 | The Gentleman Usher |  |
ACTVS QVINTI
SCÆNA PRIMA.
Enter Alphonso, Medice, Lasso, Cortezza aboue.Cor.
Heere is the place will doe the deede ifaith;
This Duke will shew thee how youth puts downe age,
I and perhaps how youth does put downe youth.
Alp.
If I shall see my loue in any sort
Preuented, or abusde, th'abuser dies.
Lass.
I hope there is no such intent my Liege,
For sad as death should I be to behold it.
Med.
You must not be too confident my Lord,
Or in your daughter or in them that guard her.
The Prince is politike, and enuies his Father:
And though not for himselfe, nor any good
Intended to your daughter, yet because
He knowes t'would kill his father, he would seeke her.
Cor.
Whist, whist, they come.
Enter Bassiolo, Vincentio, and Margaret.
Bass.
Come, meete me boldly, come,
And let them come from hunting when they dare.
Haz the best spirit.
Bass.
Spirit? what a plague,
Shall a man feare Capriches? you forsooth
Must haue your loue come t'ee, and when he comes,
Then you grow shamefac'd, and he must not touch you:
But fie, my Father comes, and foe, my Aunt,
O t'is a wittie hearing, ist not thinke you?
Vin.
Nay, pray thee doe not mocke her gentle friend.
Bass.
Nay, you are euen as wise a wooer too,
If she turne from you, you euen let her turne,
And say; you doe not loue to force a Lady.
T'is too much rudenesse; gosh hat, what's a Lady?
Must she not be touch'd? what, is she copper thinke you?
And will not bide the touch stone? kisse her Vince,
And thou doost loue me, kisse her.
Vin.
Lady, now
I were too simple if I should not offer.
Mar.
O God sir, pray away, this man talks idlely.
Bass.
How shay by that; now by that candle there,
Were I as Vince is, I would handle you
In ruftie tuftie wise, in your right kinde.
Mar.
O, you haue made him a sweete beagle, ha'y not?
Vin.
T'is the most true beleeuer in himselfe:
Of all that sect of follie faith's his fault.
Bass.
So to her Vince, I giue thee leaue my lad,
Sweete were the words my mistris spake, when teares fell from her eyes.
He lies down by them.
Thus, as the Lyon lies before his den,
Guarding his whelps, and streakes his carelesse limbs,
And when the Panther, Foxe, or Wolfe comes neere,
He neuer daines to rise, to fright them hence,
But onely puts forth one of his sterne pawes,
And keepes his deare whelps safe, as in a hutch,
So I present his person, and keepe mine.
Foxes, goe by I put my terror forth,
Cant.
Let all the world say what they can,
Her bargaine best she makes,
That hath the wit to choose a man,
To pay for that he takes.
Belle Piu. &c. iterum cant.
O tis a graue old louer that same Duke,
And chooses Minions rarely, if you marke him.
The noble Medice, that man, that Bobbadilla.
That foolish knaue, that hose and dublet stinckard.
Med.
Swounds my Lord, rise, lets indure no more.
Alp.
A little, pray my Lord, for I beleeue
We shall discouer very notable knauery.
Lass.
Alas how I am greeu'd and sham'd in this.
Cor.
Neuer care you Lord brother, theres no harme done.
Bass.
But that sweet Creature, my good Lords sister,
Madam Cortezza, she, the noblest Dame
That euer any veine of honour bled;
There were a wife now, for my Lord the Duke
Had he the grace to choose her, but indeede.
To speake her true praise, I must vse some study.
Cor.
Now truly brother, I did euer thinke
This man the honestest man that ere you kept.
Lass.
So sister, so, because he praises you.
Cor.
Nay sir, but you shall heare him further yet.
Bass.
Were not her head sometimes a little light,
And so vnapt for matter of much weight,
She were the fittest, and the worthiest Dame
To leape a window, and to breake her necke,
That euer was.
Cor.
Gods pitty, arrant knaue,
I euer thought him a dissembling varlot.
Bass.
Well, now my hearts be warie, for by this,
I feare the Duke is comming; Ile go watch,
And giue you warning: I commend me t'ee.
Exit.
Vin.
O fine phrase,
Mar.
And very timely vsde.
Vin.
What now sweete life, shall we resolue vpon?
We neuer shall inioy each other heere.
Mar.
