The Spanish Tragedie Part 15

ISA. So that you say this hearb will purge the [eyes], And this the head? ah! but none of them will purge the hart!

No, thers no medicine left for my disease, Nor any physick to recure the dead.

She runnes lunatick.

Horatio! O, wheres Horatio?

MAIDE. Good madam, affright not thus your-selfe With outrage for your sonne Horatio; He sleepes in quiet in the Elizian fields.

ISA. Why did I not giue you gownes and goodly things, Bought you a wistle and a whipstalke too, To be reuenged on their villanies?

MAIDE. Madame, these humors doe torment my soule.

ISA. My soule? poore soule, thou talkes of things Thou knowest not what! My soule hath siluer wings, That mounts me vp vnto the highest heauens-- To heauen? I, there sits up Horatio, Backt with troup of fierry cherubins Dauncing about his newly healed wounds, Singing sweet hymns and chaunting heauenly notes, Rare harmony to greet his innocence, That dyde, I, dyde a mirrour in our daies!

But say, where shall I finde, the men, the murderers, That slew Horatio? whether shall I runne To finde them out, that murdered my sonne?

Exeunt.

[ACT III. SCENE 9.]

[The DUKE's castle.]

BEL-IMPERIA at a window.

BEL. What meanes this outrage that is offred me?

What am I thus sequestred from the court?

No notice? shall I not know the cause Of these my secret and suspitious ils?

Accursed brother! vnkinde murderer!

Why bends thou thus thy minde to martir me?

Hieronimo, why writ I of they wrongs, Or why art thou so slack in thy reuenge?

Andrea! O Andrea, that thou sawest Me for thy freend Horatio handled thus, And him for me thus causeles murdered!

Well, force perforce, I must constraine my-selfe To patience, and apply me to the time, Till Heauen, as I haue hoped, shall set me free.

Enter [CHRISTOPHEL.]

CHRIS. Come, Madame Bel-imperia, this [must] not be!

Exeunt.

[ACT III. Scene 10.]

[A room in the DUKE's castle.]

Enter LORENZO, BALTHAZAR and the PAGE.

LOR. Boy, talke no further; thus farre things goe well.

Thou art a.s.surde that thou sawest him dead?

PAGE. Or els, my lord, I liue not.

LOR. Thats enough.

As for this resolution at his end, Leaue that to him with whom he soiourns now.

Heere, take my ring, and giue it [Christophel], And bid him let my sister be enlarg'd, And bring her hither straight.

Exit PAGE.

This that I did was for a policie, To smooth and keepe the murder secret, Which as a nine daies wonder being ore-blowne, My gentle sister will I now enlarge.

BAL. And time, Lorenzo; for my lord the duke, You heard, enquired for her yester-night.

LOR. Why! and, my lord, I hope you have heard me say Sufficient reason why she kept away; But thats all one. My lord, you loue her?

BAL. I.

LOR. Then in your loue beware; deale cunningly; Salue all suspit.i.tons; only sooth me vp, And, if she hap to stand on tearmes with vs, As for her sweet-hart, and concealement so, Iest with her gently; vnder fained iest Are things concealde that els would breed vnrest.

But heere she comes.

Enter BEL-IMPERIA.

LOR. Now, sister.

BEL. Sister? No!

Thou art no brother, but an enemy, Els wouldst thou not haue vsde thy sister so: First, to affright me with thy weapons drawne, And with extreames abuse my company; And then to hurry me like whirlwinds rage Amidst a crew of thy confederates, And clap my vp where none might come at me, Nor I at any to reueale my wrongs.

What madding fury did possesse thy wits?

Or wherein ist that I offended thee?

LOR. Aduise you better, Bel-imperia; For I haue done you no disparagement,-- Vnlesse, by more discretion then deseru'd, I sought to saue your honour and mine owne.

BEL. Mine honour? Why, Lorenzo, wherein ist That I neglect my reputation so As you, or any, need to rescue it?

LOR. His Highnes and my father were resolu'd To come conferre with olde Hieronimo Concerning certaine matters of estate That by the viceroy was determined.

BEL. And wherein was mine honour toucht in that?

BAL. Haue patience, Bel-imperia; heare the rest.

LOR. Me, next in sight, as messenger they sent To giue him notice that they were so nigh: Now, when I came, consorted with the prince, And vnexpected in an arbor there Found Bel-imperia with Horatio--

BEL. How then?

LOR. Why, then, remembring that olde disgrace Which you for Don Andrea had indurde, And now were likely longer to sustaine By being found so meanely accompanied, Thought rather, for I knew no readier meane, To thrust Horatio forth my fathers way.

BAL. And carry you obscurely some-where els, Least that his Highnes should haue found you there.