SCIARRHA

MY Sister, though he be the Duke, he dares not, Patience, patience, if there be such a virtue, I want it Heaven, yet keep't a little longer, It were a sin to have it, such and injury Deserves a wrath next to your own, my Sister? It has thrown wildfire in my brain Lorenzo, A thousand furies revel in my skull, Has he not sins enough in's Court to damn him. But my Roof must be guilty of new Jousts, And none but Amidea? these the honours His presence brings our house? Are all the Brothels rifled? no quaint piece Left him in Florence, that will meet his hight And valiant luxury, that we are come To supply his blood out of our families? Diseases gnaw his title off. He is no Prince of mine, he forfeited His greatness, that black minute he first gave Consent to my dishonour. Why should you be sorry sir? You say it is my Sister he would strumpet, Mine, Amidea? 'tis a wound you feel not, But it strikes through, and through the poor Sciarrah, I do not think, but all the ashes of My Ancestors do swell in their dark urns At this report, of Amidea's shame: It is their cause as well as mine, and should Heaven suffer the Dukes sin to pass unpunishd, Their dust must of necessity conspire, To make and earthquake in the Temple. Why is there more Behind? Has mischief any name Beyond this? will it kill me with the found? You torture me. To what? Hah! Lorenzo, I do want breath, my voice is ravished from me, I am not what I was, or if I be, Sciarrha thou hast talked too, all this while Look heedfully about me, and thou mayest Discover through some cranny of my flesh, A fire within, my soul is but one flame, Extended to all parts of this frail building, I shall to ashes, I begin to shrink Is not already my complexion alte ed, Does not my face look parchd, and my skin gather Into a heap? my breath is hight enough To thaw the Alps. 'Tis my rage, but let it cool, And then we'll talk o'something, something sir, Shall be to purpose. But I have thought a cure for this great State Impostume. To lance it, is't, not ripe? Lets draw cuts, whither your hand or mine Shall do and act for Florence liberty, And send this Tyrant to another world. Coy it not thus Lorenzo, But answer, by thy name and birth, you are His Kinsman; we all kuow it, that you dwell In's bosom, great in favour, as in blood, We know that too, and let me tell you more: We know you but disguise your heart, and wish Florence would change her title. We know you have firm correspondence with The banished men, whose desperate Fortune's wait Your call to tumult, in our streets, all this, Not to feed your ambition with a Dukedom, By the remove of Alexander, but To serve your Country, and create their peace, Who groan under the Tyranny of a proud, Lascivious Monarch, is't not true Lorenz ? My phrase is blunt my Lord. Thou hast a fire beyond Prometheus To quicken earth, thy flame is but a prophsie Of that high paramide, the world shall built To thy immortal name: it was the glory Of Roman to prefer their Empires safety To their own lives, they were but men Like us, And of the same ingredients, our souls Create of no inferior substance; would? Sisters. I am resolved, by all thats blessed, he die Return my willingness to be his pander, My sisters readiness to meet his Dalliance, His promises have bought our shame, he die, The roof he would dishonour with his Shall be his tomb, bid him be confident, Conduct him good Lorenzo, isle dispose My house for this great scene of death. Let me have truce vexation for some minutes, What news? preferments, honours, offices; Sister, you must to Court. Or else the Court will come to you, the Duke Hath sent already for us Amidea: Oh that I knew what happy Stars did govern At thy Nativity: It were no sin To adore their influence. I easily could forget I am Sciarrha, And fallen in love my self, is she not fair, Exceeding beautiful, and tempting Florio? Look on her well, methinks I could turn Poet, And make her a more excellent piece then heaven. Let not found men hereafter command and what They most admire, by fetching from the Stars Or flowers their glory of similitude; But from thy self the r le oh know all beauty, And he that shall at so much boldness, To say his Mistress eyes, or , or reath, Are half so bright, so clea , so as thine, Hath told the enough of miracle. These are the Dukes oh e Raptures, Amidea, His own Poetic flames, and argument He loves my Sister. Infinitely, I am in earnest, he employed Lorenzo, No meaner person in this , You must to Court, Oh happiness! Why will you Appear so ignorant? I speak the dialect Of Florence to you, come, I find your cunning; The news does