[Exit.
[222] As I am not sure whether we should read “Master” or “Messer,” (Ital.), I follow the old copies.
[223] “Black-guard”—the kitchen-drudges.
[224] “And who not, shall”—omitted in ed. 3. and some copies of ed. 1.
[225] “Would”—omitted in ed. 3. and some copies of ed. 1.
[226] So Dilke.—Old eds. “costly.”
[227] Pilchard.—“If Cornish pilchards, otherwise called fumadoes, be so saleable as they are in France, Spain, and Italy,” &c.—Nash’s Lenten Stuff.
[228] Ed. 3. and some copies of ed. 1. “maidens.”
[229] Ed. 1. “laide.”—Ed. 3. “layd.”
[230] Omitted in ed. 3.
[231] Large sleeves, stuffed with wool, hair, &c.
[232] Ed. 3. and some copies of ed. 1. “follow.”
[233] Shelling.
[234] Ed. 3. “upon fair Madonna.”
[235] Ed. 3. “were.”
[236] Ed. 3. and some copies of ed. 1. “as.”
[237] Ed. 3. and some copies of ed. 1. “doubtlest.”
[238] “With a wet finger”—nimbly, easily.
[239] Eds. 1. and 3. “place and place.”
[240] Probably a hit at Ben Jonson, who in Volpone (acted in 1605) makes laughter rhyme with slaughter:—
“E’en his face begetteth laughter,
And he speaks truth free from slaughter” (i. 1).
[241] Eds. 1. and 2. “philosopher.”
[242] So ed. 3.—Eds. 1. and 2. “foole.”
[243] Eds. 1. and 3. omit “Indeed,” and read “In fatis agimur.”
[244] So ed. 2.—Eds. 1. and 3. “in riches.”
[245] Ed. 1. “on.”
[246] “Basilus manus”—corrupt Spanish (for besár los manos). Cf. Dyce’s Beaumont and Fletcher, viii. 77; Old Plays, ed. Bullen, ii. 114, iv. 316, &c.
[247] Possibly there is an allusion to the execution of Sir Everard Digby, who, for his share in the Gunpowder Plot, was drawn, hanged, and quartered on 30th January 1606. Cf. Middleton, i. 255.
[248] Lanch was an old form of lance. Cf. 1 Tamburlaine, i. 2:—
“And either lanch his greedy thirsting throat,
Or take him prisoner.”
[249] Omitted in eds. 1. and 3.
[250] Ed. 2. “hir.”
[251] Ed. 1. “heard some so try.”
[252] Omitted in eds. 1. and 3.
[253] Eds. 1. and 3. “cuckolds, and decently and stately enough.”
[254] I have followed the reading of ed. 2. Eds. 1. and 3. read:—“O that we could get one another with child, Fawn, or like flies,” &c.
[255] The reader will recall a famous passage of Sir Thomas Browne’s Religio Medici:—“I could be content that we might procreate like trees, without conjunction, or that there were any way to perpetuate the world without this trivial and vulgar way of union: it is the foolishest act a wise man commits in all his life.” Montaigne has some reflections of a similar kind. See also the complaint in Euripides’ Hippolytus, ll. 616-24.
[256] “Might”—omitted in ed. 1.
[257] “Hams”—omitted in eds. 1. and 3.
[258] Ed. 1. “face.”—Ed. 3. “fate.”
[259] So ed. 3.—Eds. 1. and 2. “neglecst.”
[260] Eds. 1. and 3. read:—“Thats the griefe on’t Herc. [Hercules, ed. 3.] thats the griefe ont that I,” &c.
[261] Ed. 2. “O yes! O yes!”
[262] Eds. 1. and 3. “disclaim’d.”
[263] Ed. 1. “ciuill.”
