Sor. I am resolv'd; urge not another word;
My thoughts are great, and all as resolute
As thunder; in mean time, I'll cause our lady
To deck herself in all her bridal robes;
Kiss her, and fold her gently in my arms.
Begone-yet hear you, are the banditti ready
To wait in ambush ?

Vas. Good sir, trouble not yourself about other business than your own resolution; remember that time lost cannot be recalled.

Sor. With all the cunning words thou canst, invite

The states of Parma to my birth-day's feast :
Haste to my brother-rival and his father,
Entreat them gently, bid them not to fail;
Be speedy, and return.

Vas. Let not your pity betray you, till my
coming back; think upon incest and cuckoldry.
Sor. Revenge is all the ambition I aspire,
To that I'll climb or fall; my blood's on fire.

:

SCENE III.

[Exeunt.

A Room in FLORIO's House.

Enter GIOVANNI.

Gio. Busy opinion is an idle fool, That, as a school-rod keeps a child in awe, Frights th' unexperienced temper of the mind : So did it me; who, ere my precious sister Was married, thought all taste of love would die

In such a contract; but I find no change
Of pleasure in this formal law of sports.
She is still one to me, and every kiss
As sweet and as delicious as the first
I reap'd, when yet the privilege of youth
Entitled her a virgin. O the glory
Of two united hearts like hers and mine!
Let poring book-men dream of other worlds ;
My world, and all of happiness, is here,
And I'd not change it for the best to come:
A life of pleasure is Elysium.

Enter FRIAR,

Father, you enter on the jubilee

Of my retired delights; now I can tell you,

The hell you oft have prompted, is nought else

But slavish and fond superstitious fear;

And I could prove it too

Friar. Thy blindness slays thee:

Look there, 'tis writ to thee. [Gives him the letter. Gio. From whom?

Friar. Unrip the seals and see;

The blood's yet seething hot, that will anon
Be frozen harder than congealed coral.-
Why d'ye change colour, son?

Gio. 'Fore heaven, you make
Some petty devil factor 'twixt my love
And your religion-masked sorceries.
Where had you this?

Friar. Thy conscience, youth, is sear'd,
Else thou would'st stoop to warning.

Gio. 'Tis her hand,

I know't; and 'tis all written in her blood.
She writes I know not what.

fear

Death! I'll not

An armed thunderbolt aim'd at my heart.

She writes, we are discover'd-pox on dreams
Of low faint-hearted cowardice!-discover'd?
The devil we are! which way is't possible?
Are we grown traitors to our own delights?
Confusion take such dotage! 'tis but forged;
This is your peevish chattering, weak old man!-
Now, sir, what news bring you?

Enter VASQUES.

Vas. My lord, according to his yearly custom, keeping this day a feast in honour of his birthday, by me invites you thither. Your worthy father, with the pope's reverend nuncio, and other magnificoes of Parma, have promised their presence; will't please you to be of the number? Gio. Yes, tell [him] I dare come.

Vas. Dare come?

Gio. So I said; and tell him more, I will come. Vas. These words are strange to me.

Gio. Say, I will come.

Vas. You will not miss ?

Gio. Yet more! I'll come, sir. Are you an

swered?

Vas. So I'll say--my service to you. [Exit. Friar. You will not go, I trust.

Gio. Not go! for what?

Friar. O, do not go; this feast, I'll gage my

life,

Is but a plot to train you to your ruin;
Be ruled, you shall not go.

Gio. Not go! stood death

Threatening his armies of confounding plagues,
With hosts of dangers hot as blazing stars,
I would be there; not go! yes, and resolve
To strike as deep in slaughter as they all;
For I will go.

Friar. Go where thou wilt ;-I see
The wildness of thy fate draws to an end,
To a bad fearful end :-I must not stay
To know thy fall; back to Bononia I
With speed will haste, and shun this coming blow.
Parma, farewell; would I had never known thee,
Or aught of thine! Well, young man, since no

prayer

Can make thee safe, I leave thee to despair. [Exit.
Gio. Despair, or tortures of a thousand hells,

All's one to me; I have set up my rest.4
Now, now, work serious thoughts on baneful

plots;

Be all a man, my soul; let not the curse
Of old prescription rend from me the gall
Of courage, which enrolls a glorious death :

If I must totter like a well-grown oak,
Some under-shrubs shall in my weighty fall
Be crush'd to splits; with me they all shall perish!

[Exit.

:

SCENE IV.

A Hall in SORANZO's House. Enter SORANZO, VASQUES with Masks, and BAN

DITTI.

Sor. You will not fail, or shrink in the attempt? Vas. I will undertake for their parts; be sure, my masters, to be bloody enough, and as unmerciful as if you were preying upon a rich booty on the very mountains of Liguria: for your pardons, trust to my lord; but for reward, you shall trust none but your own pockets.

Banditti. We'll make a murder.

Sor. Here's gold,-[Gives them money] here's more; want nothing; what you do

Is noble, and an act of brave revenge :
I'll make you rich, banditti, and all free.
Omnes. Liberty! liberty!

:

Vas. Hold, take every man a vizard; when you are withdrawn, keep as much silence as you can possibly. You know the watch-word, till which be spoken, move not; but when you hear that,

$ You know the watch-word.] It appears, from a subsequent passage, that this was "VENGEANCE."