University of Virginia Library

Scena. 4.

Gaylar, with a dead mans head in a charger. Cassandra.
Gay.
This present wilbe Galle I know, to fayre Cassandra,
Yet if she knewe as much as I, most swete I dare well say,
In good tyme, see where she doth come, to whome my arrand is:

Cas.
Alas his hasty pace to me, showes some what is amys.

Gay.
Fayre Cassandra my Lord Promos, commends him vnto thee,
To keepe his word, who sayes from prison he sends thy brother free.

Cas.
Is my Andrugio done to death? fye, fye of faythles trust,

Gay.
Be quiet Lady, law found his fault, thē was his iudgemēt iust

Cas.
Wel my good friend, show Promos this, since law hath don this deed
I thank him yet, he would vouchsaf on me my brothers head,
Loe this is all now geue me leaue to rew his losse alone.

Gay.
I wyll performe your will, and wish you cease your mone.

Cass.
Fare well.

Gay.
I sure had showen what I had done, her teares I pittied so,
But that I wayde, that women syld, do dye with greefe and woe,
And it behoues me to be secret or else my neck verse cun,
Well now to pack my dead man hence, it is hye tyme I run.

Cas.
Is he past sight, then haue I time to wayle my woes alone,
Andrugio, let mee kis thy lippes, yet ere I fall to mone.
O would that I could wast to teares, to wash this bloddy face,
Which fortune farre beyond desart hath followed with disgrace.
O Promos falce, and most vnkinde, both spoyld of loue and ruth,
O Promos thou dost wound my hart, to thinke on thy vntruth,
Whose plyghted fayth, is tournd to frawd, & words to works vniust
Why doe I lyue vnhappy wench, syth treason quites my trust,
O death deuorse me wretch at once, from this same worldly lyfe,
But why do I not slay my selfe, for to appease thys stryfe?
Perhaps within this wombe of myne, an other Promos is:
I so by death shalbe auengd of him in murthring his,
And ere I am assured that, I haue reuengd this deede,
Shall I dispatch my lothed life? that hast, weare more then speede,
So Promos would triumphe that none his Tiranny should know,
No, no this wicked fact of his so slightly shall not goe:
The king is iust and mercyfull, he doth both heare and see:
See mens desarts, heare their complaynts, to Iudge with equity.
My wofull case with speede, I wyll vnto his grace addresse,
And from the first, vnto the last, the truth I wyll confesse.
So Promos thou, by that same lawe shalt lose thy hated breth,
Through breach wherof, thou didst condemne Andrugio vnto death
So doing yet, the world will say I broke Dianas lawes,
But what of that? no shame is myne, when truth hath showne my cause:
I am resolued, the king shall knowe of Promos iniury,
Yet ere I goe, my brothers head, I wyll ingraued see.

Exit.