[264] A spayed cat.—“Why witches are turned into cats, he [Bodin] alledgeth no reason, and therefore (to help him forth with that paraphrase) I say that witches are curst queans, and many times scratch one another or their neighbours by the faces; and therefore perchance are turned into cats. But I have put twenty of these witchmongers to silence with one question: to wit—whether a witch that can turn a woman into cat can also turn a cat into a woman.”—Scot’s Discovery of Witchcraft, book v., chap. 1.
[265] Omitted in ed. 2.
[266] So ed. 2.—Eds. 1. and 3. “see” and “seek.”
[267] “Gern” = snarl.
[268] Eds. 1. and 3. “thumbes.”
[269] Eds. 1. and 3. “miserable.”
[270] Quy. “’fined” (= refined)?
[271] Eds. 1. and 3. “engines.”
[272] Eds. 1. and 3. “messenger.”
[273] Eds. 1. and 3. “effect.”
SCENE I.
Courtyard of the Palace.
Whilst the Act is a-playing, Hercules and Tiberio Enters; Tiberio climbs the tree, and is received above by Dulcimel, Philocalia, and a Priest: Hercules stays beneath.
Herc.
Thou mother of chaste dew, night’s modest lamp,
Thou by whose faint shine the blushing lovers
Join glowing cheeks, and mix their trembling lips
In vows well kiss’d, rise all as full of splendour
As my breast is of joy! You genital,
You fruitful well-mix’d heats, O, bless the sheets
Of yonder chamber, that Ferrara’s dukedom,
The race of princely issue, be not curs’d,
And ended in abhorrèd barrenness!
At length kill all my fears, nor let it rest 10
Once more my tremblings that my too cold son
(That ever-scorner of humaner loves)
Will still contemn the sweets of marriage,
Still kill[274] our hope of name in his dull coldness.
Let it be lawful to make use, ye powers,[275]
Of human weakness, that pursueth still
What is inhibited, and most affects
What is most difficult to be obtain’d:
So we may learn, that nicer love’s a shade—
It follows fled, pursued flies as afraid: 20
And in the end close all the various errors
Of passages most truly comical
In moral learning with like confidence
Of him that vow’d good fortune of the scene
Shall neither make him fat, or bad make lean.
Enter Dondolo laughing.
Don. Ha, ha, ha!
Herc. Why dost laugh, fool, here’s nobody with thee?
Don. Why, therefore do I laugh, because there’s nobody with me. Would I were a fool alone! I’faith, I am come to attend—let me go,—I am sent to the princess, to come and attend her father to the end of Cupid’s Parliament. 32
Herc. Why, ha’ they sat already upon any statutes?
Don. Sat? ay, all’s agreed in the nether house!
Herc. Why, are they divided?
Don. O ay, in Cupid’s Parliament all the young gallants are o’ the nether house, and all the old signiors that can but only kiss are of the upper house. Is the princess above?
Herc. No, sure; I think the princess is beneath, man. Ha’ they supp’d, fool? 41
Don. O yes, the confusion of tongues at the large table is broke up, for see the presence fills. A fool, a fool, a fool, my coxcomb for a fool!
Enter Sir Amorous, Herod, Nymphadoro, Garbetza, Donnetta, and Poveia.
Herod. Stop, ass; what’s matter, idiot?
Don. O gallants, my fools that were appointed to wait on Don Cupid have launch’d out their ship to purge their stomachs on the water, and before Jupiter, I fear they will prove defective in their attendance. 49
Herod. Pish, fool, they’ll float in with the next tide.
Don. Ay, but when’s that? Let’s see mine almanack or prognostication.
Sir Amor. What, is this for this year?
Don. In true wisdom, sir, it is. Let me see the moon, ’fore pity ’tis in the wayne. What grief is this, that so great a planet should ever decline or lose splendour! Full sea at——
Sir Amor. Where’s the sign now, fool?
Don. In Capricorn, Sir Amoroso.
Gar. What strange thing does this almanack speak of, fool? 61
Don. Is this your lady, Sir Amorous?
Sir Amor. It is; kiss her, fool.
Herod. You may kiss her now, she is married.
