So much upon my patience? Fool, the weight One grain, to ease my grief. If thou could'st poison If thou could'st make me walk, speak, eat and laugh Without a sense or knowledge of my faculties, Why then perhaps, at marts, thou might'st make benefit Of such an antic motion, and get credit Cor. I'll burn my books, old man, But I will do thee good, and quickly too. Enter ARETUS, with a Patent. Mel. Dost know that spirit? tis a grave familiar, And talk'd I know not what. Cor. He's like, methinks, The prince's tutor Aretus. Mel. Yes, yes; It may be I have seen such a formality; No matter where, or when. Enter AMETHUS, with a Staff. Ame. The prince hath sent you, Will visit you himself; I must attend him. (Exit. Is a rare juggler, and can cheat the eye, Enter SOPHRONOS, with a Tablet, Another! I will stand thee; Be what thou canst, I care not. Dear brother, I present you this rich relic, [Exit. Cor. What hope now of your cure? Mel. Stay, stay !-What earthquakes Roll in my flesh! Here's prince, and prince, and prince; Prince upon prince! The dotage of my sorrows Be they enchantments deadly as the grave, To the last first. (Taking up the Miniature) And ever keep me waking, till the cliffs Sit down; I'll instantly be here again. Mel. Good, give me leave; I will sit down : indeed, Here's company enough for me to prate to.- But 'faith, 'tis well, 'tis very well as 'tis ; Enter CLEOPHILA leading EROCLEA, and followed by Cleo. The sovereign greatness, Who, by commission from the powers of heaven, Sways both this land and us, our gracious prince, By me presents you, sir, with this large bounty, A gift more precious to him than his birthright. Here let your cares take end; now set at liberty Your long imprison'd heart, and welcome home The solace of your soul, too long kept from you. Ero. kneeling] Dear sir, you know me? Mel. Yes, thou art my daughter; My eldest blessing. Know thee? why, Eroclea, I never did forget thee in thy absence; Poor soul, how dost? Ero. The best of my well-being Consists in yours. Mel. Stand up; the gods, who hitherto Have kept us both alive, preserve thee ever! Cleophila, I thank thee and the prince; I thank thee too, Eroclea, that thou would'st, In pity of my age, take so much pains To live, tili I might once more look upon thee Rhe. The good man relisheth his comforts strangely; The sight doth turn me child. Mel. Nor I; [Aside Yet let us gaze on one another freely, Strength, courage, and fresh blood, which now thy But wherefore drop thy words in such a sloth, With thy misfortunes? Understand me thoroughly; That thou might'st every day be telling somewhat, Cleo. From his own fair hands Mel. To requite him, We will not dig his father's grave anew, We parted in a hurry at the court; I to this castle, after made my jail; Rhe. Now they fall to't; I look'd for this. Ero. I, by my uncle's care, Sophronos, my good uncle, suddenly Was like a sailor's boy convey'd a-shipboard, Mel. A policy quick and strange. Ero. The ship was bound for Corinth, whither first, Attended only with your servant Rhetias, From thence, in habit of a youth, we journey'd Mel. Oh, what a thing is man, Ero. So I obey'd My uncle's wise command. Mel. 'Twas safely carried; I humbly thank thy fate. Ero. If earthly treasures Are pour'd in plenty down from heaven on mortals, In schools of sacred knowledge, such is Athens ; Been always comfortable to me, certainly Mel. Speak low, Eroclea, That "something of the prince" bears danger in it: Yet thou hast travell'd, wench, for such endowments, As might create a prince a wife fit for him, Rhe. Sir, with your noble favour, Perceiv'd with what a hopeless love his son, Lord Menaphon, too eagerly pursued Your daughter, my young lady, and her cousin, My thankfulness to heaven, and those people Lend me a looking-glass.--How now! how came I Rhe. Here's the glass, sir. Mel. I'm in the trim too.