Fran. And while the duke did prize you to
your value,

I well might envy him; but durst not hope
To stop you in your full career of goodness:
But now I find that he's fall'n from his fortune,
And, howsoever he would appear doting,
Grown cold in his affection; I presume,
From his most barbarous neglect of you,
To offer my true service. Nor stand I bound
To look back on the courtesies of him
That, of all living men, is most unthankful.
Marc. Unheard-of arrogance!
Fran. You'll say I am modest
When I have told the story.
You think he loves you

With unexampl'd fervour; nay, dotes on you,
As there were something in you more than

woman:

When, on my knowledge, he long since hath wish'd

You were among the dead.

Marc. Bless me, good angels,

Or I am blasted! Lies so false and wicked,
And fashion'd to so damnable a purpose,
Cannot be spoken by a human tongue.
My husband hate me! give thyself the lie,
False and accurs'd! Thy soul, if thou hast any,
Can witness, never lady stood so bound
To the unfeign'd affections of her lord,
As I do to my Sforza. If thou wouldst work
Ipon my weak credulity, tell me, rather,
There's peace between the fion and the lamb;
Or, that the ravenous eagle and the dove
Keep in one aerie, and bring up their young;
Or any thing that is averse to nature;
And I will sooner credit it than that
My lord can think of me but as a jewel
He loves more than himself, and all the world.
Fran. O innocence abus'd! simplicity cozen'd!
It were a sin, for which we have no name,
To keep you longer in this wilful error.
Read his affections here; [Gives her a Pa-
per] and then observe

How dear he holds you! 'Tis his character,
Which cunning yet could never counterfeit.
Mare. Tis his hand, I'm resolv'd of it: I'll
try

What the inscription is.
Fran. Pray you do so.

Mare. [Reads] You know my pleasure,
and the hour of Marcelia's death, which
ful not to execute, as you will answer

Fran. But I am true,
And live to make you happy.
Marc. I prefer the hate

Of Sforza, though it mark me for the grave,
Before thy base affection. I am yet
Pure and unspotted in my true love to him;
Nor shall it be corrupted, though he's tainted;
Nor will I part with innocence, because
He is found guilty. For thyself, thou art
A thing, that, equal with the devil himself,
I do detest and scorn.

Fran. Thou, then, art nothing:

Thy life is in my power, disdainful woman!
Think on't, and tremble,

Marc. No, with my curses

Of horror to thy conscience in this life,
And pains in hell hereafter, I defy thee. [Exit.
Fran. I am lost

In the discovery of this fatal secret.
Curs'd hope, that flatter'd me, that wrongs

could make her

A stranger to her goodness! all my plots
Turn back upon myself; but I am in,
And must go on; and since I have put off
From the shore of innocence, guilt be now
my pilot!
[Exit.

ACT III.

SCENE I-The Imperial Camp before PAVIA.
Enter MEDINA, HERNANDO, and ALPHONSO.
Med. The spoil, the spoil! 'tis that the sol-
dier fights for.

Our victory, as yet, affords us nothing
But wounds and empty honour.
Her. Hell put it in

The enemy's mind to be desperate, and hold
out!

Yieldings and compositions will undo us;
And what is that way given, for the most part,
Comes to the emperor: the poor soldier left
To starve, or fill up hospitals.

Alph. But, when

We enter towns by force, and carve ourselves,
Pleasure with pillage-

Med. I long to be at it.
Her. My main hope is,

To begin the sport at Milan: there's enough,
And of all kinds of pleasure we can wish for,
To satisfy the most covetous,
Alph. Every day
We look for a remove.

the contrary, not with your head alone, Med. For Lodowick Sforza,

but with the ruin of your whole family. The duke of Milan, I, on mine own knowledge, And this, written with my own hand, Can say thus much: he is too much a soldier; and signed with my privy signet, shall Too confident of his own worth; too rich too; be your sufficient warrant.

LUDOVICO SFORZA.

I do obey it! every word's a poniard,
A reaches to my heart.

[Swoons.

Fran. What have I done?
Mam for heaven's sake, madam!—
Imer lady!-

sirs. For the duke's sake! for Sforza's
sake-

Marc. Sforza's! stand off! though dead, I will be his;

And even my ashes shall abhor the touch any other. O unkind, and cruel!

,women, learn to trust in one another; e is no faith in man: Sforza is false, ise to Marcelia!

And understands too well the emperor hates him,
To hope for composition.

Alph. On my life

We need not fear his coming in.

Her. On mine

That he, that scorn'd our proffer'd amity

When he was sued to, should, ere he be Freely acknowledged, to give up the reasons

summon'd,

First kneel for mercy?

