Scene + 

II + 

The bedchamber of the Duchess in the same. + 

Enter Duchess, Antonio, and Cariola. + 

Duchess + 

Bring me the casket hither, and the glass.⁠— + 

You get no lodging here tonight, my lord. + 

Antonio + 

Indeed, I must persuade one. + 

Duchess + 

Very good: + 

I hope in time ’twill grow into a custom, + 

That noblemen shall come with cap and knee + 

To purchase a night’s lodging of their wives. + 

Antonio + 

I must lie here. + 

Duchess + 

Must! You are a lord of misrule. + 

Antonio + 

Indeed, my rule is only in the night. + 

Duchess + 

To what use will you put me? + 

Antonio + 

We’ll sleep together + 

Duchess + 

Alas, what pleasure can two lovers find in sleep? + 

Cariola + 

My lord, I lie with her often, and I know + 

She’ll much disquiet you. + 

Antonio + 

See, you are complain’d of. + 

Cariola + 

For she’s the sprawling’st bedfellow. + 

Antonio + 

I shall like her the better for that. + 

Cariola + 

Sir, shall I ask you a question? + 

Antonio + 

Ay, pray thee, Cariola. + 

Cariola + 

Wherefore still, when you lie with my lady, + 

Do you rise so early? + 

Antonio + 

Labouring men + 

Count the clock oftenest, Cariola, + 

Are glad when their task’s ended. + 

Duchess + 

I’ll stop your mouth. Kisses him. + 

Antonio + 

Nay, that’s but one; Venus had two soft doves + 

To draw her chariot; I must have another.⁠— + 

She kisses him again. + 

When wilt thou marry, Cariola? + 

Cariola + 

Never, my lord. + 

Antonio + 

O, fie upon this single life! forgo it. + 

We read how Daphne, for her peevish [flight,] + 

Became a fruitless bay-tree; Syrinx turn’d + 

To the pale empty reed; Anaxarete + 

Was frozen into marble: whereas those + 

Which married, or prov’d kind unto their friends, + 

Were by a gracious influence transhap’d + 

Into the olive, pomegranate, mulberry, + 

Became flowers, precious stones, or eminent stars. + 

Cariola + 

This is a vain poetry: but I pray you, tell me, + 

If there were propos’d me, wisdom, riches, and beauty, + 

In three several young men, which should I choose? + 

Antonio + 

’Tis a hard question. This was Paris’ case, + 

And he was blind in’t, and there was a great cause; + 

For how was’t possible he could judge right, + 

Having three amorous goddesses in view, + 

And they stark naked? ’Twas a motion + 

Were able to benight the apprehension + 

Of the severest counsellor of Europe. + 

Now I look on both your faces so well form’d, + 

It puts me in mind of a question I would ask. + 

Cariola + 

What is’t? + 

Antonio + 

I do wonder why hard-favour’d ladies, + 

For the most part, keep worse-favour’d waiting-women + 

To attend them, and cannot endure fair ones. + 

Duchess + 

O, that’s soon answer’d. + 

Did you ever in your life know an ill painter + 

Desire to have his dwelling next door to the shop + 

Of an excellent picture-maker? ’Twould disgrace + 

His face-making, and undo him. I prithee, + 

When were we so merry?⁠—My hair tangles. + 

Antonio + 

Pray thee, Cariola, let’s steal forth the room, + 

And let her talk to herself: I have divers times + 

Serv’d her the like, when she hath chaf’d extremely. + 

I love to see her angry. Softly, Cariola. + 

Exeunt Antonio and Cariola. + 

Duchess + 

Doth not the colour of my hair ’gin to change? + 

When I wax gray, I shall have all the court + 

Powder their hair with arras, to be like me. + 

You have cause to love me; I ent’red you into my heart + 

Enter Ferdinand unseen. + 

Before you would vouchsafe to call for the keys. + 

We shall one day have my brothers take you napping. + 

Methinks his presence, being now in court, + 

Should make you keep your own bed; but you’ll say + 

Love mix’d with fear is sweetest. I’ll assure you, + 

You shall get no more children till my brothers + 

Consent to be your gossips. Have you lost your tongue? + 

’Tis welcome: + 

For know, whether I am doom’d to live or die, + 

I can do both like a prince. + 

Ferdinand + 

Die, then, quickly! Giving her a poniard. + 

