cursed hand and arme that guided The wicked steele I 'll haue them ioynt by ioynt With burning irons seard of which I will eate I being a vultur fit to tast such carrion Lastly 1. Doct. You are too lowd Sir you disturbe Her sweet repose Forza. I am hush'd yet giue vs leaue Thus prostrate at her feet our eies bent downewards Vnworthy and asham'd to looke vpon her T' expect her gracious sentence 2. Doct. Hee 's past hope 1. Doct. The body to will putrifie and then We can no longer couer the imposture Tibe. Which in his death will quickly be discouer'd I can but weepe his fortune Steph. Yet be carefull You loose no minute to preserue him time May lessen his distraction Ent. Pesca. Fran. Eugen. Franc. I am no God sir To giue a new life to her yet I 'le hazard My head I 'le worke the sencelesse trunke t' appeare To him as it had got a second being Or that the soule that 's fled from 't were call'd backe To gouerne it againe I will preserue it In the first sweetnesse and by a strange vaper Which I 'le infuse into her mouth create A seeming breath I 'le make her vaines run high to As if they had true motion Pesc. Doe but this Till we vse meanes to win vpon his passions T' indure to heare shee 's dead with some small patience And make thy owne reward Franc. The art I vse Admits no looker on I only aske The fourth part of an hower to perfect that I boldly vndertake Pesc. I will procure it 2. Doct. What stranger 's this Pesc. Sooth me in all I say There is a maine end in 't Frans. Beware Euge. I am warn'd Pesc. Looke vp Sir chearefully comfort in me Flowes strong lie to you Forza. From whence came that sound Was it from my Marcelia if it were I rise and ioy will giue me wings to meet it Pes. Nor shall your expectation be deferrd But a few minuts your Physicians are Meere voice and no performance I haue found A man that can do wonders do not binder The Dutches wisht recouery to inquire Or what he is or to giue thankes but leaue him To worke this miracle Sf. Sure 't is my good Angell I do obey in all things be it death For any to disturbe him or come neere Till he be pleasd' call vs ó be prosperous And make a Duke thy Bondman Exe. all but Franc. Eugenia Franc. T is my purpose If that to fall a long wisht sacrifice To my reuenge can be a benefit I 'll first make fast the dores soe Euge. You amaze me What followes now Franc. A full conclusion Of all thy wishes looke on this Eugenia Eu'n such a thing the faire on earth For whose delight the elements are ransack'd And art with nature studies to preserue her Must be when she is summond to appeare In the Court of death but I loose time Euge. What meane you Franc. Disturbe me not your Ladiship lookes pale But I your Docter haue a ceruse for you See my Eugenia how many faces That are ador'd in Court borrow these helpes And passe for excellence when the better part Of them are like to this your mouth smells soure to But here is that shall take away the sent A precious antidote old Ladies vse When they would kisse knowing their gummes are rotten These hands to that disdaind' to take a touch From any lip whose honour â—ri 〈…〉 t Lord Are now but as the coursest cash out I Am at the charge my bill not to be paid to To giue them seeming bravery soe t is done How do you like my workmanship Eugen. I tremble And thus to tirannize vpon the dead Is most inhumane Franc. Come we for reuenge And can we thinke on pitty now to the vpshott And as it proues applaud it My lord the Duke Enter with ioy and see the suddaine chance Your seruants hand hath wrought Ent. Forza and the rest Forza. I liue againe In my full confidence that Marcelia may Pronounce my pardon Can the speake yet Franc. No You must not looke for all your ioyes at once That will aske longer time Pesca. T is wondrous strange Forza. By all the dues of loue I haue had from her This hand seemes as it was when first I kist it These lips inuite to I could euer feed Vpon these roses they still keepe their colour And natiue sweetnesse only the nectar 's wanting That like the morning dew in flowry May Preseru'd them in their beauty Enter Graccho Grac. Treason treason Tiber. Call vp the guard Franc. Graccho then we are lost Gracc. I am got off Sir Iew a bribe hath done it For all your serious charge ther 's no disguise can keepe You from my knowledge Forza Speake Gracc. I am out of breath But this is