University of Virginia Library

Actus Quintus.

Scæna prima.

Enter Lamorall and Lucio.
Lam.
Can it be possible, that in fix short houres
The subject still the same, so many habits
Should be remov'd? or this new Lucio, be
That yesternight was baffeld and disgrac'd,
And thankt the man that did it, that then kneeld
And blubberd like a woman, should now dare
One terme of honour seeke reparation
For what he then appear'd not capable of?

Luc.
Such miracles, men that dare doe injuries
Live to their shames to see, and for punishment
And scourge to their proud follies.

Lam.
Prethee leave me:
Had I my Page, or foot-man here to flesh thee,
I durst the better heare thee.

Luc.
This scorn needs not:
And offer such no more.

Lam.
Why say I should,
You'l not be angry?

Luc.
Indeed I think I shal,
Would you vouchsafe to shew your selfe a Captaine,
And lead a little further, to some place
That's lesse frequented.

Lam.
He looks pale.

Luc.
If not,
Make use of this.

Lam.
There's anger in his eyes too:
His gesture, voyce, and behaviour, all new fashion'd;
Wel, if it does endure in act the triall
Of what in show it promises to make good,
Ulysses Cyclops, Io's transformation,
Eurydice fetcht from Hell, with all the rest
Of Ovids Fables, ile put in your Creed;
And for proofe, all incredible things may be
Writ down that Lucio, the coward Lucio,
The womanish Lucio fought.

Luc.
and Lamorall,
The stil imployd great duellist Lamorall
Took his life from him.

Lam.
Twill not come to that sure:
Methinks the onely drawing of my Sword
Should fright that confidence.

Luc.
It confirmes it rather.
To make which good, know you stand now oppos'd
By one that is your Rivall, one that wishes
Your name and title greater, to raise his;
The wrong you did, lesse pardonable then it is,
But your strength to defend it, more then ever
It was when justice friended it. The Lady
For whom we now contend, Genevora
Of more desert, (if such incomparable beauty
Could suffer an addition) your love
To Don Vitelli multipli'd, and your hate
A against my father and his house increas'd;
And lastly, that the Glove which you there wear,
To my dishonour, (which I must force from you)
Were deerer to you then your life.

Lam.
You'l finde
It is, and so ile guard it:

Luc.
All these meet then
With the black infamy, to be foyld by one
That's not allowd a man: to help your valour,
That falling by your hand, I may, or die,
Or win in this one single opposition
My Mistris, and such honour as I may
Inrich my fathers Armes with.

Lam.
Tis said Nobly;
My life with them are at the stake.

Luc.
At all then.

Fight.
Lam.
She's yours: this, and my life, to follow your fortune;
And give not onely back that part the looser
Scorns to accept of—

Luc.
What's that?

Lam.
My poor life,
Which do not leave me as a further torment,
Having dispoild me of my Sword, mine honour,
Hope of my Ladies grace, fame, and all else
That made it worth the keeping.

Luc.
I take back
No more from you, then what you forc'd from me;
And with a worser title: yet think not
That Ile dispute this, as made insolent
By my successe, but as one equall with you,
If so you wil accept me; that new courage,
Or call it fortune if you please, that is
Confer'd upon me by the only sight
Of fair Genevora, was not bestow'd on me
To bloody purposes: nor did her command
Deprive me of the happinesse to see her
But till I did redeem her favour from you;
Which onely I rejoyce in, and share with you
In all you suffer else.

Lam.
This curtesie
Wounds deeper then your Sword can, or mine owne;
Pray you make use of either, and dispatch me.

Luc.
The barbarous Turke is satisfied with spoile;
And shall I, being possest of what I came for,
Prove the more Infidell?

Lam.
You were better be so,
Then publish my disgrace, as tis the custome,
And which I must expect.

