ALLENSO

Uncle and Aunt take comfort, I will see, My little cozen have no injury. Father. So well good father, that I cannot tell, Whither I love him dearer then my self: And yet if that my heart were called to count, I think it would surrender me to death, Ere young Pertillo should sustain a wrong. Nature gave root, love, and the dying charge, Of his dead father, gives such store of sap, Unto this tree of my affection, That it will never wither till I die. His love doth not estrange me from my self, But does confirm my strength with multitudes, Of benefits, his love will yield to me. Father, you tell me of a strange discourse, How can his life produce such detriment, As Basilisks, whose only sighed is death? But if I mount by murder and deceit, Justice will thrust aspiring thoughts below, And make me caper for to break my neck: After some woeful lamentation, Of my obedience to unlawfulness: I tell you plain, I would not have him die, Might I enjoy the Sultans Empery. Why then in faith, I am ashamed to think, I had my being from so foul a lump Of adula ion and unthankfulness, Ah, had their dying prayers no avail Within your heart? no, damned extortion, Hath left no room for grace to harbour in, Audacious sin, how canst thou make him say, Consent to make my brother's son away. And as you love my saf tie, and your soul Let grace, and fear of God, such thoughts control Father, I pray you to withdraw your self, Idem have a word or two in secrecy. That speak together. Now by my soul I do suspect the men, Especially the lower of the two: See what a hollow discontented look He casts, which brings apparent cause of fear, The other, though he seem more courteous, Yet doth his looks presadge this thought in me, As if he scorned to think on courtesy. A heavy sentence, full of wondrous fear, I cannot choose but credit such a vow, Come hither then, my joy, my chiefest Hope's. My second self, my earthly happiness, Lend me thy little pretty cherry lip, To kiss me cozen, lay thy little hand Upon my cheek, and hug me tenderly, Would the clear rays of thy two glorious suns, Could penetrate the corners of my heart, That thou might see, how much I tender thee. My friends behold within this little bulk, Two perfect bodies are incorporate, His life holds mine, his heart contains my heart, His every limb, contains my every partly: Without his being, I can never be, He being dead, prepare to bury me. O thou immortal mover of the spheres, Within their circled reuolusions, Whose glorious image this small orphant bears, Wrought by thy all sufficient Majesty, O never suffer any wicked hand, To harm this heavenly workmanship of thine, But let him live, great God to honour thee, With virtuous life, and spotless piety. Knewest thou my reason, that persuades my heart, Thou wouldst not wonder, why I grieve to partly: But yet I would suspect my father's vow, Did any other make it by your leave. Farewell, I fear me everlastingly. I will attend upon you presently. S the bod S. I my gracious Lord It was Pertillo my dead D'un es son Now have my fears brought oh that his fearful child, Of endless care, and everlasting grief. O my good Lord, you do missed my see, And yet my grief is sure infallible, The Lord of heaven can witness with my soul, That I am guiltless of your wrong suspect, But yet not griefel sse than the deed I done. O sweetest honey mixed with bitter gall, O Nightingale combined with Ravens notes, Thy speech is Like a uvoodward that should say Let the tree live, but take the root away. As though my life were ought but misery, Having my father slain for infamy. Forbear a while, to bear away my joy, Which now is vanished, since his life is fled, And give me leave to wash his deadly wound, With hearty tears, outflowing from those eyes, Which loved his ight, more then the sighed of heaven: Forgive me God for this idolatry. Thou ugly monster, grim imperious death, Thou raw-bonde lump of oule deformity. Regardless instrument of cruel ate, Unpartial Sergeant, full of treachery, Why didst thou flatter my ill boding thoughts, And flesh my Hope's with vain illusions: Why didst thou say, Pertillo should not die, And yet, o yet, hast done it cruelly: O but behold, with what a smiling cheer, He entertained thy bloody harbinger: See thou transformer of a heavenly face, To Ashy paleness and unpleasing looks, That his fair countenance still retaineth grace, Of perfect beauty in the very graven, The world would say such beauty should not die, Yet Like a thief thou didst it cruelly: Ah, had thy eyes deep sunk into thy head, Been able to perceive his virtuous mind, Where virtue sat inthroned in a chair, With awful grace, and pleasing majesty: Thou wouldst not then