Complete Dramatic Works of Thomas Dekker
Page 83
DOCTOR
The Admiral of Castile!
JOHN
Him you must sink.
DOCTOR
’Tis my certain death to do it.
JOHN
And they certain death to deny it. If you not show him a cast of your office, I’ll be so bold as bestow this upon you of mine. I am sharp set. Will you do it?
DOCTOR
I will, by these two hands.
JOHN
When?
DOCTOR
When you please.
JOHN
This day?
DOCTOR
This hour.
JOHN
And make him fast?
DOCTOR
Fast.
JOHN
For speaking.
DOCTOR
For speaking.
JOHN
Why then, good doctor, rise
To honour by it. Be secret and be wise.
Enter PACHECO.
PACHECO
The admiral is come, my lord.
JOHN
Away with these. Show him the way in. Doctor —
DOCTOR
Oh, my lord!
Enter VALASCO.
JOHN
If you fail —
VALASCO
All health to your good lordship. I wish that
Which most I think you want.
JOHN
Thanks, my good lord.
[Aside to Doctor.] Doctor, dispatch. Take heed your compositions;
Hit as I told you.
DOCTOR
[Aside to JOHN] Oh, my lord, I am beaten in these things.
JOHN
[Aside to Doctor.] Go then. [Exit.
This visitation of your lordship
I take most kindly.
VALASCO
Two main wheels, my lord,
Have hither brought me; one the king’s command,
T’other my love, with a desire to know
Why I ‘mongst all the trees that spreak i’th’court
Should still be smote with lightening from your eye.
Yours th’only dangerous arrows shoots at me;
You have the courtiers’ dialect right; your tongue
Walks ten miles from your heart. When last you saw me,
Do you remember how your threaten’d. As for you, sir —
JOHN
These notes are strange.
VALASCO
Oh, my good lord, be my good lord. I read
Harsh lectures in your face, but meet no comment
That can dissolve the riddle. Unless it be
Out of that noble fashion that great men
Must trip some heels up though they do stand
As vintners when they conjure, only to show
Their skill in wrestling. ’tis not well to strike
A man whose hands are bound, like should choose like.
JOHN
I strike you not, nor strive to give you falls.
’Tis your own guilt afflicts you; if to the king
The song I set of you did to your ear
Unmusically sound, ’twas not in hate
To you, but in desire to give the state
True knowledge of my innocence. Be sure a bird
Chanted that tune to me, that only you
Incens’d the king that I should sell him.
VALASCO
Umh!
JOHN
Do you think I lie?
VALASCO
I do believe your lordship.
JOHN
’Twas a man most near you.
VALASCO
A bosom villain!
JOHN
For you must think that all that bow, stand bare
And give court cakebread to you love you not.
VALASCO
True love at court, my lord, is hardly got.
JOHN
If I can friend you, use me.
VALASCO
Humble thanks.
JOHN
Oh, my good lord, times silver foretop stands
An end before you, scap’d never yours, your shoulders
Bear the weal-public up, but they should bear
Like pillars to be strong themselves. Would I
Want fish at sea, or golden showers at court,
I’d go awry sometimes wer’t but for sport.
VALASCO
Say you so?
JOHN
Sell justice and she’ll buy you lordships; clothe her,
As citizens do their wives, beyond their worth,
She’ll make you sell your lordships and your plate;
No wise man will for nothing serve a state.
Remember this: your daughter is the queen,
Brave phrase to say my son-in-la the king,
Whilst sweet showers fall and sunshine make your spring.
VALASCO
You look not out I see, nor hear the storms
Which late have shook the court.
JOHN
Not I. What storms?
VALASCO
You in your cabin know nothing; there’s a pinnace,
Was mann’d out first by th’city, is come to the court,
New rigg’d, a very painted galley foist,
And yet our Spanish carvils, the Armada
Of our great vessels, dare not stir for her.
JOHN
What pinnace mean you?
VALASCO
From his lawful pillow,
The king has ta’en a citizen’s wife.
JOHN
For what?
VALASCO
What should men do with citizens’ wives at court?
All will be naught! Poor queen! ’Tis she smarts for’t.
JOHN
Now ’tis your time to strike.
VALASCO
He does her wrong.
And I shall tell him soundly.
JOHN
Tell him!
VALASCO
I’ll pay it home.
JOHN
Were you some father-in-law now —
VALASCO
What lies here,
Lies here, and none shall know it.
JOHN
How easy were it,
For you to set this warping kingdom straight.
VALASCO
The people’s hearts are full.
JOHN
And weed the state.
VALASCO
Too full of weeds already.
JOHN
And to take all
Into your own hands.
