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Double Falsehood: Act IV, Scene 1

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Double Falsehood
Act IV, Scene 1

A wide plain, with a prospect of mountains in the distance.

  1. Enter Master of the Flocks, three or four Shepherds, and
  2. Violante in boy’s clothes.

First Shepherd

1 - 2
  1. Well, he’s as sweet a man, heav’n comfort him! As ever these
  2. eyes look’d on.

Second Shepherd

3 - 4
  1. If he have a mother, I believe, neighbors, she’s a woe-woman
  2. for him at this hour.

Master of the Flocks

5 - 6
  1. Why should he haunt these wild unpeopled mountains,
  2. Where nothing dwells but hunger, and sharp winds?

First Shepherd

7 - 8
  1. His melancholy, sir, that’s the main devil does it. Go to, I
  2. fear he has had too much foul play offer’d him.

Master of the Flocks

9
  1. How gets he meat?

Second Shepherd

10 - 12
  1. Why, now and then he takes our victuals from us, though we
  2. desire him to eat; and instead of a short grace, beats us
  3. well and soundly, and then falls to.

Master of the Flocks

13
  1. Where lies he?

First Shepherd

14
  1. Ev’n where the night o’ertakes him.

Second Shepherd

15 - 16
  1. Now will I be hang’d, an’ some fair-snouted skittish woman,
  2. or other, be not at the end of this madness.

First Shepherd

17 - 20
  1. Well, if he lodg’d within the sound of us, I knew our music
  2. would allure him. How attentively he stood, and how he fix’d
  3. his eyes, when your boy sung his love-ditty. Oh, here he
  4. comes again.

Master of the Flocks

21
  1. Let him alone; he wonders strangely at us.

First Shepherd

22
  1. Not a word, sirs, to cross him, as you love your shoulders.

Second Shepherd

23
  1. He seems much disturb’d: I believe the mad fit is upon him.
  1. Enter Julio.

Julio

24 - 32
  1. Horsemanship!—Hell—Riding shall be abolish’d:
  2. Turn the barb’d steed loose to his native wildness;
  3. It is a beast too noble to be made
  4. The property of man’s baseness. What a letter
  5. Wrote he to’s brother? What a man was I?
  6. Why, Perseus did not know his seat like me;
  7. The Parthian, that rides swift without the rein,
  8. Match’d not my grace and firmness. Shall this lord
  9. Die, when men pray for him? Think you ’tis meet?

First Shepherd

33 - 34
  1. I don’t know what to say: neither I, nor all the confessors
  2. in Spain, can unriddle this wild stuff.

Julio

35 - 45
  1. I must to court! Be usher’d into grace,
  2. By a large list of praises ready penn’d!
  3. O devil! What a venomous world is this,
  4. When commendations are the baits to ruin!
  5. All these good words were gyves and fetters, sir,
  6. To keep me bolted there: while the false sender
  7. Play’d out the game of treach’ry.—Hold; come hither;
  8. You have an aspect, sir, of wond’rous wisdom,
  9. And, as it seems, are travel’d deep in knowledge;
  10. Have you e’er seen the Phoenix of the Earth,
  11. The Bird of Paradise?

Second Shepherd

46
  1.                       In troth, not I, sir.

Julio

47 - 57
  1. I have; and known her haunts, and where she built
  2. Her spicy nest: ’till, like a credulous fool,
  3. I shew’d the treasure to a friend in trust,
  4. And he hath robb’d me of her.—Trust no friend:
  5. Keep thy heart’s counsels close.—Hast thou a mistress?
  6. Give her not out in words; nor let thy pride
  7. Be wanton to display her charms to view;
  8. Love is contagious: and a breath of praise,
  9. Or a slight glance, has kindled up its flame,
  10. And turn’d a friend a traitor. ’Tis in proof;
  11. And it has hurt my brain.

First Shepherd

58 - 59
  1. Marry, now there is some moral in his madness, and we may
  2. profit by it.

Master of the Flocks

60 - 61
  1. See, he grows cool, and pensive.
  2. Go towards him, boy, but do not look that way.

