is but a longer sleepe Sf. Pretty Philosophy goe boy goe sleepe Sx. Enioy the good thou sing'st this boy can sleepe Sleepe quietly and sing himselfe asleepe Making that gentle Rest vnto his Song But I le goe read what haue we here a Map Welcome thou liuely picture of the world Now I le peruse my large Dominions What a vast compasse they doe fill in thee How Poe is wearied with his tedious course But running onely through our Continent Ha! where is Poe which is our Continent If that my eyes deceiue me not I see My Empire is compriz'd within my nayle What a poore point I me Master of a blot Made by the swiftest tincture of the Inke But what did this point cost me this small blot My innocence my conscience my soule I kill'd a Nephew to obtaine this blot O horrid purchase all this toyle this guilt For so despis'd a Nothing let me see Here is no roome to sit to walke to stand In all my land I cannot place my selfe Nor be at all where I would be the Duke But the sad tapers doe deny their light And stranger fire supplyes an horrid day Of Lightning help vs heau'n make vs confess Ascendit vmb. Galeaz There is a Power in your Mercy too Vmb. Is then a time when all our time is spent That thou of vs shouldst feare a punishment O happy purchas'd priuacy to haue The free possession of an humble graue Wu't poyson vs from that why starest thou so We doe not shunne a kinsman but a foe Beleeue it Sforza I am a neer ghost Nor is our kindred by thy murther lost Rayse thy cheer'd looke see Galeazzo here Traitor and coward does thy faint breast feare The shadow which is made or is a soule Vncloath'd of Earth more abled to controle Him that vncloth'd it Then I see to dye Is more to right then suffer iniury Know I am still thy Prince and if that man In such a Miracle of villaine can At last be sound in this thy manhood show That thou darst heare thy doome of ouerthrow Sf. Villaine be dumbe we are too tamely mild That deadmen dare affront vs assume flesh And we will make a second ghost of thee Vmb. Thy threats are Ayre like vs but to goe on In curse now that thy wisdome hopes vpon A ioy in vnmolested royalty Now shalt thou haue onely a certainty Of high vnhappinesse and be vndone Losing thy rule no better then t was wonne Fetters shall bind thy legs not Crownes thy head And as a curst beast is prohibited From common shew so thou of beasts the worst Must die imprison'd and what 's most accurst Obey to death all comforts tane away Rob'd of the light and the sweet heau'n of day Then flatter not thy miseries to know Is not to hinder Fate fall shalt thou low Sinke to despaire despaire to nought and dy Then lower fall and then as low as I Descendit vmb. Sinke into earth and doe not reach thy hell Propheticke bubble might thy threats proue true For we could wish the death that thou foretell'st That our feirce shadow might pursue thee still To fright thy Ghost to nothing O weake Heau'ns VVas this a terror for a man to send A Bug-beare fram'd out of the empty Ayre This does confirme not fright vs this might be A terror to my picture not to me Scena secunda Caiazzo Cai IT must succeed Fortune may shew her spite Her pow'r she cannot in the houre I 'me made A Princes Lord or murtherer I 'ue plac'd Close at the outward doore Sanseuerin That if successe doe crowne my hopes his cares May giue me safety with my happinesse That I be not surpris'd but if I faile I haue in ioyn'd him on the noyse he heares Straight to goe call the Duke enter hither Ent Isob. Madame t is done and now the guilty head Which whilst it stood made all to feare their head Who durst affirme it did vsurpe a crowne Most humbly bends and offers it to you Is. Which I accept but for no other end Then to reuenge his death base wretch on thee If that head be not planted there 't shall off You shall inioy your Masters death Cai. How 's this Is this a loue-tricke Lady I had thought After your thankes parted twixt heau'n and me You would with greedinesse haue giu'n your selfe To him that gaue you your desires Is. Fond thought Dost thinke I de loue a man that kils a man Make him my Prince who hath dispatcht his owne Was Treason euer Preface vnto Loue Hadst thou monopoliz'd perfection And shar'd a thousand Cupids in each eye I would contemne the proudest of their shafts And giue thee onely what is due Disdaine Cai. You le vrge me to iust vengeance doe you heare Madam ingratitude quickly professe That this harsh language was but a wise baite To make him faster who was sure before Or I professe I le ioyne your death with his With thy loath'd Sforza Is. I beleeue thee now And trust me so beleeue that I could thanke thee I loue thy cruelty though not thy person Cai. Hath death so little horror well I le doe What shall inforce you to desire a death This ponyards point shall naile thee to the earth Strucke through thy armes where doe not hope vp A noble rauisher my swarty slaues Slaues hated of their fellow Black a mores Shall on thy Honors ruine tyre then Lust And kill thee in thy loathfull suffering Ent. Sforza Sanseuerin Belgiosa What dare you struggle A rape a rape O my good Lord you come in such a time As I could wish for for this houre or more This wicked woman hath beene wooing me To murther your most sacred Maiesty And for reward hath promis'd me herselfe Together with the Duchy my good Lord In detestation of such treachery I gaue her some harsh answers with which mou'd She vs'd a womans craft and cry'd a Rape Is this truth Isabella see shee 's dumbe Haue I then liu'd to haue you seeke my death A Cosin-Traitor yet you shall not dy Nor know another prison then my Court I loue to see my Murtherer O heau'ns Why should I feare to kill her yet t is reason Who is no true Prince can ne'er punish treason Cai And I shall take you at your word deare Sforza Ex. Scena tertia Iuliano Picinino Pic IT cannot be good Iulian no more I doe not loue these ouer-earnest dreames The French inuade vs when their iolly King With limber slaues does onely mocke a warre Which like so many reeds against a stone Punish their owne attempt with their owne ruine Breaking themselues not armors when we know The Court is lost in Masks reality Is so farre fled since the last victory That we may thinke the Court it selfe a maske Aeternall Musicke reuells without end Tire the too-much delighted souldier Whose armes haue now forgot their ancient vse His spirits onely actiue in his heeles And canst thou thinke they le dance
Desery the subtill path of a swift ship The voyage of a bullet or of thought Before your more mysterious purposes Sf. Then since we are alone and in a place Free from the bold intrusion of an eye Feigne Vs the Prince to whom we sent you forth And speake our Embassy vnto our selfe Bel. Great Prince to haue the offer of a Crowne Is rare and your felicity my Lord Millans Protector but your seruant knowing The ancient right your predecessors had In vsurpt Naples by vs wooes your Grace Consider vnto what he wooes your Grace Not to maintaine his pow'r but make your owne To take a Kingdome that e'ne sighes for you So shall the infamy of a lost crowne Rot in the earth with your dead Ancestors And the recouery reuiue their names To waite vpon your triumph with your foes For so much iustice needs no other power And yet such is your pow'r that it is able To make what euer you should fancy iust But that your vertue is aboue that pow'r I will not call you vsurer of Fame By this large act when the astonisht world Now fifty Ages off from vs shall reade Not in the boastings of a painted tombe The flatteries of great rottennesse but your name Writ in AEternities s true Characters For making conquer'd Crownes the rudiments Of your victorious infancy in armes When France shall know no other Charlemaigne Sf. But should we faile in the attempt what then Belg. Can Heau'n faile Iustice or those pow'rs commit Sinnes which they punish O my gracious Lord Sinne not with that weake thought but if they should Sforza will neuer Sf. He is alwaies