Part 2 / Act 4 — ACT IV. SCENE I.

An Apartment in the Duke’s House.

Enter Almachildes.

Alm. Though the fates have endued me with a pretty kind of lightness, that I can laugh at the world in a corner on’t, and can make myself merry on fasting nights to rub out a supper (which were a precious quality in a young formal student), yet let the world know there is some difference betwixt my jovial condition and the lunary state of madness. I am not quite out of my wits: I know a bawd from an aqua-vitæ shop,^[550] a strumpet from wildfire, and a beadle from brimstone. Now shall I try the honesty of a great woman soundly. She reckoning the duke’s made away, I’ll be hanged if I be not the next now. If I trust her, as she’s a woman, let one of her long hairs wind about my heart, and be the end of me; which were a piteous lamentable tragedy, and might be entituled A fair Warning for all hair-bracelets.^[551]

Already there’s an insurrection

306Among the people; they are up in arms

Not out of any reason, but their wills,

Which are in them their saints, sweating and swearing,

Out of their zeal to rudeness, that no stranger,

As they term her, shall govern over them;

They say they’ll raise a duke among themselves first.

Enter Duchess.

Duch. O Almachildes, I perceive already

Our loves are born to curses! we’re beset

By multitudes; and, which is worse, I fear me

Unfriended too of any: my chief care

Is for thy sweet youth’s safety.

Alm. He that believes you not

Goes the right way to heaven, o’ my conscience. [Aside.

Duch. There is no trusting of 'em; they’re all as barren

In pity as in faith: he that puts confidence

In them, dies openly to the sight of all men,

Not with his friends and neighbours in peace private;

But as his shame, so his cold farewell is,

Public and full of noise. But keep you close, sir,

Not seen of any, till I see the way

Plain for your safety. I expect the coming

Of the lord governor, whom I will flatter

With fair entreaties, to appease their wildness;

And before him take a great grief upon me

For the duke’s death, his strange and sudden loss;

And when a quiet comes, expect thy joys.

Alm. I do expect now to be made away

'Twixt this and Tuesday night: if I live Wednesday,

Say I have been careful, and shunn’d spoon-meat.

[Aside and exit.

307Duch. This fellow lives too long after the deed;

I’m weary of his sight; he must die quickly,

Or I’ve small hope of safety. My great aim’s

At the lord governor’s love; he is a spirit

Can sway and countenance; these obey and crouch.

My guiltiness had need of such a master,

That with a beck can suppress multitudes,

And dim misdeeds with radiance of his glory,

Not to be seen with dazzled popular eyes:

And here behold him come.

Enter Lord Governor, attended by Gentlemen.

Gov. Return back to 'em,

Say we desire 'em to be friends of peace

Till they hear farther from us. [Exeunt Gentlemen.

Duch. O my lord,

I fly unto the pity of your nobleness,

The grieved’st lady that was e’er beset

With storms of sorrows, or wild rage of people!

Never was woman’s grief for loss of lord

Dearer^[552] than mine to me.

Gov. There’s no right done

To him now, madam, by wrong done to yourself;

Your own good wisdom may instruct you so far:

And for the people’s tumult, which oft grows

From liberty, or rankness of long peace,

I’ll labour to restrain, as I’ve begun, madam.

Duch. My thanks and praises shall ne’er forget you, sir,

And, in time to come, my love.

Gov. Your love, sweet madam?

You make my joys too happy; I did covet

To be the fortunate man that blessing visits,

Which I’ll esteem the crown and full reward

Of service present and deserts to come:

308It is a happiness I’ll be bold to sue for,

When I have set a calm upon these spirits

That now are up for ruin.

Duch. Sir, my wishes

Are so well met in yours, so fairly answer’d,

And nobly recompens’d, it makes me suffer

In those extremes that few have ever felt;

To hold two passions in one heart at once,

Of gladness and of sorrow.

Gov. Then, as the olive

Is the meek ensign of fair fruitful peace,

So is this kiss of yours.

Duch. Love’s power be with you, sir!

Gov. How sh’as betray’d her! may I breathe no longer

Than to do virtue service, and bring forth

The fruits of noble thoughts, honest and loyal!

This will be worth th’ observing; and I’ll do’t.

[Aside and exit.

Duch. What a sure happiness confirms joy to me,

Now in the times of my most imminent dangers!

I look’d for ruin, and increase of honour

Meets me auspiciously. But my hopes are clogg’d now

With an unworthy weight; there’s the misfortune!

What course shall I take now with this young man?

For he must be no hinderance: I have thought on’t;

I’ll take some witch’s counsel for his end,

That will be sur’st: mischief is mischief’s friend.

[Exit.