Part 3
HIERO. Meanwhile, good Isabella, cease thy plaints, Or, at the least, dissemble them awhile; So shall we sooner find the practise out, And learn by whom all this was brought about. Come, Isabell, now let us take him up.
They take him up.
And bear him in from out this cursed place. I'll say his dirge,--singing fits not this case. O aliquis mihi quas pulchrum ver educat herbas
HIERONIMO sets his breast unto his sword.
Misceat, et nostro detur medicina dolori; Aut, si qui faciunt annorum oblivia, succos Praebeat; ipse metam magnum quaecunque per orbem Gramina Sol pulchras effert in luminis oras. Ipse bibam quicquid meditatur saga veneni, Quicquid et herbarum vi caeca nenia nectit. Omnia perpetiar, lethum quoque, dum semel omnis Noster in extincto moriatur pectore sensus. Ergo tuos oculos nunquam, mea vita videbo, Et tua perpetuus sepelivit lumina somnus? Emoriar tecum: sic, sic juvat ire sub umbras! Attamen absistam properato cedere letho, Ne mortem vindicta tuam tam nulla sequatur.
Here he throws it from him and bears the body away.
[CHORUS.]
ANDREA. Brought'st thou me hither to increase my pain? I look'd that Balthazar should have been slain; But 'tis my friend Horatio that is slain, And they abuse fair Bel-imperia, On whom I doted more then all the world, Because she lov'd me more then all the world.
REVENGE. Thou talk'st of harvest, when the corn is green; The end is crown of every work well done; The sickle comes not till the corn be ripe. Be still, and, ere I lead thee from this place, I'll show thee Balthazar in heavy case.
ACTUS TERTIUS.
[ACT III. SCENE 1.]
[The Portuguese court.]
Enter VICEROY OF PORTINGAL, NOBLES, ALEXANDRO, VILLUPPO.
VICEROY. Infortunate condition of kings, Seated amidst so many helpless doubts! First, we are plac'd upon extremest height, And oft supplanted with exceeding hate, But ever subject to the wheel of chance; And at our highest never joy we so As we doubt and dread our overthrow. So striveth not the waves with sundry winds As fortune toileth in the affairs of kings, That would be fear'd, yet fear to be belov'd, Sith fear and love to kings is flattery. For instance, lordings, look upon your king, By hate deprived of his dearest son, The only hope of our successive line.
NOB. I had not thought that Alexandro's heart Had been envenom'd with such extreme hate; But now I see that words have several works, And there's no credit in the countenance.
VIL. No, for, my lord, had you beheld the train That feigned love had colour'd in his looks When he in camp consorted Balthazar, Far more inconstant had you thought the sun, That hourly coasts the center of the earth, Then Alexandro's purpose to the prince.
VICE. No more, Villuppo! thou hast said enough, And with thy words thou slay'st our wounded thoughts. Nor shall I longer dally with the world, Procrastinating Alexandro's death. Go, some of you, and fetch the traitor forth, That, as he is condemned, he may die.
Enter ALEXANDRO, with a NOBLE-MAN and HALBERTS.
NOB. In such extremes will nought but patience serve.
ALEX. But in extremes what patience shall I use? Nor discontents it me to leave the world, With whom there nothing can prevail but wrong.
NOB. Yet hope the best.
ALEX. 'Tis heav'n is my hope: As for the earth, it is too much infect To yield me hope of any of her mould.
VICE. Why linger ye? bring forth that daring fiend, And let him die for his accursed deed.
ALEX. Not that I fear the extremity of death-- For nobles cannot stoop to servile fear-- Do I, O king, thus discontented live; But this, O this, torments my labouring soul, That thus I die suspected of a sin Whereof, as Heav'ns have known my secret thoughts, So am I free from this suggestion!
VICE. No more, I say; to the tortures! when? Bind him, and burn his body in those flames,
They bind him to the stake.
That shall prefigure those unquenched fires Of Phlegethon prepared for his soul.
ALEX. My guiltless death will be aveng'd on thee! On thee, Villuppo, that hath malice'd thus, Or for thy meed hast falsely me accus'd!
VIL. Nay, Alexandro, if thou menace me, I'll lend a hand to send thee to the lake Where those thy words shall perish with thy works, Injurious traitor, monstrous homicide!
Enter AMBASSADOR.
AMBASS. Stay! hold a-while! And here, with pardon of his Majesty, Lay hands upon Villuppo!