Violante

62
  1. Alas! I tremble—

Julio

63 - 65
  1.                  Oh, my pretty youth!
  2. Come hither, child; did not your song imply
  3. Something of love?

First Shepherd

66 - 67
  1. Ha—ha—goes it there? Now if the boy be witty, we shall trace
  2. something.

Violante

68
  1. Yes, sir, it was the subject.

Julio

69 - 70
  1. Sit here then: come, shake not, good pretty soul,
  2. Nor do not fear me; I’ll not do thee wrong.

Violante

71
  1. Why do you look so on me?

Julio

72 - 77
  1.                           I have reasons.
  2. It puzzles my philosophy, to think
  3. That the rude blast, hot sun, and dashing rains
  4. Have made no fiercer war upon thy youth;
  5. Nor hurt the bloom of that vermilion cheek.
  6. You weep too, do you not?

Violante

78
  1.                           Sometimes, I do.

Julio

79
  1. I weep sometimes too. You’re extremely young.

Violante

80
  1. Indeed, I’ve seen more sorrows far than years.

Julio

81 - 83
  1. Yet all these have not broken your complexion.
  2. You have a strong heart, and you are the happier.
  3. I warrant, you’re a very loving woman.

Violante

84 - 85
  1. A woman, sir?
  2. Aside.
  3.               I fear, h’as found me out.

Second Shepherd

86
  1. He takes the boy for a woman. Mad, again!

Julio

87 - 88
  1. You’ve met some disappointment; some foul play
  2. Has cross’d your love. I read it in your face.

Violante

89
  1. You read a truth then.

Julio

90 - 92
  1.                        Where can lie the fault?
  2. Is’t in the man, or some dissembling knave,
  3. He put in trust? Ho! Have I hit the cause?

Violante

93
  1. You’re not far off.

Julio

94 - 97
  1. This world is full of coz’ners, very full;
  2. Young virgins must be wary in their ways.
  3. I’ve known a Duke’s son do as great a knavery.
  4. Will you be rul’d by me?

Violante

98
  1.                          Yes.

Julio

99 - 101
  1.      Kill yourself.
  2. ’Twill be a terror to the villain’s conscience,
  3. The longest day he lives.

Violante

102 - 103
  1.                           By no means. What?
  2. Commit self-murder!

Julio

104
  1.                     Yes; I’ll have it so.

First Shepherd

105 - 106
  1. I fear, his fit is returning. Take heed of all hands.
  2. —Sir,—do you want any thing?

Julio

107 - 109
  1. Thou liest; thou can’st not hurt me: I am proof
  2. ’Gainst farther wrongs. Steal close behind me, lady.
  3. I will avenge thee.

Violante

110
  1.                     Thank the heav’ns, I’m free.

Julio

111
  1. O treach’rous, base Henriquez! Have I caught thee?

Second Shepherd

112
  1. Help! Help! Good neighbors; he will kill me else.
  1. Julio seizes on the Shepherd.
  1. Violante runs out.

Julio

113 - 115
  1. Here thou shalt pay thy heart-blood for the wrongs
  2. Thou’st heap’d upon this head. Faith-breaker! Villain!
  3. I’ll suck thy life-blood.

First Shepherd

116
  1. Good sir, have patience; this is no Henriquez.
  1. They rescue the Shepherd.

Julio

117 - 125
  1. Well; let him slink to court, and hide a coward;
  2. Not all his father’s guards shall shield him there.
  3. Or if he prove too strong for mortal arm,
  4. I will solicit ev’ry saint in heav’n
  5. To lend me vengeance.—I’ll about it straight.—
  6. The wrathful elements shall wage this war;
  7. Furies shall haunt him; vultures gnaw his heart;
  8. And nature pour forth all her stores of plagues,
  9. To join in punishment of trust betray’d.
  1. Exit Julio.

Second Shepherd

126 - 127
  1. Go thy ways, and a vengeance go with thee!—Pray, feel my
  2. nose; is it fast, neighbors?

First Shepherd

128
  1. ’Tis as well as may be.

