Fior. A fool! you might as well have given yourself.

Whence is he?

Maur. Now, just very now, given me out of special favour, by the lord Fernando, madam. Fior. By him? well, I accept him; thank you for't;

And, in requital, take that tooth-picker;

'Tis yours.

Maur. A tooth-picker! I kiss your bounty: no quibble now?-And, madam,

If I grow sick, to make my spirits quicker,

I will revive them with this sweet tooth-picker. Fior. Make use on't as you list; here, D'Avolos, Take in the fool.

D'Av. Come, sweetheart, wilt along with me? Ros. U u umh,-u u umh,-wonnot, wonnot-u u umh.

Fior. Wilt go with me, chick?

Ros. Will go, te e e-go will go—

Fior. Come, D'Avolos, observe to-night; 'tis

late:

Or I will win my choice, or curse my fate.

[Exeunt FIOR. Ros. and D'Av. Fer. This was wisely done now. S'foot, you purchase a favour from a creature, my lord, the greatest king of the earth would be proud of. Maur. Giacopo!

Gia. My lord.

Maur. Come behind me, Giacopo; I am big with conceit, and must be delivered of poetry, in

the eternal commendation of this gracious toothpicker:-but, first, I hold it a most healthy policy to make a slight supper

For meat's the food that must preserve our lives,

And now's the time when mortals whet their knives—
On thresholds, shoe-soles, cart-wheels, &c. Away,
Giacopo.
[Exeunt.

SCENE III.

The Palace. The Duchess's Apartment. Enter COLONA with lights, BIANCA, FIORMONDA, JULIA, FERNANDO, and D'AVOLOS; COLONA places the lights on a table, and sets down a chessboard.

Bian. 'Tis yet but early night, too soon to sleep; Sister, shall's have a mate at chess?

Fior. A mate!

No, madam, you are grown too hard for me;
My lord Fernando is a fitter match.

Bian. He's a well-practis'd gamester-well, I

care not

How cunning soe'er he be.-To pass an hour I'll try your skill, my lord: reach here the chessboard.

D'Av. Are you so apt to try his skill, madam duchess? Very good!

[Aside.

Fern. I shall bewray too much my ignorance In striving with your highness; 'tis a game I lose at still, by oversight.

Bian. Well, well,

I fear you not; let's to't.

[FERNANDO and the Duchess play.

Fior. You need not, madam!

D'Av. [Aside to FIOR.] Marry needs she not; how gladly will she to't! 'tis a rook to a queen she heaves a pawn to a knight's place; by'r lady, if all be truly noted, to a duke's place; and that's beside the play, I can tell ye.

Fior. Madam, I must entreat excuse; I feel
The temper of my body not in case
To judge the strife.

Bian. Lights for our sister, sirs!

Good rest t'ye; I'll but end my game, and follow. Fior. [Aside to D'Av.] Let 'em have time enough; and, as thou canst,

Be near to hear their courtship, D'Avolos.

D'Av. Madam, I shall observe them with all cunning secrecy.

Bian. Colona, attend our sister to her chamber.
Col. I shall, madam-

[Exit FIOR. followed by COL. JUL. and D'Av. Bian. Play.

Fern. I must not lose the advantage of the

Madam, your queen is lost.

Bian. My clergy help me ;'

5

game;

4 To a duke's place; and that's beside the play, &c.] i. e. that's no part of the game; in other words, there is no piece of this name. The allusion is sufficiently clear.

My clergy help me.] i. c. my bishops-but those who understand the game do not need these modicums of information; and upon all others, they are thrown away.

My queen! and nothing for it but a pawn?
Why then the game's lost too: but play.

Fern. What, madam?

[FERNANDO often looks about. Bian. You must needs play well, you are so studious.

Fie upon't! you study past patience :-
What do you dream on? here's demurring
Would weary out a statue!-Good now, play.
Fern. Forgive me; let my knees for ever stick

[Kneels.
Nail'd to the ground, as earthy as my fears,
Ere I arise, to part away so curst
In my unbounded anguish, as the rage
Of flames, beyond all utterance of words,
Devour me, lighten'd by your sacred eyes.
Bian. What means the man?

Fern. To lay before your feet

In lowest vassalage, the bleeding heart
That sighs the tender of a suit disdain'd.
Great lady, pity me, my youth, my wounds;
And do not think that I have cull'd this time
From motion's swiftest measure, to unclasp
The book of lust: If purity of love

Have residence in virtue's breast," lo here,
Bent lower in my heart than on my knee,
I beg compassion to a love, as chaste

As softness of desire can intimate.

In virtue's breast.] which I can make nothing.

The 4to reads in virtue's quest of

Re-enter D'AVOLOS behind.

D'Av. At it already! admirable haste.
Bian. Am I again betray'd? bad man.-
Fern. Keep in,

Bright angel, that severer breath, to cool
That heat of cruelty, which sways the temple
Of your too stony breast: you cannot urge
One reason to rebuke my trembling plea,
Which I have not, with many nights' expense,
Examined; but, oh, madam, still I find
No physic strong to cure a tortured mind,
But freedom from the torture it sustains.

D'Av. Not kissing yet? still on your knees? O for a plump bed and clean sheets, to comfort the aching of his shins! we shall have them clip anon, and lisp kisses; here's ceremony, with a vengeance! Bian. Rise up, we charge you, rise: [he rises]

look on our face.

What see you there that may persuade a hope
Of lawless love? Know, most unworthy man,
So much we hate the baseness of thy lust,
As, were none living of thy sex but thee,
We had much rather prostitute our blood
To some envenom'd serpent, than admit
Thy bestial dalliance. Couldst thou dare to speak
Again, when we forbade? no, wretched thing,
Take this for answer: if thou henceforth ope
Thy leprous mouth to tempt our ear again,
We shall not only certify our lord

Of thy disease in friendship, but revenge