To be your own disposer. Pes. So, sir, this tempest is well overblown, Have little power in peace), may beget danger, Sfor. Where true honour lives, I will confess my weakness: though my state But ride along with me: I'll give you reasons, Pes. Use your own pleasure; bear you company. Sfor. Farewell, grief! I am stored with SCENE II-MILAN. A Room in the Castle. Enter GRACCHO. To balance with a little mirth! 'Tis well: Enter JULIO and GIOVANNI. Gio. See Julio, Yonder the proud slave is. How he looks now, Julio. Let's be merry with him. Enter FRANCISCO and a Servant. [Stands aside. Fran. If I am sought for, Serv. But, sir, if the princess Abroad to take the air; but by no means Serv. So I shall tell her. Enter a Gentlewoman. [Exit. Gentlew. My good lord, your pleasure? To the dutchess. access Gentlew. In good sooth, my lord, I dare not; Fran. Come, there's gold- Gentlew. She's walking in the gallery. [Exeunt Francisco and Gentlewoman. My lady and her mother first committed, [Exit. After a practice so abhorr'd and horrid, [Apart. I do confess, humbly confess my fault, The wonder, gentlemen? But now I look on you my wonder ceases. Julio. Why, sir, you have been whipt; Whipt, seignior Graccho; and the whip, take it, Is, to a gentleman, the greatest trial To a strict account for this. Gio. I'll not deal with you, Unless I have a beadle for my second; And then I'll answer you. Julio. Farewell, poor Graccho. This can be cunning? Fran. But, if no submission, [Aside. For I perceive in you no signs of mercy, I will disclose a secret, which, dying with me, May prove your ruin. Mare. Speak it; it will take from The burden of thy conscience. Fran. Thus, then, madam: The warrant, by my lord sign'd for your death, [Exeunt Julio and Giovanni. Was but conditional; but you must swear, Grac. Better and better still. If ever wrongs By your unspotted truth, not to reveal it, Gould teach a wretch to find the way to Or I end here abruptly. vengeance. Marc. By my hopes Of joys hereafter. On. Fran. Nor was it hate That forc'd him to it, but excess of love. Assure thee I am lost (these were his words), [Draws his Sword. Marc. Hold! 'tis forgiven, And by me freely pardon'd. In thy fair life Hereafter, study to deserve this bounty: But that my lord, my Sforza, should esteem My life fit only as a page, to wait on The various course of his uncertain fortunes; Or cherish in himself that sensual hope, In death to know me as a wife, afflicts me. I will slack the ardour that I had to see him Return in safety. Fran. But if your entertainment Should give the least ground to his jealousy, To raise up an opinion I am false, You then destroy your mercy. vouchsafe, Therefore In company, to do me those fair graces Marc. Have your wishes; And something I may do to try his temper, mours, Her fate appointing it. Fran. It is enough, Nay, all I could desire; and will make way To my revenge, which shall disperse itself On him, on her, and all. [Aside, and exit. Shout, and flourish. Marc. What noise is that? Enter TIBERIO and STEPHANO. Tib. All happiness to the dutchess, that may flow From the duke's new and wish'd return! Steph. How coldly she receives it! [Apart. Tib. Observe the encounter. [Apart. Flourish. Enter LUDOVICO SFORZA, PESCARA, and Attendants. Till I had seen thee. Marc. Sir, I am most happy Of one that knows herself a wife, and how Sfor. How! why, can there be A mean in your affections to Sforza? Sfor. By all the joys of love, she does sa lute me But have thy wishes, woman; thou shalt know His happiness in most accursed woman; will be ACT IV. SCENE I.-The same. [Exeunt. An Apartment in the Castle. Enter FRANCISCO and GRACCHO. Fran. And is it possible thou shouldst forget A wrong of such a nature, and then study My safety and content? Grac. Sir, but allow me Not the abstruse and hidden arts to there: In policy's roguish school, to try conclusions thrive With one that hath commenc'd, and gone out doctor. And you may please to grant me so Fran. But to the purpose; much If I discover what but now he bragg'd of, And then, that service done, make thine own fortunes. My wife, thou say'st, is jealous I am too Grac. And incens'd For her commitment in her brother's absence; Fran. I thank thy care, and will deserve this secret, In making thee acquainted with a greater, So far I am from stopping Mariana Grac. That may prove your ruin: Fran. There thou art cozen'd; His dutage, like an ague, keeps his course, And now 'tis strongly on him. But I lose time; And therefore know, whether thou wilt or no, Grac. This is a language, To put a trick on me, for the relation Of what I knew before; and, having won Sme weighty secret from me, in revenge To play the traitor. Know, thou wretched thing, day By my command thou wert whipt; and every I have thee freshly tortur'd, if thou miss In the least charge that I impose upon thee. Though what I speak, for the most part, true; Nav, grant thou hadst a thousand witnesses To be depos'd they heard it, 'tis in me, With one word, such is Sforza's confidence Of my fidelity not to be shaken, To make all void, and ruin my accusers. is SCENE II.