VALASCO
I could soon do’t.
JOHN
Then do’t.
VALASCO
Do what? Misprize me not, pray, good my lord,
Nor let those foolish words we shoot i’th’air
Fall on our heads and wound us. To take all
Into mine own hands, this I mean.
JOHN
Come on.
VALASCO
Boldly and honestly to chide the king.
JOHN
Umh!
VALASCO
Take his minx up short.
JOHN
Take her up!
VALASCO
Roundly, to rate her Whitehall husband; to stir up —
JOHN
The people, since men’s wives are common cases.
VALASCO
You hear me not say so.
JOHN
To force this tyrant to mend or end.
VALASCO
Good day to your lordship.
JOHN
Shoot off the piece you have charg’d.
VALASCO
No, it recoils.
JOHN
You and I shall fall to cutting throats.
VALASCO
Why?
JOHN
If we cut one another’s throats, I shall never
Speak of this. Fare your lordship well.
A
lphonso de Granada!
Enter ALPHONSO.
ALPHONSO
Good health to both your lordships!
JOHN
Thanks, good Alphonso. Nay, pray stay.
VALASCO
Where hast thou been, Alphonso?
ALPHONSO
In the Marquess of Villa Nova del Rios Garden,
Where I gathered these grapes.
VALASCO
And th’are the fairest grapes I ever touch’d.
JOHN
Troth, so they are. Plump Bacchus’ cheeks were never
So round and red; the very god of wine
Swells in this bunch, Lyæus set this vine.
VALASCO
I have not seen a lovlier.
ALPHONSO
’Tis your lordship’s if you vouchsafe to take it.
VALASCO
Oh, I shall rob you of too much sweetness.
ALPHONSO
No, my lord.
VALASCO
I thank you.
ALPHONSO
Make bold to see your honour —
JOHN
Good Alphonso.
ALPHONSO
And, loath to be too troublesome, take my leave.
JOHN
My duty to the king.
VALASCO
Farewell, good Alphonso. [Exit. ALPHONSO.
JOHN
How do you like your grapes?
VALALSO
Most delicate. Taste ’em.
Is it not strange that on a branch so fair,
Should grow so foul a fruit as drunkards are?
JOHN
These are the bullets that make cities reel
More than the cannon can.
VALASCO
This juice infus’d
In man makes him a beast, good things abus’d
Convert to poison thus. How now!
JOHN
I’m dizzy.
Oh, does not all the house run round on wheels!
Do not the posts go round! My lord, this fellow
Loves you, I hope?
VALASCO
I’ll pawn my life he does.
JOHN
Would all we both are worth, were laid to pawn
To a broker that’s undamn’d for half a dram,
For half a scruple. Oh, we are poison’d!
VALASCO
Ha!
JOHN
What do you feel?
VALASCO
A giddiness too, methinks.
JOHN
Without there! Call the doctor, slave!
Enter PACHECO.
PACHECO
He’s here, sir.
Enter Doctor.
JOHN
Oh, Doctor, now or never, give him his last.
We are poison’d both. [Exit Doctor.
VALASCO
I think our banes are ask’d.
JOHN
He’ll bring that shall forbid it. Call him, villain!
PACHECO
Well, sir, I will call him villain. [Exit.
VALASCO
All thrives not well within me. [Aside.] On my soul,
’Tis but conceit. I’m hurt with fear. Don John
Is my close mortal enemy and perhaps
Under the choler I am poison’d, sends
To pay me soundly. To prevent the worst,
Preservative or poison, he drinks first.
Enter Doctor.
JOHN
Give it him.
VALASCO
No, begin.
JOHN
What is’t?
DOCTOR
Cordial.
JOHN
The doctor shall begin, quickly, so here,
Half this. To both our deaths if’t come too late.
VALASCO
I pledge them both, death is a common foe.
JOHN
Shift hands; is’t mortal?
DOCTOR
It strikes, sure.
JOHN
Let it run.
VALASCO
’Tis down.
JOHN
[Aside.] I’m glad thy life’s not a span long.
[Aloud.] How is’t?
VALASCO
Worse.
JOHN
[Aside.] Better. I do fear this physic
Like pardons for men hang’d is brought too late. [VALASCO falls.
DOCTOR
He’s gone.
JOHN
Who’s without?
DOCTOR
Some of his men attending with his carouch.
JOHN
Take help. Bestow the body in’t; convey it
To his own house and there, sir, see you swear
You saw him in your presence fall dead here.
DOCTOR
This I can safely swear.
JOHN
Help then; away.
Thou art next, for none must live that can betray. [Exeunt.