Virtue, where art thou hid? What hideous thing + 

Is it that doth eclipse thee? + 

Duchess + 

Pray, sir, hear me. + 

Ferdinand + 

Or is it true thou art but a bare name, + 

And no essential thing? + 

Duchess + 

Sir⁠— + 

Ferdinand + 

Do not speak. + 

Duchess + 

No, sir: + 

I will plant my soul in mine ears, to hear you. + 

Ferdinand + 

O most imperfect light of human reason, + 

That mak’st [us] so unhappy to foresee + 

What we can least prevent! Pursue thy wishes, + 

And glory in them: there’s in shame no comfort + 

But to be past all bounds and sense of shame. + 

Duchess + 

I pray, sir, hear me: I am married. + 

Ferdinand + 

So! + 

Duchess + 

Happily, not to your liking: but for that, + 

Alas, your shears do come untimely now + 

To clip the bird’s wings that’s already flown! + 

Will you see my husband? + 

Ferdinand + 

Yes, if I could change + 

Eyes with a basilisk. + 

Duchess + 

Sure, you came hither + 

By his confederacy. + 

Ferdinand + 

The howling of a wolf + 

Is music to thee, screech-owl: prithee, peace.⁠— + 

Whate’er thou art that hast enjoy’d my sister, + 

For I am sure thou hear’st me, for thine own sake + 

Let me not know thee. I came hither prepar’d + 

To work thy discovery; yet am now persuaded + 

It would beget such violent effects + 

As would damn us both. I would not for ten millions + 

I had beheld thee: therefore use all means + 

I never may have knowledge of thy name; + 

Enjoy thy lust still, and a wretched life, + 

On that condition.⁠—And for thee, vile woman, + 

If thou do wish thy lecher may grow old + 

In thy embracements, I would have thee build + 

Such a room for him as our anchorites + 

To holier use inhabit. Let not the sun + 

Shine on him till he’s dead; let dogs and monkeys + 

Only converse with him, and such dumb things + 

To whom nature denies use to sound his name; + 

Do not keep a paraquito, lest she learn it; + 

If thou do love him, cut out thine own tongue, + 

Lest it bewray him. + 

Duchess + 

Why might not I marry? + 

I have not gone about in this to create + 

Any new world or custom. + 

Ferdinand + 

Thou art undone; + 

And thou hast ta’en that massy sheet of lead + 

That hid thy husband’s bones, and folded it + 

About my heart. + 

Duchess + 

Mine bleeds for’t. + 

Ferdinand + 

Thine! thy heart! + 

What should I name’t unless a hollow bullet + 

Fill’d with unquenchable wildfire? + 

Duchess + 

You are in this + 

Too strict; and were you not my princely brother, + 

I would say, too wilful: my reputation + 

Is safe. + 

Ferdinand + 

Dost thou know what reputation is? + 

I’ll tell thee⁠—to small purpose, since the instruction + 

Comes now too late. + 

Upon a time Reputation, Love, and Death, + 

Would travel o’er the world; and it was concluded + 

That they should part, and take three several ways. + 

Death told them, they should find him in great battles, + 

Or cities plagu’d with plagues: Love gives them counsel + 

To inquire for him ’mongst unambitious shepherds, + 

Where dowries were not talk’d of, and sometimes + 

’Mongst quiet kindred that had nothing left + 

By their dead parents: “Stay,” quoth Reputation, + 

“Do not forsake me; for it is my nature, + 

If once I part from any man I meet, + 

I am never found again.” And so for you: + 

You have shook hands with Reputation, + 

And made him invisible. So, fare you well: + 

I will never see you more. + 

Duchess + 

Why should only I, + 

Of all the other princes of the world, + 

Be cas’d up, like a holy relic? I have youth + 

And a little beauty. + 

Ferdinand + 

So you have some virgins + 

That are witches. I will never see thee more. + 

Exit. + 

Reenter Antonio with a pistol, and Cariola. + 

Duchess + 

You saw this apparition? + 

Antonio + 

Yes: we are + 

Betray’d. How came he hither? I should turn + 

This to thee, for that. + 

Cariola + 

Pray, sir, do; and when + 

That you have cleft my heart, you shall read there + 

Mine innocence. + 

Duchess + 

That gallery gave him entrance. + 

