Act V [Scene i]

Enter ANNABELLA above, [with a letter written in blood]

ANNABELLA
Pleasures farewell, and all ye thriftless minutes
Wherein false joys have spun a weary life;
To these my fortunes now I take my leave.

Thou precious Time, that swiftly ridest in post
Over the world to finish up the race	5
Of my last fate, here stay thy restless course
And bear to ages that are yet unborn
A wretched, woeful woman’s tragedy.
My conscience now stands up against my lust
With depositions charactered in guilt,	10
Enter FRIAR [below]
And tells me I am lost. Now I confess,
Beauty that clothes the outside of the face
Is curséd if it be not clothed with grace.
Here like a turtle, mewed up in a cage
Unmated, I converse with air and walls,	15
And descant on my vile unhappiness.
O Giovanni, that hast had the spoil
Of thine own virtues and my modest fame,
Would thou hadst been less subject to those stars
That luckless reigned at my nativity!	20

O, would the scourge due to my black offence
Might pass from thee, that I alone might feel
The torment of an uncontrolled flame!
FRIAR
[Aside] What’s this I hear?
ANNABELLA                          That man, that blessed friar,
Who joined in ceremonial knot my hand	25
To him whose wife I now am, told me oft
I trod the path to death, and showed me how.
But they who sleep in lethargies of lust
Hug their confusion, making Heaven unjust,
And so did I.
FRIAR [Aside] Here’s music to the soul!	30
ANNABELLA
Forgive me, my good genius, and this once
Be helpful to my ends: let some good man
Pass this way, to whose trust I may commit
This paper double-lined with tears and blood;
Which being granted, here I sadly vow	35
Repentance, and a leaving of that life
I long have died in.
FRIAR                              Lady, Heaven hath heard you,
And hath by providence ordained that I
Should be his minister for your behoof.
ANNABELLA
Ha, what are you?	40
FRIAR                              Your brother’s friend the friar,
Glad in my soul that I have lived to hear

This free confession ’twixt your peace and you.
What would you, or to whom? Fear not to speak.
ANNABELLA
Is Heaven so bountiful? Then I have found
More favour than I hoped. Here, holy man.	45
Throws [down the] letter
Commend me to my brother, give him that,
That letter; bid him read it and repent.
Tell him that I – imprisoned in my chamber,
Barred of all company, even of my guardian,
Who gives me cause of much suspect – have time	50
To blush at what hath passed. Bid him be wise,
And not believe the friendship of my lord.
I fear much more than I can speak. Good father,
The place is dangerous, and spies are busy:
I must break off. You’ll do’t?
FRIAR                                        Be sure I will,	55
And fly with speed. My blessing ever rest
With thee, my daughter. Live to die more blessed.
Exit
ANNABELLA
Thanks to the heavens, who have prolonged my breath
To this good use. Now I can welcome death.                          Exit