have let Pertillo die, Nor Like a thief have slain him cruelly. Inevitable fates, could you devise, No means to bring me to this pilgrimage, Full of great woes and sad calamities, But that the father should be principal, To plot the present downfall of the son: Come then kind death and give me leave to die, Since thou hast slain Pertillo cruelly. I am a Swan that sing before I die, Your note of shame and coming misery. Call back a happy creature to more woe, That were a sin, good Father let her go: Oh happy I, if my tormenting smart, Could rend Like hers, my grief afflicted heart, Would your hard heart extend unto your wife, To make her live and euerdying life. What is she dead? o then thrice happy she, Whose eyes are barred from our calamity. God love my soul, as I in heart rejoice, To have such power in my death bringing voice, See how in stead of tears and hearty sighs: Of folded arms and sorrow speaking looks, I do behold with cheerful countenance, The liveless root of my nativity: And thank her hasty soul that thence did go, To keep her from her son and husbands woe. Now father give attention to my tale: I will not dip my grief deciphering tongue, In bitter words of reprehension, Your deeds have thrown more mischiefs on your head Then wit or reason can remove again For to be brief, Pertillo, o that name Cannot be nam'de without a hearty S gh, Is murdered, and, The men which you suborned to murder him. The best is last, and yet you hinder me, The Duke of Padua hunting in the wood: Accompanied with Lords and gentlemen, Was made acquainted by the one of them, (That had some little remnant of his life:) With all your practice and conspiracy? Not I good father, I will ase your woe, If you but yield unto my policy. The duke hath vowed to prosecute your life, With all the strict severity he can, But I will cross his resolution: And keep you from his fury well enough, I'll wear your habit, I will seem the man, That did suborn the bloody murderers, I will not stir from out this house of woe, But weight the coming of the officers, And answer for you before the angry Duke, And if need be suffer your punishment. Doubt not my life, for when I do appear Before the duke, I being not the man, He can inflict no punishment on me. I bought a beard this day at Padua, Such as our common actors use to wear: When youth would put on ages countenance, So Like in shape, in colour, and in all, To that which grows upon your aged face, That were I dressed in your abiliments, Your self would scarcely know me from your self. Why thus, isle presently shave off your hair, And dress you in a lowly shepherds weed, Then you will seem to have the careful charge, Of some wealth bringing rich and fleecy flo ke, And so pass currant from suspicion. I am assured to be exempt from woe. People. This plot will work my certain overthrow. Untimely murdered, happy was that grief, Which hath abridged whole numbers, numberless: Of heart surcharging deplorations. She shall have endue and christian funeral, And rest in peace amongst her ancestors, As for our bodies, they shall be interred, In ravening maws, of Ravens, Puttocks, Crows, Of tatlin Magpies, and death's harbingers, That will be glutted with wind shaken limbs, Of blood delighting hateful murderers: And yet these many winged sepulchers, Shall turn to earth so I, and father shall, At last a taine to earth by funeral, Well I will prosecute my policy, That wished death may end my Misery's. Exit Ah have you care to driven the Wolf away, From silly creatures wanting intellecte, And yet would suffer your devouring thoughts, To suck the blood of your dead brother's son, As pure and innocent as any lamb, Pertillo was, which you have fed upon, But things passed help may better be bewailed With careful tears, then find a remedy, Therefore for fear our practice be espied, Let us to question of our husbandry, How many Lambs fell from the middle flock, Since I my self did take the latter view. Alas my Lords, I know not what you say, As for my Nephew, he I hope is well, I sent him yesterday to Padua. By heaven and earth my soul is innocent, Say what you will, I know my conscience. I hope yowl answer any thing you do, My Lord Vesuvio you shall answer it: And all the rest that use extremities. That were to overthrow my soul and all, Should you reverse this sentence of my death: My self would play the death man on my self, And overtake your swift and winged oule, Ere churlish Caron had transported you, Unto the fields of sad Proserpina. Now let us leave remembrance of passed deeds And think on that which more concerns us. And thou great God which art omnipotent, Powerful enough for to redeem our souls: Even from the very