noble But hee 'l vndoe vs with a benefit To giue a kingdome is aboue requitall Belg. His hopes are but the prayse of honest deeds If in the rereward of your spreading Fame That fils all mouthes some happy tongue may glance At him as a poore engine of your glory That could impart but not possesse a Fame Sf. Excellent man if to this welcome speech Thou giu'st as faire an answer Bel. This in briefe After some scruple and a little pause He whisper'd he would come Sf. Exactly done But leaue vs now my noble Belgiosa Till we may study a reward for thee Ex. Belg. The twilight hastens when Vitellio And Malatesta one of an high trust Ent. Vitell. Malat. With our fond Nephew promised conference And here they are Is it decreed braue friends Shall it be swiftly done nay t is no matter Your colour sayes you dare not Vit. It lyes then If that my colour shew me disobedient To my good Lord be I for euer pale But when shall Galeazzoes wish'd-for death Shew we dare somewhat Sf. We would gladly haue A poyson teach him linger to his death And a month hence we shall expect his knell Ex. Now are we entred and now to retire Were the worse treason like an inrag'd fire The more we are oppos'd the more wee 'l spred And make our foes our fewell to be head Wee 'l cut off any member and condemne Vertue of folly for a Diadem Banish Religion and make blood as cheape As when two Armies turn'd into one heape Of carcasses lye grouling what care we For the slight tainture of disloyalty None will commend the race till it be run And these are deeds not prais'd till they are done Scena tertia Iuliano Picinino Iul. My Picinino holds this sad newes true Pici. My Iuliano yes t is in each voyce That some perswasion flatt'ring Ferdinand That the French iourney was but a report Made him reuoke Alphonso his braue sonne Who with an Army had indanger'd vs For the wise old man fearing a deepe feare Might arme an enemy else too weake for him And make vs hasten the French warre gaue o're His warre with vs but when he vnderstands That all this quiet does not purchase peace The coozen'd Prince seekes the sure peace of death And leaues his ruine to destroy his sonne Iul. Will the French come then prethee Death come too Why should our eyes dull'd to all other sights By Age and sorrow be reseru'd for sight Of warre and sorrow ô discourteous heau'ns Why haue you dally'd with vs to white hayres Why kept till this time must we perish now O wherefore are we come so neere the graue And are not in it yet yet pardon me Good heau'n your acts are aboue question Yet I may shed these teares for Italy Slaue of that world which once her valour slau'd Restoring backe her triumph's with her spoyle Distracted in herselfe and onely fit To make a bankrout Poet heale his credit With matter for fresh Tragedies Pic. Good heau'n Is this to ease misfortune or increase it If Passion could whine out felicity Or plenteous teares could drowne vnhappinesse I haue eyes too and they containe their showres Nor would I ere be niggard of a Griefe But teares being onely teares an easie dew Of childish eyes and all the rest of Griefe Commanding smiles more then Compassion I thanke my Genius I am resolute To laugh at Fortune when she is most angry Iul. Such laughter may haue little mirth in it And I shall haue more comfort in a teare Pic. You may good Fountaine yes droppe on to see If so much moysture will reuiue thy cheekes Whilst I le be yong with laughter I am he That feares a sorrow more then misery Scena quarta Vitellio THis is the place and this the time good heau'n What an odd place and what an vncouth time Had I beene hyr'd to murther Sforza here Hell could not prompt more fit occasion I like nor it nor him but here he comes Ent. Sforza Sf. VVelcome Vitellio thy hast is welcome Nay complement with him whom thou wouldst kill Be free to vs as we doe know thee true Speak yet I need not bid thee for thine eye Sparkles a ioyfull answer It is done Vit. T is done my Lord and now my Lord 't is told That Galeazzo is no more a man And with an euen scruple for to me The act 's as easie as relation Sf. Thou speak'st true manhood 't is thy art alone That giues vs certaine honour there are some Striue for Aeternity with losse of life At least with hazard of the losse of it And thinke they are reueng'd when they are kill'd These are our valiant duellists and these Doe bleed whilst we doe conquer heale their wounds VVhilst we receiue none then at last vnfold Man of deepe Art that canst preuent the Fates And cut a thread which they had thought to spunne Fourty yeares yonger thy wise mysteries Thy constant neuer failing stratagems Which cause a death without a feare of death Vit. Here are some drugs but of these some not one But can command a life where ere it is And ruinate the strongest workemanship That Heau'n ere brag'd to haue compos'd of Earth Powders of speedy Fate but aboue all The instruments which make me neere to death Of such indear'd familiarity This glasse
has nimblest operation Whose liquor cast vpon the face of man Straight dulls him to an euerlasting sleepe Sf. Is this the liquor of Aeternity Vitellio fals as dead Then take thy Lethe and goe sleepe for euer Mal. I am deceiu'd or esse this is the place Enter Malas Which Sforza chooseth when he is alone Yes this is it Sf. What Malatesta come What Deuill brought him hither O crosse starres Be sudden Sforza now or thou art lost He must beleeue our guilt was accident He falls vpon Vitellio Speake my Vitellio O tune thy lips But to one syllable but to one groane And I am satisfi'd Mal. What fight is here Vitellio dead and Sforza tur'nd a Mourner Sf. Shouldst thou dye thus how would my name be soyld For though I am at guiltlesse of thy death As Innocence or if there be a name That hath lesse beeing yet the enuious world Will quit curst Fortune of so great a crime And giue it me yet speake Mal. I' me bold my Lord To aske your Honor when this dismall chance First frighted Heau'n Sf. Now Malatesta now When could vnhappinesse raigne so but now As if he meant to be before his Lord He had no sooner told the Prince must dye But he straight dy'd Mal. Then courage my good Lord Since it is thus make the best vse of it For now you need not feare to be reueal'd When one mouth 's stopt and th' other is your owne But since your last retyrement we haue beene Instructed by the speed of frequent Poasts Of the a riuall of the King of France Sf. With thankes a while my Malatesta leaue vs Ex. Why should we longer thinke of other pow'rs And not bring offrings now to our owne braine Which giues vs Agents of all kinds of men And Kings as well as poys'ners this wise King Must trouble Naples who would trouble vs Diuert inuasions which are yet not made And thus our ends are cheapely brought about We onely at the charge of plott they fight And Galiazzo dyes whom either King Were they not thus intangled would preserue We shall be conquerors without fighting thus And their poore swords shall cut a way for vs Surgio Vitellio I 'me for you France Vit. And I am for you Sforza Not poyson'd yet vnlesse 't were by thy teares The other liquor had an Antidote Happy suspect had I beene credulous And thought his loue as free as it would seeme I had not beene distrust has ransom'd me But Malatesta is intrapp'd I know Sforza for nothing did not aske the skill My equall villaine perishes and I Thus being accessary to his death May sinne to Innocence by poasting off The Princes fate to him whilst a disguise Shall keepe aliue the fame that I am dead And thus halfe truth shall come to light and I Be wisely cleer'd by double villany Ex. Scena quinta Caiazzo Sanseuerin Maluezzo Sans. AS I am noble 't was a glorious sight To see two Princes in their State at once As if two Sunnes had harmlesly conspir'd To beautifie and not to fright the Heau'ns Why should the formall nicety of State Debarre these often enteruiews I thinke They would be medicine against Tyranny For when a Prince sees all things vnder him Heads of eternall nakednesse and men That make their glory of their seruitude He thinkes hee 's vncontroulable that none Without a saucy imputation Dares warne him to his duty but suppose An equall Maiesty should once become His vsuall obiect one whose vncheck't blood Runnes full as high as his then he does learne That ther 's a Common-wealth of Princes too Not one sole Monarch Cai. Yet Sanseuerin If you obseru'd some clouds obscur'd both Sunnes For when they smil'd most freely and exprest Their neerest friendship by a strict embrace They lookt so iealously as if they fear'd A closer stab and then the King tooke leaue With that excesse of hast that one would thinke After this eager preparation He did intend his iourney to leaue vs Not to winne Naples Mal. 