Preys and Predators 3 Love Binds, Family Destroy Chapter 55

 

55.

 

“Romeo, where art thou?” Juliet had sneaked out of the house and rushed there to the cottage. She found no one there, and was concerned on the fate of Romeo.

“Juliet, there you are.” It was Lorenzo who appeared there. “Do you know that Jessica is held in custody by the Magistrate? I was told that the Magistrate was questioning her on the whereabouts of Romeo. I want to get him to save her.”

“He is not here. Could Romeo had been taken too?” Juliet was concerned.

“I am unsure. I came here to check and found you instead.” Lorenzo looked at the furnishings there.

“I must find him.” Juliet was frantic to check for her lover. She saw then the arrival of the friar.

“Friar, have you seen Romeo?” Juliet approached the other. “He is not here.”

“I know not of this.” Friar Lawrence shook his head. “I came here for I had seen Jessica in the Magistrate Court and yet I am forbidden to see her. They said she is Jew. And I was now allowed to see her.”

“You must help her.” Lorenzo jumped into the discussion. “She was not involved.”

“She is now.” Friar Lawrence sighed. “Where is Romeo?”

“We are unsure. We arrived here and he is not around.” Juliet sighed. “He could be taken.”

“I doubt so. If he was taken, I will know. The Capulets will have the Court surrounded.” Friar Lawrence sighed. “He must had sneaked out.”

“To where?” Juliet asked.

“To find you, my dear.” The friar smiled. “He is a silly boy.”

“Then we must find him before he gets into trouble.” Juliet expressed her anxiety.

“Lorenzo, where are the other places that you think Romeo may hide in?” The friar asked.

“I know not where else. We are brothers ……. Kins but hardly we played together.” Lorenzo sighed. “Maybe he gone home. Mother will see to his safety.”

“I doubt so. Or maybe he had. But there is one other place he will go to.” The friar looked at Juliet. “Your home. To see you.”

“I must return then.” Juliet Montague turned to leave.

“Let me go with you, Juliet.” Lorenzo offered his assistance. They left the cottage and then the friar took to the side door to leave. On the way by the trail, Juliet and Lorenzo was met by the Magistrate’s guards.

“Juliet Montague, we are to take you with us to the Magistrate Court.”

At that moment in the home of the Montagues, Angelica was concerned on the whereabouts of her care. She had taken care of Juliet from birth; her mother was weak from the delivery of the child, her first then, and it was a tough birth. Juliet was entrusted to the care of the nurse, who took in her stride then.

Lullay, mine Liking, my dear Son, mine Sweeting,
Lullay, my dear heart, mine own dear darling.

(The more well-known Coventry Carol, takes the form of a lullaby sung by Mary to the infant Jesus, but here it is used a refrain around a description of an encounter with the nativity. 

https://corymbus.co.uk/2014/12/22/lullay-my-dere-herte-myn-owyn-dere-derlyng/)

Juliet was not an easy child to care unlike the litter she had nurtured before. With the lullaby there, Angelica git the child to sleep rested at her bosom, and fed with pap. Pap was made from flour or bread crumbs cooked in water or milk. 

“Feed thy mouth on this, my dear. You are a lucky baby here. Others out there, gruel (a thinner cereal-based liquid) and panada (bread cooked in broth) were their infant's diet.” Angelica loved the child but she could not hesitate to grind on the troubles of the others to her care.

“The bed unkempt. God, give this child the teaching of real life.” Angelica approached the bed that Juliet sleeps on. Her chamber was enough to fill the space for a family, but being in the more affluent life, she hardly knows that.

“Dire are mine, for thee back will be sore for nights if I ever to clean this chamber.” Angelica turned to the door to call on the cleaning maids, and then she stumbled on a hooded man standing there by the door.

“Hush, my ……. Angelica. It is me, Romeo; the friend of Juliet.” The manly figure covered with the dark cloak whispered. “Please do not call on the servants …… yet.”

“The …….” Angelica refrain from her comments. “You are the ailing rooster that was outside the walls. Well, she is not here. She left the house earlier.”

“Juliet left the house? Where to?” Romeo asked. “I came to see her.”

“And to whom you may had missed.” Angelica smirked. “Please, dear sir. The lord is at home, and if he finds you, it may be without fail you will lose your rooster …… beak.”

“Let me take you out. Do not make a sound.” Angelica then led the Capulet out with his hood over his head/ He was let out of the house by the servant’s entrance. Angelica went back to the chamber and saw Lady Angeline waiting there.

“Was that the Capulet boy?” Lady Angeline asked.

“Yes, my lady. He was …. He sneaked in but I told him …...”

“It is best that the lord does not know of this.” Lady Angeline cut in. “I want the servants to pay vigilance to any strangers in the house.”

The nurse nodded and left the chamber. Lady Angeline looked out of the window at the road ahead. She saw the Capulet lad walking there. Unknown to him, Abram was following behind. It was the latter who reported to her on the Capulet boy. She had then instructed the guard to follow the boy. She heard that Lord Dante Montague was to be in the Magistrate Court to check on the daughter. She was apprehended with Lorenzo on the outskirt of the city. Lord Gencio Capulet was advised on the matter too.

