“ VINDICI My honoured lord.
LUSSURIOSO Away! Prithee forsake us; Hereafter we'll not know thee.
VINDICI Not know me, my lord? Your lordship cannot choose.
LUSSURIOSO Be gone, I say: thou art a false knave.
VINDICI Why, the easier to be known, my lord.
LUSSURIOSO Push, I shall prove too bitter with a word, Make thee a perpetual prisoner, And lay this ironage upon thee!
VINDICI Mum, For there's a doom would make a woman dumb. [Aside] Missing the bastard, next him, the wind's come about; Now 'tis my brother's turn to stay, mine to go out.
Exit Vindici.
LUSSURIOSO H'as greatly mov'd me. ”

“ LUSSURIOSO Well, this night I'll visit her, and 'tis till then A year in my desires. Farewell, attend, Trust me with thy preferment.
VINDICI My lov'd lord!
Exit.
Oh, shall I kill him a' th' wrong side now? No. Sword, thou wast never a back-biter yet. I'll pierce him to his face; he shall die looking upon me. Thy veins are swell'd with lust; this shall unfill 'em: Great men were gods if beggars could not kill 'em. Forgive me, heaven, to call my mother wicked; Oh, lessen not my days upon the earth! I cannot honour her ”

“ ANTONIO Bear 'em to speedy execution.
VINDICI Heart, was't not for your good, my lord?
ANTONIO My good! Away with 'em! Such an old man as he! You that would murder him would murder me.
VINDICI Is't come about?
HIPPOLITO 'Sfoot, brother, you begun.
VINDICI May not we set as well as the duke's son? Thou hast no conscience: are we not reveng'd? Is there one enemy left alive amongst those? 'Tis time to die when we are ourselves our foes. When murders shut deeds close, this curse does seal 'em: If none disclose 'em they themselves reveal 'em! ”

“ The duke's son! Oh, when women are young courtiers, They are sure to be old beggars! To know the miseries most harlots taste, Thou'dst wish thyself unborn when thou art unchaste.
CASTIZA Oh, mother, let me twine about your neck, And kiss you till my soul melt on your lips: I did but this to try you.
[GRATIANA] Oh, speak truth!
CASTIZA Indeed, I did not, for no tongue has force To alter me from honest. If maidens would, men's words could have no power. A virgin honour is a crystal tower, Which being weak is guarded with good spirits: Until she basely yields no ill inherits. ”

“ VINDICI True?
LUSSURIOSO Nay, but swear!
VINDICI Swear? I hope your honour little doubts my faith.
LUSSURIOSO Yet for my humour's sake, 'cause I love swearing.
VINDICI 'Cause you love swearing, 'slud, I will.
LUSSURIOSO Why, enough, Ere long look to be made of better stuff.
VINDICI That will do well indeed, my lord.
LUSSURIOSO Attend me.
Exit.
VINDICI Oh, Now let me burst: I've eaten noble poison! We are made strange fellows, brother, innocent villains. Wilt not be angry when thou hear'st on't, think'st thou? I'faith, thou shalt; swear me to foul my sister! ”

“ VINDICI In that disguise, I sent from the duke's son, Tried you, you, and found you base metal As any villain might have done.
[GRATIANA] Oh, no, No tongue but yours could have bewitch'd me so.
VINDICI Oh, nimble in damnation, quick in tune; There is no devil could strike fire so soon! I am confuted in a word.
[GRATIANA] Oh, sons, Forgive me; to myself I'll prove more true: You that should honour me, I kneel to you.
VINDICI A mother to give aim to her own daughter.
HIPPOLITO True, brother, how far beyond nature 'tis, Tho' many mothers do't. ”

“ Oh, death to think on't! She, her honour forc'd, Deem'd it a nobler dowry for her name To die with poison than to live with shame.
HIPPOLITO A wondrous lady; of rare fire compact: Sh'as made her name an empress by that act.
PIERO My lord, what judgment follows the offender?
ANTONIO Faith, none, my lord: it cools and is deferr'd.
PIERO Delay the doom for rape?
ANTONIO Oh, you must note who 'tis should die: The Duchess' son; she'll look to be a saver. "Judgment in this age is ne'er kin to favour." ”

“ DUKE It well becomes that judge to nod at crimes That does commit greater himself and lives. I may forgive a disobedient error That expect pardon for adultery, And in my old days am a youth in lust: Many a beauty have I turn'd to poison In the denial, covetous of all. Age hot is like a monster to be seen: My hairs are white, and yet my sins are green. ”