please, the rolling of your eye Betrays you, and I see a guilty blush Through this white veil upon your cheek, you wo'd Have it confirmed, you shall, the Duke himself Shall swear he loves you. To Court, And ask him; be not you too peevish now, And hinder all our fortune ; I would promised him To move you for his armful, as I am Sciarrha, and your brother, more I would sent Word to him by Lorenz , that you should Meet his high flame, in plain Italian Love him, and— No, no, his Mistress, command him, make us. You may give it a better name, but doo't. No, no, my meaning is so br and, you cannot. Be not you a fool, to move These empty questions, but join to make her Supple, and pliant for the Duke, I hope We are not the first would been advanced by a wagtai e: No matter for the talk of musty people, Look up to the reward, thou art young, and skilled In these Court temptings, naturally soft, And moving, I am rough hewed, assist, wilt, With some quaint charm, to win her to this game? I, I. Gipsy, use better language, Or I'll forget your sex. Why how now boy? Yowl not help? And whats your resolve I had forgotten his promise, Look up Sister And shine with thy own smiles, Pisano's come, Pisano thy contracted, honoured friend, A gentleman so rich in Hope's, we shall Enter a Sir ant. Be happy in's alliance Welcome all, But you above the rest, my brother shortly, Sister and Florio entertain your noble Friends, some few minutes, I am absent, we Must not forget prepare for the Dukes coming, I'll soon return How now, Weeping? where is Pisano, and his friends? Las noble gentleman—but come clear up Your face again, we hope it wonot last, Look bright again I say, I would given order— Remove, Good Amidea, and reserve thy person To Crown his entertainment, be not seen yet. Your highness does and honour to our house. She is your graces handmaid, Only a toy my Lord, I cannot cal't, A mask, not worthy of this presence, yet It speaks the freedom of my heart, and gratitude For this great honour. Lords your places, 'twonot be Worth half this ceremony, let'em begin. Lust sir, pray observe: A wild young man that follows lust, He has too much blood it seems. There is a thing called death that follows him With a large train of furies, but the Sire's Of lust make him secure, and now the hag Embraces him, and circles him with pleasures, The harpies mean to dance too, hang his conscience It whines too much. He does not tremble yet, By and by sir you shall see all his tormentors Join with they, ther's the sport on't. O the Lethargy Of Princes! we would kept you Sir from bed: More lights. We are all yours. Suspect not. Amidea, go not to bed, And yet no matter, I can doo't alone: Take both your rest, and in your prayers commend The Duke to Heaven, 'tis charity; has made His will already, and bequeathed his body To you Sister, pity his soul for't, 'tis now Within few minutes of departing. Why this way I must help him in his groans To bring his flesh a bed. I am not of your mind. You are not studied so perfect in His destiny I hope; I will endeavour— No, in his Chamber. Yes, by his lust. Yes, and the reason wherefore he was murdered, Shall justify the deed to all posterity, He came to wrong my Sister. So it must. It is too late to cool with argument My incensed blood, will you go dally with him, And let him board your pinnace: I hagon So far in promise, if you clasp not with him, It will be dangerous if he outlive This night. Wot thou trust him? Dost thou not fear unhappy Luenesse chance, Or wretched Philomels dishonour? 'Tis but deferring of my justice, She wonot kill him sure: draw on her soul The gilded she hates in mine, if she do yield To the hight encounter: would? 'twill be just, That both their hearts weep blood to purge their lust. Look, there she is sir, you know how to undress her. To your recreation, here I'll obscure my self, Florio? 'tis well. Now a thousand blessings Reward thy goodness; thou deservst a statue, A tall one which should reach above the clouds. Justle the moon, that people a far off Beholding it, may be invited hither In hope to climb to heaven by't, but apply Betimes unto thy wound; Florio assist her. Ex. Am. & Flo. And now my Lord— You will be more precious, Then had you never fallen, I am all joy in your conversion. Lorenzo? I think he has not said his prayers yet, But— I cannot tell, may be, he does not use it. My Lord, you now are lovely, It better you'd forget him, he's not right At heart I fear. To be plain, You cherish your disease in him, and are Not safe while he is near you. Then I must tell you sir he is a Traitor, Within my knowledge hath conspired