CORVINO

Would you'd please To take your seat, and give and audience To what I shall deliver. It's that that makes Language harmonious. It's your self, great sir, Both your own private and the public good Must be my Theme. In partly it likewise hath Relation unto your eternity, For Princes never die that have fair issue. Your marriage sir. You're old in judgement, and in all the parts That make a Prince up absolute. Too young! Some careful Parents (and such providence Might be a good example) in the childhood Of their loved sons, have made election Of hopeful beauty's, that they might be sure To keep their names alive in their posterity. You are mature enough: now therefore know, Your dying Father (to whose memory We owe a reverence) when his fainting Spirits Laboured for help from all their weakened Organs, He breathed these last words: Let my Son (quoth he) Marry betimes; and if he makes his choice amongst his own Subject's, let him place Melissa In his first thoughts. I do not urge it as she is my daughter, Through and ambition that affects such greatness: Sir, my desires are humble; and on those A safety waits, whose comfort I'll not loose For all the others flatteries. Madam, I would whisper The secrets of my soul. It's not so incestuous As that thy inconsideratnesse attempted: Resolve to take her, and by all my Hope's Of blessed eternity, I will not only Justify that for lawful, but salute thee Ferrara's lawful Duke. Will you yet wed Melissa? O never sir, Till you perform that act. What mean you Notho? It was a folly, And inconsiderate rashness to betray Himself to so much hazard. Those words of his Might be interpreted; and I confess My wanton youth had much unlawful issue: Of which perhaps he's one. Yes; for my love Is equal to you both. It becomes not you To tax my partial humour, since your self Is equally unlawful. That shall not stain, thy fame stains not thy conscience: And tell me Notho, darest be great? Darest be Duke? It's in my power To make thee justly so. Shall't attempt no danger: The prosecution shall be politic And safe. But first thou must resolve to do What I command thee. Wed Melissa. All depends upon it And Heaven knows it's lawful: Therefore be Sudden in thy resolves. Exit. Why thou mayest have Fidelio, A young and handsome Lord. It chiefly works Upon such disproportions; share it justly, You both must take it; for in that consists The magic Sympathy. 4 Scene. Enter Polemici, and Vittorio. Polemici, where left you My valiant Son? Both politicly it's and safely ordered, Cardente poisons both him and her self. Dare you then be Unjust to your own honour? and neglect That which you call religion, we but form? What proceeding Intends this ambage? Who's the executioner? It's a command Becomes a Prince; and chiefly such a one As makes it scruple to preserve his raiser, Or to connive at a slight petty sin; Whose execution hath confirmed his title: It's a less sin to kill thee than my self. Put up your sword, and take Throws back the Dagger. Your Hangmans tool again. Put up I say, And call your duty back. Son I have played My trials into danger, hear the reason. Observing in thee haughtiness of spirit, Forward to noble Actium, that was always Attended with success, I feared ambition Might tempt thy virtue, therefore ordered this To prove its truth. Your Justice might Be tempered with more mercy, and from reason. Since the great secret is revealed which I Kept guarded with my best resolves, as being The Closet of your mother's honour, now I will stand up and Justify my actions. First for the death of your unlawful brother's It accidental, not by me determined. And hath secured your state that might have suffered A great disturbance by the knowledge of it: Which by your Mother's and Cardentes death Had found prevention being then restrained Only to me. For you Fidelio, You intercepted all my studied means Unto my daughters honour. But intents Proceeding not to act may challenge pardon. What tortures then do I deserve? To my self You show me my defects, by the fair light Of your too gracious and too great opinion; All the desert that I can have, must be Of your creating. Flourish. Son Spurio. Your Childhood Grew up to riper years in such obedience, As promised duty to me; how you should Decline that goodness from the Hope's conceived Strikes me with wonder. Sure you were instructed, And taught to know men by the study of Their difference; and in what one may excel Another's being: Greatness is no vice That you should shun it, and your Sisters honours Would neither have impaired yours, nor mine: It's not so dangerous caring to preserve Abundance, as to labour with necessity; And though it might be real temperance in you To shun so great additions, yet it showed Little obedience that you contradicted What I proposed. Madam, if ought appear and error in me, Condemn it not with too severe a sentence, Till