University of Virginia Library

ACTUS TERTIUS

Enter Tancred, Ghismonda, Embassador, Glausamond and Guiscardo; ye King sits.
Tanc.
Sit downe, my deare Ghismonda; ye Duke of Capua
Salutes you by this gentleman, his seruant,
And in a letter with his owne hand subscrib'd
Desires he may haue audience when you are present.

Ghism.
It is a smale request from one soe greate
And a great favor done to one so low
As I am now become with care and greefe.

Tanc.
He doth endeuor to regaine your losse.

Ghism.
'Tis not within the boundes of possibility.

Tanc.
Harbour not such a thought. The embasie
Which now's to be deliuered will informe you
How by an easy way this may be done.

Ghism.
I should be glad to se it and apt to giue
All the warme drops of blood that might be spar'd,
Onely my life reseru'd, one day to gaze
Vpon him, whom Heauen pleas'd to take from me.

Tanc.
This not the way. Are you willing to heare
What the good Duke desires should be deliuer'd
To you and me?

Ghism.
If that your Maiesty
Comaund it soe.

Tanc.
Come then, sit downe by me.
Our expectation now intreates your message.

Embass.
Since that the strength and safty of all kingdomes
Is much aduanc'd by good confederates,
And wise men loue most to conuerse with those
Whose trust hath giuen them best experience,
My master bad me let your Maiesty
And yours and his deare daughter, the Princes, know,
There cannot come so great a comfort to him,
Nor more aduancment to your state and his,
As he conceiues, then to double your aliance
Which, though't be strong already, may be greater,
If you'l be pleas'd to admit of this proposall
Which by me thus he doth exhibite to you.
The aged king, whose land Vulturnus' streame
Dissectes from ours, is lately dead and left
One only son to heire his crowne behind him,
Who's named Felix, and all those that know him
Say, wise Apollo was his godfather,
Because the name is so significant.
But he is not him selfe yet of that mynd,
Wanting a lady, whose fayre company
May make him thinke him selfe completly happy.
This prince, so well-esteem'd, his dieing father
Committed to my master's tutelage;
Not that he thought his weaknes did disable
Him to direct him selfe, but that he knew
His councell would grow as the prince in yeares,
And his loue cause him to bestow't vpon him.
My master, being so much indear'd vnto
The prince as his old father thought he would be,
Sayd thus vnto him: “Son Felix”, for the old king
Desir'd he so would call the prince, “your father's dead,
Your realme so too, vntill you haue a wife.
Receaue a motion which is fatherly,
And tak't as kindly as I offer't freely.
The faire Ghismonda and the good, for soe
My conscienc bides me say, or els I lye,
(Yet this assertion is but voluntary
And not constrayn'd) lately the powers aboue
Made widow; and you desire to place your loue
On a deseruing subiect, striue to be
High in her fauor, for if mortality
Afford a faultles moueable, this is she”.
Then with a gratefull conge which became him
And pleas'd the Duke, my master (now his father,
Yet but in name and care) the Prince reply'd:
“'T had bene vnciuill both and disobedient
'T haue vndertak'n so great a thing without
Asking your graue advice, and 'tis as ill
Not to accept with broad-spreaded armes
What you haue pleas'd to propose so nobly.
Therefore, as your still-continued fauor
Makes me obliged and names you my father,
Put on this wisht designe, and let me goe
To offer incense to the named goddes”.
But this my Duke denied and did obiect
Some inconueniences which did hinder
A prince's trayne to goe soe sodaynely,
And told the earnest Prince yt I should goe,
A seruant to them both, to know the pleasure
Of you, great King and Princes. If your admition
Will grant him soe much freedom of accesse,
Thought cannot fly more swift then his desire
To lay his seruice at the Princes' feete;
If, on the other side, you will not graunt
Him thus far fauor, my master doth entreat
Silenc may shutt vp what my tongue hath open'd
And giue't no other place in memory
Then this—'twas meerely done in curtesy.

Tanc.
We doe accept it soe. The Dukes fidelity
To us, so often tri'd, doth well assure vs,
His loue first made this motion; but since this is
A great affaire of state, we must take time
With our wise councell to haue consultation;
And, this being done, I'le send him my resolue.
Yet take this comforte with you and deliuer
This message to my brother and the Prince:
So earnestly I wish this may goe on
That he hath much to ground his hope vpon.
Farewell. Take order that two men-of-warr
May be prepar'd to giue him safe-conduct.
[Exit Tancred.

Glaus.
I shall, sir.

