University of Virginia Library

Actus Tertius.

Scena Prima.

Angelica, Nugella.
Ang.
Although my father hath resolv'd all doubts
My reason could obiect; yet still I feele
A chilling vapor hover in my brest,
Which many times breakes forth in suddaine sighes,
For which I can assigne no other cause
Than that the world cannot affoord a Ioy
Vnmixt with reall or supposed sorrow;
Hence is it that most Brides are found to weepe,
Yet know not why upon their wedding day.

Nug.
Such follies are too common, I confesse,
But should I have the happines to see
Young Hymen in his yellow socks my guest,
I'de entertaine him with no other teares
Than such as from prest grapes in Autumne flowe,
Werewith his drowsy head and wither'd garland
I would bedewe; till to his twinkling eyes
Each tapour should present a double light,
While waggish Boyes should with their wanton Songs
Prepare our thoughts to our insuing pleasures.

Ang.
Fie, fie, Nugella, no laciviousnes
Can ere become solemnities, that must
Create us Matrons; there is cause to feare
Their chastity, that unchaste songs can heare.

Nug.
Is it a shame to lend our eares to that
We are allow'd to do?

Ang.
Yes many things
Are lawfull, and yet shamefull to be don
Or spoken publikely.

Nug.
A woman may
Be free in outward Gesture, yet preserve
An inward chastity; and I know many
Both rich and Noble Ladies so dispos'd.

Ang.
T'is not the glittering canopie of greatnes,
But th'humble vaile of modesty must guard
A womans fame; which being once throwne off
Leaves her expos'd to every bould assault.

Nug.
But when she's found impregnable, twi'll stop
Their vaine attempts.

Ang.
A fort cannot be thought
Impregnable, that offers frequent parlies.

Nug.
Yet that (as I have heard) is often don
To gaine advantage and delude the foe.

Ang.
Can it beseeme a Virgin or a Wife
To play with all th'allurements of desire;
And thinke her honour's safe, if she abstaine
From the bare act, the duller part of lust.

Nug.
They do but imitate those Chariot drivers
That you were wont to reade of, whose praise was
To come as neere as might be, and not touch;
Love hath ordained by an antique lawe
Newly reviv'd, that every place and roome
In Uenus pallace, be alow'd for sport,
Except her cabinet, that, must not be
Open'd nor touch't, at least not willingly.

Ang.
Thou wilt be waggish still, But hark who knocks?
This wench that never felt the fire of love
Thinks like a wanton Child, it may be plaid with,
But she will one day finde it far more raging
Than that which fierce Medæa did convey
Into Creusas robe: how now? who is't?

Nug.
A stranger, with a letter, which he saies
He must present to your owne hand.

Ang.
Admit him;
If it be from my Doria, I feare
Some unexpected accident, wherein
His honour is concern'd, retards his comming;
But I must likewise arme my selfe for wiles:
Such love as ours, cannot want envious plots.

Scena Secunda.

Doria disguised. Angelica. Nugella.
Dor.
I shall not be discover'd by my voyce,
Jtalian Virgins are at distance woed,
And more by fame, then verball courtship won:
This speakes my errand, leaves no circumstance
To be related by the messenger;
See how her bloud retires, to ayde her heart,
So lookes bright Phœbe, when Thessalian charmes
Strike her with feare, or th'early Rose, whose beauty
Nipt by a later frost, appeares like snow:
Now it returnes, and settles in her cheekes,
As if the newes tooke no impression:
Such orient beames when youthfull day returnes,
By the bedewed Shepheard are beheld.

Ang.
I may suppose you, sir, not ignorant
Of what you bring; and may beleeve y'have heard
Some thing of yong Prince Doria and me.

Dor.
Lady, I have; fame with her silver trumpet
Hath blaz'd your constant loves.

Ang.
And are you not
Strangely amaz'ed to see me reade these lines
Without a shower of teares?

Dor.
If they relate
Any disaster, you then imitate
Those ancient Worthies, that had bravely learn'd
To conquer passion at the first assault.

Nug.
You think yong women very impatient
To have their joyes defen'd: my Ladie's wise
To beare it thus, so long as he is safe.

Ang.
Hee's dead, Nugella; the great Generall
Writes me, that he having the sole command
Of an important place, forsooke the same,
And in his swift retrait, receiv'd a shot
I'th hinder part of's head.

Nug.
O dolefull accident!