-Another Apartment in the Castle. Enter MARCELIA, TIBERIO, STEPHANO, and Gentlewoman. Marc. Command me from his sight, and with such scorn As he would rate his slave! Steph. And he repents it, madam. To observe his humours? or, because he dotes, Tib. He hath paid the forfeit Of his offence, I'm sure, with such a sorrow, Marc. Why, perhaps, he hath it; him. Enter FRANCISCO. Steph. Here he comes. [Exeunt Tib. and Steph. Marc. Your face is full Is eagle-ey'd, and would see that which is not; tainted? Therefore look to't; bring my wife hotly on But for him, though almost on certain proof, And that shall fall upon thee. Thou wert a Fran. Whether grounded on fool To hope, by being acquainted with my courses, To curb and awe me; or that I should live Thy slave, as thou didst saucily divine: For prying in my counsels, still live mine. [Exit. Grad. I am caught on both sides. This 'tis for a puisne Your noble, yet chaste favours, shewn unto That never trod in a suspected path, Fran. May I be accurs'd, Between you and all danger. He shall know, Suspicion overturns what confidence builds; And he that dares but doubt when there's no ground, Is neither to himself nor others sound. [Exit. Fran. So, let it work! Her goodness, that denied My service, branded with the name of lust, And let my plots produce this long'd-for birth, [Exit. SCENE III. Another Room in the same. Enter LUDOVICO SFORZA, PESCARA, JULIO, and GIOVANNI. Pes. You promis'd to be merry. And of all kinds, to entertain the time. Gio. Your excellence vouchsafing to make choice Of that which best affects you. Sfor. Hold your prating. Learn manners too; you are rude. Pes. I must borrow The privilege of a friend, and will; or else Sfor. Pray you, use your freedom; Now I have cause to grieve, I must be sad; And I dare show it. Pes. Would it were bestow'd Upon a worthier subject! Sfor. Take heed, friend. You rub a sore, whose pain will make And I shall then forget myself and you. Pes. Have you stood the shock Deject your valour? Shall, I say, these virtues, Sfor. Good Pescara, This language in another were profane; I tell you as a friend, and tell you plainly Pes. Well, sir, I'll not cross you, Enter TIBERIO and STEPHANO. Sfor. O! you are well return'd; Say, am I blest? hath she vouchsaf'd to hear you? Is there hope left that she may be appeas'd? Tib. She, sir, yet is froward, And desires respite, and some privacy. Steph. She was harsh at first; but, ere we parted, seem'd not Implacable. Sfor. There's comfort yet: I'll ply her Each hour with new ambassadors of more honours, Titles, and eminence: my second self, Steph. That a wise man, And what is more, a prince that may command, Should sue thus poorly, and treat with his wife, As she were a victorious enemy. Sfor. What is that you mutter? I'll have thy thoughts. Steph. You shall. You are too fond, And feed a pride that's swoln too big already, And surfeits with observance. Sfor. O my patience! My vassal speak thus? Steph. Let my head answer it, If I offend. She, that you think a saint, Pes. Well said, old fellow. [Aside. Steph. And he that hath so long engross'd your favours, Though to be nam'd with rev'rence, lord Francisco, Who, as you purpose, shall solicit for you, I think's too near her. [Sfor. lays his Hand on his Sword. Pes. Hold, sir! this is madness. Steph. It may be they confer of joining lordships; I'm sure he's private with her. Sfor. Let me go, me I scorn to touch him; he deserves my pity, Of thousand enemies, and outfac'd the anger Ilave you given proof, to this hour of your life, Prosperity, that searches the best temper, To bring me comfort, say that you have made Let them at once dispatch me. My peace with my Marcelia. Isa. I had rather Wait on you to your funeral. Sfor. You are my mother; Or, by her life, you were dead else, To your dishonour! Here your mother was Sfor. She hath blasphem'd, and by our law must die. Isa. Blasphem'd! for giving a false woman her true name. Sfor. O hell, what do I suffer? Mari. Or is it treason For me, that am a subject, to endeavour Mari. The public fame, Their hourly private meetings; and, e'en now, Sfor. O the malice And envy of base women! Wretches! you have rais'd A monumental trophy to her. I'm so far To fall as sacrifices to appease her; you. Isa. All is in vain; he is not to be mov'd. To me it shows a fable. Fran. Draw your sword then, And, as you wish your own peace, quickly kill me ; Consider not, but do it. Sfor. Art thou mad? Fran. Would from my youth a loathsome leprosy Had run upon this face, or that my breath Sfor. I am on the rack! Of all mankind, that stand most bound to love you, And study your content, should be appointed, Sfor. Loves thee! Fran. And from hence grew Sfor. O women! women! Fran. I labour'd to divert her by persuasion, Then urg'd your much love to her, and the danger; Denied her and with scorn. Sfor. 'Twas like thyself. Fran. But when I saw her smile, then heard her say Your love and extreme dotage, as a cloak, I could not but in duty (though I know Enter FRANCISCO, speaking to a Servant Both base and poor to rise up her accuser) within. I would impart, Freely discover it. Sfor. Eternal plagues Pursue and overtake ber! But, like a village nurse, Stand I now cursing and considering, when The tamest fool would do. Within there! Stephano, Pease you to lend your ear, a weighty secret, Tiberio, and the rest! I will be sudden, I am in labour to deliver to you. Sfor. All leave the room. [Exeunt Isa. and Mari.] Excuse me, good Pescara, Ere long I will wait on you. Pes. You speak, sir, The language I should use. Sfor. Be within call, Perhaps we may have use of you. Tib. We shall, sir. [Exit. [Exeunt Tiberio and Stephano. Sfor. Say on, my comfort! Fran. Comfort! no, your torment, Sfor. What new monsters |