Sir Amor. So he might ha’ done before.
Don. In sober modesty, sir, I do not use to do it behind.
Herod. Good fool, be acquainted with this lady too; she’s of a very honest nature, I assure thee.
Don. I easily believe you, sir, for she hath a very vile[276] face, I assure you. 70
Gar. But what strange things does thy almanack speak of, good fool?
Don. That this year no child shall be begotten but shall have a true father.
Sir Amor. That’s good news, i’faith. I am glad I got my wife with child this year.
Herc. Why, Sir Amorous, this may be, and yet you not the true father—may it not, Herod?
Gar. But what more says it, good Fawn? 79
Herod. Faith, lady, very strange things! It says that some ladies of your hair shall have feeble hams, short memories, and very weak eyesight, so that they shall mistake their own page, or even brother-in-law, sometimes for their husbands.
Sir Amor. Is that all, Fawn?
Herc. No, Sir Amorous; here’s likewise prophesied a great scarcity of gentry to ensue, so that some bores shall be dubbed Sir Amoroso. A great scarcity of lawyers is likewise this year to ensue, so that some one of them shall be entreated to take fees o’ both sides. 90
Enter Don Zuccone, following Donna Zoya on his knees.
Zuc. Most dear, dear lady! Wife, lady, wife! O do not but look on me, and ha’ some mercy!
Zoy. I will ha’ no mercy!—I will not relent!
Zuc. Sweet lady!
Zoy. The order shall stand; I am separated, and I will be separated!
Zuc. Dear! my love! wife!
Zoy. Hence, fellow! I am none of thy wife! No, I will be tyrannous and a most deep revenger. The order shall stand! I will marry a fellow that keeps a fox in his bosom, a goat under his armholes, and a polecat in his mouth, rather than reaccept thee. 102
Zuc. Alas! by the Lord, lady, what should I say? As Heaven shall bless me—what should I say?
Herod. Kneel and cry, man!
Zoy. Was I not handsome, generous, honest enough from my foot to my feather, for such a fellow as thou art?
Zuc. Alas! I confess—I confess!
Zoy. But go thy ways, and wive with whom thou wilt, for my part. Thou hast spun a fair thread. Who’ll kiss thee now? who’ll court thee now? who’ll ha’ thee now? 113
Zuc. Yet be a woman; and, for God’s sake, help me!
Herod. And do not stand too stiffly.
Zuc. And do not stand too stiffly! Do you make an ass of me? But let these rascals laugh at me. Alas! what[277] could I do withal? ’twas my destiny that I should abuse you! 120
Zoy. So it is your destiny that I should thus revenge your abuse. No, the Irishman shall hate aqua vitæ, the Welshman cheese, and the Dutchman salt butter, before I’ll love or receive thee. Does he cry? does the babe pule? ’Tis too late now—thou shouldst ha’ cried before—’tis too late now. Go, bury thy head in silence; and let oblivion be thy utmost hope.
[The Courtiers address themselves to dancing, whilst the Duke enters with Granuffo, and takes his state.[278]
Herc. Gallants, to dancing. Loud music, the duke’s upon entrance!
Gon. Are the sports ready? 130
Herc. Ready.
Gon. ’Tis enough. Of whose invention is this parliament?
Herc. Ours.
Gon.
’Tis enough.
This night we will exult! O let this night
Be ever memorised with prouder triumphs—
Let it be writ in lasting character
That this night our great wisdom did discover
So close a practice—that this night, I say, 140
Our policy found out, nay, dash’d the drifts
Of the young prince, and put him to his shifts,
Nay, past his shifts (’fore Jove! we could make a good poet).—
Delight us. On! we deign our princely ear—
We are well pleased to grace you;[279] then scorn fear.
[Cornets playing. Drunkenness, Sloth, Pride, and Plenty lead Cupid to his state, who is followed by Folly, War, Beggary, and Slaughter.[280]
Stand, ’tis wisdom to acknowledge ignorance
Of what we know not; we would not now prove foolish.
