FLORELLO

I reckon this the chief delight I would e Received on Earth. And (sir) your love is of Such sovereign quality, a little soon Will overcharge my sense. Give but a partly To me, the rest confer upon my friends— Who, though in withered habits, do deserve, Society with Kings: for never yet, Did bolder Soldiers listne to the Drum. I've said, consider them Within; their weeds are overgrown and cheap. Even thus (sir) poor, and with small victory Am I returned from our cast Troops. Our pay Rests in Areres, and Pisa's lost: But you (I hear) have found a Jewel, that contains All price and lustre; and you do wear it In your bosom: (a noble wife) whose birth And beauty, are alike vnuallu'd as Her dowry. This I encountered on The Lips of Fame; and I made haste to share In your success, and put your bounty to The test. You teach my feeble wants a confidence. Your mention does anticipate my love. Is our fair Sister well? And I perceive a masculine itch beneath Her left eye; she longs to taste man. Were she but mine, I'd teach her keep a noise too after death. I'd strip her skin over her ears and Make a drum on't. Meruolle, you have named Charintha, As a precious Virgin, of nature most Remiss, a quiet tongue, and such a heart, As might become and able sacrifice, Expiate the whole world? What's Dandalo, that sues to her for love? I herd you say, she never saw him yet. Will his arrival be so long delayed?— Brother! — How thrives your patience over your wife? Sir it is fit your blessings were increased; And that your wife had read your worth. Rossa, Molard, (friends to my Soul and Brain) Advance your subtle Eyes! The sovereign mine Behold, that makes the solemn Patriarch dance, And the anointed King to skip, as does His limber Dwarf. This is the portion will procure us all High dignity and place. Rossa, you must Find cause to number these— Go, ransom out Our captive weeds, and the rich habit I From Pisa brought: while you (Mollard) with the Assistance of these few—procure us fit Materials to adorn, and put in bright Aspect our Corpse. Inquire for Pearls: Stones of The cunningest soil, we'll Like them, and disburse. Ere long we shall be great, be able to Advance with smiles, and with our frowns destroy. You Rossa, I'll create a Magistrate. Go practice the austere Cough. Pale dilinquents Thou shalt learn to jeer, and to sleep over men Condemned. Thou (my Molard ) shalt rule in Villages, Grow popular, and mistake the Laws. Thou shalt Delight i'th Kallender: the Rubric days Thou shalt observe, and then destroy thy beef. While thy dull earthy Tenants feed until They smell. The solitary Hostess shall no more Boil the Carrion meat that she must trust, In her own tears; Nor with a Requiem bring The service up, as if it were the Haunch Of her dead Husband. The Geographicke Captain shall no more Study the Town Map, that's dark walks may be Contrived through slender Allies and through Lanes, To escape his hungry Creditors abroad. These are the victories of wit: by wit We must achieve our Hope's; which to refine And purify, with paces doubled let's Descend a Marble vault, there taste the rich Legitimate blood of the mighty Grape. 'Tis precious as the milk of Queens; such as Would teach dull Saturn laugh. It magnifies The heart, and makes the agill spirits dance, It drowns all thoughts adulterate and sad; Inspires the Prophet, makes the Poet glad. Which is the Lady that I come to woo? Present me thy Lips! I say advance — It may be so. A fine house, fine Town too! Were Florence mine, I would not give it for The best winter Seat my father left me. I shall. Rossa, remember it! I must know her for Charintha's Sister. Kiss none but thee! A device i'th'blood! but Princes have one toy or other still, t'make Their descent known. — There, a Diamond that, And that a Ruby.— Gives to Alteza. Th'are none of mine. I have enough, weare'em— Who can help it? Mistress, wilt thou not bid My servants welcome? Th'are rich Choughs, th'aue store Of Villages, and ploughed Earth. This is my Parasite, and this my Pimp. I've a Fool, a Dwarf too at home. I made My jaunt too early by a month, or else My Train had been enlarged. I keep my parasite to cure the dull Melancholy of State. He does admire My wit and Beard. He says I cannot sin. Princes would still be sad out for such worrmes. He is as pertinent to Lords as lust. My Fool I keep to laugh at me. My Dwarf Is for my wife. I do intend she shall Affect the Court, and then she'll quickly learn. To make the Toy useful. I've Instruments distinct, that take a charge O'th several quarters of my Frame, My Dwarf Does dress me up unto the knees, and when His stature leaves his reach, young Virgins then (Th'issue of decayed Barons) do begin And govern to the Navel. While upwards Barbars, Painters, and Parasites are used. And shall we be delighted and entranced? Wilt'I faith. There's a Saphire Chain: Tie thy Monkey in't— Take it; for by this hand I am in haste And cannot offer twice. I will give thee a Bushel of Seed-pearl To imbroider thy Petticoat. A leash of Germane Dukes that walk in Rug. I should consult with'em'bout subversion Of a State or two; but I'm not yet at Leisure. You both do lie, I weave my cunning close. Fortune, redeem the credit of thy Eyes. Thou wilt (if thou art partial now and kind) But wink on me, though to the world th'art blind. This orient Rope is yours, and you must wear't; I sickne else, and grow a villager In Elizium! That's rare faith; have I a shadow walks Without leave o'the Sun? Did not Meruolle say, would be a month, Ere he arrived? Stand firm, and stiffly on your sinews then, Avouch me still, for the true Dandolo. I'll show you my Trade; A poor swordman, I— Ladies, this Impostor steals my Titles, And my name, I ask leave, to punish him. Unless you are and Estridge, Sir, and can Digest steel, cool your lungs, and calmly wait Th'inquiry I shall urge. Molard, reveal how long thou hast been Pimp, To the family of the Dandolos? Canst point, at ought He did some two and twenty years ago? Oh action of my father's loins! I'm and old ewe at Genealogies. This fellows descent I know now, and where He took is creation too. By chance thus have I met forty of my Father's Bastards. Th'are poor, and put me oft to charge. Brother, Welcome.