University of Virginia Library

Actus quarti

Scena prima.

Sforza, Ascanio, Caiazzo, Sanseuerin, a Boy.
Sf.
We leaue it to your care, Sanseuerin;
But see the night grows old, good rest my Lords.
Why stayst thou, my Aurelio? good boy
Ile see no bed to night; then goe, yet stay,
If they haue not escap'd thy memory
Sing me those verses which you made of sleepe.
Song.

Sf.
Pretty Philosophy! goe boy, goe sleepe,
Ex.
Enioy the good thou sing'st—this boy can sleepe,
Sleepe quietly, and sing himselfe asleepe:
Making that gentle Rest vnto his Song.
But Ile goe read: what haue we here? a Map?
Welcome thou liuely picture of the world:
Now Ile peruse my large Dominions,
What a vast compasse they doe fill in thee?
How Poe is wearied with his tedious course,
But running onely through our Continent?
Ha! where is Poe? which is our Continent?
If that my eyes deceiue me not, I see
My Empire is compriz'd within my nayle:
What a poore point Ime Master of? a blot!
Made by the swiftest tincture of the Inke?
But what did this point cost me? this small blot?
My innocence, my conscience, my soule;
I kill'd a Nephew, to obtaine this blot,
O horrid purchase! all this toyle, this guilt
For so despis'd a Nothing? let me see,
Here is no roome to sit, to walke, to stand,
In all my land I cannot place my selfe,
Nor be at all, where I would be the Duke.
But the sad tapers doe deny their light,
And stranger fire supplyes an horrid day
Of Lightning: help vs, heau'n, make vs confess,
Ascendit vmb. Galeaz.
There is a Power in your Mercy too.

Vmb.
Is then a time, when all our time is spent
That thou of vs shouldst feare a punishment?
O happy purchas'd priuacy! to haue
The free possession of an humble graue.
Wu't poyson vs from that? why starest thou so?
We doe not shunne a kinsman, but a foe:
Beleeue it Sforza, I am a neer ghost,
Nor is our kindred by thy murther lost:
Rayse thy cheer'd looke, see Galeazzo here:
Traitor, and coward, does thy faint breast feare
The shadow, which is made? or is a soule
Vncloath'd of Earth, more abled to controle
Him that vncloth'd it! Then I see to dye
Is more to right, then suffer iniury.
Know I am still thy Prince, and if that man
In such a Miracle of villaine can
At last be sound, in this thy manhood show
That thou darst heare thy doome of ouerthrow.

Sf.
Villaine be dumbe: we are too tamely mild
That dead men dare affront vs, assume flesh,
And we will make a second ghost of thee.

Vmb.
Thy threats are Ayre, like vs: but to goe on
In curse; now that thy wisdome hopes vpon
A ioy in vnmolested royalty,
Now shalt thou haue onely a certainty
Of high vnhappinesse, and be vndone,
Losing thy rule no better then twas wonne.
Fetters shall bind thy legs, not Crownes thy head,
And as a curst beast is prohibited
From common shew; so thou, of beasts the worst,
Must die imprison'd, and, what's most accurst,
Obey, to death, all comforts tane away,
Rob'd of the light, and the sweet heau'n of day:
Then flatter not thy miseries, to know
Is not to hinder Fate, fall shalt thou low,
Sinke to despaire, despaire to nought, and dy,
Then lower fall, and then as low as I.
Descendit vmb.

Sf.
Sinke into earth, and doe not reach thy hell,
Propheticke bubble: might thy threats proue true,
For we could wish the death that thou foretell'st,
That our feirce shadow might pursue thee still,
To fright thy Ghost to nothing: O weake Heau'ns!
Was this a terror for a man? to send
A Bug-beare, fram'd out of the empty Ayre.
This does confirme, not fright vs: this might be
A terror to my picture, not to me.

Scena secunda.

Caiazzo.
Cai.
It must succeed: Fortune may shew her spite,
Her pow'r she cannot, in the houre I'me made
A Princes Lord, or murtherer: I'ue plac'd
Close at the outward doore, Sanseuerin,
That if successe doe crowne my hopes, his cares
May giue me safety, with my happinesse,
That I be not surpris'd: but if I faile
I haue inioyn'd him on the noyse he heares,
Straight to goe call the Duke, & enter hither.
Ent. Isab.
Madame, tis done: and now the guilty head
(Which whilst it stood, made all to feare their heads,
Who durst affirme it did vsurpe a crowne,)
Most humbly bends, and offers it to you.

Is.
Which I accept: but for no other end
Then to reuenge his death, base wretch, on thee:
If that head be not planted there, 't shall off:
You shall inioy your Masters death.

