The Ancient British Drama ...

A man hang'd up and all the murderers gone!
And in my bower, to lay the guilt on me!

lived.

"Isa. Sweet Hieronimo!

"Besides, he is so generally beloved, "His majesty the other day did grace him This place was made for pleasure, not for death." With waiting on his cup; these be favours, [He cuts him down. "Which do assure me that he cannot be long Those garments that he wears I oft have seen; Alas, it is Horatio, my sweet son! Oh, no, but he '17 that whilome was my son! Oh, was it thou that call'dst me from my bed? Oh, speak, if any spark of life remain: am thy father: who hath slain my son? What savage monster, not of human kind,

18 Hath here been glutted with thy harmless
blood,

And left thy bloody corpse dishonour'd here,
For me amidst these dark and deathful shades,
To drown thee with an ocean of my tears?
Oh, Heavens, why made you night to cover sin?
By day, this deed of darkness had not been.
Oh, Earth, why didst thou not in time devour
The 119 viled profaner of this sacred bow'r?
O, poor Horatio? what hadst thou misdone,
To leese thy life, ere life was new begun?
Oh, wicked butcher! whatsoe'er thou wert,
How could'st thou strangle virtue and desert?
Ah me! most wretched, that have lost my joy,
In leesing my Horatio, my sweet boy!

Hier. Here, Isabella, help me to lament,
For sighs are stopt, and all my tears are spent.
Isa. What world of grief! my son Horatio!
Oh, where's the author of this endless woe?
Hier. To know the author were some ease of
grief,

For in revenge my heart would find relief.

Isa. Then is he gone? and is my son gone too? Oh gush out tears, fountains and floods of tears: Blow sighs, and raise an everlasting storm, For outrage fits our cursed wretchedness. 120Ah me! Hieronimo, sweet husband, speak! "Hier. He supp'd with us to-night, frolick and

"Hier. I wonder how this fellow got his

clothes;

Sirrah, sirrah, I'll know the truth of all; "Jaques, run to the duke of Castile's presently, "And bid my son Horatio to come home, "I and his mother have had strange dreams tonight;

"Do you hear me, sir?
"Jaq. Aye, sir.

"Hier. Well, sir, be gone-Pedro come hither; "Know'st thou who this is?

"Ped. Too well, sir.

"Hier. Too well! who? who is it? peace, Isabella.

"Nay, blush not, man.

"Ped. It is my lord Horatio.

"Hier. Ha, ha, St James; but this doth make me laugh,

"That there are more deluded than myself. "Ped. Deluded!

"Hier. Aye, I would have sworn myself,
within this hour,

"That this had been my son Horatio,
"His garments are so like; ha, are they not great
persuasions?

"Isa. Ó, would to God it were not so!
"Hier. Were not, Isabella? dost thou dream
it is?

"Can thy soft bosom entertain a thought,
"That such a black deed of mischief should be
done

"On one so pure and spotless as our son?
"Away, I am ashamed.

"Isa. Dear Hieronimo,
"Cast a more serious eye upon thy grief,
"Weak apprehension gives but weak belief.
"Hier. It was a man sure that was hang'd up

here,

"That now is stiff with horror; kill me quickly:
"Be gracious to me, thou infective night.
"And drop this deed of murder down in me;

Vile, 1618. 23. 33.

118 Here hath, 1618. 23. S3.

120 Mr Hawkins supposes this scene printed in inverted commas to be foisted in by the players, it be

ing omitted in the second edition.

"Gird in my waste of grief with thy large dark

ness,

"And let me not survive to see the light, "May put me in the mind I had a son.

"Isa. O, sweet Horatio! O, my dearest son ! "Hier. How strangely had I lost my way to grief!

Sweet lovely rose, ill pluck'd before thy time. Fair worthy son, not conquer'd, but betrayed: I'll kiss thee now, for words with tears are staid." Isa. And I'll close up the glasses of his sight, For once these eyes were 121 only my delight. Hier. Seest thou this handkerchief besmear'd with blood?

It shall not from me, till I take revenge.
Seest thou these wounds, that yet are bleeding
fresh?

I'll not entomb them till I have 1122 roveng'd;
Then will I joy amidst my discontent;
Till then, my 123 sorrow never shall be spent.
Isa. The heavens are just, murder cannot be
hid:

Time is the author both of truth and right,
And time will bring this treachery to light.
Hier. Mean while, good Isabella, cease thy
plaints,

Or at the least, dissemble them awhile:
So shall we sooner find the practice out,
And learn by whom all this was brought about.
Come, Isabella, now let's take him up,

[They take him up. And bear him in from out this cursed place:

I'll say his dirge, singing fits not his case.
O aliquis mihi quas pulchrum ver educat herba
[Hieronimo sets his breast unto his sword
Misceat, et nostra detur medicina dolori :
Aut si qui faciunt annorum oblivia succos,
Præbeat, ipse metum magnum quæcunque per or
bem,

Gramina sol pulchras ejecit lucis in oras,
Ipse bebam quicquid meditatur saga veneni,
Quicquid et erarum vi cæca 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 adsistam properato cedere letho,
Ne mortem vindicta tuam tum nulla sequatur.
[Here he throws it from him, and bears
the body away.

