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THE TEMPLE T>RJMJTISTS
Kyd's SPANISH TRAGEDY
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/a 98
The present volume is based on a critical edition of TJU
Spamsh Tragedy which I am preparing for the collection
of Litterarhisiorische Forschungen^ edited by Professor
Freiherr von Waldberg and myself. The liberality and
kindness of public authorities and private owners have
afforded m« access to the scattered material contained in
numerous libraries in England and abroad, namely, the
British Museum, the Bodleian, South Kensington, Sion
College, Lambeth Palace, the libraries of the Hague,
Leyden, Copenhagen, G5ttingen, Danrig, Bonn, Munich,
and Berlin, and the private libraries of Alfred Huth, Esq.,
the Earl of EUesmere, and the Duke of Devcmshire.
Small though this work be, I feel that it has laid
upon me a heavy debt of gratitude to the many friends
who have taken a kind interest in its preparation,
and to those who have intrusted to me their
rare and unique treasures.
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PREFACE
Thomas Kyd a tatellite of Shaktpere A few yean
ago the world was startled by the splendid discovery that the
mightiest of the planets had a fifth satellite. Four of them
had been well known for centuries and had had a glorious
place in the history of the stars and light ; but the one vassal
nearest to his king had been so outshone by the grand luminary
that, down to our own day, it had been ^psed to the eyes of
Very similar is the case of the nearest vassal of another
Jupiter, the Jupiter Tonitruans of the world's drama. Of his
satellites, too, some four had been well known for as many
centuries : one especially had, by his own brilliancy and fiery
iqypearance, attracted the general eye ; but in this case, too,
the satellite nearest to the great luminary had hardly been
taken notice of. And if we knew of his bare exbtence, we knew
little or nothing of his orbit, of his history, of his magnitude,
of the quality of his light — ^in short, nothing of all the details
we care to know of poet or brilliant star.
It is only of late years that a vigorous and searching investi-
gation has been started with the object of determining the
unknown elements of Shakspere's fifth satellite, Thomas Kyd,
the author of The Spanish Thigedy^ and, as some will have
it— and with great show of probability— the man who first put
the immortal story of Hamlet on the stage.
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Unfortunately, this investigation is beset with great difficulties ;
and thus considerable discrepancy of opinion prevails even on
some of the most important points.
All detailed criticism, as well as a full statement of authorities
— I have only room here to mention my especial indebtedness
to Sarrazin*8 book, Thomas Kyd und sein Kreis^ and Mr.
Sidney Lee's article in the Diciiondry of NaHonal Biography —
must be reserved for my forthcoming larger edition, of which
the pre£fu:e and notes in this little volume form merely a
short extract.
Known facts of Kyd's life. Materials for a biography of
Thomas Kyd are still but scanty. Yet we are now fortunate
enough to possess as a starting-point the fact that Thomas
Kyd was baptized Nov. 6, 1558, in the Church of St Mary
Woolnoth, in the City— a discovery which we owe to Mr.
Gordon Goodwin ; see Notes and Quories, 8th series, vol. v.
pp. 305-6 (21st April 1894).
Thus we know now for certain that Kyd was older by
a good lustrum than Marlowe or Shakspere. This seems
to me a very important consideration, in view of the
astounding youthfuhiess of the creators of the English drama
—some, after a glorious record, being carried off in early
youth, and the greatest of them storming the very heights of
Parnassus before he could be called a man. In such circum-
stances, five or six years more or less means much; and in
the scarcity of known dates we may emphasise that it is thus
^ priori very probable that Kyd bqgan his work before Mar-
lowe or Shakspere, that his earliest works, among them pro-
bably Hamlit and Thi Spanish Tragedy^ weie written befote
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Tamburlaine. All other evidence tends to corroborate this
conclusion ; and should it really be correct, we see at once what
an important historical place Kyd holds in the English drama :
he then, not Marlowe, is the man who wrote the first great
popular English tragedy ; he then, not Marlowe, must have
given to the popular drama the most thundering of all metres
for its garb.
Besides knowing, as in Shakspere's case, the date of Kyd's
baptism, if not of his birth, we also know now something
about his parentage. His father was Francis Kyd, scrivener,
writer of the Court Letter of London, several times church-
warden of St. Mary Woolnoth, Lombard Street, in the City,
in which church the boy Thomas was baptized. We see
that the dramatist was indeed a regular Cockney, as had been
surmised before. His mother was, almost to a certainty,
Agnes Kyd: we know at least that Francis Kyd*s wife
was called Agnes — exactly Chaucer's case, where the circum-
stances (even to the very name of the mother, Agnes) are the
same.
The dramatist had a sister Ann, three years his junior, who
was baptized on Sept. 24, 1561 ; John Kyd, the stationer, was
probably his brother. We now even hear of Prudence Cook,
'servant with Francis Kyd, scrivener,' who was buried on
2nd Sept. 1563, which is more of domestic detail than we had
bargained for knowing with regard to the once proverbial
* unpersonlichste aller Dichter.' More interesting is the fajci
that Francis Kyd's family seems to have had intimate con-
nection with Francis Coldocke (the printer of Wotton*s Courtly
Controversy) and his son-in-law, William Ponsonby, tbe
publisher of the Arcadia and the Faerie Qtieene, as also of the
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Countess of Pembroke's Momay and Aniome (cp. Hunter in
MS. Add. 24,488, foL 381a, and Coldocke's will at Somerset
House).
Some time before the discovery of the date of Kyd's baptism,
an item concerning his education had been known. Through
Ch. J. Robinson — see his Register of . , , Merchant Taylor^
School^ i. (1882) p. 9, and his notice in the Academy^ vol. zzxL
(1887), p. 346— we know that ' Thomas Kydd, son of Francis,
scrivener,' entered Merchant Taylors' School on Oct. 26,
1565. This, too, had been a very important discovery ; it
was, we may almost say, the first personal date about Kyd
brought to light ; the ' scrivener ' appeared here for the first
time; and we shall presently see the import of this one
detail : it will almost prove Kyd to be the author of the Ur*
ffamiei.
Besides, we see now at which particular school Kyd acquired
lie classical erudition which shows itself on every page of his
Spanish Tragedy; it is the same school at which Edmund
Spenser had acquired his. Merchant Taylors' was then under
the direction of its famous first headmaster, Dr. Mulcaster,
who, it befits here to note, was a great advocate of the per-
formance of plays: his boys performed before the Queen;
and it is interesting to find that, in 1582, a play taken from
Ariosto, Ariodante and Ginezfra, was performed at Court by
his boys. We do not wonder therefore that Kyd knew
Italian, as he, no doubt, had acquired a more than ordinary
knowledge of French — witness his translation of Gamier's
Com^lie, and, we may probably add, the composition of
his Hamlet from a novel by Belleforest To complete the
list of his linguistic attainments, it may be added that of
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Spanish he knew 'pocas palabras' (Spamsk Thigiufyt in.
XV. 79)»
After 1565, we hear nothing further of Kyd for a long space
of years— not until 1589, when he had written some of his
greatest works and, lUce Shakspere, excited the enrioos
derision of some of his rivals. Bat between 1565 and 15S9
history is entirely silent about him : we know not where he
continued his studies — whether he went to a University or to
the Inns of Court, — when he first devoted himself to dramatic
writing, nor what his earliest works were. It is only very clear
to us, from his own words in the dedication of his Cornelia,
that he himself must have drunk deep from the bitter cup of
woe whilst he wrote of the woes of young Hamlet and old
Jeronimo.
Nash's invectiye in Preface to Greene's Menaphon.
We now come to the discussion of the 15S9 passage just alluded
to— by far the most important contemporary passage with
r^ard to Kyd,— oft-quoted words, much discussed and com-
mented upon. At the same time, I am bound to add that it is
not absolutely certain that the passage refers to Kyd ; indeed,
it would not have been quoted so often had it not, for a time,
been held to refer, not to the satellite, but to the King himself.
The passage occurs in Nash's preface to Greene's Mmaphon
(15^)9 <u^^ begins: 'I will turn back to my first text, of
studies of delight, and talk a little in friendship with a few of
our trivial translators. It is a common practice now-a-days,
amongst a sort of shifting companions, that run through every
art and thrive by none, to leave the trade of noverint, whereto
they were bom^ and busy themselves with the endeavours of
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art, tbftt could scarodj latinice their neck-verse, if they should
have need,'
The tradex>f * noverint ' is the trade of a scrivener, who has
to write out documents beginning, * Noverint universi per
pnesentes,' etc. : Thomas Kyd's father being a scrivener, the
son was indeed literally * bom to the trade of noverint.' In
the latter part Nash seems to sneer at the defective education
of Kyd, who, like Shakspere, may have been taken away
from school early and not have gone to a University ; it was
only a short time afterwards that Greene, Nash's special ally,
spoke in an equally disparaging way of Shakspere. The
'neck-verse,' in special, has been held to refer to the Miserere^
Domine in the old German J?am/^ (Widgery, First Quarto
Edition of Hamlet ^ p. 102).
Nash then continues : * Yet English Seneca, read by candle-
light, yields many good sentences, as '' Blood is a b^;gar," and
so forth : and if you entreat him fedr in a frosty morning, he
will afford you whole Hamlets, I should say handfiils of tragical
speeches.'
Hardly anybody now doubts that this means : this man has
copied Seneca wholesale ; the play on Hamlet especially, which
he has written, is full of lines and * sentences ' from Seneca.
Now Kyd, in his Spanish Tragedy^ follows most decidedly in
the wake of Seneaa's tragedies: three Latin quotations are
directly taken from the Roman dramatist; and in the Hamlet
Kyd's dependence on Seneca may have been even greater. It
may be that Hamlet's speeches on that ' frx>sty morning ' after
the appearance of his father's ghost were especially ' tragical,'
and that the phrase * Blood is a be^ar,' threatening revenge,
oocurred in one of them. The nearest approach to this phrase
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of which I am at present aware is, * Blond is an inceassant
crier in the eares of the Lord ' (ycAn Bremen, ed. Collier, p. 15) ;
and ' Blood is a threatener and will have revenge/ in the old
Richard IIL^ ed. Barron Field, p. 31.
Nash's passage goes on : ' But o grief: tempos edax rerumt
what's that will last always ? The sea exhaled by drops will
in continuance be dry, and Seneca let blood line by line, and
page by page, at length must needs die for our stage, which
makes his &mished followers to imitate the Kidde in .£sop,
who enamoured with the Fox's newfangles, forsook all hopes
of life to leap into a new occupation ; and these men, re-
nouncing all possibilities of credit or estimation, to inter-
meddle with Italian translations : wherein how poorly they
have plodded (as those that are neither provincial men, nor
able to distinguish of articles) let all indifferent gentlemen
that have travailed in that tongue, discern by their twopenny
pamphlets. • . .'
The ' Kidde in <£sop ' — ^this is indeed, I think, calling things
by their names ; surely Nash points here with his very finger to
the person of Kyd. The satirist may have had iEsop's fable of
the fox and goat in his mind (see Caxton's Msop, ed. Jacobs,
II. 195 sqq.\ or Phadrus, IV. 9 ( Vulpes et Aircus): his words
are certsdnly not without reference to Spenser's May-Eclogue
in the Shephercts Calendar,
Further, we seem actually to possess one of Kyd's * Italian
translations.' In 1588, a year before Nash's invective was
written, a little book appeared, *The Housholdfirs Phihso-
phie, . . . First written in Italian by that excellent orator
and poet, Signor Torquato Tasso, and now translated by
T. K,'
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• This is a translation of Tasso's Padrt difamigka^ and has a
Latin motto at the end :
Mt mea sic tua U cetera mortis erunt,
signed by the initials T. K. The verses, at all events, which
are interspersed throughout the volume would certainly deserve
Nash's adverse criticism ; they stand far below those of Tki
Spanish Tragedy. We are, of course, by no means absolutely
certain that T. K. means Thomas Kyd.
Nash goes on: 'And no marvel though their home-bom
mediocrity be such in this matter ; for what can be hoped of
those that thrust Elysium into hell, and have not learned so
long as they have lived in the spheres, the just measure of the
Horixon without an hexameter. Sufficeth them to bodge up a
blank verse with ift and ands. . . .'
The beginning of this bit is difficult to explain. Virgil,
jEneid, vL 540 sgg., speaks of two ways in the nether world :
' Hie locus est, partes ubi se via findit in ambas/ etc.
Kyd, Spanish Tragedy^ i. L 59, says: * Three ways there
were,' and, after describing the first two of them, goes on
(I.i72):
' 'Twixt these two ways I trod the middle path,
Which brought me to the fair Elysian green.'
Can this be what Nash calls * thrusting Elysium into hell'?
It is very probable that the * ift and ands ' refers to Spanish
Tragedy^ II. i. 79 (Koppd, Englisch$ StmUen, xviiL 131) —
the phrase is not over-firequent in Elizabethan literature ; * home*
bom mediocrity': how dared the stay-at-home scrivener's son
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'intermeddle with Italian translations' when Thomas Nash,
gent, of Lowestoft, and (nearly) MA. of Cambridge, had in
person been to Italy?
A splendid vista of literary connecticm is opened to our
imagination by the end of the passage : ' and otherwhile, for
recreation after their candle-stuff, having starched their beards
most curiously, to make a peripatetical path into the inner parts
of the City, and spend two or three hours in turning over French
Doudie, where they attract more infection in one minute than
they can do eloquence all days of their life, by conversing with
any authors of like argument.'
This means, I think, that the derided author, got up and
attired in his best, goes to the City, to one of its noble houses,
where French pla]rs are translated ; the ' Dowdy may refer to
a play with the title ' Didon '— Jodelle's, for instance {cf, * Dido
a dowdy,' J^omeo and Juliet^ ii. iv. 43)— or, in Nash's jocose
language at least, to Gamier-Kyd's Comilie or Parcie, or the
Cleopatra of Lady Pembroke's Ant^nU. The starched beard
may be, in Nash's malicious mouth, a further allusion to the
hireus barbaius in Phsedrus' f&ble, iv. 9, or to the current
proverb, *Plus barbit quam ingenii.*
But whatever the precise meaning or intended sting of cer-
tain details in this last sentence may be, there is hardly any
doubt that the passage in the main refers to the translation of
certain plays in French by the head of the French Senecans,
Robert Gamier. It is well known, first, that Lady Pembroke
translated his Marc Antnne ; her work was finished, it would
seem, oa November 26, 1590, at Ramsbury, and printed for
the fiirst time in 159a.
Secondly, we also have a similar translation by Kyd of the
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ComelU of Gamier. It is, indeed, asually ascribed to the
year 1594, bat it is not impossible that it was produced about
1 588- 1 589. The play was licensed 26th January I594» and
printed in the same year. Kyd dedicates it to the Countess of
Sussex in one of the most beautiful dedications of the time. In
it he says that he has no leisure but such as evermore is
travailed with the afflictions of the mind, than which the world
affords no greater misery. It may be wondered at by some
how he durst undertake a matter which both requireth cunning,
rest, and opportunity. He only attempts the dedication of so
rough, unpolished a work to the Countess, because he is well
instructed in her noble and heroic dispositions, and perfectly
assured of her honourable favours past. ' A fitter present for a
patroness so well-accomplished I could not find than this fedr
precedent of hcmour, magnanimity, and love. Wherein what
grace that excellent Gamier hath lost by my fault, I shall
beseech your honour to repair with the r^ard of those so bitter
times and privy broken passions that I endured in the writing
it And so vouchsafing but the passing of a winter's week
with desolate Cornelia^ I will assure your ladyship my next
summer's better travel with the tragedy of Portia^ and ever
spend one hour of the day in some kind service to your honour
and another of the night in wishing you all happiness. Per-
petually thus devoting my poor sel^ Your honour's in all
humbleness, T. K.'
In these lines to Lady Sussex, which afford us a deep insight
into the troubles and sorrows of the man, and yet offer a most
pleasant contrast to the abject flattery and cringing eulogies of
the humdrum dedication of the time, we get nearer Kyd's
heart and character than anywhere else.
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Who was this Countess of Sussex? Hunter, in his Chorus
Vatumy Add. MS. 24,4^, fol. 380^, has left a blank for the
name — evidently because he too was doubtfiiL All depends
upon the date of the Cornelia^ or at least of its preface. If it
is 1594, then the Countess of Sussex would be Bridget, Lady
Fitzwalter, wife of the fifth Earl of Sussex, to whom Greene
dedicated his Philomela, If Cornelia^ and its pre&ce, was
written about 1588 or 1589, it is Sir Philip Sidney's aunt,
Frances, daughter of Sir William Sidney, to whom the words
refer, and Kyd's ' peripatetical path into the inner parts of the
City ' would have been towards a house of the Sidne3rs or their
relations. The latter interpretation su^;ests itself as very
plausible, because Sidney's sister, later Countess of Pembroke,
was ' turning over ' her French play about this time. Her sumt,
Frances Sidney, was the wife of Thomas Radcliffe, the third
Earl of Sussex (died 1583), who had first married Elizabeth
Wriothesley, daughter of Thomas, Earl of Southampton.
Frances, Countess of Sussex, was the foundress of Sidney-
Sussex Coll^;e at Cambridge ; she died on March 9, 1588-89.
'The next summer's better travel,' the translation of Gamier's
PorcUf which Kyd had promised, may have remained undone,
not on account of Kyd's death, as is generally supposed, but
because Lady Sussex, in the summer of 1589, was no longer
living. The Gamier-play of Lady Pembroke proved to be far
more successfiil than Kyd's own translation ; the first was
printed not less than three times, Kyd's only once; and
although the publisher thought to enhance its attractiveness by
prefixing a new and more pompous title-page (in 1595), we
hear that ' poor Cornelia stood naked on every post'
Thus much by way of commentary to Nash's invective.
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I have said above that we have no absolute proof that it
refers to Kyd and no one else ; but unless as much light can
be thrown on the passage^ and unless as many items can be
made to fit in, by substituting any other than Kyd's name,
I think we may be allowed to interpret it in some such way
as indicated above.
Thus, by 1589, the author of HamUt and The Spanish
Tragedy had become a man of some note, and hence, from that
time onwards, we hear at least a good deal of his works, if
little of personal history. In 1592 a small tract appeared,
relating the murder of John Brewen or Bruen, goldsmith, by
his own wife, who had an amour with a fellow called John
Parker, and who was burned for her crime in Smithfield on
28th June 1592. On this very day the tract was licensed for
John Kid, the presumable brother of Thomas ( Arber, ii. 289^).
A copy of the little pamphlet is preserved in the Lambeth
Library, and has been reprinted by Collier in Illustraticns
of Early English Popular Literature^ vol. L, 1863. The
Lambeth copy has, at the end, the name of 'Thomas Kydde '
added in handwriting, as &r as I can judge, contemporary and
genuine ; and thus, I suppose, we must accept the tract as a
work of Kyd's, although there is, indeed, a great gulf between
The Spanish Tragedy and this little Morithat, Th%t, in 1592,
Kyd was reduced to writing, in all haste it would seem, a com-
position of this sort, throws all the more light on Nash's ' shift-
ing companions,' with their twopenny pamphlets, who 'run
through every art and thrive by none.'
The Spanish Tragedy and The First Part of Jeronimo,
But from the same year 1592 onwards, we have also distinct
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The Spanish Tragedy preface
and indisputable evidence that Kyd*s most famous play had
entered upon its career of almost unrivalled success in Eliza-
bethan literature. Early in 1592 it was put upon the stage by
Henslowe and Lord Strangers men ; on October 6, 1592, it was
entered on the Stationers' Registers for Abel Jeffes, and shortly
afterwards a pirated edition, by White, must have come out,
which was confiscated (Ames-Herbert, ii. 1 160), and no copy
of which has come down to us.
Nay, owing to the popularity of the play, even as early as
February 1592, a very inferior introduction to The Spanish
Tragedy was brought out by Henslowe along with the great
play itself. Whether this First Part of Jeronimo—Jeronimo
was the usual contemporary name for The Spanish Tragedy, from
its principal hero— was done by Kyd himself, or by a rival,
whether it preceded The Spanish Tragedy, or followed it, has
been a matter of much dispute, and is difficult to decide.
Certain it is that it is quite unnecessary for the understanding
of The Spanish Tragedy ; the latter can be understood, and was
therefore also probably devised, without any reference to this
First Part; further, it is certain that this introduction presents,
in nearly everything that is vital to the making up of a play, a
great contrast to The Spanish Tragedy (see R. Fischer, Zur
Kunstentwicklungder en^ischen Tragoedie,^i^, 100-112). The
dramatic structure and economy, the treatment of the char-
acters, the diction, the versification, are all very different in the
two pla]rs ; in the First Part we note, further, its independence
of any Senecan model, the great number of slangy phrases, its
fsiK^caX humour, and its crude jokes about the littleness of
Jeronimo's stature ; and if we grant that the latter are probably
late interpolations, its far lower intellectual level is apparent on
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PREFACE The Spanish Tragedy
every page. The contemporary public must have been of the
same opinion ; it brought Henslowe in but poor profits, and
in its own day it was only once printed (in 1605) — a very
diflferent case from that of The Spanish Tragedy,
Can Kyd have written it, nevertheless? Could this Wars
of Portugal, as we might conveniently name the play, be an
early, cruder work of his? The many rhymes might be in
favour of this ; but the great number of feminine endings is
strongly against it. Could Kyd have written the Wars of
Portugal zh^T the great play, pressed by sore need and enticing
promises of Henslowe's ? The hurried production of the play
under such circumstances might account for its inferiority, but,
if writing in haste, would Kyd have introdtited so much rhyme,
much more than in The Spanish Tragedy ?
It has been pointed out that, besides the same subject, the same
motifs y and the same situations, a great many other resemblances
may after all be found in the two plays ; namely, stylistic resem-
blances in tropes and figures, parallel passages, ridiculous puns,
common geographical mistakes, etc., so that several of our fore-
most connoisseurs of Kyd are convinced of his authorship of
the play. One wonders, too, that in 1592 — in Kyd's own life-
time — two rival plays, on the same subject, should have been
performed together on the same stage by the same company —
for I think the nature of Henslowe's entries absolutely forces
this interpretation upon us (Herrig, xa 185). Were it not for
the last-named weighty considerations, or did I feel sure that
the two Jeronimo-plays belonged originally to different com-
pames (Fleay, Biographical Chronicle^ iL 30), I should have
little hesitation in entirely disclaiming the Wars of Portugal
as Kyd*8.
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The Spanish Tragedy and Soliman and Peraeda,
Another difficult problem forces itself on our attention in this
very same year 1592. The hero of Tkd Spanish Tragtdy^
Jeronimo, to bring about his revenge, has a play on the story
of Soliman and Perseda performed, and the subject of this play
within the play had, by 1592, been worked out into a separate,
and most interesting, drama. On Nov. 20, 1592, this drama
Soliman and Perseda was entered on the Stationers' R^;isters,
and it was twice printed, sine an$to and 1599. The question
is, who is the author of this play — the man who had already
made use of its story as an ^isode in The Spanish Tragedy^ or
some one else ? and when was it written — ^before or after The
SpatUsh Tragedy ? A similar divergence of opinion prevails
here as in the case of the First Pari of Jeronimo ; but with one
great difference : this play would be anything but unworthy of *
the author of The Spanish Tragedy \ indeed, it is one of the
most interesting and entertaining plays of the period, per-
vaded with excellent humour, which would justify the epithet
' sporting given to Kyd by Ben Jonson. Shakspere alludes
to its principal hero—or rather non-hero — Basilisco, in King
John^ and this descendant of Pyrgopolinices is certainly by
far the most remarkable Elizabethan precursor of the immortal
Falstaff.
Kyd's later life. To continue the chronicle of Kyd's life.
The dramatist became, somewhat later on, entangled in the
dangerous accusations made against the 'atheistic academy*
of Sir Walter Raleigh and Marlowe. MS. HarL 7042, foL
401, shows that, in May 1593, Marlowe, Royden, Warner,
and Heriots — (i.tf. Thomas Harriott, the faamous mathematician,
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who forms with Napier and Gilbert the great triad of Eliza-
bethan discoverers in the reakns of science — worthy prede-
cessors of a Newton)— were dangerously implicated in a
judicial investigation, in which they had to answer a charge of
blasphemy. Kyd too was accused, but 'he seemes to have
been innocent, and writes a Letter to the Ld : Keeper Pucker-
ing to purge himself from these aspersions.'
In 1594 we hear from Henslowe that a Hamlet — I think we
may say KycCs — ^was performed. Early in the same year (26th
Jan.) his Cornelia was licensed and printed ; and if it met with
scant general success, yet scholars did it sufficient justice.
W. C[lerke?], in his Polimanteia^ I595> thinks it was 'ex-
cellently well ' done ; and the last allusion to our dramatist as
still living, an allusion doubly interesting because it couples
him in a remarkable way with Shakspere, is due to his
Cornelia, On loth April 1594, Lady Helen Branch, wife of
Sir John Branch, Lord Mayor, had died ; and to her memory
an epicedium was composed by W. Har[bert ?], which contains
the following lines : —
' You that have writ <f chaste Lucretia,
Whose death zoos witness of her spotless life,
Orpenn'd the praise of sad Cornelia,
Whose blameless name hath made her fame so rife
As noble Pompefs most renowned wife :
Hither unto your home direct your eyes.
Whereas, unthought on, much more matter lies?
Henceforth we lose all trace of Kyd's person. It is, as a
rule, supposed that he died in 1594 or 1595. If this is true,
he died before his parents; Francis Coldocke, the printer,
bequeathed, m 1602-1603, to Francis Kyd, scrivener (and
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overseer of his testament), and to Agnes Kyd, ' now his wife,'
the sum of 20s. each. Meres mentions the poet in his
Palladis Tamia (1598), as it were as a parallel to Tasso — after
all, not such a ridiculously ill-matched couple as Royden and
Dante ! In another place he names him, quite calmly and
without the slightest misgiving, next to Shakspere among
'our best for Tragedie.' Bodenham, in the preface to his
Belvedere, quotes him in 1600 among 'the modem and extant
poets*; Dekker, in A Knighfs Conjuring^ 1607, puts him
into the Elysian grove of bay- trees to which 'none resort but
the children of Phoebus': we find there 'learned Watson,
industrious Kyd, ingenious Atchlow and . . . inimitable
Bentley,* then 'Marlowe, Greene, and Peele . . . laughing
to see Nash (that was but newly come to their College).' Kyd
had therefore died before Nash, ia, some time before c, 1601.
With this apotheosis, generously extended to Kyd by not
the least of his fellow-dramatists, let us close his scanty bio-
graphy. After all the ' afflictions of the mind, than which the
world affords no greater misery,* and all the * privy, broken
passions ' he endured in this life, we can wish him no better
than to dwell peaceably in the Elysian laurel-grove amongst
the children of Phoebus.
Date of compositioii of The Spanish Tragedy, When-
ever he died, one at least of his works far outlived him, TAs
Spanish Tragedy, Nay, it may fairly be maintained that in
its own time, before the paramount greatness of Shakspere
had become a dogma for the whole civilised world, Kyd's
Spanish Tragedy was the most popular of all English plajrs.
We approach a very difficult question when we ask when
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this play was written and what materials entered into its com-
position. To get a terminus a quo, we must first consider
that Wotton's Courtly Controversy, a source of the play, had
come out in 1578. Further, although it is difficult to recognise
Philip II. of Spain in the Spanish King of Kyd's play, whilst
the Portuguese ' Vice-roy ' altogether presents the appearance
of a myth, yet the play can only have reference to the Portu-
guese war of independence in 1580 and the following years.
Moreover, lines ii. i. 3-6 and 9-10 of The Spanish Tragedy are
a friendly loan from Watson's ^'^Korofi'radla (about 1581 or
1582). Lastly, such a detail from Portuguese history as that
there was a special Capit&o Donatario of Terceira (see Spanish
Tragedy, I. iii. 82 and note) could hardly have been generally
known in England before Terceira had come into prominent
notice in the course of the Hispano-Portuguese war. It is
well-known that, in 1582, the island distinguished itself by its
stubborn resistance to the Spaniards. The Spanish leader,
Alvaro de Ba9an, Marquis de Santa Cruz, one of the greatest
naval officers of the time, wrote accounts of his expeditions to
the Azores, which were translated into English about 1582 and
1584 (copies in the British Museum). About the same time,
Drake had formed a great plan to crush the King of Spain's
power, with the Azores as a centre of operations.
As to a terminus ad quern, we know that the play was
performed and licensed in 1592. Further, we have seen that
Nash seems to allude to some phrases from the play in 1589 ;
we might even get as far back as the banning of 1588, if the
ingenious conjecture by Fleay {^Biographical Chronicle, ii. 31)
is correct, that * the mad priest of the sonne,* coupled with Tam-
burlaine in Greene's Perimedes the Blacksmith, is Hieronimo.
