We’ll be as shrill as you: strike ’larum, drum.
[_They sound a flourish on both sides._
BAL. Thou inch of Spain!
Thou man, from thy hose downward scarce so much!
Thou very little longer than thy beard!
Speak not such big words; they’ll throw thee down,
Little Jeronimo! words greater than thyself!
It must not [be].
JER. And thou long thing of Portugal, why not?
Thou, that art full as tall
As an English gallows, upper beam and all,
Devourer of apparel, thou huge swallower,
My hose will scarce make thee a standing collar.
What! have I almost quited you?
AND. Have done, impatient marshal.
BAL. Spanish combatants,
What! do you set a little pigmy marshal
To question with a prince?
AND. No, prince Balthezar;
I have desired him peace, that we might war:
What! is the tribute-money tendered yet?
BAL. Tribute? ha, ha!
What else: Wherefore meet our drums,
But to tender and receive the sums
Of many a bleeding heart which, ere sun fall,
Shall pay dear tribute, even their lives and all.
AND. Prince Balthezar, I know your valiant spirit;
I know your courage to be tried and good,
And yet, O prince, be not confirmed in blood:
Not that I taste of fear or cowardice,
But of religion, piety, and love
To many bosoms, that yet firmly move
Without disturbed spleens. O, in thy heart
Weigh the dear drops of many a purple part,
That must be acted on the field’s green stage,
Before the evening dews quench the sun’s rage.
Let tribute be appeased and so stayed,
And let not wonted fealty be denayed
To our desertful kingdom. Portugals,
Keep your forefathers’ oaths; that virtue craves;
Let them not lie foresworn now in their graves,
To make their ashes perjured and unjust,
For heaven can be revenged on their dust.
They swore to Spain, both for themselves and you;
And will posterity prove their sires untrue?
This should not be ’mong men of virtuous sp’rit:
Pay tribute thou, and receive peace and writ.
BAL. O virtuous coward!
HOR. O ignoble spirit!
To term him coward for his virtuous merit!
AND. Coward! nay, then, relentless rib of steel,
What virtue cannot, thou shalt make him feel.
LOR. Proud Alexandro, thou art mine.
ALEX. Agreed.
ROG. And thou, Vollupo, mine.
VOL. I’ll make thee bleed.
HOR. And thou, Don Pedro, mine.
DON PED. I care not whose; or thine, or thine, or all at once.
BAL. I bind thee, Don Andrea, by thy honour,
Thy valiancy, and all that thou hold’st great,
To meet me single in the battle’s heat;
Where I’ll set down, in characters on thy flesh,
Four precious lines, spoke by our father’s mouth,
When first thou cam’st embassador; these they are:
’Tis said we shall not answer, at next birth,
Our fathers’ faults in heaven, why then on earth?
Which proves and shows,
That what they lost by base captivity,
We may redeem with wonted valiancy:
And to this crimson end our colours spread;
Our courages are new-born, our valours bred
Therefore, Andrea, as thou tenderest fame,
Wars, reputation, and a soldier’s name,
Meet me.
AND. I will.
BAL. Single me out.
AND. I shall.
ALEX. Do you the like.
LOR. And you all, and we.
AND. Can we be foes, and all so well agreed?
BAL. Why, man, in war there’s bleeding amity;
And he this day gives me the deepest wound,
I’ll call him brother.
AND. Then, prince, call me so;
To gain that name, I’ll give the deepest blow.
JER. Nay. then, if brotherhood by strokes come due,
I hope, boy, thou wilt gain a brother too.
HOR. Father, doubt it not.
AND. Lord general,
Breathe, like your name, a general defiance
’Gainst Portugal.
GEN. Defiance to the Portugals!
BAL. The like
Breathe our lord general against the Spaniards.
GEN. Defiance to the Spaniards!
AND. Now cease, words:
I long to hear the music of clashed swords.
BAL. Why, thou shalt hear it presently.
[_They offer to fight._
AND. Quickly then.
BAL. Why now.
GEN. O stay, my lords,
This will but breed a mutiny in the camp.
BAL. I am all fire, Andrea.
AND. Art thou? good:
Why, then, I’ll quench thee, prince, with thine own blood.
BAL. Adieu!
AND. Adieu!
BAL. Let’s meet.
AND. ’Tis meet we did.
