Enter LORENZO, BALTHEZAR, and the Page. Lor. Boy, talk no further-Thus far things go well. Thou art assured that thou saw'st him dead? As for his resolution in his end, Leave that to him with whom he sojourns now. To smooth and keep the murder secret, Bal. And time, Lorenzo; for my lord the duke, You heard, inquired for her yesternight. Lor. Why, and my lord, I hope, you heard me Sufficient reason why she kept away; Lor. Then in your love beware; deal cun- Save all suspicions, only sooth me up; rest. 182 Unless, by more discretion than deserved, As you or any need to rescue it? Lor. His highness, and my father, were resolved To come confer with old Hieronimo, Concerning certain matters of estate, That by the viceroy was determin'd. Bel. And wherein was mine honour touch'd in that? Bal. Have patience, Belimperia, hear the rest. Lor. Me (next in sight) as messenger they sent, To give him notice that they were so nigh; Now when I came, consorted with the prince, And, unexpected, in an arbour there, Found Belimperia with Horatio. Bel. How then? Lor. Why then, remembering that old disgrace Which you for Don Andrea had endured, Bal. And carry you obscurely somewhere else, Lest that his highness should have found you there. Bel. Even so, my lord? and you are witness That this is true which he intreateth of?— You, gentle brother, forged this for my sake; And you, my lord, were made his instrument; A work of worth, worthy the noting too! But what's the cause that you conceal'd me since? Lor. Your melancholy, sister, since the news Of your first favourite Don Andrea's death, My father's old wrath hath exasperate. Bal. And better was't for you, being in dis 181 Erit. Page omitted, !618. 23. 33. 182 Unrest.-Unrest, for disquiet, is a word frequently used by the old writers. As, in Titus Andronicus, A. 2. S. 3: Bel. Brother, you are become an orator, Too politic for me, past all compare, Bal. 'Tis of thy beauty then, that conquers Of those thy tresses, Ariadne's 187 twins, Bel. To love and fear, and both at once, my In my conceit, are things of more import Than women's wits are to be busied with. Bal. 'Tis I that love. Bel. Whom? Bal. Belimperia. Bel. But I, that fear. Bal. Whom? Bel. Belimperia. Bel. As those that, 188 what they love, are loath and fear to lose. Bal. Then, fair, let Balthezar your keeper be. Bel. 189 No, Balthezar doth fear as well as we; "Nor as you : you're wide all"These slippers are not mine, they were my son "Horatio's. ແ My son and what's a son? "A thing begot within a pair of minutes, there"about: "A lump bred up in darkness, and doth serve "To balance those light creatures we call women, And, at the nine months' end, creeps forth to "light. "What is there yet in a son, "To make a father doat, rave, or run mad? "Being born, it pouts, cries, and breeds teeth. "What is there yet in a son? "He must be fed, be taught to go, and speak. "Aye, or yet; why might not a man love a calf as "well? "Or melt in passion o'er a frisking kid, as for a "son? "Methinks a young bacon, "Or a fine little smooth horse-colt, "Should move a man as much as doth a son; "For one of these, in very little time, "Will grow to some good use; whereas a son, "The more he grows in stature and in years, "The more unsquared, 193 unbeveled, he appears, "Reckons his parents among the rank of fools, "Strikes care 194 upon their heads with his mad "riots, "Makes them look old before they meet with age: "This is a son; and what a loss were this, consi"dered truly? "Oh, but my Horatio grew out of reach of those 186 Thy hate is love, 1618. 188 When, 1618. 23. 33. 187 Twinnes, 1618. 23. 33. 189 No omitted, 1618. 23. 33. 190 Load-star.