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Further, Ben Jonson says in the Induction to his Bartholomew
Fair in 1614 : * He that will swear, Jeronimo or Andronicus are
the best plays yet, shall pass unexcepted at here, as a man whose
ludgment shews it is constant, and hath stood still these five
and twenty or thirty years.' This takes us back to 1584- 1589,
which date would harmonise well with the decidedly archaic
atmosphere of the drama, widi its dumb-shows, ghosts, its
pretentious clas^cism, the wooden stifihess which appears in
many parts, and last, not least, its archaic metre, which presents
very few double endings, tolerably much rhyme (even stanzas),
and an unusual amount of alliteration (perhaps in imitation of
•English Seneca').
To get still nearer the date, it has been emphasised — and
rightly, I believe — ^that the play must have been written before
the year of the Armada. Iliere is not the slightest reference
to the great event, much less any attempt at derision or insult
with regard to Spain, where the opportunity offered itself so
readily — an opportunity which other authors were not slack to
avail themselves of. There seems to me an especially pre-
Armadan ring in the dose of the first act, where Jeronimo
directs a dumb-show, in which some ancient victories of the
English in Spain and Portugal are represented. It is difficult
to believe that these half-apocryphal stories should have been
brought forward as a matter of satisfaction, in face of the real
and tangible glories of the Armada. The enumeration of these
old victories, and the whole tone of The Spanish Tragedy^ was
certainly more in place about 1585-87, when the great contest
with Spain was only just brewing. Nay, as fiar as history is
concerned, the years 1583- 1585 would perhaps fit still better.
Our * Vice-roy ' can only be the Duke of Braganza, with whom
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Philip II. wished to come to terms after the death of King
Henry of Portugal. ' The King of Spain solemnly promised
the duke that he should have Brazil in full sovereignty with the
title of king, and that a marriage should be arranged between
his daughter and the Prince of the Asturias, heir to the con-
joined thrones ; and the duke, who hated war and loved peace,
accepted these terms, in spite of his wife's opposition. But to
the surprise of Philip, another competitor for the crown, to
whom he had paid no attention — Don Antonio, the Prior of
Crato — declared himself king at Santarem, and, entering
Lisbon without opposition, struck money and began to raise
soldiers' (II. M. Stephens, Portugal^ p. 280). The battle
described in our play would, nevertheless, seem to be the
battle of Alcantara, in which Don Antonio da Crato was
beaten by the Duke of Alva on August 26, 1580.
We should think that such a perversion of Spanish and
Portuguese history could only have been possible while Spain
still loomed far in the distance, and before the second * Vice-
roy,' Don Antonio da Crato, had become a tangible reality
to every pawnbroker in London. From an historical stand-
point, 1585, the year in which *£1 Draque' was loose in the
Spanish Main, would certainly do as well as any. In 1587,
after Drake had stormed the harbour of Cadiz and singed the
King of Spain's beard, it could no longer be literally said that
John of Gaunt performed the last victorious exploit in Spain.
The unlikeliest years of all would seem to be 1588 — the year
of the Armada — and 1589, which saw the least successful
expedition of the last of the Vikings.
Still, all these arguments are very uncertain, and, to get a
firm basis for the chronology of Kyd's works, it is perhaps
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safest to turn once more to Nash's allusions, and not only
boldly claim them for Kyd's person, but, still more boldly, to
extract from them whatever chronological conclusions they may
possibly 3deld. Nash's words imply that his victim first went
through a period of plays in the style of Seneca, and then,
'renouncing all possibilities of credit or estimation,' turned to
Italian translations and to the peripatetical path into the City.
Let us therefore say that the first period lasts down to about
1587, and includes Hamlet and The Spanish Tragedy ; that the
second comprises the years 1587 and certainly 1588— <T. K.'s
translation from Tasso appears 1588) — and that the Cornelia^
and the plan to translate Porcte^ date from about 1588 and
1589, and everything seems to harmonise perfectly. I may
add that metrical tests — for instance, such an important one
as the feminine-ending test — are decidedly in favour of the
sequence Spanish Tragedy^ Cornelia^ Soliman and Perseda,
Source of the Plot It would presumably be a great
help in determining the date of The Spanish Tragedy more
accurately, if we knew the source of the main story of the play
(if, indeed, such existed outside the brain of YiyA) — ^the story
of the love of Don Horatio for the Spanish Princess Bell*
imperia ; his murder by Bellimperia's brother, Don Lorenzo,
and his own rival in his love, the captive Prince of Portugal,
Don Balthazar ; and the dreadful revenge of Horatio's father,
Jeronimo, the Marshal of Spain, by means of a play, where
the murders supposed to be acted are carried out in reality.
But nothing is known of any play or novel containing such
A story.
Fortunately, we know at least the source of the inserted play
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which Jeronimo and Bellimperia perform together with dieir
opponents Don Lorenzo and Don Balthazar. It is contained
in Henry Wotton's Courtlie Conirouersie of Cupids Caniils, a
collection of five stories related to a company of ladies and
gentlemen. This book appeared in 1578, printed by Francis
Coldocke and Henry Binneman ; it is now rather rare, bat cc^ies
are in the British Museum, the Bodleian, and Sion College.
Wotton himself says that he translated the work * so near unto
the French as our English tongue will tolerate' ; he does not
give the slightest clue, though, as to his original. His reference
to a French source is, however, correct ; the Courtfy Contro^
versy is a translation of Jacques Yver*s Printemps cPIver^ of
which no less than seven editions are in the British Museum :
1572 (tierce ^tion), 1575, 1588, 1589, 1598, 1600, 1618 (sec
farther Brunet). It may be added that this book and its trans-
lation form also a main source of another well-known Eliza-
bethan drama, the pseudo-Shaksperean play. Fair Em,
The story of Soliman and Perseda stands first in this collec-
tion, and relates how Soliman, the great Emperor of the Turks,
fell overwhelmingly in love with the fair Perseda, a beautiful
Greek taken prisoner at the capture of Rhodes. But he finds
out that his valiant firiend Erastus, who had had to leave
Rhodes in consequence of a duel, and had fled to Constantin*
opie, was the beloved of Perseda, and thus he magnanimously
withdraws his suit and gives her up to his friend. However,
through the insinuations of his cousin Brusor, * Bellerbeck * of
Servia, Soliman does not adhere to his resolution, and even
causes Erastus to be treacherously murdered. This step, how-
ever, does but remove him further from his goal ; for Perseda
defiantly puts herself and Rhodes in a state of defence, and
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prefiers death to a union with Soliman. In Yver-Wotton she it
killed by a shot on the walls of Rhodes, whilst Soliman has the
traitor Brusor hanged ; in the separate play Perseda manages to
kill Soliman by a kiss with poisoned lips, when Rhodes is on
the point of feilling and she herself is already in the arms of
death; in The Spanish Tragedy ^ Bellimperia— personating
Perseda — kills Soliman-Baltharar by the more simple and
straightforward way of stabbing him.
This story of Yver's has been widespread in literature. In
Herrig's Archivy vol. xc p. 183, I have mentioned a consider-
able number of novelistic and dramatic treatments — ^by Main-
fray, Mile, de Scud^ry and Georges de Scud4ry, Desfontaines,
Zesen, Lohenstein, Settle, Haugwitz — and Dr. E. Sieper, in a
Heidelberg dissertation, has given a detailed account of the
whole question. Since that time, I have noted for further in-
vestigation the titles of several other works likely to contain, or
to refer to, the story ; one of them, Davenant's Siege ofRhodeSy is
DOW, indeed, held to be another treatment (by Killis Campbell,
in Modem Language Notes^ xiii. 354, number for June 1898).
Popularity of the Play ; 'additions ' ; actors. If we are
insufficiently informed as to the genesis and exact date of The
Spanish Tragedy, yet we know a great deal of its further his-
tory, its performances, its editions, its offspring, its translations,
or adaptations, in Dutch and German.
As early as 1592 we have seen how popular the piece was ;
it was frequently played in that year, and brought in great
profits, often £'i and more, especially on high holidays or on
the re-opening of the theatre. In 1597 we again hear of
performances, but the piece must have had an especially
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popular run about i6oi-i6oa. For we hear that Ben Jonson
received, on 25th Sept 1601, the sum of 40s. from Henslowe,
for additions in ' Geronymo/ and on 24th June 1602 ;^io, ' in
earnest of . . . Richard crockbacke, and for new adicyons for
Jeronymo. ' We shall presently see that in 1602 these additions,
which were a fresh source of attraction to the piece, were
printed along with the original play.
In 1604, the two companies of the King and the Children
of the Chapel had a dispute about the piece ; the Children's
Company at the Blackfriars had misappropriated the play, and
the King's men revenged themselves by performing Marston's
Malcontent^ which belonged to their rivals. ' Why not Male-
vole in folio with us, as Jeronimo in decimo sexto with them ? '
asks Condell, in the interest of the King's men (BuUen's Mar^
stony i. 203). The fact that the play was acted by children
accounts for the interpolated jokes about Jeronimo's stature in
the First Part, which was printed the first and only time in the
following year, 1605. The allusion to the jubilee in Rome can
only refer to the year 1600, and is thus, no doubt, also an
interpolation.
At an unknown date, though certainly after 161 5, a ballad
on the story of The Spanish Tragedy was printed for H. Gosson
(copies in Roxburghe Ballads, i. 364-365 and i. 390) The
ballad has been reprinted by Chappell in The Roxburghe
Ballads, ii. 453-459 ; a slightly different version is printed in
the second and third editions of Dodsley, and in The Ancient
British Drama, 1810, i. 515-517.
As to the play itself, we have even in 1620 distinct evidence,
from Thomas May's play. The Heir (Dodsley-Hazlitt, xi. 514),
that ' ladies in the boxes shed bitter tears over the fate of Jero-
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nimo'; and as late as 1633 Prynne, in his Histriomastixj foL
556^, dishes up a terrible story that a woman, immediately
before her end, deaf to all ghostly advice, cried out : * Hiero-
nimo, Hieronimo, O let me see Hieronimo ! ' The anecdote,
as in Prynne, and Brathwaite's English Gentlewoman Drawn
out to the Full Body (1631) — Prynne retails it from the latter —
is probably apocryphal; but it shows what a powerful hold
'Jeronimo' still had on the popular imagination nearly fifty
years after its first appearance.
Allusions to The Spanish Tragedy. We have no space left
to quote the innumerable allusions to, and skits on. The Spanish
Tragedy^ which accompanied the popular play during its long
literary career. Certain expressions and situations furnished
matter for laughter until the theatres were closed, and many of
the phrases oijeronimo became stock quotations in Elizabethan
slang ; for instance, the opening lines of the play, Balthazar's
cuphuistic speech at the beginning of the Second Act, Jeronimo's
• O eyes, no eyes ! * in the Third Act (Scene ii. ), his 'pocas pala-
bras * and * Jeronimo, go by ' ; last, not least, his appearance on
the stage 'in his shirt,' etc., coming straight from his 'naked
bed' (11. V.) — an especially famous scene, a picture of which
formed the frontispiece of the old quartos from 16 15 onwards
(reproduced at the beginning of the present volume). It may
suffice to give as an example an excellent parody of Lorenzo's
speech (^. TV., ii. i. 10 sqq.) taken from Field's A Woman is
a Weathercock^ i, iL : —
Sir Abraham Ninny. no, she laughs at me and scorns my suit:
For she is wilder and more hard withal.
Than deast or bird, or tree, or stony wall,
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Kate. Ha / God-a-merey, old Hieronimo.
Abr. Yet she might love me for my lovely eyes.
Count Frederick. Ay, but perhaps your nose she doth despise.
Abr. Yet might she love me for my dimpled chtH,
Pendant. Ay, but she sees your beard is very thin,
Abr. Yet might she love me for my proper body.
Strange. Ay, but she thinks you are an arrant noddy, . . .
Abr. Yet might she love me in despite of all,
LuciDA. Ay» but indeed I cannot love at all,
(Dodsley-Hazlitt, zL 28 seq,)
Shakspere joins the general chorus with Sl/s patteas paUabris
and ' Go by, Jeronimy, go to thy cold bed and warm thee '
(Taming of the Shrew ^ Induction ; cp, also Lear^ in. ir. 48),
as also with the taunt of Benedick 1^ Don Pedro : ' In time the
savi^e bull sustains the yoke ' (Much Ado^ i. i. 263).
Early editions: the discrepancies. Parallel with the
performances, we can adduce the still more tangible evidence
of its numerous prints as to the popularity of the play. I
know at present of as many as twelve early editions, in
altogether twenty-four extant copies, and it is quite likely
that there are still more copies or even editions. They are as
follows : —
I. We know that the play was licensed on October 6, 1592,
but the history of the earliest prints is not absolutely
clear. Unfortunately the first impression, which
seems to have been a pirated edition and abounded
in < gross faults,' yns confiscated, and no copy
seems to have come down to us.
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2. The oldest copy of the play now extant, or at least
known, b thus the undated Quarto from the Garrick
Collection in the British Museum. Its title runs :
THE I SPANISH TRACE- | die, Containing the
lamentable | end of Don HoraHot and Bel-imperia : |
with the pittifull death of | olde HUrommo. \ Newly
corrected and amended of such grosse faults as |
passed in the first impression. | [Woodcut with
harvest emblems] AT LONDON | VvuXt^hy Edward
Allde, for | Edward White.
This copy, being the oldest and best, has been made
the basis of the present edition. I denote it by Q.
3« The third print is the earliest with a date, 1594 ; it is
also unique, and preserved in the University Library
at Gottingen.
4. The next copy, also unique, and beautifully preserved,
of the year 1599, is at Bridgewater House, in the
possession of the Earl of Ellesmere. The copy is im-
portant as being the last (Nrint without the additions.
5. We have seen above that in 1601 and 1602 Ben Jonson
was paid a large sum for additions in 'Jeronimo.*
We consequently find six interpolations in all the
later editions from 1602 onwards, namely, 11. v. 46-
98; III. ii. 65, etc. ; III. xi. 2-48; IIL Scene xiiA. ;
IV. iv. 167-181 ; IV. iv. 193, etc. I think there is
hardly any reasonable doubt Uut they are, in the main
at least, identical with the work done by Ben Jonson
for Henslowe. Of them, the so-called ' Painter's part '
(in Scene xiiA. of the Third Act) attained marked
success ; it figures prominently on the title-pages of
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all the later editions ('enlarged with new additions
of the Painter's part and others ')« and it is indeed,
with its high-strung passion and weird madness, one
of the greatest scenes, if not the greatest, in the play.
Coleridge thought it was done by Shakspere.
The oldest copy with these additions is in the Bod-
leian, and unique ; unfortunately the last leaves are
wanting, IV. iv. 192 being its last line. It dates from
1602.
6. Thus the oldest copy extant with all the additions com-
plete is one in the library of the Duke of Devonshire,
which, like the British Museum, is especially rich in
copies of Kyd plays. The imprint of this oldest copy
at Chatsworth is dated 1602, the colophon 1603.
I have not been able to find out the whereabouts of
another copy of this edition, once in the possession of
Heber, ' wanting the title-page, and sheet F torn,
with the autograph of Owen Feltham.'
7* A similar discrepancy in the year is shown in the im-
print and colophon of the next edition, 1610-1611.
I have come across three copies: in the British
Museum, the Bodleian, and the Duke of Devonshire's
library. A fourth copy must be extant, with the
imprint cut off (see Hazlitt's Bibl. CoUeetiom and
Notes i 3rd Series, p. 134).
S. Edition of 1615. British Museum and Duke of Devon-
shire. This starts another addition on the title-
page: The Spanish Tragedy: or Hieronifno is mad
againe ; and has also the well-known woodcut for the
first time.
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9. Edition of i6iS. Bodleian, Duke of Devonshire,
Dyce Collection, Town Library at Danzig.
10 and II. Editions of 1623, with different imprints ; British
Museum, Duke of Devonshire, Alfred Huth, Esq.
12. Edition of 1633. British Museum (two copies),
Bodleian, Duke of Devonshire, Dyce Collection,
Advocates' Library, Sion College (date torn off).
In modem times. The Spanish Tragedy has been reprinted
in the four editions of Dodsley's Collection^ in Hawkins's Origin
of tie English Drama^ 1773, and in The Ancient British
Drama^ i8ia
The present edition follows throughout the oldest copies now
extant, namely, the oldest Quarto in the British Museum for
Kyd's part of the play, the Quarto of 1602 in the Bodleian,
and the Duke of Devonshire's oldest Quarto for the additions.
These latter, as well as the play within the play, have been
printed in italics*
The Spanish Tragedy and Shakspere. To describe the
influence of The Spanish Tragedy on the contemporary drama
would be an involved task. Owing to the scarcity and uncer-
tainty of dates, the very opening would present formidable
difficulties. Fortunately, we are on relatively firm ground
with regard to the most important point, its influence on
Shakspere. That The Spanish Tragedy bears a great like-
ness both to Shakspere's earliest work, Titus Andronicus^
and to his deepest and greatest, Hamlet^ has often been pointed
out. In the case of Hamlet^ these similarities, together with
Nash's significant allusion, have led to the conclusion that Kyd
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himself was the author of the earlier, now lost, play on the
Danish Prince. It may be that he also wrote the Titus and
Vespasian^ which may have formed the basis of Shakspere's
earUest play, unless, indeed, Shakspere here outbraved the
pens of the hostile camp of Greene and his companions. At
any rate, T^ Spanish Tragedy and Titus Andronicus are cer-
tainly birds of a feather, according to the verdict not only of
our modern criticism, but of their own contemporaries. Note
particularly the exceptional good-fortune of both plays on the
Continent, in Germany and Holland ; in the latter country, a
rifacimento of both of them was even made by one and the
same man, Adriaen van den Bergh.
I refrain here from pointing out similarities in detail ; they
are many and apparent, and have often been set forth. Gene-
rally speaking, I think we may go the length of saying that the
greatest elements of the Shaksperean drama, great action and
great characters, great scenes and great play of the passions,
a mighty language and a mighty metre, are foreshadowed
together, one and all, in no earlier drama so well as in The
Spanish Tragedy,
If we further consider that The Spanish Tragedy belonged
to Shakspere's company, we are tolerably certain that personal
relations, probably near and friendly ones, must have existed
between the two men. Thus the &ct gains significance that
Shakspere and Kyd are constantly mentioned together: by
Meres in the Falladis Tamia ; by GuUio in The Return from
Parnassus, ed. Macray, p. 57 ; several times by Ben Jonson ;
and especially in the epicedium on Lady Branch. The two
men may have been drawn together by die similarity of their
outward circumstances, as both probably had had much the
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same sort of interrupted education, so that they stood together
in contrast to the University men, and, in turn, were equally
derided and scoffed at by Nash and Greene. Shakspere, no
doubt, acted in The Spanish Tragedy — which part ? we wonder
— as also Ben Jonson and Burbadge may have done. Shak-
spere's quotations from The Spanish Tragedy I should interpret
less as intentional making fiin of the author than as perfectly
good-humoured chaff— with equal aptitude he joked at Mar-
lowe's 'pampered jades of Asia.' It would be tempting to
draw further conclusions from the connection of the names
Kyd, Shakspere, Sidney, Sussex, Wriothesley, Pembroke ; but
we must take care that we build up no ' baseless fabric of a
vision.'
The Spcmiah Tragedy abroad. So much for the history
and influence of The Spanish Tragedy in England. I have
now to add that it was quite as popular abroad as in its home.
The English comedians took it to the Continent, and we hear
of various performances in German towns {cp, W. Creizenach,
JEngi, JComoedianten, p. xxxiiL seq, ). Besides, the Nuremberg
dramatist Ayrer (died 1605), who has also treated the subject
of Shakspere*s Much Ado and Tempest^ wrote a * Tragedia von
dem Griegischen Keyser zu Constantinopel, und seiner Tochter
Pelimperia, mit dem gehengten Horatio.' A later German
version of Tlte Spanish Tragedy^ Klaspar Stieler*s Bellemperie^
Jena, 1680, is taken from an anonjrmous Dutch play ; and we
must now turn to Holland, where the story of Jeronimo's
revenge gained, if anything, a yet stronger hold on the public.
We first come across it in a place where we certainly should
not expect to meet it, namely, in a Dutch translation of Ariosto's
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PREFACE The Spanish Tragedy
Orlando Furioso^ by Everaert Siceram, 1615 ; see Worp in the
German Shtikespeare-Jakrbuch, vol. xxix.-xxx. pp. 183-191.
In 1 62 1, a dramatic treatment appeared by Adriaen van den
Bergh, the same man who, later on, wrote also a Titus
Andronicus (see the Nederlandsche Spectator^ i^TSi P* 95> uid
1886, p. 342).
This play was not reprinted ; but an astonishmg popularity
was attained by a second anonymous play, Don yeronitno
MarschcUk van Spanje, In Herrig's Archiv, xc. 193, I have
given a survey of the copies of this play known to me at the
time ; and I have now much pleasure in announcing that Herr
Rudolph Schonwerth, of Munich, is bringing forth a critical
edition of the Dutch versions of 77ie Spanish Tragedy* He
has, for this purpose, made a systematic research, particularly
in Dutch libraries ; and thus, with his help, I am now able
to give the following more complete list of editions of thb
anonymous play, fully one-third of which is due to the labours
of Herr Schonwerth : —
1. Edition of 1638: The Hague, Utrecht, Li^e, Haarlem,
Paris.
2. 1644 : The Hague, Haarlem, Paris.
3. sine anno : Leyden.
4. 1662 : Dresden.
5. 1665 : Amsterdam.
6. 1669 * Amsterdam, Leyden, Munich, Bonn.
7. 1683 : Amsterdam, Leyden, British Museum (two
copies).
8. sine anno (1698 ?) : Amsterdam, Leyden, British
Museum.
9. 1729 : The Hague, Amsterdam, Leyden, Berlin.
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This makes twenty-six copies, and if we add the four copies
of Beigh's play (The Hague, Haarlem, British Museum, Paris),
we get altogether thirty Dutch * Jeronimos.'
General Criticism of The Spanish Tragedy, We see
plenty of popularity was to follow the privy, broken passions of
the poor famish'd follower of Seneca. We ask the question, did
he deserve it ? was it a sign of bad taste in our forefathers that
they showed such partiality for this play? How shall we
judge of it and of its author?
The latter question, I am afraid, will always have to be
guarded by *ifs and ands.' If the First Part of Jeronimo is
by Kyd, we should think a good deal less of him ; but if the
early Hamlet^ or Solitnan and Perseda were done by him, this
would raise him vastly in importance. We may leave Cornelia
entirely out of account, although ' excellently well done,' and
although its best eighteen lines grew in Kyd's head, and weie
not translated from Gamier. We should venture on too unsafe
a footing were we to draw divers other plays into the discussion
which have been guessed to be his, such as The Rare Triumphs
of Love and FortufUy the pre-Shaksperean Taming of a Shrew^
Arden of Fevershamy the old King Leir — we might with equal
show of probability add Locriney or the old Richard III,y or A
Knack to know a Knavey and so on. As the case stands, we
must principally judge Kyd by the merits of The Spanish
Thtgedyy and these are, in my opinion, by no means con-
temptible, especially in the light of historical, evolutionary
criticism. We have here for the first time in the English
language a living tragedy on a great scale, with a complicated
plot developed with remarkable artistic insight Mysterious
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PREFACE The Spanish Tragedy
beings from the nether world strike the opening key upon
which the play begins vigorous and imposing, emulating Seneca
in massive rhetoric, and yet thoroughly English with its bustling
life and the crowd of figures brought at once upon the stage.
The action then swells on in bold outline, with risings and fall-
ings, and a cleverly contrived retardation at the end of the
third act. We have further a remarkable attempt at depicting
character and the sway of the passions ; we can very well realise
how a great actor in the character of Hieronimo moved his
audience even to tears.
y As regards the outward form and structural elements of JXtf
^Spanish Tragedy^ we may point to the Induction, the choruses
at the end of the acts, the play within the play, the interesting
hints as to an upper stage, the division into four acts, the
almost defiant disregard of the unity of time and place, the
mixture of the tragic and comic, a fair sprinkling of atrocious
puns, the Italianising nomenclature, and last, not least, the use
of blank verse interspersed with rhyme and prose. We thus
perceive in how many points The Spanish Tragedy has become
a prototype and regulating standard for the Elizabethan drama.
If we add that here, for the first time, a successful fusion of
classic and national elements has been brought about on a
great scale, we shall not hesitate to say that Kyd's play repre-
sents a mighty intellectual and artistic effort for its time.
No doubt it had its great shortcomings. The perfect
Motivierung of such a complex dramatic fable was beyond
Kyd's power ; we may even laugh at his childish makeshifts
to get out of difficulties and to reach his end in spite of all
obstacles. The characters are, of course, not yet free firom
stiffiiess and woodenness; the Kings and Viceroys are more
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like carved idols than living beings ; Lorenzo is an absolutely
unmitigated villain ; even Bellimperia is occasionally most stiff
and ludicrous, and not least when she spouts her Latin hexa-
meters (which I, for one, do not understand). We may also
easily make iun of the learned lady's-maid who talks of the
£1 jsian fields (iii. viii. 9) ; of the wonderfully mild Cerberus, who
contents himself with * honey'd speech * (i. i. 30) — less ferocious
than his diminutive Cerberine ; and certainly of the uncanny
figure of Revenge, who goes to sleep over the author's own
play (III. xvL), with a delightful natveUi for if Revenge did
not go to sleep, the Ghost of Andrea could not cry out his
terrible * Awake, Revenge, awake ! '
Further, a good deal of depreciatory criticism has been
evoked by the * horrors ' of The Spanish Tragedy, True, there
are no less than two hanging-scenes in the play (11. iv. and ill.
vL) ; and especially towards the end, madness, murders, suicides,
and other horrors follow thick upon each other. But, neverthe-
less, I would rather like to say a word here in excuse of Kyd.
We must not forget that we are in the midst of the Renaissance-
Drama, and theory and practice favoured the view, especially
in the birthplace of the Renaissance, in Italy, that tragedy meant
atrocity. The Spanish Tragedy stands just at the turning-point
firom the horrible to the terrible : the terrible, as represented
most sublimely in Hamlet^ Othello^ Lear ; and the horrible, as
illustrated practically by a Titus Andronicus or an Orbecche^
and laid down theoretically as the fittest motive power for a
tragedy by Scaliger: 'Res tragicae grandes, atroces, jussa
r^;um, caedes, despeiationes, suspendia, exilia, orbitates,
parriddia, incestus, incendia, pugnae, occaecationes, fletus»
nlulatus, conquestiones, fimera, epitaphia, epicedia.' Th§
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PRBPACB The Spanish Tragedy
Spanish Tragedy b merely a link in this development, and
hardly goes beyond the average measure of horrors requisite
for a * tragedy of blood.'
Moreover, we must not overlook the fact that there are also
a good many soft, tender, and insinuating passages in Kyd't
play. Certainly such lines commend themselves to our ear as
II. ii. 45, etc. : —
' Our hour shall be, when Vesper 'gins to rise,
That summons home distressful travellers :
There none shall hear us but the harmless birds ;
Haply the gentle nightingale
Shsdl carol us asleep, ere we be ware.
And, singing with the prickle at her breast.
Tell our delight and mirthful dalliance.'
So do the similar lines IX. iv. 24 sqq,; however,
' Desinit in piscem mulierformosa supeme*
and the amorous warfare at once falls into the ludicrous. But
again, poor, hopeless, hapless, wicked Balthazar's despairing
words are not without a certain pathos (iix. x. 106, etc.) :^
' Led by the loadstar of her heav'nly looks.
Wends poor, oppressM Balthazar,
As o'er the mountains walks the wanderer,
Incertain to effect his pilgrimage.'
And, in the last scenes, suggestions of Elysian life steal most
pleasantly upon our ear (iv. v. 21 sqq,) : —
' I 'U lead my Bellimperia to those joys.
That vestal virgins and fair queens possess ;
1 11 lead Hieronimo where Orpheus plays,
Adding sweet pleasure to eternal days.'
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Why did he not end here altogether and polish off the Tartarus
folk first of all? We might then leave The Spanish Tragedy
with something like the wave of music which Homer's descrip-
tion of the 'HXi^u>y v-e^or leaves still ringing upon the ear and
inward sense : —
'AXXi 0-' ki "^WsAciov vedlop Kal welpara ycUi^r
'ABdvaroi irifiypovffiy, 60i ^oaf06f*'Paddfiaif0vs.
Tigirep j»jtffrti pior^ irAei dy0pi!)rouraf
Od vi<p€r^f oliT* hp x^^f^^ ToKds oUre tot* Sfippos,
'AW aiel Ze4>^poio XLyvTvelwras d-^rat
^Qxeavbi dplijauff dpa^p^eiv dvBpdiirwu
For the modem reader, however, it is probably less its own
intrinsic worth at which he values the play, than its suggestive-
ness and promise of greater things to come. The play is like
an enchanted garden, where lifeless, wooden puppets seem to
wait for the magician who is to wake them into life. We
know that the magician did come, and of old Jeronimo he
made Hamlet and Lear, out of the love-rhymes of Horatio and
Bellimperia he made the loveliest of all wooing-scenes in
Romeo and Juliet^ of the play within the play he made the
most subtle awakener of conscience and the greatest glorification
of the actor's art, and of the wooden and grotesque figure of
Revenge he made the terrible goddess of his sublimest tragedies
— ^Nemesis. Thus we have the great vista of another Classische
Wdlpurgisnacht before us, and we cannot, I think, be accused
of over-partiality, if we apply to The Spanish Tragedy Faust's
words on the first uncouth creations of Greek genius :
' Im Widerw^t'gen grosse, tUcht'ge Zttge.'
