MAURUCCIO

BEard be confined to neatness, that no hair May stover up to prick my mistress lip, More rude than bristles of a Porcupine. Giacopo. Am I all sweet behind? But Giacopo, with what grace do my words pro ceed out of my mouth? have I a moving countenance? is there harmony in my voice? canst thou perceive, as it were, a hansomenesse of shape in my very breath, as it is formed into syllable, Giacopo? Hold thou the glass, Giacopo, and mark me with what exceeding comeliness I could court the Lady Marquess if it come to the push. Thus I reverse my pace, and thus stalkingly in Courtly gate I advance, one, two, and three.—Good, I kiss my hand, make my Congee, settle my countenance, and thus begin.—Hold up the glass higher, Giacopo. It's well, now mark me: Most excellent Marquess, most fair Lady, Let not old age, or hairs that are silver Disparage my desire; for it may be I am then other green youth nimbler: Since I am your graces servant so true, Great Lady then love me for my virtue. O Giacopo! Petrach was a dunce, Dantes a Iig-maker, S'anazar a goose, and Ar osto a puck-fist to me: I tell thee, Giacopo, I am wrapped with fury, And have been for these six nights together Drunk with the pure liquour of Helicon. God-a-mercy brains; Giocopo, I have it. A conceit, Giacopo, and a fine one; down on thy knees, Giocopo, and worship my wit; give me both thy ears: thus it is, I will have my picture drawn most composituously in a squire table of some too foot long, from the crown of the head to the waste downward, no further. Speak not thou, but wonder at the conceit that follows; In my bosom on my left side. I will have a lease of blood-red crimson velvet (as it were partly of my doublet) open; Which being opened, Giacopo, (now mark) I will have a clear and most transparent Crystal in the form of a heart.—(Singular admirable.) When I have framed this, I will, as some rare outlandish piece of workmanship, bestow it on the most fair and illustrious Lady Fiormonda. Simplicity and Ignorance, prate no more: blockhead, dost not understand yet? why this being to her instead of a Lookingglass, she shall no oftener powder her hair, surfell her cheeks, cleanse her teeth, or conform the hairs of her eyebrows, but having occasion to use this glass (which for the rareness and richness of it, she will hourly do) but she shall as often gaze on my picture, remember me, and behold the excellence of her excellencies beauty, in the prospective and mirror, as it were, in my heart. Who's that laughs? search with thine eyes, Giacopo. Pity,—o my wisdom! I must speak to them. Oh Duke most great, and most renowned Duchess! Excuse my apprehension, which not much-is: It's love, my Lord, that's all the hurt you see, Angelica her self plead for me. Giacopo, help me; his Grace has put me out my own Bias, and I know not what to answer in form. Yes, I will come, my Lord the Duke, I will. Are they gone? What news, Giacopo? She is mine, Giacopo, she is mine; advance the glass, Giacapo, that I may practice as I pass, to walk a portly grace Like a Marquess; to which degree I am now a climbing. Thus do we march to honours haven of bliss, To ride in triumph through Persepolis. Let them wonder; I am wise, as I am Courtly. Nay, I know I can tickle they at my pleasure: I am stiff and strong, Ferentes. She does love me. Right Princely Fernando, the best of the Fernando's: 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 Narbassa's forest, to hunt the Dear, rhe Buck, the Roe, and eke the Barren Do. My Lord Fernando, I have a suit to you. Will you grant mine? Only to know what the suit is, you please to P far to me. A Fool? I beseech you, my Lord, has the fool qualities? Giacopo, these are very rare elements in a creature of little understanding: o, that I long to see him. I take the Fool most thankfully at your hands, my Lord: Hast any qualities, my pretty fool? wilt dwell with me? Beast that I am, not to ask the fools name: It's no matter, Fool is a sufficient title to call The greatest Lord in the Court by, if he be no wiser then he. True; o that he could but speak methodically! Canst speak, Fool? 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. 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? Most fit opportunity: Her grace comes joust i'th neck; let me study. Vouchsafe to stay thy foot, most Cynthian hue. And from a Creature, ever vowed thy servant, Accept this gift; most rare, most fi , most new, The earnest penhy of a love so servent. 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 whole some Fool. Now, joust very now, given me out of special favour, by the Lord Fernando, Madam. 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. Giacope! Come behind me, Giacopo; I am big with conceit and must be delivered of poetry, in the eternal commendam cion of this gracious Tooth-picker: but first, I hold it a most healthy policy to make a flight supper. For meat's the food that must preserve our lives, And now's the time, when mortals whet their knives on thresholds, shoo-soles, Cartwheels, &c. Away Giacopo. Bless thee, most excellent Duke; I here present thee as worthy and learned a Gentleman, as ever I (and yet I have lived threescore years) conversed with; take it from me, I have tried him, and is worthy to be privy-counseler to the greatest Turk in Christendom: of a most apparent and deep understanding, slow of speech, but speaks to the purpose; Come forward, Sir, and appear before his Highness in your own proper Elements. O Sir, had you herd him as I did, deliver whole histories in the Tangay tongue, you would swear there were not such a linguist breathed again; and did I but perfectly understand his language, I would be confident, in less then two hours, to distinguish the meaning of Bird, Beast, or Fish, naturally, as I my self speak Italian, my Lord.—Well, he has rare qualities. I will, my Lord. Tell me, rare scholar, which in thy opinion, Does cause the strongest breath,— garlic or onion? Admirable, I protest, Duke; mark o Duke, mark! What did I ask him, Giacopo? Right, right by Hellicon; and his answer is, that a knane has a stronger breath then any of they; wisdom (or I am and Ass) in the highest, a direct Figure; put it down, Giacopo Yes, pray, my Lord. Good my Lord, I am and innocent in the business. Come you my learned counsel, do not roar; If I must hang, why then lament therefore: You may rejoice, and both, no doubt, be great To serve your Prince, when I am turned worms meat. I fear my lands, and all I have, is begged, Else, woe is me, why should I be so ragged? Oh how my stomach does begin to puke! When I do hear that only word, the Duke. Nay, and shall please your good grace, and it come to that, I care not; as good men as I have lyen in foul sheets I am sure; the linen has not been much the worse for the wearing a little: I will have her with all my-heart. How's that? must I come no more near the Court? Not near the Court? Wilt thou forsake me, Giacopo? Yes, I will go; and I humbly thank your Lordship and Ladyship: Pavy, sweet Pavy farewell: come wife, come Giam- Now is the time that we away must lag, (copo. And march in pomp with baggage and with bag: Oh poor Maurucio! what hast thou mis-doue? To end thy life when life was new begun. A ewe to all; for Lords and Ladies see My woeful plighted; and Squires of low degree: On that condition, Prince, with all my heart.