FRESCOBALDI

Will I eat to drink, will I drink to sleep, will I sleep to live? My name is Frescobaldi, as for my pedigree, My mother was of consanguinity with the Princess Of Perugia : my father of the noble family of the Oddi, Florentine both: I my self Brought up a Page under Rayner King of Sicily, Have served against the Turks and Sarazines, Where at Vienna (with my single Pike, Armed in a Maly Briggandine of Naples, And with and old-Fox which I kept in store, A monument of Mars when I depart) I did unhorse three Turkey Janizaries. Then (in the wars of Ferdinand the King) This Hip was shot through with a Crocodile, But that it were too tedious I could show you: Under the King of Romans I was cut, Just from this shoulder to the very pap: And yet by Fortune's of the war am here, I thank God, and my Surgeon all fix, trillill I fought at Malta when the town was girded With Sergeants heads, and bul-beggers of Turkey : And by my plot (niming below the rampier) We gave th'obgoblings leave to scale our walls, And being mounted all upon that place: I with my Lint-stock gave fire to the train, And sent them capering up to Capricornus. Which when the wise Astronomers of Greece, Prodigiously discovered from a far. They thought those Turca's fiery meteors. Which with their Pikes were pushing in the clouds, The learned Bookmen written strange Almanacs, Of signs, and apparitions in the air: And by these honours (if I prove a blab) Then call me villain, varlet, coward, skabbe. I encounter your munificence with my love, and your love with my service, my love and service with your money. Padrone mio multo honorato, More for your love then your money, And yet your grace well knows, clothes must be wrought, uvea pons must be bought; and Taverns must be sought, and all brave exploits must be done, as they should be done bravely. This is the black night, this the fatal hand: These are the bloody weapons which must be Witness and actors of this Tragedy. Now Frescobaldi play thy Master's prize: Here is a rich purse cramed with read crusadoes Which does inspire me with a martial spirit, Now could I combat with the devil to night. First did I wash my liver, lungs, and heart. In Cretane wines and head strong Malves e (Such as would make a coward fight with Mars ) Then least I should with any weapons drawn Be driven to danger of mine enemy; I practised my martial fe cts of fence: As for example if with arms unsheathed, I were to kill this conduct here I come. he fenceth. He makes a thrust, I with a swift passado, Make quick avoidance, and with this stoccado (Although he fence with all his finest force) Bared of his body thrust him in the throat. G rd re I ene, sigu ri honorenoli. Suppose this conduct or my duellist, Should falsify the foin upon me thus. Here will I take him, turning down this hand. Ill punto verso indrizzato, thus. Admit he force me with his ambroccado Here I deceive then, with this passado And come upon him in the speeding place. Learned Magician skilled in hidden Arts, As well in prior as posterior parts, I see thou kennist the secrets of all sorts, Of sharp S ringues and salacious sports: Veneral Buboes, Tubers Ulcerous, And James Defisticanckers venomous. Doubtless Done Vigo then his vigor poured Into thy brains, when he thy bottle scoured. Noble Henrilico question no further, My meditations are of blood and murder, I easted have too long, prithee be gone. Henrico Baglioni (by this sword) I am to morrow to perform a duel, And practising in this nights melancholy, How to dispatch it with a brave stoccadoe. Here I did make a proof, prithee goodnight, Trouble me now no more: early to morrow, I'll march unto the sign oath frying-pan, And take thee timely with thy points untrust, To drink a flagon of Greek wine with thee. Be what he will the villain's ponderous, Hath he some gold about him shall I take it? I'll wash him doubt you not of a new fashion. Hold hold, Coxwounds my Lord hold, Faith for the most part my mansion is in Civitavechiae nella strada di san lorenzo, never the conduct at a good old La die house, la do ̄ nam sempronia at sign of the glister pipe, where if you chance to fail of me. Within three houses more at sign of the frying-pan you may command me, at all hours in the forenoon. Now skelder ye scounderels, skelder you maggot mu ̄ gers, you pompiós; you wood-worms, you magatapipicoes, I am for you, now Frescobaldi, call thy wits together, let me see what a clock it is: very near eight, and almost breakfast time at a cleaven, this very night must I stand Perdue for this bloody service. I know my place and hour; I must confess and perchance be hanged, I have in the Burdellia's and in other such houses of natural recreation and agility, received three or four score broken pates in my time: and some bastinadoes for crossing courting spicy-spirited inamoratoes in their humours. Beside I was the first that from the Swiss quarter, in the reign of king Ferdinand brought up in his army the fashions of bow sing and to using Greek and Spanish wines by the flagon, with that old stinckard Henrico Baglioni, sometime Alferoes to Capi tanco Piccolomini & my self; I remember likewise at Terracinae I broke a glass (containing some quart of Robollia) upon the face of Capitanco Fransesco Boccansacchia a very sufficient soul dier in that service, and to my knowledge a tall trencherman: howbeit from the teeth downward as base a mettled coward as ever was coined out of the sooty side of a copper kettle; so he was: well I will second my Lord in any slaughter for his wages, and if any man will give me better hiers (when I have served the Cardinals turn) I will present my Pistol upon his sacred per son afterwards for charities sake: well, now to the drinking school, then to the fence school, and lastly to the vaulting school, to my Lady Sempronia. Exit. A pox upon thy coward fists foul knave, And yet I love thee rogue: ask rogue and have. Brave man whose spirit is approved well, (As most approved panders truly tell) Under g eene hedges, under Cobblers stalls, In portal, porches, under battered walls, W ich day; by night keeps watchful centinel To gum ze the pleasures of fair Claribell Profane arch patriarch of Pancridge steeple, The bauldy beaken of ungodly people. With ot er ma ter which I might allege To the Grand Captain of Collman-hedge, Marching fowl Amazonian trulls in troops Whose anthornes are still lighted in their Poupes. Some without kerchiefs, others with torn smocks; Certain imboch'd with piles, and some with poxes. Others with rotten shoes and stockings rend With carrine in each ditch keep parliament. In petticoats all patched and waistcoat torn, And wandering with some rag bless every thorn. Which with their Targets never make retire, From any breach till they their foomen fire. Rebating the stiff points of their keen blades Till a l their champions masculine prove lades. To thee says Fresceba di case thy steel Least thou the rigor of my fu j feel. May it please your most reverend grace (without of fence to your Lordship) to deliver me the parties name upon whom I should perform this Tragedy. For I may parcase catch him in a gilder my self before you are aware; and moylie mufle up his mastership, with the garotta, or stiletto, perchance the ponya worser or pistol, such as I warrant you shall serve his turn. Come not within 9. furlongs of this place. My name is Rubosongal the grim ghost Of Bembocamber king of Calicute. And here for this night I keep centrenell For Muscopateron great king of flies; Great grandfier of ten thousand hecatombs. My business and affairs are very great my gracious Lord, one word more with your grace my good Lord, and so I kiss your foot. He whispereth with Caesar. This was no barmy spirit of the bottle, It was a bloody spirit of the battle: And if I lie, call me thy Wimble-cock. Now to my watchword it is quite forgotten, o Col nunolo la Pioggia: think upon it. This is mine hour appointed this the place, Here will I stand close till tha'llatum call, What I? will I live to eat, to drink, to sleep? Secret as midnight, sure as the sun, quick as the waters