'T is a dangerous time And yet I seeme to crosse the truth I speake When I not feare to call 't a dangerous time Sforza is ouer-wise and so attempts Vpon the confidence of his owne braine A braine though wise yet I may safely say Within the possibilitie of error Things that can onely hap by miracle To any good Sans. Why what can happen ill Feare you a warre and what 's to be fear'd there Least that a mortall dy least that the life Due to a knotty gout or grating stone Haue a more easie period by the sword Let them feare warre who feare to see their gold Lest that the Sunne should haue a sight with them Holding so much of Earth th' are turn'd to it Who haue no more life then their durty akers Men I may say in the worst part of men And why like these runne we an idle race Of threescore yeares and then sneake to a Death Whilst souldiers master their mortality And dye by men if that at all they dye Malvezzo know when all things sifted are Peace onely pleaseth them that ne're knew warre Actus secundi Scena prima Iuliano Picinino Iul. HEard you the generall whisp'ring Pic. No what i st Iul. The Duke is ill Pic. And doe they whisper that Iul. Yes and they say he has strange fits Pic. How strange Is poyson strange in Italy why know As Princes liue aboue the vulgar so Their death has a Prerogatiue meane men May dreame away their time to fourescore yeares And when their rotten ioynts drop to their dust Onely some triuiall infirmity A Palsie or an Ague beares the blame But 't is not State for Princes to be old And yet they must not be suppos'd to dye By the respectlesse treason of disease But by some strange vnheard-of accident That Fate did neuer dreame of but no more You know Vitellio and the height of grace Sforza has shew'd him 't is suspitious When wisedome flatters villany then come Let vs be priuate and discourse some treason Enter after solemne Musick Sforza Sanseuerin Caiazzo and Souldiers when after some priuate whisp'ring they depart seuerall waies Iul. But stay my Picinino who are here Pic. O the grand favorite Sanseuerin A most full bubble valiant vanity That in high termes can sweare downe fortresses Blow away Armies with a pow'rfull breath And spoyle the enemy before he sees him But when he comes to action lye as still As in the tale that lumpish King of Frogs Which Ioue did giue them in his merriment Were tilting valour I ne're knew a man Of larger worth could he but breake the rankes Of enemies aswell as he does speares Millan ne're saw a brauer Generall But there 's his brother too Iul. I that 's the man Pic. T is wonder we can know so much of him He that can sound the depth of that sly braine Has a large plummet trust me Iulian An hundred Lawyers make vp that one head And scarcely too
quicke Proteus to him To this Caiazzo was an Ideot A plaine flat Ideot I tell thee man Meander neuer knew so many windings If as they say an Aemulation Is bred by likenesse I doe wonder much How Sforza is induc'd to imploy him Who has more Deuill in him then himselfe Iul. But why is this imployment why these Armes When all but Naples are our friends and they Not able now to shew themselues our foes Ingag'd and almost lost in the French warre Pic. Trickes Iuliano Statists call them Arts Not to be fadom'd by a vulgar reach But though I want the villany to know Yet I haue so much spleene to laugh at them And take a comfort in this plainer sense No subtilty can coozen Prouidence Scena secunda Ascanio Galeazzo Isabella Iulia Asc. HOw rests the Prince Isab. O my good Lord he rests But 't is a quiet such as the Seas haue When that the winds haue spent their violence And out of impotence bestow a calme 'T is more a death then slumber you may see His senses rather weary then at rest Asc. Are then his fits so raging Isab. Nothing else Should he but wake you de thinke two Armies met And stroue together for the loudest shout Disease has spred herselfe ore all his parts And onely spar'd his tongue as if some starre Not knowing otherwise to cleare it selfe From imputation of tyranny For such exact plaguing of Innocence Had left him that to curse withall that so To all that heard his fury he might seeme To be thus tortur'd for his Blasphemy Gal. Water some water Isab. Now the fit beginnes Gal. Some of my slaues runne and exhaust the Po Charge him no more to vent his idle streames Into the glutted maine but rather poure All his moyst mouths on me d' yee stare begone Vse not your eyes at all vnlesse to weepe And that not teares of sorrow but of helpe Such as may coole me Asc. Patience sweet Prince Adde not vnto the fire of your disease The heat of passion Gal. What red thing is this Ha Isabella tell me Is. 'T is your vncle The noble Prince Ascanio Gal. 'T is false He is nor Prince nor noble hearke you friends He talkes of Passion and of Patience Let him discourse of Aetna or Vesuuius Or of a greater heat then I doe feele And I will answer him Patience to me Goe bid rough seas be patient Asc. He growes worse And opposition does inflame him more Me thinkes I see his eye-lids faintly striue Against Deaths closing Gal. O! my ioynts are fire Why does not heau'n shed Cataracts and lowre Once to my comfort are they hot as I Haue they no moysture for a Suppliant Then though hot heau'n oppose when once my breath Hath left this corps I le haue a cold by death Mor. Is. Heard you that grone my Lord ô he is dead Cracke then ye tardy heart strings quickly cracke And giue me leaue to ouer-take the flight Of my dead husband Asc. What is past our helpe Let it be past our griefe t is fortitude To suffer chances counterbuffes as one That by his expectation had deceiu'd All her faint threatnings till this sadder time Your life has had one constant scene of ioy Which here is interrupted you should thanke The heau'ns because they were not tedious In their delights for this variety As hunger prayseth feasts so it may be You le loue ioy better for this misery Scena tertia Sforza Beatrice Sf. HOW couetous thou art to learne mishap Beatrice the answer kills thee Bet. Kill me then But not deny me Sf. Dearest I am lost And in my ruine thou Bet. I would be so Safety were ruine were it otherwise Yet tell me Sforza how are you so lost Sf. O what a busie torture woman is I must say somewhat but the maine is silence Vitellioes losse yes that hath lost me too No sooner kill'd then lost so strangely gone As if the dead had learnt a motion So to conuey themselues vnto the graue Will you be still vnkind Sf. Thou shalt heare all The French haue conquer'd Naples and which drawes Blood from our soule without a drop of blood When thus we plotted it that when both Kings Had wearied out themselues with equall slaughter And here Alphonso totter'd and there Charles When losse had ceiz'd the conqueror then we Would haue amaz'd the conqueror afresh With new alarmes when by the flattery Of chance France gets a kingdome without blood And by dry victory has vndone a plot Worth many Kingdomes I presum'd on this Naples had souldiers enough to last Killing a yeare in which space we resolu'd To arme all Italy against the French And cunningly driue out whom we call'd in Which ere we could accomplish is disclos'd And conqu'ring France intends to hinder it By