GOSTANZO

Rynaldo. Say who was that Shrunk at my entry here? was't not your brother? And was it not my son that went out with him? Sure it my son, what made he here? I sent him About affairs to be dispatched in hast. What is't Rynaldo? And what young gentlewoman gracest their company? Married? what is she? Is it true Rynaldo? And does your father understand so much? Indeed he's one can tell his tale I tell you, And for his husbandry. Nay, nay, I know him well, but what was it? And Like enough. Your silly father too, will put it up, And honest knight, but much too much indulgent To his presuming children. My son? alas I hope to bring him up in other fashion, Follows my husbandry, sets early foot Into the world; he comes not at the city, Nor knows the city Arts. Acquaints himself with no delight but getting, A perfect pattern of sobriety, Temperance and husbandry to all my household, And what's his company I pray? not wenches. A wife Rynaldo? He dares not lookee a woman in the face. 'Tis strange in earnest. Good Rynaldo, I love you and your father, but this matter Is not for me to deal in: And 'tis needless, You say your brother is resolved, presuming Your father will allow it. Upon mine honour. Friend Marc. Antonio? welcome, and I think I have good news to welcome you withal. You have a forward, valiant eldest Son, But wherein is his forwardness, and valour? Forward before, valiant behind, his duty, That he hath dared before your endue consent To take a wife. One that is rich enough, her hair pure Amber, Her forehead mother of pearl, her fair eyes Two wealthy diamonds: her lips, mines of Rubies: Her to that, are orient pearl; her neck, pure Ivory. What call you bade? is it bade to be poor? Sits the wind there blows there so calm a gale From a contemned and deserved anger? A e you so easy to be disobay'd? A passing kind construction; suffer this, You open him doors to any villainy, He'll dare to fell, to pawn, run ever riot, Despise your love in all, and laugh at you: And that knights competency you have got With care and labour; he with lust and idleness Will bring into the ypend of a beggar; All to maintain a wanton whirly gig, Worth nothing more then she brings on her back, Yet all your wealth too little for that back: By heaven I p y your declining state, For be assum ed your son hath set his foot, In the right pathway to consumption: Up to the heart in love; and for that love, Nothing can be too deer his love desires: And how I satiate and unlimited, Is the ambition and the beggarly pride Of a dame hoised from a beggars state, To a state competent and plentiful, You cannot be so simple not to know. Where? in your joust displeasure: cast him off, Receive him not, let him endure the use Of their en orced kindness that must trust him For meat and money, for apparel, house, And every thing belongs to that estate, Which he must learn with want of misery, Since pleasure and a full estate hath blinded His dissolute desires. Is't true? Ne let him nne into the war, And loose what limbs he can: better one branch Be lopped away, then all the whole tree should perish: And for his wants, better young want then old, You have a younger son at Padua, I Like his learning well, make him your heir, And let your other walk: let him buy wit Att's own charge, not at's father's, if you lose him, You lose no more then that was lost before, If you recover him, you find a son. If it be so, and that your love to him be so extreme, In needful dangers, ever choose the least: If he should be in mind to pass the Seas, Your son Rynaldo (who told me all this) Will tell me that, and so we shall prevent it: If by no stern cou see you will venture that, Let him come home to me with his fair wife: And if you chance to see him, shake him up, As if your wrath were hard to be reflected, That he may fear hereafter to offend In other dissolute courses: At my house With my advice and my sons good example, Who shall serve as a glass for him to see His faults, and mend them to his president: I make no doubt but of a dissolute Son And disobedient, to send him home Both dutiful and thrifty, Remember you your partly, and fear not mine: Rate him, reum le him, and renounce him too: Speak, can you doo't man? Ahlas good man, how Nature over-ways him. Rynaldo, All the News You told me as a secret, I ceiue Is passing common; for your Father knows it, The first thing he related, was the Marriage. Beyond all measure: But I did all I could to quench his fury: Told him how easy was for a young man To run that Amorous course: and though his choice Were nothing rich, yet she was gently born, Well qualified and beautiful: But he still Was quite relentless, and would needs renounce him. Indeed that's one way: but are no more means Left to his fine wits, then incense his Father With a moreviolent rage, and to redeem A great offence with greater? Go to, let him be wise, and use his friends, Amongst whom, I'll be foremost to his Father: Without this desperate error he intends Joined to the other I'll not doubt to make him Easy return into his Father's favour: So he submit himself, as duty binds him For Father's will be known to be them selum , And often when their anger's are not deep, Will paint and outward Rage upon their looks. The very words I used t'incense his Father, But good Rinoldo l him be advised How would