University of Virginia Library

ACTVS, V.

Enter King. Valasco, Malevento Alphonso.
Mal.
Oh royall Sir, my Daughter Tormiella
Has lost her vse of reason and runne mad.

King.
When!

Mal.
Not halfe an houre since.

King.
Mad now! now frantique!
When all my hopes are at their highest pitch
T'inioy her beauties! talke no more: thou ly'st.

Enter Gazetto.
Gaz.
May it please your Maiestie—

King.
Curses consume thee—oh—

Strikes.
Gaz.
It is dispatch'd, the Queene is lost, neuer to be found.

King.
Waue vpon Waue,
Hard hearted Furies, when will you dig my Graue:
You doe not heare him, thunder shakes Heauen first
Before dull Earth can feele it:
My deere, dearest Queene is dead.

Val.
Ha!

Omn.
The Queene dead!

King.
What said she last!

Gaz.
Commend me to the King
And tell him this, mine honour is not wrack'd,
Though his Loue bee.

King.
And so her heart-strings crackt!

Val.
Some tricke vpon my life, State-coniuring
To raise vp Diuels in Prisons, and i'th darke:
If she be dead, Ile see her.

King.
Villanous man,
Thou see what we haue inioy'd, thou impudent foole
Away, Iago giue this tumbling Whale
Empty barrels to play with, till this troublous Seas
(Which he more raging makes) good Heauen appease.

Val.
Well, I say nothing, Birds in Cages mourne
At first, but at last sing; I will take my turne.

Exit.
King.
My Queene dead, I shall now haue riming slaues
Libell vpon vs, giuing her innocent wings
But say we murdered her, scandall dare strike Kings:
Then here's another Moone of Spaine Eclips'd,
One whom our best lou'd Queene put in her bosome,
For sweetnesse of pure life, integritie,
And (in Court beauties wondrous) honesty,
Shee's mad too, Lupo, Tormiella's mad!

Gaz.
Mad!

Iag.
As a March whore.

Gaz.
Mad, shall I worke vpon her?

King.
Vse thy skill.

Exit Gazetto.
Iag.
I would to Heauen your highnesse—

King.
Ha! the Queene! was she not at my elbow?

Omn.
Here was nothing.

King.
I must not liue thus, Iago if I lye
After the kingly fashion without a woman
I shall run mad at midnight; I will marry
The Lunaticke Lady, she shall be my Queene,
Proclaime her so.

Iag.
Your highnesse does but jest!

King.
All the world's franticke, mad with mad are best.

Exit
Iag.
Wretched state of Kings, that standing hye,
Their faults are markes, shot at by euery eye.

Exit.
Enter Tormiella, Malevento, Gazetto.
Gaz.

Giue me the key, make all fast, leaue vs, Ile skrew her
wits to the right place.

Mal.

Apollo blesse thee.

Exit.
Tor.

Are not you a woollen-Draper?

Gaz.

Yes.

Tor.

Whether is a womans life measured by the Ell or the Yard.

Gaz.

All women by the Yard sure, it's no life else.

Tor.

I'me now neare seuenteene yeares old, if I should dye
at these yeares, am I not a foole.

Gaz.

Yes marry are you, for the Law allowes none to be of
discretion, till they come to twenty one.

Tor.

Out vpon you, you are a Lawyer, pray get you hence, for
you'l not leaue me clothes to my backe if I keepe you company,
I'me mad enough now, and you'l make me starke mad.

Gaz.
I am not what I seeme, no Doctor I
But by your Husband sent in this disguise
To sound your bosome.

Tor.
You bob for Eeles, doe you not?

Gaz.
Here has he lockt his mind vp, but for mee
To put a burning linstocke in a hand
That may giue fire, and send my Soule in powder,
I know not, pardon me, fare you well Lady?

Tor.
Hist doe you heare?

Gaz.
The eyes of mercy guard thee
Were't knowne for what I venter'd thus, 'twere death,
Ile to your husband.

Tor.
Stay, I am not mad
Yet I haue cause to raue, my wits like Bels
Are backward rung, onely to fright the Tyrant
That whilst his wild lust wanders, I may flye
To my sweet husbands armes, here I haue hid
The traines I meane to lay for mine escape.

Gaz.
Excellent, he shall second you.

Tor.
Should any watch vs!

Gaz.
All's fast, run mad agen then, the King thinks
Me some rare fellow, you shall leaue the Court
Now if you'l taste my Counsell.

Torm.
Ile drinke gall to cure mee of this sicknesse.

Gaz.
Sit then downe here
Ile bind you fast because it shall appeare,
That you grow worse and worse, then will I tell
The King, the onely course to leaue you well,
Is to remoue you home to mine owne Lodging,
Ile bind you.

Tor.
For euer to thee.

Gaz.
Once hence, you may flye
To th'Straights, and then crosse o're to Barbary:
So, th'art a Strumpet.

Tor.
What's that you speake!

Gaz.
A damn'd one,
Dost thou not know me! I am Gazetto!

Tor.
Mercy.

