liue And well intreated in the Court of Spaine Humbly commends him to your Maiestie These eies beheld and these my followers With these the letters of the Kings commends Giues him Letters Are happie witnesses of his highnes health The King lookes on the letters and proceeds Vice Thy sonne doth liue your tribute is receiu'd Thy peace is made and we are satisfied The rest resolue vpon as things proposde For both our honors and thy benefite Em. These are his highnes farther articles He giues him more Letters Vice Accursed wretch to intimate these ills Against the life and reputation Of noble Alexandro come my Lord vnbinde him Let him vnbinde thee that is bound to death To make a quitall for thy discontent They vnbinde him Alex. Dread Lord in kindenes you could do no lesse Vpon report of such a damned fact But thus we see our innocence hath sau'd The hopeles life which thou Villuppo sought By thy suggestions to haue massacred Vice Say false Villuppo wherefore didst thou thus Falsly betray Lord Alexandros life Him whom thou knowest that no vnkindenes els But euen the slaughter of our deerest sonne Could once haue moued vs to haue misconceaued Alex. Say trecherous Villuppo tell the King Or wherein hath Alexandro vsed thee ill Vil. Rent with remembrance of so foule a deed My guiltie soule submits me to thy doome For not for Alexandros iniuries But forreward and hope to be preferd Thus haue I shamelesly hazarded his life Vice which villaine shal be ransomed with thy deeth And not so meane a torment as we heere Deuisde for him who thou saidst slew our sonne But with the bitterest torments and extreames That may be yet inuented for thine end Alex. seemes to intreat Intreat me not goe take the traitor hence Exit Vil. And Alexandro let vs honor thee With publique notice of thy loyaltie To end those things articulated heere By our great L the mightie king of Spaine We with our councell will deliberate Come Alexandro keepe vs company Exeunt Enter Hieronimo Hiero. Oh eies no eies but fountains fraught with teares Oh life no life but liuely fourme of death Oh world no world but masse of publique wrongs Confusde and filde with murder and misdeeds Oh sacred heauens if this vnhallowed deed If this inhumane and barberous attempt If this incomparable murder thus Of mine but now no more my sonne Shall vnreueald and vnreuenged passe How should we tearme your dealings to be iust If you vniustly deale with those that in your iustice trust The night sad secretary to my mones With direfull visions wake my vexed soule And with the wounds of my distresfull sonne Solicite me for notice of his death The ougly feends do sally forth of hell And frame my steps to vnfrequented paths And feare my hart with fierce inflamed thoughts The cloudie day my discontents records Early begins to regester my dreames And driue me forth to seeke the murtherer Eies life world heauens hel night and day See search shew send some man Some meane that may A Letter falleth What 's heere a letter tush it is not so A Letter written to Hieronimo Red incke Bel. For want of incke receiue this bloudie writ Me hath my haples brother hid from thee Reuenge thy selfe on Balthazar and him For these were they that murdred thy Sonne Hieronimo reuenge Horatios death And better fare then Bel-imperia doth Hiero What meanes this vnexpected miracle My Sonne slaine by Lorenzo and the Prince What cause had they Horatio to maligne Or what might mooue thee Bel-imperia To accuse thy brother had he beene the meane Hieronimo beware thou art betraide And to intrap thy life this traine is laide Aduise thee therefore be not credulous This is deuised to endanger thee That thou by this Lorenzo shouldst accuse And he for thy dishonour done should draw Thy life in question and thy name in hate Deare was the life of my beloued Sonne And of his death behoues me be reueng'd Then hazard not thine owne Hieronimo But liue t' effect thy resolution I therefore will by circumstances trie What I can gather to confirme this writ And harkning neere the Duke of Castiles house Close if I can with Belimperia To listen more but nothing to bewray Enter Pedringano Hiero. Now Pedringano Ped. Now Hieronimo Hiero. Where 's thy Lady Ped. I know not heer 's my Lord Enter Lorenzo Lor. How now whos 's this Hieronimo Hiero. My Lord Ped. He asketh for my Lady Bel-imperia Lor. What to doo Hieronimo The Duke my father hath Vpon some disgrace a while remoou'd her hence But if it be ought I may enforme her of Tell me Hieronimo and I le let her know it Hiero. Nay nay my Lord I thank you it shall not need I had a sute vnto her but too late And her disgrace makes me vnfortunate Lor. Why so Hieronimo vse me Hiero. Oh no my Lord I dare not it must not be I humbly thank your Lordship Lor. Why then farewell Hiero. My griefe no hart my thoughts no tung can tell Exit Lor. Come hither Pedringano seest thou this Ped. My Lord I see it and suspect it too Lor. This is that damned villain Serberine That hath I feare reuealde Horatios death Ped. My Lord he could not t was so lately