University of Virginia Library

Scena Quarta.

Enter Gaspar and Varlots.
Gas.
Come, come! My noble Lads! The time grows on,
The Masquers will come by and by; here hold!
There's 40. Duckets; spare you no mans life
I bid you kill.

Var.
I warrant you, Sir, we are old dog at it, they die if they had
Cats lives.

Gas.
Well said my Trojans! I shall live to make
You walk the streets in Velvet, Plush, and Scarlet;
Fye! on th'Dutch serges and these fustian doublets;
Men of your quality to walk in such
Vulgar accoutrements?

Varl.
We are Souldiers, Sir.

Gas.
I'll have you all made Captains, go behind:
And when I hem, be nimble as the Eeles:
Away my bullies.

Enter Picarro.
Pic.
tell me treach'rous Gaspar!
What evil have I merited of you,
That you should be so perjur'd as to plot
My ruine purposely to free that Strumpet?
Should it be true, I might well stile thee villain:
I scarce believe it.

Gas.
'Tis a lye beyond
The Devils forging, think Sir, had my heart
Been so malitious, I would have appear'd
Again before you? you may easily see
The motive of their feigning this in hopes
By blaming me to save themselves, to make you
Beholding to them for the dear engagement
Of freeing you from danger, more for spite
That I love you and hate them: they imagin'd
Thus to betray me to your rage: receive
Dear Sir, my weapon, if you can conceit
That I can be so impious, kill me, do it
I do beseech you.

Pic.
I should first conceive
All false and base before thy loyalty:
Thou hast been alwaies honest true, to me.

Gas.
Villany 't selfe would not deceive your goodnesse:

Enter Eugenia.
Eug.
Is not one Signior Gaspar here?

Gas.
He's here;
What would you friend?

Eug.
My Master, Signior Chaves
Commends him greatly to you, and desires
To speake one word with you.

Pic.
Chaves? what's he?

Gas.
One of the Masquers.

Eug.
Though a stranger to you,
Because I see you are a Gentleman;
I'll save your life: know Cozen'd man, the masque
Is nothing but a dance unto your death:
That Gaspar has betraid you to that Chaves
That whor'd your wife: he doth expect without,
To kill you: 'tis enough, farewel, be wise.

Exit.
Pic.
Thou now art grown to that vast height in sin,
That Dis would gape and swallow thee, but that
The prime Fiends feare that thy vile treachery
(Shouldst thou come thither) would so farre out-shine
As doth Hyperion in his fullest Orb,
The smallest Pleiad; so they should not be
Respected 'mong th'Infernal Regiments.
Thy crafts are now disclos'd, thy faults ript up,
I'll send thee strait with a deserved doom,
To keep society with the Harpyan troops,
And Fiends of that Tartarian Republick.

Gas.
Still you're so credulous; just Judges use
E're they condemne, to heare both parties speak;
I understanding Chaves to have wrong'd
You in your wife, that you might vendicate
The highest stile in vengeance-book, I went
And told him all, he has related, promised
You should be slain: but this was my intent,
Onely to train him hither to his death,
That as they both had sin'd, they both might suffer
Vengeance together.

Pic.
Why knew I not this?

Gas.
'Twas my intent you should have known't, he only
Anticipated my relation.
That you should know, I lie not—hem! hem!

(varlets appear)
Pic.
What are these?

Gas.
Why these are they I hir'd to do the act,
To send them both to hell: tell me, my lads
Of steele, did I not swear you to decide
One Chaves into Atoms?

Var.
Yes! sound truth!

Gas.
And whom't should please Picarro to command?

Var.
Yes! on our honest words!

Gas.
Lo! here comes Chaves masqued hem!
Enter Chaves masqued
There stand the men Picarro, that must kill him.

(varlets wound)
Cha.
Treason! I'm murdred, yet scorn to perish.
Unvengeanc'd, you shall know I have a spirit.
(offers to draw.)
Eugenia's curses hang upon my arm,
Or Virgins teares have glu'd my sword so fast,
I can't unsheath it: Oh! my strength decays.
(falls)
Tremble not earth that thou must bear me, see
Eugenia waited on by glorious Troops
Of constant lovers, comes t'upbraid me with
My perjury, but I'll not hear it. Oh!

