Bonam. Are you in earnest now? Bonam. By all that you have threatened, so am Bonam. My art! Why, look you, I made this watch I'll bestow it on you. Rol. What to do? to reckon the hours I have live? SCÈNE I. Enter DONDOLO and GRUTTI. Bonam. It sha'not cost me so much trouble, as that toy did, to make you master of your wishes stil, if Heaven prosper it. Come, let's talk privately, you shall ha' the pot. He that doth many good deeds, it may fall, ACT IV. Dond. Rolliardo pay his debts! Sure the fellow, that never saw much money in's life, now, by the Duke made master of so many sums, is grown mad with 'em. Dond. and Grut. Ha, ha, ha! Peren. You may imagine, with what variety of lamentable faces the courtier heard his unexpected sentence. Some would have pleaded for him, but for laughter, which continued so long and so high, that he had time to collect his scattered senses; and, instead of swooning, which was expected, he Grut. Many other hath he discharged, they say.grew fortified, and most humbly besought the Dond. He'll undo the Exchequer an' he hold on. He shall be chronicled for't. Grut. He has some cause to imagine himself short-lived, and that makes him so desperately charitable toward his end. Signior Perenotto. Enter PERENOTTO. Duke, since his sentence had past so definitive, Peren. 'Twas easily granted; but ever since, to Peren. Dondolo and Grutti, news, news for the astonishment of the hearers, he is grown so jo ye! Dond. What, we beseech you? Peren. You have lost the best mirth in Italy in your absence; your companion Morello-- Dond. Was carried to the Duke in a petticoat, in which he attempted a passage to the sequestered ladies. What's the issue? Peren Mirth in abundance. Peren. Nay, 'tis on still. The Duke, to make himself sport, would call a council, before whom the poor signior must be arraigned. Not to hold you in suspence, the business was merrily discussed, and the pitiful projector was judged-- he Dond. How, how? Peren. To wear the petticoat for a month. If appear without it, during the term, he incurs his perpetual exile from court, cund and airy, nay, as if he had been born with Enter MORELLO like a jester. Peren. Disgrace has made him witty. Morel. Marry, if he go far, he is not so wise as he should be. Dondolo, Grutti! old acquaintance, how is't? how is't? edition, 1720, b. iii. p. 51. And Massinger, in The City Madam, act i. sc. 1., mentions the sheriff's bas ket: "Thou unthankful wretch, Did our charity redeem thee out of prison, At Christmas, and probably at some other times, it is still customary for the lord mayor and sheriffs to visit the markets, and the houses of those who vend either meat or bread, and solicit charity for the pri soners confined in the several jails. Grut. The case is altered with you. Morel It does appear so; but nothing can make me proud, I'll know my fellows. Peren. How do you mean, Morello? Duke. What is't? Fulo. Here's an important suitor calls himself Morel. Your lordship may make one at foot- And, if my judgment err not, a most pleasing one. ball; 'Tis all the sport now-a-days. What other is the world than a ball, Which we run after with hoop and with He that doth catch it is sure of a fall, 18 For though they often lie on the ground, Not one amongst a hundred will fall, But under her coats the ball will be found. With a a fading. But we be three of old, without exception to your lordship, only with this difference, I am the wisest fool; for you play the tool in your old clothes, and I have a new coat on. Peren. Does it not become him? Dond. Rarely well; Do you ever mean to resign it? Grut. Twere pity bat he should have a patent for't, to him and his posterity. Morel. Hark you, gentlemen, d'ye hear the news? Dond. News! what news? Morel. Do you not hear on't yet? why, 'tis in a ballad already. Grut. And thou can'st sing it. Morel. 'Twas well gues'd, and I can but hit o' the tune. Duke. Let us see him and his present; It will reward my daughter's patience, That she may shift each solitary hour Enter BONAMICO. A Cage discovered. Duke. By my love to goodness, Bonam. I am as jocund since I am admitted, I Methinks, as he that farms the monuments. 