The prison
Enter the Duchess’ two sons, Ambitioso and Supervacuo.
AMBITIOSO
Was not this execution rarely plotted?
We are the duke’s sons now.
SUPERVACUO
Ay, you may thank my policy for that.
AMBITIOSO
Your policy for what?
SUPERVACUO
Why, was ‘t not my invention, brother,
To slip the judges, and in lesser compass,
Did not I draw the model of his death,
Advising you to sudden officers
And e’en extemporal execution?
AMBITIOSO
Heart, ’twas a thing I thought on too.
SUPERVACUO
You thought on’t too! ‘Sfoot, slander not your thoughts
With glorious untruth! I know ’twas from you.
AMBITIOSO
Sir, I say ’twas in my head.
[SUPERVACUO]
Ay, like your brains then,
Ne’er to come out as long as you liv’d.
AMBITIOSO
You’d have the honour on’t, forsooth, that your wit
Led him to the scaffold.
SUPERVACUO
Since it is my due,
I’ll publish ‘t, but I’ll ha’t in spite of you.
AMBITIOSO
Methinks y’are much too bold; you should a little
Remember us, brother, next to be honest duke.
SUPERVACUO
Ay, it shall be as easy for you to be duke
As to be honest, and that’s never, i’faith.
AMBITIOSO
Well, cold he is by this time, and because
We’re both ambitious, be it our amity,
And let the glory be shar’d equally.
SUPERVACUO
I am content to that.
AMBITIOSO
This night our younger brother shall out of prison;
I have a trick.
SUPERVACUO
A trick? Prithee, what is’t?
AMBITIOSO
We’ll get him out by a wile.
SUPERVACUO
Prithee, what wile?
AMBITIOSO
No, sir, you shall not know it till ‘t be done,
For then you’d swear ‘twere yours.
[Enter an Officer, holding a severed head.]
SUPERVACUO
How now, what’s he?
AMBITIOSO
One of the officers.
SUPERVACUO
Desired news.
AMBITIOSO
How now, my friend?
OFFICER
My lords, under your pardon, I am allotted
To that desertless office, to present you
With the yet bleeding head.
SUPERVACUO
[Aside to Ambitioso] Ha, ha, excellent!
AMBITIOSO
[Aside to Supervacuo] All’s sure our own: brother, canst weep, think,st thou?
’Twould grace our flattery much; think of some dame:
‘Twill teach thee to dissemble.
SUPERVACUO
[Aside to Ambitioso] I have thought;
Now for yourself.
AMBITIOSO
Our sorrows are so fluent,
Our eyes o’erflow our tongues; words spoke in tears
Are like the murmurs of the waters; the sound
Is loudly heard, but cannot be distinguish’d.
SUPERVACUO
How died he, pray?
OFFICER
Oh, full of rage and spleen!
SUPERVACUO
He died most valiantly then; we’re glad to hear it.
OFFICER
We could not woo him once to pray.
AMBITIOSO
He show’d himself a gentleman in that:
Give him his due.
OFFICER
But in the stead of prayer,
He drew forth oaths.
SUPERVACUO
Then did he pray, dear heart,
Although you understood him not.
OFFICER
My lords,
E’en at his last, with pardon be it spoke,
He curs’d you both.
SUPERVACUO
He curs’d us? ‘Las, good soul!
AMBITIOSO
It was not in our powers, but the duke’s pleasure.
[Aside to Supervacuo] Finely dissembled a’ both sides. Sweet fate,
Oh, happy opportunity!
Enter Lussurioso.
LUSSURIOSO
Now, my lords.
[AMBITIOSO, SUPERVACUO]
Oh!
LUSSURIOSO
Why do you shun me, brothers?
You may come nearer now;
The savour of the prison has forsook me.
I thank such kind lords as yourselves, I’m free.
AMBITIOSO
Alive!
SUPERVACUO
In health!
AMBITIOSO
Releas’d!
We were both e’en amaz’d with joy to see it.
LUSSURIOSO
I am much to thank you.
SUPERVACUO
Faith, we spar’d no tongue unto my lord the duke.
AMBITIOSO
I know your delivery, brother,
Had not been half so sudden but for us.
SUPERVACUO
Oh, how we pleaded!
LUSSURIOSO
Most deserving brothers,
In my best studies I will think of it.
Exit Lussurioso.
AMBITIOSO
Oh, death and vengeance!
SUPERVACUO
Hell and torments!
AMBITIOSO
Slave, cam’st thou to delude us?
OFFICER
Delude you, my lords?
SUPERVACUO
Ay, villain, where’s this head now?
OFFICER
Why, here, my lord.
Just after his delivery, you both came
With warrant from the duke to behead your brother.
AMBITIOSO
Ay, our brother, the duke’s son.
OFFICER
The duke’s son,
My lord, had his release before you came.
AMBITIOSO
Whose head’s that then?
OFFICER
His whom you left command for, your own brother’s.
AMBITIOSO
Our brother’s? Oh, furies!
SUPERVACUO
Plagues!
AMBITIOSO
Confusions!
SUPERVACUO
Darkness!
AMBITIOSO
Devils!
SUPERVACUO
Fell it out so accursedly?
AMBITIOSO
So damnedly?
SUPERVACUO
Villain, I’ll brain thee with it!
OFFICER
Oh, my good lord!
[Exit Officer, running.]
SUPERVACUO
The devil overtake thee!
AMBITIOSO
Oh, fatal!
SUPERVACUO
Oh, prodigious to our bloods!
AMBITIOSO
Did we dissemble?
SUPERVACUO
Did we make our tears women for thee?
AMBITIOSO
Laugh and rejoice for thee?
SUPERVACUO
Bring warrant for thy death?
AMBITIOSO
Mock off thy head?
SUPERVACUO
You had a trick, you had a wile, forsooth!
AMBITIOSO
A murrain meet ‘em! There’s none of these wiles
That ever come to good: I see now
There is nothing sure in mortality but mortality.
Well, no more words; shalt be reveng’d, i’faith.
Come, throw off clouds now, brother, think of vengeance
And deeper-settled hate. Sirrah, sit fast:
We’ll pull down all, but thou shalt down at last.
Exeunt.