SCENE II.

_A forest near the sea._

_Enter_ PIETRO, FERRARDO, PREPASSO, _and_ Three Pages.

_Fer._ The dogs are at a fault.

[_Cornets like horns within._

_Pietro._ Would God nothing but the dogs were at it! Let the deer pursue safety,[477] the dogs follow the game, and do you follow the dogs: as for me, 'tis unfit one beast should hunt another; I ha' one chaseth me: an't[478] please you, I would be rid of ye a little.

_Fer._ Would your grief would, as[479] soon as we, leave you to quietness!

_Pietro._ I thank you.

[_Exeunt_ FERRARDO _and_ PREPASSO.

Boy, what dost thou dream of now? 10

_First Page._ Of a dry summer, my lord; for here's a hot world towards: but, my lord, I had a strange dream last night.

_Pietro._ What strange dream?

_First Page._ Why, methought I pleased you with singing, and then I dreamt that you gave me that short sword.

_Pietro._ Prettily begged: hold thee, I'll prove thy dream true; take't.

[_Giving sword._

_First Page._ My duty: but still I dreamt on, my lord; and methought, an't[478] shall please your excellency, you would needs out of your royal bounty give me that jewel in your hat. 23

_Pietro._ O, thou didst but dream, boy; do not believe it: dreams prove not always true; they may hold in a short sword, but not in a jewel. But now, sir, you dreamt you had pleased me with singing; make that true, as I ha' made the other.

_First Page._ Faith, my lord, I did but dream, and dreams, you say, prove not always true; they may hold in a good sword, but not in a good song: the truth is, I ha' lost my voice. 32

_Pietro._ Lost thy voice! how?

_First Page._ With dreaming, faith: but here's a couple of sirenical rascals shall enchant ye: what shall they sing, my good lord?

_Pietro._ Sing of the nature of women; and then the song shall be surely full of variety, old crotchets, and most sweet closes: it shall be humorous, grave, fantastic, amorous, melancholy, sprightly, one in all, and all in one. 41

_First Page._ All in one!

_Pietro._ By'r lady, too many. Sing: my speech grows culpable of unthrifty idleness: sing. Ah, so, so, sing.

_Song by_ Second _and_ Third Pages.

I am heavy: walk off; I shall talk in my sleep: walk off.

[_Exeunt_ Pages.

_Enter_ MALEVOLE, _with cross-bow and pistol_.

_Mal._ Brief, brief: who? the duke! good heaven, that fools Should stumble upon greatness!--Do not sleep, duke; Give ye good-morrow: I[480] must be brief, duke; I am fee'd to murder thee: start not: Mendoza, 50 Mendoza hir'd me; here's his gold, his pistol, Cross-bow, and[481] sword: 'tis all as firm as earth. O fool, fool, chokèd with the common maze Of easy idiots, credulity! Make him thine heir! what, thy sworn murderer!

_Pietro._ O, can it be?

_Mal._ Can!

_Pietro._ Discover'd he not Ferneze?

_Mal._ Yes, but why? but why? for love to thee? Much, much![482] to be reveng'd upon his rival, Who had thrust his jaws awry; Who being slain, suppos'd by thine own hands, 60 Defended by his sword, made thee most loathsome, Him most gracious with thy loose princess: Thou, closely yielding egress and regress to her, Madest him heir; whose hot unquiet lust Straight tous'd thy sheets, and now would seize thy state. Politician! wise man! death! to be Led to the stake like a bull by the horns; To make even kindness cut a gentle throat! Life, why art thou numb'd? thou foggy dulness, speak: Lives not more faith in a home-thrusting tongue 70 Than in these fencing tip-tap courtiers?

_Enter_ CELSO, _with a hermit's gown and beard_.

_Pietro._[483] Lord Malevole, if this be true----

_Mal._ If! come, shade thee with this disguise. If! thou shalt handle it; he shall thank thee for killing thyself. Come, follow my directions, and thou shalt see strange sleights.

_Pietro._ World, whither wilt thou?

_Mal._ Why, to the devil. Come, the morn grows late: A steady quickness is the soul of state.

[_Exeunt._

[477] Old eds. "safely."

[478] Ed. 1. "and please you."

[479] Ed. 2. "as soone leaue you as we to quietnesse."

[480] For "I must" ed. 1. reads "must;" ed. 2. "you must."

[481] Omitted in ed. 1.

[482] Ironical exclamation.

[483] Old eds. "_Cel._"