 | The Vnfortunate Mother |  |
Act. 5.
First Scene.
The Scene the Grove.Corvino and Notho.
Corv.
This preparation of your high resolves
I must allow with wonder: sure you had
Some revelation of the weighty secret;
Or else instinct hath taught your knowledge more
Then a weake judgement could conclude from doubts;
And those bare circumstances I have us'd
T'instruct you by.
Not.
But if Ferrara must
Owne me her Duke, what progresse yet is order'd
Want equall meanes: and sure my single force
May not encounter such an opposition
As I shall meet. To challenge it my right
And not mainetaine it, renders me the lawes:
I would not pay my life for a distracted
Unwarrantable action. If it may
Be pleaded or with force, or testimony,
I am above all feares.
Corv.
I have a faction
Which with your party will make up a power
Of strength enough: but there is no such need.
Melissa joyn'd unto you will be more
Than any numerous Army of resolv'd
And faithfull spirits: she alone shall cleere
All that is yet in mists.
Not.
If you'l take from me
The scruples that I have about its lawfulnesse,
Ile court her to prevaile.
Corv.
You may command her,
Confirme it with an Oath as y'are a Prince;
And as I hope the ends of my ambition
Will meet successe, you shall be satisfi'd.
Not.
By all the vertuall powers that make an Oath
Sacred, I vow onely to wedde Melissa;
Provided it be lawfull.
Corv.
Then accept
My duty sir, that owes subjection
Duely to none but you. It is your birth-right
That shall preferre you 'fore this yong usurper;
And thus his knee to whom yours oft hath bended
Kneeles.
Humbles it selfe for pardon, that my brest
So long conceal'd what should make many happy.
Not.
I then am elder sonne to the late Duke!
And onely yours suppos'd: I must acknowledge
A large debt to you for my education,
Which answer'd my high birth. But can this have
Cleere confirmation?
Corv.
As the brightest ayre
The Sun illumines.
Not.
I am then a Prince,
And you my onely Subject:
For I know not
Who else will pay obedience to me.
All Will follow my example; for the rumour
As it growes bigger will incense the multitude:
From whom your fortunes and deserts have won
Both love and admiration. Fury then
Runnes them into a lumpe, or monstrous forme
With many heads, that carry their mad body
Reelingly forward, where they find resistance
Growing more violent: when to prevent
The mischievous effects of such an uproare:
The cause is askt and knowne; expostulated:
And your right prov'd by me, the generall voyce
Salutes you Duke. And shortly after you
May call Melissa Dutches.
Not.
I have heard
She doth affect Fidelio, And unlesse
She be diverted—.
Corv.
By this time Fidelio
Hath not his being,
Not.
Have you kild him then?
Cor.
Both politickly 'tis and safely order'd,
Cardente poisons both him and her selfe.
Not.
Could you have such a conscience?
Car.
Nice religion
Awes not a Politician. They both stood
Betwixt me and my ends.
Not.
You have confest
Your selfe a murderer, 'twas a bad act;
And you have added to it: the discovery
Hath made me guilty by the knowledge of it.
I cannot but with horrour now embrace
Her love, for which his innocence hath suffer'd:
Nor will I marry her.
Cor.
Dare you then be
Unjust to your owne honour? and neglect
That which you call religion, we but forme?
Not.
You have instructed me: all other vertues
Depend on Iustice; she alone is perfect
Without addition in her selfe. A Prince
Cannot deserv'dly weare the royall title,
That orders not it, nor is order'd by it.
Justice with tyranny may be allow'd
Emboldens sin; the other makes it feare.
If this day I should not be just (the first
Of my uncertaine government) a blessing
Would not preserve it; for the bad example
Would teach bad subjects (such as thou) to be
Presumptious in their errours.
Cor.
What proceeding Intends this ambage?
Not.
Such a sin as thine
Is not allow'd the plea of an excuse.
Then since thou stand'st convicted by thy selfe,
I thus pronounce thy sentence: thou shalt dye.
Corv.
Your selfe is not immortall Prince.
Not.
By th'hand Of Justice.
Cor.
Who's the executioner?
Not.
Thy selfe, I have no other to command.
Doe't with that instrument.
Throwes him his Dagger.
Cor.
'Tis a command
Becomes a Prince; and chiefly such a one
As makes it scruple to preserve his rayser,
Or to connive at a slight petty sin;
Whose execution hath confirm'd his title:
'Tis a lesse sin to kill thee than my selfe.
Not.
Honour must yeeld then to necessity:
Ile doe't my selfe. My sword that hath bin just
Drawes.
In war, in Peace shall be so. Therefore pray;
And if the apprehension of thy death
Presents thy guilty conscience with an horrour,
Meete it with holy thoughts, that thy repentance
May beare thy best part upwards. I am loath
To kill thy soule.
