I this earth Image of mellancholly Seeks him whome fates adiudge to miserie Heere let me lye now am I at the lowest Qvi iacet in terranon habet vnde cadat In me consumpsit vires fortunanocendo Nil superest vt iam possit obesse magis Yes Fortune may bereaue me of my Crowne Heere take it now let Fortune doe her worst She will not rob me of this sable weed O no she enuies none but pleasant things Such is the folly of dispightfull chance Fortune is blinde and sees not my deserts So is she deafe and heares not my laments And could she heare yet is she wilfull mad And therefore will not pittie my distresse Suppose that she could pittie me what then What helpe can be expected at her hands Whose foot standing on a rowling stone And minde more mutable then fickle windes Why waile I then where 's hope of no redresse O yes complaining makes my greefe seeme lesse My late ambition hath distaind my faith My breach of faith occasiond bloudie warres Those bloudie warres haue spent my treasure And with my treasure my peoples blood And with their blood my ioy and best beloued My best beloued my sweet and onely Sonne O wherefore went I not to warre my selfe The cause was mine I might haue died for both My yeeres were mellow his but young and greene My death were naturall but his was forced Alex. No doubt my Liege but still the Prince suruiues Vice Suruiues I where Alex. In Spaine a prisoner by mischance of warre Vice Then they haue slaine him for his fathers fault Alex. That were a breach to common law of armes Vice They recke no lawes that meditate reuenge Alex. His ransomes worth will stay from foule reuenge Vice No if he liued the newes would soone be heere Alex. Nay euill newes flie faster still than good Vice Tell me no more of newes for he is dead Villup. My soueraign pardon the Author of ill newes And I le bewray the fortune of thy Sonne Vice Speake on I le guerdon thee what ere it be Mine eare is ready to receiue ill newes My hart growne hard gainst mischiefes battery Stand vp I say and tell thy tale at large Villup. Then heare that truth which these mine eies haue seene When both the armies were in battell ioynd Don Balthazar amidst the thickest troupes To winne renowne did wondrous feats of armes Amongst the rest I saw him hand to hand In single fight with their Lord Generall Till Alexandro that heere counterfeits Vnder the colour of a duteous freend Discharged his Pistoll at the Princes back As though he would haue slaine their Generall But therwithall Don Balthazar fell downe And when he fell then we began to flie But had he liued the day had sure bene ours Alex. O wicked forgerie O traiterous miscreant Vice Holde thou thy peace but now Villuppo say Where then became the carkasse of my Sonne Villup. I saw them drag it to the Spanish tents Vice I I my nightly dreames haue tolde me this Thou false vnkinde vnthankfull traiterous beast Wherein had Balthazar offended thee That thou shouldst thus betray him to our foes Wast Spanish golde that bleared so thine eyes That thou couldst see no part of our deserts Perchance because thou art Terseraes Lord Thou hadst some hope to weare this Diadome If first my Sonne and then my selfe were slaine But thy ambitious thought shall breake thy neck I this was it that made thee spill his bloud Take the crowne and put it on againe But I le now weare it till thy bloud be spilt Alex. Vouchsafe dread Soueraigne to heare me speak Vice A way with him his sight is second hell Keepe him till we determine of his death If Balthazar be dead he shall not liue Villuppo follow vs for thy reward Exit Vice Villup. Thus haue I with an enuious forged tale Deceiued the King betraid mine enemy And hope for guerdon of my villany Exit Enter Horatio and Bel-imperia Bel. Signior Horatio this is the place and houre Wherein I must intreat thee to relate The circumstance of Don Andreas death Who liuing was my garlands sweetest flower And in his death hath buried my delights Hor. For loue of him and seruice to your selfe I nill refuse this heauy dolefull charge Yet teares and sighes I feare will hinder me When both our Armies were enioynd in fight Your worthie chiualier amidst the thikst For glorious cause still aiming at the fairest Was at the last by yong Don Balthazar Encountred hand to hand their fight was long Their harts were great their clamours menacing Their strength alike their strokes both dangerous But wrathfull Nemesis that wicked power Enuying at Andreas praise and worth Cut short his life to end his praise and woorth She she her selfe disguisde in armours maske As Pallas was before proud Pergamus Brought in a fresh supply of Halberdiers Which pauncht his horse and dingd him to the ground Then yong Don Balthazar with ruthles rage Taking aduantage of his foes distresse Did finish what his Halberdiers begun And left not till Andreas life was done Then though too late incenst with iust remorce I with my band set foorth against the Prince And brought him prisoner from his Halberdiers Bel. Would thou hadst slaine him that so slew my loue But then was Don Andreas carkasse lost Hor. No that was it for which I cheefely stroue Nor stept I back till I recouerd him I tooke him vp and wound him in mine armes And welding him vnto my priuate tent There laid him downe and dewd him with my teares And sighed and sorrowed as became a freend But neither freendly sorrow sighes nor teares Could win pale death from his vsurped right Yet this I did and lesse I could not doe I saw him honoured with due funerall This scarfe I pluckt from off his liueles arme And weare it in remembrance of my freend Bel. I know the scarfe would he had kept it still For had he liued he would haue kept it still And worne it for his Bel-imperias sake For t was my fauour at his last depart But now weare thou it both for him and me For after him thou hast deserued it best But for thy kindnes in his life and death Be sure while Bel-imperias life endures She will be Don Horatios thankfull freend Hor. And Madame Don Horatio will not slacke Humbly to serue faire Bel-imperia But now if your good liking stand thereto We craue your pardon to goe seeke the Prince For so the Duke your father gaue me charge Exit Bel. I goe Horatio leaue me heere alone For sollitude best fits my cheereles mood Yet what auailes to waile Andreas death From whence Horatio proues my second loue Had he not loued Andria as he did He could not sit in Bel-imperias thoughts But how can loue finde harbour in my brest Till I reuenge the death of my beloued Yes second loue shall further my reuenge I le loue Horatio my Andreas freend The more to
