ACT III., SCENE I.
Enter Govianus, with his Lady and a servant. A flourish.
Gov. What is he?
Ser. An old lord come from the court.
Gov. He should be wise by's years; he will not dare
To come about such business; 'tis not man's work.
Art sure he desir'd to speak with thy lady?
Ser. Sure, sir.
Gov. Faith, thou'rt mistook, 'tis with me certain.
Let's do the man no wrong: go, know it truly, sir!
Ser. This is a strange humour, we must know things twice.
[Aside. Exit.
Gov. There's no man is so dull, but he will weigh
The work he undertakes, and set about it
E'en in the best sobriety of his judgment,
With all his senses watchful; then his guilt
Does equal his for whom 'tis undertaken.
Enter Servant.
What says he now?
Ser. E'en as he said at first, sir.
He's business with my lady from the king.
Gov. Still from the king! he will not come near, will he?
Ser. Yes, when he knows he shall, sir.
Gov. I cannot think it,
Let him be tried!
Ser. Small trial will serve him, I warrant you, sir.
Gov. Sure, honesty has left man; has fear forsook him?
Yes, faith, there is no fear, where there's no grace.
Lady. What way shall I devise to giv'm his answer?
Denial is not strong enough to serve, sir.
Gov. No, 't must have other helps.—
Enter Sophonirus.
I see, he dares!
O patience, I shall lose a friend of thee!
Soph. I bring thee, precious lady, this dear stone
And commendations from the king my master.
Gov. I set before thee, panderous lord, this steel,
And much good do't thy heart; fall to, and spare not!
[He stabs Sophonirus.
Lady. 'Las! what have you done, my lord?
Gov. Why, sent a bawd
Home to his lodging; nothing else, sweetheart.
Soph. Well! you have kill'd me, sir, and there's an end:
But you'll get nothing by the hand, my lord,
When all your cards are counted; there be gamesters
Not far off will set upon the winner,
And make a poor lord of you, ere they've left you.
I'm fetch'd in like a fool to pay the reckoning,
Yet you'll save nothing by't.
Gov. What riddle's this?
Soph. There she stands by thee now, who yet ere midnight
Must lie by the king's side!
Gov. Who speaks that lie?
Soph. One hour will make it true, she cannot 'scape
No more than I from death: you've a great game on't,
An' you look well about you—that's my comfort.
The house is round-beset with armed men,
That know their time when to break in and seize her.
Lady. My lord!
Gov. Tis boldly done to trouble me
When I've such business to despatch. Within there!
Enter Servant.
Gov. Look out, and tell me what thou see'st!
Soph. How quickly now my death will be revenged!
Before the king's first sleep! I depart laughing
To think upon the deed. [Dies.
Gov. 'Tis thy banquet;
Down, villain, to thy everlasting weeping,
That canst rejoice so in the rape of virtue,
And sing light tunes in tempests, when near ship-wreck'd,
And have no plank to save you!
Enter Servant.
Now, sir, quickly.
Ser. Which way soe'er I cast mine eye, my lord,
Out of all parts o' th' house, I may see fellows
Gather'd in companies, and all whispering,
Like men for treachery busy.
Lady. 'Tis confirm'd.
Ser. Their eyes still fix'd upon the doors and windows.
Gov. I think thou'st never done, thou lov'st to talk on't.
'Tis fine discourse: prythee, find other business.
Ser. Nay, I am gone, I'm a man quickly sneap'd.[464] [Exit.
Gov. H' has flatter'd me with safety for this hour.
Lady. Have you leisure to stand idle? why, my lord,
It is for me they come.
Gov. For thee, my glory,
The riches of my youth—it is for thee!
Lady. Then is your care so cold? will you be robb'd,
And have such warning of the thieves? Come on, sir!
Fall to your business, lay your hands about you:
Do not think scorn to work; a resolute captain
Will rather fling the treasure of his bark
Into whales' throats, than pirates should be gorg'd with't.
Be not less man than he; thou art master yet,
And all's at thy disposing; take thy time,
Prevent mine enemy, away with me,
Let me no more be seen. I'm like that treasure,
Dangerous to him that keeps it—rid thy hands on't!
