Compar'd with you, a stranger; in their habits
They are not more fantastic [t]han uncertain;
In short, their fair abundance, manhood, beauty,7
No nation can disparage but itself.

Ros. My lord, you have much eas'd me; I resolve.
Fern. And whither are you bent?

Ros.

To speed for England.

Fern.

My lord, for travel;

No, my lord, you must not :

I have yet some private conference

T'impart unto you for your good; at night
I'll meet you at my Lord Petruchio's house :
Till then be secret.

Ros.

Dares my cousin trust me ?9

Pet. Dare I, my lord! yes, 'less your fact were

greater

Than a bold woman's spleen.

Ros.
And I must hence: my service to your lordships.

The duke's at hand,

[Exit.

Pet. Now, nephew, as I told you, since the duke Hath held the reins of state in his own hand, Much alter'd from the man he was before,

As if he were transformèd in his mind,10.

*

7 In short, their fair abundance, manhood, beauty,] The old copy reads "their fare abundance:" a slighter change would be to place a comma after "fare;" but the text as it now stands seems to me more in the author's manner.

8 I have] Qy. "For I have"? D.

9 Dares my cousin trust me?] It does not appear what plan Fernando had formed to serve Roseilli, who, like his friend, seems already to have forgotten that he was ordered to leave the court that morning.

10 Here, or rather, perhaps, after the preceding verse, a line or more has dropt out at the press. The purport of the lost passage is easily collected from the context. The duke, since his accession, has drawn round him a set of profligate parasites, who, &c. scarcely necessary to observe that no part of the duke's conduct jus

It is

To soothe him in his pleasures, amongst whom
Is fond Ferentes; one whose pride takes pride
In nothing more than to delight his lust;
And he-with grief I speak it-hath, I fear,
Too much besotted my unhappy daughter,
My poor Colona; whom, for kindred's sake,
As you are noble, as you honour virtue,
Persuade to love herself: a word from you
May win her more than my entreats11 or frowns.
Fern. Uncle, I'll do my best: meantime, pray tell

me,

Whose mediation wrought the marriage
Betwixt the duke and duchess,-who was agent.

Pet. His roving eye and her enchanting face,
The only dower nature had ordain'd

T' advance her to her bride-bed. She was daughter
Unto a gentleman of Milán—no better—

Preferr❜d to serve i' th' Duke of Milan's court;
Where for her beauty she was greatly fam'd:
And passing late from thence to Monaco,
To visit there her uncle, Paul Baglione

The abbot, Fortune-queen to such blind matches—
Presents her to the duke's eye, on the way,

As he pursues the deer: in short, my lord,

He saw her, lov'd her, woo'd her, won her, match'd her:12 "

No counsel could divert him.

Fern.

She is fair.

tifies the reproach here laid upon him; he is rather a well-meaning dotard, a better Bassanes, than a follower of debauched society: but Ford seems to have lost his way through a great part of this drama. 11 entreats] The 4to has "entreaties." D.

12

in short, my lord,

He saw her, lov'd her, &c.] The duke is In this rapid abstract of his success the poet another bold and fortunate adventurer in view;

"Mars videt hanc, visamque cupit, potiturque cupita."

Pet. She is; and, to speak truth, I think right noble In her conditions.13

Fern.

If, when I should choose,

Beauty and virtue were the fee propos'd,
I should not pass14 for parentage.

Pet.

Doth come.

The duke

Fern. Let's break-off talk.-[Aside] If ever, now, Good angel of my soul, protect my truth!

Enter the Duke, BIANCA, FIORMONDA, NIBRASSA, FERENTES, JULIA, and D'AVOLOS.

Duke. Come, my Bianca, revel in mine arms;
Whiles I, wrapt in my admiration, view

Lilies and roses growing in thy cheeks.-
Fernando! O, thou half myself! no joy

Could make my pleasures full without thy presence:
I am a monarch of felicity,

Proud in a pair of jewels, rich and beautiful,—

A perfect friend, a wife above compare.

Fern. Sir, if a man so low in rank may hope,

By loyal duty and devoted zeal,

To hold a correspondency15 in friendship
With one so mighty as the Duke of Pavy,
My uttermost ambition is to climb

To those deserts may give the style of servant.
Duke. Of partner in my dukedom, in my heart,
As freely as the privilege of blood

Hath made them mine; Philippo and Fernando
Shall be without distinction.-Look, Bianca,
On this good man; in all respects to him
Be as to me only the name of husband,

13 conditions.] See note, p. 10. D.

14 pass] i. e. care. D.

15 correspondency] The 4to has "Correspondence." D.

And reverent observance of our bed,
Shall differ us in persons, else in soul
We are all one.

Bian.

I shall, in best of love,

Regard the bosom-partner of my lord.

Fior. [aside to Fer.] Ferentes,

Fer. [aside to Fior.]

Madam ?

Fior. [aside to Fer.] You are one loves courtship : He hath16 some change of words,17 'twere no lost la

bour

To stuff your table-books ;18 the man speaks wisely! Fer. [aside to Fior.] I'm glad your highness is so

Quicken your sad remembrance :19 though the loss

Of your dead husband be of more account
Than slight neglect, yet 'tis a sin against

The state of princes to exceed a mean
In mourning for the dead.

Fior.

Should form, my lord,

Prevail above affection? no, it cannot.

You have yourself here a right noble duchess,

Virtuous at least; and should your grace now pay— Which heaven forbid !-the debt you owe to nature,

I dare presume she'd not so soon forget

A prince that thus advanc'd her.-Madam, could you? D'Av. [aside] Bitter and shrewd.

16 hath] The 4to has "had." D.

17 change of words,] Is plenty of words, fluency of language. 18 To stuff your table-books;] i. e. to set down in your memorandum or pocket-book. She speaks ironically, and affects to characterise Fernando as a ready talker, a mere man of words. this sense that Ferentes understands her.

It is in

19 Quicken your sad remembrance:] i.e. Enliven your melancholy recollections by the admission of pleasanter thoughts.

Bian. Sister, I should too much bewray my weak

ness,

To give a resolution on a passion

I never felt nor fear'd.20

Nib.

A modest answer.

Fern. If credit may be given to a face, My lord, I'll undertake on her behalf;

Her words are trusty heralds to her mind.

Fior. [aside to D'Av.] Exceeding good; the man will "undertake"!

Observe it, D'Avolos.

D'Av. [aside to Fior.] Lady, I do ;21 'Tis a smooth praise.

Duke. Friend, in thy judgment I approve thy love, And love thee better for thy judging mine.

Though my gray-headed senate in the laws
Of strict opinion and severe dispute
Would tie the limits of our free affects,2

22

Like superstitious Jews,-to match with none.

But in a tribe of princes like ourselves,

Gross-nurtur'd slaves, who force their wretched souls

To crouch to profit; nay, for trash and wealth
Dote on some crookèd or misshapen form;
Hugging wise nature's lame deformity,
Begetting creatures ugly as themselves :-
But why should princes do so, that command
The storehouse of the earth's hid minerals ?-

20

:

I should too much bewray my weakness

To give a resolution (to speak decisively) on a passion

I never felt nor fear'd.] i. e. ingratitude. It is well answered;

"but she'll keep her word!"

21 Lady, I do;] The 4to has " I doe, Lady." D.

22 Would tie the limits of our free affects,] i. e. affections. So in The Case is Alter'd [Jonson's Works, vol. vi. p. 345];

And see Jonson, vol. ii. p. 281. [Here the 4to has effects." D.]