SCENE I.

_Venice.--Outside_ Lady LENTULUS' _house_.

CLARIDIANA _and_ ROGERO, _being in a readiness, are received in at one another's houses by their Maids_.

_Then enter_ MENDOZA, _with a_ Page, _to the_ Lady LENTULUS' _window_.

_Men._ Night, like a solemn mourner, frowns on earth, Envying that day should force her doff her robes, Or Phoebus chase away her melancholy. Heaven's eyes look faintly through her sable masque, And silver Cynthia hides[238] her in her sphere, Scorning to grace black Night's solemnity. Be unpropitious, Night, to villain thoughts, But let thy diamonds shine on virtuous love. This is the lower house of high-built heaven, 9 Where my chaste Phoebe sits inthroned 'mong thoughts So purely good, brings her to heaven on earth. Such power hath souls in contemplation! Sing, boy (though night yet), like the morning's lark--

[_Music plays._

A soul that's clear is light, though heaven be dark.

_The_ Lady LENTULUS _at her window_.

_Lady Len._ Who speaks in music to us?

_Men._ Sweet, 'tis I. Boy, leave me and to bed.

[_Exit_ Page.

_Lady Len._ I thank you for your music; now, good-night.

_Men._ Leave not the world yet, Queen of Chastity; Keep promise with thy love Endymion, And let me meet thee there on Latmus' top. 20 'Tis I, whose virtuous hopes are firmly fix'd On the fruition of thy chaste vow'd love.

_Lady Len._ My lord, Your honour made me promise you ascent Into my house, since my vow barr'd my doors, By some wit's engine made for theft and lust; Yet for your honour, and my humble fame, Check your blood's passions, and return, dear lord. Suspicion is a dog that still doth bite Without a cause: this act gives food to envy; 30 Swoll'n big, it bursts, and poisons our clear flames.

_Men._ Envy is stingless when she looks on thee.

_Lady Len._ Envy is blind, my lord, and cannot see.

_Men._ If you break promise, fair, you break my heart.

_Lady Len._ Then come,--yet[239] stay! ascend,--yet let us part. I fear,--yet know not what I fear. Your love [i]s precious, yet mine honour's dear.

_Men._ If I do stain thy honour with foul lust, May thunder strike me to show Jove is just!

_Lady Len._ Then come, my lord; on earth your vow is given. 40 This aid I'll lend you.

[_He throws up a ladder of cords, which she makes fast to some part of the window; he ascends, and at top falls._

_Men._ Thus I mount my heaven: Receive me, sweet!

_Lady Len._ O me, unhappy wretch! How fares your honour? Speak, fate-cross'd lord! If life retain his seat within you, speak! Else like that Sestian dame, that saw her love Cast by the frowning billows on the sands, And lean death, swoll'n big with the Hellespont, In bleak Leander's body--like his love, Come I to thee. One grave shall serve us both!

_Men._ Stay, miracle of women! yet I breathe. 50 Though death be entered in this tower of flesh, He is not conqueror; my heart stands out, And yields to thee, scorning his tyranny!

_Lady Len._ My doors are vow'd shut, and I cannot help you. Your wounds are mortal; wounded is mine honour If there the town-guard find you. Unhappy dame! Relief is perjur'd,--my vow kept, shame! What hellish destiny did twist my fate!

_Men._ Rest seize thine eyelids; be not passionate; Sweet, sleep secure; I'll remove myself, 60 That viper Envy shall not spot thy fame: I'll take that poison with me, my soul's rest, For like a serpent I'll creep on my breast.

_Lady Len._ Thou more than man! Love-wounded, joy and grief Fight in my blood. Thy wounds and constancy Are both so strong, none can have victory!

_Men._ Darken the world, earth's queen; get thee to bed; The earth is light while those two stars are spread: Their splendour will betray me to men's eyes. Veil thy bright face; for if thou longer stay, 70 Phoebus will rise to thee and make night day.

_Lady Len._ To part and leave you hurt my soul doth fear.

_Men._ To part from hence I cannot, you being there.

_Lady Len._ We'll move together, then fate love controls; And as we part, so bodies part from souls.

_Men._ Mine is the earth, thine the refinèd fire; I am mortal, thou divine; then soul mount higher.

_Lady Len._ Why then, take comfort, sweet; I'll see you[240] to-morrow.

_Men._ My wounds are nothing; thy loss breeds my sorrow.

[_Exit_ Lady LENTULUS.