“Lord Dante Montague, your daughter is under investigation for the investigate on the fugitive, Romeo Capulet.” Magistrate Javier said to the lord when they met there. “She can be being held to be question here. At no time, is she a …….”

“Magistrate Javier, what proof have you that my daughter is involved with the Capulet boy?” Lord Dante Montague pressed for answer, and he had brought his own friends, and among them were senior members of the trade association.

During that period, Genoa's legal system was complex, utilizing both local statutes and the ius commune to resolve disputes, particularly in civil and commercial matters. The magistrates operated within a legal system that drew from both local traditions and Roman-canonical law to address issues like contracts and family matters, though the state itself had limited power over its citizens and society. 

The period was also marked by a shift in the ruling class from older noble clans to newer merchant-banking elites who wielded power through commercial success and control over institutions. The ruling class was a mix of established noble families and newly wealthy merchant families who had gained prominence through banking and overseas trade. 

“I am doing whatever …….” Magistrate Javier was upset that the lord had massed the influential to back him. We are questioning anyone who may had met or know of Romeo Capulet.”

“And which without proof, you have no jurisdiction to detain my daughter. Do I need to see the Chief Magistrate to get his view on the matter?” Lord Dante Montague leaned on the Magistrate with his influence. Javier himself was upset at the Belmont’s confiscation, and then the refusal of Portia Belmont to say anything on the wares.

“No, that will not be needed. You may take your daughter back.” Javier bend to the demand.

“What of my Lorenzo?” It was Lord Gencio Capulet who arrived then. “I demand his release. You cannot be picking up people on mere suspicion or by association.”

“Lord Gencio Capulet……” Magistrate Javier sighed. “Yes, you can take him back too.”

It was a bad day for the Magistrate who had to deal with these two influential families. Lorenzo and Juliet were brought out.

“Are you hurt, Lorenzo?” Lord Gencio Capulet saw the bruises on the lad’s face.

“Lorenzo Capulet was aggressive and had to be handed by my guards.” Magistrate Javier told the father. “He needs to be told that we will not tolerate violence.”

“Father, help Jessica please.” Lorenzo pleaded with the father.

“Not today, Lorenzo. We need to get you home. Mother is waiting.” Lord Gencio Capulet then looked at the Magistrate. “The matter will be brought up to the Chief Magistrate.”

 It was then Shylock who had arrived at the Court and heard the exchange. He approached the Magistrate and pressed on his demand.

“Jessica Judas is an accomplice of Romeo Capulet. She cannot be released just yet.” Javier told Shylock. He was furious to be confronted. Shylock turned towards Lord Gencio Capulet for assistance.

“I cannot assist there.” Lord Gencio Capulet shook his head. “I am to go now. Please let me go home with my son now.”

With that, Lord Gencio Capulet stepped out of the Courts. He saw Lord Dante Montague boarded the carriage, and hesitated to approach it. He was to leave when Lady Sofia excused herself. She told him she has other matters to attend. Lord Gencio Capulet boarded his and the driver took them home.

Shylock himself was upset still in the Magistrate Court, then approached the Magistrate.

“I demand a hearing on my report on Andre Bassanio. His wares are now confiscated by your officers and by the deed of loan, belonged to me. I demand justice to my claims.”

Portia Belmont was allowed to visit Andre Bassanio at his cell. It was unprecedented but Jean managed to convince the fellow officers to let her visit him.

“Hello, Portia. How are you?” Bassanio sat up on the cot provided to him. He was covered in blood form the beatings inflicted on him. Portia stepped closer to him, and was told of his predicament.

“The wares are confiscated by the Magistrate.” Portia told him.

“So, he must had found whatever he was looking for.” Bassanio smiled. “It had driven many to seek it.”

“Whatever it was, I had checked earlier. There was no case in the wares. No jewels found.” Portia told the other. “Were you conned on it?”

“No case? It cannot be. The Turk showed me the case when we were arranging the shipment. It must be in there.” Bassanio was stunned. “It cannot be missing. Maybe the Dock Master took it.”

“Impossible. The wares were kept under guard in the warehouse. You know how tight the security was there. It was the rule of the trade to ensure Genoa was never suspicious of any missing wares.”

The judicial body ie named the judicial calculators, ensure the unloading of the wares were to requirements. They are supported by the "giovani dei calcolatori," acted as witnesses to prevent fraud and ensure accurate reporting of goods. Any masters found guilty of fraud during eh unloading will be punished.

Portia then produced the small case she retrieved from the wares. “This was declared, arrived sealed but it was empty.”

“The case……. Empty? It cannot be.” Bassanio grabbed the case. He opened it and looked inside. It was empty. “I did not check the case before. Was I conned by the Turk then?”

“A false trail created to confuse the others. What are this jewels that everyone coveted to get?”

The demands of Shylock were fulfilled and he pressed on the legality on his claims.

“It will be carried out. You will have your chance at the Courts.” Javier looked at the money lender. “Andre Bassanio Tito will appear there.”