burne the roots from whence the rest is sprung I will not leaue a root a stalke a tree A bowe a branch a blossome nor a leafe No not an hearb within this garden Plot Accursed complot of my miserie Fruitlesse for euer may this garden be Barren the earth and blislesse whosoeuer Immagines not to keep it vnmanurde An Easterne winde comixt with noisome aires Shall blast the plants and the yong saplings The earth with Serpents shal be pestered be And passengers for feare to be infect Shall stand aloofe and looking at it tell There murdred dide the sonne of Isabell I heere he dide and heere I him imbrace See where his Ghoast solicites with his wounds Reuenge on her that should reuenge his death Hieronimo make haste to see thy sonne For sorrow and dispaire hath scited me To heare Horatio plead with Radamant Make haste Hieronimo to holde excusde Thy negligence in pursute of their deaths Whose hatefull wrath bereu'd him of his breath Ah nay thou dost delay their deaths Forgiues the murderers of thy noble sonne And none but I bestirre me to no end And as I cursse this tree from further fruit So shall my wombe be cursed for his sake And with this weapon will I wound the brest The haples brest that gaue Horatio suck She stabs her selfe Enter Hieronimo he knocks vp the curtaine Enter the Duke of Castile Cas. How now Hieronimo where 's your fellows That you take all this paine Hiero. O sir it is for the Authors credit To look that all things may goe well But good my Lord let me intreat your grace To giue the King the coppie of the plaie This is the argument of what we shew Cas, I will Hieronimo Hiero. One thing more my good Lord Cas. What 's that Hiero. Let me intreat your grace That when the traine are past into the gallerie You would vouchsafe to throwe me downe the key Cas. I will Hieronimo Exit Cas. Hiero. What are you ready Balthazar Bring a chaire and a cushion for the King Enter Balthazar with a Chaire Well doon Balthazar hang vp the title Our scene is Rhodes what is your beard on Bal. Halfe on the other is in my hand Hiero. Dispatch for shame are you so long Exit Balthazar Bethink thy selfe Hieronimo Recall thy wits recompt thy former wrongs Thou hast receiued by murder of thy sonne And lastly not least how Isabell Once his mother and thy deerest wife All woe begone for him hath slaine her selfe Behoues thee then Hieronimo to be reueng'd The plot is laide of dire reuenge On then Hieronimo pursue reuenge For nothing wants but acting of reuenge Exit Hieronimo Enter Spanish King Vice-roy the Duke of Castile and their traine King Now Viceroy shall we see the Tragedie Of Soliman the Turkish Emperour Performde of pleasure by your Sonne the Prince My Nephew Don Lorenzo and my Neece Vice Who Bel-imperia King I and Hieronimo our Marshall At whose request they deine to doo 't themselues These be our pastimes in the Court of Spaine Heere brother you shall be the booke-keeper This is the argument of that they shew He giueth him a booke Gentlemen this play of Hieronimo in sundrie Languages was thought good to be set downe in English more largely for the easier vnderstanding to euery publique Reader Enter Balthazar Bel-imperia and Hieronimo Balthazar BAshaw that Rhodes is ours yeeld heauens the honor And holy Mahomet our sacred Prophet And be thou grac't with euery excelence That Soliman can giue or thou desire But thy desert in conquering Rhodes is lesse Then in reseruing this faire Christian Nimph Perseda blisfull lamp of Excellence Whose eies compell like powerfull Adamant The warlike heart of Soliman to wait King See Vice-Roy that is Balthazar your Sonne That represents the Emperour Solyman How well he acts his amorous passion Vice I Bel-imperia hath taught him that Castile That 's because his mind tunnes all on Bel-imperia Hiero. What euer ioy earth yeelds betide your Meiestie Balt. Earth yeelds no ioy without Persedaes loue Hiero. Let then Perseda on your grace attend Balt. She shall not wait on me but I on her Drawne by the influence of her lights I yeeld But let my friend the Rhodian knight come foorth Erasto dearer then my life to me That he may see Perseda my beloued Enter Erasto King Heere comes Lorenzo looke vp on the plot And tel me brother what part plaies he Bel. Ah my Erasto welcome to Perseda Lo. Thrice happie is Erasto that thou liuest Rhodes losse is nothing to Erastoes ioy Sith his Perseda liues his life suruiues Balt. Ah Bashaw heere is loue betweene Erasto And faire Perseda soueraigne of my soule Hiero. Remooue Erasto mighty Solyman And then Perseda will be quickly wonne Balt. Erasto is my friend and while he liues Perseda neuer will remooue her loue Hiero. Let not Erasto liue to greeue great Soliman Balt. Deare is Erasto in our Princly eye Hiero. But if he be your riuall let him die Balt. VVhy let him die so loue commaundeth me Yet greeue I that Erasto should so die Hiero. Erasto Solyman saluteth thee And lets thee wit by me his highnes will VVhich is thou shouldst be thus imploid Stab him Bel. Ay me Erasto see Solyman Erastoe 's slaine Balt. Yet liueth Solyman to comfort thee Faire Queene of beautie let not fauour die