VICE. Ambassador, What news hath urg'd this sudden enterance?
AMBASS. Know, sovereign lord, that Balthazar doth live.
VICE. What say'st thou? liveth Balthazar, our son?
AMBASS. Your Highness' son, Lord Balthazar doth live, And, well entreated in the court of Spain, Humbly commends him to your Majesty. These eyes beheld; and these my followers, With these, the letters of the king's commends,
Gives him letters.
Are happy witnesses of his Highness' health.
The KING looks on the letters, and proceeds.
VICE. [reads] "Thy son doth live; your tribute is receiv'd; Thy peace is made, and we are satisfied. The rest resolve upon as things propos'd For both our honours and thy benefit."
AMBASS. These are his Highness' farther articles.
He gives him more letters.
VICE. Accursed wretch to intimate these ills Against the life and reputation Of noble Alexandro! come, my lord, unbind him! [To ALEXANDRO] Let him unbind thee that is bound to death, To make acquittal for thy discontent.
They unbind him.
ALEX. Dread lord, in kindness you could do no less, Upon report of such a damned fact; But thus we see our innocence hath sav'd The hopeless life which thou, Villuppo, sought By thy suggestions to have massacred.
VICE. Say, false Villuppo, wherefore didst thou thus Falsely betray Lord Alexandro's life? Him whom thou know'st that no unkindness else But even the slaughter of our dearest son Could once have mov'd us to have misconceiv'd.
ALEX. Say, treacherous Villuppo; tell the King! Or wherein hath Alexandro us'd thee ill?
VIL. Rent with remembrance of so foul a deed, My guilty soul submits me to thy doom, For, not for Alexandro's injuries, But for reward and hope to be prefer'd, Thus have I shamelessly hazarded his life.
VICE. Which, villain, shall be ransom'd with thy death, And not so mean a torment as we here Devis'd for him who thou said'st slew our son, But with the bitterest torments and extremes That may be yet invented for thine end.
ALEXANDRO seems to entreat.
Entreat me not! Go, take the traitor hence!
Exit VILLUPPO.
And, Alexandro, let us honour thee With public notice of thy loyalty. To end those things articulated here By our great lord, the mighty king of Spain, We with our council will deliberate. Come, Alexandro, keep us company.
Exeunt.
[ACT III. SCENE 2.]
[Spain: near the DUKE's castle.]
Enter HIERONIMO.
HIERO. Oh eyes! no eyes but fountains fraught with tears; Oh life! no life, but lively form of death; Oh world! no world, but mass of public wrongs, Confus'd and fill'd with murder and misdeeds; Oh sacred heav'ns, if this unhallow'd deed, If this inhuman and barbarous attempt, If this incomparable murder thus Of mine, but now no more my son shall pass, Unreveal'd and unrevenged pass, How should we term your dealings to be just, If you unjustly deal with those that in your justice trust? The night, sad secretary to my moans, With direful visions wake my vexed soul, And with the wounds of my distressful son Solicit me for notice of his death; The ugly fiends do sally forth of hell, And frame my heart with fierce inflamed thoughts; The cloudy day my discontents records, Early begins to register my dreams And drive me forth to seek the murderer. Eyes, life, world, heav'ns, hell, night and day, See, search, show, send, some man, some mean, that may--
A letter falleth.
What's here? a letter? Tush, it is not so! A letter for Hieronimo. [Reads] "For want of ink receive this bloody writ. Me hath my hapless brother hid from thee. Revenge thyself on Balthazar and him, For these were they that murdered thy son. Hieronimo, revenge Horatio's death, And better fare then Bel-imperia doth!"-- What means this unexpected miracle? My son slain by Lorenzo and the prince? What cause had they Horatio to malign? Or what might move thee, Bel-imperia, To accuse thy brother, had he been the mean? Hieronimo, beware! thou art betray'd, And to entrap thy life this train is laid. Advise thee therefore, be not credulous: This is devised to endanger thee, That thou, by this, Lorenzo should'st accuse. And he, for thy dishonour done, should draw Thy life in question and thy name in hate. Dear was the life of my beloved son, And of his death behooves me be aveng'd: Then hazard not thine own, Hieronimo, But live t'effect thy resolution! I therefore will by circumstances try What I can gather to confirm this writ, And, harken near the Duke of Castile's house, Close if I can with Bel-imperia, To listen more, but nothing to bewray.
Enter PEDRINGANO.
