Selected quad for the lemma: death_n
Text snippets containing the quad
|
ID |
Title |
Author |
Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) |
STC |
Words |
Pages |
|
A59979
|
The gentleman of Venice a tragi-comedie, presented at the private house in Salisbury Court by Her Majesties servants / written by James Shirley.
|
Shirley, James, 1596-1666.
|
1655
(1655)
|
Wing S3468; ESTC R18513
|
38,733
|
86
|
cause Gio. You may be angry Madam and chide it as a sawcy pride In me to name or look at honor nor Can I but know what small addition Is my unskilfull arme to aide a Country Bel. I may therefore justly suspect there is Something of other force that moves you to The warrs enlarge my knowledge with the secret Gio. At this command I open my heart Madam I must confesse there is another cause Which I dare not in obedience Obscure since you will call it forth and yet I know you will laugh at me Bel. It would ill Become my breeding Giovanni Gio. Then Know Madam I 'me in love Bel. In love with whom Gio. With one I dare not name shee 's so much Above my birth and fortunes Bel. I commend Your flight but does she know it Gio. I durst never Appear with so much boldnesse to discover My hearts so great ambition 't is here still A strange and busie guest Bel. And you think absence May cure this wound Gio. Or death Bel. I may presume You think shee 's fair Gio. I dare as soon question your beauty Madam The onely ornament and starre of Venice Pardon the bold comparison yet there is Something in you resembles my great mistris She blushes Such very beames dispearseth her bright eye Powerfull to restore decrepit nature But when she frownes and changes from her sweet Aspect as in my fears I see you now Offended at my boldnesse she does blast Poor Giovanni thus and thus I wither At heart and wish my self a thing lost in My own forgotten dust but it 's not possible At last if any starres blesse but high thoughts By some desert in war and deeds of honor For mean as I have rais'd themselves to Empire That she without a blush to stain her cheek May own me for a servant I am lost In wandring apprehensions Bel. Poor Giovanni I pitty thee but cannot cure I like Thy aspiring thoughts and to this last of love Allow the warrs a noble remedy Enter Roberto and Ursula I have argu'd against your sonns resolve but find His reasons overcome my weak dispute And I must counsell you to allow 'em too Urs. Nay I was never much against it Madam Ro. She loves him not but does your Ladiship Think fitting he should go Bel. Yes yes 't is honorable And to encourage his forward spirit The Generall is my kinsman Giovanni What favours he can do you you shall have My letters to entreat and at my charge You shall be furnish'd like a Gentleman Attend me at my lodgings Gio. You bind all My services why this will make a shew yet Ro. Nay then take my consent and blessing too Urs. And mine the Duke Exeunt Enter Duke and Marino Du. Bellaura I must speak to you Bel. I attend Du. You have my purpose and return me clearly How he bestowes himself and what society Withdrawes him from his duty thus Mar. I shall With my best care Du. I fear that Malipiero with Bellaura But let me find your diligence Bellaura Exit The Scene adorn'd with Pictures amongst the rest Claudiana's Enter Bravos with the Englishman they unbind him and Exeunt Flo. I am all wonder shall I trust my sences A fair and pleasant gallery was I Surpriz'd for this or doe I dream I did Expect the end of my conveyance should Have been more fatal No tract appears or signe of those that brought me The place is rich in ornament sure these Are Pictures all things silent as the Images And yet these speak some do inhabit here This room was not ordain'd onely for air And shadowes 't is some flattering Prologue to My death some plot to second the affront Of Malipiero with more scorne to ruine me Enter Cornari with a case of Pistolls What art Cor. A friend Flo. That posture and presentment Promise no great assurance yet there 's something Within that noble frame would tempt me to Believe thou art Cor. What Flo. A black murderer Point not thy horrid messengers of death Upon a man disarm'd my bosome is No proof against those fiery Executioners How came I to deserve from thee unknown So black a purpose as thy lookes present me I never saw thy face nor am I conscious Of any act in whose revenge thou hast Put on this horror let me