his Father grieve, should he be mained, Or quite miscarry in the ruthless war? By heaven the same words still I used his Father. Why comes this about? Well, good Rinaldo, If he dare not endure his Father's looks, Let him and his air wife come home to me, Till I have qualified his Father's passion, He shall be kindly welcome, and be sure Of all the intercession I can use. Well, try him, try him. It is your own too simple lenity, And doting indulgence shown to him still That thus hath taught your Son to be no Son, As you have used him, therefore so you have him: Durst my Son thus turn rebel to his duty, Steal up a match shuting his estate Without all knowledge of or friend or father; And to make that good with a worse offence resolve to run beyond Sea to the wars. Durst my Son serve me thus? well, I have stayed him, Though much against my disposition, And this hour I have set for his repair, With his young mistress and concealed wife, And in my house here they shall sojourn both Till your black anger's storm be overblown. In that vain still? well Marcantonio, Gur old acquaintance and long neighbourhood Ties my affection to you, and the good Of your whole house in kind regard whereof I have advised you for your credit sake, And for the tender welfare of your son, To frown on him a little; if you do not But at rst parley take him to your favour, I protest utterly to renounce all care Of you and yours, and all your amities. They say he's wretched that out of himself Cannot draw counsel to his proper weal, But h is thrice wretched that has neither counsel Within himself, nor apprehension Of counsel for his own good, from another. Here comes my Son; withdraw, take up your stand, You shall hear odds betwixt your Son and ine. Here's a Son. Why what's the matter Son? And what's this Message? Good words Valerio; but thou art too To be decein'd by breath: I'll turn thee lose To the most cunning Cheater of them all. I, well done, Promises are no Fetters: with that tongue Thy promise passed, unpromise it again. Wherefore has Man a Tongue, of pour to speak, But to speak still to his own private purpose? Beasts utter but one found; but Men have change Of speech and Reason, even by Nature given them: Now to say one thing, and and other now, As best may serve their profitable ends. Tush, Friendship's but a Term boy: the found world Like to a doting Mother glases over Her Children's imperfections with fine terms: What she calls Friendship and true humane kindness, Is only want of true Experience: Honesty is but a defect of Wit, Respect but mere Rusticity and Clownery. Fortunio welcome, And in that welcome I employ your wives, Who I am sure you count your second self. Fortunio, I can not choose but love you, Being Son to him who long time I have loved: From whose joust anger, my house shall protect you, Till I have made a calm way to your meetings. Call you it sleight? Nay though his spirit take it In higher manner then for your loved sake, I would have wished him; yet I make a doubt, Had my Son done the Like, if my affection Would not have turned to more spleen, then your Father's: And yet I qualify him, all I can, And doubt not but that time and my persuasion, Will work out your excuse: since youth and love Were unresisted organies to seduce you: But you must give him leave, for Father's must Be won by penitence and submission And not by force or opposition. True Sir, as fire with oil, or else Like them That quench the sire with pulling down the house, You shall remain here in my house concealed Till I have won your Father to conceive Kinder opinion of your oversight. Valerio entertain Fortunio And his , and give them conduct in. What that all No entertainment to the Gentlewoman? What no more compliment? Kiss her you sheehead, Why when? Go go Sir, call your Sister hither. Exit Val. Lady, yowl pardon our gross bringing up? We dwell far off from Court you may perceive: The sighed of such a blazing Star as you, Dazzles my rude Sons wits. Daughter receive This Gentlewoman home, and use her kindly. Go Dame, conduct-am in. Ah errant Sheehead, hast thou lived thus long, And darest not look a Woman in the face? Though I desire especially to see My Son a Husband, Shall I therefore have him Turn absolute Cullion? Lets see, kiss thy hand. Thou kiss thy hand? thou wipest thy mouth by th'masse. Fie on thee Clown; They say the world's grown finer, But I for my p rt, never saw Youngmen Worse fashin'd and brought up then now adays. Sfoot, when my self was young, was not I kept As far from Court as you? I think I was: And you my Father on a time invited The Duchess of his How e; I be king then About some five and twenty years of age, Was thought the only man to entertain her: I had my Congé; plant my self of one leg, Draw back the tother with a deep fetched honour: Then with a Bell regard advant mine eye With boldness on her very visnomy. Your Dancers all were counterfeits to me: And for discourse in my fair Mistress presence, I did not as you barren Gallants do, Fill my discourses up drinking Tobacco; But on the present furnished ever more With tales and practised speeches; as some times What is't a clock? What stuff's this Petticoat? What cost the making? What the Fringe and all? And what she had under her Petticoat? And such Like witty compliments: and for needs, I could have written