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PRBPACB The Spanish Tragedy
Condodingf remarks. To draw up a sketch of Kyd's life
and works is a periculosa plenum opus aUa, In its execu-
tion one cannot shake off the feeling that one is building, as it
were, a house of cards. A few data with regard to his person,
and a good many about his main work, enable us to build
the central structure tolerably secure. But the nature of the
task obliges us also to add wings and oiftbuildings, and they
endanger the safety of the whole fabric to no small extent
We feel that a gust of wind might work tremendous havoc in
this part of the building, and so damage the cards that they
would defy any attempt at reconstruction.
Fortunately we need not give up all hope of strengthening
our position, or even of enlarging our bi\mc on safe and firm
ground. For instance, we have in a contemporary anthology,
England s Pamassusy by Robert Allot, the following three
quotations assigned to Thomas Kyd :
I. ' Time is a bondslave to Eternity.'
s. ' Honour, indeed, and all things yield to death,
Vertue excepted, which alone survives,
And living toileth in an earthly gaol.
At last to be extoll'd in Heaven's high joys.'
3. ' It is an hell, in hateful vassalage.
Under a tjrrant, to consume one's age,
A self-shav'n Dennis, or a Nero fell.
Whose cursed courts with blood and incest swell,
An owl, that flies the light of Parliaments
And state assemblies, jealous of th' intents
' Of private tongues, who for a pastime sets
His peers at odds, and on their fury whets.
Who neither faith, honour; nor right respects.*
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Were any one so fortunate as to identify them in any anonymous
play of ihe time, we should then have rescued another work
of Kyd's, and gained a firmer basis for all further investigation.
Of course, it is equally possible that one, or all, of these
quotations may be merely stray wreckage from some hopelessly
lost work. Thus, to indulge in a last flight of fancy, we might
even suppose that thb third of the quotations may be taken
from the Ur'HamUt^ say from a chorus towards the end of the
play, denouncing the tyrant Claudius, whose 'cursed court
swells with blood and incest,' and who, * for a pastime, whets
on the ftiry of his peers ' — Laertes and Hamlet. We might go
on to say that the lines are sufficiently wretched to accoimt for
the ridicule cast upon this lost Hamlet^ which would probably
have been doomed to oblivion even without being eclipsed by
its grand descendant. We might look at the metre, and, finding
the lines all rhymed, argue for a comparatively high age of the
play — ^in one word, we might set the see-saw of argimient again
in motion, and give it a good long swing too. But after all,
is it not better to say : ' Claudite jam rivulos, puen, sat prata
biberunt ' ? For notwithstanding all the ingenuity expended on
Kyd of late years, the ground on which we can put our foot
with any firmness is still very small, and with regard to the
most interesting questions we are at present forced to say —
exactly as we do concerning the incomparably greater problems
raised anew by Jupiter's fifth satellite —
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DRAMATIS PERSON.^
Ghost of Andrea, a Spanish nobleman, ) pl._-
Revenge, '
King or Spain
Cyprian Dukb op Castile, his brother
Lorenzo, the Duke's son
Bbllimpbria, Lorenzo's sister
Viceroy of Portugal
Balthazar, his son
Don Pedro, the Viceroy's brother
HiBRONiMO, Marshal of Spain
Isabella, his wife
Horatio, their son
Spanish General
Deputy
Don Bazulto, an old man
Three Citizens
Portuguese Ambassador
vI'lluT^^'}^*''*"*^*** Noblemen
Two Portuguese
Pbdringano, Bellimperia's servant
Christophil, Bellimperia's custodian
Lorenzo's Page
Cbrbbrinb, Balthazar's servant
Isabella's Mud
Messenger
Hangman
Tliree Kings and three Knights in the first Dumb-show
Hymen and two torch-bearers in the second
Bazardo, a Painter
Pedro and Jacques, Hieronimo's servants
Army. Banquet. Royal suites. Noblemen. Halberdiers.
Officers. Three Watchmen. Trumpets. Servants, etc.
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THE SPANISH TRAGEDY
ACT I
SCENE I: INDUCTION
Enter the Ghost of Andrea^ and with him Revenge*
Ghost. When this eternal substance of my soul
Did live imprisoned in my wanton flesh, —
Each in their function serving other's need,
I was a courtier in the Spanish court :
My name was Don Andrea ; my descent,
Though not ignoble, yet inferior far
To gracious fortunes of my tender youth.
For there in prime and pride of all my years,
By duteous service and deserving love,
In secret I possessed a worthy dame, lo
Which hight sweet Bellimperia by name.
But, in the harvest of my summer joys.
Death's winter nipp'd the blossoms of my bliss,
Forcing divorce betwixt my love and me.
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ACT I. sc X. The Spanish Tragedy
For in the late conflict with Portingal
My valour drew me into danger's mouth,
Till life to death made passage through my wounds.
When I was slain, my soul descended straight
To pass the flowing stream of Acheron ;
y^But churlish Charon, only boatman there, 20
y Said that, my rites of burial not performed,
I might not sit amongst his passengers.
Ere Sol had slept three nights in Thetis' lap,
And slak'd his smoking chariot in her flood.
By Don Horatio, our knight marshal's son,
My funerals and obsequies were done.
Then was the ferryman of hell content
To pass me over to the slimy strand.
That leads to fell Avemus' ugly waves.
There, pleasing Cerberus with honejr'd speech, 30
I passed the perils of the foremost porch.
Not far from hence, amidst ten thousand souls,
Sat Minos, Aeacus, and Rhadamanth ;
To whom no sooner *gan I make approach.
To crave a passport for my wandering ghosty
^ But Minos, in graven leaves of lottery.
Drew forth the manner of my life and death.
* This knight,' quoth he, * both liv'd and died in love ;
And for his love tried fortune of the wars ;
And by war's fortune lost both love and life.' 40
* Why then,' said Aeacus, ' convey him hence,
To walk with lovers in our fields of love,
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The Spanish Tragedy act i. sc. t.
And spend the course of everlasting time
Under green myrtle-trees and cypress shades.'
* No, no,' said Rhadamanth, * it were not weiij
With loving souls to place a martialist :
He died in war, and must to martial fields,
Where wounded Hector lives in lasting pain,
And Achilles' Myrmidons do scour the plain.'
Then Minos, mildest censor of the three, 50
Made this device to end the difference :
* Send him,' quoth he, * to our infernal king,
To doom him as best seems his majesty.'
To this effect my passport straight was drawn.
In keeping on my way to Pluto 's court, '•- - "
Through dreadful shades of ever-glooming night,
I saw more sights than thousand tongues can
tell.
Or pens can write, or mortal hearts can think.
Three ways there were: that on the right-hand
side
Was ready way unto the 'foresaid fields, 60
Where lovers live and bloody martialists ;
But either sort contain'd within his bounds.
The left-hand path, declining fearfully,
Was ready downfall to the deepest hell.
Where bloody Furies shakes their whips of steel.
And poor Ixion turns an endless wheel ;
Where usurers are chok'd with melting gold.
And wantons are embradd with ugly snakes,
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ACT I. sc 1. The Spanish Tragedy
And murd'rers groan with never>killing wounds,
^ And perjur'd wights scalded in boiling le ad, 70
And all foul sins with tonnents overwhelmed.
Twixt these two ways I trod the middle path.
Which brought me to the fair Elysian green,
In midst whereof there stands a stately tower,
The walls of brass, the gates of adamant :
^ Here finding Pluto with his Proserpine,
I showed my passport, humbled on my knee ;
Whereat fair Proserpine began to smile.
And begg*d that only she might give my doom :
Pluto was pleas'd, and seal'd it with a kiss. 80
Forthwith, Revenge, she rounded thee in th' ear,
And bad thee lead me through the gates of horn,
Where dreams have passage in the silent night.
No sooner had she spoke, but we were here —
I wot not how — in twinkling of an eye.
Revenge, Then know, Andrea, that thou art arriv'd
Where thou shalt see the author of thy death,
Don Balthazar, the prince of Portingal,
Deprived of life by Bellimperia.
Here sit we down to see the mystery, 90
' And serve for Chorus in this tragedy.
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The Spanish Tragedy act i. sc a.
SCENE II
The Court of Spain.
Enter Spanish King^ General^ Castile^ and Hieronimo,
King. Now say, lord General, how fares our camp ?
Gen, All well, my sovereign liege, except some few
That are deceased by fortune of the war.
King, But what portends thy cheerful countenance.
And posting to our presence thus in haste ?
Speak, man, hath fortune given us victory ?
Gen, Victory, my liege, and that with little loss.
King, Our Portingals will pay us tribute then ?
Gen, Tribute and wonted homage therewithal.
King, Then bless'd be heaven and guider of the
heavens, lo
From whose fair influence such justice flows. / •
Cast. O multum dilecte DeOy Hbi militat aether^
Et conjuratae curvato popiite genies {
Succumbunt: recti soror est victoria juris.
King, Thanks to my loving brother of Castile.
But, General, unfold in brief discourse
Your form of battle and your war's success.
That, adding all the pleasure of thy news
Unto the height of former happiness,
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ACT I. sc >. The Spanish Tragedy
With deeper wage and greater dignity 20
We may reward thy blissful chivalry.
Gen. Where Spain and Portingal do jointly knit
Their frontiers, leaning on each other's bound,
There met our armies in their proud array :
Both fumish'd well, both full of hope and fear,
Both menacing alike with daring shows,
Both vaunting sundry colours of device,
Both cheerly sounding trumpets, drums, and fifes.
Both raising dreadful clamours to the sky.
That valleys, hills, and rivers made rebound, 30
And heav'n itself was frighted with the sound.
Our battles both were pitch'd in squadron form,
Each comer strongly fenced with wings of shot ;
But ere we join'd and came to push of pike,
I brought a squadron of our readiest shot
From out our rearward, to begin the fight :
They brought another wing t* encounter us.
Meanwhile, our ordnance play'd on either side.
And captains strove to have their valours tried.
Don Pedro, their chief horsemen's colonel, 40
Did with his comet bravely make attempt
To break the order of our battle ranks :
But Don Rogero, worthy man of war, ^
March'd forth against him with our musketeers.
And stopped the malice of his fell approach.
While they maintain hot skirmish to and fro.
Both battles join, and fall to handy-blows,
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Their violent shot resembling th* ocean's rage,
When, roaring loud, and with a swelling tide,
It beats upon the rampiers of huge rocks, 50
And gapes to swallow neighbour-bounding lands.
Now while Bellona rageth here and there.
Thick storms of bullets ran like winter's hail,
And shiver'd lances dark the troubled air.
Pede pes et cuspide cuspis; I
Arma sonant armiSy vir petiturque viro.
On every side drop captains to the ground,
And soldiers, some ill-maim'd, some slain outright :
Here falls a body sunder'd from his head,
There legs and arms lie bleeding on the grass, 60
Mingled with weapons and unbowell'd steeds.
That scattering overspread the purple plain.
In all this turmoil, three long hours and mcnre,
The victory to neither part inclined ;
Till Don Andrea, with his brave lanciers,
In their main battle made so great a breach.
That, half disma/d, the multitude retired :
But Balthazar, the Portingals' young prince.
Brought rescue, and encouraged them to stay.
Here-hence the fight was eagerly renewed, 70
And in that conflict was Andrea slain :
Brave man at arms, but weak to Balthazar.
Yet while the prince, insulting over him,
Breath'd out proud vaunts, sounding to our reproach,
Friendship and 'hardy valour, joined in one,
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ACT I. sc. •. The Spanish Tragedy
Prick'd forth Horatio, our knight marshal's son,
To challenge forth that prince in single fight.
Not long between these twain the fight endur'd,
But straight the prince was beaten from his horse,
And forc'd to yield him prisoner to his foe. 80
When he was taken, all the rest they fled.
And our carbines pursued them to the death.
Till, Phoebus waving to the western deep.
Our trumpeters were charged to sound retreat.
King. Thanks, good lord General, for these good news ;
And for some argument of more to come.
Take this and wear it for thy sovereign's sake.
\Gives him his chain.
But tell me now, hast thou confirmed a peace ?
Gen. No peace, my liege, but peace conditional.
That if with homage tribute be well paid, 90
The fury of your forces will be stajr'd :
And to this peace their viceroy hath subscribed,
{Gives the King a paper.
And made a solemn vow that, during life.
His tribute shall be truly paid to Spain.
King. These words, these deeds, become thy person welL
But now, knight marshal, frolic with thy king,
For 'tis thy son that wins this battle's prize.
Hier. Long may he live to serve my sovereign liege,
And soon decay, unless he serve my liege.
King. Nor thou, nor he, shall die without reward, 100
* [A tucket afar off,
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The Spanish Tragedy act i. sc. >.
What means the warning of this trumpet's sound?
Gen, This tells me that your grace's men of war,
Such as war's fortune hath reserv'd from death.
Come marching on towards your royal seat,
To show themselves before your majesty :
For so I gave in charge at my depart
Whereby by demonstration shall appear,
That all, except three hundred or few more.
Are safe retum'd, and by their foes enrich'd.
The Army enters; Balthazar^ between Lorenzo and ^'
Horatio^ captive.
King, A gladsome sight I I long to see them here, no
[They enter and pass by.
Was that the warlike prince of Portingal,
That by our nephew was in triumph led ?
Gen, It was, my liege, the prince of Portingal.
King, But what was he that on the other side
Held him by th' arm, as partner of the prize ?
ffier. That was my son, my gracious sovereign ;
Of whom though from his tender infancy
My loving thoughts did never hope but well.
He never pleas'd his fsither's eyes till now,
Nor fill'd my heart with over-cloying joys. i2o
King, Go, let them march once more about these walls,
That, staying them, we may confer and talk
With our brave prisoner and his double guard.
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ACT I. sc >. The Spanish Tragedy
Hieronimo, it greatly pleaseth us
That in our victory thou have a share,
By virtue of thy worthy son's exploit. [Enter again.
Bring hither the young prince of Portingal :
The rest march on ; but, ere they be dismissed.
We will bestow on every soldier
Two ducats and on every leader ten, 130
That they may know our largess welcomes them.
[Exeunt all but Balthazar^ Lorenzo^ and Horatio.
Welcome, Don Balthazar I welcome, nephew I
And thou, Horatio, thou art welcome too.
Young prince, although thy father's hard misdeeds.
In keeping back the tribute that he owes.
Deserve but evil measure at our hands,
Yet shalt thou know that Spain is honourable.
BaL The trespass that my father made in peace
Is now controlled by fortune of the wars ;
And cards once dealt, it boots not ask why so. 140
His men are slain, a weakening to his realm ;
His colours seized, a blot imto his name ;
His son distressed, a cor'sive to his heart :
These punishments may clear his late offence.
King. Ply^ Balthazar, if he observe this truce.
Our peace will grow the stronger for these wars.
Meanwhile live thou, though not in liberty,
Yet free from bearing any servile yoke ;
For in our hearing thy deserts were great,
j^ And in our sight thyself art gracious. 150
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BaL And I shall study to deserve this grace.
King, But tell me — for their holding makes me doubt —
To which of these twain art thou prisoner ?
Lor. To me, my liege.
Hor. To me, my sovereign.
Lor. This hand first took his courser by the reins.
Hor. But first my lance did put him from his horse.
Lor. I seiz'd his weapon, and enjo/d it first.
Her. But first I forced him lay his weapons down.
King. Let go his arm, upon our privilege.
{They let him go.
Say, worthy prince, to whether did*st thou yield?
Bel. To him in courtesy, to this perforce : i6i
He spake me fair, this other gave me strokes ;
He promised life, this other threatened death ;
He won my love, this other conquered me,
And, truth to say, I yield myself to both.
Hier. But that I know your grace for just and wise,
And might seem partial in this difference.
Enforced by nature and by law of arms
My tongue should plead for young Horatio's
right:
He hunted well that was a lion's death, 170
Not he that in a garment wore his skin ;
So hares may pull dead lions by the beard.
King. Content thee, marshal, thou shalt have no wrong ;
And, for thy sake, thy son shall want no right
Will both abide the censure of my doom ?
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Lor, I crave no better than your grace awards.
Hor, Nor I, although I sit beside my right
King, Then, by my judgment, thus your strife shall
end :
You both deserve, and both shall have reward.
Nephew, thou took'st his weapon and his horse :
His weapons and his horse are thy reward. iBi
Horatio, thou did*st force him first to yield :
His ransom therefore is thy valour's fee ;
Appoint the sum, as you shall both agree.
But, nephew, thou shalt have the prince in guard,
For thine estate best fitteth such a guest :
Horatio's house were small for all his train.
Yet, in regard thy substance passeth his,
And that just guerdon may befall desert,
To him we yield the armour of the prince. 190
How likes Don Balthazar of this device ?
Bal, Right well, my liege, if this proviso were,
That Don Horatio bear us company.
Whom I admire and love for chivalry.
King, Horatio, leave him not that loves thee so. —
Now let us hence to see our soldiers paid,
And feast our prisoner as our friendly guest
\Exeunt
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SCENE III
The Court of Portugal.
Enter Viceroy^ Alexandro^ Vtlluppo.
Vic. Is our ambassador despatched for Spain ?
Alex. Two days, my liege, are past since his depart
Vic. And tribute-payment gone along with him?
Alex. Ay, my good lord.
Vic. Then rest we here awhile in our unrest, i/^
And feed our sorrows with some inward sighs ;
For deepest cares break never into tears.
But wherefore sit I in a regal throne ?
This better fits a wretch's endless moan.
[Falls to the ground.
Yet this is higher than my fortunes reach, lo
And therefore better than my state deserves.
Ay, ay, this earth, image of melancholy,
Seeks him whom fates adjudge to misery.
Here let me lie ; now am I at the lowest
Quijacet in terra^ non habet unde cadaL
In me consumpsit vires fortuna nocendo: ^ '
Nil superest utjampossit obesse magis.
Yes, Fortune may bereave me of my crown :
Here, take it now ;— let Fortune do her worst,
She will not rob me of this sable weed : 20
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ACT h sc. 3. The Spanish Tragedy
O no, she envies none but pleasant things.
Such is the folly of despiteful chance !
Fortune is blind, and sees not my deserts ; i
So is she deaf, and hears not my laments ;
And could she hear, yet is she wilful-mad,
1 And therefore will not pity my distress.
(Suppose that she could pity me, what then ?
[What help can be expected at her hands
l^^ose foot is standing on a rolling stone,
And mind more mutable than fickle winds ? 30
Why wail I then, whereas hope of no redress ?
O yes, complaining makes my grief seem less.
My late ambition hath distain'd my faith ;
My breach of faith occasion'd bloody wars ;
Those bloody wars have spent my treasure ;
And with my treasure my people's blood ;
And with their blood, my joy and best belov'd.
My best belov*d, my sweet and only son.
O, wherefore went I not to war myself?
The cause was mine ; 1 might have died for both :
My years were mellow, his but young and green ;
My death were natural, but his was forc'd. 42
Alex. No doubt, my liege, but still the prince survives.
Vtc, Survives 1 ay, where ? 1
Alex. In Spain — a prisoner by mischance of war.
Vtc. Then they have slain him for his father's fault
Alex. That were a breach to common law of arms.
Vtc. They reck no laws that meditate revenge.
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Alex. His ransom's worth will stay from foul revenge.
Vic. No ; if he liv'd, the news would soon be here. 50
Alex. Nay, evil news fly faster still than good.
Vic. Tell me no more of news ; for he is dead.
ViL My sovereign, pardon the author of ill news,
And I *11 bewray the fortune of thy son.
Vic. Speak on, I '11 guerdon thee, whatever it be :
Mine ear is ready to receive ill news ;
My heart grown hard 'gainst mischiefs battery.
Stand up, I say, and tell thy tale at large.
Vil. Then hear that truth which these mine eyes have
seen:
When both the armies were in battle join'd, 60
Don Balthazar, amidst the thickest troops,
To win renown did wondrous feats of arms :
Amongst the rest I saw him, hand to hand,
In single flght with their lord-general ;
Till Alexandro, that here counterfeits,
Under the colour of a duteous friend
Discharged his pistol at the prince's back,
As though he would have slain their general :
But therewithal Don Balthazar fell down ;
And when he fell, then we began to fly : 70
But, had he liv^d, the day had sure been ours.
Alex. O wicked forgery 1 O traitVous miscreant !
Vic. Hold thou thy peace I But now, Villuppo, say,
Where then became the carcase of my son ?
Vil. I saw them drag it to the Spanish tents.
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ACT I. sc. 4. The Spanish Tragedy
Vic, Ay, ay, my nightly dreams have told me this. —
Thou false, unkind, unthankful, trait'rous beast,
Wherein had Balthazar offended thee,
That thou shouldst thus betray him to our foes ?
Was't Spanish gold that bleared so thine eyes 80
That thou couldst see no part of our deserts?
Perchance, because thou art Terceira's lord,
Thou hadst some hope to wear this diadem,
If first my son and then myself were slain ;
But thy ambitious thought shall break thy neck.
Ay, this was it that made thee spill his blood :
[Takes the crown and puts it on again.
But 1 11 now wear it till thy blood be spilt.
Alex> Vouchsafe, dread sovereign, to hear me speak.
Vic. Away with him ; his sight is second hell.
Keep him till we determine of his death : 90.
If Balthazar be dead, he shall not live.
Villuppo, follow us for thy reward. [Exit Viceroy,
Vil, Thus have I with an envious, forged tale
Deceiv'd the king, betra/d mine enemy,
And hope for guerdon of my villany. [Exit.
SCENE IV
Enter Horatio and Bellimpericu
Bel, Signior Horatio, this is the place and hour,
Wherein I must entreat thee to relate
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The Spanish Tragedy act i. sc. 4.
The circumstance of Don Andrea's death,
Who, living, was my garland's sweetest flower.
And in his death hath buried my delights.
Hor, For love of him and service to yourself,
I nill refuse this heavy doleful charge ;
Yet tears and sighs, I fear, will hinder me.
When both our armies were enjoin'd in fight,
Your worthy chevalier amidst the thickest, 10
For glorious cause still aiming at the fisurest.
Was at the last by young Don Balthazar
Encountered hand to hand : their fight was long.
Their hearts were great, their clamours menacing,
Their strength alike, their strokes both dangerous.
But wrathfiil Nemesis, that wicked power, \ ^^
Envying at Andrea's praise and worth, \
Cut short his life, to end his praise and worth.
She, she herself, disguis'd in armour's mask —
As Pallas was before proud Pergamus — 20
Brought in a fresh supply of halberdiers.
Which paunch'd his horse, and dinged him to the
ground.
Then young Don Balthazar with ruthless rage,
Taking advantage of his foe's distress,
Did finish what his halberdiers begun.
And left not, till Andrea's life was done.
Then, though too late, incensed with just remorse,
I with my band set forth against the prince,
And brought him prisoner from his halberdiers.
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ACT I. sc 4. The Spanish Tragedy
Bel, Would thou hadst slain him that so slew my love !
But then was Don Andrea's carcase lost ? 31
Hor. No, that was it for which I chiefly strove,
Nor stepp'd I back till I recovered him :
I took him up, and wound him in mine arms ;
And wielding him unto my private tent.
There laid him down, and dew'd him with my tears.
And sighM and sorrowed as became a friend.
But neither friendly sorrow, sighs, nor tears
Could win pale Death from his usurpM right.
Yet this I did, and less I could not do : 40
I saw him honoured with due funeral
This scarf I plucked from off his lifeless arm,
And wear it in remembrance of my friend.
BeL I know the scarf: would he had kept it still ;
For had he liv'd, he would have kept it still,
And worn it for his Bellimperia's sake :
For 'twas my favour at his last depart.
But now wear thou it both for him and me ;
For after him thou hast deserved it best
But for thy kindness in his life and death, 50
Be sure, while Bellimperia's life endures.
She will be Don Horatio's thankful friend.
Hor, And, madam, Don Horatio will not slack
Humbly to serve fair Bellimperia.
But now, if your good liking stand thereto,
I '11 crave your pardon to go seek the prince ;
For so the duke, your father, gave me charge.
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BeL Ay, go, Horatio, leave me here alone ;
For solitude best fits my cheerless mood. \Exii Hor,
Yet what avails to wail Andrea's death, 60
From whence Horatio proves my second love?
Had he not lov'd Andrea as he did,
He could not sit in Bellimperia's thoughts.
But how can love find harbour in my breast,
Till I revenge the death of my belov'd ?
Yes, second love shall further my revenge !
I 'U love Horatio, my Andrea's friend.
The more to spite the prince that wrought his end.
And where Don Balthazar, that slew my love.
Himself now pleads for favour at my hands, 70
He shall, in rigour of my just disdain.
Reap long repentance for his murd'rous deed.
For what was 't else but murd'rous cowardice.
So many to oppress one valiant knight.
Without respect of honour in the fight ?
And here he comes that murder'd my delight
Enter Lorenzo and Balthazar,
Lor. Sister, what means this melancholy walk?,
BeL That for a while I wish no company.
Lor. But here the prince is come to visit you.
BeL That argues that he lives in liberty. \ 80
BaL No, madam, but in pleasing servitude.
BeL Your prison then, belike, is your conceit
Bal, Ay, by conceit my freedom is enthrall'd.
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ACT I. sc 4. The Spanish Tragedy
Bel, Then with conceit enlarge yourself again.
Bal. What, if conceit have laid my heart to gage?
BeL Pay that you borrowed, and recover it
Bed, I die, if it return from whence it lies.
BeL A heartless man, and live ? A miracle !
Bal, Ay, lady, love can work such miracles.
Lor, Tush, tush, my lord 1 let go these ambages, 90
And in plain terms acquaint her with your love.
BeL What boots complaint, when there's no remedy ?
Bal, Yes, to your gracious self must I complain.
In whose fair answer lies my remedy ;
On whose perfection all my thoughts attend ;
On whose aspect muae eyes find beauty's bower ;
In whose translucent breast my heart is lodg'd.
BeL Alas, my lord, these are but words of course.
And but device to drive me from this place.
\She^ in going in^ lets fall her glove^ which
Horatio^ coming outy takes up.
Hot. Madam, your glove. 100
BeL Thanks, good Horatio ; take it for thy pains.
Bal, Signior Horatio stoop'd in happy time 1
Hot, I reaped more grace than I deserv*a or hop'd.
Lor, My lord, be not disma/d for what is past :
You know that women oft are humorous ;
These clouds will overblow with little wind :
Let me alone, I '11 scatter them myself.
Meanwhile, let us devise to spend the time
In some delightful sports and revelling.
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Hot. The king, my lords, is coming hither straight, no
To feast the Portingal ambassador ;
Things were in readiness before I came.
Bed. Then here it fits us to attend the king,
To welcome hither our ambassador,
And learn my ^Either and my country's health.
SCENE V
Enter the Banquet^ Trumpets^ the King^ and Ambassador.
King, See, lord Ambassador, how Spain entreats
Their prisoner Balthazar, thy viceroy's son :
We pleasure more in kindness than in wars.
Amb, Sad is our king, and Portingal laments.
Supposing that Don Balthazar is slain.
Bal. So am I ! — slain by beauty's tyranny.
You see, my lord, how Balthazar is slain :
I frolic with the Duke of Castile's son,
Wrapp'd every hour in pleasures of the court.
And grac'd with favours of his majesty. lo
King. Put off your greetings, till our feast be done ;
Now come and sit with us, and taste our cheer.
[Sit to the banquet.
Sit down, young prince, you are our second guest ;
Brother, sit down ; and, nephew, take your place.
Signior Horatio, wait thou upon our cup ;
For well thou hast deservM to be honour'd
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ACT I. sc s. The Spanish Tragedy
Now, lordings, fall to ; Spain is Portugal,
And Portugal is Spain : we both are friends ;
Tribute is paid, and we enjoy our right
But where is old Hieronimo, our marshal? 20
He promised us, in honour of our guest.
To grace our banquet with some pompous jest
Enter Hieronimo with a drum, three knights^ each his
scutcheon; then he fetches three kingSy they take their
crowns and them captive.
Hieronimo, this masque contents mine eye,
Although I sound not well the mystery.
Hier, The first arm'd knight, that hung his scutcheon up,
\He takes the scutcheon and gives it to the King.
Was English Robert, Earl of Gloucester,
Who, when King Stephen bore sway in Albion,
Arrived with five and twenty thousand men
In Portingal, and by success of war
Enforced the king, then but a Saracen, 30
To bear the yoke of the English monarchy.
