by all my fidelity, 'tis a miracle! the ladies won der at you. Maur. Let them wonder; I am wise as I am courtly. Gia. The ladies, my lord, call him the Green Broom of the court, he sweeps all before him; and swear he has a stabbing wit: it is a very clyster to laughter, Maur. Nay, I know I can tickle 'em at my pleasure; I am stiff and strong, Ferentes. Gia. A radish root is a spear of steel in comparison of I know what. Fer. The marquess doth love you. Fer. And begins to do ruccio, infinite grace. [Aside. you infinite grace, Mau Fern. I'll take this time. Good hour, my lords, to both! [Comes forward. Maur. Right princely Fernando, the best of the Fernandos; by the pith of generation, the man I look for. His highness hath sent to find you out; he is determined to weather his own proper individual person, for two days space, in my lord Nibrassa's forest, to hunt the deer, the buck, the roe, and eke the barren doe. Fern. Is his highness preparing to hunt? Maur. Yes, my lord, and resolved to lie forth for the breviating the prolixity of some superfluous transmigration of the sun's double cadence to the western horizon, my most perspicuous good lord. Fern. Oh, sir, let me beseech you to speak in your own mother tongue-two days absence, well-[Aside] my lord Mauruccio, I have a suit to you. Maur. My lord Fernando, I have a suit to you. Fern. That you will accept from me a very choice token of my love; will you grant it? Maur. Will you grant mine? Fern. What is't? Maur. Only to know what the suit is you please to prefer to me. Fern. Why, 'tis, my lord, a fool. Maur. A fool? Fern. As very a fool as your lordship is-hopeful to see in any time of your life. Gia. Now, good my lord, part not with the fool on any terms. Maur. I beseech you, my lord, has the fool qualities? Fern. Very rare ones: you shall not hear him. speak one wise word in a month's converse; passing temperate of diet; for, keep him from meat four-and-twenty hours, and he will fast a whole day and a night together: unless you urge him to swear, there seldom comes an oath from his mouth; and of a fool, my lord, to tell you the plain truth, had he but half as much wit as you, my lord, he would be in short time three quarters as arrant wise as your lordship. Maur. Giacopo, these are very rare elements in a creature of little understanding. Oh, that I long to see him? Enter PETRUCHIO, and ROSEILLI dressed like a Fool.3 Fern. A very harmless idiot; and, as you could wish, look where he comes. Pet. Nephew, here is the thing you sent for. Come hither, fool; come, 'tis a good fool. Fern. Here, my lord; I freely give you the fool, pray use him well for my sake. Maur. I take the fool most thankfully at your hands, my lord.-Hast any qualities, my pretty fool? wilt dwell with me? Ros. A, a, a, a, aye. Pet. I never beheld a more natural creature in my life. Fern. Uncle, the duke, I hear, prepares to hunt; Let's in and wait. Farewell, Mauruccio. [Exeunt FERN. and PET. Maur. Beast that I am, not to ask the fool's name! 'tis no matter; fool is a sufficient title to 3 dressed like a fool.] i. e. in the long petticoats with which innocents, or natural fools were furnished, for the sake of decency. The passion of our ancestors for retaining these mortifying and disgusting spectacles about them, can only be accounted for from the superstitious belief, then widely spread, that they brought a blessing to the house that cherished them. It is not easy to surmise why Roseilli took upon himself this repulsive character. He could scarcely expect to win his mistress by inarticulate drivelling; yet he assigns no other motive for his gratuitous degradation at all events he contributes nothing to the perfection of the story, nor do his discoveries, in his disguise, advance or retard the fortunes of his friend, or facilitate the progress of the action, in a single instance. E E call the greatest lord in the court by, if he be no wiser than he. Gia. Oh my lord, what an arrant excellent pretty creature 'tis! come, honey, honey, honey, come. Fer. You are beholding to my lord Fernando for this gift. Maur. True; oh, that he could but speak methodically! Canst speak, fool? Ros. Can speak; de e e e e Fer. 'Tis a present for an emperor. What an excellent instrument were this to purchase a suit, or a monopoly from the duke's ear! Maur. I have it, I am wise and fortunate. Giacopo, I will leave all conceits, and instead of my picture, offer the lady marquess this mortal man of weak brain. Gia. My lord, you have most rarely bethought you; for so shall she no oftener see the fool, but she shall remember you better than by a thousand looking-glasses. Fer. She will most graciously entertain it. Maur. I may tell you, Ferentes, there's not a great woman amongst forty, but knows how to make sport with a fool.-Dost know how old thou art, sirrah? Ros. Dud-a clap cheek for nowne sake, gaffer; hee e e e e. Fer. Alas, you must ask him no questions, but clap him on the cheek; I understand his language: your fool is the tender-hearted'st creature that is. Enter FIORMONDA and D'AVOLOS, in close conver sation. Fior. No more, thou hast, in this discovery, Exceeded all my favours, D'Avolos. Is't mistress madam duchess? brave revenge. D'Av. But had your grace seen the infinite appetite of lust in the piercing adultery of his eye, you would Fior. Or change him, or confound him:-prompt dissembler! Is here the bond of his religious vow? And that," now when the duke is rid abroad, My gentleman will stay behind, is sick—or so"? D'Av. "Not altogether in health"; it was the excuse he made. Maur. [seeing them.] Most fit opportunity! her grace comes just i'th' nick; let me study. Fer. Lose no time, my lord. Gia. To her, sir. Maur. Vouchsafe to stay thy foot, most Cynthian hue, And from a creature, ever vow'd thy servant, Accept this gift; most rare, most fine, most new, The earnest-penny of a love so fervent. Fior. What means the jolly youth? Maur. Nothing, sweet princess, but only to present your grace with this sweet-faced fool; please you to accept him to make you merry: I'll assure your grace he is a very wholesome fool. |