Act Three, Scene Two
FLOURISH. ENTER KING, QUEEN, TORMIELLA, Ladies, IAGO, MARTINES and ALPHONSO.
KING
So, sweetness, I’ll now walk no longer with you.
QUEEN
Are you weary of my company?
KING
Never shall.
Prithee, keep thy chamber a while, the air bites.
QUEEN
’Tis because the sun shines not so how as’t had wont.
KING
There’s some cloud between then.
QUEEN
Yes, and a horrible foul one.
KING
I see none but fair ones.
QUEEN
No. Look yonder. It comes from the city.
KING
Let it come. By those roses I am angry that you let me not go.
QUEEN
Nay, look you, your grace takes all from me too; I pray, sir, give me my roses; your highness is too courteous.
KING
I must of necessity have one.
QUEEN
You shall, so you take it of my choosing.
KING
I will, so you choose that which I like.
QUEEN
Which will you have? The bud, or that which is blown?
KING
The bud sure; I love no blown ware.
QUEEN
Take you bud then. [Offers to go, and throws it down.
KING
Do you hear? Are you angry?
QUEEN
No, you are jealous. You are so loath to have me out of your sight. You need not, for I keep the fashion of the kings of China who never walk abroad, but besides their attendants, have five or six as richly attired as themselves to cut off treason.
KING
So.
QUEEN
Here are others in the troop will be taken for queens sooner than I.
KING
You are vex’d I have prefer’d a creature to you?
QUEEN
Who dares check the sun if he make a stinking weed grow close to a bed of violets. Vex’d! Not I; and yet methinks you might give me leave to choose mine own woman as well as you do your men; I commend no man to you, for lifting join-stools to be one of your guard.
KING
Your muff.
QUEEN
[To TORMIELLA.] Take it, good wife.
KING
You will make me angry, good wife, so take it.
QUEEN
Now I hope you’ll take it; you need not scorn a queen’s leavings for a queen has had yours.
KING
What! [TORMIELLA takes up the muff and gives it to the QUEEN.
QUEEN
You see? Does your majesty frown because I take it from her?
Come hither, put your hand here. So, well met.
All friends now, yet though tied never so fast,
Being a bow knot, it slips itself as last.
[Exeunt QUEEN, TORMIELLA, Ladies and MARTINES.
KING
And ne’er so hard, yet thine own dust shall cut thee.
Go, call that lady back.
ALPHONSO
Which?
KING
Tormiella.
No, do not! ’Tis a cock the lion can fright;
The hen does’t now, the case is alter’d quite.
Enter Doctor.
DOCTOR
Your gracious pardon to call back a life
That’s half lost with despair.
KING
What hast thou done?
DOCTOR
Poison’d a man.
KING
Whom hast thou poison’d?
DOCTOR
The Queen’s father.
KING
Would it had been the daughter! Thou shalt feel
A double death; one here, and one in hell.
DOCTOR
I must have company with me then. Don John,
Your highness brother, set against my throat —
KING
Back.
DOCTOR
His arm’s sword; I had died, had I not done’t.
KING
Our guard.
Go fetch Don John our brother to the court.
DOCTOR
A word in your highness’ ear.
KING
Search him.
OMNES
He has nothing.
DOCTOR
Ay, instead of poison,
Gave him a sleepy potion; he’s preserv’d.
Don John thinks not. The noble admiral
Fears plots against his life, forbears the court
But sends me to your grace to bit you set
Your footing stiff and strongly, for Don John
Trips at your life and kingdom; to his throat
Valasco this will justify.
KING
He shall.
Go you and fetch him securely to court.
Alphonso, take the Doctor and return.
Death! When! [Exeunt ALPHONSO and Doctor.
Iago, with your smoothest face go greet
Don John from us, say we have work of state,
Both presently and closely bid him come.
IAGO
I shall. [Exit.
Enter GAZETTO, disguised as LUPO.
KING
How now, what’s he? Give us leave; come hither.
We have perus’d your paper, sir, and think
Your promises spring tides, but we fear you’ll ebb
In your performance.
GAZETTO
My deeds and speeches, sir,
Are lines drawn from one center; what I promise
To do, I’ll do, or lose this.
KING
You give me physic
After I’m dead; the Portugals and we
Have hung our drums up, and you offer here
Models of fortification, as if a man
Should when war’s done, set up an armourer’s shop.
GAZETTO
I bid you set up none, sir; you may choose.
KING
This fellow I’ll fitly cast i’th’villain’s mold.
I find him crafty, envious, poor, and bold.
Into a saw I’ll turn thee, to cut down
All trees which stand in my way. What’s thy name?
GAZETTO
You may read in my paper.
KING