Direct you then my Lord, what we shall doe,
For I am at your will, and will indure
With you, the cruellst absence, from the state
We both were borne too, that can be supposde.
That would extreamely greeue me, could my selfe
Onely indure the ill, our hardest fates,
May lay on both of vs; I would not care,
But to behold thy sufferance, I should die.
Mar.
How can your Lordship wrong my loue so much,
To thinke the more woe I sustaine for you,
Breedes not the more my comfort? I alas
Haue no meane else, to make my merit euen
In any measure, with your eniment worth.
Enter Bassiolo.
Bas.
Now must I exercise my timorous louers,
Like fresh arm'd souldiers, with some false alarms,
To make them yare and warie of their foe
The boistrous bearded Duke: Ile rush vpon them
With a most hideous cry, the Duke, the Duke, the Duke,
Ha, ha, ha, wo ho, come againe I say,
The Duke's not come ifaith.
Vin.
Gods precious man,
What did you meane to put vs in this feare?
Bass.
O sir, to make you looke about the more;
Nay, we must teach you more of this I tell you:
What, can you be too safe sir? what I say,
Must you be pamperd in your vanities?
Ah, I do domineere and rule the rost.
Exit.
Mar.
Was euer such an Ingle? would to God,
(If twere not for our selues) my father saw him.
Las.
Minion, you haue your praier, and my curse,
For your good Huswiferie.
Med.
What saies your Highnesse?
Can you indure these iniuries any more?
Alp.
No more, no more, aduise me what is best,
To be the penance of my gracelesse sonne?
Med.
My Lord, no meane but death or banishment,
Can be fit penance for him: if you meane
T'inioy the pleasure of your loue your selfe.
Cor.
Giue him plaine death my Lord, and then y'are sure.
Alp.
Death or his banishment, he shall indure,
For wreake of that ioyes exile I sustaine.
Come, call our Gard, and apprehend him strait.
Exeunt.
I haue some Iewells then my dearest life,
Which with what euer we can get beside,
Shall be our meanes, and we will make escape.
Enter Bassiolo running.
Bas.
Sblood, the Duke and all come now in earnest;
The Duke, by heauen, the Duke.
Vin.
Nay, then ifaith
Your ieast is too too stale.
Bass.
Gods pretious,
By these ten bones, and by this hat and heart,
The Duke and all comes, see, we are cast away.
Exeunt.
Enter Alphonso, Medice, Lasso, Cortezza, and Iulio.
Alp.
Lay hands vpon them all, pursue, pursue.
Lass.
Stay thou vngracious girle.
Alp.
Lord Medice,
Leade you our Guard, and see you apprehend
The treacherous boy, nor let him scape with life,
Vnlesse he yeelde to his externall exile.
Med.
T'is princely said my Lord—
Exit.
Lass.
And take my Vsher.
Mar.
Let me goe into exile with my Lord,
I will not liue, if I be left behinde.
Lass.
Impudent Damzell, wouldst thou follow him?
Mar.
He is my husband, whom else should I follow?
Lass.
Wretch, thou speakest treason to my Lord the Duke.
Alp.
Yet loue me Lady, and I pardon all.
Mar.
I haue a husband, and must loue none else.
Alp.
Dispightfull Dame, Ile dis-inherit him,
And thy good Father heere shall cast off thee,
And both shall feede on ayre, or starue, and die.
Mar.
If this be iustice, let it be our doomes:
If free and spotlesse loue in equall yeares,
With honours vnimpaired deserue such ends,
Let vs approue what iustice is in friends.
Lass.
You shall I sweare: sister, take you her close
Into your chamber, locke her fast alone,
And let her stirre nor speake with any one.
Cor.
She shall not brother: come Neece, come with me.
Heauen saue my loue, and I will suffer gladly.
Exeunt Cor. Mar.
Alp.
Haste Iulio, follow thou my sons pursuit,
And will Lord Medice not to hurt nor touch him,
But either banish him, or bring him backe:
Charge him to vse no violence to his life.
Iulio.
I will my Lord.
Exit Iulio.
Alp.
O Nature! how alas
Art thou and Reason thy true guide opposde?
More bane thou tak'st, to guide Sense, led amisse,
Then being guided, Reason giues thee blisse.
Exeunt.
Enter Cynanche, Beneuenius, Ancula, Strozza hauing the Arrow head.
Stro.
