University of Virginia Library

SCENA QUINTA.

Carlos, Frabitio.
Carlos.
Friend, comfort thee.

Fabritio.
I am inconsolable,
And must die, Carlos, since I must absent me.

Carlos.
Thou shalt be happier, if thou wilt heare me,
I have a meanes that thou shalt not depart,
And yet, in safetie too, shalt see Climene,
Alone, and without trouble.

Fabritio.
To abuse
Thy friend, is but an odd way, in my judgment,
T'assist him, tis to aggravate my evill,
And not to heale it: is there any art
To render me invisible?

Carlos.
For once then
Believe that I will doe for thee a thing
Which seemes impossible, give me leave to speak
And in a moment thou shalt lose ehy griefe,
And thy astonishment: Thou knowest well
That Italie hath for a certaine time
Bene troubled with two factions, whose partakers
In everie citie name themselves a loud
The Guelps and Gibelins: on this occasion
My Father and Climenes 'gainst each other
Took an immortall hatred; through their credit
And their condition, each made himselfe
Head of a faction; the Duke receiving
Advertisement thereof, and apprehending.
The issue of this enmity, so stronglie
Conceived, made them both to be arrested,
Not without, reason, and confined them
As prisoners, each one to his owne house.
My Father who saw his pretension vaine,
Knowing his house was neere unto the others,
Had recourse unto cunning, and believed
That everie thing was lawfull to destroy
The greatest of his enemies; to work then
His ruine, and in private too, he caus'd
A close Mine to be digg'd even underneath
His adversaries garden; being finish'd,
My Father fell sick, and soone after dyed;
I was, as thou knowst by the right of birth
Heire of his goods, and not of his revenge;
But though I should now have a hatred for
Climene, I should sacrifice it wholie
Vnto thy love; in opening this Mine,
Thou may'st, without being seen, have easie accesse
Vnto thy Mistresse, and to execute it
Securelie, we will make all men believe
That thou art gone.

Frabitio.
How infinitlie am I
Indebted to thee? how shall I acquit me?

Carlos.
My friendship is offended verie much
At these expressions of acknowledgments.
I'le to the Duke expreslie t'understand
What his intentions are concerning thee.
Enter into my house.—
Exit Carlos.

Fabritio.
I'le goe t'impart
This secret to Climene. But what heare I?