Franc. Spare thy labor foole Francisco All Monster of Men Franc. Giue me all attributes Of all you can imagine yet I glory To be the thing I was borne I am Francisco Francisco that was rais'd by you And made the Minion of the time The same Francisco That would haue whor'd this trunke when it had life And after breath'd a iealousie vpon thee As killing as those damps that belch out plagues When the foundation of the earth is shaken I made thee doe a deed heauen will not pardon Which was to kill an innocent Forza. Call forth the tortures For all that flesh can feele Franc. I dare the worst Only to yeeld some reason to the world Why I pursud' this course looke on this face Made old by thy base falshood 't is Eugenia Forza. Eugenia Franc. Do's it start you Sir my Sister Seduc'd and fool'd by thee but thou must pay The forfet of thy falshod do's it not worke yet What ere becomes of me which I esteeme not Thou art mark'd for the graue I haue giuen thee poison In this cup now obserue me with thy last Carowsing deeply of made thee forget Thy vow'd faith to Eugenia Pesc. O damn'd villaine Isab. How do you Sir Forza. Like one That learnes to know in death what punishment Waites on the breath of faith ô now I feele An AEtna in my entrailes I haue liu'd A Prince and my last breath shal be commaund I burne I burne yet er'e life be consum'd Let me pronounce vpon this wretch all torture That witty cruelty can inuent Pesc. Away with him Tibe. In all things we will serue you Franc. Farewell sister Now I haue kept my word torments I scorne I leaue the world with glory they are men And leaue behind them name and memory That wrong'd doe right themselues before they die Ste. A desperate wretch Exe. guard with Franc. Forza. I come death I obey thee Yet I will not die raging for alas My whole life was a phrensie Good Eugenia In death forgiue me As you loue me beare her To some religious house there let her spend The remnant of her life when I am ashes Perhaps shee 'll be appear'd and soare a prayer For my poore soule Bury me with Marcelia And let our Epitaph be Tibe. His speech is stop'd Steph. Already dead Pesc. It is in vaine to labour To call him backe wee 'll giue him funerall And then determine of the state affaires And learne from this example ther 's no trust In a foundation that is built on lust Exeunt FINIS
lesse tractable Franc. Bring me to her Gentlew. I feare you 'l haue cold entertainment when You are at your iourneys end and 't were discretion To take a snatch by the way Franc. Prethe leaue fooling My page waites in the lobbie giue him sweet meats He is trayn'd vp for his Masters ease And he will coole thee Ex. Franc. Gentlew. Grac. A braue discouerie beyond my hope A plot euen offer'd to my hand to worke on If I am dull now may I liue and dye The scorne of wormes slaues let me consider My Lady and her Mother first committed In the fauor of the Dutches and I whip'd That with an Iron pen is writ in brasse On my tough hart now growne a harder mettal And all his brib'd approches to the Dutches To be conceal'd good good This to my Lady Deliuer'd as I 'le order it runs her mad But this may proue but courtship let it be I care not so it feed her Iealousie Ex. Actus Ter. Scae. Ter. Enter Marcelia Francisco Marc. Beleeue thy teares or oathes Can it be hop'd After a practice so abhor'd and horred Repentance e're can find thee Franc. Deere Lady Great in your fortune greater in your goodnes Make a superlatiue of excellence In being greatest in your sauing mercie I doe confesse humbly confesse my fault To be beyond all pittie my attempt So barberously rude that it would turne A saint-like patience into sauage furie But you that are all innocence and vertue No spleane or anger in you of a woman But when a holy zeale to pietie fires you May if you please impute the fault to loue Or call it beastly lust for 't is no better A sinne a monstrous sinne yet with it many That did proue good men after haue bin tempted And thogh I am croked now 't is in your powre To make me straight againe Marc. Is 't possible This can be cunning Franc. But if no submission Nor prayers can appease you that you may know 'T is not the feare of death that makes me sue thus But a loathed detestation of my madnesse Which makes me wish to liue to haue your pardon I will not waite the sentence of the Duke Since his returne