our inuasion ô my policy Must I be wounded with the sword I gaue And find those enemies whom onely I Enabled to my iniury well heau'n Your kindnesse is a miracle sometime Beyond all reason but your curse is wit Enter Ascan. My fault is my faults punisher Asc. Long life And happy to our Duke Sf. How my Ascanio Recall thy selfe good Cardinall what Duke Whilst Galeazzo liues Asc. Most truly Duke For Galeazzo's dead Sf. Alas poore child I could haue wish'd thee longer life but since Heau'ns will is otherwise t were blasphemy To storme at that which is the will of heau'n I hate that impotent rebellion Enter Sanseu Sans. My Lord so crosse was Fortune that you were Made almost banqu'rout by a too much thrift For when you had discharg'd those numerous troopes Whose charges lay as hard vpon the State As an inuasion could then Orleance mou'd And stole Nouarra which disastrous newes So heated the remainder of your troopes As if you had added to their valour more When you abated from their multitudes That by a nimble victory they made His conquest be his prison Sf. Noble friend Stand thou and our State stands ô why doe men Cry out on Age on eating Age as though Our many griefes were from our many yeares And the last times were worst we rather find That nothing is so dangerous to Kings As a yong Principality for t is With them almost as with yong plants which yeeld Vnto the least intreaty of the wind And need no stronger blast but gaining Age Scarce stoope to thunder may we once arise Vnto this happy firmenesse of estate This blest maturity of Prince we stand Fearlesse of fall but if heauen enuy vs And haue decreed our ruine with our rising Yet such wee le haue it voyde of all base feares Our foes shall grieue our ruine was not theirs Scena quarta Caiazzo Belgiosa Maluezzo Mal. MY Lords since we are met so happily If you esteeme me not too bold to aske The story of your high fam'd actions Blesse me with the Relation Cai. I much feare Mine are not worthy your attention Yet if it please you noble Belgiosa Because my story will
depend on that To shew the reason why the giddy French So strangely left their conquest such your pow'r Such a full conquest haue you of your friend I 'le shame my selfe for your content Bel. Then thus From vs France hurry'd thorow Lumbardy And fled to conquer who had seene that hast Would easily suppos'd it to haue beene Rather a flight then an inuasion The Pope quakes at the progresse and admits Yong Ferd'nand into Rome that if the French Should dare a fight they might find Naples there France slights that fainter opposition And speakes his scorne in thunder Naples flyes And all his army hath no other vse Then to become vnwilling harbingers To shew their lodgings to the conqu'ring French Who like fierce winds that sweepe away their lets Or like incroaching tydes take swiftly in The offer'd Countries not defended now Saint German yeelds and sawcy Capua That dar'd a competition once with Rome Aversa takes the president and now The King of Naples finds home foes and such As durst be valiant against their Prince And vse their fond armes in a mutiny Which were not safe enough for a defence He taking the aduantage of thou crime Vnconquer'd by the French to these he yeelds And chuseth rather to become no Prince Then keepe the Crowne which they would take away Mal. What was the issue Bel. Strangely pittifull He that had Nauies yesterday has now Scarce a barke left him scarce a planke or two To trust him to the mercy of the Seas The Seas more courteous then the multitude In which he makes for Ischia and leaues His enemy his successor Cai. And he As I haue seene some wav'ring amorist Neglects his conquest for the lasinesse For when t was certaine Ferdinand was fled Whilst they might iustly yet feare his returne The French returne as if they meant to try Which would be soonest weary of the hast Who had the swifter pace to runne away Bel. That is no new act of new gouernors Such stories are as ancient as the world Till they doe try what they can doe they thinke They may doe all things their first act is warre As if they meant rather to kill then raigne It matters not vpon what ground there is Pretence enough to quit a conqueror From the least shew of iniury but then VVhen they haue felt the least of warres extreames They raue they faint they crosse what they first did And are e'ne weary of a victory Cai. France made this certaine truth who in his brags Had sworne the fall of Mahomet but now VVhen he might heare the groanes of Graecia Deliuer'd by the ecchoes of their sea To make them more he thinkes on a retreat And chuseth home before a victory It was a vally where our Taro laues The root of Appennine and a large plaine Spheard with a row of swelling Earth makes warre A spatious Amphitheater where we Stayd for their comming when mature aduice That crownes most actions strangely iniur'd vs For rashnesse would haue stole a victory VVhich tedious consultation gaue away Successe had smil'd on our temerity Had we assaulted them vpon the hills And added to the mountaines with the French But I am tedious onely our vanne fought And t was the Frenchmens victory to resist Both were o'recome both conquerors for they Still kept the field and wee still kept the prey Bel. O what is valour ioyn'd with Modesty This conquers both your Fortune and your skill Should you but write a story and professe That purenesse from all passion which y 'aue showne You would be credited though t were your owne But what reward is 't to be but beleeu'd You shall be euer prays'd what you haue done Feares neither enuy nor obliuion And for this act succession shall see Caiazzo as long-liu'd as Italy Scena quinta Vitellio disguised I Wonder Malatesta still suruiues Sure Sforza has forgot himselfe my death Does but halfe cleare him and if th' other liue He cannot looke for a full innocence It is not mercy certainly ô no Mercy with him is folly but t' may bee He feares that had he kild vs both at once Rumor would be too busie and all mouths Would cry that Chance had too much proiect in 't This is the place of Destiny 't is here Sforza does actuate his bloody arts Mistaking priuacy for innocence And thinkes hee 's good because he is not seene Here must I wayte for a discouery Enter Sforza Sf. I must once more be cruell yet not I This is the murther of Necessity But what has he deseru'd who has done nought But what we charg'd and so perform'd our thought Is Death due to Obedience can this hand Yeeld to his Fate that seal'd to his command Yet he or I must perish shall I see My life my honor my Aeternity Lye at his mercy and be safe so long As he is pleas'd to temper his rude tongue Till he be drunke or treacherous I le first Study amongst all actions which is worst And ouer-act it though our former deed Was from ambition this is yet from need Death is too good reward for such a slaue Enter Malatesta And sure there is no blabbing in the graue But here he comes why are thy looks so grim Why Malatesta in thy furrow'd face See I the signes of Anger or of Griefe Command thy face to a more smiling forme That I may thinke thee pleas'd when thou dost tell What does displease thee Mal. 'T was a foolish dreame That stole my colour from my paler cheekes Last night I saw Vitellio Sf. And what Canst thou feare shadowes Mal. Yes if shadowes speake If that their threatnings be substantiall From such a paper as your Highnesse holds He forc't me breath in Death Sf. This Paper holds A strange perfume of such a cunning vertue That at a distance it scarce smels at all And at the nose it gives the best of sents Make the experiment Mal. O! I am slaine Sf. Heau'ns what a stilnesse here is what a death Of the whole man at once the wandring eye Now findes a station and the busie pulse Is now for euer idle where 's the tongue That but eu'n now could say as much as this When that the soule could prompt it but e'en now Here was a thing could speake and poison too That knew more wayes to kill then euer Heau'n Did to make man and could his subtlety That could giue death not know to keepe out death Fye what a bulke it is what a great lumpe Of Nothing that shall lose that nothing too What a dead toy is Man when his thin breath Flyes to its kindred Ayre ô why at all Did Heau'n bestow or why at all bereaue Man of this Vapour of Eternity And must we one day be a stocke like this Fit onely to inrich the greedy Earth And fill an house of Death perhaps before We see the issue of another Plot Must we lye subiect to be trampled on By some perhaps not Politicians
