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diff --git a/old/vlpnr10.txt b/old/vlpnr10.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..244cee3 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/vlpnr10.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11226 @@ +The Project Gutenberg Etext of Volpone; Or, The Fox +by Ben Jonson +(#5 in our series by Ben Jonson) + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world, be sure to check +the laws for your country before redistributing these files!!! + +Please take a look at the important information in this header. +We encourage you to keep this file on your own disk, keeping an +electronic path open for the next readers. + +Please do not remove this. + +This should be the first thing seen when anyone opens the book. +Do not change or edit it without written permission. 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FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS*Ver.07/27/01*END* + + + + + + + + + + + +This Project Gutenberg Etext Prepared by: +Amy E Zelmer <a.zelmer@cqu.edu.au> +Robert Prince <rkp277@msn.com> +Sue Asscher <asschers@dingoblue.net.au> + + + + + +VOLPONE; OR, THE FOX + +BY BEN JONSON + + + + + +INTRODUCTION + + + + +The greatest of English dramatists except Shakespeare, the first +literary dictator and poet-laureate, a writer of verse, prose, +satire, and criticism who most potently of all the men of his time +affected the subsequent course of English letters: such was Ben +Jonson, and as such his strong personality assumes an interest to +us almost unparalleled, at least in his age. + +Ben Jonson came of the stock that was centuries after to give to +the world Thomas Carlyle; for Jonson's grandfather was of +Annandale, over the Solway, whence he migrated to England. +Jonson's father lost his estate under Queen Mary, "having been cast +into prison and forfeited." He entered the church, but died a +month before his illustrious son was born, leaving his widow and +child in poverty. Jonson's birthplace was Westminster, and the +time of his birth early in 1573. He was thus nearly ten years +Shakespeare's junior, and less well off, if a trifle better born. +But Jonson did not profit even by this slight advantage. His +mother married beneath her, a wright or bricklayer, and Jonson was +for a time apprenticed to the trade. As a youth he attracted the +attention of the famous antiquary, William Camden, then usher at +Westminster School, and there the poet laid the solid foundations +of his classical learning. Jonson always held Camden in +veneration, acknowledging that to him he owed, + +"All that I am in arts, all that I know;" + +and dedicating his first dramatic success, "Every Man in His +Humour," to him. It is doubtful whether Jonson ever went to either +university, though Fuller says that he was "statutably admitted +into St. John's College, Cambridge." He tells us that he took no +degree, but was later "Master of Arts in both the universities, by +their favour, not his study." When a mere youth Jonson enlisted as +a soldier, trailing his pike in Flanders in the protracted wars of +William the Silent against the Spanish. Jonson was a large and +raw-boned lad; he became by his own account in time exceedingly +bulky. In chat with his friend William Drummond of Hawthornden, +Jonson told how "in his service in the Low Countries he had, in the +face of both the camps, killed an enemy, and taken opima spolia +from him;" and how "since his coming to England, being appealed to +the fields, he had killed his adversary which had hurt him in the +arm and whose sword was ten inches longer than his." Jonson's +reach may have made up for the lack of his sword; certainly his +prowess lost nothing in the telling. Obviously Jonson was brave, +combative, and not averse to talking of himself and his doings. + +In 1592, Jonson returned from abroad penniless. Soon after he +married, almost as early and quite as imprudently as Shakespeare. +He told Drummond curtly that "his wife was a shrew, yet honest"; +for some years he lived apart from her in the household of Lord +Albany. Yet two touching epitaphs among Jonson's "Epigrams," "On +my first daughter," and "On my first son," attest the warmth of the +poet's family affections. The daughter died in infancy, the son of +the plague; another son grew up to manhood little credit to his +father whom he survived. We know nothing beyond this of Jonson's +domestic life. + +How soon Jonson drifted into what we now call grandly "the +theatrical profession" we do not know. In 1593, Marlowe made his +tragic exit from life, and Greene, Shakespeare's other rival on the +popular stage, had preceded Marlowe in an equally miserable death +the year before. Shakespeare already had the running to himself. +Jonson appears first in the employment of Philip Henslowe, the +exploiter of several troupes of players, manager, and father-in-law +of the famous actor, Edward Alleyn. From entries in "Henslowe's +Diary," a species of theatrical account book which has been handed +down to us, we know that Jonson was connected with the Admiral's +men; for he borrowed 4 pounds of Henslowe, July 28, 1597, paying +back 3s. 9d. on the same day on account of his "share" (in what is +not altogether clear); while later, on December 3, of the same +year, Henslowe advanced 20s. to him "upon a book which he showed +the plot unto the company which he promised to deliver unto the +company at Christmas next." In the next August Jonson was in +collaboration with Chettle and Porter in a play called "Hot Anger +Soon Cold." All this points to an association with Henslowe of +some duration, as no mere tyro would be thus paid in advance upon +mere promise. From allusions in Dekker's play, "Satiromastix," it +appears that Jonson, like Shakespeare, began life as an actor, and +that he "ambled in a leather pitch by a play-wagon" taking at one +time the part of Hieronimo in Kyd's famous play, "The Spanish +Tragedy." By the beginning of 1598, Jonson, though still in needy +circumstances, had begun to receive recognition. Francis Meres-- +well known for his "Comparative Discourse of our English Poets with +the Greek, Latin, and Italian Poets," printed in 1598, and for his +mention therein of a dozen plays of Shakespeare by title--accords +to Ben Jonson a place as one of "our best in tragedy," a matter of +some surprise, as no known tragedy of Jonson from so early a date +has come down to us. That Jonson was at work on tragedy, however, +is proved by the entries in Henslowe of at least three tragedies, +now lost, in which he had a hand. These are "Page of Plymouth," +"King Robert II. of Scotland," and "Richard Crookback." But all of +these came later, on his return to Henslowe, and range from August +1599 to June 1602. + +Returning to the autumn of 1598, an event now happened to sever for +a time Jonson's relations with Henslowe. In a letter to Alleyn, +dated September 26 of that year, Henslowe writes: "I have lost one +of my company that hurteth me greatly; that is Gabriel [Spencer], +for he is slain in Hogsden fields by the hands of Benjamin Jonson, +bricklayer." The last word is perhaps Henslowe's thrust at Jonson +in his displeasure rather than a designation of his actual +continuance at his trade up to this time. It is fair to Jonson to +remark however, that his adversary appears to have been a notorious +fire-eater who had shortly before killed one Feeke in a similar +squabble. Duelling was a frequent occurrence of the time among +gentlemen and the nobility; it was an impudent breach of the peace +on the part of a player. This duel is the one which Jonson +described years after to Drummond, and for it Jonson was duly +arraigned at Old Bailey, tried, and convicted. He was sent to +prison and such goods and chattels as he had "were forfeited." It +is a thought to give one pause that, but for the ancient law +permitting convicted felons to plead, as it was called, the benefit +of clergy, Jonson might have been hanged for this deed. The +circumstance that the poet could read and write saved him; and he +received only a brand of the letter "T," for Tyburn, on his left +thumb. While in jail Jonson became a Roman Catholic; but he +returned to the faith of the Church of England a dozen years later. + +On his release, in disgrace with Henslowe and his former +associates, Jonson offered his services as a playwright to +Henslowe's rivals, the Lord Chamberlain's company, in which +Shakespeare was a prominent shareholder. A tradition of long +standing, though not susceptible of proof in a court of law, +narrates that Jonson had submitted the manuscript of "Every Man in +His Humour" to the Chamberlain's men and had received from the +company a refusal; that Shakespeare called him back, read the play +himself, and at once accepted it. Whether this story is true or +not, certain it is that "Every Man in His Humour" was accepted by +Shakespeare's company and acted for the first time in 1598, with +Shakespeare taking a part. The evidence of this is contained in +the list of actors prefixed to the comedy in the folio of Jonson's +works, 1616. But it is a mistake to infer, because Shakespeare's +name stands first in the list of actors and the elder Kno'well +first in the dramatis personae, that Shakespeare took that +particular part. The order of a list of Elizabethan players was +generally that of their importance or priority as shareholders in +the company and seldom if ever corresponded to the list of +characters. + +"Every Man in His Humour" was an immediate success, and with it +Jonson's reputation as one of the leading dramatists of his time +was established once and for all. This could have been by no means +Jonson's earliest comedy, and we have just learned that he was +already reputed one of "our best in tragedy." Indeed, one of +Jonson's extant comedies, "The Case is Altered," but one never +claimed by him or published as his, must certainly have preceded +"Every Man in His Humour" on the stage. The former play may be +described as a comedy modelled on the Latin plays of Plautus. (It +combines, in fact, situations derived from the "Captivi" and the +"Aulularia" of that dramatist). But the pretty story of the +beggar-maiden, Rachel, and her suitors, Jonson found, not among the +classics, but in the ideals of romantic love which Shakespeare had +already popularised on the stage. Jonson never again produced so +fresh and lovable a feminine personage as Rachel, although in other +respects "The Case is Altered" is not a conspicuous play, and, save +for the satirising of Antony Munday in the person of Antonio +Balladino and Gabriel Harvey as well, is perhaps the least +characteristic of the comedies of Jonson. + +"Every Man in His Humour," probably first acted late in the summer +of 1598 and at the Curtain, is commonly regarded as an epoch-making +play; and this view is not unjustified. As to plot, it tells +little more than how an intercepted letter enabled a father to +follow his supposedly studious son to London, and there observe his +life with the gallants of the time. The real quality of this +comedy is in its personages and in the theory upon which they are +conceived. Ben Jonson had theories about poetry and the drama, and +he was neither chary in talking of them nor in experimenting with +them in his plays. This makes Jonson, like Dryden in his time, and +Wordsworth much later, an author to reckon with; particularly when +we remember that many of Jonson's notions came for a time +definitely to prevail and to modify the whole trend of English +poetry. First of all Jonson was a classicist, that is, he believed +in restraint and precedent in art in opposition to the prevalent +ungoverned and irresponsible Renaissance spirit. Jonson believed +that there was a professional way of doing things which might be +reached by a study of the best examples, and he found these +examples for the most part among the ancients. To confine our +attention to the drama, Jonson objected to the amateurishness and +haphazard nature of many contemporary plays, and set himself to do +something different; and the first and most striking thing that he +evolved was his conception and practice of the comedy of humours. + +As Jonson has been much misrepresented in this matter, let us quote +his own words as to "humour." A humour, according to Jonson, was a +bias of disposition, a warp, so to speak, in character by which + +"Some one peculiar quality +Doth so possess a man, that it doth draw +All his affects, his spirits, and his powers, +In their confluctions, all to run one way." + +But continuing, Jonson is careful to add: + +"But that a rook by wearing a pied feather, +The cable hat-band, or the three-piled ruff, +A yard of shoe-tie, or the Switzers knot +On his French garters, should affect a humour! +O, it is more than most ridiculous." + +Jonson's comedy of humours, in a word, conceived of stage +personages on the basis of a ruling trait or passion (a notable +simplification of actual life be it observed in passing); and, +placing these typified traits in juxtaposition in their conflict +and contrast, struck the spark of comedy. Downright, as his name +indicates, is "a plain squire"; Bobadill's humour is that of the +braggart who is incidentally, and with delightfully comic effect, a +coward; Brainworm's humour is the finding out of things to the end +of fooling everybody: of course he is fooled in the end himself. +But it was not Jonson's theories alone that made the success of +"Every Man in His Humour." The play is admirably written and each +character is vividly conceived, and with a firm touch based on +observation of the men of the London of the day. Jonson was +neither in this, his first great comedy (nor in any other play that +he wrote), a supine classicist, urging that English drama return to +a slavish adherence to classical conditions. He says as to the +laws of the old comedy (meaning by "laws," such matters as the +unities of time and place and the use of chorus): "I see not then, +but we should enjoy the same licence, or free power to illustrate +and heighten our invention as they [the ancients] did; and not be +tied to those strict and regular forms which the niceness of a few, +who are nothing but form, would thrust upon us." "Every Man in His +Humour" is written in prose, a novel practice which Jonson had of +his predecessor in comedy, John Lyly. Even the word "humour" seems +to have been employed in the Jonsonian sense by Chapman before +Jonson's use of it. Indeed, the comedy of humours itself is only a +heightened variety of the comedy of manners which represents life, +viewed at a satirical angle, and is the oldest and most persistent +species of comedy in the language. None the less, Jonson's comedy +merited its immediate success and marked out a definite course in +which comedy long continued to run. To mention only Shakespeare's +Falstaff and his rout, Bardolph, Pistol, Dame Quickly, and the +rest, whether in "Henry IV." or in "The Merry Wives of Windsor," +all are conceived in the spirit of humours. So are the captains, +Welsh, Scotch, and Irish of "Henry V.," and Malvolio especially +later; though Shakespeare never employed the method of humours for +an important personage. It was not Jonson's fault that many of his +successors did precisely the thing that he had reprobated, that is, +degrade "the humour: into an oddity of speech, an eccentricity of +manner, of dress, or cut of beard. There was an anonymous play +called "Every Woman in Her Humour." Chapman wrote "A Humourous +Day's Mirth," Day, "Humour Out of Breath," Fletcher later, "The +Humourous Lieutenant," and Jonson, besides "Every Man Out of His +Humour," returned to the title in closing the cycle of his comedies +in "The Magnetic Lady or Humours Reconciled." + +With the performance of "Every Man Out of His Humour" in 1599, by +Shakespeare's company once more at the Globe, we turn a new page in +Jonson's career. Despite his many real virtues, if there is one +feature more than any other that distinguishes Jonson, it is his +arrogance; and to this may be added his self-righteousness, +especially under criticism or satire. "Every Man Out of His +Humour" is the first of three "comical satires" which Jonson +contributed to what Dekker called the poetomachia or war of the +theatres as recent critics have named it. This play as a fabric of +plot is a very slight affair; but as a satirical picture of the +manners of the time, proceeding by means of vivid caricature, +couched in witty and brilliant dialogue and sustained by that +righteous indignation which must lie at the heart of all true +satire--as a realisation, in short, of the classical ideal of +comedy--there had been nothing like Jonson's comedy since the +days of Aristophanes. "Every Man in His Humour," like the two +plays that follow it, contains two kinds of attack, the critical or +generally satiric, levelled at abuses and corruptions in the +abstract; and the personal, in which specific application is made +of all this in the lampooning of poets and others, Jonson's +contemporaries. The method of personal attack by actual caricature +of a person on the stage is almost as old as the drama. +Aristophanes so lampooned Euripides in "The Acharnians" and +Socrates in "The Clouds," to mention no other examples; and in +English drama this kind of thing is alluded to again and again. +What Jonson really did, was to raise the dramatic lampoon to an +art, and make out of a casual burlesque and bit of mimicry a +dramatic satire of literary pretensions and permanency. With the +arrogant attitude mentioned above and his uncommon eloquence in +scorn, vituperation, and invective, it is no wonder that Jonson +soon involved himself in literary and even personal quarrels with +his fellow-authors. The circumstances of the origin of this +'poetomachia' are far from clear, and those who have written on the +topic, except of late, have not helped to make them clearer. The +origin of the "war" has been referred to satirical references, +apparently to Jonson, contained in "The Scourge of Villainy," a +satire in regular form after the manner of the ancients by John +Marston, a fellow playwright, subsequent friend and collaborator of +Jonson's. On the other hand, epigrams of Jonson have been +discovered (49, 68, and 100) variously charging "playwright" +(reasonably identified with Marston) with scurrility, cowardice, +and plagiarism; though the dates of the epigrams cannot be +ascertained with certainty. Jonson's own statement of the matter +to Drummond runs: "He had many quarrels with Marston, beat him, +and took his pistol from him, wrote his "Poetaster" on him; the +beginning[s] of them were that Marston represented him on the +stage."* + +[footnote] *The best account of this whole subject is to be found +in the edition of "Poetaster" and "Satiromastrix" by J. H. Penniman +in "Belles Lettres Series" shortly to appear. See also his earlier +work, "The War of the Theatres," 1892, and the excellent +contributions to the subject by H. C. Hart in "Notes and Queries," +and in his edition of Jonson, 1906. + +Here at least we are on certain ground; and the principals of the +quarrel are known. "Histriomastix," a play revised by Marston in +1598, has been regarded as the one in which Jonson was thus +"represented on the stage"; although the personage in question, +Chrisogonus, a poet, satirist, and translator, poor but proud, and +contemptuous of the common herd, seems rather a complimentary +portrait of Jonson than a caricature. As to the personages +actually ridiculed in "Every Man Out of His Humour," Carlo Buffone +was formerly thought certainly to be Marston, as he was described +as "a public, scurrilous, and profane jester," and elsewhere as the +grand scourge or second untruss [that is, satirist], of the time" +(Joseph Hall being by his own boast the first, and Marston's work +being entitled "The Scourge of Villainy"). Apparently we must now +prefer for Carlo a notorious character named Charles Chester, of +whom gossipy and inaccurate Aubrey relates that he was "a bold +impertinent fellow...a perpetual talker and made a noise like a +drum in a room. So one time at a tavern Sir Walter Raleigh beats +him and seals up his mouth (that is his upper and nether beard) +with hard wax. From him Ben Jonson takes his Carlo Buffone +['i.e.', jester] in "Every Man in His Humour" ['sic']." Is it +conceivable that after all Jonson was ridiculing Marston, and that +the point of the satire consisted in an intentional confusion of +"the grand scourge or second untruss" with "the scurrilous and +profane" Chester? + +We have digressed into detail in this particular case to exemplify +the difficulties of criticism in its attempts to identify the +allusions in these forgotten quarrels. We are on sounder ground of +fact in recording other manifestations of Jonson's enmity. In "The +Case is Altered" there is clear ridicule in the character Antonio +Balladino of Anthony Munday, pageant-poet of the city, translator +of romances and playwright as well. In "Every Man in His Humour" +there is certainly a caricature of Samuel Daniel, accepted poet of +the court, sonneteer, and companion of men of fashion. These men +held recognised positions to which Jonson felt his talents better +entitled him; they were hence to him his natural enemies. It seems +almost certain that he pursued both in the personages of his satire +through "Every Man Out of His Humour," and "Cynthia's Revels," +Daniel under the characters Fastidious Brisk and Hedon, Munday as +Puntarvolo and Amorphus; but in these last we venture on quagmire +once more. Jonson's literary rivalry of Daniel is traceable again +and again, in the entertainments that welcomed King James on his +way to London, in the masques at court, and in the pastoral drama. +As to Jonson's personal ambitions with respect to these two men, it +is notable that he became, not pageant-poet, but chronologer to the +City of London; and that, on the accession of the new king, he came +soon to triumph over Daniel as the accepted entertainer of royalty. + +"Cynthia's Revels," the second "comical satire," was acted in 1600, +and, as a play, is even more lengthy, elaborate, and impossible +than "Every Man Out of His Humour." Here personal satire seems to +have absorbed everything, and while much of the caricature is +admirable, especially in the detail of witty and trenchantly +satirical dialogue, the central idea of a fountain of self-love is +not very well carried out, and the persons revert at times to +abstractions, the action to allegory. It adds to our wonder that +this difficult drama should have been acted by the Children of +Queen Elizabeth's Chapel, among them Nathaniel Field with whom +Jonson read Horace and Martial, and whom he taught later how to +make plays. Another of these precocious little actors was +Salathiel Pavy, who died before he was thirteen, already famed for +taking the parts of old men. Him Jonson immortalised in one of the +sweetest of his epitaphs. An interesting sidelight is this on the +character of this redoubtable and rugged satirist, that he should +thus have befriended and tenderly remembered these little +theatrical waifs, some of whom (as we know) had been literally +kidnapped to be pressed into the service of the theatre and whipped +to the conning of their difficult parts. To the caricature of +Daniel and Munday in "Cynthia's Revels" must be added Anaides +(impudence), here assuredly Marston, and Asotus (the prodigal), +interpreted as Lodge or, more perilously, Raleigh. Crites, like +Asper-Macilente in "Every Man Out of His Humour," is Jonson's +self-complaisant portrait of himself, the just, wholly admirable, +and judicious scholar, holding his head high above the pack of the +yelping curs of envy and detraction, but careless of their puny +attacks on his perfections with only too mindful a neglect. + +The third and last of the "comical satires" is "Poetaster," acted, +once more, by the Children of the Chapel in 1601, and Jonson's only +avowed contribution to the fray. According to the author's own +account, this play was written in fifteen weeks on a report that +his enemies had entrusted to Dekker the preparation of +"Satiromastix, the Untrussing of the Humorous Poet," a dramatic +attack upon himself. In this attempt to forestall his enemies +Jonson succeeded, and "Poetaster" was an immediate and deserved +success. While hardly more closely knit in structure than its +earlier companion pieces, "Poetaster" is planned to lead up to the +ludicrous final scene in which, after a device borrowed from the +"Lexiphanes" of Lucian, the offending poetaster, Marston-Crispinus, +is made to throw up the difficult words with which he had +overburdened his stomach as well as overlarded his vocabulary. In +the end Crispinus with his fellow, Dekker-Demetrius, is bound over +to keep the peace and never thenceforward "malign, traduce, or +detract the person or writings of Quintus Horatius Flaccus [Jonson] +or any other eminent man transcending you in merit." One of the +most diverting personages in Jonson's comedy is Captain Tucca. +"His peculiarity" has been well described by Ward as "a buoyant +blackguardism which recovers itself instantaneously from the most +complete exposure, and a picturesqueness of speech like that of a +walking dictionary of slang." + +It was this character, Captain Tucca, that Dekker hit upon in his +reply, "Satiromastix," and he amplified him, turning his abusive +vocabulary back upon Jonson and adding "an immodesty to his +dialogue that did not enter into Jonson's conception." It has been +held, altogether plausibly, that when Dekker was engaged +professionally, so to speak, to write a dramatic reply to Jonson, +he was at work on a species of chronicle history, dealing with the +story of Walter Terill in the reign of William Rufus. This he +hurriedly adapted to include the satirical characters suggested by +"Poetaster," and fashioned to convey the satire of his reply. The +absurdity of placing Horace in the court of a Norman king is the +result. But Dekker's play is not without its palpable hits at the +arrogance, the literary pride, and self-righteousness of +Jonson-Horace, whose "ningle" or pal, the absurd Asinius Bubo, has +recently been shown to figure forth, in all likelihood, Jonson's +friend, the poet Drayton. Slight and hastily adapted as is +"Satiromastix," especially in a comparison with the better wrought +and more significant satire of "Poetaster," the town awarded the +palm to Dekker, not to Jonson; and Jonson gave over in consequence +his practice of "comical satire." Though Jonson was cited to +appear before the Lord Chief Justice to answer certain charges to +the effect that he had attacked lawyers and soldiers in +"Poetaster," nothing came of this complaint. It may be suspected +that much of this furious clatter and give-and-take was pure +playing to the gallery. The town was agog with the strife, and on +no less an authority than Shakespeare ("Hamlet," ii. 2), we learn +that the children's company (acting the plays of Jonson) did "so +berattle the common stages...that many, wearing rapiers, are afraid +of goose-quills, and dare scarce come thither." + +Several other plays have been thought to bear a greater or less +part in the war of the theatres. Among them the most important is +a college play, entitled "The Return from Parnassus," dating +1601-02. In it a much-quoted passage makes Burbage, as a +character, declare: "Why here's our fellow Shakespeare puts them +all down; aye and Ben Jonson, too. O that Ben Jonson is a +pestilent fellow; he brought up Horace, giving the poets a pill, +but our fellow Shakespeare hath given him a purge that made him +bewray his credit." Was Shakespeare then concerned in this war of +the stages? And what could have been the nature of this "purge"? +Among several suggestions, "Troilus and Cressida" has been thought +by some to be the play in which Shakespeare thus "put down" his +friend, Jonson. A wiser interpretation finds the "purge" in +"Satiromastix," which, though not written by Shakespeare, was +staged by his company, and therefore with his approval and under +his direction as one of the leaders of that company. + +The last years of the reign of Elizabeth thus saw Jonson recognised +as a dramatist second only to Shakespeare, and not second even to +him as a dramatic satirist. But Jonson now turned his talents to +new fields. Plays on subjects derived from classical story and +myth had held the stage from the beginning of the drama, so that +Shakespeare was making no new departure when he wrote his "Julius +Caesar" about 