The malcontent. By Iohn Marston. 1604

ACTVS QVARTVS, (Book 4)

SCEN. PRIMA.

Enter Maquarelle, knocking at the Ladies dore.

Maq.

Medam, Medam, are you stirring Medame, if you be stirring Medam, if I thought I should disturbe yee.

Page.

My Lady is vp forsooth.

Maq.

A, pretty boy, faith how old art thou?

Page.

I thinke foureteene.

Maq.

Nay, and yee be in the teens, are yee a gentleman borne, do you know me, my name is Medam Maquerelle, I lye in the old Cunny Court.

Enter Beancha and Emilia.

See heere the Ladyes.

Bean.

A faire day to yee Maquerelle.

Emili.

Is the Dutches vp yet Centinell?

Maq.

O Ladies, the most abhominable mischance, O deare Ladies the most piteous disaster, Farneze was taken last night in the Dutches Chamber: Alas the Duke catcht him and kild him.

Bean.

Was he found in bed?

Maq.

O no, but the villanous certenty is, the dore was not bolted, the tongue-tyed hatch held his peace, so the naked troth is, he was found in his shirt, whilest I like an arrand beast lay in the outward Chamber, heard nothing, and yet they came by me in the dark, and yet I felt thē not, like a sencelesse creature as I was. O beauties, looke to your buske-poynts, if not chastely, yet charily: be sure the doore be boulted: is your Lorde gone to Florence?

Bean.

Yes Maquarelle.

Maq.

I hope youle finde the discretion to purchase a fresh gowne fore his returne: Now by my troth beauties,

I would ha ye once wise: he loues ye, pish: he is witty, bub∣ble: faire proportioned, mew: nobly borne, winde; let this be still your fixt position, esteeme me euery man according to his good gifts, and so yee shall euer remaine most deare, and most woorthie to be most deare Ladies.

Emilia.

Is the Duke returnd from hunting yet?

Maq.

They say, not yet.

Bean.

Tis now in mid'st of day.

Em.

How beares the Dutches with this blemish now?

Maq.

Faith boldly, strongly defyes defame, as one that haz a Duke to her father. And theres a note to you, be sure of a stout friend in a corner, that may alwayes awe your husband. Marke the hauiour of the Dutches now, she dares defame, cryes, Duke do what thou canst, ile quite mine honor: nay, as one confirmed in her owne vertue a∣gainst ten thousand mouthes that mutter her disgrace, shees presently for daunces.

Enter Ferrar.

Bean.

For daunces?

Maq.

Most true.

Enusia.

Most strange, see, heeres my seruant yong Fer∣rard: How many seruants thinkst thou I haue, Maqua∣relle?

Maq.

The more the merier: twas well sayd, vse your seruants as you doe your smocks, haue many, vse one, and change often, for that's most sweete and courtlike.

Ferrar.

Saue y•…•…e fayre Ladies, is the Duke returned?

Bean.

Sweet Sir, no voyce of him as yet in Court.

Fer.

Tis very strange.

Bean.

And how like you my seruant, Maquarelle?

Maq.

I thinke hee could hardly drawe Ulisses bowe, but by my fidelity, were his nose narrower, his eyes broa∣der, his hands thinner, his lippes thicker, his legges big∣ger, his feete lesser, his haire blacker, and his teeth whiter, hee were a tollerable sweete youth ifaith. And hee will come to my Chamber, I will reade him the fortune of his beard.

Cornets sound.

Fer.

Not yet returnd I feare, but The Dutches approcheth.

Enter Mendozo supporting the Dutches: Guerrino, the Ladyes that are on the Stage rise: Ferrard Vshers in the Dutches, and then takes a Lady to treade a measure.

SCENA SECVNDA.

Aur.

We will daunce, musique, we will daunce.

Guer.

Lesquanto (Ladie) penses bien, passa regis, or Beanchas brawle.

Aur.

We haue forgot the brawle.

Fer.

So soone? tis wonder.

Guerrino

Why tis but two singles on the left, two on the right, three double forward, a trauerse of six round: do this twice, three singles side, galliard tricke of twenty, curranto pace; a figure of eight, three singles broken downe, come vp, meete two doubles, fall backe, and then honor.

