'Tis Pity She's a Whore/Act V Scene VI
[SCENA SEXTA. A banqueting room in Soranzo's house.]
A banquet.
Enter Cardinall, Florio, Donado, Soranzo, Richardetto, Vasques, and attendants; they take their places.
Vasques [aside to Soran.]. Remember, sir, whatyou have to do; be wise and resolute. Soranzo [aside to Vas.] Enough: my heart is fix't.—Pleaseth your graceTo taste these course[1] confections; though the use5Of such set enterteyments[2] more consistsIn custome then in cause, yet, reverend sir,I am still made your servant by your presence. Cardinall. And wee your friend. Soran. But where's my brother Giovanni?Enter Giovanni with a heart upon his dagger.10 Giovanni. Here, here, Soranzo! trim'd in reeking blood That tryumphs over death, proud in the spoyleOf love and vengeance! Fate, or all the powersThat guide the motions of immortall soules,Could not prevent mee.15 Car. What meanes this? Florio. Sonne Giovanni! Soran. [aside]. Shall I be forestall'd? Gio. Be not amaz'd: if your misgiving heartsShrinke at an idle sight, what bloodlesse feare20Of coward passion would have ceaz'd your sences,Had you beheld the rape of life and beautyWhich I have acted!—My sister, oh, my sister! Flo. Ha! What of her? Gio.The glory of my deedDarkned the mid-day sunne, made noone as night.25You came to feast, my lords, with dainty fare:I came to feast too, but I dig'd for foodIn a much richer myne then gold or stoneOf any value ballanc't; 'tis a heart,A heart, my lords, in which is mine intomb'd.30Looke well upon't; d'ee know't? Vas. What strange ridle's this? Gio. 'Tis Annabella's heart, 'tis; why d'ee startle?I vow 'tis hers; this daggers poynt plow'd up Her fruitefull wombe, and left to mee the fame35Of a most glorious executioner. Flo. Why, mad-man, art thy selfe? Gio. Yes, father, and that times to come may knowHow as my fate I honoured my revenge,List, father, to your eares I will yeeld up40How much I have deserv'd to bee your sonne. Flo. What is't thou say'st? Gio.Nine moones have had their changesSince I first throughly view'd and truely lov'dYour daughter and my sister. Flo.How! alas, my lords,Hee's a frantick mad-man![3] Gio.Father, no.45For nine moneths space in secret I enjoy'dSweete Annabella's sheetes; nine moneths I liv'dA happy monarch of her heart and her.—Soranzo, thou knows't this: thy paler cheekeBeares the confounding print of thy disgrace;50For her too fruitfull wombe too soone bewray'dThe happy passage of our stolne delights,And made her mother to a child unborne. Car. Incestuous villaine! Flo.Oh, his rage belyes him. Gio. It does not; 'tis the oracle of truth;I vow it is so. 55 Soran.I shall burst with fury.—Bring the strumpet forth!Exit Vas. Vas. I shall, sir. Gio.Doe, sir.—Have you all no faithTo credit yet my triumphs? Here I sweareBy all that you call sacred, by the love60I bore my Annabella whil'st she liv'd,These hands have from her bosome ript this heart.Enter Vas.Is't true, or no, sir? Vas.'Tis most strangely true. Flo. Cursed man!—have I liv'd to— Dyes. Car.Hold up Florio![4]Monster of children, see what thou hast done—65Broake thy old fathers heart.—Is none of youDares venter on him? Gio.Let 'em! Oh, my father,How well his death becomes him in his griefes!Why this was done with courage. Now survivesNone of our house but I, guilt in the blood70Of a fayre sister and a haplesse father. Soran. Inhumane scorne of men, hast thou a thoughtT'out live thy murthers? Gio.Yes, I tell thee, yes: For in my fists I beare the twists of life.Soranzo, see this heart which was thy wives;75Thus I exchange it royally for thine, [Stabs him.]And thus, and thus! Now brave revenge is mine.[Soranzo falls.] Vas. I cannot hold any longer; you[5], sir, areyou growne insolent in your butcheries? HaveFight.at you!80 Gio. Come, I am arm'd to meete thee. Vas. No! will it not be yet? If this will not,another shall. Not yet? I shall fitt you anon.