his Sanseuerin Tell me good Picinino does the Sunne Spend all his rayes vpon one Continent Or haue you euer seene the partiall Heau'ns Vpon one Aker lauish all her showres While the rest moulder with dry barrennesse Pic. I haue not Iuliano but what then Jul. Are you to seeke for the collection Why has not Sforza made himselfe our Sunne Are not his fauours our refreshing showres Why should one sucke vp what is due to all Why is the Prince made a Monopoly Pic. Thou mak'st me laugh at thy fond question What are not Princes men of the same mould Of the same passions with inferiours Doe not they feare desire and hate as we And shall we onely hinder them from loue Coblers may haue their friends and why not Kings Because th' are higher then the rest of men Shall they be therefore worse and therefore want The Benefits because they haue the Rule O hard condition of Maiesty The former accusation of Kings Has beene their cruelty that they did hate The people they should gouerne O hard plight O strange peruersnesse shall their loue at length Their friendship be imputed as their fault Would Heau'n our Sforza had no worse a crime Enter Sanseuerin againe with his traine of Suiters Iul. You are a worthy Aduocate and here Comes your great Patron goe and aske your fee Sans. This is a sawcy importunity You haue your answer 1 Sutor O my gracious Lord Looke on these scarres I gain'd in the French warre Where I haue lost my Fortunes 2 Sutor So haue I Scarce left aliue to tell my misery Sans. You haue bin drunk and quarrell'd must the State Finde plaisters for your broken heads no more Nay if you 'll take no answer I must call Them that will driue you hence O my tyr'd eares Henceforth I vow to stoppe them at your suites And be as Deafe as you are Impudent Exit Iul. Yes doe good Aeolus how he blowes them hence How cleares his passage with a lusty frowne And yet it may be that despised wretch Worne out of cloathes and flesh whom his high scorne Would not vouchsafe once more to looke vpon Durst in the field doe more then he durst see Then he would there vouchsafe to looke vpon Pic. As if that Valour were the onely praise And none were to be lou'd but they that fight Where were we then what would become of vs Thou thinkst it Paradox but t is most true A Souldier is the greatest enemy Of whom the Common-wealth can be afraid Preferre you which you please yet vnto them VVhich are the sole Physitians of State VVho with the teeming of a pregnant braine Search the diseases and the remedies Valour is nothing but a desp'rate vice And there 's no safety but in cowardice Scena quinta Sforza Ascanio Maluezzo Sf. VVE are not man for such an empty thing Could not haue this solidity of ioy Say the French King is dead and say withall We are immortall and ones happy truth Shall expiate for the others flattery But speake the manner too as well as death Asc. When now his gadding thoughts had won the world And Italy was to be taken in But onely as an easie seat from whence He might deriue his further victories Ottoman quak'd and 't was in chance if now New Rome should be new-French the proud Turkes Be brought to know what their beginnings were When Fortune had aduanc'd him to that height That growne forgetfull of a lowly tombe He rear'd huge Pyramides and troubled Art To match his fancy with magnificence Fit for a conqu'ring builder who had learnt To ruine first and then to build a City When Marbles were to be in rich with wounds And cut for their aduancement then Heau'ns sport He rais'd competitors to dare the Heau'ns Nor dreames his owne descent into low Earth Sf. Ascanio you make him liue too long Tell how he dy'd without more circumstance Asc. He went such was his vse to see the play At Tennis-court when by his trembling Queene He sanke into halfe-death thence he 's conuey'd To the next roome where on a couch of straw As if a downe-bed were too soft for him Whom rottennesse attended and the graue That harder lodging of Mortality A King a conqu'ring youthfull King expires Thrice from deaths slumbers he awak't to speake Thrice did he cry to heau'n vnto deafe heau'n And after nine houres death he dy'd Sf. I find A certaine grumbling against Fortune here Which that I may whet to a liuely rage Repeat Maluezzo her last treachery Against the French and Neopolitan Mal. Naples now wonne and the vnstable French As if they were afraid of their owne lucke Ridiculously leauing what th 'ad wonne The Deputy was Mompenieer a man Of an high birth but of vnequall deeds For when yong Ferdinand with some few boates Which onely feare might make a Nauy of And nothing but the strength of cowardize Could possibly iudge strong approacht the shoare As if the poore Prince once more had desir'd Onely to see his ancient gouernement And therefore had aduentur'd to the Sea The Sea was in the City for ne're was Such a confusion in the vulgar waues All cry a Ferdinand a Ferdinand Eu'n those who lately banisht Ferdinand Part ope the gates to him and part shut vp The French into the Cittadells where he Besiegeth his once Conquerors Sf. T is true Not the world onely but a man 's a ball Will Fortune neuer leaue her tossing him Mal. Whether their owne neglect forc'd them to want Or want to yeeld 't is doubted but they yeeld Thus as in triuiall sports we oft haue seene After a tedious inconstancy The Corke returne to him that strucke it first So in this fatall reuolution Fortune giues Naples vnto him againe Whom she first iniur'd in the taking it Sf. Who hearing this would not erect his soule To a contempt of Fortune that blind wretch Whom onely sottishnesse hath Deifi'd Man hath a nobler Godhead in himselfe His vertue and his wisdome vnto these Bend all our knees let vs still honour these And count it comfort in our lowest state He that is vvise would not be fortunate Actus quarti Scena prima Sforza Ascanio Caiazzo Sanseuerin a Boy Sf. WE leaue it to your care Sanseuerin But see the night grows old good rest my Lords Why stayst thou my Aurelio good boy I le see no bed to night then goe yet stay If they haue not escap'd thy memory Sing me those verses which you made of sleepe Song HOw I laugh at their fond wish whose desire aymes no higher Then the bayts of Midas dish What is Gold but yellow durt which th' vnkind heauens refin'd When they made vs loue our hurt Would to heau'n that I might steepe my faint eyes in the wise In the gentle dew of sleepe Whose effects doe pose vs so that we deeme it does seeme Both Deaths brother and his foe This does alwayes with vs keepe and being dead that 's not fled Death