King. My lord of Portingal, by this you see
That which may comfort both your king and you,
And make your late discomfort seem the less.
But say, Hieronimo, what was the next ?
Hier. The second knight, that hung his scutcheon up,
[He doth as he did be/ore.
Was Edmond, Earl of Kent in Albion,
When English Richard wore the diadem.
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He came likewise, and raz^d Lisbon walls,
And took the King of Portingal in fight ; 40
For which and other such-like service done
He after was created Duke of York.
King, This is another special argument,
That Portingal may deign to bear our yoke,
When it by little England hath been yokU
But now, Hieronimo, what were the last ?
Hier. The third and last, not least, in our account,
\Poing as before.
Was, as the rest, a valiant Englishman,
Brave John of Gaunt, the Duke of Lancaster,
As by his scutcheon plainly may appear. 50
He with a puissant army came to Spain,
And took our King of Castile prisoner.
Amb, This is an argument for our viceroy
That Spain may not insult for her success.
Since English warriors likewise conquered Spain,
And made them bow their knees to Albion.
King, Hieronimo, I drink to thee for this device.
Which hath pleas'd both the ambassador and me :
Pledge me, Hieronimo, if thou love thy king.
[Takes the cup o/HoratiOm
My lord, I fear we sit but over-long, 60
Unless our dainties were more delicate ;
But welcome are you to the best we have.
Now let us in, that you may be despatched :
I think our council is already set. \Exeunt omnes,
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ACT I. sc & The Spanish Tragedy
SCENE VI
Ghost of Andrea^ Revinge,
Andrea, Come we for this from depth of underground.
To see him feast that gave me my death's wound ?
These pleasant sights are sorrow to my soul :
Nothing but league, and love, and banqueting?
Revenge, Be still, Andrea ; ere we go from hence,
I '11 turn their friendship into fell despite,
Their love to mortal hate, their day to night.
Their hope into despair, their peace to war,
Their joys to pain, their bliss to misery.
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ACT II
SCENE I
Enter Lorenzo and Balthazar.
Lor. My lord, though Bellimperia seem thus coy,
Let reason hold you in your wonted joy :
In time the savage bull sustains the yoke,
In time all haggard hawks will stoop to lure,
In time small wedges cleave the hardest oak,
In time the flint is pierc'd with softest shower.
And she in time will fall from her disdain,
And rue the sufferance of your friendly pain.
Bal* No, she is wilder, and more hard withal.
Than beast, or bird, or tree, or stony wall. lo
But wherefore blot I Bellimperia's name ?
It is my fault, not she, that merits blame.
My feature is not to content her sight.
My words are rude, and work her no delight.
The lines I send her are but harsh and ill.
Such as do drop from Pan and Marsyas' quilL
My presents are not of sufficient cost.
And being worthless, all my labour's lost
Yet might she love me for my valiancy :
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ACT 11. sc. X. The Spanish Tragedy
Ay, but that 's slander'd by captivity. 20
Yet might she love me to content her sire :
Ay, but her reason masters his desire.
Yet might she love me as her brother's friend :
Ay, but her hopes aim at some other end.
Yet might she love me to uprear her state :
Ay, but perhaps she hopes some nobler mate.
Yet might she love me as her beauty's thrall :
Ay, but I fear she cannot love at all.
Lor, My lord, for my sake leave this ecstasy,
And doubt not but we '11 find some remedy. 30
Some cause there is that lets you not be loVd ;
First that must needs be known, and then removed.
What, if my sister love some other knight ?
BaL My summer's day will turn to winter's night.
Lor, I have already found a stratagem,
To sound the bottom of this doubtful theme.
My lord, for once you shall be rul'd by me ;
Hinder me not, whate'er you hear or see.
By force or fair means will I cast about
To find the truth of all this question out 40
Ho, Pedringano 1
Ped. Signiorl
Lor. Vien qui presto.
Enter Pedringano,
Ped, Hath your lordship any service to command me ?
Lor, Ay, Pedringano, service of import ;
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The Spanish Tragedy act ii. sc i.
And — ^not to spend the time in trifling words —
Thus stands the case : It is not long, thou know'st,
Since I did shield thee from my father's wrath,
For thy conveyance in Andrea's love,
For which thou wert adjudg'd to punishment : 50
I stood betwixt thee and thy punishment,
And since, thou know'st how I have favoured thee.
Now to these favours will I add reward,
Not with fair words, but store of golden coin,
And lands and living join'd with dignities.
If thou but satisfy my just demand :
Tell truth, and have me for thy lasting friend.
Ped, Whatever it be your lordship shall demand.
My bounden duty bids me tell the truth,
If case it lie in me to tell the truth. 60
Lor, Then, Pedringano, this is my demand :
Whom loves my sister Bellimperia?
For she reposeth all her trust in thee.
Speak, man, and gain both friendship and reward :
I mean, whom loves she in Andrea's place ?
Ped, Alas, my lord, since Don Andrea's death
I have no credit with her as before ;
And therefore know not, if she love or no.
Lor. Nay, if thou dally, then I am thy foe,
{Draws his sword.
And fear shall force what friendship cannot win : 70
Thy death shall bury what thy life conceals ;
Thou diest for more esteeming her than me.
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ACT II. sc. I. The Spanish Tragedy
Ped. O, stay, my lord.
Lor, Yet speak the truth, and I will guerdon thee,
And shield thee from whatever can ensue.
And will conceal whate'er proceeds from thee.
But if thou dally once again, thou diest
Ped. If madam Bellimperia be in love
Lor. What, villain I ifs and ands ?
Ped. O, stay, my lord, she loves Horatio. 80
[Balthazar starts dock.
Lor. What, Don Horatio, our knight marshal's son ?
Ped. Even him, my lord.
Lor. Now say, but how know'st thou he is her love ?
And thou shalt find me kind and liberal :
Stand up, I say, and fearless tell the truth.
Ped. She sent him letters, which myself perused,
Full-firaught with lines and arguments of love.
Preferring him before Prince Balthazar.
Lor. Swear on this cross that what thou say's! is true ;
And that thou wilt conceal what thou hast told. 90
Ped I swear to both, by him that made us all.
Lor. In hope thine oath is true, here's thy reward :
But if I prove thee perjur'd and unjust,
■ This very sword, whereon thou took'st thine oath.
Shall be the worker of thy tragedy.
Ped. What I have said is true, and shall — ^for me —
Be still conceaPd from Bellimperia.
Besides, your honour's liberality
Deserves my duteous service, ev'n till death.
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The Spanish Tra£:ed7 ' actii. sci.
LcfT. Let this be all that thou shalt do for me : loo
Be watchful, when and where these lovers meet.
And give me notice in some secret sort.
PecL I will, my lord.
Lor. Then shalt thou find that I am liberal.
Thou know'st that I can more advance thy state
Than she ; be therefore wise, and fail me not
Go and attend her, as thy custom is,
Lest absence make her think thou dost amiss.
\Exit Pedringano.
Why so : tam armis quam ingenio :
Where words prevail not, violence prevails ; i lo
But gold doth more than either of them both.
How likes Prince Balthazar this stratagem ?
Bal, Both well and ill ; it makes me glad and sad :
Glad, that I know the hind'rer of my love ;
Sad, that I fear she hates me whom I love.
Glad, that I know on whom to be revenged ;
Sad, that she '11 fly me, if I take revenge.
Yet must I take revenge, or die myself,
For love resisted grows impatient.
I think Horatio be my destin'd plague : 120
First, in his hand he brandishM a sword,
And with that sword he fiercely wagM war,.
And in that war he gave me dangerous wounds,
And by those wotmds he forced me to yield.
And by my yielding I became his slave.
Now in his mouth he carries pleasing words,
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ACT II. sc. M. The Spanish Tragedy
Which pleasing words do harbour sweet conceits.
Which sweet conceits are lim'd with sly deceits.
Which sly deceits smooth Bellimperia's ears.
And through her ears dive down into her heart, 130
And in her heart set him, where I should stand.
Thus hath he ta'en my body by his force.
And now by sleight would captivate my soul :
But in his fall I '11 tempt the destinies.
And either lose my life, or win my love.
Lor. Let's go, my lord ; your staying stays revenge.
Do you but follow me, and gain your love :
Her favour must be won by his remove. [ExeufU,
SCENE II
Enter Horatio and Bellimperia,
Hor, Now, madam, since by favour of your love
Our hidden smoke is tum'd to open flame.
And that with looks and words we feed our thought
(Two chief contents, where more cannot be had) :
Thus, in the midst of love's fair blandishments.
Why show you sign of inward languishments ?
[Pedringano showeth all to the Prince and
Lorenzo, placing them in secret.
Bel. My heart, sweet friend, is like a ship at sea :
She wisheth port, where, riding all at ease.
She may repair what stormy times have worn,
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The Spanish Tragedy act ii. sc. «.
And leaning on the shore, may sing with joy, lo
That pleasure follows pain, and bliss annoy.
Possession of thy love is th' only port,
Wherein my heart, with fears and hopes long
toss'd,
Each hour doth wish and long to make resort.
There to repair the joys that it hath lost,
And, sitting safe, to sing in Cupid's quire
That sweetest bliss is crown of love's desire.
[Balthazar and Lorenzo above,
BaL O sleep, mine eyes, see not my love profan'd ;
Be deaf, my ears, hear not my discontent ;
Die, heart : another joys what thou deserv'st. 20
Lor, Watch still, mine eyes, to see this love disjoined ;
Hear still, mine ears, to hear them both lament ;
Live, heart, to joy at fond Horatio's fall.
Bel, Why stands Horatio speechless all this while?
Hor, The less I speak, the more I meditate.
Bel, But whereon dost thou chiefly meditate ?
Hor. On dangers past, and pleasures to ensue.
Bal, On pleasures past, and dangers to ensue.
Bel, What dangers and what pleasures dost thou mean ?
Hor, Dangers of war, and pleasures of our love. 30
Lor, Dangers of death, but pleasures none at alL
Bel, Let dangers go, thy w2ir shall be with me :
But such a war, as breaks no bond of peace.
Speak thou fair words, I'll cross them with fair
words ;
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ACT II. sc «. The Spanish Tra^redy
Send thou sweet looks, I '11 meet them with sweet
looks ;
Write loving lines, I 'U answer loving lines ;
Give me a kiss, I ^1 countercheck thy kiss :
Be this our warring peace, or peaceftil war.
Hor, But, gracious madam, then appoint the field,
Where trial of this war shall first be made. 40
Bed, Ambitious villain, how his boldness grows !
BeL Then be thy father's pleasant boVr the field,
Where first we voVd a mutual amity ;
The court were dangerous, that place is safe.
Our hour shall be, when Vesper 'gins to rise.
That summons home distressful travellers :
There none shall hear us but the harmless birds ;
Haply the gentle nightingale
Shall carol us asleep, ere we be ware.
And, singing with the prickle at her breast, 50
Tell our delight and mirthfiil dalliance :
Till then each hour will seem a year and more.
Hot. But, honey sweet and honourable love,
Return we now into your father's sight :
Dang'rous suspicion waits on our delight
Lor. Ay, danger mixed with jealous despite
Shall send thy soul into eternal night. \Exeunt
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The Spanish Tragedy act ii. sc. 3.
SCENE III
Enter King of Spain^ Portingdl Ambassador^
Don Cyprian^ etc.
King, Brother of Castile, to the prince's love
What says your daughter Bellimpcria ?
Cyp. Although she coy it, as becomes her kind,
And yet dissemble that she loves the prince,
I doubt not, I, but she will stoop in time.
And were she froward, which she will not be,
Yet herein shall she follow my advice,
Which is to love him, or forgo my love.
King. Then, lord Ambassador of Portingal,
Advise thy king to make this marriage up, 10
For strengthening of our late-confirmed league ;
I know no better means to make us friends.
Her dowry shall be large and liberal :
Besides that she is daughter and half-heir
Unto our brother here, Don Cyprian,
And shall enjoy the moiety of his land,
I 'U grace her marriage with an uncle's gift,
And this it is — in case the match go forward — :
The tribute which you pay, shall be released ;
And if by Balthazar she have a son, 20
He shall enjoy the kingdom after us.
Amb. 1 11 make the motion to my sovereign liege.
And work it, if my counsel may prevail.
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King, Do so, my lord, and if he give consent,
I hope his presence here will honour us,
In celebration of the nuptial day ;
And let himself determine of the time.
Amb, Will't please your grace command me ought beside?
King, Commend me to the king, and so farewell
But Where's Prince Balthazar to take his leave? 30
Amb, That is performed already, my good lord.
King, Amongst the rest of what you have in charge.
The prince's ransom must not be forgot :
That 's none of mine, but his that took him prisoner ;
And well his forwardness deserves reward :
It was Horatio, our knight marshal's son.
Amb, Between us there's a price already pitch'd,
And shall be sent with all convenient speed.
King, Then once again ferewell, my lord.
Amb, Farewell, my lord of Castile, and the rest \ExiU
King. Now, brother, you must take some little pains 41
To win fair Bellimperia from her will :
Young virgins must be rulM by their friends.
The prince is amiable, and loves her well ;
If she neglect him and forgo his love,
She both will wrong her own estate and ours.
Therefore, whiles I do entertain the prince
With greatest pleasure that our court affords.
Endeavour you to win your daughter's thought :
If she give back, all this will come to naught 50
\Exeunt
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SCENE IV
Enter HarcUio^ Bellimperia^ and Pedringano.
Hor. Now that the night begins with sable wings
To overcloud the brightness of the sun,
And that in darkness pleasures may be done :
Come, Bellimperia, let us to the bow'r,
And there in safety pass a pleasant hour.
Bel, I follow thee, my love, and will not back,
Although my fainting heart controls my souL
Hor, Why, make you doubt of Pedringano's faith ?
Bel, No, he is as trusty as my second self. —
Go, Pedringano, watch without the gate, 10
And let us know if any make approach.
Ped, [Aside], Instead of watching, I *11 deserve more gold
By fetching Don Lorenzo to this match.
\Exil Pedringano.
Hor, What means my love?
Bel, I know not what myself;
And yet my heart foretells me some mischance.
Hor, Sweet, say not so ; fair fortune is our friend.
And heav'ns have shut up day to pleasure us.
The stars, thou see'st, hold back their twinkling shine,
And Luna hides herself to pleasure us.
Bel, Thou hast prevailed ; 1 11 conquer my misdoubt, 20
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ACT II. sc 4. The Spanish Tra£:edy
And in thy love and counsel drown my fear.
I fear no more ; love now is all my thoughts.
Why sit we not ? for pleasure asketh ease.
Hot. The more thou sitf st within these leafy bowers,
The more will Flora deck it with her flowers.
Bel, Ay, but if Flora spy Horatio here.
Her jealous eye will think I sit too near.
Hor. Hark, madam, how the birds record by night.
For joy that Bellimperia sits in sight.
Bel, No, Cupid counterfeits the nightingale, 30
To frame sweet music to Horatio's tale.
Hor. If Cupid sing, then Venus is not far :
Ay, thou art Venus, or some fairer star.
Bel, If I be Venus, thou must needs be Mars ;
And where Mars reigneth, there must needs be
wars.
Hor, Then thus begin our wars : put forth thy hand,
That it may combat with my ruder hand.
Bel, Set forth thy foot to try the push of mine.
Hor, But first my looks shall combat against thine.
Bel, Then ward thyself: I dart this kiss at thee. 40
Hor, Thus I retort the dart thou threw'st at me.
Bel, Nay, then to gain the glory of the field.
My twining arms shall yoke and make thee yield.
Hor, Nay, then my arms are large and strong withal :
Thus elms by vines are compass'd, till they fall.
Bel, O, let me go ; for in my troubled eyes
Now ma/st thou read that life in passion dies.
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Hor. O, stay a while, and I will die with thee ;
So shalt thou yield, and yet have conquered me.
BeL Who's there ? Pedringano ! we are betrayed ! 50
Enter Lorenzo^ Balthazar , Serberine^ Pedringano^
disguised.
Lor. My lord, away with her, take her aside. —
O, sir, forbear : your valoiu- is already tried.
Quickly despatch, my masters.
\They hang him in the arbour.
Hot, What, will you murder me ?
Lor, Ay, thus, and thus : these are the fruits of love.
\They stab him,
BeL Of save his life, and let me die for him I
O, save him, brother ; save him, Balthazar :
I lov*d Horatio ; but he loVd not me.
Bal> But Balthazar loves Bellimperia.
Lor. Although his life were still ambitious-proud.
Yet is he at the highest now he is dead. 60
Bet, Murder 1 murder 1 Help, Hieronimo, help I
Lor. Come, stop her mouth ; away with her.
[Exeunt.
SCENE V
Enter Hieronimo in his shirty etc,
Hier, What outcries pluck me from my naked bed,
And chill my throbbing heart with trembling fear,
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ACT. iL sc s. The Spanish Tragedy
Which never danger yet could daunt before ?
Who calls Hieronimo? speak, here I am.
I did not slumber ; therefore 'twas no dream.
No, no, it was some woman cried for help ;
And here within this garden did she cry ;
And in this garden must I rescue her. —
But stay, what murd'rous spectacle is this?
A man hang'd up and all the murd'rers gone ! lo
And in my bower, to lay the guilt on me !
This place was made for pleasure, not for death.
[Jfle cuts him down.
Those garments that he wears I oft have seen — :
Alas, it is Horatio, my sweet son 1
O no, but he that whilom was my son !
O, was it thou that calPdst me from my bed ?
speak, if any spark of life remain :
1 am thy father ; who hath slain my son ?
What savage monster, not of human kind,
Hath here been glutted with thy harmless blood, 20
And left thy bloody corpse dishonour'd here,
For me, amidst these dark and deathful shades.
To drown thee with an ocean of my tears?
O heavens, why made you night to cover sin ?
By day this deed of darkness had not been.
O earth, why didst thou not in time devour
The vild profaner of this sacred bow'r?
O poor Horatio, what hadst thou misdone.
To leese thy life, ere life was new begun ?
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O wicked butcher, whatsoe'er thou wert, 30
How could thou strangle virtue and desert ?
Ay me most wretched, that have lost my joy,
In leesing my Horatio, my sweet boy I
Enter Isabella.
Isab, My husband's absence makes my heart to throb : —
Hieronimo 1
Hier. Here, Isabella, help me to lament ;
For sighs are stopp'd, and all my tears are spent
Isab. What world of grief ! my son Horatio!
O, Where's the author of this endless woe ?
Hier. To know the author were some ease of grief ; 40
For in revenge my heart would find relieil
Isab. Then is he gone ? and is my son gone too ?
O, gush out, tears, fountains and floods of tears ;
Blow, sighs, and raise an everlasting storm ;
For outrage fits our cursed wretchedness.
\Ay nuy Hieronimo^ sweet husband^ speak!
Hier. He suppd with us to-night^ frolic and merry ^
And said he would go visit Balthazar
At the duk^s palace: there the prince doth lodge.
He had no custom to stay out so late: 50
He may be in his chamber; some go see.
Roderigo^ ho /
Enter Pedro and Jaques.
Isab. Ay me, he raves/ sweet Hieronimo.
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Hicr. True^ all Spain takes note of it.
Besides^ he is so generally beloi/d;
His majesty the other day did grace him I
With waiting on his cup : these be favours^
Which do assure me he cannot be skort-lii/d.
Isab. Sweet Hieronimo I
Hier. / wonder how this fellow got his clothes / — 60
Sirrah, sirrahy I ^11 know the truth of all:
JaqueSy run to the Duke of Castile s presently ^
And bid my son Horatio to come home :
I and his mother have had strange dreams to-night
Do ye hear me^ sirf
Jaques. Ay^ sir.
Hier. Well^ sir^ begone,
Pedro^ come hither; knottfst thou who this is t
Ped. Too welly sir,
Hier. Too well I who, who is itt Peace, Isabella I
Nay, blush not, man.
Ped. // is my lord Horatio,
Hier. Ha, ha, St, James/ but this doth make me laugh,
That there are more deluded than myself, 70 *i
Ped. Deluded? ^
Hier. Ay :
I would have sworn myself, within this hour^
That this had been my son Horatio:
His garments are so like.
Ha/ are they not grecU persuasions f
Isab. O, would to God it were not so /
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Hier. Were not^ Isabella f dost thou dream it is t
Can thy soft bosom entertain a thought^
That such a black deed of mischief should be done
On one so pure and spotless as our son t 80
Away, I can ashamed,
Isab. Dear Hieronimo^
Cast a more serious eye upon thy grief :
Weak apprehension gives but weak belief
Hier. // was a man, sure, that was han^d up here ;
A youth, cu I remember: I cut him doTvn,
If it should prove my son now after all-
Say you f say you f-^Light / lend me a taper;
Let me look again, — O God I
Confusion, mischief torment, death and hell.
Drop all your stings at once in my cold bosom, 90
That now is stiff with horror: kill me quickly!
Be gracious to me, thou infective night.
And drop this deed of murder down on me ;
Gird in my waste of grief with thy large darkness.
And let me not survive to see the light
f May put me in the mind I had a son,
^ ■ Isab. O sweet HorcUio I O my dearest son /
^ Hier. How strangely had I lost my way to grief I\
,^ Sweet, lovely rose, ill-pluck'd before thy time,
* Fair, worthy son, not conquered, but betra/d, 100
I '11 kiss thee now, for words with tears are stay'd.
^ Isab. And 1 11 close up the glasses of his sight,
f. For once these eyes were only my delight
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Hier. See's! thou this handkercher besmear'd with blood?
It shall not from me, till I take revenge.
See'st thou those wounds that yet are bleeding fresh?
I '11 not entomb them, till I have revenge.
Then will I joy amidst my discontent ;
Till then my sorrow never shall be spent
Isab, The heav'ns are just ; murder cannot be hid : i lo
Time is the author both of truth and right,
And time will bring this treachery to light.
Hier, Meanwhile, good Isabella, cease thy plaints.
Or, at the least, dissemble them awhile :
So shall we sooner find the practice out,
And learn by whom all this was brought about
Come, Isabel, now let us take him up,
\They take him up.
And bear him in from out this cursM place.
I '11 say his dirge ; singing fits not this case.
O aliquis mihi quaspulchrum ver educat herbas^ 1 20
[Hieronimo sets his breast unto his sword.
Misceat^ Gr* nostra detur medicina dolori;
Auty si quifaciunt annorum obHvia^ succos
Praebeat; ipse metatn magnum quaecunque per
orbem
Gramina Soipulchras effert in luminis orasj
Ipse bibam quicquid meditatur saga veneniy
QuicquidGf* herbarum vi caeca nenia nectit:
Omnia perpetiar^ lethum quoque^ dum semelomnis
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Noster in extincto moriatur pectore sensus, —
Ergo tuos oculos nunquam^ mea vita^ vicUbo^
Et tua perpetuus sepeUvit lumina somnus f 1 30
Emoriar tecum : siCy stcjuvat ire sub umbras, —
Attamen absistam properato cedere letho^
Ne mortem vindicta tuam torn nulla sequatur,
[Here he throws it from him and bears
the body away.
SCENE VI
Ghost ofAndreOy Revenge,
Andrea, Brought'st thou me hither to increase my pain?
I look'd that Balthazar should have been slain :
But 'tis my friend Horatio that is slain,
And they abuse fair Bellimperia,
On whom I doted more than all the world,
Because she lov'd me more than all the world.
Revenge, Thou talk'st of harvest, when the com is
* green :
The end is crown of every work well done ;
The sickle comes not, till the com be ripe.
Be still ; and ere I lead thee from this place, 10
1 11 show thee Balthazar in heavy case.
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ACT III
SCENE I
The Court of Portugal.
Enter Viceroy of Portingal^ Nobles^ Alexandro^ VUlufipo.
Vic, Infortunate condition of king^,
Seated amidst so many helpless doubts 1
First we are plac'd upon extremest height,
And oft supplanted with exceeding hate,
But ever subject to the wheel of chance ;
And at our highest never joy we so,
As we both doubt and dread our overthrow.
So striveth not the waves with sundry winds,
As fortune toileth in the affairs of kings,
That would be fear'd, yet fear to be belov'd, lo
Sith fear or love to kings is flattery.
For instance, lordings, look upon your king,
By hate deprived of his dearest son.
The only hope of our successive line.
Nob, I had not thought that Alexandro's heart
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Had been envenomed with such extreme hate ;
But now I see that words have several works,
And there's no credit in the countenance.
ViL No ; for, my lord, had you beheld the train,
That feignM love had colour'd in his looks, 20
When he in camp consorted Balthazar,
Far more inconstant had you thought the sun.
That hourly coasts the centre of the earth,
Than Alexandro's purpose to the prince.
Vic. No more, Villuppo, thou hast said enough,
And with thy words thou slay'st our wounded
thoughts.
Nor shall I longer dally with the world,
Procrastinating Alexandro's death :
Go some of you, and fetch the traitor forth.
That, as he is condemned, he may die. 30
Enter Alexandra^ with a Nobleman and haiberts.
Nob, In such extremes will nought but patience serve.
Alex, But in extremes what patience shall I use?
Nor discontents it me to leave the world,
Vfiih whom there nothing can prevail but wrong.
Nob, Yet hope the best
Alex, 'Tis heaven is my hope :
As for the earth, it is too much infect
To yield me hope of any of her mould.
Vic, Why linger ye ? bring forth that daring fiend,
And let him die for his accursed deed.
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Alex. Not that I fear the extremity of death 40
(For nobles cannot stoop to servile fear)
Do I| O king, thus discontented live.
But Uiis, O this, torments my labouring soul.
That thus I die suspected of a sin,
Whereof, as heav'ns have known my secret
thoughts,
So am I free from this suggestion.
Vic. No more, I say ! to the tortures I when ?
Bind him, and bum his body in those flames,
[They bind him to the stake.
That shall prefigure those unquenchM fires
Of Phlegethon, preparM for his soul. 50
AUx. My guiltless death will be aveng'd on thee,
On thee, Villuppo, that hath malidd thus,
Or for thy meed hast falsely me accused.
Vil. Nay, Alexandro, if thou menace me,
1 11 lend a hand to send thee to the lake,
Where those thy words shall perish with thy works :
Injurious traitor I monstrous homicide !
Enter Ambassador.
Amb. Stay, hold a while ;
And here — with pardon of hb majesty —
Lay hands upon Villuppo.
Vic Ambassador, 60
What news hath uig'd this sudden enterance?
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Amb. Know, sovereign lord, that Balthazar doth live.
Vic. What sa/st thou ? liveth Balthazar our son ?
Amb, Your highness' son, Lord Balthazar, doth live ;
And, well entreated in the court of Spain,
Humbly commends him to your majesty.
These eyes beheld — and these my followers — ;
With these, the letters of the king's commends
[Gives him litters.
Are happy witnesses of his highness' health.
[The King looks on the letters^ and proceeds.
Vic. * Thy son doth live, your tribute is receiv'd j 70
Thy peace is made, and we are satisfied.
The rest resolve upon as things propos'd
For both our honours and thy benefit'
Amb. These are his highness' £uther articles.
[He gives him more letters.
Vic. Accursed wretch, to intimate these ills
Against the life and reputation
Of noble Alexandro I Come, my lord, unbind
him:
Let him unbind thee, that is bound to death.
To make a quital for thy discontent.
[ They unbind him.
Alex. Dread lord, in kindness you could do no less, 80
Upon report of such a damnM fact ;
But thus we see our innocence hath sav'd
The hopeless life which thou, Villuppo, sought
By thy suggestions to have massacred.
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Vic. Say, false Villuppo, wherefore didst thou thus
Falsely betray Lord Alexandro*s life?
Him, whom thou knoVst that no unkindness else,
But ev^n the slaughter of our dearest son,
Could once have mov'd us to have misconceived.
Alex. Say, treacherous Villuppo, tell the king : 90
Wherein hath Alexandro us'd thee ill ?
Vil. Rent with remembrance of so foul a deed,
My guilty soul submits me to thy doom :
For not for Alexandro's injuries.
But for reward and hope to be preferred.
Thus have I shamelessly hazarded his life.
Vic. Which, villain, shall be ransom'd with thy death — :
And not so mean a torment as we here
Devis'd for him who, thou said'st, slew our son,
But with the bitt'rest torments and extremes 100
That may be yet invented for thine end.
[Alexandro seems to entreat.
Entreat me not ; go, take the traitor hence :
{Exit Villuppo.
And, Alexandro, let us honour thee
With public notice of thy loyalty. —
To end those things articulated here
By our great lord, the mighty King of Spain,
We with our council will deliberate.
Come, Alexandro, keep us company. \Exeunt.
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SCENE II
Enter Hierommo.
Hier. O eyes! no eyes, but fountains fraught with
tears;
O life 1 no life, but lively form of death ;
O world 1 no world, but mass of public wrongs,
Confus'd and fill'd with murder and misdeeds 1
O sacred heav'ns 1 if this unhallowed deed,.
If this inhuman and barbarous attempt, .
If this incomparable murder thus
Of mine, but now no more my son.
Shall unreveaPd and unrevengM pass.
