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Let such, if any such there are, who covet

A curiosity of admiration,

By laying out their plenty to full view,

Appear in gaudy outsides; my attires in t
Shall suit the inward fashion of my mind;

From which, if your opinion, nobly placed,
Change not the livery your words bestow,
My fortunes with my hopes are at the highest.

95

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Bass. This house, methinks, stands somewhat too

much inward,

It is too melancholy; we'll remove

Nearer the court or what thinks my Penthea

Of the delightful island we command ?

Rule me as thou canst wish.

Pen.

I am no mistress :

Whither you please, I must attend; all ways
Are alike pleasant to me.

Grau.

105

Island! prison ;

IIO

A prison is as gaysome we'll no islands;
Marry, out upon 'em! whom shall we see there?
Sea-gulls, and porpoises, and water-rats,
And crabs, and mews, and dog-fish; goodly gear
For a young lady's dealing,—or an old one's!
On no terms islands; I'll be stewed first.

Bass. [aside to GRAUSIS]

Grausis, 115

You are a juggling bawd.-This sadness, sweetest, Becomes not youthful blood.-[Aside to GRAUSIS] I'll have you pounded.

For my sake put on a more cheerful mirth;

Thou'lt mar thy cheeks, and make me old in griefs.[Aside to GRAUSIS] Damnable bitch-fox!

Grau.

I am thick of hearing,

120

Still, when the wind blows southerly.-What think ye,
If your fresh lady breed young bones, my lord!
Would not a chopping boy d'ye good at heart?
But, as you said—

Bass. [aside to GRAUSIS] I'll spit thee on a stake, Or chop thee into collops!

Grau.

Sure, sure the wind blows south still.

Pen.

Pray, speak louder. 125

Thou prat'st madly.

Bass. 'Tis very hot; I sweat extremely.

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In drifts; the one enter, the other stand without, sir: And now I vanish.

[Exit.

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To all my heart is open; you all honour me,

[Aside] A tympany swells in my head already.—mount Honour me bountifully.-[Aside] How they flutter,

Wagtails and jays together!

Pro.

From your brother 136

By virtue of your love to him, I require

Your instant presence, fairest.

Pen.

He is well, sir?

Pro. The gods preserve him ever! Yet, dear

beauty,

I find some alteration in him lately,

Since his return to Sparta.-My good lord,

I pray, use no delay.

Bass.

We had not needed

An invitation, if his sister's health

Had not fall'n into question.-Haste, Penthea,

140

Slack not a minute.-Lead the way, good Prophilus ;
I'll follow, step by step.

Pro.

Your arm, fair madam. 146

[Exeunt all but BASSANES and GRAUSIS.

Bass. One word with your old bawdship: th'

hadst been better

Railed at the sins thou worshipp'st than have thwarted

My will I'll use thee cursedly.

Grau.

You dote,

150

You are beside yourself. A politician

In jealousy? no, you're too gross, too vulgar.
Pish, teach not me my trade; I know my cue :
My crossing you sinks me into her trust,

By which I shall know all; my trade's a sure one.

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Bass. Forgive me, Grausis, 'twas consideration
I relished not; but have a care now.

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[Exeunt.

And so is mine. My agonies are infinite.

SCENE II. The Palace. ITHOCLES' Apartment.

Enter ITHOCLES.

Ith. Ambition! 'tis of vipers' breed: it gnaws
A passage through the womb that gave it motion.
Ambition, like a seelèd dove, mounts upward,
Higher and higher still, to perch on clouds,
But tumbles headlong down with heavier ruins.
So squibs and crackers fly into the air,
Then, only breaking with a noise, they vanish
In stench and smoke. Morality applied
To timely practice, keeps the soul in tune,
At whose sweet music all our actions dance :
But this is formed of books and school-tradition ;
It physics not the sickness of a mind

5

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Broken with griefs: strong fevers are not eased
With counsel, but with best receipts and means ;
Means, speedy means and certain; that's the cure. 15
Enter ARMOSTES and CROTOLON.

Arm. You stick, Lord Crotolon, upon a point
Too nice and too unnecessary; Prophilus
Is every way desertful. I am confident
Your wisdom is too ripe to need instruction
From your son's tutelage.

passions maint to extreme

-lead to Tagal
rage

Full

Crot.

Yet not so ripe,

20

My Lord Armostes, that it dare to dote
Upon the painted meat of smooth persuasion
Which tempts me to a breach of faith.

Ith.

Not yet

Resolved, my lord? Why, if your son's consent
Be so available, we'll write to Athens

For his repair to Sparta: the king's hand

Will join with our desires; he has been moved to't.

25

Arm. Yes, and the king himself importuned Cro

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You knit an union so devout, so hearty,
Between your loves to me and mine to yours,
As if mine own blood had an interest in it ;
For Prophilus is mine, and I am his.

Crot. My lord, my lord!—

Ith.

Crot.

What, good sir? speak your thought.
Had this sincerity been real once,

My Orgilus had not been now unwived,
Nor your lost sister buried in a bride-bed :
Your uncle here, Amostes, knows this truth;
For had your father Thrasus lived,-but peace
Dwell in his grave! I've done.

Arm.

36

40

You're bold and bitter.

Ith. [aside] He presses home the injury; it

smarts.

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