1600. Therefore when Jonson staged "Sejanus," three +years later and with Shakespeare's company once more, he was only +following in the elder dramatist's footsteps. But Jonson's idea of +a play on classical history, on the one hand, and Shakespeare's and +the elder popular dramatists, on the other, were very different. +Heywood some years before had put five straggling plays on the +stage in quick succession, all derived from stories in Ovid and +dramatised with little taste or discrimination. Shakespeare had a +finer conception of form, but even he was contented to take all his +ancient history from North's translation of Plutarch and dramatise +his subject without further inquiry. Jonson was a scholar and a +classical antiquarian. He reprobated this slipshod amateurishness, +and wrote his "Sejanus" like a scholar, reading Tacitus, Suetonius, +and other authorities, to be certain of his facts, his setting, and +his atmosphere, and somewhat pedantically noting his authorities in +the margin when he came to print. "Sejanus" is a tragedy of +genuine dramatic power in which is told with discriminating taste +the story of the haughty favourite of Tiberius with his tragical +overthrow. Our drama presents no truer nor more painstaking +representation of ancient Roman life than may be found in Jonson's +"Sejanus" and "Catiline his Conspiracy," which followed in 1611. A +passage in the address of the former play to the reader, in which +Jonson refers to a collaboration in an earlier version, has led to +the surmise that Shakespeare may have been that "worthier pen." +There is no evidence to determine the matter. + +In 1605, we find Jonson in active collaboration with Chapman and +Marston in the admirable comedy of London life entitled "Eastward +Hoe." In the previous year, Marston had dedicated his +"Malcontent," in terms of fervid admiration, to Jonson; so that the +wounds of the war of the theatres must have been long since healed. +Between Jonson and Chapman there was the kinship of similar +scholarly ideals. The two continued friends throughout life. +"Eastward Hoe" achieved the extraordinary popularity represented in +a demand for three issues in one year. But this was not due +entirely to the merits of the play. In its earliest version a +passage which an irritable courtier conceived to be derogatory to +his nation, the Scots, sent both Chapman and Jonson to jail; but +the matter was soon patched up, for by this time Jonson had +influence at court. + +With the accession of King James, Jonson began his long and +successful career as a writer of masques. He wrote more masques +than all his competitors together, and they are of an extraordinary +variety and poetic excellence. Jonson did not invent the masque; +for such premeditated devices to set and frame, so to speak, a +court ball had been known and practised in varying degrees of +elaboration long before his time. But Jonson gave dramatic value +to the masque, especially in his invention of the antimasque, a +comedy or farcical element of relief, entrusted to professional +players or dancers. He enhanced, as well, the beauty and dignity +of those portions of the masque in which noble lords and ladies +took their parts to create, by their gorgeous costumes and artistic +grouping and evolutions, a sumptuous show. On the mechanical and +scenic side Jonson had an inventive and ingenious partner in Inigo +Jones, the royal architect, who more than any one man raised the +standard of stage representation in the England of his day. Jonson +continued active in the service of the court in the writing of +masques and other entertainments far into the reign of King +Charles; but, towards the end, a quarrel with Jones embittered his +life, and the two testy old men appear to have become not only a +constant irritation to each other, but intolerable bores at court. +In "Hymenaei," "The Masque of Queens," "Love Freed from Ignorance," +"Lovers made Men," "Pleasure Reconciled to Virtue," and many more +will be found Jonson's aptitude, his taste, his poetry and +inventiveness in these by-forms of the drama; while in "The Masque +of Christmas," and "The Gipsies Metamorphosed" especially, is +discoverable that power of broad comedy which, at court as well as +in the city, was not the least element of Jonson's contemporary +popularity. + +But Jonson had by no means given up the popular stage when he +turned to the amusement of King James. In 1605 "Volpone" was +produced, "The Silent Woman" in 1609, "The Alchemist" in the +following year. These comedies, with "Bartholomew Fair," 1614, +represent Jonson at his height, and for constructive cleverness, +character successfully conceived in the manner of caricature, wit +and brilliancy of dialogue, they stand alone in English drama. +"Volpone, or the Fox," is, in a sense, a transition play from the +dramatic satires of the war of the theatres to the purer comedy +represented in the plays named above. Its subject is a struggle of +wit applied to chicanery; for among its dramatis personae, from +the villainous Fox himself, his rascally servant Mosca, Voltore +(the vulture), Corbaccio and Corvino (the big and the little +raven), to Sir Politic Would-be and the rest, there is scarcely a +virtuous character in the play. Question has been raised as to +whether a story so forbidding can be considered a comedy, for, +although the plot ends in the discomfiture and imprisonment of the +most vicious, it involves no mortal catastrophe. But Jonson was on +sound historical ground, for "Volpone" is conceived far more +logically on the lines of the ancients' theory of comedy than was +ever the romantic drama of Shakespeare, however repulsive we may +find a philosophy of life that facilely divides the world into the +rogues and their dupes, and, identifying brains with roguery and +innocence with folly, admires the former while inconsistently +punishing them. + +"The Silent Woman" is a gigantic farce of the most ingenious +construction. The whole comedy hinges on a huge joke, played by a +heartless nephew on his misanthropic uncle, who is induced to take +to himself a wife, young, fair, and warranted silent, but who, in +the end, turns out neither silent nor a woman at all. In "The +Alchemist," again, we have the utmost cleverness in construction, +the whole fabric building climax on climax, witty, ingenious, and +so plausibly presented that we forget its departures from the +possibilities of life. In "The Alchemist" Jonson represented, none +the less to the life, certain sharpers of the metropolis, revelling +in their shrewdness and rascality and in the variety of the +stupidity and wickedness of their victims. We may object to the +fact that the only person in the play possessed of a scruple of +honesty is discomfited, and that the greatest scoundrel of all is +approved in the end and rewarded. The comedy is so admirably +written and contrived, the personages stand out with such lifelike +distinctness in their several kinds, and the whole is animated with +such verve and resourcefulness that "The Alchemist" is a new marvel +every time it is read. Lastly of this group comes the tremendous +comedy, "Bartholomew Fair," less clear cut, less definite, and less +structurally worthy of praise than its three predecessors, but full +of the keenest and cleverest of satire and inventive to a degree +beyond any English comedy save some other of Jonson's own. It is +in "Bartholomew Fair" that we are presented to the immortal +caricature of the Puritan, Zeal-in-the-Land Busy, and the +Littlewits that group about him, and it is in this extraordinary +comedy that the humour of Jonson, always open to this danger, +loosens into the Rabelaisian mode that so delighted King James in +"The Gipsies Metamorphosed." Another comedy of less merit is "The +Devil is an Ass," acted in 1616. It was the failure of this play +that caused Jonson to give over writing for the public stage for a +period of nearly ten years. + +"Volpone" was laid as to scene in Venice. Whether because of the +success of "Eastward Hoe" or for other reasons, the other three +comedies declare in the words of the prologue to "The Alchemist": + +"Our scene is London, 'cause we would make known +No country's mirth is better than our own." + +Indeed Jonson went further when he came to revise his plays for +collected publication in his folio of 1616, he transferred the +scene of "Every Man in His Humour" from Florence to London also, +converting Signior Lorenzo di Pazzi to Old Kno'well, Prospero to +Master Welborn, and Hesperida to Dame Kitely "dwelling i' the Old +Jewry." + +In his comedies of London life, despite his trend towards +caricature, Jonson has shown himself a genuine realist, drawing +from the life about him with an experience and insight rare in any +generation. A happy comparison has been suggested between Ben +Jonson and Charles Dickens. Both were men of the people, lowly +born and hardly bred. Each knew the London of his time as few men +knew it; and each represented it intimately and in elaborate +detail. Both men were at heart moralists, seeking the truth by the +exaggerated methods of humour and caricature; perverse, even +wrong-headed at times, but possessed of a true pathos and largeness +of heart, and when all has been said--though the Elizabethan ran +to satire, the Victorian to sentimentality--leaving the world +better for the art that they practised in it. + +In 1616, the year of the death of Shakespeare, Jonson collected his +plays, his poetry, and his masques for publication in a collective +edition. This was an unusual thing at the time and had been +attempted by no dramatist before Jonson. This volume published, in +a carefully revised text, all the plays thus far mentioned, +excepting "The Case is Altered," which Jonson did not acknowledge, +"Bartholomew Fair," and "The Devil is an Ass," which was written +too late. It included likewise a book of some hundred and thirty +odd "Epigrams," in which form of brief and pungent writing Jonson +was an acknowledged master; "The Forest," a smaller collection of +lyric and occasional verse and some ten "Masques" and +"Entertainments." In this same year Jonson was made poet laureate +with a pension of one hundred marks a year. This, with his fees +and returns from several noblemen, and the small earnings of his +plays must have formed the bulk of his income. The poet appears to +have done certain literary hack-work for others, as, for example, +parts of the Punic Wars contributed to Raleigh's "History of the +World." We know from a story, little to the credit of either, that +Jonson accompanied Raleigh's son abroad in the capacity of a tutor. +In 1618 Jonson was granted the reversion of the office of Master of +the Revels, a post for which he was peculiarly fitted; but he did +not live to enjoy its perquisites. Jonson was honoured with +degrees by both universities, though when and under what +circumstances is not known. It has been said that he narrowly +escaped the honour of knighthood, which the satirists of the day +averred King James was wont to lavish with an indiscriminate hand. +Worse men were made knights in his day than worthy Ben Jonson. + +From 1616 to the close of the reign of King James, Jonson produced +nothing for the stage. But he "prosecuted" what he calls "his +wonted studies" with such assiduity that he became in reality, as +by report, one of the most learned men of his time. Jonson's +theory of authorship involved a wide acquaintance with books and +"an ability," as he put it, "to convert the substance or riches of +another poet to his own use." Accordingly Jonson read not only the +Greek and Latin classics down to the lesser writers, but he +acquainted himself especially with the Latin writings of his +learned contemporaries, their prose as well as their poetry, their +antiquities and curious lore as well as their more solid learning. +Though a poor man, Jonson was an indefatigable collector of books. +He told Drummond that "the Earl of Pembroke sent him 20 pounds every +first day of the new year to buy new books." Unhappily, in 1623, +his library was destroyed by fire, an accident serio-comically +described in his witty poem, "An Execration upon Vulcan." Yet even +now a book turns up from time to time in which is inscribed, in +fair large Italian lettering, the name, Ben Jonson. With respect +to Jonson's use of his material, Dryden said memorably of him: +"[He] was not only a professed imitator of Horace, but a learned +plagiary of all the others; you track him everywhere in their +snow....But he has done his robberies so openly that one sees he +fears not to be taxed by any law. He invades authors like a +monarch, and what would be theft in other poets is only victory in +him." And yet it is but fair to say that Jonson prided himself, +and justly, on his originality. In "Catiline," he not only uses +Sallust's account of the conspiracy, but he models some of the +speeches of Cicero on the Roman orator's actual words. In +"Poetaster," he lifts a whole satire out of Horace and dramatises +it effectively for his purposes. The sophist Libanius suggests the +situation of "The Silent Woman"; a Latin comedy of Giordano Bruno, +"Il Candelaio," the relation of the dupes and the sharpers in "The +Alchemist," the "Mostellaria" of Plautus, its admirable opening +scene. But Jonson commonly bettered his sources, and putting the +stamp of his sovereignty on whatever bullion he borrowed made it +thenceforward to all time current and his own. + +The lyric and especially the occasional poetry of Jonson has a +peculiar merit. His theory demanded design and the perfection of +literary finish. He was furthest from the rhapsodist and the +careless singer of an idle day; and he believed that Apollo could +only be worthily served in singing robes and laurel crowned. And +yet many of Jonson's lyrics will live as long as the language. Who +does not know "Queen and huntress, chaste and fair." "Drink to me +only with thine eyes," or "Still to be neat, still to be dressed"? +Beautiful in form, deft and graceful in expression, with not a word +too much or one that bears not its part in the total effect, there +is yet about the lyrics of Jonson a certain stiffness and +formality, a suspicion that they were not quite spontaneous and +unbidden, but that they were carved, so to speak, with +disproportionate labour by a potent man of letters whose habitual +thought is on greater things. It is for these reasons that Jonson +is even better in the epigram and in occasional verse where +rhetorical finish and pointed wit less interfere with the +spontaneity and emotion which we usually associate with lyrical +poetry. There are no such epitaphs as Ben Jonson's, witness the +charming ones on his own children, on Salathiel Pavy, the +child-actor, and many more; and this even though the rigid law of +mine and thine must now restore to William Browne of Tavistock the +famous lines beginning: "Underneath this sable hearse." Jonson is +unsurpassed, too, in the difficult poetry of compliment, seldom +falling into fulsome praise and disproportionate similitude, yet +showing again and again a generous appreciation of worth in others, +a discriminating taste and a generous personal regard. There was +no man in England of his rank so well known and universally beloved +as Ben Jonson. The list of his friends, of those to whom he had +written verses, and those who had written verses to him, includes +the name of every man of prominence in the England of King James. +And the tone of many of these productions discloses an affectionate +familiarity that speaks for the amiable personality and sound worth +of the laureate. In 1619, growing unwieldy through inactivity, +Jonson hit upon the heroic remedy of a journey afoot to Scotland. +On his way thither and back he was hospitably received at the +houses of many friends and by those to whom his friends had +recommended him. When he arrived in Edinburgh, the burgesses met +to grant him the freedom of the city, and Drummond, foremost of +Scottish poets, was proud to entertain him for weeks as his guest +at Hawthornden. Some of the noblest of Jonson's poems were +inspired by friendship. Such is the fine "Ode to the memory of Sir +Lucius Cary and Sir Henry Moryson," and that admirable piece of +critical insight and filial affection, prefixed to the first +Shakespeare folio, "To the memory of my beloved master, William +Shakespeare, and what he hath left us," to mention only these. Nor +can the earlier "Epode," beginning "Not to know vice at all," be +matched in stately gravity and gnomic wisdom in its own wise and +stately age. + +But if Jonson had deserted the stage after the publication of his +folio and up to the end of the reign of King James, he was far from +inactive; for year after year his inexhaustible inventiveness +continued to contribute to the masquing and entertainment at court. +In "The Golden Age Restored," Pallas turns the Iron Age with +its attendant evils into statues which sink out of sight; in +"Pleasure Reconciled to Virtue," Atlas figures represented as an +old man, his shoulders covered with snow, and Comus, "the god of +cheer or the belly," is one of the characters, a circumstance which +an imaginative boy of ten, named John Milton, was not to forget. +"Pan's Anniversary," late in the reign of James, proclaimed that +Jonson had not yet forgotten how to write exquisite lyrics, and +"The Gipsies Metamorphosed" displayed the old drollery and broad +humorous stroke still unimpaired and unmatchable. These, too, and +the earlier years of Charles were the days of the Apollo Room of +the Devil Tavern where Jonson presided, the absolute monarch of +English literary Bohemia. We hear of a room blazoned about with +Jonson's own judicious "Leges Convivales" in letters of gold, of a +company made up of the choicest spirits of the time, devotedly +attached to their veteran dictator, his reminiscences, opinions, +affections, and enmities. And we hear, too, of valorous potations; +but in the words of Herrick addressed to his master, Jonson, at the +Devil Tavern, as at the Dog, the Triple Tun, and at the Mermaid, + +"We such clusters had +As made us nobly wild, not mad, +And yet each verse of thine +Outdid the meat, outdid the frolic wine." + +But the patronage of the court failed in the days of King Charles, +though Jonson was not without royal favours; and the old poet +returned to the stage, producing, between 1625 and 1633, "The +Staple of News," "The New Inn," "The Magnetic Lady," and "The Tale +of a Tub," the last doubtless revised from a much earlier comedy. +None of these plays met with any marked success, although the +scathing generalisation of Dryden that designated them "Jonson's +dotages" is unfair to their genuine merits. Thus the idea of an +office for the gathering, proper dressing, and promulgation of news +(wild flight of the fancy in its time) was an excellent subject for +satire on the existing absurdities among newsmongers; although +as much can hardly be said for "The Magnetic Lady," who, in her +bounty, draws to her personages of differing humours to reconcile +them in the end according to the alternative title, or "Humours +Reconciled." These last plays of the old dramatist revert to +caricature and the hard lines of allegory; the moralist is more +than ever present, the satire degenerates into personal lampoon, +especially of his sometime friend, Inigo Jones, who appears +unworthily to have used his influence at court against the +broken-down old poet. And now disease claimed Jonson, and he was +bedridden for months. He had succeeded Middleton in 1628 as +Chronologer to the City of London, but lost the post for not +fulfilling its duties. King Charles befriended him, and even +commissioned him to write still for the entertainment of the court; +and he was not without the sustaining hand of noble patrons and +devoted friends among the younger poets who were proud to be +"sealed of the tribe of Ben." + +Jonson died, August 6, 1637, and a second folio of his works, which +he had been some time gathering, was printed in 1640, bearing in +its various parts dates ranging from 1630 to 1642. It included all +the plays mentioned in the foregoing paragraphs, excepting "The +Case is Altered;" the masques, some fifteen, that date between 1617 +and 1630; another collection of lyrics and occasional poetry called +"Underwoods, including some further entertainments; a translation +of "Horace's Art of Poetry" (also published in a vicesimo quarto in +1640), and certain fragments and ingatherings which the poet would +hardly have included himself. These last comprise the fragment +(less than seventy lines) of a tragedy called "Mortimer his Fall," +and three acts of a pastoral drama of much beauty and poetic +spirit, "The Sad Shepherd." There is also the exceedingly +interesting "English Grammar" "made by Ben Jonson for the benefit +of all strangers out of his observation of the English language now +spoken and in use," in Latin and English; and "Timber, or +Discoveries" "made upon men and matter as they have flowed out of +his daily reading, or had their reflux to his peculiar notion of +the times." The "Discoveries," as it is usually called, is a +commonplace book such as many literary men have kept, in which +their reading was chronicled, passages that took their fancy +translated or transcribed, and their passing opinions noted. Many +passages of Jonson's "Discoveries" are literal translations from the +authors he chanced to be reading, with the reference, noted or not, +as the accident of the moment prescribed. At times he follows the +line of Macchiavelli's argument as to the nature and conduct of +princes; at others he clarifies his own conception of poetry and +poets by recourse to Aristotle. He finds a choice paragraph on +eloquence in Seneca the elder and applies it to his own +recollection of Bacon's power as an orator; and another on facile +and ready genius, and translates it, adapting it to his +recollection of his fellow-playwright, Shakespeare. To call such +passages--which Jonson never intended for publication-- +plagiarism, is to obscure the significance of words. To disparage +his memory by citing them is a preposterous use of scholarship. +Jonson's prose, both in his dramas, in the descriptive comments of +his masques, and in the "Discoveries," is characterised by clarity +and vigorous directness, nor is it wanting in a fine sense of form +or in the subtler graces of diction. + +When Jonson died there was a project for a handsome monument to his +memory. But the Civil War was at hand, and the project failed. A +memorial, not insufficient, was carved on the stone covering his +grave in one of the aisles of Westminster Abbey: + +"O rare Ben Jonson." + +FELIX E. SCHELLING. + +THE COLLEGE, +PHILADELPHIA, U.S.A. + +The following is a complete list of his published works:-- + +DRAMAS: +Every Man in his Humour, 4to, 1601; +The Case is Altered, 4to, 1609; +Every Man out of his Humour, 4to, 1600; +Cynthia's Revels, 4to, 1601; +Poetaster, 4to, 1602; +Sejanus, 4to, 1605; +Eastward Ho (with Chapman and Marston), 4to, 1605; +Volpone, 4to, 1607; +Epicoene, or the Silent Woman, 4to, 1609 (?), fol., 1616; +The Alchemist, 4to, 1612; +Catiline, his Conspiracy, 4to, 1611; +Bartholomew Fayre, 4to, 1614 (?), fol., 1631; +The Divell is an Asse, fol., 1631; +The Staple of Newes, fol., 1631; +The New Sun, 8vo, 1631, fol., 1692; +The Magnetic Lady, or Humours Reconcild, fol., 1640; +A Tale of a Tub, fol., 1640; +The Sad Shepherd, or a Tale of Robin Hood, fol., 1641; +Mortimer his Fall (fragment), fol., 1640. + +To Jonson have also been attributed additions to Kyd's Jeronymo, +and collaboration in The Widow with Fletcher and Middleton, and +in the Bloody Brother with Fletcher. + +POEMS: +Epigrams, The Forrest, Underwoods, published in fols., 1616, 1640; +Selections: Execration against Vulcan, and Epigrams, 1640; +G. Hor. Flaccus his art of Poetry, Englished by Ben Jonson, 1640; +Leges Convivialis, fol., 1692. +Other minor poems first appeared in Gifford's edition of Works. + +PROSE: +Timber, or Discoveries made upon Men and Matter, fol., 1641; +The English Grammar, made by Ben Jonson for the benefit of +Strangers, fol., 1640. + +Masques and Entertainments were published in the early folios. + +WORKS: +Fol., 1616, volume. 2, 1640 (1631-41); +fol., 1692, 1716-19, 1729; +edited by P. Whalley, 7 volumes., 1756; +by Gifford (with Memoir), 9 volumes., 1816, 1846; +re-edited by F. Cunningham, 3 volumes., 1871; +in 9 volumes., 1875; +by Barry Cornwall (with Memoir), 1838; +by B. Nicholson (Mermaid Series), with Introduction by +C. H. Herford, 1893, etc.; +Nine Plays, 1904; +ed. H. C. Hart (Standard Library), 1906, etc; +Plays and Poems, with Introduction by H. Morley (Universal +Library), 1885; +Plays (7) and Poems (Newnes), 1905; +Poems, with Memoir by H. Bennett (Carlton Classics), 1907; +Masques and Entertainments, ed. by H. Morley, 1890. + +SELECTIONS: +J. A. Symonds, with Biographical and Critical Essay, +(Canterbury Poets), 1886; +Grosart, Brave Translunary Things, 1895; +Arber, Jonson Anthology, 1901; +Underwoods, Cambridge University Press, 1905; +Lyrics (Jonson, Beaumont and Fletcher), the Chap Books, +No. 4, 1906; +Songs (from Plays, Masques, etc.), with earliest known +setting, Eragny Press, 1906. + +LIFE: +See Memoirs affixed to Works; +J. A. Symonds (English Worthies), 1886; +Notes of Ben Jonson Conversations with Drummond of Hawthornden; +Shakespeare Society, 1842; +ed. with Introduction and Notes by P. Sidney, 1906; +Swinburne, A Study of Ben Jonson, 1889. + + + +*** + + + +BEN JONSON'S PLAYS + + + + +VOLPONE; OR, THE FOX + +BY + +BEN JONSON + + +TO THE MOST NOBLE AND MOST EQUAL SISTERS, + +THE TWO FAMOUS UNIVERSITIES, + +FOR THEIR LOVE AND ACCEPTANCE SHEWN TO HIS POEM IN THE +PRESENTATION, + +BEN JONSON, + +THE GRATEFUL ACKNOWLEDGER, + +DEDICATES BOTH IT AND HIMSELF. + +Never, most equal Sisters, had any man a wit so presently +excellent, as that it could raise itself; but there must come +both matter, occasion, commenders, and favourers to it. If +this be true, and that the fortune of all writers doth daily +prove it, it behoves the careful to provide well towards these +accidents; and, having acquired them, to preserve that part of +reputation most tenderly, wherein the benefit of a friend is +also defended. Hence is it, that I now render myself grateful, +and am studious to justify the bounty of your act; to which, +though your mere authority were satisfying, yet it being an +age wherein poetry and the professors of it hear so ill on all +sides, there will a reason be looked for in the subject. It is +certain, nor can it with any forehead be opposed, that the too +much license of poetasters in this time, hath much deformed +their mistress; that, every day, their manifold and manifest +ignorance doth stick unnatural reproaches upon her: but for +their petulancy, it were an act of the greatest injustice, +either to let the learned suffer, or so divine a skill (which +indeed should not be attempted with unclean hands) to fall +under the least contempt. For, if men will impartially, and +not asquint, look toward the offices and function of a poet, +they will easily conclude to themselves the impossibility of +any man's being the good poet, without first being a good man. +He that is said to be able to inform young men to all good +disciplines, inflame grown men to all great virtues, keep old +men in their best and supreme state, or, as they decline to +childhood, recover them to their first strength; that comes +forth the interpreter and arbiter of nature, a teacher of +things divine no less than human, a master in manners; and can +alone, or with a few, effect the business of mankind: this, I +take him, is no subject for pride and ignorance to exercise +their railing rhetoric upon. But it will here be hastily +answered, that the writers of these days are other things; +that not only their manners, but their natures, are inverted, +and nothing remaining with them of the dignity of poet, but +the abused name, which every scribe usurps; that now, +especially in dramatic, or, as they term it, stage-poetry, +nothing but ribaldry, profanation, blasphemy, all license of +offence to God and man is practised. I dare not deny a great +part of this, and am sorry I dare not, because in some men's +abortive features (and would they had never boasted the light) +it is over-true; but that all are embarked in this bold +adventure for hell, is a most uncharitable thought, and, +uttered, a more malicious slander. For my particular, I can, +and from a most clear conscience, affirm, that I have ever +trembled to