Expound the meaning of your show.
Herc.
Triumphant Cupid, that sleeps on the soft cheek
Of rarest beauty, whose throne’s in ladies’ eyes;— 150
Who[281] forced writhed lightning from Jove’s shaking hand,
Forced strong Alcides to resign his club,
Pluck’d Neptune’s trident from his mighty arm,
Unhelmèd Mars;—he (with those trophies borne,
Led in by Sloth, Pride, Plenty, Drunkenness,
Follow’d by Folly, War, Slaughter,[282] Beggary)
Takes his fair throne. Sit pleased; for now we move,
And speak not for our glory but for love.
[Hercules takes a bowl of wine.
Gon. A pretty figure.
What, begins this session with ceremony? 160
Herc.
With a full health to our great mistress, Venus,
Let every state of Cupid’s parliament
Begin the session, et quod bonum faustumque sit precor.
[Hercules drinks a health.
Gon.
Give’t us; we’ll pledge: nor shall a man that lives,
In charity refuse it. I will not be so old
As not be graced to honour Cupid. Give’t us full.
When we were young we could ha’ troll’d it off,
Drunk down a Dutchman.
Herc. ’Tis lamentable; pity your grace has forgot it. Drunkenness! O ’tis a most fluent and swelling virtue; sure the most just of all virtues: ’tis justice itself; for, if it chance to oppress and take too much, it presently restores it again. It makes the king and the peasant equal; for, if they are both drunk alike, they are both beasts alike. As for that most precious light of heaven—Truth—if Time be the father of her, I am sure Drunkenness is oftentimes the mother of her, and brings her forth. Drunkenness brings all out, for it brings all the drink out of the pot, all the wit out of the pate, and all the money out of the purse. 180
Gon. My Lord Granuffo, this Fawn is an excellent fellow.
Don. Silence.
Gon. I warrant you for my lord here.
Cup. Since multitude of laws are signs either of much tyranny in the prince or much rebellious disobedience in the subject, we rather think it fit to study how to have our old laws thoroughly executed, than to have new statutes cumbrously invented.
Gon. Afore Jove, he speaks very well. 190
Herc. O, sir, Love is very eloquent, makes all men good orators: himself then must needs be eloquent.
Cup. Let it therefore be the main of our assembly to survey our old laws, and punish their transgressions; for that continually the complaints of lovers ascend up to our deity, that love is abused, and basely bought and sold, beauty[’s] corrupted, affection feign’d, and pleasure herself sophisticated; that young gallants are proud in appetite and weak in performance; that young ladies are phantastically inconstant,—old ladies impudently unsatiate,—wives complain of unmarried women, that they steal the dues belonging to their sheets,—and maids exclaim upon wives, that they unjustly engross all into their own hands, as not content with their own husbands, but also purloining that which should be their comfort. Let us therefore be severe in our justice; and if any, of what degree soever, have approvedly offended, let him be instantly unpartially arrested and punished. Read our statutes. 209
Herc. A statute made in the five thousand four hundred threescore and three year of the easeful reign of the mighty potent Don Cupid, emperor[283] of sighs and protestations, great king of kisses, archduke of dalliance, and sole loved of her,[284] for the maintaining and relieving of his old soldiers, maim’d or dismember’d in love.
Don. Those that are lightly hurt, shame to complain; those that are deeply struck are past recovery.
Cup. On to the next.
Herc. An act against the plurality of mistresses.