Aurelia

O Dedalus! thy maze, I haue quite forgot it.

Maq.

Trust me so haue I, sauing the falling back, and then honor.

Enter Prepasso.

Aurelia

Musicke, musicke.

Prepasso

Who saw the duke? the duke.

Enter Equato.

Aurel.

Musicke.

Equato

The duke, is the duke returned?

Aurelia

Musicke:

Enter Celso.

Celso

The duke is either quite inuisible, or else is not.

Aurelia

We are not pleased with your intrusion vppon our priuate retirement: we are not pleasde: you haue for∣got your selues.

Enter a Page.

Celso

Boy, thy Maister, where's the Duke?

Page

Alas, I left him burying the earth with his spread ioylesse limbs: he tolde me he was heauy, would sleep, bade

me walke off, for that the strength of fantasie oft made him talking in his dreames: I strait obeide, nor neuer saw him since: but, where so ere he is, hee's sad.

Aur.

Musicke sound high, as is our heart, sound high.

SCENA TERTIA.

Enter Maleuole and Pietro disguised like an Hermit.

Mal.

The Duke, peace, the Duke is dead.

Aurel.

Musicke.

Mal.

Ist Musicke?

Men.

Giue proofe.

Fer.

How?

Cel.

Where.

Pre.

When?

Mal.

Rest in peace, as the Duke duz, quietly sit: for my owne part, I beheld him but dead, thats all: marry heers one can giue you a more particular account of him.

Men.

Speake holy father, nor let any browe within this presence fright thee from the truth: speake confidently and freely.

Aur.

We attend.

Pietro

Now had the mounting Suns all-ripening wings Swept the cold sweat of night from earths danke breast, When I (whom men call Hermit of the Rocke) Forsooke my Ceil, and clamberd vp a cliffe, Against whose base, the heady Neptune dasht His high curld browes, there t'was I easde my limbes, When loe, my entrailes melted with the moane, Some one, who farre boue me was climbde, did make: I shal offend.

Men.

Not.

Aur.

On.

Pietro.

Me thinks I heare him yet, O female faith! Coe sowe the ingratefull sand, and loue a woman: And do I liue to be the skoffe of men, To be their wittall cuckold, euen to hugge my poyson?

Thou knowest ô Trueth! Sooner hard steele will melt with Southerne wind; A Seamans whistle calme the Ocean; A towne on fire be extinct with teares, Then women vow'd to blushlesse impudence, With sweet behauiour and soft minioning, Will turne from that where appetite is fixt. O powerfull blood! how thou dost slaue their soule? I washt an Ethiop, who for recompence Sullyde my name. And must I then be for'cd. To walke, to liue thus black: must, must, fie, He that can beare with must, he cannot die. With that he sigh'd so passionately deepe, That the dull ayre even groand, at last he cries: Sinke shame in seas, sinke deepe enough, so dies. For then I viewd his bodie fall and sowse Into the fomy maine, O then I saw That which me thinks I see, it was the Duke, Whome straight the nicer stomackt sea Belcht vp: but then,

Mal.

Then came I in, but las all was too late, For euen straight he sunke.

Pietro.

Such was the Dukes sad fate.

Cel.

A better fortune to our Duke Mendozo.

Cry all, Mendozo: Cornets florish.

Enter a guard.

Men.

A guard, a guard, we full of hartie teares, For our good fathers losse, For so we well may call him: Who did beseech your loues, for our succession, Cannot so lightly ouer-iumpe his death. As leaue his woes reuenglesse: * 1.1 woman of shame, We banish thee for euer to the place, From whence this good man comes, Nor permit on death vnto the bodie any ornament: But base as was thy life, depart away.

Aur.

Vngratefull.

Men.

Away.

Aur.

Villaine heare me.

Prepasso and Guerino leads away the Dutches.

Men.

Be gone my Lords, addresse to publique counsel, Tis most fit, The traine of Fortune is borne vp by wit. Away, our presence shal be sudden, haste.

All depart sauing Mendozo, Maleuole, and Pietro.

Mal.