Ghism.
Let my duty to my father
Be offered vp, for he hath much ingag'd me.
Yet tell him I'm resolu'd to liue free
And hope he will not take't discorteously.

[Exit Ghismonda, and Guiscardo before her.
Embass.
I'le tender him your Highnes' salutation
Which hee'le receaue as kindly as you send it.

Glaus.
That's kindly enough, for I can assure you,
She dayly mournes for a dead lim of him,
And if she did not honor much the father
That got the son, she would not be so violent.

Embass.
Douth she mourne still?

Glaus.
As Cloris for Amintas.

Embass.
How was that?

Glaus.
Will you know in verse or prose?

Embass.
Ether, so it be breefe.

Glaus.
Then you shall heare it two wayes—
Musically and wittily, and yet both at once.
Cloris sate and sitting slept,
Sleeping sight and sighing wept,
And slept and sight and wept agayne
For Amint[a]s that was slayne.
“Oh, had you seene his face”, quoth she,
“So sweet, so full of maiestye”—
And then she stopt and then she cries
“Amint[a]s, Amint[a]s”, and so she dies.
White is not liker argent, nor black sable
Then this sad story to what the Princes dayly
Practiseth, but that yet she is not come
To that height of extrematy as to dye.

Embas.
Then my iorney was vndertak'n in vayne,
And message told so, if her extasie
Be so imoderate, without limitation,
And she hath so invr'd her resolucion
Only to thinke on him that's dead and cureles.

Glaus.
That followes not. The goodnes of her nature
Makes her doe this, and those being wrought vpon
Yeeld soonest, if they see a peircing reason.
Therefore take my aduice; when yt prince comes
That meanes to bord this lofty pinnes, let him
With a broadside come on, short, thicke and strong,
Be sure to hitt where the last leake was stopt,
For there's the weakest part.

Embas.
Come, your directions are too obscure.

Glaus.
I'le make a comment then so learnedly,
When please the Prince to exercise my seruice,
That he shall vnderstand and se distinctly
What euery accent meanes. But to others
Pray giue me leaue to write in charecters.

Embass.
Your power's your owne which I must yeeld vnto,
Nor will I striue what you conceale to know.
My buisnes bids me hast; I had not stay'd
So long, but that I thought intelligence
Would haue come from you which might haue regayn'd
The losse of time I spent in this cunctation.
[Exit Embassador.

Enter Pasquino to Glausamond.
Pasq.
His Maiestie hath inioyned me to tell you,
Your absence may not rob him of your service,
For presently him selfe and all his councell
Are to consult about affayres of state.

Glaus.
I'le hasten my attendance.
[Exit Glausamond.

Pasq.
I now must looke the chaire be set in order,
The table couered, and pen and inke vpon it,
And all thinges els, whereby the roome may be
Fitt for the thing in hand.

Enter Gabriello.
Gab.
Neuer better mett; if I liue, I'le hau't out on you.

Pasq.
Forbare, I beseche you. Doe you know
Who you speake to?

Gab.
Dost thou think 'tis square
To drinke halfe and pay nothing?

Pasq.
I'le pay thee now.

[Offers to strike him.
Gab.
I would you durst.
Hang me, an't serue your turne, la!

Pasq.
Why, what came the wine to?

Gab.
Eight shillinges.

Pasq.
And how much didst thou pay?

Gab.
A noble, and promis'd the rest.

Pasq.
Then there's but sixteenpence
To pay. Here 'tis.

Gab.
I'le haue four shillinges or bring
An action o'th'case against you.

Pasq.
Rather then doe soe, I'le giue thee
Security for thy money.

Gab.
Marry, with all my hart. I haue a blanke band,
And 'tis but filling vp the place with thy name
And the other place withe summe and vse-money,
And it will fitt.

Pasq.
But dost thou say there must be vse-money?

Gab.
Some euer, for he that in these dayes
Lendes or layes out money and takes no vse
For it, forfetes the principall ipso facto.

Pasq.
This is soe among vsurers.

Gab.
Well, and why may not another man damne
His soule for a shilling as well as one of
Them doth daly for a groate? I know one
Of them tooke brocage for lending a siluer
Spoone of his owne to one of his neighbors
To go to my Lord Maior's feast with.
Such men as keepe the diuell's shop by the
Great church will do these thinges often.
Her's pen and inke all ready.

[Fitts the blanke in ye band.
Pasq.
But brought for another purpose, for the
King comaunded, each man's advise, as he
Did pronounce it, herewith should be recorded.

Gab.
Come, 'tis well now.

Pasq.
Read it.