done And since he hath not lest my company Lor. Admit he haue not his conditions such As feare of flattering words may make him false I know his humour and there with repent That ere I vsde him in this enterprise But Pedringano to preuent the worst And cause I know thee secret as my soule Heere for thy further satisfaction take thou this Giues him more golde And harken to me thus it is deuisde This night thou must and prethee so resolue Meet Serberine at S. Liugis Parke Thou knowest t is heere hard by behinde the house There take thy stand and see thou strike him sure For dye he must if we do meane to liue Ped. But how shall Serberine be there my Lord Lor. Let me alone I le send to him to meet The Prince and me where thou must doe this deed Ped. It shal be done my L. it shall be done And I le goe arme my selfe to meet him there Lor. When things shall alter as I hope they wil Then shalt thou mount for this thou knowest my minde Exit Ped. Che le Ieron Enter Page Page My Lord Lor. Goe sirra to Serberine and bid him forthwith Meet the Prince and me at S. Liugis Parke Behinde the house this euening boy Page I goe my Lord But sirra let the houre be eight a clocke Bid him not faile Page I flye my Lord Exit Lor. Now to confirme the complot thou hast cast Of all these practises I le spread the watch Vpon precise commandement from the king Strongly to guard the place where Pedringano This night shall murder haples Serberine Thus must we worke that will auoide distrust Thus must we practise to preuent mishap And thus one ill another must expulse
Petergade Sir he that was so full of merrie conceits Hiero. Wel what of him Hang. O Lord sir he went the wrong way the fellow had a faire commission to the contrary Sir heere is his pasport I pray you sir we haue done him wrong Hiero. I warrant thee giue it me Hang. you will stand between the gallowes and me Hiero. I I Hang. I thank your L. worship Exit Hangmon Hiero. And yet though some what neerer me concernes I will to ease the greefe that I sustaine Take truce with sorrow while I read on this My Lord I write as mine extreames requirde That you would labour my deliuerie If you neglect my life is desperate And in my death I shall reueale the troth You know my Lord I slew him for your sake And was confederate with the Prince and you Wonne by rewards and hopefull promises I hope to murder Don Horatio too Holpe he to murder mine Horatio And actors in th' accursed Tragedie Wast thou Lorenzo Balthazar and thou Of whom my Sonne my Sonne deseru'd so well What haue I heard what haue mine eies behelde O sacred heauens may it come to passe That such a monstrous and detested deed So closely smootherd and so long conceald Shall thus by this be venged or reueald Now see I what I durst not then suspect That Bel-imperias Letter was not fainde Nor fained she though falsly they haue wrongd Both her my selfe Horatio and themselues Now may I make compare twixt hers and this Of euerie accident I neere could finde Till now and now I feelingly perceiue They did what heauen vnpunisht would not leaue O false Lorenzo are these thy flattering lookes Is this this honour that thou didst my Sonne And Balthazar bane to thy soule and me Was this the ransome he reseru'd thee for Woe to the cause of these constrained warres Woe to thy basenes and captiuitie Woe to thy birth thy body and thy soule Thy cursed father and thy conquerd selfe And band with bitter execrations be The day and place where he did pittie thee But wherefore waste I mine vnfruitfull words When naught but blood will satisfie my woes I will goe plaine me to my Lord the King And cry aloud for iustice through the Court Wearing the flints with these my withered feet And either purchase iustice by intreats Or tire them all with my reuenging threats Exit Enter Isabell and her Maid Isa. So that you say this hearb will purge the eye And this the head ah but none of them wil purge the hart No ther 's no medicine left for my disease Nor any phisick to recure the dead She runnes lunatick Horatio O where 's Horatio Maide Good Madam affright not thus your selfe With outrage for your sonne Horatio He sleepes in quiet in the Elizian fields Isa. Why did I not giue you gownes and goodly things Bought you a whistle and a whipstalke too To be reuenged on their villanies Maid Madame these humors doe torment my soule Isa. My soule poore soule thou talkes of things Thou knowst not what my soule hath siluer wings That mounts me vp vnto the highest heauens To heauen I there sits my Horatio Backt with a troup of fiery Cherubins Dauncing about his newly healed wounds Singing sweet hymnes and chaunting heauenly notes Rare hermony to greet his innocence That dyde I dyde a mirrour in our daies But say where shall I finde the men the murderers That flew Horatio whether shall I runne To finde them out that murdered my Sonne Exeunt Bel-imperia at a window Bel. What meanes this outrage that is offred me Why am I thus sequestred from the Court No notice shall I not know the cause Of this my secret and suspitious