Ang.
Canst thou be so ingratefull to my Doria,
To lend it such a serious beliefe
As may deserve a teare?

Nug.
I would I durst
Suspect what comes so to our woe confirm'd.

Ang.
Were it confirm'd by the unerring seale
Of this wise State, it should not merit faith.

Nug.
Alas, he was not to be thought immortall.

Ang.
But was he not to be acknowledg'd valiant?
That attribute his foes did not deny him:
Had these contrived lines contain'd but this,
Brave Doria's slaine, a torrent, hence, had gusht,
That like Alpheus, had through earth and sea
Wander'd unmixt, till in the gulfe of death,
It should have lost it selfe in seeking him.
But when I finde impossibilities
Basely obtruded, my true love disdaines
To lend beliefe to any circumstance.
Mars could as soone be frighted from his spheare,
As he from any charge he undertooke:
'Tis a malitious scandall; and although
My nature ev'n abhors to use a stranger
With any incivility, yet I'm forc't
To taxe the bearer with this vilde imposture.

Dor.
By great Saint George, the Patron of this State,
Doria himselfe is not more innocent.

Ang.
That name is sacred, let me then conjure thee
To answer truely but to this one question.

Dor.
I shall.

Ang.
Was there before you left the Army,
Any report of this sad newes you brought?

Dor.
I dare not say there was.

Ang.
The Pallace cracks
When such a pillar fals, the Generall
One of those many which my fortune wood,
Envious that Doria gain'd both that and me:
And knowing well, that valour alwaies is
The speciall obiect of a noble love,
Attempted thus to shake my constancy:
But if the fates should prove so cruell to me,
To make me survive him; this is my vow,
To stand for ever like sad Niobe,
A weeping statue to his memory.

Dor.
Never did such a vertuous courage reft
In the calme harbour of a Virgins brest.

Scena Tertia.

Spinola.
As the slye Fowler, having over night,
Set cunningly his artificiall net,
Early returnes, with an assured hope
To finde the fowle insnar'd, so are my thoughts
Wholly possest with present expectation
Of the glad newes of my successefull plot;
The mannaging whereof, I never can
Within my selfe sufficiently applaud:
I have not like rash Piso, foolishly
Dispers't my trust, nor like the sonnes of Brutus,
Disclos'd my secret, where a servant might
Discover, and betray; my warinesse
In a safe garden whisper'd my designe,
And but to one, that if it should miscarry,
And he through feare or punishment confesse,
Yet I am sure to have but one accuser,
Whose testimony my power and bold denyall
Would easily convince; but these mistrusts
Are altogether needlesse: I may be
As confident as those Sicilians,
Who when their chiefe confederate was surpriz'd,
So much relide upon his resolution,
As that not any one of them would flie,
And so conceale their bold conspiracy.
Behold my kinsmen bringing joyfull newes.

Scena Quarta.

Evagrio. Fidele. Spinola.
Eva.
Oh that I were snatcht up into the skye!
And there transform'd into a cloud, that so
I might dissolve into a shower of teares.

Fid.
Can the day see such mischiefe, and be seene?
And not make haste to shrowd his guilty head
Vnder the gloomy Canopy of night?

Spin.
What earthquake? what prodigious spectacle
Hath strucke you both with horror?

Eva.
Oh he's dead!

Spin.
Why should that so amaze or you? or me?
Since death must be the lot of every man.

Fid.
Alas your sonne.

Spin.
How does it concerne him?

Eva.
Great sir, your deare and onely sonne is slaine.

Spi.
How's this?

Fid.
He's murther'd sacrilegiously,
Even in the Temple-porch, he was disguis'd,
And thought of all t'have bin Imperiale.

Spin.
I am undone.

Fid.
The desperate actor was
Clad in a country habit, and it seemes,
Mistooke the person; when he saw his face,
He tore his viperous haire; the Iudge was present,
Who gave command to bring him instantly,
To receive speedy judgement,

Spin.
Over-reach't?
In my owne plot? the sword of my revenge
Turn'd on my selfe? and drown'd in mine owne bowels?
I am betraid, yet cannot suspect how;
It could not be by any mortall subtilty,
It was some divell lurking in the ayre;
How shall I be reveng'd? O that he would
Assume a humane body, that I might
Encounter him! but I have found the way,
I'le study the blacke art, turne Conjurer,
And then impose a labour on them all,
Worse then Jxion, or the Belides
Are said to undergoe.