Gov. I cannot lose thee so.
Lady. Shall I be taken,
And lost the cruellest way? then wouldst thou curse
That love that sent forth pity to my life!
Too late thou wouldst!
Gov. O this extremity!
Hast thou no way to 'scape them, but in soul?
Must I meet peace in thy destruction,
Or will it ne'er come at me?
'Tis a most miserable way to get it!
I had rather be content to live without it,
Than pay so dear for't, and yet lose it too.
Lady. Sir, you do nothing: there's no valour in you!
You're the worst friend to a lady in affliction,
That ever love made his companion:
For honour's sake, despatch me! thy own thoughts
Should stir thee to this act more than my weakness.
The sufferer should not do't: I speak thy part,
Dull and forgetful man, and all to help thee!
Is it thy mind to have me seized upon,
And borne with violence to the tyrant's bed?
There forc'd unto the lust of all his days.
Gov. O no, thou liv'st no longer, now I think on't:
I take thee at all hazard.
Lady. O, stay—hold, sir!
Gov. Lady, what had you made me done now?
You never cease, till you prepare me cruel
'Gainst my heart,
And then you turn't upon my hand,
And mock me.
Lady. Cowardly flesh!
Thou show'st thy faintness still: I felt thee shake,
E'en when the storm came near thee; thou'rt the same:
But 'twas not for thy fear I put death by;
I had forgot a chief and worthy business,
Whose strange neglect—would have made me forgotten.
I will be ready straight, sir. [She kneels in prayer.
Gov. O poor lady!
Why might not she expire now in that prayer,
Since she must die, and never try worse ways;
'Tis not so happy, for we often see
Condemn'd men sick to death, yet 'tis their fortune
To recover to their execution,
And rise again in health to set in shame.
What, if I steal a death unseen of her now,
And close up all my miseries, with mine eyes! O, fie,
And leave her here alone! that were unmanly.
Lady. My lord, be now as sudden as you please, sir!
I am ready for your hand.
Gov. But that's not ready.
'Tis the hardest work that ever man was put to;
I know not which way to begin to come to't.
Believe me, I shall never kill thee well:
I shall but shame myself; it were but folly,
Dear soul, to boast of more than I can perform.
I shall not have the power to do thee right in't:
Thou deserv'st death with speed, a quick despatch,
The pain but of a twinkling, and so sleep.
If I do't, I shall make thee live too long,
And so spoil all that way; I prythee, excuse me.
Lady. I should not be disturb'd, an' you did well, sir:
I have prepar'd myself for rest and silence,
And took my leave of words; I am like one
Removing from her house, that locks up all;
And rather than she would displace her goods,
Makes shift with anything for the time she stays;
Then look not for more speech, th' extremity speaks
Enough to serve us both, had we no tongues.
Hark! [Knocking within.
Within. Lord Sophonirus!
Gov. Which hand shall I take?
Lady. Art thou yet ignorant! There is no way
But through my bosom.
Lady. They're but thine enemies, that tell thee so.
His lust may part me from thee, but death never;
Thou canst not lose me then; for, dying thine,
Thou dost enjoy me still. Kings cannot rob thee. [Knocking.
Within. Do you hear, my lord?
Lady. Is it yet time, or no?
Honour, remember thee!
Gov. I must—come, prepare thyself!—
Lady. Never more dearly welcome,—
[He runs at her, and falls by the way in a swoon.
Alas, sir!
My lord, my love!—O thou poor-spirited man!
He's gone before me; did I trust to thee,
And hast thou serv'd me so? left all the work
Upon my hand, and stole away so smoothly?
There was not equal suffering shown in this,
And yet I cannot blame thee; every man
Would seek his rest; eternal peace sleep with thee!
[She takes up the sword of Govianus.
Thou art my servant now; come! thou hast lost
A fearful master, but art now preferr'd
Unto the service of a resolute lady,
One that knows how t' employ thee, and scorns death
As much as some men fear it. Where's hell's ministers,
The tyrant's watch and guard? 'tis of much worth,
When with this key the prisoner can slip forth.—
[Kills herself. Knocking.
Gov. How now! What noise is this? I heard doors beaten. [A great knocking again.
