DUCHESS

You're brief, yet plain; how point Cornelia's Affections. This one act Will make him kind, and form him to your wishes. Ursini since The Duke died you have found no lose in out Esteem, to his ashes I have paid that duty To grace whom he affected, and be confident We shall not deny this, is he not come yet? Though we pardon him We must put on a brow of some displeasure And chide his fault, he may be encouraged else To a second insolence. How is the name of gentleman Dishonoured by such desperate undertakings; That more then guilty of humane blood, do kill Even Charity. Is that he? We sent for you Mercutio to tell you How much you owe to good Ursinis love, At whose earnest solicit we have signed Young Borgias pardon, if you examine well; You will have cause to place him in the first Rank of your friends. Without much suit my heart would have conveyed That to my lip, a very handsome gentleman. I herd your voice more loud then usual, Whom spoke you to? You hold some dialogue at the window then, I'll know. Borgia, leave us. He speaks to me, how does he know I am here? Howes this? Since Cornelia has usurped my name And frighted him, what should make her officious He is her brother, I must hear no more Of this—you are mistaken all this while, I am Cornelia your sister. You well distinguish voices, yet she's gone. What would you say brother? How, not Borgia. You tell me wonders. Stay, he must not be foe lost, This is a strange discovery, if you can Bring testimony that you are not Borgia, You shall not Sir repent your coming hither, Nor yet despair of any noble ways That may reward your good opinion, 'Tis late; a lovers dream charm all your senses, And waking find your wishes, if you please Until I ask a further satisfaction, Be still concealed. But tell me signior, nay we are pleased You should be free, upon what confidence Knowing your gilded, and danger to reward it Durst you return to Urbino. Cunningly dissembled, You met no Lady then in all your travel, I mean none whom you called mistress, with Her loving magic to lay charms upon you And forced your stay. You do not promise such A hard and horrid composition, But love may find a shift to enter more Then skin deep in your bosom, but perhaps You left your heart at home, and could not then Dispense with new engagements, it was so, And for her sake you willingly forgotten Your danger to return, nay be not troubled, Confession will not injure you, I Like You should prefer the beauty's of your country. I see you can be when you lift a Courtier, But this confirms your love is planted here; And since we are fallen by accident upon This subject, we'll pursui't a little further; Come I must know your Mistress, do not doubt I shall disturb the progress of your loves. What Duke? How our promise? Can Princes be so insolent, beshrew His haste, but we shall loose much of our honour To give no ceremony to his person? How ever our thoughts point, we will entertain him And dress our face in smiles. Would, Cornelia I hope you are not courting Borgia, He is your brother, know your place within Our train. My Lord, you make me wonder, challenge me Of promises? though I acknowledge it, No act that could reflect with a dishonour Upon our person, yet we must not be So jested into marriage, you are a Prince Of and unquestioned merit, take not these Imaginary ways to advance your Hope's In us, we are yet free as you my Lord, And shall not in a dream give up our self, Were we disposed to marry or contract Our self, the day shall witness it without A blush, let guilty souls call night to cover Their promises, we are innocent. With pardon Of your grace, I shall laugh if you persist thus: You had a pleasant dream, but lovers Are flattered in their sleep, I speak to you. Witness There is too much at stake my Lord already, To rack this argument for your own fame, Proceed not to enlarge it, we would rather Confess some gilded against our self, then let You honour be exposed to such strait censure For loving us, yet if you would be silent In this we shall be proud, in other things To have denied you nothing, and be ashamed You took our Court so unprepared to honour you. We honour You Borgia for acquitting us. I find Cornelia's Cunning in this and must apply some compliment For our own honour, good my Lord your privacy. Remit they then, the rest I'll clear hereafter To your satisfactition. He seems no less. Miracles! We are infinitely honoured, and would thank him, But that we know not yet this Princes name. We are displeased, hence with that fool and whip him. Is the Duke gone? I'll have the fool hanged then Alas poor fellow, would, would, would, what art thou? Come hither Sirrah, Whose devise was it to bid you say you were Duke of Ferrara? Who is gone? Whither is he gone? Why do you shake so? Where be your clothes? He has punishment enough, who waits? Bid Borgia attend us. Let it re ward your pains. Convey this to Mercutio, it creates him Controller of our household, this I hope Will merit more of his acquaintance with Our Court. Leave us, Exit. You may stay Sir, what suit, what that you nam? Did not you say you had a suit to us, I hope your modesty will teach you how To limb it your request, that it may be Such as may both become our grant and your Acceptance, speak