SCENE III.—Hall of State in the Palace.
Reading edition
In a dumb show, the possessing[233] of the Young Duke with all his Nobles; sounding music. A furnished table is brought forth; then enter the Duke and his Nobles to the banquet. A blazing star appeareth.
1st Noble. Many harmonious hours and choicest pleasures Fill up the royal number of your years! Lus. My lords, we're pleased to thank you, though we know 'Tis but your duty now to wish it so. 1st Noble. That shine makes us all happy. 3rd Noble. His grace frowns. 2nd Noble. Yet we must say he smiles. 1st Noble. I think we must. Lus. That foul incontinent duchess we have banished; The bastard shall not live. After these revels, I'll begin strange ones: he and the step-sons Shall pay their lives for the first subsidies; We must not frown so soon, else't had been now. [Aside. 1st Noble. My gracious lord, please you prepare for pleasure. The masque is not far off. Lus. We are for pleasure. Beshrew thee, what art thou? thou mad'st me start! Thou has committed treason. A blazing star! 1st Noble. A blazing star! O, where, my lord? Lus. Spy out. 2nd Noble. See, see, my lords, a wondrous dreadful one! Lus. I am not pleased at that ill-knotted fire, That bushing, staring star. Am I not duke? It should not quake me now. Had it appeared Before, it I might then have justly feared; But yet they say, whom art and learning weds, When stars wear locks, they threaten great men's heads: Is it so? you are read, my lords. 1st Noble. May it please your grace, It shows great anger. Lus. That does not please our grace. 2nd Noble. Yet here's the comfort, my lord: many times, When it seems most near, it threatens farthest off. Lus. Faith, and I think so too. 1st Noble. Beside, my lord, You're gracefully established with the loves Of all your subjects; and for natural death, I hope it will be threescore years a-coming. Lus. True? no more but threescore years? 1st Noble. Fourscore, I hope, my lord. 2nd Noble. And fivescore, I. 3rd Noble. But 'tis my hope, my lord, you shall ne'er die. Lus. Give me thy hand; these others I rebuke: He that hopes so is fittest for a duke: Thou shalt sit next me; take your places, lords; We're ready now for sports; let 'em set on: You thing! we shall forget you quite anon! 3rd Noble. I hear 'em coming, my lord.
Enter the Masque of revengers: Vendice and Hippolito, with two Lords.
Lus. Ah, 'tis well! Brothers and bastard, you dance next in hell! [Aside.
[They dance; at the end they steal out their swords, and kill the four seated at the table. Thunder.
Ven. Mark, thunder! Dost know thy cue, thou big-voiced crier? Dukes' groans are thunder's watchwords. Hip. So, my lords, you have enough. Ven. Come, let's away, no lingering. Hip. Follow! go! [Exeunt except Vendice. Ven. No power is angry when the lustful die; When thunder claps, heaven likes the tragedy. [Exit.
Lus. O, O!
Enter the Masque of intended murderers: Ambitioso, Supervacuo, Spurio, and a Lord, coming in dancing. Lussurioso recovers a little in voice, groans, and calls, "A guard! treason!" at which the Dancers start out of their measure, and, turning towards the table, find them all to be murdered.
Spu. Whose groan was that?
Lus. Treason! a guard!
Amb. How now? all murdered!
Sup. Murdered!
3rd. Lord. And those his nobles?
Amb. Here's a labour saved; I thought to have sped him. 'Sblood, how came this? Spu. Then I proclaim myself; now I am duke. Amb. Thou duke! brother, thou liest. Spu. Slave! so dost thou. [Kills Ambitioso. 3rd Lord. Base villain! hast thou slain my lord and master? [Stabs Spurio.
Re-enter Vendice and Hippolito and the two Lords.
Ven. Pistols! treason! murder! Help! guard my lord the duke!
Enter Antonio and Guard.
Hip. Lay hold upon this traitor. Lus. O! Ven. Alas! the duke is murdered. Hip. And the nobles. Ven. Surgeons! surgeons! Heart! does he breathe so long? [Aside. Ant. A piteous tragedy! able to make An old man's eyes bloodshot. Lus. O! Ven. Look to my lord the duke. A vengeance throttle him! [Aside. Confess, thou murderous and unhallowed man, Didst thou kill all these? 3rd Lord. None but the bastard, I. Ven. How came the duke slain, then? 3rd Lord. We found him so. Lus. O villain! Ven. Hark! Lus. Those in the masque did murder us. Ven. La you now, sir— O marble impudence! will you confess now? 3rd Lord. 'Sblood, 'tis all false. Ant. Away with that foul monster, Dipped in a prince's blood. 3rd Lord. Heart! 'tis a lie. Ant. Let him have bitter execution. Ven. New marrow! no, I cannot be expressed. How fares my lord the duke? Lus. Farewell to all; He that climbs highest has the greatest fall. My tongue is out of office. Ven. Air, gentlemen, air. Now thou'lt not prate on't, 'twas Vendice murdered thee. [Whispers in his ear. Lus. O! Ven. Murdered thy father. [Whispers. Lus. O! [Dies. Ven. And I am he—tell nobody: [Whispers] So, so, the duke's departed. Ant. It was a deadly hand that wounded him. The rest, ambitious who should rule and sway After his death, were so made all away. Ven. My lord was unlikely— Hip. Now the hope Of Italy lies in your reverend years. Ven. Your hair will make the silver age again, When there were fewer, but more honest men. Ant. The burthen's weighty, and will press age down; May I so rule, that Heaven may keep the crown! Ven. The rape of your good lady has been quitted With death on death. Ant. Just is the law above. But of all things it put me most to wonder How the old duke came murdered! Ven. O my lord! Ant. It was the strangeliest carried: I've not heard of the like. Hip. 'Twas all done for the best, my lord. Ven. All for your grace's good. We may be bold to speak it now, 'Twas somewhat witty carried, though we say it— 'Twas we two murdered him. Ant. You two? Ven. None else, i' faith, my lord. Nay, 'twas well-managed. Ant. Lay hands upon those villains! Ven. How! on us? Ant. Bear 'em to speedy execution. Ven. Heart! was't not for your good, my lord? Ant. My good! Away with 'em: such an old man as he! You, that would murder him, would murder me. Ven. Is't come about? Hip. 'Sfoot, brother, you begun. Ven. May not we set as well as the duke's son? Thou hast no conscience, are we not revenged? Is there one enemy left alive amongst those? 'Tis time to die, when we're ourselves our foes: When murderers shut deeds close, this curse does seal 'em: If none disclose 'em, they themselves reveal 'em! This murder might have slept in tongueless brass But for ourselves, and the world died an ass. Now I remember too, here was Piato Brought forth a knavish sentence once; No doubt (said he), but time Will make the murderer bring forth himself. 'Tis well he died; he was a witch. And now, my lord, since we are in for ever, This work was ours, which else might have been slipped! And if we list, we could have nobles clipped, And go for less than beggars; but we hate To bleed so cowardly: we have enough, I' faith, we're well, our mother turned, our sister true, We die after a nest of dukes. Adieu! [Exeunt. Ant. How subtlely was that murder closed![234] Bear up Those tragic bodies: 'tis a heavy season; Pray Heaven their blood may wash away all treason! [Exit.