-So, in Shakespeare's Midsummer's Nights Dream, A. I. S. 1. : "O happy fair! "Your eyes are lode-stars." Upon this passage Dr Johnson observes, "This was a compliment not unfrequent among the old poets. "The lode-star is the leading or guiding star, that is, the Pole-star. The magnet is, for the same reason, "called the lode-stone, either because it leads iron, or because it guides the sailor. Milton has the same "thought in L'Allegro : "Towers and battlements he sees "Bosom'd high in tufted trees, "Davies calls Flizabeth' lode-stone to hearts, and lode-stone to all eyes." See also Mr Steevens's Note on the above passage. 191 Wends.-Goes. 192 This speech, in inverted commas, omitted also in the second edition. 193 Unleavill'd, 1623. 33. 194 Cares, 1623. 33. C Well, heaven is heaven still! "And there is Nemesis, and furies, And things called whips, "And they sometimes do meet with murderers: "They do not always 'scape,-that's some com"fort. Aye, aye, aye, and then time steals on, and "steals, and steals, "Till violence leaps forth, like thunder "And so doth bring confusion to them all. king; The king sees me, and fain would hear my suit. 2 Port. Pray you, which is the 195 next way to That leads unto the lake where hell doth stand: Hier. The next way from me. 2 Port. To his house, we mean. Hier. Who, my lord Lorenzo. 1 Port. Aye, sir. [He goes in at one Door, and comes out at another. Away, Hieronimo, to him begone, He'll do thee justice for Horatio's death. Or this, and then thou need'st not take thy breath, Hier. O forbear, for other talk for us far fit-This way I'll take, and this way comes the king. ter were; But if you be 196 importunate to know A darksome place, and dangerous to pass; [He takes them up again, Hath he received the articles we sent ? 200 King. Who is he that interrupts our business? 195 Next omitted, 1618. 23. 33. 197 Whose paleful humours if you but behold, 1618. 23. 33. 199 Seld.-An usual contraction among old writers for seldom. 196 Importune, 1618. 23. 198 That's, 1618. 23. 33. 200 Go by, go by. This line is ridiculed by Shakespeare in the Induction to The Taming of the Shrew and by other poets of the times. Amb. Renowned king, he hath received and | And here surrender up my marshalship; read Thy kingly proffers, and thy promised league ; And kingly love, he kindly lets thee know : King. Brother, how like you this our viceroy's love? Cast. No doubt, my lord, it is an argument Of honourable care to keep his friend, And wond'rous zeal to Balthezar his son; Nor am I least indebted to his grace, That bends his liking to my daughter thus. Amb. Now last, dread lord, here hath his high ness sent (Although he send not that his son return) His ransom due to Don Horatio. Hier. Horatio! who calls Horatio? King. And well remembered, thank his majesty: Here, see it given to Horatio. Hier. Justice! O justice! justice! gentle king. King. Who is that, Hieronimo? Hier. Justice! O justice! O my son, my son! My son, whom nought can ransom or redeem. Lor. Hieronimo, you are not well advised. Hier. Away, Lorenzo, hinder me no more, For thou hast made me bankrupt of my bliss; Give me my son, you shall not ransom him. Away, I'll rip the bowels of the earth, [He diggeth with his Dagger. And ferry over to the Elysian plains, And bring my son to shew his deadly wounds. Stand from about me, I'll make a pick-ax of my poinard, For I'll go marshal up 202 the fiends in hell, To be avenged on you all for this. Will none of you restrain his fury? Hier. Nay, soft and fair, you shall not need to strive, Needs must he go that the devils drive. [Erit. King. What accident hath 203 hapt Hieronimo? I have not seen him to demean him so. And covetous of having to himself King. Believe me, nephew, we are sorry for't. Lor. But if he be thus 204 helplessly distract, 'Tis requisite his office be resigned, And given to one of more discretion. King. We shall increase bis melancholy so, 'Tis best 305 that we see farther in it first, Till when, ourself will exempt the place. And, brother, now bring in the ambassador, That he may be a witness of the match, 'Twixt Balthezar and Belimperia; And that we may prefix a certain time, 207 'I his scene, printed in inverted commas, is rejected by Mr Hawkins, for the same reasons as the former. 