PROLOGUE.

THE FANCIES! that's our play; in it is shown
Nothing, but what our author knows his own
Without a learned theft; no servant here
To some fair mistress, borrows for his ear,
His lock, his belt, his sword, the fancied grace
Of any pretty ribbon; nor, in place
Of charitable friendship, is brought in

A thriving gamester, that doth chance to win
A lusty sum; while the good hand doth ply him,
And FANCIES this or that, to him sits by him.
His free invention runs but in conceit

Of mere imaginations; there's the height
Of what he writes; which if traduced by some,
'Tis well, he says, he's far enough from home.
For you, for him, for us, then this remains,

3

Fancy your own opinions, for our pains.

3 Fancy your own opinions.] The old copy reads, " Fancy your even opinions." Ford appears to have been on the continent when this piece was first given to the stage.

DRAMATIS PERSONE.

OCTAVIO, marquis of Sienna.
TROYLO-SAVELLI, his nephew.

LIVIO, brother to CASTAMELA.

ROMANELLO, (Pragniolo,) brother to FLAVIA. JULIO DE VARANA, lord of Camerino.

FLAVIA, wife to JULIO.

MOROSA, guardianess to the FANCIES.

THE SCENE-Sienna.

THE

FANCIES, CHASTE AND NOBLE.

ACT I. SCENE I.

An Apartment in the Palace.

Enter TROYLO-SAVELLI, and LIVIO.

Troy. Do, do; be wilful, desperate; 'tis manly. Build on your reputation! such a fortune

May furnish out your tables, trim your liveries,
Enrich your heirs with purchase of a patrimony,
Which shall hold out beyond the waste of riot;
Stick honours on your heraldry, with titles
As swelling, and as numerous as may likely
Grow to a pretty volume-here's eternity!
All this can reputation, marry, can it;
Indeed, what not?

Liv. Such language from a gentleman
So noble in his quality as you are,

Deserves, in my weak judgment, rather pity
Than a contempt.

Troy. Could'st thou consider, Livio,

The fashion of the times, their study, practice, Nay, their ambitions, thou would'st soon distinguish