Luc.
Judge better on me:
I have no tongue to trumpet mine owne praise
To your dishonour: tis a bastard courage
That seekes a name out that way, no true born one;
Pray you be comforted, for by all goodnesse
But to her vertuous selfe, the best part of it,
I never wil discover on what termes
I came by these: which yet I take not from you,
But leave you in exchange of them, mine own,
With the desire of being a friend; which if
You will not grant me but on further triall
Of manhood in me, seeke me when you please,
(And though I might refuse it with mine honour)
Win them again, and weare them: so good morrow.

Exit.
Lam.
I nere knew what true valour was till now;
And have gain'd more by this disgrace, then all
The honours I have won: they made me proud,
Presumptuous of my fortune; a meere beast,
Fashion'd by them, onely to dare and doe:
Yeelding no reasons for my wilfull actions
But what I stuck on my Swords point, presuming
It was the best Revenew. How unequall
Wrongs wel maintain'd makes us to others, which
Ending with shame teach us to know our selves,
I wil think more on't.

Enter Uitelli.
Vit.
Lamorall.

Lam.
My Lord?

Vit.
I came to seeke you.

Lam.
And unwillingly;
You nere found me till now: your pleasure sir?

Vit.
That which wil please thee friend: thy vowd love to me
Shall now be put in action: means is offer'd
To use thy good Sword for me; that which still
Thou wearst, as if it were a part of thee.
Where is it?

Lam.
Tis changd for one more fortunate:
Pray you enquire not how.

Vit.
Why, I nere thought
That there was musick int, but ascribe
The fortune of it to the arme.

Lam.
Which is grown weaker too. I am not (in a word)
Worthy your friendship: I am one new vanquish'd,
Yet shame to tell by whom.

Vit.
But Ile tell thee
'Gainst whom thou art to fight, and there redeeme
Thy honour lost, if there be any such:
The King, by my long suit, at length is pleas'd
That Alvarez and my self, with eithers Second,
Shall end the difference between our houses,
Which he accepts of I make choice of thee;
And where you speak of a disgrace, the means
To blot it out, by such a publique triall
Of thy approved valour, wil revive
Thy ancient courage. If you imbrace it, doe;
If not, Ile seeke some other.

Lam.
As I am
You may command me.

Vit.
Spoke like that true friend
That loves not onely for his private end.

Exeunt.

Scæna secunda.

Enter Genevora with a Letter and Bobadilla.
Gen.
This from Madona Clara?

Bob.
Yes, and't please you.

Gen.
Alvarez daughter?

Bob.
The same, Lady.

Gen.
She,
That sav'd my brothers life?

Bob.
You are still in the right,
She wil'd me wait your walking forth: and knowing
How necessary a discreet wise man
Was in a businesse of such weight, she pleas'd
To think on me: it may be in my face
Your Ladiship not acquainted with my wisdome
Finds no such matter: what I am, I am;
Thought's free: and think you what you please.

Gen.
Tis strange,

Bob.
That I should be wise, Madam?

Gen.
No, thou art so;
There's for thy paines: and prethee tell thy Lady
I wil not faile to meet her: Ile receive
Thy thanks and duty in thy present absence:
Farewell, farewel, I say, now thou art wise.
Exit Bob.
She writes here, she hath something to impart
That may concerne my brothers life; I know not,
But generall fame does give her out so worhty,
That I dare not suspect her: yet wish Lucio
Enter Lucio.
Were Master of her mind: but fie upon't;
Why do I think on him? see, I am punish'd for it,
In his unlookd for presence: Now I must
Endure another tedious piece of Courtship,
Would make one forswear curtesie.

Luc.
Gracious Madam,
The sorrow paid for your just anger towards me
Arising from my weaknesse, I presume
To presse into your presence, and dispaire not
An easie pardon.

Gen.
He speaks sence: oh strange.

Luc.
And yet believe, that no desire of mine,
Though all are too strong in me, had the power
For their delight, to force me to iufringe
What you commanded, it being in your pars
To lessen your great rigour when you please,
And mine to suffer with an humble patience
What you'l impose upon it.