— Rossa, give him a Quardecus. I do, think it, Sir. Bold illegitimate. Besognia speak in my behalf; I'll give Thee a Pearl then, big as a Pompeon. Slow method fools obey. To the stars advance His head, who thus resists the power of Chance. Ex. omnes. Brother, I wish you would avoid my haunts. 'Tis not for my credit, nor yet for our Dead father's, thus to make your person known, Being you're illegitimate begotten, By the motion of the evil Spirit. D'ye walk Like Neptune in a mask, Attended on by two o'th calm Winds? D'ye make no more o'th'Infants o'the Earth?— Is't possible? Not I beleeue't. They take me for a Capon. What Weapons Fight you with, Demiculuering or Drake? What then remains but Rossa and Molard, Assault you two, I, my bastard Brother— Fame blew'em from her Breech! The Chrysome Babe. I will try your politic patience Sir — kicks em. D'ye scorn (Sir) to be kicked? You, and your fierce Champions strait remove; Craule hence, and be not visible again: Sweet Love, I have been bold to give away One or two of thy Farms to these my Followers, They are kind wretches both, and love thee well. Yes says, They bid me rather then Thou shouldst thus pine for love to marry thee. Wouldst view my Limbs?— Hah! Madam, I am traduced. I must not, dare not, leave you, till I've cleerd The errors in this calumny— A sober truth. Sums I owed when I embarked for Pisa. — This Key, with rescue o'th'young Rapiers of The Law will bring us home. Faith we must all disrobe, our Vestments old Stitch on again, and mortgage these to raise A Sum that may assist my librrtie. Who did assist your passage to this walk? What in captivity? They walk Like Caterpillars on a Leaf. — Yield me the cause why you contrived my death. Take your self solemnly aside and cut Your Throat! do't strait, and neatly too, y'had best. Have you three throats, can you revive as oft As you are killed, to take new punishment, That thus you mutiny against kind reason? 'Tis fit (deer Count) that you Must die; I'm else unjust unto my self. As how? This cannot satisfy. How ere (Sir Count) If you will patiently accept your death. I'll furnish you with Guides, for your last jaunt. You Punto, and Stoccata too! No more Of your philosophy. Fix Brow, to Brow, Knock out, each others Brains, and show your Lord The way, unto th'Elizian-Field. Do it At first encounter too; For I'm in haste— Then Punto shall be conduct to you both. How? a ransom? That see Two are poorer then Carthusian-Monkes: lean as a Romish Lent. Slaves, who pretend sickness, that they may lie In Hospitals to steal the Sheets. Acorns They eat, such as Westphalia-Hoggs do scorn. The ransom must Be small. Shuffle'em together: and pack They hence. I will not hear a sillable Of thanks. Rossa, see'em horsed for Milan. Who can resist the frowns of destiny? My sufferance gives my merits their reward. Affect so much Humility as may employ your thoughts With more compassion on my ru'nou fallen. I'm come to manifest the sin of my Disguise though it proceeded more from hope Enjoy your person then your wealth. Witness Each nimble Register of humane Thoughts! This is my real hape, in which I do Appear, a thin and withered Soldier born, I'th'later age of war: When glory's sick, And honour trivial as the spleen of Babes. Grant now (thou beauteous wealth of Italy ) And expiation for my crimes; For know, I would be clean when I shall dedicate My future vows to absent Altar of Thy Heart: lest I do lose the use of my Idolatry; and make repentance sin. Destroy me not With scorn: I know you Ladies most delight I'th'fraile surface of the body, in name, And guilded pomp, which was the fatal cause I practised them on you: Vain men. We altar our creation so With female shapes, that Heaven scarce knows its stam And Nature (that distinction still commands T'each Sex) forgets the work of her own hands. Ere you depart, a small memorial from Your hands, I crave, to wear upon my crest, That it may tempt kind fate to look on me, When I in glorious battle strive; and I will absent my self for evermore. Grant my request, or I'll pursue your steps Oh my auspicious stars! Should I not now Make use of your good influence, I were Unworthy of your care. — Enter Meruolle. Thou hast been called my friend. But if thy spleen Continue a dislike of her, I'll blow thee from My memory, and with my chiefest strength I'll punish thy missetake — Into my ears thou hast a horror poured That hath already stiffened every hair On my amazed skull into a Reed. Sorrow and love, my senses do divide. If I remain with thee, then only love I serve, if with sad fleps, I tread the way Unto my Brother's Hearse, I both obey. Exit. The gentle Turtle shall direct us how Augment our loves; the Eagle to renew Our youth, and we will strive to imitate The crooked Vine in our increase. — My Loved Sister, I have orchear'd the story of your griefs, And from this noble Signior, I must beg A faith endeared, the name of Brother too. A Stone, a Stone! the thing grows, I've enough— Th'are such your knowledge shall affect: they must Enjoy what I achieve. Dull men, o'war, The Trophy of my victory behold, She's mine: bow, and do homage to her lip. — S light, this is the great Cham. Hark you, Signior— Sir a word. Me thinks you look, Like raw Pork. Maintain your birth—Were you my father's Bawds? Oh my forward bounty! There's but sick hope My Jewels will return; since custom shows; What Ladies thus from there dull Suitors get They do preserve as Tribute to their wit. Give me a Knife!—