"And. Brought'st thou me hither to increase my pain?

I look'd that Balthezar should have been slain;
But it's my friend Horatio that is slain;
And they abuse fair Belimperia,

On whom I doted more than all the world,
Because she lov'd me more than all world."

"Rev. Thou talk'st of 124 harvest, when the

corn is green;

The end is 125 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 shew thee Balthezar in heavy case."

ACT III.

Enter Viceroy of Portingale, Nobles, AEK-
ANDRO, VILLUPPO.

Vic. Unfortunate condition of great kings,
Seated 26 amidst so many helpless doubts!
First, we are placed 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 both 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, or love, to kings is flattery:
For instance, lordlings, look upon your king,
By hate deprived of his dearest son;
The only hope of our successive127 line.

Noble. I had not thought that Alexandro's heart

Had been invenom'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 Balthezar,
Far more inconstant had you thought the sun,
That hourly coasts the center of the earth,
Than Alexandro's purpose to the prince.

Vic. 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;

121 Chiefly, 1623. 33. 122 Revenge, 1623. 83.

124 The harvest, 1618. 23. 33.

126 Among, 1623, 33.

123 Sorrows, 1618. 23. 33. 125 Growne, 1618. 23. 33.

127 Lives, 1618. 23. 33.

Noble. In such extremes, will nought but pa-
tience serve.

Aler. But in extremes, what patience shall I
use?

Nor discontents it me to leave the world,
With whom there nothing can prevail but wrong.
Noble. Yet hope the best.

Aler. 'Tis heaven is my hope;

As for the earth, it is too much 128 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.

Aler. 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 heavens have known my secret
thoughts,

So am I free from this suggestion.

Vice. No more, I say; to the 129 tortures with
him;

Bind him, and burn his body in those flames.
[They bind him to the Stake.
That shall prefigure those unquenched fires
Of Phlegeton, prepared for his soul.

Alex. My guiltless death will be avenged on
thee,

On thee, Villuppo, that hath maliced thus;
Or 130 for thy meed hast falsely me accused.
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.

Amb. Stay, hold a while; and here (with par-
don of

His majesty) lay hands upon Villuppo.
Vice. Embassador, what news hath urged this
sudden entrance?

Amb. Know, 131 sovereign lord, that Balthezar
doth live,

Vice. What say'st thou, liveth Balthezar our son?

489

commends, [Gives him Letters.

Are happy witness of his highness' health.
[The King looks on the Letter, and proceeds.
"Vice. Thy son doth live, your tribute is re-
ceived;

"Thy peace is made, and we are satisfied;
"The rest resolve upon as things proposed
"For both our honours, and thy benefit.

Amb. These are his highness' farther articles.
[Gives him more Letters.
Vice. Accursed wretch, to intimate these ills
Of noble Alexandro! Come, my lord, unbind him;
Against the life and reputation
Let him unbind thee, that is bound to death,
To make a quital 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 saved
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 knowest that no unkindness
else,

But even the slaughter of our dearest son,
Could 133
once have moved us to have miscon-
ceived.

Aler. Say, treacherous Villuppo, tell the king;
Or wherein hath Alexandro used thee ill?

Vil. Rent with remembrance of so foul a deed,
My 134 guilty soul submits me to thy doom;
For, not for Alexandro's injuries,
But for reward, and hope to be preferr'd
Thus have I shamelessly hazarded his life.
Vice. Which, villain, shall be ransomed with
thy death.

And not so mean a torment as we here
Devised for him, who thou saidst slew our son;
But with the bitter'st torments and extremes,
That may be yet invented for thine end.

[ALEXANDRO seems to entreat.
Intreat me not,-go take the traitor hence.—
[Exit VILLUPR9.

VOL. I.

128 Infected, 1618. 23. 33,

129 Tortures when ―The alteration here adopted was made by Mr Dodsley.

130 Of, 1618. 23. 33.

131 Know sovereign I that-1618

Know my soveraigne that-1623. 33.

132 Commend, 1618. 23. 33.

133 Could never once moved-1633.

134 Guiltful, 1618. 23. 33.

3 Q

Hier. 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,
Confused and fill'd with murder and misdeeds.
Oh, sacred heav'ns! if this unhallowed deed,
If this inhuman and barbarous attempt;
If this incomparable murder thus
Of mine, but now no more my son,
Shall unreveal'd, and unrevenged pass;
How should we term your dealings to be just,
If you unjustly deal with those that in your jus-

tice trust?

