FERDINAND

Who took the Ring oftenest? Our Sister Duchess great Master of her household? Give him the Jewel: when shall we leave this sportive-action, And fallen to Actium indeed? No? Why should he not aswell sleep, or eat, by a Deputy? This might take idle, offensive, and base office from him, Whereas the other deprives him of honour. Thou toldst me Thy wife could not endure fighting. Why, there's a wit were able to undo All the Chirurgeons o'the City, for although Gallants should quarrel, and had drawn their weapons, And were ready to go to it; yet her persuasions would Make them put up. I am of Plin y's opinion, I think he was begotten by the wind, He runs, as if he were ballass'd with Quicksilver. Why do you laugh? Me thinks you that are Courtiers Should be my touchwood, take fire, when I give fire; That is, laugh when I laugh, were the subject never so wity, But I can laugh at your Fool (my Lord ) No? I would then have a Mathematical Instrument made for Her face, that she might not laugh out of compass: I shall shortly Visit you at Milan (Lord Silvio. ) You are a good Horseman ( Antonio ) you have excellent Riders in France, what do you think of good Horsemanship? You have bespoke it worthily. Here's the Lord Silvio, is come to take his leave. Sister, I have a suit to you: A Gentleman here: Daniel de Bosola: One, that was in the Galleys. A worthy fellow h'is: pray let me entreat for The provisorship of your horse. Call him neither, We now upon parting: Good Lord Silvio Do us commend to all our noble friends At the Leagues. You are for Milan? Antonio, the great Master of her household Had been far fitter: My brother here (the Cardinal) could never abide you. May be some oblique character in your face, made him suspect you? For that You must give great men leave to take their times: Distrust, does cause us seldom be deceived; You see, the oft shaking of the Cedar-Tree Fastens it more at root. Your inclination to shed blood, rides post Before my occasion to use you: I give you that To live i'th Court, here: and observe the Duchess, To note all the particulars of her haviour: What suitors do solicit her for marriage And whom she best affects: she's a young widow, I would not have her marry again. Do not you ask the reason: but be satisfied, I say I would not. Familiar? what's that? Such a kind of thriving thing I would wish thee: and ere long, thou mayest arrive At a higher place by't. Away. You are a Widow: You know already what man is: and therefore Let not youth: high promotion, eloquence, Marry? they are most luxurious, Will wed twice. Their livers are more spotted Then Labans sheep. Whores, by that rule, are precious: Now hear me: You live in a rank pasture here, i'th Court, There is a kind of honney-dew, that's deadly: It'll poison your fame; look too't: be not cunning: For they whose faces do bolye their hearts, Are Witches, ere they arrive at twenty years, I: and give the devil suck. Hypocrisy is woven of a fine small thread, (Subtler, then Vulcan's Engine: yet (beleeu't) Your darkest actions: nay, your privatest thoughts, Will come to light. Think't the best voyage That ere you made; Like the irregular Crab, Which thought goes backward, thinks that it goes, right, Because it goes its own way: but observe; Such weddings, may more properly be said To be executed, then celibrated. And those joys, Those lustful pleasures, are Like heavy sleeps Which do forerun men mischief You are my sister, This was my Father's poyniard: do you see, I'll'd be loath to see't look rusty, because 'twas his: I would have you to give over these chargeable Revels; A Vizor, and a Masque are whispering rooms That were never built for goodness: fare you well: And Women, Like that partly, which (Like the Lamprey) Hath never a bone in't. Nay, I mean the Tongue: variety of Courtship; What cannot a neat knave with a smooth tale, Make a woman believe? farewell, lusty Widow. I have this night dug up a mandrake. And I am grown mad with't. Read there, a si ter dampened, she's lose i'th'hilt : Grown a notorious Strumpet. Lower? Rogues do not whisper't now, but seek to published, (As servants do the bounty of their Lords) Aloud; and with a covetous searching eye, To mark who note them: O confusion seize her, She hath had most cunning bawds to serve her turn, And more secure conveyances for lust, Then Towns of garrison, for Service. Rubarbe, o, for rubarbe To purge this choler, here's the cursed day To prompt my memory, and here'it shall stick Till of her bleeding heart, I make a sponge To wipe it out. Would I could be one, That