Cai.
How's this?
Is this a loue-tricke, Lady? I had thought
After your thankes parted twixt heau'n and me,
You would with greedinesse haue giu'n your selfe
To him that gaue you your desires:

Is.
Fond thought!
Dost thinke Ide loue a man that kils a man?
Make him my Prince, who hath dispatcht his owne?
Was Treason euer Preface vnto Loue?
Hadst thou monopoliz'd perfection,
And shar'd a thousand Cupids in each eye:
I would contemne the proudest of their shafts,
And giue thee onely what is due, Disdaine.

Cai.
Youle vrge me to iust vengeance? doe you heare
Madam ingratitude, quickly professe
That this harsh language was but a wise baite
To make him faster, who was sure before,
Or I professe Ile ioyne your death with his
With thy loath'd Sforza.

Js.
I beleeue thee now,
And trust me, so beleeue, that I could thanke thee,
I loue thy cruelty, though not thy person.

Cai.
Hath death so little horror? well Ile doe
What shall inforce you to desire a death.
This ponyards point shall naile thee to the earth
Strucke through thy armes: where doe not hope vp
A noble rauisher, my swarty slaues,
Slaues hated of their fellow Black a mores,
Shall on thy Honors ruine tyre their Lust,
And kill thee in thy loathfull suffering.
Ent. Sforza, Sanseuerin. Belgiosa.
What dare you struggle?

Is.
A rape, a rape.

Cai.
O my good Lord you come in such a time
As I could wish for, for this houre or more
This wicked woman hath beene wooing me,
To murther your most sacred Maiesty,
And for reward hath promis'd me herselfe,
Together with the Duchy: my good Lord,
In detestation of such treachery,
I gaue her some harsh answers, with which mou'd,
She vs'd a womans craft, and cry'd a Rape.

Is.
Is this truth, Isabella; see, shee's dumbe:
Haue I then liu'd to haue you seeke my death?
A Cosin-Traitor? yet you shall not dy,
Nor know another prison then my Court,
I loue to see my Murtherer: O heau'ns!
Why, should I feare to kill her? yet tis reason:
Who is no true Prince, can ne'er punish treason.

Cai.
And I shall take you at your word, deare Sforza.

Ex.

Scena tertia.

Iuliano, Picinino.
Pic.
It cannot be, good Iulian, no more:
I doe not loue these ouer-earnest dreames.
The French inuade vs? when their iolly King
With limber slaues does onely mocke a warre,
Which like so many reeds against a stone
Punish their owne attempt with their owne ruine,
Breaking themselues, not armors: when we know
The Court is lost in Maskes, reality
Is so farre fled since the last victory,
That we may thinke the Court it selfe a maske,
Æternall Musicke, reuells without end
Tire the too-much delighted souldier,
Whose armes haue now forgot their ancient vse,
His spirits onely actiue in his heeles,
And canst thou thinke theyle dance to Italy?

Jul.
I'ue heard some tell that a great City once
Was built by Musicke: would we might not find
Our Country to be ruin'd by a dance:
O feare the toying of an enemy.

Pic.
What cannot be beleeu'd, cannot be fear'd.

Iul.
Youle not beleeue, not you, till the French swords
Diue to the bottome of your doubting heart,
Till that th'vnkinder newes is brought so nere,
You cannot haue the power to beleeue it:
Ent. Sanseuerin with souldier
Can you beleeue this is a drum that beats?
That this is the couragious Generall?
Can you beleeue, that he beleeues 'tis true?

Pic.
But who assists vs in this dreadfull time?

Iul.
As many as we haue deseru'd: not one:
Sforza has too much wisedome to haue friends.

Pic.
And we haue too much—I said nothing, did I?
I did not speake against the State, I hope?
Nor said that we had too much patience?

Iul.
Is Picinino then orecome at last,
Now I could change my sorrow for a smile.

Pic.
I must confesse an anger though not griefe:
O how I loue to fit me to mischance!
And when that has no reason, then I'me mad.
Why should our Millan blood staine the french swords
Vnto a glory? Sforza does offend,
Deny's the heau'nly pow'rs, or names them then,
When he does dare them with bold periury,
Loads his blacke soule with murther of a man
That could haue made his execution, iustice.
This Sforza does, but what is this to me?
Why shall this throat be cut for his? why thine?
Why shall our Countryes ruine fill his penance?
The heau'ns doe know no meane but either wast
Their benefits on dull ingratitude
Or throw away their thunder, so it hit
So it not faile, they care not whom it strike,
Whether the guilty, or the innocent.

