ALBIUS

MAster Crispinus, you are welcome; pray, use a stool Sir. Your Cousin Cytheris, will come down presently. We are so busy for the re ceceauing of these Courtiers here, that I can scarce be a minute with my self, for thinking of them; Pray you fit Sir, Pray you fit Sir. I Sir, 'tis a pretty air: These Courtiers run in my mind still; I must look out: for Jupiters sake fit Sir, or please you walk into the Garden. Ther's a Garden on the backside. Much good do you Sir. Exit. Why this is good, Excellent, Excellent: well said my sweet Chloë. Trim up your house most obsequiously. Hear but my Opinion, sweet Wife. I acknowledge, sweet wife: she speaks the best of any woman in Italy, and moves as mightily: which makes me, I had rather she should make Bumps on my head, as big as my two fingers, then I would offend her: But sweet wife— But you know wife; here are the greatest Ladies, and Gallantest Gentlemen of Room, to be entertained in our house now: and I would feign advise thee, to entertain them in the best sort, i'faith wife. Oh my sweet wife, upbraid me not with that: "Gain savours sweetly from any thing; He that respects to get, must relish all commodities alike; and admit no difference betwixt Oade, and Frankincense; or the most precious Balsamum, and a Tarre-barrell. Look here, my sweet Wife; I am Mum, my deer Mumma, my Balsamum, my Sperma Cete, & my very City of— she has the most best, true, feminine wit in Room. Ah, peace; you shall hear more anon; be not seen yet; I pray you; not yet; observe. Exit. Dear wife be not angry. Hear me but one thing; let not your maids set Cushions in the Parlour windows; nor in the dining Chamber windows; nor upon stools, in either of them in any case; for 'tis Tavern Like; but lay them one upon and other, in some out Room, or corner of the dining Chamber. Look here, my deer Wife, entertain that Gentle man kindly, I pray thee;—Mum. Exit. But this time, and no more (by heaven) Wife: hang no pictures in the Hall, nor in the dining Chamber, in any case, but in the Gallery only, for 'tis not Courtly else, on my word, Wife. Wife. Exit. And then for the great gilded Andyrons? I do vanish, Wife. Exit. May, good Master Crispinus; Pray you bring near the Gentleman. Welcome, Captain? by Jove and all the Gods i'the Capitol. For fault of a better, Sir. No harm, Captain. Oh, my hammers, and my Cyclops! this Boy fills not wine enough, to make us kind enough, to one another; I'll ply the table with Nectar, and make them friends. "Wine, and good Livers, make true lovers: I'll sentence them together. Here Father: here Mother: for shame, drink your selves drunk, and forget this dissension: you two should cling together, before our faces, and give us example of Unity. What else? what else? I play Vulcan, Sir. Your Citizen, and Jeweller, Sir. Oh Wife, the Coaches are come, on my word, a number of Coaches and Courtiers. How now wife! wouldst thou not have them come? I, your friend Cornelius Gallus, Ovid, Tibullus, Proper tius, with Julia the Emperor's daughter, and the Lady Plautia are lighted at the door; and with them Hermogenes Tigellius, the excellent Musician. For fault. of a better, if it please your Highness. My wife will answer you all, gentlemen; I'll come to you again presently. Exit. Wife. For the banquet, sweet wife. Ladies, and Lordings, there's a slight Banquet stays within for you, please you draw never and accost it. At your Ladishippes service. I God that speech by seeing a Play last day, and it did me some grace now: I see, it's good to collect sometime; I'll frequent these Plays more then I have done, now I come to be familiar with Courtiers. Please you lead the way, Gentles? Oh, what a charm of thanks was here put upon me! Oh Jove, what a setting forth it is to a man, to have may Courtiers come to his house! Sweetly was it said of a good old Housekeeper; I had rather want meat, then want Guests: specially, if they be Courtly Guests. For never trust me, if one of their good legs made in a house, be not worth all the good cheer, a man can make them. He that would have fine Guests, let him have a fine Wife; he that would have a fine Wife, let him come to me. What, you are not gone, Master Crispine? Will you not stay? & see the Jewels, sir? I pray you stay. Mum. Exit. Wife: mum. Oh, most odoriferous Music! I, but in truth, they are my Wives Verses; I must not show them. Captain, look here: mum. I have read in a Book, that to play the Fool wisely, is high wisdom. No more I will not indeed, wife, hereafter; I'll be here: mum. And excellent fit office.