I might toss her palace about her ears, Root up her goodly forests, blast her meads, And lay her general territory as wast, As she hath done her honours. Apply desperate physic, We must not now use Balsamum, but fire, The smarting cupping-glass, for that's the mean To purge infected blood, (such blood as hers:) There is a kind of pity in mi e eye, I'll give it to my handkercher; and now it's here, I'll bequeathe this to her Bastard. Why, to make soft lint for his mother wounds, When I have hewed her to pieces. Foolish men, That ere will trust their honour in a Bark, Made of so slight, weake-bull-rush, as is woman, Apt every minn to to sink it? Me thinks I see her laughing, Excellent Hyenna, talk to me somewhat, quickly, Or my imagination will carry me To see her, in the shameful act of sin. Happily, with some strong thighed Bargeman; Or one th'wood-yard, that can quoit the sledge, Or toss the bar, or else some lovely Squire That carries coal up, to her privy lodgings. Go to (Mistress.) It's not your whores milk, that shall quench my wildfire, But your whore a blood. Have not you, My palsy? So, I will only study to seem The thing I am not: I could kill her now, In you, or in my self, for I do think It is some sin in us, Heaven does revenge By her. I would have their bodies Burnt in a coale-pit, with the ventage stopped, That their cursed smoke might not ascend to Heaven: Or dip the sheets they lie in, in pitch or sulphur, Wrap them in't, and then light them Like a match: Or else to boil their Bastard to a cullisse, And giue't his lecherous father, to renew The sin of his back. Nay, I have done, I am confident, had I been damned in hell, And should have herd of this, it would have put me Into a cold sweat: In, in, i'll go sleep, Till I know who leaps my sister, i'll not stir: That known, i'll find Scorpions to string my whips, And fix her in a general eclipse. Exeunt. I'll instantly to bed, For I am weary: I am to be bespeak A husband for you. The great Count Malateste. You shall do well in't: How is't (worthy Antonio? ) Let me be ever deaf to't: One of Pasquils paper-bullets, court calumney, A pestilent air, which Princes palaces Are seldom purged off: Yet, say that it were true, I pour it in your bosom, my fixed love, Would strongly excuse, extenuate, nay deny Faults where they apparent in you: Go be safe In your own innocency. Her gilded treads on Hight burning cultures: Now Bosola, How thrives our intelligence? Why some Hold opinion, all things are written there. Sorcery, to what purpose? Can your faith, give way To think there's pour in potions, or in Charms, To make us love, whither we will or no? A way, these are mere gullcries, horred things Invented by some cheating mount-banks To abuse us: Do you think that herbs, or charms Can force the will? Some trials have been made In this foolish practice; but the ingredients Were lenatiue poisons, such as are of force To make the patient mad; and straight the witch Swears (by equivocation, they are in love. The witchcraft lies in her rank bood: this night I will force confession from her: You told me You had God (within these two days) a false key Into her Bedchamber. As I would wish. Can you guess? Do not ask then: He that can compass me, and know my drifts, May say he hath put a girdle about the world, And sounded all her quicksands. What do you think then? pray? Give me thy hand, I thank thee: I never gave Pension but to flatterers, Till I entertained thee: farewell, That Friend a Great men ruin strongly checks, Who rails into his belief, all his defects. Exeunt. Die then, quickle: Virtue, where art thou hid? what hideous thing Is it, that does ecclipze thee? Or is it true, thou art but a bore name, And no essential thing? Do not speak. O most imperfect light of human reason, That makest so unhappy, to before see What we can least prevent: Pursue thy wishes: And glory in them: there's in shame no comfort, But to be passed all bounds, and sense of shame. So: Yes, if I Could change eyes with a Basilisque: The howling of a Wolf Is music to the (schrech-Owle) prithee peace: What ere thou art, that hast enjoyed my sister, (For I am sure thou hearst me) for thine own sake Let me not know thee: I came hither, prepared To work thy discovery: yet am now persuaded It would beget such violent effects As would damp us both: I would not for ten Millions I had beheld thee: therefore use all means I never may have knowledge of thy name; Enjoy thy lust still, and a wretched life, On that condition: And for thee (vild woman,) If thou do wish thy Leacher may grow