Act III, Scene 12

[Enter HIERONIMO with a ponyard in one hand, and a rope in the other.]

HIERO.
Now, sir, perhaps I come to see the king,
The king sees me, and fain would hear my suit:
Why, is this not a strange and seld-seen thing
That standers-by with toys should strike me mute?
Go to, I see their shifts, and say no more;
Hieronimo, 'tis time for thee to trudge!
Down by the dale that flows with purple gore
Standeth a fiery tower; there sits a judge
Upon a seat of steel and molten brass,
And 'twixt his teeth he holds a fire-brand,
That leads unto the lake where he doth stand.
Away, Hieronimo; to him be gone:
He'll do thee justice for Horatio's death.
Turn down this path, thou shalt be with him straight;
Or this, and then thou need'st not take thy breath.
This way, or that way? Soft and fair, not so!
For, if I hang or kill myself, let's know
Who will revenge Horatio's murther then!
No, no; fie, no! pardon me, I'll none of that:

He flings away the dagger & halter.

This way I'll take; and this way comes the king,

He takes them up again.

And here I'll have a fling at him, that's flat!
And, Balthazar, I'll be with thee to bring;
And thee, Lorenzo! Here's the king; nay, stay!
And here,--aye, here,--there goes the hare away!

[Enter KING, AMBASSADOR, CASTILLE, and LORENZO.]

KING.
Now show, ambassador, what our viceroy saith:
Hath he receiv'd the articles we sent?

HIERO.
Justice! O, justice to Hieronimo!

LOR.
Back! see'st thou not the king is busy?

HIERO.
O! is he so?

KING.
Who is he that interrupts our business?

HIERO.
Not I! Hieronimo, beware! go by, go
by!

AMBASS.
Renown'd king, he hath receiv'd and read
Thy kingly proffers and thy promis'd league,
And, as a man extremely over-joy'd
To hear his son so princely entertain'd,
Whose death he had so solemnly bewail'd,
This, for thy further satisfaction
And kingly love, he kindly lets thee know:
First, for the marriage of his princely son
With Bel-imperia, thy beloved niece,
The news are more delightful to his soul
Then myrrh or incense to the offended Heav'ns.
In person, therefore, will be come himself
To see the marriage rites solemnized
And in the presence of the court of Spain
To knit a sure inextricable band
Of kingly love and everlasting league
Betwixt the crowns of Spain and Portingal.
There will he give his crown to Balthazar,
And make a queen of Bel-imperia.

KING.
Brother, how like you this our viceroy's love?

CAST.
No doubt, my lord, it is an argument
Of honourable care to keep his friend
And wondrous zeal to Balthazar, his son.
Nor am I least indebted to his Grace,
That bends his liking to my daughter thus.

AMBASS.
Now last, dread lord, here hath his Highness sent--
Although he send not that his son return--
His ransom due to Don Horatio.

HIERO.
Horatio? who calls Horatio?

KING.
And well remember'd, thank his Majesty!
Here, see it given to Horatio.

HIERO.
Justice! O justice! justice, gentle king!

KING.
Who is that? Hieronimo?

HIERO.
Justice! O justice! O my son! my son!
My son, whom naught can ransom or redeem!

LOR.
Hieronimo, you are not well advis'd.

HIERO.
Away, Lorenzo! hinder me no more,
For thou hast made me bankrupt of my bliss!
Give me my son! You shall not ransom him!
Away! I'll rip the bowels of the earth,

He diggeth with his dagger.

And ferry over th' Elysian plains
And bring my son to show his deadly wounds.
Stand from about me! I'll make a pickaxe of my poniard,
And here surrender up my marshallship;
For I'll go marshall up the fiends in hell,
To be avenged on you all for this.

KING.
What means this outrage?
Will none of you restrain his fury?

HIERO.
Nay, soft and fair; you shall not need to strive!
Needs must he go that the devils drive.

[Exit.]

KING.
What accident hath happ'd to Hieronimo?
I have not seen him to demean him so.

LOR.
My gracious lord, he is with extreme pride
Conceiv'd of young Horatio, his son,
And covetous of having himself
The ransom of the young prince, Balthazar,
Distract, and in a manner lunatic.

KING.
Believe me, nephew, we are sorry for 't;
This is the love that fathers bear their sons.
But, gentle brother, go give to him this gold,
The prince's ransom; let him have his due;
For what he hath, Horatio shall not want.
Haply Hieronimo hath need thereof.

LOR.
But if he be thus helplessly distract,
'Tis requisite his office be resign'd
And giv'n to one of more discretion.

KING.
We shall increase his melancholy so.
'Tis best that we see further in it first;
Till when, ourself will hold exempt the place.
And, brother, now bring in the ambassador,
That he may be a witness of the match
'Twixt Balthazar and Bel-imperia,
And that we may prefix a certain time
Wherein the marriage shall be solemniz'd,
That we may have thy lord the viceroy here.

AMBASS.
Therein your Highness highly shall content
His majesty, that longs to hear from hence.

KING.
On then, and hear you, lord ambassador.

[Exeunt.]