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
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
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
spight the Prince that wrought his end And where Don Balthazar that slew my loue Himselfe now pleades for fauour at my hands He shall in rigour of my iust disdaine Reape long repentance for his murderous deed For what wa st els but murderous cowardise So many to oppresse one valiant knight Without respect of honour in the fight And heere he comes that murdred my delight Enter Lorenzo and Balthazar Lor. Sister what meanes this melanchollie walke Bel. That for a while I wish no company Lor. But heere the Prince is come to visite you Bel. That argues that he liues in libertie Bal. No Madame but in pleasing seruitude Bel. Your prison then belike is your conceit Bal. I by conceit my freedome is enthralde Bel. Then with conceite enlarge your selfe again Bal. What if conceite haue laid my hart to gage Bel. Pay that you borrowed and recouer it Bal. I die if it returne from whence it lyes Bel. A hartles man and liue A miracle Bal. I Lady loue can worke such miracles Lor. Tush tush my Lord let goe these ambages And in plaine tearmes acquaint her with your loue Bel. What bootes complaint when ther 's no remedy Bal. Yes to your gratious selfe must I complaine In whose faire answere lyes my remedy On whose perfection all my thoughts attend On whose aspect mine eyes finde beauties bowre In whose translucent brest my hart is lodgde Bel. Alas my Lord these are but words of course And but deuise to driue me from this place She in going in lets fall her Gloue which Horatio comming out takes vp Hor. Madame your Gloue Bel. Thanks good Horatio take it for thy paines Bal. Signior Horatio stoopt in happie time Hor. I reapt more grace then I deseru'd or hop'd Lor. My Lord be not dismaid for what is past You know that women oft are humerous These clouds will ouerblow with little winde Let me alone I le scatter them my selfe Meane while let vs deuise to spend the time In some delightfull sports and reuelling Hor. The King my Lords is comming hither straight To feast the Portingall Embassadour Things were in readines before I came Bal. Then heere it fits vs to attend the King To welcome hither our Embassadour And learne my Father and my Countries health Enter the banquet Trumpets the King and Embassadour King See Lord Embassador how Spaine intreats Their prisoner Balthazar thy Viceroyes Sonne We pleasure more in kindenes then in warres Embass. Sad is our King and Portingale laments Supposing that Don Balthazar is slaine Bal. So am I slaine by beauties tirannie You see my Lord how Balthazar is slaine I frolike with the Duke of Castiles Sonne Wrapt euery houre in pleasurs of the Court And graste with fauours of his Maiestie King Put off your greetings till our feast be done Now come and sit with vs and taste our cheere Sit to the banquet Sit downe young Prince you are our second guest Brother sit downe and Nephew take your place Signior Horatio waite thou vpon our cup For well thou hast deserued to be honored Now Lordings fall too Spaine is Portugall And Portugall is Spaine we both are freends Tribute is paid and we enioy our right But where is olde Hieronimo our Marshall He promised vs in honor of our guest To grace our banquet with some pompous iest Enter Hieronimo with a Drum three Knights each his Scutchin then he fetches three Kings they take their Crownes and them captiue Hieronimo this maske contents mine eie Although I sound not well the misterie Hiero. The first arm'd Knight that hung his Scutchin vp He takes the Scutchin and giues it to the King Was English Robert Earle of Glocester Who when king Stephen bore sway in Albion Arriued with fiue and twenty thousand men In Portingale and by successe of warre Enforced the King then but a Sarasin To beare the yoake of the English Monarchie King My Lord of Portingale by this you see That which may comfort both your King and you And make your late discomfort seeme the lesse But say Hieronimo what was the next Hiero. The second Knight that hung his Scutchin vp He doth as he did before Was Edmond Earle of Kent in Albion When English Richard wore the Diadem He came likewise and razed Lisbon walles And tooke the King of Portingale in fight For which and other such like seruice done He after was created Duke of Yorke King This is another speciall argument That Portingale may daine to beare our yoake When it by little England hath beene yoakt But now Hieronimo what were the last Hiero. The third and last not least in our account Dooing as before Was as the rest a valiant Englishman Braue Iohn of Gaunt the Duke of Lancaster As by his Scutchin plainely may appeare He with a puissant armie came to Spaine And tooke our King of Castile prisoner Embass. This is an argument for our Viceroy That Spaine may not insult for her successe Since English warriours likewise conquered Spaine And made them bow their knees to Albion King Hieronimo I drinke to thee for this deuise Which hath pleasde both the Embassador and me Pledge me Hieronomo if thou loue the King Takes the Cup of Horatio My Lord I feare we sit but ouer-long Vnlesse our dainties were more delicate But welcome are you to the best we haue Now let vs in that you may be dispatcht I think our councell is already set Exeunt omnes Andrea Come we for this from depth of vnder ground To see him feast that gaue me my deaths wound These pleasant sights are sorrow to my soule Nothing but league and loue and banqueting Reuenge Be still Andrea ere we goe from hence I le turne their freendship into fell despight Their loue to mortall hate their day to night Their hope into dispaire their peace to warre Their ioyes to paine their blisse to miserie Actus Secundus Enter Lorenzo and Balthazar Lorenzo MY Lord though Bel-imperia seeme thus coy Let reason holde you in your wonted ioy In time the sauage Bull sustaines the yoake In time all haggard Hawkes will stoope to lure In time small wedges cleaue the hardest Oake In time the flint is pearst with softest shower And she in time will fall from her disdaine And rue the sufferance of your freendly paine Bal. No she is wilder and more hard withall Then beast or bird or tree or stony wall But wherefore blot I Bel-imperias name It is my fault not she that merites blame My feature is not to content her sight My wordes are rude and worke her no delight The lines I send her are but harsh and ill Such as doe drop from Pan and Marsias quill My presents are not of sufficient cost And being worthles all my labours lost Yet might she loue me for my valiancie I but that 's slaundred by captiuitie Yet might she loue me to content her fire I but her reason masters his desire Yet might she loue me as her brothers freend I but her hopes