Are intercepted, and choice troops of horse
Scour o'er the neighbour plains; your picture sent
To every state confederate with Milan :

That, though I grieve to speak it, in my judgment,
So thick your dangers meet, and run upon you,
It is impossible you should escape

Their curious search.

Eug. Why, let us then turn Romans,

And, falling by our own hands, mock their threats, And dreadful preparations.

Fran. "Twould show nobly;

But that the honour of our full revenge
Were lost in the rash action. No, Eugenia,
Graccho is wise, my friend too, not my servant,
And I dare trust him with my latest secret.
We would, and thou must help us to perform it,
First kill the duke-then, fall what can upon us!
For injuries are writ in brass, kind Graccho,
And not to be forgotten.

Grac. He instructs me

What I should do.

Fran. What's that?

Grac. I labour with

[Aside.

A strong desire to assist you with my service; And now I am deliver'd of't.

Fran. I told you.

Speak, my oraculous Graccho.

Grac. I have heard, sir,

Of men in debt that, lay'd for by their creditors,
In all such places where it could be thought
They would take shelter, chose, for sanctuary,
Their lodgings underneath their creditors' noses,
Or near that prison to which they were design'd,
If apprehended; confident that there
They never should be sought for.
Eug. 'Tis a strange one!

Fran. But what infer you from it?
Grac. This, my lord;

That, since all ways of your escape are stopp'd,
In Milan only, or, what's more, in the court,
Whither it is presumed you dare not come,
Conceal'd in some disguise, you may live safe.
Fran. And not to be discover'd?
Grac. But by myself.

Fran. By thee! Alas! I know thee honest,
Graccho,

And I will put thy counsel into act,
And suddenly. Yet, not to be ungrateful
For all thy loving travail to preserve me,

What bloody end soe'er my stars appoint,
Thou shalt be safe, good Graccho.-Who's within
there?

Grac. In the devil's name, what means he !
Enter Servants.

Fran. Take my friend

Into your custody, and bind him fast :
I would not part with him.

Grac. My good lord.

Fran. Dispatch:

'Tis for your good, to keep you honest, Graccho : I would not have ten thousand ducats tempt you, Being of a soft and wax-like disposition,

To play the traitor; nor a foolish itch

To be revenged for your late excellent whipping, Give you the opportunity to offer

My head for satisfaction. Why, thou fool!

I can look through and through thee! thy intents
Appear to me as written in thy forehead,
In plain and easy characters: and but that

I scorn a slave's base blood should rust that sword
That from a prince expects a scarlet dye,
Thou now wert dead; but live, only to pray
For good success to crown my undertakings;
And then, at my return, perhaps, I'll free thee,
To make me further sport. Away with him!
I will not hear a syllable.

[Exeunt Servants with GRACCHO.
We must trust

Ourselves, Eugenia; and though we make use of
The counsel of our servants, that oil spent,
Like snuffs that do offend, we tread them out.—
But now to our last scene, which we'll so carry,
That few shall understand how 'twas begun,
Till all, with half an eye, may see 'tis done.

[Exeunt.

SCENE II.-MILAN. A Room in the Castle.
Enter PESCARA, TIBERIO, and STEPHANO.
Pesc. The like was never read of.

Steph. In my judgment,

To all that shall but hear it, 'twill appear

A most impossible fable.

Tib. For Francisco,

My wonder is the less, because there are

Too many precedents of unthankful men

Raised up to greatness, which have after studied The ruin of their makers.

Steph. But that melancholy,

Though ending in distraction, should work
So far upon a man, as to compel him

To court a thing that has nor sense nor being,
Is unto me a miracle.

Pesc. "Troth, I'll tell you,

And briefly as I can, by what degrees

He fell into this madness. When, by the care
Of his physicians, he was brought to life,
As he had only pass'd a fearful dream,
And had not acted what I grieve to think on,
He call'd for fair Marcelia, and being told
That she was dead, he broke forth in extremes,
(I would not say blasphemed,) and cried that
heaven,

For all the offences that mankind could do,
Would never be so cruel as to rob it

Of so much sweetness, and of so much goodness;
That not alone was sacred in herself,

But did preserve all others innocent,

That had but converse with her. Then it came Into his fancy that she was accused

By his mother and his sister; thrice he curs'd them,

And thrice his desperate hand was on his sword T'have kill'd them both; but he restrain'd, and they

Shunning his fury, spite of all prevention
He would have turn'd his rage upon himself;
When wisely his physicians, looking on

The Dutchess' wound, to stay his ready hand,
Cried out, it was not mortal.