is doubtfull but I my selfe Will doe a fearefull iustice on my selfe No witnesse by but you there being no more When I offended yet before I doe it For I perceiue in you no signes of mercie I will disclose a secret which dying with me May proue your ruine Marc. Speake it it will take from The burthen of thy conscience Franc. Thus then Madam The warrant by my Lord sign'd for your death Was but conditionall but you must sweare By your vnspotted truth not to reueale it Or I end here abruptly Marc. By my hopes Of ioyes hereafter on Franc. Nor was it hate That forc'd him to it but excesse of loue And if I e're returne so said great Sforza No liuing man deseruing to enioy My best Marcelia With the first newes That I am dead for no man after me Might e're enioy her but till certaine proofe Assure thee I am lost these were his words Faile not to kill her Obserue and honor her as if the seale Of womans goodnesse only dwelt in hers This trust I haue abus'd and basely wrong'd And if the excelling pittie of your mind Cannot forgiue it as I dare not hope it Rather then looke on my offended Lord I stand resolu'd to punish it Marc. Hold 't is forgiuen And by me freely pardned In thy faire life Hereafter studie to deserue this bountie With thy true penitence such I beleeue it Against my resolution hath forc'd from me But that my Lord my Sforza should esteeme My life fit only as a page to waite on The various course of his vncertaine fortunes Or cherish in himselfe that sensuall hope In death to know me as a wife afflicts me Nor does his enuie lesse deserue my anger Which though such is my loue I would not nourish Will stick the ardor that I had to see him Returne in safetie Franc. But if your entertainment Should giue the least ground to his iealousie To raise vp an opinion I am false You then distroy your mercie Therfore Madam Though I shall euer looke on you as on My liues preseruer and the miracle Of human pitty would you but vouchsafe In companie to doe me those faire graces And fauors which your innocencie and honor May safely warrant it would to the Duke I being to your best selfe alone known guiltie Make me appeare most innocent Marc. Haue your wishes And some thing I may doe to try his temper At least to make him know a constant wife Is not so slau'd to her husbands doting humors But that she may deserue to liue a widow Her fate appointing it Franc. It is enough Shout and Floursh Nay all I could desire and will make way To my reuenge which shall disperse it selfe On him on her and all Marc. What shout is that Ent. Tiberio Stephano Tib. All happines to the Dutches that may flow From the Dukes new and wish'd returne Marc. He 's welcome Steph. How coldly she receiues it Tib. Obserue their encounter Flourish Ent. Sforza Pescaria Isabella Mariana Graccho the rest Mar. What you haue told me Graccho is beleeu'd And I 'le find time to stur in 't Grac. As you see cause I will not doe ill offices Sf. I haue stood Silent thus long Marcelia expecting When with more then a greedie hast thou would'st Haue flowne into my armes and on my lippes Haue printed a deepe welcome My desire To glaze my selfe in these faire eyes haue borne me With more then human speede Nor durst I stay In any Temple or to any saint To pay my vowes and thankes for my returne Till I had seene thee Marc. Sir I am most happie To looke vpon you safe and would expresse My loue and duty in a modest fashion Such as might sute with the behauior Of one that knowes her selfe a wife and how To temper her desires not like a wanton Fierd with hot appetite nor can it wrong me To loue discreetly Sf. How why can there be A meane in your affections to Sforza Or any act though neare so loose that may Inuite or heighten appetite appeare Immodest or vncomly Doe not moue me My passions to you are in extreames And know no bounds come kisse me Marc. I obey you Sf. By all the ioyes of loue she does salute me As if I were her grand-father What witch With cursed spels hath quench'd the amorous heat That liued vpon these lips Tell me Marcellia And truly tell me is 't a fault of mine That hath begot this coldnesse or neglect Of others in my absence Marc. Neither Sir I stand indebted to your substitute Noble and good Francisco for his care And faire obseruance of me There was nothing With which you being present could supply me That I dare say I wanted Sf. How Marc. The pleasures That sacred