ils Accursed brother vnkinde murderer Why bends thou thus thy minde to martir me Hieronimo why writ I of thy wrongs Or why art thou so slacke in thy reuenge Andrea O Andrea that thou sawest Me for thy freend Horatio handled thus And him for me thus causeles murdered Wel force perforce I must constraine my selfe To patience and apply me to the time Till heauen as I haue hoped shall set me free Enter Christophill Chris. Come Madame Bel-imperia this may not be Exeunt Enter Lorenzo Balthazar and the Page Lor. Boy talke no further thus farre things goe well Thou art assurde that thou sawest him dead Page Or els my Lord I liue not Lor. That 's enough As for his resolution in his end Leaue that to him with whom he soiourns now Heere take my ring and giue it Christophill And bid him let my Sister be enlarg'd And bring her hither straight Exit Page This that I did was for a policie To smooth and keepe the murder secret Which as a nine daies wonder being ore-blowne My gentle Sister will I now enlarge Bal. And time Lorenzo for my Lord the Duke You heard enquired for her yester-night Lor. Why and my Lord I hope you heard me say Sufficient reason why she kept away But that 's all one my Lord you loue her Bal. I Lor. Then in your loue beware deale cunningly Salue all suspitions onely sooth me vp And if she hap to stand on tearmes with vs As for her sweet hart and concealement so lest with her gently vnder fained iest Are things concealde that els would breed vnrest But heere she comes Enter Bel-imperia Lor. Now Sister Bel. Sister no thou art no brother but an enemy Els wouldst thou not haue vsde thy Sister so First to affright me with thy weapons drawne And with extreames abuse my company And then to hurry me like whirlewinds rage A midst a crew of thy confederates And clap me vp where none might come at me Nor I at any to reueale my wrongs What madding fury did possesse thy wits Or wherein i st that I offended thee Lor. Aduise you better Bel-imperia For I haue done you no disparagement Vnlesse by more discretion then deseru'd I sought to saue your honour and mine owne Bel. Mine honour why Lorenzo wher in i st That I neglect my reputation so As you or any need to rescue it Lor. His highnes and my Father were resolu'd To come conferre with olde Hieronimo Concerning certaine matters of estate That by the Viceroy was determined Bel. And wherein was mine honour toucht in that Bal. Haue patience Bel-imperia heare the rest Lor. Me next in sight as messenger they sent To giue him notice that they were so nigh Now when I came consorted with the Prince And vnexpected in an Arbour there Found Bel-imperia with Horatio Bel. How than Lor. Why then remembring that olde disgrace Which you for Don Andrea had indurde And now were likely longer to sustaine By being found so meanely accompanied Thought rather for I knew no readier meane To thrust Horatio forth my fathers way Bal. And carry you obscurely some where els Least that his highnes should haue found you there Bel. Euen so my Lord and you are witnesse That this is true which he entreateth of You gentle
THE SPANISH TRAGEdie Containing the lamentable end of Don Horatio and Bel-imperia with the pittifull death of olde Hieronimo Newly corrected and amended of such grosse faults as passed in the first impression AT LONDON Printed by Edward Allde for Edward White ACTVS PRIMVS Enter the Ghoast of Andrea and with him Reuenge Ghoast WHen this eternall substance of my soule Did liue imprisond in my wanton flesh Ech in their function seruing others need I was a Courtier in the Spanish Court My name was Don Andrea my discent Though not ignoble yet inferiour far To gratious fortunes of my tender youth For there in prime and pride of all my yeeres By duteous seruice and deseruing loue In secret I possest a worthy dame Which hight sweet Bel-imperia by name But in the haruest of my sommer ioyes Deaths winter nipt the blossomes of my blisse Forcing diuorce betwixt my loue and me For in the late conflict with Portingale My valour drew me into dangers mouth Till life to death made passage through my wounds When I was slaine my soule descended straight To passe the flowing streame of Acheron But churlish Charon only boatman there Said that my rites of buriall not performde I might not sit amongst his passengers Ere Sol had slept three nights in Thetis lap And slakte his smoaking Charriot in her cloud By Don Horatio our knight Marshals sonne My funerals and obsequies were done Then was the Feriman of hell content To passe me ouer to the slimie strond That leades to fell Auernus ougly waues There pleasing Cerberus with honied speech I past the perils of the formost porch Not farre from hence amidst ten thousand soules Sate Minos Eacus and Rhadamant To whome no sooner gan I make approch To craue a pasport for my wandring Ghost But Minos ingrauen leaues of Lotterie Drew forth the manner of my life and death This knight quoth he both liu'd and died in loue And for his loue tried fortune of the warres And by warres fortune lost both loue and life Why