think toward the least profaneness; have loathed +the use of such foul and unwashed bawdry, as is now made the +food of the scene: and, howsoever I cannot escape from some, +the imputation of sharpness, but that they will say, I have +taken a pride, or lust, to be bitter, and not my youngest +infant but hath come into the world with all his teeth; I +would ask of these supercilious politics, what nation, society, +or general order or state, I have provoked? What public person? +Whether I have not in all these preserved their dignity, as +mine own person, safe? My works are read, allowed, (I speak of +those that are intirely mine,) look into them, what broad +reproofs have I used? where have I been particular? where +personal? except to a mimic, cheater, bawd, or buffoon, +creatures, for their insolencies, worthy to be taxed? yet to +which of these so pointingly, as he might not either +ingenuously have confest, or wisely dissembled his disease? +But it is not rumour can make men guilty, much less entitle +me to other men's crimes. I know, that nothing can be so +innocently writ or carried, but may be made obnoxious to +construction; marry, whilst I bear mine innocence about me, I +fear it not. Application is now grown a trade with many; and +there are that profess to have a key for the decyphering of +every thing: but let wise and noble persons take heed how +they be too credulous, or give leave to these invading +interpreters to be over-familiar with their fames, who +cunningly, and often, utter their own virulent malice, under +other men's simplest meanings. As for those that will (by +faults which charity hath raked up, or common honesty +concealed) make themselves a name with the multitude, or, to +draw their rude and beastly claps, care not whose living +faces they intrench with their petulant styles, may they do +it without a rival, for me! I choose rather to live graved in +obscurity, than share with them in so preposterous a fame. +Nor can I blame the wishes of those severe and wise patriots, +who providing the hurts these licentious spirits may do in a +state, desire rather to see fools and devils, and those +antique relics of barbarism retrieved, with all other +ridiculous and exploded follies, than behold the wounds of +private men, of princes and nations: for, as Horace makes +Trebatius speak among these, + +"Sibi quisque timet, quanquam est intactus, et odit." + +And men may justly impute such rages, if continued, to the +writer, as his sports. The increase of which lust in liberty, +together with the present trade of the stage, in all their +miscelline interludes, what learned or liberal soul doth not +already abhor? where nothing but the filth of the time is +uttered, and with such impropriety of phrase, such plenty of +solecisms, such dearth of sense, so bold prolepses, so racked +metaphors, with brothelry, able to violate the ear of a pagan, +and blasphemy, to turn the blood of a Christian to water. I +cannot but be serious in a cause of this nature, wherein my +fame, and the reputation of divers honest and learned are the +question; when a name so full of authority, antiquity, and +all great mark, is, through their insolence, become the lowest +scorn of the age; and those men subject to the petulancy of +every vernaculous orator, that were wont to be the care of +kings and happiest monarchs. This it is that hath not only +rapt me to present indignation, but made me studious +heretofore, and by all my actions, to stand off from them; +which may most appear in this my latest work, which you, most +learned Arbitresses, have seen, judged, and to my crown, +approved; wherein I have laboured for their instruction and +amendment, to reduce not only the ancient forms, but manners +of the scene, the easiness, the propriety, the innocence, and +last, the doctrine, which is the principal end of poesie, to +inform men in the best reason of living. And though my +catastrophe may, in the strict rigour of comic law, meet with +censure, as turning back to my promise; I desire the learned +and charitable critic, to have so much faith in me, to think +it was done of industry: for, with what ease I could have +varied it nearer his scale (but that I fear to boast my own +faculty) I could here insert. But my special aim being to put +the snaffle in their mouths, that cry out, We never punish +vice in our interludes, etc., I took the more liberty; though +not without some lines of example, drawn even in the ancients +themselves, the goings out of whose comedies are not always +joyful, but oft times the bawds, the servants, the rivals, +yea, and the masters are mulcted; and fitly, it being the +office of a comic poet to imitate justice, and instruct to +life, as well as purity of language, or stir up gentle +affections; to which I shall take the occasion elsewhere to +speak. + +For the present, most reverenced Sisters, as I have cared to +be thankful for your affections past, and here made the +understanding acquainted with some ground of your favours; let +me not despair their continuance, to the maturing of some +worthier fruits; wherein, if my muses be true to me, I shall +raise the despised head of poetry again, and stripping her out +of those rotten and base rags wherewith the times have +adulterated her form, restore her to her primitive habit, +feature, and majesty, and render her worthy to be embraced and +kist of all the great and master-spirits of our world. As for +the vile and slothful, who never affected an act worthy of +celebration, or are so inward with their own vicious natures, +as they worthily fear her, and think it an high point of +policy to keep her in contempt, with their declamatory and +windy invectives; she shall out of just rage incite her +servants (who are genus irritabile) to spout ink in their +faces, that shall eat farther than their marrow into their +fames; and not Cinnamus the barber, with his art, shall be able +to take out the brands; but they shall live, and be read, till +the wretches die, as things worst deserving of themselves in +chief, and then of all mankind. + +From my House in the Black-Friars, +this 11th day of February, 1607. + + + +DRAMATIS PERSONAE + +VOLPONE, a Magnifico. + +MOSCA, his Parasite. + +VOLTORE, an Advocate. + +CORBACCIO, an old Gentleman. + +CORVINO, a Merchant. + +BONARIO, son to Corbaccio. + +SIR POLITICK WOULD-BE, a Knight. + +PEREGRINE, a Gentleman Traveller. + +NANO, a Dwarf. + +CASTRONE, an Eunuch. + +ANDROGYNO, an Hermaphrodite. + +GREGE (or Mob). + +COMMANDADORI, Officers of Justice. + +MERCATORI, three Merchants. + +AVOCATORI, four Magistrates. + +NOTARIO, the Register. + +LADY WOULD-BE, Sir Politick's Wife. + +CELIA, Corvino's Wife. + +SERVITORI, Servants, two Waiting-women, etc. + + +SCENE: VENICE. + + +THE ARGUMENT. + +V olpone, childless, rich, feigns sick, despairs, + +O ffers his state to hopes of several heirs, + +L ies languishing: his parasite receives + +P resents of all, assures, deludes; then weaves + +O ther cross plots, which ope themselves, are told. + +N ew tricks for safety are sought; they thrive: when bold, + +E ach tempts the other again, and all are sold. + + +PROLOGUE. + +Now, luck yet sends us, and a little wit +Will serve to make our play hit; +(According to the palates of the season) +Here is rhime, not empty of reason. +This we were bid to credit from our poet, +Whose true scope, if you would know it, +In all his poems still hath been this measure, +To mix profit with your pleasure; +And not as some, whose throats their envy failing, +Cry hoarsely, All he writes is railing: +And when his plays come forth, think they can flout them, +With saying, he was a year about them. +To this there needs no lie, but this his creature, +Which was two months since no feature; +And though he dares give them five lives to mend it, +'Tis known, five weeks fully penn'd it, +From his own hand, without a co-adjutor, +Novice, journey-man, or tutor. +Yet thus much I can give you as a token +Of his play's worth, no eggs are broken, +Nor quaking custards with fierce teeth affrighted, +Wherewith your rout are so delighted; +Nor hales he in a gull old ends reciting, +To stop gaps in his loose writing; +With such a deal of monstrous and forced action, +As might make Bethlem a faction: +Nor made he his play for jests stolen from each table, +But makes jests to fit his fable; +And so presents quick comedy refined, +As best critics have designed; +The laws of time, place, persons he observeth, +From no needful rule he swerveth. +All gall and copperas from his ink he draineth, +Only a little salt remaineth, +Wherewith he'll rub your cheeks, till red, with laughter, +They shall look fresh a week after. + + + +ACT 1. SCENE 1.1. + +A ROOM IN VOLPONE'S HOUSE. + +ENTER VOLPONE AND MOSCA. + +VOLP: Good morning to the day; and next, my gold: +Open the shrine, that I may see my Saint. +[MOSCA WITHDRAWS THE CURTAIN, AND DISCOVERS PILES OF GOLD, +PLATE, JEWELS, ETC.] +Hail the world's soul, and mine! more glad than is +The teeming earth to see the long'd-for sun +Peep through the horns of the celestial Ram, +Am I, to view thy splendour darkening his; +That lying here, amongst my other hoards, +Shew'st like a flame by night; or like the day +Struck out of chaos, when all darkness fled +Unto the centre. O thou son of Sol, +But brighter than thy father, let me kiss, +With adoration, thee, and every relick +Of sacred treasure, in this blessed room. +Well did wise poets, by thy glorious name, +Title that age which they would have the best; +Thou being the best of things: and far transcending +All style of joy, in children, parents, friends, +Or any other waking dream on earth: +Thy looks when they to Venus did ascribe, +They should have given her twenty thousand Cupids; +Such are thy beauties and our loves! Dear saint, +Riches, the dumb God, that giv'st all men tongues; +That canst do nought, and yet mak'st men do all things; +The price of souls; even hell, with thee to boot, +Is made worth heaven. Thou art virtue, fame, +Honour, and all things else. Who can get thee, +He shall be noble, valiant, honest, wise,-- + +MOS: And what he will, sir. Riches are in fortune +A greater good than wisdom is in nature. + +VOLP: True, my beloved Mosca. Yet I glory +More in the cunning purchase of my wealth, +Than in the glad possession; since I gain +No common way; I use no trade, no venture; +I wound no earth with plough-shares; fat no beasts, +To feed the shambles; have no mills for iron, +Oil, corn, or men, to grind them into powder: +I blow no subtle glass; expose no ships +To threat'nings of the furrow-faced sea; +I turn no monies in the public bank, +Nor usure private. + +MOS: No sir, nor devour +Soft prodigals. You shall have some will swallow +A melting heir as glibly as your Dutch +Will pills of butter, and ne'er purge for it; +Tear forth the fathers of poor families +Out of their beds, and coffin them alive +In some kind clasping prison, where their bones +May be forth-coming, when the flesh is rotten: +But your sweet nature doth abhor these courses; +You lothe the widdow's or the orphan's tears +Should wash your pavements, or their piteous cries +Ring in your roofs, and beat the air for vengeance. + +VOLP: Right, Mosca; I do lothe it. + +MOS: And besides, sir, +You are not like a thresher that doth stand +With a huge flail, watching a heap of corn, +And, hungry, dares not taste the smallest grain, +But feeds on mallows, and such bitter herbs; +Nor like the merchant, who hath fill'd his vaults +With Romagnia, and rich Candian wines, +Yet drinks the lees of Lombard's vinegar: +You will not lie in straw, whilst moths and worms +Feed on your sumptuous hangings and soft beds; +You know the use of riches, and dare give now +From that bright heap, to me, your poor observer, +Or to your dwarf, or your hermaphrodite, +Your eunuch, or what other household-trifle +Your pleasure allows maintenance. + +VOLP: Hold thee, Mosca, +[GIVES HIM MONEY.] +Take of my hand; thou strik'st on truth in all, +And they are envious term thee parasite. +Call forth my dwarf, my eunuch, and my fool, +And let them make me sport. +[EXIT MOS.] +What should I do, +But cocker up my genius, and live free +To all delights my fortune calls me to? +I have no wife, no parent, child, ally, +To give my substance to; but whom I make +Must be my heir: and this makes men observe me: +This draws new clients daily, to my house, +Women and men of every sex and age, +That bring me presents, send me plate, coin, jewels, +With hope that when I die (which they expect +Each greedy minute) it shall then return +Ten-fold upon them; whilst some, covetous +Above the rest, seek to engross me whole, +And counter-work the one unto the other, +Contend in gifts, as they would seem in love: +All which I suffer, playing with their hopes, +And am content to coin them into profit, +To look upon their kindness, and take more, +And look on that; still bearing them in hand, +Letting the cherry knock against their lips, +And draw it by their mouths, and back again.-- +How now! + +[RE-ENTER MOSCA WITH NANO, ANDROGYNO, AND CASTRONE.] + +NAN: Now, room for fresh gamesters, who do will you to know, +They do bring you neither play, nor university show; +And therefore do entreat you, that whatsoever they rehearse, +May not fare a whit the worse, for the false pace of the verse. +If you wonder at this, you will wonder more ere we pass, +For know, here is inclosed the soul of Pythagoras, +That juggler divine, as hereafter shall follow; +Which soul, fast and loose, sir, came first from Apollo, +And was breath'd into Aethalides; Mercurius his son, +Where it had the gift to remember all that ever was done. +From thence it fled forth, and made quick transmigration +To goldy-lock'd Euphorbus, who was killed in good fashion, +At the siege of old Troy, by the cuckold of Sparta. +Hermotimus was next (I find it in my charta) +To whom it did pass, where no sooner it was missing +But with one Pyrrhus of Delos it learn'd to go a fishing; +And thence did it enter the sophist of Greece. +From Pythagore, she went into a beautiful piece, +Hight Aspasia, the meretrix; and the next toss of her +Was again of a whore, she became a philosopher, +Crates the cynick, as it self doth relate it: +Since kings, knights, and beggars, knaves, lords and fools gat it, +Besides, ox and ass, camel, mule, goat, and brock, +In all which it hath spoke, as in the cobler's cock. +But I come not here to discourse of that matter, +Or his one, two, or three, or his greath oath, BY QUATER! +His musics, his trigon, his golden thigh, +Or his telling how elements shift, but I +Would ask, how of late thou best suffered translation, +And shifted thy coat in these days of reformation. + +AND: Like one of the reformed, a fool, as you see, +Counting all old doctrine heresy. + +NAN: But not on thine own forbid meats hast thou ventured? + +AND: On fish, when first a Carthusian I enter'd. + +NAN: Why, then thy dogmatical silence hath left thee? + +AND: Of that an obstreperous lawyer bereft me. + +NAN: O wonderful change, when sir lawyer forsook thee! +For Pythagore's sake, what body then took thee? + +AND: A good dull mule. + +NAN: And how! by that means +Thou wert brought to allow of the eating of beans? + +AND: Yes. + +NAN: But from the mule into whom didst thou pass? + +AND: Into a very strange beast, by some writers call'd an ass; +By others, a precise, pure, illuminate brother, +Of those devour flesh, and sometimes one another; +And will drop you forth a libel, or a sanctified lie, +Betwixt every spoonful of a nativity pie. + +NAN: Now quit thee, for heaven, of that profane nation; +And gently report thy next transmigration. + +AND: To the same that I am. + +NAN: A creature of delight, +And, what is more than a fool, an hermaphrodite! +Now, prithee, sweet soul, in all thy variation, +Which body would'st thou choose, to keep up thy station? + +AND: Troth, this I am in: even here would I tarry. + +NAN: 'Cause here the delight of each sex thou canst vary? + +AND: Alas, those pleasures be stale and forsaken; +No, 'tis your fool wherewith I am so taken, +The only one creature that I can call blessed: +For all other forms I have proved most distressed. + +NAN: Spoke true, as thou wert in Pythagoras still. +This learned opinion we celebrate will, +Fellow eunuch, as behoves us, with all our wit and art, +To dignify that whereof ourselves are so great and special a part. + +VOLP: Now, very, very pretty! Mosca, this +Was thy invention? + +MOS: If it please my patron, +Not else. + +VOLP: It doth, good Mosca. + +MOS: Then it was, sir. + +NANO AND CASTRONE [SING.]: Fools, they are the only nation +Worth men's envy, or admiration: +Free from care or sorrow-taking, +Selves and others merry making: +All they speak or do is sterling. +Your fool he is your great man's darling, +And your ladies' sport and pleasure; +Tongue and bauble are his treasure. +E'en his face begetteth laughter, +And he speaks truth free from slaughter; +He's the grace of every feast, +And sometimes the chiefest guest; +Hath his trencher and his stool, +When wit waits upon the fool: +O, who would not be +He, he, he? + +[KNOCKING WITHOUT.] + +VOLP: Who's that? Away! +[EXEUNT NANO AND CASTRONE.] +Look, Mosca. Fool, begone! +[EXIT ANDROGYNO.] + +MOS: 'Tis Signior Voltore, the advocate; +I know him by his knock. + +VOLP: Fetch me my gown, +My furs and night-caps; say, my couch is changing, +And let him entertain himself awhile +Without i' the gallery. +[EXIT MOSCA.] +Now, now, my clients +Begin their visitation! Vulture, kite, +Raven, and gorcrow, all my birds of prey, +That think me turning carcase, now they come; +I am not for them yet-- +[RE-ENTER MOSCA, WITH THE GOWN, ETC.] +How now! the news? + +MOS: A piece of plate, sir. + +VOLP: Of what bigness? + +MOS: Huge, +Massy, and antique, with your name inscribed, +And arms engraven. + +VOLP: Good! and not a fox +Stretch'd on the earth, with fine delusive sleights, +Mocking a gaping crow? ha, Mosca? + +MOS: Sharp, sir. + +VOLP: Give me my furs. +[PUTS ON HIS SICK DRESS.] +Why dost thou laugh so, man? + +MOS: I cannot choose, sir, when I apprehend +What thoughts he has without now, as he walks: +That this might be the last gift he should give; +That this would fetch you; if you died to-day, +And gave him all, what he should be to-morrow; +What large return would come of all his ventures; +How he should worship'd be, and reverenced; +Ride with his furs, and foot-cloths; waited on +By herds of fools, and clients; have clear way +Made for his mule, as letter'd as himself; +Be call'd the great and learned advocate: +And then concludes, there's nought impossible. + +VOLP: Yes, to be learned, Mosca. + +MOS: O no: rich +Implies it. Hood an ass with reverend purple, +So you can hide his two ambitious ears, +And he shall pass for a cathedral doctor. + +VOLP: My caps, my caps, good Mosca. Fetch him in. + +MOS: Stay, sir, your ointment for your eyes. + +VOLP: That's true; +Dispatch, dispatch: I long to have possession +Of my new present. + +MOS: That, and thousands more, +I hope, to see you lord of. + +VOLP: Thanks, kind Mosca. + +MOS: And that, when I am lost in blended dust, +And hundred such as I am, in succession-- + +VOLP: Nay, that were too much, Mosca. + +MOS: You shall live, +Still, to delude these harpies. + +VOLP: Loving Mosca! +'Tis well: my pillow now, and let him enter. +[EXIT MOSCA.] +Now, my fain'd cough, my pthisic, and my gout, +My apoplexy, palsy, and catarrhs, +Help, with your forced functions, this my posture, +Wherein, this three year, I have milk'd their hopes. +He comes; I hear him--Uh! [COUGHING.] uh! uh! uh! O-- + +[RE-ENTER MOSCA, INTRODUCING VOLTORE, WITH A PIECE OF PLATE.] + +MOS: You still are what you were, sir. Only you, +Of all the rest, are he commands his love, +And you do wisely to preserve it thus, +With early visitation, and kind notes +Of your good meaning to him, which, I know, +Cannot but come most grateful. Patron! sir! +Here's signior Voltore is come-- + +VOLP [FAINTLY.]: What say you? + +MOS: Sir, signior Voltore is come this morning +To visit you. + +VOLP: I thank him. + +MOS: And hath brought +A piece of antique plate, bought of St Mark, +With which he here presents you. + +VOLP: He is welcome. +Pray him to come more often. + +MOS: Yes. + +VOLT: What says he? + +MOS: He thanks you, and desires you see him often. + +VOLP: Mosca. + +MOS: My patron! + +VOLP: Bring him near, where is he? +I long to feel his hand. + +MOS: The plate is here, sir. + +VOLT: How fare you, sir? + +VOLP: I thank you, signior Voltore; +Where is the plate? mine eyes are bad. + +VOLT [PUTTING IT INTO HIS HANDS.]: I'm sorry, +To see you still thus weak. + +MOS [ASIDE.]: That he's not weaker. + +VOLP: You are too munificent. + +VOLT: No sir; would to heaven, +I could as well give health to you, as that plate! + +VOLP: You give, sir, what you can: I thank you. Your love +Hath taste in this, and shall not be unanswer'd: +I pray you see me often. + +VOLT: Yes, I shall sir. + +VOLP: Be not far from me. + +MOS: Do you observe that, sir? + +VOLP: Hearken unto me still; it will concern you. + +MOS: You are a happy man, sir; know your good. + +VOLP: I cannot now last long-- + +MOS: You are his heir, sir. + +VOLT: Am I? + +VOLP: I feel me going; Uh! uh! uh! uh! +I'm sailing to my port, Uh! uh! uh! uh! +And I am glad I am so near my haven. + +MOS: Alas, kind gentleman! Well, we must all go-- + +VOLT: But, Mosca-- + +MOS: Age will conquer. + +VOLT: 'Pray thee hear me: +Am I inscribed his heir for certain? + +MOS: Are you! +I do beseech you, sir, you will vouchsafe +To write me in your family. All my hopes +Depend upon your worship: I am lost, +Except the rising sun do shine on me. + +VOLT: It shall both shine, and warm thee, Mosca. + +MOS: Sir, +I am a man, that hath not done your love +All the worst offices: here I wear your keys, +See all your coffers and your caskets lock'd, +Keep the poor inventory of your jewels, +Your plate and monies; am your steward, sir. +Husband your goods here. + +VOLT: But am I sole heir? + +MOS: Without a partner, sir; confirm'd this morning: +The wax is warm yet, and the ink scarce dry +Upon the parchment. + +VOLT: Happy, happy, me! +By what good chance, sweet Mosca? + +MOS: Your desert, sir; +I know no second cause. + +VOLT: Thy modesty +Is not to know it; well, we shall requite it. + +MOS: He ever liked your course sir; that first took him. +I oft have heard him say, how he admired +Men of your large profession, that could speak +To every cause, and things mere contraries, +Till they were hoarse again, yet all be law; +That, with most quick agility, could turn, +And [re-] return; [could] make knots, and undo them; +Give forked counsel; take provoking gold +On either hand, and put it up: these men, +He knew, would thrive with their humility. +And, for his part, he thought he should be blest +To have his heir of such a suffering spirit, +So wise, so grave, of so perplex'd a tongue, +And loud withal, that would not wag, nor scarce +Lie still, without a fee; when every word +Your worship but lets fall, is a chequin!-- +[LOUD KNOCKING WITHOUT.] +Who's that? one knocks; I would not have you seen, sir. +And yet--pretend you came, and went in haste: +I'll fashion an excuse.--and, gentle sir, +When you do come to swim in golden lard, +Up to the arms in honey, that your chin +Is born up stiff, with fatness of the flood, +Think on your vassal; but remember me: +I have not been your worst of clients. + +VOLT: Mosca!-- + +MOS: When will you have your inventory brought, sir? +Or see a coppy of the will?--Anon!-- +I will bring them to you, sir. Away, be gone, +Put business in your face. + +[EXIT VOLTORE.] + +VOLP [SPRINGING UP.]: Excellent Mosca! +Come hither, let me kiss thee. + +MOS: Keep you still, sir. +Here is Corbaccio. + +VOLP: Set the plate away: +The vulture's gone, and the old raven's come! + +MOS: Betake you to your silence, and your sleep: +Stand there and multiply. +[PUTTING THE PLATE TO THE REST.] +Now, shall we see +A wretch who is indeed more impotent +Than this can feign to be; yet hopes to hop +Over his grave.-- +[ENTER CORBACCIO.] +Signior Corbaccio! +You're very welcome, sir. + +CORB: How does your patron? + +MOS: Troth, as he did, sir; no amends. + +CORB: What! mends he? + +MOS: No, sir: he's rather worse. + +CORB: That's well. Where is he? + +MOS: Upon his couch sir, newly fall'n asleep. + +CORB: Does he sleep well? + +MOS: No wink, sir, all this night. +Nor yesterday; but slumbers. + +CORB: Good! he should take +Some counsel of physicians: I have brought him +An opiate here, from mine own doctor. + +MOS: He will not hear of drugs. + +CORB: Why? I myself +Stood by while it was made; saw all the ingredients: +And know, it cannot but most gently work: +My life for his, 'tis but to make him sleep. + +VOLP [ASIDE.]: Ay, his last sleep, if he would take it. + +MOS: Sir, +He has no faith in physic. + +CORB: 'Say you? 