John Ford’s The Queen: A Retelling

A civil insurrection in the Kingdom of Aragon in northeastern Spain had just been put down. The defeated army’s general was Alphonso, and three of his followers were being pardoned: Bufo, Pynto, and Muretto. Bufo was a captain, Pynto was an astrologer, and Muretto was perhaps mostly a flatterer/parasite. Petruchi, one of the Queen of Aragon’s lords, gave them the good news: “All of you are free, and all of you are forgiven.” The three former rebels said, “May God bless her majesty.” “Henceforth, my friends,” Petruchi said, “take heed how you so hazard and risk your lives and fortunes on the peevish civil uprising of every discontent; you will not find mercy so rife at all times.” “Gracious sir!” Muretto said, “Your counsel is more like an oracle than a man’s advice. For my part I dare speak for one — I will rather be racked asunder than ever again offend so wise a majesty.” The rack was an instrument of torture in which the victim’s arms were pulled in one direction and their legs were pulled in the opposite direction. This caused joints to painfully separate. “That is well,” Petruchi said. “Your lives are once more made your own. I must attend the execution of your hot-headed general: Alphonso. Each of you must shift now for yourselves.” Petruchi exited. “Has he gone?” Bufo said. “Ha, ha, ha! We have the common capony of the clear Heavens once more over our heads, sirs.” Bufo occasionally erred when it came to language. By “capony,” he meant canopy.” The canopy of the clear Heavens is a clear sky. A capon is something quite different: a castrated cockerel, aka rooster.