But with a gratious eye beholde his griefe That with Persedaes beautie is encreast If by Persedaes griefe be not releast Bel. Tyrant desist soliciting vaine sutes Relentles are mine eares to thy laments As thy butcher is pittilesse and base VVhich seazd on my Erasto harmelesse knight Yet by thy power thou thinkest to commaund And to thy power Perseda doth obey But were she able thus she would reuenge Thy treacheries on thee ignoble Prince Stab him And on herselfe she would be thus reuengd Stab herselfe King VVell said olde Marshal this was brauely done Hiero. But Bel-imperia plaies Perseda well Vice were this in earnest Bel-imperia You would be better to my Sonne then so King But now what followes for Hieronimo Hiero Marrie this followes for Hieronimo Heere breake we off our sundrie languages And thus conclude I in our vulgare tung Happely you think but bootles are your thoughts That this is fabulously counterfeit And that we doo as all Tragedians doo To die to day for fashioning our scene The death of Aiax or some Romaine peere And in a minute starting vp againe Reuiue to please to morrowes audience No Princes know I am Hieronimo The hopeles Father of a haples Sonne Whose tung is tun'd to tell his latest tale Not to excuse grosse errors in the play I see your lookes vrge instance of these words Beholde the reason vrging me to this Shewes his dead sonne See heere my shew look on this spectacle Heere lay my hope and heere my hope hath end Heere lay my hart and heere my hart was slaine Heere lay my treasure heere my treasure lost Heere lay my blisse and heere
ouer spread the purple plaine In all this turmoyle three long hovres and more The victory to neither part inclinde Till Don Andrea with his braue Launciers In their maine battell made so great a breach That halfe dismaid the multitude retirde But Balthazar the Portingales young Prince Brought rescue and encouragde them to stay Heere-hence the fight was eagerly renewd And in that conflict was Andrea slaine Braue man at armes but weake to Balthazar Yet while the Prince insulting ouer him Breathd out proud vaunts sounding to our reproch Friendship and hardie valour ioynd in one Prickt forth Horatio our Knight Marshals sonne To challenge forth that Prince in single fight Not long betweene these twaine the fight indurde But straight the Prince was beaten from his horse And forcd to yeeld him prisoner to his foe When he was taken all the rest they fled And our Carbines pursued them to the death Till Phoebus wauing to the western deepe Our Trumpeters were chargde to sound retreat King Thanks good L. Generall for these good newes And for some argument of more to come Take this and weare it for thy soueraignes sake Giue him his chaine But tell me now hast thou confirmd a peace Gen. No peace my Liege but peace conditionall That if with homage tribute be well paid The fury of your forces wil be staide And to this peace their Viceroy hath subscribde Giue the K. a paper And made a solemne vow that during life His tribute shal be truely paid to Spaine King These words these deeds become thy person wel But now Knight Marshall frolike with thy King For t is thy Sonne that winnes this battels prize Hiero. Long may he liue to serue my soueraigne liege And soone decay vnlesse he serue my liege A tucket a farre off King Not thou nor he shall dye without reward What meanes this warning of this trumpets sound Gen. This tels me that your graces men of warre Such as warres fortune hath reseru'd from death Come marching on towards your royall seate To show themselues before your Maiestie For so I gaue in charge at my depart Whereby by demonstration shall appeare That all except three hundred or few more Are safe returnd and by their foes inricht The Armie enters Balthazar betweene Lorenzo and Horatio captiue King A gladsome sight I long to see them heere They enter and passe by Was that the warlike Prince of Portingale That by our Nephew was in triumph led Gen. It was my Liege the Prince of Portingale King But what was he that on the other side Held him by th' arme as partner of the prize Hiero. That was my sonne my gratious soueraigne Of whome though from his tender infancie My louing thoughts did neuer hope but well He neuer pleasd his fathers eyes till now Nor fild my hart with ouercloying ioyes King Goe let them march once more about these walles That staying them we may conferre and talke With our braue prisoner and his double guard Hieronimo it greatly pleaseth vs That in our victorie thou haue a share By vertue of thy worthy sonnes exploit Enter againe Bring hether the young Prince of Portingale The rest martch on but ere they be dismist We will bestow on euery souldier two duckets And on euery leader ten that they may know Our largesse welcomes them Exeunt all but Bal. Lor. Hor Welcome Don Balthazar welcome Nephew And thou Horatio thou art welcome too Young Prince although thy fathers hard misdeedes In keeping backe the tribute that he owes Deserue but euill measure at our hands Yet shalt thou know that Spaine is honorable Balt. The trespasse that my Father made in peace Is now controlde by fortune of the warres And cards once dealt it bootes not aske why so His men are slaine a weakening to his Realme His colours ceaz'd a blot vnto his name His Sonne distrest a corsiue to his hart These punishments may cleare his late offence King I Balthazar if he obserue this truce Our peace will grow the stronger for these warres Meane while liue thou though not in libertie Yet free from bearing any seruile yoake For in our hearing thy deserts were great And in our sight thy selfe art gratious Balt. And I shall studie to deserue this grace King But tell me for their holding makes me doubt To which of these twaine art thou prisoner Lor. To me my Liege Hor. To me my Soueraigne Lor. This hand first tooke his courser by the