then said Eacus conuay him hence To walke with louers in our fields of loue And spend the course of euerlasting time Vnder greene mirtle trees and Cipresse shades No no said Rhadamant it were not well With louing soules to place a Martialist He died in warre and must to martiall fields Where wounded Hector liues in lasting paine And Achilles mermedons do scoure the plaine Then Minos mildest censor of the three Made this deuice to end the difference Send him quoth he to our infernall King To dome him as best seemes his Maiestie To this effect my pasport straight was drawne In keeping on my way to Plutos Court Through dreadfull shades of euer glooming night I saw more sights then thousand tongues can tell Or pennes can write or mortall harts can think Three waies there were that on the right hand side Was ready way vnto the foresaid fields Where louers liue and bloudie Martialists But either sort containd within his bounds The left hand path declining fearfully Was ready downfall to the deepest hell Where bloudie furies shakes their whips of steele And poore Ixion turnes an endles wheele Where Vsurers are choakt with melting golde And wantons are imbraste with ougly snakes And murderers grone with neuer killing wounds And periurde wights scalded in boyling lead And all soule sinnes with torments ouerwhelmd Twixt these two waies I trod the middle path Which brought me to the faire Elizian greene In midst whereof there standes a stately Towre The walles of brasse the gates of Adamant Heere finding Pluto with his Proserpine I shewed my pasport humbled on my knee Whereat faire Proserpine began to smile And begd that onely she might giue my doome Pluto was pleasd and sealde it with a kisse Forthwith Reuenge she rounded thee in th' eare And bad thee lead me through the gates of Hor Where dreames haue passage in the silent night No sooner had she spoke but we were heere I wot not how in twinkling of an eye Reuenge THen know Andrea that thou art ariu'd Where thou shalt see the author of thy death Don Balthazar the Prince of Portingale Depriu'd of life by Bel-imperia Heere sit we downe to see the misterie And serue for Chorus in this tragedie Enter Spanish King Generall Castile Hieronimo King NOw say L. Generall how fares our Campe Gen. All wel my soueraigne Liege except some few That are deceast by fortune of the warre King But what portends thy cheerefull countenance And posting to our presence thus in hast Speak man hath fortune giuen vs victorie Gen. Victorie my Liege and that with little losse King Our Portingals will pay vs tribute then Gen. Tribute and wonted homage therewithall King Then blest be heauen and guider of the heauens From whose faire influence such iustice flowes Cast. O multum dilecte Deo tibs militat aether Et coniuratae curuato poplito gentes Succumbunt rectiseror est victoria iuris King Thanks to my louing brother of Castile But Generall vnfolde in breefe discourse Your forme of battell and your warres successe That adding all the pleasure of thy newes Vnto the height of former happines With deeper wage and greater dignitie We may reward thy blisfull chiualrie Gen. Where Spaine and Portingale do ioyntly knit Their frontiers leaning on each others bound There met our armies in their proud aray Both furnisht well both full of hope and feare Both menacing alike with daring showes Both vaunting sundry colours of deuice Both cheerly sounding trumpets drums and fifes Both raising dreadfull clamors to the skie That valleis hils and riuers made rebound And heauen it selfe was frighted with the sound Our battels both were pitcht in squadron forme Each corner strongly fenst with wings of shot But ere we ioynd and came to push of Pike I brought a squadron of our readiest shot From out our rearward to begin the fight They brought another wing to incounter vs Meane while our ordinance plaid on either side And Captaines stroue to haue their valours tride Don Pedro their chiefe horse mens Colonell Did with his Cornet brauely make attempt To break the order of our battell rankes But Don Rogero worthy man of warre Marcht forth against him with our Musketiers And stopt the mallice of his fell approch While they maintaine hot skirmish too and fro Both battailes ioyne and fall to handie blowes Their violent shot resembling th' oceans rage When roaring lowd and with a swelling tide It beats vpon the rampiers of huge rocks And gapes to swallow neighbour bounding lands Now while Bellona rageth heere and there Thick stormes of bullets ran like winters haile And shiuered Launces darke the troubled aire Pede pes cuspide cuspis Anni sonant annis vir petiturque viro On euery side drop Captaines to the ground And Souldiers some ill maimde some slaine outright Heere falles a body scindred from his head There legs and armes lye bleeding on the grasse Mingled with weapons and vnboweld steeds That scattering
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
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
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