Gab.
Nouerint vniuersi per etc.

Pasq.
The condicion?

Gab.
The condicion is, that if you pay to
Gabriello foure shillinges vpon the day apoynted,
That then this bond of eight shillinges is voyd.

Pasq.
How? Eight?

Gab.
The bond is alwayse duble the debt.

Pasq.
Why soe?

Gab.
For feare the bond should be forfeited.

Pasq.
Why, what if it be?

Gab.
Then you are to pay the whole.

Pasq.
Two wordes to a bargayne; yet no[w] I think on 't,
I will enter into this bond, soe that thou
Wilt giue me the other foure shillinges
In hand, and then thou hast this advantage,
That it is all due, and thou mayst sue
For it all at once.

Gab.
This is a tricke, indeed!

Pasq.
'Tis so, but yet I learn'd it lately of the
Old gentleman that bought muscadine of
The fatt hostes. You know both parties.
But, prithee, let it stay till we haue
More lesure and lesse busines.

Enter Tancred, Glausamond and Guiscardo to them.
Tanc.
You two, Glausamond and Guiscardo, are
Acquainted with the buisines now in hand,
For the embassador did particularize
Each poynt, when you weare by. But Gabriello
And Pasquino were not at the heareing,
As I remember.

Both
No, an't like your Grace.

Tanc.
Yet you haue heard in generall the
Effect of what he cam for.

Gab.
Yes, your Grace did open it the other night.

Pasq.
When you weare in the parke, and we attended you.

Tanc.
Right. My mynd since then hath thought of many doubtes,
And you, the advisers of my comonweale,
Are fitt to take them of, or make them greater.
Therefore I inioyn each man, in order,
What Heauen hath bid him say, discreetly vtter.
Begin, Guiscardo, I apoynt it soe.

Guisc.
Since you are pleas'd, great King, thus far to make
Me partner of your secrete, suffer me, sir,
To vtter my advise, which yet, I know,
Your wisdome needes not; and though it may seeme
Boldnes not to be pardoned that my weakenes
Doth goe about t'instruct your vndertakinges,
Yet, much obliged to you and the Princes,
In loyalty to you, in zeale to her,
I shall presume, if you will giue me leaue,
To speake my weake conceite.

Tanc.
With as free leaue
I doe permitt the speach as euer kinge
Did to his councell eare or patienc lend.
Speake out. I heare thee gladly, good Guiscardo.

Guisc.
Lett not the rough expression of my mynd
Blemish the duty my allegeance owes you,
Nor let my tongue that stammers as it moues,
Weaken the strength of zeale my hart owes her;
Duty and zeale, zeale and duty both
Makes a tongue speake which, till it had leaue, was loth
And fearefull to presse on your greatnes thus.
Me thinkes, if it might like your Maiesty,
You might receaue more comfort in a son,
Whose country's boundes do border vpon yours,
Or, if there be none such whose pedegree
In greatnes can match yours, nor whose worth
In all poynts parralell your daughter's state,
'Twere not amisse in my conceit, if you
And my admired Princes so thinke fitt,
T'elect one of the noblest of these peeres
Your owne realme can afford, so you may haue
A subiect, frend, a servant and a son,
All in a man, and the most honoured
Princes i'th'world, your most indeared daughter
Inioy a husband, whose obseruanc may
Be all his life as on his wedding-day.

Tanc.
Indeed, I must confes, and ioy to doe soe,
This kingdome is not so curst with sterility
But it hath blest it selfe with propagation
Of men of worth. Yet I must say agayne,
Noe starr shines bright, when that the sun is by,
Nor is he noble, whose nobility
Is my power's subiect, in respect of her,
For she's there Queen, yea, there sole gouernes,
My leaue alowing. No, there must be state
And princly blood in him that is her mate.

Guisc.
You need not care for that. In her sweet veines
Streames royall blood enough to make him great
Shalbe your son-in-law, and howsoeuer
Your Maiesty doth think it may disparage
Such a great lady as the Princes is
To cast a fauoring looke from her quick eies
By way of loue on any man within
The compas of your larg dominion's limmites,
Yet you perhaps more true content may take
In a man, whome your fauours doe make great,
Then in a prince, whose too sublimed mynd
May happly make him swell so high that he
Will scorne his wife, you, and your dignity.
Moreouer, he will rob you of your ioy,
Take your best comfort from you and transport
Her into kingdomes you perhaps ne're heard of;
Yea, peraduenture into foggy clymates,
Whose poysonous vapors, health-forbiding mistes,
May be iniurious to her constitution;
And who can tell, when she's so far from you,
Whether the eies of all your subiectes which
Doe looke on her as Indians on the sun,
Shall e're be blest with seeing her agayne?
Weigh your owne good and there's, and you shall finde
A word is weighty from a troubled mynd.