How should we term your dealings to be just, lo
If you unjustly deal with those that in your justice
trust?
The night, sad secretary to my moans.
With direful visions wakes my vex^d soul,
And with the wounds of my distressftil son
Solicits me for notice of his death.
The ugly fiends do sally forth of hell,
And frame my steps to unfrequented paths.
And fear my heart with fierce inflamM thoughts.
The cloudy day my discontents records,
Early begins to register my dreams, 20
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ACT iiL sc a. The Spanish Tragedy
And drive me forth to seek the murtherer.
Eyes, life, worid, heav'ns, hell, night, and day.
See, search, shew, send some man, some mean, that
may— [A Utter falUth.
What's here ? a letter? tush 1 it is not so I —
A letter written to Hieronimo ! \Redink.
* For want of ink, receive this bloody writ :
Me hath my hapless brother hid from thee ;
Revenge thyself on Balthazar and him :
For these were they that murdered thy son.
Hieronimo, revenge Horatio's death, 50
And better fare than Bellimperia doth.'
What means this miexpected miracle ?
My son slain by Lorenzo and the prince I
What cause had they Horatio to malign ?
Or what might move thee, Bellimperia,
To accuse thy brother, had he been the mean ?
Hieronimo, beware ! — thou art betra/d.
And to entrap thy life this train is laid.
Advise thee therefore, be not credulous :
This is devisM to endanger thee, 40
That thou, by this, Lorenzo shouldst accuse ;
And he, for thy dishonour done, should draw
Thy life in question and thy name in hate.
Dear was the life of my beloved son.
And of his death behoves me be reveng'd :
Then hazard not thine own, Hieronimo,
But live f effect thy resolution.
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I therefore will by circumstances try,
What I can gather to confirm this writ ;
And, hearkening near the Duke of Castile's house, 50
Close, if I can, with Bellimpcria,
To listen more, but nothing to bewray.
Enter Pedringano.
Now, Pedringano !
Pe<L Now, Hieronimo !
Hier. Where 's thy lady ?
Ped. I know not ; here's my ord.
Enter Lorenzo.
Lor. How now, who's this? Hieronimo?
Hier. My lord— •
Ped. He asketh for my lady Bellimperia.
Lor, What to do, Hieronimo? llie duke, my father,
hath,
Upon some disgrace, awhile removed her hence ;
But if it be ought I may inform her of.
Tell me, Hieronimo, and I'll let her know it. 60
Hier, Nay, nay, my lord, I thank you ; it shall not
need.
I had a suit unto her, but too late,
And her disgrace makes me unfortunate.
Lor, Why so, Hieronimo ? use me.
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Hier, O no, my lord ; I dare not ; it must not be ;
I humbly thank your lordship.^
Lor. Why then, farewelL
Hier. My grief no heart, my thoughts no tongue can
tell. \Exit.
Lor. Come hither, Pedringano, see'st thou this ?
PecL My lord, I see it, and suspect it too.
Un^. Tl^s is that damnM villain Serberine, 70
That hath, I fear, reveaPd Horatio's death.
Ped. My lord, he could not, 'twas so lately done ;
And since he hath not left my company.
Lor. Admit he have not, his condition 's such.
As fear or flatt'ring words may make him false.
I know his humour, and therewith repent
That e'er I us'd him in this enterprise.
1 Line 65 and first part of 66 (O no . . . lordship) are replaced,
in all the Qq. from z6o3 onwards, by the following lines :
Hier. Who f yout my lordf
I ftstrve your favour for a greater honour;
This is a very toy^ my lord, a toy.
Lor. All*s one, Hieronimo, acquaint me with it,
Hier. I faith, my lord, it is an idle thing;
I must confess I ha* been too slack, too tardy.
Too remiss unto your honour.
Lor. How noWf Hitronimo f
Hier. In troth, my lord, it is a thing of nothing:
The murder of a son, or so
A thing of nothing, my lord!
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But, Pedringano, to prevent the worst,
And 'cause I know thee secret as my soul,
Here, for thy further satisfaction, take thou this, 80
[Gives him more goid.
And hearken to me — ^thus it is devis'd :
This night thou must (and, prithee, so resolve)
Meet Serberine at Saint Luigi's Park —
Thou know'st 'tis here hard by behind the house —
There take thy stand, and see thou strike him sure :
For die he must, if we do mean to live.
Ped, But how shall Serberine be there, my lord ?
Lor. Let me alone ; I '11 send to him to meet
The prince and me, where thou must do this deed.
Ped. It shall be done, my lord, it shall be done ; 90
And 1 11 go arm myself to meet him there.
Zjot. When things shall alter, as I hope they will,
Then shalt thou mount for this ; thou know'st my
mind. [Exit Pedringano.
CheUIeron!
Enter Page.
Page. My lord?
Lor. Go, sirrah.
To Serberine, and bid him forthwith meet
The prince and me at Saint Luigi's Park,
Behind the house ; this evening, boy I
Page. I go, my lord.
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Lor. But, sirrah, let the hour be eight o'clock :
Bid him not faiL
Page. I fly, my lord. [Exit
Lor. Now to confirm the complot thou hast cast loo
Of all these practices, I '11 spread the watch.
Upon precise commandment from the king,
Strongly to guard the place where Pedringano
This night shall murder hapless Serberine.
Thus must we work that will avoid distrust ;
Thus must we practise to prevent mishap,
And thus one ill another must expulse.
This sly enquiry of Hieronimo
For Bellimperia breeds suspicion,
And this suspicion bodes a further ilL i lo
As for myself, I know my secret fault,
And so do they ; but I have dealt for them :
They that for com their souls endangered,
To save my life, for coin shall venture theirs ;
And better it 's that base companions die.
Than by their life to hazard our good haps.
Nor shall they live, for me to fear their faith :
I '11 trust myself myself shall be my friend ;
For die they shall, slaves are ordain'd to no other
end. [Exit.
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SCENE III
Enter PedringanOf with a pistol.
Ped, Now, Pedringano, bid thy pistol hold,
And hold on, Fortune 1 once more favour me ;
Give but success to mine attempting spirit,
And let me shift for taking of mine aim.
Here is the gold : this is the gold proposed ;
It is no dream that I adventure for,
But Pedringano is possess'd thereo£
And he that would not strain his conscience
For him that thus his liberal purse hath stretched.
Unworthy such a favour, may he fail, 10
And, wishing, want, when such as I prevail.
As for the fear of apprehension,
I kpow, if need should be, my noble lord
Will stand between me and ensuing harms ;
Besides, this place is free from all suspect :
Here therefore will I stay and take my stand.
EnUr the Watch.
1. I wonder much to what intent it is
That we are thus expressly charged to watch.
2. 'Tis by commandment in the king's own name.
3. But we were never wont to watch and ward 20
So near the duke, his brother's, house before.
2. Content yourself, stand close, there's somewhat in 't.
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Enter Serherine.
Ser. Here, Serberine, attend and stay thy pace ;
For here did Don Lorenzo's page appoint
That thou by his command shouldst meet with him.
How fit a place — ^if one were so disposed —
Methinks this comer is to close with one.
Ped, Here comes the bird that I must seize upon :
Now, Pedringano, or never, play the man 1
Ser, I wonder that his lordship stays so long, 50
Or wherefore should he send for me so late?
Ped. For this, Serberine ! — ^and thou shalt ha't
[Shoots tke dag.
So, there he lies ; my promise is performed.
The Watch.
1. Hark, gentlemen, this is a pistol shot
2. And here's one slain ; — stay the murderer.
Ped. Now by the sorrows of the souls in hell,
[He strives with the watch.
Who first lays hand on me, 1 11 be his priest
3. Sirrah, confess, and therein play the priest,
Why hast thou thus unkindly kUl'd the man ?
Ped. Why ? because he walk'd abroad so late. 40
3. Come, sir, you had been better kept your bed.
Than have conmiitted this misdeed so late.
a. Come, to the marshal's with the murderer 1
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I. On to Hieronimo's 1 help me here
To bring the murder'd body with us too.
Ped. Hieronimo ? carry me before whom you will :
Whatever he be, HI answer him and you ;
And do your worst, for I defy you alL \ExeunL
SCENE IV
Enter Lorenzo and Balthazar.
BaL How now, my lord, what makes you rise so soon ?
Lor. Fear of preventing our mishaps too late.
BaL What mischief is it that we not mistrust ?
Lor. Our greatest ills we least mistrust, my lord,
And inexpected harms do hurt us most
BaL Why, tell me, Don Lorenzo, tell me, man,
If ought concerns our honour and your own.
Lor. Nor you, nor me, my lord, but both in one :
For I suspect — and the presiunption 's great —
That by those base confederates in our fault 10
Touching the death of Don Horatio,
We are betrayed to old Hieronimo.
Bid. Betrayed, Lorenzo? tush 1 it cannot be.
Lor. A guilty conscience, urgM with the thought
Of former evils, easily cannot err :
I am persuaded — and dissuade me not —
That all's revealed to Hieronima
And therefore know that I have cast it thus : —
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Enter Page,
But here's the page. How now? what news with
thee?
Page, My lord, Serberine is slain.
Bal. Who? Serberine, my man? 20
Page, Your highness' man, my lord.
Lor, Speak, page, who murder'd him ?
Page, He that is apprehended for the fact
Lor, Who?
Page, Pedringano.
Bal, Is Serberine slain, that lov'd his lord so well?
Injurious villain, murd'rer of his friend I
Lor, Hath Pedringano murder'd Serberine ?
My lord, let me entreat you to take the pains
To exasperate and hasten his revenge
With your complaints unto my lord the king.
This tiieir dissension breeds a greater doubt 30
Bal, Assure thee, Don Lorenzo, he shall die,
Or else his highness hardly shall deny.
Meanwhile I '11 haste the marshal-sessions :
For die he shall for this his damned deed.
[Exit Balthaxar.
Lor, Why so, this fits our former policy.
And thus experience bids the wise to deal
I lay the plot : he prosecutes the point ;
I set the trap : he breaks the worthless twigs,
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And sees not that wherewith the bird was lim'd.
Thus hopeful men, that mean to hold their own, 40
Must look like fowlers to their dearest friends.
He runs to kill whom I have holp to catch.
And no man knows it was my reaching fetch.
Tis hard to trust unto a multitude,
Or any one, in mine opinion,
When men themselves their secrets will reveal
Enter a Messenger with a letter.
Boy
Page. My lord?
Lor. What 'she?
Mes. I have a letter to your lordship.
Lor. From whence ?
Mes. From Pedringano that's imprisoned.
Lor. So he is in prison then ?
Mes. Ay, my good lord. 50
Lor, What would he with us ? — He writes us here.
To stand good lord, and help him in distress. —
Tell him I have his letters, know his mind ;
And what we may, let him assure him of.
Fellow, begone : my boy shall follow thee.
{Exit Messenger.
This works like wax ; yet once more try thy wits.
Boy, go, convey this purse to Pedringano ;
Thou knowest the prison, closely give it him.
And be advis'd that none be there about :
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Bid him be merry still, but secret ; 60
And though the marshal-sessions be to-day,
Bid him not doubt of his delivery.
Tell him his pardon is already sign'd,
And thereon bid him boldly be resolv*d :
For, were he ready to be tumM off—
As 'tis my will the uttermost be tried —
Thou with his pardon shalt attend him still.
Show him this box, tell him his pardon's in't ;
But open 't not, and if thou lov'st thy life ;
But let him wisely keep his hopes unknown : 70
He shall not want while Don Lorenzo lives.
Away 1
P^g^* I go, my lord, I run.
Lor, But, sirrah, see that this be cleanly done.
\ExitPag$.
Now stands our fortune on a tickle point,
And now or never ends Lorenzo's doubts.
One only thing is uneffected yet.
And that's to see the executioner.
But to what end ? I list not trust the air
With utterance of our pretence therein,
For fear the privy whisp'ring of the wind 80
Convey our words amongst unfriendly ears,
That lie too open to advantages.
E quel eke voglio io^ nessun lo sa ;
Intendo to : quel mi basterd^, \ExiL
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SCENE V
Enter Boy^ with the box.
Boy* My master hath forbidden me to look in this box ;
and, by my troth, 'tis likely, if he had not warned me,
I should not have had so much idle time ; for we
men's-kind, in our minority, are like women in their
uncertainty : that they are most forbidden, they will
soonest attempt : so I now. By my bare honesty,
here's nothing but the bare empty box : were it
not sin against secrecy, I would say it were a piece of
gentlemanlike knavery. I must go to Pedringano,
and tell him his pardon is in this box ; nay, I would
have sworn it, had I not seen the contrary. — I cannot
choose but smile to think how the villain will flout
the gallows, scorn the audience, and descant on the
hangman,and all prestuningof his pardon from hence.
M^'t not be an odd jest for me to stand and grace
every jest he makes, pointing my finger at this box,
as who would say : 'Mock on, here's thy warrant.'
Is't not a scurvy jest that a man should jest himself
to death? Alas 1 poor Pedringano, I am in a sort
sorry for thee ; but if I should be hanged with thee,
I cannot weep. \Exit.
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SCENE VI
Enter Hieronimo and the Deputy,
Hier. Thus must we toil in other men's extremes.
That know not how to remedy our own ;
And do them justice, when unjustly we,
For all our wrongs, can compass no redress.
But shall I never live to see the day.
That I may come, by justice of the heavens,
To know the cause that may my cares allay ?
This toils my body, this consumeth age,
That only I to all men just must be.
And neither gods nor men be just to me. lo
Dep. Worthy Hieronimo, your office asks
A care to punish such as do transgress.
Hier, So is 't my duty to regard his death
Who, when he liv'd, deserved my dearest blood.
But come, for that we came for : let 's begin ;
For here lies that which bids me to be gone.
Enter Officers y Boy^ and Pedringano^ with a letter in his
hand^ bound,
Dep, Bring forth the prisoner, for the court is set
Ped, Gramercy, boy, but it was time to come ;
For I had written to my lord anew
A nearer matter that concemeth him, 20
For fear his lordship had forgotten me.
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But sith he hath remembered me so well —
Come, come, come on, when shall we to this gear ?
Hier, Stand forth, thou monster, murderer of men.
And here, for satisfaction of the world,
Confess thy folly, and repent thy fault ;
For there's thy place of execution.
Ped, This is short work : well, to your marshalship
First I confess — nor fear I death therefore — :
I am the man, 'twas I slew Serberine. 30
But, sir, then you think this shall be the place.
Where we shall satisfy you for this gear ?
Dep, Ay, Pedringano.
Ped, Now I think not so.
Hier. Peace, impudent ; for thou shalt find it so :
For blood with blood shall, while I sit as judge.
Be satisfied, and the law discharg'd.
And though myself cannot receive the like.
Yet will I see that others have their right.
Despatch : the fault 's approved and confess'd,
And by our law he is condemn'd to die. 40
Hangm, Come on, sir, are you ready ?
Ped, To do what, my fine, officious knave ?
Hangm, To go to this gear.
Ped, O sir, you are too forward : thou wouldst fain fur-
nish me with a halter, to disfumish me of my habit
So I should go out of this gear, my raiment, into that
gear, the rope. But, hangman, now I spy your
knavery, I '11 not change without boot, that's flat.
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Hangnu Come, sir.
Ped, So, then, I must up ? 50
ffangm. No remedy.
Ped. Yes, but there shall be for my coming down.
Hangm, Indeed, here's a remedy for that
Ped. How? be turned off?
Hangm. Ay, truly ; come, are you ready ? I pray, sir,
despatch ; the day goes away.
Ped, What, do you hang by the hour? if you do, I may
chance to break your old custom.
Hangnu Faith, you have reason ; for I am like to break
your young neck. 60
Ped Dost thou mock me, hangman ? pray God, I be not
preserved to break your knave's pate for this.
Hangm, Alas, sir ! you are a foot too low to reach it, and
I hope you will never grow so high while I am in
the office.
Ped Sirrah, dost see yonder boy with the box in his
hand?
Hangm. What, he that points to it with his finger?
Ped Ay, that companion.
Hangm. I know him not ; but what of him ? 70
Ped Dost thou thmk to live till his old doublet will
make thee a new truss ?
Hangm. Ay, and many a fair year after, to truss up many
an honester man than either thou or he.
Ped What hath he in his box, as thou thinkest ?
Hangm. Faith, I cannot tell, nor I care not greatly ;
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methinks you should rather hearken to your soul's
health.
Ptd, Why, sirrah hangman, I take it that that is good
for the body is likewise good for the soul : and it
may be, in that box is balm for both. 8i
Hangm, Well, thou art even the merriest piece of man's
flesh that e'er groaned at my office door 1
Ped, Is your roguery become an office with a knave's
name?
Hangm, Ay, and that shall all they witness that see you
seal it with a thief s name.
Ped. I prithee, request this good company to pray with
me.
Hangm. Ay, marry, sir, this is a good motion : my
masters, you see here's a good fellow. 91
Ped, Nay, nay, now I remember me, let them alone till
some other time ; for now I have no great need.
Hier, I have not seen a wretch so impudent
O monstrous times, where murder's set so light,
And where the soul, that should be shrin'd in heaven,
Solely delights in interdicted thmgs,
Still wand'ring in the thorny passages,
That intercepts itself of happiness.
Murder ! O bloody monster 1 God forbid 100
A foult so foul should 'scape unpunishM.
Despatch, and see this execution done 1—
This makes me to remember thee, my son.
[ExU Hieronimo.
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Ped, Nay, soft, no haste.
Dep. Why, wherefore stay you ? Have you hope of life ?
Ped, Why, ay I
Hangm. As how?
Ped Why, rascal, by my pardon from the king.
Hangm. Stand you on that? then you shall off with
this. [He turns him off,
Dep. So, executioner ; — convey him hence ;
But let his body be unburiM : no
Let not the earth be choked or infect
With that which heav'n contemns, and men neglect.
\Exeunt
SCENE VII
Enter Hieronimo*
Hier, Where shall I run to breathe abroad my woes,
My woes, whose weight hath wearied the earth ?
Or mine exclaims, that have surcharg'd the air
With ceaseless plaints for my deceased son ?
The blustering winds, conspiring with my words,
At^y lament have mov^d the leafless trees.
Disrobed the meadows of their flowered green,
Made mountains marsh with spring-tides of my tears.
And broken through the brazen gates of hell.
Yet still tormented is my tortured soul lo
With broken sighs and restless passions.
That wingM mount ; and, hovering in the air,
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Beat at the windows of the brightest heavens,
Soliciting for justice and revenge :
But they are plac'd in those empyreal heights,
Where, countermur'd with walls of diamond,
I find the place impregnable ; and they
Resist my woes, and give my words no way.
Enter Hangman with a letter.
Hangm, O lord, sir! God bless you, sirl the man,
sir, Petergade, sir, he that was so full of merry
conceits 21
Hier. Well, what of him ?
Hangm. O lord, sir, he went the wrong way ; the
fellow had a fair commission to the contrary. Sir,
here is his passport ; I pray you, sir, we have done
him wrong.
Hier. I warrant thee, give it me.
Hangm, You will stand between the gallows and me ?
Hier. Ay, ay.
Hangm. I thank your lord worship. [Exit Hangman.
Hier. And yet, though somewhat nearer me concerns,
I will, to ease the grief that I sustain, 32
Take truce with sorrow while I read on this.
* My lord, I write, as mine extremes required,
That you would labour my delivery :
If you neglect, my life is desperate.
And in my death I shall reveal the troth.
You know, my lord, I slew him for your sake,
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ACT III. sc 7. The Spanish Tragedy
And was confederate with the prince and you ;
Won by rewards and hopeful promises, 40
I holp to murder Don Horatio too.' —
Holp he to murder mine Horatio ?
And actors in th* accursed tragedy
Wast thou, Lorenzo, Balthazar and thou,
Of whom my son, my son deserved so well ?
What have I heard, what have mine eyes beheld ?
O sacred heavens, may it come to pass
That such a monstrous and detested deed.
So closely smothered, and so long concealed.
Shall thus by this be veng^d or reveal'd ? 50
Now see I what I durst not then suspect,
That Bellimperia's letter was not feign'd.
Nor feignM she, though falsely they have wrong'd
Both her, myself Horatio, and themselves.
Now may I make compare 'twixt hers and this.
Of every accident I ne'er could find
Till now, and now I feelingly perceive
They did what heav'n unpunished would not leave.
O false Lorenzo I are these thy flattering looks ?
Is this the honour that thou didst my son ? 60
And Balthazar — bane to thy soul and me 1 —
Was this the ransom he reserved thee for ?
Woe to the cause of these constraint wars t
Woe to thy baseness and captivity,
Woe to thy birth, thy body and thy soul.
Thy cursM father, and thy conquered self t
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And bann'd with bitter execrations be
The day and place where he did pity thee I
But wherefore waste I mine unfruit^ words,
When naught but blood will satisfy my woes ? 70
I will go plain me to my lord the king,
And cry aloud for justice through the court,
Wearing the flints with these my withered feet ;
And either purchase justice by entreats,
Or tire them all with my revenging threats. [Exi^
SCENE VIII
Enter Isabella and her Maid,
Isab. So that, you say, this herb, will purge the ey^
And this, the head ? —
Ah ! — ^but none of them will purge the heart 1
No, there's no medicine left for my disease.
Nor any physic to recure the dead.
[She runs lunatic
Horatio ! O, where 's Horatio ?
Maid Good madam, affright not thus yourself
With outrage for your son Horatio :
He sleeps in quiet in the Elysian fields. ,
Isab. Why, (Ud I not give you gowns and goodly things, 10
Boug]it you a whistle and a whipstalk too,
To be revenged on their villanies ?
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ACT in. sc 9. The Spanish Tragedy
Maid, Madam, these humours do tonnent my souL
hob. My soul— poor soul I thou talk*st of things —
Thou know'st not what : my soul hath silver wings,
That mounts me up unto the highest heavens ;
To heav'n : ay, there sits my Horatio,
Back'd with a troop of fiery Cherubins,
Dancing about his newly healM wounds, 19
Singing sweet hymns and chanting heav'nly notes :
Rare harmony to greet his innocence.
That died, ay died, a mirror in our days.
But say, where shall I find the men, the murderers.
That slew Horatio ? Whither shall I run
To find them out that murdered my son ? \Exeuni.
SCENE IX
BilUmperia at a window*
Bel, What means this outrage that is offer'd me?
\ Why am I thus sequester'd firom the court ?
\ No notice 1 Shall I not know the cause
^. Of these my secret and suspicious ills ?
\ AccursM brother, unkind murderer,
\ Why bend'st thou thus thy mind to martyr me ?
Hiero^imo, why writ I of thy wrongs,
Or why art thou so slack in thy revenge ?
Andrea, O Andrea ! that thou saw'st
Me for thy friend Horatio handled thus, 10
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And him for me thus causeless murderM ! —
Well, force perforce, I must constrain myself
To patience, and apply me to the time,
Till heav'n, as I have hop'd, shall set me free.
Enter Chrisiophil.
Chris. Come, madam Bellimperia, this may not be.
[Exeunt.
SCENE X
Enter Lorenzo^ Balthazar ^ cmd the Page,
Lor, Boy, talk no further ; thus far things go well.
Thou art assured that thou saVst him dead ?
Page, Or else, my lord, I live not.
Lor, That *s enough.
As for his resolution in his end,
Leave that to him with whom he sojourns now. —
Here, take my ring and give it Christophil,
And bid him let my sister be enlarged.
And bring her hither straight — \Exit Page,
This that I did was for a policy.
To smooth and keep the murder secret, lo
Which, as a nine-days* wonder, being o'erblown.
My gentle sister will I now enlarge.
Bal, And time, Lorenzo : for my lord the duke,
You heaixL enquired for her yester-night.
Lor, Why,|an(^my lord, I hope you heard me say
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Sufficient reason why she kept away ;
But that 's all one. My lord, you love her ?
BaL Ay.
Lor, Then in your love beware ; deal cunningly :
Salve all suspicions, only soothe me up ;
And if she hap to stand on terms with us — 20
As for her sweetheart and concealment so —
Jest with her gently : under feignM jest
Are things conceal'd that else would breed unrest—
But here she comes.
Enter BelUmperia,
Now, sister ?
Bel Sister?— No!
Thou art no brother, but an enemy ;
Else wouldst thou not have us'd thy sister so :
First, to affright me with thy weapons drawn.
And with extremes abuse my company ;
And then to hurry me, like whirlwind's rage,
Amidst a crew of thy confederates, 30
And clap me up, where none might come at me.
Nor I at any, to reveal my wrongs.
What madding fury did possess thy wits ?
Or wherein is 't that I offended thee ?
Lor, Advise you better, Bellimperia,
For I have done you no disparagement ;
Unless, by more discretion than deserv'd,
I sought to save your honour and mine own.
BeL Mine honour? why, Lorenzo, wherein is't
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That I neglect my reputation so, 40
As you, or any, need to rescue it ?
Lor, His highness and my &ther were resolv'd
To come confer with old Hieronimo,
Concerning certain matters of estate,
That by the viceroy was determine.
Bel, And wherein was mine honour touch'd in that?
Bid, Have patience, Bellimperia ; 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, 50
And unexpected, in an arbour there,
Foimd Bellimperia with Horatio—
BeL How then?
Lor, Why, then, remembering that old disgrace.
Which you for Don Andrea had endur'd.
And now were likely longer to sustain.
By being found so meanly accompanied,
Thought rather — ^for I knew no readier mean —
To thrust Horatip forth my father's way.
Bid, And carry you obscurely somewhere else, 60
Lest that his highness should have found you there.
BeL Ev'n so, my lord ? And you are witness
That this is true which he entreateth of?
You, gentle brother, forg'd this for my sake.
And you, my lord, were made his instrument ?
A work of worth, worthy the noting too 1
But what 's the cause that you concealed me since?
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Lor, Your melancholy, sister, since the news
Of your first favourite Don Andrea's death,
My Other's old wrath hath exasperate. 70
Bal, And better was't for you, being in disgrace^
To absent yourself, and give his fury place.
BeU But why had I no notice of his ire ?
Lor. That were to add more fuel to your fire,
Who burnt like iEtna for Andrea's loss.
Bel, Hath not my father then enquir'd for me ?
Lor, Sister, he hath, and thus excused I thee.
\He whisper eth in her ear.
But, Bellimperia, see the gentle prince ;
Look on thy love, behold young Balthazar,
Whose passions by thy presence are increased ; 80
And in whose melancholy thou may'st see
Thy hate, his love ; thy flight, his following
thee.
Bel, Brother, you are become an orator —
I know not, I, by what experience —
Too politic for me, past all compare.
Since last I saw you ; but content yourself:
The prince is meditating higher things.
Bal, Tis of thy beauty then that conquers kings |
Of those thy tresses, Ariadne's twines,
Wherewith my liberty thou hast surpris'd ; 90
Of that thine ivory front, my sorrow's map,
Wherein I see no hav'n to rest my hope.
BeU To love and fear, and both at once, my lord,
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In my conceit, are things of more import
Than women's wits are to be busied with.
Bal, Tis I that love.
Bal.
VV UUlil i
Bellimperia.
Bel
But I that fear.
£ai.
Whom?
Bel.
Bellimperia.
Lor.
Fear yourself?
Bil.
Ay, brother.
Lor.
How?
Bel.
As those
That, what they love, are loath and fear to lose.
Bal. Then, &ir, let Balthazar your keeper be. loo
BeL No, Balthazar doth fear as well as we :
EttremuU metui pmndum junxere timorem —
Est vanum stolidae prodiHotds opus.
Lor, Nay, and you argue things so cunningly,
Well go continue this discourse at court
BaL Led by the loadstar of her heaVnly looks,
Wends poor, oppressed Balthazar,
As o'er the mountains walks the wanderer,
Incertain to effect his pilgrimage. \ExeunL
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ACT III. sc II. The Spanish Tragedy
SCENE XI
Enter two PorHngals^ and Hieronimo meets them.
I. By your leave, sir.
Hier. p Tis neither as you thinky nor as you thinky
Nor as you think j you ^re wide all :
These slippers are not mine^ they were n^ stm
Horatids.
My son ! and what's a son t A thing begot
Within a pair of minutes — thereabout;
A lump bred up in darkness^ and doth serve
To ballace these light creatures we call women j
Andy at nine months end, creeps forth to light.
What is there yet in a son, lo
To make a father dote, rave^ or run madf
Being born^ itpoutSy crieSy and breeds teeth.
What is there yet in a son f He must befedy
Be taught to go, and speak. Ayy or yet
Why might not a man love a calf as well?
Or melt in passion der a frisking kidy
As for a son f MethinkSy a young bacon^
Or a fine little smooth horse colty
Should move a man as much as doth a son :
For one of these y in very little timey 20
Will grow to some good use; whereas a son^
The more he grows in stature and in years y
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Tke mon unsguar^d, ut^evelPdy he appears^
Reckons Ms parents among the rank of fools y
Strikes care 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^
Considered truly f O, but my Horatio
Grew out of reach of these insatiate humours :
He Un/d his loving parents ; 30
He was my comfort^ and his mothet^sjoyy
The very arm that did hold up our house :
Our hopes were stored up in him^
Hone but a damned murderer could hate him.
