 | A Duke and no Duke |  |
Enter Lavinio.
Lav.
You Glorious Planets that do nightly guide
The giddy Ships upon the Ocean Waves,
If some of your malignant Influences
Have rais'd this madness in my Subjects minds,
Let some of your more gentle Aspects now
Restore them to their Sense.
[Barberino and Alberto appear in Prison.]
I am astonish'd, Heaven's! What do I see?
My Lords imprison'd? Free them instantly
Without reply, for should you answer me,
I know you'l say I did it, and distract me.
Capt.
His ill Fit's off again.
Lav.
I do not think that since the Infancy
And first Creation of the World, a madness
Pestiferous and equal unto this
Was ever known, all-Gracious Heav'n reveal
The fatal Cause, or lay our Cities waste.
Barb.
Most Gracious Soveraign, How have we deserv'd
Thus to be made the scorn of Vulgar Eyes?
Lav.
Yet send me Patience Heav'n!
I wonder Lords, that you of all my Subjects,
Whom I have known to bear the Noblest Judgements,
Should thus distract your selves in your wild Fits:
You run to Prison of your own accord,
And say, I sent you.
Alb.
Most Royal Sir, We grieve to see these dayes;
You did command us thither.
Lav.
I?
Barb.
Your Highness self.
Lav.
You are both deceived, to act such idle Errors,
And lay the blame on me.
Capt.
So please your Grace, You did again Commit 'em,
That very hour in which you set them free.
Lav.
I commit them?
I tell you all with sorrow, witness Heav'n
How deep that sorrow is! you are all mad:
Therefore in this small interval of Sense,
Betake you with one voice to your Devotion,
And pray the incens'd Gods to be appeas'd
And keep you from Relapse.
Both.
Heav'n Bless your Highness.
[Ex. All but Lavinio.
Lav.
Plague, Famine, War, the ruinous Instruments
Wherewith incensed Deities do punish
Poor Mankind for mis-deeds, had they all fall'n
Upon this City, it had been a thing
To be lamented, but not wonder'd at.
Enter Isabella.
Isab.
My Lord, I have this hour expected you.
Lav.
O, my dear Isabella, I have brought thee
From Millain flourishing with all Delights,
Into a City full of men distracted.
Isab,
He is not sober yet: Go in and sleep Sir.
You do not well my Lord, thus to betray
Your weakness to the publick view.
Lav.
Oh, Heaven's!
My Wife and all.
Isab.
What say you Sir?
Lav.
My Isabella, Thou hast cause to curse me
For bringing thee into a place infected;
The Air is poyson'd, and I wonder now
How I have scap'd so long.
Isab.
I pray go sleep.
Lav.
Why Isabella?
Isab.
You have drunk too much.
Lav.
Madness unmatch'd!
She's farther gone than any of the rest.
Dear Isabella, Retire into thy Chamber;
Compose thy thoughts a while, and I'le come to thee,
There we'l beseech the angry Gods together,
That they would yet remove this heavy Ill.
[Ex. Isab.
Enter Brunetto and Prudentia.
What do I see? Brunetto unconfin'd;
I am astonish'd how he came at large;
Whom I would have to lie in Prison, walk
In freedom, and whom I would have in freedom,
Run of themselves to Prison.—Hell! They kiss,
Embrace before my Eyes! My Guards there.
Bru.
Ha!
He's chang'd again.
Prud.
My Noble Brother.
Lav.
Off,
Hadst thou thy Reason, and shouldst offer this,
I'd study Tortures for thee; as thou art,
I pity thy misfortunes.—Seize your Prisoner:
Next time I see him free, your head is forfeit.
Prud.
Wonders on Wonders, I beseech you Sir
By all the bonds of Nature, for what cause?
Lavin.
It is in vain to answer frantick People.
[Exeunt.
Lav.
You Glorious Planets that do nightly guide
The giddy Ships upon the Ocean Waves,
If some of your malignant Influences
Have rais'd this madness in my Subjects minds,
Let some of your more gentle Aspects now
Restore them to their Sense.
[Barberino and Alberto appear in Prison.]
I am astonish'd, Heaven's! What do I see?
My Lords imprison'd? Free them instantly
Without reply, for should you answer me,
I know you'l say I did it, and distract me.
Capt.
His ill Fit's off again.
Lav.
I do not think that since the Infancy
And first Creation of the World, a madness
Pestiferous and equal unto this
Was ever known, all-Gracious Heav'n reveal
The fatal Cause, or lay our Cities waste.
Barb.
Most Gracious Soveraign, How have we deserv'd
Thus to be made the scorn of Vulgar Eyes?
Lav.
Yet send me Patience Heav'n!
I wonder Lords, that you of all my Subjects,
Whom I have known to bear the Noblest Judgements,
Should thus distract your selves in your wild Fits:
You run to Prison of your own accord,
And say, I sent you.
29
Most Royal Sir, We grieve to see these dayes;
You did command us thither.
Lav.
I?
Barb.
Your Highness self.
Lav.
You are both deceived, to act such idle Errors,
And lay the blame on me.
Capt.
So please your Grace, You did again Commit 'em,
That very hour in which you set them free.
Lav.
I commit them?
I tell you all with sorrow, witness Heav'n
How deep that sorrow is! you are all mad:
Therefore in this small interval of Sense,
Betake you with one voice to your Devotion,
And pray the incens'd Gods to be appeas'd
And keep you from Relapse.
Both.
Heav'n Bless your Highness.
[Ex. All but Lavinio.
Lav.
Plague, Famine, War, the ruinous Instruments
Wherewith incensed Deities do punish
Poor Mankind for mis-deeds, had they all fall'n
Upon this City, it had been a thing
To be lamented, but not wonder'd at.
Enter Isabella.
Isab.
My Lord, I have this hour expected you.
Lav.
O, my dear Isabella, I have brought thee
From Millain flourishing with all Delights,
Into a City full of men distracted.
Isab,
He is not sober yet: Go in and sleep Sir.
You do not well my Lord, thus to betray
Your weakness to the publick view.
Lav.
Oh, Heaven's!
My Wife and all.
Isab.
What say you Sir?
Lav.
My Isabella, Thou hast cause to curse me
For bringing thee into a place infected;
The Air is poyson'd, and I wonder now
How I have scap'd so long.
Isab.
I pray go sleep.
30
Why Isabella?
Isab.
You have drunk too much.
Lav.
Madness unmatch'd!
She's farther gone than any of the rest.
Dear Isabella, Retire into thy Chamber;
Compose thy thoughts a while, and I'le come to thee,
There we'l beseech the angry Gods together,
That they would yet remove this heavy Ill.
[Ex. Isab.
Enter Brunetto and Prudentia.
What do I see? Brunetto unconfin'd;
I am astonish'd how he came at large;
Whom I would have to lie in Prison, walk
In freedom, and whom I would have in freedom,
Run of themselves to Prison.—Hell! They kiss,
Embrace before my Eyes! My Guards there.
Bru.
Ha!
He's chang'd again.
Prud.
My Noble Brother.
Lav.
Off,
Hadst thou thy Reason, and shouldst offer this,
I'd study Tortures for thee; as thou art,
I pity thy misfortunes.—Seize your Prisoner:
Next time I see him free, your head is forfeit.
Prud.
Wonders on Wonders, I beseech you Sir
By all the bonds of Nature, for what cause?
Lavin.
It is in vain to answer frantick People.
[Exeunt.
| A Duke and no Duke | |