SCENE VI.[3638

_Enter_ [_the_ Young Man _disguised as a_] Factor, ROSALURA, LILLIA BIANCA, _and_ ORIANA [_disguised as before_].

_Y. Man._ They are come in. Sit you two off, as strangers.— There, lady.—Where ’s the boy? [_Enter_ Boy.] Be ready, sirrah, And clear your pipes.—The music now; they enter. _Music._

_Enter_ MIRABEL, PINAC, _and_ BELLEUR.

_Pin._ What a state she keeps! How far off they sit from her! How rich she is! Ay, marry, this shows bravely! 5

_Bel._ She is a lusty wench, and may allure a good man; But, if she have a tongue, I ’ll not give twopence for her. There sits my Fury; how I shake to see her!

_Y. Man._ Madam, this is the gentleman.

_Mir._ How sweet she kisses! [MIRABEL _salutes_ ORIANA.] She has a spring dwells on her lips, a paradise! 10 This is the legacy?

_Song_ [_by the_ Boy, _while he presents a casket to_ MIRABEL].

From the honour’d dead I bring Thus his love and last off’ring. Take it nobly, ’t is your due. From a friendship ever true; 15 From a faith, &c.

_Ori._ Most noble sir, This from my now-dead brother, as his love, And grateful memory of your great benefit; From me my thanks, my wishes, and my service. 20 Till I am more acquainted, I am silent; Only I dare say this,—you are truly noble.

_Mir._ What should I think?

_Pin._ Think you have a handsome fortune: Would I had such another!

_Ros._ Ye are all well met, gentlemen; We hear ye are for travel.

_Pin._ You hear true, lady; 25 And come to take our leaves.

_Lil._ We ’ll along with ye: We see you are grown so witty by your journey, We cannot choose but step out too. This lady We mean to wait upon as far as Italy.

_Bel._ I ’ll travel into Wales, amongst the mountains, 30 In hope they cannot find me.

_Ros._ If you go further, So good and free society we hold ye, We ’ll jog along too.

_Pin._ Are you so valiant, lady?

_Lil._ And we ’ll be merry, sir, and laugh.

_Pin._ It may be We ’ll go by sea.

_Lil._ Why, ’t is the only voyage! 35 I love a sea-voyage, and a blust’ring tempest: And let all split!

_Pin._ This is a dainty damosel!— I think ’t will tame ye. Can ye ride post?

_Lil._ Oh, excellently! I am never weary that way: A hundred mile a day is nothing with me. 40

_Bel._ I ’ll travel under ground. Do you hear, sweet lady? I find it will be dangerous for a woman.

_Ros._ No danger, sir, I warrant; I love to be under.

_Bel._ I see she will abuse me all the world over.— But say we pass through Germany, and drink hard? 45

_Ros._ We ’ll learn to drink, and swagger too.

_Bel._ She ’ll beat me!— Lady, I ’ll live-at home.

_Ros._ And I ’ll live with thee; And we ’ll keep house together.

_Bel._ I ’ll keep hounds first: And those I hate right heartily.

_Pin._ I go for Turkey; And so, it may be, up into Persia. 50

_Lil._ We cannot know too much; I ’ll travel with ye.

_Pin._ And you ’ll abuse me?

_Lil._ Like enough.

_Pin._ ’T is dainty!

_Bel._ I will live in a bawdy-house.

_Ros._ I dare come to you.

_Bel._ Say I am dispos’d to hang myself?

_Ros._ There I ’ll leave you.

_Bel._ I am glad I know how to avoid you.

_Mir._ May I speak yet?

_Y. Man._ She beckons to ye. 56

_Mir._ Lady, I could wish I knew to recompense, Even with the service of my life, those pains, And those high favours you have thrown upon me: Till I be more desertful in your eye, 60 And till my duty shall make known I honour ye, Noblest of women, do me but this favour, To accept this back again as a poor testimony. [_Offering the casket._]

_Ori._ I must have you too with ’em; else the will, That says they must rest with ye, is infring’d, sir; 65 Which, pardon me, I dare not do.