Gen.
Courtly too.

Luc.
Yet hath the poore, and contemn'd Lucio, Madam,
(Made able onely by his hope to serve you)
Recover'd what with violence, not justice,
Was taken from him: and here at your feet
With these, he could have laid the conquer'd head
Of Lamorall (tis all I say of him)
For rudely touching that, which as a relique
I ever would have worship'd, since twas yours.

Gen.
Valiant, and every thing a Lady could
Wish in her servant.

Luc.
All that's good in me,
That heavenly love, the opposite to base lust,
Which would have all men worthy, hath created;
Which being by your beames of beauty form'd,
Cherish as your own creature.

Gen.
I am gone
Too far now to dissemble: rise, or sure
I must kneele with you too: let this one kisse
Speake the rest for me: tis too much I doe,
And yet, if chastity would, I could with more.

Luc.
In overjoying me, you are grown sad;
What is it Madam? by—
There's nothing that's within my nerves (and yet
Favour'd by you, I should as much as man)
But when you please, now or on all occasions
You can think of hereafter, but you may
Dispose of at your pleasure.

Gen.
If you breake
That oath again, you lose me. Yet so wel
I love you, I shall never put you to't;
And yet forget it not: rest satisfied
With that you have receiv'd now: there are eyes
May be upon us, till the difference
Between our friends are ended: I would not
Be seen so private with you.

Luc.
I obey you.

Gen.
But let me heare oft from you, and remember
I am Vitellies sister.

Luc.
What's that Madam?

Gen.
Nay nothing, fare you well: who feeles loves fire,
Would ever aske to have means to desire.

Exeunt

Scena tertia.

Enter Assistente, Sayavedra, Anastro, Herald, Attendants.
Assis.
Are they come in?

Har.
Yes.

Assis.
Read the Proclamation,
That all the people here assembled may
Have satisfaction, what the Kings deere love,
In care of the Republique, hath ordained;
Attend with silence: read aloud.

Herald
reads.

Forasmuch as our high and mighty Master,
Philip, the potent and most Catholique King
of Spaine, hath not onely in his own Royall person,
been long, and often sollicited, and grieved, with
the deadly and uncurable hatred, sprung up betwixt
the two ancient and most honourably discended
Houses of these his two deerely and equally beloved
Subjects, Don Ferdinando de Alvarez,
and Don Pedro de Vitelli: (all which in vaine
his Majesty hath often endeavoured to reconcile
and qualifie:) But that also through the debates,
quarrels, and outrages daily arising, falling, and
flowing from these great heads, his publique civill
Government is seditiously and barbarously molested
and wounded, and many of his chiefe Gentry
(no lesse tender to his Royall Majesty then the very
branches of his own sacred blood) spoyld, lost, and
submerged, in the impious inundation and torrent
of their still-growing malice: It hath therefore
pleased His sacred Majesty, out of His infinite affection
to preserve his Common wealth, and generall
peace, I from farther violation, (as a sweet and
heartily loving father of his people) and on the
earnest petitions of these Arch-enemies, to Order,
and Ordaine, That they be ready, each with his wel-chosen
and beloved friend, arm'd at all points like
Gentlemen, in the Castle of St. Jago, on this present
Munday morning betwixt eight and nine of the
clocke; where (before the combatants be allowed
to commence this granted Duell) This to be read
aloud for the publique satisfaction of his Majesties
welbeloved Subjects.

'Save the King.

Drums within.
Say.
Hark how their Drums speak their insatiate thirst
Of blood, and stop their eares 'gainst pious peace,
Who gently whispering, implores their friendship?

Assis.
Kings, nor authority can master fate;
Admit 'em then, and blood extinguish hate.