old In thy Embracements, I would have thee built Such a room for him, as our Anchorites To holier use inhabit: Let not the Sun Shine on him, till he's dead: Let Dogs, and Monkeys Only converse with him, and such dumb things To whom Nature denies use, to found his name. Do not keep a Paraqueto, least she learn it; If thou do love him, cut out thine own tongue Least it bewray him. Thou art undone: And thou hast taken that massiy sheet of led That hid thy husbands bones, and folded it About my heart. Dost thou know what reputation is I'll tell thee, to small purpose, since th'instruction Comes now too late: Upon a time Reputation, Love, and Death, Would travel over the world: and it was concluded That they should partly, and take three several ways: Death told them, they should find him in great Battles: Or Cities plagued with plagues: Love gives them council To inquire for him amongst unambitious shepherd's, Where dowries were not talked of: and sometime amongst quiet kindred, that had nothing left By their dead Parents: stay (quoth Reputation) Do not forsake me: for it is my nature If once I partly from any man I meet I am never found again: And so, for you: You have shook hands with Reputation, And made him invisible: So fare you well. I will never see you more. So you have some Virgins, That are W ches: I will never see thee more. Exit. This great Count Malastete, I perceive Hath God employment? He's no Soldier? That: that damnes her: Me thinks her fault, and Beauty blended together, show Like leaprosie The whiter, the fouler: I make it a question Whither her beggarly brats were ever christened. You are for Lorett ? I shall not be at your Ceremony: fare you well, Write to the Duke of Malfy, my young Nephew, She had by her first husband, and acquaint him, With's mother's honesty. Antonio? A slave, that only smelled of ink, and coumptets, And never in's Like, looked Like a Gentleman, But in the audit time, go, go presently, Draw me out and hundredth and fifty of our horse, And meet me at the fort-bridge. Exeunt. How does our sister Duchess bear her self In her imprisonment? Her melancholy seems to be fortified With a strange disdain. Curse upon her: I will no longer study in the book Of another's heart: inform her what I told you. Exit. Where are you? This darkness suits you well. You have it; For I account it, the honorablest revenge Where I may kill, to pardon: where are your Cubbs? Call them your children; For though our national law, distinguish Bastards From true legitimate issue: compassionate nature Makes them all equal. It had been well, Could you have lived thus always: for indeed You were too much i'th' light: But no more, I come to seal my peace with you: here's a hand, gives her a dead men hand. To which you have vowed much love: the Ring vpon't You gave. pray do: and bury the print of it in your heart: I will leave this Ring with you, for a Love-token: And the hand, as sure as the ring: and do not doubt But you shall have the heart too: when you needs a friend Send it to him, that ow'de it: you shall see Whither he can aid you. Let her have lights enough Exit. Excellent; as I would wish: she's plagued in Art. These presentations are but framed in wax. By the curious Master in that Quality, Vincentio Lauriola, and she takes them For true substantial Bodies. To bring her to despair. Damn her, that body of hers, While that my blood ran pure in't, was more worth Then, that which thou wouldst comfort, (called a soul) I will send her masques of common Courtesans, Have her meat served up by bawds, and ruffians, And (because she'll needs be mad) I am resolved To remove forth the common Hospital, All the mad-folke, and place them near her lodging: There let them practice together, sing, and dance, And act their gambols to the full o'th'moone: If she can sleep the better for it, let her, Your work is almost ended. Yes. You must. Very likely, Thy pity is nothing of kin to thee: Antonio, Lurks about Milan, thou shalt shortly thither, To feed a fire, as great as my revenge, Which never will slack, till it have spent his fuel, "Intemperate agues, make Physicians cruel. Exeunt. Is she dead? The death Of young Wolffes, is never to be pitied. Constantly. Cover her face: Mine eyes dazzle she died young. She, and I were Twins: And should I die this instant, I had lived Her Time to a Mynute. Let me see her face again; Why didst not thou pity her: what and excellent Honest man, mightest thou have been If thou hadst born her to some Sa ctuary? Or (bold in a good cause) opposed thy self With thy advanced sword