Where 's then our Wisedome our deepe Prouidence Are they durt too ô heau'ns but if they are Enter some Negroes to cary away the body Or durt or nothing I le enioy my fame And rottennesse shall ceize me not my name Vit. Are those the Instrumens well my black friends I eas'd you of a labour all succeeds According to the flatt'ry of my wish And my suspition turnes to prophecy But my so bloody and so wary Sforza Your Agent 's dead but not your crime 't will out And by this carcasse I will flye to France Divulge loud papers they are writ already And here they are these I will sweare were found In the dead pois'ners pockets by this meanes Sforza's proclaim'd a murtherer I 'me freed And make it be his guilt which was my deed Vitellio going forth meets with Isabella Scena quinta Vitellio Isabella Julia MAdame I haue some newes of that import That if you please to command priuacy Will both desire and fright your patience Is. Be briefe Vit. First know I am Vitellio Is. Thou art a villaine and a pois'ner then Hast thou a drugge for vs Vit. Yes such an one Shall make you loue a poyson reade and wonder Is. I doe and more how thou couldst purchase this Without a guilt Vit. I did peruse the spoyles Of Malatesta's carcasse whom I found Most strangely guilty and as strangely dead Whose pockets furnisht me with these instructions Is. Thus we learne Murther from thy Fellony But what should make me trust a confest rogue Vit. My villany my credit is my crime Had not I stole you had not vnderstood Is. I must beleeu 't but darst thou poison well Commit a crime which thou maist glory of Vit. On whom deare Lady Is. Nay I care not whom But I can giue reward to a wise crime Vit. My quicke dispatch shall make you gladly know I vnderstand what you desire and hide Exit Is. Now should he poison Sforza O fond hope That mak'st vs thinke all true that we desire Should he betray vs now for what that we Intreated him to kill we knew not whom By this expression thus much I haue wonne I may be made but cannot be vndone Scena sexta Picinino FOrtune is merry and the heau'n dispos'd To play with me I am turn'd Fauourite Me thinkes my haires asham'd of their white hue Should blush to youth O how I could looke big Take Gyant strides doat on my louely selfe And talke as silly as any Lord To see the prettinesse of action Of State-imployment Sforza's to be crown'd And I must winne the popular suffrages Good Heau'ns was euer such a merry load Impos'd on Man some cry the times are ill Others could wish them better and a third Knowes how to make all well but tels not how And cause that he is silent would be wise But in conclusion I doe finde them ready On supposition of no more expence And that their voice is su'd for not their purse To giue a lusty acclamation Sforza 3 Ambassadors Caiazzo Sanseuerin Maluezzo as in procession they offer vp the French Banners at the Altar whilst this is sung Song IO Io gladly sing Till the Heau'n with wonder ring He is fled let Millan say Once more he is fled the day Cleares againe and makes vs see A brauer light of victory Io Io c. Yet he had before he fought By the speedy warre of thought Conquer'd Italy and so Has hasten'd his owne ouerthrow Io Io c. Henceforth let them learne to liue In the peace that home doth giue Nor againe so fondly raue To trauell for a forren graue Io Io c. Sf. First we thanke Heau'n by whose most gracious ayd We haue the meanes and reason to thanke you Now we beginne to lift vp our faint heads And entertaine though scarce beleeue a peace Now Italy at length has lost her yoake Which she was wont to giue but neuer beare And therefore wondred at the strangenesse more Then at the weight of 't in this noble act Sforza claimes nothing but the happinesse Which he acknowledges receiu'd from you 1 Amb. Sforza's deserts exceed the height of praise 2 Amb. He has slau'd Italy by freeing it 3 Amb. Millan must know him for her Romulus Sf. We know our selfe so vnderneath this praise That could we but suspect vntruth in you Wee 'd call all this but mockery Pic. D' yee doubt Make you a question of the name of it Why call it as it is plaine flattery Caiaz. We wondred lately at the prouder French And gaue too high a valew to their acts VVhen in a serious estimation Their chiefest victory was of the miles And more a iourney then a warre if they Could gaine a fame by nimble trauelling How shall we reare a trophee to his name That made them goe farre faster then they came For my part though I know his Modesty VVhich will refuse the honours he deserues I 'de haue him forc'd vnto the gouernment To rule that happy land which he hath sau'd Omnes A Sforza a Sforza Ascanio crowns him Sf. Sforza will ne're gaine say the gen'rall voice Your loue I like beyond your gift kind Heau'ns Shew by my gouernments integrity You were the peoples prompter and I 'le shew If you but actuate my iust desires I onely am their Duke in goodnesse since Millan hath chose it shall applaud her Prince Actus tertii Scena prima Vmbra Galeatii NO rest in death why then I see they erre That giue a quiet to a sepulcher 'T is our hard fate nor can Man chuse but dye But where Griefe is is Immortality This drawes our iuicelesse bones to a new day From Lethes bankes where we haue learnt the way An easie learning to returne our woes And laugh at our misfortunes in our foes Wee 'll draw felicity out of our fall And make our ghost reuenge our Funerall That our dimme Eyes and with pale death benighted May by reuenge be clear'd and we be righted If other punishment should come too slow By the exacter iustice of our foe When being betray'd by them he trusted most He shall be pris'ner in a forren coast When wanting sustenance his teeth shall chaw His armes for food and their onee feeders gnaw When Hell shall haue but part of him when he That now triumphs shall be lesse ghost then we Scena secunda Sforza Ascanio Asc. SForza you are vndone Sf. Why my Ascanio Fortune is fearfull of so foule a crime Asc. You durst be bad and yet improuident And so it is not Fortunes but your crime Which shall I first beginne to blame your fault Or pardon if I call it Foolishnesse I faint to thinke that you are past excuse Both with the honest and the Politicke Sf. Come neerer my deare Cardinall and tell In easier termes what t is that troubles you Is Galeazzo's death divulg'd Asc. It is The time the manner and the murtherer Nor am I free from th' imputation Sf. You speake what you suspect not
is nothing prouidence Long since hath spent our feare for a wise man VVhen he does found his happinesse forecasts Mischiefes that Fate had neuer practiz'd yet VVhich if they happen if they proue too true They meet not ouertake him and so find A scorne because a preparation I knew it might be thus though I not fear'd And know it may be better though not hope Yet let vs ne're despaire nor by low thoughts Excuse Fate for her present iniury And when once more her fauours we shall feele Then say that Fortune has no standing wheele Scena quinta Enter at one doore Triulcio Aubeny Caiazzo at the other some Senators of Millan who deliuer the keyes of the City Sen. WE here present you with our keys great Lords Yet doe not thinke vs cowards who doe part So easily with that which if we pleas'd VVe might in spite of force as easily keepe VVe know your right iustice does ope these gates And not your swords nor our disloyalty VVe leaue a Traytor that hath first left vs And now are glad to entertaine our Prince Triu. Is he fled then O our vnhappy sloath VVhy ranne we not as well as we did fight Are Cowards swifter then their Conquerors Aboue as in the Cittadell appeare Isobella and Iulia Is. Doe not disswade me Iulia 't is true I may escape but whither all is lost In Naples we find France as well as here O who 'od indure the tyranny of hope That could so quickly gaine a liberty If I but fall I 'me free ô Iulia The greatest distance twixt my blisse and me Reacheth no farther then to the next earth Can I behold in a perplexed flight Of which I know no comfort and no end This my sweet infant crying for the food Which I 'me vncertaine where to beg for him No I le descend and if the greedy French Will haue our blood with our Dominions She comes down with some souldiers Yet I shall ioy to haue a speedy end And call a nimble enemy a friend Tri. What answer from the Cittadel once more Giue them a summons if they yeeld not then Enter Isabella Giue an assault Is. You shall not need my Lords What you could wish you haue most cheapely haue The conquest of a woman and a child I 'me Isabella let not that sad name Be ominous to conquerors and this This pretty infant is my lucklesse child Borne Prince of that which you haue made your prey Why doe you one consult anothers face As you would see who could be cruell first Be not at all or if at all to me O doe not warre with infants