University of Virginia Library

SCENA III.

Cardinall, Ferdinand, Mallateste, Pescara, Siluio, Delio, Bosola.
Card.
Must we turne Souldier then?

Mal.
The Emperour,
Hearing your worth that way, (ere you attain'd
This reuerend garment,) ioynes you in commission
With the right fortunate souldier, the Marquis of Pescara,
And the famous Lanoy.

Card.
He that had the honour
Of taking the French King Prisoner?

Mal.
The same,
Here's a plot drawne, for a new Fortification,
At Naples.

Ferd.
This great Count Malastete, I perceiue
Hath got employment?

Del.
No employment (my Lord)
A marginall note in the muster-booke, that he is
A voluntary Lord.

Ferd.
He's no Souldier?

Del.
He ha's worne gun-powder, in's hollow tooth, for the tooth-ache.

Sil.
He comes to the leaguer, with a full intent,
To eate fresh beefe, and garlicke, meanes to stay
Till the sent begon, and straight returne to Court.

Del.
He hath read all the late seruice,
As the City Chronicle relates it,
And keepe two Pewterers going, onely to expresse
Battailes in modell.

Sil.
Then hel; fight by the booke.

Del.
By the Almanacke, I thinke
To choose good dayes, and shun the Criticall,
That's his mistris skarfe.

Sil.
Yes, he protests
He would do much for that taffita,

Del.
I thinke he would run away from a battaile
To saue it from taking prisoner.

Sil.
He is horribly afraid,
Gun-powder will spoile the perfume on't,

Del.
I saw a Duch-man breake his pate once
For calling him pot-gun, he made his head
Haue a boare in't, like a musket.

Sil.
I would he had made a touch-hole to't.
He is indeede a guarded sumpter-cloath
Onely for the remooue of the Court.

Pes.
Bosola arriu'd? what should be the businesse?
Some falling out amongst the Cardinalls.
These factions amongst great men, they are like
Foxes, when their heads are deuided
They carry fire in their tailes, and all the Country
About them, goes to wracke for't.

Sil.
What's that Bosola?

Del.
I knew him in Padua, a fantasticall scholler,
Like such, who studdy to know how many knots was in
Hercules club, of what colour Achilles beard was,
Or whether Hector were not troubled with the tooth-ach,
He hath studdied himselfe halfe bleare-ei'd, to know the
True semitry of Cæsars nose by a shooing-horne, and this
He did to gaine the name of a speculatiue man.

Pes.
Marke Prince Ferdinand,
A very Salamander liues in's eye,
To mocke the eager violence of fire.

Sil.
That Cardinall hath made more bad faces with his oppression
Then euer Michael Angelo made good ones,
He lifts vp's nose, like a fowle Por-pisse before a storme,

Pes.
The Lord Ferdinand laughes.

Del.
Like a deadly Cannon,
That lightens ere it smoakes.

Pes.
These are your true pangues of death,
The pangues of life, that strugle with great states-men,

Del.
In such a deformed silence, witches whisper their charmes.

Card.
Doth she make religion her riding hood
To keepe her from the sun, and tempest?

Ferd.
That: that damnes her: Me thinkes her fault, and
Beauty blended together, shew like leaprosie
The whiter, the fowler: I make it a question
Whether her beggerly brats were euer christned.

Card.
I will instantly sollicite the state of Ancona
To haue them banish'd.

Ferd.
You are for Loretto?
I shall not be at your Ceremony: fare you well,
Write to the Duke of Malfy, my yong Nephew,
She had by her first husband, and acquaint him,
With's mothers honesty.

Bos.
I will.

Ferd.
Antonio?
A slaue, that onely smell'd of yncke, and coumpters,
And neu'r in's like, look'd like a Gentleman,
But in the audit time, go, go presently,
Draw me out an hundreth and fifty of our horse,
And meete me at the fort-bridge.

Exeunt.