(dies.)
Gas.
O Sir, you thought you could defloure our virgins
Without revenge, in Balthasar's destruction
You did triumph; and you have slain Picarro;
Look! he lies weltring in his gore; I hope
You'll pay me nobly for betraying him?
You shall enjoy your Mistress she expects
Within your presence!

Enter Roderiguez masqued.
Rod.
Ha! Picarro slain?
(stumbles at Chaves.)
My zeale has been too tardy; I have lost
My share of honor in this noble act.
(looks and sees 'tis Chaves)
Heav'ns blesse me, where's that villain that durst draw
This noble blood? villain this hand shal be
(draws & running at Gaspar is stabd by varlets)
Thy Executioner! Treason! 's hell broke loose?
Has Pluto sent these Bandogs out? yet take
(runs at Gaspar.)
One thrust from my revengefull arm, 'twill make
Some expiation for my noble friend,
And these my wounds! Alas! my hand's grown weak,
Yet will I lay me by his noble corps,
(he falls)
We'll brethren be in death: and know our Ghosts
Shall make you run distracted! poore Varina!
As my last pledge of love, in streams of blood
Dropt from my own veins, will I drink thy health:
Farewell my Deare; may heav'n commiserate
Thy sadnesse, and protect thee. Oh!

(Dies)
Pic.
'S This he
That stole Varina to his lust?

Gas.
'Tis he,
'Tis Roderiguez, Chaves his Comrade
In all his villanies; 'tis he that slew
Præpontio at his wedding, and convey'd
Varina to her ruine, and his lust.
This Lady is a stranger

Enter Eugenia in her own dresse, finds Chaves dead, goes to his corps.
Eug.
May mine eye
Now see the ruine of this perjur'd villain!
Now my disguise is uselesse, Heav'n hath own'd
My cause at length, and its due vengeance showr'd
Upon his perjur'd head; Heav'ns plagues are sure.
Perfidious Chaves,
That curst hand that helpt
Thee to fulfill thy lust, now work't thy fall:
Balthasar's death, Picarro's wrong is now
Retaliate in this thy ruine: but stay,
Some vengeance fall from my provoked hand;
stabs him with a bodkin.
Eugenia givee thee this, and this; nay take
One more for her account, perfidious slave!
As if thy perjury could not wrong enough
Eugenia, and the honor of our house;
Thou must seduce my brother to thy part,
Make him copartner in thy crimes; for him,
For Roderiguez sake, I'll give thee this:
(stabs him)
Nor shall my Fathers griefe unpunisht goe;
One stab for him: me thinks my rage now sits
Triumphant in her element; while I
Feed it with wounds, and make his blood repay
Both principall and Interest of my tears!
We thank you Gaspar, and Picarro both,
For this our bloudy banquet. He! who's this?
(Sees her brother)
My brother! Cursed villains! who durst be
So cruel a Phlebotomist, to strike
One vein of his? dear brother! might I fetch
Prometheus-like, new fire from th'heav'nly axell
To put in this pure Carcass: could my breath
Infuse new life into thee, I would lay
My self upon thy lips, and kiss, till all
My vigours transmigrated into thee:
But since the heav'ns are deaf, and death will deigne
No audience to my wish, thy sister shall
(Stabs her self)
Lay her thy Bedfellow: and with one stroke
In Crimson-streams swim with thee unto bliss. Oh!

(dies)
Gas.
More objects still of ruine? this will be
A bloudy Poppet-play:—

Enter Varina
Vari.
This way he went.
Now fortune do thy worst, I scorn thy frown,
Deride at those contractions on thy brow:
Speak louder with thy threats, and spare not me,
Varina now will live in spight of thee.

Gas.
Varina! welcome home, Ged give you joy:
Faith! 'tis not handsome thus to steal a wedding:
When shall I have my Gloves? Picarro, see!
Varina bids you joy.

Pic.
She claims my thanks.

Var.
Saw you my husband lately, Cousin?

Gas.
There!
There he's in bed with Chaves.

(She swounds and dies)
Pic.
Help, she falls!

Gas.
Faith! 'tis no matter: this is she, whose skill
Helpt Chaves to his Mistress; and so fool'd
Balthasar of his hopes: it was her Counsell
Betraid poor Mariana; 'twas her head
That forged all the plots against your honour.