'say you? + +MOS: He has no faith in physic: he does think +Most of your doctors are the greater danger, +And worse disease, to escape. I often have +Heard him protest, that your physician +Should never be his heir. + +CORB: Not I his heir? + +MOS: Not your physician, sir. + +CORB: O, no, no, no, +I do not mean it. + +MOS: No, sir, nor their fees +He cannot brook: he says, they flay a man, +Before they kill him. + +CORB: Right, I do conceive you. + +MOS: And then they do it by experiment; +For which the law not only doth absolve them, +But gives them great reward: and he is loth +To hire his death, so. + +CORB: It is true, they kill, +With as much license as a judge. + +MOS: Nay, more; +For he but kills, sir, where the law condemns, +And these can kill him too. + +CORB: Ay, or me; +Or any man. How does his apoplex? +Is that strong on him still? + +MOS: Most violent. +His speech is broken, and his eyes are set, +His face drawn longer than 'twas wont-- + +CORB: How! how! +Stronger then he was wont? + +MOS: No, sir: his face +Drawn longer than 'twas wont. + +CORB: O, good! + +MOS: His mouth +Is ever gaping, and his eyelids hang. + +CORB: Good. + +MOS: A freezing numbness stiffens all his joints, +And makes the colour of his flesh like lead. + +CORB: 'Tis good. + +MOS: His pulse beats slow, and dull. + +CORB: Good symptoms, still. + +MOS: And from his brain-- + +CORB: I conceive you; good. + +MOS: Flows a cold sweat, with a continual rheum, +Forth the resolved corners of his eyes. + +CORB: Is't possible? yet I am better, ha! +How does he, with the swimming of his head? + +B: O, sir, 'tis past the scotomy; he now +Hath lost his feeling, and hath left to snort: +You hardly can perceive him, that he breathes. + +CORB: Excellent, excellent! sure I shall outlast him: +This makes me young again, a score of years. + +MOS: I was a coming for you, sir. + +CORB: Has he made his will? +What has he given me? + +MOS: No, sir. + +CORB: Nothing! ha? + +MOS: He has not made his will, sir. + +CORB: Oh, oh, oh! +But what did Voltore, the Lawyer, here? + +MOS: He smelt a carcase, sir, when he but heard +My master was about his testament; +As I did urge him to it for your good-- + +CORB: He came unto him, did he? I thought so. + +MOS: Yes, and presented him this piece of plate. + +CORB: To be his heir? + +MOS: I do not know, sir. + +CORB: True: +I know it too. + +MOS [ASIDE.]: By your own scale, sir. + +CORB: Well, +I shall prevent him, yet. See, Mosca, look, +Here, I have brought a bag of bright chequines, +Will quite weigh down his plate. + +MOS [TAKING THE BAG.]: Yea, marry, sir. +This is true physic, this your sacred medicine, +No talk of opiates, to this great elixir! + +CORB: 'Tis aurum palpabile, if not potabile. + +MOS: It shall be minister'd to him, in his bowl. + +CORB: Ay, do, do, do. + +MOS: Most blessed cordial! +This will recover him. + +CORB: Yes, do, do, do. + +MOS: I think it were not best, sir. + +CORB: What? + +MOS: To recover him. + +CORB: O, no, no, no; by no means. + +MOS: Why, sir, this +Will work some strange effect, if he but feel it. + +CORB: 'Tis true, therefore forbear; I'll take my venture: +Give me it again. + +MOS: At no hand; pardon me: +You shall not do yourself that wrong, sir. I +Will so advise you, you shall have it all. + +CORB: How? + +MOS: All, sir; 'tis your right, your own; no man +Can claim a part: 'tis yours, without a rival, +Decreed by destiny. + +CORB: How, how, good Mosca? + +MOS: I'll tell you sir. This fit he shall recover. + +CORB: I do conceive you. + +MOS: And, on first advantage +Of his gain'd sense, will I re-importune him +Unto the making of his testament: +And shew him this. +[POINTING TO THE MONEY.] + +CORB: Good, good. + +MOS: 'Tis better yet, +If you will hear, sir. + +CORB: Yes, with all my heart. + +MOS: Now, would I counsel you, make home with speed; +There, frame a will; whereto you shall inscribe +My master your sole heir. + +CORB: And disinherit +My son! + +MOS: O, sir, the better: for that colour +Shall make it much more taking. + +CORB: O, but colour? + +MOS: This will sir, you shall send it unto me. +Now, when I come to inforce, as I will do, +Your cares, your watchings, and your many prayers, +Your more than many gifts, your this day's present, +And last, produce your will; where, without thought, +Or least regard, unto your proper issue, +A son so brave, and highly meriting, +The stream of your diverted love hath thrown you +Upon my master, and made him your heir: +He cannot be so stupid, or stone-dead, +But out of conscience, and mere gratitude-- + +CORB: He must pronounce me his? + +MOS: 'Tis true. + +CORB: This plot +Did I think on before. + +MOS: I do believe it. + +CORB: Do you not believe it? + +MOS: Yes, sir. + +CORB: Mine own project. + +MOS: Which, when he hath done, sir. + +CORB: Publish'd me his heir? + +MOS: And you so certain to survive him-- + +CORB: Ay. + +MOS: Being so lusty a man-- + +CORB: 'Tis true. + +MOS: Yes, sir-- + +CORB: I thought on that too. See, how he should be +The very organ to express my thoughts! + +MOS: You have not only done yourself a good-- + +CORB: But multiplied it on my son. + +MOS: 'Tis right, sir. + +CORB: Still, my invention. + +MOS: 'Las, sir! heaven knows, +It hath been all my study, all my care, +(I e'en grow gray withal,) how to work things-- + +CORB: I do conceive, sweet Mosca. + +MOS: You are he, +For whom I labour here. + +CORB: Ay, do, do, do: +I'll straight about it. +[GOING.] + +MOS: Rook go with you, raven! + +CORB: I know thee honest. + +MOS [ASIDE.]: You do lie, sir! + +CORB: And-- + +MOS: Your knowledge is no better than your ears, sir. + +CORB: I do not doubt, to be a father to thee. + +MOS: Nor I to gull my brother of his blessing. + +CORB: I may have my youth restored to me, why not? + +MOS: Your worship is a precious ass! + +CORB: What say'st thou? + +MOS: I do desire your worship to make haste, sir. + +CORB: 'Tis done, 'tis done, I go. +[EXIT.] + +VOLP [LEAPING FROM HIS COUCH.]: O, I shall burst! +Let out my sides, let out my sides-- + +MOS: Contain +Your flux of laughter, sir: you know this hope +Is such a bait, it covers any hook. + +VOLP: O, but thy working, and thy placing it! +I cannot hold; good rascal, let me kiss thee: +I never knew thee in so rare a humour. + +MOS: Alas sir, I but do as I am taught; +Follow your grave instructions; give them words; +Pour oil into their ears, and send them hence. + +VOLP: 'Tis true, 'tis true. What a rare punishment +Is avarice to itself! + +MOS: Ay, with our help, sir. + +VOLP: So many cares, so many maladies, +So many fears attending on old age, +Yea, death so often call'd on, as no wish +Can be more frequent with them, their limbs faint, +Their senses dull, their seeing, hearing, going, +All dead before them; yea, their very teeth, +Their instruments of eating, failing them: +Yet this is reckon'd life! nay, here was one; +Is now gone home, that wishes to live longer! +Feels not his gout, nor palsy; feigns himself +Younger by scores of years, flatters his age +With confident belying it, hopes he may, +With charms, like Aeson, have his youth restored: +And with these thoughts so battens, as if fate +Would be as easily cheated on, as he, +And all turns air! +[KNOCKING WITHIN.] +Who's that there, now? a third? + +MOS: Close, to your couch again; I hear his voice: +It is Corvino, our spruce merchant. + +VOLP [LIES DOWN AS BEFORE.]: Dead. + +MOS: Another bout, sir, with your eyes. +[ANOINTING THEM.] +--Who's there? +[ENTER CORVINO.] +Signior Corvino! come most wish'd for! O, +How happy were you, if you knew it, now! + +CORV: Why? what? wherein? + +MOS: The tardy hour is come, sir. + +CORV: He is not dead? + +MOS: Not dead, sir, but as good; +He knows no man. + +CORV: How shall I do then? + +MOS: Why, sir? + +CORV: I have brought him here a pearl. + +MOS: Perhaps he has +So much remembrance left, as to know you, sir: +He still calls on you; nothing but your name +Is in his mouth: Is your pearl orient, sir? + +CORV: Venice was never owner of the like. + +VOLP [FAINTLY.]: Signior Corvino. + +MOS: Hark. + +VOLP: Signior Corvino! + +MOS: He calls you; step and give it him.--He's here, sir, +And he has brought you a rich pearl. + +CORV: How do you, sir? +Tell him, it doubles the twelfth caract. + +MOS: Sir, +He cannot understand, his hearing's gone; +And yet it comforts him to see you-- + +CORV: Say, +I have a diamond for him, too. + +MOS: Best shew it, sir; +Put it into his hand; 'tis only there +He apprehends: he has his feeling, yet. +See how he grasps it! + +CORV: 'Las, good gentleman! +How pitiful the sight is! + +MOS: Tut! forget, sir. +The weeping of an heir should still be laughter +Under a visor. + +CORV: Why, am I his heir? + +MOS: Sir, I am sworn, I may not shew the will, +Till he be dead; but, here has been Corbaccio, +Here has been Voltore, here were others too, +I cannot number 'em, they were so many; +All gaping here for legacies: but I, +Taking the vantage of his naming you, +"Signior Corvino, Signior Corvino," took +Paper, and pen, and ink, and there I asked him, +Whom he would have his heir? "Corvino." Who +Should be executor? "Corvino." And, +To any question he was silent too, +I still interpreted the nods he made, +Through weakness, for consent: and sent home th' others, +Nothing bequeath'd them, but to cry and curse. + +CORV: O, my dear Mosca! +[THEY EMBRACE.] +Does he not perceive us? + +MOS: No more than a blind harper. He knows no man, +No face of friend, nor name of any servant, +Who 'twas that fed him last, or gave him drink: +Not those he hath begotten, or brought up, +Can he remember. + +CORV: Has he children? + +MOS: Bastards, +Some dozen, or more, that he begot on beggars, +Gipsies, and Jews, and black-moors, when he was drunk. +Knew you not that, sir? 'tis the common fable. +The dwarf, the fool, the eunuch, are all his; +He's the true father of his family, +In all, save me:--but he has giv'n them nothing. + +CORV: That's well, that's well. Art sure he does not hear us? + +MOS: Sure, sir! why, look you, credit your own sense. +[SHOUTS IN VOL.'S EAR.] +The pox approach, and add to your diseases, +If it would send you hence the sooner, sir, +For your incontinence, it hath deserv'd it +Thoroughly, and thoroughly, and the plague to boot!-- +You may come near, sir.--Would you would once close +Those filthy eyes of yours, that flow with slime, +Like two frog-pits; and those same hanging cheeks, +Cover'd with hide, instead of skin--Nay help, sir-- +That look like frozen dish-clouts, set on end! + +CORV [ALOUD.]: Or like an old smoked wall, on which the rain +Ran down in streaks! + +MOS: Excellent! sir, speak out: +You may be louder yet: A culverin +Discharged in his ear would hardly bore it. + +CORV: His nose is like a common sewer, still running. + +MOS: 'Tis good! And what his mouth? + +CORV: A very draught. + +MOS: O, stop it up-- + +CORV: By no means. + +MOS: 'Pray you, let me. +Faith I could stifle him, rarely with a pillow, +As well as any woman that should keep him. + +CORV: Do as you will: but I'll begone. + +MOS: Be so: +It is your presence makes him last so long. + +CORV: I pray you, use no violence. + +MOS: No, sir! why? +Why should you be thus scrupulous, pray you, sir? + +CORV: Nay, at your discretion. + +MOS: Well, good sir, begone. + +CORV: I will not trouble him now, to take my pearl. + +MOS: Puh! nor your diamond. What a needless care +Is this afflicts you? Is not all here yours? +Am not I here, whom you have made your creature? +That owe my being to you? + +CORV: Grateful Mosca! +Thou art my friend, my fellow, my companion, +My partner, and shalt share in all my fortunes. + +MOS: Excepting one. + +CORV: What's that? + +MOS: Your gallant wife, sir,-- +[EXIT CORV.] +Now is he gone: we had no other means +To shoot him hence, but this. + +VOLP: My divine Mosca! +Thou hast to-day outgone thyself. +[KNOCKING WITHIN.] +--Who's there? +I will be troubled with no more. Prepare +Me music, dances, banquets, all delights; +The Turk is not more sensual in his pleasures, +Than will Volpone. +[EXIT MOS.] +Let me see; a pearl! +A diamond! plate! chequines! Good morning's purchase, +Why, this is better than rob churches, yet; +Or fat, by eating, once a month, a man. +[RE-ENTER MOSCA.] +Who is't? + +MOS: The beauteous lady Would-be, sir. +Wife to the English knight, Sir Politick Would-be, +(This is the style, sir, is directed me,) +Hath sent to know how you have slept to-night, +And if you would be visited? + +VOLP: Not now: +Some three hours hence-- + +MOS: I told the squire so much. + +VOLP: When I am high with mirth and wine; then, then: +'Fore heaven, I wonder at the desperate valour +Of the bold English, that they dare let loose +Their wives to all encounters! + +MOS: Sir, this knight +Had not his name for nothing, he is politick, +And knows, howe'er his wife affect strange airs, +She hath not yet the face to be dishonest: +But had she signior Corvino's wife's face-- + +VOLP: Has she so rare a face? + +MOS: O, sir, the wonder, +The blazing star of Italy! a wench +Of the first year! a beauty ripe as harvest! +Whose skin is whiter than a swan all over, +Than silver, snow, or lilies! a soft lip, +Would tempt you to eternity of kissing! +And flesh that melteth in the touch to blood! +Bright as your gold, and lovely as your gold! + +VOLP: Why had not I known this before? + +MOS: Alas, sir, +Myself but yesterday discover'd it. + +VOLP: How might I see her? + +MOS: O, not possible; +She's kept as warily as is your gold; +Never does come abroad, never takes air, +But at a window. All her looks are sweet, +As the first grapes or cherries, and are watch'd +As near as they are. + +VOLP: I must see her. + +MOS: Sir, +There is a guard of spies ten thick upon her, +All his whole household; each of which is set +Upon his fellow, and have all their charge, +When he goes out, when he comes in, examined. + +VOLP: I will go see her, though but at her window. + +MOS: In some disguise, then. + +VOLP: That is true; I must +Maintain mine own shape still the same: we'll think. + +[EXEUNT.] + + +ACT 2. SCENE 2.1. + +ST. MARK'S PLACE; A RETIRED CORNER BEFORE CORVINO'S HOUSE. + +ENTER SIR POLITICK WOULD-BE, AND PEREGRINE. + +SIR P: Sir, to a wise man, all the world's his soil: +It is not Italy, nor France, nor Europe, +That must bound me, if my fates call me forth. +Yet, I protest, it is no salt desire +Of seeing countries, shifting a religion, +Nor any disaffection to the state +Where I was bred, and unto which I owe +My dearest plots, hath brought me out; much less, +That idle, antique, stale, gray-headed project +Of knowing men's minds, and manners, with Ulysses! +But a peculiar humour of my wife's +Laid for this height of Venice, to observe, +To quote, to learn the language, and so forth-- +I hope you travel, sir, with license? + +PER: Yes. + +SIR P: I dare the safelier converse--How long, sir, +Since you left England? + +PER: Seven weeks. + +SIR P: So lately! +You have not been with my lord ambassador? + +PER: Not yet, sir. + +SIR P: Pray you, what news, sir, vents our climate? +I heard last night a most strange thing reported +By some of my lord's followers, and I long +To hear how 'twill be seconded. + +PER: What was't, sir? + +SIR P: Marry, sir, of a raven that should build +In a ship royal of the king's. + +PER [ASIDE.]: This fellow, +Does he gull me, trow? or is gull'd? +--Your name, sir. + +SIR P: My name is Politick Would-be. + +PER [ASIDE.]: O, that speaks him. +--A knight, sir? + +SIR P: A poor knight, sir. + +PER: Your lady +Lies here in Venice, for intelligence +Of tires, and fashions, and behaviour, +Among the courtezans? the fine lady Would-be? + +SIR P: Yes, sir; the spider and the bee, ofttimes, +Suck from one flower. + +PER: Good Sir Politick, +I cry you mercy; I have heard much of you: +'Tis true, sir, of your raven. + +SIR P: On your knowledge? + +PER: Yes, and your lion's whelping, in the Tower. + +SIR P: Another whelp! + +PER: Another, sir. + +SIR P: Now heaven! +What prodigies be these? The fires at Berwick! +And the new star! these things concurring, strange, +And full of omen! Saw you those meteors? + +PER: I did, sir. + +SIR P: Fearful! Pray you, sir, confirm me, +Were there three porpoises seen above the bridge, +As they give out? + +PER: Six, and a sturgeon, sir. + +SIR P: I am astonish'd. + +PER: Nay, sir, be not so; +I'll tell you a greater prodigy than these. + +SIR P: What should these things portend? + +PER: The very day +(Let me be sure) that I put forth from London, +There was a whale discover'd in the river, +As high as Woolwich, that had waited there, +Few know how many months, for the subversion +Of the Stode fleet. + +SIR P: Is't possible? believe it, +'Twas either sent from Spain, or the archdukes: +Spinola's whale, upon my life, my credit! +Will they not leave these projects? Worthy sir, +Some other news. + +PER: Faith, Stone the fool is dead; +And they do lack a tavern fool extremely. + +SIR P: Is Mass Stone dead? + +PER: He's dead sir; why, I hope +You thought him not immortal? +[ASIDE.] +--O, this knight, +Were he well known, would be a precious thing +To fit our English stage: he that should write +But such a fellow, should be thought to feign +Extremely, if not maliciously. + +SIR P: Stone dead! + +PER: Dead.--Lord! how deeply sir, you apprehend it? +He was no kinsman to you? + +SIR P: That I know of. +Well! that same fellow was an unknown fool. + +PER: And yet you knew him, it seems? + +SIR P: I did so. Sir, +I knew him one of the most dangerous heads +Living within the state, and so I held him. + +PER: Indeed, sir? + +SIR P: While he lived, in action. +He has received weekly intelligence, +Upon my knowledge, out of the Low Countries, +For all parts of the world, in cabbages; +And those dispensed again to ambassadors, +In oranges, musk-melons, apricocks, +Lemons, pome-citrons, and such-like: sometimes +In Colchester oysters, and your Selsey cockles. + +PER: You make me wonder. + +SIR P: Sir, upon my knowledge. +Nay, I've observed him, at your public ordinary, +Take his advertisement from a traveller +A conceal'd statesman, in a trencher of meat; +And instantly, before the meal was done, +Convey an answer in a tooth-pick. + +PER: Strange! +How could this be, sir? + +SIR P: Why, the meat was cut +So like his character, and so laid, as he +Must easily read the cipher. + +PER: I have heard, +He could not read, sir. + +SIR P: So 'twas given out, +In policy, by those that did employ him: +But he could read, and had your languages, +And to't, as sound a noddle-- + +PER: I have heard, sir, +That your baboons were spies, and that they were +A kind of subtle nation near to China: + +SIR P: Ay, ay, your Mamuluchi. Faith, they had +Their hand in a French plot or two; but they +Were so extremely given to women, as +They made discovery of all: yet I +Had my advices here, on Wednesday last. +From one of their own coat, they were return'd, +Made their relations, as the fashion is, +And now stand fair for fresh employment. + +PER: 'Heart! +[ASIDE.] +This sir Pol will be ignorant of nothing. +--It seems, sir, you know all? + +SIR P: Not all sir, but +I have some general notions. I do love +To note and to observe: though I live out, +Free from the active torrent, yet I'd mark +The currents and the passages of things, +For mine own private use; and know the ebbs, +And flows of state. + +PER: Believe it, sir, I hold +Myself in no small tie unto my fortunes, +For casting me thus luckily upon you, +Whose knowledge, if your bounty equal it, +May do me great assistance, in instruction +For my behaviour, and my bearing, which +Is yet so rude and raw. + +SIR P: Why, came you forth +Empty of rules, for travel? + +PER: Faith, I had +Some common ones, from out that vulgar grammar, +Which he that cried Italian to me, taught me. + +SIR P: Why this it is, that spoils all our brave bloods, +Trusting our hopeful gentry unto pedants, +Fellows of outside, and mere bark. You seem +To be a gentleman, of ingenuous race:-- +I not profess it, but my fate hath been +To be, where I have been consulted with, +In this high kind, touching some great men's sons, +Persons of blood, and honour.-- + +[ENTER MOSCA AND NANO DISGUISED, FOLLOWED BY PERSONS WITH +MATERIALS FOR ERECTING A STAGE.] + +PER: Who be these, sir? + +MOS: Under that window, there 't must be. The same. + +SIR P: Fellows, to mount a bank. Did your instructor +In the dear tongues, never discourse to you +Of the Italian mountebanks? + +PER: Yes, sir. + +SIR P: Why, +Here shall you see one. + +PER: They are quacksalvers; +Fellows, that live by venting oils and drugs. + +SIR P: Was that the character he gave you of them? + +PER: As I remember. + +SIR P: Pity his ignorance. +They are the only knowing men of Europe! +Great general scholars, excellent physicians, +Most admired statesmen, profest favourites, +And cabinet counsellors to the greatest princes; +The only languaged men of all the world! + +PER: And, I have heard, they are most lewd impostors; +Made all of terms and shreds; no less beliers +Of great men's favours, than their own vile med'cines; +Which they will utter upon monstrous oaths: +Selling that drug for two-pence, ere they part, +Which they have valued at twelve crowns before. + +SIR P: Sir, calumnies are answer'd best with silence. +Yourself shall judge.--Who is it mounts, my friends? + +MOS: Scoto of Mantua, sir. + +SIR P: Is't he? Nay, then +I'll proudly promise, sir, you shall behold +Another man than has been phant'sied to you. +I wonder yet, that he should mount his bank, +Here in this nook, that has been wont t'appear +In face of the Piazza!--Here, he comes. + +[ENTER VOLPONE, DISGUISED AS A MOUNTEBANK DOCTOR, AND +FOLLOWED BY A CROWD OF PEOPLE.] + +VOLP [TO NANO.]: Mount zany. + +MOB: Follow, follow, follow, follow! + +SIR P: See how the people follow him! he's a man +May write ten thousand crowns in bank here. Note, +[VOLPONE MOUNTS THE STAGE.] +Mark but his gesture:--I do use to observe +The state he keeps in getting up. + +PER: 'Tis worth it, sir. + +VOLP: Most noble gentlemen, and my worthy patrons! It may seem +strange, that I, your Scoto Mantuano, who was ever wont to fix +my bank in face of the public Piazza, near the shelter of the +Portico to the Procuratia, should now, after eight months' +absence from this illustrious city of Venice, humbly retire +myself into an obscure nook of the Piazza. + +SIR P: Did not I now object the same? + +PER: Peace, sir. + +VOLP: Let me tell you: I am not, as your Lombard proverb saith, +cold on my feet; or content to part with my commodities at a +cheaper rate, than I accustomed: look not for it. Nor that the +calumnious reports of that impudent detractor, and shame to our +profession, (Alessandro Buttone, I mean,) who gave out, in +public, I was condemn'd a sforzato to the galleys, for +poisoning the cardinal Bembo's--cook, hath at all attached, +much less dejected me. No, no, worthy gentlemen; to tell you +true, I cannot endure to see the rabble of these ground +ciarlitani, that spread their cloaks on the pavement, as if +they meant to do feats of activity, and then come in lamely, +with their mouldy tales out of Boccacio, like stale Tabarine, +the fabulist: some of them discoursing their travels, and of +their tedious captivity in the Turks' galleys, when, indeed, +were the truth known, they were the Christians' galleys, where +very temperately they eat bread, and drunk water, as a +wholesome penance, enjoined them by their confessors, for base +pilferies. + +SIR P: Note but his bearing, and contempt of these. + +VOLP: These turdy-facy-nasty-paty-lousy-fartical rogues, with +one poor groat's-worth of unprepared antimony, finely wrapt up +in several scartoccios, are able, very well, to kill their +twenty a week, and play; yet, these meagre, starved spirits, +who have half stopt the organs of their minds with earthy +oppilations, want not their favourers among your shrivell'd +sallad-eating artizans, who are overjoyed that they may have +their half-pe'rth of physic; though it purge them into another +world, it makes no matter. + +SIR P: Excellent! have you heard better language, sir? + +VOLP: Well, let them go. And, gentlemen, honourable gentlemen, +know, that for this time, our bank, being thus removed from the +clamours of the canaglia, shall be the scene of pleasure and +delight; for I have nothing to sell, little or nothing to sell. + +SIR P: I told you, sir, his end. + +PER: You did so, sir. + +VOLP: I protest, I, and my six servants, are not able to make +of this precious liquor, so fast as it is fetch'd away from my +lodging by gentlemen of your city; strangers of the Terra-firma; +worshipful merchants; ay, and senators too: who, ever since my +arrival, have detained me to their uses, by their splendidous +liberalities. And worthily; for, what avails your rich man to +have his magazines stuft with moscadelli, or of the purest +grape, when his physicians prescribe him, on pain of death, +to drink nothing but water cocted with aniseeds? O health! +health! the blessing of the rich, the riches of the poor! who +can buy thee at too dear a rate, since there is no enjoying +this world without thee? Be not then so sparing of your purses, +honourable gentlemen, as to abridge the natural course of life-- + +PER: You see his end. + +SIR P: Ay, is't not good? + +VOLP: For, when a humid flux, or catarrh, by the mutability of +air, falls from your head into an arm or shoulder, or any other +part; take you a ducat, or your chequin of gold, and apply to +the place affected: see what good effect it can work. No, no, +'tis this blessed unguento, this rare extraction, that hath +only power to disperse all malignant humours, that proceed +either of hot, cold, moist, or windy causes-- + +PER: I would he had put in dry too. + +SIR P: 'Pray you, observe. + +VOLP: To fortify the most indigest and crude stomach, ay, were +it of one, that, through extreme weakness, vomited blood, +applying only a warm napkin to the place, after the unction +and fricace;--for the vertigine in the head, putting but a drop +into your nostrils, likewise behind the ears; a most sovereign +and approved remedy. The mal caduco, cramps, convulsions, +paralysies, epilepsies, tremor-cordia, retired nerves, ill +vapours of the spleen, stopping of the liver, the stone, the +strangury, hernia ventosa, iliaca passio; stops a disenteria +immediately; easeth the torsion of the small guts: and cures +melancholia hypocondriaca, being taken and applied according to +my printed receipt. +[POINTING TO HIS BILL AND HIS VIAL.] +For, this is the physician, this the medicine; this counsels, +this cures; this gives the direction, this works the effect; +and, in sum, both together may be termed an abstract of the +theorick and practick in the Aesculapian art. 'Twill cost you +eight crowns. And,--Zan Fritada, prithee sing a verse extempore +in honour of it. + +SIR P: How do you like him, sir? + +PER: Most strangely, I! + +SIR P: Is not his language rare? + +PER: But alchemy, +I never heard the like: or Broughton's books. + +NANO [SINGS.]: Had old Hippocrates, or Galen, +That to their books put med'cines all in, +But known this secret, they had never +(Of which they will be guilty ever) +Been murderers of so much paper, +Or wasted many a hurtless taper; +No Indian drug had e'er been famed, +Tabacco, sassafras not named; +Ne yet, of guacum one small stick, sir, +Nor Raymund Lully's great elixir. +Ne had been known the Danish Gonswart, +Or Paracelsus, with his long-sword. + +PER: All this, yet, will not do, eight crowns is high. + +VOLP: No more.--Gentlemen, if I had but time to discourse to you +the miraculous effects of this my oil, surnamed Oglio del Scoto; +with the countless catalogue of those I have cured of the +aforesaid, and many more diseases; the pattents and privileges of +all the princes and commonwealths of Christendom; or but the +depositions of those that appeared on my part, before the signiory +of the Sanita and most learned College of Physicians; where I was +authorised, upon notice taken of the admirable virtues of my +medicaments, and mine own excellency in matter of rare and unknown +secrets, not only to disperse them publicly in this famous city, +but in all the territories, that happily joy under the government +of the most pious and magnificent states of Italy. But may some +other gallant fellow say, O, there be divers that make profession +to have as good, and as experimented receipts as yours: indeed, +very many have assayed, like apes, in imitation of that, which is +really and essentially in me, to make of this oil; bestowed great +cost in furnaces, stills, alembecks, continual fires, and +preparation of the ingredients, (as indeed there goes to it six +hundred several simples, besides some quantity of human fat, for +the conglutination, which we buy of the anatomists,) but, when +these practitioners come to the last decoction, blow, blow, puff, +puff, and all flies in fumo: ha, ha, ha! Poor wretches! I rather +pity their folly and indiscretion, than their loss of time and +money; for these may be recovered by industry: but to be a fool +born, is a disease incurable. +For myself, I always from my youth have endeavoured to get the +rarest secrets, and book them, either in exchange, or for money; +I spared nor cost nor labour, where any thing was worthy to be +learned. And gentlemen, honourable gentlemen, I will undertake, +by virtue of chemical art, out of the honourable hat that covers +your head, to extract the four elements; that is to say, the +fire, air, water, and earth, and return you your felt without +burn or stain. For, whilst others have been at the Balloo, I +have been at my book; and am now past the craggy paths of study, +and come to the flowery plains of honour and reputation. + +SIR P: I do assure you, sir, that is his aim. + +VOLP: But, to our price-- + +PER: And that withal, sir Pol. + +VOLP: You all know, honourable gentlemen, I never valued this +ampulla, or vial, at less than eight crowns, but for this time, +I am content, to be deprived of it for six; six crowns is the +price; and less, in courtesy I know you cannot offer me; take it, +or leave it, howsoever, both it and I am at your service. I ask +you not as the value of the thing, for then I should demand of +you a thousand crowns, so the cardinals Montalto, Fernese, the +great Duke of Tuscany, my gossip, with divers other princes, have +given me; but I despise money. Only to shew my affection to you, +honourable gentlemen, and your illustrious State here, I have +neglected the messages of these princes, mine own offices, +framed my journey hither, only to present you with the fruits of +my travels.