Now see good Doctor, t'was no frantike fancie,
That made my tongue presage this head should fall
Out of my wounded side the seuenth day;
But an inspired rapture of my minde,
Submitted and conioynde in patience,
To my Creator, in whom I fore-saw
(Like to an Angell) this diuine euent.
Ben.
So is it plaine, and happily approu'd,
In a right christian president, confirming
What a most sacred medcine Patience is,
That with the high thirst of our soules, cleare fire
Exhausts corporeall humour; and all paine,
Casting our flesh off, while we it retaine.
Cy.
Make some religious vow then my deare Lord,
And keepe it in the proper memorie,
Of so Celestiall and free a grace.
Str.
Sweete wife, thou restest my good Angell still,
Suggesting by all meanes, these ghostly counsailes.
Thou weariest not thy husbands patient eares,
With motions for new fashions in attire,
For change of Iewells, pastimes, and nice cates,
Nor studiest eminence, and the higher place
Amongst thy consorts, like all other Dames:
But knowing more worthy obiects appertaine
To euery woman that desires t'inioy
A blessed life in mariage: thou contemn'st
Vsing thy husband in those vertuous gifts:
For which, thou first didst choose him, and thereby
Cloy'st not with him, but lou'st him endlesly.
In reuerence of thy motion then, and zeale
To that most soueraigne power, that was my cure.
I make a vow to goe on foote to Rome,
And offer humbly in S. Peters Temple,
This fatall Arrow head: which work, let none iudge
A superstitious Rite, but a right vse,
Proper to this peculiar instrument,
Which visiblie resignde to memorie,
Through euery eye that sees, will stirre the soule
To Gratitude and Progresse, in the vse
Of my tried patience which in my powers ending,
Would shut th'example out of future liues.
“No act is superstitious, that applies
“All power to God, deuoting hearts, through eyes.
Ben.
Spoke with the true tongue of a Nobleman:
But now are all these excitations toyes,
And Honor fats his braine with other ioyes.
I know your true friend, Prince Vincentio
Will triumph in this excellent effect
Of your late prophecie.
Stro.
O, my deare friends name
Presents my thoughts, with a most mortall danger,
To his right innocent life: a monstrous fact
Is now effected on him.
Cyn.
Where? or how?
Stro.
I doe not well those circumstances know,
But am assur'd, the substance is too true.
Come reuerend Doctor, let vs harken out
Where the young Prince remaines, and beare with you
Medcines t'allay his danger: if by wounds,
Beare pretious Balsome, or some soueraigne iuyce;
If by fell poison, some choice Antidote,
If by blacke witchcraft, our good spirits and prayers
Shall exorcise the diuelish wrath of hell,
Enter Pogio running.
Pog.
Where? where? where? where's my Lord vncle, my
Lord my vncle?
Stro.
Here's the ill tydings-bringer; what newes now,
with thy vnhappie presence?
Po.
O my Lord, my Lord Vincentio, is almost kild by my Lord Medice.
Stro.
See Doctor, see, if my presage be true.
And well I know if he haue hurt the Prince,
T'is trecherously done, or with much helpe.
Pog.
Nay sure he had no helpe, but all the Dukes Guard;
and they set vpon him indeed; and after he had defended himselfe,
dee see? he drew, & hauing as good as wounded the Lord
Medice almost, he strake at him, and missd him, dee marke?
Stro.
What tale is here? where is this mischiefe done?
Pog.
At Monks well, my Lord, Ile guide you to him presently.
Str.
I doubt it not; fooles are best guides to ill,
And mischiefes readie way lies open still.
Lead sir I pray.
Exeunt.
Enter Corteza, and Margaret aboue.
Cort.
Quiet your selfe, Nece; though your loue be slaine,
You haue another that's woorth two of him.
Mar.
It is not possible; it cannot be
That heauen should suffer such impietie.
Cort.
T'is true, I sweare neece.
Ma.
O most vniust truth!
Ile cast my selfe downe headlong from this Tower;
And force an instant passage for my soule,
To seeke the wandring spirit of my Lord.
Cort.
Will you do so Neece? That I hope you will not,
And yet there was a Maid in Saint Marks streete,
For such a matter did so; and her clothes
Flew vp about her so as she had no harme:
And grace of God your clothes may flie vp too,
And saue you harmelesse; for your cause and hers
Are ene as like as can be.