Pic.
Excellent Gaspar! do see thou'rt honest!
Above all malice, thou shalt share estates
With me, thou dost deserve it, friend.

Gas.
All this
I've done for you, illustrious Sir, and now
Reward me how you please: would I have been
False, Sir, I could have had that mans estate,
But your love is more worth then all the worlds:
What doom must Mariana, Sir, expect?

Pic.
She had escap'd, and I by chance did find her,
Stealing to Chaves tabern, and in rage
I sent her to the Devill for a pawn.

Gas.
Ha! Am I couzen'd? you did well, 'twas Justice,
The Law does free you, for you only slew.
Your wife, and her Adulterer.

Pic.
O Gaspar!
What means this murderer?

Gas.
Hem! shallow fool!
(They stab Picarro)
Glory in Mariana's death? you may
Get a new wife so beautifull.

Pic.
Slave! Bastard!
Hast thou no spark, or jot of goodness left?
The salvyge Arab, or the horn-foot Satyre
May but commence thy pupils, cruel slave!
Who e're begot thee, sure thy mother drew
Her blood from the Bassarides, or was
Of near allyance to that cursed Hag,
That into fritters slic'd her only son:
Hell was thy Cradle, and some Harpy did
Perform the office of a wretched nurse:
Thy heart can study nought but treachery,
But! Oh! I feel the angry hand of death,
Gripe my small arteries, and Atropos
Hath bit my thread of life. Forgive me Heav'ns!
Treason! Oh! Treason!

(dies)
Gas.
Look me dead, fond man
To vex thee more, 'twas I that first betraid
Thy wife to Chaves: I that did procure
Balthasar to have murdered thee, and now
At last, when I was all disclos'd came over
Thy stupid brain, only in one thing crost,
(In Mariana's death) my plots has hit,
They're all o're-reach'd by one poor Bastards wit.
Enter Mariana and Catalina.
Is not this Mariana? sure it is.

Ma.
O horrid spectacle! what wretched hand
Durst to attempt this execrable fact!?
Chaves, Picarro, and Balthasar slain?
Poor Roderiguez, and Varina too?
What unknown Lady's this? (methinks her face
Speaks her ally'd to Roderiguez!) Oh!
Let me but kiss those lips, and send my soul
(goes to Chaves)
With thine into Elysium to dwell;
Lo! in these windows that let forth thy life,
I powre the helpless balm of my poor eyes:
Avant! thou dreadfull minister of hell!
Thy power could touch but their mortality:
Their souls thou could'st not hurt: Avant, begone:
If heav'n have any grievous plague in store,
Exceeding those that I can wish upon thee,
O! let them keep it till thy sins be ripe,
And then hurl down their indignation
In showers of fiery Vengeance on thy head.
Behold, the pattern of thy Butcheries!
See! Villain! See! how my Poore Chaves wouuds
Open their congeald mouths, and bleed a fresh:
Blush! blush! thou lumpe of basenesse! Bastard! blush!
Within whose breast more snakes and Hydra's dwell
Then in the Stygian and Lernæan Dens;
For 'tis thy presence that exhales the blood
From cold and empty veins, where no blood dwells;
May Heaven with lightning fry thee into death,
Or let the inhiant Earth Devour thee quick,
As it doth swallow up mp Chaves blood.

Gas.
Cousin, you know no Rules of Charity.

Ma.
Villain! thou knowst no Law of God or Man.
No beast so fierce, but knows some touch of pity.

Gas.
I slew them not.

Ma.
Then say they were not slain.
But dead they are, and Devilish Slave by thee.

Gas.
I did not kill your Chaves.

Mar.
Then he lives.

Gas.
Nay, he is dead, and by Picarro slain.

Mar.
Take heed, that monstrous lye will choak you; did
Not you kill my dear Chaves?

Gas.
I grant; yes!

Mar.
Dost grant me? he was only sit for Heav'n,
And thou unfit for any place, but hell.

Gasp.
He lives that loves you better; then he could.

Ma.
Name him.

Gas.
Your friend and servant, faith full Gaspar.

Ma.
Where is he?

Gas.
Here.
(She spits at him)
What? dost thou spit at me?

