_Pier._ Why, where is Strotzo?--he that swore he saw The very act, and vow'd that Feliche fled Upon his sight: on which I brake the breast Of the adulterous lecher with five stabs. Go, fetch in Strotzo. Now, thou impudent, If thou hast any drop of modest blood 140 Shrouded within thy cheeks, blush, blush for shame, That rumour yet may say thou felt'st defame. _Mel._ Produce the devil; let your Strotzo come: I can defeat his strongest argument, With---- _Pier._ With what? _Mel._ With tears, with blushes, sighs, and claspèd hands; With innocent uprearèd arms to Heaven; With my unnookt[296] simplicity. These, these Must, will, can only quit my heart of guilt: 150 Heaven permits not taintless blood be spilt. If no remorse live in your savage breast---- _Pier._ Then thou must die. _Mel._ Yet dying, I'll be blest. _Pier._ Accurst by me. _Mel._ Yet blest, in that I strove To live, and die---- _Pier._ My hate. _Mel._ Antonio's love. _Ant._ [_Aside._] Antonio's love! _Enter_ STROTZO, _with a cord about his neck_. _Str._ O what vast ocean of repentant tears Can cleanse my breast from the polluting filth Of ulcerous sin! Supreme Efficient, Why cleavest thou not my breast with thunderbolts 160 Of wing'd revenge? _Pier._ What means this passion? _Ant._ [_Aside._] What villainy are they decocting now? Umh! _Str. In[297] me convertite ferrum, O proceres. Nihil iste, nec ista._ _Pier._ Lay hold on him! What strange portent is this? _Str._ I will not flinch. Death, hell more grimly stare Within my heart than in your threatening brows. Record, thou threefold guard of dreadest power,[298] What I here speak is forcèd from my lips By the [im]pulsive strain of conscience. 170 I have a mount of mischief clogs my soul, As weighty as the high-noll'd[299] Apennine, Which I must straight disgorge, or breast will burst. I have defam'd this lady wrongfully, By instigation of Antonio, Whose reeling love, tost on each fancy's surge, Began to loath before it fully joyed. _Pier._ Go, seize Antonio! guard him strongly in! [_Exit_ FOROBOSCO. _Str._ By his ambition being only bribed, Fee'd by his impious hand, I poisonèd 180 His agèd father, that his thirsty hope[s] Might quench their dropsy of aspiring drought With full unbounded quaff. _Pier._ Seize me, Antonio! _Str._ O, why permit you now such scum of filth As Strotzo is to live and taint the air With his infectious breath! _Pier._ Myself will be thy strangler, unmatched slave. PIERO _comes from his chair, snatcheth the cord's end, and_ CASTILIO _aideth him: both strangle_ STROTZO. _Str._ Now change your----