raines Hor. But first my launce did put him from his horse Lor. ceaz'd his weapon and enioyde it first Hor. But first I forc'd him lay his weapons downe King Let goe his arme vpon our priuiledge Let him goe Say worthy Prince to whether didst thou yeeld Balt. To him in curtesie to this perforce He spake me faire this other gaue me strokes He promisde life this other threatned death He wan my loue this other conquerd me And truth to say I yeeld my selfe to both Hiero. But that I knaw your grace for iust and wise And might seeme partiall in this difference Inforct by nature and by law of armes My tongue should plead for young Horatios right He hunted well that was a Lyons death Not he that in a garment wore his skin So Hares may pull dead Lyons by the beard King Content thee Marshall thou shalt haue no wrong And for thy sake thy Sonne shall want no right Will both abide the censure of my doome Lor. I craue no better then your grace awards Hor. Nor I although I sit beside my right King Then by my iudgement thus your strife shall end You both deserue and both shall haue reward Nephew thou tookst his weapon and his horse His weapons and his horse are thy reward Horatio thou didst force him first to yeeld His ransome therefore is thy valours fee Appoint the sum as you shall both agree But Nephew thou shalt haue the Prince in guard For thine estate best fitteth such a guest Horatios house were small for all his traine Yet in regarde thy substance passeth his And that iust guerdon may befall desert To him we yeeld the armour of the Prince How likes Don Balthazar of this deuice Balt. Right well my Liege if this prouizo were That Don Horatio beare vs company Whome I admire and loue for chiualrie King Horatio leaue him not that loues thee so Now let vs hence to see our souldiers paide And feast our prisoner as our friendly guest Exeunt Enter Viceroy Alexandro Villuppo Vice Is our embassadour dispatcht for Spaine Alex. Two daies my Liege are past since his depart Vice And tribute paiment gone along with him Alex. I my good Lord Vice Then rest we heere a while in our vnrest And feed our sorrowes with some inward sighes For deepest cares break neuer into teares But wherefore sit I in a Regall throne This better fits a wretches endles moane Yet this is higher then my fortunes reach And therefore better then my state deserues Falles to the ground I
is this A man hangd vp and all the murderers gone And in my bower to lay the guilt on me This place was made for pleasure not for death He cuts him downe Those garments that he weares I oft haue seene Alas it is Horatio my sweet sonne O no but he that whilome was my sonne O was it thou that call'dst me from my bed O speak if any sparke of life remaine I am thy father who hath slaine my sonne What sauadge monster not of humane kinde Hath heere beene glutted with thy harmeles blood And left thy bloudie corpes dishonoured heere For me amidst this darke and deathfull shades To drowne thee with an ocean of my teares O heauens why made you night to couer sinue By day this deed of darkenes had not beene O earth why didst thou not in time deuoure The vilde prophaner of this sacred bower O poore Horatio what hadst thou misdoone To leese thy life ere life was new begun O wicked butcher what so ere thou wert How could thou strangle vertue and desert Ay me most wretched that haue lost my ioy In leesing my Horatio my sweet boy Enter Isabell Isa. My husbands absence makes my hart to throb Hieronimo Hiero. Heere Isabella helpe me to lament For sighes are stopt and all my teares are spent Isa. What world of griefe my sonne Horatio O where 's the author of this endles woe Hiero. To know the author were some ease of greefe For in reuenge my hart would finde releefe Isa. Then is he gone and is my sonne gone too O gush out teares fountains and flouds of teares Blow sighes and raise an euerlasting storme For outrage fits our cursed wretchednes Hiero. Sweet louely Rose ill pluckt before thy time Faire worthy sonne not conquerd but betraid I le kisse thee now for words with teares are stainde Isa. And I le close vp the glasses of his sight For once these eyes were onely my delight Hiero. Seest thou this handkercher besmerd with blood It shall not from me till I take reuenge Seest thou those wounds that yet are bleeding fresh I le not intombe them till I haue reueng'd Then will I ioy amidst my discontent Till then my sorrow neuer shal be spent Isa. The heauens are iust murder cannot be hid Time is the author both of truth and right And time will bring this trecherie to light Hiero. Meane while good Isabella cease thy plaints Or at the least dissemble them a while So shall we sooner finde the practise out And learne by whom all this was brought about Come Isabell now let vs take him vp They take him vp And beare him in from out this cursed place I le say his dirge singing fits not this case O aliquis mihi quas pulcbrum var educet herbas Hiero sets his brest vnto his sword Misceat nostro detur medicina dolori Aut siquifaciunt annum oblimia succos Prebeat ipse metum magnam quicunque per orbem Gramina Sol pulcbras effecit inluminis oras Ipse bibam quicquid meditatur saga veneri Quicquid irrani euecaca menia nectit Omnia perpetiar letbum quoque dum semel omnis Noster in extincto moriatur pectora sensus Ergo tuos occulos nunquam mea vita videbo Et tua perpetuus sepeliuit lumina somnus Emoriar tecum Sic sic iuuat Ire sub vmbras Attamen absistam proper 〈…〉 Ne mortem vindicta tuam iam nulla sequatur Heere he throwes it from him and beares the body away Andrea Broughtst thou me hether to increase my paine I lookt that Balthazar should haue been slaine But t is my freend Horatis that is slaine And they abuse faire Bel-imperia Or whom I doted more then all the world Because she lou'd me more then all the world Reuenge Thou talkest of haruest when the