The malcontent. By Iohn Marston. 1604

SCENA TERTIA.

Enter Prepasso and Ferrand, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 with lightes, Celso and Equato, Mendozo in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉, Bilioso and Guerrino.: Ex•…•…nt all sa•…•…g: M•…•…uole.

Men.

On on, leaue vs, leaue vs 〈◊〉〈◊〉 where is the hermit▪

Mal.

With Duke Pietro, with 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Pietro.

Men.

Is he dead? is he poysoned▪

Mal.

Dead as the Duke is.

Men.

Good, excellent, he will not 〈◊〉〈◊〉▪ se•…•…renes liues in secrecy▪ cōme liether▪ come liether.

Mal.

Thou hast a certaine strong villa•…•… sent about thee, my nature cannot indu•…•…e.

Men.

Sent man? what returnes Maria? what answer to our sute?

Mal.

Colde▪ frostie, she is obstinate.

〈◊〉〈◊〉▪

Then shees but dead •…•…is resolute, she dies: Black deede onely through black deedes safely flies▪

Mal.

Pew, per sc•…•…ra semper sceleribus tutum est •…•…ter.

Men.

What ar•…•… a scholler? art a polititian? sure thou a•…•…te an arrand knaue.

Mal.

Wh•…•… I? I h•…•… bene 〈◊〉〈◊〉 an vnder sherife, man.

Men.

Canst •…•…hou impoys•…•…▪ canst thou impoyson?

Mal:

Excellently▪ no Iew▪ Potecary, or 〈◊〉〈◊〉 better: look ye, here's a box, whom wouldst thou impoison, here's a box, which opened, and the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…ne vp in condites, tho∣row which the braine purge•…•… it selfe, doth instantly for 12. houres space, bind vp al shew of life in a deep sensles sleep:

heres another, which being opened vnder the sleeper•…•… nose, ch•…•…aks all the pores of life, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 him sodainely.

Enter 〈◊〉〈◊〉

Men.

Ile try experiments, tis good not to be decoued▪ 〈◊〉〈◊〉 so, Catzo:

Who would feare that ma destroy, death hath no teeth, nor t•…•…ng,* 1.1 And he thats great▪ to him one slaues sham•…•…, Murder, fame and wrong▪ Celzo•…•…

Cell:

My honored Lord.

Men.

The good Maleuole, that plain-tongued 〈◊〉〈◊〉, is dead on sodaine wondrou•…•… strangely, he held in o•…•…r e∣steem good place,

Celso, see him buried, see him buried.

Cels:

I shall obserue y•…•…e.

Men.

And Celso, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 let it be thy care to night To haue some pretty shew▪ •…•…o solemnize Our high instalment, some musike, maskery: Weele giue f•…•…re ent•…•…taine vnto Maria The Dutchesse to the banishd Altofront: Thou shalt conduct her from the Citadell Vnto the Pallace, thinke on some maskery.

Cel:

Of what shape, sweete Lorde,

Men.

Why shape? why any quicke done fiction, As some brau•…•… spirites of the Gen•…•… Dukes, To come out of Elizium forsooth, Led in by Mercury to gratulate

Our happy fortune, some such any thing, some farre •…•…et tricke, good for Ladies, some stale toy or other, no matter so't be of our deuising.

Do thou prepar't, tis but for fashion sake, Feare not, it shal be grac'd man, it shall take.

Cel:

All seruice.

Men:

All thankes, our hand shal not be •…•…lose to thee: farewel Now is my trechery secure, nor can we fall: Mischiefe that pr•…•…spers men do vertue call, Ile trust no man, he that by trickes▪go•…•…s wreathes, Keepes them with •…•…le, no man se•…•…ely breathes, Out of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 rankes the Crowde will m•…•…tter foole: Who cannot beare with spi•…•…e he cannot rule:

The chi•…•…st 〈◊〉〈◊〉 for a man of flat•…•…, Is to liue senslesse of a strengthlesse hate.

Exit Mendozo.

Mal.

Death of the damn'd thiefe, Ile make one i'the maske, thou shalt ha some

Br•…•…ue spirites of the antique Dukes.

Cel:

My Lord, what strange di•…•…sion?

Mal.

Most happy, deere 〈◊〉〈◊〉, poi•…•… with an empty* 1.2 box▪ Ile giue thee all anone: my Lady comes to court, there is •…•… •…•…rle of fate comes tumbling on▪ the Castles captaine stands for me, the people pray for me, and the great leader of the iust stands for me: then courage Celso.

For n•…•… disastrous chance can euer m•…•…e him, That leaueth nothing but a God aboue him.

Exeunt.

Enter Prepasso and Bilioso, two Pages, before them Maquar: Beanche, and Emilia.

Bil:

Make roome there, roome for the ladies: why gen∣tlemen, wil not ye suffer the ladies to be entr•…•…d in the great chamber? why gallants? and you sir, to droppe your Torch where the beauties must sit too.

Pre.

And theres a great fellow playes the knaue, why dost not strike him?

Bil:

Let him play the knaue a Gods name, thinkst thou I haue no more wit then to strike a great fellow, the musike, more lights, reueling, scaffolds: do you heare? let there be othes enow ready at the doore, sweare out the diuel himself. Lets leaue the Ladies, and goe see if the Lords be ready for them.

All saue the Ladie•…•… depart.

Maq.

And by my troth Beauties, why do you not put you into the fashion, this is a stale cu•…•…▪ you must come in fa∣shion: looke ye, you must be all felt, fealt and feather, a fealt vpon your head: looke ye, these •…•…ing things are iustly out of request now: and doe yee heare? you must weare falling bands, you must come into the falling fashion: there is such a deale a pinning these ruffes, when the sine cleane fall is woorth all: and agen▪ if you should chance to take a nap in the afternoone, your falling ba•…•… requires no poting sticke to recouer his forme: beheue 〈◊〉〈◊〉, no fashion to the falling band I say.

Bean.

And is not 〈◊〉〈◊〉 S. Andrew Iaqu•…•… •…•… gallant fellow now?

Maq.

By my maiden-head la, honour and hee agrees aswell together, as a satten sute and wollen stockings.

Emil.

But, is not Marshall Make-roome my seruant in reversion, a proper gentleman?

Maq.

Yes in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 as he had his office, as in truth he hath all things in reversion: hee haz his Mistris in reversi∣on, his cloathes in reversion, his wit in reversion, & indeed•…•…, is a suter to me for my dogge in reversion: but in good ve∣ritie la, hee is as proper a gentleman in reversion as: and indeede, as fine a man as may be, hauing a red beard and a paire of warpt legges,

Bean.

But I faith I am most monstrously in loue with count Quidlibet in Quodlibet, is he not a pretty dapper windle gallant?

Maq.

He is even one of the most busy •…•…ingerd lords, he will put the beauties to the squeake most hiddeously.

Bil.

Roome, make a lane there, the Duke is entring: stand handsomely for beauties sake, take vp the Ladies there. So, cornets, cornets.

Notes

• * 1.1

  eems to poi∣•…•…n Maleuole.
• * 1.2

  Starts vp and speakes.