I have warned you, my lord, at your peril be it, if you disobey. I shall inform the duke of your discontent.

Ros. Do, politician, do! I scent the plot
Of this disgrace; 'tis Fiormonda, she,
That glorious widow, whose commanding check
Ruins my love like foolish beasts, thus they
Find danger that prey too near the lions' den.

Enter FERNANDO and PETRUCHIO.

Fern. My noble lord, Roseilli!

Ros.
Sir, the joy
I should have welcomed you with is wrapt up
In clouds of my disgrace; yet, honoured sir,
Howsoe'er frowns of great ones cast me down,
My service shall pay tribute in my lowness
To your uprising virtues.

Fern.

Sir, I know

You are so well acquainted with your own,
You need not flatter mine: trust me, my lord,
I'll be a suitor for you.

Pet.

And I'll second

My nephew's suit with importunity.

Ros. You are, my Lord Fernando, late returned From travels; pray instruct me :-since the voice Of most supreme authority commands.

My absence, I determine to bestow

Some time in learning languages abroad;
Perhaps the change of air may change in me
Remembrance of my wrongs at home: good sir,
Inform me; say I meant to live in Spain,
What benefit of knowledge might I treasure?
Fern. Troth, sir, I'll freely speak as I have found.
In Spain you lose experience; 'tis a climate

1

Too hot to nourish arts; the nation proud,

[Exit.

1 It was the age of Velasquez and Calderon, but Spain was not popular in England at this period. Ford was probably indebted in part to Howell for this description.

And in their pride unsociable; the court
More pliable to glorify itself

Than do a stranger grace: if you intend
To traffic like a merchant, 'twere a place
Might better much your trade; but as for me,
I soon took surfeit on it.

Ros.

What for France ?

Fern. France I more praise and love. You are, my

lord,

Yourself for horsemanship much famed; and there
You shall have many proofs to show your skill.1
The French are passing courtly, ripe of wit,
Kind, but extreme dissemblers; you shall have
A Frenchman ducking lower than your knee,
At the instant mocking even your very shoe-ties.
To give the country due, it is on earth

A paradise; and if you can neglect

Your own appropriaments, but praising that
In others wherein you excel yourself,

You shall be much beloved there.

Ros.

Yet methought

I heard you and the duchess, two night since,
Discoursing of an island thereabouts,

Called-let me think-'twas

Fern.
Ros.

England?

That: pray, sir

You have been there, methought I heard you praise

it.

Fern. I'll tell you what I found there; men as neat, As courtly as the French, but in condition 2 Quite opposite. Put case that you, my lord, Could be more rare on horseback than you are,

1 It seems that about this period the English were 'surpassed by most nations in this noble art: nor was it till James I. wisely encouraged horse-races, that we thought of improving the old, heavy, short-winded breed of horses, by the introduction of Barbary and other stallions.-Gifford.

2 Disposition.

Ford.

U

If there—as there are many-one excelled
You in your art as much as you do others,
Yet will the English think their own is nothing
Compared with you, a stranger; in their habits
They are not more fantastic than uncertain;
In short, their fair abundance, manhood, beauty,
No nation can disparage but itself.

Ros. My lord, you have much eased me; I resolve.
Fern. And whither are you bent?

Ros.

To speed or England.

Fern.

My lord, for travel;

No, my lord, you must not :

I have yet some private conference

T'impart unto you for your good; at night
I'll meet you at my Lord Petruchio's house :
Till then be secret.

Ros.

Dares my cousin trust me?

Pet. Dare I, my lord! yes, 'less your fact were greater Than a bold woman's spleen.

Ross.

The duke's at hand,

And I must hence my service to your lordships. [Exit.

Pet. Now, nephew, as I told you, since the duke

Hath held the reins of state in his own hand,
Much altered from the man he was before,-

As if he were transformed in his mind,1
To soothe him in his pleasures, amongst whom
Is fond Ferentes; one whose pride takes pride
In nothing more than to delight his lust;
And he-with grief I speak it-hath, I fear,
Too much besotted my unhappy daughter,
My poor Colona; whom, for kindred's sake.
As you are noble, as you honour virtue,
Persuade to love herself: a word from you
May win her more than my entreaties or frowns.

1 One or more lines, the purport of which may easily be gathered, have dropped out here.

Fern. Uncle, I'll do my best: meantime, pray tell

me,

Whose mediation wrought the marriage

Betwixt the duke and duchess,--who was agent.

Pet. His roving eye and her enchanting face,
The only dower nature had ordained

T' advance her to her bride-bed. She was daughter
Unto a gentleman of Milán- -no better-
Preferred to serve i' the Duke of Milan's court;
Where for her beauty she was greatly famed :
And passing late from thence to Monaco
To visit there her uncle, Paul Baglione

The Abbot, Fortune-queen to such blind matches—
Presents her to the duke's eye, on the way,

As he pursues the deer: in short, my lord,

He saw her, loved her, wooed her, won her, matched

her;

No counsel could divert him.

Fern.

She is fair.

Pet. She is; and, to speak truth, I think right noble In her conditions.1

Fern.

If, when I should choose,

Beauty and virtue were the fee proposed,
I should not pass for parentage.

Pet.

Doth come.

The duke

Fern. Let's break-off talk.-[Aside] If ever, now,
Good angel of my soul, protect my truth!

Enter the Duke, BIANCA, FIORMONDA, NIBRASSA,
FERENTES, JULIA, and D'AVOLOS.

Duke. Come, my Bianca, revel in mine arms;
Whiles I, wrapt in my admiration, view
Lilies and roses growing in thy cheeks.—
Fernando! O, thou half myself! no joy

Could make my pleasure full without thy presence:

1 Disposition,

2 i.e. Care.

I am a monarch of felicity,

Proud in a pair of jewels, rich and beautiful,-
A perfect friend, a wife above compare.

Fern. Sir, if a man so low in rank may hope,
By loyal duty and devoted zeal,

To hold a correspondency in friendship
With one so mighty as the Duke of Pavy,'
My uttermost ambition is to climb

To those deserts may give the style of servant.
Duke. Of partner in my dukedom, in my heart,
As freely as the privilege of blood

Hath made them mine; Philippo and Fernando
Shall be without distinction.-Look, Bianca,
On this good man; in all respects to him
Be as to me: only the name of husband,
And reverent observance of our bed,
Shall differ us in person, else in soul
We are all one.

Bian.

I shall, in best of love,

Regard the bosom-partner of my lord.
Fior. [Aside to FERENTES] Ferentes,-
Feren. [Aside to FIORMONDA]

Madam?

Fior. [Aside to FERENTES] You are one loves courtship He hath some change of words,2 'twere no lost labour To stuff your table-books;3 the man speaks wisely! Feren. [Aside to FIORMONDA] I'm glad your highness is so pleasant.

Duke.

Fior. My lord and brother?

Duke.

Sister,

You are too silent,

Quicken your sad remembrance, though the loss

Of your dead husband be of more account
Than slight neglect, yet 'tis a sin against
The state of princes to exceed a mean
In mourning for the dead.

1 Pavia.

2 i.e. He is a ready talker.

3 Memorandum book,

4 Enliven.