English drama -- 17th century; English drama -- Early modern and Elizabethan, 1500-1600
_Enter_ ISABELLA _in her night-gown, as to bed-ward, with lights
after her_, Count LODOVICO, GIOVANNI, GUIDANTONIO, _and others
waiting on her: she kneels down as to prayers, then draws the curtain
of the picture, does three reverences to it, and kisses it thrice;
she faints, and will not suffer them to come near it; dies: sorrow
expressed in_ GIOVANNI _and_ Count LODOVICO: _she is conveyed out
solemnly._
_Brach._ Excellent! then she's dead.
_Con._ She's poisonèd
By the fumed picture. 'Twas her custom nightly,
Before she went to bed, to go and visit
Your picture, and to feed her eyes and lips
On the dead shadow. Doctor Julio,
Observing this, infects it with an oil
And other poisoned stuff, which presently
Did suffocate her spirits.
_Brach._ Methought I saw
Count Lodowick there.
_Con._ He was: and by my art
I find he did most passionately dote
Upon your duchess. Now turn another way,
And view Camillo's far more politic fate.
Strike louder, music, from this charmèd ground,
To yield, as fits the act, a tragic sound!
_The second_ DUMB SHOW.
_Enter_ FLAMINEO, MARCELLO, CAMILLO, _with four others, as_ Captains;
_they drink healths, and dance: a vaulting-horse is brought into the
room:_ MARCELLO _and two others whispered out of the room, while_
FLAMINEO _and_ CAMILLO _strip themselves to their shirts, to vault;
they compliment who shall begin: as_ CAMILLO _is about to vault_,
FLAMINEO _pitcheth him upon his neck, and, with the help of the rest,
writhes his neck about; seems to see if it be broke, and lays him
folded double, as it were, under the horse; makes signs to call for
help:_ MARCELLO _comes in, laments; sends for the_ Cardinal _and_
Duke, _who come forth with armed men; wonder at the act; command the
body to be carried home; apprehend_ FLAMINEO, MARCELLO, _and the rest,
and go, as it were, to apprehend_ VITTORIA.
_Brach._ 'Twas quaintly done; but yet each circumstance
I taste not fully.
_Con._ O, 'twas most apparent:
You saw them enter, charged with their deep healths
To their boon voyage; and, to second that,
Flamineo calls to have a vaulting-horse
Maintain their sport; the virtuous Marcello
Is innocently plotted forth the room;
Whilst your eye saw the rest, and can inform you
The engine of all.
_Brach._ It seems Marcello and Flamineo
Are both committed.[43]
_Con._ Yes, you saw them guarded;
And now they are come with purpose to apprehend
Your mistress, fair Vittoria. We are now
Beneath her roof: 'twere fit we instantly
Make out by some back-postern.
_Brach._ Noble friend,
You bind me ever to you: this shall stand
As the firm seal annexèd to my hand;
It shall enforce a payment.
_Con._ Sir, I thank you. [_Exit_ BRACHIANO.
Both flowers and weeds spring when the sun is warm,
And great men do great good or else great harm.
[_Exit._
SCENE IV.--_The Mansion of_ MONTICELSO.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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