Now, Pedringano!
PED. Now, Hieronimo!
HIERO. Where's thy lady?
PED. I know not; here's my lord.
Enter LORENZO.
LOR. How now, who's this? Hieronimo?
HIERO. My lord.
PED. He asketh for my lady Bel-imperia.
LOR. What to do, Hieronimo? Use me.
HIERO. Oh, no, my lord, I dare not, it must not be; I humbly thank your lordship.
LOR. Why then, farewell!
HIERO. My grief no heart, my thoughts no tongue can tell.
Exit.
LOR. Come hither, Pedringano; see'st thou this?
PED. My lord, I see it, and suspect it too.
LOR. This is that damned villain Serberine, That hath, I fear, reveal'd Horatio's death.
PED. My lord, he could not; 'twas so lately done, And since he hath not left my company.
LOR. Admit he have not; his conditions such As fear or flattering words may make him false. I know his humour, and therewith repent That e'er I us'd him in this enterprise. But, Pedringano, to prevent the worst, And 'cause I know thee secret as my soul, Here, for thy further satisfaction, take thou this!
Gives him more gold.
And hearken to me; thus it is devis'd: This night thou must--and prithee so resolve-- Meet Serberine at St. Luigi's Park,-- Thou knowest 'tis here hard by behind the house; There take thy stand, and see thou strike him sure, For die he must, if we do mean to live.
PED. But how shall Serberine be there, my lord?
LOR. Let me alone, I'll send him to meet The prince and me where thou must do this deed.
PED. It shall be done, my lord; it shall be done; And I'll go arm myself to meet him there.
LOR. When things shall alter, as I hope they will, Then shalt thou mount for this, thou knowest my mind.
Exit PEDRINGANO.
Che le Ieron!
Enter PAGE.
PAGE. My lord.
LOR. Go, sirrah, To Serberine, and bid him forthwith meet The prince and me at S. Luigi's Park, Behind the house, this evening, boy.
PAGE. I go, my lord.
LOR. But, sirrah, let the hour be eight o'clock. Bid him not fail.
PAGE. I fly, my lord.
Exit.
LOR. Now to confirm the complot thou hast cast Of all these practices, I'll spread the watch, Upon precise commandment from the king Strongly to guard the place where Pedringano This night shall murder hapless Serberine. Thus must we work that will avoid distrust, Thus must we practice to prevent mishap, And thus one ill another must expulse. This sly enquiry of Hieronimo For Bel-imperia breeds suspicion; And this suspicion bodes a further ill. As for myself, I know my secret fault, And so do they, but I have dealt for them. They that for coin their souls endangered To save my life, for coin shall venture theirs; And better 'tis that base companions die Than by their life to hazard our good haps. Nor shall they live for me to fear their faith; I'll trust myself, myself shall be my friend; For die they shall,-- Slaves are ordain'd to no other end.
Exit.
[ACT III. SCENE 3.]
[San Luigi's Park.]
Enter PEDRINGANO with a pistol.
PED. Now, Pedringano, bid thy pistol hold; And hold on, Fortune! Once more favour me! Give but success to mine attempting spirit, And let me shift for taking of mine aim. Here is the gold! This is the gold propos'd! It is no dream that I adventure for, But Pedringano is posses'd thereof. And he that would not strain his conscience For him that thus his liberal purse hath stretch'd, Unworthy such a favour, may he fail, And, wishing, want, when such as I prevail! As for the fear of apprehension, I know, if need should be, my noble lord Will stand between me and ensuing harms. Besides, this place is free from all suspect. Here therefore will I stay and take my stand.
Enter the WATCH.
I WATCH. I wonder much to what intent it is That we are thus expressly charg'd to watch.
II WATCH. This by commandment in the king's own name.
III WATCH. But we were never wont to watch and ward So near the duke his brother's house before.
II WATCH. Content yourself, stand close, there's somewhat in't.
Enter SERBERINE.
SER. [aside] Here, Serberine, attend and stay thy pace; For here did Don Lorenzo's page appoint That thou by his command shouldst meet with him. How fit a place, if one were so dispos'd, Methinks this corner is to close with one.
PED. [aside] Here comes the bird that I must seize upon; Now, Pedringano, or never play the man!
SER. [aside] I wonder that his lordship stays so long, Or wherefore should he send for me so late.
PED. For this, Serberine; and thou shalt ha't!
Shoots.
So, there he lies; my promise is perform'd.
