Myself; I keep nor house, nor entertainments,*
French cooks composed, Italian collations :—
Rich Persian surfeits, with a train of services,
Befitting exquisite ladies, such as you are,
Perfume not our low roofs;-the way lies open;
That, there. [Points to the door.]
Good day,
great madam!

Flav. Why d'ye slight me?

For what one act of mine, even from my childhood,
Which may deliver my deserts inferior,
Or to our births or family, is nature
Become, in your contempt of me, a monster?
Ves. What's this, Camillo?

Cam. Not the strain in ordinary.

Rom. I'm out of tune to chop discourse-how

ever,

You are a woman.

Flav. Pensive and unfortunate,

Wanting a brother's bosom to disburthen

More griefs than female weakness can keep league with.

Let worst of malice, voiced in loud report,
Spit what it dares invent against my actions;
And it shall never find a power to blemish
My mention, other than beseems a patient:
I not repine at lowness; and the fortunes
Which I attend on now, are, as I value them,
No new creation to a looser liberty;

2

:

entertainments,

French cooks composed.] i. e. perhaps, which French cooks composed but the pointing of the 4to. is so indistinct, that it is not easy to discern what the author meant to say. Mr. Heber's copy has a full point after entertainments; if that be correct, composed must be a misprint.

Your strangeness only may beget a change

In wild opinion.

Cam. Here's another tang

Of sense, Vespucci.

In

Ves. Listen, and observe.

Rom. Are not you, pray you-nay, we'll be contented,

presence of your ushers, once to prattle Some idle minutes-are you not enthroned The lady-regent, by whose special influence Julio, the count of Camerine, is order'd?

Flav. His wife, 'tis known I am; and in that title

Obedient to a service; else, of greatness

The quiet of my wish was ne'er ambitious,

Rom. He loves you?

Flav. As worthily as dearly.

Rom. And 'tis believed how practice quickly fashion'd

A port of humorous antickness in carriage,
Discourse, demeanour, gestures.

Cam. Put home roundly.

Ves. A ward for that blow? Flav. Safety of mine honour Instructed such deceit.

Rom. Your honour?

Flav. Witness

This brace of sprightly gallants, whose confederacy

Presumed to plot a siege.

Cam. Ves. We, madam!
Rom. On, on;

Some leisure-serves us now.

Flav. Still as Lord Julio

Pursued his contract with the man-oh, pardon,
If I forget to name him!-by whose poverty
Of honest truth, I was renounced in marriage;
These two, entrusted for a secret courtship,
By tokens, letters, message, in their turns,
Proffer'd their own devotions, as they term'd them,
Almost unto an impudence; regardless

Of him, on whose supportance they relied.
Rom. Dare not for both your lives to interrupt
her.

Flav. Baited thus to vexation, I assumed A dulness of simplicity; till afterwards Lost to my city-freedom, and now enter'd Into this present state of my condition, (Concluding henceforth absolute security From their lascivious villanies) I continued My former custom of ridiculous lightness, As they did their pursuit; t' acquaint my lord,

were

To have ruin'd their best certainty of living: But that might yield suspicion in my nature; And women may be virtuous, without mischief To such as tempt them.

Rom. You are much to blame, sirs, Should all be truth is utter'd.

Flav. For that justice

I did command them hither; for a privacy
In conference 'twixt Flavia and her brother,
Needed no secretaries such as these are.
Now, Romanello, thou art every refuge
I fly for right to; if I be thy sister,

And not a bastard, answer their confession,

Or threaten vengeance, with perpetual silence. Cam. My follies are acknowledged; you're a lady

Who have outdone example: when I trespass
In ought but duty and respects of service,
May hopes of joys forsake me!

Ves. To like penance
I join a constant votary.

Rom. Peace, then,

Is ratified. My sister, thou hast waken'd
Intranced affection from its sleep to knowledge
Of once more who thou art; no jealous frenzy
Shall hazard a distrust: reign in thy sweetness,
Thou only worthy woman; these two converts
Record our hearty union. I have shook off
My thraldom, lady, and have made discoveries
Of famous novels ;3-but of those hereafter.
Thus we seal love; you shall know all, and wonder.

Enter LIVIO.

Liv. Health and his heart's desire to Romanello! My welcome I bring with me.-Noblest lady, Excuse an ignorance of your fair presence; This may be held intrusion.

Flav. Not by me, sir.

Rom. You are not frequent here, as I remember; But since you bring your welcome with you, Livio, Be bold to use it; to the point.

3 Of famous novels.] i. e. novelties. Ford uses either of the words indifferently, and as they chance to suit his metre.

Liv. This lady,

With both these gentlemen, in happy hour
May be partakers of the long-lived amity,
Our souls must link in.

Rom. So; belike the marquis

Stores some new grace, some special close employment,

For whom your kind commends, by deputation, Please think on to oblige; and Livio's charity Descends on Romanello liberally,

Above my means to thank !

Liv. Sienna sometimes

Has been inform'd how gladly there did pass
A treaty of chaste loves with Castamela,
From this good heart; it was in me an error-
Wilful and causeless, 'tis confest,—that hinder'd
Such honourable prosecution,

Even and equal; better thoughts consider,
How much I wrong'd the gentle course which led

you

To vows of true affection; us of friendship. Rom. Sits the wind there, boy! [Aside.]-Leaving formal circumstance,

Proceed; you dally yet.

Liv. Then, without plea,

For countenancing what has been injurious
On my part, I am come to tender really
My sister a lov'd wife t' ye; freely take her,
Right honest man, and as you live together,
May your increase of years prove but one spring,