[_Exeunt Portugals._
LOR. Alexandro.
ALEX. Lorenzo.
ROG. Vollupo.
VOL. Rogero.
HOR. Don Pedro.
DON PED. Horatio.
JER. Aye, aye, Don Pedro, my boy shall meet thee.
Come, valiant spirits of Spain;
Valiant Andrea, fortunate Lorenzo,
Worthy Rogero, sprightly Horatio;
O, let me dwell a little on that name!
Be all as fortunate as heaven’s bless’d host,
But, blame me not, I’d have Horatio most;
Ride all conquerors, when the fight is done,
Especially ride thee home so, my son.
So now kiss and embrace. Come, come,
I am war’s tutor: strike alarum, drum.
[_Exeunt._
[_After a long alarum, the Portugals and Spaniards
meet. The Portugals are put to the worst._
_Enter_ JERONIMO _solus._
JER. O valiant boy! struck with a giant’s arm;
His sword so falls upon the Portugals,
As he[308] would slice them out like oranges,
And squeeze their bloods out; O abundant joy!
Never had father a more happier boy.
[_Exit_ JERONIMO.
_Enter_ BALTHEZAR _and a Soldier._
BAL. Can you not find Don Andrea forth?
O, for a voice shriller than all the trumpets,
To pierce Andrea’s ears through the hot army!
Go, search again; bring him, or ne’er return.
[_Exit Soldier._
Valiant Andrea, by thy worthy blood,
Thy honoured faith, which thou pawn’st to mine,
By all that thou hold’st dear upon this earth,
Sweat now to find me in the height of blood!
Now death doth heap his goods up all at once,
And crams his storehouse to the top with blood;
Might I now and Andrea in one fight
Make up thy wardrobe richer by a knight!
_Enter_ ROGERO.
ROG. Ha, Vollupo!
BAL. No; but a better.
ROG. Pox on ’t.
BAL. Pies on ’t!
What luck is this? But, sir, you part not so;
Whate’er you be, I’ll have a bout with you.
ROG. Content; this is joy mixed with spite,
To miss a lord, and meet a prince in fight.
BAL. Come, meet me, sir.
ROG. Just half-way; I’ll meet it with my sword.
[_They fight._ BALTHEZAR _beats in_ ROGERO.
_Enter_ ANDREA _with a_ CAPTAIN.
AND. Where might I find this valorous Balthezar,
This fierce, courageous prince; a noble worthy,
Made of the ribs of Mars and fortitude?
He promised to meet fair, and single me
Out o’ the misty battle. Did you search
The left wing for him? speak.
CAPT. We did, my lord.
AND. And could he not be found?
CAPT. Not in that wing, my lord.
AND. Why, this would vex the resolution
Of a suffering spleen! Prince Balthezar!
Portugal’s valiant heir!
The glory of our foe, the heart of courage,
The very soul of true nobility,
I call thee by thy right name, answer me!
Go, captain, pass the left wing squadron; hie!
Mingle yourself again amidst the army;
Pray, sweat to find him out.--
[_Exit_ CAPTAIN.
This place I’ll keep;
Now wounds are wide, and blood is very deep.
’Tis now about the heavy tread[309] of battle,
Soldiers drop down as thick, as if death mowed them;
As scythe-men trim the long-haired ruffian fields,
So fast they fall, so fast to fate life yields.
_Enter_ BALTHEZAR.
BAL. I have sweat much, and cannot find him--Andrea!
AND. Prince Balthezar! O lucky minute!
BAL. O long-wished-for hour!
Are you remembered, Don,
Of a daring message and a proud attempt?
You braved me, Don, within my father’s court!
AND. I think I did.
BAL. This sword shall lash you for it.
AND. Alas!
War knows I am too proud a scholar grown
Now to be lashed with steel; had I not known
My strength and courage, it had been easy then
To have me borne upon the backs of men.
But now I’m sorry, prince, you come too late;
That were proud steel, i’ faith, that should do that.
BAL. I can hold no longer!
Come, let’s see which of our strengths is stronger.
AND. Mine, for a wager.
BAL. Thine! what wager, say?
AND. I hold three wounds to one.
BAL. Content, I lay; but you shall keep stakes then.
AND. Nay, I’ll trust you.
For you’re a prince; I know you’ll pay your due.