corne is greene The end is crowne of euery worke well done The Sickle comes not till the corne be ripe Be still and ere I lead thee from this place I le shew thee Balthazar in heauy case Actus Tertius Enter Viceroy of Portingale Nobles Alexandro Villuppo Viceroy INfortunate condition of Kings Seated amidst so many helpeles doubts First we are plast vpon extreamest height And oft supplanted with exceeding heat But euer subiect to the wheele of chance And at our highest never ioy we so As we both doubt and dread our ouerthrow So striueth not the waues with sundry winds As fortune toyleth in the affaires of kings That would be feard yet feare to be beloued Sith feare or loue to Kings is flatteries For instance Lordings look vpon your King By hate depriued of his dearest sonne The onely hope of our succes successive line Nob. I had not thought that Alexandros hart Had beene enuenomde with such extreame hate But now I see that words haue seuerall workes And there 's no credit in the countenance Vil. No for my Lord had you behelde the traine That fained loue had coloured in his lookes When he in campe consorted Belthazar Farre more inconstant had you thought the Sunne That howerly coasts the center of the earth Then Alexandros purpose to the Prince Vice No more Villuppo thou hast said enough And with thy words thou slaiest our wounded thoughts Nor shall I longer dally with the world Procrastinating Alexandros death Goe some of you and fetch the traitor forth That as he is condemned he may dye Enter Alexandro with a Noble man and Halberts Nob. In such extreames will nought but patience serue Alex. But in extreames what patience shall I vse Nor discontents it me to leaue the world With whome there nothing can preuaile but wrong Nob. Yet hope the best Alex. T is Heauen is my hope As for the earth it is too much infect To yeeld me hope of any of her mould Vice Why linger ye bring forth that daring feend And let him die for his accursed deed Alex. Not that I feare the extremitie of death For Nobles cannot stoop to seruile feare Doo I O King thus discontented liue But this O this torments my labouring soule That thus I die suspected of a sinne Whereof as heauens haue knowne my secret thoughts So am I free from this suggestion Vice No more I say to the tortures when Binde him and burne his body in those flames They binde him to the stake That shall prefigure those vnquenched fiers Of Phlegiton prepared for his soule Alex. My guiltles death will be aueng'd on thee On thee Villuppo that hath malisde thus Or for thy meed hast falsely me accusde Vil. Nay Alexandro if thou menace me I le lend a hand to send thee to the lake Where those thy words shall perish with thy workes Iniurious traitour monstrous homicide Enter Embassadour Stay hold a while and heer with pardon of his Maiestie Lay hands vpon Villuppo Vice Embassadour what news hath vrg'd this sodain entrance Em. Know soueraigne L. that Balthazar doth liue Vice What saiest thou liueth Balthazar our sonne Em. Your highnes sonne L. Balthazar doth
more For thou hast made me bankrupt of my blisse Giue me my sonne you shall not ransome him Away I le rip the bowels of the earth He diggeth with his dagger And Ferrie ouer to th' Elizian plaines And bring my Sonne to shew his deadly wounds Stand from about me I le make a pickaxe of my poniard And heere surrender vp my Marshalship For I le goe marshall vp the feends in hell To be auenged on you all for this King What meanes this outrage will none of you restraine his fury Hiero. Nay soft and faire you shall not need to striue Needs must he goe that the diuels driue Exit King What accident hath hapt Hieronimo I haue not seene him to demeane him so Lor. My gratious Lord he is with extreame pride Conceiued of yong Horatio his Sonne And couetous of hauing to himselfe The ransome of the yong Prince Balthazar Distract and in a manner lunatick King Beleeue me Nephew we are sorie for t This is the loue that Fathers beare their sonnes But gentle brother goe giue to him this golde The Princes raunsome let him haue his due For what he hath Horatio shall not want Happily Hieronimo hath need thereof Lor. But if he be thus helplesly distract T is requisite his office be resignde And giuen to one of more discretion King We shall encrease his melanchollie so T is best that we see further in it first Till when our selfe will exempt the place And Brother now bring in the Embassador That he may be a witnes of the match Twixt Balthazar and Bel-imperia And that we may prefixe a certaine time Wherein the marriage shal be solemnized That we may haue thy Lord the Vice-roy heere Em. Therein your highnes highly shall content His Maiestie that longs to heare from hence King On then and heare you Lord Embassadour Exeunt Enter Hieronimo with a book in his hand Vindicta mihi I heauen will be reuenged of euery ill Nor will they suffer murder vnrepaide Then stay Hieronimo attend their will For mortall men may not appoint their time Perscelus semper tuinm est sceleribus iter Strike and strike home where wrong is offred thee For euils vnto ils conductors be And death 's the worst of resolution For he that thinks with patience to contend To quiet life his life shall easily end Fata si miseros iuuant habes salutem Fata si vitam negant habes sepulchrum If destinie thy miseries doe ease Then hast thou health and happie shalt thou be If destinie denie thee life Hieronimo Yet shalt thou be assured of a tombe If neither yet let this thy comfort be Heauen couereth him that hath no buriall And to conclude I will reuenge his death But how not as the vulgare wits of men With open but ineuitable ils As by a secret yet a certain meane Which vnder kindeship wil be cloked best Wise men will take their oportunitie Closely and safely fitting things to time But in extreames aduantage hath no time And therefore all times