Mar.
I would not scape;
And certainly I thinke the death is easie.
Cort.
O t'is the easiest death that euer was,
Looke Neece, it is so farre hence to the ground.
Yet do not leape Neece.
Mar.
I will kill my selfe
With running on some sworde; or drinke strong poison;
Which death is easiest I would faine endure.
Cor.
Sure Cleopatra was of the same minde,
And did so; she was honord euer since,
Yet do not you so Neece.
Mar.
Wretch that I am; my heart is softe and faint;
And trembles at the verie thought of death,
Though thoughts ten-folde more greeuous do torment it;
Ile feele death by degrees; and first deforme
This my accursed face with vglie wounds,
That was the first cause of my deare loues death.
Cor.
That were a cruell deed; yet Adelasia;
In Pettis Pallace of Petit pleasure,
For all the worlde, with such a knife as this
Cut off her cheeks, and nose, and was commended
More then all Dames that kept their faces whole;
O do not cut it.
Mar.
Fie on my faint heart,
It will not giue my hand the wished strength;
Beholde the iust plague of a sensuall life,
That to preserue it selfe in Reasons spight,
And shunne deaths horror, feels it ten times more.
Vnworthy women, why doe men adore
Our fading Beauties, when their worthiest liues,
Being lost for vs, we dare not die for them?
Hence haplesse Ornaments that adorn'd this head:
Disorder euer these entring carles
And leaue my beautie like a wildernesse,
That neuer mans eie more may dare t'inuade.
Cor.
Ile tell you Neece; and yet I will not tell you,
A thing that I desire to haue you doe.
But I will tell you onely what you might doe,
Cause I would pleasure you in all I cud.
I haue an Ointment heere, which we Dames vse,
To take off haire when it does growe too lowe
If you should rub it hard vpon your face,
Would blister it, and make it looke most vildely.
Mar.
O Giue me that Aunt.
Cor.
Giue it you virgin? that were well indeede:
Shall I be thought to tempt you to such matters?
Mar.
None (of my faith) shall know it: gentle Aunt,
Bestow it on me, and Ile euer loue you.
Cor.
Gods pitty, but you shall not spoile your face.
Mar.
I will not then indeede.
Cor.
Why then Neece take it:
But you shall sweare you will not.
Mar.
No, I sweare.
Cor.
What, doe you force it from me? Gods my deare,
Will you mis-vse your face so? what, all ouer?
Nay, if you be so desp'rate, Ile be gone—
Exit.
Mar.
Fade hoplesse beautie, turne the vgliest face
The euer Æthiop, or affrightfull fiend
Shew'd in th'amaz'd eye of prophan'd light:
See pretious Loue, if thou be it in ayre,
And canst breake darknesse, and the strongest Towres,
With thy dissolued intellectuall powres,
See a worse torment suffered for thy death,
Then if it had extended his blacke force,
In seuen-fold horror to my hated life.
Smart pretious ointment, smart, and to my braine
Sweate thy enuenom'd furie, make my eyes
Burne with thy sulphre like the lakes of hell,
That feare of me may shiuer him to dust,
That eate his owne childe with the jawes of lust—
Exeunt.
Enter Alphonso, Lasso, and others.
Alp.
I wonder how farre they pursu'd my Sonne,
That no returne of him or them appears,
I feare some haplesse accident is chanc'd,
That makes the newes so loath to pierce mine eares.
Lass.
High heauen vouchsafe no such effect succeede
Those wretched causes that from my house flow,
But that in harmelesse loue all acts may end.
Enter Cortezza.
What shall I do? Alas I cannot rule
My desparate Neece, all her sweete face is spoylde,
And I dare keepe her prisoner no more:
See, see, she comes frantike and all vndrest.
Enter Marg.
Mar.
Tyrant! behold how thou hast vsde thy loue,
See, theefe to Nature, thou hast kil'd and rob'd,
Kil'd what my selfe kill'd, rob'd what makes thee poore.
Beautie (a Louers treasure) thou hast lost
Where none can find it; all a poore Maides dowres
Thou hast forc'd from me: all my ioy and hope.
No man will loue me more; all Dames excell me,
This ougly thing is now no more a face,
Nor any vile forme in all Earth resembled,
But thy fowle tyrannie; for which all the paines
Two faithfull Louers feele, that thus are parted,
All ioyes they might haue felt, turne all to paines;
All a yong virgin thinks she does endure,
To loose her loue and beautie; on thy heart
Be heapt and prest downe till thy soule depart.