—Vengeance!Enter Bandetti. Gio. Welcome! come more of you; what e're you be,85I dare your worst—[They surround and stab him.]Oh, I can stand no longer! Feeble armes[Falls.]Have you so soone lost strength? Vas. Now you are welcome, sir!—Away,my maisters, all is done; shift for your selves,90your reward is your owne; shift for your selves.Exeunt Bandetti. Banditti. Away, away! Vas. How d'ee, my lord? See you this?[Pointing to Gio.] How is't? Soran. Dead; but in death well pleased that I have liv'd 95To see my wrongs reveng'd on that blacke devill.O, Vasques, to thy bosome let mee giveMy last of breath; let not that lecher live.—Dyes.Oh!— Vas. The reward of peace and rest be with100him, my ever dearest lord and maister! Gio. Whose hand gave mee this wound? Vas. Mine, sir; I was your first man: have you enough? Gio. I thanke thee; thou hast done for meBut what I would have else done on my selfe.Ar't sure thy lord is dead?105 Vas.Oh, impudent slave,As sure as I am sure to see the[e] dye! Car. Thinke on thy life and end, and call for mercy. Gio. Mercy? why I have found it in this justice. Car. Strive yet to cry to heaven. Gio.Oh, I bleed fast!110Death, thou art a guest long look't for; I embraceThee and thy wounds. Oh, my last minute comes!Where e're I goe, let mee enjoy this grace,Dyes.Freely to view my Annabella's face. Donado. Strange miracle of justice! 115 Car. Rayse up the citty; wee shall be murdered all! Vas. You neede not feare, you shall not; thisstrange taske being ended, I have paid the dutyto the sonne which I have vowed to the father. Car. Speake, wretched villaine, what incarnate feind120Hath led thee on to this? Vas. Honesty, and pitty of my maisterswrongs: for know, my lord, I am by birth aSpaniard, brought forth my countrey in myyouth by Lord Soranzo's father, whom whil'st125he lived I serv'd faithfully; since whose death Ihave beene to this man as I was to him. WhatI have done was duty, and I repent nothing, butthat the losse of my life had not ransom'd his. Car. Say, fellow, know'st thou any yet unnam'd130Of counsell in this incest? Vas. Yes, an old woeman, sometimes guard-ian to this murthered lady. Car. And what's become of her? Vas. Within this roome shee is; whose eyes,135after her confession, I caus'd to be put out, butkept alive to confirme what from Giovanni'sowne mouth you have heard. Now, my lord,what I have done you may judge of, and let yourowne wisedome bee a judge in your owne reason. 140 Car. Peace!—First this woeman, chiefe in these effects,My sentence is, that forthwith shee be taneOut of the citty, for examples sake,There to be burnt to ashes. Do.'Tis most just. Car. Be it your charge, Donado, see it done.145 Do. I shall. Vas. What for mee? If death, 'tis welcome:I have beene honest to the sonne as I was tothe father. Car. Fellow, for thee, since what thou did'st was done150Not for thy selfe, being no Italian,Wee banish thee for ever; to departWithin three dayes: in this wee doe dispenseWith grounds of reason, not of thine offence. Vas. 'Tis well: this conquest is mine, and I155rejoyce that a Spaniard out-went an Italian inExit Vas.revenge. Car. Take up these slaughtered bodies, see them buried;And all the gold and jewells, or whatsoever,Confiscate by the canons of the church,160We ceaze upon to the popes proper use. Richardetto [discovers himself]. Your graces pardon: thus long I liv'd disguis'd To see the effect of pride and lust at onceBrought both to shamefull ends. Car. What! Richardetto, whom wee thought for dead? Do. Sir, was it you— Rich.Your friend.165 Car.Wee shall have timeTo talke at large of all; but never yetIncest and murther have so strangely met.Of one so young, so rich in nature's store,Who could not say, 'Tis pitty shee's a whoore?Exeunt.
FINIS.
The generall commendation deserved by the actors in their presentment of this tragedy may easily excuse such few faults as are escaped in the printing. A common charity may allow him the ability of spelling, whom a secure confidence assures that hee cannot ignorantly erre in the application of sence.