fit not for reuenge Thus therefore will I res i me in vnrest Dissembling quiet in vnquietnes Not seeming that I know their villanies That my simplicitie may make them think That ignorantly I will let all slip For ignorance I wot and well they know Remedium malorum iners est Nor ought auailes it me to menace them Who as a wintrie storme vpon a plaine Will beare me downe with their nobilitie No no Hieronimo thou must enioyne Thine eies to obseruation and thy tung To milder speeches then thy spirit affoords Thy hart to patience and thy hands to rest Thy Cappe to curtesie and thy knee to bow Till to reuenge thou know when where and how How now what noise what coile is that you keepe A noise within Enter a Seruant Ser. Heere are a sort of poore Petitioners That are importunate and it shall please you sir That you should plead their cases to the King Hiero. That I should plead their seuerall actions Why let them enter and let me see them Enter three Cittizens and an olde Man 1 So I tell you this for learning and for law There 's not any aduocate in Spaine That can preuaile or will take halfe the paine That he will in pursuite of equitie Hiero. Come neere you men that thus importune me Now must I beare a face of grauitie For thus I vsde before my Marshalship To pleade in causes as Corrigedor Come on sirs what 's the matter 2 Sir an Action Hiero. Of Batterie 1 Mine of debt Hiero. Giue place 2 No sir mine is an action of the case 3 Mine an Eiectione firma by a Lease Hiero. Content you sirs are you determined That I should plead your seuerall actions 1 I sir and heere 's my declaration 2 And heere is my band 3 And heere is my lease They giue him paper Hiero. But wherefore stands yon silly man so mute With mournfull eyes and hands to heauen vprearde Come hether father let me know thy cause Senex O worthy sir my cause but slightly knowne May mooue the harts of warlike Myrmydons And melt the Corsicke rockes with ruthfull teares Hiero. Say Father tell me what 's thy sute Senex No sir could my woes Giue way vnto my most distresfull words Then should I not in paper as you see With incke bewray what blood began in me Hiero. What 's heere the humble supplication Of Don Bazulto for his murdred sonne Senex I Sir Hiero. No sir it was my murdred sonne oh my sonne My sonne oh my sonne Horatio But mine or thine Bazulto be content Heere take my hand-kercher and wipe thine eies Whiles wretched I in thy mishaps may see The liuely portraict of my dying selfe He draweth out a bloudie Napkin O no not this Horatio this was thine And when I dyde it in thy deerest blood This was a token twixt thy soule and me That of thy death reuenged I should be But heere take this and this what my purse I this and that and all of them are thine For all as one are our extremeties 1 Oh see the kindenes of Hieronimo 2 This gentlenes shewes him a Gentleman Hiero. See see oh see thy shame Hieronimo See heere a louing Father to his sonne Beholde the sorrowes and the sad laments That he deliuereth for his sonnes dicease If loues effects so striues in lesser things If loue enforce such moodes in meaner wits If loue expresse such power in poore estates Hieronimo When as a raging Sea Tost with the winde and tide ore turnest then The vpper billowes course of waues to keep Whilest lesser waters labour in the deepe Then shamest thou not Hieronimo to neglect The sweet reuenge of thy Horatio Though on this earth iustice will not be found I le downe to hell and in this passion Knock at the dismall gates of Plutos Court Getting by force as once Alcides did A troupe of furies and tormenting hagges To torture Don Lorenzo and the rest Yet least the triple headed
thou hast said it shal be so Goe one of you and call Hieronimo Enter Balthazar aud Bel-imperia Bal. Come Bel-imperie Balthazar 's content My sorrowes ease and soueraigne of my blisse Sith heauen hath or dainde thee to be mine Disperce those cloudes and melanchollie lookes And cleere them vp with those thy Sunne bright eies Wherein my hope and heauens faire beautie lies Bel. My lookes my Lord are fitting for my loue Which new begun can shew brighter yet Bal. New kindled flames should burne as morning Sun Bel. But not too fast least heate and all be done I see my Lord my Father Bal. Truce my loue I will goe salute him Cas. Welcome Balthazar welcome braue Prince The pledge of Castiles peace And welcome Bel-imperia how now girle Why commest thou sadly to salute vs thus Content thy selfe for I am satisfied It is not now as when Andrea liu'd We haue forgotten and forgiuen that And thou art graced with a happier loue But Balthazar heere comes Hieronimo I le haue a word with him Enter Hieronimo and a Seruant Hiero. And where 's the Duke Ser. yonder Hiero. Euen so what new deuice haue they deuised tro Pocas Palabras milde as the Lambe I st I will be reueng'd no I am not the man Cas. Welcome Hieronimo Lor. Welcome Hieronimo Bal. Welcome Hieronimo Hiero. My Lords I thank you for Horatio Cas. Hieronimo the reason that I sent To speak with you is this Hiero. What so short Then I le be gone I thank you for t Cas. Nay stay Hieronimo goe call him sonne Hieronimo my father craues a word with you Hiero. With me sir why my L. I thought you had done Lor. No would he had Cas. Hieronimo I hear you finde your selfe agreeued at my Sonne Because you haue not accesse vnto the King And say t is he that intercepts your sutes Hiero. Why is not this a miserable thing my Lord Cas. Hieronimo I hope you haue no cause And would be loth that one of your deserts Should once haue reason to suspect my Sonne Considering how I think of you my selfe Hiero. Your sonne Lorenzo whome my noble Lord The hope of Spaine mine honourable freend Graunt me the combat of them if they dare Drawes out his sword I le meet him face to face to tell me so These be the scandalous reports of such As loues not