I found a letter, written in your name, And in that letter, how Horatio died.
Pardon, O pardon, Bel-imperia, My feare and care in not beleeuing it!
Nor thinke I thoughtles thinke vpon a meane To let his death be vnreuenge"d at full.
And heere I vow, so you but giue consent And will conceale my resolution, I will ere long determine of their deathes That causeles thus haue murderd my sonne.
BEL. Hieronimo, I will consent, conceale, And ought that may effect for thine auaile, Ioyne with thee to reuenge Horatios death.
HIER. On then, [and] whatsoeuer I deuise, Let me entreat you grace my practice, For-why the plots already in mine head.-- Heere they are!
Enter BALTHAZAR and LORENZO.
BAL. How now, Hieronimo?
What, courting Bel-imperia?
HIERO. I, my lord, Such courting as, I promise you, She hath my hart, but you, my lord, haue hers.
LOR. But now, Hieronmimo, or neuer we are to intreate your helpe.
HIE. My help? why, my good lords, a.s.sure your-selues of me; For you haue giuen me cause,--I, by my faith, haue you!
BAL. It pleasde you at the entertainment of the emba.s.sadour, To grace the King so much as with a shew; Now were your stuide so well furnished As, for the pa.s.sing of the first nights sport, To entertaine my father with the like, Or any such like pleasing motion, a.s.sure yourselfe it would content them well.
HIERO. Is this all?
BAL. I, this is all.
HIERO. While then ile fit you; say no more.
When I was yong I gaue my minde And plide my-selfe to fruitles poetrie, Which, though it profite the professor naught, Yet is it pa.s.sing pleasing to the world.
LOR. And how for that?
HIERO. Marrie, my good lord, thus.-- And yet, me thinks, you are too quick with vs!-- When in Tolledo there I studied, It was my chaunce to write a tragedie,-- See heere, my lords,--
He showes them a book.
Which, long forgot, I found this other day.
Nor would your lordships fauour me so much As but to grace me with your acting it, I meane each one of you to play a part.
a.s.sure you it will proue most pa.s.sing strange And wondrous plausible to that a.s.sembly.
BAL. What, would you haue vs play a tragedie?
HIERO. Why, Nero thought it no disparagement, And kings and emperours haue tane delight To make experience of their wit in plaies!
LOR. Nay, be not angry, good Hieronimo; The prince but asked a question.
BAL. In faith, Hieronimo, and you be in earnest, Ile make one.
LOR. And I another.
HIERO. Now, my good lord, could you intreat, Your sister, Bel-imperia, to make one,-- For whats a play without a woman in it?
BEL. Little intreaty shall serue me, Hieronimo, For I must needs be imployed in your play.
HIERO. Why, this is well! I tell you, lordings, It was determined to haue beene acted, By gentlemen and schollers too, Such as could tell what to speak.
BAL. And now it shall be plaide by princes and courtiers, Such as can tell how to speak, If, as it is our country manner, You will but let vs know the argument.
HIERO. That shall I roundly. The cronicles of Spaine Recorde this written of a knight of Rodes; He was betrothed, and wedded at the length, To one Perseda, an Italian dame, Whose beatuie rauished all that her behelde, Especially the soule of Soliman, Who at the marriage was the cheefest guest.
By sundry meanes sought Soliman to winne Persedas loue, and could not gaine the same.
Then gan he break his pa.s.sions to a freend, One of his bashawes whome he held full deere.
Her has this bashaw long solicited, And saw she was not otherwise to be wonne But by her husbands death, this knight of Rodes, Whome presently by trecherie his slew.
She, stirde with an exceeding hate therefore, As cause of this, slew [Sultan] Soliman, And, to escape the bashawes tirannie, Did stab her-selfe. And this [is] the tragedie.
LOR. O, excellent!
BEL. But say, Hieronimo: What then became of him that was the bashaw?
HIERO. Marrie thus: moued with remorse of his misdeeds, Ran to a mountain top and hung himselfe.
BAL. But which of vs is to performe that part?
HIERO. O, that will I, my lords; make no doubt of it; Ile play the murderer, I warrent you; For I already haue conceited that.
BAL. And what shall I?
HIERO. Great Soliman, the Turkish emperour.
LOR. And I?
HIERO. Erastus, the knight of Rhodes.
BEL. And I?
HIERO. Perseda, chaste and resolute.
And heere, my lords, are seueral abstracts drawne, For eache of you to note your [seuerall] partes.
And act it as occasion"s offred you.
You must prouide [you with] a Turkish cappe, A black moustache and a fauchion.
Giues paper to BAL[THAZAR].
You with a crosse, like a knight of Rhodes.
Giues another to LOR[ENZO].
And, madame, you must [then] attire your-selfe
He giueth BEL[-IMPERIA] another.
Like Phoebe, Flora, or the huntresse [Dian], Which to your discretion shall seeme best.
And as for me, my lords, Ile looke to one, And with the raunsome that the vice-roy sent So furnish and performe this tragedie As all the world shall say Hieronimo Was liberall in gracing of it so.