CAESAR

By this time is my fair Lucretia, Befitted for a business of blood, Nearly concerning her estate and mine. Exit. Pleases your Holiness to give me leave, It fits well with our own purposes, To give Charles entrance, and without restraint, Least he by rigor should usurp that leave, Which to resist were vain and dangerous. Believe me Father we must temporize. Offer unto him on his Princely word, The strength of Terracina for a pledge. Because it is Saint Peeters Citadel The conclave is in doubt to make surrender. Pieces which are of more valid ty We mean to tender to your Majesty. Wilt thou perform it faithfully? Wilt thou perform it valiantly? Will thou be secret, and conceal my plot? Then tell me Frescobaldi Where I may send to thee time shall serve. Well gramercy rescobaldi I will take the note of those houses in my tables. But be sure and ready when opportunity calls upon you. Be it sufficient thou shalt know hereafter, My business and affairs are very great: One word more, and adue. Why? so said brave Frescobaldi Like a man of some reso lution farewell remember the watchward—do not fail. It was not ingratitud, neither forgetfulness in me Fres cobaldi : Here take this and remember me. But that I keep my secret to my self; I would not use this slave for any gold: Yet when I trust him he shall not deceive me. Exit Caesar. O doubt it not, villain put out that torch, The boy putteth out the torch. Being disguised we will not be descried, Depart you to my lodging presently, Pain of thy life not one word that thou saw us. Exit page. Give me your hand brother, fie do not faint. Tut brother forward with alacrity, My life for yours yowl be at ease anon, I am ashamed thou shouldst be general, To led those forces that fight for the Church, And here show such faint hearted cowardice. Abortive Coward born before thy time, Caesar trips up Candies heels. I will not brook thy foolish insolence. Col nuuolo la pioggia. Let him receive thy soul when he thinks good, I'll take and order for thy burial. Help Frescobaldi let us heave him over, That he may fallen into the river Tiber, Come to the bridge with him. Take it were there a million of ducats, Thou hast done bravely Frescobal I, Stretch thee, streth out thine arms fear that he Fallen not upon the arches. I think thou never hadst thy Christendom, Follow for Company prenitious villain. The devil go with you both for company. Now Caesar Muster up thy wits together. Summon thy senses and advance thy self, Beware and Earth have interposed their bodies, Betwixt the world's bright eye and this black murder. Sweet silent nig to (gum rded with secret stars) Keep silence, and continued ale this Tragedy; Satur e is lord ascendant f this hour, Propitious patron of assassi ates Oh murt ers, Parricides, and massacres: Lord of my birth, auspicious to my life, This is my irst degree to worser mination. Who can, or (if they could) who dare suspect, How Caesar Borgia killed his brother Candy ? This is infall b e, that many crimes Lurk underneath the robes of Holiness: And underneath my Purple tunicle This fact concealed is: Ascanio Sforza Shall strangely (by some wily policies) Be brought unto suspect for Candies death. Sister Lucretia thou must follow next: My father's shame and mine, endeth in thee. Now show thy self true Caesar; Caesar shall Either live Caesar Like, or not at all. Death and blood only lengthen out our Scoene. These be the visible and speaking shows, That bring vice into detestation, Unnatural murders cursed poisonings, Horrible exorcise, and Invocation, In them examine the reward of sin. What follows, view with gentle patience. Where is his Holiness? where is my father? Alas your Son is slain; your hapless Son, My noble brother out alas, alas Is murdered: in tender passion Let curious search and inquisition Be made through Room to find the murderers: I fear that Traitorous Judas Cardinal Asc io Sforza with his complecies: I with not hold fraternity with him: And behold my meaning blessed father: gain these robes, take here this hat, And in these arms which I have bucled on I do forswear all offices of Church, Until I be revenged for his death. Directly from my Chamber. It seems he was. How should I know that. Are not you my father? Am I the keeper of my brother's person. A plague upon your devils you deal with them, That watch more narrowly to catch your soul Then he which sought my brother Candies death, You know that Satan is the lord of lies A false accuser and desembler, Tell your falce liers they be lying Devils. Suppose you know, suppose in wrath & fury I killed my brother; can we mend it now? He was not fashioned for these busy times: He rests in peace, our peace rests in our swords. Pull me not down good father with your conscience: Your conscience, father of my conscience is. My conscience is as Like your conscience, As it were printed with the selfsame stamp. I know my sins are burdenous, and bear them, Your sins more heinous, yet your robes conceal them. Upbraid me not, for if that Lamp burn dim, Which should give light to men in darkest night; How can they choose but must in shadows err, That follow the blind-glimmering thereof: Does this one petty fault appear so grievous? Which if you well consider is no fault; He was and honest man, and fit for heaven: Whilst he lived here he breathed in misery; And would have been enlarged: I et him free, Now if I may compare your state with his, Or your condition with my quality, Have you not sold your self unto the Devil, To be promoted to the Papacy: Have you not should the livings of the Church? Are not your coffers cramed with beastly bribes, With foul extortion, and base Usury? Have ye not (since your inauguration) Poisoned and done to death six Cardinals; In devilish avarice to get their goods? Have you not (which is most abominable) Committed incest with your only daughter; And made me sin with her for company, That both might reign in hell for company? Did you not take of Georgio Bucciardo One hundred thousand Ducats from the Turk, To kill his brother Gemen Ottamon ? Have you not kept the Pearl of Italy, Astor Manfred that young virtuous Prince, In beastly lust, and filthy Sodomy. Blasting the blossom of his towards youth? Have you not now given order for the death Of my deer Sister, whom your passion caused To kill her latter husband Di Viselli, And robbed the noble Earl of his new spouse, Only to cloak your vile impiety, I pass your secret counsel with the devil, Your Avarice, ambition, perfidy, Your bloody plots, inhumane cruelty, Why then upbraid ye me with Candies death? A bastard of our house, degenerate, In whom no spark or spiracle of honour, Appeared to raise the raze of Borgia. But had I been Lieutenant of your forces, This arm had conquered all Romania, France before this had trembled, Spain had stooped, The Roman Emperor had faun'd upon us. King Charles had been restrained, Frederick expulsd, And Naples had been made our heritage. Now stands Romania subject to my sword. Imola furli, Camerine, and Urbine Shall have the first charge, if I there succeed, Have forward farther with a better speed, Caesar oh nullo written in my guidon, When with my troops victoriously I ride on. Nay we must fight: I know the puissant spirit Of warlike Kate the pride of Italy, Sforza's brave sister and old Riarioes widow, Excellent valour, and deep policy Must win it, if we purchase at her hands. Shall we? doubt you not, Nay though the walls of Furly were of steel, These pledges should make passage for our powers, And what? shall we stoop for those twenty Ensigns, Which this last night have entered their Ports, Nay were they ten to one within those walls, Caesar (that carries Fortune in his Standard) Would make them give ground & subject themselves. Speak in a milder key renowned Kate. I love you well and all brave Sforza's raze Yet you must yield there is no remedy, It is the Churches right and I must have it. Be not so bitter Kate a friend intreats you, But if entreaties will not, look upon me: Here stands C sar, the sharp scourge of Furly And were your fort fenced with as many men, As it is girded with stones Caesar would have it. Subdue them and make pillage of their goods And in resistance seal it with their bloods. Then I will show you what wars destiny, Prognosticates, bring forth her ransom hither If nature be not quite extinguished These pledges shall enfranchize you from war I brought them to this purpose; that in them, You with your friends might live in liberty. Caesar in this hath offered Like himself, He proffereth to preserve your town untouched: Your goods, your wives, your lives, your liberties: But mark what fruits thy bitterness brings forth, To make thine hard heart infamous for ever, Before thy face these boys shall lose their lives If thou surrender no without more pa lee. Cut of both their heads. O bravely spoken warlike Amaz n. Why then you are resolved to die? Bring hither both their heads. Away with him. I tell thee when that these have lost their heads, I will make sack and pillage of your state, Man, women, Orphans, all put to the sword, This hath your obstinacy wrought in us, Carry them hence, bring hither both their heads. Exeunt with the boys, And then a charge upon this valiant Lady, Thy , this proud Semeramis, Wh see valou B rbar ssa by these heavens, Is very wonderful and glow jous. Courageous Kate, you that would throw defiance Into the face and throat of fate and Caesar, Such are the fruits of pride and wilfulness. Have I performed my word? are you surprised? Is not your life and living in my power? I freely pardon hese two boys their ransom, Lady behold thy treasure in my Tent, Had I not won this town, this hadst thou lost, See Soldiers that her Jewels be reserved For her own service, now the quarrel ends. Take you the charge of Furly, Barbarossa, Entreat the people well, do not restrain them, We freely pardon all of them their ransoms, So much as is in us, we pardon all, Use them as Citizens of Room in favour, Other instructions you shall have hereafter: Till then regard your charge and so farewell. Lady, your self, with your two little babes, I will take order shall be sent to Room, Be not dismayed, you shall be well entreated, You shall want nothing fitting your estates, March with us on our way for Capva. How should I know that sir? Hast thou thy piece then ready. Then fail not my true servant finely, closely. Exit Caes. I I gave charge to Bernardo, Having them safely sealed with mine own signet, That when feasting I do call for wine, He shall break up the seals and fill that out, For the two Cardinals Cornetto and Modina. Some wine for his Holiness own mouth, Bernardo. My Lord it is all of. And all my grief that both. Noble Bentivogli withdraw we both, Unto my Chamber, I am very sick. Exeunt omnes. Fishers which found his body brought the news. What know I? What? no Barbarossa not without a parlee, Fore-God I love her, and admire her valour, And till we find her words prove empty squibs, We give her all the noble rights of war, Summon a parlee. Found drum, answer Trumpet. What have we Pallas come upon these walls, To bring confusion of our companies: Does proud Penthesilea live again, Which sometime raging in the Fields of blood, Made passage with her angry sword through millions. You would repent it, if you knew the worst, Consider Kate be well advised first. A spi it full of vengeance, wra h, and spite, Assau to, assault, changed rge noble hearts a charge. Come hither Katherine wonder of thy sex, The grace of all Italian womanhood: Caesar shall never prove dishonourable, Behold