Tib. "Twas well thought on.

Pesc. He easily believing what he wish'd,
More than a perpetuity of pleasure
In any object else; flatter'd by hope,
Forgetting his own greatness, he fell prostrate
At the doctors' feet, implored their aid, and swore,
Provided they recover'd her, he would live

A private man, and they should share his duke-
They seem'd to promise fair, and every hour [dom.
Vary their judgments, as they find his fit
To suffer intermission or extremes :
For his behaviour since-

Sfor. [within.] As you have pity,

Support her gently.

Pesc. Now, be your own witnesses;

I am prevented.

Enter SFORZA, ISABELLA, MARIANA, Doctors, and Servants with the body of MARCELIA.

Sfor. Carefully, I beseech you,

The gentlest touch torments her; and then think
What I shall suffer. O you earthly gods,
You second natures, that from your great master,
Who join'd the limbs of torn Hippolitus,
And drew upon himself the Thunderer's envy,
Are taught those hidden secrets that restore
To life death-wounded men! you have a patient,
On whom to express the excellence of art,
Will bind even heaven your debtor, though it
pleases

To make your hands the organs of a work
The saints will smile to look on, and good angels
Clap their celestial wings to give it plaudits.
How pale and wan she looks! O pardon me,
That I presume (dyed o'er with bloody guilt,
Which makes me, I confess, far, far unworthy)
To touch this snow-white hand. How cold it is!
This once was Cupid's fire-brand, and still
"Tis so to me. How slow her pulses beat too!
Yet in this temper, she is all perfection,
And mistress of a heat so full of sweetness,
The blood of virgins, in their pride of youth,
Are balls of snow or ice compared unto her.
Mari. Is not this strange?

Isab. Oh! cross him not, dear daughter;
Our conscience tells us we have been abused,
Wrought to accuse the innocent, and with him
Are guilty of a fact-

Enter a Servant, and whispers PESCARA.
Mari. 'Tis now past help.
Pesc. With me? What is he?
Serv. He has a strange aspect;

A Jew by birth, and a physician

By his profession, as he says, who, hearing
Of the duke's frenzy, on the forfeit of
His life will undertake to render him
Perfect in every part :-provided that
Your lordship's favour gain him free access,

Sfor. How sound she sleeps! Heaven keep her from a lethargy!

-How long

(But answer me with comfort, I beseech you)
Does your sure judgment tell you that these lids,
That cover richer jewels than themselves,
Like envious night, will bar these glorious suns
From shining on me?

1 Doct. We have given her, sir,

A sleepy potion, that will hold her long,
That she may be less sensible of the torment
The searching of her wound will put her to.

2 Doct. She now feels little; but if we should wake her,

To hear her speak would fright both us and you, And therefore dare not hasten it.

Sfor. I am patient.

You see I do not rage, but wait your pleasure.
What do you think she dreams of now? for sure,
Although her body's organs are bound fast,
Her fancy cannot slumber.

1 Doct. That, sir, looks on

Your sorrow for your late rash act, with pity
Of what you suffer for it, and prepares
To meet the free confession of your guilt
With a glad pardon.

Sfor. She was ever kind;

[Kneels.

And her displeasure, though call'd on, short-lived
Upon the least submission. O you Powers,
That can convey our thoughts to one another
Without the aid of eyes or ears, assist me!
Let her behold me in a pleasing dream
Thus, on my knees before her; (yet that duty
In me is not sufficient ;) let her see me
Compel my mother, from whom I took life,
And this my sister, partner of my being,
To bow thus low unto her; let her hear us
In my acknowledgment freely confess
That we in a degree as high are guilty
As she is innocent. Bite your tongues, vile

creatures,

And let your inward horror fright your souls,
For having belied that pureness, to come near
All women that posterity can bring forth [which,
Must be, though striving to be good, poor rivals.
And for that dog Francisco, that seduced me,
In wounding her, to rase a temple built
To chastity and sweetness, let her know
I'll follow him to hell, but I will find him,
And there live a fourth Fury to torment him.
Then, for this cursed hand and arm that guided
The wicked steel, I'll have them, joint by joint,
With burning irons sear'd off, which I will eat,
I being a vulture fit to taste such carrion;
Lastly

1 Doct. You are too loud, sir; you disturb Her sweet repose.

Sfor. I am hush'd. Yet give us leave, Thus prostrate at her feet, our eyes bent down

Pesc. Look up, sir, cheerfully; comfort in me Flows strongly to you.

