ACT II. SCENE I. An Apartment in the Palace. Enter SOPHRONOS and ARETUS. Soph. Our commonwealth is sick: 'tis more than time That we should wake the head thereof, who sleeps In the dull lethargy of lost security. The commons murmur, and the nobles grieve; Their just conceived fury on such injuries The affairs of government; which I, for my part, Are. Sophronos, I am as zealous too of shaking off My gay state-fetters, that I have bethought Of speedy remedy; and to that end, As I have told you, have concluded with Corax, the prince's chief physician.— Soph. You should have done this sooner, Aretus; You were his tutor, and could best discern His dispositions, to inform them rightly. Are. Passions of violent nature, by degrees Are easiliest reclaim'd. There's something hid Of his distemper, which we'll now find out. Enter CORAX, RHETIAS, PELIAS, CUCULUS, and GRILLA. You come on just appointment. Welcome, gentlemen! Have you won Rhetias, Corax? Cor. Most sincerely. Cuc. Save ye, nobilities! Do your lordships take notice of my page? 'Tis a fashion of the newest edition, spick and span-new, without example. Do your honour, housewife! Gril. There's a curtsy for you, and a curtsy for you. Soph. 'Tis excellent: we must all follow fashion, And entertain she-waiters. Are. "Twill be courtly. Cuc. I think so; I hope the chronicles will rear me one day for a headpiece Rhe. Of woodcock, without brains in it!3 Barbers shall wear thee on their citterns, and hucksters set thee out in gingerbread. 3 Of woodcock, &c.] A cant term for a simpleton. See Jonson, vol. ii. p. 127. 4 Barbers shall wear thee on their citterns.] For an explanation of this passage, the reader may refer to Jonson, vol. iii. p. 411. where he will find all that is necessary to be said on the subject. The head of the cittern like that of the harp occasionally terminated, I suppose, in some grotesque kind of ornament. Cuc. Devil take thee! I say nothing to thee now; canst let me be quiet? the Gril. You are too perstreperous, sauce-box. Rhe. Mum, butterfly! Pel. The prince!' stand and keep silence. Cuc. O the prince! wench, thou shalt see the prince now. [Soft Music. Enter PALADOR, with a Book. Soph. Are. Sir, gracious sir! Pal. Why all this company? Cor. A book! is this the early exercise Your balloon ball, the practice of your dancing, The Prince.] I have omitted O, which was probably adopted from the next speech. 6 You pursue disease.] The old copy reads—your disease. This word, which spoils the measure, seems to have crept in from the passage immediately following it. D I have employments, which to my profession Command my head:-pray, better You may take it, do! 'twere For me to lose it, than to lose my wits, And live in Bedlam ; you will force me to't; Pal. I believe it. Soph. Letters are come from Crete, which do require A speedy restitution of such ships, As by your father were long since detain'd; Are. These near parts Of Syria that adjoin, muster their friends; Soph. Through your land Your subjects mutter strangely, and imagine Cor. And yet They talk but oddly of you. Cuc. Hang 'em, mongrels! Pal. Of me? my subjects talk of me! 7 And live in Bedlam.] As there were mad folks in Famagosta, there were doubtless receptacles for them. Ford, however, was thinking of Moorfields. Cor. Yes, scurvily, And think worse, prince. Pal. I'll borrow patience A little time to listen to these wrongs; And from the few of you, which are here present, Conceive the general voice. Cor. So! now he's nettled. [Aside. Pal. By all your loves I charge you, without fear Or flattery, to let me know your thoughts, Pal. So!-Tutor, your conceit ? Are. I think you doat (with pardon let me speak it) Too much upon your pleasures; and these pleasures A man, in every point complete; but are |