your death. With me, I should would killed you sir This night, and every mineut he expects To hear you numberd with the dead, I can Demonstrate this, your pardon, but in truth, The injuries you meant us were severe, And he with as much violence did urge em To your destruction, but your piety Hath charmed my purpose, and I look upon you With new obedience. We wonot shift the scene till you believe it, Florio, entreat my Lord Lorenzo hither, Step but but behind the arras, and your ear Shall tell you who's the greatest Traitor living, Observe but when I tell him, you are slain, How heel rejoice, and call me Florence great Preserver, bless my arm that in your blood, Hath given our groaning state a liberty: Then trust Sciarrha, but observe, I here e'm 'Tis done— The Duke is dead. With this hand I made a passage for his soul. Did not we plot it too? This is fine eunning, why that devil is Lorenzo, if he dars deny it, we are in private, You needs appear no stranger to that's done By your direction. Then my sword shall fetch As they draw, the Duke interposes. another witness in thy heart My Lord, we are both cozened: That very smile's a Traitor. Have comfort sir. Our quarrel is deferred Sir. Nor mean ever to doot again. Jn what? You denied then, you were a Traitor. You're a villain sir. And I must have it certified under your own hand To show the Duke. Innocence? dost not fear a thunderbolt? I shall be charitable to the world, and I Cut thee in pieces; and yet then I fear Thou wilt come together again: the devil does Acknowledge thee on earth the greater mischief, And has a fear when thou art dead, he sha'not Be safe in hell: thou wot conspire with some Of his black fiends, and get his kingdom from him: Didst not thou rail upon the Duke? Call him a Tyrant? Hast thou repented? The devil is tum'd religious, augment not thy Dam ̄ nation. This is but cunning to save your life. Perhaps your Lordship hath some business With these Gentlemen, I'll take some other time. My providence has betrayed me. They're gone: this is some nobleness. Do I dream? Is this to be believed? Does not Lorenzo counter feit this virtue? He does? it is impossible he should repent. I confess— He was converted. It did. He says but right, we are Both men, frail things is not impossible. The circumstance considered, I incline To think this may be honest. I am converted. He waits upon Pisano, Whose health I may inquire, I would not seen him Since he departed sick, a fit occasion. Would? Do not you serve Pisano? And dare you talk he's to be married To Oriana? Take that, & learn to speak a truth hereafter. Th'art a villain, Shall I suspect the circumstance at his departure? I must examine if he dares— Teach fools and children patience, The dogs eat up Sciarrha; let me live The prodigy of sorrow, die a death That may draw tears from Scythians, if Pisano Lead oh re his threshold, any soon won dame To be my sisters shame: I am calm now; One false, heaven why should thy altars save? 'Tis just that Hymen light him to his grave. Pisano, where Pisano? But I would not loose my voice, I must be herd, And does concern you, I profess no Augu j, I have not quartered out the heavens to take The flight of birds, nor by inspection Of entrails made a divination. But I must tell you, 'tis not safe to marry. 'Twill be fatal, Hymen is gone abroad, And Venus, Lady of your nativitoe, Is found by wise Astrologers this day I'th house of death. One cold word you are a villain, I do not flatter. Deride my fury? Then to thy heart I send my own revenge Stabs him with a poigniard. And Amideas. Come all at once, Yet let me tell you, my revenge is perfect, And I would spare your blood, if you despise My charity— I am above Your politic reach, and glory in the wound That punished our dishonour: is he dead? I would not be so miserable, not to would sped him For the Empire. None of all give me a scrach? Now what must I expect? J am so. Favour. Would, this honest? Be still safe, And teach the world repentance, for mistaking thee I pity not my self, but envy thy Heroic honours. You shanot lose the smallest beam of favour, To buy a man so desperate, I never Thought death the monster, that weak men have fancied, As foil to make us more in love with life, The Devils picture may affright poor fool's Into their bodies paleness, but the substance Too resolute: man's a shadow, and cold sweat Dare not approach his forehead, I am armed To die, and give example of that fortitude Shall shame the Laws severity: my sister May now give back Pisano his false vows, To line his coffin, one tear shed on mee's Enough, the justice I would done, shall