilty men Why should my greatnes couer my misse deeds Or poore men suffer for a great mans sinne O Father roote from forth your royall Court This cursed flatterer that seduced me We two deserue to die Releasing Zepherionio and Orphinio These prisoners haue done thee honor for by wounding me They haue preserud their sister from a rape Me from perpetual shame thee from much griefe Therefore if Iustice punish any one begin with vs Else wil the prouerb hold smalest flies are tangled in thy twist When greater far breakes through and force the web Duke Seruio and Phillida your iudgement is To loose Fortunios bandes Fortunios paines is to embrace old Corodinos necke I thanke my God that hath reclaymed thee And made thee flye the vanities of youth Now without feare shall I incounter death When I am sure thy wanton daies are past But thou vngratious man passe from my Court And exild to the world Come my Fortunio let vs enter in And establish this perpetual law hence forth That but in causes meerely capitall A noble man submitting of him selfe And after being reconciled to God Shall haue his pardon without preiudice Se. This likes me well now growes the world to frame Fortunio now hath learnd to know a knaue And is expert to prooue an honest man Exit omnis Enter Lelio like a Colliar Le. VVill you buy any Coles fine small Coles Thus haue I entred Venice in disguise And through the streets haue gotten vnespied Silence Lelio my thinkes my doore doth ope Ah yonder comes my wife and daughter forth How fares Annetta how doth Lucida An. VVhat Lelio my Lord in this disguise Lu. A happie sight to see my fathers face Le. O comfort of my erst estemed life How do your sighes reuiue my drouping minde An. But wherefore doth my Lord thus venture life And come to Venice for to fetch his death Le. I come to rid thy father from his banishment And to endow my daughter Lucida come reselud to Venice here to die Come hether daughter thou knowst it is proclaym'd That who so brings me to the Senate house Shall haue a thousand Crownes for recompence Now therefore Lucida I yeeld to thee Take thou the gold and yeeld me to them straight And let my death end all your myseries Lu. Cursed be that gold that 's bought with blood Happie be that death that doth so many good Enter Seruio and the Garde An. Ah Lelio we are betrayd heere commeth the Garde Le. Buy anie Coles small Cooles fine Cooles Se. How now who walkes heere in this disguise Let 's see thy face Lu. This is our Collier Se. This is a Courtiers feate what Lelio you are welcome Sir you come in happie time to bring me Crownes Le. Sir I am Lelio I le not deny my name And I am prisoner to my Lucida To her belongs the ransome of my head Not to thee sonne of hate and nygardie Se. Well Sir whosoeuer clayme you I seise thee for my prisoner Who will present thee to the Senators Lu. Ah gentle Seruio grant me but one thing Then take all the profit if thou wilt for mee Se. What sounds of profite pleaseth Seruio Speake gentle maide I like thy manners well Lu. Reserue my father in thy prison close But three daies space and I aske no more Se. Well I grant thy sute it shal be so Come beare him in hence Lu. Father time shall discouer all till then farewell Ex. om Enter Brishio and his two Sonnes Br. Come murderers of my ioy goe flie my sight Bring me my Lelio or you both shall die Ze. Father the Souldiers tending in his tent Reports that he is gone to Venice Sem. Ha ha midest all these melancolly griefes And with resolued minde to end his daies Bri. Ah traiterous boyes t is you haue driuen him hence Thus villaines haue you cossened mee of fame And made him conquere me in curtesie Runne post hie with speed bring him to me Redeeme my Lelio though you loose your liues Or I will hate the ground where on you tread And curse the wombe that brought me forth such sonnes Or. If we retorne to Venice we are but dead Bri. Tut villanes tell not me of death I le lose you both to haue my friend againe Stay but on mynute we are mortall foes This sword shall soone reuenge me on your heads Zep. Wee goe but father Bri. What wilt thou dally yet Or. Kill vs before we perish by your
foes Bri. O mysery of man you will not goe Then stay and see your father with his sword Zep. We goe my Lord O spare your reuerent age Bri. Nay spare your words and spend your feete with hast Exit the two sonnnes What are they gone ah cruel and vnkinde In seeking to saue my friend I loose my sonnes Stay stay my sonnes leaue me some comfort in my age Whether wilt thou transport my zealous minde Let me surfeit in the sinne of loue They shall not die if all must perish I must perish too I will to Venice and redeeme their liues Else father friends and sonnes will die togither Exit Bri. Enter the Duke Fortunio and the Senators Duke Vsher let those that seeke for audience Enter the Court and moue the Senators Enter Seruio and the Garde with Lelio bound and Sempronio Ser. Most mighty Duke most worthy Senators Walking abroad as is my vsuall wont I found Lelio clothed in a base disguise Him when I saw I seazd and seazing brought To be presented to your honors heere And in humble wise request the largis which the state alowes Which is a thousand Crowns to him that brings The head of Lelio to the Senators Duke The Treasorer shall pay thee strayght Scribe giue him a warrant let him be dispatched