Cup. Read. 220
Herc. Whereas some over amorous and unconscionable covetous young gallants, without all grace of Venus, or the fear of Cupid in their minds, have at one time engrossed the care or cures of divers mistresses, with the charge of ladies, into their own tenure or occupation,[285] whereby their mistresses must of necessity be very ill and insufficiently served, and likewise many able portly gallants live unfurnished of competent entertainment, to the merit of their bodies; and whereas likewise some other greedy strangers have taken in the purlieus, outset land, and the ancient commons of our sovereign liege Don Cupid, taking in his very highways, and enclosing them, and annexing them to their own lordships, to the much impoverishing and putting of divers of Cupid’s true hearts and loyal subjects to base and abhominable[286] shifts: Be it therefore enacted, by the sovereign authority and erected ensign of Don Cupid, with the assent of some of the lords, most of the ladies, and all the commons, that what person or persons soever shall, in the trade of honour, presume to wear at one time two ladies’ favours, or at one time shall earnestly court two women in the way of marriage, or if any under the degree of a duke shall keep above twenty women of pleasure, a duke’s brother fifteen, a lord ten, a knight or a pensioner or both four, a gentleman two, shall ipso facto be arrested by folly’s mace, and instantly committed to the ship of fools, without either bail or main prize, Millesimo centesimo quingentesimo quadragesimo nono Cupidinis semper unius.—Nymphadoro, to the bar! 248
Nym. Shame o’ folly, will Fawn now turn an informer? Does he laugh at me?
Herc. Domina Garbetza, did he not ever protest you were his most only elected mistress?
Gar. He did.
Herc. Domina Donetta, did he not ever protest, you were his most only elected mistress?
Don. He did.
Herc. Domina Poveia, did he not ever protest, that you were his most only elected mistress?
Pov. He did.
Nym. Mercy! 260
Cup. Our mercy is nothing, unless some lady will beg thee.
Ladies. Out upon him, dissembling, perfidious liar!
Herc. Indeed ’tis no reason ladies should beg liars.
Nym.
Thus he that loveth many, if once known,
Is justly plagued to be belov’d of none.
[Exit.
Herc. An act against counterfeiting of Cupid’s royal coin, and abusing his subjects with false money.—To the bar, Sir Amorous!—In most lamentable form complaineth to your blind celsitude your distressed orators, the women of the world, that in respect that many spendthrifts, who having exhausted and wasted their substance, and in stranger parts have with empty shows, treasonably purchased ladies’ affections, without being of ability to pay them for it with current money, and therefore have deceitfully sought to satisfy them with counterfeit metal, to the great displeasure and no small loss of your humblest subjects: may it therefore with your pitiful assent be enacted, that what lord, knight, or gentleman soever, knowing himself insufficient, bankrout, exhausted, and wasted, shall traitorously dare to entertain any lady, as wife or mistress, ipso facto to be severed from all commercement with women, his wife or mistress in that state offending to be forgiven with a pardon of course, and himself instantly to be pressed to sail in the ship of fools, without either bail or main-prize.—Sir Amorous is arrested. 286
Sir Amor.[287] Judgment of the court.
Herc. I take my oath upon thy brother’s body, ’tis none of thine.
Sir Amor. By the heart of dissemblance, this Fawn has wrought with us as strange tailors work in corporate cities, where they are not free; all inward, inward he lurk’d in the bosom of us, and yet we know not his profession. Sir, let me have counsel?
Herc. ’Tis[288] in great Cupid’s case; you may have no counsel. 296
Sir Amor. Death[289] o’ justice! are we in Normandy? What is my lady’s doom then?
Cup. Acquitted by the express parole of the statute. Hence, and in thy ignorance be quietly happy. Away with him—on!
Herc. An act against forgers of love-letters, false braggarts of ladies’ favours, and vain boasters of counterfeit tokens.
Herod. ’Tis I, ’tis I! I confess guilty, guilty! 305
Herc. I will be most humane and right courteously languaged in thy correction, and only say, thy vice, from apparent here, has made thee an apparent beggar, and now of a false knave hath made thee a true fool. Folly to the ship with him, and twice a day let him be duck’d at the main-yard.
Cup. Proceed! 312
Herc. An act against slanderers of Cupid’s liege ladies’ names, and lewd defamers of their honours.
Zuc. ’Tis I, ’tis I! I weep and cry out, I have been a most contumelious offender. My only cry is Miserere!