--Tune your voices once more to the touch of your +instruments, and give the honourable assembly some delightful +recreation. + +PER: What monstrous and most painful circumstance +Is here, to get some three or four gazettes, +Some three-pence in the whole! for that 'twill come to. + +NANO [SINGS.]: You that would last long, list to my song, +Make no more coil, but buy of this oil. +Would you be ever fair and young? +Stout of teeth, and strong of tongue? +Tart of palate? quick of ear? +Sharp of sight? of nostril clear? +Moist of hand? and light of foot? +Or, I will come nearer to't, +Would you live free from all diseases? +Do the act your mistress pleases; +Yet fright all aches from your bones? +Here's a med'cine, for the nones. + +VOLP: Well, I am in a humour at this time to make a present of +the small quantity my coffer contains; to the rich, in +courtesy, and to the poor for God's sake. Wherefore now mark: +I ask'd you six crowns, and six crowns, at other times, you +have paid me; you shall not give me six crowns, nor five, nor +four, nor three, nor two, nor one; nor half a ducat; no, nor a +moccinigo. Sixpence it will cost you, or six hundred pound-- +expect no lower price, for, by the banner of my front, I will +not bate a bagatine, that I will have, only, a pledge of your +loves, to carry something from amongst you, to shew I am not +contemn'd by you. Therefore, now, toss your handkerchiefs, +cheerfully, cheerfully; and be advertised, that the first +heroic spirit that deignes to grace me with a handkerchief, I +will give it a little remembrance of something, beside, shall +please it better, than if I had presented it with a double +pistolet. + +PER: Will you be that heroic spark, sir Pol? +[CELIA AT A WINDOW ABOVE, THROWS DOWN HER HANDKERCHIEF.] +O see! the window has prevented you. + +VOLP: Lady, I kiss your bounty; and for this timely grace you +have done your poor Scoto of Mantua, I will return you, over and +above my oil, a secret of that high and inestimable nature, +shall make you for ever enamour'd on that minute, wherein your +eye first descended on so mean, yet not altogether to be +despised, an object. Here is a powder conceal'd in this paper, +of which, if I should speak to the worth, nine thousand volumes +were but as one page, that page as a line, that line as a word; +so short is this pilgrimage of man (which some call life) to the +expressing of it. Would I reflect on the price? why, the whole +world is but as an empire, that empire as a province, that +province as a bank, that bank as a private purse to the purchase +of it. I will only tell you; it is the powder that made Venus a +goddess (given her by Apollo,) that kept her perpetually young, +clear'd her wrinkles, firm'd her gums, fill'd her skin, colour'd +her hair; from her deriv'd to Helen, and at the sack of Troy +unfortunately lost: till now, in this our age, it was as happily +recovered, by a studious antiquary, out of some ruins of Asia, +who sent a moiety of it to the court of France, (but much +sophisticated,) wherewith the ladies there, now, colour their +hair. The rest, at this present, remains with me; extracted to a +quintessence: so that, whereever it but touches, in youth it +perpetually preserves, in age restores the complexion; seats your +teeth, did they dance like virginal jacks, firm as a wall; makes +them white as ivory, that were black, as-- + +[ENTER CORVINO.] + +COR: Spight o' the devil, and my shame! come down here; +Come down;--No house but mine to make your scene? +Signior Flaminio, will you down, sir? down? +What, is my wife your Franciscina, sir? +No windows on the whole Piazza, here, +To make your properties, but mine? but mine? +[BEATS AWAY VOLPONE, NANO, ETC.] +Heart! ere to-morrow, I shall be new-christen'd, +And call'd the Pantalone di Besogniosi, +About the town. + +PER: What should this mean, sir Pol? + +SIR P: Some trick of state, believe it. I will home. + +PER: It may be some design on you: + +SIR P: I know not. +I'll stand upon my guard. + +PER: It is your best, sir. + +SIR P: This three weeks, all my advices, all my letters, +They have been intercepted. + +PER: Indeed, sir! +Best have a care. + +SIR P: Nay, so I will. + +PER: This knight, +I may not lose him, for my mirth, till night. + +[EXEUNT.] + +SCENE 2.2. + +A ROOM IN VOLPONE'S HOUSE. + +ENTER VOLPONE AND MOSCA. + +VOLP: O, I am wounded! + +MOS: Where, sir? + +VOLP: Not without; +Those blows were nothing: I could bear them ever. +But angry Cupid, bolting from her eyes, +Hath shot himself into me like a flame; +Where, now, he flings about his burning heat, +As in a furnace an ambitious fire, +Whose vent is stopt. The fight is all within me. +I cannot live, except thou help me, Mosca; +My liver melts, and I, without the hope +Of some soft air, from her refreshing breath, +Am but a heap of cinders. + +MOS: 'Las, good sir, +Would you had never seen her! + +VOLP: Nay, would thou +Had'st never told me of her! + +MOS: Sir 'tis true; +I do confess I was unfortunate, +And you unhappy: but I'm bound in conscience, +No less than duty, to effect my best +To your release of torment, and I will, sir. + +VOLP: Dear Mosca, shall I hope? + +MOS: Sir, more than dear, +I will not bid you to dispair of aught +Within a human compass. + +VOLP: O, there spoke +My better angel. Mosca, take my keys, +Gold, plate, and jewels, all's at thy devotion; +Employ them how thou wilt; nay, coin me too: +So thou, in this, but crown my longings, Mosca. + +MOS: Use but your patience. + +VOLP: So I have. + +MOS: I doubt not +To bring success to your desires. + +VOLP: Nay, then, +I not repent me of my late disguise. + +MOS: If you can horn him, sir, you need not. + +VOLP: True: +Besides, I never meant him for my heir.-- +Is not the colour of my beard and eyebrows, +To make me known? + +MOS: No jot. + +VOLP: I did it well. + +MOS: So well, would I could follow you in mine, +With half the happiness! +[ASIDE.] +--and yet I would +Escape your Epilogue. + +VOLP: But were they gull'd +With a belief that I was Scoto? + +MOS: Sir, +Scoto himself could hardly have distinguish'd! +I have not time to flatter you now; we'll part; +And as I prosper, so applaud my art. + +[EXEUNT.] + + +SCENE 2.3. + +A ROOM IN CORVINO'S HOUSE. + +ENTER CORVINO, WITH HIS SWORD IN HIS HAND, DRAGGING +IN CELIA. + +CORV: Death of mine honour, with the city's fool! +A juggling, tooth-drawing, prating mountebank! +And at a public window! where, whilst he, +With his strain'd action, and his dole of faces, +To his drug-lecture draws your itching ears, +A crew of old, unmarried, noted letchers, +Stood leering up like satyrs; and you smile +Most graciously, and fan your favours forth, +To give your hot spectators satisfaction! +What; was your mountebank their call? their whistle? +Or were you enamour'd on his copper rings, +His saffron jewel, with the toad-stone in't, +Or his embroider'd suit, with the cope-stitch, +Made of a herse-cloth? or his old tilt-feather? +Or his starch'd beard? Well; you shall have him, yes! +He shall come home, and minister unto you +The fricace for the mother. Or, let me see, +I think you'd rather mount; would you not mount? +Why, if you'll mount, you may; yes truly, you may: +And so you may be seen, down to the foot. +Get you a cittern, lady Vanity, +And be a dealer with the virtuous man; +Make one: I'll but protest myself a cuckold, +And save your dowry. I'm a Dutchman, I! +For, if you thought me an Italian, +You would be damn'd, ere you did this, you whore! +Thou'dst tremble, to imagine, that the murder +Of father, mother, brother, all thy race, +Should follow, as the subject of my justice. + +CEL: Good sir, have pacience. + +CORV: What couldst thou propose +Less to thyself, than in this heat of wrath +And stung with my dishonour, I should strike +This steel into thee, with as many stabs, +As thou wert gaz'd upon with goatish eyes? + +CEL: Alas, sir, be appeas'd! I could not think +My being at the window should more now +Move your impatience, than at other times. + +CORV: No! not to seek and entertain a parley +With a known knave, before a multitude! +You were an actor with your handkerchief; +Which he most sweetly kist in the receipt, +And might, no doubt, return it with a letter, +And point the place where you might meet: your sister's, +Your mother's, or your aunt's might serve the turn. + +CEL: Why, dear sir, when do I make these excuses, +Or ever stir abroad, but to the church? +And that so seldom-- + +CORV: Well, it shall be less; +And thy restraint before was liberty, +To what I now decree: and therefore mark me. +First, I will have this bawdy light damm'd up; +And till't be done, some two or three yards off, +I'll chalk a line: o'er which if thou but chance +To set thy desperate foot; more hell, more horror +More wild remorseless rage shall seize on thee, +Than on a conjurer, that had heedless left +His circle's safety ere his devil was laid. +Then here's a lock which I will hang upon thee; +And, now I think on't, I will keep thee backwards; +Thy lodging shall be backwards; thy walks backwards; +Thy prospect, all be backwards; and no pleasure, +That thou shalt know but backwards: nay, since you force +My honest nature, know, it is your own, +Being too open, makes me use you thus: +Since you will not contain your subtle nostrils +In a sweet room, but they must snuff the air +Of rank and sweaty passengers. +[KNOCKING WITHIN.] +--One knocks. +Away, and be not seen, pain of thy life; +Nor look toward the window: if thou dost-- +Nay, stay, hear this--let me not prosper, whore, +But I will make thee an anatomy, +Dissect thee mine own self, and read a lecture +Upon thee to the city, and in public. +Away! +[EXIT CELIA.] +[ENTER SERVANT.] +Who's there? + +SERV: 'Tis signior Mosca, sir. + +CORV: Let him come in. +[EXIT SERVANT.] +His master's dead: There's yet +Some good to help the bad.-- +[ENTER MOSCA.] +My Mosca, welcome! +I guess your news. + +MOS: I fear you cannot, sir. + +CORV: Is't not his death? + +MOS: Rather the contrary. + +CORV: Not his recovery? + +MOS: Yes, sir, + +CORV: I am curs'd, +I am bewitch'd, my crosses meet to vex me. +How? how? how? how? + +MOS: Why, sir, with Scoto's oil; +Corbaccio and Voltore brought of it, +Whilst I was busy in an inner room-- + +CORV: Death! that damn'd mountebank; but for the law +Now, I could kill the rascal: it cannot be, +His oil should have that virtue. Have not I +Known him a common rogue, come fidling in +To the osteria, with a tumbling whore, +And, when he has done all his forced tricks, been glad +Of a poor spoonful of dead wine, with flies in't? +It cannot be. All his ingredients +Are a sheep's gall, a roasted bitch's marrow, +Some few sod earwigs pounded caterpillars, +A little capon's grease, and fasting spittle: +I know them to a dram. + +MOS: I know not, sir, +But some on't, there, they pour'd into his ears, +Some in his nostrils, and recover'd him; +Applying but the fricace. + +CORV: Pox o' that fricace. + +MOS: And since, to seem the more officious +And flatt'ring of his health, there, they have had, +At extreme fees, the college of physicians +Consulting on him, how they might restore him; +Where one would have a cataplasm of spices, +Another a flay'd ape clapp'd to his breast, +A third would have it a dog, a fourth an oil, +With wild cats' skins: at last, they all resolved +That, to preserve him, was no other means, +But some young woman must be straight sought out, +Lusty, and full of juice, to sleep by him; +And to this service, most unhappily, +And most unwillingly, am I now employ'd, +Which here I thought to pre-acquaint you with, +For your advice, since it concerns you most; +Because, I would not do that thing might cross +Your ends, on whom I have my whole dependance, sir: +Yet, if I do it not, they may delate +My slackness to my patron, work me out +Of his opinion; and there all your hopes, +Ventures, or whatsoever, are all frustrate! +I do but tell you, sir. Besides, they are all +Now striving, who shall first present him; therefore-- +I could entreat you, briefly conclude somewhat; +Prevent them if you can. + +CORV: Death to my hopes, +This is my villainous fortune! Best to hire +Some common courtezan. + +MOS: Ay, I thought on that, sir; +But they are all so subtle, full of art-- +And age again doting and flexible, +So as--I cannot tell--we may, perchance, +Light on a quean may cheat us all. + +CORV: 'Tis true. + +MOS: No, no: it must be one that has no tricks, sir, +Some simple thing, a creature made unto it; +Some wench you may command. Have you no kinswoman? +Odso--Think, think, think, think, think, think, think, sir. +One o' the doctors offer'd there his daughter. + +CORV: How! + +MOS: Yes, signior Lupo, the physician. + +CORV: His daughter! + +MOS: And a virgin, sir. Why? alas, +He knows the state of's body, what it is; +That nought can warm his blood sir, but a fever; +Nor any incantation raise his spirit: +A long forgetfulness hath seized that part. +Besides sir, who shall know it? some one or two-- + +CORV: I prithee give me leave. +[WALKS ASIDE.] +If any man +But I had had this luck--The thing in't self, +I know, is nothing--Wherefore should not I +As well command my blood and my affections, +As this dull doctor? In the point of honour, +The cases are all one of wife and daughter. + +MOS [ASIDE.]: I hear him coming. + +CORV: She shall do't: 'tis done. +Slight! if this doctor, who is not engaged, +Unless 't be for his counsel, which is nothing, +Offer his daughter, what should I, that am +So deeply in? I will prevent him: Wretch! +Covetous wretch!--Mosca, I have determined. + +MOS: How, sir? + +CORV: We'll make all sure. The party you wot of +Shall be mine own wife, Mosca. + +MOS: Sir, the thing, +But that I would not seem to counsel you, +I should have motion'd to you, at the first: +And make your count, you have cut all their throats. +Why! 'tis directly taking a possession! +And in his next fit, we may let him go. +'Tis but to pull the pillow from his head, +And he is throttled: it had been done before, +But for your scrupulous doubts. + +CORV: Ay, a plague on't, +My conscience fools my wit! Well, I'll be brief, +And so be thou, lest they should be before us: +Go home, prepare him, tell him with what zeal +And willingness I do it; swear it was +On the first hearing, as thou mayst do, truly, +Mine own free motion. + +MOS: Sir, I warrant you, +I'll so possess him with it, that the rest +Of his starv'd clients shall be banish'd all; +And only you received. But come not, sir, +Until I send, for I have something else +To ripen for your good, you must not know't. + +CORV: But do not you forget to send now. + +MOS: Fear not. + +[EXIT.] + +CORV: Where are you, wife? my Celia? wife? +[RE-ENTER CELIA.] +--What, blubbering? +Come, dry those tears. I think thou thought'st me in earnest; +Ha! by this light I talk'd so but to try thee: +Methinks the lightness of the occasion +Should have confirm'd thee. Come, I am not jealous. + +CEL: No! + +CORV: Faith I am not I, nor never was; +It is a poor unprofitable humour. +Do not I know, if women have a will, +They'll do 'gainst all the watches of the world, +And that the feircest spies are tamed with gold? +Tut, I am confident in thee, thou shalt see't; +And see I'll give thee cause too, to believe it. +Come kiss me. Go, and make thee ready, straight, +In all thy best attire, thy choicest jewels, +Put them all on, and, with them, thy best looks: +We are invited to a solemn feast, +At old Volpone's, where it shall appear +How far I am free from jealousy or fear. + +[exeunt.] + +ACT 3. SCENE 3.1. + +A STREET. + +ENTER MOSCA. + +MOS: I fear, I shall begin to grow in love +With my dear self, and my most prosperous parts, +They do so spring and burgeon; I can feel +A whimsy in my blood: I know not how, +Success hath made me wanton. I could skip +Out of my skin, now, like a subtle snake, +I am so limber. O! your parasite +Is a most precious thing, dropt from above, +Not bred 'mongst clods, and clodpoles, here on earth. +I muse, the mystery was not made a science, +It is so liberally profest! almost +All the wise world is little else, in nature, +But parasites, or sub-parasites.--And yet, +I mean not those that have your bare town-art, +To know who's fit to feed them; have no house, +No family, no care, and therefore mould +Tales for men's ears, to bait that sense; or get +Kitchen-invention, and some stale receipts +To please the belly, and the groin; nor those, +With their court dog-tricks, that can fawn and fleer, +Make their revenue out of legs and faces, +Echo my lord, and lick away a moth: +But your fine elegant rascal, that can rise, +And stoop, almost together, like an arrow; +Shoot through the air as nimbly as a star; +Turn short as doth a swallow; and be here, +And there, and here, and yonder, all at once; +Present to any humour, all occasion; +And change a visor, swifter than a thought! +This is the creature had the art born with him; +Toils not to learn it, but doth practise it +Out of most excellent nature: and such sparks +Are the true parasites, others but their zanis. + +[ENTER BONARIO.] + +MOS: Who's this? Bonario, old Corbaccio's son? +The person I was bound to seek.--Fair sir, +You are happily met. + +BON: That cannot be by thee. + +MOS: Why, sir? + +BON: Nay, pray thee know thy way, and leave me: +I would be loth to interchange discourse +With such a mate as thou art + +MOS: Courteous sir, +Scorn not my poverty. + +BON: Not I, by heaven; +But thou shalt give me leave to hate thy baseness. + +MOS: Baseness! + +BON: Ay; answer me, is not thy sloth +Sufficient argument? thy flattery? +Thy means of feeding? + +MOS: Heaven be good to me! +These imputations are too common, sir, +And easily stuck on virtue when she's poor. +You are unequal to me, and however, +Your sentence may be righteous, yet you are not +That, ere you know me, thus proceed in censure: +St. Mark bear witness 'gainst you, 'tis inhuman. +[WEEPS.] + +BON [ASIDE.]: What! does he weep? the sign is soft and good; +I do repent me that I was so harsh. + +MOS: 'Tis true, that, sway'd by strong necessity, +I am enforced to eat my careful bread +With too much obsequy; 'tis true, beside, +That I am fain to spin mine own poor raiment +Out of my mere observance, being not born +To a free fortune: but that I have done +Base offices, in rending friends asunder, +Dividing families, betraying counsels, +Whispering false lies, or mining men with praises, +Train'd their credulity with perjuries, +Corrupted chastity, or am in love +With mine own tender ease, but would not rather +Prove the most rugged, and laborious course, +That might redeem my present estimation, +Let me here perish, in all hope of goodness. + +BON [ASIDE.]: This cannot be a personated passion.-- +I was to blame, so to mistake thy nature; +Prithee, forgive me: and speak out thy business. + +MOS: Sir, it concerns you; and though I may seem, +At first to make a main offence in manners, +And in my gratitude unto my master; +Yet, for the pure love, which I bear all right, +And hatred of the wrong, I must reveal it. +This very hour your father is in purpose +To disinherit you-- + +BON: How! + +MOS: And thrust you forth, +As a mere stranger to his blood; 'tis true, sir: +The work no way engageth me, but, as +I claim an interest in the general state +Of goodness and true virtue, which I hear +To abound in you: and, for which mere respect, +Without a second aim, sir, I have done it. + +BON: This tale hath lost thee much of the late trust +Thou hadst with me; it is impossible: +I know not how to lend it any thought, +My father should be so unnatural. + +MOS: It is a confidence that well becomes +Your piety; and form'd, no doubt, it is +From your own simple innocence: which makes +Your wrong more monstrous, and abhorr'd. But, sir, +I now will tell you more. This very minute, +It is, or will be doing; and, if you +Shall be but pleas'd to go with me, I'll bring you, +I dare not say where you shall see, but where +Your ear shall be a witness of the deed; +Hear yourself written bastard; and profest +The common issue of the earth. + +BON: I am amazed! + +MOS: Sir, if I do it not, draw your just sword, +And score your vengeance on my front and face; +Mark me your villain: you have too much wrong, +And I do suffer for you, sir. My heart +Weeps blood in anguish-- + +BON: Lead; I follow thee. + +[EXEUNT.] + +SCENE 3.2. + +A ROOM IN VOLPONE'S HOUSE. + +ENTER VOLPONE. + +VOLP: Mosca stays long, methinks. Bring forth your sports, +And help to make the wretched time more sweet. + +[ENTER NANO, ANDROGYNO, AND CASTRONE.] + +NAN: Dwarf, fool, and eunuch, well met here we be. +A question it were now, whether of us three, +Being all the known delicates of a rich man, +In pleasing him, claim the precedency can? + +CAS: I claim for myself. + +AND: And so doth the fool. + +NAN: 'Tis foolish indeed: let me set you both to school. +First for your dwarf, he's little and witty, +And every thing, as it is little, is pretty; +Else why do men say to a creature of my shape, +So soon as they see him, It's a pretty little ape? +And why a pretty ape, but for pleasing imitation +Of greater men's actions, in a ridiculous fashion? +Beside, this feat body of mine doth not crave +Half the meat, drink, and cloth, one of your bulks will have. +Admit your fool's face be the mother of laughter, +Yet, for his brain, it must always come after: +And though that do feed him, 'tis a pitiful case, +His body is beholding to such a bad face. + +[KNOCKING WITHIN.] + +VOLP: Who's there? my couch; away! look! Nano, see: +[EXE. AND. AND CAS.] +Give me my caps, first--go, enquire. +[EXIT NANO.] +--Now, Cupid +Send it be Mosca, and with fair return! + +NAN [WITHIN.]: It is the beauteous madam-- + +VOLP: Would-be?--is it? + +NAN: The same. + +VOLP: Now torment on me! Squire her in; +For she will enter, or dwell here for ever: +Nay, quickly. +[RETIRES TO HIS COUCH.] +--That my fit were past! I fear +A second hell too, that my lothing this +Will quite expel my appetite to the other: +Would she were taking now her tedious leave. +Lord, how it threats me what I am to suffer! + +[RE-ENTER NANO, WITH LADY POLITICK WOULD-BE.] + +LADY P: I thank you, good sir. 'Pray you signify +Unto your patron, I am here.--This band +Shews not my neck enough.--I trouble you, sir; +Let me request you, bid one of my women +Come hither to me.--In good faith, I, am drest +Most favorably, to-day! It is no matter: +'Tis well enough.-- +[ENTER 1 WAITING-WOMAN.] +Look, see, these petulant things, +How they have done this! + +VOLP [ASIDE.]: I do feel the fever +Entering in at mine ears; O, for a charm, +To fright it hence. + +LADY P: Come nearer: Is this curl +In his right place, or this? Why is this higher +Then all the rest? You have not wash'd your eyes, yet! +Or do they not stand even in your head? +Where is your fellow? call her. + +[EXIT 1 WOMAN.] + +NAN: Now, St. Mark +Deliver us! anon, she will beat her women, +Because her nose is red. + +[RE-ENTER 1 WITH 2 WOMAN.] + +LADY P: I pray you, view +This tire, forsooth; are all things apt, or no? + +1 WOM: One hair a little, here, sticks out, forsooth. + +LADY P: Does't so, forsooth? and where was your dear sight, +When it did so, forsooth! What now! bird-eyed? +And you too? 'Pray you, both approach and mend it. +Now, by that light, I muse you are not ashamed! +I, that have preach'd these things so oft unto you, +Read you the principles, argued all the grounds, +Disputed every fitness, every grace, +Call'd you to counsel of so frequent dressings-- + +NAN [ASIDE.]: More carefully than of your fame or honour. + +LADY P: Made you acquainted, what an ample dowry +The knowledge of these things would be unto you, +Able, alone, to get you noble husbands +At your return: and you thus to neglect it! +Besides you seeing what a curious nation +The Italians are, what will they say of me? +"The English lady cannot dress herself." +Here's a fine imputation to our country: +Well, go your ways, and stay, in the next room. +This fucus was too course too, it's no matter.-- +Good-sir, you will give them entertainment? + +[EXEUNT NANO AND WAITING-WOMEN.] + +VOLP: The storm comes toward me. + +LADY P [GOES TO THE COUCH.]: How does my Volpone? + +VOLP: Troubled with noise, I cannot sleep; I dreamt +That a strange fury enter'd, now, my house, +And, with the dreadful tempest of her breath, +Did cleave my roof asunder. + +LADY P: Believe me, and I +Had the most fearful dream, could I remember't-- + +VOLP [ASIDE.]: Out on my fate! I have given her the occasion +How to torment me: she will tell me hers. + +LADY P: Me thought, the golden mediocrity, +Polite and delicate-- + +VOLP: O, if you do love me, +No more; I sweat, and suffer, at the mention +Of any dream: feel, how I tremble yet. + +LADY P: Alas, good soul! the passion of the heart. +Seed-pearl were good now, boil'd with syrup of apples, +Tincture of gold, and coral, citron-pills, +Your elicampane root, myrobalanes-- + +VOLP [ASIDE.]: Ah me, I have ta'en a grass-hopper by the wing! + +LADY P: Burnt silk, and amber: you have muscadel +Good in the house-- + +VOLP: You will not drink, and part? + +LADY P: No, fear not that. I doubt, we shall not get +Some English saffron, half a dram would serve; +Your sixteen cloves, a little musk, dried mints, +Bugloss, and barley-meal-- + +VOLP [ASIDE.]: She's in again! +Before I fain'd diseases, now I have one. + +LADY P: And these applied with a right scarlet cloth. + +VOLP [ASIDE.]: Another flood of words! a very torrent! + +LADY P: Shall I, sir, make you a poultice? + +VOLP: No, no, no; +I am very well: you need prescribe no more. + +LADY P: I have a little studied physic; but now, +I'm all for music, save, in the forenoons, +An hour or two for painting. I would have +A lady, indeed, to have all, letters, and arts, +Be able to discourse, to write, to paint, +But principal, as Plato holds, your music, +And, so does wise Pythagoras, I take it, +Is your true rapture: when there is concent +In face, in voice, and clothes: and is, indeed, +Our sex's chiefest ornament. + +VOLP: The poet +As old in time as Plato, and as knowing, +Says that your highest female grace is silence. + +LADY P: Which of your poets? Petrarch, or Tasso, or Dante? +Guarini? Ariosto? Aretine? +Cieco di Hadria? I have read them all. + +VOLP [ASIDE.]: Is every thing a cause to my distruction? + +LADY P: I think I have two or three of them about me. + +VOLP [ASIDE.]: The sun, the sea will sooner both stand still, +Then her eternal tongue; nothing can 'scape it. + +LADY P: Here's pastor Fido-- + +VOLP [ASIDE.]: Profess obstinate silence, +That's now my safest. + +LADY P: All our English writers, +I mean such as are happy in the Italian, +Will deign to steal out of this author, mainly: +Almost as much, as from Montagnie; +He has so modern and facile a vein, +Fitting the time, and catching the court-ear! +Your Petrarch is more passionate, yet he, +In days of sonetting, trusted them with much: +Dante is hard, and few can understand him. +But, for a desperate wit, there's Aretine; +Only, his pictures are a little obscene-- +You mark me not. + +VOLP: Alas, my mind is perturb'd. + +LADY P: Why, in such cases, we must cure ourselves, +Make use of our philosophy-- + +VOLP: Oh me! + +LADY P: And as we find our passions do rebel, +Encounter them with reason, or divert them, +By giving scope unto some other humour +Of lesser danger: as, in politic bodies, +There's nothing more doth overwhelm the judgment, +And cloud the understanding, than too much +Settling and fixing, and, as 'twere, subsiding +Upon one object. For the incorporating +Of these same outward things, into that part, +Which we call mental, leaves some certain faeces +That stop the organs, and as Plato says, +Assassinate our Knowledge. + +VOLP [ASIDE.]: Now, the spirit +Of patience help me! + +LADY P: Come, in faith, I must +Visit you more a days; and make you well: +Laugh and be lusty. + +VOLP [ASIDE.]: My good angel save me! + +LADY P: There was but one sole man in all the world, +With whom I e'er could sympathise; and he +Would lie you, often, three, four hours together +To hear me speak; and be sometimes so rapt, +As he would answer me quite from the purpose, +Like you, and you are like him, just. I'll discourse, +An't be but only, sir, to bring you asleep, +How we did spend our time and loves together, +For some six years. + +VOLP: Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh! + +LADY P: For we were coaetanei, and brought up-- + +VOLP: Some power, some fate, some fortune rescue me! + +[ENTER MOSCA.] + +MOS: God save you, madam! + +LADY P: Good sir. + +VOLP: Mosca? welcome, +Welcome to my redemption. + +MOS: Why, sir? + +VOLP: Oh, +Rid me of this my torture, quickly, there; +My madam, with the everlasting voice: +The bells, in time of pestilence, ne'er made +Like noise, or were in that perpetual motion! +The Cock-pit comes not near it. All my house, +But now, steam'd like a bath with her thick breath. +A lawyer could not have been heard; nor scarce +Another woman, such a hail of words +She has let fall. For hell's sake, rid her hence. + +MOS: Has she presented? + +VOLP: O, I do not care; +I'll take her absence, upon any price, +With any loss. + +MOS: Madam-- + +LADY P: I have brought your patron +A toy, a cap here, of mine own work. + +MOS: 'Tis well. +I had forgot to tell you, I saw your knight, +Where you would little think it.-- + +LADY P: Where? + +MOS: Marry, +Where yet, if you make haste, you may apprehend, +Rowing upon the water in a gondole, +With the most cunning courtezan of Venice. + +LADY P: Is't true? + +MOS: Pursue them, and believe your eyes; +Leave me, to make your gift. +[EXIT LADY P. HASTILY.] +--I knew 'twould take: +For, lightly, they, that use themselves most license, +Are still most jealous. + +VOLP: Mosca, hearty thanks, +For thy quick fiction, and delivery of me. +Now to my hopes, what say'st thou? + +[RE-ENTER LADY P. WOULD-BE.] + +LADY P: But do you hear, sir?-- + +VOLP: Again! I fear a paroxysm. + +LADY P: Which way +Row'd they together? + +MOS: Toward the Rialto. + +LADY P: I pray you lend me your dwarf. + +MOS: I pray you, take him.-- +[EXIT LADY P.] +Your hopes, sir, are like happy blossoms, fair, +And promise timely fruit, if you will stay +But the maturing; keep you at your couch, +Corbaccio will arrive straight, with the Will; +When he is gone, I'll tell you more. + +[EXIT.] + +VOLP: My blood, +My spirits are return'd; I am alive: +And like your wanton gamester, at primero, +Whose thought had whisper'd to him, not go less, +Methinks I lie, and draw--for an encounter. + +[THE SCENE CLOSES UPON VOLPONE.] + +SCENE 3.3 + +THE PASSAGE LEADING TO VOLPONE'S CHAMBER. + +ENTER MOSCA AND BONARIO. + +MOS: Sir, here conceal'd, +[SHEWS HIM A CLOSET.] +you may here all. But, pray you, +Have patience, sir; +[KNOCKING WITHIN.] +--the same's your father knocks: +I am compell'd to leave you. + +[EXIT.] + +BON: Do so.