Med. When your majesty

Shall please to instruct us who it is, we may
Admire it with you.

Emp. C. Who, but the duke of Milan,
The right hand of the French! of all that stand
In our displeasure, whom necessity
Compels to seek our favour, I would have

sworn

Sforza had been the last.

Her. And should be writ so In the list of those you pardon. city

Would his Had rather held us out a siege, like Troy, Than, by a feign'd submission, he should cheat

you

Of a just revenge, or us of those fair glories
We have sweat blood to purchase!

Alph. The sack alone of Milan

Will pay the army.

Emp. C. I am not so weak,

To be wrought on as you fear; nor ignorant
That money is the sinew of the war:
Yet, for our glory, and to show him that
We've brought him on his knees, it is resolv'd
To hear him as a suppliant. Bring him in;
But let him see the effects of our just anger,
In the guard that you make for him.

[Exit Pescara.

Her. I am now
Familiar with the issue; all plagues on it!
He will appear in some dejected habit,
His countenance suitable, and for his order,
A rope about his neck; then kneel, and tell
Old stories what more worthy thing it is
To have power than to use it;

To make a king than kill one: which apply'd
To the emperor and himself, a pardon's granted
To him, an enemy; and we, his servants,
Condemn'd to beggary: [Apart to Medina.
Med. Yonder he comes;
But not as you expected.

Re-enter PESCARA, with LUDOVICO
strongly guarded.

Alph. He looks as if

He would outface his dangers.
Her. I am cozen'd:

A suitor, in the devil's name!
Med. Hear him speak.

My hate against thyself, and love to him
That made me so affected: in my wants
I ever found him faithful; had supplies
Of men and money from him; and my hopes
Quite sunk, were, by his grace, buoy'd up again;
I dare to speak his praise now, in as high
And loud a key, as when he was thy equal.
The benefits he sow'd in me met not
Unthankful ground, but yielded him his own
With fair increase, and I still glory in it.
And though my fortunes

Are in thy fury burnt, let it be mention'd,
They serv'd but as small tapers to attend
The solemn flame at this great funeral:
And with them I will gladly waste myself,
Rather than undergo the imputation
Of being base, or unthankful.
Alph. Nobly spoken!

[Apar

Her. I do begin, I know not why, to hal him

Sfor. If that, then, to be grateful
For courtesies receiv'd, or not to leave
A friend in his necessities, be a crime
Amongst you Spaniards, Sforza brings his hea
To the forfeit. Nor come 1 as a slave,
pay
Pinion'd and fetter'd, in a squalid weed,
Falling before thy feet, kneeling and howlin
For a forestall'd remission; I ne'er fear'd to di
More than I wish'd to live. When I had reach
My ends in being a duke, I wore these robe
This crown upon my head, and to my side
This sword was girt; and witness, truth, th

now

Tis in another's power, when I shall part
With them and life together, I'm the same
My veins then did not swell with pride; n

now

Shrink they for fear. Know, sir, that Sfor

stands
Prepar'd for either fortune.
Her. As I live,

I do begin strangely to love this fellow.
[dpa

Sfor. But, if example

SFORZA, Of my fidelity to the French,

[ Apart. [ Apart.

Sfor. I come not, emperor, to invade thy

mercy,

[Apa

Has power to invite you to make him a frien
That hath given evident proof he knows to lov
[Apart. And to be thankful: this my crown, now you
You may restore me.
Alph. By this light,
Tis a brave gentleman.
Emp. C. Thou hast so far
Outgone my expectation, noble Sforza,
For such I hold thee; and true constancy,
Rais'd on a brave foundation, bears such pal
And privilege with it, that where we behold
Though in an enemy, it does command us
That I am in thy power, I was thine enemy; To love and honour it. By my future hop
Thy deadly and vow'd enemy; one that wish'd I am glad, for thy sake, that, in seeking favou
Confusion to thy person and estates;
Thou didst not borrow of vice her indirect,
And with my utmost powers, and deepest Crooked, and abject means: and so far

By fawning on thy fortune; nor bring with me
Excuses or denials. I profess,
And with a good man's confidence, even this

instant

counsels,

I am from robbing thee of the least honour
That with my hands, to make it sit the faste
I set thy crown once more upon thy head;
And do not only style thee duke of Milan,
But vow to keep thee so.
Yet, not to take
From others to give only to myself,
I will not hinder your magnificence
[Aside. To my commanders, neither will I urge it;
But in that, as in all things else, I leave yo

tains

Have little power in peace), may beget danger,
At least suspicion.