BAL. I’ll pay you soundly.
AND. Prince, you might have paid
Tribute as well, then battles had been stay’d.
BAL. Here’s tribute for you.
AND. I’ll receive it of you,
And give you acquittance with a wound or two.
[_They fight._ BALTHEZAR _hath_ ANDREA _down._
_Enter_ JERONIMO _and_ HORATIO. HORATIO _beats away_ BALTHEZAR.
AND. Thou art a wondrous friend, a happy spirit;
I owe thee now my life. Couldst thou inherit
Within my bosom, all I have is thine,
For by this act I hold thy arm divine.
HOR. Are you not wounded? let me search and see.
AND. No, my dear self! for I was blest by thee.
Else his unpitying sword had cleft my heart,
Had not Horatio played some angel’s part.
Come, happy mortal, let me rank by thee,
Then am I sure no star will threaten me.
HOR. Let’s to the battle once more; we may meet
This haughty prince, and wound him at our feet.
[_Exeunt._
_Enter_ ROGERO _and_ ALEXANDRO _in their Shirts,
with Poleaxes._[310]
ROG. Art thou true valiant? hast thou no coat of proof
Girt to thy loins? art thou true loyal?
ALEX. Why, look;
Witness the naked truth upon my breast.
Come, let’s meet, let’s meet,
And break our haughty skulls down to our feet.
[_They fight._ ALEXANDRO _beats in_ ROGERO.
_Enter_ LORENZO _and_ DON PEDRO _at one Door, and_ ALEXANDRO
_and_ ROGERO _at another Door._ LORENZO _kills_ DON PEDRO, _and_
ALEXANDRO _kills_ ROGERO. _Enter at one Door_ ANDREA, _at
another Door_ BALTHEZAR.
AND. O me ill-sted! valiant Rogero slain!
BAL. O my sad fates! Don Pedro weltering in his gore!
O, could I meet Andrea, now my blood’s
A-tiptoe, this hand and sword should melt him:
Valiant Don Pedro!
AND. Worthy Rogero, sure ’twas multitudes,
That made thee stoop to death; one Portugal
Could ne’er o’erwhelm thee in such crimson streams,
And no mean blood shall quit it, Balthezar,
Prince Balthezar!
BAL. Andrea, we meet in blood now.
AND. Aye, in valiant blood of Don Rogero’s shedding,
And each drop is worth a thousand Portugals.
BAL. I’ll top thy head for that ambitious word.
AND. You cannot, prince: see a revengeful sword
Waves o’er my head.
BAL. Another over mine;
Let them both meet, in crimson tinctures shine.
[_They fight; and_ ANDREA _hath_ BALTHEZAR _down._
_Enter Portugals, and relieve_ BALTHEZAR, _and kill_ ANDREA.
AND. O, I am slain! help me, Horatio!
My foes are base, and slay me cowardly.
Farewell, dear, dearest Bell’-Imperia!
Yet herein joy is mingled with sad breath:
I keep her favour longer than my breath.
[_He dies. Sound alarum._ ANDREA _slain, and
Prince_ BALTHEZAR _vaunting on him._
_Enter_ JERONIMO, HORATIO, _and_ LORD GENERAL.
HOR. My other soul, my bosom, my heart’s friend,
O my Andrea, slain! I[’ll] have the price of him
In princely blood.
Prince Balthezar, my sword shall strike true strains,
And fetch Andrea’s ransom forth thy veins.--
Lord General, drive them hence, while I make war.
BAL. Hath war made thee so impudent and young?
My sword shall give correction to thy tongue.
JER. Correct thy rascals, prince; thou correct him!
Lug with him, boy: honours in blood best swim.
[_They fight, and breathe afresh._
BAL. So young and valorous! This arm ne’er met
So strong a courage in so green a set.
HOR. If thou be’st valiant, cease these idle words,
And let revenge hang on our glittering swords,
With this proud prince, the haughty Balthezar.
[HORATIO _has Prince_ BALTHEZAR _down; then
enter_ LORENZO _and seizes his weapon_.
HOR. Hand off, Lorenzo; touch not my prisoner.
LOR. He’s my prisoner;
I seized his weapons first.
HOR. O base renown!
’Tis easy to seize those whom force laid down.[311]
LOR. My lance first threw him from his warlike steed.
