University of Virginia Library

Sce: 4.

Ent: fernando & Eleonora.
fer:
Cease Eleonora, cease these needles plaints,
lesse vsefull then thy helpe of hands was at
the Deed of darknesse; oh ye blackest Deed
that ever overclouded my felicity.
To speake or weepe thy sorrow but allayes
& quenches anger, wc h we must now cherish
to further iust revenge;—how I could wish
but to call backe ye strength of Twenty yeares.

El:
That I might be in yt vnborne againe sir.

fer:
No Eleonora, that I were so ennabled
wt h my owne hands to worke out thy revenge
vpon yt wretch, that villaine; oh that Ravisher;
but though my hands are palsyed wt h rage
the Law yet weares a sword in or defence.

Ent: Henrico.
El:
Away my Lord & father, see ye monster
approaching towards you; who knowes but now
he purposeth an Assasinate on yor life
as he did lately on my Virgen honor?

fer:
fury, keepe off me.

Hen:
What life? what honor meane you? Eleonora;
what is ye matter? who hath lost any thing?

El:
Thou impudent, as impious, I have lost.

Hen:
Doe you call me names?

El:
The solace of my life, for wc h—

H:
A fine new name for a mayden head.

El:
may all ye Curses of all iniurd weomen
fall on thy head.

H:
Would not ye Curses of all good ones serve?
so many might perhaps be borne; but pray
tell me what moves you thus? why stand you soe
aloofe my Lord? I doe not love to bee
vs'd like a stranger, welcome's all I looke for.

fer:
What boldnesse beyond madnesse gives him languadge?
nothing but hell bred stuffe: canst see my Daughter
& not be strooke wt h horror of thy shame
to th'[e]very heart? Is't not enough, thou Traytor,
to my poore Girles dishonor to abuse her,
but thou canst yet putt on a Divells visor
to face thy fact, & glory in her woe?

Hen:
I would I were acquainted wt h yor honours meaning all this while.

fer:
The forreine Enemy wc h came to ye Citty
& twice dancd on ye Sea before it, waving
flaggs of defyance & of fury to it,
were, nor before, nor now, this second time,
so cruell as thou; for when they first were here,
now well nigh .40. yeares since, & marched through
the very heart of this place; trampled on
the bosomes of or stoutest soldiers,
the weomen yet were safe, Ladyes were free,
& yt by ye especiall com̄and
of the then noble Generall: And now being safe
from com̄on danger of or Enemyes,
thou Lyon-like hast broake in on a Lambe
& preyd vpon her.

Hen:
how have I preyed?

fer:
Dost thou delight to heare it named villaine? th'hast ravisht her.

Hen:
I am enough abusd, & now tis time
to speake a litle for my selfe, my Lord;
By all ye vowes, ye oathes & imprecations
that ere were made, studyed, or practised,
As I have a soule, as she, & you have soules,
I doe not know, nor can, nor will confesse
any such thing, for all yor Circumventions,
Ile answer all by Law.

El:
Oh my Lord heare me; By all that's good—

Fer:
peace Eleonora, I have thought ye Course
if you dare Iustify ye Accusation;
you shall to Sherrys, & there before ye Iudges
plead yor owne cause.

Hen:
And there Ile answer it.

fer:
There if you prove ye Rape, he shalbe forcd
eyther to satisfy you by marriage
or else to loose his periurd head.

Hen:
I am content,
and instantly I will away to Sherrys,
there to appeale to ye high Court of Iustice;
Tis time, I thinke, such slanderous Accusations
assayling me; but there I shalbe righted.

Fer:
you shall not need to doubt it, come Eleonora.

Exit.
Hen:
What will become of me in this I know not,
I have a shreud guesse though of the worst.
would one have thought ye foolish Ape would putt
the finger in ye Eye, & tell it Daddy!
Tis a rare guift, mong many maides of these dayes,
if she speed well, she'le bring [you] [it] to a Custome;
make her example followd to ye spoyle
of much good sport: but I meane to looke to't.
now sir, your newes?

Ent: Buzzano.
B:
The most delicious rare absolute newes
that ere came out of france sir.

H:
what's done there? have they forsaken ye Divell
& all his fashions? banishd their Taylors & Tyrewomen?

B:
you had a father & a Brother there, & can you first
thinke vpon ye Divell & his Limetwiggs?

H:
Had Buzzano? had a father & a Brother there?
have I not so still, Buzzano?

Buz:
No sir, your Elder Brother is—

H:
What? speake Buzzano, I Imagine dead.

B:
nay you shall give me something by yor leave
you shall pay ye poast, good newes for nothing?

H:
Here, here Buzzano; speake quickly, crowne me wt h
the felicity of a yonger Brother; is he dead man?

B:
No, he's come home very well sir; Doe you thinke
I goe on dead mens Errands?

H:
Pox on ye Buzzard, how he startled my bloud!

B:
But he is very weary, & very pensive sir; talkes not at all,
but calls for his Bed; pray God yor father be not dead! and desires
when you come in to have you his Bedfellow, for he hath private speech wt h ye.

H:
Well sir, you yt are so apt to take money for newes; beware how you
reflect one word, sillable, or thought concerning Eleonora: you know
what I meane?

Buz:
yes & meane what you know sir.

H:
what's that

B:
Ile keepe your Counsaile.

Hen:
thy life goes for't els.

Exeunt.