I alone you Of all mankind that stand most bound to loue And studie your content should be appointed Not by my will but forc'd by cruell fate To be your greatest enemie not to hold you In this amazement longer in a word Your Dutches loues me Sf. Loues thee Franc. Is mad for me Pursues me hourely Sf. Oh! Franc. And from hence grew Her late neglect of you Sf. O women women Franc. I labour'd to diuert her by perswasion Then vrg'd your much loue to her the danger Deny'd her and with scorne Sf. 'T was like thy selfe Franc. But when I saw her smile then heard her say Your loue and extreme dotage as a Cloke Should couer our embraces and your power Fright others from suspition and all fauours That should preserue her in her innocence By lust inuerted to be vs'd as bawdes I could not but in dutie though I know That the relation kils in you all hope Of peace hereafter and in me 't will shew Both base and poore to rise vp her accuser Freely discouer it Sf. Eternall plagues Pursue and ouertake her for her sake To all posteritie may he proue a Cuckold And like to me a thing so miserable As words may not expresse him that giues trust To all deceiuing women or since it is The will of Heauen to preserue mankind That we must know couple with these serpents No wiseman euer taught by my example Hereafter vse his wife with more respect Then he would doe his Horse that do's him seruice Base woman being in her creation made A slaue to man but like a village nurse Stand I now cursing and considering when The tamest foole would doe Within there Stephane Tiberio and the rest I will be suddaine And she shall know and feele loue in extreames Abus'd knowes no degree in hate Ent. Tib. Step. Guard Tib. My Lord Sf. Goe to the Chamber of that wicked woman Steph. What wicked woman Sir Sf. The deuill my wife Force a rude entry and if she refuse To follow you drag her hither by the hayre And know no pittie any gentle vsage To her will call on cruelty from me To such as shew it Stand you staring Goe And put my will in act Steph. Ther 's no disputing Tib. But 't is a tempest on the suddaine rays'd Who durst haue dreamt of Ex. Tib. Steph. Sf. Nay since she dares damnation I 'le be a furie to her Franc. Yet great Sir Exceed not in your furie she 's yet guiltie Only in her intent Sf. Intent Francisco It does include all fact and I might sooner Be won to pardon treason to my Crowne Or one that kil'd my Father Franc. You are wise And know what 's best to doe yet if you please To proue her temper to the height say only That I am dead and then obserue how farre She 'le be transported I 'le remoue a little But be within your call now to the vpshot How e're I 'le shift for one Ex. Franc. Enter Tiberio Stephano Marcelia Guard Marc. Where is this Monster This walking tree of Iealousie this dreamer This horned beast that would be O are you here Sir Is it by your commandement or allowance I am thus basely vs'd Which of my vertues My labours seruices and cares to please you For to a man suspitious and vnthankefull Without a blush I may be mine owne trumpet Inuites this barbarous course Dare you looke on me Without a seale of shame Sf. Impudence How vgly thou appear'st now Thy intent To be a whore leaues thee not blood enough To make an honest blush what had the act done Marc. Return'd thee the dishonor thou deseruest Though willingly I had giuen vp my selfe To euerie common letcher Sf. Your chiefe minion Your chosen fauourite your woo'd Francisco Has deerely pay'd for 't for wretch know he 's dead And by my hand Marc. The bloodyer villaine thou But 't is not to be wonder'd at thy loue Do's know no other obiect thou hast kil'd then A man I doe professe I lou'd a man For whom a thousand Queenes might well be riuals But be I speake it to thy teeth that dares be A Iealous foole dares be a murtherer And knowes no end in mischiefe Sf. I begin now stabs her In this my Iustice Marc. Oh I haue fool'd my selfe Into my graue and only grieue for that Which when you know you haue slaine an Innocent You needs must suffer Sf. An Innocent Let one Call in Francisco for he liues vile creature Ex. Steph. To iustifie thy falshood and how often With whorish flatteries thou hast tempted him I being only fit to liue a stale A bawd and propertie to your wantonnesse Ent. Steph. Steph. Signior Francisco