red: Thou tallest truth (quoth he), but here 's the
difference, thine shall only be read for three days, whereas mine shall
continue for three ages.

Detraction is the sworn friend to ignorance: for mine own part, I have
ever truly cherished my good opinion of other men's worthy labours,
especially of that full and heightened style of Mr. Chapman, the laboured
and understanding works of Mr. Johnson, the no less worthy composures of
the both worthily excellent Mr. Beaumont and Mr. Fletcher; and lastly
(without wrong last to be named), the right happy and copious industry of
Mr. Shakespeare, Mr. Dekker, and Mr. Heywood, wishing what I write may be
read by their light: protesting that, in the strength of mine own
judgment, I know them so worthy, that though I rest silent in my own
work, yet to most of theirs I dare (without flattery) fix that of
Martial:

--non norunt haec monumenta mori.

DRAMATIS PERSONAE

MONTICELSO, a Cardinal; afterwards Pope PAUL the Fourth.
FRANCISCO DE MEDICIS, Duke of Florence; in the 5th Act disguised for a
Moor, under the name of MULINASSAR.
BRACHIANO, otherwise PAULO GIORDANO URSINI, Duke of Brachiano, Husband
to ISABELLA, and in love with VITTORIA.
GIOVANNI--his Son by ISABELLA.
LODOVICO, an Italian Count, but decayed.
ANTONELLI, | his Friends, and Dependants of the Duke of Florence.
GASPARO, |
CAMILLO, Husband to VITTORIA.
HORTENSIO, one of BRACHIANO's Officers.
MARCELLO, an Attendant of the Duke of Florence, and Brother to VITTORIA.
FLAMINEO, his Brother; Secretary to BRACHIANO.
JACQUES, a Moor, Servant to GIOVANNI.
ISABELLA, Sister to FRANCISCO DE MEDICI, and Wife to BRACHIANO.
VITTORIA COROMBONA, a Venetian Lady; first married to CAMILLO, afterwards
to BRACHIANO.
CORNELIA, Mother to VITTORIA, FLAMINEO, and MARCELLO.
ZANCHE, a Moor, Servant to VITTORIA.
Ambassadors, Courtiers, Lawyers, Officers, Physicians, Conjurer,
Armourer, Attendants.

THE SCENE--ITALY

ACT I

SCENE I

Enter Count Lodovico, Antonelli, and Gasparo

Lodo. Banish'd!

Ant. It griev'd me much to hear the sentence.

Lodo. Ha, ha, O Democritus, thy gods
That govern the whole world! courtly reward
And punishment. Fortune 's a right whore:
If she give aught, she deals it in small parcels,
That she may take away all at one swoop.
This 'tis to have great enemies! God 'quite them.
Your wolf no longer seems to be a wolf
Than when she 's hungr