Enter Iulio.
Iul.
Halle Liege, your sonne is daungerously hurt.
Lord Medice contemning your commaund,
By me deliuered, as your Highnesse will'd,
Set on him with your Guard; who strooke him downe;
And then the coward Lord, with mortall wounds,
And slauish insolencie, plow'd vp his soft breast;
Which barbarous fact in part is laid on you,
For first enioyning it, and fowle exclaimes
In pittie of your sonne, your subiects breathe
Gainst your vnnaturall furie; amongst whom
The good Lord Strozza desp'rately raues,
And vengeance for his friends iniustice craues.
See where he comes burning in zeale of friendship.
Enter Srozza, Vincentio, brought in a chaire, Beneuenius, Pogio, Cynanche, with a guard, Strozza before & Medice.
Stro.
Where is the tyrant? let me strike his eyes
Into his braine, with horror of an obiect.
See Pagan Nero; see how thou hast ript
Thy better bosome; rooted vp that flowre,
And in him kild, (that would haue bred thee fresh)
Thy mother and thy father.
Vin.
Good friend cease.
Stro.
What hag with child of Monster, would haue nurst
Such a prodigous longing? But a father
Would rather eate the brawne out of his armes
Then glut the mad worme of his wilde desires
With his deare issues entrailes.
Vin.
Honourd friend;
He is my father, and he is my Prince,
In both whose rights he may commaund my life.
Stro.
What is a father? turne his entrailes gulfs
To swallow children, when they haue begot them?
And whats a Prince? Had all beene vertuous men,
There neuer had beene Prince vpon the earth,
And so no subiect; all men had beene Princes:
A vertuous man is subiect to no Prince,
But to his soule and honour; which are lawes,
That carrie Fire and Sword within themselues
Neuer corrupted neuer out of rule;
What is there in a Prince? That his least lusts
Are valued at the liues of other men,
When common faults in him should prodigies be,
And his grosse dotage rather loath'd then sooth'd.
Alp.
How thicke and heauily my plagues descend?
Not giuing my mazde powres a time to speake:
Poure more rebuke vpon me worthie Lord,
For I haue guilt and patience for them all:
Yet know, deare sonne, I did forbid thy harme:
This Gentleman can witnes, whom I sent
With all command of haste to interdict:
This forward man in mischiefe; not to touch thee:
Did I not Iulio? vtter nought but truth.
Iul.
All your guard heard, my Lord, I gaue your charge,
With lowd and violent itterations.
After all which, Lord Medice cowardly hurt him.
The Guard.
He did my Princely Lord.
Beleeue then sonne,
And know me pierst as deeply with thy wounds:
And pardon vertuous Ladie that haue lost
The dearest treasure proper to your sexe.
Ay me, it seemes by my vnhappie meanes!
O would to God, I could with present cure
Of these vnnaturall wounds; and moning right
Of this abused beautie, ioyne you both,
(As last I left you) in eternall nuptials.
Vin.
My Lord, I know the malice of this man,
Not your vnkinde consent hath vsde vs thus.
And since I make no doubt I shall suruiue
These fatall dangers; and your grace is pleasde,
To giue free course to my vnwounded loue;
T'is not this outward beauties ruthfull losse,
Can any thought discourage my desires:
And therefore, deare life, doe not wrong me so,
To thinke my loue the shadow of your beautie,
I wooe your vertues, which as I am sure
No accident can alter or empaire;
So, be you certaine nought can change my loue.
Mar.
I know your honourable minde my Lord,
And will not do it that vnworthie wrong,
To let it spend her forces in contending
(Spite of your sence) to loue me thus deformed:
Loue must haue outward obiects to delight him,
Else his content will be too graue and sowre.
It is inough for me my Lord, you loue,
And that my beauties sacrifice redeemde
My sad feare of your slaughter. You first lou'd me
Closely for beautie; which being with'red thus.
Your loue must fade; when the most needfull rights
Of Fate, and Nature, haue dissolu'd your life,
And that your loue must needs be all in soule,
Then will we meete againe: and then (deare Loue)
Loue me againe; for then will beautie be
Of no respect with loues eternitie.
Vin.