Second Shepherd

129 - 133
  1. He pull’d at it, as he would have drag’d a bullock backward
  2. by the tail. An’t had been some men’s nose that I know,
  3. neighbors, who knows where it had been now? He has given me
  4. such a devilish dash o’er the mouth, that I feel, I shall
  5. never whistle to my sheep again. Then they’ll make holiday.

First Shepherd

134 - 135
  1. Come, shall we go? For, I fear, if the youth return, our
  2. second course will be much more against our stomachs.

Master of the Flocks

136 - 138
  1. Walk you afore; I will but give my boy
  2. Some short instructions, and I’ll follow straight.
  3. We’ll crash a cup together.

First Shepherd

139
  1.                             Pray, do not linger.

Master of the Flocks

140 - 151
  1. I will not, sirs;—this must not be a boy;
  2. His voice, mein, gesture, ev’rything he does,
  3. Savour of soft and female delicacy.
  4. He but puts on this seeming, and his garb
  5. Speaks him of such a rank, as well persuades me,
  6. He plays the swain, rather to cloak some purpose,
  7. Than forced to’t by a need: I’ve waited long
  8. To mark the end he has in his disguise;
  9. But am not perfect in’t. The madman’s coil
  10. Has driv’n him shaking hence. These fears betray him.
  11. If he prove right, I’m happy. O, he’s here.
  12. Enter Violante.
  13. Come hither, boy; where did you leave the flock, child?

Violante

152 - 153
  1. Grazing below, sir.—What does he mean, to stroke one o’the
  2. cheek so? I hope, I’m not betray’d.

Master of the Flocks

154 - 155
  1. Have you learnt the whistle yet, and when to fold?
  2. And how to make the dog bring in the strayers?

Violante

156 - 157
  1. Time, sir, will furnish me with all these rules;
  2. My will is able, but my knowledge weak, sir.

Master of the Flocks

158 - 160
  1. That’s a good child: why dost thou blush, my boy?
  2. Aside.
  3. ’Tis certainly a woman.
  4.                         Speak, my boy.

Violante

161 - 166
  1. Heav’n! How I tremble.—’Tis unusual to me
  2. To find such kindness at a master’s hand,
  3. That am a poor boy, ev’ry way unable,
  4. Unless it be in pray’rs to merit it.
  5. Besides, I’ve often heard old people say,
  6. Too much indulgence makes boys rude and saucy.

Master of the Flocks

167
  1. Are you so cunning!

Violante

168 - 172
  1. Aside.
  2.                     How his eyes shake fire,
  3. And measure ev’ry piece of youth about me!
  4. To the Master.
  5. The ewes want water, sir: shall I go drive ’em
  6. Down to the cisterns? Shall I make haste, sir?
  7. Aside.
  8. Would I were five miles from him—how he gripes me!

Master of the Flocks

173 - 176
  1. Come, come, all this is not sufficient, child,
  2. To make a fool of me. This is a fine hand,
  3. A delicate fine hand,—never change color;
  4. You understand me,—and a woman’s hand.

Violante

177 - 180
  1. You’re strangely out: yet if I were a woman,
  2. I know, you are so honest and so good,
  3. That though I wore disguises for some ends,
  4. You would not wrong me.

Master of the Flocks

181 - 183
  1.                         Come, you’re made for love;
  2. Will you comply? I’m madder with this talk.
  3. There’s nothing you can say, can take my edge off.

Violante

184 - 189
  1. Oh, do but quench these foul affections in you,
  2. That, like base thieves, have rob’d you of your reason,
  3. And I will be a woman; and begin
  4. So sad a story, that if there be aught
  5. Of humane in you, or a soul that’s gentle,
  6. You cannot choose but pity my lost youth.

Master of the Flocks

190
  1. No stories now.

Violante

191 - 192
  1.                 Kill me directly, sir;
  2. As you have any goodness, take my life.

Roderick

193
  1. Within.
  2. Hoa! Shepherd, will you hear, sir?

Master of the Flocks

194
  1. What bawling rogue is that, i’th’ devil’s name?

Violante

195
  1. Blessings upon him, whatsoe’er he be!
  1. Runs out.
  1. Enter Roderick.