I have pleaded my excuse. I love you: The general graces of your mind and person, In this my settled age hath raised high flames: Which cherished by your favour will preserve me, Or quite consume me, if they waste themselves In your disdain. The disproportion We wear in outward titles, makes me fear You will refuse consent: and yet I hope (Not urging the Dukes favour) you'll allow My suit consideration, and your answer. Your beauty, Madam, Is in that freshness yet, that were I warmed In your fair bosom, all the frost that hangs Upon these hairs would quickly be dissolved, And a new spring of liveliness and strength Quicken this cold and passive earth that holds, And Icy soul within it. You'd restore me To my best youth again. Then give me leave To speak in plainness my desires, that are You would admit me to your sweet embraces In lawful fellowship. You'd satisfy My longing passion, and your sons request, And pay those services that I have done you; Which some might but my self dare not presume To call desert. If you dare Call it a pride that I seek such addition, Know there's no substance now depends upon Your empty title which can make a difference, But I will reconcile it by my merit, I am not so inferior to be checked; Nor weak in power, but that I can revenge A scorn that is dishonourable. I then Must count my self refused. Your Pardon. Only you may consider, 'twas his will Melissa should be Dutehesse. Your graces leave To have some conference with him. Stay Melissa Son I would urge your duty to reveal What it's disturbs you. I by observation Have noted odd expressions in your looks, Your words, and actions, since the late Dukes death, That argue there's within some strange distemper Of your best parts, counsel must rectify. I challenge from my interest the will And power to give it. You are in love. But they are directed To one peculiar object; that's the Duchess, Is it not so? I assign it all, She hath over thrown my cause with such a scorn As burns me into rage; witness you powers That guide our not to be resisted fates, How far she's banished from my thoughts. It'll show of youthful rashness, Can you ground any Hope's? Yet you must not. Marry this Duchess. No more, I must dispose you. Think upon Melissa. She is a beauty That might invite desire, and crown the bed Of any Prince with happiness. Look on her, And make her thy election. A Wife. First resolve to be What I have promised. Exit. It's a happiness For which I owe Heaven thanks. You needs not Urge it again. Have you observed Cardente Ought in Melissa's inclination (Corvino & Carded whisper. Towards Fidelio? She Fidelio Wants much to meet your full deserts; your love Perhaps she may: when I have ordered her With some becoming counsels. Pray my Lord Give me a father's privilege to prepare her With some fit precepts; then few minutes shall Resolve it. Melissa, you Have made my age conceive as many Hope's As ever father did to make him happy. Kill not their issue by a rash neglect, And voluntary lose of that which perfect And ordered judgements do call happiness; Above enjoying of a course desire; Confined to a mean person too: if greatness Were not a relative to all that's good, And glorious in the general speculation Of things that do affect us, not in sense, But the bright partly of reason; emulous man Would not through danger manage actions So full of wonder, nor employ his faculties In high designs: but Like a heavy lump That only by its weight moves to its centre, And there sleeps, so should we: leave no? so much As the Record of any memorable And brave achievement, for a monument That such men once had being. To be Duchess Will not impair your virtues; they would take More luster from the title. Now Melissa I'd have you quench that low and common flame That burns towards Fidelio; and embrace Those high desires I point you to: my policy Hath ordered the success, and your obedience By your subjecting of it to my will, Shall crown you with full blessings. Your unwillingness Plays with illusions that are vain and empty. In what are you defective but your will, That's regulated by a childish humour? Let your consideration weigh the events Are incident to both: when you are Duchess You'll be above the danger of your fortune; And awe that weak necessity to which The other may be subject. Melissa, I do find your inclination: And though my zeal intended your advancement Which you your self refuse; yet my: indulgence Ties up mine anger: only I must wish you Consider thoroughly. Would Fidelio were not His love, a love diverts her. Thou art wise Cardente, And canst be secret too; for thou and I Know something hidden to the world: It's better Give her some Philter, that may raise in her A flame towards the Duke. My youth hath made experience, And I am furnished with that is powerful: I bear it still about me. When you return, desire him meet me in The Grove