Sir but euen now Tooke horse without the Ports Marc. We are both abus'd And both by him vndone stay death a little Till I haue cleer'd me to my Lord and then I willingly obey thee O my Sforza Francisco was not tempted but the Tempter And as he thought to win me shew'd the warrant That you sign'd for my death Sf. Then I beleeue thee Beleeue thee innocent too Marc. But being contemn'd Vpon his knees with teares he did beseech me Not to reueale it I soft-hearted foole Iudging his penitence true was won vnto it Indeed the vnkindnesse to be sentenc'd by you Before that I was guiltie in a thought Made me put on a seeming anger towards you And now behold the issue as I do May heauen forgiue you dyes Tib. Her sweet soule has left Her beauteous prison Steph. Looke to the Duke he stands As if he wanted motion Tib. Griefe hath stopt The organ of his speech Steph. Take vp this body And call for his Physitians Sf. O my heart-strings Actus Quint. Scae. Prim. Enter Francisco Eugenia Franc. Why could'st thou thinke Eugenia that rewards Graces or fauours though strew'd thick vpon me Could euer bribe me to forget mine honour Or that I tamely would sit downe before I had dry'd these eyes still wet with showers of teares By the fue of my reuenge Looke vp my deerest For that proud-faire that thiefe-like step'd betweene Thy promis'd hopes and rob'd thee of a fortune Almost in thy possession hath found With horrid proofe his loue she thought her And assurance of all happinesse glorie But hast'ned her sad ruine Eug. Doe not flatter A griefe that is beneath it for how euer The credulous Duke to me proued false cruel It is imposible he could be wrought To looke on her but with the eyes of dotage And so to serue her Franc. Such indeed I grant The streame of his affection was and ran A constant course till I with cunning malice And yet I wrong my act for it was Iustice Made it turne back-wards and hate in extreames Loue banish'd from his heart to fill the roome In a word know the faire Marcelia's dead Eng. Dead Franc. And by Sforza's hand do's it not moue you How coldly you receiue it I expected The meere relation of so great a blessing
Borne proudly on the wings of sweet reuenge Would haue cal'd on a sacrifice of thankes And ioy not to be bounded or conceal'd You entertaine it with a looke as if You wish'd it were vndone Eug. Indeed I doe For if my sorrowes could receiue addition Her sad fate would encrease not lessen 'em She neuer iniur'd me but entertain'd A fortune humbly offer'd to her hand Which a wise Lady gladly would haue kneel'd for Vnlesse you would impute it as a crime She was more faire then I and had discretion Not to deliuer vp her virgin fort Though straight besieg'd with flatteries vowes teares Vntill the Church had made it safe lawfull And had I been the mistris of her iudgement And constant temper skilfull in the knowledge Of mans malitious falshood I had neuer Vpon his hell-deepe oathes to marrie me Giuen vp my faire name and my mayden honor To his foule lust nor liu'd now being branded In the forhead for his whore the scorne Shame Of all good women Franc. Haue you then no gall Anger or spleene familiar to your sexe Or is it possible that you could see Another to possesse what was your due And not growe pale with enuie Eug. Yes of him That did deceive me Ther 's no passion that A maid so iniur'd euer could partake of But I haue deerely suffer'd These three yeeres In my desire and labour of reuenge Trusted to you I haue indur'd the throes Of teeming women and will hazard all Fate can inflict on me but I will reache Thy heart false Sforza You haue trifled with me And not proceeded with that fiery zeale I look'd for from a brother of your spirit Sorrow forsake me and all signes of griefe Farewell for euer Vengeance arm'd with furie Possesse me wholy now Franc. The reason sister Of this strange metamorphosis Eug. Aske thy feares Thy base vnmanly feares thy poore delayes Thy dull forgetfulnesse equall with death My wrong else and the scandall which can neuer Be wash'd off from our house but in his blood Would haue stirr'd vp a coward to a deed In which though he had falne the braue intent Had crown'd it selfe with a faire monument Of noble resolution In this shape I hope to get accesse and then with shame Hearing my sodaine execution iudge What honor thou hast lost in being