Man.  Because no dropp of honour falls from him
But I bleed with it.  Why doe I take his part? 
My sight is not so precious as my brother: 
If there be any goodnes in one man
He’s Lord of that; his vertues are full seas
Which cast up to the shoares of the base world
All bodyes throwne into them:  he’s no drunkard;
I thinke he nere swore oath; to him a woman
Was worse than any scorpion, till he cast
His eye on Eleonora:  and therefore, sir,
I hope it is not so.

Pedro.  Was not she so?

Man.  I doe not say, sir, that she was not so,
Yet women are strange creatures; but my hope
Is that my brother was not so ignoble. 
Good sir, be not too credulous on a Letter: 
Who knowes but it was forgd, sent by some foe,
As the most vertuous ever have the most? 
I know my Brother lov’d her honour so
As wealth of kingdoms could not him entice
To violate it or his faith to her. 
Perhapps it is some queint devise of theirs
To hast your journey homeward out of France,
To terminate their long-desired marriage.

Pedro.  The language of her letter speakes no such comfort,
But I will hasten home; &, for you are
So confident as not to thinke his honour
Any way toucht, your good hopes be your guide
Auspiciously to find it to your wish. 
Therefore my counsaile is you post before,
And, if you find that such a wrong be done,
Let such provision instantly be
Betwixt you made to hide it from the world
By giving her due nuptiall satisfaction,
That I may heare no noise of’t at my comming. 
Oh, to preserve the Reputation
Of noble ancestry that nere bore stayne,
Who would not passe through fire or dive the mayne?

[Exeunt.

(SCENE 4.)

Enter Fernando & Eleonora.

Fer.  Cease, Eleonora, cease these needles plaints,
Less usefull than thy helpe of hands was at
The deed of darkness,—­oh, the blackest deed
That ever overclouded[29] my felicity! 
To speake, or weepe thy sorrow, but allayes
And quenches anger, which we must now cherish
To further iust revenge.  How I could wish
But to call backe the strength of Twenty yeares!

Ele.  That I might be in that unborne againe, sir.

Fer.  No, Eleonora, that I were so ennabled
With my owne hands to worke out thy wronge
Upon that wretch, that villaine, oh, that Ravisher! 
But, though my hands are palsyed with rage,
The Law yet weares a sword in our defence.

    Enter Henrico.

Ele.  Away, my Lord & Father! see the monster
Approaching towards you! who knowes but now
He purposeth an assassinate on your life,
As he did lately on my Virgin honour?

Fer.  Fury, keepe off me!