The WATCH.
I WATCH. Hark, gentlemen, this is a pistol shot!
II WATCH. And here's one slain; stay the murderer!
PED. Now, by the sorrows of the souls in hell,
He strives with the WATCH.
Who first lays hands on me, I'll be his priest!
III WATCH. Sirrah, confess, and therein play the priest. Why hast thou thus unkindly kill'd the man?
PED. Why, because he walk'd abroad so late.
III WATCH. Come sir, you had been better kept your bed Then have committed this misdeed so late.
II WATCH. Come to the marshall's with the murderer!
I WATCH. On to Hieronimo's! help me here To bring the murder'd body with us too.
PED. Hieronimo? Carry me before whom you will; What e'er he be, I'll answer him and you. And do your worst, for I defy you all!
Exeunt.
[ACT III. SCENE 4.]
[The DUKE's castle]
Enter LORENZO and BALTHAZAR.
BAL. How now, my lord? what makes you rise so soon?
LOR. Fear of preventing our mishaps too late.
BAL. What mischief is it that we not mistrust?
LOR. Our greatest ills we least mistrust, my lord, And unexpected harms do hurt us most.
BAL. Why, tell me, Don Lorenz,--tell me, man, If aught concerns our honour and your own!
LOR. Nor you nor me, my lord, but both in one; But I suspect--and the presumptions great-- That by those base confed'rates in our fault Touching the death of Don Horatio We are all betray'd to old Hieronimo.
BAL. Betray'd, Lorenzo? tush! it cannot be.
LOR. A guilty conscience urged with the thought Of former evils, easily cannot err: I am persuaded--and dissuade me not-- That all's revealed to Hieronimo. And therefore know that I have cast it thus--
[Enter PAGE.]
But here's the page. How now? what news with thee?
PAGE. My lord, Serberine is slain.
BAL. Who? Serberine, my man?
PAGE. Your Highness' man, my lord.
LOR. Speak, page: who murder'd him?
PAGE. He that is apprehended for the fact.
LOR. Who?
PAGE. Pedringano.
BAL. Is Serberine slain, that lov'd his lord so well? Injurious villain! murd'rer of his friend!
LOR. Hath Pedringano murder'd Serberine? My lord, let me entreat you to take the pains To exasperate and hasten his revenge With your complaints unto my lord the king. This their dissension breeds a greater doubt.
BAL. Assure thee, Don Lorenzo, he shall die, Or else his Highness hardly shall deny. Meanwhile, I'll haste the marshall sessions, For die he shall for this his damned deed.
Exit BALTHAZAR.
LOR. [aside] Why, so! this fits our former policy; And thus experience bids the wise and deal. I lay the plot, he prosecutes the point; I set the trap, he breaks the worthless twigs, And sees not that wherewith the bird was lim'd. Thus hopeful men, that means to hold their own, Must look, like fowlers, to their dearest friends. He runs to kill whom I have holp to catch, And no man knows it was my reaching fetch. 'Tis hard to trust unto a multitude,-- Or any one, in mine opinion, When men themselves their secrets will reveal.
Enter a MESSENGER with a letter.
LOR. Boy.
PAGE. My lord.
LOR. What's he?
MES. I have a letter to your lordship.
LOR. From whence?
MES. From Pedringano that's imprison'd.
LOR. So he is in prison then?
MES. Aye, my good lord.
LOR. What would he with us?
[Reads the letter.]
He writes us here To stand good lord and help him in distress. Tell him I have his letters, know his mind; And what we may, let him assure him of. Fellow, be gone; my boy shall follow thee.
Exit MESSENGER.
[Aside] This works like wax! Yet once more try thy wits.-- Boy, go convey this purse to Pedringano,-- Thou know'st the prison,--closely give it him, And be advis'd that none be thereabout. Bid him be merry still, but secret; And, though the marshall sessions be today, Bid him not doubt of his delivery. Tell him his pardon is already sign'd, And thereon bid him boldly be resolv'd; For, were he ready to be turned off,-- As 'tis my will the uttermost be tried,-- Thou with his pardon shalt attend him still. Show him this box, tell him his pardon's in't; But open't not, and if thou lov'st thy life, But let him wisely keep his hopes unknown. He shall not want while Don Lorenzo lives. Away!
PAGE. I go, my lord, I run!
LOR. But, sirrah, see that this be cleanly done.
Exit PAGE.