Antonio + 

I would this terrible thing would come again, + 

That, standing on my guard, I might relate + 

My warrantable love.⁠— + 

She shows the poniard. + 

Ha! what means this? + 

Duchess + 

He left this with me. + 

Antonio + 

And it seems did wish + 

You would use it on yourself. + 

Duchess + 

His action seem’d + 

To intend so much. + 

Antonio + 

This hath a handle to’t, + 

As well as a point: turn it towards him, and + 

So fasten the keen edge in his rank gall. + 

Knocking within. + 

How now! who knocks? More earthquakes? + 

Duchess + 

I stand + 

As if a mine beneath my feet were ready + 

To be blown up. + 

Cariola + 

’Tis Bosola. + 

Duchess + 

Away! + 

O misery! methinks unjust actions + 

Should wear these masks and curtains, and not we. + 

You must instantly part hence: I have fashion’d it already. + 

Exit Antonio. + 

Enter Bosala. + 

Bosola + 

The duke your brother is ta’en up in a whirlwind; + 

Hath took horse, and’s rid post to Rome. + 

Duchess + 

So late? + 

Bosola + 

He told me, as he mounted into the saddle, + 

You were undone. + 

Duchess + 

Indeed, I am very near it. + 

Bosola + 

What’s the matter? + 

Duchess + 

Antonio, the master of our household, + 

Hath dealt so falsely with me in’s accounts. + 

My brother stood engag’d with me for money + 

Ta’en up of certain Neapolitan Jews, + 

And Antonio lets the bonds be forfeit. + 

Bosola + 

Strange!⁠—Aside. This is cunning. + 

Duchess + 

And hereupon + 

My brother’s bills at Naples are protested + 

Against.⁠—Call up our officers. + 

Bosola + 

I shall. + 

Exit. + 

Reenter Antonio. + 

Duchess + 

The place that you must fly to is Ancona: + 

Hire a house there; I’ll send after you + 

My treasure and my jewels. Our weak safety + 

Runs upon enginous wheels: short syllables + 

Must stand for periods. I must now accuse you + 

Of such a feigned crime as Tasso calls + 

Magnanima menzogna, a noble lie, + 

’Cause it must shield our honours.⁠—Hark! they are coming. + 

Reenter Bosala and Officers. + 

Antonio + 

Will your grace hear me? + 

Duchess + 

I have got well by you; you have yielded me + 

A million of loss: I am like to inherit + 

The people’s curses for your stewardship. + 

You had the trick in audit-time to be sick, + 

Till I had sign’d your quietus; and that cur’d you + 

Without help of a doctor.⁠—Gentlemen, + 

I would have this man be an example to you all; + 

So shall you hold my favour; I pray, let him; + 

For h’as done that, alas, you would not think of, + 

And, because I intend to be rid of him, + 

I mean not to publish.⁠—Use your fortune elsewhere. + 

Antonio + 

I am strongly arm’d to brook my overthrow, + 

As commonly men bear with a hard year. + 

I will not blame the cause on’t; but do think + 

The necessity of my malevolent star + 

Procures this, not her humour. O, the inconstant + 

And rotten ground of service! You may see, + 

’Tis even like him, that in a winter night, + 

Takes a long slumber o’er a dying fire, + 

A-loth to part from’t; yet parts thence as cold + 

As when he first sat down. + 

Duchess + 

We do confiscate, + 

Towards the satisfying of your accounts, + 

All that you have. + 

Antonio + 

I am all yours; and ’tis very fit + 

All mine should be so. + 

Duchess + 

So, sir, you have your pass. + 

Antonio + 

You may see, gentlemen, what ’tis to serve + 

A prince with body and soul. + 

Exit. + 

Bosola + 

Here’s an example for extortion: what moisture is drawn out of the sea, when foul weather comes, pours down, and runs into the sea again. + 

Duchess + 

I would know what are your opinions + 

Of this Antonio. + 

Second Officer + 

He could not abide to see a pig’s head gaping: I thought your grace would find him a Jew. + 

Third Officer + 

I would you had been his officer, for your own sake. + 

Fourth Officer + 

You would have had more money. + 

First Officer + 

He stopped his ears with black wool, and to those came to him for money said he was thick of hearing. + 