He had not seen the back of nineteen year^
When his strong arm unhorsed
The proud Prince Balthazar ^ and his great mind^
Too full ofhonour^ took him to his mercy —
That valiant y but ignoble Portingali
Welly heaven is heaven still /
And there is Nemesis^ and Furies^ 40
And things calPd whipSy
And they sometimes do meet with murderers:
They do not always ^scapCy that is lome comfort,
Ayy ayy ay; and then time steals on^
Andttealsy and stealSy till violence leaps forth
Like thunder wrapped in a ball offircy
And so doth bring confusion to them all]
Good leave have you : nay, I pray you go,
For I '11 leave you, if you can leave me so. 50
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2. Pray you, which is the next way to my lord the
duke's?
Hier. The next way from me.
1. To his house, we mean.
Hier. O, hard by : 'tis yon house that you see.
2. You could not tell us if his son were there ?
Hier. Who, my Lord Lorenzo ?
I. Ay, sir.
[Hegoetk in at one door and conies out at another.
Hier. O, forbear I
For other talk for us far fitter were.
But if you be importunate to know
The way to him, and where to find him out,
Then list to me, and I '11 resolve your doubt.
There is a path upon your left-hand side, 6o
That leadeth from a guilty conscience
Unto a forest of distrust and fear —
A darksome place, and dangerous to pass :
There shall you meet with melancholy thoughts.
Whose baleful humours if you but uphold,
It will conduct you to Despair and Death —
Whose rocky cliffs when you have once beheld,
Within a hugy dale of lasting night.
That, kindled with the world's iniquities,
Doth cast up filthy and detested fiimes — : 70
Not far from thence, where murderers have built
A habitation for their cursM souls.
There, in a brazen cauldron, fix'd by Jove,
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In his fell wrath, upon a sulphur flame,
Yourselves shall find Lorenzo bathing him
In boiling lead and blood of innocents.
1. Ha, ha, ha !
Hier. Ha, ha, ha ! Why, ha, ha, ha 1 Farewell, good
ha, ha, ha 1 \Exit
2. Doubtless this man is passing lunatic.
Or imperfection of his age doth make him dote. 8o
Come, let's away to seek my lord the duke.
{Exeunt.
SCENE XII
Enter Hieronimo^ with a poniard in one hand
and a rope in the other.
Hier. Now, sir, perhaps I come and see the king ;
The king sees me, and fain would hear my suit :
Why, is not this a strange and seld-seen thing,
That standers-by with toys should strike me mut^ ?^
Go to, I see their shifts, and say no more.—
Hieronimo, 'tis time for thee to trudge :
Down by the dale that flows with purple gore,
Standeth a fiery tower ; there sits a judge
Upon a seat of steel and molten brass.
And 'twixt his teeth he holds a fire-brand, lo
That leads unto the lake where hell doth stand.
Away, Hieronimo I to him be gone :
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He'll do thee justice for Horatio's death.
Turn down this path: thou shalt be with him
straight ;
Or this, and then thou need'st not take thy breath :
This way or that way I Soft and fair, not so :
For if I hang or kill myself, let 's know
Who will revenge Horatio's murther then ?
No, no 1 fie, no ! pardon me, I '11 none of that.
\He flings away the dagger ofid halter.
This way I '11 take, and this way comes the king : 20
\He takes them up again.
And here 1 11 have a fling at him, that 's flat ;
And, Balthazar, I '11 be with thee to bring.
And thee, Lorenzo I Here's the king — ^nay, stay ;
And here, ay here — ^there goes the hare away.
Enter King^ Ambassador^ Castile^ and Lorenzo,
King, Now show, ambassador, what our viceroy saith :
Hath he receiv'd the articles we sent ?
Hier, Justice, O, justice to Hieronimo.
Lor, Back 1 see'st thou not the king is busy ?
ffier, O, is he so ?
King, Who is he that interrupts our business ?
Hier, Not I. Hieronimo, beware ! go by, go by 1 30
Amb, RenownM King, he hath receiv'd and read
Thy kingly proffers, and thy promis'd league ;
And, as a man extremely over-joy'd
To hear his son so princely entertain'd,
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Whose death he had so solemnly bewail'd.
This for thy further satisfaction,
And kingly love, he kindly lets thee know :
First, for the marriage of his princely son
With Bellimperia, thy belovM niece»
The news are more delightful to his soul, 40
Than myrrh or incense to the offended heavens.
In person, therefore, will he come himself,
To see the marriage rites solenmiz^d,
And, in the presence of the court of Spain,
To knit a sure inextricable band
Of kingly love and everlasting league
Betwixt the crowns of Spain and PortingaL
There will he give his crown to Balthazar,
And make a queen of Bellimperia.
King, Brother, how like you this our viceroy's love ? 50
Cast No doubt, my lord, it is an argument
Of honourable care to keep his friend.
And wondrous zeal to Balthazar 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 highness sent
(Although he send not that his son return)
His ransom due to Don Horatio.
Hier. Horatio I who calls Horatio ?
King, And well remembered : thank his majesty. 60
Here, see it given to Horatio.
Hier, Justice, O, justice, justice, gentle king I
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King. Who is that ? Hieronimo ?
Hier. Justice, O, justice ! O my son, my son I
My son, whom naught can ransom or redeem !
Lor, Hieronimo, you are not well-advis'd.
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 1
^^way ! I'll rip the bowels of the earth, 70
.^^^ \He diggeth with his dagger.
And ferry over to th' Elysian plains,
And bring my son to show his deadly wounds.
Stand from about me 1
I '11 make a pickaxe of my poniard,
- And here surrender up my marshalship ;
For I '11 go marshal up the fiends in hell.
To be avengM on you all for this.
King. What means this outrage ?
Will none of you restrain his fury?
Hier. Nay, soft and fair 1 you shall not need to strive : 80
For needs must he go that the devils drive.
King. What accident hath happ'd Hieronimo ?
I have not seen him to demean him so.
Lor. My gracious lord, he is with extreme pride,
Conceiv'd of young Horatio his son —
And covetous of having to himself
The ransom of the young prince Balthazar —
Distract, and in a manner lunatic
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The Spanish Tragedy act iil sc laA.
King. Believe me, nephew, we are sorry for 't:
This is the love that fathers bear their sons. 90
But, gentle brother, go give to him this gold,
The prince's ransom ; let him have his due.
For what he hath, Horatio shall nofw^ ;
Haply Hieronimo hath need thereof
Lor. But if he be thus helplessly distract,
Tis requisite his office be resigned.
And giv'n to one of more discretion.
King, We shall increase his melancholy so.
'Tis best that we see further in it first,
Till when ourself will hold exempt the place. 100
And, brother, now bring in the ambassador.
That he may be a witness of the match
'Twixt Balthazar and Bellimperia,
And that we may prefix a certain time.
Wherein the marriage shall be solemnized,
That we may have thy lord, the viceroy, here.
Amb. Therein your highness highly shall content
His majesty, that longs to hear from hence.
King. On, dien, and hear you, lord ambassador—^-
\Exeunt.
SCENE XIIA.
Enter Jaques and Pedro.
Jaq. / wonder^ Pedro^ why our master thus
At midnight sends us with our torches lights
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H^Xen man, and bird, and beast, an all at rest.
Save those that watch for rape and bloody murder,
Ped. O Jaques, know thou that our master's mind
Is much distraught, since his Horatio died.
And— 'now his agld years should sleep in rest.
His heart in quiet—like a desperate man.
Crows lunatic and childish for his son.
Sometimes, as he doth at his table sit, lo
He speaks as if Horatio stood by him;
Then starting in a rage, falls on the earth,
Cries out ^Horatio, where is my Horatio t '
So that with extreme grief and cutting sorrow
There is not left in him one inch of man :
See, where he comes.
Enter Hieronimo.
Hier. ipry through every crevice of each wall.
Look on each tree, and search through every brake.
Beat at the bushes, stamp ourgrandam earth.
Dive in the water, and stare up to heaven : 20
Yet cannot I behold my son Horatio. —
How now, who's there f spirits, spirits?
Ped. fVe are your servants that attend you, sir.
Hier. WheU make you with your torches in the dark f
Ped. You bid us light them, and attend you here.
Hier. No, no,you are deceii/d/ not Is—you are deceit/dl
Was I so mad to bid you light your torches now f
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Light me your torches at the mid ofnoon^
IVhen-as the sun-god rides in all his glory j
Light me your torches then.
Pcd. Then we bum daylight.
Hicr. Let it be burnt; Night is a murdrous slut^ 31
That would not have her treasons to be seen;
And yonder pale-fad d Hecate there^ the moon^
Doth give consent to that is done in darkness;
And all those stars that gaze upon her/ace^
Are aglets on her sleeve^ pins on her train;
And those that should be powerful and divine^
Do sleep in darkness y when they most should shine,
Pcd. Provoke them not ^f cur sir^ with tempting words:
The heart/ ns are gracious^ and your miseries 40
And sorrow makes you speak, you know not what,
Hier. Villain^ thou liestl and thou dost nought
But tell me I am mad: thou liest, I am not mad I
I know thee to be Pedro, and he Jaques.
I^ II prove it to thee; and were I mctd, how could It
Where was she that same night.
When my Horatio was murder' dt
She should have shone : search thou the book. — Had
the moon shone.
In my boy s face there was a kind ofgrace^
That I know — nay, I do know — had the murdrer
seen him, 50
His weapon would have falPn and cut the earth.
Had he been framed of naught but blood and death.
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ACT III. sc. zaA. The Spanish Trafi:edy
Alack / when mischief doth it knows not what^
What shall we say to mischief f
Enter Isabella.
Isab. Dear Hieronimo^ come in a-doors;
O, seek not means so to increase thy sorrow.
Hicr. Indeed^ Isabella, we do nothing here;
I do not cry : ask Pedro, and askfaques;
Not I indeed J we are very merry, very merry.
Isab. How f be merry here, be merry here f 60
Is not this the place, and this the very tree.
Where my Horatio died, where he was murdered f
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 itgrow^
But that the infant and the human sap
Began to wither, duly twice a morning
Would I be sprinkling it with fountain-water.
At IcLst it grew and grew, and bore and bore^
Till at the length 70
It grew a gallows, and did bear our son :
It bore thy fruit and mine — wicked, wicked plant i
[One knocks within at the door.
See, who knock there.
Ped. // is a painter, sir.
Hier. Bid him come in^ and paint some comfort.
For surely tliere 's none lives but painted comfort.
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Let him come in! — One knows not what may
chance:
CoiPs will that I should set this tree I — but even so
Masters ungrateful servants rear from nought^
And then they hate them that did bring them up.
Enter the Painter.
Paint God bless you^ sir,
Hicr. Wherefore t why ^ thou scornful villain f
IloWy where^ or by what means should I be bles^dt 8i
Isab. What wouldst thou have^ good fellow f
Paint Justice, madam.
Hier. O ambitious beggar i
Wouldst thou have that that lives not in the world f
Why, all the undelved mines cannot buy
An ounce of justice /
^Tis a jewel so inestimable. J tell thee.
Cod hath engrossed all justice in his hands,
And there is none but what comes from him.
Paint (7, then I see
That God must right me for my murdered son. 90
Hier. How, was thy son murder* df
Paint Ay, sirs no man did hold a son so dear.
Hier. WhcU, not as thine f that^s a lie.
As massy as the earth : I had a son.
Whose least unvalued hair did weigh
A thousand of thy sons: and he was murdet^d.
Paint Alcu^ sir, I had no more but he.
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Hier. Nor /, nor I: but this same one of mine
Was worth a legion. But all is one,
Pedro^ Jaques^ go in a-doorsj Isabella^ go^ loo
And this good fellow here and I
Will range this hideous orchard up and down^
Like to two lions reavld of their young.
Go in a-doors^ I say,
[Exeunt The painter and he sits down.
Come^ let 's talk wisely now.
Was thy son murdered f
Paint. Ay^ sir,
Hier. So was mine.
How dost take itf art thou not sometimes madt
Is there no tricks that comes before thine eyes t
Paint. O Lord^yeSySir,
Hier. Art a fainter t canst paint me a tear^ or a
woundy a groan^ or a sigh f canst paint me such a
tree as this f iii
Paint. 5/r, / am sure you have heard of my painting :
my name^s Bazardo.
Hier. Basardo! afore God, an excellent fellow. Look
youy sirt do you see^ I^d have you paint me for my
gallery^ in your oil-colours matted^ and draw me
five years younger than I am — do ye see^ sir^ let five
years go; let them go like the marshal of Spain —
my wife Isabella standing by me^ with a speaking
look to my son Horatio^ which should intend to this
or some such-like purpose: *God bless thee^ my
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sweet son 'y and my hand leaning upon his head^
thus^ sir; do you see f — may it be done t 1 23
Paint Very well^ sir,
Hier. Nay^ I pray ^ mark me^ sir: then^ sir^ would 1
have you paint me this tree^ this very tree* Canst
paint a doleful cry f
Paint Seemingly^ sir,
Hier. Nay^ it should cry; but all is one. Welly sir^
{faint me a youth run through and through with
villain^ swords^ hanging upon this tree. Canst thou
draw a murderer f 132
Paint ni warrant you^ sir; I have the pattern of the
most notorious villains that ever lived in all Spain,
Hier. O^ let them be worse^ worse: stretch thine art^
and let their beards be of Judas his own colour;
and let their eye-brows jutty over: in any case
observe that, Then^ sir, after some violent noise,
bring me forth in my shirt, and my gown under
mine arm, with my torch in my hand, and my
sword reared up thus : — and with these words : X41
' What noise is this t who calls Hieronimo f '
May it be done t
Piunt YecL, sir,
Hier. Well, sir; then bring me forth, bring me through
alley and alley, still with a distracted countenance
going along, and let my hair heave up my night-
cap. Let the clouds scowl, make the moon dark,
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ACT III. sc xaA. The Spanish Tragedy
the stars extinct^ the winds blowings the bells tolUng^
the owls shrieking^ the toads croaking^ the minutes
jarring^ and the clock striking twelve. And then
at last^ sir^ starting^ behold a man hangings and
tottering and tottering^ as you know the wind will
wceve a man, and I with a trice to cut him down.
And looking upon him by the advantage of my
torchy find it to be my son Horatio, There you
may show apassion^ there you may show a passion f
Draw me like old Priam of Troy, crying: * The
house is a-fire, the house is a-fire, as the torch over
my head!* Make me curse^ make me rave^ make
me cry, make me mad, make me well again, make me
curse hell, invocate heaven, and in the end leave
me in a trance — and so forth. 163
Paint And is this the end f
Hier. O no, there is no end: the end is death and
madness/ As I am never better than when I am
mad: then methinks I am a brave fellow ; then I
do wonders: but reason abuseth me, and, there* s
the torment, there* s the hell. At the last, sir, bring
me to one of the murderers; were he as strong as
Hector, thus would I tear and drag him up and
down, 172
[He beats the painter in, then comes out again,
with a book in his hand.
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SCENE XIII
Enter Hierommo^ with a book in his hand.
Vindicta mihi!
Ay, heaven will be revebg'd of every ill \
Nor will they suffer murder unrepaid.
Then stay, Hieronimo, attend their will :
For mortal men may not appoint their time ! —
^Per scelus semper tutum est sceleribus iter^ \
Strike, and strike home, where wrong is offered thee ;
For evils unto ills conductors be,
And death's the worst of resolution.
For he that thinks with patffence to contend 10
To quiet life, his life shall easily end. —
* Fata si miserosjuvanty habes salutem ;
Fata si vitam neganty habes sepulchrum ' :
If destiny thy miseries do ease,
Then hast thou health, and happy shalt thou be ;
If destiny deny thee life, Hieronimo,
Yet shalt thou be assured of a tomb — 2
If neither, yet let this thy comfort be :
Heav'n cov'reth him that hath no burial.
And to conclude, I will revenge his death ! 20
But how ? not as the vulgar wits of men,
With open, but inevitable ills.
As by a secret, yet a certain mean,
Which under kindship will be cloaked best.
Wise men will take their opportunity
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ACT III. sc. 13. The Spanish Tragedy
Closely and safely, fitting things to time. —
But in extremes advantage hath no time ;
And therefore all times fit not for revenge.
Thus therefore will I rest me in unyest y
Dissembling quiet in tmquietness, 50
Not seeming that I know their villanies,
That my simplicity may make them think.
That ignorantly I will let all slip ;
For ignorance, I wot, and well they know,
Remedium malorum iners est.
Nor ought avails it me to menace them
Who, as a wintry storm upon a plain,
Will bear me down with their nobility.
No, no, Hieronimo, thou must enjoin
Thine eyes to observation, and thy tongue 40
To milder speeches than thy spirit affords.
Thy heart to patience, and thy hands to rest,
Thy cap to courtesy, and thy knee to bow,
Till to revenge thou know, when, where and how.
\A noise within.
How now, what noise ? what coil is that you keep?
Enter a Servant.
Serv, Here are a sort of poor petitioners.
That are importunate, and it shall please you, sir,
That you should plead their cases to the king.
Hier. That I should plead their several actions?
Why, let them enter, and let me see them.
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Enter three Citizens and an Old Man.
1. So, 50
I tell you this : for learning and for law,
There is not any advocate in Spain
That can prevail, or will take half the pain
That he will, in pursuit of equity.
ffier. Come near, you men, that thus importune me.—
[Aside.] Now must I bear a face of gravity ;
For thus I us'd, before my marshalship,
To plead in causes as corregidor. —
Come on, sirs, what 's the matter?
2. Sir, an action.
Bier. Of battery?
1. Mine of debt
Ifier. Give place. 60
2. No, sir, mine is an action of the case.
3. Mine an ejeciione firmae by a lease.
Hier. Content you, sirs ; are you determined
That I should plead your several actions ?
1. Ay, sir, and here's my declaration.
2. And here's my band.
3. And here 's my lease.
\They give himpapert.
Hier. But wherefore stands yon silly man so mute,
With mournful eyes and hands to heav'n uprear'd?
Come hither, father, let me know thy cause.
Senex. O worthy sir, my cause, but slightly known, 70
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ACT III. sc. 13. The Spanish Tragedy
May move the hearts of warlike Myrmidons,
And melt the Corsic rocks with ruthful tears.
Hier, Say, father, tell me what's thy suit?
Senex, No, sir, could my woes \
Give way unto my most distressful words, I
Then should I not in paper, as you see,
With ink bewray what blood began in me. |
Hier. What 's here ? * The humble supplication
Of Don Bazulto for his murdered son.'
Senex. Ay, sir.
Hier. No, sir, it was my murder'd son :
O my son, my son, O my son Horatio 1 80
But mine, or thine, Bazulto, be content.
Here, take my handkercher, and wipe thine eyes,
.-; Whiles wretched rSn thy mishaps may see
The lively portrait of my dying self.
\He draweth out a bloody napkin,
O no, not this ; Horatio, this was thine ;
And when I d/d it in thy dearest blood.
This was a token 'twixt thy soul and me,
That of thy death revenged I should be.
But here, take this, and this — what, my purse ? —
Ay, this, and that, and all of them are thine ; 90
For all as one are our extremities.
1. O, see the kindness of Hieronimo I \
2. This gentleness shows him a gentleman.
Hier, See, see, O see thy shame, Hieronimo ;
See here a loving father to his son !
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Behold the sorrows and the sad laments,
That he deliv*reth for his son's decease I
If love's effects so strive in lesser things,
If love enforce such moods in meaner wits,
If love express such power in poor estates : loo
Hieronimo, when as a raging sea,
Toss'd with the wind and tide, o'ertumest then
The upper billows course of waves to keep.
Whilst lesser waters labour in the deep :
Then sham's t thou not, Hieronimo, to neglect
The sweet revenge of thy Horatio ?
Though on this earth justice will not be foimd,
I '11 down to hell, and in this passion
Knock at the dismal gates of Pluto's court.
Getting by force, as once Alcidcs did, iia
A troop of Furies and tormenting hags ;
To torture Don Lorenzo and the rest.
Yet lest the triple-headed porter should
Deny my passage to the slimy strand, /
The Thracian poet thou shalt counterfeit : /
Come on, old father, be my Orpheus, /
And if thou canst no notes upon the harp, •
Then sound the burden of thy sore heart's-grief,
TiU we do gain that Proserpine may grant
Revenge on them that murderM my son. 120
Then will I rent and tear them, thus and thus,
Shiv'ring their limbs in pieces with my teeth.
[Tears the papers.
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1. O sir, my declaration !
[Exii Hierommo^ and they after.
X Save my bond !
Enter Hieroninio. .
2. Save my bond 1
3. Alas, my lease ! it cost me ten pound,
And you my lord, have torn the same.
Hier. That cannot be, I gave it never a wound ;
Show me one drop of blood fall from the same :
How is it possible I should slay it then ?
Tush, no ; run after, catch me if you can. 130
\Exeunt all but the Old Man, Bastulto remains
till Hieronimo enters again^ who^ staring him
in theface^ speaks.
ffier. And art thou come, Horatio, from the depth,
To ask for justice in this upper earth.
To tell thy father thou art unreveng'd,
To wring more tears from Isabella's eyes.
Whose lights are dimmed with over-long laments ?
Go back, my son, complain to Aeacus,
For here's no justice ; gentle boy, be gone,
For justic^isuexilMJEcom the-earth :
flieronimo will bear thee company.
Thy mother cries on righteous Rhadamanth 140
For just revenge against the murderers.
Senex, Alas, my lord, whence springs this troubled
speech ?
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Hier. But let me look on my Horatio.
Sweet boy, how art thou changed in death's black
shade I
Had Proserpine no pity on thy youth,
But suffered thy fair crimson-colour'd spring ^^^^
With withered winter to be blasted thus ?
Horatio, thou art older than thy father :
Ah, ruthless fate, that favour thus transforms 1
Bca, Ah, my good lord, I am not your young son. 150
Hier, What, not my son ? thou then a Fury art, ,
Sent from the empty kingdom of black night ]
To summon me to make appearance
Before grim Minos and just Rhadamanth,
To plague Hieronimo that is remiss,
And seeks not vengeance for Horatio's death.
Beat, I am a grievM man, and not a ghost,
That came for justice for my murdered son.
Hier. Ay, now I know thee, now thou nam'st thy son :
Thou art the lively image of my grief ; 160
Within thy face, my sorrows I may see.
Thy eyes are gumm'd with tears, thy cheeks are wan,
Thy forehead troubled, and thy mutfring lips
Murmur sad words abruptly broken off;
By force of windy sighs thy spirit breathes,
And all this sorrow riseth for thy son :
And selfsame sorrow feel I for my son.
Come in, old man, thou shalt to Isabel ;
Lean on my arm : I thee, thou me, shalt stay,
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And thou, and I, and she will sing a song, 170
Three parts in one, but all of discords fram'd — :
Talk not of chords, but let us now be gone.
For with a cord Horatio was slain. [Exeunf,
SCENE XIV
Enter King of Spaing the Duke, Viceroy^ and Lorenso^
Balthazar, Don Pedro, and Bellimperia,
King. Go, brother, 'tis the Duke of Castile's cause ;
Salute the Viceroy in our name.
Cast. I go.
Vic. Go forth, Don Pedro, for thy nephew's sake,
And greet the Duke of Castile.
Ped. It shall be so.
King. And now to meet these Portuguese :
For as we now are, so sometimes were these,
Kings and commanders of the western Indies.
Welcome, brave Viceroy, to the court of Spain,
And welcome all his honourable train 1
*Tis not unknown to us for why you come, to
Or have so kingly cross'd the seas :
Sufficeth it, in this we note the troth
And more than common love you lend to us.
So is it that mine honourable niece
(For it beseems us now that it be known)
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Already is betroth'd to Balthazar :
And by appointment and our condescent
To-morrow are they to be married.
To this intent we entertain thyself,
Thy followers, their pleasure, and our peace. ao
Speak, men of Portingal, shsill it be so ?
If ay, say so; if not, say flatly no.
Vtc. Renowmfed King, I come not, as thou think'st,
With doubtful followers, imresolvfed men.
But such as have upon thine articles
Confirmed thy motion, and contented me.
Know, sovereign, I come to solemnize
The marriage of thy beloved niece,
Fair Bellimperia, with my Balthazar,
With thee, my son ; whom sith I live to see, 30
Here take my crown, I give it her and thee ;
And let me live a solitary life,
In ceaseless prayers.
To think how strangely heav'n hath thee preserved.
JCtng. See, brother, see, how nature strives in him 1
Come, worthy Viceroy, and accompany
Thy friend with thine extremities :
A place more private fits this princely mood.
Vic. Or here, or where your highness thinks it good.
[Exeunt all but Castile and Lorenzo^
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SCENE XV
Castile^ Lorenso.
Cast Nay, stay, Lorenzo, let me talk with you.
See'st thou this entertainment of these kings ?
Lor, I do, my lord, and joy to see the same.
Cast And knoVst thou why this meeting is ?
Lor. For her, my lord, whom Balthazar doth love,
And to confirm their promised marrikge.
Cast She is thy sister ?
Lor. Who, Bellimperia ? ay,
My gracious lerd, and this is the day,
That I have long'd so happily to see.
Cast Thou wouldst be loath that any fault of thine lo
intercept her in her happiness ?
^' x.c/?-.i*ieav'M will not let Lorenzo err so much.
/ CastV7\sfmexi^ Lorenzo, listen to my words :
It is suspected, and reported too,
That thou, Lorenzo, wrongest Hieronimo,
And in his suits towards his majesty
Still keep'st him back, and seek'st to cross his suit.
Lor. That I, my lord ?
Cast I tell diee, son, myself have heard it said,
When (to my sorrow) I have been asham'd 20
To answer for thee, Uiough thou art my son.
Lorenzo, know'st thou hot the common love
And kindness that Hieronimo hath won
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By his deserts within the court of Spain ?
Or see'st thou not the king my brother's care
In his behalf, and to procure his health ?
Lorenzo, shouldst thou thwart his passions.
And he exclaim against thee to the king,
What honour were 't in this assembly,
Or what a scandal were 't among the kings 30
To hear Hieronimo exclaim on thee ?
Tell me — and look thou tell me truly too—
Whence grows the ground of this report in court ?
Lor^ My lord, it lies not in Lorenzo's power
To stop the vulgar, liberal of their tongues :
A small advantage makes a water-breach.
And no man lives that long contenteth all.
CasU Myself have seen thee busy to keep back
Him and his supplications from the king.
Lor^ Yourself, my lord, hath seen his passions, 40
That ill beseem'd the presence of a king :
And for I pitied him in his distress,
I held him thence with kind and courteous words,
As free from malice to Hieronimo
As to my soul, my lord.
Ciist Hieronimo, my son, mistakes thee then.
Lor. My gracious father, believe me, so he doth.
But what's a silly man, distract in mind
To think upon the murder of his son ?
Alas I how easy is it for him to err ! 50
But for his satisfaction and the world's,
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Twere good, my lord, that Hieronimo and I
Were reconciPd, if he misconster me.
Cast Lorenzo, thou hast said ; it shall be so.
Go one of you, and call Hieronimo.
Enter Balthazar and Bellimperia.
Bai, Come, Bellimperia, Balthazar's content,
My sorrow's ease and sovereign of my bliss,
Sith heaven hath ordain'd thee to be mine :
Disperse those clouds and melancholy looks,
And clear them up with those thy sun-bright eyes,
Wherein my hope and heaven's fair beauty lies. 6i
BeL My looks, my lord, are fitting for my love.
Which, new-begun, can show no brighter yet
BaL New-kindled flames should bum as morning sun.
BeL But not too fast, lest heat and all be done.
I see my lord my father.
Bal. Truce, my love ;
I '11 go salute him.
Cast, Welcome, Balthazar,
Welcome, brave prince, the pledge of Castile's
peace 1
And welcome, Bellimperia ! — How now, girl ?
Why com'st thou sadly to salute us thus ? 70
Content thyself for I am satisfied :
It is not now as when Andrea liv'd ;
We have forgotten and forgiven that,
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And thou art gracM with a happier love. —
But, Balthazar, here comes Hieronimo ;
I '11 have a word with him.
Enter Hieronimo and a Servant
Hier, And where 's the duke ?
Serv, Yonder.
Hier, Ev'n so. —
What new device have they devised, trow?
^^^^S^M^^^ ^ mild as the lamb 1
Is't I will be revenged ? No, I am not the man. — 80
Cast. Welcome, Hieronimo.
Lor. Welcome, Hieronimo.
Bal. Welcome, Hieronimo.
Hier. My lords, I thank you for Horatio.
Cast. Hieronimo, the reason that I sent
To speak with you, is this.
Hier. What, so short ?
Then I *11 be gone, I thank you for't.
Cast Nay, stay, Hieronimo ! — go call him, son.
ILor. Hieronimo, my father craves a word with you.