know my guilt Before I die although I never liv'd At that poor rate to fear a noble death Yet unprepar'd and thus to die doth something Stagger my soul and weaken my resolve To meet thy Execution thou hast Too good a face to be a Mercenary Cut-throat and Malipiero would become The hangmans office better Cor. You believe then How easily I can command your destine I have no plot with any Malipiero And thus remove thy fears He carries in the Pistolls and returnes Flo. Is he gone Cor. Y' are still within My power but call your selfe my guest not prisoner And if you be not dangerous to your self Nothing is meant but safety here and honor Flo. This does amaze me more but do Italians Compell men to receive their courtesies Cor. I must not give you reasons yet for your Surprize you may receive a timely knowledge And not repent I am a Gentleman And by that name secure thee if you can Fancie a peace with this restraint 't is none But something that may please you above freedom If your unruly thoughts tempt a resistance Death is let in at every thing you look at Flo. I 'le leave my wonder and believe what now Must I obey Cor. First walk away your fright Flo. 'T is off Cor. How do you like this gallery Flo. 'T is very handsome Cor. And these pictures Flo. Wel Cor. Your eyes are yet too carelesse pray examine 'em Flo. They cannot answer Cor. Now your opinion Flo. Very good faces Cor. Have your eyes ever Met with a substance that might reflect On any of these shadowes sir in Venice Flo. Never Cor. Look a little better is there nothing Of more then common curiosity In any of these beauties Flo. I have seen Fair ones what should this mean Cor. But pray tel me Of these which some have prais'd for handsomness Which doth affect you most I guesse you have By frequent view and the converse with Ladies Ariv'd at excellent judgement Flo. I did not Expect this Dialogue yet I 'le be free I profess stranger to 'em all but this pointing to Claudiana I should elect the fairest and most worthy A masculine Embrace I build upon The promise of your Honour I should else Be nice in my opinion Cor. You are just And I prefer that too what will you say To call that Lady Mistris and enjoy her Shee 's noble to my knowledge but enough At this time I must pray your kind excuse If whilst you walk into this room Opening the hanging Flo. A fair one Cor. Which is design'd your lodging I become Your jailour and make sure this Gallery Til my return be constant to
damn three soules at once if your power Cannot prevail for mercy to my life I challenge you when I am dead to be A witnesse of my innocence Cor. This has No shape of a confession Flo. Nor do I Under that holy seal discourse a story Yet Father I must throw my self upon Your Charity Know therefore I am betraid And by the plot of him that owes this Palace Whose name is never like to meet my knowledge Snatch'd up one fatall evening and forc'd hither By some dark ministers he had employ'd I know not which way to this fatall chamber I shudder but to name what impious act Against his own and his dear Ladies honor He had design'd for me Her chaster soul Should have been stain'd in his distrust of heaven To blesse him with an heir and her white treasure By me a stranger rifled had not providence Chain'd up our blood so that the hours he gave To serve his black ambition and our lust We onely spent in prayers for his conversion Cor. Ha Flo. This yet he knowes not and it is not safe To appear in our own vertue since the justice We did our peace in crossing his expectance May improve his rage to both our ruines This Sad story frights you there is horror in 't But 't is an hour the last without some miracle To rescue me a man disarm'd from violence Nor dare I mock heaven now or hang upon My soul the burden of a lie when t is Taking her last eternall flight It is not A fear to dye afflicts me with my faith And innocence about me I have look'd Death in the face and be it thought no boast To say I have taught others by example To march up to the ugliest face of danger But to die thus dishonorably to be Sent out o' th world i' th dark without a name Or any account to those to whom I owe My blood and birth persons that carry names Of honor in my Country This doth stagger me To quit my life and may excuse my addresse To you who have Authority from heaven To take his fury off whom otherwise I expect my violent executioner I have