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Yet is my mood soliciting their soules.

Sufficeth thee that poore Hieronimo

Cannot forget his sonne Horatio.

Nor dies Reuegne although he sleepe a-while;

For in vnquiet, quietnes is faind,

And slumbring is a common worldly wile.

Beholde, Andrea, for an instance how

Reuenge hath slept; and then imagine thou

What tis to be subiect to destinie.

Enter a Dumme-show.

GHOST.

Awake, Reuenge! reueale this misterie!

REUENGE.

The two first [do] the nuptiall torches beare,

As brightly burning as the mid-daies sunne;

But after them doth Himen hie as fast,

Clothed in sable and saffron robe,

And blowes them out and quencheth them with blood,

As discontent that things continue so.

GHOST.

Sufficeth me; thy meanings vnderstood,

And thanks to thee and those infernall powers

That will not tollerate a louers woe.

Rest thee; for I will sit to see the rest.

REUENGE.

Then argue not; for thou hast thy request.

Exeunt.

ACTVS QUARTOS.

ACT IV. SCENE 1.

[The DUKE's castle.]

Enter BEL-IMPERIA and HIERONIMO.

BEL-IMPERIA. Is this the loue that bearst Horatio?

Is this the kindnes that thou counterfeits,

Are these the fruits of thine incessant teares?

Hieronimo, are these thy passions,

Thy protestations and thy deepe laments,

That thou wert wont to wearie men withall?

O vnkinde father! O deceitfull world!

With what excuses canst thou shew thy-selfe,—

With what dishonour, and the hate of men,—

Thus to neglect the losse and life of him

Whom both my letters and thine owne beliefe

Assures thee to be causeles slaughtered?

Hieronimo! for shame, Hieronimo,

Be not a history to after times

Of such ingratitude vnto thy sonne!

Vnhappy mothers of such chldren then!

But monstrous fathers, to forget so soone

The death of those whom they with care and cost

Haue tendred so, thus careles should be lost!

My-selfe, a stranger in respect to thee,

So loued his life as still I wish their deathes.

Nor shall his death be vnreuengd by me.

Although I beare it out for fashions sake;

For heere I sweare in sight of heauen and earth,

Shouldst thou neglect the loue thou shoudlst retain

And giue ouer and deuise no more,

My-selfe should send their hatefull soules to hel

That wrought his downfall with extreamest death!

HIE.

But may it be that Bel-imperia

Vowes such reuenge as she hath dain'd to say?

Why then, I see that heauen applies our drift,

And all the saints doe sit soliciting

For vengeance on those cursed murtherers.

Madame, tis true, and now I find it so.

I found a letter, written in your name,

And in that letter, how Horatio died.

Pardon, O pardon, Bel-imperia,

My feare and care in not beleeuing it!

Nor thinke I thoughtles thinke vpon a meane

To let his death be vnreuenge'd at full.

And heere I vow, so you but giue consent

And will conceale my resolution,

I will ere long determine of their deathes

That causeles thus haue murderd my sonne.

BEL.

Hieronimo, I will consent, conceale,

And ought that may effect for thine auaile,

Ioyne with thee to reuenge Horatios death.

HIER.

On then, [and] whatsoeuer I deuise,

Let me entreat you grace my practice,

For-why the plots already in mine head.—

Heere they are!

Enter BALTHAZAR and LORENZO.

BAL.

How now, Hieronimo?

What, courting Bel-imperia?

HIERO.I, my lord,

Such courting as, I promise you,

She hath my hart, but you, my lord, haue hers.

LOR.

But now, Hieronmimo, or neuer we are to intreate your helpe.

HIE.

My help? why, my good lords, assure your-selues of me;

For you haue giuen me cause,—I, by my faith, haue you!

BAL.

It pleasde you at the entertainment of the embassadour,

To grace the King so much as with a shew;

Now were your stuide so well furnished

As, for the passing of the first nights sport,

To entertaine my father with the like,

Or any such like pleasing motion,

Assure yourselfe it would content them well.

HIERO.

Is this all?

BAL.

I, this is all.

HIERO.

While then ile fit you; say no more.

When I was yong I gaue my minde

And plide my-selfe to fruitles