19 Peren. My lord, I have not seen so much delight In any piece these seven years. Duke. Where's the master of this work? I am the constable, that put all these in the cage, and you may call it a point of injustice, for they never kept late hours: though they all wear feathers, there's not a roarer amongst them, and yet, were they suffered, they'd fly high, for some of them are very lofty-minded. Duke. A pleasant fellow too. Bonum. Oh, my lord, we are all born in our degrees to make one another merry: the birds make me merry, I make my wife merry, the fool makes your courtiers merry, and the courtiers make your Grace merry. Duke. And whom do I make merry? Bonam. The whole commonwealth, if you go vern handsomely. Duke. There's salt in's mirth : : 18 Fading. A fading is an Irish dance. See Mr Tyrrwhit's note on The Winter's Tale, A. 4. S. 3. 19 That farms the monuments.-I suppose he means the monuments in old St Paul's, or those in West minster-Abbey. S. Dond. And what call you this? Bonam. This was the duke of Venice his own bulfinch, and taken by the Turks. Duke. By the Turks say'st thou? he droops indeed. Bonam. Since his captivity, the wretch endured Much misery by the infidel; it had nothing But bread and water for three months. Fulo. A shrewd calamity. Duke. I do affect this fellow's prate. Bonam. This is the blackbird which was hatcht that day Gondamore died; 20 and which was ominous, About that time Spinola's thrush 21 forsook him. Peren. Was this he? 23 So dearly loved, he called it wife, but could not And straight she gapes as she would eat the pope; over But your gracious pardon, Duke. How, our pardon? | Italy, and other parts of Europe yield Duke. No, that were to quench Duke. Pay the cost double: I'll send it to my daughter. Bonam. It takes as art could wish it. [Aside. Duke. I know it is a present, the sweet soul Will raise much joy in.-Signior Perenotto— Peren. My lord. Bonam. There are two birds I ha' not named. Bonam. A pair of gulls, which you may share Peren. It shall, my lord. Duke. If Florence now keep touch, we shortly shall Conclude all fear with a glad nuptial. [Exeunt. Don. You like this story best then? our own. Don. Be it so we are all perfect in the plot, I think. Eug. You shall dispose the rest. Don. You will not be ambitious then, and quarrel about the parts, like your spruce actor, that will not play out of the best clothes, and the fine young prince, who, if he fight, 'tis six to four he kills all, and gets the lady. Fid. We are constant, you shall appoint them. Don. Then, madam, without ceremony, you shall play Danae, that is shut up in the brazen tower. Eug. Well, I'm contented, 'twill suit with my Bonam. I'm now another man, and know my present fortune. distance. Don. I need not to instruct you in the chaYou shall be the king Acrisius, her father; a jealous, harsh, crabbed man, who, in fear of the oracle, commands her to be thus enclo sed. Mar. So:-I'll fit you for a vinegar king. 20 Gondamore died. The celebrated ambassador from Spain, who obtained an influence over King James, as dishonourable to the crown as disgraceful to the nation. He died a very short time after the king, in the year 1625, at a place called Bunnel, of pure apprehensions of grief, as Howel says it was giHe was then on his way to Flanders, from whence he designed to have come to England. See Howel's Letters, edit. 1754, p. 178. ven out. 21 Spinola's thrush. This seems to allude to some circumstance at that time well known, but now perhaps irrecoverably lost. The marquis of Spinola was the person who carried on the siege of Ostend, and that of Bergen, taken notice of below. 22 The siege of Bergen. The town of Bergen was invested by the marquis of Spinola in [623, but without success. After being before it some time, he found himself obliged to raise the siege. 23 Amsterdam. See note 16 to The Mayor of Quinborough. Dodsley's edit. Don. No matter for properties-24 We'll imagine, madam, you have a beard. Fid. What shall I play? Don. You must be ladies, whom the king leaves to keep her company; entertain what humour you please. Cas. and Kath. This is our own parts indeed. Don. You will play it the more natural, and let me alone to play the Thunderer, I'll wanton Jove it-now whet your inventions and about it, imagine our scene expressed, and the New-prison, the title advanced in form. Eug. The New-prison! why? Don. O'tis an excellent name, where spectators throng together, as ours do methinks in the arras already; the music have their part. Dispose yourselves for your entrances, while I speak the prologue to our mixed audience of silk and crewel gentlemen 25 in the hangings.