Hier. With me, sir? why, my lord, I thought you had
done. 90
Lor. No ; [Aside"] would he had I
C€ut. Hieronimo, I hear
You find yourself aggrievM at my son,
Because you have not access unto the king ;
And say 'tis he that intercepts your suits.
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ACT III. sc 15. The Spanish Tragedy
Hier. Why, is not this a miserable thing, my lord?
Cast Hieronimo, I hope you have no cause.
And would be loath that one of your deserts
Should once have reason to suspect my son,
Consid'ring how I think of you myself.
Hier, Your son Lorenzo I whom, my noble lord? lOo
The hope of Spain, mine honourable friend ?
Grant me the combat of them, if they dare :
[Draws out his sword.
I '11 meet him fjace to face, to tell me so !
! These be the scandalous reports of such
i As love not me, and hate my lord too much :
> Should I suspect Lorenzo would prevent
\i Or cross my suit, that lov'd my son so well ?
My lord, I am asham'd it should be said.
Lor* Hieronimo, I never gave you cause.
Hier. My good lord, I know you did not.
Ccat There then pause ;
And for the satisfaction of the world, 1 1 1
Hieronimo, frequent my homely house,
The Duke of Castile, Cyprian's ancient seat ;
And when thou wilt, use me, my son, and it :
But here, before Prince Balthazar and me.
Embrace each other, and be perfect friends.
Hier. Ay, marry, my lord, and shaU.
Friends, quoth he ? see, I '11 be friends with you all :
Especially with you, my lovely lord ;
For divers causes it is fit for us i2o
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That we be friends : the world 's suspicious,
And men may think what we imagine not
Bal. Why, this is friendly done, Hieronimo.
Zjot. And that I hope : old grudges are forgot ?
Hier, What else ? it were a shame it should not be so.
Cast. Come on, Hieronimo, at my request ;
Let us entreat your company to-day. [Exeunt
Hier. Your lordship's to conunand. — Pah I keep your
way:
Cki mifapiii carezze che non suole^
Tradito miha^o tradir mi vuole, 130
iExit.
SCENE XVI
Enter Ghost and Revenge*
Ghost, Awake, Erichtho I Cerberus, awake t
Solicit Pluto, gentle Proserpine 1
To combat, Acheron and Erebus I
For ne'er, by Styx and Phlegethon in hell,
O'er-ferried Charon to the fiery lakes
Such fearful sights, as poor Andrea sees.
Revenge, awake !
Revenge. Awake? for why?
Ghost. Awake, Revenge ; for thou art ill-advis'd
To sleep— awake ! what, thou art wam'd to watch I
Revenge, Content thyself, and do not trouble me. 10
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ACT III. sc. 16. The Spanish Tragedy
Ghost Awake, Revenge, if love — as love hath had —
Have yet the power or prevalence in hell I
Hieronimo with Lorenzo is join'd in league,
And intercepts our passage to revenge :
Awake, Revenge, or we are woe-begone I
Revenge. Thus worldlings ground, what they have
dream'd, upon.
Content thyself, Andrea : though I sleep,
Yet is my mood soliciting their souls.
Sufficeth thee that poor Hieronimo
Cannot forget his son Horatio. 20
Nor dies Revenge, although he sleep awhile ;
For in unquiet quietness is feign'd.
And slumbering is a common worldly wile. —
Behold, Andrea, for an instance, how
Revenge hath slept, and then imagine thou.
What 'tis to be subject to destiny.
Enter a Dumb-Show.
d
Ghost Awake, Revenge ; reveal this mystery.
Revenge, Lo ! the two first the nuptial torches bore
As brightly burning as the mid-day*s sun ;
But after them doth Hymen hie as fast, 30
Clothed in sable and a saflfron robe.
And blows them out, and quencheth them with
blood.
As discontent that things continue so.
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GhosL Sufficethme; thy meaning's understood,
And thanks to thee and those infernal powers,
That will not tolerate a lover's woe. —
Rest thee, for I will sit to see the rest
Revenge, Then argue not, for thou hast thy request
[Exeunt
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ACT IV. sc. I. The Spanish Tragedy
ACT IV
SCENE I
Enter Bellimperia and Hiercnimo,
Bel, Is this the love thou bear'st Horatio ?
Is this the kindness that thou counterfeit'st?
Are these the fruits of thine incessant tears?
Hieronimo, are these thy passions,
Thy protestations and thy deep laments.
That thou wert wont to weary men withal ?
O unkind father I O deceitful world !
With what excuses canst thou show thjrself
From this dishonour and the hate of men ?
Thus to neglect the loss and life of him lo
Whom both my letters and thine own belief
Assures thee to be causeless slaughter^ 1
Hieronimo, for shame, Hieronimo,
Be not a history to after-times
Of such ingratitude unto thy son :
Unhappy mothers of such children then.
But monstrous fathers to forget so soon
The death of those, whom they with care and cost
Have tendered so, thus careless should be lost
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Myself, a stranger in respect of thee, 20
So lov'd his life, as still I wish their deaths.
Nor shall his death be unreveng'd by me.
Although I bear it out for fashion's sake :
For here I swear, in sight of heav'n and earth,
Shouldst thou neglect the love thou shouldst retain,
And give it over, and devise no more,
Myself should send their hateful souls to hell.
That wrought his downfall with extremest death.
Hier. But may it be that Bellimperia
Vows such revenge as she hath deign'd to say ? 30
Why, then I see that heav'n applies our drift,
And all the saints do sit soliciting
For vengeance on those cursM murtherers.
Madam, 'tis true, and now I find it so :
I found a letter, written in your name.
And in that letter, how Horatio died.
Pardon, O pardon, Bellimperia,
My fear and care in not believing it ;
Nor think I thoughtless think upon a mean
To let his death be unreveng'd at full 40
And here I vow — so you but give consent,
And will conceal my resolution — :
I will ere long determine of their deaths
That causeless thus have murderM my son.
BeL Hieronimo, I will consent, conceal,
And ought that may effect for thine avail.
Join with thee to revenge Horatio's death.
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ACT IV. sc s. The Spanish Tragedy
Hier, On, then ; and whatsoever I devise,
Let me entreat you, grace my practices,
For why the plot's already in mine head. 50
Here they are.
Enter Balthazar and Lorenzo*
BaL ' How now, Hieronimo ?
What, courting Bellimperia ?
Hier. Ay, my lord ;
Such courting as (I promise you) :
She hath my heart, but you, my lord, have hers.
Lor. But now, Hieronimo, or never,
We are to entreat your help.
Hier. My help?
Why, my good lords, assure yourselves of me ;
For you have giv'n me cause — :
Ay, by my faith have you !
Bal, It pleased you.
At the entertainment of the ambassador, 60
To grace the king so much as with a show.
Now, were your study so well furnished.
As for the passing of the first night's sport
To entertain my father with the like,
Or any such-like pleasing motion,
Assure yourself, it would content them well
Hier. Is this all?
BaL Ay, this is alL
Hier. Why then, 1 11 fit you ; say no more,
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When I was young, I gave my mind
And plied myself to fruitless poetry ; 70
Which though it profit the professor naught,
Yet is it passing pleasing to the world.
Lor, And how for that ?
Hier, Marry, my good lord, thus :
(And yet, methinks, you are too quick with us) — :
When in Toledo there I studied.
It was my chance to write a tragedy :
See here, my lords — \He shows them a book.
Which, long forgot, I found this other day.
Now would your lordships favour me so much
As but to grace me with your acting it — 80
I mean each one of you to play a part —
Assure you it will prove most passing strange,
And wondrous plausible to that assembly.
Bed, What, would you have us play a tragedy ?
Hier, Why, Nero thought it no disparagement,
And kings and emperors have ta'en delight
To make experience of their wits in plays.
Lor, Nay, be not angry, good Hieronimo ;
The prince but ask'd a question.
BcU, In faith, Hieronimo, and you be in earnest, 90
I 'U make one.
Lor, And I another.
Hier, Now, my good lord, could you entreat
Your sister Bellimperia to make one ?
For what's a play without a woman in
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ACT IV. sc f. The Spanish Tragedy
BeL Little entreaty shall serve me, Hieronimo ;
For I must needs be employed in your play.
Hier. Why, this is well : I tell you, lordings,
It was determined to have been acted,
By gentlemen and scholars too,
Such as could tell what to speak.
Bal, And now lOO
It shall be play*d by princes and courtiers,
Such as can tell how to speak :
If, as it is our country manner,
You will but let us know the argument.
Hier. That shall I roundly. The chronicles of Spain
Record this written of a knight of Rhodes :
He was betroth'd, and wedded at the length,
To one Perseda, an Italian dame,
Whose beauty ravished all that her beheld.
Especially the soul of Soliman, no
Who at the marriage was the chiefest guest
By sundry means sought Soliman to win
Perseda's love, andpeic^ not gain the same.
Then 'gan he/brea^>is passions to a friend,
^ One of his basfaa^, whom he held full dear ;
Her had this bashaw long solicited,
And saw she was not otherwise to be won.
But by her husband's death, this knight of Rhodes,
Whom presently by treachery he slew.
She, stirr'd with an exceeding hate therefore, 120
As cause of this slew Soliman,
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And, to escape the bashaw's tyranny,
Did stab herself: and this the tragedy.
Lor, O excellent !
BeU But say, Hieronimo, what then became
Of him that was the bashaw?
Hier. Marry, thus :
Mov'd with remorse of his misdeeds,
Ran to a mountain-top, and hung himself.
BaL But which of us is to perform that part ?
Hier. O, that will I, my lords ; make no doubt of it :
1 11 play the murderer, I warrant you ; 131
For I already have conceited that
Bal. And what shall I ?
Hier. Great Soliman, the Turkish emperor.
Lor. And I?
Hier. Erastus, the knight of Rhodes.
Bel. And I?
Hier. Perseda, chaste and resolute. —
And here, my lords, are several abstracts drawn,
For each of you to note your parts.
And act it, as occasion's ofTer'd you.
You must provide a Turkish cap, 140
A black mustachio and a falchion ;
\Gives a paper to Balthazar,
You with a cross, like to a knight of Rhodes ;
[Gives another to Lorenzo.
And, madam, you must attire yourself
[Hegiveth Bellimperia another.
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ACT IV. sc 1. The Spanish Tragedy
Like Phoebe, Flora, or the hunteress,
Which to your discretion shall seem best.
And as for me, my lords, I '11 look to one.
And, with the ransom that the viceroy sent,
So furnish and perform this tragedy.
As all the world shall say, Hieronimo
Was liberal in gracing of it so. 150
Bal, Hieronimo, methinks a comedy were better.
Hier. A comedy ?
Fie ! comedies are fit for common wits :
But to present a kingly troop withal,
Give me a stately-written tragedy ;
Tragosdia cothumata^ fitting kings.
Containing matter, and not common things.
My lords, all this must be performed,
As fitting for the first night's revelling.
The Italian tragedians were so sharp of wit, 160
That in one hour's meditation
They would perform anything in action.
Lor. And well it may ; for I have seen the like
In Paris 'mongst the French tragedians.
Hier, In Paris ? mass ! and well remember^ I
There's one thing more that rests for us to da
Bal, What's that, Hieronimo? forget not anything.
Hier, Each one of us
Must act his part in unknown languages,
That it may breed the more variety : 170
As you, my lord, in Latin, I in Greek,
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The Spanish Tragedy act iv. sc i.
You in Italian, and for because I know
That Bellimperia hath practised the French,
In courtly French shall all her phrases be.
BeL You mean to try my cunning then, Hieronimo ?
BaL But this will be a mere confusion,
And hardly shall we all be understood.
Hier. It must be so ; for the conclusion
Shall prove the invention and all was good :
And I myself in an oration, i8o
And with a strange and wondrous show besides.
That I will have there behind a curtain.
Assure yourself, shall make the matter known :
And all shall be concluded in one scene,
For there 's no pleasure ta'en in tediousness.
Bal, How like you this ?
Lor, Why, thus my lord :
We must resolve to soothe his humours up.
Bed, On then, Hieronimo ; ferewell till soon.
Hier, You'll ply this gear?
Lor. I warrant you.
\Exeunt all but Hieronimo.
Hier, Why so :
Now shall I see the fall of Babylon, 190
Wrought by the heavens in this confusion.
And if the world like not this tragedy,
Hard is the hap of old Hieronimo. \ExiU
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ACT IV. sc s. The Spanish Tragedy
SCENE II
Enter Isabella with a weapon,
Jsab, Tell me no more ! — O monstrous homicides !
Since neither piety nor pity moves
The king to justice or compassion,
I will revenge myself upon this place,
Where thus they murder'd my belovM son.
[She cuts down the arbour.
Down with these branches and these loathsome
boughs
Of this unfortunate and fatal pine :
Down with them, Isabella ; rent them up,
And bum the roots from whence the rest is sprang.
I will not leave a root, a stalk, a tree, lo
A bough, a branch, a blossom, nor a leaf^
No, not an herb within this garden-plot — :
Accursed complot of my misery !
Fruitless for ever may this garden be,
Barren the earth, and blissless whosoe'er
Imagines not to keep it unmanur'd I
An eastern wind, commix'd with noisome airs.
Shall blast the plants and the young saplings ;
The earth with serpents shall be pestered.
And passengers, for fear to be infect, ao
Shall stand aloof, and, looking at it, tell :
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The Spanish Tragedy act iv. sc p
' There, murder'd, died the son of Isabel.'
Ay, here he died, and here I him embrace :
See, where his ghost solicits, with his wounds,
Revenge on her that should revenge his death.
Hieronimo, make haste to see thy son ;
For sorrow and despair hath cited me
To hear Horatio plead with Rhadamanth :
Make haste, Hieronimo, to hold excus'd
Thy negligence in pursuit of their deaths 5a
Whose hateful wrath bereav'd him of his breath. —
Ah, nay, thou dost delay their deaths,
Forgiv'st the murd'rers of thy noble son.
And none but I bestir me — to no end !
And as I curse this tree from further fruit,
So shall my womb be cursed for his sake ;
And with this weapon will I wound the breast,
The hapless breast, that gave Horatio suck.
[SAe stabs herself.
SCENE III
Enter Hieronimo; he knocks up the curtain.
Enter the Duke of Castile.
Cast, How now, Hieronimo, where 's your fellows,
That you take all this pain ?
Hier. O sir, it is for the author's credit,
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ACT IV. sc J. The Spanish Tragedy
To look that all things may go welL
But, good my lord, let me entreat your grace,
To give the king the copy of the play :
This is the argument of what we show.
Ccist. I will| Hieronimo.
Hier. One thing more, my good lord.
CasU What's that?
Hier, Let me entreat your grace
That, when the train are pass'd into the gallery, lo
You would vouchsafe to throw me down the key.
Cctst, I will, Hieronimo. {Exit Castile.
Hier. What, are you ready, Balthazar?
Bring a chair and a cushion for the king.
Enter Balthazar^ with a chair.
Well done, Balthazar 1 hang up the title :
i yj : Our scene is Rhodes ;— what, is your beard on ?
^ / ' Bal, Half on ; the other is in my hand.
^^ ; Hier. Despatch for shame ; are you so long ?
^' [Exit Balthazar.
Bethink thyself, Hieronimo,
Recall thy wits, recount thy former wrongs
Thou hast receiv'd by murder of thy son, ao
And lastly — ^not least 1 — ^how Isabel
Once his mother and thy dearest wife.
All woe-begone for him, hath slain herself.
Behoves thee then, Hieronimo, to be revenged t
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The Spanish Tragedy act iv. sc. 4.
The plot is laid of dire revenge :
On, then, Hieronimo, pursue revenge ;
For nothing wants but acting of revenge 1
[Exit Hieronimo,
SCENE IV
Enter Spanish Kingy Viceroy^ the Duke of Castile^
and their train.
King. Now, Viceroy, shall we see the tragedy
Of Soliman, the Turkish emperor,
Performed — of pleasure — by your son the prince,
My nephew Don Lorenzo, and my niece.
Vic, Who? Bellimperia?
King, Ay, and Hieronimo, our marshal,
At whose request they deign to do't themselves :
These be our pastimes in the court of Spain.
Here, brother, you shall be the bookkeeper :
This is the argument of that they show.
\Hegiveth him a book.
Gentlemen^ this play of Hieronimo^ in sundry
languages^ was thought good to be set down in
English more largely^ for the easier understa$iding
to every public reader.
Enter Balthazar, Bellimperia, and Hieronimo.
Bal. Bashaw^ that Rhodes is ours^ yield heavens the
honour^ 10
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ACT IV. sc 4. The Spanish Tragedy
And holy Mahomet^ our sacred prophet /
And be thou gradd with every excellence
That Soliman can give, or thou desire.
But thy desert in conquering Rhodes is less
Than in reserving this fair Christian nymph^
Perseda^ blissful lamp of excellence^
Whose eyes compel^ like powerful adamant^
The warlike heart of Soliman to wait.
King, See, Viceroy, that is Balthazar, your son,
That represents the emperor Soliman : 20
How well he acts his amorous passion I
Vic, Ay, Bellimperia hath taught him that
Cast, That 's because his mind runs all on Bellimperia.
Hier. Whatever joy earth yields^ betide your majesty.
Bal. Earth yields no joy without Persedds love*
Hier. Let then Perseda en your grace attend.
Bal. She shall not wait on me^ but I on her :
Drawn by the influence of her lights ^ I yield.
But let myfriendy the Rhodian knight^ comeforth^
ErastOy dearer than my life to me, 30
That he may see Perseda^ my belox/d
Enter Erasto,
King. Here comes Lorenzo : look upon the plot,
And tell me, brother, what part plays he?
BeL Ahy my Erasto^ welcome to Perseda.
Lor. Thrice happy is Erasto that thou Ui/st;
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Rkode^ loss is nothing to Erastdsjoy :
Sitk his Perseda lives^is life survives,
BaL Ah^ bashaw^ here is love between Erasto
And fair Perseda^ sovereign of my soul,
Hier. Remove Erasto^ mighty Soliman^ 40
And then Perseda will be quickly won.
BaL Erasto is my friend; and while he liveSy
Perseda never will remove her love,
Hier. Let not Erasto live to grieve great Soliman,
BaL Dear is Erasto in our princely eye,
Hier. But if he be your rivals let him die,
BaL Why, let him die! — so love commandeth me.
Yet grieve I that Erasto should so die.
Hier. Erasto, Soliman saluteth thee,
And lets thee wit by me his highnes^ will, 50
Which is, thou shouldst be thus employ d.
[Stabs him.
BeL Ay me/
Erasto/ see, Soliman, Erasto 's slain/
BaL Vet liveth Soliman to comfort thee.
Fair queen of beauty, let not favour die.
But with a gracious eye behold his grief.
That with Persedds beauty is increased.
If by Perseda his grief be not reUa^d,
BeL Tyrant, desist soliciting vain suits ;
Relentless are mine ears to thy latfunts.
As thy butcher is pitiless and base, 60
Which seised on my Erasto, harmless knight.
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ACT IV. sc 4. The Spanish Tragedy
Yet by thy power thou thinkest to command^
And to thy power Perseda doth obey :
Buty were she dble^ thus she would revenge
Thy treacheries on thee^ ignoble prince : [Stabs him.
And on herself she would be thus reven^d.
[Stabs herself.
King, Well said ! — Old marshal, this was bravely done I
Hier, But Bellimperia plays Perseda well !
Vic, Were this in earnest, Bellimperia,
You would be better to my son than so. 70
King, But now what follows for Hieronimo ?
Hier. Marry, this follows for Hieronimo :
Here break we off our simdry languages,
And thus conclude I in our vulgar tongue.
Haply you think— but bootless are your thoughts —
That this is fabulously counterfeit.
And that we do as all tragedians do :
To die to-day (for fashioning our scene)
The death of Ajax or some Roman peer,
And in a minute starting up again, 80
Revive to please to-morrow's audience.
No, princes ; know I am Hieronimo,
The hopeless father of a hapless son.
Whose tongue is ttm'd to tell his latest tale,
Not to excuse gross errors in the play.
I see, your looks urge instance of these words ;
Behold the reason urging me to this :
[Shows his dead son.
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The Spanish Tragedy act iv. sc 4.
See here my show, look on this spectacle :
Here lay my hope, and here my hope hath end ;
. Here lay my heart, and here my heart was slain ;
Here lay my treasure, here my treasure lost ; 91
Here lay my hliss, and here my bliss bereft :
But hope, heart, treasure, joy, and bliss.
All fled, faiPd, died, yea, all decay'd with this.
From forth these wounds came breath that gave me
Ufe;
They murder'd me that made these fatal marks.
The cause was love, whence grew this mortal hate ;
The hate : Lorenzo and young Balthazar ;
The love : my son to Bellimperia.
But night, the coVrer of accursed crimes, 100
With pitchy silence hush'd these traitors' harms,
And lent them leave, for they had sorted leisure
To take advantage in my garden-plot
Upon my son, my dear Horatio :
There merciless they butcher'd up my boy.
In black, dark night, to pale, dim, cruel death.
He shridcs : I heard (and yet, methinks, I hear)
His dismal outcry echo in the air.
With soonest speed I hasted to the noise,
Where hanging on a tree I found my son, no
Through-girt with wounds, and slaughtered as you
see.
And grieved I, think you, at this spectacle?
Speak, Portuguese, whose loss resembles mine :
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ACT IV. sc 4. The Spanish Tragedy
If thou canst weep upon thy Balthazar,
'Tis like I wail'd for my Horatio.
And you, my lord, whose reconciled son
March'd in a net, and thought himself unseen,
And rated me for brainsick lunacy.
With ' God amend that mad Hieronimo ! ' —
How can you brook our play's catastrophe ? lao
And here behold this bloody hand-kercher,
t Which at Horatio's death I weeping dipp'd
Within the river of his bleeding wounds :
It as propitious, see, I have reserved.
And never hath it left my bloody heart.
Soliciting remembrance of my vow
With these, O, these accursM murderers :
Which now performed my heart is satisfied.
And to this end the bashaw I became
That might revenge me on Lorenzo's life, 130
Who therefore was appointed to the part.
And was to represent the knight of Rhodes,
That I might kill him more conveniently.
So, Viceroy, was this Balthazar, thy son.
That Soliman which Bellimperia,
In person of Perseda, murderM :
Solely appointed to that tragic part
That she might slay him that offended her.
Poor Bellimperia miss'd her part in this :
Flor though the story saith she should have died,
VWt I of kindness, and of care to her, 141
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The Spanish Tragedy act iv. sa 4.
Did otherwise determine of her end ;
But love of him whom they did hate too much
Did urge her resolution to be such. —
And, princes, now behold Hieronimo,
Author and actor in this tragedy,
Bearing his latest fortune in his fist ;
And will as resolute conclude his part.
As any of the actors gone before.
And, gentles, thus I end my play ; 150
Urge no more words : I have no more to say.
[He runs to hang himself.
King. O hearken, Viceroy 1 Hold, Hieronimo I
Brother, my nephew and thy son are slain I
Vic. We are betrayed ; my Balthazar is slain I
Break ope the doors ; run, save Hieronimo.
\They break in and hold Hieronimo.
Hieronimo,
Do but inform the king of these events ;
Upon mine honour, thou shalt have no harm.
Hier. Viceroy, I will not trust thee with my life,
Which I Uiis day have offered to my son.
Accursed wretch I 160
Why stay*st thou him that was resolv'd to die?
King. Speak, traitor \ damned, bloody murd'rer, speak I
For now I have thee, I will make thee speak.
Why hast thou done this undeserving deed ?
Vic. Why hast thou murdered my Balthazar ?
Cast. Why hast thou butcher'd both my children thus?
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ACT IV. sc. 4. The Spanish Tragedy
Hier. [But are you sure th^ are deadf
Cast Ay^ slave^ too sure,
Hier. What^ and yours toot
Vic. Ay, all are dead; not one of them survive.
Hier. Nay^ then I care noij come^ and we shdll be friends j
Let us lay our heads together : 171
See, here's a goodly noose will hold them alL
Vic O damned devily how secure he is I
Hier. Secure? why, dost thou wonder at itf
I tellthee^ Viceroy y this day I have seen revenge.
And in that sight am grown a prouder monarch.
Than ever sat under the crown of Spain.
Had I as many lives as there be stars.
As many heai/ns to go to, as those lives,
Pdgive them all, ay, and my soul to boot, 180
But I would see thee ride in this red pool J\
O, good words 1
As dear to me was my Horatio,
As yours, or yours, or yours, my lord, to you.
My guiltless son was by Lorenzo slain,
And by Lorenzo and that Balthazar
Am I at last revenged thoroughly,
Upon whose souls may heav'ns be yet aveng'd
With greater far than these afflictions.
Cast, But who were thy confederates in this? 190
Vic. That was thy daughter Bellimperia ;
For by her hand my Balthazar was slain :
I saw her stab him.
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King, Why speak'st thou not ? ^
Hier, What lesser liberty can kings afford
Than harmless silence ? then afford it me.
Su£ficeth, I may not, nor I will not tell thee.
King. Fetch forth the tortures : traitor as thou art,
I '11 make thee tell.
1 Instead of IL 193 (second half: ' Why speak'st thou not') to
204, the Qq. from 1602 onwards have the following passage (thejr
have also put 11. 190-193, first half, before 1. 182) :
[Hier.] Meihinks, since I grew inward with revenge^
I cannot look with scorn enough on death.
King. Whaty dost thou mock us, slave f bring tortures forth,
Hier. Do, do, do: and meantime I* II torture you.
You had a son, as I take it; and your son
Should ha* been married to your daughter:
Ha, was it not so f— You had a son too.
He was my liege's nephew ; lie was proud
And politic ; had he liv*d, he might have come
To wear the crown of Spain (/ think 'twas so) — •• xo
• Twas I that kilVd him ; look you, this same hand,
*Twas it that stabb'd his heart — do ye see this handf
For one Horatio, if you ever knew him : a youth,
One that they hanged up in his father' s garden ;
One that did force your valiant son to yield.
While your more valiant son did take him prisoner,
Vic. Be deaf, my senses; I can hear no more.
King. Fall, heat/n, and ewer us with thy sad ruins.
Cast Roll all the world within thy pitchy cloud,
Hier. Now do I applaud what I have acted, 20
Nunc iners cadat manus /
Now to express the rupture of my part—
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ACT IV. sc. 4. The Spanish Tragedy
Hiir. Indeed,
Thou may'st torment me, as his wretched son
Hath done in murd'ring my Horatio : 200
But never shalt thou force me to reveal
The thing which I have vow'd inviolate. •
And therefore, in despite of all thy threats,
Pleas'd with their deaths, and eas'd with their
revenge,
First take my tongue, and afterwards my heart.
\He bites out his tongue.
King. O monstrous resolution of a wretch 1
See, Viceroy, he hath bitten forth his tongue,
Rather than to reveal what we required.
Cctst, Yet can he write.
King. And if in this he satisfy us not, 210
We will devise th' extremest kind of death
That ever was invented for a wretch.
\Then he makes signs for a knife to mend his pen.
Cotst, O, he would have a knife to mend his pen.
Vic. Here, and advise thee that thou write the troth. —
Look to my brother 1 save Hieronimo !
\He with a knife stabs the duke and himself
King. What age hath ever heard such monstrous
deeds ?
My brother, and the whole succeeding hope
That Spain expected after my decease 1 —
Go, bear his body hence, that we may mourn
The loss of our beloved brother's death — : 220
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That he may be entomb'd !— -Whatever befall,
I am the next, the nearest, last of all.
Vic. And thou, Don Pedro, do the like for us :
Take up our hapless son, untimely slain ;
Set me with him, and he with woeful me,
Upon the main-mast of a ship unmanned,
And let the wind and tide haul me along
To Scylla's barking and untamM gulf^
Or to the loathsome pool of Acheron,
To weep my want for my sweet Balthazar : 230
Spain hath no refuge for a PortingaL
[The trumpets sound a dead march; the King of
Spain mourning after his brother's body^ and
the King of Portingal bearing the body of his
son.
SCENE V
Enter Ghost and Revenge.
Ghost Ay, now my hopes have end in their efTects,
When blood and sorrow finish my desires :
Horatio murder'd in his father's bower ;
Vild Serberine by Pedringano slain ;
False Pedringano hang'd by quaint device ;
Fair Isabella by herself misdone ;
Prince Balthazar by Bellimperia stabVd ;
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ACT IV. sa B, The Spanish Tragedy
The Duke of Castile and his wicked son
Both done to death by old Hieronimo ;
My Bellimperia fallen, as Dido fell, lo
And good Hieronimo slain by himself:
Ay, these were spectacles to please my soul 1 —
Now will I beg at lovely Proserpine
That, by the virtue of her princely doom,
I may consort my friends in pleasing sort,
And on my foes work just and sharp revenge.
I '11 lead my friend Horatio through those fields,
Where never-dying wars are still inur'd ;
VVL lead fair Isabella to that train.
Where pity weeps, but never feeleth pain ; 20
1 11 lead my Bellimperia to those joys.