Iul.
This is a griefe of higher fault then mine,
You make a warre with them you should appease,
And vrge the heau'ns to our calamities.
First we were punisht with, and now for Sforza,
Could any iustice haue more method in't.

Pic.
Well Iulian, Ime sorry for my griefe,
And so perswade thee to that holy truth.
I now could raue against my selfe, not heau'n,
But tis as fruitlesse, as to wish good lucke:
Then let the French presse vpon victory,
Let them amaze the Ayre with stranger fire,
Rais'd by our Cities flaming Funeralls.
Swell they the Poe with blood, act o're, what ere
Has beene the brag of royall murtherers,
Yet our defence is here: Fortune may faile
But our true souls shall neuer, we may lose
An aged life, but not Æternity:
And with this strength the field must needs be ours:
Who doe not feare, doe beat the Conquerors.

Scena quarta.

Sforza. Ascanio. A Guard.
Sf.
What noyse is this that from a forraigne foe
Recalls our anger? yet our purer hands
Know not the dy of blood: we should be loath
To learne a valour on our subiects first.

1 Nunc.
The people now haue rau'd to quietnesse:
But till that Landriano, whom you vs'd
About the last taxation, was become
Their rages sacrifice, I durst haue sworne
The French were in the City.

2 Nun.
This sad houre
(I'me sorry that you hear this truth from me)
Your Duchesse is departed.

Sf.
Whither villaine?

2 Nun.
To that free Crowne, where shee shall feare no French
To Heau'n.

Sf.
O enuious heau'n! why doe you giue
Men such hard precepts of mortality,
And take them hence before that they can learne?
Must not she liue, because she liu'd too well?
Alas my wife!

Asc.
Alas my sister, ô!

Sf.
Who dar'd that groane? good Cardinall, no more,
I know not what I could deny to thee:
Take to thee all for what the French so toyle,
But kindly leaue my griefe vnto my selfe.

3 Nun.
Pardon, my Lord, ill Fortunes eloquence,
Vnlesse you heare you cannot cure your harmes;
The French, now enter'd Lombardy, sat downe
Before Valenza: where the mouth of Death,
The thundring Canon being scarcely brought,
But iust presented to the yet sound wall,
Discouered there was somewhat more vnsound:
For Rattagnino, the false Gouernour
Entreats a Parly, giues away the strength,
Sweares the towne French, and giues the key to them,
With which they open Lombardy.

Sf.
My fact;
None can be guilty of this crime, but I:
That after Treason durst againe trust treason.
This very man, whose easie heart relents
At a French death, and wisely is afraid
His manners might be call'd in question,
If he should put them off to sue againe,
To aske the second time, for what he held:
Out of his zeale to vertue, and good lucke,
Did the like act for vs, and gaue a strength
Ent. Mal. wounded
Which all our Duchy neuer could haue forc't.
What more reuolting yet?

Mal.
O my good Lord!
I feare this is beyond Addition.
O my blood failes me, but my tongue does more,
Fearing the story that it must relate.
Your Army being parted, and this halfe
Caiazzo leading, that Sanseuerin,
My troopes did fall among the French mens scouts.
From whom we learn't their numbers, and intent,
To march with speed for Millan: this sad newes
We sent to Count Caiazzo, with aduice,
That he would instantly reioyne with vs,
To stop their further entrance: hee pretends
That the Venetians hemming in his campe
Haue made his danger greater: yet he moues,
Makes to the riuer, and when now our thoughts
Had left their wau'ring, and did seeme assur'd
His actions would be better then his words,
I saw, O misery that ere I saw!
That crossing o're the Po he did embrace
Those men which be in duty should haue kill'd:
(O tis this kils me, not my want of blood)
I in iust anger set vpon the Reare,
And after many vaine attempts, haue brought
My carkasse, to intreat for my reuenge.

Sf.
This is conspiracy: Caiazzo false?
Tell me that contradictions then are true,
Tell me the heau'ns no more doe trauell now
Being growne inconstant to their motion:
Or that the Earth pursie with too long ease
VVould with a walke at length refresh her selfe:
Tell me that Princes may be fortunate,
Those that like me are credulous: or if
You'd speake of things more hard to be beleeu'd,
Tell me, there are, that birth of feare, call'd Gods,
And if they be, that they doe thinke of Man:
Tell me, O prethee tell me somewhat else,
Or I shall thinke thee false, and not Caiazzo,
But I doe know thee true, know thy wounds true,
Enter Sanseuerin
And must conclude Caiazzo is most false.

Sans.
To be o'recome, my Lord, is wretched chance,
But not to fight at all will be thought crime,
I ne're durst thinke so to suruiue ill lucke
As to become the fatall messenger?
But I must say, I durst not fight, and more,
I must intreat your cowardize, your foes
Are strengthned with your Army (ô pardon me
Let me not tell you, how) and all our troopes,
Haue no pow'r left vs but for a safe flight.