Now you egregious deuill, ha ye murthering po∣lititian, how dost duke? how dost looke now? braue duke yfaith.

Men:

How did you kill him?

Mal:

Slatted his brains out, then sowst him in the bri∣nie sea.

Men:

Braind him and drownd him too?

Mal:

O twas best, sure worke:

For he that strikes a great man, let him strike home, or els ware, heele prooue no man: shoulder not a huge fellow, vnlesse you may be sure to lay him in the kennell.

Men:

A most sound braine panne, Ile make you both Emperours

Mal:

Make vs christians, make vs christians.

Men:

Ile hoist yee, yee shall mount.

Mal.

To the gallows, say ye? O ô me, Pra•…•…ium incer∣tum petit certum scelus. How stands the Progresse?

Men.

Here, take my ring vnto the Citadell, Haue entrance to Maria the graue Dutches Of banisht Altofront. Tell her wee loue her: Omit no circumstance to grace our Person (doo't)

Mal.

Iste make an excellent pandar: Duke farewell, due adue Duke.

Exit

Men.

Take Maquerelle with thee; for t'is found, None cutts a Diamon but a Diamound. Hermit, thou art a man for me, my Confessor, O thou selected spirit, borne for my good, Sure thou wouldst make an excellent elder in a deformed

church: Come, we must be inward, thou and I all one.

Pietro

I am glad I was ordayned for yee.

Men.

Goe to then, thou must knowe that Malenole is a strange villaine: dangerous, very dangerous, you see howe broade a speakes, a grose-jawde rogue, I would haue thee poison him: hees like a korne vpon my great •…•…oe, I cannot goe for him: hee must be kored out: he must, wilt doo't, h•…•…?

Pietro

Anything, any thing.

Men.

Heart of my life, thus then to the Citadell, Thou shalt consort with this Maleuole, There being at supper, poison him, It shalbe layde vpon Maria, who yeeldes loue, or dies, Skud quicke.

Pietro

Like lightning good deedes crawle, but mischiefe flies.

Enter Maleuole. Exit Pietro

Mal.

Your diuelships ring haze no vertue, the buffe∣captaine, the sallo-westfalian gamon-faced zaza cries stand out, must haue a stiffer wareant, or no passe into the castle of Comfort.

Men.

Commaund our sodaine Letter: not enter? sha•…•…, what place is there in Genoa, but thou shalt into my heart, into my very heart: come, lets loue, we must loue, we two, soule and body.

Mal.

How didst like the Hermite? A strange Her∣mite sirrah.

Men.

A dangerous fellow, very perillous: he must die.

Mal.

I, he must die.

Men.

Thoust kil him: we are wise, we must be wise.

Mal.

And prouident.

Men.

Yea prouident; beware an hypocrite.

A Church man once corrupted, oh auoyd▪ A fellow that makes Religion his stawking horse, He breedes a plague: thou shalt poyson him.

Mal.

Ho, tis wondrous necessary: how?

Men.

You both goe ioyntly to the Citadell, There sup, there poison him: and Maria, Because she is our opposite, shall beare The sad suspect, on which she dies, or loues vs.

Mal:

I runne.

Exit mal:

Men:

We that are great, our sole self good still moues vs: They shall die both, for their deserts craues more Than we can recompence, their presence still Imbraides our fortunes with beholdingnesse, Which we abhorre, like deede, not door: then conclude, They liue not to cry out Ingratitude. One sticke burnes tother, steele cuts steele alone: Tis good trust few: but O, tis best trust none.

Exit Mendozo.

SCENA QVARTA.

Enter Maleuole and Pietro still disguised, at seuerall doores.

Mal:

How doe you? how doost Duke?

Pietro

O let the last day fall, drop, drop in our curssed heads! Let heauen vnclasp itselfe, vomit forth flames:

Mal:

O doe not raue, do not turne Player, theres more of them, than can well live one by an other already. What, art an Infidell still?

Pietro

I am mazde, strucke in a swowne with wonder, I am commaunded to poison thee.

Mal:

I am commaunded to poyson thee, at supper.

Pietro

At supper?

Mal:

In the Citadell.

Pietro

In the Citadell.

