 | The Fatal Marriage |  |
Sc. v
Enter Iaspero to Laura aboue.Ia:
this is the place the princesse call'd mee to
and thus farr vndiscouer'd haue I past
compast wt h night and silence, Madam
la:
Iaspero
Ia:
yor servant lady
La:
oh you speake too lowd
for there are many waking eares and eies
pla'cd by the duke about mee but were Argus
by Ioue him selfe imploy'd to be my guardiant
yet would I play the subtle mercury to charme him
blind
Ia:
oh you were euer gracious
la:
dere loue ascend as nere mee as thou canst
that wee may speake in private
Ia:
had I winges
I'de borrow art from apprhension
to pearch mee on that casement but Ile clime
as hie as power can beare mee
Enter Martiall
t'was a busting I heare the tread of some
suspitious ffoote nere to the princes lodging
la:
Iaspero art thou the same th'ast before protested
Ma:
t'was her voice
25
the firme Center
is not more constant to the earth, the powles
more stedfast to the glorious fframe of heauen
then I to yor affections.
Ma:
that his tongue
I haue heard too much the duke shall know my ffaith
although it cost the best bloud of my sonn
this is decreed aboue yor sighes and leeres
or enter chaunge of kisses you shall know
how ere yee wake, my care shall take yee napping
La:
methought I heard one speake
Ia:
t'was yor ffeare madam
the deare respect of yor honor, & care of mee
y'are round girt wt h safety and boldly may proceed
La:
then I'm confident because thou speakst it
Ma
Come my lord tak't not from mee but from yor selfe
let mee be noe reporter
Enter Martiall duke
du:
oh my impatient rage swell it not
beyond humanity
least I incurre censure of tirrany
26
may now appeare too bloudy.
La:
Iaspero, as or vowes are fixt in heaven
soe let the earth confirme them
du:
exlent Lasse
Ia:
when I fayle or falsify my vowe
fayle mee my breath and vitalles
Ma:
notable ladd
La:
how couldst thou steale from thy chamber
and thy ffather not suspect it
Ia:
sweet Ile thee
because his course was still to lock me vp
in waxe I got the patterne of his key
and forg'd by that another
La:
thou makst mee smile to thinke on't
but I shall turne yor laughter into sorrow
Ia:
noe sooner did hee see mee as hee thought
safe lodg'd but streight hee step's to [ste]bed him selfe
and when by snorting I perceiu'd him safe
Ma:
he makes a horse of mee
Ia:
on went my clothes betooke mee to my leges
vnlock't the dores and left him to his dreames
where hee good man lies pillow'd in his rest
and neuer thinkes on vs
27
and now my ffather's in his slumber too
wallowing in downe and little thinkes on vs
fast may he sleepe and soundly may he rest
whilst wee wake to delight
du:
rather to torment
La.
here wee may meet, some twice or thrice a weeke
and they [noe whitt the wiser] nere thinke on't
Ma:
wee neuer dreame on't my lord wee
La:
discourse of pleasure and converse of loue
and they noe whitt the wiser
du:
ffoole vs both exlent witty faith
surprise him, cease her in her chamber
weele enterchaunge wt h you
Ma:
weele tickle you
Ia:
hath my mishapp betraid mee, cursed night
thou hast plaid the traytresse wt h mee
du
thou the traytor wt h mee, oh iustice Ile
28
Ma
nay pause good duke I doe intreat you
fright but hurt him not, 'alas hee's my sonn
du:
thy loyalty prevailes
elce by the auncient honors of or house
thou now hadst breath'd thy last
Ma:
my lord Ile fright him more wt h wordes
then you can wt h yor sword
Ia:
and soe you doe
a death would bee more welcome from his hand
then scolding from that tongue, I could prvent yee
of what you doe intend youle chide mee, first
for my neglect of duty to yor selfe
next for my knowne disloyalty to you
youle say t'was great ambition in mee
to ayme soe high as to the princes loue
and that it merittes death, tis true, I graunt it free
that I haue mockd his patience scoffd his loue
infring'd towards him a subiectes loyalty
transgrest towardes you the duty of a sonn
Ma:
the boy has all my part by roate
and speakes it as distinctly as my selfe
iust soe should I haue said
du:
weele bee as short as thou art resolute
oh that incontinent girle
Enter Laura
it were iustice in vs to prune or stock
and cut that bastard branch
from whence it first was grafted
Ma:
iustice, nay t'were mere charity
29
how to spare thine and cutt of my owne
if hee thy sonne, then is shee my daughter
and dere to mee as thine can
Ma
nay my lord I say, t'were more charity then
iustice to graunt 'em both their pardons
La:
dismisse him, and all that iustice can impose on mee
du
ffor thee to speake is but to punish him
away wt h her confine her to her chamber
La:
Iaspero, tho here depriu'd of speech to heaven Ile cr«y»
in my close durance for thy liberty, hee cannot
this debarr mee
du:
beare her hence
her sight fills vs wt h much impatience
and for you wild young man, nay't shalbe soe
beare him to or strongest prisson, there
to remaine till wee further determine
of his offence
Ma
a better office I could wish my sonn
but princes must haue their willes
30
to curbe the headstrong and the wild to tame
Exeunt:.
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