MILAN

Lady your suit? Cheer me with conquest first, that being armed With thy best news, we better may endure What sounds more fatal. I never herd a braver victory, But what's our lose? How perished he? What died he by the sword? Speak the cause? Attend for thy reward, So leave us. See all things be dispatched Touching conditions of atoned peace betwixt us and Naples: see that soldier to Have his reward. But that our General's lost: But for his wife, we must be mindful of her, And see we do so. Julia. Come hither, but one word. Would! what's the business? Julia, how's that? What mean these strange Anagrams? I am thy Father and I love thee sweet. Why thou dost know I do. Would! I am thy Father Why Julia? One thing? any thing, Ey all things. I love thee not so ill, To be the Author of thy death. Be plain with us. Whose fact? Stroza. Search out Prince Parma, bring the Traitor back again Dead or alive. No matter; for his head shall be the ransom Of this foul Treason. When I say begun. But as for thee base and degenerate— Nature prevails above honour: her offence Merits my vengeance, but the name of Child Abates my Swords keen edge: yet Royalty Take upper hand of pity: kill the strumpet, And be renowned for Justice. How easy could I perjod all my care, Could I her kill, and yet her Infant spare: A double Murder I must needs commit, To ruin that which never offended yet. O Heaven! in this I your assistance crave, Punish the falter, and the innocent save. O Julia, Julia, Thou hast overwhelmed upon my aged head Mountains of grief, oppress me to my graven. Is Parma found? Then fly thou after villain. What's to be done? Alack, I cannot change a father and a Prince Into a euiell Hangman: tell me Julia, Is thy gilded yet but private to thy self? Conceal it then: we'll study To salve thy honour, and to keep thy looseness From all the world concealed, compress thy grief, And I will study how to shadow mine. Wipe from thy cheeks these tears: o cursed Age, When Children against their Parents all things dare, Yet Father's still prove Father's in their care. Our generals Wife? We know you Lady, and your beauteous Daughter, Nay you shall spare your knee, You petition here For Men and Money I making a free relation Of all your Husbands Fortune's, how supplies Have been delayed, and what extremities He hath endured at Naples dreadful Siege; We know them all, and withal do acknowledge All plenteous blessings by the power of Heaven, By him we do obtain, and by his valour Lady we grieve he hath been so neglected. All which shall be removed, and he appear Henceforth a bright star in our courtly sphere. We sent out our Commissions two Months since For Men and Money, nor was't our intent It should be thus delayed: though we are Prince, We only can command, to Execute 'Tis not in us but in our Officers, We understand that by their negligence He has been put to much extremity Of Dearth and Famine; many a stormy night Been forced to roof himself i'th open field, Nay more then this, much of his own revenue He hath expended, all to pay his Soldiers: Yet Reverend Madame, but forget what's passed, Though late, weel quit his merit at the last. Julia? Oh you mistake, For she the suitor is and hath obtained. Question not, To hast your Marriage with the former Prince, Or at the least the contract, is't not that? It could not be denied But speak? thy suit? Fair Lady yield Unto my daughters spleen her rage blown over, Fear not, I'll make your peace, as for your suit Touching your husband, that will I secure. What's he? Whence? The news? My daughters honour? O let me alone Stroza. My hearts no closet for revenge; 'tis done. Stroza. O now, or never Stroza! Yes, and the Prince after the Ceremony, Embraced her lovingly. And then— Canst thou not helped man? Stroza, awake, th'art drowsy. counsel advise me. The time runs on, Think on my honour Stroza. But think with mine, on thine own safety Stroza. Oh deer Stroza, Help now, or never! O me! O my tormented soul! What to do with them man? Thy purpose prithee? There are five hundred Crowns, Snroza bethink thee what thou undertakest, Such and Act, would make huge Atlas bend his head Unto his heel. Thou art our trusty Counsellor; if this pass We're passed all fear: What is she prithee? What? But gave you charge Assoon as ere the Prince was fast asleep, That she should rise and give place to our daughter? How long she stays, I feign would be a bed; Pray heaven she do not fail By him asleep, and so forget her self. What, not yet? had she with Parma been a bed so long, It would have more perplexed me. Step in her place; Nay when? and counterfeit sleep presently. Who saw the Prince last? Is't a custom with him To rise thus early? Stroza, I fear too. Would I were on horseback. Coming from him, Methinks it should be seasoned with some strange And dangerous poison: Touched not, my Lord. Hear him not speak, I charge thee by thine honour? Touch it not, I charge thee on my blessing. Damn him for it. Which we 'le no longer strive with, since the hea uens have laid that open most plain and palpable, which most we thought to conceal. The Generals Wife and Daughter. Even the least Envy can speak, She is a Soldiers Daughter, Descended from a noble parentage. You have both: Sure, sure, the heavens for our Ingratitude, To noble Sforza, onr brave general, Hath saved crossed our proceedings: which to recompense, We'll take you unto our best patronage. I'll not have it questioned. I strive to salve thy honour, and thou seekest To publish thy disgrace: my study is Where I may pick thee out a noble Husband, To shadow these dishonours, and keep thee From the Like scandal. O name him not thou strumpet. There's a Prince of noble Hope's and Fortune's, The Prince of Florence: what if I sent to him About a speedy Marriage? for I fear, Delay may breed strange doubts. Stroza. Laid out? What, and suspectless? My excellent friend, For this we'll bosom thee: your counsel Stroza, Our Daughter's grown to years, and we intend To pick her out a Husband, in whose issue Her name may flourish, and her honours live: But where my Lords May we provide a match to equal her? Sir, be plain with us. Hers. I came in terms of Honour, Brought with me, all my comforts here on earth, My daughter; to bestow her on thy son: Poor Lady, innocently coming, forsaking all, Father and Country, to betake her self Unto his bosom; and is she for all this, Branded with shame? But which the greater? To Florence then we'll straight dispatch Embassa dours, Stroza, be't your care to manage this high business. O to see How Parents love descends: and how soever The Children prove ungrateful and unkind, Though they deride, we weep our poor eyes blind. From Milan. Forbear my Lords for a few private words: Fair Daughter, we'll not chide you farther now Nor add unto your blushes: by our rude Reproofs your faults are covered with these your sighs, Since all your fire of lust is quenched in ashes.