make My memory beloved. To any thing that's noble, Although I never feared to suffer; I Am not so foolish to despise a life. Viciously. Would? And repent more, I had one good thought of thee, Then I had killed a thousand: save my life And prostitute my sister, though I have No weapon, I will look thee dead, or breath A damp shall stifle thee, that I could vomit Consuming flames, or stones Like Aetna, make The earth with motion of my feet shrink lower, And take thee in alive, o that my voice Could call a Serpent from corrupted Nile, To make thee partly of her accursed bowels, Is this noble friendship? readiness To save my life? let malice read all stories Famous for cruelty, awake dead Tyrants, Or be instructed by their ghosts with tortures, Such as will make a damned fury weep Only to see inflicted, I would beare'em, And weary my tormentors, ere consent In thought to thy temptation. I thank you for't, You have awaked my reason, I am ashamed I was no sooner sensible: does the Duke Affect my Sister still say you? She shall obey him then, upon my life: Thats it, my life; I know she loves me dearly. I shall have much ado to win her too't, But she shall come, I'll send her. I wonot only send her, but prepared Not to be disobedient to his Highness: He shall command her any thing. My humblest service To the Duke I pray, and tell him, Amidea This night shall be at his dispose, by this. Pity the Seaman, that to avoid a shelf, Must strike upon a rock to save himself. The doors are fast, Enough is wept already for Pisano: Theres something else that must be thought on, and Of greater consequence: I am yet unsafe, That for thy sake am guilty of his blood. I know thou lovest me Poor Girl. I shall desire to cherish life Jf thou lament me thus: so rich a comfort Will tempt me, wish I might delay my journey To Heaven. That must not be. How? How my Honour blushes To hear thee Amidea? in this love Thou woundest me more, then thou desirest to save: Suffer for me? why thou art innocent: I have provoked the punishment, and dare Obey it manly; if thou couldst redeem me With any thing but death, I think I should Consent to live, but I'de not have thee venture All at one chance. Death's a devouring gamester, And sweeps up all: what thinkest thou of and eye? Couldst thou spare one, and think the blemish r continued ̄ penc'd, To see me safe with tother; or a hand, This white hand, that hath so often With admiration trembled on the Lu e, Till we have prayed thee leave the strings awhile, A worser laid our ears close to thy Ivory fingers, Suspecting all the Harmony proceeded From their own motion, without the need Of any dull or passive instrument. No Amidea, shalt not bear one scar To buy my life: the Fickle shall not touch A flower that grows so fair upon his stalk: Thy tother hand will miss a white companion, And wither on thy arm; what then can I Expect from thee to save me? I would live And owe my life to thee, so 'twere not bought Too deer. One way there is if thou Dost love wit that tenderness. The Duke thou knowest did love thee. Nay do not start already, nor mistake me; I do not as before, make tria l of thee, Whither thou canst, laying aside thy honour, Meet his lascivious arms but by this virtue I must beseech thee to for go it all, And turn a sinful woman. I know the kingdoms of the world contain not Riches enough to tempt thee to a fallen That will so much undo thee: but I am Thy brother, dying brother; if thou lovest Him therefore, that for thee hath done so much; Died his pale hands in blood to revenge thee, And in that murder wounded his own soul Almost to death, consent to lose thy innocence I know it makes thee grieve, but I shall live To love thee better for it: we repent Together for ou sins, and pray and weep Till Heaven hath pardoned all. Do but repeat thy words, to save my life, And to at will teach come assion: my , Our shame, the stain of all our family, Which with l succeed in my ignoble death Thou washest off. Where? in thy ace, who shall behold one blemish, Or one ot more in thy whole frame, thy beauty Will be the very same, thy speech, thy person Wear no deformity. I had not killed Pis no then: I am now More spotted then the Marble, then my head Did owe no forfeiture to Law: It does ache now, then I but tried thy virtue. Now my condition calls for mercy to thee, Though to thy self thou appear cruel for't: Come we may live both if you please. So valiant, J will not interpose another sillable To entreat your pity say your prayers, and then Thar't ripe to be translated from the earth, To make a Cherubine. To kill you. And I allow three minutes for