Gaz.
Who like a ball of wild-fire haue beene tost
To make others sport, but here I burst and kill:
A periur'd Strumpet.

Tor.
I am none,
My Father swore that I should marry thee,
And then a Tyger and a Lambe had met,
I ne're was thine, nor euer will be.

Gaz.
Sweare thou art not mine,
That when I see thy heart drunke with hot oathes,
This Feind may pitch thee reeling into Hell,
Sweare that thou art not mine.

Tor.
By heauen I am not,
To proue I sweare right to thee, change that weapon,
See at my Girdle hang my wedding kniues,
With those dispatch mee.

Gaz.
To th'heart?

Tor.
Ayme right I beseech thee.

Gaz.
Ile not kill thee now for spight
Because thou begst it.

Tor.
Then good villaine spare me!

Gaz.
Neither, heere's that shall sinke thee; to the King
Thy iugling and these Letters shall be showne.

Tor.
Vpon thy head be my confusion
The King! I shall both feed his rage and lust,
First doome me to any Tortures!

Gaz.
Thou shalt then sweare—
Vnbinds her.
Because I know he'll force the tye a knot,
The Church must see and sigh at, if he marries thee,
Sweare when he comes to touch thy naked side,
To bury him in those sheets, thou art his Bride.

Tor.
By Heauen that night's his last, my iust hart keepes
This vow grauen there.

Gaz.
Till then my vengeance sleepes,
Where is the King?

Enter King, Iago, Alphonso, Malevento.
Gaz.
I haue refin'd
That Chaos which confounded her faire mind.

Kin.
Moue in thy voice the Spheares, whē next thou speakst, Tormiella.

Tor.
I am well my fearefull dreame
Is vanisht, thankes to Heauen and that good man.

King.
Thou giu'st me another Crowne, oh Vindicados,
The axletree on which my Kingdome moues,
Leanes on thy shoulders, I am all thine; Tormiella!
Bright Cynthia looke not pale, Endimions heere,
Hymen shall fetch a leape from Heauen t'alight
Full in thine armes, backe thou blacke ominous night.

Exeunt.
Enter Cordolente.
Cor.

Signior Lupo, why Don, not know me, I am the poore
Shopkeeper, whose ware is taken vp by the King.

Gaz.

You lye.

Cor.

True, as Iudges doe with their wiues, very seldome, I am
Cordolente a poore Gudgin diuing thus vnder water, to see how
Neptune and his Mermaides swim together, but dare not come
neare him, for feare he sets Dogfish to deuoure me.

Gaz.

An excellent maske against the marriage, now get a private
Coat, the King meanes to haue you stab'd.

Cor.

He does that already, with the bodkin that sticks in my
wifes hayre.

Gaz.

He has not the patience to stay the dressing of his meat
of thy prouiding, he will haue it taken vp, and eate the flesh raw,
he will be married incontinently.

Cor.

Will she set her hands to my hornes?

Gaz.

Yes, and set them to your head, she followes the steps
of her old grandam, all euils take their names from her, the ills
of Eue, thy wife for the hoope ring thou marriedst her withall,
hath sworne to send thee a Deathes head.

Cor.

Sworne!

Gaz.

Sworne, were thy case my case; I would set a Diuell
at her elbow in the very Church, I would kill her as she gaue away
her hand.

Cor.

Wilt helpe me to a fit Circle to play the Diuell in?

Gaz.

Ile place thee, Ile put thy foot into the stirrup.

Cor.

And I will rid the world of one of his diseases, a loose woman.

Gaz.

Farewell, eate her very hart.

Exit.
Cor.

As we feed one vpon another, hungerly—

Exeunt.
Hoboyes: Enter two Fryers setting out an Altar, Enter Iago, Alphonso, Gazetto, Malevento, two Churchmen, Tormiella next and the King, Ladies attending, Cordolente steales in, and stands in some by place, the King stayes or sits in a chayre, Tormiella is brought to him, as she is comming the King meets her; as the ring is putting on, Cordolente steps in rudely, breakes them off, Tormiella flyes to his bosome, the King offers to stab him, is held: she kneeles, sues, weepes, Cordolente is thrust out, Gazetto laughs at all, they are preparing to it againe, it Thunders and Lightens: all affrightedly—Exeunt.
Enter Cordolente.
Cord.

Dost thou tell me of thy Proclamations that I am banisht
from the Court, that Court where I came to thee, was
none of thine, it belongs to a King that keepes open Court, one

that neuer wrong'd a poore Begger, neuer tooke away any mans
wife, vnlesse he sent his Purseuant death for her: oh thou daring
Sacrilegious royall Theefe; wilt thou rob the Church too, as
thou hast me! thrust me out of that house too in the Sanctuary,
turn'd Diuell in a crowd of Angels!

Enter Gazetto.
Gaz.
Why didst not kill her?

Cor.
I had no power to kill her
Charmes of Diuinity pull'd backe mine Arme,
She had Armor of proofe on, (reuerence of the place)
She is not married, is she, shorten my paines;

Gaz.
Heauen came it selfe downe, and forbade the Banes.