Lelio stand forth art thou the haples man that slew Sempronio Le. My Lord I confesse the fault and am willing with my death to recompence the deed Sem. I cry in all mens eares with egar words That many seeke their danger by dispayre That many die for murders yet vndone I speake to thee alas that men were wise To know their good as their infirmitie Duke Tell me Lelio what moueth thee free from Iustice hands To seeke out death with desperate intent Le. That which would moue the best and wisest man Had he but selfe same causes as I had For. Discourse and let these aged fathers know them all Le. What shall they know in knowing my mishappe That will not molifie their marble mindes Who first hauing slayne his dearest friend Next caused his fathers banishment And last his wife to liue in misery And would not seeke ease for their disgrace First pay his slaughtered friend with dearest blood Next call his father home from banishment And seeing his wife and daughter once opprest To get indowment and reliefe for both But all my hope is lost I die in vaine VVhich yeelds a double torment to my payne Giue sentence Prince delay not by my death To rid me from a world of miseries Du. Law must haue course though pittie plead for thee Scribe read the sentence Cla. VVhereas by sufficient testimonie publicke confessiō Lord Lelio is founde guilty for the murder of Sempronio It is adiudged and ratified by the noble Duke of Venice And the most worthy Senators his assistantes That for his offence in publicke place of Iustice Lord Lelio shall loose his head Se. Seruio take the briefe see execution doone Enter Annetta and Lucyda An. Stay cruell man traynd vp in cruelty Annetta wofull wife with earnest teares Publish some sorrow for her zealous minde Great Iudges of the state heare me but speake Pyttie for Lelio grant my husband life Du. It may not be Iustice will haue no pause Lu. Yet mercy Prince should moderate the Lawes Le. VVho spares the guyltie anymates the bad Lu. VVho spareth none doth hate to Iustice adde Se. Pittie with Iustice neuer wel agrees Lu. Yes when it moderates seuere decrees Du. VVhat cause of plea hath this audacious mayde Lu. Such cause as vertuous men may wonder at I clayme the pension of a thousand crownes For I my Lords present my fathers head An. I clayme a reuocation noble Lords For Brishio for he doth merit it By sending Lelio home to you aliue And tendring him to Iustice by our meanes So then vnlesse you ratifie your lawes And call my father home from banishment And pay the thousand Crownes to Lucida Ad this to your Iustice cruell Lords That both the wife and daughter may be lead To die with him that doth vniustly die Se. Seruio presented Lelio vnto vs And hee deserues the pension of the state Lu. Lelio discouered vnto vs And we deserue the pension of the state Lu. Lelio first discouered vnto vs And we deserue the pension of the state He to indow me sought his danger forth An. Hee to redeeme his father did returne Lu. The issue of his forwardnes was zeale And Seruioes seruice was but treachery Your lawes command that on the first surpryse VVho met with Lelio should disclose him strayght But Seruio three daies space did keepe him close An. And therefore Seruio merits not the gold Du. This was the certayne hope of my desire For. And didst thou Seruio keepe him three daies close Ser. I did my lord vpon Annettas humble sute Se. I so the Foxe was taken in the net And nygardnes was caught by sutteltie Du Then do the Senate presently decree That Lucida shall haue the promist coine And Seruio for breaking of the law Shall be imprisoned for a twelue-month space This pretty accident doth make me laugh Now Seruio you haue good time to cast account What interest and profit you haue raysd By yong Sempronios plate and coine Ser. I hope your grace will pardon this misdeed Duke A way with him I will not heare him speak Ex. Ser. Enter Orphinio and Zepherius Or. Shall innocenth great Lords kill guilty men Zep. Lead me to death and if my brother dye Or. No man shall lead my Lelio to his death Except by selfe same sword we perish too Le. O life thou feedst me with continuall death When wilt thou end and ease my heinous harmes For. What men are these that hinder Iustice so Zep. The men that had thy life and sought thy death Se. These are old Brishios sonnes I know them well Duke Lay hands on them and bynd the fugitiues Or. Bynd breake our bones spare neither life nor lims We come to die and merit not to liue We bend no knees for mercy mighty Duke Only our sute is for our brothers life Whose danger we vnhappie men haue wrought Se. How wrought you Lelios danger tell vs true Or. When from the Citie speedily we fled Werey to see our fathers hard distresse We hied vs to the Duke of Florentines campe And sought out Lelio and with naked swords Forst him to hie to Venice and redeeme our sier Hereon through feare of vs he came And in his rescue both of vs wil die Zep. Take two for one great Duke it is enough Bloud shall haue bloud then be thou satisfied Lel You wrong me brothers Voluntarie intent Brought me to Venice not your wordes Orp Thou art too pitious to ingratefull men We forst thee hether we must ransome thee If Lelio die our father will not liue He priseth Lelio more than both his sonnes Duke Go since you long to die dispach them two Lelio for murther