Corv.
What strange conceits are these
Transport your reason from its use? pray kill me,
And when y'have done it, call my silent ashes
To tell the people how you are their Prince.
What then shall give my cold tongue motion
To justifie your right?
Not.
Iust Hevens want not
Miraculous meanes. My Justice is too slow,
I cannot give thy preparations
A longer time.
Cor.
Put up your sword, and take
Throwes backe the Dagger.
Your Hang-mans toole agen. Put up I say,
And call your duty backe. Son I have plaid
My trialls into danger, heare the reason.
Observing in thee haughtinesse of spirit,
Forward to noble action, that was alwaies
Attended with successe, I fear'd ambition
Might tempt thy vertue, therefore order'd this
To prove its truth.
Not.
You cannot trifle me
Into new errour. I have shaken off
That loose and vulgar out-side I was drest in
By ignorance; but now I know my selfe
To be a Prince: 'Tis I that have discover'd
Ambition in thee, and thy practises;
To make thy daughter Dutchesse. But I play
Too much with Justice. Take thy punishment
For murder.
Offers to kill him.
2 Scene.
Enter Spurio. drawes.Spu.
'Tis not yet but in attempt.
Corv.
Y'have sav'd my life.
Exit.
Nnt.
Why dost thou interpose?
Rash man, I doe command thee fetch him backe,
And be his executioner. Art fixt?
Obey thy Prince with motion, or I'le turne
My rage on thee.
Spu.
What madnesse hath possest thee?
Not.
I'me like to have good subjects, I must beate them
Into obedience: thinke not on defence
For that's as vaine as if with nothing arm'd
But empty aire, thou mett'st a Thunder-bolt.
A sword thus order'd by the hand of Majesty
Will make its way.
Spu.
Traytor call backe that breath,
Fight.
Which as it doth divide the circling ayre,
Poysons it more than fenns from whence the Sun
Exhales infectious vapours.
Not.
Dar'st resist
Spu.
Disloyall villaine,
Thy words have made the cause inspire such valour
Into my hand and sword, such a just rage
Fight.
To punish thee—
Not.
It hath a point, I feele it;
My royall blood doth wast.
Spu.
'Tis course and sordid.
Not.
I faile not yet, my spirits still have force
I thinke that reacht you
Fight.
Spu.
That reacht you agen.
The cause assures me victory.
Not.
'Tis enough,
W'are both prov'd mortall.
Falls.
Spu.
Farewell dearest Master;
I dye thy loyall Champion.
Falls.
3 Scene.
Ent. Corv. Infelice.Inf.
What's this horrour
Presents it selfe? Is't reall or illusive?
My Spurio, Notho, dead! let my soule slight
To meet yours in the peacefull shades of rest.
Sownes,
Corv.
Madam looke up, suffer not your faint spirits
Thus to retire unto their inmost cells:
Let them dilate their vigour, and at once
Make all your sences usefull. This sad accident
If well consider'd is not of such consequence,
That it should shew how much our passions can
Out doe our reason.
Inf.
Give me more fresh ayre,
That I may draw it freely in t'increase
My sighes; not to preserve the breath that keepes
The different parts united. What sad influence
Order'd this Tragick action? or what motives
Could teach them to direct it to this end?
This most unnaturall end—
Corv.
Good Madam cease
Your exclamations; this may be apply'd
To better use from a consideration.
Your honour is secur'd, your shame prevented:
It was a mercy in high providence
Would you receive it so.
How weake is counsaile
To desperate frailty? 'tis not your Art can
Perswade me to a comfort, being lost
To all that should revive it. In these two
Were lodg'd such a proportion of
My living joyes, in their cold earth remaines
All my hopes dead and frozen, unto which
They whilst they liv'd gave life. If there were vertue
In teares to warme your numb'd and bloodlesse limbes,
Into new life and motion, I would bath them
With a large slood: and when the springs were dry
Wish my selfe chang'd into a weeping marble
To be your monument.
Corv.
Be not transported
Into such vaine expressions.
Infe.
Vaine advise,
My griefes are like to Walls resisting Darts,
They'l beate thy counsailes backe to thy owne danger.
Corvino you were surely false, and taught
The youths this way to ruine. One more sigh
Will cracke my hearts weake cordage, and the vessell
Wanting its helpes, yeeld to the onely guidance
Of the distracted waves till it be swallow'd.
I thought my patience could have met with cheerefulnesse
Any crosse storme of fortune; this hath kild it.
Forgive me Heaven, translate my penitent
And reconcil'd soule to a better mansion
Then that she's lodg'd in now. Divide my heart
You two. Corvino beare my dying blessings
Unto Macario—Oh—
Dyes.
Corv.
