A thing we all pursue; I know besides That must be lost. Phi. But there are pains, false boy, For perjur'd souls: think but on these, and then Thy heart will melt, and thou wilt utter all. Bellario, discovered to be a Woman, confesses the motive for her disguise to have been Love for Prince Philaster. Bell. May they fall all upon me whilst I My father would oft speak live, If I be perjured, or have ever thought Of that you charge me with: if I be false, Phi. O, what should I do? Your worth and virtue, and as I did grow As soon as found, till sitting in my window, Why, who can but believe him? He does swear I thought (but it was you) enter our gates; So earnestly, that if it were not true, Dost look so truly when thou utter'st them, My blood flew out, and back again as fast That though I know them false, as were my Heav'd from a sheep-cot to a sceptre, rais'd hopes, I cannot urge thee further; but thou wert Bell. I will fly as far As there is morning, ere I give distaste So high in thoughts as I; you left a kiss To that most honour'd mind. But through these I could not stay with you, I made a vow tears, By all the most religious things a maid eyes, For other than I seem'd; that I might ever George Chapman. Dieser Dichter ward 1557 geboren, studirte auf einer englischen Universität und wandte sich dann nach London wo er 1634 starb. Er war ein Freund Spensers und Shakspeare's, zeichnete sich vorzüglich als Uebersetzer des Homer, Musaeus und Hesiod aus und schrieb ausserdem sechzehn Bühnenstücke in welchen sich manches sehr Gelungene findet; besonders athmet sein Trauerspiel Bussy d'Ambois, aus dem wir hier eine Scene mittheilen, einen wahrhaft ritterlichen Geist, Scene from Offer'd remission and contrition too: Bussy d'Ambois, a Tragedy: By George Or else that he and D'Ambois might conclude The others' dangers. D'Ambois lik'd the last: But Barrisor's friends, (being equally engag'd Chapman. A Nuntius (or Messenger) in the presence of King In the main quarrel) never would expose D'Ambois by some courtiers. Henry, Guise, Beaupre, Nuntius etc. Nuntius. I saw fierce D'Ambois and his two brave friends Enter the field, and at their heels their foes, Which were the famous soldiers, Barrisor, L'Anou, and Pyrrhot, great in deeds of arms: All which arriv'd at the evenest piece of earth The field afforded, the three shallengers Turn'd head, drew all their rapiers, and stood That the ne'er-shutting wounds, they needs must When face to face the three defendants met them, Might as they open'd shut, and never kill. Like bonfires of contributory wood But D'Ambois' sword (that lightned as it flew) Shot like a pointed comet at the face Thrice pluck'd he at it, and thrice drew on thrusts Every man's look shew'd, fed with other's Of manly Barrisor; and there it stuck: spirit; As one had been a mirror to another, Like forms of life and death each took from From him, that of himself was free as fire; other: And so were life and death mix'd at their heights, Who thrust still, as he pluck'd, yet (past belief) Nuntius. As Hector 'twixt the hosts of Then, as in Arden I have seen an oak Greece and Troy, When Paris and the Spartan king should end The nine years war, held up his brazen lance For signal that both hosts should cease from arms, And hear him speak: so Barrisor (advis'd) Long shook with tempests, and his lofty top loose (Even groaning with his weight) he 'gan to nod Guise. O piteous and horrid murder! Methinks had metal in it to survive Henry. Such often soonest end. In my young travels through Armenia, Nuntius. Sorrow and fury, like two oppo- By which time, all the life-strings of th' two other site fumes Met in the upper region of a cloud, venge, Were cut, and both fell (as their spirit few) Henry. All slain outright but he? John Webster. Ein Zeitgenosse Ben Jonson's und Nachahmer Shakspeare's; er blühte um 1612-1623 und hat drei Tragödien und eine Tragi-komödie hinterlassen, die er allein und zwei Komödien, die er in Verbindung mit W. Stowley verfasst hat. Seine beiden bedeutendsten Leistungen sind: The white Devil und the Duchess of Malfy. In beiden beurkundet er seltene jedoch oft excentrische dramatische Kraft. Scenes from The white Devil: or, Vittoria Corombona, A Lady of Venice. A Tragedy. By John Webster. The arraignment of Vittoria. - Paulo Giordano Ursini, Duke of Brachiano, for the love of Vittoria Corombona, a Venetian Lady, and at her suggestion, causes her Husband Camillo to be murdered. Suspicion falls upon Vittoria, who is tried at Rome, on a double Charge of Murder and incontinence: in the presence of Cardinal Monticelso, Cousin to the deseased Camillo; Francisco de Medicis, Brother in Law to Brachiano; the Ambassadors of France, Spain, England, etc. As the arraignment is beginning the Duke confidently enters the