in Lodovic Sforza, Duke of Milan — Gomersall, Robert
Metadata
Play
Lodovic Sforza, Duke of Milan
Author
Gomersall, Robert
Year (catalogued)
1628
First performance
1628
Decade
1620s
Genre
Tragedy
Play type
Closet/Unacted (?)
Speech prefix(es)
Mal. [Malatesta] | 〈…〉 al. [Malatesta]
Words
241
Characters
1242
Typicality
0.35 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP id
A01853
BritDrama no.
2236
Cluster
Cluster 20 — Conjurers, witches & physicians
Important excerpts
No keyword-matching excerpt could be extracted (the cluster label doesn't share vocabulary with this character's speech).
Full speech
I am deceived, or esse this is the place Enter Mal . Which Sforza chooses when he is alone. Yes, this is it. What fight is here? Vitellio dead, and forza tur'nd a Mourner? In my Lord, To ask your when chanc First frighted Heaven? Then courage, my good Lord. Since it is thus, make the best use of it: For now you needs not fear to be revealed, When one mouth's stopped, and th'other is your own: But since your last retirement, we have been Instructed by the speed of frequent Posts, Of the a rival of the King of France. It's a dangerous time, (And yet I seem to cross the truth I speak When I not fear to call't a dangerous time) Sforza is overwise, and so attempts Upon the confidence of his own brain (A brain, though wise, yet I may safely say, Within the possibility of error) Things, that can only hap by miracle To any good. MY Lords, since we are met so happily, (If you esteem me not too bold, to ask The story of your high famed actions) Bless me with the Relation. What was the issue? 'Twas a foolish dream, That stole my colour from my paler cheeks. Last night I saw Ʋ itellio. Yes if shadows speak, If that their threatenings be substantial. From such a paper as your Highness holds, He forced me breath in Death. Oh! I am aine.
Plot summary
Plot — Lodovic Sforza, Duke of Milan
Sforza is ambitious to rule Milan even though primogeniture has passed him by, leaving him as merely the Protector to his nephew, the Duke Galeazzo. He invites the King of France, who covets the throne of Naples, to invade Italy to press his claim by force, relying on French support for his own usurpation of Milan. He then poisons Galeazzo, and attempts to dispose of the two poisoners; but one of them, Vitellio, survives and plans revenge using forged documents which implicate Sforza in the crime. After the coronation, rumours of foul play begin to circulate. Vittellio is caught lurking around Sforza’s bedchamber, intending to murder him, so Sforza has him strangled. Caiazzo plans to murder Isabella, Galeazzo’s widow, as she visits his tomb, but realizes that he could do better for himself by marrying her. She refuses him, but he promises her revenge on Sforza as a mark of his good faith, When she remains resolute, he threatens to ===== PAGE 305 ===== 1628 rape her, but is prevented by Sforza’s arrival. He claims she tried to persuade him to assassinate Sforza, but the Duke takes no reprisals. Sforza is visited by Galeazzo’s ghost, who foretells that he will fall from power and die in prison, Meanwhile, the French take Naples with ease, frustrating Sforza’s exit strategy: he was expecting them to be tied down in a long war, giving him time to co-ordinate Italian forces to expel them. The French King is taken ill at a tennis match and dies. The deposed Neapolitan ruler retakes his throne, so the French invade Italy again. When they reach Milan, Caiazzo defects with his soldiers, the senators surrender the city, and Isabella hands herself over, only to have her baby son taken from her and sent to be brought up in France. Sforza strengthens his army with Swiss mercenaries, but their captain is persuaded to transfer allegiance to the French; he offers to help Sforza escape disguised as a common soldier, but they are betrayed. The French conquer Milan, and, as the ghost foretold, Sforza spends the rest of his life in captivity.