Sf.
I did expect this: was not man at first
Plac'd on this curious Theater, to see
How he could act all parts: doe we not know
What we can feare is nothing? prouidence
Long since hath spent our feare; for a wise man,
WVhen he does found his happinesse, forecasts
Mischiefes, that Fate had neuer practiz'd yet,
Which if they happen, if they proue too true,
They meet, not ouertake him, and so find
A scorne, because a preparation.
I knew it might be thus, though I not fear'd,
And know it may be better, though not hope:
Yet let vs ne're despaire, nor by low thoughts
Excuse Fate for her present iniury.
And when once more her fauours we shall feele,
Then say, that Fortune has no standing wheele.

Scena quinta.

Enter at one doore, Triulcio, Aubeny, Caiazzo: at the other some Senators of Millan, who deliuer the keyes of the City.
Sen.
We here present you with our keys great Lords,
Yet doe not thinke vs cowards, who doe part
So easily with that, which if we pleas'd
We might, in spite of force, as easily keepe:
We know your right, iustice does ope these gates,
And not your swords, nor our disloyalty;
We leaue a Traytor that hath first left vs,
And now are glad to entertaine our Prince.

Triv.
Is he fled then? O our vnhappy sloath!
Why ranne we not as well as we did fight?
Are Cowards swifter then their Conquerors.

Aboue as in the Cittadell appeare Isabella, and Iulia.
Is.
Doe not disswade me, Iulia, 'tis true
I may escape, but whither? all is lost,
In Naples we find France, as well as here.
O who'od indure the tyranny of hope,
That could so quickly gaine a liberty?
If I but fall I'me free; ô Iulia,
The greatest distance twixt my blisse, and me,
Reacheth no farther then to the next earth.
Can I behold in a perplexed flight
(Of which I know no comfort, and no end)
This my sweet infant crying for the food,
Which I'me vncertaine where to beg for him?
No, Ile descend, and if the greedy French
Will haue our blood with our Dominions,
She comes down with some souldiers.
Yet I shall ioy to haue a speedy end
And call a nimble enemy, a friend.

Tri.
What answer from the Cittadel? once more
Giue them a summons, if they yeeld not then
Enter Isabella
Giue an assault.

Is.
You shall not need my Lords,
What you could wish you haue, most cheapely haue,
The conquest of a woman, and a child.
I'me Isabella, (let not that sad name
Be ominous to conquerors,) and this
This pretty infant, is my lucklesse child,
Borne Prince of that, which you haue made your prey.
Why doe you one consult anothers face,
As you would see, who could be cruell first?
Be not at all, or if at all, to me.
O doe not warre with infants! can these hands
Deserue your feare or anger? these weake hands
That cannot reach themselues vnto their teat?
Who haue so much of yong infirmity,
They cannot lift themselues to ask your mercy?
O let them haue, because they cannot aske.
How many dismall accidents may chance
To take him hence, before he grow to man,
And so excuse, and yet fulfill your purpose?
O let disease be cruell, and not you.

Tri.
Madame, you shall be honourably vs'd,
You, and your faire sonne: take your liberty
To chuse your owne free course: for this yong Lord,
He must to France with vs, where he shall learne
The good of royall education:
Where he shall know the happy difference
Betweene a petty, and a kingly Court.
Some waite vpon the Princesse.

Is.
O my starres!
What haue I done? ay me? I haue betrayd,
What Tyranny had left me, my sweet boy:
For whom I neuer knew a griefe; till now
I brought him forth with pleasure, when I thinke
Vpon this paine of parting; my deare child,
O too too like thy mother; if thou chance
To draw thy life vnto that hated length,
That thou arriue to the discretion
To know, what by my folly, thou hast lost,
Call it no more, ô doe not call it crime,
No mother willingly would lose a sonne:
Whilst in some darker cell I will intombe
Thy ruines cause, where whatsoeuer teare
Sorrow did once force, no deuotion shall:
That my new name vnto the heau'ns may reach
Whom misery the way to blisse did teach.

Exit.
Tri.
Neuer till now had we the victory,
And now no single one, this happy houre
Has gain'd a a conquest for Posterity.
They may be idle now, now the French youth
May grow vp without wounds, and at their homes,
Steale to a priuate graue, no more being forc't
To death, though by a glory; nay this Land
May thanke vs, for our thrift of victory,
For lighting on this blest occasion,
Which makes vs need no more to conquer them:
If heau'n continue vs this kindnesse still,
Wee'll measure out our conquests by our will.