as good Prose and Verse, As the most beggarly Poet of am all, Either accrostique, Exordion, Epithalamious, S yres, Epigrams, Sonnets in Doozens, or your Quatorzanies, In any Rhyme Masculine, Feminine, Or Sdrnciolla, or cooplets, Blank Verse, You're but bench-whistlers now a days to them That were in our times well, about your Husbandry, Go, for I'fayth th'art fit for nothing else. But did you ever see so blank a Fool, When he should kiss a Wench, as my Son is? And you too supple. Well Sir, for your sake I have stayed your Son From flying to the wars: now see you rate him, To stay him yet from more expenseful courses, Wherein your lenity will encourage him. My daughter is persuading him to yield In dutiful to his . What have we he re? Gods my deer soul, what sudd change is here! I ll how this gear will fallen out yth. Sits the wind there yfayth? S e what xample Will work upon the ullest appetite. My son last day so bas ull, that he worser st not Look on a wench, now courts her; and by lady, Will make his friend Fortuni wear his head Of the right mod rne fashion. What R naldo. Welco e, Rinaldo, would 'thad been your hap To come a little sooner, that you might H we seen a handsome sighed. but let that pass, The short is, that your sister Gratiana Shall stay no longer here. No so, good Rinaldo; But to prevent a mischief that I see H ngs over your abused brother's head. In brief, my son has learned b to too much courtship. It was my chance even now to cast mine eye Into a place whereto your sister entered: My onne: I must conce le What I saw there: but to be play e, I saw More then I would see: I had thought to make My house a kind receipt for your kind brother; But idem be l that his should find more kindness, Then he had cause to Like of. W l, sir, such compliment perhaps may cost Married For nio the see ting on: Nor can I keep my knowledge; He that lately Before my face I could not get to look Upon your sister; by this light, now kissed her, Embraced and courted with as good a grace, As any Courtier could: and I can tell you (Not to disgrace her) I perc yu'd the Dame Was as far forward as himself, byth mass. No, I'll not see it: For shame once found, is lost; I'll have him think That my opinion of him is the same That it was ever; it will be a mean, To bridle this fresh humour bred in him. No, no, Rinaldo, only remedy, I to remove the cause; carry the object From his late tempted eyes. Place her with some friend But for a time, till I reclaim your father: Mean time your brother shall remain with me. What resolve you? I am resolved she lodges here no more: My friends son shall not be abused by mine. I marry, sir; Would he receive her? As how, Rinaldo? I doubt, last day he saw her, and will know her to be Fortunioes wife Before heaven 'twere pretty. Exceeding well in sadness. The best that ere I herd. A my life It were a gross gob would not down with him, And honest knight, but simple, not acquainted With the fine slights and policies of the world, As I my self am. I, but see you then that you keep good guard Over his forward new begun affections: For by the Lord, heel teach your brother else, To sing the Cuckoos note: spirit will break out, Though never so suppressed and pinioned. I'll have and eye on him, I warrant thee. I'll in and warn the Gentlewoman to make ready. Would, would, would, good Marcantonio, When't comes to that; laugh at me, call me fool, proclai me so, Let all the world take knowledge I am and Ass. Even joust as before, And have more cause to think honest Credulity, Is a true Loadstone to draw on Decrepity: You have a heart to open to embrace, All that your ear receives: alas good man, All this is but a plot for entertainment Within your house, for your poor sons young wife My house without huge danger cannot hold: tell you Sir, it time to take her thence: My son that last day you saw could not frame, His looks to entertain her, now bir-lady Is groan a Courtier: for my self unseen, Saw when he courted her, embraced and kissed her, And I can tell you left not much undone, That was the proper office of your son. Was well was well, see me to believe it still, Let Art end what Credulity began, When they come, suire your words and looks to theirs, Second my sad Sons feigned submission, And see in all points how my brain will answer, His disguised grie with a set countenance Ofrage and choler; now observe and learn To school your son by me. Villain durst thou Presume to gull thy Father? dost thou not Tremble to see my bent and cloudy brows Ready to thunder on thy graceless head, And with the bolt of my displeasure cut The thread of all my living from thy life, For taking thus a beggar to thy wife? Out upon thee villain. I will not hear a word; out, out upon thee: Wed without my advise, my love, my knowledge, I, and a beggar too, a trull, a blowse? Go too, no more of that, peace good Rinaldo, It is a fault that only she and you know. Have I found wretch, With utmost care and labour brought thee up, Ever instructing thee, omitting never The office of a kind and careful Father, To make thee wise and virtuous Like thy father: And hast thou in one act everted all? Proclaimed thy self to all the world a fool? To wed a beggar? What? what excuse? Can any orator in this case excuse him? What can he say? what can be said of any? Notable wag. Oh puissant