Volpone; Or, The Fox (Act 5 Scene 5.6)

THE SCRUTINEO OR SENATE-HOUSE.

ENTER AVOCATORI, NOTARIO, BONARIO, CELIA,
CORBACCIO, CORVINO, COMMANDADORI, SAFFI, ETC.

1 AVOC
Are all the parties here?

NOT
All but the advocate.

2 AVOC
And here he comes.

[ENTER VOLTORE AND VOLPONE.]

1 AVOC
Then bring them forth to sentence.

VOLT
O, my most honour'd fathers, let your mercy
Once win upon your justice, to forgive—
I am distracted—

VOLP
[ASIDE.]: What will he do now?

VOLT
O,
I know not which to address myself to first;
Whether your fatherhoods, or these innocents—

CORV
[ASIDE.]: Will he betray himself?

VOLT
Whom equally
I have abused, out of most covetous ends—

CORV
The man is mad!

CORB
What's that?

CORV
He is possest.

VOLT
For which, now struck in conscience, here, I prostate
Myself at your offended feet, for pardon.

1, 2 AVOC
Arise.

CEL
O heaven, how just thou art!

VOLP
[ASIDE.]: I am caught
In mine own noose—

CORV
[TO CORBACCIO.]: Be constant, sir: nought now
Can help, but impudence.

1 AVOC
Speak forward.

COM
Silence!

VOLT
It is not passion in me, reverend fathers,
But only conscience, conscience, my good sires,
That makes me now tell trueth. That parasite,
That knave, hath been the instrument of all.

1 AVOC
Where is that knave? fetch him.

VOLP
I go.

[EXIT.]

CORV
Grave fathers,
This man's distracted; he confest it now:
For, hoping to be old Volpone's heir,
Who now is dead—

3 AVOC
How?

2 AVOC
Is Volpone dead?

CORV
Dead since, grave fathers—

BON
O sure vengeance!

1 AVOC
Stay,
Then he was no deceiver?

VOLT
O no, none:
The parasite, grave fathers.

CORV
He does speak
Out of mere envy, cause the servant's made
The thing he gaped for: please your fatherhoods,
This is the truth, though I'll not justify
The other, but he may be some-deal faulty.

VOLT
Ay, to your hopes, as well as mine, Corvino:
But I'll use modesty. Pleaseth your wisdoms,
To view these certain notes, and but confer them;
As I hope favour, they shall speak clear truth.

CORV
The devil has enter'd him!

BON
Or bides in you.

4 AVOC
We have done ill, by a public officer,
To send for him, if he be heir.

2 AVOC
For whom?

4 AVOC
Him that they call the parasite.

3 AVOC
'Tis true,
He is a man of great estate, now left.

4 AVOC
Go you, and learn his name, and say, the court
Entreats his presence here, but to the clearing
Of some few doubts.

[EXIT NOTARY.]

2 AVOC
This same's a labyrinth!

1 AVOC
Stand you unto your first report?

CORV
My state,
My life, my fame—

BON
Where is it?

CORV
Are at the stake

1 AVOC
Is yours so too?

CORB
The advocate's a knave,
And has a forked tongue—

2 AVOC
Speak to the point.

CORB
So is the parasite too.

1 AVOC
This is confusion.

VOLT
I do beseech your fatherhoods, read but those—
[GIVING THEM THE PAPERS.]

CORV
And credit nothing the false spirit hath writ:
It cannot be, but he's possest grave fathers.

[THE SCENE CLOSES.]