That vestal virgins and fair queens possess ;
I '11 lead Hieronimo where Orpheus plays,
Adding sweet pleasure to eternal days.
But say, Revenge — ^for thou must help, or none —
Against the rest how shall my hate be shown ?
Rsv. This hand shall hale them down to deepest hell,
Where none but Furies, bugs and tortures dwelL
GAost, Then, sweet Revenge, do this at my request :
Let me be judge, and doom them to unrest 30
Let loose poor Tityus from the vulture's gripe.
And let Don Cyprian supply his room ;
Place Don Lorenzo on Ixion's wheel.
And let the lover's endless pains surcease
(Juno forgets old wrath, and grants him ease) ;
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Hang Balthazar about Chimaera's neck,
And let him there bewail his bloody love,
Repining at our joys that are above ;
Let Serberine go roll the fatal stone,
And take from Sisyphus his endless moan ; 40
False Pedringano, for his treachery,
Let him be dragged through boiling Acheron,
And there live, dying still in endless flames.
Blaspheming gods and all their holy names.
/?«/. Then haste we down to meet thy friends and foes :
To place thy friends in ease, the rest in woes ;
For here though death hath end their misery,
1 11 there begin their endless tragedy. [Exeunt.
FINIS
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GLOSSARY
Aglbts, ornamental tags, ni. xua.
36.
Ambages, round-about ways, beat-
ing about the bash, i. it. 90.
Apply, to conform, iii. ix. 13; to
ply, further, iv. i. 31.
Bacon, pig, iii. xi. 17.
Ball ACS, v6., to ballast, iii. xi. 8.
Bann'd, cursed, iil rii. 67.
Battery, unlawful beating, in.
xiii. 60.
Became, where s what became of,
I. iii. 74.
Bewray, to^ reveal, I. iii. 54, in. ii.
5a, III. xiiL 76.
Bring, I '11 be with you to bring ; ^.
■ note to IIL xiL as.
Bugs, bugbears, iv. v. aS.
Carbines, carabineers, l ii. 89.
Case, an action op the, *an
action for redress of wrongs not
spedally provided against m law,
in which the whole cause of com-
plaint was set out in the wnt'
(Webster) ; in. xiiL 6z.
Case, if CASE^if the case be, in
case, II. L 6a
Cleanly, adroitly, dexterously, iil
iv. 73.
Closely, secretly, in. iv. 58, in.
xiiLa6.
Coil, noise, tumult, in. xiii. 45.
Company, conqtanion, lu. x. aS.
CONDBSCBNT, COUSeUt, HI. xlv. 17.
Consort, to, with aocsto consort
with. III. L aif lY. V. 15.
Contend, to stnve towards, ni. xiii.
xo.
Contents, contentments, il ii. 4.
Cornet, troop of cavahry, i. ii. 4x.
CoRREGiDOR, a Spanish magistrate,
IIL xiii. 58.
CoR'srvE ~ corrosive, annoyance,
worry, L ii. 143.
Countercheck, to meet a cheoc
(attack) with a check, 11. iL 37.
Countermur'd, walled in, pro-
tected by walls, in. viL z6.
Course, words op, meaningless,
empty words, i. iv. 98.
Cunning, wit, skill, iy. 1 175.
Dag, large pistol, m. iiL 3a.
Ding, to stnke, i. iv. aa.
DiSTAiN, to tarnish, defile, I. iiL 33.
Drift, aim, intention, iv. i. 3x4
EjECTiONB firm^ * a writ which
lay to eject a tenant from his
holding' (Wharton's Lam^Lexi-
eon) ; iil xiiL 63.
Fact, (criminal) deed, iil iv. aa.
Favour, appearance, look, m. xiii.
Z49.
Fetch, in the original (XuutoySi/cA,
trick, straUgem, iil iv. 43,
Flat, that's flat, that s clear,
Uiat is certain, iil vL 48, m. xiL
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GLOSSARY
Force pbrporcb, of necessity, jridd-
ing to necessity, iii ix. za.
For why, because, iv. i. 50.
Front, forehead, iii. x. 91.
Gear, afiiair, matter^ business, iii.
vi. a3i 3ai 43i >V' »• ^89 ; dress,
clothing, HI. vl 46, 47.
Give back, to go back, recede,
withdraw, 11. iii. S©.
Grace, vb., to favour, iv. 1. 49. iv. i.
6x ; embellish, iii. v. 15; nt out,
IV. L 150.
Gramercv, great thanks, many
thanks, iii. vi. x8.
Gummed, cloj^ged, dimmed, as with
gum, HI. xui. 163.
Haggard, wild, refractory, 11. L 4.
Herb-hencb^ hence, inconsequence
of this, I. ii. 7a ...
Humorous, capricious, whimsical,
I. iv. X05.
Ingratitude, unkindness, iv. i. 15.
Inured, put in practice, earned on,
IV. V. x8.
Jdttv, to juttv OVER, to project,
overhang, iii. xiiA. 137.
Leese, to lose. II. V. ao, 33.
Lording, of lordly descent, lord,
I. V. 17, hi. i. la, IV. L 97.
Matted, dull, in. xiiA. zx6.
NiLL, will not, I. iv. 7.
PsBTBNCB, intention, iii. iv. 79.
Quital, reqmtal, recompense, iii.
i. 79.
Reaching, &r-reaching, clever, in.
iv. 43.
The Spaaish Tragedy
Recurs, probably * contamination *
oirecurt and recm/er, iii. viil 5.
Remorse, regret, pitjr, i. iv. 27.^
Rent, to rend, in. xiii. xax, iv. u. 8.
Rounded, whispered, i. L 8x.
Seemingly, in semblance, in ap-
pearance, HI. xiiA. X28.
Seld-seen, strange, curious, iii.
xii. 3. . ,
Sit, to sit beside, to miss, lose, i.
ii. X77.
Soothe up, c/. note to hi. x. 19.
Sort, tro«p. number, in. xiii. 46.
Sorted, selected, chosen, sought
out, IV. iv. xoa.
Suspect, suspicion, in. iii. X5.
Terms, to stand on, to stand on
one's own terms, to hold out, iii.
X. aa
Through-girt, pierced, iv. iv. iix.
Tickle, uncertain, critical, dan-
gerous, HI. iv. 74.
Toil, »^., to harass, wesuy, in. vi. 8.
Train, snare, trap, in. u. 38 ; wUe
deceit (?), HI. L X9.
Travellers, labourers, n. u. 46.
Tricks, delusions, in. xiiA. X07.
Tucket, flourish of trumpets, fen-
fare, I. ii. xoo.
Unbevelled, not well adjusted,
rough, unpolished, hl xL 23.
Unmanured^ unworked, unculti-
vated, IV. ii. x6.
Unsquarbd, uneven, rough, in. zi.
23.
ViLD, vile, II. V. 27, IV. V. 4.
Vulgar, «., tiie common people,
mob, HI. XV. 35.
Waving, moving, departing, i. iL
83-
When ? See note to in. l 47.
Wield, to carry, 1. iv. 35.
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NOTES
Induction.— The Induction of TJU Spanish Tragedy was cer-
tainly conceived in imitation of Seneca's Thyesta^ which play
is opened by the ghost of Tantalus in company of Megaera.
Very similar is the beginning (and end) of the contemporary Mis-
fortunes of Arthur^ where the ghost of the murdered Gorlois
appears, expressing his thirst for revenge. Kyd may have intro-
duced the figure of a ghost earlier, in his Hamlet ; and one might
even speculate as to whether that play did not begin with an
introductory speech similar to that of Andrea or Gorlois, had not
the German Hamlet (Brudermord) a prologue with Night and the
Furies. Of course, the ghost appears in untold dramas of the
Renaissance in England and abroad, and it is needless to say to
what splendid use this old requisite of the Seneca drama has been
transformed by Shakspere.
L L X sqq. The opening lines have often been quoted and cari-
catured by contemporary dxamatists, e.g. in The Knight of the
Burning Pestle^ The Rebelliotit Albumanar, The Fair Maid of the
West, etc.
L L Z9 sqq. The description of the nether world in the Induction
is principally taken from the jEneid, Canto vi.
I. L 82. gates of horn. Of course, from jEneid, H, 893 (cp.
Odyssey t xix. 563).
I. iL Z2. The Duke of Castile addresses his brother here with
words adapted from those famous ones originally addressed by
Claudian to Honoriiis, the son of Tbeodosias the Great (De tertio
X3S
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N0TB8 The Spanish Tragedy
Comulahi Honoriit 11. 96-98). In reality, they are more fit for the
father, who, in 392, had conquered the rival Emperor Engenius,
near Aqtiileia. See Gibbon, chapter zxvil, towards the end. St.
Augustine and, after him, Orosius quote Uie lines too, but leave
out the heathen god ^olus : a host of other writers follow in their
train. ^Ifric must have known them also.
I. ii. 55. These lines were probably put together by Kyd after
classical models, like Mneid^ x. 361 :—
* haeret pede pes, densusque viro vir ' ;
Statins' Thehais^ viii. 399 : —
' Ense mhiax ensis, pede pes, et cuspide cuspis' ;
CurHuSf III. ii. 13 :—
' vir viro, armis anna, conserta sunt ' ;
and numerous others. The structure reminds one at once of the
splendid passage in the Iliad (xvl assX where the Myrmidons are
mustered by their great captain :~*
*kffvlt &p* dffrliF Ipet^e, K6pvs xSpvp, Mpa 8' Mip,
I. iii. Like ill. i. a most unnecessary scene, but thoroughly
English in its aim to bring as much action and movement on the
scene as possible. If Kyd had deliberately planned a demonstra-
tion against the law of the unity of place, he could not have done
better.
I. iii. 7. Translation or pars4>hrase of the well-known line from
Seneca (PhaedrUt 607, ed. Leo) : —
' Curae leves loquuntur, ingentes stupent'
I. iii. 15. Probably again an adaptation of current Latin lines.
John Webster, in his Academiarum Examen, fol B^ a, has the
line:—
' Qm cadit in terram, non habet unde cadat'
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The Spanish Tragedy notes
Similarly Th. Andrewe, in The Unmasking oj a Feminine AfacAia-
veil (1604), fol Bg d, A literal translation of them is to be
found in the Old Timon, ed. Dyce, p. 61, 11. 9, 10.
I. iii. 8a. TerceircCs lord. With respect to the power inherent
in such a dignity, I may be allowed to quote W F. Walker, The
Azores, or Western Islands^ ?• 35 • ' In those days, Portugal
bestowed upon the original discoverers and colonisers of countries
annexed to her crown the lordships of them, with the title of
Capitdo Donatario, This post was held in high esteem, as,
besides the emoluments attaching to it, the fortunate holder was
given plenary powers, which secured him almost despotic sway.
. . . Their privileges were hereditary and descended to the lineal
successors of those to whom they were granted ; provisions being
made for regencies in the case of minors . . • such com-
prehensive powers making of the Donatario a sort of sub-
r^gulus. . . .'
L iv. 90. jSneidt ii 615 seq, :—
' Jam summas arces Tritonia (respice) Pallas
Insedit, nimbo effulgens et Gorgone saeva.*
L T. 26. Robert of Gloucester was never, as far as I know, in
Portugal. It was Alonzo I., Portugal's first great warrior-king,
the hero of Ourique, before whom Saracen Lisbon fell (1147).
But in this attempt Alonzo was helped by a fleet of adventurers
on their way to the Holy Land, the greater part of whom
were English. Camdes celebrates the event in the Lusiadas,
iii. 57, 58.
I. v. 37. This is Edmond Langley, Earl of Kent, and first Duke
of York (134Z-Z402). He went on an expedition to Spain and
Portugal in 1381-83 ; but that he ' razed Lisbon walls and took
the king of Portmgal in fight ' is a free flight of Kyd's fancy. The
Dictionary of NaHomal Biography says (zxzii. zzo) : ' F^mi^nd
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N0TB8 The Spanish Tragedy
would have attacked the king of Portugal if he had felt strong
enough, but as it was he had no choice except to return to
England, where he arrived in October 138a.' He vras created
Duke of York on August 6, 1385, principally for his having taken
part in the king's expedition to Scotland.
I. v. 49. John of Gaunt made two expeditions to Spain : one in
1367, under the Black Prince, to support Pedro the Cruel against
Henry of Trastamara, when in the battle of Najera Du Guesclin was
made a prisoner (Henry himself escaped) ; and a second in 1386-87,
when he styled himself King of Castile, but ' met with little success
and was eventually forced to quit Spain.' He had, however, the
gratification that his two daughters became, respectively, Queens
of Portugal and of Castile. Kyd lost a great chance here : why
did he not introduce the splendid figure of the Black Prince?
II. i. 3-6 and 9-10 are taken, almost literally, from Watson's
'EJcaro/iTO^/a, Sonnet 47. Watson's lines themselves are an
adaptation of a sonnet by Serafino d'Aquila (No. X03 in the
edition of Venice, 1548; ed. Menghini, p. 213)'.
II. i. 9 sqq. This speech of Balthazar, not a little tinged with
euphuism, was the subject of many a joke : e.g, in Ben Jonson's
Poetaster^ ill. i. ; and Field's^ Woman is a Weathercock^ I. ii. (see
the Preface, p. xxix).
II. i. 47. Tlius there had been a domestic catastrophe on account
of Bellimperia's love for an inferior, where Pedringano, the go>
between, had been saved firom punishment by Lorenzo. This is
alluded to in iii. x. 54, and iii. xv. 72 and 73.
II. i. Z09. More frequently we find the synonymous motto:
Tarn Marti quam Mercurio{w\iic3i had, for instance, been adopted
by Gascoigne).
II. ii. 50. prickle, i.e, thorn. That the nightingale sings ' with a
prickle at her breast,' in order to be kept awake, is a motif made
use of by numberless poets.
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The Spanish Tragedy notes
II. iii. 17-ai. Lorenzo is not very likely to admire this generosity
on the part of his uncle.
IL iv. 57. Had our play been written after Othello^ we might
consider this line a gauche imitation of Desdemona's magnanima
menxogna,
II. iv. 61 and 62, 11. v. i sqq, Cp, the picture given as frontispiece.
It represents the situation at the beginning of the fifth scene, one
of the best and most popular of the play.
II. V. 46^. I do not think that this first addition is an improve-
ment. It panders to the vulgar taste, which considers the more
rant and madness the better. Kyd certainly showed greater
artistic refinement and deeper insight in here dwelling chiefly on
Hieronimo's grief and tenderness for his son, and in introducing
madness only as a later phase in the development of the character.
II. V. 57. This refers to I. v. 15, 16.
II. V. lao. These Latin verses were probably composed by Kyd
himself, having, perhaps, in his mind the lines from ThyesUs, 691,
69a:
' Ipse est sacerdos : ipse funesta prece
Letale carmen ore violento canit.'
Sict sic jttvat ire sub umbrcu is, of course, from Dido's speech in
the Mneidt iv. 660. In line 124 the Quarto reads effecit ; I owe
the conjecture effert to my colleague, Dr. Traube, of Mimich. Dr.
Traube is, I think, also right in pointing, for the probable original
of U. 125, 126, to Tibullus, II. iv. 55 sqq, :
' Quidquid habet Circe, quidquid Medea veneni,
Quidquid et herbarum Thessala terra gerit • .
Si modo me placido videat Nemesis mea vultu,
MiUe alias herbas misceat ilia, bibam.'
III. I z sqq^ These are regular commonplaces of the Seneca
drama. The whole scene has no bearing upon the main plot
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Vilufipo is an Italian word, meaning canfusioftt entoMgUntent,
We have an Italian play with the title // Viluppo^ by Girolamo
Paiabosco, in which some similarity has been fowid by Klein with
Shakspere's Two Gentlemen, of Verona,
III. L 47. when f Expression of impatience, conmion in Eliza-
bethan writers ; also in Shakspere.
III. ii I sqq. Often quoted and derided.
III. ii. 83 (and 96). The Quartos read Liugis, Such a saint is,
however, unknown to me (as is also the St. Lingis of Koppel's
German translation). Luigi is, at any rate, Italian, if not Spanish.
III. ii. 94. Che le leron I Unintelligible words, which seem to
call the page (is it the page's name?). The best conjecture is,
perhaps, Koppel's 'CM leggieronT It is only a pity that
leggieron is hardly an Italian word.
III. ii. 105. That we have in Lorenzo ' the nearest approach to a
Machiavellian ' before Marlowe's Barabas has been well set forth
by Edward Me3rer in his MachiaveUi and the Elituibethan Drama,
p. 32 seq. He quotes Spanish Tr*, iii. ii. 105-107, 115-119; 11.
i. no, in; and iii. iv. 4, 5; and points out the parallels in
Machiavelli's works.
III. iv. 52. To stand good lord, ue, to be or act as a good lord to
him ; cp, the similar phrase : ' to stand good friend.'
III. vi. 45 (and 71). Alludes to the well-known custom of the
hangman getting the clothes of the hanged.
III. vi. 99. i.e, which intercept, bar it from happiness. We have
the ending -es, -s several times for the plural of verbs : L L 65,
shakes ; iii. iv. 75, ends ; iii. viii. 16, mounts.
III. vii. z-zo. Note the unusual frequency of alliteration in these
lines.
III. vii 15-18. The passage reminds one somewhat of Iphigenia*s
sublime Parunlied, in Goethe's draina.
III. viii. Here some modem editions begin a new act. This
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division is not wairanted by the old Quartos, nor, indeed, by the
internal structure of the play : Kyd evidently meant each act to
finish with the re-appearance of Ghost and Revenge as chorus.
We have a division into four acts in the English Seneca {Tkedais
and OcUana) ; in the plays of the Spaniard Juan de la Cueva, who
was especially proud of this innovation; in Naogeorgus* Pamma^
chius ; in./<ick Straw ^ etc., down to SheUesr's Prometheus Unbound,
and Alfred Austin's England* s Darling,
WL X. zi. A nine-day^ wonder, A phrase particularly well
known in Elizabethan times; cf, Kemp's Nine days* wonder^
performed in a dance from London to Norwich, z6oo.
ui. X. 19. soothe me up, i,e, bear out, confirm what I say.
Sooth means originally true (cp, forsooth, in sooth); it if the
participle of the root «i, to be (Greek 0rr-). Thus O. E. gesdtfian=
to prove the truth of, to bear witness ; gesd9 glosses parasita (cp,
Shakspere's soother^^Gecmasi Ja-sager), Cp, also iv. i. 187, to
soothe his humours up=:flatter his humour.
iiL X. 32. This advice of Lorenzo's is duly put into practice
towards the end of the scene, where the meaning is indeed ' con-
cealed under feigned jest'
III. X. 38. my company s my companion, t.#. Horatia
III. X. 54. Cp, note to 11. 1 47.
III. xi. 15. The original Spanish Tragedy has certamly many
ridiculous passages, but here Kyd is outdone by the inter-
polator.
IIL xL 42. And things called whips. The same phrase in
s Henry VI,, ii. L 136 (and The Contention) ; it was probably also
In the old Hamlet,
IIL xi. 54. Thus the stage £Dr The Spanish Tragedy had two
doors.
III. xi. 60 sqq. An oft-praised passage. As to the allegoiy in it,
cp, Sarrazin, p. 53, and an article by F« I. Carpenter, in Mod,
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Lang, Noies, zii 358 sqq. In certain expressions Kyd doubtless
had the jEneid in his mind (as in I. L).
III. xii. Poniard and rope. Constantly occurring motif', see
Schrder, Titus Andronicus^ p. 77 seq,^ and Carpenter, l,c,
III. xii. 6 sqq. As Hieronimo sees no means of attaining justice
and revenge, be, for a moment, contemplates suicide. The simi-
larity to Hamlet is apparent
III. xii 14 and 15. this path ... or tkis^ i.e, poniard, or rope.
III. xii. 16. The sequence of ideas is exactly as in the Latin
lines, II. V. 133 seq, Cp. also Iii. iL 46 seq,
III. xii. 22. ril he with thee to brings i,e. I '11 chastise you ; I 'U
give you a sound lesson ; I 'U give it to you. Sw in Troilus and
Cressida^ I. il 305, and some other Elizabethan passages.
III. xii 24. ' There goes the hare away,' i,e, there is the game
I want to hunt; that's where the game lies. Cp, Gosson, The
School of Abuset ed. Arber, p. 70:
* Hie labor, hoc opus est, there goeth the hare away.'
III. xii. 30. Hieronimo, gobyt One of the best-known pieces of
Elizabethan slang, introduced by Shakspere, Ben Jonson, Dekker,
Chapman, Webster, etc.
III. xii. 6z. Is this a slip of Kyd's? Surely, by this time, the
king must have heard of Horatio's murder.
III. xiL 76. Cp, Virgil's and Bismarck's :
' Flectere si nequeo superos, Acheronta roovebo.*
III. xii. 8z. An old proverb, already found in the Assembly of
Gods, ascribed to Lydgate, I 21. See Dr. Triggs's edition.
III. xiiA. 90. The painter Bazardo with his slain son recalls
Luca Signorelli, whose son was also murdered ; cp, the poem by
Graf Platen, and Sjrmonds's Renaissance in Italy, ill 280-282.
III. xiii. I sqq. The connecting thread of ideas in th^ passage is :
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The Spanish Tragedy notes
'Vengeance is mine ; I will repay, saith the Lord' (Deuteronomy
xxxii 35 and Romans zil 19). Wait therefore till Heaven avenges
you (11. 1-5). But one evil or crime leads to another ; therefore
'strike home where wrong is ofifered thee' (6-11). If, then, you
take upon yourself to act, after all but two things can happen :
either you win your game — then all is well ; or you lose your life
in your attempt— then you are at least * assured of a tomb. ' There-
fore, I will be mj son's avenger (12-20).
III. xiii. 6. This line is from Seneca's Agamemnon, 1x5 : ' Per
scelera semper sceleribus tutum est iter ' ; U. za and 13 are from
the Troades, 5x0-512 :
' Fata si miseros juvant,
Habes salutem ; fata si vitam negant,
Habes sepulcrum.'
III. xiii. 19. This is Lucan's 'Caelo tegitur, qui non habet
urnam ' {PJkarsaiia, vii. 818). The passage has often been quoted,
e.g, by St Augustine (De Civitate Dei, L 12) ; in Sir Thomas
More's Utopia, in Lyly's Endymion, and elsewhere. A pretty little
poem by Heine shotild not be forgotten in connection with this.
III. xiii 35. From Seneca's CEdipus, 5x5.
ni. xiii. 72. The ' Corsic rocks ' come from Octavia, 382 :
' Remotus inter Corsici rupes maris.'
III. xiiL 98-Z06. Difficult passage, for which many emendations
have been brought forward. The best suggestion is probably Mr.
Gollancz's, namely, to take 11. IQ3 and 104 as an exclamation,
reading, at the same time, o'erhtmeth thee in 1. xo2.
III. xiii. 17Z. dis-cords^chords-^ord: one of the cruellest puns
in the play. Cp, also iv. i. 153, *Fiel comtdxts are fit for
common wits ' ; iv. ii. 12, ' this garden-^/c?/ :
Accursed complot of my misery t '
and others.
IIL xiT. zz. Kyd's geography is quite on a par with his history.
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NOTES The Spanish Tragedy
IIL XV. 129, Z3a The correct form of this quotation seems to be :
' Chi mi fa piCi carezze che non suole,
O mi ha ingannato o ingannar mi vuole.*
Dunlop [History of Prose Fiction, ed. Wilson, ii. 310) says the
lines are taken from Ariosto ; but I have not been able to identify
them. See further Vossler, Das deutsche Madrigal, p. 48, who
gives a translation into German by Caspar Ziegler (1685).
III. xvi. I. The Quarto reads Erictha, This means, of course,
the Thessalian sorceress Erich tho, well known from Lucan,
Ovid, Dante, and Goethe's Fayst, She is often introduced in the
Elizabethan drama (cp. especially Marston's Sophonisba),
III. xvi. 3 sqq. The Quarto reads :
' To combat Ackinon and Ericus in heU.
For neere by Siix and Phlegeton :
Nor ferried Carotit etc.
III. xvi IS. Revenge seems to have fallen asleep over the
author's play ! The ghost reminds him that Proserpine — Plato's
all-powexiul consort — had enjoined him to watch.
rv, i. 9. Instead of this line, the Quartos have two :
* With what dishonour, and the hate of men,
From this dishonour and the hate of men.'
lY. i. 17-19. Anacoluthon.
IV. i. 31. applies our drift. Collier conjectures ' applauds our
drift ' (Introduction to John Bruen\ but wrongly, I think. The
meaning is evidently : ' Heaven furthers our drifting plans, brings
them to a definite goal.' There may be a touch of Latinism in
vgs^j'^appHcare (navem\ to land, to bring ashore.
iv. i. 7Z, 72. The poet has made the same lament in a Latin
hexameter at the end of his Cornelia :
' Non prostmt Domino, quae prosunt omnibusi artes.
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The Spani3h Tragedy notes
iv. L 85-87. These lines were quoted by Heywood UklaiaAfolegy
for Actors (z6ia), fol E, k, Heywood's words have been the
means of identifying Kyd as the author of Tke Spanish Tragedy.
IV. iii. The allusion to a curtain (in the stage-direction), to the
* book * (nr. iv. 9), or • copy of the play/ to the * title* (nr. iil 14)—
ue, the play-bill-— and to the 'gallery* (iv. iii zo) whither the
spectators of the play within the play proceed, are very important
for the history of the stage.
lY. iv. 69, 70. By no means a bad attempt at tragic irony.
IV. iv. 905. From this point Kyd completely loses his head in
heaping on horror after horror. Biting out the tongue and stab-
bing the innocent Duke of Castile are certainly quite unnecessary.
Classical reminiscences may have been in his mind, like the story
of Zeno and others alluded to by Cicero, Tusc, ii. 32, and De
Natura Deorum, iil 33. We read in Lyl/s Euphues (ed. Arber,
p. 146) : ' Zeno because he would not be enforced to reveal anything
against his will by torments, bit ofif his tongue and spit it in the
fiBoe of the tjrrant' Cp, also TUus Andronicus, iii. i. 131.
IV. iv. 235 sqq. Although there is little poetic ring in this passage,
and although Kyd cannot let us off without the inevitable Acheron,
yet these lines recall, by their choice of simile — a mysterious ship
setting out into the boundless sea— some of the most beautiful
fancies of the western and northern nations of Europe, and
especially some of the finest passages in English literature : the
Viking-burial of Scyld So6fing in Bhwu^, the Passing of Arthur in
Layamon and the Idylls cf the King^ and the most perfect Ijrric
of our time, Tennyson's Crossing the Bar, They recall, too,
many victims seized by treacherous Rdn, or heroes gone to rest in
Tir-fa'tonn, notably the greatest Englishman of the time of The
Spanish Tragedy t tiie sea-king of terrible and glorious memory.
Sir ntmcis Drake.
145
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NOTES
The Spanish Tragedy
LIST OF PRINCIPAL DEVIATIONS FROM Q
I. i. 82. horn] Hor Q.
I. ii. zoi. the] this Q.
I. iii. 29. is] not in Q.
I. V. 59. thy] the Q.
II. i. 27. b^ut^s] beauteous.
II. i. 29. this ecstasy] these
extasies.
II. ii. 33. war] warring!,
II. iii. 49. thought] thoughts.
II. iv. 32. not] nor.
II. iv. 35. wars] warre.
II. V. loi. sta/d] stainde.
iiL i. 4. hate] heat.
III. L 91. Or wherein Q.
III. ii. 13. wakes] wake.
III. ii. 15. Solicits] Solicite.
III. ii. 83 and 96. Saint Luigi's]
S. Liugis,
III. vi. X12. heav*n] heauens.
III. vii. 15. empyreal] imperiall.
III. X. X02. £t] Est
IIL X. 103. Esq EU
III. xii. 45. inextricable] in-
execrable.
III. xii. 81. For] not in Q.
III. xiii. 62. Eiectione firma Q.
III. xiil 149. fate] Father.
III. xiii. 159. thy] my.
III. XV. 63. no] not in Q.
III. XV. 119. Especially]
Specially.
III. xvi. 1-4. See the Notes.
III. xvi. 9. To sleep— awake I]
Th sleepe, away.
IV. i. 9. See the Notes.
IV. i. 48. and] not in Q.
IV. i. 181, X82. Transposed in Q.
IV. iv. 57. Persedahis]P<r5»A«x,
IV. iv. 228. gulf] greefe.
ADDITIONS
II. V. 58. he] not in Quartos 1602
and z6io.
II. V. 80. pure] poore 1602.
III. ii. 38. to his] vs to.
III. xiiA. 36. aglets] aggots.
III. xiiA. 62. died] hied.
III. xiiA. 1x5. for] not in Qq.
III. xiiA. X50. owls] Owle.
III. xiiA. 154. wave] weaue x6oa.
III. xiiA. 157. first show] not in
Qq.
IV. iv. X75. revenge] reueng'd.
The Latin and Italian quotations have all ietn eonsiderably changed,
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