Enter Iago.
Iag.
You must both to th'King.

Gaz.
Must! we are for him.

Cor.
Now doe I looke for a fig.

Gaz.
Chew none, feare nothing.

Exeunt.
Flourish. Enter King, Tormiella, Valasco, Malevento, Alphonso.
King.
Has heauen left chiding yet! there's in thy voice
A thunder that worse frights mee, didst thou sweare
In bed to kill me, had I married thee?

Tor.
It was my vow to doe so.

King.
And did that Villaine,
That Lupo Vindicado's, thrust this vengeance
Into thy desperate hand?

Tor.
That Villaine swore me
To speed you, I had dy'd else; me had he murdered,
When in a Doctors shape he came to cure
The madnesse which in me was counterfeit,
Onely to shun your touches.

King.
Strange preseruation!

Enter Iago, Gazetto, and Cordolente.
Val.
Here comes the traytor!

King.
Diuell, didst thou tempt this woman 'gainst my life?

Gaz.
Has she betray'd me, yes, hence Anticke vizors
Ile now appeare my selfe.

Mal.
Gazetto!

Gaz.
The same.

Cor.
I ha warm'd a Snake in my bosome.

Mal.
This is he,
To whom by promise of my mouth, (not hers)
Tormiella should ha' beene married, but flying him
To runne away with this, he in disguise
Has followed Both thus long to be reueng'd.

Gaz.
And were not my hands ty'd by your preuention
It should goe forward yet, my plot lay there
(King) to haue her kill thee; this Cuckold her,
Then had I made him Hawkes-meat.

Val.
Bloudy Varlet.

King.
Rare Prouidence, I thanke thee, what a heape
Of mischiefes haue I brought vpon my Kingdome,
By one base Act of lust, and my greatest horror
Is that for her I made away my Queene
By this destroyers hand, this crimson Hell-hound
That laughes at nothing but fresh Villanies.

Gaz.
The laughing dayes I wisht for, are now come sir
I am glad that leaping into such a Gulph,
I am not drown'd, your Queene liues.

King.
Ha!

Gaz.
She liues, I had no reason to kill her.

Val.
A better Spirit
Stood at his elbow, then you planted there,
My poore Girle your sad Queene, breathes yet.

King.
Long may she,
Fetch her, commend me to her, cheere her (Father.)

Val.
With the best hart I haue.

Exit.
King.
Let that slye Bawd
Engine of Hell, who wrought vpon thy Chastity
Be whipt through Sivill, foure such tempting witches
May vndoe a City: come, you wronged paire
By a King that parted you, you new married are.
Inioy each other and prosper.

Cor.
I doe already,
Feeling more ioyes then on my Wedding day,
I nere till now was married.

Tor.
Nor I euer happy vntill this houre.

Mal.
Nor I, as I am true Lord.

King.
No sir, y'are no true Lord, you haue a title,
A face of honour, as in Courts many haue,
For base and seruile prostitutions,
And you are such a one, your Daughters fall
Was first step to your rising, and her rising
Againe to that sweet goodnesse she neuer went from,
Must be your fall, and strip you of all honours
Your Lordship is departed.

Mal.

Does the Bell ring out! I care not
Your Kingdome was a departing too, I had a place in Court for
nothing, and if it be gon, I can loose nothing; I ha' beene like a
Lord in a play, and that done, my part ends.

King.

Yes sir, I purge my Court of such Infection.

Mal.

I shall find company i'th City I warrant; I am not the
first hath giuen vp my Cloake of honour.

Exit.
Enter Valasco, Iohn, and Queene.
King.
Oh my abused heart, thy pardon, see
I haue sent home my stolne goods:

Qy.
Honestly!

King.
As she was euer; now with full cleere eyes
I see thy beauty, and strange Cheekes despise.

Qu.
You call me from a graue of shame and sorrow.
In which I lay deepe buried.

Ioh:
From a graue likewise
Your Maiestie calls me, I haue lookt backe
On all my poore Ambitions, and am sorry,
That I fell euer from so bright a Spheare,
As is the Loue of such a royall brother.

King.
Be as you speake, we are friends, it was our will
To let you know, we can, or saue, or kill.

Ioh.
Your mercy new transformes me.

King.
Sirrah your sauing
My Queene, when I confesse (lust me so blinded)
I would haue gladly lost her; giues thee life.

Qu.
First I thanke Heauen, then him, and at last you.

Gaz.

I had not the heart to hurt a woman, if I had, your little
face had beene mall'd ere this, but my Angers out, forgiue me.

Tor.
With all my heart.

King.
Pray noble brother loue this man, he's honest,
I ha' made of him good proofe, we should haue had
A wedding, but Heauen frown'd at it, and I
Am glad 'tis crost yet we'll both Feast and dance,
Our Fame hath all this while laine in a Trance:
Come Tormiella, well were that City blest,
That with but, Two such women should excell,
But there's so few good, th'ast no Paralell.

Exeunt.