Cup.
If your relenting lady will have pity on you,
The fault against our deity be pardoned.
Zuc. Madam, if ever I have found favour in your eyes, if ever you have thought me a reasonable handsome fellow, as I am sure before I had a beard you might, O be merciful! 322
Zoy. Well, upon your apparent repentance, that all modest spectators may witness I have for a short time only thus feignedly hated you that you might ever after truly love me, upon these cautions I reaccept you; first you shall vow——
Zuc. I do vow, as Heaven bless me, I will do!
Zoy. What?
Zuc. Whate’er it be; say on, I beseech you. 330
Zoy. You shall vow——
Zuc. Yes.
Zoy. That you shall never——
Zuc. Never——
Zoy. Feign love to my waiting-woman or chamber-maid.
Zuc. No.
Zoy. Never promise them such a farm to their marriage——
Zuc. No.
Zoy. If she’ll discover but whom I affect. 340
Zuc. Never.
Zoy. Or if they know none, that they’ll but take a false oath I do, only to be rid of me.
Zuc. I swear I will not; I will not only not counterfeitly love your women, but I will truly hate them; an’t be possible, so far from maintaining them, that I will beggar them. I will never pick their trunks for letters, search their pockets, ruffle their bosoms, or tear their foul smocks;—never! never!
Zoy. That if I chance to have a humour to be in a masque, you shall not grow jealous. 351
Zuc. Never.
Zoy. Or grudge at the expense.
Zuc. Never! I will eat mine own arms first.
Zoy. That you shall not search, if my chamber-door hinges be oil’d to avoid creaking.
Zuc. As I am a sensible creature.
Zoy. Nor ever suspect the reason why my bedchamber floor is double-matted.
Zuc. Not, as I have blood in me. 360
Zoy. You shall vow to wear clean linen, and feed wholesomely.
Zuc. Ay, and highly. I will take no more tobacco, or come to your sheets drunk, or get wenches. I will ever feed on fried frogs, broil’d[290] snails, and boil’d lamb-stones;—I will adore thee more than a mortal,—observe and serve you as more than a mistress,—do all duties of a husband,—all offices of a man,—all services of thy creature,—and ever live in thy pleasure, or die in thy service. 370
Zoy. Then here my quarrel ends; thus cease all strife.
Zuc.
Until they lose, men know not what’s a wife.
We slight and dully view the lamp of heaven,
Because we daily see’t, which but bereaved,
And held one little week from darken’d eyes,
With greedy wonder we should all admire;
Opinion[291] of command puts out love’s fire.
Herc. An act against mummers, false seemers, that abuse ladies with counterfeit faces, courting only by signs, and seeming wise only by silence. 380
Cup. The penalty?
Herc. To be urged to speak, and then, if inward ability answer not outward seeming, to be committed instantly to the ship of fools during great Cupid’s pleasure.—My Lord Granuffo, to the bar! Speak, speak; is not this law just?
Gra.
Just, sure; for in good truth or in good sooth,
When wise men speak, they still must open their mouth.
Herc. The brazen head has spoken.
Don. Thou art arrested.
Gra. Me?
Herc. And judg’d: away!
[Exit Granuffo.
Gon.
Thus silence, with grave looks, with hums and haws, 391
Makes many worshipp’d, when if tried they’re daws;
That’s the morality or l’envoy of it—
L’envoy of it. On.