Nor is it now; I wooed your beautie first
That title and your vertues binde me euer.
Mar.
Alas, that title is of little force
To stirre vp mens affectious: when wiues want
Outward excitements, husbands loues grow skant.
Ben.
Assist me Heauen, and Art, giue me your Maske,
Open thou little store-house of great Nature,
Vse an Elixar drawne through seuen yeares fire,
That like Medeas Cauldron, can repaire
The vgliest losse of liuing temp'rature:
And for this princely paire of vertuous Turtles,
Be lauish of thy pretious influence
Lady, t'attone your honourable strife,
And take all let from your loues tender eyes.
Let me for euer hide this staine of Beauty,
With this recureful Maske; heere be it fix'd
With painelesse operation; of it selfe,
(Your beauty hauing brook'd three daies eclips)
Like a dissolued clowd it shall fall off.
And your faire lookes regaine their freshest raies:
So shall your Princely friend, (if heauen consent)
In twice your sufferd date renue recure,
Let me then haue the honor to conioyne
Your hands, conformed to your constant hearts.
Alp.
Graue Beneuenius, honorable Doctor,
On whose most soueraigne Æsculapian hand,
Fame with her richest miracles attends,
Be fortunate, as euer heeretofore,
That we may quite thee both with gold and honour,
And by thy happy meanes, haue powre to make
My Sonne, and his much iniur'd loue amends,
Whose well proportion'd choice we now applaud,
And blesse all those that euer further'd it.
Where is your discreete Vsher my good Lord,
The speciall furtherer of this equall match?
Iulio
Brought after by a couple of your Guard.
Alp.
Let him be fetch'd, that we may doe him grace.
Po.
Ile fetch him my Lord: away, you must not go: O here
be chopt in peeces.
Bass.
Wo to that wicked Prince that ere I saw him.
Pog.
Come, come, I gull you master Vsher, you are like to
be the Dukes Minion man; dee thinke I would haue beene
seene in your companie, and you had beene out of fauour?
Here's my friend maister Vsher, my Lord.
Alp.
Giue me your hand friend, pardon vs I pray,
We much haue wrong'd your worth, as one that knew the
fitnesse of this match aboue our selues.
Bass.
Sir, I did all things for the best, I sweare,
And you must thinke I would not haue beene gul'd,
I know what's fit sir; as I hope you know now:
Sweete Vince how far'st thou, be of honourd cheere.
Lass.
Vince does he call him? O Foole, dost thou call
The Prince Vince, like his equall?
Bass.
O my Lord, Ahlas
You know not what haz past twixt vs two;
Here in thy bosome I will lie sweete Vince,
And die if thou die; I protest by heauen.
Lass.
I know not what this meanes.
Alp.
Nor I my Lord:
But sure he saw the fitnes of the match,
With freer and more noble eies then we.
Pog.
Why I saw that as well as he my Lord; I knew t'was
a foolish match betwixt you two; did nor you thinke so my
Lord Vincentio? Lord vncle, did not I say at first of the Duke;
will his Antiquitie neuer leaue his Iniquitie?
Stro.
Go to, too much of this; but aske this Lord,
If he did like it.
Pog.
Who, my Lord Medice?
Stro.
Lord Stinkard Man, his name is; aske him Lord Stinkard,
did you like the match? say.
Pog.
My Lord Stinkard, did you like the match betwixt the
Duke, and my Ladie Margaret?
Med.
Presumptuous Sicophant, I will haue thy life.
Alp.
Vnworthie Lord, put vp: thirst'st thou more blood?
Thy life is fitt'st to be call'd in question.
Thy forwardnesse to euery cruelty
Calls thy pretended Noblesse in suspect.
Stro.
Noblesse my Lord? set by your princely fauour,
That gaue the lustre to his painted state,
Who euer view'd him but with deepe contempt,
As reading vilenesse in his very lookes?
And if he proue not sonne of some base drudge,
Trim'd vp by Fortune, being dispos'd to ieast
And dally with your state, then that good Angell,
That by diuine relation spake in me,
Fore-telling these foule dangers to your sonne,
And without notice brought this reuerend man
To rescue him from death: now failes my tongue,
And Ile confesse, I doe him open wrong.
Med.
And so thou doost; and I returne all note
Of infamy or basenesse on thy throte:
Damne me my Lord, if I be not a Lord.
Stro.
