Betwixt the abject lowness of a poverty,

And the applauded triumphs of abundance, Though compass'd by the meanest service. Where

in

Shall you betray your guilt to common censure,
Waving the private charge of your opinion,
By rising up to greatness, or at least

To plenty, which now buys it?

Liv. Troylo-Savelli

Plays merrily on my wants.

Troy. Troylo-Savelli

Speaks to the friend he loves, to his own Livio.
Look, prithee, through the great duke's court in
Florence;

Number his favourites, and then examine
By what steps some chief officers in state.
Have reach'd the height they stand in.

Liv. By their merits.

Troy. Right, by their merits: well he merited The intendments o'er the gallies at Leghorn, (Made grand collector of the customs there,) Who led the prince unto his wife's chaste bed, And stood himself by, in his night-gown, fearing The jest might be discover'd! was 't not handsome?

The lady knows not yet on't.

Liv. Most impossible.

Troy. He merited well to wear a robe of cham

let,

Who train'd his brother's daughter, scarce a girl, Into the arms of Mont-Argentorato;

Whilst the young lord of Telamon, her husband, Was packeted to France, to study courtship,* Under, forsooth, a colour of employment, Employment! yea, of honour.

Liv. You are well read

In mysteries of state.

Troy. Here, in Sienna,

Bold Julio de Varana, lord of Camerine,
Held it no blemish to his blood and greatness,
From a plain merchant, with a thousand ducats,
To buy his wife, nay, justify the purchase ;—
Procured it by a dispensation

From Rome, allow'd and warranted: 'twas thought
By his physicians, that she was a creature
Agreed best with the cure of the disease
His present new infirmity then labour'd in.
Yet these are things in prospect of the world,
Advanced, employ'd, and eminent.

Liv. At best,

'Tis but a goodly pandarism.

Troy. Shrewd business!

Thou child in thrift, thou fool of honesty,

Is't a disparagement for gentlemen,

For friends of lower rank, to do the offices

Of necessary kindness, without fee,

For one another, courtesies of course,

To study courtship.] i. e. the language and manners of a court.

Thus Massinger

"What she wanted

In courtship, was, I hope, supplied in civil

And modest entertainment."

Great Duke of Florence.

Mirths of society; when petty mushrooms, Transplanted from their dunghills, spread on mountains,

And pass for cedars by their servile flatteries
On great men's vices? Pandar! thou'rt deceived,
The word includes preferment; 'tis a title
Of dignity; I could add somewhat more else.
Liv. Add any thing of reason.

Troy. Castamela,

Thy beauteous sister, like a precious tissue,
Not shaped into a garment fit for wearing,
Wants the adornments of the workman's cunning
To set the richness of the piece at view,

Though in herself all wonder. Come, I'll tell thee:

A way there may be-(know, I love thee, Livio-) To fix this jewel in a ring of gold,

Yet lodge it in a cabinet of ivory,

White, pure, unspotted ivory: put case,

Livio himself shall keep the key on't?

Liv. Oh, sir,

Create me what you please of yours; do this,
You are another nature.

Troy. Be then pliable

To my first rules of your advancement.-[Enter
OCTAVIO.]-See!

Octavio, my good uncle, the great marquis
Of our Sienna, comes, as we could wish,
In private.-Noble sir!

Oct. My bosom's secretary,

My dearest, best loved nephew.

Troy. We have been thirsty'

In our pursuit. Sir, here's a gentleman
Desertful of your knowledge, and as covetous
Of entertainment from it: you shall honour
Your judgment, to entrust him to your favours;
His merits will commend it.

Oct. Gladly welcome;

Your own worth is a herald to proclaim it.
For taste of your preferment, we admit you
The chief provisor of our horse.

Liv. Your bounty

Stiles me your ever servant.

Troy. He's our own;

Surely, nay most persuadedly. My thanks, sir,

Owes to this just engagement.

Oct. Slack no time

[Aside to OCT.

To enter on your fortunes.-Thou art careful,
My Troylo, in the study of a duty.

His name is?—

Troy. Livio.

Liv. Livio, my good lord.

Oct. Again, you're welcome to us:-be as

speedy,

[Apart to TROYLO.

Dear nephew, as thou'rt constant.— Men of

parts,

Fit parts and sound, are rarely to be met with;
But being met with, therefore to be cherish'd

5 We have been thirsty

In our pursuit.] i. e. sharp, eager, active.

With love and with supportance. While I stand, Livio can no way fall ;-yet, once more, welcome! [Exit.

Troy. An honourable liberality,
Timely disposed, without delay or question,
Commands a gratitude. Is not this better
Than waiting three or four months at livery,
With cup and knee unto this chair of state,
And to that painted arras, for a nod

From goodman-usher, or the formal secretary;
Especially the juggler with the purse,

That pays some shares, in all? A younger bro

ther,

Sometimes an elder, not well trimm'd i' th' head

piece,

May spend what his friend left, in expectation
Of being turn'd out of service-for attendance!
Or marry a waiting-woman, and be damn'd for't
To open laughter, and, what's worse, old beg-
gary!--

What thinks my Livio of this rise at first?
Is't not miraculous?

Liv. It seems the bargain

Was driv'n before between you.

"And

And to that painted arras, for a nod,] The 4to reads, to their painted arras for a need," which I do not understand. Troylo is evidently congratulating Livio on his entering at once into the good graces of his lord, without stooping (as was too frequently the case) to the meanness of flattering the proud and formal domestics of his patron's establishment, the steward, gentleman-usher, &c. If the reader prefers need to nod, I see no great objection. Cup and knee," I doubt not, should be " knee," as we have it in the Sun's Darling: it was not usual to present the cup kneeling to any but princes.

cap and