Court. Mon. Forbear, my Lord, here is no place This business, by his holiness, is left Bra. May it thrive with you. Fra. A chair there for his lordship. Should travel as Dutch women go to church, Mon. At your pleasure, Sir. Lawyer. Domine judex converte oculos in Fra. A lawyer, that pleads against you. I'll make no answer else. tongue, Fra. Why, you understand Latin. Vit. I do, Sir, but amongst this auditory Which come to hear my cause, the half or more May be ignorant in 't. Vit. By your favor, I will not have my accusation clouded You need not stand on't much; pray, change Shall be more famous by it. credit Law. Well then have at you. Vit. I am the mark, Sir, I'll give aim to you, And tell you how near you shoot. Mon. I must spare you, till proof cry whore to that. Observe this creature here, my honor'd Lords, Vit. My honorable Lord, It doth not suit a reverend Cardinal Mon. O your trade instructs your language. Vit. Your invenom'd apothecary should do't. Law. Most literated judges, please your Were there a second paradise to lose, lordships So to connive your judgments to the view Of this debauch'd and diversivolent woman; Of mischief hath effected, that to extirp The memory of it, must be the consummation Of her, and her projections. Vit. What's all this? Law. Hold your peace! Exorbitant sins must have exulceration. This devil would betray it. Vit. O poor charity, Thou art seldom found in scarlet. Mon. Who knows not how, when several night by night Her gates were choakt with coaches, and her rooms Outbrav'd the stars with several kinds of lights; In musick, banquets, and most riotous surfeits; Vit. Surely, my Lords, this lawyer hath swal- This whore forsooth was holy. lowed Some apothecaries bills, or proclamations; And now the hard and undigestible words Vit. Ha! whore? what's that? Mon. Shall I expound whore to you? sure Come up like stones we use give hawks for I'll give their perfect character. They are first, Exactions upon meat, drink, garments, sleep: Law. I most graduatically thank your lord- At weddings and at funerals. Your rich whores Mon. (to Vittoria) I shall be plainer with Your follies in more natural red and white, Vit. O you mistake, Are only treasuries by extortion fill'd, gallows, And wrought upon by surgeons, to teach man You raise a blood as noble in this cheek trouble All that receive it. Vit. This character 'scapes me. Mon. You, gentlewoman? Take from all beasts and from all minerals Vit. Well, what then? Mon. I'll tell thee; I'll find in thee an apothecary's shop, Fr. Emb. She hath lived ill. En. Emb. True, but the Cardinal's too bitter. Mon. You know what whore is. Next the devil adultr'y, Enters the devil murder. Fra. Your unhappy husband Is dead. Vit. O he's a happy husband, Fra. And by a vaulting engine. He jumpt into his grave. Fra. What a prodigy was't, That from some two yards high, a slender man Should break his neck? Mon. I'th' rushes? Fra. And what's more, Upon the instant lose allure of speech, All vital motion, like a man had lain Wound up three days. Now mark each circum stance. Mon. Well, well, such counterfeit jewels Make true ones oft suspected. Vit. You are deceived; For know, that all your strict combined heads, break. These are but feigned shadows of my evils. I am past such needless palsy. For your names Mon. Pray you mistress, satisfy me one question. Who lodg'd beneath your roof that fatal night Your husband brake his neck? Bra. That question Inforceth me break silence; I was there. Bra. Why, I came to comfort her, And take some course for settling her estate, Because I heard her husband was in debt To you, my Lord. Mon. He was. Bra. And 'twas strangely fear'd That you would cozen her. Mon. Who made you overseer? Bra. Why, my charity, my charity, which should flow Mon. And look upon this creature was his From every generous and noble spirit, wife, She comes not like a widow: she comes arm'd With scorn and impudence: is this a mourning habit? Vit. Had I foreknown his death as you suggest, I would have bespoke my mourning. Vit. You shame your wit and judgment, To call it so; what, is my just defence By him that is my judge call'd impudence? Let me appeal then from this christian court To the uncivil Tartar. Mon. See, my Lords, She scandals our proceedings. Vit. Humbly thus Thus low, to the most worthy and respected En. Emb. She hath a brave spirit. To orphans and to widows. Mon. Your lust. Bra. Cowardly dogs bark loudest! sirrah, priest, I'll take with you hereafter. Do you hear? The sword you frame of thy coat resemble Your common post-boys. Mon. Ha! Bra. Your mercenary post-boys. Your letters carry truth, but 'tis your guise lies. Servant. My Lord, your gown. Bestow't upon thy master, that will challenge Out of another's lodging: let him make Mon. Your champion's gone. murder, |