See now 'tis dark! 80 Support your master, legs, a little further; Faint not, bold heart, with anguish of my wound; Try further yet. Can blood weigh down my soul? Desire is vain without ability.

[_He staggers on, and then falls down._

Thus falls a monarch, if fate push at him.

_Enter a_ Captain _and the_ Watch.

_Cap._ Come on, my hearts; we are the city's security. I'll give you your charge, and then, like courtiers, every man spy out. Let no man in my company be afraid to speak to a cloak lined with velvet, nor tremble at the sound of a gingling spur. 90

_Watch._ May I never be counted a cock of the game if I fear spurs, but be gelded like a capon for the preserving of my voice.

_Cap._ I'll have none of my band refrain to search a venereal house, though his wife's sister be a lodger there; nor take two shillings of the bawd to save the gentlemen's credits that are aloft, and so, like voluntary panders, leave them, to the shame of all halberdiers.

_2._ Nay, the wenches, we'll tickle them, that's flat. 99

_Cap._ If you meet a shevoiliero, that's in the gross phrase a knight that swaggers in the street, and, being taken, has no money in his purse to pay for his fees, it shall be a part of your duty to entreat me to let him go.

_1._ O marvellous! is there such shevoiliers?

_2._ Some two hundred, that's the least, that are reveal'd.

[MENDOZA _groans_.

_Cap._ What groan is that? Bring a light. Who lies there? It is the Lord Mendoza, kinsman to our duke. Speak, good my lord: relate your dire mischance; Life, like a fearful servant, flies his master; 110 Art must atone them, or th' whole man is lost. Convey him to a surgeon's, then return;

[_Part of the_ Watch _bear away_ MENDOZA.

No place shall be unsearch'd until we find The truth of this mischance. Make haste again. Whose house is this stands open? In and search What guests that house contains, and bring them forth.

[_Exit the_ Watch _to search the houses of_ ROGERO _and_ CLARIDIANA.

This noble man's misfortune stirs my quiet, And fills my soul with fearful fantasies; But I'll unwind this labyrinth of doubt, Else industry shall lose part of itself's labour. 120

[_Re-enter_[241] _the_ Watch _with_ CLARIDIANA _and_ ROGERO _taken in one another's houses in their shirts and night-gowns. They see one another._

Who have we there? Signiors, cannot you tell us How our prince's kinsman came wounded to the death Nigh to your houses?

_Rog._ Heyday! cross-ruff[242] at midnight! Is't Christmas, You go a-gaming to your neighbour's house?

_Cla._ Dost make a mummer of me, ox-head?

_Cap._ Make answer, gentlemen, it doth concern you.

_Rog._ Ox-head will bear an action; I'll ha' the law; I'll not be yoked. Bear witness, gentlemen, he calls me ox-head. 130

_Cap._ Do you hear, sir?

_Cla._ Very well, very well; take law and hang thyself; I care not. Had she no other but that good face to dote upon? I'd rather she had dealt with a dangerous Frenchman than with such a pagan.

_Cap._ Are you mad? Answer my demand.

_Rog._ I am as good a Christian as thyself, Though my wife have now new christen'd me.

_Cap._ Are you deaf, you make no answer? 139

_Cla._ Would I had had the circumcising of thee, Jew; I'd ha' cut short your cuckold-maker; I would i'faith, I would i'faith!

_Cap._ Away with them to prison! they'll answer better there.

_Rog._ Not too fast, gentlemen; what's our crime?

_Cap._ Murder of the duke's kinsman, Signior Mendoza.

_Ambo._ Nothing else? We did it, we did it, we did it!

_Cap._ Take heed, gentlemen, what you confess.

_Cla._ I'll confess anything, since I am made a fool by a knave. I'll be hang'd like an innocent, that's flat. 151

_Rog._ I'll not see my shame. Hemp instead of a quacksalver. You shall put out mine eyes, and my head shall be bought to make ink-horns of.

_Cap._ You do confess the murder?

_Cla._ Sir, 'tis true, Done by a faithless Christian and a Jew.

_Cap._ To prison with them; we will hear no further; The tongue betrays the heart of guilty murther.

[_Exeunt omnes._

[238] Old eds. "hyes."

[239] Ed. 1631 "yea."

[240] Ed. 1631 "see 'ou."--Ed. 1631 "see, on."

[241] This stage direction is omitted in ed. 1631.

[242] Ruff was the name of an old game at cards.