Herc. An act against privy conspiracies, by which, if any with ambitions wisdom shall hope and strive to outstrip Love, to cross his words, and make frustrate his sweet pleasure,—if such a presumptuous wisdom fall to nothing, and die in laughter, the wizard so transgressing is ipso facto adjudged to offend in most deep treason, to forfeit all his wit at the will of the lord, and be instantly committed to the ship of fools for ever. 401
Gon. Ay, marry, sir! O might Œdipus riddle me out such a fellow! Of all creatures breathing, I do hate those things that struggle to seem wise, and yet are indeed very fools. I remember, when I was a young man, in my father’s days, there were four gallant spirits, for resolution, as proper for body, as witty in discourse, as any were in Europe, nay, Europe had not such; I was one of them. We four did all love one lady,—a modest, chaste virgin she was; we all enjoy’d her, I well remember, and so enjoy’d her that, despite the strictest guard was set upon her, we had her at our pleasure: I speak it for her honour and my credit. Where shall you find such witty fellows nowadays? Alas! how easy it is, in these weaker times, to cross love-tricks. Ha! ha! ha! Alas! I smile to think I must confess, with some glory[292] to mine own wisdom, to think how I found out, and crossed, and curb’d, and jerk’d, and firk’d, and in the end made desperate Tiberio’s hope. Alas! good silly youth, that dares to cope with age and such a beard. I speak it without glory. 421
Herc.
But what yet might your well-known wisdom think,
If such a one, as being most severe,
A most protested opposite to the match
Of two young lovers,—who having barr’d them speech,
All interviews, all messages, all means,
To plot their wishèd ends,—even he himself
Was, by their cunning, made the go-between,
The only messenger, the token-carrier,
Told them the times when they might fitly meet, 430
Nay, show’d the way to one another’s bed?
Gon.
May one have the sight of such a fellow for nothing?
Doth there breathe such an egregious ass?
Is there such a foolish animal in rerum natura?
How is it possible such simplicity can exist? Let us not lose our laughing at him, for God’s sake! Let Folly’s sceptre light upon him, and to the ship of fools with him instantly!
Don. Of all these follies I arrest your grace.
Gon. Me? ha! me? me, varlet? me, fool? Ha! to th’ jail with him! What, varlet? call me ass?—me?
Herc.
What! grave Urbin’s duke? 441
Dares Folly’s sceptre touch his prudent shoulders?
Is he a coxcomb? No, my lord is wise;
For we all know that Urbin’s duke has eyes.
Gon. God ha’ mercy, Fawn! Hold fast, varlet!
Hold thee, good Fawn!—railing reprobate!
Herc.
Indeed, I must confess your grace did tell
And first did intimate your daughter’s love
To otherwise most cold Tiberio;
After convey’d her private favour to him, 450
A curious scarf, wherein her needle wrought
Her private love to him.
Gon. What! I do this? Ha!
Herc.
And last, by her persuasion, show’d the youth
The very way and best-elected time
To come unto her chamber.
Gon. Thus did I, sir?
Herc.
Thus did you, sir; but I must confess
You meant not to do this, but were rankly gull’d—
Made a plain natural. This sure, sir, you did.
And in assurance, Prince Tiberio,
Renowned, witted Dulcimel, appear! 460
The acts of constant honour cannot fear.
[Exit Hercules.
Tiberio and Dulcimel above, are discovered hand in hand.
Dul. Royally wise and wisely royal father——
Don. That’s sententious now—a figure call’d in art Ironia.
Dul.
I humbly thank your worthy piety
That through your only means I have obtained
So fit, [so] loving, and desired a husband.
Gon. Death o’ discretion! if I should prove a fool now. Am not I an ass, think you, ha? I will have them both bound together, and sent to the Duke of Ferrara presently. 471
Tib. I am sure, good father, we are both bound together as fast as the priest can make us already. I thank you for it, kind father; I thank you only for’t.
Hercules Enters in his own shape.
Herc. And as for sending them to the Duke of Ferrara, see, my good lord, Ferrara’s o’erjoy’d prince meets thee in fullest wish.
Gon. By the Lord! I am ashamed of myself, that’s the plain troth; but I know now wherefore this parliament[293] was. What a slumber have I been in! 480
Herc. Never grieve nor wonder—all things sweetly fit.
Gon. There is no folly to protested wit.
Herc.
What still in wond’ring ignorance doth rest,
In private conference your dear-lov’d breast
Shall fully take.—But now we change our face.