Had robb'd the earth of more than all the world,

Valasco was the man appointed by

That goodly sister to steal Berinthia,
And lord himself of this possession,

Just at that time; but hear, and tremble at it,
She by a cunning poison should have breath'd
Her soul into his arms within two hours,
And so Valasco should have borne the shame
Of theft and murder.

Seb. You amaze me, sir.

Ant. Tis true, by honour's self: hear it confirm'd; And when you will, I am ready.

Seb. I cannot but believe it.~ Oh Berinthia, I'm wounded ere I fight.

you

Ant. Holds your resolve yet constant? if
Better opinion of your sword, than truth,
I am bound to answer: but I would I had
Such an advantage 'gainst another man,
As the justice of my cause; all valour fights
But with a sail against it.

Seb. But will you back with me then?

have

Ber. Excuse me, brother; I shall fall too soon Upon my sister's malice, whose foul guilt

Will make me expect more certain ruin.

Ant. Now Sebastiano

Puts on his judgment, and assumes his nobleness,

Whilst he loves equity.

Seb. And shall I carry shame

To Villarezo's house, neglect of father,

Whose precepts bind me to return with her

Or leave my life at Elvas?

I must on.

I have heard you to no purpose. Shall Berinthia

Back to Avero?

Ant. Sir, she must not yet;

'Tis dangerous.

Seb. Chuse thee a second then this count and I

Mean to leave honour here.

Vill. Honour me, sir.

Hh

Ant.

Ant. "Tis done. Sebastiano shall report
Antonio just: and, noble Sforza, swear
Upon my sword (Oh, do not hinder me)
If victory crown Sebastiano's arm,
I charge thee by thy honesty restore
This lady to him; on whose lip I seal
My unstain'd faith.

Antonio falls in a duel by the sword of Sebastiano.

tiano is disconsolate for having killed his friend. I his penitence, he is visited by Antonio's sister, Castabella, disguised as a page.

CASTABELLA. SEBASTIANO.

Cast. He that hath sent you, sir, this gift, did love

you;

You'll say yourself he did.

Seb. Ha, name him prithee.

Cast. The friend I came from was Antonio.

Seb. Who hath sent thee

To tempt Sebastiano's soul to act on thee

Another death, for thus affrighting me?

Cast. Indeed I do not mock, nor come to affright you; Heaven knows my heart. I know Antonio's dead. But 'twas a gift he in his life design'd

To you, and I have brought it.

Seb. Thou dost not promise cozenage: what gift is 't!
Cast. It is myself, sir; whilst Antonio liv'd,

I was his boy; but never did boy lose

So kind a master; in his life he promis'd
He would bestow me (so much was his love
To my poor merit) on his dearest friend,

And named you, sir, if heaven should point out
To over-live him, for he knew you would

Love me the better for his sake: indeed

I will be very honest to you, and
Refuse no service to procure your love

And good opinion to me...

Seb. Can it be

Thou wert his boy? Oh, thou should'st hate me then. Thou art false, I dare not trust thee; unto him

Thou

Thou shew'st thee now unfaithful, to accept
Of me: I kill'd thy master. "Twas a friend
He could commit thee to; I only was,

Of all the stock of men, his enemy,

His cruel'st enemy.

Cast. Indeed I am sure it was; he spoke all truth;
And, had he liv'd to have made his will, I know
He had bequeath'd me as a legacy,

To be your boy; alas, I am willing, sir,
To obey him in it: had he laid on me
Command, to have mingled with his sacred dust
My unprofitable blood, it should have been
A most glad sacrifice, and 't had been honour
To have done him such a duty: sir, I know
You did not kill him with a heart of malice,
But in contention with your very soul
To part with him.

Seb. All is as true

As oracle by heaven; dost thou believe so?
Cast. Indeed I do..

Seb. Yet be not rash;

'Tis no advantage to belong to me:

I have no power nor greatness in the court
To raise thee to a fortune worthy of

So much observance, as I shall expect
When thou art mine.

Cast. All the ambition of my thoughts shall be
To do my duty, sir.

Seb. Besides, I shall afflict thy tenderness
With solitude and passion: for I am

Only in love with sorrow, never merry,
Wear out the day in telling of sad tales,
Delight in sighs and tears; sometimes I walk
To a wood or river, purposely to challenge
The boldest echo to send back my groans

In th' height I break them. Come, I shall undo thee., Cast. Sir, I shall be most happy to bear part any of your sorrows; I ne'er had

In

So hard a heart but I could shed a tear

Hh 2

To bear my master company.

Seb. I will not leave thee, if thou'll dwell with me, For wealth of Indies: be my loved boy

Come in with me; thus I'll begin to do

Some recompence for dead Antonio.

Berinthia kills her brother Sebastiano sleeping.

CASTABELLA. SEBASTIANO.

Cast. Sir, if the opportunity I use
To comfort you be held a fault, and that
I keep not distance of a servant, lay it
Upon my love; indeed, if it be an error,
It springs out of my duty.

Seb. Prithee boy, he patient.

The more I strive to throw off the remembrance
Of dead Antonio, love still rubs the wounds
To make them bleed afresh.

Cast. Alas, they are past;

Bind up your own for honour's sake, and shew
Love to yourself; pray do not lose your reason,
To make your grief so fruitless. I have procur'd
Some music, sir, to quiet those sad thoughts
That make such war within you.

Seb. Alas, good boy, it will but add more weight
Of dullness on me! I am stung with worse

Than the tarantula, to be cur'd with music;

It has th' exactest unity, but it cannot

Accord my thoughts.

Cast. Sir, this your couch

Seems to invite some small repose:

Oh, I beseech you taste it. I will beg

A little leave to sing.

Berinthia enters softly.

Cast: Sweet sleep charm his sad senses:

And gentle thoughts let fall

(She sings.)

Your flowing numbers here; and round about
Hover celestial angels with your wings,

That

That none offend his quiet. Sleep begins
To cast his nets o'er me too; I'll obey,
And dream on him that dreams not what I am.

(She lies down by him.) Ber. Nature doth wrestle with me, but revenge

Doth arm my love against it; justice is

Above all tie of blood. Sebastiano,

Thou art the first shall tell Antonio's ghost,

How much I lov'd him.

(She stabs him upon his couch.)

Seb. (waking.) Oh, stay thy hand, Berinthia! no: Thou'st done't. I wish thee heaven's forgiveness. I can

not

Tarry to hear thy reasons; at many doors

My life runs out, and yet Berinthia

Doth in her name give me more wounds than these.
Antonio, Oh, Antonio: we shall now

Be friends again.

(Dies.)

THE