--Yet, +Cannot my thought imagine this a truth. + +[GOES INTO THE CLOSET.] + +SCENE 3.4. + +ANOTHER PART OF THE SAME. + +ENTER MOSCA AND CORVINO, CELIA FOLLOWING. + +MOS: Death on me! you are come too soon, what meant you? +Did not I say, I would send? + +CORV: Yes, but I fear'd +You might forget it, and then they prevent us. + +MOS [ASIDE.]: Prevent! did e'er man haste so, for his horns? +A courtier would not ply it so, for a place. +--Well, now there's no helping it, stay here; +I'll presently return. + +[EXIT.] + +CORV: Where are you, Celia? +You know not wherefore I have brought you hither? + +CEL: Not well, except you told me. + +CORV: Now, I will: +Hark hither. + +[EXEUNT.] + +SCENE 3.5. + +A CLOSET OPENING INTO A GALLERY. + +ENTER MOSCA AND BONARIO. + +MOS: Sir, your father hath sent word, +It will be half an hour ere he come; +And therefore, if you please to walk the while +Into that gallery--at the upper end, +There are some books to entertain the time: +And I'll take care no man shall come unto you, sir. + +BON: Yes, I will stay there. +[ASIDE.]--I do doubt this fellow. + +[EXIT.] + +MOS [LOOKING AFTER HIM.]: There; he is far enough; +he can hear nothing: +And, for his father, I can keep him off. + +[EXIT.] + +SCENE 3.6. + +VOLPONE'S CHAMBER.--VOLPONE ON HIS COUCH. +MOSCA SITTING BY HIM. + +ENTER CORVINO, FORCING IN CELIA. + +CORV: Nay, now, there is no starting back, and therefore, +Resolve upon it: I have so decreed. +It must be done. Nor would I move't, afore, +Because I would avoid all shifts and tricks, +That might deny me. + +CEL: Sir, let me beseech you, +Affect not these strange trials; if you doubt +My chastity, why, lock me up for ever: +Make me the heir of darkness. Let me live, +Where I may please your fears, if not your trust. + +CORV: Believe it, I have no such humour, I. +All that I speak I mean; yet I'm not mad; +Nor horn-mad, see you? Go to, shew yourself +Obedient, and a wife. + +CEL: O heaven! + +CORV: I say it, +Do so. + +CEL: Was this the train? + +CORV: I've told you reasons; +What the physicians have set down; how much +It may concern me; what my engagements are; +My means; and the necessity of those means, +For my recovery: wherefore, if you be +Loyal, and mine, be won, respect my venture. + +CEL: Before your honour? + +CORV: Honour! tut, a breath: +There's no such thing, in nature: a mere term +Invented to awe fools. What is my gold +The worse, for touching, clothes for being look'd on? +Why, this is no more. An old decrepit wretch, +That has no sense, no sinew; takes his meat +With others' fingers; only knows to gape, +When you do scald his gums; a voice; a shadow; +And, what can this man hurt you? + +CEL [ASIDE.]: Lord! what spirit +Is this hath enter'd him? + +CORV: And for your fame, +That's such a jig; as if I would go tell it, +Cry it on the Piazza! who shall know it, +But he that cannot speak it, and this fellow, +Whose lips are in my pocket? save yourself, +(If you'll proclaim't, you may,) I know no other, +Shall come to know it. + +CEL: Are heaven and saints then nothing? +Will they be blind or stupid? + +CORV: How! + +CEL: Good sir, +Be jealous still, emulate them; and think +What hate they burn with toward every sin. + +CORV: I grant you: if I thought it were a sin, +I would not urge you. Should I offer this +To some young Frenchman, or hot Tuscan blood +That had read Aretine, conn'd all his prints, +Knew every quirk within lust's labyrinth, +And were professed critic in lechery; +And I would look upon him, and applaud him, +This were a sin: but here, 'tis contrary, +A pious work, mere charity for physic, +And honest polity, to assure mine own. + +CEL: O heaven! canst thou suffer such a change? + +VOLP: Thou art mine honour, Mosca, and my pride, +My joy, my tickling, my delight! Go bring them. + +MOS [ADVANCING.]: Please you draw near, sir. + +CORV: Come on, what-- +You will not be rebellious? by that light-- + +MOS: Sir, +Signior Corvino, here, is come to see you. + +VOLP: Oh! + +MOS: And hearing of the consultation had, +So lately, for your health, is come to offer, +Or rather, sir, to prostitute-- + +CORV: Thanks, sweet Mosca. + +MOS: Freely, unask'd, or unintreated-- + +CORV: Well. + +MOS: As the true fervent instance of his love, +His own most fair and proper wife; the beauty, +Only of price in Venice-- + +CORV: 'Tis well urged. + +MOS: To be your comfortress, and to preserve you. + +VOLP: Alas, I am past, already! Pray you, thank him +For his good care and promptness; but for that, +'Tis a vain labour e'en to fight 'gainst heaven; +Applying fire to stone-- +[COUGHING.] uh, uh, uh, uh! +Making a dead leaf grow again. I take +His wishes gently, though; and you may tell him, +What I have done for him: marry, my state is hopeless. +Will him to pray for me; and to use his fortune +With reverence, when he comes to't. + +MOS: Do you hear, sir? +Go to him with your wife. + +CORV: Heart of my father! +Wilt thou persist thus? come, I pray thee, come. +Thou seest 'tis nothing, Celia. By this hand, +I shall grow violent. Come, do't, I say. + +CEL: Sir, kill me, rather: I will take down poison, +Eat burning coals, do any thing.-- + +CORV: Be damn'd! +Heart, I'll drag thee hence, home, by the hair; +Cry thee a strumpet through the streets; rip up +Thy mouth unto thine ears; and slit thy nose, +Like a raw rotchet!--Do not tempt me; come, +Yield, I am loth--Death! I will buy some slave +Whom I will kill, and bind thee to him, alive; +And at my window hang you forth: devising +Some monstrous crime, which I, in capital letters, +Will eat into thy flesh with aquafortis, +And burning corsives, on this stubborn breast. +Now, by the blood thou hast incensed, I'll do it! + +CEL: Sir, what you please, you may, I am your martyr. + +CORV: Be not thus obstinate, I have not deserved it: +Think who it is intreats you. 'Prithee, sweet;-- +Good faith, thou shalt have jewels, gowns, attires, +What thou wilt think, and ask. Do but go kiss him. +Or touch him, but. For my sake.--At my suit.-- +This once.--No! not! I shall remember this. +Will you disgrace me thus? Do you thirst my undoing? + +MOS: Nay, gentle lady, be advised. + +CORV: No, no. +She has watch'd her time. Ods precious, this is scurvy, +'Tis very scurvy: and you are-- + +MOS: Nay, good, sir. + +CORV: An arrant Locust, by heaven, a locust! +Whore, crocodile, that hast thy tears prepared, +Expecting how thou'lt bid them flow-- + +MOS: Nay, 'Pray you, sir! +She will consider. + +CEL: Would my life would serve +To satisfy-- + +CORV: S'death! if she would but speak to him, +And save my reputation, it were somewhat; +But spightfully to affect my utter ruin! + +MOS: Ay, now you have put your fortune in her hands. +Why i'faith, it is her modesty, I must quit her. +If you were absent, she would be more coming; +I know it: and dare undertake for her. +What woman can before her husband? 'pray you, +Let us depart, and leave her here. + +CORV: Sweet Celia, +Thou may'st redeem all, yet; I'll say no more: +If not, esteem yourself as lost,--Nay, stay there. + +[SHUTS THE DOOR, AND EXIT WITH MOSCA.] + +CEL: O God, and his good angels! whither, whither, +Is shame fled human breasts? that with such ease, +Men dare put off your honours, and their own? +Is that, which ever was a cause of life, +Now placed beneath the basest circumstance, +And modesty an exile made, for money? + +VOLP: Ay, in Corvino, and such earth-fed minds, +[LEAPING FROM HIS COUCH.] +That never tasted the true heaven of love. +Assure thee, Celia, he that would sell thee, +Only for hope of gain, and that uncertain, +He would have sold his part of Paradise +For ready money, had he met a cope-man. +Why art thou mazed to see me thus revived? +Rather applaud thy beauty's miracle; +'Tis thy great work: that hath, not now alone, +But sundry times raised me, in several shapes, +And, but this morning, like a mountebank; +To see thee at thy window: ay, before +I would have left my practice, for thy love, +In varying figures, I would have contended +With the blue Proteus, or the horned flood. +Now art thou welcome. + +CEL: Sir! + +VOLP: Nay, fly me not. +Nor let thy false imagination +That I was bed-rid, make thee think I am so: +Thou shalt not find it. I am, now, as fresh, +As hot, as high, and in as jovial plight, +As when, in that so celebrated scene, +At recitation of our comedy, +For entertainment of the great Valois, +I acted young Antinous; and attracted +The eyes and ears of all the ladies present, +To admire each graceful gesture, note, and footing. +[SINGS.] +Come, my Celia, let us prove, +While we can, the sports of love, +Time will not be ours for ever, +He, at length, our good will sever; +Spend not then his gifts in vain; +Suns, that set, may rise again: +But if once we loose this light, +'Tis with us perpetual night. +Why should we defer our joys? +Fame and rumour are but toys. +Cannot we delude the eyes +Of a few poor household spies? +Or his easier ears beguile, +Thus remooved by our wile?-- +'Tis no sin love's fruits to steal: +But the sweet thefts to reveal; +To be taken, to be seen, +These have crimes accounted been. + +CEL: Some serene blast me, or dire lightning strike +This my offending face! + +VOLP: Why droops my Celia? +Thou hast, in place of a base husband, found +A worthy lover: use thy fortune well, +With secrecy and pleasure. See, behold, +What thou art queen of; not in expectation, +As I feed others: but possess'd, and crown'd. +See, here, a rope of pearl; and each, more orient +Than that the brave Egyptian queen caroused: +Dissolve and drink them. See, a carbuncle, +May put out both the eyes of our St Mark; +A diamond, would have bought Lollia Paulina, +When she came in like star-light, hid with jewels, +That were the spoils of provinces; take these, +And wear, and lose them: yet remains an ear-ring +To purchase them again, and this whole state. +A gem but worth a private patrimony, +Is nothing: we will eat such at a meal. +The heads of parrots, tongues of nightingales, +The brains of peacocks, and of estriches, +Shall be our food: and, could we get the phoenix, +Though nature lost her kind, she were our dish. + +CEL: Good sir, these things might move a mind affected +With such delights; but I, whose innocence +Is all I can think wealthy, or worth th' enjoying, +And which, once lost, I have nought to lose beyond it, +Cannot be taken with these sensual baits: +If you have conscience-- + +VOLP: 'Tis the beggar's virtue, +If thou hast wisdom, hear me, Celia. +Thy baths shall be the juice of July-flowers, +Spirit of roses, and of violets, +The milk of unicorns, and panthers' breath +Gather'd in bags, and mixt with Cretan wines. +Our drink shall be prepared gold and amber; +Which we will take, until my roof whirl round +With the vertigo: and my dwarf shall dance, +My eunuch sing, my fool make up the antic. +Whilst we, in changed shapes, act Ovid's tales, +Thou, like Europa now, and I like Jove, +Then I like Mars, and thou like Erycine: +So, of the rest, till we have quite run through, +And wearied all the fables of the gods. +Then will I have thee in more modern forms, +Attired like some sprightly dame of France, +Brave Tuscan lady, or proud Spanish beauty; +Sometimes, unto the Persian sophy's wife; +Or the grand signior's mistress; and, for change, +To one of our most artful courtezans, +Or some quick Negro, or cold Russian; +And I will meet thee in as many shapes: +Where we may so transfuse our wandering souls, +Out at our lips, and score up sums of pleasures, +[SINGS.] +That the curious shall not know +How to tell them as they flow; +And the envious, when they find +What there number is, be pined. + +CEL: If you have ears that will be pierc'd--or eyes +That can be open'd--a heart that may be touch'd-- +Or any part that yet sounds man about you-- +If you have touch of holy saints--or heaven-- +Do me the grace to let me 'scape--if not, +Be bountiful and kill me. You do know, +I am a creature, hither ill betray'd, +By one, whose shame I would forget it were: +If you will deign me neither of these graces, +Yet feed your wrath, sir, rather than your lust, +(It is a vice comes nearer manliness,) +And punish that unhappy crime of nature, +Which you miscall my beauty; flay my face, +Or poison it with ointments, for seducing +Your blood to this rebellion. Rub these hands, +With what may cause an eating leprosy, +E'en to my bones and marrow: any thing, +That may disfavour me, save in my honour-- +And I will kneel to you, pray for you, pay down +A thousand hourly vows, sir, for your health; +Report, and think you virtuous-- + +VOLP: Think me cold, +Frosen and impotent, and so report me? +That I had Nestor's hernia, thou wouldst think. +I do degenerate, and abuse my nation, +To play with opportunity thus long; +I should have done the act, and then have parley'd. +Yield, or I'll force thee. + +[SEIZES HER.] + +CEL: O! just God! + +VOLP: In vain-- + +BON [RUSHING IN]: Forbear, foul ravisher, libidinous swine! +Free the forced lady, or thou diest, impostor. +But that I'm loth to snatch thy punishment +Out of the hand of justice, thou shouldst, yet, +Be made the timely sacrifice of vengeance, +Before this altar, and this dross, thy idol.-- +Lady, let's quit the place, it is the den +Of villany; fear nought, you have a guard: +And he, ere long, shall meet his just reward. + +[EXEUNT BON. AND CEL.] + +VOLP: Fall on me, roof, and bury me in ruin! +Become my grave, that wert my shelter! O! +I am unmask'd, unspirited, undone, +Betray'd to beggary, to infamy-- + +[ENTER MOSCA, WOUNDED AND BLEEDING.] + +MOS: Where shall I run, most wretched shame of men, +To beat out my unlucky brains? + +VOLP: Here, here. +What! dost thou bleed? + +MOS: O that his well-driv'n sword +Had been so courteous to have cleft me down +Unto the navel; ere I lived to see +My life, my hopes, my spirits, my patron, all +Thus desperately engaged, by my error! + +VOLP: Woe on thy fortune! + +MOS: And my follies, sir. + +VOLP: Thou hast made me miserable. + +MOS: And myself, sir. +Who would have thought he would have harken'd, so? + +VOLP: What shall we do? + +MOS: I know not; if my heart +Could expiate the mischance, I'd pluck it out. +Will you be pleased to hang me? or cut my throat? +And I'll requite you, sir. Let us die like Romans, +Since we have lived like Grecians. + +[KNOCKING WITHIN.] + +VOLP: Hark! who's there? +I hear some footing; officers, the saffi, +Come to apprehend us! I do feel the brand +Hissing already at my forehead; now, +Mine ears are boring. + +MOS: To your couch, sir, you, +Make that place good, however. +[VOLPONE LIES DOWN, AS BEFORE.] +--Guilty men +Suspect what they deserve still. +[ENTER CORBACCIO.] +Signior Corbaccio! + +CORB: Why, how now, Mosca? + +MOS: O, undone, amazed, sir. +Your son, I know not by what accident, +Acquainted with your purpose to my patron, +Touching your Will, and making him your heir, +Enter'd our house with violence, his sword drawn +Sought for you, call'd you wretch, unnatural, +Vow'd he would kill you. + +CORB: Me! + +MOS: Yes, and my patron. + +CORB: This act shall disinherit him indeed; +Here is the Will. + +MOS: 'Tis well, sir. + +CORB: Right and well: +Be you as careful now for me. + +[ENTER VOLTORE, BEHIND.] + +MOS: My life, sir, +Is not more tender'd; I am only yours. + +CORB: How does he? will he die shortly, think'st thou? + +MOS: I fear +He'll outlast May. + +CORB: To-day? + +MOS: No, last out May, sir. + +CORB: Could'st thou not give him a dram? + +MOS: O, by no means, sir. + +CORB: Nay, I'll not bid you. + +VOLT [COMING FORWARD.]: This is a knave, I see. + +MOS [SEEING VOLTORE.]: How! signior Voltore! +[ASIDE.] did he hear me? + +VOLT: Parasite! + +MOS: Who's that?--O, sir, most timely welcome-- + +VOLT: Scarce, +To the discovery of your tricks, I fear. +You are his, ONLY? and mine, also? are you not? + +MOS: Who? I, sir? + +VOLT: You, sir. What device is this +About a Will? + +MOS: A plot for you, sir. + +VOLT: Come, +Put not your foists upon me; I shall scent them. + +MOS: Did you not hear it? + +VOLT: Yes, I hear Corbaccio +Hath made your patron there his heir. + +MOS: 'Tis true, +By my device, drawn to it by my plot, +With hope-- + +VOLT: Your patron should reciprocate? +And you have promised? + +MOS: For your good, I did, sir. +Nay, more, I told his son, brought, hid him here, +Where he might hear his father pass the deed: +Being persuaded to it by this thought, sir, +That the unnaturalness, first, of the act, +And then his father's oft disclaiming in him, +(Which I did mean t'help on,) would sure enrage him +To do some violence upon his parent, +On which the law should take sufficient hold, +And you be stated in a double hope: +Truth be my comfort, and my conscience, +My only aim was to dig you a fortune +Out of these two old rotten sepulchres-- + +VOLT: I cry thee mercy, Mosca. + +MOS: Worth your patience, +And your great merit, sir. And see the change! + +VOLT: Why, what success? + +MOS: Most happless! you must help, sir. +Whilst we expected the old raven, in comes +Corvino's wife, sent hither by her husband-- + +VOLT: What, with a present? + +MOS: No, sir, on visitation; +(I'll tell you how anon;) and staying long, +The youth he grows impatient, rushes forth, +Seizeth the lady, wounds me, makes her swear +(Or he would murder her, that was his vow) +To affirm my patron to have done her rape: +Which how unlike it is, you see! and hence, +With that pretext he's gone, to accuse his father, +Defame my patron, defeat you-- + +VOLT: Where is her husband? +Let him be sent for straight. + +MOS: Sir, I'll go fetch him. + +VOLT: Bring him to the Scrutineo. + +MOS: Sir, I will. + +VOLT: This must be stopt. + +MOS: O you do nobly, sir. +Alas, 'twas labor'd all, sir, for your good; +Nor was there want of counsel in the plot: +But fortune can, at any time, o'erthrow +The projects of a hundred learned clerks, sir. + +CORB [LISTENING]: What's that? + +VOLT: Will't please you, sir, to go along? + +[EXIT CORBACCIO, FOLLOWED BY VOLTORE.] + +MOS: Patron, go in, and pray for our success. + +VOLP [RISING FROM HIS COUCH.]: Need makes devotion: +heaven your labour bless! + +[EXEUNT.] + + +ACT 4. SCENE 4.1. + +A STREET. + +[ENTER SIR POLITICK WOULD-BE AND PEREGRINE.] + +SIR P: I told you, sir, it was a plot: you see +What observation is! You mention'd me, +For some instructions: I will tell you, sir, +(Since we are met here in this height of Venice,) +Some few perticulars I have set down, +Only for this meridian, fit to be known +Of your crude traveller, and they are these. +I will not touch, sir, at your phrase, or clothes, +For they are old. + +PER: Sir, I have better. + +SIR P: Pardon, +I meant, as they are themes. + +PER: O, sir, proceed: +I'll slander you no more of wit, good sir. + +SIR P: First, for your garb, it must be grave and serious, +Very reserv'd, and lock'd; not tell a secret +On any terms, not to your father; scarce +A fable, but with caution; make sure choice +Both of your company, and discourse; beware +You never speak a truth-- + +PER: How! + +SIR P: Not to strangers, +For those be they you must converse with, most; +Others I would not know, sir, but at distance, +So as I still might be a saver in them: +You shall have tricks else past upon you hourly. +And then, for your religion, profess none, +But wonder at the diversity, of all: +And, for your part, protest, were there no other +But simply the laws o' the land, you could content you, +Nic. Machiavel, and Monsieur Bodin, both +Were of this mind. Then must you learn the use +And handling of your silver fork at meals; +The metal of your glass; (these are main matters +With your Italian;) and to know the hour +When you must eat your melons, and your figs. + +PER: Is that a point of state too? + +SIR P: Here it is, +For your Venetian, if he see a man +Preposterous in the least, he has him straight; +He has; he strips him. I'll acquaint you, sir, +I now have lived here, 'tis some fourteen months +Within the first week of my landing here, +All took me for a citizen of Venice: +I knew the forms, so well-- + +PER [ASIDE.]: And nothing else. + +SIR P: I had read Contarene, took me a house, +Dealt with my Jews to furnish it with moveables-- +Well, if I could but find one man, one man +To mine own heart, whom I durst trust, I would-- + +PER: What, what, sir? + +SIR P: Make him rich; make him a fortune: +He should not think again. I would command it. + +PER: As how? + +SIR P: With certain projects that I have; +Which I may not discover. + +PER [ASIDE.]: If I had +But one to wager with, I would lay odds now, +He tells me instantly. + +SIR P: One is, and that +I care not greatly who knows, to serve the state +Of Venice with red herrings for three years, +And at a certain rate, from Rotterdam, +Where I have correspendence. There's a letter, +Sent me from one of the states, and to that purpose: +He cannot write his name, but that's his mark. + +PER: He's a chandler? + +SIR P: No, a cheesemonger. +There are some others too with whom I treat +About the same negociation; +And I will undertake it: for, 'tis thus. +I'll do't with ease, I have cast it all: Your hoy +Carries but three men in her, and a boy; +And she shall make me three returns a year: +So, if there come but one of three, I save, +If two, I can defalk:--but this is now, +If my main project fail. + +PER: Then you have others? + +SIR P: I should be loth to draw the subtle air +Of such a place, without my thousand aims. +I'll not dissemble, sir: where'er I come, +I love to be considerative; and 'tis true, +I have at my free hours thought upon +Some certain goods unto the state of Venice, +Which I do call "my Cautions;" and, sir, which +I mean, in hope of pension, to propound +To the Great Council, then unto the Forty, +So to the Ten. My means are made already-- + +PER: By whom? + +SIR P: Sir, one that, though his place be obscure, +Yet he can sway, and they will hear him. He's +A commandador. + +PER: What! a common serjeant? + +SIR P: Sir, such as they are, put it in their mouths, +What they should say, sometimes; as well as greater: +I think I have my notes to shew you-- +[SEARCHING HIS POCKETS.] + +PER: Good sir. + +SIR P: But you shall swear unto me, on your gentry, +Not to anticipate-- + +PER: I, sir! + +SIR P: Nor reveal +A circumstance--My paper is not with me. + +PER: O, but you can remember, sir. + +SIR P: My first is +Concerning tinder-boxes. You must know, +No family is here, without its box. +Now, sir, it being so portable a thing, +Put case, that you or I were ill affected +Unto the state, sir; with it in our pockets, +Might not I go into the Arsenal, +Or you, come out again, and none the wiser? + +PER: Except yourself, sir. + +SIR P: Go to, then. I therefore +Advertise to the state, how fit it were, +That none but such as were known patriots, +Sound lovers of their country, should be suffer'd +To enjoy them in their houses; and even those +Seal'd at some office, and at such a bigness +As might not lurk in pockets. + +PER: Admirable! + +SIR P: My next is, how to enquire, and be resolv'd, +By present demonstration, whether a ship, +Newly arrived from Soria, or from +Any suspected part of all the Levant, +Be guilty of the plague: and where they use +To lie out forty, fifty days, sometimes, +About the Lazaretto, for their trial; +I'll save that charge and loss unto the merchant, +And in an hour clear the doubt. + +PER: Indeed, sir! + +SIR P: Or--I will lose my labour. + +PER: 'My faith, that's much. + +SIR P: Nay, sir, conceive me. It will cost me in onions, +Some thirty livres-- + +PER: Which is one pound sterling. + +SIR P: Beside my water-works: for this I do, sir. +First, I bring in your ship 'twixt two brick walls; +But those the state shall venture: On the one +I strain me a fair tarpauling, and in that +I stick my onions, cut in halves: the other +Is full of loop-holes, out at which I thrust +The noses of my bellows; and those bellows +I keep, with water-works, in perpetual motion, +Which is the easiest matter of a hundred. +Now, sir, your onion, which doth naturally +Attract the infection, and your bellows blowing +The air upon him, will show, instantly, +By his changed colour, if there be contagion; +Or else remain as fair as at the first. +--Now it is known, 'tis nothing. + +PER: You are right, sir. + +SIR P: I would I had my note. + +PER: 'Faith, so would I: +But you have done well for once, sir. + +SIR P: Were I false, +Or would be made so, I could shew you reasons +How I could sell this state now, to the Turk; +Spite of their galleys, or their-- +[EXAMINING HIS PAPERS.] + +PER: Pray you, sir Pol. + +SIR P: I have them not about me. + +PER: That I fear'd. +They are there, sir. + +SIR P: No. This is my diary, +Wherein I note my actions of the day. + +PER: Pray you let's see, sir. What is here? +[READS.] +"Notandum, +A rat had gnawn my spur-leathers; notwithstanding, +I put on new, and did go forth: but first +I threw three beans over the threshold. Item, +I went and bought two tooth-picks, whereof one +I burst immediatly, in a discourse +With a Dutch merchant, 'bout ragion del stato. +From him I went and paid a moccinigo, +For piecing my silk stockings; by the way +I cheapen'd sprats; and at St. Mark's I urined." +'Faith, these are politic notes! + +SIR P: Sir, I do slip +No action of my life, but thus I quote it. + +PER: Believe me, it is wise! + +SIR P: Nay, sir, read forth. + +[ENTER, AT A DISTANCE, LADY POLITICK-WOULD BE, NANO, +AND TWO WAITING-WOMEN.] + +LADY P: Where should this loose knight be, trow? +sure he's housed. + +NAN: Why, then he's fast. + +LADY P: Ay, he plays both with me. +I pray you, stay. This heat will do more harm +To my complexion, than his heart is worth; +(I do not care to hinder, but to take him.) +[RUBBING HER CHEEKS.] +How it comes off! + +1 WOM: My master's yonder. + +LADY P: Where? + +1 WOM: With a young gentleman. + +LADY P: That same's the party; +In man's apparel! 'Pray you, sir, jog my knight: +I'll be tender to his reputation, +However he demerit. + +SIR P [SEEING HER]: My lady! + +PER: Where? + +SIR P: 'Tis she indeed, sir; you shall know her. She is, +Were she not mine, a lady of that merit, +For fashion and behaviour; and, for beauty +I durst compare-- + +PER: It seems you are not jealous, +That dare commend her. + +SIR P: Nay, and for discourse-- + +PER: Being your wife, she cannot miss that. + +SIR P [INTRODUCING PER.]: Madam, +Here is a gentleman, pray you, use him fairly; +He seems a youth, but he is-- + +LADY P: None. + +SIR P: Yes, one +Has put his face as soon into the world-- + +LADY P: You mean, as early? but to-day? + +SIR P: How's this? + +LADY P: Why, in this habit, sir; you apprehend me:-- +Well, master Would-be, this doth not become you; +I had thought the odour, sir, of your good name, +Had been more precious to you; that you would not +Have done this dire massacre on your honour; +One of your gravity and rank besides! +But knights, I see, care little for the oath +They make to ladies; chiefly, their own ladies. + +SIR P: Now by my spurs, the symbol of my knighthood,-- + +PER [ASIDE.]: Lord, how his brain is humbled for an oath! + +SIR P: I reach you not. + +LADY P: Right, sir, your policy +May bear it through, thus. +[TO PER.] +sir, a word with you. +I would be loth to contest publicly +With any gentlewoman, or to seem +Froward, or violent, as the courtier says; +It comes too near rusticity in a lady, +Which I would shun by all means: and however +I may deserve from master Would-be, yet +T'have one fair gentlewoman thus be made +The unkind instrument to wrong another, +And one she knows not, ay, and to persever; +In my poor judgment, is not warranted +From being a solecism in our sex, +If not in manners. + +PER: How is this! + +SIR P: Sweet madam, +Come nearer to your aim. + +LADY P: Marry, and will, sir. +Since you provoke me with your impudence, +And laughter of your light land-syren here, +Your Sporus, your hermaphrodite-- + +PER: What's here? +Poetic fury, and historic storms? + +SIR P: The gentleman, believe it, is of worth, +And of our nation. + +LADY P: Ay, your White-friars nation. +Come, I blush for you, master Would-be, I; +And am asham'd you should have no more forehead, +Than thus to be the patron, or St. George, +To a lewd harlot, a base fricatrice, +A female devil, in a male outside. + +SIR P: Nay, +And you be such a one, I must bid adieu +To your delights. The case appears too liquid. + +[EXIT.] + +LADY P: Ay, you may carry't clear, with your state-face!