some tremblings for his Lady whose Most holy tears stream'd through my soul compassion And charm'd my blood tears if he durst have patience Were powerfull enough to beg from heaven That blessing which he fondly thinks to hasten With losse of his eternity Cor. No more Exit Conrari hastily having thrown off the habit Enter again with Claudiana Forgive me oh forgive me Claudiana And if my sin of forcing thy obedience Beyond the rules of honor and of marriage Have not quite murd'red thy affection Wish me a little life for my repentance Cl. I joy to hear this from you Fl. There 's work within me and so deep a sense Of my own shame and sorrow that I feel My heart already weeping out a bath To make thee white agen Cla. Sir in what best I understand I must ask you forgivenesse Cor. Ha mine for what betraying thee to darknesse Cla. For disobeying your command Cor. Thou didst The impious act by my design which takes Thy guilt away and spreads the leprosie Upon my self Cla. Although you kill me sir I must remove the cloud and let you see Me as I am not chang'd from my first innocence Cor. Possible Cl. Most easie where there is A chast resolve and I must tell you sir Although I wanted courage to oppose Your passion when your reason and religion Were under violence of your will my heart Resolv'd to try my own defence and rather Then yeeld my self a shamefull spoile to lust By my own death to quit my name from scandall But providence determin'd better for me And made me worth a strangers piety Whom your chice meant the ruine of my honor If this want entertainment in your faith 'T is peace to my poor heart that I have many White witnesses in Heaven Cor. You have done no feats then My wife is chast Flo. I cannot sir engage My last breath to a nobler truth Cor. 'T is so Ex. Cla. You may withdraw Claudiana by what Has been exprest though I am satisfied You are not guilty in the fact as I Expected 't is not safe when I consider My own fame in the story that you live sir I must not trust you longer with a secret That by my tamenesse may hereafter spread The infamy abroad there 's no avoiding Flo. Then I must die Cor. Perhaps you have some hope This engine may deceive me and my fortune Not coming better arm'd give you the advantage To use your strength upon my single person I know you are active but I 'le make sure work Ex. Flo. Till now I did not reach the precipice My heart would mutinie but my hands are naked And can do nothing Enter Cornari with Bravos arm'd A knot of murderers arme me with a sword And let me die fighting against you all I 'le say y' are noble hangmen and not throw One curse among you Cor. I 've one word to say sir Let none approach The fatall doom I threatned is revers'd Throw off your wonder and believe you may Live long if not in Venice and your safety Is more confirm'd at Distance you are noble An honor to your nation Here is gold I know not how you may be furnished sir For travell hence bills of exchange may fail These will defray a present charge betray No wonder take it Flo. I 'le accept your bounty And will not ask to whom I owe all this Forgive me that I thought you not so honorable So when you please I 'le take my leave Cor. Not yet By such attendants ss you came to me I have provided sir for your departure Your duties gentlemen You know my purpose The Bravos blind him and bind him as before Exeunt Enter Claudiana Cor. Resume thy place within my soul Claudiana When I have done my sorrow for what 's past Wee l smile and kisse for ever Exeunt Enter a Servant Ser. A letter sir Cor. From whence Ser. Your Nephew now a Prisoner Cor. Let him rot and give 'em back the paperkite Ser. The messenger is gone Cor. Then he expects no answer Cor. ready Cla. You may read it Cor. Sir I send not to you for reliefe nor to Mediate my pardon I have not liv'd after The rate to deserve your bread to feed me Nor your breath to save me I onely beg That you would put me into your prayers And forgivenesse and believe I do not wish life But to redeem my self from past impieties And satisfie by a repentance the dishonors Have beene done to you by the worst of men Malipiero This is not his usuall stile Cla. This miracle may be Cor. I do want faith Cla. And sent a blessing to reward our penitence Heaven has a spacious charity Cor. Thou art all goodnesse Ex. Enter the Bravos they lay him down and Exeunts Florelli recovers Flo. Sure this is