Part 2 / Act 5 — SCENE III.

An Apartment in the House of the Lord Governor.

Enter Lord Governor, Isabella, Florida, Sebastian, Gasparo, and Servants.^[572]

Isa. My lord, I’ve given you nothing but the truth

Of a most plain and innocent intent.

My wrongs being so apparent in this woman—

A creature that robs wedlock of all comfort,

Where’er she fastens—I could do no less

But seek means privately to shame his folly.

No farther reach’d my malice; and it glads me

That none but my base injurer is found

To be my false accuser.

Gov. This is strange,

That he should give the wrongs, yet seek revenge.—

But, sirrah, you; you are accus’d here doubly:

First, by your lady, for a false intelligence

That caus’d her absence, which much hurts her name,

Though her intents were blameless; next, by this woman,

For an adulterous design and plot

Practis’d between you to entrap her honour,

Whilst she, for her hire, should enjoy her husband.

Your answer.

Seb. Part of this is truth, my lord,

To which I’m guilty in a rash intent,

But clear in act; and she most clear in both,

Not sanctity more spotless.

331Enter Hermio.

Her. O my lord!

Gov. What news breaks there?

Her. Of strange destruction:

Here stands the lady that within this hour

Was made a widow.

Gov. How?^[573]

Her. Your niece, my lord.

A fearful, unexpected accident

Brought death to meet his fury: for my lord

Entering Fernando’s house, like a rais’d tempest,

Which nothing heeds but its own violent rage,

Blinded with wrath and jealousy, which scorn guides,

From a false trap-door fell into a depth

Exceeds a temple’s height, which takes into it

Part of the dungeon that falls threescore fathom

Under the castle.

Gov. O you seed of lust,

Wrongs and revenges wrongful, with what terrors

You do present yourselves to wretched man

When his soul least expects you!

Isa. I forgive him

All his wrongs now, and sign it with my pity.

Flo. O my sweet servant! [Swoons.

Gov. Look to yond light mistress.

Gas. She’s in a swoon, my lord.

Gov. Convey her hence:

It is a sight would grieve a modest eye

To see a strumpet’s soul sink into passion^[574]

For him that was the husband of another.—

[Servants remove Florida.

Yet all this clears not you.

332Seb. Thanks to heaven

That I am now of age to clear myself then.

[Discovers himself.

Gov. Sebastian!

Seb. The same, much wronged, sir.

Isa. Am I certain

Of what mine eye takes joy to look upon?

Seb. Your service cannot alter me from knowledge;

I am your servant ever.

Gov. Welcome to life, sir.—

Gaspar, thou swor’st his death.

Gas. I did indeed, my lord,

And have been since well paid for’t: one forsworn mouth

Hath got me two or three more here.

Seb. I was dead, sir,

Both to my joys and all men’s understanding,

Till this my hour of life; for ’twas my fortune

To make the first of my return to Urbin

A witness to that marriage; since which time

I’ve walk’d beneath myself, and all my comforts

Like one on earth whose joys are laid above:

And though it had been offence small in me

T’ enjoy mine own, I left her pure and free.

Gov. The greater and more sacred is thy blessing;

For where heaven’s bounty holy ground-work finds,

’Tis like a sea, encompassing chaste minds.

Her. The duchess comes, my lord.

Enter Duchess and Amoretta.

Gov. Be you then all witnesses

Of an intent most horrid.

Duch. One poor night,

Ever Almachildes now.^[575]

333Better his meaner fortunes wept than ours,

That took the true height of a princess’ spirit

To match unto their greatness. Such lives as his

Were only made to break the force of fate

Ere it came at us, and receive the venom.

’Tis but a usual friendship for a mistress

To lose some forty years’ life in hopeful time,

And hazard an eternal soul for ever:

As young as he has done['t], and more desertful.

[Aside.

Gov. Madam.

Duch. My lord?

Gov. This is the hour that I’ve so long desir’d;

The tumult’s full appeas’d; now may we both

Exchange embraces with a fortunate arm,

And practise to make love-knots, thus.

[A curtain is drawn, and the Duke discovered

on a couch, as if dead.

Duch. My lord!

Gov. Thus, lustful woman and bold murderess, thus.

Blessed powers,

To make my loyalty and truth so happy!

Look thee, thou shame of greatness, stain of honour,

Behold thy work, and weep before thy death!

If thou be’st blest with sorrow and a conscience,

Which is a gift from heaven, and seldom knocks

At any murderer’s breast with sounds of comfort,

See this thy worthy and unequall’d piece;

A fair encouragement for another husband!

Duch. Bestow me upon death, sir; I am guilty,

And of a cruelty above my cause:

His injury was too low for my revenge.

Perform a justice that may light all others

To noble actions: life is hateful to me,

Beholding my dead lord. Make us an one

334In death, whom marriage made one of two living,

Till cursed fury parted us: my lord,

I covet to be like him.

Gov. No, my sword

Shall never stain the virgin brightness on’t

With blood of an adulteress.

Duch. There, my lord,

I dare my accusers, and defy the world,

Death, shame, and torment: blood I’m guilty of,

But not adultery, not the breach of honour.

Gov. No?—Come forth, Almachildes! Enter Almachildes.

Duch. Almachildes?

Hath time brought him about to save himself

By my destruction? I am justly doom’d.

Gov. Do you know this woman?

Alm. I’ve known her better, sir, than at this time.

Gov. But she defies you there.

Alm. That’s the common trick of them all.

Duch. Nay, since I’m touch’d so near, before my death then,

In right of honour’s innocence, I’m bold

To call heaven and my woman here to witness.

My lord, let her speak truth, or may she perish!

Amo. Then, sir, by all the hopes of a maid’s comfort

Either in faithful service or blest marriage,

The woman that his blinded folly knew

Was only a hir’d strumpet, a professor

Of lust and impudence, which here is ready

To approve what I have spoken.

Alm. A common strumpet?

This comes of scarfs: I’ll never more wear

An haberdasher’s shop before mine eyes again.

335Gov. My sword is proud thou’rt lighten’d of that sin:

Die then a murderess only!

Duke [rising and embracing her]. Live a duchess!

Better than ever lov’d, embrac’d, and honour’d.

Duch. My lord!

Duke. Nay, since in honour thou canst justly rise,

Vanish all wrongs, thy former practice dies!—

I thank thee, Almachildes, for my life,

This lord for truth, and heaven for such a wife,

Who, though her intent sinn’d, yet she makes amends

With grief and honour, virtue’s noblest ends.—

What griev’d you then shall never more offend you;

Your father’s skull with honour we’ll inter,

And give the peace due to the sepulchre:

And in all times may this day ever prove

A day of triumph, joy, and honest love!

[Exeunt omnes.

337