208 Distraught.-Distraught is distracted. So, in Jack Drum's Entertainment, 1616, Sign. G. 3.: "Alas, kind youth, how came he thus distraught ?” In the Second Part of Antonio and Mellida, A. 3. S. 2.: "Alas, my son's distraught. Sweet boy, appease Tuphues and his England, 41.: "Iffida so distraught of her wits, with these newes, fell into a frensie.” = "And now his aged years should sleep in rest, "His heart in quiet, like a desperate man, "Grows lunatic and childish, for his son: "Sometimes as he doth at his table sit, "He speaks as if Horatio stood by him. "Then starting in a rage, falls on the earth, "Cries out, Horatio! where is my Horatio? "So that with extreme grief, and cutting sorrow, "There is not left in him one inch of man. "See, here he comes. "Enter HIERONIMO. "Hier. I pry through every crevice of each "wall, “Look at each tree, and search through every "brake, "Hier. Villain, thou lyest! and thou dost "nought "But tell me I am mad: thou lyest, I am not mad: "I know thee to be Pedro, and he Jaques; "I'll prove it to thee; and were I mad, how "could I? "Where was she the same night, when my Hora"tio was murdered? "She should have shone: search thou the book: "Had the moon shone in my boy's face, there 66 was a kind of grace, "That I know, nay I do know had the murd❜rer seen him, "His weapon would have fallen, and cut the earth, "Had he been framed of nought but blood and "death: Alack, when mischief doth it knows not what, "What shall we say to mischief? "Beat on the bushes, stamp our grand-dame earth," "sir. "Hier. What make you with your torches in the "dark? "Ped. You bid us light them, and attend you "here. "Hier. No, no, you are deceived, not I, you 66 are deceived: "Was I so mad to bid you light your torches now? "Light me your torches at the mid of noon, "When as the sun-god rides in all his glory; Light me your torches then. "Ped. Then we 209 burn day-light. "Hier. Let it be burnt, night is a murd'rous slut, "That would not have her treasons to be seen: "And yonder pale-faced Hecate there, the moon, "Doth give consent to that is done in darkness: "And all those stars that gaze upon her face, "Are 210 aglets on her sleeve, pins on her train : "And those that should be powerful and divine, "Do steep in darkness when they most should 66 'shine. "Ped. Provoke them not, fair sir, with tempt ❝ing words, "The heavens are gracious, and your miseries and 66 sorrow "Make you speak you know not what. Enter ISABELLA. "Isa. Dear Hieronimo, come in a doors. "O seek not means so to increase thy sorrow. "Hier. Indeed, Isabella, we do nothing here; "I do not cry, ask Pedro and Jaques : "Not I indeed, we are very merry, very merry. "Isa. How? be merry here? be merry here? "Is not this the place, and this the very tree, "Where my Horatio died, where he was mur❝dered? "Hier. Was, do not say what: let her weep it out, "This was the tree, I set it of a kernel; "And when our hot Spain could not let it grow, "But that the infant and the humane sap "Began to wither, duly twice a morning "Would I be sprinkling it with fountain water: "At last it grew, and grew, and bore, and bore: "Till at length it grew a gallows, and did bear 209 Burn day-light.-To burn day-light was a proverbial phrase used when any act was done which would be wholly useless. See Merry Wives of Windsor, A. 2. S. 1., and Romeo and Juliet, A. 1. S. 4. Again, in Churchyard's Worthiness of Wales, p. 96. edit. 1776: "To Ludloe now my muse must needes returne, The Curtain Drawer of the World, 1612, p. 46. : “Oh thou invaluable jewell! how art thou in this age "cast upon the dunghill? how dost thou burne out thy day-light to these thy regardless children?" 210 Aglets.-An aglet, Mr Pope says, is the tag of a point. See Taming of the Shrew, A. 1. S. 2. This is also one of the explanations in Barret's Alvearie, who also says, An aglet is a jewell in one's cap. Segmentum aureum. Monile ex auro vel gemmis confectum. |