JER. Thy lance, Lorenzo! now, by my beard, you lie.
HOR. Well, my lord,
To you a while I tender my whole prisoner.
LOR. Horatio,
You tender me part of mine own, you know.
HOR. Well, peace; with my blood dispense,
Until my liege shall end the difference.
JER. Lorenzo, thou dost boast of base renown;
Why, I could whip all these, were their hose down.
HOR. Speak, prince, to whether dost thou yield?
BAL. The vanquished yields to both, to you [the] first.
HOR. O abject prince! what, dost thou yield to two?
JER. Content thee, boy; thou shalt sustain no wrong.
I’ll to the king before, and let him know
The sum of victory and his overthrow.
[_Exit_ JERONIMO.
LOR. Andrea slain! thanks to the stars above.
I’ll choose my sister out her second love.
[_Exeunt_ LORENZO _and_ BALTHEZAR.
HOR. Come, noble rib of honour, valiant carcase!
I loved thee so entirely, when thou breathedst,
That I could die, were’t but to bleed with thee,
And wish me wounds even for society.
Heaven and this arm once say’d thee from thy foe,
When his all-wrathful sword did basely point
At the rich circle of thy labouring heart,
Thou grovelling under indignation
Of sword and ruth. O, then stepp’d heaven and I
Between the stroke, but now alack must die.
Since so the powers above have writ it down
In marble leaves, that death is mortal crown,
Come then, my friend, in purple I will bear
Thee to my private tent, and then prepare
An[312] honour’d funeral for thy melting corse.
[_He takes his scarf and ties it about his arm._
This scarf I’ll wear in memory of our souls
And of our mutual loves; here, here, I’ll wind it;
And full as often as I think on thee,
I’ll kiss this little ensign, this soft banner,
Smear’d with foes’ blood, all for the master’s honour.
Alas! I pity Bell’-Imperia’s eyes,
Just at this instant, her heart sinks and dies.
[_Exit_ HORATIO _carrying_ ANDREA _on his back._
_Enter_ JERONIMO _solus._
JER. My boy adds treble comfort to my age;
His share is greatest in the victory.
The Portugals are slain, and put to flight
By Spaniards’ force, most by Horatio’s might.
I’ll to the Spanish tents to see my son,
Give him my blessing, and then all is done.
_Enter two dragging of ensigns; then the funeral of_
ANDREA: _next_ HORATIO _and_ LORENZO, _leading Prince_
BALTHEZAR _captive; then the_ LORD GENERAL, _with others,
mourning. A great cry within_, Charon, a boat, a boat!
_Then enter_ CHARON _and the ghost of_ ANDREA.
HOR. O my lords,
See, Don Andrea’s ghost salutes me! see, embraces me!
LOR. It is your love that shapes this apprehension.
HOR. Do you not see him plainly, lords?
Now he would kiss my cheek: O my pale friend,
Wert thou anything but a ghost, I could love thee.
See, he points at his own hearse--mark all--
As if he did rejoice at funeral.
AND. Revenge, give tongue[313] freedom to paint her part,
To thank Horatio, and commend his heart.
REVENGE. No, you’ll blab secrets then?
AND. By Charon’s boat, I will not.
REVENGE. Nay, you shall not; therefore pass;
Secrets in hell are lock’d with doors of brass:
Use action if you will, but not in voice,
Your friend conceives in signs how you rejoice.
HOR. See, see, he points to have us[314] forward on:
I pr’ythee, rest; it shall be done, sweet Don.
O, now he’s vanished.
[_Sound Trumpets, and a peal of Ordnance._
AND. I am a happy ghost;
Revenge, my passage now cannot be cross’d.
Come, Charon; come, hell’s sculler, waft me o’er
Your sable streams, which look like molten pitch;
My funeral rites are made, my hearse hung rich.
[_Exeunt_ GHOST _and_ REVENGE. _A great
noise within._
WITHIN. Charon, a boat! Charon, Charon!
CHARON. Who calls so loud on Charon?
Indeed ’tis such a time, the truth to tell,
I never want a fare to pass to hell.
[_Exeunt._
_Sound a Flourish. Enter marching_ HORATIO _and_ LORENZO,
_leading Prince_ BALTHEZAR; LORD GENERAL, VILLUPPO, _and_
CASSIMERO, _with followers._
HOR. These honoured rites and worthy duties spent
Upon the funeral of Andrea’s dust--
Those once his valiant ashes: march we now
Homeward with victory to crown Spain’s brow.
