Liv. I'll no longer

Chamber thy freedom; we have been already Thrifty enough in our low fortunes; henceforth Command thy liberty, with that thy pleasures. Rom. Is't come to this?

Cast. You are wondrous full of courtesy.

Liv. Ladies of birth and quality are suitors For being known t'ye; I have promised, sister, They shall partake your company.

Cast. What ladies? Where, when, how, who?

Liv. A day, a week, a month,

Sported amongst such beauties, is a gain

On time; they are young, wise, noble, fair, and chaste.

Cast. Chaste?

Liv. Castamela, chaste; I would not hazard My hopes, my joys of thee, on dangerous trial. Yet if, as it may chance, a neat cloath'd merriment Pass without blush, in tattling,-so the words Fall not too broad, 'tis but a pastime smiled at Amongst yourselves in counsel; but beware Of being overheard.

Cast. This is pretty!

Rom. I doubt I know not what, yet must be [Aside.

silent.

Amongst yourselves in counsel.] i. e. in secret, in private: the expression is common to all our old writers.

Enter TROYLO, FLORIA, CLARELLA, SILVIA, and

NITIDO.

Liv. They come as soon as spoke of.-Sweetest fair ones,

My sister cannot but conceive this honour
Particular in your respects. Dear sir,
You grace us in your favours.

Troy. Virtuous lady.

Flo. We are your servants.
Clar. Your sure friends.

Sil. Society

May fix us in a league.

Cast. All fitly welcome.

I find not reason, gentle ladies, whereon

To cast this debt of mine; but my acknowledge

ment

Shall study to pay thankfulness.

Troy. Sweet beauty!

Your brother hath indeed been too much churl In this concealment from us all, who love him, Of such desired a presence.

Sil. Please to enrich us.

With your wish'd amity.

Flo. Our coach attends;

We cannot be denied.

Clar. Command it, Nitido.

Nit. Ladies, I shall now for a lusty harvest! 'Twill prove a cheap year, should these barns be

fill'd once.

[Aside and exit.

Cast. Brother, one word in private.

Liv. Phew! anon

I shall instruct you at large. We are prepared,
And easily entreated ;-'tis good manners
Not to be troublesome.

Troy. Thou'rt perfect, Livio.

Cast. Whither-But-he's my brother. [Aside. Troy. Fair, your arm;

I am your usher, lady.

Cast. As you please, sir.

Liv. I wait you to your coach. Some two hours

hence

I shall return again. (To Roм.)

Rom. Troylo-Savelli,

[Exeunt all but Roм.

Next heir unto the marquis! and the page too,
The marquis's own page! Livio transform'd
Into a sudden bravery,' and alter'd

In nature, or I dream! Amongst the ladies,
I not remember I have seen one face:

There's cunning in these changes; I am resolute,
Or to pursue the trick on't, or lose labour. [Exit.

3 Into a sudden bravery.] i. e. gallantry of attire, finery of dress:-freshly suited, as the margin says.

ACT II. SCENE I.

An Apartment in JULIO's House.

Enter FLAVIA, supported by CAMILLO, and
VESPUCCI.

Flav. Not yet return'd?

Cam. Madam!

Flav. The lord our husband,

We mean.

Unkind! four hours are almost past,

(But twelve short minutes wanting by the glass) Since we broke company; was never, gentlemen, Poor princess us'd so!

Ves. With your gracious favour,

Peers, great in rank and place, ought of necessity To attend on state employments.

Cam. For such duties

Are all their toil and labour; but their pleasures Flow in the beauties they enjoy, which conquers All sense of other travail.

Flav. Trimly spoken.

When we were common, mortal, and a subject,
As other creatures of Heaven's making are,
(The more the pity) bless us! how we waited
For the huge play-day, when the pageants flutter'd
About the city; for we then were certain,

On the huge play-day when the pageants flutter'd

About the city.] The huge play-day (for Ford's Sienna is only another name for London) was probably the Lord-Mayor's day, when the company to which he belonged exhibited, in honour of

The madam courtiers would vouchsafe to visit us, And call us by our names, and eat our viands; Nay, give us leave to sit at the upper end

Of our own tables, telling us how welcome They'd make us when we came to court: full little

Dreamt I, at that time, of the wind that blew me
Up to the weathercock of the honours now
Are thrust upon me;-but we'll bear the burthen,
Were't twice as much as 'tis. The next great
feast,

We'll grace the city-wives, poor souls! and see
How they'll behave themselves before our pre-

sence;

You two shall wait on us.

Ves. With best observance,

And glory in our service.

Cam. We are creatures

Made proud in

your commands.

Flav. Believ't you are so;

And you shall find us readier in your pleasures,

Than you in your obedience. Fie! methinks

I have an excellent humour to be pettish;

his installation, those rude but splendid pageantries and processions, which, however they may now excite a smile, were then viewed with equal wonder and delight, and not altogether, perhaps, without profit, which is more than can be said of the tattered remnants of them, that are annually dragged abroad to shame us. They were not, however, confined to one festival; but "fluttered about the city" on every joyous occasion. There is truth as well as humour in Flavia's pleasant description of the condescension of the "madam courtiers" on these huge play-days. The satire is not yet quite obsolete.