-- +But for your carnival concupiscence, +Who here is fled for liberty of conscience, +From furious persecution of the marshal, +Her will I dis'ple. + +PER: This is fine, i'faith! +And do you use this often? Is this part +Of your wit's exercise, 'gainst you have occasion? +Madam-- + +LADY P: Go to, sir. + +PER: Do you hear me, lady? +Why, if your knight have set you to beg shirts, +Or to invite me home, you might have done it +A nearer way, by far: + +LADY P: This cannot work you +Out of my snare. + +PER: Why, am I in it, then? +Indeed your husband told me you were fair, +And so you are; only your nose inclines, +That side that's next the sun, to the queen-apple. + +LADY P: This cannot be endur'd by any patience. + +[ENTER MOSCA.] + +MOS: What is the matter, madam? + +LADY P: If the Senate +Right not my quest in this; I'll protest them +To all the world, no aristocracy. + +MOS: What is the injury, lady? + +LADY P: Why, the callet +You told me of, here I have ta'en disguised. + +MOS: Who? this! what means your ladyship? the creature +I mention'd to you is apprehended now, +Before the senate; you shall see her-- + +LADY P: Where? + +MOS: I'll bring you to her. This young gentleman, +I saw him land this morning at the port. + +LADY P: Is't possible! how has my judgment wander'd? +Sir, I must, blushing, say to you, I have err'd; +And plead your pardon. + +PER: What, more changes yet! + +LADY P: I hope you have not the malice to remember +A gentlewoman's passion. If you stay +In Venice here, please you to use me, sir-- + +MOS: Will you go, madam? + +LADY P: 'Pray you, sir, use me. In faith, +The more you see me, the more I shall conceive +You have forgot our quarrel. + +[EXEUNT LADY WOULD-BE, MOSCA, NANO, AND WAITING-WOMEN.] + +PER: This is rare! +Sir Politick Would-be? no; sir Politick Bawd. +To bring me thus acquainted with his wife! +Well, wise sir Pol, since you have practised thus +Upon my freshman-ship, I'll try your salt-head, +What proof it is against a counter-plot. + +[EXIT.] + +SCENE 4.2. + +THE SCRUTINEO, OR SENATE-HOUSE. + +ENTER VOLTORE, CORBACCIO, CORVINO, AND MOSCA. + +VOLT: Well, now you know the carriage of the business, +Your constancy is all that is required +Unto the safety of it. + +MOS: Is the lie +Safely convey'd amongst us? is that sure? +Knows every man his burden? + +CORV: Yes. + +MOS: Then shrink not. + +CORV: But knows the advocate the truth? + +MOS: O, sir, +By no means; I devised a formal tale, +That salv'd your reputation. But be valiant, sir. + +CORV: I fear no one but him, that this his pleading +Should make him stand for a co-heir-- + +MOS: Co-halter! +Hang him; we will but use his tongue, his noise, +As we do croakers here. + +CORV: Ay, what shall he do? + +MOS: When we have done, you mean? + +CORV: Yes. + +MOS: Why, we'll think: +Sell him for mummia; he's half dust already. +[TO VOLTORE.] +Do not you smile, to see this buffalo, +How he does sport it with his head? +[ASIDE.] +--I should, +If all were well and past. +[TO CORBACCIO.] +--Sir, only you +Are he that shall enjoy the crop of all, +And these not know for whom they toil. + +CORB: Ay, peace. + +MOS [TURNING TO CORVINO.]: But you shall eat it. +Much! [ASIDE.] +[TO VOLTORE.] +--Worshipful sir, +Mercury sit upon your thundering tongue, +Or the French Hercules, and make your language +As conquering as his club, to beat along, +As with a tempest, flat, our adversaries; +But much more yours, sir. + +VOLT: Here they come, have done. + +MOS: I have another witness, if you need, sir, +I can produce. + +VOLT: Who is it? + +MOS: Sir, I have her. + +[ENTER AVOCATORI AND TAKE THEIR SEATS, +BONARIO, CELIA, NOTARIO, COMMANDADORI, SAFFI, +AND OTHER OFFICERS OF JUSTICE.] + +1 AVOC: The like of this the senate never heard of. + +2 AVOC: 'Twill come most strange to them when we report it. + +4 AVOC: The gentlewoman has been ever held +Of unreproved name. + +3 AVOC: So has the youth. + +4 AVOC: The more unnatural part that of his father. + +2 AVOC: More of the husband. + +1 AVOC: I not know to give +His act a name, it is so monstrous! + +4 AVOC: But the impostor, he's a thing created +To exceed example! + +1 AVOC: And all after-times! + +2 AVOC: I never heard a true voluptuary +Discribed, but him. + +3 AVOC: Appear yet those were cited? + +NOT: All, but the old magnifico, Volpone. + +1 AVOC: Why is not he here? + +MOS: Please your fatherhoods, +Here is his advocate: himself's so weak, +So feeble-- + +4 AVOC: What are you? + +BON: His parasite, +His knave, his pandar--I beseech the court, +He may be forced to come, that your grave eyes +May bear strong witness of his strange impostures. + +VOLT: Upon my faith and credit with your virtues, +He is not able to endure the air. + +2 AVOC: Bring him, however. + +3 AVOC: We will see him. + +4 AVOC: Fetch him. + +VOLT: Your fatherhoods fit pleasures be obey'd; +[EXEUNT OFFICERS.] +But sure, the sight will rather move your pities, +Than indignation. May it please the court, +In the mean time, he may be heard in me; +I know this place most void of prejudice, +And therefore crave it, since we have no reason +To fear our truth should hurt our cause. + +3 AVOC: Speak free. + +VOLT: Then know, most honour'd fathers, I must now +Discover to your strangely abused ears, +The most prodigious and most frontless piece +Of solid impudence, and treachery, +That ever vicious nature yet brought forth +To shame the state of Venice. This lewd woman, +That wants no artificial looks or tears +To help the vizor she has now put on, +Hath long been known a close adulteress, +To that lascivious youth there; not suspected, +I say, but known, and taken in the act +With him; and by this man, the easy husband, +Pardon'd: whose timeless bounty makes him now +Stand here, the most unhappy, innocent person, +That ever man's own goodness made accused. +For these not knowing how to owe a gift +Of that dear grace, but with their shame; being placed +So above all powers of their gratitude, +Began to hate the benefit; and, in place +Of thanks, devise to extirpe the memory +Of such an act: wherein I pray your fatherhoods +To observe the malice, yea, the rage of creatures +Discover'd in their evils; and what heart +Such take, even from their crimes:--but that anon +Will more appear.--This gentleman, the father, +Hearing of this foul fact, with many others, +Which daily struck at his too tender ears, +And grieved in nothing more than that he could not +Preserve himself a parent, (his son's ills +Growing to that strange flood,) at last decreed +To disinherit him. + +1 AVOC: These be strange turns! + +2 AVOC: The young man's fame was ever fair and honest. + +VOLT: So much more full of danger is his vice, +That can beguile so under shade of virtue. +But, as I said, my honour'd sires, his father +Having this settled purpose, by what means +To him betray'd, we know not, and this day +Appointed for the deed; that parricide, +I cannot style him better, by confederacy +Preparing this his paramour to be there, +Enter'd Volpone's house, (who was the man, +Your fatherhoods must understand, design'd +For the inheritance,) there sought his father:-- +But with what purpose sought he him, my lords? +I tremble to pronounce it, that a son +Unto a father, and to such a father, +Should have so foul, felonious intent! +It was to murder him: when being prevented +By his more happy absence, what then did he? +Not check his wicked thoughts; no, now new deeds, +(Mischief doth ever end where it begins) +An act of horror, fathers! he dragg'd forth +The aged gentleman that had there lain bed-rid +Three years and more, out of his innocent couch, +Naked upon the floor, there left him; wounded +His servant in the face: and, with this strumpet +The stale to his forged practice, who was glad +To be so active,--(I shall here desire +Your fatherhoods to note but my collections, +As most remarkable,--) thought at once to stop +His father's ends; discredit his free choice +In the old gentleman, redeem themselves, +By laying infamy upon this man, +To whom, with blushing, they should owe their lives. + +1 AVOC: What proofs have you of this? + +BON: Most honoured fathers, +I humbly crave there be no credit given +To this man's mercenary tongue. + +2 AVOC: Forbear. + +BON: His soul moves in his fee. + +3 AVOC: O, sir. + +BON: This fellow, +For six sols more, would plead against his Maker. + +1 AVOC: You do forget yourself. + +VOLT: Nay, nay, grave fathers, +Let him have scope: can any man imagine +That he will spare his accuser, that would not +Have spared his parent? + +1 AVOC: Well, produce your proofs. + +CEL: I would I could forget I were a creature. + +VOLT: Signior Corbaccio. + +[CORBACCIO COMES FORWARD.] + +1 AVOC: What is he? + +VOLT: The father. + +2 AVOC: Has he had an oath? + +NOT: Yes. + +CORB: What must I do now? + +NOT: Your testimony's craved. + +CORB: Speak to the knave? +I'll have my mouth first stopt with earth; my heart +Abhors his knowledge: I disclaim in him. + +1 AVOC: But for what cause? + +CORB: The mere portent of nature! +He is an utter stranger to my loins. + +BON: Have they made you to this? + +CORB: I will not hear thee, +Monster of men, swine, goat, wolf, parricide! +Speak not, thou viper. + +BON: Sir, I will sit down, +And rather wish my innocence should suffer, +Then I resist the authority of a father. + +VOLT: Signior Corvino! + +[CORVINO COMES FORWARD.] + +2 AVOC: This is strange. + +1 AVOC: Who's this? + +NOT: The husband. + +4 AVOC: Is he sworn? + +NOT: He is. + +3 AVOC: Speak, then. + +CORV: This woman, please your fatherhoods, is a whore, +Of most hot exercise, more than a partrich, +Upon record-- + +1 AVOC: No more. + +CORV: Neighs like a jennet. + +NOT: Preserve the honour of the court. + +CORV: I shall, +And modesty of your most reverend ears. +And yet I hope that I may say, these eyes +Have seen her glued unto that piece of cedar, +That fine well-timber'd gallant; and that here +The letters may be read, through the horn, +That make the story perfect. + +MOS: Excellent! sir. + +CORV [ASIDE TO MOSCA.]: There's no shame in this now, is there? + +MOS: None. + +CORV: Or if I said, I hoped that she were onward +To her damnation, if there be a hell +Greater than whore and woman; a good catholic +May make the doubt. + +3 AVOC: His grief hath made him frantic. + +1 AVOC: Remove him hence. + +2 AVOC: Look to the woman. + +[CELIA SWOONS.] + +CORV: Rare! +Prettily feign'd, again! + +4 AVOC: Stand from about her. + +1 AVOC: Give her the air. + +3 AVOC [TO MOSCA.]: What can you say? + +MOS: My wound, +May it please your wisdoms, speaks for me, received +In aid of my good patron, when he mist +His sought-for father, when that well-taught dame +Had her cue given her, to cry out, A rape! + +BON: O most laid impudence! Fathers-- + +3 AVOC: Sir, be silent; +You had your hearing free, so must they theirs. + +2 AVOC: I do begin to doubt the imposture here. + +4 AVOC: This woman has too many moods. + +VOLT: Grave fathers, +She is a creature of a most profest +And prostituted lewdness. + +CORV: Most impetuous, +Unsatisfied, grave fathers! + +VOLT: May her feignings +Not take your wisdoms: but this day she baited +A stranger, a grave knight, with her loose eyes, +And more lascivious kisses. This man saw them +Together on the water in a gondola. + +MOS: Here is the lady herself, that saw them too; +Without; who then had in the open streets +Pursued them, but for saving her knight's honour. + +1 AVOC: Produce that lady. + +2 AVOC: Let her come. + +[EXIT MOSCA.] + +4 AVOC: These things, +They strike with wonder! + +3 AVOC: I am turn'd a stone. + +[RE-ENTER MOSCA WITH LADY WOULD-BE.] + +MOS: Be resolute, madam. + +LADY P: Ay, this same is she. +[POINTING TO CELIA.] +Out, thou chameleon harlot! now thine eyes +Vie tears with the hyaena. Dar'st thou look +Upon my wronged face?--I cry your pardons, +I fear I have forgettingly transgrest +Against the dignity of the court-- + +2 AVOC: No, madam. + +LADY P: And been exorbitant-- + +2 AVOC: You have not, lady. + +4 AVOC: These proofs are strong. + +LADY P: Surely, I had no purpose +To scandalise your honours, or my sex's. + +3 AVOC: We do believe it. + +LADY P: Surely, you may believe it. + +2 AVOC: Madam, we do. + +LADY P: Indeed, you may; my breeding +Is not so coarse-- + +1 AVOC: We know it. + +LADY P: To offend +With pertinacy-- + +3 AVOC: Lady-- + +LADY P: Such a presence! +No surely. + +1 AVOC: We well think it. + +LADY P: You may think it. + +1 AVOC: Let her o'ercome. What witnesses have you +To make good your report? + +BON: Our consciences. + +CEL: And heaven, that never fails the innocent. + +4 AVOC: These are no testimonies. + +BON: Not in your courts, +Where multitude, and clamour overcomes. + +1 AVOC: Nay, then you do wax insolent. + +[RE-ENTER OFFICERS, BEARING VOLPONE ON A COUCH.] + +VOLT: Here, here, +The testimony comes, that will convince, +And put to utter dumbness their bold tongues: +See here, grave fathers, here's the ravisher, +The rider on men's wives, the great impostor, +The grand voluptuary! Do you not think +These limbs should affect venery? or these eyes +Covet a concubine? pray you mark these hands; +Are they not fit to stroke a lady's breasts?-- +Perhaps he doth dissemble! + +BON: So he does. + +VOLT: Would you have him tortured? + +BON: I would have him proved. + +VOLT: Best try him then with goads, or burning irons; +Put him to the strappado: I have heard +The rack hath cured the gout; 'faith, give it him, +And help him of a malady; be courteous. +I'll undertake, before these honour'd fathers, +He shall have yet as many left diseases, +As she has known adulterers, or thou strumpets.-- +O, my most equal hearers, if these deeds, +Acts of this bold and most exorbitant strain, +May pass with sufferance; what one citizen +But owes the forfeit of his life, yea, fame, +To him that dares traduce him? which of you +Are safe, my honour'd fathers? I would ask, +With leave of your grave fatherhoods, if their plot +Have any face or colour like to truth? +Or if, unto the dullest nostril here, +It smell not rank, and most abhorred slander? +I crave your care of this good gentleman, +Whose life is much endanger'd by their fable; +And as for them, I will conclude with this, +That vicious persons, when they're hot and flesh'd +In impious acts, their constancy abounds: +Damn'd deeds are done with greatest confidence. + +1 AVOC: Take them to custody, and sever them. + +2 AVOC: 'Tis pity two such prodigies should live. + +1 AVOC: Let the old gentleman be return'd with care; +[EXEUNT OFFICERS WITH VOLPONE.] +I'm sorry our credulity hath wrong'd him. + +4 AVOC: These are two creatures! + +3 AVOC: I've an earthquake in me. + +2 AVOC: Their shame, even in their cradles, fled their faces. + +4 AVOC [TO VOLT.]: You have done a worthy service to the state, sir, +In their discovery. + +1 AVOC: You shall hear, ere night, +What punishment the court decrees upon them. + +[EXEUNT AVOCAT., NOT., AND OFFICERS WITH BONARIO AND CELIA.] + +VOLT: We thank your fatherhoods.--How like you it? + +MOS: Rare. +I'd have your tongue, sir, tipt with gold for this; +I'd have you be the heir to the whole city; +The earth I'd have want men, ere you want living: +They're bound to erect your statue in St. Mark's. +Signior Corvino, I would have you go +And shew yourself, that you have conquer'd. + +CORV: Yes. + +MOS: It was much better that you should profess +Yourself a cuckold thus, than that the other +Should have been prov'd. + +CORV: Nay, I consider'd that: +Now it is her fault: + +MOS: Then it had been yours. + +CORV: True; I do doubt this advocate still. + +MOS: I'faith, +You need not, I dare ease you of that care. + +CORV: I trust thee, Mosca. + +[EXIT.] + +MOS: As your own soul, sir. + +CORB: Mosca! + +MOS: Now for your business, sir. + +CORB: How! have you business? + +MOS: Yes, your's, sir. + +CORB: O, none else? + +MOS: None else, not I. + +CORB: Be careful, then. + +MOS: Rest you with both your eyes, sir. + +CORB: Dispatch it. + +MOS: Instantly. + +CORB: And look that all, +Whatever, be put in, jewels, plate, moneys, +Household stuff, bedding, curtains. + +MOS: Curtain-rings, sir. +Only the advocate's fee must be deducted. + +CORB: I'll pay him now; you'll be too prodigal. + +MOS: Sir, I must tender it. + +CORB: Two chequines is well? + +MOS: No, six, sir. + +CORB: 'Tis too much. + +MOS: He talk'd a great while; +You must consider that, sir. + +CORB: Well, there's three-- + +MOS: I'll give it him. + +CORB: Do so, and there's for thee. + +[EXIT.] + +MOS [ASIDE.]: Bountiful bones! What horrid strange offence +Did he commit 'gainst nature, in his youth, +Worthy this age? +[TO VOLT.]--You see, sir, how I work +Unto your ends; take you no notice. + +VOLT: No, +I'll leave you. + +[EXIT.] + +MOS: All is yours, the devil and all: +Good advocate!--Madam, I'll bring you home. + +LADY P: No, I'll go see your patron. + +MOS: That you shall not: +I'll tell you why. My purpose is to urge +My patron to reform his Will; and for +The zeal you have shewn to-day, whereas before +You were but third or fourth, you shall be now +Put in the first; which would appear as begg'd, +If you were present. Therefore-- + +LADY P: You shall sway me. + +[EXEUNT.] + + +ACT 5. SCENE 5.1 + +A ROOM IN VOLPONE'S HOUSE. + +ENTER VOLPONE. + +VOLP: Well, I am here, and all this brunt is past. +I ne'er was in dislike with my disguise +Till this fled moment; here 'twas good, in private; +But in your public,--cave whilst I breathe. +'Fore God, my left leg began to have the cramp, +And I apprehended straight some power had struck me +With a dead palsy: Well! I must be merry, +And shake it off. A many of these fears +Would put me into some villanous disease, +Should they come thick upon me: I'll prevent 'em. +Give me a bowl of lusty wine, to fright +This humour from my heart. +[DRINKS.] +Hum, hum, hum! +'Tis almost gone already; I shall conquer. +Any device, now, of rare ingenious knavery, +That would possess me with a violent laughter, +Would make me up again. +[DRINKS AGAIN.] +So, so, so, so! +This heat is life; 'tis blood by this time:--Mosca! + +[ENTER MOSCA.] + +MOS: How now, sir? does the day look clear again? +Are we recover'd, and wrought out of error, +Into our way, to see our path before us? +Is our trade free once more? + +VOLP: Exquisite Mosca! + +MOS: Was it not carried learnedly? + +VOLP: And stoutly: +Good wits are greatest in extremities. + +MOS: It were a folly beyond thought, to trust +Any grand act unto a cowardly spirit: +You are not taken with it enough, methinks? + +VOLP: O, more than if I had enjoy'd the wench: +The pleasure of all woman-kind's not like it. + +MOS: Why now you speak, sir. We must here be fix'd; +Here we must rest; this is our master-peice; +We cannot think to go beyond this. + +VOLP: True. +Thou hast play'd thy prize, my precious Mosca. + +MOS: Nay, sir, +To gull the court-- + +VOLP: And quite divert the torrent +Upon the innocent. + +MOS: Yes, and to make +So rare a music out of discords-- + +VOLP: Right. +That yet to me's the strangest, how thou hast borne it! +That these, being so divided 'mongst themselves, +Should not scent somewhat, or in me or thee, +Or doubt their own side. + +MOS: True, they will not see't. +Too much light blinds them, I think. Each of them +Is so possest and stuft with his own hopes, +That any thing unto the contrary, +Never so true, or never so apparent, +Never so palpable, they will resist it-- + +VOLP: Like a temptation of the devil. + +MOS: Right, sir. +Merchants may talk of trade, and your great signiors +Of land that yields well; but if Italy +Have any glebe more fruitful than these fellows, +I am deceiv'd. Did not your advocate rare? + +VOLP: O--"My most honour'd fathers, my grave fathers, +Under correction of your fatherhoods, +What face of truth is here? If these strange deeds +May pass, most honour'd fathers"--I had much ado +To forbear laughing. + +MOS: It seem'd to me, you sweat, sir. + +VOLP: In troth, I did a little. + +MOS: But confess, sir, +Were you not daunted? + +VOLP: In good faith, I was +A little in a mist, but not dejected; +Never, but still my self. + +MOS: I think it, sir. +Now, so truth help me, I must needs say this, sir, +And out of conscience for your advocate: +He has taken pains, in faith, sir, and deserv'd, +In my poor judgment, I speak it under favour, +Not to contrary you, sir, very richly-- +Well--to be cozen'd. + +VOLP: Troth, and I think so too, +By that I heard him, in the latter end. + +MOS: O, but before, sir: had you heard him first +Draw it to certain heads, then aggravate, +Then use his vehement figures--I look'd still +When he would shift a shirt: and, doing this +Out of pure love, no hope of gain-- + +VOLP: 'Tis right. +I cannot answer him, Mosca, as I would, +Not yet; but for thy sake, at thy entreaty, +I will begin, even now--to vex them all, +This very instant. + +MOS: Good sir. + +VOLP: Call the dwarf +And eunuch forth. + +MOS: Castrone, Nano! + +[ENTER CASTRONE AND NANO.] + +NANO: Here. + +VOLP: Shall we have a jig now? + +MOS: What you please, sir. + +VOLP: Go, +Straight give out about the streets, you two, +That I am dead; do it with constancy, +Sadly, do you hear? impute it to the grief +Of this late slander. + +[EXEUNT CAST. AND NANO.] + +MOS: What do you mean, sir? + +VOLP: O, +I shall have instantly my Vulture, Crow, +Raven, come flying hither, on the news, +To peck for carrion, my she-wolfe, and all, +Greedy, and full of expectation-- + +MOS: And then to have it ravish'd from their mouths! + +VOLP: 'Tis true. I will have thee put on a gown, +And take upon thee, as thou wert mine heir: +Shew them a will; Open that chest, and reach +Forth one of those that has the blanks; I'll straight +Put in thy name. + +MOS [GIVES HIM A PAPER.]: It will be rare, sir. + +VOLP: Ay, +When they ev'n gape, and find themselves deluded-- + +MOS: Yes. + +VOLP: And thou use them scurvily! +Dispatch, get on thy gown. + +MOS [PUTTING ON A GOWN.]: But, what, sir, if they ask +After the body? + +VOLP: Say, it was corrupted. + +MOS: I'll say it stunk, sir; and was fain to have it +Coffin'd up instantly, and sent away. + +VOLP: Any thing; what thou wilt. Hold, here's my will. +Get thee a cap, a count-book, pen and ink, +Papers afore thee; sit as thou wert taking +An inventory of parcels: I'll get up +Behind the curtain, on a stool, and hearken; +Sometime peep over, see how they do look, +With what degrees their blood doth leave their faces, +O, 'twill afford me a rare meal of laughter! + +MOS [PUTTING ON A CAP, AND SETTING OUT THE TABLE, ETC.]: +Your advocate will turn stark dull upon it. + +VOLP: It will take off his oratory's edge. + +MOS: But your clarissimo, old round-back, he +Will crump you like a hog-louse, with the touch. + +VOLP: And what Corvino? + +MOS: O, sir, look for him, +To-morrow morning, with a rope and dagger, +To visit all the streets; he must run mad. +My lady too, that came into the court, +To bear false witness for your worship-- + +VOLP: Yes, +And kist me 'fore the fathers; when my face +Flow'd all with oils. + +MOS: And sweat, sir. Why, your gold +Is such another med'cine, it dries up +All those offensive savours: it transforms +The most deformed, and restores them lovely, +As 'twere the strange poetical girdle. Jove +Could not invent t' himself a shroud more subtle +To pass Acrisius' guards. It is the thing +Makes all the world her grace, her youth, her beauty. + +VOLP: I think she loves me. + +MOS: Who? the lady, sir? +She's jealous of you. + +VOLP: Dost thou say so? + +[KNOCKING WITHIN.] + +MOS: Hark, +There's some already. + +VOLP: Look. + +MOS: It is the Vulture: +He has the quickest scent. + +VOLP: I'll to my place, +Thou to thy posture. + +[GOES BEHIND THE CURTAIN.] + +MOS: I am set. + +VOLP: But, Mosca, +Play the artificer now, torture them rarely. + +[ENTER VOLTORE.] + +VOLT: How now, my Mosca? + +MOS [WRITING.]: "Turkey carpets, nine"-- + +VOLT: Taking an inventory! that is well. + +MOS: "Two suits of bedding, tissue"-- + +VOLT: Where's the Will? +Let me read that the while. + +[ENTER SERVANTS, WITH CORBACCIO IN A CHAIR.] + +CORB: So, set me down: +And get you home. + +[EXEUNT SERVANTS.] + +VOLT: Is he come now, to trouble us! + +MOS: "Of cloth of gold, two more"-- + +CORB: Is it done, Mosca? + +MOS: "Of several velvets, eight"-- + +VOLT: I like his care. + +CORB: Dost thou not hear? + +[ENTER CORVINO.] + +CORB: Ha! is the hour come, Mosca? + +VOLP [PEEPING OVER THE CURTAIN.]: Ay, now, they muster. + +CORV: What does the advocate here, +Or this Corbaccio? + +CORB: What do these here? + +[ENTER LADY POL. WOULD-BE.] + +LADY P: Mosca! +Is his thread spun? + +MOS: "Eight chests of linen"-- + +VOLP: O, +My fine dame Would-be, too! + +CORV: Mosca, the Will, +That I may shew it these, and rid them hence. + +MOS: "Six chests of diaper, four of damask."--There. + +[GIVES THEM THE WILL CARELESSLY, OVER HIS SHOULDER.] + +CORB: Is that the will? + +MOS: "Down-beds, and bolsters"-- + +VOLP: Rare! +Be busy still. Now they begin to flutter: +They never think of me. Look, see, see, see! +How their swift eyes run over the long deed, +Unto the name, and to the legacies, +What is bequeath'd them there-- + +MOS: "Ten suits of hangings"-- + +VOLP: Ay, in their garters, Mosca. Now their hopes +Are at the gasp. + +VOLT: Mosca the heir? + +CORB: What's that? + +VOLP: My advocate is dumb; look to my merchant, +He has heard of some strange storm, a ship is lost, +He faints; my lady will swoon. Old glazen eyes, +He hath not reach'd his despair yet. + +CORB [TAKES THE WILL.]: All these +Are out of hope: I am sure, the man. + +CORV: But, Mosca-- + +MOS: "Two cabinets." + +CORV: Is this in earnest? + +MOS: "One +Of ebony"-- + +CORV: Or do you but delude me? + +MOS: The other, mother of pearl--I am very busy. +Good faith, it is a fortune thrown upon me-- +"Item, one salt of agate"--not my seeking. + +LADY P: Do you hear, sir? + +MOS: "A perfum'd box"--'Pray you forbear, +You see I'm troubled--"made of an onyx"-- + +LADY P: How! + +MOS: To-morrow or next day, I shall be at leisure +To talk with you all. + +CORV: Is this my large hope's issue? + +LADY P: Sir, I must have a fairer answer. + +MOS: Madam! +Marry, and shall: 'pray you, fairly quit my house. +Nay, raise no tempest with your looks; but hark you, +Remember what your ladyship offer'd me, +To put you in an heir; go to, think on it: +And what you said e'en your best madams did +For maintenance, and why not you? Enough. +Go home, and use the poor sir Pol, your knight, well, +For fear I tell some riddles; go, be melancholy. + +[EXIT LADY WOULD-BE.] + +VOLP: O, my fine devil! + +CORV: Mosca, 'pray you a word. + +MOS: Lord! will you not take your dispatch hence yet? +Methinks, of all, you should have been the example. +Why should you stay here? with what thought? what promise? +Hear you; do not you know, I know you an ass, +And that you would most fain have been a wittol, +If fortune would have let you? that you are +A declared cuckold, on good terms? This pearl, +You'll say, was yours? right: this diamond? +I'll not deny't, but thank you. Much here else? +It may be so. Why, think that these good works +May help to hide your bad. I'll not betray you; +Although you be but extraordinary, +And have it only in title, it sufficeth: +Go home, be melancholy too, or mad. + +[EXIT CORVINO.] + +VOLP: Rare Mosca! how his villany becomes him! + +VOLT: Certain he doth delude all these for me. + +CORB: Mosca the heir! + +VOLP: O, his four eyes have found it. + +CORB: I am cozen'd, cheated, by a parasite slave; +Harlot, thou hast gull'd me. + +MOS: Yes, sir. Stop your mouth, +Or I shall draw the only tooth is left. +Are not you he, that filthy covetous wretch, +With the three legs, that, here, in hope of prey, +Have, any time this three years, snuff'd about, +With your most grovelling nose; and would have hired +Me to the poisoning of my patron, sir? +Are not you he that have to-day in court +Profess'd the disinheriting of your son? +Perjured yourself? Go home, and die, and stink. +If you but croak a syllable, all comes out: +Away, and call your porters! +[exit corbaccio.] +Go, go, stink. + +VOLP: Excellent varlet! + +VOLT: Now, my faithful Mosca, +I find thy constancy. + +MOS: Sir! + +VOLT: Sincere. + +MOS [WRITING.]: "A table +Of porphyry"--I marle, you'll be thus troublesome. + +VOLP: Nay, leave off now, they are gone. + +MOS: Why? who are you? +What! who did send for you? O, cry you mercy, +Reverend sir! Good faith, I am grieved for you, +That any chance of mine should thus defeat +Your (I must needs say) most deserving travails: +But I protest, sir, it was cast upon me, +And I could almost wish to be without it, +But that the will o' the dead must be observ'd, +Marry, my joy is that you need it not, +You have a gift, sir, (thank your education,) +Will never let you want, while there are men, +And malice, to breed causes. Would I had +But half the like, for all my fortune, sir! +If I have any suits, as I do hope, +Things being so easy and direct, I shall not, +I will make bold with your obstreperous aid, +Conceive me,--for your fee, sir. In mean time, +You that have so much law, I know have the conscience, +Not to be covetous of what is mine. +Good sir, I thank you for my plate; 'twill help +To set up a young man. Good faith, you look +As you were costive; best go home and purge, sir. + +[EXIT VOLTORE.] + +VOLP [COMES FROM BEHIND THE CURTAIN.]: +Bid him eat lettuce well. +My witty mischief, +Let me embrace thee. O that I could now +Transform thee to a Venus!