Mighty in means and power, and withal liberal;
A wanton in his wishes, but else,-farther,
He cannot-cause-he cannot-

Cast. Cannot? prithee
Be plainer; I begin to like thee strangely;
What cannot?
Mor. You urge timely, and to purpose :

,
He cannot do, the truth is truth,--do any thing,
As one should say,--that's any thing; put case-
I do but put the case, forsooth, -he find you.
Cast. My stars, I thank ye, for being ignorant,

, Of what this old-in-mischief can intend !- [Aside. And so we might be merry, bravely merry? Mor. You hit it—what else!-she is cunning

[Aside.]-look ye, Pray lend your hand, forsooth,

Cast. Why, prithee, take it.
Mor. You have a delicate moist palm-umph

-can ye
Relish that tickle, there?

Cast. And laugh, if need were.
Mor. And laugh! why now you have it; what

hurt pray

Perceive ye? there's all, all; go to, you want

tutoring, Are an apt scholar; I'll neglect no pains For your

instruction. Cast. Do not:—but his lordship, What

may his lordship be? Mor. No worse man Than marquis of Sienna, the great master

.

VOL. II.

N

Of this small family: your brother found him
A bounteous benefactor, has advanced him
The gentleman o' the horse; in a short time
He means to visit

you
himself in

person, As kind, as loving an old man!

Cast. We'll meet him With a full flame of welcome. Is't the marquis ? No worse?

Mor. No worse, I can assure your ladyship; The only free maintainer of the Fancies.

Cast. Fancies? how mean you that?

Mor. The pretty souls Who are companions in the house ; all daughters To honest virtuous parents, and right worshipful; A kind of chaste collapsed ladies.

Cast. Chaste too,
And yet collapsed ?

Mor. Only in their fortunes.
Cast. Sure, I must be a Fancy in the number.

Mor. A Fancy principal; I hope you'll fashion Your entertainment, when the marquis courts you, As that I may stand blameless.

Cast. Free suspicion.
My brother's raiser ?

Mor. Merely.
Cast. My supporter ?
Mor. Undoubtedly.
Cast. An old man and a lover?

Mor. True, there's the music, the content, the

harmony

3

Cast. And I myself a Fancy?
Mor. You are pregnant.”
Cast. The chance is thrown; I now am fortune's

minion;
I will be bold and resolute.
Mor. Blessing on thee!

[Exeunt.

ACT III. SCENE I.

The Street.

Enter ROMANELLO.

Rom. Prosper me now, my fate; some better

Genius, Than such a one as waits on troubled passions, Direct my courses to a noble issue ! My thoughts have wander'd in a labyrinth; But if the clue I have laid hold on fail not, I shall tread out the toil of these dark paths, In spite of politic reaches. I am punish'd In mine own hopes, by her unlucky fortunes, Whose fame is ruin'd; Flavia, my lost sister! Lost to report by her unworthy husband, Though heighten'd by a greatness, in whose mix

Enter NITIDO.

Oh welcome, welcome, Dear boy! thou keep’st time with my expectations, As justly as the promise of my bounties Shall reckon with thy service.

Nit. I have fashion'd The means of your

admittance. Rom. Precious Nitido! Nit. More, have bethought me of a shape, a

quaint one, You may appear in, safe and unsuspected.

Rom. Thou’rt an ingenious boy.

Nit. Beyond all this,
Have so contrived the feat, that, at first sight,
Troylo himself shall court your entertainment,
Nay, force you to vouchsafe it.

Rom. Thou hast out-done
All counsel, and all cunning.

Nit. True, I have, sir, Fadged nimbly in my practices; but surely, There are some certain clogs, some roguish stag

gers, Some-what shall I call 'em ?- in the business.

Rom. Nitido, What, faint now! dear heart, bear up:—what stag

gers,
What clogs ? let me remove them.

Nit. Am I honest
In this discovery?
Rom. Honest! pish, is that all ?

[Gives him a purse.

By this rich purse, and by the twenty ducats

,
Which line it, I will answer for thy honesty
Against all Italy, and prove it perfect :
Besides, remember I am bound to secrecy;
Thou'lt not betray thyself?

Nit. All fears are clear'd then;
But if-

Rom. If what ? out with't.

Nit. If we are discover'd, You'll answer, I am honest still?

Rom. Dost doubt it?

Nit. Not much; I have your purse in pawn for it. Now, to the shape.4 You know the wit in Florence, Who, in the great duke's court, buffoons his com

pliment, According to the change of meats in season, At every free lord's table

Rom. Or free meetings In taverns; there he sits at the upper end, And eats, and prates, he cares not how nor what: The very quack of fashions, the very he that Wears a stiletto on his chin?