The Spanish Tragedy Part 23

CAS. I will, Hieronimo.

HIERO. One more thing, my good lord.

CAS. What's that?

HIERO. Let me entreat your Grace That, when the train are pa.s.s'd into the gallery, You would vouchsafe to throw me down the key.

CAS. I will Hieronimo.

Exit CAS[TILE].

HIERO. What, are you ready, Balthazar?

Bring a chair and a cushion for the king.

Enter BALTHAZAR with a chair.

Well done, Balthazar; hang up the t.i.tle: Our scene is Rhodes. What, is your beard on?

BAL. Half on, the other is in my hand.

HIERO. Dispatch, for shame! are you so long?

Exit BALTHAZAR.

Bethink thyself, Hieronimo, Recall thy wits, recompt thy former wrongs Thou hast receiv'd by murder of thy son, And lastly, but not least, how Isabell, Once his mother and my dearest wife, All woe-begone for him, hath slain herself.

Behooves thee then, Hieronimo, to be Reveng'd! The plot is laid of dire revenge: On then, Hieronimo; pursue revenge, For nothing wants but acting of revenge!

Exit HIERONIMO.

Enter SPANISH KING, VICEROY, the DUKE OF CASTILE, and their train, to the gallery.

KING. Now, viceroy, shall we see the tragedy Of Suleiman, the Turkish emperor, Perform'd by pleasure by your son the prince, My nephew Don Lorenzo, and my niece.

VICE. Who? Bel-imperia?

KING. Aye; and Hieronimo our marshall, At whose request they deign to do't themselves.

These be our pastimes in the court of Spain.

Here, brother, you shall be the book-keeper: This is the argument of that they show.

He giveth 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 understanding to every publique reader.]

Enter BALTHAZAR, BEL-IMPERIA, and HIERONIMO.

BALTHAZAR. [acting] Bashaw, that Rhodes is ours yield Heav'ns the honour And holy Mahomet, our sacred prophet!

And be thou grac'd with every excellence That Suleiman can give or thou desire!

But thy desert in conquering Rhodes is less Then in reserving this fair Christian nymph, Perseda, blissful lamp of excellence, Whose eyes compel, like powerful adamant, The warlike heart of Suleiman to wait.

KING. See, viceroy, that is Balthazar your son, That represents the Emperor Suleiman: How well he acts his amorous pa.s.sion!

VICE. Aye; Bel-imperia hath taught him that.

CASTILE: That's because his mind runs all on Bel-imperia.

HIERO. [acting] Whatever joy earth yields betide your Majesty!

BALT. [acting] Earth yields no joy without Perseda's love.

HIERO. [acting] Let then Perseda on your Grace attend.

BALT. [acting] She shall not wait on me, but I on her!

Drawn by the influence of her lights, I yield.

But let my friend, the Rhodian knight, come forth,-- Erasto, dearer than my life to me,-- That he may see Perseda, my belov'd.

Enter ERASTO [LORENZO].

KING. Here comes Lorenzo: look upon the plot And tell me, brother, what part plays he.

BEL. [acting] Ah, my Erasto! Welcome to Perseda!

LO. [acting] Thrice happy is Erasto that thou livest!

Rhodes' loss is nothing to Erasto's joy; Sith his Perseda lives, his life survives.

BALT. [acting] Ah, bashaw, here is love between Erasto And fair Perseda, sovereign of my soul!

HIERO. [acting] Remove Erasto, mighty Suleiman, And then Perseda will be quickly won.

BALT. [acting] Erasto is my friend; and, while he lives, Perseda never will remove her love.

HIERO. [acting] Let not Erasto live to grieve great Suleiman!

BALT. [acting] Dear is Erasto in our princely eye.

HIERO. [acting] But, if he be your rival, let him die!

BALT. [acting] Why, let him die! so love commaundeth me.

Yet grieve I that Erasto should so die.

HIERO. [acting] Erasto, Suleiman saluteth thee, And lets thee wit by me his Highness' will, Which is, thou should'st be thus employ'd.

Stabs him.

BEL. [acting] Ay, me, Erasto! See, Suleiman, Erasto's slain!

BALT. [acting] Yet liveth Suleiman to comfort thee.

Fair queen of beauty, let not favour die, But with a gracious eye behold his grief, That with Perseda's beauty is increas'd, If by Perseda grief be not releas'd.