can these hands Deserue your feare or anger these weake hands That cannot reach themselues vnto their teat Who haue so much of yong infirmity They cannot lift themselues to ask your mercy O let them haue because they cannot aske How many dismall accidents may chance To take him hence before he grow to man And so excuse and yet fulfill your purpose O let disease be cruell and not you Tri. Madame you shall be honourably vs'd You and your faire sonne take your liberty To chuse your owne free course for this yong Lord He must to France with vs where he shall learne The good of royall education Where he shall know the happy difference Betweene a petty and a kingly Court Some waite vpon the Princesse Is. O my starres What haue I done ay me I haue betrayd What Tyranny had left me my sweet boy For whom I neuer knew a griefe till now I brought him forth with pleasure when I thinke Vpon this paine of parting my deare child O too too like thy mother if thou chance To draw thy life vnto that hated length That thou arriue to the discretion To know what by my folly thou hast lost Call it no more ô doe not call it crime No mother willingly would lose a sonne VVhilst in some darker cell I will in tombe Thy ruines cause where whatsoeuer teare Sorrow did once force no deuotion shall That my new name vnto the heau'ns may reach VVhom misery the way to blisse did teach Exit Tri. Neuer till now had we the victory And now no single one this happy houre Has gain'd a a conquest for Posterity They may be idle now now the French youth May grow vp without wounds and at their homes Steale to a priuate graue no more being forc't To death though by a glory nay this Land May thanke vs for our thrift of victory For lighting on this blest occasion Which makes vs need no more to conquer them If heau'n continue vs this kindnesse still Wee 'll measure out our conquests by our will Actus Quinti Scena prima Sforza Ascanio Sanseuerin Sf. O What is man and all that happinesse That puffes him to security to day One acts a Prince and swell'd with Maiesty Fills a proud throne from whence the Multitude Thinkes he rules Fortune too as well as them Whilst she in iust esteeme of her owne name Makes him forgot or odious that none Can be so miserably fool'd to wish His well-apparell'd misery thus we That did enioy beyond a Crowne a braine Able to meet or challenge the worst chance Yet in the space of a few dayes a space Of too short lasting to expell a man By the most subtle fetches of the Law Out of a false inheritance we lost We were expell'd out of a Monarchy But does Fate make a stand at this O no She is not constant no not in her curse But giuing most againe which once was mine She giues me too the capability Of a new curse sc. Of a new ioy for shame Giue thankes at least for your felicity Can you repine being cramm'd and so deserue A bountifull vnhappinesse I 'ue knowne Some that haue long endur'd a tedious siege Or a more tedious sicknesse who haue beene Forst to a lasting Lent when they haue come Or to their health or to their liberty Not dare to take the nourishment they might Making themselues their sicknesse and their foe Is not my Sforza one of these you grieue Because you haue no longer cause to grieue Sans. O I doe feare your griefe that it does glance With a most vndeseru'd disgrace at me As if I were a-kinne vnto the fault Of my false brother O repeat that thought It is no great thing I request you to But trust vnto the faith that you haue found Would I betray and follow you d' yee thinke I 'de be so mad to buy my banishment No man would be vnprofitably false Nor I for any profit speake your selfe If I haue left you when your Fortune did Nay then my loue was greatest when you least I was your subiect when you were no Prince Sf. Sanseuerin thy feare is too too fond And like the people the Authoritie Who make an impious confusion Of an high birth and of an higher crime Who in a sawcy thwarting to their Prince Count him still worst whom he has made the best
As if we gaue him with his honors crimes And made him vicious when fortunate No let them spend their breath in idle talke Count thee or trecherous or cowardly Whilst to thy Sforza thou art still the same Most valiant and with thy valour wise That by thy abstinence a while from warre Hast sau'd vs forces for a victory Sans. The Subiects life lies in the Princes voice Now you haue cleer'd me I dare hasten warre And wish more enemies then cowards feare That you may see by my neglect of bloud Which I shall onely loue when shed for you How slaunder was my most fear'd enemy Sf. No more my dearest friend we lose all time Which we doe saue from fight still there does flocke New forces to our Army and the French Are now as much amaz'd as proud before We lately tooke the Swizzers into pay Those that dare sell their liues to any cause Whom Gold hath arm'd for me if they proceed In their first heat we winne but if they faile We cannot be more wretched then we were The vilest chance of lucke can make vs know But an Addition to an Ouerthrow Scena secunda The Captaine of the Swizzers with a Souldier as a fugitiue from the French Soul NOw w' are alone I dare reueale my selfe I am not what I seeme a Fugitiue But one that from Triulcio doe bring Letters that much concerne you Capt. VVhat to me Letters vnto his enemy let 's see Ex. Soul Expect an answer in my Tent VVhat 's here Letter THou Man of Action whom th' Italians Feele their Achilles both to wound and heale Triulcio salutes thee what is past As past recall he will not mention But for the future this you ayd a man From whom you cannot any way expect Reward or Honor such his pouerty Both in desert and meanes but against whom I will not vrge they are your Countrymen Partakers of the same sweet soyle with you Who onely differ in their better choice Yet so farre doe I prize your worth to thinke You haue not put off Nature nor haue chang'd With your home ayre your home-affections That you are still a Swizzer thinke of this And that at other times t were shame to flye Now onely flight shewes Magnanimity Triulcio VVhat shall I doe O I am lost in doubt Nor know what to refuse or what to grant Shall then the Swizzers to their valour adde A tainture of disloyaltie to whom VVho can accuse vs for our trechery One that has patroniz'd it by his act That hath betraid his Nephew shall a man Be counted trecherous that betrayes vice It was a crime to aide him can it be A crime to leaue him too O paradox Resolue me Goodnesse what t is best to doe And that does whisper a dislike for what What goodnesse can there be in ciuill warre When we shall kill them that were borne with vs When we shall make the Father dye his sword In the sonnes bloud and strangely giue a death To him to whom he kindly gaue a life When the mixt bloud of the same Family Shall make a cruell incest this we doe If we are honest I le learne treason first And the most accurate sinne Triulcio Our Country calls vs and not thou to be Dishonest then is the best honesty Ex. Scena tertia Picinino in his study with a Deaths-head and a Watch Pic. THis is the summe I can but be like this After the prouder threatning of the French After the sure impression of Diseases I can but be like this then let me thinke What losse I haue when I am made like this This feares no French a peace of ordinance Can breake but not astonish this no force Can draw a teare no not a sigh from hence And can it be a losse to be like this O Death why art thou fear'd why doe we thinke T is such a horrid terror Not to Be Why not to be is not to be a wretch Why not to be is to be like the heau'ns Not to be subiect to the pow'r of Fate O there 's no happinesse but not to be to the Watch But thou discloser of the stealth of Time Let me inquire how much is worne away Of this sad houre the halfe O speedy time That mak'st vs feele ere we can thinke of Age Ere we can take an order for the Graue Enter Iul. Iul. What deepe in meditation noble friend So studious of