Now stands our fortune on a tickle point, And now or never ends Lorenzo's doubts. One only thing is uneffected yet, And that's to see the executioner,-- But to what end? I list not trust the air With utterance of our pretence therein, For fear the privy whisp'ring of the wind Convey our words amongst unfriendly ears, That lie too open to advantages. Et quel che voglio io, nessun lo sa, Intendo io quel mi bastera.
Exit.
[ACT III. SCENE 5.]
[A street.]
Enter BOY with the box.
[BOY.] My master hath forbidden me to look in this box, and, by my troth, 'tis likely, if he had not warned me, I should not have had so much idle time; for we men-kind in our minority are like women in their uncertainty; that they are most forbidden, they will soonest attempt; so I now. By my bare honesty, here's nothing but the bare empty box! Were it not sin against secrecy, I would say it were a piece of gentlemanlike knavery. I must go to Pedringano and tell him his pardon is in this box! Nay, I would have sworn it, had I not seen the contrary. I cannot choose but smile to think how the villain will flout the gallows, scorn the audience, and descant on the hangman, and all presuming of his pardon from hence. Will't not be an odd jest, for me to stand and grace every jest he makes, pointing my finger at this box, as who should say: "Mock on, here's thy warrant!" Is't not a scurvy jest that a man should jest himself to death? Alas, poor Pedringano! I am in a sort sorry for thee, but, if I should be hanged with thee, I could not weep.
Exit.
[ACT III. SCENE 6.]
[The court of justice.]
Enter HIERONIMO and the DEPUTY.
HIERO. Thus must we toil in others men's extremes That know not how to remedy our own, And do them justice, when unjustly we For all our wrongs can compass no redress. But shall I never live to see the day That I may come by justice to the Heav'ns To know the cause that may my cares allay? This toils my body, this consumeth age, That only I to all men just must be, And neither gods nor men be just to me!
DEP. Worthy Hieronimo, your office asks A care to punish such as do transgress.
HIERO. So is't my duty to regard his death Who when he liv'd deserv'd my dearest blood. But come; for that we came for, let's begin; For here lies that which bids me to be gone.
Enter OFFICERS, BOY, & PEDRINGANO with a letter in his hand, bound.
DEPU. Bring forth the prisoner for the court is set.
PED. Gramercy, boy! but it was time to come, For I had written to my lord anew A nearer matter that concerneth him, For fear his lordship had forgotten me; But, sith he hath remember'd me so well, Come, come, come on! when shall we to this gear?
HIERO. Stand forth, thou monster, murderer of men, And here, for satisfaction of the world, Confess thy folly and repent thy fault, For there's thy place of execution.
PED. This is short work! Well, to your martiallship First I confess, nor fear I death therefore, I am the man,--'twas I slew Serberine. But, sir, then you think this shall be the place Where we shall satisfy you for this gear?
DEPU. Aye, Pedrigano.
PED. No I think not so.
HEIRO. Peace, impudent! for thou shalt find it so; For blood with blood shall, while I sit as judge, Be satisfied, and the law discharg'd. And, though myself cannot receive the like, Yet will I see that others have their right. Dispatch! the fault approved and confess'd, And by our law he is condemn'd to die.
HANG. Come on, sir! are you ready?
PED. To do what, my fine officious knave?
HANG. To go to this gear.
PED. O, sir, you are to forward; thou wouldst fain furnish me with a halter, to disfurnish me of my habit. So should I go out of this gear, my raiment, into that gear, the rope. But, hangman, now I spy your knavery, I'll not change without boot; that's flat.
HANG. Come, sir.
PED. So then I must up?
HANG. No remedy.
PED. Yes, but there shall be for my coming down.
HANG. Indeed here's a remedy for that.
PED. How? be turn'd off?
HANG. Aye, truly. Come, are you ready? I pray you, sir, dispatch, the day goes away.
PED. What, do you hang by the hour? If you do, I may chance to break your old custom.
HANG. Faith, you have no reason, for I am like to break your young neck.
PED. Dost thou mock me, hangman? Pray God I be not preserved to break your knaves-pate for this!
HANG. Alas, sir, you are a foot too low to reach it, and I hope you will never grow so high while I am in office.
PED. Sirrah, dost see yonder boy with the box in his hand?
HANG. What, he that points to it with his finger?
PED. Aye, that companion.
HANG. I know him not; but what of him?
PED. Dost thou think to live till his old doublet will make thee a new truss?