Ma.
Would it were mortall poyson for thy sake:
Out of my sight thou dost infect mine eyes.

Gas.
Thy eyes sweet Cousin, have infected mine.

Ma.
Would they were Basiliscks to strike thee dead.

Gas.
That you may know, how little I respect
Your love; receive this token from my arme.

(Kills her, Catalina runs out.)
Varl.
What shall we doe now, Signior?

Gas.
You must sweare
Balthazar killed Mariana, Chaves
Balthazar; Chaves and Varina fell
By mad Picarro's arme; then in revenge
Roderigvez kill'd Picarro; this is brave,
'Twill hold out water well; but where's this wench?
This devill Catalina? heav'ns! she's gone!
W'are all betraid, undone.

Enter Alonzo, Alvarez, Frederique, Catalina with guards.
Gas.
O noble Patron!
Behold the ruin of the stateliest structure,
Dame Nature, ever built by those curst villains

Alo.
My daughter!

(Swounds)
Gas.
Comfort Signior! Let your reason
Put reins unto your passion! Courage!

Alo.
What? cometh Gaspar now to comfort me?
Came he right now to sing a ravens note,
Whose dismall tune bereft my vitall powers,
And thinks he that the chirping of a wren
By crying comfort from a hollow brest,
Can chase away the first conceived sounds?
Hide not thy poyson with such sugred words;
Lay not thy hands on me, forbeare I say,
Their touch affrights me with a serpents sting;
Thou balefull messenger! out of my sight;
Upon thy eye-balles murderous Tyranny
Sits in grim majesty to fright the world:
Look not upon me, for thy eyes are wounding;
Yet doe not goe a way; come Basilicks,
And kill the innocent Gazer with thy sight;
For in the shade of death I shall find joy?
In life, but double death, now she is dead;
Come hither, Alvarez, and fright thy soule
With a new Gorgon; see! see! where thy sonne
Lies weltring in his gore!

Alv.
Who did this murder?

Gas.
He, that foule monster, and this cursed villain
With that, came rushing in and flue your daughter—
First, then Picarro killing him, was slain
By these two varlotts:

Alo.
Quick, lay hold on them!
First with strong ropes wee'll bind them to the rack;
And with hott Irons extort their sparkling Eyes.

Cat.
Sir, credit not this villaine! by his means
Chaves enjoy'd your daughter; 'twas his brain
That hammer'd all this mischiefe; and at length
When Mariana would not own his love,
With his own hand he stabd her! is't not so?
Bastard!

Gas.
Confide not in these feigned Comments!—

Fred.
Confesse you varlots, or I'll rack you!

1: Varl.
He
Hir'd us unto it; and first by his Command
Fell this man Chaves by our impious hands:
And after, Roderiguez: then this Lady
Seeing her Brother slain, did with her bodkin
Open her veins and laid her by his side;
Next this Varina, whose young spouse was lately
Massacred here, now swouns into her death;
Then by this mans command Picarro fell,
And by his own hand Mariana, thus
Ended this Tragick Scene.

Cat.
'Tis doubtlesse true;
But 'twas Picarro that slew Balthasar.

Gas.
Am I betraid? clap, thunder at my fall,
For Fame shall speak me for as slye a Bastard,
As Sin e're view'd; you'll laugh when you doe see
My limbs distended on the torturing Rack:
But you shall lose your aim; since I must die,
I'll please my self in chusing of my death.
But know, Alonzo, 'twas your baseness, that
Urg'd me to this revenge; which you must feele
A little nearer; you your self shall shall.
(stabs him.)
Curse on you all! this hand shall now set free
My self from your intended tyrannie.

(stabs himself.
Alv.
Hold! hold his hands! we'll him in piecemeal tear,
And throw his carcasse for the Dogs to feed on;
The earth ne're bore a monster like him.

Fred.
Hold!
Keep life in him, till we compleat his torments,
That his black eyes may see the vengeance due
To his deserts; which plagues shall studied be.

Gas.
'Tis past, I'm going now, my blood is pale,
It comes thin from my heart-strings: may you all
Perish, alone the Bastard doth not fall.

(Dies.)
Alv.
Convey these bodies in, our grief shall swell,
And study torments that may equall Hell.

Exeunt.