-Hem. Kath. Let it be a confident prologue howso[Music. Don. Ye are welcome to New-prison; we have still ever. Our ancient keeper, and we fear he will are Judicious hangings, and well seen; nor dare Eug. Was ever father to his child So unkind? It makes me wild, Don. This is excellent; she has played the part before. Cas. Waste not yourself in woeful plaint, Sorrow will not help restraint. Think, madam, all is but a dream, That we are in--Now I am out————— -beam, cream; Help me, Katharina, I can make no sense rhyme to't. Don. Cream is as good a rhyme as your mouth can wish; ha, ha, ha! Cas. Does not the arras laugh at me? it shakes, methinks. Kath. It cannot chuse, there's one behind does tickle it. Eug. A dream! alas, 'tis no relief Kath. The sun with glittering golden rays, Mar. Winter and summer! by my faith that's well, there's but half a year between; there be some call themselves poets, make their rhymes straddle so wide, a twelvemonth will hardly reconcile them, and I hope, a lady may straddle a little by poetical licence. Cas. Madam, your father, king Acrisius. Don. The king speaks through a trunk. Mar. How is't, heroic birth? what dulness, cold As Saturn's, dwells on thy forehead? be bold To give thy grief a tongue; instruct, child, My paternal nature, lest I grow wild As the rude north :-thought of thee makes my hairs Silver, my blood is curdied with my cares. Don. Most high and mighty nonsense! sure the king has swallowed pills, and his stomach, not able to digest them, does vomit them up again. Mar. Is thy organ dumb, Or am I grown cheap in majesty? trivial fool, Shall I reap crabbed thistles in neglect for rich 24 Properties, in the language of the playhouse, are every implement necessary to the exhibition. See notes by Dr Johnson and Air Stevens to The taming of the Shrew, Induction. 25 Silk and crewel gentlemen Crewel is worsted. See note on King Lear, A. 2. S. 4. vol. 9. p. 428. edit. 1778, S. 12 Thy gaudy station. When I have unscrewed If aught else do clog thy thoughts with unkind Cas. Let him chuse his rhyme, I beseech you, madam. Mar. Uh, uh-cold phlegm obstructs my language-barling, carling. Don. Ha, ha, 'tis time to make an end, He was almost choked with his own phrase. Mar. And you get me to play an old man' again Don. We'll have a young one for thee; twentyone and a coat, is a double game :---my turn comes next. Eug. He's gone, and leaveth us behind, What dark and heavy cloud doth sit, Enter JUPITER. Cas. This was well passionated: now comes Jupiter, to take my lady napping; we'll sleep too: let the wanton have her swing, would she were a man for her sake. Jup. Let the music of the spheres When Elysium is within. Leave off then these flattering kisses, [Bell within. Eug. The bell-news from my father. Cas. Then your play is interrupted JoveMadam, I'll see. Don. Beshrew the bell-man; and you had not waked as you did, madam, I should ha' forgot myself, and played Jupiter indeed with you; my imaginations were strong upon me, and you lay sweetly--how now? Cas. A present, madam, from the duke one of the finest pieces of pageantry that e'er you saw : 'tis a cage with variety of birds in it: it moves on wheels. Your assistance, ladies, to bring it in. Eug. A cage--if from Florence, it shall to the fire, Or whence soe'er: it cannot be intended Don. 'Twere pity, madam, to destroy so much art. Eug. Yet spare the workmanship, in the perusal There's something pleads for mercy ---I feel within Some alteration, I know not what; Let me intreat your absence for some minutes; I am in earnest, pray do, without reply. Your eyes shall feed with plenteous satisfaction On this gay object, when I call you. Ladies. We obey you. [Exeunt. Eug. Yet can't I say I am alone, that have Sweet fellow-prisoners, 'twas a cruel art, And prisons their first models, from such birdloups. I know yon nightingale is not long lived. Rol. I take you at your word, fair princess, I am the truest prisoner: tremble not, Fear flies the noble mind, for injury dares, not |