 | The tragedie of Lodovick Sforza Dvke of Millan |  |
Scena secunda.
The Captaine of the Swizzers, with a Souldier, as a fugitiue from the French.Soul.
Now w'are alone I dare reueale my selfe,
I am not what I seeme, a Fugitiue,
But one that from Triulcio doe bring
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Capt.
VVhat? to me?
Letters vnto his enemy? let's see:
Ex. Soul.
Letters vnto his enemy? let's see:
Expect an answer in my Tent.—VVhat's here?
Letter.
Thou Man of Action, whom th'ItaliansFeele their Achilles, both to wound, and beale:
Triulcio salutes thee: what is past,
As past recall he will not mention,
But for the future this; you ayd a man,
From whom you cannot any way expect
Reward, or Honor, such his pouerty
Both in desert, and meanes? but against whom?
J will not vrge they are your Countrymen,
Partakers of the same sweet soyle with you,
Who onely differ in their better choice:
Yet so farre doe I prize your worth, to thinke,
You haue not put off Nature, nor haue chang'd
With your home ayre, your home-affections.
That you are still a Swizzer: thinke of this,
And that at other times twere shame to flye,
Now onely flight shewes Magnanimity.
Triulcio.
What shall I doe? O I am lost in doubt,
Nor know, what to refuse, or what to grant.
Shall then the Swizzers to their valour adde
A tainture of disloyaltie? to whom?
Who can accuse vs for our trechery?
One that has patroniz'd it by his act:
That hath betraid his Nephew: shall a man
Be counted trecherous, that betrayes vice?
It was a crime to aide him, can it be
A crime to leaue him too? O paradox!
Resolue me Goodnesse what tis best to doe:
And that does whisper a dislike: for what,
What goodnesse can there be in ciuill warre?
When we shall kill them that were borne with vs,
When we shall make the Father dye his sword
In the sonnes bloud, and strangely giue a death
To him, to whom he kindly gaue a life,
When the mixt bloud of the same Family
Shall make a cruell incest: this we doe
If we are honest: Ile learne treason first,
And the most accurate sinne. Triulcio,
Our Country calls vs, and not thou, to be
Dishonest then is the best honesty.
Nor know, what to refuse, or what to grant.
Shall then the Swizzers to their valour adde
A tainture of disloyaltie? to whom?
Who can accuse vs for our trechery?
One that has patroniz'd it by his act:
That hath betraid his Nephew: shall a man
Be counted trecherous, that betrayes vice?
It was a crime to aide him, can it be
A crime to leaue him too? O paradox!
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And that does whisper a dislike: for what,
What goodnesse can there be in ciuill warre?
When we shall kill them that were borne with vs,
When we shall make the Father dye his sword
In the sonnes bloud, and strangely giue a death
To him, to whom he kindly gaue a life,
When the mixt bloud of the same Family
Shall make a cruell incest: this we doe
If we are honest: Ile learne treason first,
And the most accurate sinne. Triulcio,
Our Country calls vs, and not thou, to be
Dishonest then is the best honesty.
Ex.
| The tragedie of Lodovick Sforza Dvke of Millan | |