Sfor. From whence came that sound? Was it from my Marcelia ?

[Rises.

If it were, I rise, and joy will give me wings to meet it. Pesc. Nor shall your expectation be deferr'd But a few minutes. Your physicians are Mere voice, and no performance; I have found A man that can do wonders. Do not hinder The dutchess' wish'd recovery, to enquire Or what he is, or to give thanks, but leave him To work this miracle.

Sfor. Sure, 'tis my good angel.

I do obey in all things: be it death
For any to disturb him, or come near,
Till he be pleased to call us.
And make a duke thy bondman!

O, be prosperous,

[Exeunt all but FRANCISCO and EUGENIA.

Fran. 'Tis my purpose;

If that to fall a long-wish'd sacrifice
To my revenge can be a benefit.

I'll first make fast the doors ;-so!

Eug. You amaze me:

What follows now?

Fran. A full conclusion

Of all thy wishes. Look on this, Eugenia,
Even such a thing, the proudest fair on earth
(For whose delight the elements are ransack'd,
And art with nature studied to preserve her,)
Must be, when she is summon'd to appear
In the court of Death. But I lose time.
Eug. What mean you?

Fran. Disturb me not.-Your ladyship looks

pale;

But I, your doctor, have a ceruse for you.— See, my Eugenia, how many faces,

That are adored in court, borrow these helps,

[Paints the cheeks.

Fran. Spare thy labour, fool,-Francisco.

All. Monster of men!

Fran. Give me all attributes

Of all you can imagine, yet I glory

To be the thing I was born. I AM Francisco;
Francisco, that was raised by you, and made
The minion of the time; the same Francisco,
That would have whored this trunk when it had
And, after, breathed a jealousy upon thee, [life;
As killing as those damps that belch out plagues
When the foundation of the earth is shaken :

I made thee do a deed heaven will not pardon,
Which was to kill an innocent.

Sfor. Call forth the tortures
For all that flesh can feel.

Fran. I dare the worst.

Only, to yield some reason to the world
Why I pursued this course, look on this face,
Made old by thy base falsehood: 'tis Eugenia.

Sfor. Eugenia!

Fran. Does it start you, sir? my sister,
Seduced and fool'd by thee: but thou must pay
The forfeit of thy falsehood. Does it not work
yet!-

Whate'er becomes of me, which I esteem not,
THOU art mark'd for the grave: I've given thee

poison

In this cup, now observe me, which, thy lust
Carousing deeply of, made thee forget

Thy vow'd faith to Eugenia.

Pese. O damn'd villain!

Isab. How do you, sir?
Sfor. Like one

That learns to know in death what punishment
Waits on the breach of faith. Oh! now I feel
An Etna in my entrails.-I have lived

A prince, and my last breath shall be command.
-İ burn, I burn! yet ere life be consumed,
Let me pronounce upon this wretch all torture
That witty cruelty can invent.

Pesc. Away with him!

Tib. In all things we will serve you.

Fran. Farewell, sister!

Now I have kept my word, torments I scorn:
I leave the world with glory. They are men,
And leave behind them name and memory,
That, wrong'd, do right themselves before they die.
[Exeunt Guard with FRANCISCO.

Steph. A desperate wretch !

Sfor. come: Death! I obey thee.
Yet I will not die raging; for, alas!
My whole life was a frenzy. Good Eugenia,
In death forgive me.-As you love me, bear her
To some religious house, there let her spend
The remnant of her life: when I am ashes,
Perhaps she'll be appeased, and spare a prayer
For my poor soul. Bury me with Marcelia,
And let our epitaph be-

Tib. His speech is stopp'd.
Steph. Already dead!

Pesc. It is in vain to labour

[Dies.