to attend the duke: good hours befall ye! I must leave you. [Exit. D'Av. Gone already ? 'sfoot, I ha'marred all! this is worse and worse; he's as cold as hemlock. If her highness knows how I have gone to work, she'll thank me scurvily a pox of all dull brains! I took the clean contrary course. There is a mystery in this slight carelessness of his; I must sift it, and I will find it. Ud's me, fool myself out of my wit! well, I'll choose some fitter opportunity to inveigle him, and till then smooth her up that he is a man overjoyed with the report. [Exit. SCENE II. Another room in the same. Enter FERENTES and COLONA. Fer. Madam, by this light I vow myself your servant; only yours, inespecially yours. Time, like a turncoat, may order and disorder the outward fashions of our bodies, but shall never enforce a change on the constancy of my mind. Sweet Colona, fair Colona, young and sprightful lady, do not let me in the best of my youth languish in my earnest affections. Col. Why should you seek, my lord, to purchase glory By the disgrace[s] of a silly maid ? Fer. That I confess too. I am every way so unworthy of the first-fruits of thy embraces, so far beneath the riches of thy merit, that it can be no honour to thy fame to rank me in the number of thy servants; yet prove me how true, how firm I will stand to thy pleasures, to thy command; and, as time shall serve, be ever thine. Now, prithee, dear Colona, Col. Well, well, my lord, I have no heart of flint; Or if I had, you know by cunning words Fer. But what? do not pity thy own gentleness, lovely Colona. Shall I? Speak, shall I ?-say but ay, and our wishes are made up. Col. How shall I say ay, when my fears say no? Fer. You will not fail to meet [me] two hours hence, sweet? Col. No; Yes, yes, I would have said: how my tongue trips! Fer. I take that promise and that double yes as an assurance of thy faith. In the grove; good sweet, remember; in any case alone,-d'ye mark, love?— not as much as your duchess' little dog;-you'll not forget?-two hours hence-think on't, and miss not: till then Col. O, if you should prove false, and love another! Fer. Defy me, then! I'll be all thine, and a servant only to thee, only to thee. [Exit Col.]-Very passing good! three honest women in our courts here of Italy are enough to discredit a whole nation of that sex. He that is not a cuckold or a bastard is a strangely happy man; for a chaste wife, or a mother that never stept awry, are wonders, wonders in Italy. 'Slife! I have got the feat on't, and am every day more active in my trade: 'tis a sweet sin, this slip of mortality, and I have tasted enough for one passion of my senses.-Here comes more work for me. Enter JULIA. And how does my24 own Julia? Mew upon this sadness! what's the matter you are melancholy?-Whither away, wench? 24 my] Gifford printed "mine." D. Jul. 'Tis well; the time has been when your smooth tongue Would not have mock'd my griefs; and had I been More chary of mine honour,25 you had still Been lowly as you were. Fer. Lowly! why, I am sure I cannot be much more lowly than I am to thee; thou bringest me on my bare knees, wench, twice in every four-and-twenty hours, besides half-turns instead of bevers.26 must we next do, sweetheart? What Jul. Break vows on your side; I expect no other, But every day look when some newer choice May violate your honour and my trust. Fer. Indeed, forsooth! how say ye by that, la ?27 I hope I neglect no opportunity to your nunquam satis, to be called in question for. Go, thou art as fretting as an old grogram :28 by this hand, I love thee29 for't; it becomes thee so prettily to be angry. Well, if thou shouldst die, farewell all love with me for ever! go; I'll meet thee soon in thy lady's back-lobby, I will, wench; look for me. Jul. But shall I be resolv'd you will be mine? Fer. All thine; I will reserve my best ability, my heart, my honour only to thee, only to thee. Pity of my blood, away! I hear company coming on: remember, soon I am all thine, I will live perpetually only to thee away! [Exit Jul.] 'Sfoot! I wonder about : 25 mine honour,] Gifford printed "mine own honour." D. 26 bevers.] A slight intermediate repast between breakfast and dinner, or sometimes between dinner and the undermele. 27 how say ye by that, la?] A colloquial expression, common in our old dramatists, for "what do you mean by that?" There is a slight error in the old copy, which for "say ye" reads "shey." 28 thou art as fretting as an old grogram:] A coarse kind of silk taffety, usually stiffened with gum, and peculiarly liable, after some wearing, to fret and lose its gloss. It is often alluded to by our old writers. 29 thee] Gifford printed "you." D. вет what time of the year I was begot; sure, it was when the moon was in conjunction, and all the other planets drunk at a morris-dance: I am haunted above patience; my mind is not as infinite to do as my occasions are proffered of doing. Chastity! I am an eunuch if I think there be any such thing; or if there be, 'tis amongst us men, for I never found it in a woman throughly tempted yet. I have a shrewd hard task coming on; but let it pass.-Who comes now? My lord, the duke's friend! I will strive to be inward with him. Enter FERNANDO. My noble30 Lord Fernando !— Fern. My Lord Ferentes, I should change some words Of consequence with you; but since I am, For this time, busied in more serious thoughts, I'll pick some fitter opportunity. Fer. I will wait your pleasure, my lord. Good-day to your lordship. [Exit. Fern. Traitor to friendship, whither shall I run, That, lost to reason, cannot sway the float Of the unruly faction in my blood? The duchess, O, the duchess! in her smiles Are all my joys abstracted.-Death to my thoughts! My other plague comes to me. Enter FIORMONDA and JULIA. Fior. My Lord Fernando, what, so hard at study! You are a kind companion to yourself, That love to be alone so. Fern. Madam, no; I rather chose this leisure to admire The glories of this little world, the court, 30 noble] Omitted by Gifford. D. Where, like so many stars, on several thrones Fior. So, so, sir!—Leave us, Julia [Exit Jul.]— your own proof, By travel and prompt observation, Instruct[s] you how to place the use of speech.— But since you are at leisure, pray let's sit : We'll pass the time a little in discourse. What have you seen abroad? Fern. Like these I see at home. Fior. No wonders, lady, At home! as how? Fern. Your pardon, if my tongue, the voice of truth, Report but what is warranted by sight. Fior. Fie, fie! your wit hath too much edge. Or any thing that I could challenge mine, I serve in love the sister of my prince! Would that, Fior. 'Tis for your prince's sake, then, not for mine? I must acknowledge, madam, I observe In your affects31 a thing to me most strange, Which makes me so much honour you the more. Fior. Pray, tell it. Fern. Gladly, lady: 31 In your affects] See [note], p. 15. |