'Tis Pity She's a Whore/Act V Scene V

by John Ford (1586-c. 1639)

 

[SCENA QUINTA. Annabella's chamber.]

 

Enter Giovanni and Annabella lying on a bed.

 

 Giovanni. What, chang'd so soone! Hath your new sprightly lordFound out a tricke in night-games more then weeCould know in our simplicity? Ha! is't so?Or does the fitt come on you to prove treacherousTo your past vowes and oathes? Annabella.Why should you jeastAt my calamity, without all senseOf the approaching dangers you are in? Gio. What danger's halfe so great as thy revolt?Thou art a faithlesse sister, else thou know'st 10Malice or any treachery besideWould stoope to my bent browes: why I hold fateClasp't in my fist, and could command the courseOf times eternall motion, hadst thou beeneOne thought more steddy then an ebbing sea.15And what? you'le now be honest—that's resolv'd? Anna. Brother, deare brother, know what I have beene,And know that now there's but a dyning time^[1]Twixt us and our confusion: let's not wasteThese precious houres in vayne and uselesse speech.20Alas, these gay attyres were not put onBut to some end; this suddaine solemne feastWas not ordayn'd to riott in expence;I, that have now beene chambred here alone,Bard of my guardian or of any else,25Am not for nothing at an instant free'dTo fresh accesse. Be not deceiv'd, my brother,This banquet is an harbinger of deathTo you and mee; resolve your selfe it is,And be prepar'd to welcome it.  Gio.Well, then:30The schoole-men teach that all this globe of earthShalbe consum'd to ashes in a minute. Anna. So I have read too. Gio.But 'twere somewhat strangeTo see the waters burne: could I beleeveThis might be true, I could beleeve as wellThere might be hell or heaven.35 Anna.That's most certaine. Gio. A dreame, a dreame! else in this other worldWe should know one another. Anna.So wee shall. Gio. Have you heard so? Anna.For certaine. Gio.But d'ee thinkeThat I shall see you there?—You looke on mee?40May wee kisse one another, prate or laugh,Or doe as wee doe here?^[2] Anna.I know not that.But good^[3], for the present what d'ee meaneTo free your selfe from danger? Some way, thinkeHow to escape: I'me sure the guests are come. 45 Gio. Looke up, looke here; what see you in my face? Anna. Distraction and a troubled countenance^[4]. Gio. Death and a swift repining wrath:—yet looke;What see you in mine eyes? Anna.Methinkes you weepe. Gio. I doe indeed; these are the funerall teares50Shed on your grave; these furrowed up my cheekesWhen first I lov'd and knew not how to woe^[5].Faire Annabella, should I here repeateThe story of my life, wee might loose time.Be record all the spirits of the ayre55And all things else that are, that day and night,Earely and late, the tribute which my heartHath paid to Annabella's sacred loveHath been these teares, which are her mourners now!Never till now did nature doe her best60To shew a matchlesse beauty to the world,Which in an instant, ere it scarse was seene,The jealous Destinies require^[6] againe. Pray, Annabella, pray! Since wee must part,Goe thou, white in thy soule, to fill a throne65Of innocence and sanctity in heaven.Pray, pray, my sister! Anna.Then I see your drift—Yee blessed angels, guard mee! Gio.So say I!Kisse mee! If ever after times should heareOf our fast-knit affections, though perhaps70The lawes of conscience and of civill useMay justly blame us, yet when they but knowOur loves, that love will wipe away that rigour,Which would in other incests bee abhorr'd.Give mee your hand: how sweetely life doth runne75In these well-coloured veines! how constantlyThese palmes doe promise health! But I could chideWith nature for this cunning flattery.Kisse mee againe!—Forgive mee. Anna.With my heart. Gio. Farwell! Anna.Will you begone? Gio.Be darke, bright sunne,80And make this mid-day night, that thy guilt rayesMay not behold a deed will turne their splendour More sooty then the poets faigne their Stix!—One other kisse, my sister. Anna.What meanes this? Gio. To save thy fame, and kill thee in a kisse.Stabs her. 85Thus dye, and dye by mee, and by my hand!Revenge is mine; honour doth love command. Anna. Oh, brother, by your hand! Gio.When thou art deadI'le give my reasons for't; for to disputeWith thy—even in thy death—most lovely beauty90Would make mee stagger to performe this actWhich I most glory in. Anna. Forgive him, heaven—and me my sinnes! Farwell.Brother unkind, unkind—mercy, great heaven!—Oh!—Oh!Dyes.  Gio. She's dead, alas, good soule! The haplesse fruite95That in her wombe receiv'd its life from meeHath had from mee a cradle and a grave.I must not dally. This sad marriage-bedIn all her best bore her alive and dead.Soranzo, thou hast mist thy ayme in this;100I have prevented now thy reaching plots,And kil'd a love for whose each drop of bloodI would have pawn'd my heart.—Fayre Annabella, How over-glorious art thou in thy wounds,Tryumphing over infamy and hate!—105Shrinke not, couragious hand; stand up, my heart,And boldly act my last and greater part!Exit with the body. 

1. 17 dyning time. G-D, dining-time, which Dyce says is the reading of his quarto. A copy in the British Museum, according to D, gives dying time. The copies in the Boston Public Library and the library of the University of Illinois have dyning.
2. 38-41 But d'ee thinke . . . doe here? Q breaks this up into six short lines ending with thinke . . . there . . . mee . . . another . . . laugh . . . here.
3. 42 good. G-D, brother, substituted for the sake of the metre.
4. 46 countenance. G-D, conscience, Dodsley's correction.
5. 51 woe. G-D, woo, and so the copy at the University of Illinois.
6. 62 require. G-D, requir'd. Dyce says in a note that the quarto has require; the quarto at the University of Illinois has require'd.