transcended By a weake woman Franc. Still mine owne and dearer And yet in this you but poure oyle on fire And offer your assistance where it needs not And that you may perceiue I lay not fallow But had your wrongs stamp'd deeply on my hart By the Yron pen of vengeance I attempted By whoring her to cuckold him that failing I did begin his tragedie in her death To which it seru'd as Prologue and will make A memorable storie of your fortunes In my assur'd reuenge only best sister Let vs not loose our selues in the performance By your rash vndertaking we will be As suddaine as you could wish Eug. Vpon those termes I yeeld my selfe and cause to be dispos'd of As you thinke fit Ent. seruant Franc. Thy purpose Seru. Ther 's one Graccho That follow'd you it seemes vpon the tract Since you left Millaine that 's importunate To haue accesse and will not be deni'd His hast he saies concernes you Ex. seruant Franc. Bring him to me Though he hath lay'd an ambush for my life Or apprehension yet I will preuent him And worke mine own ends out Ent. Grac. Grac. Now for my whipping And if I now out-strip him not and catch him And by a new and strange way to hereafter I 'le sweare there are wormes in my braines Franc. Now my good Graccho We meet as 't were by miracle Grac. Loue and dutie And vigilance in me for my Lords safetie First taught me to imagine you were here And then to follow you Al 's come forth my Lord That you could wish conceal'd The Dutchesse wound In the Dukes rage put home yet gaue her leaue To acquaint him with your practises which your flight Did easily confirme Franc. This I expected But sure you come prouided of good counsaile To helpe in my extreames Grac. I would not hurt you Franc. How hurt me Such another word 's thy death Why dar'st thou thinke it can fall in thy will T' outliue what I determine Grac. How he awes me Franc. Be briefe what brought thee hither Grac. Care to informe you You are a condemn'd man pursu'd and sought for And your head rated at ten thousand Ducates To him that brings it Franc. Very good Grac. All passages Are intercepted and choyce troopes of horse Scoure o're the neighbour plaines your picture sent To euerie State consederate with Millaine That though I grieue to speake it in my iudgement So thicke your dangers meet and run vpon you It is impossible you should escape Their curious search Eug. Why let vs then turne Romanes And falling by our owne hands mocke their threats And dreadfull preparations Franc. 'T would show nobly But that the honour of our full reuenge Were lost in the rash action No Eugenia Graccho is wise my friend to not my seruant And I dare trust him with my latest secret We would and thou must helpe vs to performe it First kill the Duke then fall what can vpon vs For iniuries are writ in brasse kind Graccho And not to be forgotten Grac. He instructs me What I should doe Franc. What 's that Grac. I labour with A strong desire t' assist you with my seruice And now I am deliuer'd of t Franc. I tould you Speake my oraculous Graccho Grac. I haue heard Sir Of men in debt that layd for by their creditors In all such places where it could be thought They would take shelter chose for sanctuarie Their lodgings vnderneath their creditors noses Or neere that prison to which they were design'd If apprehended confident that there They neuer should be sought for Eug. 'T is a strange one Franc. But what inferre you from it Grac. This my Lord That since all wayes of your escape are stop'd In Millaine only or what 's more i' the Court Whether it is presum'd you dare not come Conceal'd in some disguise you may liue safe Franc. And not to be discouered Grac. But by my selfe Franc. By thee Alas I know thee honest Graccho And I will put thy counsell into act And suddainly Yet not to be vngratefull For all thy louing trauell to preserue me What bloody end soe're my starres appoint Thou shalt be safe good Graccho Who 's within there Grac. In the deuils name what meanes he Ent. seruants Franc. Take my friend Into your custodie and bind him fast I would not part with him Grac. My good Lord Franc. Dispatch 'T is for your good to keepe you honest Graccho I would not haue ten thousand Ducates tempt you Being of a soft and waxe like disposition To play the traytor nor a foolish itch To be reueng'd for your late excellent whipping Giue you the opportunitie