Where are my servants let men knock so loud,
Their master cannot sleep!
Within. The time's expir'd,
And we'll break in, my lord!
Gov. Ha! where's my sword?
I had forgot my business. O, 'tis done,
And never was beholding to my hand!
Was I so hard to thee? so respectless of thee,
To put all this to thee I why, it was more
Than I was able to perform myself.
With all the courage that I could take to me.
It tir'd me; I was fain to fall and rest;
And hast thou, valiant woman, overcome
Thy honour's en'mies with thine own white hand,
Where virgin-victory sits, all without help?
Eternal praise go with thee! Spare not now,
Make all the haste you can. I'll plant this bawd
Against the door, the fittest place for him;
That when with ungovern'd weapons they rush in,
Blinded with fury, they may take his death
Into the purple number of their deeds,
And wipe it off from mine;—
[Places the corpse of Sophonirus against the door.[465] Knocking within.
How now, forbear,
My lord's at hand!
Within. My lord, and ten lords more:
I hope the king's officers are above them all.
Enter the Fellows, well-weaponed.
Gov. Life! what do you do, take heed! Bless the old man!—
My Lord All-ass, my lord, he's gone!
1st Officer. Farewell he then.
We have no eyes to pierce thorough inch boards.
'Twas his own folly; the king must be serv'd,
And shall; the best is, we shall ne'er be hang'd for't,
There's such a number guilty.
Gov. Poor my lord!
He went some twice embassador, and behav'd himself
So wittily in all his actions.
2d Officer. My lord! what's she?
Gov. Let me see!
What should she be? Now I remember her—
O, she was a worthy creature,
Before destruction grew so inward[466] with her!
1st Officer. Well, for her worthiness, that's no work of ours—
You have a lady, sir; the king commands her
To court with speed, and we must force her thither.
Gov. Alas! she'll never strive with you, she was born
E'en with the spirit of meekness; is't for the king?
1st Officer. For his own royal and most gracious lust,
Or let me ne'er be trusted.
2d Officer. Spoke like an honest subject, by my troth!
I'd do the like myself to serve my prince.
Where is she, sir?
Gov. Look but upon yon face,
Then do but tell me where you think she is?
2d Officer. She's not here.
Gov. She's yonder.
1st Officer. Faith, she's gone
Where we shall ne'er come at her, I see that.
Gov. No, nor thy master neither; now I praise
Her resolution: 'tis a triumph to me,
When I see those about her.
2d Officer. How came this, sir?
The king must know.
Gov. From yon old fellow's prattling
All your intents; he reveal'd largely to her,
And she was troubled with a foolish pride
To stand upon her honour, and so died.
1st Officer. We have done the king good service to kill him—
More than we were aware of; but this news
Will make a mad court: 'twill be a hard office
To be a flatterer now, his grace will run
Into so many moods, there'll be no finding of him:
As good seek a wild hare without a hound now.
A vengeance of your babbling! these old fellows
Will hearken after secrets as their lives,
But keep 'em in, e'en as they keep their wives.
Fel. We have watch'd fairly.
[Exeunt. Manet Govianus.
Gov. What a comfort 'tis
To see 'em gone without her; faith, she told me
Her everlasting sleep would bring me joy,
Yet I was still unwilling to believe her,
Her life was so sweet to me, like some man
In time of sickness, that would rather wish
(To please his fearful flesh) his former health
Restor'd to him than death, when after trial,
If it were possible, ten thousand worlds
Could not entice him to return again,
And walk upon the earth from whence he flew:
So stood my wish, joy'd in her life and breath,
Now gone, there is no heav'n but after death.
Come, thou delicious treasure of mankind,
To him that knows what virtuous woman is,
And can discreetly love her! the whole world
Yields not a jewel like her, ransack rocks
And caves beneath the deep! O thou fair spring
Of honest and religious desires,
Fountain of weeping honour, I will kiss thee
After death's marble lip! thou'rt cold enough
To lie entomb'd now by thy[467] father's side
Without offence in kindred; there I'll place thee
With one I lov'd the dearest next to thee;
Help me to mourn, all that love chastity. [Exit.