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PP

Scene 1

The prospect of a village.

(Citizen; Julio)

Julio receives his letter from Leonora, which reveals Henriquez’s treachery, and works himself into a frenzy until the Citizen succeeds in calming him down. Desperate to see his lady-love, he proposes borrowing some clothes from the Citizen so he can see Leonora in disguise, and the Citizen agrees to help. (48 lines)

Enter Julio with a letter, and Citizen.

CITIZ.

When from the window she did bow and call,

Her passions shook her voice; and from her eyes

Mistemper and distraction, with strange wildness

Bespoke concern above a common sorrow.

JUL.

Poor Leonora! Treacherous, damn’d Henriquez!

She bids me fill my memory with her danger;

I do, my Leonora; yes, I fill

The region of my thought with nothing else;

Lower, she tells me here, that this affair

Shall yield a testimony of her love:

And prays, her letter may come safe and sudden.

This pray’r the heav’ns have heard, and I beseech ’em,

To hear all pray’rs she makes.

CITIZ.

Have patience, sir.

JUL.

O my good friend, methinks, I am too patient.

Is there a treachery, like this in baseness,

Recorded any where? It is the deepest:

None but itself can be its parallel:

And from a friend, profess’d! Friendship? Why, ’tis

A word forever maim’d; in human nature

It was a thing the noblest; and ’mong beasts,

It stood not in mean place: things of fierce nature

Hold amity and concordance. Such a villainy

A writer could not put down in his scene,

Without taxation of his auditory

For fiction most enormous.

CITIZ.

These upbraidings

Cool time, while they are vented.

JUL.

I am counsel’d.

For you, evermore, thanks. You’ve done much for us;

So gently press’d to ’t, that I may persuade me

You’ll do a little more.

CITIZ.

Put me t’ employment

That’s honest, though not safe, with my best spirits

I’ll give’t accomplishment.

JUL.

No more but this;

For I must see Leonora: and to appear

Like Julio, as I am, might haply spoil

Some good event ensuing. Let me crave

Th’ exchange of habit with you: some disguise,

May bear me to my love, unmark’d, and secret.

CITIZ.

You shall not want. Yonder’s the house before us:

Make haste to reach it.

JUL.

Still I thank you, sir.

O Leonora! Stand but this rude shock;

Hold out thy faith against the dread assault

Of this base lord, the service of my life

Shall be devoted to repay thy constancy.

Exeunt.

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