Act 4 — [Scene I.][868]

Bel. Is this the love thou bear’st Horatio? Is this the kindness that thou counterfeits? Are these the fruits of thine incessant tears? Hieronimo, are these thy passions, Thy protestations and thy deep laments,5 That thou wert wont to weary men withal? O unkind father! O deceitful world! With what excuses canst thou show thyself[869] From this dishonour and the hate of men, Thus to neglect the loss and life of him10 Whom both my letters and thine own belief Assures thee to be causeless slaughtered? Hieronimo, for shame, Hieronimo, Be not a history to after-times Of such ingratitude unto thy son.15 Unhappy mothers of such children then! But monstrous fathers to forget so soon The death of those whom they with care and cost Have tend’red so, thus careless should be lost. Myself, a stranger in respect of thee,20 So lov’d his life, as still I wish their deaths. Nor shall his death be unreveng’d by me, Although I bear it out for fashion’s sake; For here I swear, in sight of heaven and earth, Shouldst thou neglect the love thou shouldst retain,25 And give it over and devise no more, Myself should send their hateful souls to hell That wrought his downfall with extremest death. Hier. But may it be that Bel-imperia Vows such revenge as she hath deign’d to say?30 Why, then I see that heaven applies our drift,[870] And all the saints do sit soliciting For vengeance on those cursed murderers. Madam, ’t is true, and now I find it so, I found a letter, written in your name,35 And in that letter, how Horatio died. Pardon, O pardon, Bel-imperia, My fear and care in not believing it; Nor think I thoughtless think upon a mean To let his death be unreveng’d at full,40 And here I vow—so you but give consent, And will conceal my resolution— I will ere long determine of their deaths That causeless thus have murdered my son. Bel. Hieronimo, I will consent, conceal,45 And ought that may effect for thine avail, Join with thee to revenge Horatio’s death. Hier. On, then; [and] whatsoever I devise, Let me entreat you, grace my practices, For-why[871] the plot’s already in mine head.50 Here they are.

Bal. How now, Hieronimo? What, courting Bel-imperia? Hier. Ay, my lord; Such courting as, I promise you, She hath my heart, but you, my lord, have hers. Lor. But now, Hieronimo, or never,55 We are to entreat your help. Hier. My help? Why, my good lords, assure yourselves of me; For you have giv’n me cause,—ay, by my faith have you! Bal. It pleas’d you, at the entertainment of the ambassador, To grace the king so much as with a show.60 Now, were your study so well furnished, As, for the passing of the first night’s sport, To entertain my father with the like, Or any such-like pleasing motion, Assure yourself, it would content them well.65 Hier. Is this all? Bal. Ay, this is all. Hier. Why then, I’ll fit you; say no more. When I was young, I gave my mind And plied myself to fruitless poetry; Which though it profit the professor naught,70 Yet is it passing pleasing to the world. Lor. And how for that? Hier. Marry, my good lord, thus:— And yet methinks, you are too quick with us— When in Toledo there I studied, It was my chance to write a tragedy,75 See here, my lords— He shows them a book. Which, long forgot, I found this other day. Now would your lordships favour me so much As but to grace me with your acting it— I mean each one of you to play a part—80 Assure you it will prove most passing strange, And wondrous plausible[872] to that assembly. Bal. What, would you have us play a tragedy? Hier. Why, Nero thought it no disparagement, And kings and emperors have ta’en delight85 To make experience of their wits in plays. Lor. Nay, be not angry, good Hieronimo; The prince but ask’d a question. Bal. In faith, Hieronimo, an you be in earnest, I’ll make one. Lor. And I another.90 Hier. Now, my good lord, could you entreat Your sister Bel-imperia to make one? For what’s a play without a woman in it? Bel. Little entreaty shall serve me, Hieronimo; For I must needs be employed in your play.95 Hier. Why, this is well. I