“ This murder might have slept in tongueless brass But for ourselves, and the world died an ass. Now I remember too, here was Piato Brought forth a knavish sentence: no doubt, said he, But time will make the murderer bring forth himself. 'Tis well he died; he was a witch. And now, my lord, since we are in forever, This work was ours which else might have been slipp'd, And if we list, we could have nobles clipp'd And go for less than beggars, but we hate To bleed so cowardly; we have enough. I'faith, We're well: our mother turn'd, our sister true, We die after a nest of dukes. ”

“ Mark me, duke, Thou'rt a renowned, high, and mighty cuckold.
DUKE Oh!
VINDICI Thy bastard, thy bastard rides a-hunting in thy brow.
DUKE Millions of deaths!
VINDICI Nay, to afflict thee more, Here in this lodge they meet for damned clips; Those eyes shall see the incest of their lips.
DUKE Is there a hell besides this, villains?
VINDICI Villain? Nay, heaven is just: scorns are the hires of scorns; I ne'er knew yet adulterer without horns.
HIPPOLITO Once ere they die 'tis quitted. ”

“ FOURTH MAN ['Sblood] , 'tis all false!
ANTONIO Away with that foul monster, Dipp'd in a prince's blood!
FOURTH MAN Heart, 'tis a lie!
ANTONIO Let him have bitter execution.
[Exit Fourth Man, guarded.]
VINDICI [Aside] New marrow! No, I cannot be express'd!-- How fares my lord the duke?
LUSSURIOSO Farewell to all; He that climbs highest has the greatest fall. My tongue is out of office.
VINDICI Air, gentlemen, air! [Whispering] Now thou'lt not prate on't, 'twas [Vindici] murd'red thee--
LUSSURIOSO Oh! ”

“ No, Times are grown wiser and will keep less charge: A maid that has small portion now intends To break up house and live upon her friends. How bless'd are you; you have happiness alone: Others must fall to thousands, you to one, Sufficient in himself to make your forehead Dazzle the world with jewels, and petitionary people Start at your presence.
[GRATIANA] Oh, if I were young, I should be ravish'd!
CASTIZA Ay, to lose your honour.
VINDICI 'Slid, how can you lose your honour To deal with my lord's grace? He'll add more honour to it by his title; Your mother will tell you how. ”

“ VINDICI Possible? 'Tis a rare phoenix, whoe'er she be, If your desires be such, she so repugnant. In troth, my lord, I'd be reveng'd and marry her.
LUSSURIOSO Push, the dowry of her blood and of her fortunes Are both too mean, good enough to be bad withal. I'm one of that number can defend Marriage is good, yet rather keep a friend. Give me my bed by stealth; there's true delight: What breeds a loathing in't but night by night? ”

“ Enter upon the portion of her soul, Her honour, which she calls her chastity, And bring it into expense, for honesty Is like a stock of money laid to sleep, Which ne'er so little broke does never keep. ”

“ Madam, I know y'are poor And 'lack the day, there are too many poor ladies already: Why should you vex the number? 'Tis despis'd. Live wealthy, rightly understand the world, And chide away that foolish country girl Keeps company with your daughter, chastity.
[GRATIANA] Oh, fie, fie, The riches of the world cannot hire A mother to such a most unnatural task!
VINDICI No, but a thousand angels can: Men have no power; angels must work you to't. The world descends into such base-born evils That forty angels can make fourscore devils. ”

“ HIPPOLITO True, my lord. [Aside] We shall find season once I hope. Oh, villain, To make such an unnatural slave of me! But--
[Enter Vindici, disguised as Piato.]
LUSSURIOSO Mass, here he comes.
HIPPOLITO [Aside] And now shall I have free leave to depart.
LUSSURIOSO Your absence; leave us.
HIPPOLITO [Aside] Are not my thoughts true? I must remove; but brother, you may stay: Heart, we are both made bawds a new-found way!
Exit.
LUSSURIOSO Now we're an even number; a third man's dangerous, Especially her brother. Say, be free: Have I a pleasure toward?
VINDICI Oh, my lord! ”

“ SUPERVACUO He shall not live; his hair shall not grow much longer: in this time of revels, tricks may be set afoot. Seest thou yon new moon? It shall out-live the new duke by much; this hand shall dispossess him, then we're mighty. A masque is treason's license; that build upon: 'Tis murder's best face when a vizard's on. ”

“ A pretty, perfum'd villain!
LUSSURIOSO I've bethought me, If she prove chaste still and immoveable, Venture upon the mother, and with gifts As I will furnish thee, begin with her.
VINDICI Oh, fie, fie, that's the wrong end, my lord! 'Tis mere impossible that a mother by any gifts should become a bawd to her own daughter!
LUSSURIOSO Nay, then I see thou'rt but a puny in the subtle mystery of a woman. Why, 'tis held now no dainty dish: the name Is so in league with age that nowadays It does eclipse three quarters of a mother. ”

