The Duchess

The Duchess of Malfi

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Renascence Editions

The Duchess of Malfi
John Webster.
Act I | Act II | Act III | Act IV | Act V

Note on the e-text: this Renascence Editions text was transcribed by Malcolm Moncrief-Spittle from the
1857 Hazlitt edition and graciously made available to Renascence Editions in June 2001. Content unique
to this presentation is copyright © 2001 TheUniversity of Oregon. For nonprofit and educational uses
only.

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The Duchess of Malfi

TO THE
RIGHT HONOURABLE GEORGE HARDING,
BARON BERKELEY, OF BERKELEY CASTLE,
AND KNIGHT OF THE ORDER OF THE BATH TO THE ILLUSTRIOUS PRINCE CHARLES.

MY NOBLE LORD,
THAT I may present my excuse why, being a stranger to yourlordship, I offer this poem
to your patronage, I plead this warrant: men who never saw the sea, yet desire to behold
that regiment of waters, choose some eminent river to guide them thither, and make that,
as it were, their conduct or postilion: by the like ingenious means has your fame arrived at
my knowledge, receiving it from some of worth, who both in contemplation and practicehttp://darkwing.uoregon.edu/%7Erbear/webster1.html (2 of 121)4/11/2005 6:23:14 AM

The Duchess of Malfi

owe to your honour their clearest service. I do not altogether look up at your title; the
ancien’st nobility being but a relic of time past, and the truest honour indeed being for a
man to confer honour on himself, which your learning strives to propagate, and shall make
you arrive at the dignityof a great example. I am confident this work is not unworthy your
honour’s perusal, for by such poems as this poets have kissed the hands of great princes,
and drawn their gentle eyes to look down upon their sheets of paper, when the poets
themselves were bound up in their winding-sheets. The like courtesy from your lordship
shall make you live in your grave, and laurel spring out of it, whenthe ignorant scorners of
the Muses, that like worms in libraries seem to live only to destroy learning, shall wither
neglected and forgotten. This work and myself I humbly present to your approved censure,
it being the utmost of my wishes to have your honourable self my weighty and
perspicuous comment; which grace so done me shall ever be acknowledged
By your lordship’s
in all duty andobservance,

JOHN WEBSTER.

CHARACTERS:
THE DUCHESS OF MALFI
CARIOLA (the Duchess' waiting woman)
DANIEL DE BOSOLA (steward of the Duchess' horses)
FERDINAND (Duke of Calabria)
CARDINAL (Ferdinand's brother)
ANTONIO BOLOGNA (steward of the Duchess' household)
DELIO (Antonio's friend)
CASTRUCCIO (a lord)
COUNT MALATESTE (a courtier)
THE MARQUIS OF PESCARA (a soldier)
RODERIGO (acourtier)
SILVIO (a courtier)
GRISOLAN (a courtier)
JULIA (Castruccio's wife and the Cardinal's mistress)
DOCTOR
Three Young Children
Two Pilgrims
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The Duchess of Malfi

An Old Lady
Several Madmen
Court Officers

Act I, Scene I.
Enter ANTONIO, and DELIO.
Delio. You are welcome to your country, dear Antonio;You have been long in France, and you return
A very formal Frenchman in your habit.
How do you like the French court?
Ant. I admire it:
In seeking to reduce both state and people
To a fixt order, their judicious king
Begins at home; quits first his royal palace
Of flattering sycophants, of dissolute
And infamous persons, which he sweetly terms
His master's masterpiece, the work ofheaven;
Considering duly, that a prince's court
Is like a common fountain, whence should flow
Pure silver drops in general, but if't chance
Some curs'd example poison't near the head,
Death and diseases through the whole land spread.
And what is't makes this blessed government,
But a most provident council, who dare freely
Inform him the corruption of the times?
Though some o'th' court hold...