A Select Collection of Old English Plays Volume Xi Part 142

Farewell, my dearest love; live thou still happy; And may some one of more desert than I Be bless'd in the enjoying what I lose!

I need not wish him happiness that has thee, For thou wilt bring it; may he prove as good As thou art worthy.

LEU. Dearest Philocles, There is no room for any man but thee Within this breast. O good my lords, Be merciful, condemn us both together, Our faults are both alike; why should the law Be partial thus, and lay it all on him?

1ST JUDGE. Lady, I would we could as lawfully Save him as you: he should not die for this.

_Enter_ CONSTABLE, _leading_ EUGENIO.

How now, who's that you have brought there?

CON. A benefactor, an it please your lordships; I reprehended him in my watch last night.

VIR. Irus is taken.

2D JUDGE. What's his offence?

CON. Murder.

WATCH. No, Master Constable, 'twas but poisoning of a man.

CON. Go, thou art a fool.

VIR. I am undone for ever; all will out.

3D JUDGE. What proofs have you against him?

CON. His own profession, if it please your honour.

3D JUDGE. And that's an ill profession--to be a murderer. Thou meanest he has confessed the fact.

CON. Yes, my lord, he cannot deny it.

1ST JUDGE. Did he not name the party who it was that he had poisoned?

CON. Marry, with reverence be it spoken, it was Eugenio, my Lord Polymetes' son.

POL. How's this?

1ST JUDGE. He died long since at Athens.

POL. I cannot tell what I should think of it: This is the man that lately brought me news My son was living.

2D JUDGE. Fellow, stand to the bar; Thou hearest thy accusation; what canst thou say?

EUG. Ah, my good lord!

I cannot now deny what I have said.

This man o'erheard me, as my bleeding heart Was making a confession of my crime.

CON. I told him, an't shall please your lordships, The king's officers had eyes to hear such rascals.

1ST JUDGE. You have been careful in your office, constable; You may now leave your prisoner.

CON. I'll leave the felon with your lordship.

1ST JUDGE. Farewell, good constable: murder, I see, will out.

Why didst thou poison him? [_Exit_ CONSTABLE.

EUG. I was poor, and want made me be hired.

2D JUDGE. Hired by whom?

EUG. By Count Virro; there he stands.

VIR. I do beseech your lordships not to credit What this base fellow speaks. I'm innocent.

1ST JUDGE. I do believe you are. Sirrah, speak truth; You have not long to live.

EUG. Please it your lordship, I may relate the manner?

3D JUDGE. Do.

EUG. Eugenio was alive, when first the news Was spread in Syracuse that he was dead; Which false report Count Virro crediting, Became an earnest suitor to his sister, Thinking her [to be's] heir; but finding afterwards Her brother liv'd, and [he was] coming home, Not a day's journey hence, he sent [for] me to him, And with a promise of five hundred crowns Hir'd me to poison him. That this is true, Here's his own hand to witness it against him: Please it your lordships to peruse the writing.

1ST JUDGE. This is his hand.

3D JUDGE. Sure as I live, I have seen warrants from him with just these characters.

3D JUDGE. Besides, methinks this fellow's tale is likely.

POL. 'Tis too true; This fellow's sudden going from my house Put me into a fear.

1ST JUDGE. Count Virro, stand to the bar.

What can you say to clear you of this murder?

VIR. Nothing, my lords; I must confess the fact.

2D JUDGE. Why, then, against you both do I p.r.o.nounce Sentence of death.

AMBO. The law is just.

POL. Wretch that I am, is my dissembl'd grief Turn'd to true sorrow? Were my acted tears But prophecies of my ensuing woe, And is he truly dead? O, pardon me, Dear ghost of my Eugenio, 'twas my fault That called this hasty vengeance from the G.o.ds, And shorten'd thus thy life; for whilst with tricks I sought to fasten wealth upon our house, I brought a cannibal to be the grave Of me and mine. Base, b.l.o.o.d.y, murderous count.

VIR. Vile cosener! cheating lord! dissembler!

1ST JUDGE. Peace! stop the mouth of malediction, there!

This is no place to rail in.

EUPH. Ye just powers, That to the quality of man's offence Shape your correcting rods, and punish there Where he has sinn'd! did not my bleeding heart Bear such a heavy share in this day's woe, I could with a free soul applaud your justice.