University of Virginia Library

SCENA. V.

Cardinall (with a Booke) Bosola, Pescara, Malateste, Rodorigo, Ferdinand, Delio, Seruant with Antonio's body.
Card.
I am puzzell'd in a question about hell:
He saies, in hell, there's one materiall fire,
And yet it shall not burne all men alike.
Lay him by: How tedious is a guilty conscience?
When I looke into the Fish-ponds, in my Garden,
Me thinkes I see a thing, arm'd with a Rake
That seemes to strike at me: Now? art thou come? thou look'st ghastly:
There sits in thy face, some great determination,
Mix'd with some feare.

Bos.
Thus it lightens into Action:
I am come to kill thee.

Card.
Hah? helpe: our Guard.

Bos.
Thou art deceiu'd:
They are out of thy howling.

Card.
Hold: and I will faithfully deuide
Reuenewes with thee.

Bos.
Thy prayers, and proffers
Are both vnseasonable.

Card.
Raise the Watch: we are betraid.

Bos.
I haue confinde your flight:
I'll suffer your retreyt to Iulias Chamber,
But no further.

Card.
Helpe: we are betraid.

Mal.
Listen:

Card.
My Dukedome, for rescew.

Rod.
Fye vpon his counterfeyting.

Mal.
Why, 'tis not the Cardinall.

Rod.
Yes, yes, 'tis he:
But I'll see him hang'd, ere I'll goe downe to him.

Card.
Here's a plot vpon me, I am assaulted: I am lost,
Vnlesse some rescew.

Gris.
He doth this pretty well:
But it will not serue; to laugh me out of mine honour.

Card.
The sword's at my throat:

Rod.
You would not bawle so lowd then.

Mal.
Come, come: lets's goe to bed: he told vs thus much aforehand.

Pesc.
He wish'd you should not come at him: but beleeu't,
The accent of the voyce sounds not in iest.
I'll downe to him, howsoeuer, and with engines
Force ope the doores.

Rod.
Let's follow him aloofe,
And note how the Cardinall will laugh at him.

Bos.
There's for you first: 'cause you shall not vnbarracade the doore
To let in rescew.

He kills the Seruant.
Card.
What cause hast thou to pursue my life?

Bos.
Looke there:

Card.
Antonio?

Bos.
Slaine by my hand vnwittingly:
Pray, and be sudden: when thou kill'dst thy sister,
Thou tookst from Iustice her most equall ballance,
And left her naught but her sword.

Card.
O mercy.

Bos.
Now it seemes thy Greatnes was onely outward:
For thou fall'st faster of thy selfe, then calamitie
Can driue thee: I'll not wast longer time: There.

Card.
Thou hast hurt me:

Bos.
Againe:

Card.
Shall I die like a Leuoret
Without any resistance? helpe, helpe, helpe:
I am slaine.

Ferd.
Th'allarum? giue me a fresh horse:
Rall'y the vaunt-guard: or the day is lost:
Yeeld, yeeld: I giue you the honour of Armes,
Shake my Sword ouer you, will you yeilde?

Card.
Helpe me, I am your brother.

Ferd.
The diuell?
My brother fight vpon the aduerse party?
He wounds the Cardinall, and (in the scuffle) giues Bosola his death wound.
There flies your ransome.

Card.
Oh Iustice:
I suffer now, for what hath former bin:
“Sorrow is held the eldest child of sin.

Ferd.
Now you're braue followes:
Cæsars Fortune was harder then Pompeys:
Cæsar died in the armes of prosperity,
Pompey at the feete of disgrace: you both died in the field,
The paine's nothing: paine many times, is taken away, with
The apprehension of greater, (as the tooth-ache with the sight
Of a Barbor, that comes to pull it out) there's Philosophy for you.

Bos.
Now my reuenge is perfect: sinke (thou maine cause
Of my vndoing) the last part of my life,
Hath done me best seruice.

He kills Ferdinand.
Ferd.
Giue me some wet hay, I am broken winded,
I do account this world but a dog-kennell:
I will vault credit, and affect high pleasures,
Beyond death.

Bos.
He seemes to come to himselfe, now he's so neere the bottom.

Ferd.
My sister, oh! my sister, there's the cause on't.
“Whether we fall by ambition, blood, or lust,
“Like Diamonds, we are cut with our owne dust.

Card.
Thou hast thy payment too.

Bos.
Yes, I hold my weary soule, in my teeth,
'Tis ready to part from me: I do glory
That thou, which stood'st like a huge Piramid
Begun vpon a large, and ample base,
Shalt end in a little point a kind of nothing.

Pes.
How now (my Lord?)

Mal.
Oh sad disastre.

Rod.
How comes this?

Bos.
Reuenge, for the Duchesse of Malfy, murdered
By th'Aragonian brethren: for Antonio,
Slaine by his hand: for lustfull Iulia,
Poyson'd by this man: and lastly, for my selfe,
(That was an Actor in the maine of all,
Much 'gainst mine owne good nature, yet i'th'end
Neglected.)

Pes.
How now (my Lord?)

Card.
Looke to my brother:
He gaue vs these large wounds, as we were strugling
Here i'th' rushes: And now, I pray, let me
Be layd by, and neuer thought of.

Pes.
How fatally (it seemes) he did withstand,
His owne rescew?

Mal.
Thou wretched thing of blood,
How came Antonio by his death?

Bos.
In a mist: I know not how,
Such a mistake, as I haue often seene
In a play: Oh, I am gone,
We are onely like dead wals, or vaulted graues,
That ruin'd, yeildes no eccho: Fare you well,
It may be paine: but no harme to me to die,
In so good a quarrell: Oh this gloomy world,
In what a shadow, or deepe pit of darknesse,
Doth (womanish, and fearefull) mankind liue?
Let worthy mindes, nere stagger in distrust
To suffer death, or shame for what is iust,
Mine is an other voyage.

Pes.
The noble Delio, as I came to th'Pallace,
Told me of Antonio's being here, and shew'd me
A pritty gentleman his sonne and heire.

Mal.
Oh Sir, you come to late.

Del.
I heard so, and
Was arm'd for't ere I came: Let vs make noble vse
Of this great ruine; and ioyne all our force
To establish this yong hopefull Gentleman
In's mothers right. These wretched eminent things
Leaue no more fame behind 'em, then should one
Fall in a frost, and leaue his print in snow,
As soone as the sun shines, it euer melts,
Both forme, and matter: I haue euer thought
Nature doth nothing so great, for great men,
As when she's pleas'd, to make them Lords of truth:
“Integrity of life, is fames best friend,
Which noblely (beyond Death) shall crowne the end.

Exeunt.