A room in the palace
Enter [Vindici] and Hippolito [with the Duke’s corpse in Piato’s clothes, which they prop up in chair].
VINDICI
So, so, he leans well; take heed you wake him not, brother.
HIPPOLITO
I warrant you, my life for yours.
VINDICI
That’s a good lay, for I must kill myself!
Brother, that’s I: that sits for me, do you mark it?
And I must stand ready here to make away myself yonder: I must sit to be kill’d, and stand to kill myself. I could vary it not so little as thrice over again, ‘t ‘as some eight returns like Michaelmas Term.
HIPPOLITO
That’s enow, a’ conscience.
VINDICI
But, sirrah, does the duke’s son come single?
HIPPOLITO
No, there’s the hell on’t, his faith’s too feeble to go alone; he brings flesh-flies after him that will buzz against suppertime and hum for his coming out.
VINDICI
Ah, the fly-flop of vengeance beat ‘em to pieces! Here was the sweetest occasion, the fittest hour, to have made my revenge familiar with him, show him the body of the duke his father, and how quaintly he died like a politician in huggermugger, made no man acquainted with it, and in catastrophe slain him over his father’s breast, and oh, I’m mad to lose such a sweet opportunity!
HIPPOLITO
Nay, push, prithee be content! There’s no remedy present; may not hereafter times open in as fair faces as this?
VINDICI
They may if they can paint so well.
HIPPOLITO
Come, now to avoid all suspicion, let’s forsake this room, and be going to meet the duke’s son.
VINDICI
Content, I’m for any weather.
Enter Lussurioso.
Heart, step close, here he comes!
HIPPOLITO
My honour’d lord?
LUSSURIOSO
Oh, me; you both present?
VINDICI
E’en newly, my lord, just as your lordship enter’d now; about this place we had notice given he should be, but in some loathsome plight or other.
HIPPOLITO
Came your honour private?
LUSSURIOSO
Private enough for this: only a few
Attend my coming out.
HIPPOLITO
[Aside] Death rot those few!
LUSSURIOSO
Stay, yonder’s the slave.
VINDICI
Mass, there’s the slave indeed, my lord!
[Aside] ’Tis a good child, he calls his father slave.
LUSSURIOSO
Ay, that’s the villain, the damn’d villain: softly,
Tread easy.
VINDICI
Puh, I warrant you, my lord,
We’ll stifle in our breaths.
LUSSURIOSO
That will do well.
[Aside] Base rogue, thou sleepest thy last; ’tis policy
To have him kill’d in’s sleep, for if he wak’d
He would betray all to them.
VINDICI
But, my lord —
LUSSURIOSO
Ha, what sayst?
VINDICI
Shall we kill him now he’s drunk?
LUSSURIOSO
Ay, best of all.
VINDICI
Why, then he will ne’er live to be sober.
LUSSURIOSO
No matter, let him reel to hell.
VINDICI
But being so full of liquor, I fear he will put out all the fire —
LUSSURIOSO
Thou art a mad beast.
VINDICI
And leave none to warm your lordship’s golls withal,
For he that dies drunk falls into hellfire
Like a bucket a’ water, qush, qush.
LUSSURIOSO
Come, be ready, nake your swords; think of your wrongs:
This slave has injur’d you.
VINDICI
[Aside] Troth, so he has,
And he has paid well for’t.
LUSSURIOSO
Meet with him now.
VINDICI
You’ll bear us out, my lord?
LUSSURIOSO
Puh, am I a lord for nothing think you? Quickly, now.
VINDICI
Sa, sa, sa! [Stabs the corpse.] Thump, there he lies.
LUSSURIOSO
Nimbly done. Ha? Oh, villains, murderers,
’Tis the old duke my father!
VINDICI
That’s a jest.
LUSSURIOSO
What stiff and cold already?
Oh, pardon me to call you from your names;
’Tis none of your deed: that villain Piato,
Whom you thought now to kill, has murder’d him
And left him thus disguis’d.
HIPPOLITO
And not unlikely.
VINDICI
Oh, rascal! Was he not asham’d
To put the duke into a greasy doublet?
LUSSURIOSO
He has been cold and stiff who knows how long?
VINDICI
[Aside] Marry, that do I!
LUSSURIOSO
No words, I pray, of anything intended.
VINDICI
Oh, my lord!
HIPPOLITO
I would fain have your lordship think that we have small reason to prate.
LUSSURIOSO
Faith, thou sayst true; I’ll forthwith send to court
For all the nobles, bastard, duchess, all,
How here by miracle we found him dead,
And in his raiment that foul villain fled.
VINDICI
That will be the best way, my lord, to clear us all: let’s cast about to be clear.
LUSSURIOSO
Ho, Nencio, Sordido, and the rest!
Enter all [Lussurioso’s attendants].
[SORDIDO]
My lord.
[NENCIO]
My lord.
LUSSURIOSO
Be witnesses of a strange spectacle:
Choosing for private conference that sad room,
We found the duke my father ‘geal’d in blood.
[SORDIDO]
My lord, the duke! Run, hie thee, Nencio,
Startle the court by signifying so much.
[Exit Nencio.]
VINDICI
[Aside to Hippolito] Thus much by wit a deep revenger can:
When murder’s known, to be the clearest man.
We’re fardest off, and with as bold an eye
Survey his body as the standers-by.
LUSSURIOSO
My royal father, too basely let blood
By a malevolent slave!
HIPPOLITO
[Aside to Vindici] Hark, he calls thee slave again.
VINDICI
[Aside to Hippolito] Ha’s lost, he may.