me and hate my Lord too much Should I suspect Lorenzo would preuent Or crosse my sute that loued my Sonne so well My Lord I am ashamed it should be said Lor. Hieronimo I neuer gaue you cause Hero My good Lord I know you did not Cas. There then pause and for the satisfaction of the world Hieronimo frequent my homely house The Duke of Castile Ciprians ancient seat And when thou wilt vse me my sonne and it But heere before Prince Balthazar and me Embrace each other and be perfect freends Hiero. I marry my Lord and shall Freends quoth he see I le be freends with you all Specially with you my louely Lord For diuers causes it is fit for vs That we be freends the world is suspitious And men may think what we imagine not Bal. Why this is freendly doone Hieronimo Lor. And that I hope olde grudges are forgot Hiero. What els it were a shame it should not be so Cas. Come on Hieronimo at my request Let vs entreat your company to day Exeunt Hiero. Yor Lordships to commaund Pha keep your way Mi. Chi mi fa Pui Correzza Che non sule Tradito viha otrade vule Exit Enter Ghoast and Reuenge Ghost Awake Erictha Cerberus awake Sollicite Pluto gentle Proserpine To combat Achinon and Ericus in hell For neere by Stix and Phlegeton Nor ferried Caron to the fierie lakes Such fearfull sights as poore Andrea see Reuenge awake Reuenge Awake for why Ghost Awake Reuenge for thou art ill aduisde Thâ—sleepe away what thou art warnd to watch Reuenge Content thy selfe and doe not trouble me Ghost Awake Reuenge if loue as loue hath had Haue yet the power or preuailance in hell Hieronimo with Lorenzo is ioynde in league And intercepts our passage to reuenge Awake Reuenge or we are woe begone Reuenge Thus worldlings ground what they haue dreamd vpon Content thy selfe Andrea though I sleepe Yet is my mood soliciting their soules Sufficeth thee that poore Hieronimo Cannot forget his sonne Horatio Nor dies Reuenge although he sleepe a while For in vnquiet quietnes is faind And slumbring is a common worldly wile Beholde Andrea for an instance how Reuenge hath slept and then imagine thou What t is to be subiect to destinie Enter a dumme shew Ghost Awake Reuenge reueale this misterie Reuenge The two first the nuptiall Torches boare As brightly burning as the mid-daies sunne But after them doth Himen hie as fast Clothed in sable and a Saffron robe And blowes them out and quencheth them with blood As discontent that things continue so Ghost Sufficeth me thy meanings vnderstood And thanks to thee and those infernall powers That will not tollerate a Louers woe Rest thee for I will sit to see the rest Reuenge Then argue not for thou hast thy request Exeunt Actus Quartus Enter Bel-imperia and Hieronimo Bel-imperia IS this the loue thou bearst Horatio Is this the kindnes that thou counterfeits Are these the fruits of thine incessant teares Hieronimo are these thy passions Thy protestations and thy deepe laments That thou wert wont to wearie men withall O vnkind Father O deceitfull world With what excuses canst thou shew thy selfe With what dishonour and the hate of men From this dishonour and the hate of men Thus to neglect the losse and life of him Whom both my letters and thine owne beliefe Assures thee to be causles slaughtered Hieronimo for shame Hieronimo Be not a History to after times Of such in gratitude vnto thy Sonne Vnhappy Mothers of such children then But monstrous Fathers to forget so soone The death of those whom they with care and cost Haue tendred so thus careles should be lost My selfe a stranger in respect of thee So loued his life as still I wish their deathes Nor shall his death be vnreuengd by me Although I beare it out for fashions sake For heere I sweare in sight of heauen and earth Shouldst thou neglect the loue thou shouldst retaine And giue it ouer and deuise no more My selfe should send their hatefull soules to hel That wrought his downfall with extreamest death Hie. But may it be that Bel-imperia Vowes such reuenge as she hath daind to say Why then I see that heauen applies our drift And all the Saints doe sit soliciting For vengeance on those cursed murtherers Madame t is true and now I find it so I found a letter written in your name And in that letter how Horatio died Pardon O pardon Bel-imperia My feare and care in not beleeuing it Nor thinke I thoughtles thinke vpon a meane To let his death be vnreveng'd at full And heere I vow so you
my blisse bereft But hope hart treasure ioy and blisse All fled faild died yea all decaide with this From forth these wounds came breath that gaue me life They murdred me that made these fatall markes The cause was loue whence grew this mortall hate The hate Lorenzo and yong Balthazar The loue my sonne to Bel-imperia But night the couerer of accursed crimes With pitchie silence husht these traitors harmes And lent them leaue for they had sorted leasure To take aduantage in my Garden plot Vpon my Sonne my deere Horatio There mercilesse they butcherd vp my boy In black darke night to pale dim cruell death He shrikes I heard and yet me thinks I heare His dismall out-cry eccho in the aire With soonest speed I hasted to the noise Where hanging on a tree I found my sonne Through girt with wounds and slaughtred as you see And greeued I think you at this spectacle Speak Calabrian whose losse resembles mine If thou canst weep vpon thy Balthazar T is like I wailde for my Horatio And you my L. whose reconciled sonne Marcht in a net and thought him selfe vnseene And rated me for brainsicke lunacie With God amend that mad Hieronimo How can you brook our plaies catastrophe And heere beholde this bloudie hand-kercher Which at Horatios death I weeping dipt Within the riuer of his bleeding wounds It as propitious see I haue reserued And neuer hath it left my bloody hart Soliciting remembrance of my vow With these O these accursed murderers Which now