Mal:

Crosse capers, trickes? truth a heauen would dis∣charge vs as boyes do elder gunnes, one pellet to strike out another: of what faith art now?

Pietro

Al is damnation, wickednes extreame, there is no faith in man.

Men.

In none but vsurers and brokers, they deceiue no man, men take vm for blood-suckers, and so they are: now God deliuer me from my friendes.

Pietro

Thy friendes?

Mal.

Yes, from my friends, for from mine ennemies Ile deliuer my selfe. O, cut-thr•…•…ate friendship is the ranc∣kest villany, marke this Mendozo, marke him for a villaine: but heauen will send a plague vpon him for a rogue.

Pietro

O world!

Mal.

World? Tis the onely region of Death, the grea∣test shop of the Diuell, the cruelst prison of men, out of the which none passe without paying their dearest breath for a fee, theres nothing perfect in it, but extreame extreame ca∣lamitie, such as comes yonder.

SCENA QVINTA.

Enter Aurelia, two Holberts before, and two after, supported by Celso and Ferrard, Aurelia in base mourning attire.

Aur.

To banishment, led on to banishment▪

Pietro

Lady, the blessednesse of repentance to you.

Au.

Why, why, I can desire nothing but death, nor de∣serue any thing but hell.

If heauen should giue sufficiencie of grace To deere my soule, it would make heauen gracelesse: My sinnes would make the stocke of mercy poore, Oh they would try heauens goodnes to •…•…eclaime them: Iudgement is iust yet from that vast villaine: But sure he shall not misse sad punishment, For he shall rule on to my Cell of shame.

Pietro

My Cell tis Lady, where insteede of Maskes, Musique, Tilts, Tournies, and such Courtlike shewes, The hollow murmure of the checklesse windes Shall groane againe, whilst the vnquiet sea Shakes the whole rocke with foamy battery: There Vsherlesse the ayre comes in and out, The reumy vault will force your eyes to weepe, Whilst you behold true desolation: A rocky barrennesse shall paine your eyes,

Where all at once one reaches, where he stands, With browes the roofe, both walles with both his handes.

Aur.

It is to good, blessed spirit of my Lord: O in what or befoere thy soule is throand, Behold me worthily most miserable: O let the anguish of my contrite spirite, Intreate some reconciliation: If not, O ioy! triumph in my iust griefe, Death is the end of woes, and teares reliefe.

Pietro

Belike your Lord not lou'd you, was vnkinde.

Aur.

O heauen, As the soule lou'd the body, so lou'd hee, Twas death to him to part my presence, Heauen to see me pleased: Yet I like to a wretch given ore to hell, Brake all the sacred rites of marriage, To clippe a base vngentle faithles villaine: O God, a very Pagan reprobate! What should I say, vngratefull throwes me out, For whom I lost soule, body, fame, and honor: But tis most fit: why should a better fate Attend on any, who forsake chaste sheetes, Flie the imbrace of a deuoted hart, Ioynd by a solemne vow sore God and man, To taste the brackish bloud of beastly lust In an adulterous touch? Oh rauenous immodesty, Insatiate impudence of appetite: Looke, heere'•…•… your end, for marke what sap in dust, What sinne in good, euen so much loue in lust: Ioy to thy ghost, sweete Lord, pardon to me.

Cel.

It is the Dukes pleasure this night you rest in court.

Aur.

Soule lurke in shades, run shame from brightsome skies, In night, the blind man misseth not his eies.

exit Au:

Mal.

Do not weep kind cuckold, take comfort man, thy betters haue beene Beccos: Agamemnon Emperour of all the merry Greekes; that tickled all the true Troyans, was a

Cornuto: Prince Arthur that cut off twelue Kings beardes was a Cornuto: Hercules, whose backe, bore vp heauen, and got forty wenches with childe in one night.

Pietro

Nay twas fifty.

Mal:

Faith fortie's enow a conscience, yet was a Cor∣nuto: patience, mischiefe growes prowde, be wise.

Piet:

Thou pinchest too deepe, art too keene vpon me.