Eva.
We have done ill,
To rush upon him with such violence;
The sudden griefe hath halfe distracted him;
Wee'l strive to temper it with better hopes,
Things may not be so bad as our affections
Have made us feare; Francisco Spinola
Was often nam'd.

Fid.
But neither of us both
Can say we saw him dead.

Spin.
Nay then I see
Y'are villaines hir'd, suborn'd to undermine me.
First you confound me with your horrid newes,
And then confesse ye may be both mistaken:
But I am arm'd with patience, if Jmperial
Retaining still his late abjured malice,
Hath by some hellish art contriv'd this mischiefe,
I may in just resentment of my wrongs,
Implore heavens vengeance, on his perjur'd head,
And this is all y'are like to screw from me.

Fid.
Let not your troubled thoughts make you doubt us,
Who for his life would sacrifice our own.

Spi.
I will devise a stratagem, shall need
No other hand but this, which I'le conceale
From my owne selfe, till th'instant time of action;
For if I should disclose it in a place
Where there are trees, or flowers, I am betraid:
I would not breathe it forth, unlesse it were
After a dreadfull thunder, that had purg'd
The ayre, and frighted thence those subtill spies,
That to our foes by night betray our plots.

Eva.
You have a faithfull friend, to whom you may
Safely powre out the secrets of your heart,
The wise Justinian.

Spin.
Oh that name is like
A pretious balme to cure the wounds of fortune!

Fid.
Please you retire, I'le bring him presently.

Spi.
No wilde rebellion of my passions can
Make me neglect the friendship of that man.

Scena Quinta.

Molosso, Jmperiale.
Mol.
Now you may see, sir, you were not abus'd
In our discovery, and I hope you finde
My undertakings and your trust made good;

Imp.
The Sunne at noone is not more cleerely seene;
But may it not breed a suspition
That he was clad like me?

Mol.
Why sir you know
That it is now the time of Carnivall,
When every man takes what disguise he pleases.

Imp.
But I much wonder how he was perswaded
To put himselfe so soone into my habit.

Mol.
I brought him to a strong beliefe, that he
By that device and my assistance should
Convey away your daughter.

Imp.
I intended
The Father should be punish't, not the sonne.

Mol.
By this your vengeance is more exquisite;
Make your account that with the son y'have thrust
The father through, who having found himselfe
Ore-reach't by you, or by his owne just fate,
In such a counterplot must needs at length
Become his owne dire executioner:
In the meane time his life is worse then death.

Jmp.
True, true, death is the end of misery:
To die's not wretched, but to live wretchedly,
Vengeance is meere compassion when we kill,
I feele a joy beyond expression;
There is no pleasure like to sweete revenge;
But I desire things should be carried so
That I be still reputed innocent.

Mol.
That's my sole care, the Brave in th'act was taken,
And by commandment of the present Iudge,
Is brought already to receive his tryall.

Imp.
Thou shalt do well to harken a loofe off,
I'le take no notice but in generall,
And will proceed in our intended mirth.

Mol.
By all meanes sir.

Imp.
We must at this time shun
Vnusuall privacie; keepe thou thy distance,
But know, that both my life and fortunes are
Most willingly committed to thy care.

Scena sexta.

Iudge, Doctor, Witnesses, Uerdugo, Officers.
Iud.
Since it hath bin the custome of this state
To place a stranger on this high Tribunall
Ordayning a professor of the Lawes,
As his assistant (being the place you hold)
It is our duty to discharge that trust
With all integrity, and not to looke
Vpon mens persons, but to weigh their crimes
In equall ballance, to which purpose now
Although a strange and horrid sacriledge
Ha's cald us hither in unusuall haste;
Yet it must be our cheife care to proceed
With due deliberation; otherwise
Though just our sentence be, we are unjust.

Doc.
I have for some yeares had the happines
To be a witnes of your constant session,
In all which time I have not heard a sentence
Pronounc't by you that envy could pervert.

Iud.
We must not thinke we deserve prayse for that
Which to neglect would merit punishment.

Doc.
But yet there are degrees of good and ill,
Wherein the actor takes a liberty.

Jud.
Yet where the lawe prescribes a certaine rule
A iust Iudge cannot challenge liberty:
But let us now pursue the worke in hand,
Where is the pris'ner?

Off.
Heere.

Doc.
Let him draw neere.

Iud.
His name?