perform'd my hart is satisfied And to this end the Bashaw I became That might reuenge me on Lorenzos life Who therefore was appointed to the part And was to represent the Knight of Rhodes That I might kill him more conueniently So Vice-roy was this Balthazar thy Sonne That Soliman which Bel-imperia In person of Perseda murdered Solie appointed to that tragicke part That she might slay him that offended her Poore Bel-imperia mist her part in this For though the story saith she should haue died Yet I of kindenes and of care to her Did otherwise determine of her end But loue of him whom they did hate too much Did vrge her resolution to be such And Princes now beholde Hieronimo Author and actor in this Tragedie Bearing his latest fortune in his fist And will as resolute conclude his parte As any of the Actors gone before And Gentles thus I end my play Vrge no more words I haue no more to say He runs to hang himselfe King O hearken Vice-roy holde Hieronimo Brother my Nephew and thy Sonne are slaine Vice We are betraide my Balthazar is slaine Breake ope the doores runne saue Hieronimo Hieronimo doe but enforme the King of these euents Ypon mine honour thou shalt haue no harme Hiero. Vice-roy I will not trust thee with my life Which I this day haue offered to my Sonne Accursed wretch why staiest thou him that was resolued to die King Speak traitor damned bloudy murderer speak For now I haue thee I will make thee speak Why hast thou done this vndeseruing deed Vice Why hast thou murdered my Balthazar Cas. Why hast thou butchered both my children thus Hiero. O good words as deare to me was my Horatio As yours or yours or yours my L. to you My guiltles Sonne was by Lorenzo slaine And by Lorenzo and that Balthazar Am I at last reuenged thorowly Vpon whose soules may heauens be yet auenged With greater far then these afflictions Cas. But who were thy confederates in this Vice That was thy daughter Bel-imperia For by her hand my Balthazar was slaine I saw her stab him King Why speakest thou not Hiero. What lesser libertie can Kings affoord Then harmeles silence then affoord it me Sufficeth I may not nor I will not tell thee King Fetch forth the tortures Traitor as thou art I le make thee tell Hiero. Indeed thou maiest torment me as his wretched Sonne Hath done in murdring my Horatio But neuer shalt thou force me to reueale The thing which I haue vowd inuiolate And therefore in despight of all thy threats Pleasde with their deaths and easde with their reuenge First take my tung and afterwards my hart King O monstrous resolution of a wretch See Vice-roy hee hath bitten foorth his tung Rather then to reueale what we requirde Cas Yet can he write King And if in this he satisfie vs not We will deuise th e'xtreamest kinde of death That euer was inuented for a wretch Then he makes signes for a knife to mend his pen Cas. O he would haue a knife to mend his Pen Vice Heere and aduise thee that thou write the troth Looke to my brother saue Hieronimo He with a knife stabs the Duke and himselfe King What age hath euer heard such monstrous deeds My brother and the whole succeeding hope That Spaine expected after my discease Go beare his body hence that we may mourne The losse of our beloued brothers death That he may be entom'd what ere befall I am the next the neerest last of all Vice And thou Don Pedro do the like for vs Take vp our haples sonne vntimely slaine Set me with him and he with wofull me Vpon the maine mast of a ship vnmand And let the winde and tide hall me along To Sallas barking and vntamed greefe Or to the loth some poole of Acheron To weepe my want for my sweet Balthazar Spaine hath no refuge for a Portingale The Trumpets sound a dead march the King of Spaine mourning after his brothers body and the King of Portingale bearing the body of his Sonne Enter Ghoast and Reuenge Ghoast I now my hopes haue end in their effects When blood and sorrow finnish my desires Horatio murdered in his Fathers bower Vilde Serberine by Pedringano slaine False Pedringano hangd by quaint deuice Faire Isabella by her selfe misdone Prince Balthazar by Bel-imperia stabd The Duke of Castile and his wicked Sonne Both done to death by olde Hieronimo My Bel-imperia falne as Dido fell And good Hieronimo slaine by himselfe I these were spectacles to please my soule Now will I beg at louely Proserpine That by the vertue of her Princely doome I may consort my freends in pleasing sort And on my foes worke iust and sharpe reuenge I le lead my freend Horatio through those feeldes Where neuer dying warres are still inurde I le lead faire Isabella to that traine Where pittie weepes but neuer feeleth paine I le lead my Bel-imperia to those ioyes That vestal Virgins and faire Queenes possesse I le lead Hieronimo where Orpheus plaies Adding sweet pleasure to eternall daies But say Reuenge for thou must helpe or none Against the rest how shall my hate be showne Reuenge This hand shall hale them down to deepest hell Where none but furies bugs and tortures dwell Ghoast Then sweet Reuenge doo this at my request Let me be iudge and doome them to vnrest Let loose poore Titius from the vultures gripe And let Don Ciprian supply his roome Place Don Lorenzo on Ixions wheele And let the louers endles paines surcease Iuno forgets olde wrath and graunts him ease Hang Balthazar about Chineras neck And let him there bewaile his bloudy loue Repining at our ioyes that are aboue Let Serberine goe roule the fatall stone And take from Siciphus his endles mone False Pedringano for his trecherie Let him be dragde through boyling Acheron And there liue dying still in endles flames Blaspheming Gods and all their holy names Reuenge Then haste we downe to meet thy freends and foes To place thy freends in ease the rest in woes For heere though death hath end their miserie I le there begin their endles Tragedie Exeunt FINIS