LUSSURIOSO
Oh, sight, look hither! See, his lips are gnawn with poison!
VINDICI
How! His lips? By th’ mass, they be!
LUSSURIOSO
Oh, villain! Oh, rogue! Oh, slave! Oh, rascal!
HIPPOLITO
[Aside] Oh, good deceit! He quits him with like terms.
[Enter Ambitioso, Supervacuo, Spurio, Duchess, the Duke’s Gentlemen, Nobles, and guards.]
FIRST NOBLE
Where?
SECOND NOBLE
Which way?
AMBITIOSO
Over what roof hangs this prodigious comet
In deadly fire?
LUSSURIOSO
Behold, behold, my lords:
The duke my father’s murder’d by a vassal
That owes this habit, and here left disguis’d.
DUCHESS
My lord and husband!
SECOND NOBLE
Reverend majesty!
FIRST NOBLE
I have seen these clothes often attending on him.
VINDICI
[Aside] That nobleman has been i’ th’ country, for he does not lie.
SUPERVACUO
[Aside to Ambitioso] Learn of our mother; let’s dissemble too.
I am glad he’s vanish’d; so I hope are you.
AMBITIOSO
[Aside to Supervacuo] Ay, you may take my word for’t.
SPURIO
[Aside] Old Dad dead?
Ay, one of his cast sins will send the fates
Most hearty commendations by his own son.
I’ll tug the new stream till strength be done.
LUSSURIOSO
Where be those two that did affirm to us
My lord the duke was privately rid forth?
FIRST GENTLEMAN
Oh, pardon us, my lords, he gave that charge
Upon our lives if he were miss’d at court
To answer so; he rode not anywhere,
We left him private with that fellow here.
VINDICI
[Aside] Confirm’d.
LUSSURIOSO
Oh heavens, that false charge was his death!
Impudent beggars, durst you to our face,
Maintain such a false answer? Bear him straight
To execution.
FIRST GENTLEMAN
My lord!
LUSSURIOSO
Urge me no more.
In this excuse may be call’d half the murther.
VINDICI
[Aside] You’ve sentenc’d well.
LUSSURIOSO
Away, see it be done.
[Exit the First Gentleman, guarded.]
VINDICI
[Aside] Could you not stick? See what confession doth.
Who would not lie when men are hang’d for truth?
HIPPOLITO
[Aside to Vindici] Brother, how happy is our vengeance?
VINDICI
[Aside to Hippolito] Why, it hits,
Past the apprehension of indifferent wits.
LUSSURIOSO
My lord, let post-horse be sent
Into all places to entrap the villain.
VINDICI
[Aside] Post-horse? Ha, ha!
[FIRST] NOBLE
My lord, we’re something bold to know our duty.
You father’s accidentally departed;
The titles that were due to him meet you.
LUSSURIOSO
Meet me? I’m not at leisure, my good lord;
I’ve many griefs to dispatch out a’ th’ way.
[Aside] Welcome, sweet titles! — Talk to me, my lords,
Of sepulchers and mighty emperors’ bones,
That’s thought for me.
VINDICI
[Aside] So, one may see by this
How foreign markets go:
Courtiers have feet a’ th’ nines and tongues a’ th’ twelves;
They flatter dukes and dukes flatter themselves.
[FIRST] NOBLE
My lord, it is your shine must comfort us.
LUSSURIOSO
Alas, I shine in tears like the sun in April.
[FIRST] NOBLE
You’re now my lord’s grace.
LUSSURIOSO
My lord’s grace? I perceive you’ll have it so.
[FIRST] NOBLE
’Tis but your own.
LUSSURIOSO
Then heavens give me grace to be so.
VINDICI
[Aside] He prays well for himself.
[FIRST] NOBLE
Madam, all sorrows
Must run their circles into joys; no doubt but time
Will make the murderer bring forth himself.
VINDICI
[Aside] He were an ass then, i’faith.
[FIRST] NOBLE
In the mean season,
Let us bethink the latest funeral honours
Due to the duke’s cold body, and withal,
Calling to memory our new happiness,
Spread in his royal son: lords, gentlemen,
Prepare for revels.
VINDICI
[Aside] Revels!
NOBLE
Time hath several falls.
Griefs lift up joys, feasts put down funerals.
LUSSURIOSO
Come then, my lords, my favours to you all.
[Aside] The duchess is suspected foully bent;
I’ll begin dukedom with her banishment.
Exeunt Duke [Lussurioso], Nobles, [Gentlemen, Attendants,] and Duchess.
HIPPOLITO
[Aside to Vindici] Revels!
VINDICI
[Aside to Hippolito] Ay, that’s the word; we are firm yet:
Strike one strain more and then we crown our wit.
Exeunt brothers [Vindici and Hippolito].
SPURIO
Well, have the fairest mark, so said the duke when he begot me,
And if I miss his heart or near about,
Then have at any: a bastard scorns to be out.
[Exit Spurio.]
SUPERVACUO
Not’st thou that Spurio, brother?
[AMBITIOSO]
Yes, I note him to our shame.
SUPERVACUO
He shall not live; his hair shall not grow much longer: in this time of revels, tricks may be set afoot. Seest thou yon new moon? It shall out-live the new duke by much; this hand shall dispossess him, then we’re mighty.
A masque is treason’s license; that build upon:
’Tis murder’s best face when a vizard’s on.
Exit [Supervacuo].
AMBITIOSO
Is’t so? [’Tis] very good.
And do you think to be duke then, kind brother?
I’ll see fair play: drop one and there lies t’other.
Exit Ambitioso.