Off.
He calls himselfe Virdugo, sir.

Iud.
Then know, Virdugo, though thy haynous fact
Be evident, yet the Iustice of this state
Grants thee free leave to answer for thy selfe.

Ver.
I thanke the state for their set complement.

Iud.
Bring forth the witnesses that he may see them.

Off.
They are both heere an't please your excellence.

Iud.
Have they bin sworne?

Doc.
Yes both sir, before me.

Jud.
Then, by the oath you tooke, declare the truth
Of what you know concerning this delinquent,
Begin you first.

Wit. 1.
Aboute som three howres since
Being in the Domo, I espi'd this man
At his first entrance, and although I never
To my remembrance saw his face before,
Yet instantly I found a strange mislike
Of his aspect, which did increase the more,
Because I saw him often fix his eyes
On him he slew, whom I conceiv'd to be
Signior Jmperiale, I reveal'd my thoughts
To this yong man who then stood next me, who
Concurring with me, did resolve as I
To watch him narrowly; we both agreed
To keepe on either side of him, at length
In midst of all the crowd, raising his arme
To fetch his blow, he hit me with his elbow,
At which I suddenly laid hold on him,
Supposing he had snatcht at some mans purse,
But then I saw drop from his hand the sheath
Of that dire weapon, he had newly buried
In the warme bowels of that Gentleman.

Wit. 2.
Most part of this I averre, I stood so neere him
That I perceiv'd the motion of his arme,
And looking down, spi'd bloud upon his hand.

Ver.
The Canker take your Phisiognomy
That made you try conclusions upon me.

Jud.
There cannot be more cleere and pregnant proofe,
What have you to alledge in your defence?

Doc.
He hath confest the fact.

Iud.
Hath he confest
Who set him on? whether he meant to kill
Signior Imperiale, or yong Spinola?

Ver.
The one had done me wrong, but destiny
Made th'other take a Carnivall disguise
Somewhat too soone.

Iud.
Such recreations
Though in themselves they be indifferent,
Yet in a sacred Temple th'are prophane,
And draw downe vengeance.

Ver.
Had there bin but hope
To have enervated their testimony:
The racke, nor the Strapado, no nor yet
The subtler torment both of fire and water
Should have inforc't me to the least confession:
But 'tis my fate, and therefore let me heare
My passing bell, my doome quickly pronounc'd;
For't were ridiculous to expect favour,
Since your integrity (as you confest)
May not shew any, where the law condemnes.

Doc.
Dar'st thou deride the Iudge?

Jud.
Let him alone,
He hath no sence of his owne misery,
His boldnesse moves not me, I shall proceed
With the unchanged countenance of Law,
And with a voyce not furious, but severe;
When I condemne a guilty man, 'tis done,
As if I strooke a Serpent, not with passion.

Doc.
His wicked acts have hardned him, he came
No novice to this cruell enterprise.
In Venice he climing a Ladder, shot
Through the glasse window a Clarissimo
Sitting at supper, slew a Count of Naples
In his owne garden, having first observ'd
A place where he might scale the wall t'escape;
And that his wants may not obtrude the guilt
Vpon his fortune, he but lately ravish't
A yong and Noble Virgin in Siena,
The onely daughter of Petruccio.

Ver.
Can that be thought to be a great offence?

Doc.
The harmelesse man thinks it no great offence,
With hot and beastly lust to vitiate
A Damzell, at the most but ten yeers old.

Ver.
Beleeve it, I have found um good at eight;
Why there are many like Quartella, sir,
Remember not that they were ever maids.

Iud.
He takes delight not onely in the act,
But in the infamy of wickednesse;
But I will rid the world of such a monster;
And therefore now, Verdugo, I pronounce,
Because th'hast heap'd up crimes, and drunk in vice,
Which is dispersed into every limbe,
Thy body shall be laid upon a wheele,
And limb by limb be broken, till thou dyest;
Nor shalt thou then finde any other grave,
Then the blacke mawes of Vultures, and remaine.
In the meane time a spectacle to men:
This sentence justice hath declar'd by me.

Ver.
Sir?

Iud.
Not to be revok't, take him away,
And early in the morning see't be done.

Ver.
I'le beare it manfully, although I feele
Ixion-like the torment of the wheele.

Iud.
Such malefactors in a State are like
To putrified members in mans body,
Which like a skilfull Surgeon, law findes best
To cut off quite, lest they infect the rest.

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