Tanc.
We shall hereafter therefore more imploy you
In any thing that shall concerne vs much,
For he that's troubled, for feare ye kingdome should
Run into inconuenience, truely deserues
Of his King and the state good estimation,
Though honest men be now cleane out of fashion.
You next, Gabriello. Doe you set downe, Pasquino,
Breefe notes, that we may scan them ouer after.

Pasq.
As you inioyn'd, I doe.

Tanc.
Speake, Gabriello.

Gab.
For my part, truely, I am fully resolu'd
To say as you say, and so I shall not err,
For in your chaire of state, you'r more infallible
Then any pope that e're was called holy.

Tanc.
Now thou shewest thy selfe a complet courtier,
Because thou canst disemble, se how ye cry goes,
And where the side is heaviest, say “omne bene”.
Thus thou'lt apeare perfect in thy profession;
Yet thou dost not hereby proue that honesty
Must necessaryly competere huic gradui.
Goe on, Pasquino and Glausamond.

Pasq.
Both at once?

Glaus.
No, no. You'r puny and therefore to speake first.

Pasq.
Puny, how?

Glaus.
Not so old in court.

Pasq.
What then?

Glaus.
What then, why, thus then. If thou
Knowest not what to say, say “as my
Learned brethren sayd before and the rest
Thinke fit”, and it shalbe recorded—Pasquino, accord.

Tanc.
And what can your graue head say, Glausamond?

Glaus.
Who? I, sir? Euen as my brother-courtiers
Sayd before. The oath that my foremann hath
Taken for his gaine and behoofe I will well
And truely obserue for my gayne and
Behoofe, as art guided me to the subiect
I worke vpon.

Tanc.
This is impertenent.

Glaus.
It may be, 'tis now, sir, but it hath sometimes
Beene very much to the matter.

Tanc.
What answer's fitt, or rather, what advise,
From whence we may deduce an answere
To the kind, noble message the Duke of Capua
Did send vs lately by his embassador
About the treaty of a marriage
Between my daughter and the Prince, his neighbor?

Glaus.
Doth the Princes like the motion?

Tanc.
She nether doth nor doth not, but I gather
That saying nothing, she doth not gaynsay.

Guisc.
Your leaue being giuen so freely at the first,
And an iniunction made by your command
Each man should speake what Heauen put in his mynd,
I think I shall make no great aberration,
If I repeate what the best saint below it,
The Princes, sayd, after you were goone.

Tanc.
When? And to whome?

Guisc.
To the embassador, when you left him.
Glausamond heard it to, or els his mynd
Was of another matter and worse imploy'd.

Tanc.
Doe you remember her wordes?

Glaus.
Some of them, for when your Maiestie
Left vs together, the Princes did intreate
The embassador to deliuer to the Duke,
His master, her duty and thankes that he
Would thinke of one so full of mysery.

Tanc.
This was rather an acceptation of the
Offer then a deniall of the motion.

Guisc.
Thus far it was. But something els did follow.

Tanc.
What els?

Guisc.
Good memories carry most away;
He can tell you.

Tanc.
The rest, Glausamond. Come, all concealmentes
Are begg'd already and as much gotten by
Them as may be; therefore, out with the treuth!
That proues best in the end.

Glaus.
As I am a virgin, sir, I remember nothing
Els. It may be, she seight or stopt twice,
Before she came to the end of the period.

Guisc.
Sight or stopt! Sometimes your memorie's better.
Euery three wordes a sigh was comma to,
And for a colon alwaise she gaue two;
But when she cam to make an end o'th'period,
A single, solemn teare dropt downe alone
Like a periodus and so full-poynted it.

Tanc.
It seemes then, she spake only by signes,
Seighes and teares, but sayd nothing, or very little.

Guisc.
Yet she sayd thus: “Let my duty to my father
Be offered vp, for he hath much ingag'd me;
Yet tell him, I am resolued to liue fre
And hope he will not tak't discurtiously”.

Tanc.
Resolued to liue free?

Glaus.
Indeed, I doe remember, she sayd soe,
But what freedom she meant, I doe not know.

