University of Virginia Library

SCEN. 3.

Enter Lucretia richly attired with a Vyol in her hand.
Luc.
Kinde Lodowike hadst thou presented me,
With Persian clothes of gold or Tinsilry,
With rich Arabian Odors, pretious stones,
Or what braue women hold in highest price,
Could not haue beene so gracious as this tincture,
Which I more valew then my richest iewels,
Oh Motticilla.
Enter Motticilla.
Bring me some mixtures and my dressing boxes,
This night I purpose priuately to sup
With my Lord Cardinall of Capua.
Enter two Pages with a Table, two looking glasses, a box with Combes and instruments, a rich bowle.
Bring me some blanching water in this bowle.
Exit Motti.
Shee looketh in her glasse.
Here I perceiue a little riueling
Aboue my for-head but I wimple it
Either with iewels or a lock of haire,
And yet it is as white as the pure snow:
O God when that sweet Marques Mantoua,
Did in Ferrara feast my Lord and mee,
What rich comparisons and similies,
He with ingenious fantasie deuis'd,
Doting vpon the whitenesse of my browes?
As that betwixt them stood the chaire of state,
Compos'd of Iuorie for the Paphian Queene:
Sitting in comfort after amourous conquest.
And kist my for-head twenty thousand times.
Oft haue I wisht the coulour of this haire
More bright, and not of such a Spanish dye,
And yet the Duke of Bourbon on his knees,
As the diuinest fauour of this world,
Did beg one lock to make a Bracelet,
For which few haires he garnished my head
With Iewels worth six thousand crownes at least.
My beaming eyes yet full of Maiesty,
Dart loue, and giue bright luster to the glasse,
As when the sunne beames touch a Diamond.
The Prince of Salerne solemnly did sweare,
These eies were quiuers which such shafts did beare
That were so sharpe, and had such fierie touch,
As Cupids Arrowes neuer had so much,
The Rosie Garden of these amourous cheekes,
My nose the gratious forte of conquering loue,
Breathing attractiue odors to those louers
That languish and are vanquisht with desire,
Gonzaga calleth it the siluer pearch,
Where Venus turtles mutuall pleasure search.
Sweet mouth the Ruby port to Paradice
Of my worlds pleasure from whence issue forth,
Many false brags, bold sallies, sweet supplies,
A chinne the matchles fabricke of faire nature.
A necke two brests vpon whose cherry niples.
So many sweet solcions Cupid suckt,
Giue me some blanching water in this boule,
Wash my face Motticilla with this cloth,
So tis well now will I try these collours.
Giue me that oyle of Talck,
Take sarsnet Motticilla smooth my forehead.
She looketh in two glasses and beholdeth her body.
I must delay this colour is it carnation right.

Mot.
Oh the true tincture of a damask rose,

Luc.
What is it excellent.

Mot.
Most full of life.
And madame thats a pretious liniment,
As euer I beheld to smooth the browes.

Luc.
I will correct these arches with this mullet.
Plucke not to hard, beleeue me Motticilla,
You plucke to hard.
I feele a foule stincke in my nostrells,
Some stinke is vehement and hurts my braine,
My cheekes both burne and sting giue me my glasse.
Out out for shame I see the blood it selfe,
Dispersed and inflamed, giue me some water.
Motticilla rubbeth her cheekes with a cloth.
Lucretia looketh in the glasse.
My braines intoxicate my face is scalded.
Hence with the glasse: coole coole my face, rancke poyson,
Is ministred to bring me to my death,
I feele the venime boyling in my veines.

Mot.
Ah me deere Lady; what strang leoprosie?
The more I wash the more spreads on your face.

Luc.
Send to my father; call phisitions in,
Exit Motti
Oh Candie where art thou my comforter,
Dead and intomb'd; Lucrece must follow thee,
I burne I burne, oh where is my deere Lord.
My braines are seard vp with some fatall fire.

Enter a seruant and Phisition with Morticila.
Ser.
Deere Lady cheere your selfe, be not dismayd,
His Holines in hast hath sent releife:
His owne Phisition to recomfort you.

Luc.
For our deere Ladies passion bring some water to coole my thirst.

Phi.
Madam you may not drinke,
Till you receaue this one preseruatiue.

Luc.
A foule vnsauorie loathsome stinke choakes vp
My vitall sences: and a boyling heat
suppes vp the liuely spirit in my lungs.

Phi.
This poyson spreads and is incurable,
Madame receiue one precious antidote.

Luc.
What haue I caught you Sforza,
Who painted my faire face with these soule spots,
You see them in my soule deformed blots,
Deliuer me from that murthered man,
He comes to stab my soule I wounded him,
Oh Gismond Gismond hide those bleeding wounds,
My soule bleeds drops of sorrow for thy sake;
Looke not so wrathfull I am penitent
Loue and remorse did harbour in thine hart,
What doest thou becken to me I will come,
And follow thee through millions of woes.

Phi.
Sweet Lady will you take a little rest,
It will refresh your spirits instantly.

Luc.
No rest vntill I see my Lord againe.

Mot.
Deere Lady doe you loue your life, take rest,

Shee taketh hold of Motticila.
Luc.
From the pure burning coles of true contrition.
Me thinkes I see the liuely counterfet,
Of catiue Cressed in her misery,
Ingenderd out of hir disloyalty,
Ah Moticilla whome I trained vp
In cunning sleights and snares of filthinesse,
Forgiue me for that sinne; liue and repent.

Mot:
Oh God forgiue me for my sinnes are great,
And if his goodnesse lend my life some space,
I will with pennance call on him for grace,
And spend the remnant of my life in prayer.

Luc:
I can no more, death summoneth my foule,
Open thy bosome father Abraham,
Mercyfull father let thy mercy passe
Extend thy mercy where no mercy was.
Mercyfull father for thy sonnes deere merrit
Pardon my sinnfull soule receiue my spirrit.
Expirat Lucrece.

Phi:
Now is her soule at rest tis very strange,
As well the cause as manner of her death,
I haue beene studied in Hipocrates,
In bookes of Gallen and olde Auecine,
Obseru'd the cures of diuers learned doctors,
In France in Spaine and higher Germany,
Yet neuer met with such an accicent,
Beare in her body I will in all hast,
Bring wofull newes vnto saint Peeters Pallace,
His Holinesse will grieuiously lament.

Exeunt omnes.