Enter severally, Alvarez and Lucio, Vitelli and Lamora.
Say.
Stay, yet be pleasd to think, and let not daring
Wherein men nowadaies exceed even beasts,
And think themselves not men else, so transport you
Beyond the bounds of Christianity:
Lord Alvarez, Vitelli, Gentlemen,
No Town in Spaine, from our Metropolis
Unto the rudest hovell, but is great
With your assured valours daily proofes:
Oh wil you then, for a superfluous fame,
A sound of honour, which in these times, all
Like heretiques professe (with obstinacy)
But most erroneously, venture your soules,
Tis a hard tasque, thorough a Sea of blood
To saile, and land at Heaven?

Vit.
I hope not
If justice be my Pilot: but my Lord,
You know, if argument, or time, or love,
Could reconcile, long since we had shook hands;
I dare protest, your breath cooles not a veine
In any one of us, but blowes the fire
Which nought but blood reciprocall can quench.

Alv.
Vitelli, thou sayst bravely, and sayst right,
And I will kill thee for't, I love thee so.

Vit.
Ha, ha, old man: upon thy death Ile build
A story (with this arme) for thy old wife
To tell thy daughter Clara seven yeeres hence
As she sits weeping by a wintet fire,
How such a time Vitelli slew her husband
With the same Sword his daughter favour'd him,
And lives, and weares it yet: Come Lamorall,
Redeeme thy selfe.

Lam.
Lucio, Genevora
Shall on this Sword receive thy bleeding heart,
For my presented hat, laid at her feet.

Luc.
Thou talkst wel Lamorall, but tis thy head
That I wil carry to her to thy hat:
Fie father, I do coole too much.

Alv.
Oh boy:
Thy fathers true sonne:
Beat Drums,—and so good morrow to your Lordship.

Enter above Eugenia, Clara, Genevora.
Say.
Brave resolutions.

Anast.
Brave, and Spanish right.

Gen.
Lucio.

Cla.
Vitelli.

Eug.
Alvarez.

Alv.
How the devill
Got these Cats into th'gutter? my puffe too?

Eug.
Heare us.

Gen.
We must be heard.

Cla.
We will be heard
Vitelli; looke, see Clara on her knees
Imploring thy compassion: Heaven, how sternly
They dart their emulous eyes, as if each scorn'd
To be behind the other in a look!
Mother, death needs no Sword here: oh my sister
(Fate faine would have it so) perswade, entreat,
A Ladies teares are silent Orators
(Or should be so at least) to move beyond
The honest tongu'd-Rethoritian:
Why will you fight? why do's an uncles death
Twentie yeare old, exceed your love to me
But twentie daies? whose forc'd cause, and faire manner
You could not understand, onely have heard.
Custome, that wrought so cunningly on nature
In me, that I forgot my sex, and knew not
Whether my body femall were, or male,
You did unweave, and had the power to charme
A new creation in me, made me feare
To think on those deeds I did perpetrate,
How little power though you allow to me
That cannot with my sighes, my teares, my prayers
Move you from your own losse, if you shoule gaine.

Vit.
I must forget you Clara, 'till I have
Redeem'd my uncles blood, that brands my face
Like a pestiferous Carbuncle: I am blinde
To what you doe: deafe to your cries: and Marble
To all impulsive exorations.
When on this point, I have pearch'd thy fathers soule,
Ile tender thee this bloody reeking hand
Drawne forth the bowels of that murtherer:
If thou canst love me then, i'le marry thee,
And for thy father lost, get thee a Sonne;
On no condition else.

Assist.
Most barbarous.

Say.
Savage.

Anast.
Irreligious.

Gen.
Oh Lucio!
Be thou more mercifull: thou bear'st fewer yeers,
Art lately wean'd from soft effeminacy,
A maidens manners, and a maidens heart
Are neighbours still to thee: be then more milde,
Proceed not to this combat; bee'st thou desperate
Of thine owne life? yet (deerest) pitty mine
Thy valour's not thine owne, I gave it thee,
These eyes begot it, this tongue bred it up,
This breast would lodge it: doe not use my gifts
To mine own ruine: I have made thee rich,
Be not so thanklesse, to undoe me for't.

