Antonio’s house
Enter L[ord] Governor, Isabella, [Sebastian disguised,] Florida, Francisca, Abberzanes, Gaspero [and other servants].
ISABELLA
My lord, I have given you nothing but the truth
Of a most plain and innocent intent.
My wrongs being so apparent in this woman —
A creature that robs wedlock of all comfort
Where’er she fastens — I could do no less
But seek means privately to shame his folly;
No farther reach’d my malice, and it glads me
That none but my base injurer is found
To be my false accuser.
GOVERNOR
This is strange
That he should give the wrongs, yet seek revenge.
[To Sebastian] But, sirrah, you: you are accus’d here doubly,
First by your lady for a false intelligence
That caus’d her absence, which much hurts her name,
Though her intents were blameless; next, by this woman,
For an adulterous design and plot
Practis’d between you to entrap her honour,
Whilst she for her hire should enjoy her husband.
Your answer?
SEBASTIAN
Part of this is truth, my lord,
To which I am guilty, in a rash intent,
But clear in act; and she most clear in both,
Not sanctity more spotless.
[Enter Hermio.]
HERMIO
Oh, my lord!
GOVERNOR
What news breaks there?
HERMIO
Of strange destruction:
Here stands the lady that within this hour
Was made a widow.
GOVERNOR
[Who?]
HERMIO
Your niece, my lord.
A fearful, unexpected accident
Brought death to meet his fury: for my lord
Entering Fernando’s house like a rais’d tempest,
Which nothing heeds but its own violent rage,
Blinded with wrath and jealousy, which scorn guides,
From a false trap-door fell into a depth
Exceeds a temple’s height, which takes into it
Part of the dungeon that falls threescore faddom
Under the castle.
GOVERNOR
Oh, you seed of lust,
Wrongs and revenges wrongful, with what terrors
You do present yourselves to wretched man,
When his soul least expects you?
ISABELLA
I forgive him
All his wrongs now, and sign it with my pity.
FLORIDA
[Swooning] Oh, my sweet servant!
GOVERNOR
Look to yond light mistress.
GASPERO
She’s in a [swoon], my lord.
GOVERNOR
Convey her hence;
It is a sight would grieve a modest eye
To see a strumpet’s soul sink into passion
For him that was the husband of another.
[Exeunt servants carrying Florida.]
[To Sebastian] Yet all this clears not you.
SEBASTIAN
Thanks to heaven
That I am now of age to clear myself then.
[He removes his disguise.]
GOVERNOR
Sebastian?
SEBASTIAN
The same, much wrong’d, sir.
ISABELLA
Am I certain
Of what mine eye takes joy to look upon?
SEBASTIAN
Your service cannot alter me from knowledge.
I am your servant ever.
GOVERNOR
Welcome to life, sir.
Gasper, thou swor’st his death.
GASPERO
I did indeed, my lord,
And have been since well paid for’t: one forsworn mouth
Hath got me two or three more here.
SEBASTIAN
I was dead, sir,
Both to my joys and all men’s understanding
Till this my hour of life: for ’twas my fortune
To make the first of my return to Urbin
A witness to that marriage, since which time
I have walk’d beneath myself and all my comforts
Like one on earth whose joys are laid above,
And though it had been offence small in me
To enjoy mine own, I left her pure and free.
GOVERNOR
The greater and more sacred is thy blessing,
For where heaven’s bounty holy groundwork finds,
’Tis like a sea, encompassing chaste minds.
Enter Duchess.
HERMIO
The duchess comes, my lord.
GOVERNOR
Be you then all witnesses
Of an intent most horrid.
DUCHESS
[Aside] One poor night
[ ] ever Almachildes now:
Better his meaner fortunes wept than ours
That took the true height of a princess’ spirit
To match unto their greatness. Such lives as his
Were only made to break the force of fate
Ere it came at us, and receive the venom.
’Tis but a usual friendship for a mistress
To lose some forty years’ life in hopeful time
And hazard an eternal soul forever,
As young as he has done, and more desertful.
GOVERNOR
Madam.
DUCHESS
My lord.
GOVERNOR
This is the hour that I have so long desir’d.
The tumult’s full appeas’d: now may we both
Exchange embraces with a fortunate arm
And practise to make love-knots, thus.
[The] Duke is discover’d [lying on a couch as if dead].
DUCHESS
My lord?
GOVERNOR
Thus, lustful woman and bold murderess, thus.
Blessed powers, to make my loyalty and truth so happy!
Look thee, thou shame of greatness, stain of honour:
Behold thy work and weep before thy death!
If thou beest bless’d with sorrow and a conscience,
Which is a gift from heaven, and seldom knocks
At any murderer’s breast with sounds of comfort,
See this thy worthy and unequall’d piece,
A fair encouragement for another husband.
DUCHESS
Bestow me upon death, sir; I am guilty,
And of a cruelty above my cause.
His injury was too low for my revenge.
[Perform] a justice that may light all others
To noble actions: life is hateful to me,
Beholding my dead lord. Make us an one
In death, whom marriage made one of two living
Till cursed fury parted us. My lord,
I covet to be like him.
GOVERNOR
No, my sword
Shall never stain the virgin brightness on’t
With blood of an adulteress.
DUCHESS
There, my lord,
I dare my accuser and defy the world,
Death, shame, and torment: blood, I am guilty of,
But not adultery, not the breach of honour.
GOVERNOR
No? Come forth, Almachildes.
Enter Almachildes.
DUCHESS
[Aside] Almachildes?
Hath time brought him about to save himself
By my destruction? I am justly doom’d.
GOVERNOR
Do you know this woman?
ALMACHILDES
I have known her better, sir, than at this time.
GOVERNOR
But she defies you there.
ALMACHILDES
That’s the common trick of them all.
DUCHESS
Nay, since I am touch’d so near: before my death, then,
In right of honour’s innocence, I am bold
To call heaven and my woman here to witness.
Enter Amoretta.
My lord, let her speak truth, or may she perish.
AMORETTA
Then, sir, by all the hopes of a maid’s comfort,
Either in faithful service or bless’d marriage,
The woman that his blinded folly knew
Was only a [hired] strumpet, a professor
Of lust and impudence, which here is ready
To approve what I have spoken.
ALMACHILDES
A common strumpet?
This comes of scarfs; I’ll never more wear
An haberdasher’s shop before mine eyes again.
GOVERNOR
My sword is proud; thou art lighten’d of that sin.
Die then a murderess only.
DUKE
[Rising] Live a duchess,
Better than ever lov’d, embraced and honour’d.
DUCHESS
My lord?
DUKE
Nay, since in honour thou canst justly rise,
Vanish all wrongs; thy former practise dies.
I thank thee, Almachildes, for my life,
This lord for truth, and heaven for such a wife,
Who, though her intent sinn’d, yet she makes amends
With grief and honour, virtue’s noblest ends.
What griev’d you then shall never more offend you:
Your father’s skull with honour we’ll inter
And give the peace due to the sepulcher.
And in all time, may this day ever prove
A day of triumph, joy, and honest love.
Exeunt [omnes].