Well, wise fir PoL: since you haue practis'd, thus,
Vpon my freshman-ship, I'le trie your salt-head,
What proofe it is against a counter-plot.

VV

Αθt III. Scene IIII.

VOLTORE, CORBACCIO, CORVINO,
MOSCA.

Ell, now you know the carriage of the bufi

nesse,

Your conftancy is all, that is requir'd

Vnto the safety of it. Mos. Is the lie
Safely conuai'd amongst vs? is that sure?

Knowes euery man his burden? CORV. Yes. Mos.

Then, shrink not.

CORV. But, knowes the Aduocate the truth? Mos.
O, fir,

By no meanes. I deuif'd a formall tale,
That falu'd your reputation. But, be valiant, fir.

CORV. I feare no one, but him; that, this his plead-
ing

Should make him stand for a co-heire Mos.
Co-halter.

Hang him: we will but vse his tongue, his noise,
As we doe croakers, here. CORV. I, what shall he do?
Mos. When we ha' done, you meane? CORV. Yes.
Mos. Why, we'll thinke,

Sell him for mummia, hee's halfe dust already.
Do not you smile, to fee this buffalo,

[500]

To Voltore.

How he doth sport it with his head? I' should

If all were well, and past. Sir, onely you

To Corbaccio.

MOSCA.]

SCENE II.

The

24 [Exit. G Act IIII. Scrutineo, or Senate-House. Enter VOLTORE, CORBACCIO, CORVINO, and MOSCA. G

15 Q om. stage-direction.

17 Q om, stage-direction. [Aside. G

16 doth] do's Q

Are he, that shall enioy the crop of all,

And these not know for whom they toile. CORB. I,

peace.

Mos. But you shall eate it. Much! Worshipfull fir,

20

To Coruino, then to Voltore againe.

MERCURY fit vpon your thundring tongue,

Or the French Hercules, and make your language

As conquering as his club, to beate along,

(As with a tempeft) flat, our aduerfaries:

But, much more, yours, fir. VOLT. Here they come,

ha' done.

Mos. I haue another witnesse, if you neede, fir,
I can produce. VOLT. Who is it? Mos. Sir, I haue

her.

25

T

Αθι III. Scene v.

AVOCATORI, 4. BONARIO, CELIA, VOLTORE.
CORBACCIO, CORVINO, MOSCA,
NOTARIO, COMMANDADORI.

He like of this the Senate neuer heard of.
Avoc. 2. 'Twil come most strange to them,

when we report it.

Avoc. 4. The gentlewoman has beene euer held
Of vn-reproued name. Avoc. 3. So, the yong man.
Avoc. 4. The more vnnaturall part that of his
father.

Avoc. 2. More of the husband. Avoc. I. I not
know to giue

His act a name, it is so monstrous!

5

[501]

Сом

20 Q om. stage-direction [Aside. G Act IIII. MANDADORI.] Enter Avocatori and take their seats, BONARIO, CELIA, Notario, Commandadori, Saffi, and other Officers of Justice. G 2 'Twill B 3 Gentlewoman Q 4 So has the youth. QG

96

Volpone

Avoc. 4. But the impostor, he is a thing create T'exceed example! Avoc. And all after times! Avoc. 2. I neuer heard a true voluptuary Describ'd, but him. Avoc. 3. Appeare yet those w

cited?

NOTA. All, but the old magnifico, VolpoNE.

Avoc. 1. Why is not hee here? Mos. Please y father-hoods,

Here is his Aduocate. Himselfe's, so weake,

So feeble Avoc. 4. What are you? BON.

parafite,

His knaue, his pandar: I beseech the court,
He may be forc'd to come, that your graue eyes
May beare strong witnesse of his strange imposture
VOLT. Vpon my faith, and credit, with your vert

He is not able to endure the ayre.

Avo. 3. We

Avo. 2. Bring him, how euer. see him. Avo. 4. Fetch him. VOLT. Your father-hoods fit pleasures be obey'd But fure, the fight will rather mooue your pitties, Then indignation; may it please the court, In the meane time, he may be heard in me : I know this place most voide of preiudice, And therefore craue it, since we haue no reason

To feare our truth should hurt our cause. Avoc

Speake free.

VOLT. Then know, most honor'd fathers, I r

now

Discouer, to your strangely' abused eares,

The most prodigious, and most frontlesse piece
Of solid impudence, and trecherie,

That euer vicious nature yet brought foorth
To shame the state of Venice. This lewd woman
(That wants no artificiall lookes, or teares,

22 [Exeunt Officers. G

To helpe the visor, she has now put on)
Hath long beene knowne a close adulteresse,
To that lasciuious youth there; not suspected,
I say, but knowne; and taken, in the act;

With him; and by this man, the easie husband,
Pardon'd: whose timelesse bounty makes him, now,

40

Stand here the most vnhappie, innocent person,
That euer mans owne goodnesse made accus'd.

For these, not knowing how to owe a gift

Of that deare grace, but with their shame; being plac'd 45

So' aboue all powers of their gratitude,

Began to hate the benefit: and, in place

Of thankes, deuise t'extirpe the memorie

Of such an act. Wherein, I pray your father-hoods,

To obserue the malice, yea, the rage of creatures

50

Discouer'd in their euils; and what heart

[502]

Such take, euen, from their crimes. But that, anone,

Will more appeare. This gentleman, the father,

Hearing of this foule fact, with many others,

VVhich dayly strooke at his too-tender eares,
And, grieu'd in nothing more, then that he could not

55

Preferue him felfe a parent (his sonnes ills

Growing to that strange floud) at last decreed

To dif-inherit him. Avoc. 1. These be strange turnes! Avoc. 2. The yong mans fame was euer faire, and honest.

60

VOLT. So much more full of danger is his vice,

That can beguile so, vnder shade of vertue.
But as I faid (my honour'd fires) his father
Hauing this fetled purpose, (by what meanes
To him betray'd, we know not) and this day
Appointed for the deed; that parricide,
(I cannot stile him better) by confederacy
Preparing this his paramour to be there,

43 goodnesse] vertue Q 48 Of] Af B

65

Entred VOLPONE's house (who was the man
Your father-hoods must vnderstand, design'd
For the inheritance) there, fought his father:
But, with what purpose fought he him, my lords?
(I tremble to pronounce it, that a sonne
Vnto a father, and to such a father
Should haue so foule, felonious intent)
It was, to murder him. When, being preuented
By his more happy absence, what then did he?
Not check his wicked thoughts; no, now new deed
(Mischiefe doth euer end, where it begins)
An act of horror, fathers! he drag'd forth
The aged gentleman, that had there lien, bed-red,
Three yeeres, and more, out off his innocent couch
Naked, vpon the floore, there left him; wounded
His feruant in the face; and, with this strumpet
The stale to his forg'd practise, who was glad
To be so actiue, (I shall here defire
Your father-hoods to note but my collections,
As most remarkable) thought, at once, to stop
His fathers ends; discredit his free choice,
In the old gentleman; redeeme themselues,
By laying infamy vpon this man,

To whom, with blushing, they should owe their li
Avoc. I. What proofes haue you of this? B
Most honour'd fathers,

I humbly craue, there be no credit giuen
To this mans mercenary tongue. Avoc. 2. Forbea
BON. His foule moues in his fee. Avoc. 3.
fir. Bon. This fellow,

For fix fols more, would pleade against his maker. Avoc. I. You do forget your selfe. VOLT. N nay, graue fathers,

Let him haue scope: can any man imagine

72 lords?] Sires? Q

79 euer] never G 81 bed-red

QG

82 off] of G