your devotion. D'ee tremble? You shall be the martyr's. J shall relent Darest thou consent. Would b to seem? Why didst say so? Again, again, forgive me Amidea, And pray for me, live but a little longer, To hear me speak, my passion hath betrayed Thee to this wound, for which I know not whither I should rejoice, or weep, since thou art virtuous: The Duke, whose soul is black again, expects thee To be his whore: good Death be not so hasty. The Agent for his lust, Lorenzo, has My Oath to send thee to his bed: for otherwise In my denial, hell; and they decree When I am dead, to ravish thee: mark that, To ravish thee: and I confess in tears, As full of sorrow, as thy soul of innocence, In my religious care to have thee spotless, I did resolve, when I had found thee ripe, And nearest Heaven, with all thy best desires To send thee to thy peace: thy feigned consent Hath brought thy happiness more early to thee, And saved some gilded, forgive me altogether. Thou shalt not die yet Amidea Sister. I cannot come: But one word more: o which way went thy soul? Or is it gone so far it cannot hear me? Speak aloud Florio, if her spirit be not Departed, I will seal this passage up: I feel her breath again, heres Florio Would feign take his leave; so, so, she comes. Didst not hear And Angel call her? Florio, I have much To tell thee, take her up; stay I will talk A little more with her, she is not dead, Let her alone; nay then she's gone indeed. But hereabout her soul must hover still: Lets speak to that, fair Spirit. Do you talk wisely then? and excellent pattern As she now stands for her own Alabaster: Or may she not be kept from putrefaction, And be the very figure on her Tomb: Cannot thy tears and mine preserve her Florio? If we want brine, a thousand Virgins shall Weep every day upon her, and themselves In Winter, leaning round about her Monument, Being moist creatures, stiffen with the cold, And freeze into so many white supporters. But we lose time, I charge thee by thy lo To this pale Relic, be instructed by me, Not to thy danger; some revenge must be, And I am lost already; if thou fallen, Who shall survive to give us Funeral? Where the Duke? Would? I preserved her. But where the wanton Duke? And he shall sleep eternally. Is he dead? That labour's saved. I Like this well: You told a tale once of a common wealth And liberty. Shall we sweat for the people? lose our breath To get their fame? Excellent. What if I say, I killed him in revenge Of Amidea? they will pity me. Beside, 'twil be in your power to pardon Me altogether. The Devil wonot leave us o'the sudden. stay we two—now I consider better, I have no mind to live at all—& you shanot, I'll give you proof, if you but make a noise, You gallop to the Devil. To death inevitable, brother be you Spectator only. Thank me not Lorenzo, I'll not engage His innocence to blood, thy hands are white, Preserve e'm Florio, and unless my arm Grow feeble, do not interpose thy sword I charǵe thee. I know not. Would? yes he has pricked me somewhere But I'll make sure of him; now must I follow: I'll fight with him i'th tother world—thy hand, Florio. Farewell. What do great Ladies do at Court I pray? Enjoy the pleasures of the world, dance, kiss The Amorous Lords, and change Court breath, sing lose Belief of other, heaven, tell wanton dreams, Rehearse your sprightly bed-scenes, and boast, which Hath most Idolaters, accuse all faces, That trust to the simplicity of nature, Talk witty blasphemy, Discourse their gawdy wardrobes, plot new pride, Jest upon Courtiers legs, laugh at the wagging Of their own feathers, and a thousand more Delights, which private Ladies never think of: But above all, and wherein thou shalt make All other beauty's envy thee, the Duke, The Duke himself shall call thee his, and single From the fair troop, thy person forth, to exchange Embraces with, lay siege to these soft lips, And not remove, till he hath sucked thy heart, Which soon dissolved with thy sweet breath, shall be Made partly of his, at the same instant, he Conveying a new soul into thy breast, With a creating kiss. Let me kill thee My excellent chased ster, Flori Thou hast my soul, I did but try your virtues, It's truth, the Duke does love thee, viciously, Let him, let him, he comes to be our guest, This night he means to revel at our house, The Tarquin shall be entertained; he shall, 'Tis very well, Have you considered better oh the motion? Would? Would! Will you not fallen Colosus? You have abused me. Would, ravished? When I am worser and, was't not so? o my soul, I feel it weep within me, and the tears Soften my flesh: Lorenzo, I repent my fury.