Luc.
Mistresse, you know I doe not weare a vaine.
I would not rip for you, to doe you service:
Life's but a word, a shadow, a melting dreame,
Compar'd to essentiall, and eternall honour.
Why, would you have me value it beyond
Your brother: if I first cast down my sword
May all my body here, be made one wound,
And yet my soule not finde heaven thorough it.

Alv.
You would be carter-walling too, but peace,
Goe, get you home, and provide dinner for
Your Sonne, and me: we'l be exceeding merry:
Oh Lucio, I will have thee cock of all
The proud Vitellies that doe live in Spaine:
Fie, we shall take cold: hunch:—I am hoarse
Already.

Lam.
How your Sister whets my spleene!
I could eate Lucio now:

Gen.
Lamorall: you have often sworne
You'ld be commanded by me.

Gen.
Vitelli, Brother,
Ev'n for your Fathers soule, your uncles blood,
As you doe love my life: but last, and most
As you respect your own Honour, and Fame,
Throw downe your sword; he is most valiant
That herein yeelds first.

Vit.
Peace, you foole.

Cla.
Why Lucio,
Doe thou begin; 'tis no disparagement:
He's elder, and thy better, and thy valour
Is in his infancy.

Gen.
Or pay it me,
To whom thou ow'st it: Oh, that constant time
Would but goe back a week, then Lucio
Thou would'st not dare to fight.

Eug.
Lucio, thy Mother,
Thy Mother beggs it: throw thy sword down first.

Alv.
Ile throw his head downe after then.

Gen.
Lamorall.
You have often swore you'ld be commanded by me.

Lam.
Never to this: your spight, and scorn Genevora,
H'as lost all power in me:

Gen.
Your hearing for six words.

Ass., Say., An.
Strange obstinacy!

Al. Vit. Lu. Lam.
We'l stay no longer.

Cla.
Then by thy oath Vitelli,
Thy dreadfull oath, thou wouldst returne that sword
When I should aske it, give it to me, now,
This instant I require it.

Gen.
By thy vow,
As dreadfull, Lucio, to obey my will
In any one thing I would watch to challenge,
I charge thee not to strike a stroake: now he
Of our two brothers that loves perjurie
Best, and dares first be damn'd, infringe his vow.

Say.
Excellent Ladies.

Vit.
Pish you tyrannize.

Luc.
We did equivocate.

Alv.
On.

Cla.
Then Lucio,
So well I love my husband, for he is so,
(wanting but ceremony) that I pray
His vengefull sword may fall upon thy head
succesfully for false-hood to his Sister.

Gen.
I likewise pray (Vitelli) Lucio's sword
(who equally is my husband, as thou hers)
May finde thy false heart, that durst gage thy faith,
And durst not keepe it.

Assist.
Are you men, or stone.

Alv.
Men, and we'l prove it with our swords:

Eug.
Your hearing, for six words, and we have done,
Zancho come forth—we'l fight our challenge too.
Enter Bobadilla with two swords and a Pistoll.
Now speake your resolutions.

Gen.
These they are,
The first blow given betwixt you, sheathes these swords
In one anothers bosomes.

Eug.
And rogue, looke
You at that instant doe discharge that Pistoll
Into my breast: if you start back, or quake,
Ile stick you like a Pigge.

Alv.
—hold: you are mad.

Gen.
This we said: and by our hope of blisse
This we will doe: speake your intents.

Cla., Gen.
Strike.

Eug.
Shoot.

Al., Vit., Lu., La.
Hold, hold: all friends.

Assist.
Come downe.

Alv.
These devillish women
Can make men friends and enemies when they list.

Say.
A gallant undertaking and a happie;
Why this is noble in you: and will be
A well comer present to our Master Philip
Then the returne from his Indies.

Enter Clara, Genevora Eugenia and Bobadilla.
Cla.
Father your blessing.