-O Cleophila, [Loud Music. This was the goodness of thy care, and cunning- [They kneel. Enter PALADOR, SOPHRONOS, ARETUS, AMETHUS, Pal. You shall not kneel to us; rise all, I charge you. Father, you wrong your age; henceforth my arms Be young again, Meleander, live to number In comforts, as in years! The offices Mel My tears must thank you, Cor. I have kept my promise, And given you a sure cordial. Mel. Oh, a rare one. Pal. Good man! we both have shar'd enough of sadness, Though thine has tasted deeper of the extreme, [Takes ERO, by the hand, Mel. My brains are dull'd; I am entranced and know not what you mean. Pal. Eroclea was, you know, contracted mine; Cleophila my cousin's, by consent Of both their hearts; we both now claim our own; Rhe. Sir, 'tis truth and justice. Mel. The gods, that lent you to me, bless your Vows! Oh, children, children, pay your prayers to heaven, "TIS PITY SHE'S A WHORE. TO THE TRULY NOBLE JOHN, EARL OF PETERBOROUGH, LORD MORDAUNT, BARON OF TURVEY. MY LORD,-Where a truth of merit hath a general warrant, there love is but a debt, acknowledgment a justice. Greatness cannot often claim virtue by inheritance; yet, in this, Your's appears most eminent, for that you are not more rightly.heir to your fortunes than glory shall be to your memory. Sweetness of disposition ennobles a freedom of birth; in both, your lawful interest adds honour to your own name, and mercy to my presumption. Your noble allowance of these first fruits of my leisure, in the action, emboldens my confidence of your as noble construction in this presentment; especially since my service must ever owe particular duty to your favours, by a particular engagement. The gravity of the subject may easily excuse the lightness of the title, otherwise I had been a severe judge against mine own guilt. Princes have vouchsafed grace to trifles offered from a purity of devotion; your Lordship may likewise please to admit into your good opinion, with these weak endeavours, the constancy of affection from the sincere lover of your deserts in honour. JOHN FORD. SCENE 1.-Friar BONAVENTURA'S Cell. Enter Friar and GIOVANNI. ACT I. Friar. Dispute no more in this; for know, young man, These are no school points; nice philosophy But Heaven admits no jest: wits that presumed Gio. Gentle father, To you I have unclasp'd my burden'd soul, Emptied the storehouse of my thoughts and heart, Made myself poor of secrets; have not left Another word untold, which hath not spoke That beauty, which, if fram'd anew, the gods One soul, one flesh, one love, one heart, one all? Friar. Have done, unhappy youth! for thou art lost. Gio. Shall, then, for that I am her brother born, The life of counsel: tell me, holy man, Gio. O do not speak of that, dear confessor. Thy government, behaviour, learning, speech, Leave her, and take thy choice, 'tis much less sin; Gio. As a voice of life. [flames Friar. Hie to thy father's house, there lock thee fast Alone within thy chamber; then fall down Gio. All this I'll do, to free me from the rod Of vengeance; else I'll swear my fate's my god. [Exeunt. SCENE II.-The Street, before FLORIO'S House. Enter GRIMALDI and Vasques, with their Swords drawn. Vas. Come, sir, stand to your tackling; if you prove craven, I'll make you run quickly. Grim. Thou art no equal match for me. Vas. Indeed I never went to the wars to bring home news; nor I cannot play the mountebank for a meal's meat, and swear I got my wounds in the field. See you these grey hairs? they'll not flinch for a bloody nose. Wilt thou to this gear? Grim. Why, slave, think'st thou I'll balance my reputation with a cast-suit? Call thy master, he shall know that I dare Vas. Scold like a cot-quean:-that's your profession. Thou poor shadow of a soldier, I will make thee know my master keeps servants, thy betters in quality and performance. Com'st thou to fight or prate? Grim. Neither, with thee. I am a Roman and a gentleman; one that have got mine honour with expense of blood. Vas. You are a lying coward, and a fool. Fight, or by these hilts I'll kill thee :-brave my lord! You'll fight? Grim. Provoke me not, for if thou dost— [They fight, GRIMALDI is worsted. Enter FLORIO, DONADO, and SORANZO, from opposite Sides. Flo. What mean these sudden broils so near my doors? Have you not other places, but my house, To broach these quarrels; you are ever forward Enter above ANNABELLA and PUTANA. Flo. What's the ground? Sor. That, with your patience, signiors, I'll resolve: This gentleman, whom fame reports a soldier, But know, Grimaldi, though, may be, thou art A lowness in thy mind; which, wert thou noble, Vas. And had not your sudden coming prevented us, I had let my gentleman blood under the gills; I should have worm'd you, sir, for running Flo. My lord Soranzo, this is strange to me; Why you should storm, having my word engaged: Owing her heart, what need you doubt her ear? Losers may talk, by law of any game. Vas. Yet the villainy of words, Signior Florio, may be such, as would make any unspleened dove choleric. Blame not my lord in this. Flo. Be you more silent; I would not for my wealth, my daughter's love [Exeunt. Put. How like you this, child? here's threat |