GEN. The day is ours, and joy yields happy treasure;
Set on to Spain in most triumphant measure.
[_Exeunt._
_Enter_ JERONIMO _solus._
JER. Fore God! I have just miss’d them.--Ha!
Soft, Jeronimo! thou hast more friends
To take thy leave of; look well about thee,
Embrace them, and take friendly leave.
My arms are of the shortest;
Let your loves piece them out.
You’re welcome all, as I am a gentleman:
For my son’s sake, grant me a man at least--
At least I am. So good-night, kind gentles,[315]
For I hope there’s never a _Jew_ among you all;
And so I leave you.
[_Exit._
[285] [In “Ancient British Drama,” 1810.]
[286] Heywood’s words are these: “Therefore Mr Kyd, in
the ‘Spanish Tragedy,’ upon occasion presenting itself,
thus writes:--
“‘Why. Nero thought it no disparagement,
And kings and emperors have tane delight
To make experience of their wits in playes.’
These three lines are to be found towards the commencement
of act v. of the ‘Spanish Tragedy.’”--_Collier._
[287] It appears from Philip Henslowe’s papers, lately
[1825] discovered at Dulwich College, that the “Comedy
of Hieronimo” was played by the Lord Strange’s men the
10th April 1591.--_Gilchrist._
[288] This word, which is variously spelt, as _senet_,
_cynet_, _sennet_, _sinet_, _signate_, _synnet_,
_signet_, &c., I believe to be no more than a
corruption of _sonata_, Ital. See a note on “Julius
Cæsar,” vol. viii. p. 9, and another on “King Henry
VII.,” vol. vii. p. 236.--_Steevens._
[289] This ceremony is still retained in the creation
of a Knight of the Bath, and is generally performed by
some person of eminence. See Anstis, “Historical Essay
upon the Knighthood of the Bath,” 4to, 1725, and “Lord
Herbert of Cherbury’s Life,” p. 54.
[290] [Old copy, _from_.] This passage ought either to
be, “What news _for_ Spain?” or we must suppose _Spain_
misprinted for _Portugal_. The substitution would
destroy the measure.--_Collier._
[291] [Old copy, _Push_.]
[292] [Old copy, _We’ll_.]
[293] One of the significations affixed to this word by
Skinner, in his “Etymologicon,” is “_Venter_, hinc
Hisp., _Buche_, Ventriculus animalis, Belg., _Bulcke_,
Thorax.”
So in “The Nice Valour,” by Beaumont and Fletcher,
[Works, by Dyce, x. 142--
“My maintenance, rascals!
My bulk, my exhibition!”
Where Mr Dyce explains bulk simply by _body_.]
[294] The same sentiment is both in Shakespeare and
Beaumont and Fletcher. Thus in the “Two Gentlemen of
Verona,” act 3, sc. 2:--
“Win her with gifts, if she respects not words;
Dumb jewels often in their silent kind,
More than quick words, do move a woman’s mind;”
and in “The Woman-Hater,” act 4, sc. 2:--
“Your offers must
Be full of bounty; velvets to furnish a gown, silks
For petticoats and foreparts, shag for lining;
Forget not some pretty jewel to fasten, after
Some little compliment! If she deny this courtesy,
Double your bounties; be not wanting in abundance:
Fulness of gifts, link’d with a pleasing tongue,
Will win an anchorite.”
[295] [Mr Collier’s correction, the former editions
reading, _Exeunt_ LORENZO _and_ LAZAROTTO _and_
HORATIO. _Manet_ JERONIMO.]
[296] It seems probable, from this and several other
passages in the play, that the part of Jeronimo was
performed by an actor of low stature. Decker, in two
distinct scenes of his “Satiromastix,” says that Ben
Jonson had supported the character of Jeronimo; but
this assertion most likely applies to the “Spanish
Tragedy, or the Second Part of Jeronimo,” from which he
introduces a quotation.--_Collier._
[297] [Old copy] reads _full_.