_Mir._ Take me then, And take me with the truest love.

_Ori._ ’T is certain My brother lov’d ye dearly, and I ought As dearly to preserve that love: but, sir, Though I were willing, these are but your ceremonies. 70

_Mir._ As I have life, I speak my soul!

_Ori._ I like ye: But how you can like me, without having testimony, A stranger to ye——

_Mir._ I ’ll marry ye immediately; A fair state[3639] I dare promise ye.

_Bel._ Yet she ’ll cozen thee.

_Ori._ Would some fair gentleman durst promise for ye! 75

_Mir._ By all that’s good——

_Enter_ LA CASTRE, NANTOLET, LUGIER and DE GARD.

_La Cast., Nant., &c._ And we ’ll make up the rest, lady.

_Ori._ Then Oriana takes ye! Nay, she has caught ye; If ye start now, let all the world cry shame on ye! I have out-travell’d ye.

_Bel._ Did not I say she would cheat thee? 80

_Mir._ I thank ye: I am pleas’d ye have deceiv’d me, And willingly I swallow it, and joy in ’t; And yet, perhaps, I knew[3640] ye. Whose plot was this?

_Lug._ He is not asham’d that cast[3641] it; he that executed, Follow’d your father’s will.

_Mir._ What a world’s this! 85 Nothing but craft and cozenage!

_Ori._ Who begun, sir?

_Mir._ Well; I do take thee upon mere compassion; And I do think I shall love thee. As a testimony, I ’ll burn my book, and turn a new leaf over. But these fine clothes you shall wear still.

_Ori._ I obey you, sir, in all. 90

_Nant._ And how, how, daughters? What say you to these gentlemen?— What say ye, gentlemen, to the girls?

_Pin._ By my troth—if she can love me—

_Lil._ How long?

_Pin._ Nay, if once ye love——

_Lil._ Then take me, And take your chance.

_Pin._ Most willingly: ye are mine, lady; And, if I use ye not that ye may love me—— 95

_Lil._ A match, i’ faith.

_Pin._ Why, now ye travel with me.

_Ros._ How that thing stands!

_Bel._ It will, if ye urge it: Bless your five wits!

_Ros._ Nay, prithee, stay; I ’ll have thee.

_Bel._ You must ask me leave first.

_Ros._ Wilt thou use me kindly, And beat me but once a week?

_Bel._ If you deserve no more. 100

_Ros._ And wilt thou get me with child?

_Bel._ Dost thou ask me seriously?

_Ros._ Yes, indeed, do I.

_Bel._ Yes, I will get thee with child. Come, presently, An ’t be but in revenge, I ’ll do thee that courtesy. 105 Well, if thou wilt fear God and me, have at thee!

_Ros._ I ’ll love ye, and I ’ll honour ye.

_Bel._ I am pleas’d, then.

_Mir._ This _Wild-Goose Chase_ is done; we have won o’ both sides. Brother, your love: and now to church of all hands; Let’s lose no time.

_Pin._ Our travelling lay by. 110

_Bel._ No more for Italy; for the Low Countries, [I.] _Exeunt._

THE DUCHESS OF MALFI

BY JOHN WEBSTER

DRAMATIS PERSONAE

FERDINAND [Duke of Calabria]. CARDINAL [his brother] ANTONIO [BOLOGNA, Steward of the Household to the Duchess]. DELIO [his friend]. DANIEL DE BOSOLA [Gentleman of the Horse to the Duchess]. [CASTRUCCIO, an old Lord.] MARQUIS OF PESCARA. [COUNT] MALATESTI. RODERIGO, } SILVIO, } [Lords.] GRISOLAN, } DOCTOR. The Several Madmen.

DUCHESS [OF MALFI]. CARIOLA [her woman]. [JULIA, Castruccio’s wife, and] the Cardinal’s mistress. [Old Lady.]

Ladies, Three Young Children, Two Pilgrims, Executioners, Court Officers, and Attendants.

[SCENE.—_Amalfi_, _Rome_, _Loretto_, _Milan_. TIME.—_Early Sixteenth Century._]