tell you, lordings. It was determined to have been acted By gentlemen and scholars too, Such as could tell what to speak. Bal. And now It shall be play’d by princes and courtiers,100 Such as can tell how to speak: If, as it is our country manner, You will but let us know the argument. Hier. That shall I roundly. The chronicles of Spain Record this written of a knight of Rhodes:105 He was betroth’d, and wedded at the length, To one Perseda, an Italian dame, Whose beauty ravish’d all that her beheld. Especially the soul of Soliman, Who at the marriage was the chiefest guest.110 By sundry means sought Soliman to win Perseda’s love, and could not gain the same. Then ’gan he break his passions to a friend, One of his bashaws,[873] whom he held full dear. Her had this bashaw long solicited,115 And saw she was not otherwise to be won, But by her husband’s death, this knight of Rhodes, Whom presently by treachery he slew. She, stirr’d with an exceeding hate therefore, As cause of this slew Soliman,120 And, to escape the bashaw’s tyranny, Did stab herself: and this the tragedy. Lor. O excellent! Bel. But say, Hieronimo, What then became of him that was the bashaw? Hier. Marry, thus: mov’d with remorse of his misdeeds,125 Ran to a mountain-top, and hung himself. Bal. But which of us is to perform that part? Hier. O, that will I, my lords; make no doubt of it. I’ll play the murderer, I warrant you; For I already have conceited that.130 Bal. And what shall I? Hier. Great Soliman, the Turkish emperor. Lor. And I? Hier. Erastus, the knight of Rhodes. Bel. And I? Hier. Perseda, chaste and resolute. And here, my lords, are several abstracts drawn,135 For each of you to note your parts, And act it, as occasion ’s off’red you. You must provide a Turkish cap, A black mustachio and a falchion; Gives a paper to Balthazar. You with a cross, like to a knight of Rhodes;140 Gives another to Lorenzo. And, madam, you must attire yourself He giveth Bel-imperia another. Like Phoebe, Flora, or the huntress [Dian],[874] Which to your discretion shall seem best. And as for me, my lords, I’ll look to one, And, with the ransom that the viceroy sent,145 So furnish and perform this tragedy, As all the world shall say, Hieronimo Was liberal in gracing of it so. Bal. Hieronimo, methinks a comedy were better. Hier. A comedy?150 Fie! comedies are fit for common wits; But to present a kingly troop withal, Give me a stately-written tragedy; Tragoedia cothurnata, fitting kings, Containing matter, and not common things.155 My lords, all this must be performed, As fitting for the first night’s revelling, The Italian tragedians were so sharp of wit. That in one hour’s meditation They would perform anything in action.160 Lor. And well it may; for I have seen the like In Paris ’mongst the French tragedians. Hier. In Paris? mass! and well remembered! There ’s one thing more that rests for us to do. Bal. What’s that, Hieronimo? Forget not anything.165 Hier. Each one of us Must act his part in unknown languages, That it may breed the more variety: As you, my lord, in Latin, I in Greek, You in Italian; and for because I know170 That Bel-imperia hath practised the French, In courtly French shall all her phrases be. Bel. You mean to try my cunning then, Hieronimo? Bal. But this will be a mere confusion And hardly shall we all be understood.175 Hier. It must be so; for the conclusion Shall prove the invention[875] and all was good: And I myself in an oration, And with a strange and wondrous show besides, That I will have there behind a curtain,180 Assure yourself, shall make the matter known; And all shall be concluded in one scene, For there ’s no pleasure ta’en in tediousness. Bal. How like you this? Lor. Why, thus my lord: We must resolve to soothe his humours up.185 Bal. On then, Hieronimo; farewell till soon. Hier. You’ll ply this gear? Lor. I warrant you. Exeunt all but Hieronimo. Hier. Why so: Now shall I see the fall of Babylon, Wrought by the heavens in this confusion. And if the world like not this tragedy,190 Hard is the hap of old Hieronimo. Exit.