thy children living in my Tent. Humbly commend my duty to my father Tell him this night I purpose to be with him, Tell him I live in health and touching these, I pray you certify his Holiness, I will have special care: and so my Lords For a small season I will take my leave. Sometime this after- one within the park, Next, to the Vatican, Ratsie will be: And as I know thee stout and resolute, Be tow a bullet on him as he posseth; Few words; if any man attach thee for it, By my protection thou shalt be enlarged. Take this to buy thee clothes my trusty servant, Nay 'tis gold be not afeard of it. Then Baglion fit thee, to thy furniture, Watc in a corner close beyond some tree: And when the deed is done repair to me: Say that thy piece went off against thy will, Keep a light match in cock, wear flask and touchbox: And take a murren with thee so farewell; Thus must I dive deep in a villains nature, And thus must save a villain rome the gallows To play my parts in others purposes. The man w ome I to benefit would choose, I must in matters of more moment use: Or else I will not benefit a man, A worser cut him of in S que'l if I can. My Lord it is too sorceable and hot. A fit hour for our purpose noble brother, O keep your way; you cannot lightly fallen, But if you do. You shall be supported. Now that by cunning force and policy, All the free states and cities oh Romania Subjected are unto the Church of Room. And that our pikes and swords in blood and slaughter, Are stained and sheathed quiet in our scaberds, Our blood and wounds staunched and bound up in scarfs, Let us for this could season of the year, Rest us and cheer our selves till the next spring. And then march forward with alacrity. Brave Barbarossa take these soldiers, Unto some quarter where by found of drum, According to their muster give them pay, Let them be satisfied and so discharged. Fellows in arms faithful and valiant, I thank you for your pains and honesties, In token of our good heart to your service, We give each common soldier more then pay, Two ducats: and all other officers. According to their place redoubled, With many thanks for your exceeding valour, Assuring you that in these wars with us, Caesar shall make you Captains of your spoils, And so does he commend you to your ease. Sirrah come hither you must wait on me. My good Lord Cardinal and Bentivoli, Much thanks and deer acceptance of your loves, I lovingly return for your great pains. Let us no longer entertain the time, By this the Cardinals expect our presence. Happy success and fortune to you all. As when I tax your princely conscience Like and unpitted penetentiarie, Brother with reverence of his Holiness You eart is too much spiced with honesty. And for your more instructions learn these rules! If any Cedar, in your forest spread, And ouer-pee e your branches with his top, Provide n axe to cut him at the root, Suborn informers or by snares entrap That King of Flies within the Spiders Web; Or else ensnare him in the Lions toils. What though the multitude applaud his fame: Because the vulgar have wide open ears Mutter amongst them and possess their hearts That his designments wrought against the state By which yea wound him with a public hate. So let him perish, yet seem pitiful Cherish the weakness of his stock and raze As if alone he merited disgrace. Suffer your Court to mourn his funerals, But burn a bonfire for him in your Chamber. Renowned Charles, suppose we should surrender How may we be secured that you will Restore it, after your imprease at Naples. If she will yield the state your lives are safe. Here fit we swordmen to defend the Church. Some villainous conspiracy lies hid Within this company, and this pernicious villain Hath practised with the ; go with thy soul to hell, I feel the raging of I . My Lord entium gli take here my keys, You know my study, search my Cabinet, There shall you find a little Crystal Phial, Wrapped up in Sarsenet bring I hither straight, I feel Vesonus raging in my guts. Exit. Fellows in arms after our victories, Had in the first front of our happy war, With men of hardy resolution, Now must we bend our forces against Furly, Where that proud Amazonian Katharine, Dareth defiance in the face of war, And yet our Hope's are sure, all passage clear, And she before I lodge this restless head, Shall bear the bondage of this victori . It is the precious Ornament of Princes To be strong hearted, proud, and valiant, But well attempted with callidity, Brother with reverence of his holiness (Whose sacred words Like blessed Oracles Have pointed at your prudence) Caesar would Have given the Like advise: but (in conclusion) Undoubtedly to work out thy confusion. Come hither Baglioni speak sincerely, Knowest thou Brandino Rotsi apothecary. Caes r in such a case will prooe true Caesar, Wise, frank, and honourable. Speak at a word cannon is my next parlee, You will not ye worser your state to save their lives. And never shall I sheath this sword in peace Till it have wrought upon the murderer. Bentivoli take you no thought for that, That is the greatest care, which troubles me. They be my Lord too cold for my stomach, wilt please you my Lord to drink a cup of old Greek wine with it, bring me some wine here. You might my Lord have had your choice of Ladies, B full p is ners to be ent to Rome . What news Bernardo ? M S blessed reverend and renowned father, That lou by n ture to my brother Candy, me sometimes in plainer sort To clee my conscience issuing from pure love, It is mere love which moves these passion, When I do counse or advise your good. He did indeed sometime and for his villainies, Is wort ily Can to of; but tell me sirrah: Thou dost rememb r how for breach of arms When thou didst stab a certain lance-prizado: I pardoned thee to y life. A cham ge a charge.