[298] Exactly. So, in “Hamlet:” “_jump_ at this dead
hour.”--_Steevens._ Again, in “The Two Noble Kinsmen,”
act i. sc. 2 [edit. by Dyce, xi. 342]:--
“Where every seeming good’s
A certain evil; where not to be even _jump_
As they are here were to be strangers, and
Such things to be mere monsters.”
And in “Othello,” act ii. sc. 3:--
“Myself the while will draw the Moor apart,
And bring him _jump_ where he may Cassio find.”
[299] The quarto reads _lost_.
[300] Terms current in the universities for different
portions of bread and beer.--_Steevens._ In the
character of an old college butler by Dr Earle
(_Microcosmographie_, 1628), it is said: “He domineers
over freshmen, when they first come to the hatch, and
puzzles them with strange language of _cues_ and
_cees_, and some broken Latin, which he has learnt at
his term.”--_Note in edit. 1825._
[301] [Old copy, _then_.]
[302] [The old copy omits _ears_, which was suggested,
in order to complete the sense, by Steevens.]
[303] To obscure day. So in “Othello,” act i. sc. 3:
“You must therefore be content to _slubber_ the gloss
of your new fortunes.” And again in Howard’s
“Defensative against the Poyson of supposed
Prophecies,” fol. 1620, p. 117: “Surely, for the most
part so they are, as may be gathered ‘either by the
colours or the garments, or the _slubbering_ of set
purpose to bestow some greater grace and colour of
antiquity.’”
[304] The word _cling_ is so variously used in
different authors, that it is difficult to affix any
precise meaning to it. Several instances are quoted by
Mr Steevens, in his Note on “Macbeth,” act v. sc. 5. I
imagine Horatio means, that his weapon shall _cling to
him, or not leave him_, until he had gratified his
revenge for his friend’s murder.
[305] This word is not in the quarto.
[306] In “All’s Well that ends Well,” act iii. sc. 5,
one of the stage-directions is _a Tucket afar off_; and
in “Henry V.,” act iv. sc. 2, the constable says--
“Then let the trumpets sound
_The tucket_-sonance, and the note to mount.”
_A Tucket_ is, therefore, probably _a trumpet_. [A
certain set of notes on the trumpet.--_Dyce._]
[307] The [old copy] reads _wars_.
[308] [Old copy, _As if he_.]
[309] [Old copy, _dread_.]
[310] Poles headed by axes; _contus securi munitus_.--_Skinner._
[311] [Old copy, _forced laid down_.]
[312] [Old copy, _for_.]
[313] [Old copy, _my tongue_.]
[314] The quarto reads _his_ [_go._]
[315] A play upon words was the failing of almost every
writer of the times. The quibble here upon _gentles_
and _Jew_ is also in Shakespeare’s “Merchant of
Venice,” act ii. sc. 7. See the notes on that passage,
by Dr Johnson, Mr Steevens, and Dr Farmer, vol. iii.,
edit. 1778, p. 173. To the instances there quoted may
be added the following from “Euphues,” 1581, p. 65:
“Consider with thyselfe that thou art a gentleman, yea,
and a _Gentile_; and, if thou neglect thy calling, thou
art worse than a _Jewe_.”
END OF VOL. IV.
Transcriber’s Note:
Words in italics are surrounded by underscores, _like this_.
Footnotes were renumbered sequentially and moved to the end of the
play in which the related anchor appears.
Missing end periods and end brackets were added, where needed.
The following were adjusted:
Damon, Stephano’s line, ‘As I this morning pass'd...’
ending period changed to comma
Damon, Carisophus’ line, ‘Cha pouche'd them...’
‘Ch a’ to ‘Cha’
Damon, Jack’s line, ‘In all points as they handle...’
ending comma changed to period
Appius, Virginius’ line, ‘Sith she a virgin pure...’
ending period changed to comma
Appius, Conscience's line, ‘Did Tarquin gain in end?’
‘Torquin’ to ‘Tarquin’.
Arthur, Act 3, Scene 1, Howell's line, ‘Yet weigh the hearsay...’
‘renowm’, to ‘renown’
Arthur, Act 4, Scene 2, first speech of Gildas,
‘onr’ to ‘our’
Arthur, at the end of Act 5, Scene 1, Chorus verse 3,
‘tickle’ to ‘fickle’
Footnote [48] ‘intances’ to ‘instances’
Footnote [51] ‘i.e,’ to ‘i.e.,’