above thy head, Between her Innocence, and my Revenge? I bade thee, when I was distracted of my wits Go kill my dearest friend, and thou hast don't. For let me but examine well the cause; What was the meanness of her match to me Only I must confess, I had a hope (Had she continued widow) to have gained And infinite mass of Treasure by her death: And that was the main cause; her Marriage, That drew a stream of gall, quite through my heart; For thee, (as we observe in Tragedies That a good Actor many times is cursed For playing a villains partly) I hate thee for't: And (for my sake) say thou hast done much ill, well: I'll tell thee, What I'll give thee, I'll give thee a pardon For this murder: Yes: and it's The largest bounty I can study to do thee. By what authority didst thou execute This bloody sentence? Mine? was I her Judge? Did any ceremonial form of Law, Doombe her to not-Being? did a complete Jury Deliver her conviction up i'th Court? Where shalt thou find this Judgement registerd Unless in hell? See: Like a bloody fool Th'hast forfeited thy life, and thou shalt die for't. O, I'll tell thee: The Wolf shall find her Grave, and scrape it up: Not to devour the corpses, but to discover The horrid murder. Leave me: You are a villain: Oh horror! That not the fear of him, which binds the devils Can prescribe man obedience. Never look upon me more. Get thee into some unknown partly o'th world That I may never see thee. I'll go hunt the Badger by Owl-light: It's a deed of darkness. Exit. Leave me. Eagles continued ̄ monly fly alone: They are Crows, Daws, and Sterlings that flock together: Look, what's that, Follows me? Yes: Stay it, let it not haunt me. I will throtle it. You are a fool: How is't possible I should catch my shadow Unless I fallen vpon't? When I go to Hell, I mean to carry a bribe: for look you Good gifts evermore make away, for the worst persons I am studying the Art of Patience. To driven six Snails before me, from this town To Mosco ; neither use Goad, nor Whip to them, But let them take their own time: (the patientest mani'th' world Match me for and experiment) and I'll crawl after Like a sheepbiter. Use me well, you were best: What I have done, I have done: I'll confess nothing What's he? Let me have his beard sawed off, and his eye Brows filled more civil. I have cruel soar eyes. Let it be a new laid one, you were best: Hide me from him: Physicians are Like Kings, They brook no contradiction. Can you fetch your frisk's, sir: I will stamp him into a Cullice: Flay off his skin, to cover one of the Anotomies, This rogue hath set i'th'cold yonder, in Barber-chirurgeons hall: Hence, hence, you are all of you, Like beasts for sacrifice, There's nothing left of you, but tongue, and belly, Flattery, and lechery. Strangling is a very quiein death. What say' to that? whisper, softly: do you agree to't? So it must be done i'th' dark: the Cardinal Would not for a thousand pounds, the Doctor should see it. Exit. Alarum? give me a fresh horse: Rally the vanguard: or the day is lost: Yield, yield: I give you the honour of Arms, Shake my Sword over you, will you yield? The devil? My brother fight upon the adverse party? He wounds the Cardinal, and (in the scuffle) gives Bosola his death wound. There flies your ransom. Now you're brave follows: Caesars Fortune was harder then Pompey's : Caesar died in the arms of prosperity, Pompey at the feet of disgrace: you both died in the field, The pain's nothing: pain many times, is taken away, with The apprehension of greater, (as the toothache with the ight Of a Barbor, that comes to pull it out) there's Philosophy for you. Give me some wet hay, I am broken winded, I do account this world but a dog-kennell: I will vault credit, and affect high pleasures, Beyond death. My sister, o! my sister, there's the cause on't. " Whither we fallen by ambition, blood, or lust, " Like Diamonds, we are cut with our own dust. Now, for some gravity: why (my Lord?) Sir, I'll take nothing from you, that I have given: There is a place, that I procured for you This morning: (the Provisorship o'th' horse) Have you herd out? It's yours, is't not worth thanks? Be your self: Keep your old garb of melencholly: it'll express You envy those that stand above your reach, Yet strive not to come neere'em: This will gain Access, to private lodgings, where your self May (Like a politic dormouse, And of a jest, she broke of a Captain; She met, full of wounds: I have forgotten it. Thine? thy heart? What should I nam't, unless a hollow bullet Filled with unquenchable wildfire? There's gold.