University of Virginia Library

Scena tertia.

Caiazzo.
Assist me, Hell, for I intend an Act,
Which should your puny fiends but thinke vpon,
Would make their blacker cheekes receiue a blush,
Would giue a rednesse which your weaker Fire
Had ne're that heating pow'r to worke in them:
An act, the Heau'ns did onely then declare
They would permit to be perform'd by man
When they created Night: for were all Day,
Could such a Crime be as well seene as done,
Their Immortality might iustly seare,
Lest all the guilt should be remou'd on them,
As Idle, or as Cruell lookers on,
Whilst Heau'n, on Earth did suffer: this blacke night
Must Isabella dye, dye, by this hand:
This Chappell is her ordinary walke,
Discouer'd to me by her Iulia,
Where when she comes to see her husbands tombe,
This hand shall make her fit for such a roome.

Enter Isabella and Iulia with two torches, shee places them at either end of the Tome, & Exit. Isabella drawes towards the Tombe, and speaks.
Is.
Prince of shades, (for vnto me
Still thou keep'st thy Maiesty)
If thou art not wholly lost,
And there's something in a Ghost:
Heare thy Isabella's vow:
If hereafter I allow
Of a second match, or know
Any man, but for a foe,
Sauing him that shall ingage
His reuenge vnto my rage:
(Heare iust Heau'ns) may J then be
Made another Ghost like thee,
May I dye, and neuer haue
What I visit now, a Graue.

Cai.
O doe not heare her Heau'n, and kill me straight
If I dare touch her: he that sees those eyes
And dares attempt to make those eyes not see,
Has a blinde soule: burne clearer, you kind lights,
O doe not enuy me the sight of her:
But what's there in a sight? I must be briefe,
If not for loue, yet for ambition:
Her Mariage makes me greater then her Death,
And she has taught me the condition.
Pardon, bright Angell, and returne the sword,
Which Sforza made me sweare to sheath in you,
Into my bosome

Is.
No, obey your Prince,
If you haue goodnesse in you keepe your oath,
Murther is nothing vnto periury.

Cai.
By this faire hand you iniure me, and more
Then euer Sforza did: can you suppose
(Though you had heard the vowes he forc't me to)
I meant what I protested? that this hand
Which euer yet has vs'd a sword for you,
Would vse it now for your destruction.
Reuoke that thought, deare Lady, that harsh thought,
And let not so much sweeter innocence
Make it selfe guilty by suspition,
Suspition of impossibilities.
Rather command, and you shall quickly see
That he, who would haue arm'd me against you,
Shall finde in his owne entrailes the iust steele.

Is.
aside.
What traps are these to catch the Innocent?
Sforza I smell your proiect, 'tis too ranke.
My Lord, no more: your speech is dangerous,
I must not heare it.

Cai.
You shall see it then:
Doe not beleeue me Madam till I'ue done,
Till I doe bring my credit in my armes,
The Traitors head, and when you see that time,
Confesse you owe your life vnto my crime.