your Watch alas good man Thou needst not this faint helpe to guesse at Fate These siluer haires are watch enough for thee Pic. I onely looke how many minutes hence Midan expires Jul. O swift Arithmeticke To summe by minutes our sad Duchies age Pic. This VVatch doth teach reall Philosophy There is no tutor to this actiue brasse VVhat is a Kingdome but a larger watch VVound vp by Fate vnto some scores of yeares And then it falls good Iuliano list Harke how it beats how strongly and how fast Beyond the motion of a nimble pulse VVho would not thinke this were a lasting noise And yet it ends after some date of houres The watch will be as silent as the head O t is our folly folly my deare friend Because we see th' actiuity of States To flatter them with false Eternity VVhy longer then the dweller lasts the house Why should the world be alwaies and not man Sure kingdomes are as mortall as their Kings And stay but longer for their period Iul. I feare our Climactericall is now When all professions turne to souldier To that curst Art that thriues by Destiny The sithes are straighted into swords and th' Earth Being not wounded is vndone where once Stood buildings which an humble Poetry Without too bold a swelling might giue Kings Whole Mines vndone to beautifie one roofe Now onely Desolation dwels weake griefe To say Corne growes where once a City stood That sustenance is there where no men are This is a trifling and halfe-misery Our Lands now onely furnish vs with Graues Can hide vs but not feed vs we would thinke Our Cities standing though the buildings fell If we had no griefe but Fertility Pic. But on what strength does Sforza still subsist Against so powrefull foes Iul. The Emperor Has sold him some few Almaines but his hopes Chiefly depend vpon the valiant Swizze Who were the chiefe in his depression Pic. Has his grosse braine not learnt the danger yet Of bringing strangers into Italy He call'd the French to Naples who haue now Found Millan too O what 's the difference Betwixt a mercenary and a foe But that we kill one for his outrages And hyre the other Juliano I May feele misfortune but will neuer buy Ex. Scena quarta Sforza Sanseuerin Sans. THe French are mighty and portentously Rise by their fall strong shame begets a rage And a disdaine that you whom they expell'd Should hazard their expulsion makes them hazard What ere being ventur'd addes a fame to Man And giues a glory to his misery They are so farre
shall tell That euer challeng'd wonder briefly then I was betraid betraid and by those men By whom I conquer'd t is an happy end To perish for but neuer by a friend This our first death but then O could curst Time Dare euer such a Minute such a Crime Then was I pinion'd then these royall hands Were forc'd obedient to the base commands Of an insulting conqueror and knit Vnto a hated vnion t were fit If euer Heau'n shed teares then to distill Mournings Elixar though th' expence should kill The hopes of after Ages but Heau'n smil'd Nor any courteous clouds were wisely pil'd Ouer the Sunnes sharpe beames but they gaz'd on With the same visage of compassion As did my torturers by whom I 'me brought Vnto a place the which some shallower thought Has faintly term'd a prison but to tell The truth of horror t' was on Earth an Hell Darknesse so dwell there that I might be wonne To wish the cruell comfort of the Sunne Which earst I rau'd at t was a narrow caue Form'd to the modell of a lesser graue Or straitned Coffin all was length for they Left not the height that I might kneele to pray Was euer such a bed could euer yet Cruelty boast of such a subtle wit To bury so some that haue entred Earth Aliue like me yet by the vsuall mirth Of iustice had their buriall with meat As if 't should be their punishment to eate From which I me barr'd I had no food but me And yet a guest of famine courtesie At last ceiz'd heau'n I dy'd and so though late I both appeas'd and triumpht ouer Fate But where am I what extasie was this Iul. How quickely we learne misery no ghost Would haue so courteously relinquisht Hell To teach vs happinesse if a kind starre Had cast a Fortune on vs beyond wish We might expect the story from the starre Assoone as the deare benefit but when griefe That against which we would seale vp our eares When that is meant vs we shall surely heare Though heau'n doe straine for a new Miracle So to amaze vs to a certainty Though rotten carkasses regaine a voice And hell is bounteous of intelligence To giue vs teares Pic. Why then an end to teares Let 's scorne the sorrow which we owe to hell Now learne we the prodigious effects Of wise Ambition for t were easie iustice To ruine foolish vsurpation Heau'n needs not stickle in 't but when those men Who are as accurate as bad who can So shape their vice into a vertuous mould That we repine at the accusers more Then at the guilty when that these men fall Who then will call that wise which he sees bad Such wisdome made and ruin'd him then ye That dazle with your Maiesty and sit Too neere to thunder and not feare it know Sforza and learne a wise contempt of wisedome Frailty attends your best and strongest tricke And there 's no foole vnto the Politicke The Epilogue SOmewhat beyond an end and can there be Tediousnesse counted an Apology It was prolixity of speech offended And can that error by more speech be mended Your patience stints the wonder that is it Hath dar'd vs to be publike and to fit These times of tempest with a blustring scene If ought doe please if we haue hit the meane That neither cloyes the Auditor nor starues Felicity hath crown'd vs if ought swarues From plausible inuention know 't was it Which we intend which is in stead of wit Teares grace a Tragedy and we are glad To haue the happy power to make you sad Continue it and our applause is high Not from your Hand so much as from your eye To the Ambitious TEll me mortalls if there be Ought beside stupidity Hidden in you at the least If you are not all one beast Wherefore doe you cloud your face If you want the chiefest place Why doe you respect O why Not how good 't is but how high Would you all be Kings Ô vaine This is but to entertaine Such desires that you may feare Lest the heau'n should lend an eare Lest you haue what you desir'd And in your owne boggs be myr'd Height is basenesse if it be Leuel'd by Aequality And the Earth were a plaine still If it were but one great hill Would you all be Kings as though Standing pooles should wish to flow Or a riuer make his plea To exceed into a Sea As if of the stars not one But should striue to be the Sun Or the Larke would partner be In the Eagles soueraignty Would you not be mad to see If a beast a stone a tree To the heau'nly powers ran Angry that they were not man Nay in vs consider well To what Monsters we should swell If but any Part should be Of the Mans infirmity What should lead or what be led If the foet were made the Head What should speake or what should see If this itch of Maiesty Made the mouth for being nigh Beg aduancement to the eye Would you all be Kings poore men Wish what you would wish agen Which within your thoughts dares bide And 's not fearfull to be try'd What 's a King consider well But the publike Sentinell But a Beacon which we find Highly subiect to the wind And can any still desire To be worse so he be higher Are you weary of your sleepe Can you count it blisse to creepe To take paines vnto that height Whence your fall may gaine a weight Would you all be Kings you may Euery man hath regall sway And 't is this the fault does beare Not that he commands but where Doe thy thoughts rebell would Pride Haue thy worst acts magnifi'd Does Ambition make thee flee To forbidden Sou'raignty Know it is a brauer way To forbid then to obey Know it is a nobler deed To giue ouer then to speed Were this all would euery one But command himselfe alone But command his owne desire From the thought of rising higher It would not be a griefe to see An vniuersall Monarchy FINIS