Will you then dye?
And so prevent me? for I did not meane
You should survive them, though I order'd not
Their deaths; retaine your sences yet a little.
Live but to heare me, and I will relate
All that my knowledge ownes concerning it;
And the new policies that I have built
Upon these happy accidents; for hitherto
Fortune hath bin my Matchiaveile, and brought
Events about I never practis'd for.
One stood betwixt my high ends, and the other
Begot continuall feare of a new danger
By her discovery. I shall be perfect now
In all things but revenge upon your scorne,
And the neglect of my deservings; will you not
Stay then to heare me? Farewell.
4 Scene.
Ent. Mac. Pole. Vitt. Bon. Ben. Am. Mel. Guard.Mac.
What's this horrour?
The Scene presents a Tragedy; our Guard.
Our mother dead, and our two friends made livelesse
By one another? griefe seale up mine eyes
With an eternall darkenesse.
Am.
Most unhappy
Kneeling by Spurio.
Amanda, in the losse of all thy wishes;
Wee'le not be long divided, if my griefes
Meete not too stubborne and perverse resistance
From the soft heart I gave to thee.
Mac.
Remove
The bodies decently, and then support me:
Exit Guard with the Bodyes, the Ladyes following
My spirits faint. Corvino we would have
The best account you can of this sad businesse,
To which you cannot chuse but have relation,
Considering the persons and the manner;
Speake your best knowledge.
Corv.
I have now no language
But teares to be interpreted, and they
Are characters of inward sorrow onely;
Cannot expresse more then their propper meaning,
And whence they take their forme. Sir I am lost
To all my hopes of being, they being gone
On which it did depend, my sonnes; in whom
I had a lasting name, and should have liv'd
Unto succeeding times: now it will vanish
Like Clouds dissolv'd, to be forgotten.
Mac.
Know you
What were the motives to their difference,
That fir'd such anger in them?
Corv.
The remembrance
Of that calls up more griefe. Your mother sir.
The inconsiderate youths interpreted
Each other in desire, their passions met
By fury, joyn'd together, and begot
This sad effect: which when she understood,
And saw the dire events that had proceeded
From her so cleere intentions through mistaking,
Compassion broke her heart. This sir is all
My sad soule knowes.
Mac.
I would it ne're had bin,
Or I to know it.
Corv.
Shortly I shall pay
Nature her last debt, for my weakened age
Cannot resist these killing sorrowes long.
And my poore services desire your griefe
Not to be deafe to one request; that is,
You'ld take my daughter to your care, and be
A father to her: or—
Mac.
We will respect her.
Pole.
My information sir was truth. There is
More mistery to be unfoulded yet;
Times daughter will appeare, although she blush
To shew her nakednesse.
5 Scene.
Enter Fidelio and Cardente.Card.
Oh a Confessor.
Fid.
Confesse who 'twas that order'd this vile practise,
Or my just anger shall allay it selfe
With that infected blood thou hast, before
The poyson workes more.
Card.
It was Lord Corvino.
Mac.
What's that?
Fid.
She would have given poison to me,
Of which her selfe had tane before: but providence
Order'd it that my jealousie deferr'd it,
'Till it appear'd to worke on her with violence:
And so I was preserv'd.
Card.
But I am pepper'd;
There's something in my conscience.
Mac.
Utter it,
'Twill make thy peace with heaven; what is't Cardente?
Card.
Spurio, and Notho were your naturall brothers,
Got by your father, on your mother sir.
I and Corvino had the secret carriage
Of all the businesse. He hath poison'd me.
I never shall love Philters more.
Dyes.
Mac.
Corvino,
Here's a discovery renders you so vile,
That new suspitions spring from't: Neither can we
Trust our owne safety where a murderer
Sits neere our favour. Tortures therefore shall
Force from you what they can.
Cor.
Your Justice might
Be temper'd with more mercy, and from reason.
Since the great secret is reveal'd which I
Kept guarded with my best resolves, as being
The Closet of your mothers honour, now
I will stand up and Justifie my actions.
First for the death of your unlawfull brothers
'Twas accidentall, not by me determin'd.
And hath secur'd your state that might have suffer'd
A great disturbance by the knowledge of it:
Which by your Mothers and Cardentes death
Had found prevention being then restrain'd
Onely to me. For you Fidelio,
You intercepted all my studied meanes
Vnto my daughters honour. But intents
Proceeding not to act may challenge pardon.
What tortures then doe I deserve?
Mac.
Just death.
Fid.
That sentence kills me too. Melissa!
Mac.
Take him away; provide for's execution.
This day Ile see it done; 'twill set more fairely.
Lust and ambition are two meanes of evils,
That practis'd by their owners make them divells.
FINIS.
| The Vnfortunate Mother | |