what i'st But in the confidence of your discretion Name and enjoy what you desire. Well Sir to'th purpose, I would have you speak To purpose now. We are prepared Not resolved yet? What? I may be numbered still among your creatures And keep a blessing in your gracious smiles Upon my humble service. A smile and humblest service, is this all? You wonnot purchase much by being a Courtier. Is there nothing else? A courtier should have many, what i'st made on? A pretty winter wearing, and keeps well In fashion. A question? yes Sir. How Sir? Audacious Groom, how dares thy soul imagine So great and impudence, almost treason to us, Are all our favours thought so cheap? and we Considered in the crowd of other women Fit for your mixture, to be stained with lose And desperate proffers of your wanton service? Have we no more distinction in our birth And titles? Or de'e hope we are disarmed Of strength to punish such and insolence? Had smiles taken such possession of our brow Thou couldst expect no killing frown for this? Was our eye grown so tame nothing could quicken it Into a flame, into a consuming lightning, When such and object durst appear to vex it? Thus we could spurn thy saucy head off—but We pardon it, de'e hear? we freely pardon it, To show mercy is above all fault, And that we are at home Queen of our passion, Nor shall you suffer under the remembrance, 'Tis now as it had never been, and you keep The first place in our thoughts. Wisely preserve'em And rather chide your timorous understanding Then think us angry, had your sin been greater We should have met it charitably, come, You are our Secretary, write as we shall dictate. A letter, a love letter, are you ready, Write as I bid upon your life,—I love you. Write I love you Sir, de'e not understand me? How Sir? And if you be not short of apprehension. You'll wisely entertain it. All errors be forgotten, meet me this evening I'th privy Garden, and receive more testimony. Mean time here is my hand, that in the morning I'll marry you. You will be trusty, there's danger else. To him that loves me best, Deceive me not farewell. You have deserved we should encourage you For what is passed, your son is full of hope And may grow up a statesman. Leave us, stay my Lord we must employ you. There's no such Necessity of youth to execute The service you design, you love your son. For our sake. To what purpose Signior? You are very merry Well Sir, while we Retire into the Garden, be it your care We be not interrupted, give access To none but Borgia, we have some privacy Only concern his knowledge. Your son, if you do call him Borgia. He'll be so officious Perhaps to spare that trouble, if he come Be diligent and admit him. You now possess us freely, the next morning Shall spread thls joy through Urbino. Is your name Borgia? Where's our letter? We did not think y'ad been so apprehensive, You see it now confirmed, we hope you had No thought we meant it otherwise, be prudent And careful in your province, heaven I see Would have it thus, and rectify our folly. Signior, We thank your diligence ̄ , possess our favour. And know the Duke. No more, all's well. What's the matter? Rise Aurelio. Irrevocable. If nothing else at Court invite your stay We lay commands upon you as our servant That you see all our ceremonies finished, To celebrate this happy union You must be both our guests. Subject's may love as their rude sense imparts, But heaven does only govern Princes hearts. You have prevailed Ursini: yet we thought Of all men living you would least have been A suitor for his pardon, but 'tis signed He owes you for his life. If your charity Extend so far, the rest we have dispensed with, He is returned for certain? he is either Weary of life, or master of a confidence That might have been his ruin. It will, but let me ask you good my Lord, Does this proceed out of a clear forgiveness: Time I allow may qualify the thought Of our revenge, and something else of pity May so take off the roughness of our soul That we may have a noble charity To our enemy, but has your end no mixture Of something else, that may advance a hope To satisfy desire some other way? No turn to profit or delight? be plain; For I must know your breast. Why does That fellow kneel Ursini. I look not for em, What do I feel? command him rise. Mercutio. Cornelia. Ursini, I have thought how to supply That place of Secretary that is vacant, see That Borgia be sworn, we apprehend His fitness. I hope this will please you Ursini, we can grace whom you present He is more gentleman than to forget How for your sake we honour him; I shall Betray too much of women, Borgia Attend us; come Cornelia, Ursini, Mercutio, make the Court not so much stranger. It's late, good night my Lord Ambassador. I'st even so? Dear brother, leaving all your studied compliments I do not Like your dilatory reasons To Ursini, I may hear you as a brother, But must not trouble you to choose my husband; It is the Duchess pleasure, I should marry Ursini, and advancement more then I Can hope, from your election of a stranger And set your heart at rest, how ere I seemed Inclining, destiny is not more fixed, Then the affection I owe Ursini, Him I resolve to marry, and before The next days light is wasted. Will you my Lord Admit of so much mirth.