For want of ink, receive this bloody writ;
Me hath my hapless brother hid from thee:
Revenge thyself on Balthezar and him:
For those were they that murdered thy son.
Hieronimo, revenge Horatio's death,
And better far than Belimperia 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, Belimperia,
To accuse thy brother had he been the mean?
Hieronimo, beware, thou art betray'd,
And to intrap thy life, this train is laid:
Advise thee therefore, be not credulous;
This is devised to endanger thee,

That thou, by this, Lorenzo shouldst accuse:
And he, for the 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 behoves me be revenged:
Then hazard not thine own, Hieronimo;
But live to effect thy resolution.

I therefore will by circumstances try,
What I can gather to confirm this writ;
And 138 heark'ning near the duke of Castile's
house,

Close, if I can, with Belimperia,

To listen more; but nothing to 139 bewray.
Enter PEDRINGANO.

Hier. Now, Pedringano!
Ped. Now, Hieronimo!
Hier. Where's thy lady?
Ped. I know not: here's my lord.

Enter LORENZO.

Lor. How now, who's this, Hieronimo?

135 Articulated—i. e. exhibited in articles. See Mr Steevens's Note on the First Part of Henry IV. A

5. S. 1.

136 And fear my heart with fierce inflamed thoughts. The verb fear is often used by our ancient writes in the sense of frighten, or make afraid : As, in Every Man in his Humour, A. 3. S. 7:

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"Could but my soule resolve my cause were just,

"Earth's mountaine, nor sea's surge, should hide him from mee.
"Ene to hell's threshold would I follow him,

"And see the slanderer in before I left him,

"But as it is it feares me."

Euphues and his England, p. 123: "-nor the threatnings of kings (which are perillous to a prince, "nor the perswasions of Papists (which are honny to the mouth) could either fear hir, or allure bir, &c." The Curtain Drawer of the World, 1612, p. 41 : "-if he shall feare us out of our wits with strange

"words, &c."

137 Discontent, 1618, 23 33.

138 Hearken, 1618, 23. 33.

19 Beray-betray, which at present has only a dirty meaning, anciently signified to betray, to discover.

Mr Steevens's Note on King Lear, A 3. 8. 6.

Hier. My lord.

Ped. He asketh for my lady Belimperia.
Lor. What to do, Hieronimo? the duke my
father hath

Upon some disgrace a while removed her hence :
But if be aught I may inform her of,
Tell me, Hieronimo, and I'll let her know it.

Hier. Nay, nay, my lord, I thank you, it shall
not need,

I had a suit unto her, but too late,
And her disgrace makes me unfortunate.
140 Why so, Hieronimo? use me.
"Hier. Who you, my lord?

Lor.

"I reserve your favour for a greater honour. "This is a very toy, my lord, a toy.

"Lor. All's one, Hieronimo, acquaint me with it. "Hier. I'faith, my lord, 'tis an idle thing, I must confess,

"I ha' been too slack, too tardy, too remiss unto

your honour.

"Lor. How now, Hieronimo?

Of all these practices, I'll spread the watch, Upon precise commandment from the king,

“Hier. In troth, my lord, it is a thing of no- Strongly to guard the place where Pedringano

thing;

"The murder of a son, or so:

"A thing of nothing, my lord."

Lor. Why, then farewell.

Hier. 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 damnn'd 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 condition's such, As fear or flattering words may make him false. I know his humour, and therewith repent That e'er I used him in this enterprise. But, Pedringano, to prevent the worst, And 'cause I know thee secret as my soul, Here, for thy farther satisfaction, take 141 thou this, [Gives him more Gold. And hearken to me; 142 thus it is devised, This night thou must, (and pr'ythee so resolve) Meet Serberine at St Lingis' park: Thou know'st '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 to him to meet The Prince and me, where thou must do this deed. Ped. It shall be done, my lord, it shall be done;

This night shall murder hapless Serberine.
Thus must we work, that will avoid distrust,
Thus must we practise to prevent mishap:
And thus one ill another must expulse.
This sly inquiry of Hieronimo
For Belimperia breeds suspicion,
And this suspicion bodes a farther 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 143 to no
other end.
[Exit.

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 proposed,
It is no dream that I adventure for,
But Pedringano is possest thereof;

And he that would not strain his conscience
For him, that thus his liberal purse had stretcht,
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

14 Why so, &c.-This scene likewise is rejected by Mr Hawkins. Instead of it, Hieronimo says:

141 Thee, 1623. 33.

"O, no my lord; I dare not, it must not be :

"I humbly thank your lordship.”

142 Thus it is disguis'd, 1618. 23. 33.

143 For, 1618. 23 33,

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