PHILOGANO

Yea be you sure: I came in company with certain gentlemen of my country, who had affairs to dispatch as far as to Ancona, from thence by water to Ravenna, and from Ravenna hither, continually against the tide. The worst y e ever man had, but that was nothing to the stir that y e searchers kept with me when ̄ I came aboard y ship, Jesus how oft ̄ they untrussed my male & ransacked a little capcase that I had, tossed & turned all that was with in it, searched my bosom, yea my breeches, that I assure you I thought they would have flayed me to search between the fell and the fl she for farthings. Yea be you well assured, for such and office is the in heritance of a knave, and and honest man will not meddle with it. Nay, that was not y matter, for I had rather have him give over his study altogether and come home. I will tell you: when he was at home he did as most young men do, he played many mad pranks and did many things that liked me not very well, and I thinking, that by that time he had seen the world, he would learn to know himself better, exhorted him to study, and put in his electio ̄ what place he would go to. At the last he came hither, and I think he was scarce here so soon as I felt the want of him, in such sort, as from that day to this I have passed few nights without tears: I have written to him very often that he should come home, but continually he refused still, beseeching me to continue his study, wherein he doubted not (as he said) but to profit greatly. I am glad he hath not lost his time, but I care not greatly for so much knowledge, I would not be without the sight of him again so long, for all the learning in the world. I am old now, and if God should call Me in his absence, I promise you I think it would driven me into desperation. Well, I confess it is my fault: and yet I will tell you another cause of my coming hither, more weighty than this. Diverse of my country have be here since he came hither, by whom I have sent unto him, and some of the ̄ have be thrice, some four or five times at his house, and yet could never speak with him: I fear he applies his study so, that he will not lose the minute of and hour from his book. What, alas, he might yet talk with his country men for a while, he is a young man, tenderly brought up, and if he fare thus continually night and day at his book, it may be enough to driven him into a frenesy. Yea, I pray you knock. Knock again. Open the door good fellow I pray Thee. A good fellow, and much for thy masters honesty by our Lady: and what guests I pray Thee? Thou speakest truer than thou art aware of, he will be, by that time thou hast opened the door: open I pray Thee heartily. Of whom? And when came he? Good fellow, I think thou haste good sport to mock Me. I think he be drunken. Abide fellow, what Philogano is it whom thou talkest of? And where is he? May we see him? Go to, go tell him here is one would speak with him. I can not tell what I should say to this géere, Litio what thinkest thou of it? Peradventure thou art a f le, and he was another that answered us even now. But be you sure honest man, that you mistake not the house? Yea sir, I would feign know whence you are. What partly of Sicilia? What shall I call your name? What trade do you occupy? What merchandise brought you hither? What call they your son? Is Erostrato your son? And are you Philogano. And a merchant of Cathanea? Yes, you have told me a false lie, and thou art a villain and no better. Nay, I will do more than I have yet proffered to do, for I will prove Thee a liar, and a knave to take upon Thee that thou art not. O, see the boldness of this bruit beast, what a bram sen face he sets on it? I wonder at thy impudency, for thou, nor nature that framed Thee, can ever counterfeit Thee to be me, ribald villain, and lying wretch that thou art. Hold thy peace fool. Well, what shall we do? By our Lady I am weary, I will run no longer a bout to seek him, I am sure hither he will come at the last. Erostrato? this is not Erostrato, this seemeth ra there to been Dulippo, and it is Dulippo in deed. Marry sir, in deed you are so honorably clad, it is no marvel if you look big. What, God help, do you not know me? Hark Litio, here is good géere, this honest man will not know me. Peace I say. Ah runagate, ah villain traitor, dost thou use thy master thus? what hast thou done with my son villain? Out and alas, he whom I sent hither with my son to be his servant, and to give attendance on him, hath ey there cut his thr ate, or by some evil means made him a way, and hath not only taken his garments, his books, his money, and that which he brought out of Sicilia with him, but usurpeth his name also, and turns to his own commodity the bills of exchange that I have always all lowed for my sons expenses, O miserable Philogano, o unhappy old man: o eternal God, is there no judge? no officer? no higher powers whom I may complain unto for redress of these wrongs? Bring me then to the Judges, to the potestates, or to whom you think best: for I will disclose a pa to of the greatest knavery, a farthel of the foulest falsehood that ever was herd of. Have you no regard to his words, he is but a . Then shall I give my self, as it were a pray to the doctors, whose insatiable jaws I am not able to feed, all though I had here all the goods and lands which I possess in mine own cou ̄ trey, much less being a strau ̄ her in this misery. I know their cautels of old: at the first time I come they will so extol my cause, as though it were already won: but within in seven ̄ night or ten days, if I do not continually feed them as the crow does his brattes, twenty times in and hour, they will begin to wax cold, and to find Can nels in my cause, saying, that at the First I did not well in structe them: till at the last, they will not only draw the stuffing out of my purse, but the marrow out of my bones. Well said Litio, in deed I have but small confi dence in their smooth looks. Why? what hatred is betwixt them? Why? is the villeine become of such estimati n that he dare presume to be a suitor to any gentlewoma ̄ of a good family? How call you his adversary? For gods love let us go to him. I will tell you sir, let me e kept here fast in prison, and at my charges let there be some man sent into Sicilia that may bring hither with him two or three of the honestest men in Cath nea and by them let it be proved if I or this other be Philogano, and whither he be Erostra to or Dulipo my servant: and if you find me contrary, let me suffer death for it. Oh sir, stay your wisdom. Sir, I perceive your patience is moved. This fellow hath disquieted you sir, peradventure you would be loath to be troubled any further. I say, let them send at my charge to Cathanea. I will tell you sir: when the Turks wone Otranto. How sir? Alas, a pitiful case by saint Anne. At that time (as I said) there were certain of our country that scoured those costs upon the seas, with a good bark well appointed for the purpose, and had espial of a Turkey vessel that came laden from thence with great abundance of riches. So they boarded them, & in the end overcame them, and brought the goods to Palermo, from whence they came, and amongst other things that they had, was this villeine my servant, a boy at that time, I think not past five years old. And I being there, and liking the Child's favour well, proffered them four and twenty ducats for him, and had him. Why, whom mean you sir? What the devil hast thou to do? Dulipo? no sir, his name was Carino. We called him Dulippo, because when he cried as Children do sometime, he would always cry on that name Dulippo. He did remember them, and could name his mother also, but sure I have forgotten the name. Tell it then. Tell it I say, if thou can. Yea how small am I behold ̄ to fortune, that know not where my son is become, and you whom I chosen to be mine advocate, will now by the means of this Dulipo become mine adversary? God grant, go we then. Alas Litio, if my son be lost what care I what become of me? Surely sir I think no less, for I think that not so much as a leaf falls from the tree, without the ordy nance of God. But let us go seek Damon, for me thinketh every day a year, every hour a day, and every minute to much till I see my Erostrato. They said he was a Child of Otranto, but what is that to the matter? once .xxiv Ducats he cost me, that I wot well. And I here in proper person, do present unto you sir, not only my assured friendship and brotherhood, but do earnestly desire you to accept my poor child (though un worthy) as your son in law: and for recompense of the injury he hath done you, I proffer my whole lands in dow er to your daughter, yea and more would, if more I might.