gates of gaping hell, Forgive our sins, and wash away our faults; In the sweet river of that precious blood, Which thy deer son did shed in Galgotha, For the remission of all contrite souls. I do, and father pardon my misdeeds, Of disobedience and unthankfulness. Come let us kiss and thus embrace in death, Even when you will come bring us to the place: Where we may consummate our wretchedness, And change it for eternal hapinesse. Exeunt omnes. Pray father let me go along with him: Now by the saviour of my sinful soul, To the people. I do not Like those fellows countenance. Ye timorous thoughts that guide my giddy steps, In unknown paths of dreadful wilderness, Why traitorlike do you conspire to hold, My pained heart, betwixt fear and jealousy, My too much care hath brought me carelessly, Into this woody savage labyrinth, And I can find no way to issue out, Fear hath so dazzled all my better partly, That reason h h forgotten discreations art: But in good time, see where is company. Kind Gentlemen, if you unlike my self, Are not encumbered with the circling ways, Of this erroneous winding wilderness, I pray you to direct e forth this wood, And show he path that leads to P du . Ah gracious Lord, I know this wretched child, And these two men that here lie murdered. I do confess I have so gr at a share, In this mishap, that I will give him thanks, That will let foe my sorrow wounded soul, From out this goal of lamentation. Would I could roar as instruments of war, Wall battering Cannons, when the Gunpowder Is touched with partly of Etna's Element, Would I could bellow Like enraged Bulls, Whose hearts are full of indignation, To be captived by human policy: Would I could thunder Like Almighty Jove, That sends his far herd voice to terrific, The wicked hearts of earthly citizens: Then roaring, bellowing, thundering, I would say, Mother lament, Pertillos made away. When is the time to let the Weathers blood, The forward spring, that had such store of grass, Hath filled them full of rank unwholesome blood, Which must be purged, else when the winter comes, The rot will leave me nothing but their skins. I do defy your accusations, Let me have justice I will answer it. I never did suborn such murderers, But ever loved Pertillo as my life. I have no son to testify so much. Alenso lives, but is no son of mine. Nay did she live, she would not challenge me, To be the father of that hapless son. I do confess my self, to be my self, But will not answer to Fallen rio. Ill fare his soul, that would extenuate The rigor of your life confounding doom: I am prepared with all my heart to die, For thats th'end of human misery. Thrice happy sentence, which I do embrace, With a more fervent and unfeigned zeal, Then and ambitious rule desiring man, Would do a Jem bedecked Diadem, Which brings more watchful cares and discontent, Then pomp, or honour, can remunerate: When I am dead, let it be said of me, All nso died to set his father free. But I am guilty of abetting him, Contrary to his Majesties Edict, And therefore death is meritorious. Then father get you hence, depart in time, Least being known you suffer for the crime. And I Alenso that did succour him, Gainst your commandment, mighty Sovereign: Ponder your oath, your vow, as God did live, I should not live, if I did rescue him: I did, God lives, and will revenge it home, If you defer my condign punishment. My reverend father, pacify your self, I can, and will, endure the stroke of death, Were his appearance never so horrible, To meet Pertillo in another world. But yet I slew my mother, did I not? He never breathed yet that called me so, Except he were deceived as you are now. True, for I am nor false Fallerio, Husband, nor father, as you do suggest, And therefore did not hire the murderers: Which to be true acknowledge with your eyes. He is a Dove, a child, and innocent, And cannot poison, father though he would. Idem rather choose to feed on carefulness To ditch, to delve, and labour for my bred, N y rather choose to beg from door to door, Then condescend to offer violence, To young Pertillo in his innocence, I know you speak, to found what mighty share, Pertil hath in my affection. Better you gave me death and burial, Then such foul deeds should overthrow v all. Thanks gracious God that thou hast l ft the means To end my soul from this perplexity, Not succour him on pain of present death: That is no pain, death is a welcome guest, To those whose hearts are overwhelmed with grief, My woes are done, I having leave to die, And after death live ever joyfully. Exit. But he my Lord that wrought this miracle, Is not of power to free himself from death, Through the performance of this sudden change.