Alv.
Take her: if he bring not
Betwixt you, boyes that will finde out new worlds,
And win 'em too I'm a false Prophet.

Vit.
Brother.
There is a Sister: long divided streames
Mix now at length, by fate.

Bob.

I am not regarded: I was the carefull Steward that
provided these Instruments of peace, I put the longest
weapon in your Sisters hand, (my Lord) because she was
the shortest Lady: For likely the shortest Ladies, love
the longest—men: And for mine own part, I could
have discharged it: my Pistoll is no ordinary Pistoll, it
has two ramming Bullets; but thought I, why should I
shoot my two bullets into my old Lady? if they had gon,
I would not have staid long after: I would ev'n have died
too, bravely y'faith, like a Roman-Steward: hung my
selfe in mine owne Chaine, and there had been a story
of Bobadilla, Spindola, Zanebo, for after ages to lament:
hum: I perceive I am not onely not regarded, but also
not rewarded.

Alv,

Prethee peace: 'shalt have a new chaine, next
Saint Iaques day, or this new gilt:

Bob.

I am satisfied: let vertue have her due: And yet
i am melancholy upon this atonement: pray heaven
the State rue it not: I would my Lord Vitellies Steward,
and I could meet: they should finde it should cost 'em a
little more to make us friends: well, I will forsweare
wine, and women for a yeere: and then I will be drunk
to morrow, and runne a whoring like a dogge with a
broken bottle at's taile; then will I repent next day, and
forsweare 'em againe more vehemently: be for-sworne
next day againe, and repent my repentance: for thus a
melancholy Gentleman doth, and ought to live.

Assist.
Nay, you shall dine with me: and afterward
Ile with 'ye to the King: But first, I will
Dispatch the Castles businesse, that this day
May be compleat. Bring forth the malefactors.
Enter Alguazier, Pachieco, Metaldi, Mendoza, Lazaril.
You Alguazier, the Ringleader of these
Poore fellowes, are degraded from your office,
You must restore all stolne goods you receiv'd,
And watch a twelve moneth without any pay:
This, if you faile of, (all your goods confiscate)
You are to be whipt, and sent into the Gallies.

Piorato, Malroda & Guard.
Alg.
I like all, but restoring that Catholique doctrine
I doe dislike: Learn all ye officers
By this to live uprightly (if you can)

Exit.
Assist.
You Cobler, to translate your manners new,
Are doom'd to th'Cloyster of the Mendicants,
With this your brother, botcher there, for nothing
To cobble, and heel hose for the poor Friers,
Till they allow your pennance for sufficient,
And your amendment; then you shall be freed,
And may set up againe,

Pach.
Mendoza, come.
Our soules have trod awry in all mens sight,
We'l underlay 'em, till they goe upright.

Exit. Pach. & Mend.
Assist.
Smith, in those shackles you for your hard heart
Must lye by th'heeles a yeer.

Met.
I have shod your horse, my Lord.

Exit.
Assist.
Away: for you, my hungry white-loaf'd face,
You must to th'Gallies, where you shall be sure
To have no more bits, then you shall have blowes.

Laz.
Well, though herrings want, I shall have rowes.

Assist.
Signior, you have prevented us, and punish'd
Your selfe severelier then we would have done.
You have married a whore: may she prove honest.

Pio.
'Tis better my Lord, then to marry an honest woman
That may prove a whore.

Vit.
'Tis a hansome wench: and thou canst keepe her tame:
Ile send you what I promis'd.

Pio.
Joy to your Lordships.

Alv.
Here may all Ladies learne, to make of foes
The perfect'st friends: and not the perfect'st foes
Of deerest friends, as some doe now a dayes.

Vit.
Behold the power of love, to nature lost
By custome irrecoverably, past the hope
Of friends restoring, love hath here retriv'd
To her own habit, made her blush to see
Her so long monstrous metamorphoses,
May strange affaires never have worse successe.

Exeunt.