My Liege, with all desert, euen now you said
His life was duely forfet, for the death
Which in these barbarous wounds he sought your sonne;
Vouchsafe me then his life, in my friends right,
For many waies I know he merits death;
Which, (if you grant) will instantly appeare,
And that I feele with some rare miracle.
Alp.
His life is thine Lord Strozza, Giue him death.
Med.
What my Lord,
Will your grace cast away an innocent life?
Stro.
Villaine thou liest, thou guiltie art of death
A hundred waies, which now Ile execute.
Med.
Recall your word my Lord.
Alp.
Not for the world.
Stro.
O my deare Liege, but that my spirit prophetike
Hath inward feeling of such sinnes in him,
As aske the forfait of his life and soule,
I would, before I tooke his life, giue leaue
To his confession, and his penitence:
O, he would tell you most notorious wonders,
Must suffer for it in him, and my hand
Forbidden is from heauen to let him liue,
Till by confession he may haue forgiuenesse.
Die therefore monster.
Vin.
O be not so vncharitable sweete friend,
Let him confesse his sinnes, and aske heauen pardon.
Stro.
He must not Princely friend, it is heauens iustice
To plague his life and soule, and heer's heauens iustice.
Me.
O saue my life my Lord.
Las.
Hold good Lord Strozza,
Let him confesse the sinnes that heauen hath told you,
And aske forgiuenesse.
Med.
Let me good my Lord,
And Ile confesse what you accuse me of;
Wonders indeede, and full of damn'd deserts.
Stro.
I know it, and I must not let thee liue
To aske forgiuenesse.
Alp.
But you shall my Lord,
Or I will take his life out of your hand.
Stro.
A little then I am content my Liege:
Is thy name Medice?
Med.
No my Noble Lord,
My true name is Mendice.
Stro.
Mendice? see,
At first a Mighty scandall done to Honour.
Of what countrie art thou?
Med.
Of no Country, I,
But borne vpon the Seas, my mother passing
Twixt Zant and Uenice.
Stro.
Where wert thou christned?
Med.
I was neuer christned,
But being brought vp with beggars, call'd Mendice.
Alp.
Strange, and vnspeakeable.
Stro.
How cam'st thou then
To beare that port thou didst, entring this Court?
Med.
My lord when I was young, being able limb'd,
A Captaine of the Gipsies entertain'd me,
And many yeares I liu'd a loose life with them:
At last I was so fauor'd, that they made me
The King of Gipsies; and being told my fortune
By an old Sorceresse, that I should be great
Which all our company of Gipsies had
In many yeares, by seuerall stealths collected,
And leauing them in warres, I liu'd abroad,
With no lesse shew then now: and my last wrong
I did to Noblesse, was in this high Court.
Alp.
Neuer was heard so strange a counterfet.
Stro.
Didst thou not cause me to be shot in hunting?
Med.
I did my Lord, for which, for heauens loue pardon.
Stro.
Now let him liue my Lord, his bloods least drop
Would staine your Court, more then the Sea could cleanse:
His soule's too foule to expiate with death.
Alp.
Hence then, be euer banish'd from my rule,
And liue a monster, loath'd of all the world.
Pog.
Ile get boyes and baite him out a'th Court my Lord.
Alp.
Doe so I pray thee, rid me of his sight.
Pog.
Come on my Lord Stinckerd, Ile play Fox, Fox, come
out of thy hole with you ifaith.
Med.
Ile runne and hide me from the sight of heauen.
Pog.
Fox, Fox, goe out of thy hole; a two leg'd Fox,
A two leg'd Fox.
Exit with Pages beating Medice.
Beue.
Neuer was such an accident disclosde.
Alp.
Let vs forget it honourable friends,
And satisfie all wrongs with my sonnes right,
In solemne mariage of his loue and him.
Vin.
I humbly thanke your Highnesse honor'd Doctor,
The Balsome you infusde into my wounds,
Hath easde me much, and giuen me sodaine strength
Enough t'assure all danger is exempt,
That any way may let the generall ioy,
My Princely Father speakes of in our nuptialls.
Alp.
Which my deere Sonne shall with thy full recoveire
Be celebrate in greater Maiesty,
Than euer grac'd our greatest Ancestrie.
Then take thy loue, which heauen with all ioyes blest,
And make yee both mirrors of happinesse.
FINIS.
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