wag, what huge large thongs he cuts Out of his friend Fortunios stretching leather. Oh excellent, these men will put up any thing. Notable Boy. No isle be sworn she has her lyripoope too. No, no, live still my son, thou well shalt know, I have a father's heart, come join your hands, Still keep thy vows, and live together still Till cruel death set foot betwixt you both. I by heaven. Not till death. Oh Marcantonio, Had I not armed you with and expectation, Would not this make you pawn your very soul, The wench had been my sons wife? Oh God you cannot please me better sir, Has honesty enough to serve his turn, The less honesty ever the more wit, But go you home, and use your daughter kindly, Mean time I'll school your son: and do you still Dissemble what you know, keep off your son, The wench at home must still be my sons wife, Remember that, and be you blinded still. He shall not fail: But still take you heed, have a vigilant eye, On that sl child of mine, for by this light, Heel be too bold with your sons forehead else. How now? whats h re are these the Officers? Set me, do you know what belongs to setting? Here's a good Husband. Hold Sir, I bar the Dice. Oh thou ungracious villain, Come, come, we shall have you now thunder forth Some of your thrifty sentences, as gravely: For as much V lerius as every thing has time, and a Pudding has two: yet ought not satisfaction to swerve so much from defalcation of well disposed people, as that indemnity should prejudice what security does insinuate: a try all yet once again. Here's a good Infant. Here's a Son. Sing your old song no more, your brain's too short To reach into these policies. Yowl say he lodged with you, and did not I Foretell you: all this must for colour sake Be brought about, only to blind your eyes? Had you not warning given? Did not I bid you watch my Courtier well, Or he would set a Crest a your Sons head? 'Tis too too plain Suspect it? is there any So gross a wittol, as if t'were his wife, Would fit by her so tamely? Well Sir, I was deceived, But I shall make it prove a deer deceit to the deceiver. Swore; a great piece of work, the wretch shall know I have a Daughter here to give my land too, I'll give my Daughter all: the prodigal Shall not have one poor House to hide his head in. Why are you so thankful? Better, and better. Now all my Choler fly out in your wits: Good tricks of Youth y'faith, no Indecorum, Knights son, Knights daughter; Marc. Antonio Give me your hand, There is no remedy, Marriage is ever made by Destiny. That I will gladly, and he shall be ruled good Cornelio: I have herd of your wayward Jealousy, and I must tell you plain as a friend, you're and Ass: you must pardon me, I knew your Father. Understand me: put case Dariotto lo ed your wife, whereby you would seem to refuse her; would you desire to have such a Wife as no man could love but your self? Understand me: Say Dariotto hath kissed your wife, or perform'de other offices of that nature, whereby they did converse together at bed and at board, as friends may seem to do: Yet if there come no proofs, but that her actions were cleanly, or indiscreet private, why was a sign of modesty: and will you blow Horn your self, when you may keep it to your self? Go to, you are a Fool, understand me? Nay Cornalio I tell you again, I knew your Father; He was a wise Gentleman, and so was your Mother: me thinks I see her yet, a lusty stout Woman, boar great Chil dren, you were the very skundrell of am all; but let that pass: As for your Mother, she was wise, a most slippant tonge e she had, and could set out her Tail with as good grace as any she in Florence, come cut and longtail; and she was honest enough too: But yet by your leave she would tickle Dob now and then, as well as the best on am; By Jove it's true Cornelio, I speak it not to slatter you: your Fa there knew it well enough, and would he do as you do think you? set Rascals to undermine her, or look to her water, (as they say)? No, when he saw it but her humour (for his own quietness sake) h e made a Backdoor to his house for convenience, got a Bell to his before door, and had and odd fashion in ringing, by which she and her Maid knew him; and would stand talking to his next neighbour to pro long time, that all things might be rid cleanly out a the way before he came, for the credit of his With e: This was wisdom now, for a men owne-quiet. What I say? Young men think old men are fools; but old men know young men are fools. And will you not? This was well handled in deed Cornelio. Why, this was policy in grain. Come on, lets hear his wit in this potable humour. Notable wag, come sir shake hands with him, In whose high honour you have made this speech: Very well done, now take your several wives, And spread Like wildgeese, though you now grow tame: Live merrily together and agree, Horn cannot be kept off with jealousy. I told this to Rinaldo, Advising him to fetch her from my house, And his young wit not knowing where to lodge her Unless with you: and saw that could not be, Without some wile: I presently suggested This quaint devise, to say she was my sons: And all this plot, good Marcantonio, Flowed from this fount, only to blind our eyes. The visible matkes of folly, honesty, and quick Credu litie his younger brother. I tell you Marcantonio there is much In that young boy my Son.