Passages from this character's speech that contain the most distinguishing words for Cluster 19 (piety, thalander, crimes, blessings, loathed, pretend…). Matches are highlighted.
washed off from our house but in his blood, Would have stirred up a coward to a deed In which, though he had fallen, the brave intent Had crowned it self with a fair monument Of noble resolution. In this shape I hope to get access, and then with shame Hearing my sudden execution, judge What honour thou hast lost in being transcended
Full speech
Do not flatter A grief that is beneath it, for how ever The credulous Duke to me proved false & cruel, It is impossible he could be wrought To look on her, but with the eyes of dotage, And so to serve her. Indeed I do, For if my sorrows could receive addition, Her sad fate would increase, not lessen'em. She never injured me, but entertained A fortune humbly offered to her hand, Which a wise Lady gladly would have kneeled for. Unless you would impute it as a crime, She was more fair then I, and had discretion Not to deliver up her virgin fort (Though straight besieged with flatteries, vows, & tears) Until the Church had made it safe & lawful. And had I been the mistress of her judgement And constant temper, skilful in the knowledge Of men malicious falsehood, I had never Upon his hell-deep oaths to marry me, Given up my fair name, and my maiden honour To his foul lust, nor lived now being branded In the forehead for his whore the scorn & Shame Of all good women. Yes of him That did deceine me. Ther's no passion that A maid so injured ever could partake of But I have decrely suffered. These three years In my desire, and labour of revenge, Trusted to you, I have endured the throes Of teeming women, and will hazard all Fate can inflict on me but I will reach Thy heart salse Sforza. You have trifled with me And not proceeded with that fiery zeal I looked for from a brother of your spirit. Sorrow forsake me, and all signs of grief Farewell for ever; Vengeance armed with fury Possess me wholly now. Ask thy fears, Thy base unmanly fears, thy poor delays, Thy dull forgetfulness equal with death, My wrong else, and the scandal which can never Be washed off from our house but in his blood, Would have stirred up a coward to a deed In which, though he had fallen, the brave intent Had crowned it self with a fair monument Of noble resolution. In this shape I hope to get access, and then with shame Hearing my sudden execution, judge What honour thou hast lost in being transcended By a weak woman. Upon those terms I yield my self and cause to be disposed of As you think fit. Why let us then turn Romans, And falling by our own hands, mock their threats, And dreadful preparations. It's a strange one! I am warned. You amaze me What follows now? What mean you? I mble And thus to tyrannise upon the dead Is most inhumane. Dead!
Plot summary
Plot — The Duke of Milan
Sforza, Duke of Milan, dotes on his haughty Duchess Marcelia, and fears the prospect of losing her. Her birthday banquet is interrupted by bad news: Sforza rebuffed Charles the Emperor’s overtures and chose to ally Milan with France instead; but now the Empire has routed France at the Battle of Pavia. Sforza expects imperial reprisals, and goes to submit himself to Charles. Before he leaves, he appoints Francisco his deputy, with instructions that, should he not return, Marcelia is to be murdered so that nobody else shall enjoy her. He submits himself to Charles, offers an explanation but no excuse for his supporting France, and expresses his willingness to pay with his life in order to prevent the imperial army from sacking Milan, thus sparing his subjects further bloodshed. His dignity impresses Charles, who confirms his ducal title. In Sforza’s absence, the tensions between Marcelia and his sister Mariana break out into open violence. Though Mariana is his own wife, Francisco takes Marcelia’s side in the quarrel and imprisons Mariana. Believing that Sforza will not return, he propositions Marcelia, shows her the warrant for her execution, and suggests that they should seize power together. She refuses him, so he explains the excessive love which led Sforza to order her death. This annoys her. When Sforza returns to Milan, she greets him coldly, which gives offence. Mariana learns of Francisco’s efforts to seduce Marcelia, and informs Sforza, who will not believe her. Francisco finds out her plans in advance and sets up the situation to favour his revenge: three years before, his sister Eugenia was seduced by Sforza with a promise of marriage on which he then reneged. First he presents himself to Marcelia as a potential victim of Sforza’s jealousy, inducing her to promise to protect him. Then he tells Sforza that Marcelia has tried to seduce him. As a test of her fidelity, Sforza pretends to have murdered ===== PAGE 365 ===== 1621 Francisco; Marcelia’s outrage seems to confirm her guilt, and Sforza wounds her fatally. News arrives that Francisco has fled Milan; Marcelia tells her husband the truth, and dies. Sforza is distracted with grief. His physicians persuade him that she is merely in a coma and may one day be revived, but realize that putrefaction will soon put an end to the ruse. Francisco returns to court posing as a Jewish doctor, and offers to treat the body to prolong the appearance of life. In fact, he puts poison in her mouth, claiming it…