Tanc.
I'le leaue her to explayne her selfe.
I cal'd you all together, because
I would not in temerity
Goe on my selfe without your best advise,
Nor did I meane fully to conclude
Of any thing without your free assent.
But now I se, I must do't, or leaue't vndone,
My selfe, for all of you, except Guiscardo,
Smother your thoughtes. I know not what you meane by't,
But none of you but he will speake freely.
Heere is a letter which I pen'd my selfe
Vnto the Duke, my brother, and it imports
Thus much—that if it please the Prince to come,
His welcome shalbe what my power can giue him.

Glaus.
This is an inuitation which will make
A mettled lad not thinke a iorney tedious.

Tanc.
Thus, Guiscardo, all the wordes I heard you speak
About this buisnes yet haue bene so weighty
That they were ponder'd well, before you spake them,
And so deserue the more to be esteem'd
By me, who thinke it very necessary,
Since you'r soe worthy to be trusted with
The secretes of the state, to haue you carry
This letter. Without any opposition,
It must be you. What thinke you? Though you will not
Shew your selues other then concealed statesmen,
Yet your closse breasts may suffer you to say
'Tis well or ill.

Glaus.
You haue dispatcht as fitt a messenger
As if great Joue had sent swift Mercury.

Gab.
I thinke so too.

Pasq.
Yes, without doubt.

Guisc.
I beseech you, choose another. I am
Far vnfit to be an embassador.

Tanc.
You wrong your selfe and me to contradict it.
I did make choice of you, onely because,
Being about so great a buisines,
I thought I could not choose a fitter man
T'imploy then you. Kinges that desire to be
Happy in what they vndertake, must striue
To send such as you are, of embassies.
The hapines and wellfare of a state
Is propagated much, when trusty men
Doe most comaund and mannag busines,
And he that desires to doe his King best seruice,
Is fittest to be sent of royall errandes.
The premises your selfe hath prou'd vnto me,
And I can henc deduce a good conclution.
The loftiest ship I haue, is fully rigg'd
And furnished with expert mariners;
Both it and they shalbe thy seruitors,
And when I know that thou art safe-return'd,
The peeces in that ship shall ring a peale
To honour thee and please the commonweale.
Goe, and the fates that doe protect good men,
Keep thee still safe and bring the backe againe.

[Exeunt omnes: manet Guiscardo.
Guisc.
I had as lieue bene sent to Cerberus,
To bid him ope the gates of Hell, that I
Might fetch Proserpina out of Pluto's lapp;
And 'tis as possible for me to doe as that,
For I haue such a powerfull negatiue,
Though not in playne wordes, yet infer'd vnto me,
That though the charge be greate, yet I receau'd
One farr aboue it from the gracious Princes.
For whether by some sacred reuelation
Or how I know not, she could tell me this,
Before I had the least suspicion of it;
For the other night, when I cam to attend
Her Excellency in the presence chamber,
Beck'ning, she called me to her and sayd: “Guiscardo,
Doth thy hart stand to goe this taedious iorney”?
Then, bowing my knees and hart to her at once,
“I heare of none, deare Princes”, I repli'd.
Then answered she: “I wish thou neuer maist,
But if thou dost, I shall be very sory,
The seruice that thou so oft hast shew'd
Both to the King and me, shalbe rewarded
With a longe, tedious iorney—little better,
If I may terme it soe, then a sad exile.
Were I the King, I'd send some men yt weare
Good for no other purpose, whose gray heades
By there graue councell know how to ordayne
What may be done in all occurences.
Such tough old lades can better far indure
The boisterous tempestes on the troubled seas
Then thy soft limmes, fitter for other vses.
Yet, if thou goest, I wish some busnes may
Cause thy returne, ere thou hast gone half-way.”
Then she apoynted me, whensoeuer the King
Apoynted me to goe, that I should stay
One quick-pas'd hower, to take my leaue of her;
And though I be not superstitious,
Yet such wordes, me thought, were ominous,
And I'le be pul'd in peces, 'fore I'le violate
A word of her decree. She spake with such a smile
And yet a solemn looke as might become
Virtue herselfe, if she liu'd on earth.
Well-temper'd greatnes and alacrity,
Mixt both together, made the lookers-on
Sware she was free from any passion.
But I, the man whose earnest, burning hart
Sought satisfaction what her meaneing was,
Contayn'd my selfe as much as flesh could doe.
I will put of my iorney for a while
By feigned sicknes or some other guile,
And by all meanes I can, I'le seke the loue
Of my deare Princes which I prize aboue
The fauor of the King. If she say “stay”,
I will not goe, although the King next day
Desteine my execution. Her wordes shall
Make me a fre man or for euer thrall.

[Ex.