behind the Garden. This preparation of your high resolves I must allow with wonder: sure you had Some revelation of the weighty secret; Or else instinct hath taught your knowledge more Then a weak judgement could conclude from doubts; And those bore circumstances I have used to instruct you by. I have a faction Which with your party will make up a power Of strength enough: but there is no such needs. Melissa joined unto you will be more Than any numerous Army of resolved And faithful spirits: she alone shall clear All that is yet in mists. You may command her, Confirm it with and Oath as you're a Prince; And as I hope the ends of my ambition Will meet success, you shall be satisfied. Then accept My duty sir, that owes subjection Duly to none but you. It is your birthright That shall prefer you before this young usurper; And thus his knee to whom yours oft hath bent Kneels. Humbles it self for pardon, that my breast So long concealed what should make many happy. As the brightest air The Sun illumines. All Will follow my example; for the rumour As it grows bigger will incense the multitude: From whom your Fortune's and deserts have wone Both love and admiration. Fury then Runs them into a lump, or monstrous form With many heads, that carry their mad body Reelingly forward, where they find resistance Growing more violent: when to prevent The mischievous effects of such and uproar: The cause is asked and known; expostulated: And your right proved by me, the general voice Salutes you Duke. And shortly after you May call Melissa Duchess. By this time Fidelio Hath not his being, Your self is not immortal Prince. What strange conceits are these Transport your reason from its use? pray kill me, And when you have done it, call my silent ashes To tell the people how you are their Prince. What then shall give my cold tongue motion To justify your right? you have saved my life. Exit. Madam look up, suffer not your faint spirits Thus to retire unto their inmost cells: Let them dilate their vigour, and at once Make all your senses useful. This sad accident If well considered is not of such consequence, That it should show how much our passion can Out do our reason. Good Madam cease Your exclamations; this may be applied To better use from a consideration. Your honour is secured, your shame prevented: It was a mercy in high providence Would you receive it so. Be not transported Into such vain expressions. Will you then die? And so prevent me? for I did not mean You should survive them, though I ordered not Their death's; retain your senses yet a little. Live but to hear me, and I will relate All that my knowledge owns concerning it; And the new policies that I have built Upon these happy accidents; for hitherto Fortune hath been my Matchiaveile, and brought, Events about I never practised for. Fidelio and Cardente are removed: One stood betwixt my high ends, and the other Begotten continual fear of a new danger By her discovery. I shall be perfect now In all things but revenge upon your scorn, And the neglect of my deservings; will you not Stay then to hear me? Farewell. 4 Scene. Ent. Mac. Pole. Vitt. Bon. Been. Am. Mell. Guard. I have now no language But tears to be interpreted, and they Are characters of inward sorrow only; Cannot express more then their proper meaning, And whence they take their form. Sir I am lost To all my Hope's of being, they being gone On which it did depend, my sons; in whom I had a lasting name, and should have lived Unto succeeding times: now it will vanish Like Clouds dissolved, to be forgotten. The remembrance Of that calls up more grief. Your mother sir. The inconsiderate youths interpreted Her favours to be love, and rivalling Each other in desire, their passion met By fury, joined together, and begotten This sad effect: which when she understood, And saw the dire events that had proceeded From her so clear intentions through mistaking, Compassion broke her heart. This sir is all My sad soul knows. Shortly I shall pay Nature her last debt, for my weakened age Cannot resist these killing sorrows long. And my poor services desire your grief Not to be deaf to one request; that is, You'd take my daughter to your care, and be A father to her: or— You have misinterpreted A modest fear, and absolute denial. Beside; how unbecoming it's to accept A pressed consent with greed inesse; it argues Desire without desert: but since you are So nicely moral, by my self I will Advance my self. The Duchess bed will be And honour I never thought of. Hath your greatness taught you To practice scorn on me? or are you swollen With and unnatural envy? I shall hatch Practices above your reach; and teach your sister Obey as well as love: it's not your humour But my command that must dispose of her: Nor will I ask your leave to have the Duchess. Be what you are, and keep your Princes love: Y'have almost lost a father's. Exit.