Mal:

Tut, a pittifull surgeon makes a dangerous sore. Ile tent thee to the ground. Thinkst Ile sustaine my selfe by •…•…ttering thee, because thou art a Prince? I had rather follow a drunkard, and liue by licking vp his vomite, than by seruile flattery.

Piet:

Yet great men ha don't.

Mal:

Great slaues feare better than loue, borne natu∣rally for a coale-basket, though the common ysher of prin∣ces presence fortune ha blindely giuen them better place, I am vow'd to be thy affliction.

Pietro

Prethee be, I loue much misery, and be thou sonne to me.

Enter Biliosa.

Mal:

Because you are an vsurping Duke, Your Lordship's well returnd for Florence.* 1.2

Bil:

Well returnd, I praise my horse.

Mal:

What newes from the Florentines?

Bil:

I will conceale the great Dukes pleasure, onely this was his charge, his pleasure is, that his daughter die, Duke Pietro be banished for banishing his bloudes dishonor, and that Duke Altofront be reaccepted: this is all, but I heare Duke Pietro is dead.

Mal.

I, and Mendozo is Duke, what will you doe?

Bil:

Is Mendozo strongest?

Mal:

Yet he is.

Bil:

Then yet Ile hold with him.

Mal:

But if that Altofront should turne strait againe?

Biliosa.

Why then I would turne strait againe: Tis good runne still with him that haz most might:

I had rather stand with wrong, then fall with right▪

Mal.

Your Lordship sweats, your yong Ladie will get you a cloth for your old worships browes,

Exit Biliosa.

heeres a fellow to be damnd, this is his muiolable Maxim•…•…. (flatter the greatest, and oppresse the least:) a whorson flesh fly, that still gnawes vpon the leane gauld backs.

Piet.

Why dust then salute him?

Mal.

Faith as ba•…•…des go to Church, for fashion sake: come, be not confounded, th'art but in danger to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 a Dukedome, think this: this earth is the only graue a•…•… •…•…ol∣gotha wherein all thinges that liue must rotte: tis but the draught wherein the heauenly bodies discharge their cor∣ruption, the verie muckhill on which the sublunarie orbes cast their excrements: man is the slime of this dongue-pit, and Princes are the gouernours of these men: for, for our soules, they are as free as Emperoures, all of one peece, there goes but a paire of sheeres betwixt an Emperour and the sonne of a bagpiper: only the dying, dressing, pressing, glos∣sing makes the difference: now what art thou like to lose?

A iaylors office to keepe men in bonds, Whilst toyle and treason, all lifes good confounds.

Pietro.

I heere renounce for euer Regencie, O Altofront, I wrong thee to supplant thy right: To trip thy heeles vp with a diuelish slight. For which I now from Throane am throwne, world tricks abiure, For vengance that comes s•…•…ow, yet it comes sure. O I am chang'd, for heerefore the dread power▪ In true contrition I doe dedicate, My breath to solitarie holines, My lips to prayer, and my brests •…•…are shall be, Restoring Altofront to regency.

Mal.

Thy vowes are heard, and we accept thy faith.

Enter Ferneze •…•…d Celso vndisg•…•…iseth himselfe.

Altofront, Ferneze, Celso, Pietr•…•….

Banish amazement: come, we foure must stand full shocke of Fortune, be not so w•…•…nder st•…•….

Pietro

Doth Ferneze liue?

〈◊〉〈◊〉.

For your pardon.

P•…•…tro

Pardon and loue, giue leaue to recollect My thoughts disperst in wilde astonishment: My vowes stand fixt in heauen, and from hence I craue all loue and pardon.

Mal.

Who doubts of prouidence, T•…•… 〈◊〉〈◊〉 this change, a hartie faith to all: H•…•… 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…ust rise, who can no lower fall, 〈…〉〈…〉 petuous Vicissitude Looseth the world, then let no maze intrude Vpon your spirits: wonder not I rise, For who can sinke that close can temporise? The time growes ripe for action, Ile detect My priuatst plot, •…•…est ignorance feare suspect: Lets cloase to counsell, leaue the rest to fate, Mature discretion is the life of state.

Exeunt.

Notes

• * 1.1

  To Emilia,
• * 1.2

  'To Biliosa.