Sfur. Where true honour lives,

Doubt hath no being; I desire no pawn,
Beyond an emperor's word, for my assurance.
Besides, Pescara, to thyself, of all men,

I will confess my weakness: though my state
And crown's restor'd me, though I am in grace,
And that a little stay might be a step
To greater honours, I must hence. Alas,
I live not here; my wife, my wife, Pescara,
Being absent, I am dead. Pr'ythee excuse,
And do not chide, for friendship's sake, my
fondness;

But ride along with me: I'll give you reasons,
And strong ones, to plead for me.
Pes. Use your own pleasure;

bear you company.

Sfor. Farewell, grief! I am stored with Two blessings most desired in human life, A constant friend, an unsuspected wife.

[Exeunt. SCESE IL-MILAN. A Room in the Castle. Enter GRACCHO.

Grac. Whipt like a rogue! no lighter pu-
nishment serve

To balance with a little mirth! 'Tis well:
My credit sunk for ever, I am now

Fit company only for pages and for footboys.

Enter JULIO and GIOVANNI.

Enter FRANCISCO and a Servant,
Hell now inspire me! How, the lord protector!
Hell
Whither thus in private?
will not see him.

[Stands aside.

Fran. If I am sought for,
Say I am indispos'd, and will not hear
Or suits, or suitors.

Sero. But, sir, if the princess
Inquire, what shall I answer?
Fran. Say I am rid

Abroad to take the air; but by no means
Let her know I'm in court.

Serv. So I shall tell her.
Fran. Within there!

Enter a Gentlewoman.

[Exit.

Gentlew. My good lord, your pleasure?
Fran. Pr'ythee let me beg thy favour for

To the dutchess.

access

Gentlew. In good sooth, my lord, I dare not; She's very private.

Fran. Come, there's gold

Where is thy lady?

Gentlew. She's walking in the gallery.
Fran. Bring me to her.

[Exeunt Francisco and Gentlewoman.
Grac. A brave discovery beyond my hope,
A plot even offer'd to my hand to work on!
If I am dull now, may I live and die
The scorn of worms and slaves! Let me
consider;

My lady and her mother first committed,
In the favour of the dutchess; and I whipt!
And all his brib'd approaches to the dutchess
To be conceal'd! good, good. This to my lady
Deliver'd, as I'll order it, runs her mad.

[Exit.

SCENE III.-Another Room in the same.
Enter MARCELIA and FRANCISCO.
Marc. Believe thy tears or oaths! can it be
hop'd,

After a practice so abhorr'd and horrid,
Repentance e'er can find thee?

Fran. Dearest lady,

[Apart. I do confess, humbly confess my fault,
Apart. To be beyond all pity; my attempt
I turn'd So barbarously rude, that it would turn
A saint-like patience into savage fury.
Marc. I'st possible

The wonder, gentlemen?
Julio. I read this morning,
Mange stories of the passive fortitude
Of men in former ages, which I thought
possible, and not to be believed;

Bi now I look on you my wonder ceases.
Grac. The reason, sir?

Julio. Why, sir, you have been whipt;
hipt, seignior Graccho; and the whip,

take it,

to a gentleman, the greatest trial

it may be of his patience. Grac. Sir, I'll call you

is a strict account for this. Gio. I'll not deal with you,

ess I have a beadle for my second;

And then I'll answer you.

Julio. Farewell, poor Graccho.

This can be cunning?

Fran. But, if no submission,

[Aside.

For I perceive in you no signs of mercy,

I will disclose a secret, which, dying with me,
May prove your ruin.

Marc. Speak it; it will take from

The burden of thy conscience.

Fran. Thus, then, madam:

The warrant, by my lord sign'd for your death,

[Exeunt Julio and Giovanni. Was but conditional; but you must swear, Grac. Better and better still. If ever wrongs By your unspotted truth, not to reveal it, wald teach a wretch to find the way to Or I end here abruptly.

Steph. How coldly she receives it! [Apart. And, though my heart-strings crack fort, Tib. Observe the encounter.

In policy's roguish school, to try conclusions Not the abstruse and hidden arts to thrive With one that hath commenc'd, and gone out doctor.

And you may please to grant me so much If I discover what but now he bragg'd of,
I shall not be believ'd: if I fall off
From him, his threats and actions go together,
And there's no hope of safety. Till I get
A plummet that may sound his deepest counsels,
I must obey and serve him. Want of skill
Now makes me play the rogue against my will.
[Exit.

teriore look to't; bring my wife hotly on But for him, though almost on certain proof, rase me to the duke-I have an end in't-To give it hearing, not belief, deserves ink what 'tis makes man most miserable, My hate for ever. that shall fall upon thee. Thou wert a