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Misceat, et nostro detur medicina dolori;

Aut siqui faciunt annorum obliuia succos

Prebeat; ipse metam megnum quaecunque per orbem

Gramina sol pulchras eiecit lucis in oras.

Ipse bibam quicquid meditatur saga veneni,

Quicquid et irarum ui caeca nenia nectit.

Omnia perpetiar, lethum quoque, dum semel omnis

Nost in extincto moriatur pectore sensus.

Ergo tua perpetuus speeliuit limunia somnus?

Emoriar tecum: sic, sic iuuat ire sub vmbras!

Attamen absistam properato cedere letho,

Ne mortem vindicta tuam tum nulla sequatur.

Heere he throwes it from him and beares the body away.

[CHORUS.]

ANDREA.

Broughtst thou me hether to increase my paine?

I lookt that Balthazar should haue been slaine;

But tis my freend Horatio that is slaine,

And they abuse faire Bel-imperia,

On whom I doted more then all the world,

Because she lou'd me more then all the world.

REUENGE.

Thou talkest of haruest, when the corne is greene;

The end is [growne] of euery worke well done;

The sickle comes not till the corne be ripe.

Be still, and, ere I lead thee from this place,

Ile shew thee Balthazar in heauy case.

ACTUS TERTIUS.

ACT III. SCENE 1.

[The Portuguese court.]

Enter VICEROY OF PORTINGALE, NOBLES, ALEXANDRO,

VILLUPPO.

VICEROY.

Infortunate condition of kings,

Seated amidst so many helples doubts!

First,we are plast vpon extreamest height,

And oft supplanted with exceeding hate,

But euer subiect to the wheele of chance;

And at our highest neuer ioy we so

As we doubt and dread our ouerthrow.

So striueth not the waues with sundry winds

As fortune toyleth in the affaires of kings,

That would be feard, yet feare to be beloued,

Sith feare and loue to kings is flatterie.

For instance, lordings, look vpon your king,

By hate depriued of his dearest sonne,

The only hope of our successiue line.

NOB.

I had not thought that Alexandros hart

Had beene enuenomde with such extreame hate;

But now I see that words haue seuerall workes,

And theres no credit in the countenance.

VIL.

No, for, my lord, had you beholde the traine

That fained loue had coloured in his lookes

When he in campe consorted Balthazar,

Farre more inconstant had you thought the sunne,

That howerly coasts the center of the earth,

Then Alexandros purpose to the prince.

VICE.

No more, Villuppo! thou hast said enough,

And with thy words thou saiest our wounded thoughts.

Nor shall I longer dally with the world,

Procrastinating Alexandros death.

Goe, some of you, and fetch the traitor forth,

That, as he is condemned, he may dye.

Enter ALEXANDRO, with a NOBLE-MAN and

HALBERTS.

NOB.

In such extreames will nought but patience serue.

ALEX.

But in extreames what patience shall I vse?

Nor discontents it me to leaue the world,

With whome there nothing can preuaile but wrong.

NOB.

Yet hope the best.

ALEX.

Tis heauen my hope:

As for the earth, it is too much infect

To yeeld me hope of any of her mould.

VICE.

Why linger ye? bring froth that daring feend,

And let him die for his accursed deed.

ALEX.

Not that I feare the extremitie of death—

For nobles cannot stoop to seruile feare—

Doo I, O king, thus discontented liue;

But this, O this, torments my labouring soule,

That thus I die suspected of a sinne

Whereof, as Heauens haue knowne my secret thoughts,

So am I free from this suggestion!

VICE.

No more, I say; to the tortures! when?

Binde him, and burne his body in those flames,

They binde him to the stake.

That shall prefigure those vnquenched fiers

Of Phlegiton prepared for his soule.

ALEX.

My guiltles death will be aueng'd on thee!

On thee, Villuppo, that hath malisde thus,

Or for thy meed hast falsely me accusde!

VIL.

Nay, Alexandro, if thou menace me,

Ile lend a hand to send thee to the lake

Where those thy words shall perish with thy workes,

Iniurious traitour, monstrous homicide!

Enter EMBASSADOUR.

[EM.] Stay! hold a-while! and heer, with pardon of

His Maiestie, lay hands vpon Villuppo!

VICE.

Embassadour, what newes