Roderick

196 - 197
  1. Good even, my friend; I thought, you all had been asleep in
  2. this country.

Master of the Flocks

198
  1. You had lied then; for you were waking, when you thought so.

Roderick

199
  1. I thank you, sir.

Master of the Flocks

200
  1. I pray, be cover’d; ’tis not so much worth, sir.

Roderick

201
  1. Was that thy boy ran crying?

Master of the Flocks

202
  1. Yes; what then?

Roderick

203
  1. Why dost thou beat him so?

Master of the Flocks

204
  1. To make him grow.

Roderick

205 - 206
  1. A pretty med’cine! Thou can’st not tell me the way to the
  2. next nunnery?

Master of the Flocks

207 - 209
  1. How do you know that?—Yes, I can tell you; but the question
  2. is, whether I will or no; and, indeed, I will not. Fare you
  3. well.
  1. Exit Master.

Roderick

210 - 219
  1. What a brute fellow’s this! Are they all thus?
  2. My brother Henriquez tells me by his letters,
  3. The mistress of his soul not far from hence
  4. Hath taken sanctuary: from which he prays
  5. My aid to bring her back.—From what Camillo
  6. Hinted, I wear some doubts.—Here ’tis appointed
  7. That we should meet; it must be here; ’tis so.
  8. He comes.
  9. Enter Henriquez.
  10. Now, brother, what’s this post-haste business
  11. You hurry me about?—Some wenching matter—

Henriquez

220
  1. My letter told you, sir.

Roderick

221 - 224
  1. ’Tis true, it tells me, that you’ve lost a mistress
  2. Whom your heart bleeds for; but the means to win her
  3. From her close life, I take it, is not mention’d.
  4. You’re ever in these troubles.

Henriquez

225 - 234
  1.                                Noble brother,
  2. I own, I have too freely giv’n a scope
  3. To youth’s intemp’rate heat, and rash desires:
  4. But think not, that I would engage your virtues
  5. To any cause, wherein my constant heart
  6. Attended not my eye. ’Till now my passions
  7. Reign’d in my blood; ne’er pierc’d into my mind;
  8. But I’m a convert grown to purest thoughts:
  9. And must in anguish spend my days to come,
  10. If I possess not her: so much I love.

Roderick

235 - 238
  1. The means? She’s in a cloister, is she not?
  2. Within whose walls to enter as we are,
  3. Will never be: few men, but friars, come there;
  4. Which we shall never make.

Henriquez

239 - 240
  1.                            If that would do it,
  2. I would make anything.

Roderick

241 - 248
  1.                        Are you so hot?
  2. Aside.
  3. I’ll serve him, be it but to save his honor.
  4. To feign a corpse—By th’ mass, it shall be so.
  5. We must pretend, we do transport a body
  6. As ’twere to’s funeral: and coming late by,
  7. Crave a night’s leave to rest the herse i’th’ convent.
  8. That be our course; for to such charity
  9. Strict zeal and custom of the house give way.

Henriquez

249 - 251
  1. And, opportune, a vacant herse pass’d by
  2. From rites but new perform’d: this for a price
  3. We’ll hire, to put our scheme in act. Ho! Gerald—
  1. Enter Gerald, whom Henriquez whispers; then Gerald goes out.

Roderick

252 - 258
  1. When we’re once lodg’d, the means of her conveyance,
  2. By safe and secret force, with ease we’ll compass
  3. But, brother, know my terms. If that your mistress
  4. Will to the world come back, and she appear
  5. An object worthy in our father’s eye,
  6. Woo her, and win her; but if his consent
  7. Keep not pace with your purpose—

Henriquez

259 - 264
  1.                                  Doubt it not.
  2. I’ve look’d not with a common eye; but chose
  3. A noble virgin, who to make her so,
  4. Has all the gifts of heav’n and earth upon her.
  5. If ever woman yet could be an angel,
  6. She is the nearest.

Roderick

265 - 267
  1.                     Well; a lover’s praise
  2. Feasts not a common ear.—Now to our plot;
  3. We shall bring night in with us.
  1. Exeunt.
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