Second Officer + 

Some said he was an hermaphrodite, for he could not abide a woman. + 

Fourth Officer + 

How scurvy proud he would look when the treasury was full! Well, let him go. + 

First Officer + 

Yes, and the chippings of the buttery fly after him, to scour his gold chain. + 

Duchess + 

Leave us. + 

Exeunt Officers. + 

What do you think of these? + 

Bosola + 

That these are rogues that in’s prosperity, + 

But to have waited on his fortune, could have wish’d + 

His dirty stirrup riveted through their noses, + 

And follow’d after’s mule, like a bear in a ring; + 

Would have prostituted their daughters to his lust; + 

Made their firstborn intelligencers; thought none happy + 

But such as were born under his blest planet, + 

And wore his livery: and do these lice drop off now? + 

Well, never look to have the like again: + 

He hath left a sort of flattering rogues behind him; + 

Their doom must follow. Princes pay flatterers + 

In their own money: flatterers dissemble their vices, + 

And they dissemble their lies; that’s justice. + 

Alas, poor gentleman! + 

Duchess + 

Poor! he hath amply fill’d his coffers. + 

Bosola + 

Sure, he was too honest. Pluto, the god of riches, + 

When he’s sent by Jupiter to any man, + 

He goes limping, to signify that wealth + 

That comes on God’s name comes slowly; but when he’s sent + 

On the devil’s errand, he rides post and comes in by scuttles. + 

Let me show you what a most unvalu’d jewel + 

You have in a wanton humour thrown away, + 

To bless the man shall find him. He was an excellent + 

Courtier and most faithful; a soldier that thought it + 

As beastly to know his own value too little + 

As devilish to acknowledge it too much. + 

Both his virtue and form deserv’d a far better fortune: + 

His discourse rather delighted to judge itself than show itself: + 

His breast was fill’d with all perfection, + 

And yet it seemed a private whisp’ring-room, + 

It made so little noise of’t. + 

Duchess + 

But he was basely descended. + 

Bosola + 

Will you make yourself a mercenary herald, + 

Rather to examine men’s pedigrees than virtues? + 

You shall want him: + 

For know an honest statesman to a prince + 

Is like a cedar planted by a spring; + 

The spring bathes the tree’s root, the grateful tree + 

Rewards it with his shadow: you have not done so. + 

I would sooner swim to the Bermoothes on + 

Two politicians’ rotten bladders, tied + 

Together with an intelligencer’s heart-string, + 

Than depend on so changeable a prince’s favour. + 

Fare thee well, Antonio! Since the malice of the world + 

Would needs down with thee, it cannot be said yet + 

That any ill happen’d unto thee, considering thy fall + 

Was accompanied with virtue. + 

Duchess + 

O, you render me excellent music! + 

Bosola + 

Say you? + 

Duchess + 

This good one that you speak of is my husband. + 

Bosola + 

Do I not dream? Can this ambitious age + 

Have so much goodness in’t as to prefer + 

A man merely for worth, without these shadows + 

Of wealth and painted honours? Possible? + 

Duchess + 

I have had three children by him. + 

Bosola + 

Fortunate lady! + 

For you have made your private nuptial bed + 

The humble and fair seminary of peace, + 

No question but: many an unbenefic’d scholar + 

Shall pray for you for this deed, and rejoice + 

That some preferment in the world can yet + 

Arise from merit. The virgins of your land + 

That have no dowries shall hope your example + 

Will raise them to rich husbands. Should you want + 

Soldiers, ’twould make the very Turks and Moors + 

Turn Christians, and serve you for this act. + 

Last, the neglected poets of your time, + 

In honour of this trophy of a man, + 

Rais’d by that curious engine, your white hand, + 

Shall thank you, in your grave, for’t; and make that + 

More reverend than all the cabinets + 

Of living princes. For Antonio, + 

His fame shall likewise flow from many a pen, + 

When heralds shall want coats to sell to men. + 

Duchess + 

As I taste comfort in this friendly speech, + 

So would I find concealment. + 

Bosola + 

O, the secret of my prince, + 

Which I will wear on th’ inside of my heart! + 

Duchess + 

You shall take charge of all my coin and jewels, + 

And follow him; for he retires himself + 

To Ancona. + 

Bosola + 

So. + 

Duchess + 

Whither, within few days, + 

I mean to follow thee. + 

Bosola + 

Let me think: + 

I would wish your grace to feign a pilgrimage + 

To our Lady of Loretto, scarce seven leagues + 

From fair Ancona; so may you depart + 

Your country with more honour, and your flight + 

Will seem a princely progress, retaining + 

Your usual train about you. + 

Duchess + 

Sir, your direction + 

Shall lead me by the hand. + 

Cariola + 

In my opinion, + 

She were better progress to the baths at Lucca, + 

Or go visit the Spa + 

In Germany; for, if you will believe me, + 

I do not like this jesting with religion, + 

This feigned pilgrimage. + 

Duchess + 

Thou art a superstitious fool: + 

Prepare us instantly for our departure. + 

Past sorrows, let us moderately lament them, + 

For those to come, seek wisely to prevent them. + 

Exeunt Duchess and Cariola. + 

Bosola + 

A politician is the devil’s quilted anvil; + 

He fashions all sins on him, and the blows + 

Are never heard: he may work in a lady’s chamber, + 

As here for proof. What rests but I reveal + 

All to my lord? O, this base quality + 

Of intelligencer! Why, every quality i’ the world + 

Prefers but gain or commendation: + 

Now, for this act I am certain to be rais’d, + 

And men that paint weeds to the life are prais’d. + 

Exit. + 