“ Ask but the thriving'st harlot in cold blood, She'd give the world to make her honour good. Perhaps you'll say but only to th' duke's son In private; why, she first begins with one Who afterward to thousand proves a whore: "Break ice in one place, it will crack in more." ”

“ VINDICI 'Tis food to some, my lord. There are old men at the present that are so poisoned with the affectation of law-words, having had many suites canvass'd, that their common talk is nothing but Barbary Latin: they cannot so much as pray but in law, that their sins may be remov'd with a writ of error, and their souls fetch'd up to heaven with a sasarara. ”

“ DUKE Welcome, my lords.
SECOND NOBLE Our knees shall take away the office of our feet forever, Unless your grace bestow a father's eye Upon the clouded fortunes of your son, And in compassionate virtue grant him that Which makes e'en mean men happy: liberty. ”

“ CASTIZA How hardly shall that maiden be beset Whose only fortunes are her constant thoughts, That has no other child's part but her honour That keeps her low and empty in estate. Maids and their honours are like poor beginners: Were not sin rich there would be fewer sinners. ”

“ JUNIOR I tell you 'tis not, for the duke my father Deferr'd me till next sitting, and I look E'en every minute, threescore times an hour, For a release, a trick wrought by my brothers.
FIRST OFFICER A trick, my lord? If you expect such comfort, Your hopes as fruitless as a barren woman: Your brothers were the unhappy messengers That brought this powerful token for your death. ”

“ It is our blood to err, tho' hell gap'd loud: Ladies know Lucifer fell, yet still are proud. Now, sir. Wert thou as secret as thou'rt subtle, And deeply fadom'd into all estates, I would embrace thee for a near employment, And thou shouldst swell in money, and be able To make lame beggars crouch to thee.
VINDICI My lord? Secret? I ne'er had that disease a' th' mother, I praise my father: why are men made close, But to keep thoughts in best? ”

“ THIRD LORD Any way: our wrongs are such, We cannot justly be reveng'd too much.
VINDICI You shall have all enough. Revels are toward, And those few nobles that have long suppress'd you Are busied to the furnishing of a masque, And do affect to make a pleasant tale on't. ”

“ A right good woman in these days is chang'd Into white money with less labour far: Many a maid has turn'd to Mahomet With easier working. I durst undertake Upon the pawn and forfeit of my life With half those words to flat a Puritan's wife, But she is close and good. Yet 'tis a doubt By this time: oh, the mother, the mother! ”

“ I draw it myself, which, i'faith la, I'll present to your honour; you shall not choose but like it, for your lordship shall give me nothing for it.
LUSSURIOSO Nay, you mistake me then, For I am publish'd bountiful enough; Let's taste of your conceit.
VINDICI In picture, my lord?
LUSSURIOSO Ay, in picture.
VINDICI Marry, this it is: "A usuring father to be boiling in hell, And his son and heir with a whore dancing over him."
HIPPOLITO [Aside] H'as par'd him to the quick.
LUSSURIOSO The conceit's pretty, i'faith, But take 't upon my life, 'twill ne'er be lik'd. ”

“ I have put Much of my heart into him; he must die. He that knows great men's secrets and proves slight, That man ne'er lives to see his beard turn white. Ay, he shall speed him; I'll employ the brother: Slaves are but nails to drive out one another. He being of black condition, suitable To want and ill content, hope of preferment Will grind him to an edge.
The Nobles enter.
FIRST NOBLE Good days unto your honour.
LUSSURIOSO My kind lords, I do return the like.
SECOND NOBLE Saw you my lord the duke? ”

“ Oh, more uncivil, more unnatural, Than those base-titled creatures that look downward! Why does not heaven [turn] black, or with a frown Undo the world? Why does not earth start up And strike the sins that tread upon't? ”

“ I owe your cheek my hand For that presumption now, but I'll forget it. Come, you shall leave those childish 'haviours And understand your time; fortunes flow to you. What, will you be a girl? If all fear'd drowning that spy waves ashore, Gold would grow rich and all the merchants poor.
CASTIZA It is a pretty saying of a wicked one, but methinks now It does not show so well out of your mouth, Better in his.
VINDICI [Aside] Faith, bad enough in both, Were I in earnest, as I'll seem no less.-- I wonder, lady, your own mother's words Cannot be taken, nor stand in full force. 'Tis honesty you urge. ”