--Mosca, go, +Straight take my habit of clarissimo, +And walk the streets; be seen, torment them more: +We must pursue, as well as plot. Who would +Have lost this feast? + +MOS: I doubt it will lose them. + +VOLP: O, my recovery shall recover all. +That I could now but think on some disguise +To meet them in, and ask them questions: +How I would vex them still at every turn! + +MOS: Sir, I can fit you. + +VOLP: Canst thou? + +MOS: Yes, I know +One o' the commandadori, sir, so like you; +Him will I straight make drunk, and bring you his habit. + +VOLP: A rare disguise, and answering thy brain! +O, I will be a sharp disease unto them. + +MOS: Sir, you must look for curses-- + +VOLP: Till they burst; +The Fox fares ever best when he is curst. + +[EXEUNT.] + +SCENE 5.2. + +A HALL IN SIR POLITICK'S HOUSE. + +ENTER PEREGRINE DISGUISED, AND THREE MERCHANTS. + +PER: Am I enough disguised? + +1 MER: I warrant you. + +PER: All my ambition is to fright him only. + +2 MER: If you could ship him away, 'twere excellent. + +3 MER: To Zant, or to Aleppo? + +PER: Yes, and have his +Adventures put i' the Book of Voyages. +And his gull'd story register'd for truth. +Well, gentlemen, when I am in a while, +And that you think us warm in our discourse, +Know your approaches. + +1 MER: Trust it to our care. + +[EXEUNT MERCHANTS.] + +[ENTER WAITING-WOMAN.] + +PER: Save you, fair lady! Is sir Pol within? + +WOM: I do not know, sir. + +PER: Pray you say unto him, +Here is a merchant, upon earnest business, +Desires to speak with him. + +WOM: I will see, sir. +[EXIT.] + +PER: Pray you.-- +I see the family is all female here. + +[RE-ENTER WAITING-WOMAN.] + +WOM: He says, sir, he has weighty affairs of state, +That now require him whole; some other time +You may possess him. + +PER: Pray you say again, +If those require him whole, these will exact him, +Whereof I bring him tidings. +[EXIT WOMAN.] +--What might be +His grave affair of state now! how to make +Bolognian sausages here in Venice, sparing +One o' the ingredients? + +[RE-ENTER WAITING-WOMAN.] + +WOM: Sir, he says, he knows +By your word "tidings," that you are no statesman, +And therefore wills you stay. + +PER: Sweet, pray you return him; +I have not read so many proclamations, +And studied them for words, as he has done-- +But--here he deigns to come. + +[EXIT WOMAN.] + +[ENTER SIR POLITICK.] + +SIR P: Sir, I must crave +Your courteous pardon. There hath chanced to-day, +Unkind disaster 'twixt my lady and me; +And I was penning my apology, +To give her satisfaction, as you came now. + +PER: Sir, I am grieved I bring you worse disaster: +The gentleman you met at the port to-day, +That told you, he was newly arrived-- + +SIR P: Ay, was +A fugitive punk? + +PER: No, sir, a spy set on you; +And he has made relation to the senate, +That you profest to him to have a plot +To sell the State of Venice to the Turk. + +SIR P: O me! + +PER: For which, warrants are sign'd by this time, +To apprehend you, and to search your study +For papers-- + +SIR P: Alas, sir, I have none, but notes +Drawn out of play-books-- + +PER: All the better, sir. + +SIR P: And some essays. What shall I do? + +PER: Sir, best +Convey yourself into a sugar-chest; +Or, if you could lie round, a frail were rare: +And I could send you aboard. + +SIR P: Sir, I but talk'd so, +For discourse sake merely. + +[KNOCKING WITHIN.] + +PER: Hark! they are there. + +SIR P: I am a wretch, a wretch! + +PER: What will you do, sir? +Have you ne'er a currant-butt to leap into? +They'll put you to the rack, you must be sudden. + +SIR P: Sir, I have an ingine-- + +3 MER [WITHIN.]: Sir Politick Would-be? + +2 MER [WITHIN.]: Where is he? + +SIR P: That I have thought upon before time. + +PER: What is it? + +SIR P: I shall ne'er endure the torture. +Marry, it is, sir, of a tortoise-shell, +Fitted for these extremities: pray you, sir, help me. +Here I've a place, sir, to put back my legs, +Please you to lay it on, sir, +[LIES DOWN WHILE PEREGRINE PLACES THE SHELL UPON HIM.] +--with this cap, +And my black gloves. I'll lie, sir, like a tortoise, +'Till they are gone. + +PER: And call you this an ingine? + +SIR P: Mine own device--Good sir, bid my wife's women +To burn my papers. + +[EXIT PEREGRINE.] + +[THE THREE MERCHANTS RUSH IN.] + +1 MER: Where is he hid? + +3 MER: We must, +And will sure find him. + +2 MER: Which is his study? + +[RE-ENTER PEREGRINE.] + +1 MER: What +Are you, sir? + +PER: I am a merchant, that came here +To look upon this tortoise. + +3 MER: How! + +1 MER: St. Mark! +What beast is this! + +PER: It is a fish. + +2 MER: Come out here! + +PER: Nay, you may strike him, sir, and tread upon him; +He'll bear a cart. + +1 MER: What, to run over him? + +PER: Yes, sir. + +3 MER: Let's jump upon him. + +2 MER: Can he not go? + +PER: He creeps, sir. + +1 MER: Let's see him creep. + +PER: No, good sir, you will hurt him. + +2 MER: Heart, I will see him creep, or prick his guts. + +3 MER: Come out here! + +PER: Pray you, sir! +[ASIDE TO SIR POLITICK.] +--Creep a little. + +1 MER: Forth. + +2 MER: Yet farther. + +PER: Good sir!--Creep. + +2 MER: We'll see his legs. +[THEY PULL OFF THE SHELL AND DISCOVER HIM.] + +3 MER: Ods so, he has garters! + +1 MER: Ay, and gloves! + +2 MER: Is this +Your fearful tortoise? + +PER [DISCOVERING HIMSELF.]: Now, sir Pol, we are even; +For your next project I shall be prepared: +I am sorry for the funeral of your notes, sir. + +1 MER: 'Twere a rare motion to be seen in Fleet-street. + +2 MER: Ay, in the Term. + +1 MER: Or Smithfield, in the fair. + +3 MER: Methinks 'tis but a melancholy sight. + +PER: Farewell, most politic tortoise! + +[EXEUNT PER. AND MERCHANTS.] + +[RE-ENTER WAITING-WOMAN.] + +SIR P: Where's my lady? +Knows she of this? + +WOM: I know not, sir. + +SIR P: Enquire.-- +O, I shall be the fable of all feasts, +The freight of the gazetti; ship-boy's tale; +And, which is worst, even talk for ordinaries. + +WOM: My lady's come most melancholy home, +And says, sir, she will straight to sea, for physic. + +SIR P: And I to shun this place and clime for ever; +Creeping with house on back: and think it well, +To shrink my poor head in my politic shell. + +[EXEUNT.] + + +SCENE 5.3. + +A ROOM IN VOLPONE'S HOUSE. + +ENTER MOSCA IN THE HABIT OF A CLARISSIMO; +AND VOLPONE IN THAT OF A COMMANDADORE. + +VOLP: Am I then like him? + +MOS: O, sir, you are he; +No man can sever you. + +VOLP: Good. + +MOS: But what am I? + +VOLP: 'Fore heaven, a brave clarissimo, thou becom'st it! +Pity thou wert not born one. + +MOS [ASIDE.]: If I hold +My made one, 'twill be well. + +VOLP: I'll go and see +What news first at the court. + +[EXIT.] + +MOS: Do so. My Fox +Is out of his hole, and ere he shall re-enter, +I'll make him languish in his borrow'd case, +Except he come to composition with me.-- +Androgyno, Castrone, Nano! + +[ENTER ANDROGYNO, CASTRONE AND NANO.] + +ALL: Here. + +MOS: Go, recreate yourselves abroad; go sport.-- +[EXEUNT.] +So, now I have the keys, and am possest. +Since he will needs be dead afore his time, +I'll bury him, or gain by him: I am his heir, +And so will keep me, till he share at least. +To cozen him of all, were but a cheat +Well placed; no man would construe it a sin: +Let his sport pay for it, this is call'd the Fox-trap. + +[EXIT.] + + +SCENE 5.4 + +A STREET. + +ENTER CORBACCIO AND CORVINO. + +CORB: They say, the court is set. + +CORV: We must maintain +Our first tale good, for both our reputations. + +CORB: Why, mine's no tale: my son would there have kill'd me. + +CORV: That's true, I had forgot:-- +[ASIDE.]--mine is, I am sure. +But for your Will, sir. + +CORB: Ay, I'll come upon him +For that hereafter; now his patron's dead. + +[ENTER VOLPONE.] + +VOLP: Signior Corvino! and Corbaccio! sir, +Much joy unto you. + +CORV: Of what? + +VOLP: The sudden good, +Dropt down upon you-- + +CORB: Where? + +VOLP: And, none knows how, +From old Volpone, sir. + +CORB: Out, arrant knave! + +VOLP: Let not your too much wealth, sir, make you furious. + +CORB: Away, thou varlet! + +VOLP: Why, sir? + +CORB: Dost thou mock me? + +VOLP: You mock the world, sir; did you not change Wills? + +CORB: Out, harlot! + +VOLP: O! belike you are the man, +Signior Corvino? 'faith, you carry it well; +You grow not mad withal: I love your spirit: +You are not over-leaven'd with your fortune. +You should have some would swell now, like a wine-fat, +With such an autumn--Did he give you all, sir? + +CORB: Avoid, you rascal! + +VOLP: Troth, your wife has shewn +Herself a very woman; but you are well, +You need not care, you have a good estate, +To bear it out sir, better by this chance: +Except Corbaccio have a share. + +CORV: Hence, varlet. + +VOLP: You will not be acknown, sir; why, 'tis wise. +Thus do all gamesters, at all games, dissemble: +No man will seem to win. +[exeunt corvino and corbaccio.] +--Here comes my vulture, +Heaving his beak up in the air, and snuffing. + +[ENTER VOLTORE.] + +VOLT: Outstript thus, by a parasite! a slave, +Would run on errands, and make legs for crumbs? +Well, what I'll do-- + +VOLP: The court stays for your worship. +I e'en rejoice, sir, at your worship's happiness, +And that it fell into so learned hands, +That understand the fingering-- + +VOLT: What do you mean? + +VOLP: I mean to be a suitor to your worship, +For the small tenement, out of reparations, +That, to the end of your long row of houses, +By the Piscaria: it was, in Volpone's time, +Your predecessor, ere he grew diseased, +A handsome, pretty, custom'd bawdy-house, +As any was in Venice, none dispraised; +But fell with him; his body and that house +Decay'd, together. + +VOLT: Come sir, leave your prating. + +VOLP: Why, if your worship give me but your hand, +That I may have the refusal, I have done. +'Tis a mere toy to you, sir; candle-rents; +As your learn'd worship knows-- + +VOLT: What do I know? + +VOLP: Marry, no end of your wealth, sir, God decrease it! + +VOLT: Mistaking knave! what, mockst thou my misfortune? + +[EXIT.] + +VOLP: His blessing on your heart, sir; would 'twere more!-- +Now to my first again, at the next corner. + +[EXIT.] + + +SCENE 5.5. + +ANOTHER PART OF THE STREET. + +ENTER CORBACCIO AND CORVINO;-- +MOSCA PASSES OVER THE STAGE, BEFORE THEM. + +CORB: See, in our habit! see the impudent varlet! + +CORV: That I could shoot mine eyes at him like gun-stones. + +[ENTER VOLPONE.] + +VOLP: But is this true, sir, of the parasite? + +CORB: Again, to afflict us! monster! + +VOLP: In good faith, sir, +I'm heartily grieved, a beard of your grave length +Should be so over-reach'd. I never brook'd +That parasite's hair; methought his nose should cozen: +There still was somewhat in his look, did promise +The bane of a clarissimo. + +CORB: Knave-- + +VOLP: Methinks +Yet you, that are so traded in the world, +A witty merchant, the fine bird, Corvino, +That have such moral emblems on your name, +Should not have sung your shame; and dropt your cheese, +To let the Fox laugh at your emptiness. + +CORV: Sirrah, you think the privilege of the place, +And your red saucy cap, that seems to me +Nail'd to your jolt-head with those two chequines, +Can warrant your abuses; come you hither: +You shall perceive, sir, I dare beat you; approach. + +VOLP: No haste, sir, I do know your valour well, +Since you durst publish what you are, sir. + +CORV: Tarry, +I'd speak with you. + +VOLP: Sir, sir, another time-- + +CORV: Nay, now. + +VOLP: O lord, sir! I were a wise man, +Would stand the fury of a distracted cuckold. + +[AS HE IS RUNNING OFF, RE-ENTER MOSCA.] + +CORB: What, come again! + +VOLP: Upon 'em, Mosca; save me. + +CORB: The air's infected where he breathes. + +CORV: Let's fly him. + +[EXEUNT CORV. AND CORB.] + +VOLP: Excellent basilisk! turn upon the vulture. + +[ENTER VOLTORE.] + +VOLT: Well, flesh-fly, it is summer with you now; +Your winter will come on. + +MOS: Good advocate, +Prithee not rail, nor threaten out of place thus; +Thou'lt make a solecism, as madam says. +Get you a biggin more, your brain breaks loose. + +[EXIT.] + +VOLT: Well, sir. + +VOLP: Would you have me beat the insolent slave, +Throw dirt upon his first good clothes? + +VOLT: This same +Is doubtless some familiar. + +VOLP: Sir, the court, +In troth, stays for you. I am mad, a mule +That never read Justinian, should get up, +And ride an advocate. Had you no quirk +To avoid gullage, sir, by such a creature? +I hope you do but jest; he has not done it: +'Tis but confederacy, to blind the rest. +You are the heir. + +VOLT: A strange, officious, +Troublesome knave! thou dost torment me. + +VOLP: I know-- +It cannot be, sir, that you should be cozen'd; +'Tis not within the wit of man to do it; +You are so wise, so prudent; and 'tis fit +That wealth and wisdom still should go together. + +[EXEUNT.] + + +SCENE 5.6. + +THE SCRUTINEO OR SENATE-HOUSE. + +ENTER AVOCATORI, NOTARIO, BONARIO, CELIA, +CORBACCIO, CORVINO, COMMANDADORI, SAFFI, ETC. + +1 AVOC: Are all the parties here? + +NOT: All but the advocate. + +2 AVOC: And here he comes. + +[ENTER VOLTORE AND VOLPONE.] + +1 AVOC: Then bring them forth to sentence. + +VOLT: O, my most honour'd fathers, let your mercy +Once win upon your justice, to forgive-- +I am distracted-- + +VOLP [ASIDE.]: What will he do now? + +VOLT: O, +I know not which to address myself to first; +Whether your fatherhoods, or these innocents-- + +CORV [ASIDE.]: Will he betray himself? + +VOLT: Whom equally +I have abused, out of most covetous ends-- + +CORV: The man is mad! + +CORB: What's that? + +CORV: He is possest. + +VOLT: For which, now struck in conscience, here, I prostate +Myself at your offended feet, for pardon. + +1, 2 AVOC: Arise. + +CEL: O heaven, how just thou art! + +VOLP [ASIDE.]: I am caught +In mine own noose-- + +CORV [TO CORBACCIO.]: Be constant, sir: nought now +Can help, but impudence. + +1 AVOC: Speak forward. + +COM: Silence! + +VOLT: It is not passion in me, reverend fathers, +But only conscience, conscience, my good sires, +That makes me now tell trueth. That parasite, +That knave, hath been the instrument of all. + +1 AVOC: Where is that knave? fetch him. + +VOLP: I go. + +[EXIT.] + +CORV: Grave fathers, +This man's distracted; he confest it now: +For, hoping to be old Volpone's heir, +Who now is dead-- + +3 AVOC: How? + +2 AVOC: Is Volpone dead? + +CORV: Dead since, grave fathers-- + +BON: O sure vengeance! + +1 AVOC: Stay, +Then he was no deceiver? + +VOLT: O no, none: +The parasite, grave fathers. + +CORV: He does speak +Out of mere envy, 'cause the servant's made +The thing he gaped for: please your fatherhoods, +This is the truth, though I'll not justify +The other, but he may be some-deal faulty. + +VOLT: Ay, to your hopes, as well as mine, Corvino: +But I'll use modesty. Pleaseth your wisdoms, +To view these certain notes, and but confer them; +As I hope favour, they shall speak clear truth. + +CORV: The devil has enter'd him! + +BON: Or bides in you. + +4 AVOC: We have done ill, by a public officer, +To send for him, if he be heir. + +2 AVOC: For whom? + +4 AVOC: Him that they call the parasite. + +3 AVOC: 'Tis true, +He is a man of great estate, now left. + +4 AVOC: Go you, and learn his name, and say, the court +Entreats his presence here, but to the clearing +Of some few doubts. + +[EXIT NOTARY.] + +2 AVOC: This same's a labyrinth! + +1 AVOC: Stand you unto your first report? + +CORV: My state, +My life, my fame-- + +BON: Where is it? + +CORV: Are at the stake + +1 AVOC: Is yours so too? + +CORB: The advocate's a knave, +And has a forked tongue-- + +2 AVOC: Speak to the point. + +CORB: So is the parasite too. + +1 AVOC: This is confusion. + +VOLT: I do beseech your fatherhoods, read but those-- +[GIVING THEM THE PAPERS.] + +CORV: And credit nothing the false spirit hath writ: +It cannot be, but he's possest grave fathers. + +[THE SCENE CLOSES.] + + +SCENE 5.7. + +A STREET. + +ENTER VOLPONE. + +VOLP: To make a snare for mine own neck! and run +My head into it, wilfully! with laughter! +When I had newly 'scaped, was free, and clear, +Out of mere wantonness! O, the dull devil +Was in this brain of mine, when I devised it, +And Mosca gave it second; he must now +Help to sear up this vein, or we bleed dead.-- +[ENTER NANO, ANDROGYNO, AND CASTRONE.] +How now! who let you loose? whither go you now? +What, to buy gingerbread? or to drown kitlings? + +NAN: Sir, master Mosca call'd us out of doors, +And bid us all go play, and took the keys. + +AND: Yes. + +VOLP: Did master Mosca take the keys? why so! +I'm farther in. These are my fine conceits! +I must be merry, with a mischief to me! +What a vile wretch was I, that could not bear +My fortune soberly? I must have my crotchets, +And my conundrums! Well, go you, and seek him: +His meaning may be truer than my fear. +Bid him, he straight come to me to the court; +Thither will I, and, if't be possible, +Unscrew my advocate, upon new hopes: +When I provoked him, then I lost myself. + +[EXEUNT.] + + +SCENE 5.8. + +THE SCRUTINEO, OR SENATE-HOUSE. + +AVOCATORI, BONARIO, CELIA, CORBACCIO, CORVINO, +COMMANDADORI, SAFFI, ETC., AS BEFORE. + +1 AVOC: These things can ne'er be reconciled. He, here, +[SHEWING THE PAPERS.] +Professeth, that the gentleman was wrong'd, +And that the gentlewoman was brought thither, +Forced by her husband, and there left. + +VOLT: Most true. + +CEL: How ready is heaven to those that pray! + +1 AVOC: But that +Volpone would have ravish'd her, he holds +Utterly false; knowing his impotence. + +CORV: Grave fathers, he's possest; again, I say, +Possest: nay, if there be possession, and +Obsession, he has both. + +3 AVOC: Here comes our officer. + +[ENTER VOLPONE.] + +VOLP: The parasite will straight be here, grave fathers. + +4 AVOC: You might invent some other name, sir varlet. + +3 AVOC: Did not the notary meet him? + +VOLP: Not that I know. + +4 AVOC: His coming will clear all. + +2 AVOC: Yet, it is misty. + +VOLT: May't please your fatherhoods-- + +VOLP [whispers volt.]: Sir, the parasite +Will'd me to tell you, that his master lives; +That you are still the man; your hopes the same; +And this was only a jest-- + +VOLT: How? + +VOLP: Sir, to try +If you were firm, and how you stood affected. + +VOLT: Art sure he lives? + +VOLP: Do I live, sir? + +VOLT: O me! +I was too violent. + +VOLP: Sir, you may redeem it, +They said, you were possest; fall down, and seem so: +I'll help to make it good. +[voltore falls.] +--God bless the man!-- +Stop your wind hard, and swell: See, see, see, see! +He vomits crooked pins! his eyes are set, +Like a dead hare's hung in a poulter's shop! +His mouth's running away! Do you see, signior? +Now it is in his belly! + +CORV: Ay, the devil! + +VOLP: Now in his throat. + +CORV: Ay, I perceive it plain. + +VOLP: 'Twill out, 'twill out! stand clear. +See, where it flies, +In shape of a blue toad, with a bat's wings! +Do you not see it, sir? + +CORB: What? I think I do. + +CORV: 'Tis too manifest. + +VOLP: Look! he comes to himself! + +VOLT: Where am I? + +VOLP: Take good heart, the worst is past, sir. +You are dispossest. + +1 AVOC: What accident is this! + +2 AVOC: Sudden, and full of wonder! + +3 AVOC: If he were +Possest, as it appears, all this is nothing. + +CORV: He has been often subject to these fits. + +1 AVOC: Shew him that writing:--do you know it, sir? + +VOLP [WHISPERS VOLT.]: Deny it, sir, forswear it; know it not. + +VOLT: Yes, I do know it well, it is my hand; +But all that it contains is false. + +BON: O practice! + +2 AVOC: What maze is this! + +1 AVOC: Is he not guilty then, +Whom you there name the parasite? + +VOLT: Grave fathers, +No more than his good patron, old Volpone. + +4 AVOC: Why, he is dead. + +VOLT: O no, my honour'd fathers, +He lives-- + +1 AVOC: How! lives? + +VOLT: Lives. + +2 AVOC: This is subtler yet! + +3 AVOC: You said he was dead. + +VOLT: Never. + +3 AVOC: You said so. + +CORV: I heard so. + +4 AVOC: Here comes the gentleman; make him way. + +[ENTER MOSCA.] + +3 AVOC: A stool. + +4 AVOC [ASIDE.]: A proper man; and, were Volpone dead, +A fit match for my daughter. + +3 AVOC: Give him way. + +VOLP [ASIDE TO MOSCA.]: Mosca, I was almost lost, the advocate +Had betrayed all; but now it is recovered; +All's on the hinge again--Say, I am living. + +MOS: What busy knave is this!--Most reverend fathers, +I sooner had attended your grave pleasures, +But that my order for the funeral +Of my dear patron, did require me-- + +VOLP [ASIDE.]: Mosca! + +MOS: Whom I intend to bury like a gentleman. + +VOLP [ASIDE.]: Ay, quick, and cozen me of all. + +2 AVOC: Still stranger! +More intricate! + +1 AVOC: And come about again! + +4 AVOC [ASIDE.]: It is a match, my daughter is bestow'd. + +MOS [ASIDE TO VOLP.]: Will you give me half? + +VOLP: First, I'll be hang'd. + +MOS: I know, +Your voice is good, cry not so loud. + +1 AVOC: Demand +The advocate.--Sir, did not you affirm, +Volpone was alive? + +VOLP: Yes, and he is; +This gentleman told me so. +[ASIDE TO VOLP.] +--Thou shalt have half.-- + +MOS: Whose drunkard is this same? speak, some that know him: +I never saw his face. +[ASIDE TO VOLP.] +--I cannot now +Afford it you so cheap. + +VOLP: No! + +1 AVOC: What say you? + +VOLT: The officer told me. + +VOLP: I did, grave fathers, +And will maintain he lives, with mine own life. +And that this creature [POINTS TO MOSCA.] told me. +[ASIDE.] +--I was born, +With all good stars my enemies. + +MOS: Most grave fathers, +If such an insolence as this must pass +Upon me, I am silent: 'twas not this +For which you sent, I hope. + +2 AVOC: Take him away. + +VOLP: Mosca! + +3 AVOC: Let him be whipt. + +VOLP: Wilt thou betray me? +Cozen me? + +3 AVOC: And taught to bear himself +Toward a person of his rank. + +4 AVOC: Away. + +[THE OFFICERS SEIZE VOLPONE.] + +MOS: I humbly thank your fatherhoods. + +VOLP [ASIDE.]: Soft, soft: Whipt! +And lose all that I have! If I confess, +It cannot be much more. + +4 AVOC: Sir, are you married? + +VOLP: They will be allied anon; I must be resolute: +The Fox shall here uncase. +[THROWS OFF HIS DISGUISE.] + +MOS: Patron! + +VOLP: Nay, now, +My ruins shall not come alone; your match +I'll hinder sure: my substance shall not glue you, +Nor screw you into a family. + +MOS: Why, patron! + +VOLP: I am Volpone, and this is my knave; +[POINTING TO MOSCA.] +This [TO VOLT.], his own knave; This [TO CORB.], avarice's fool; +This [TO CORV.], a chimera of wittol, fool, and knave: +And, reverend fathers, since we all can hope +Nought but a sentence, let's not now dispair it. +You hear me brief. + +CORV: May it please your fatherhoods-- + +COM: Silence. + +1 AVOC: The knot is now undone by miracle. + +2 AVOC: Nothing can be more clear. + +3 AVOC: Or can more prove +These innocent. + +1 AVOC: Give them their liberty. + +BON: Heaven could not long let such gross crimes be hid. + +2 AVOC: If this be held the high-way to get riches, +May I be poor! + +3 AVOC: This is not the gain, but torment. + +1 AVOC: These possess wealth, as sick men possess fevers, +Which trulier may be said to possess them. + +2 AVOC: Disrobe that parasite. + +CORV, MOS: Most honour'd fathers!-- + +1 AVOC: Can you plead aught to stay the course of justice? +If you can, speak. + +CORV, VOLT: We beg favour, + +CEL: And mercy. + +1 AVOC: You hurt your innocence, suing for the guilty. +Stand forth; and first the parasite: You appear +T'have been the chiefest minister, if not plotter, +In all these lewd impostures; and now, lastly, +Have with your impudence abused the court, +And habit of a gentleman of Venice, +Being a fellow of no birth or blood: +For which our sentence is, first, thou be whipt; +Then live perpetual prisoner in our gallies. + +VOLT: I thank you for him. + +MOS: Bane to thy wolvish nature! + +1 AVOC: Deliver him to the saffi. +[MOSCA IS CARRIED OUT.] +--Thou, Volpone, +By blood and rank a gentleman, canst not fall +Under like censure; but our judgment on thee +Is, that thy substance all be straight confiscate +To the hospital of the Incurabili: +And, since the most was gotten by imposture, +By feigning lame, gout, palsy, and such diseases, +Thou art to lie in prison, cramp'd with irons, +Till thou be'st sick, and lame indeed.--Remove him. + +[HE IS TAKEN FROM THE BAR.] + +VOLP: This is call'd mortifying of a Fox. + +1 AVOC: Thou, Voltore, to take away the scandal +Thou hast given all worthy men of thy profession, +Art banish'd from their fellowship, and our state. +Corbaccio!--bring him near--We here possess +Thy son of all thy state, and confine thee +To the monastery of San Spirito; +Where, since thou knewest not how to live well here, +Thou shalt be learn'd to die well. + +CORB: Ah! what said he? + +AND: You shall know anon, sir. + +1 AVOC: Thou, Corvino, shalt +Be straight embark'd from thine own house, and row'd +Round about Venice, through the grand canale, +Wearing a cap, with fair long asses' ears, +Instead of horns; and so to mount, a paper +Pinn'd on thy breast, to the Berlina-- + +CORV: Yes, +And have mine eyes beat out with stinking fish, +Bruised fruit and rotten eggs--'Tis well. I am glad +I shall not see my shame yet. + +1 AVOC: And to expiate +Thy wrongs done to thy wife, thou art to send her +Home to her father, with her dowry trebled: +And these are all your judgments. + +ALL: Honour'd fathers.-- + +1 AVOC: Which may not be revoked. Now you begin, +When crimes are done, and past, and to be punish'd, +To think what your crimes are: away with them. +Let all that see these vices thus rewarded, +Take heart and love to study 'em! Mischiefs feed +Like beasts, till they be fat, and then they bleed. + +[EXEUNT.] + +[VOLPONE COMES FORWARD.] + +VOLPONE: The seasoning of a play, is the applause. +Now, though the Fox be punish'd by the laws, +He yet doth hope, there is no suffering due, +For any fact which he hath done 'gainst you; +If there be, censure him; here he doubtful stands: +If not, fare jovially, and clap your hands. + +[EXIT.] + + + +--------------------- + + + +GLOSSARY + +ABATE, cast down, subdue. + +ABHORRING, repugnant (to), at variance. + +ABJECT, base, degraded thing, outcast. + +ABRASE, smooth, blank. + +ABSOLUTE(LY), faultless(ly). + +ABSTRACTED, abstract, abstruse. + +ABUSE, deceive, insult, dishonour, make ill use of. + +ACATER, caterer. + +ACATES, cates. + +ACCEPTIVE, willing, ready to accept, receive. + +ACCOMMODATE, fit, befitting. (The word was a fashionable +one and used on all occasions. See "Henry IV.," pt. 2, +iii. 4). + +ACCOST, draw near, approach. + +ACKNOWN, confessedly acquainted with. + +ACME, full maturity. + +ADALANTADO, lord deputy or governor of a Spanish province. + +ADJECTION, addition. + +ADMIRATION, astonishment. + +ADMIRE, wonder, wonder at. + +ADROP, philosopher's stone, or substance from which obtained. + +ADSCRIVE, subscribe. + +ADULTERATE, spurious, counterfeit. + +ADVANCE, lift. + +ADVERTISE, inform, give intelligence. + +ADVERTISED, "be--," be it known to you. + +ADVERTISEMENT, intelligence. + +ADVISE, consider, bethink oneself, deliberate. + +ADVISED, informed, aware; "are you--?" have you found that out? + +AFFECT, love, like; aim at; move. + +AFFECTED, disposed; beloved. + +AFFECTIONATE, obstinate; prejudiced. + +AFFECTS, affections. + +AFFRONT, "give the--," face. + +AFFY, have confidence in; betroth. + +AFTER, after the manner of. + +AGAIN, AGAINST, in anticipation of. + +AGGRAVATE, increase, magnify, enlarge upon. + +AGNOMINATION. See Paranomasie. + +AIERY, nest, brood. + +AIM, guess. + +ALL HID, children's cry at hide-and-seek. + +ALL-TO, completely, entirely ("all-to-be-laden"). + +ALLOWANCE, approbation, recognition. + +ALMA-CANTARAS (astronomy), parallels of altitude. + +ALMAIN, name of a dance. + +ALMUTEN, planet of chief influence in the horoscope. + +ALONE, unequalled, without peer. + +ALUDELS, subliming pots. + +AMAZED, confused, perplexed. + +AMBER, AMBRE, ambergris. + +AMBREE, MARY, a woman noted for her valour at the +siege of Ghent, 1458. + +AMES-ACE, lowest throw at dice. + +AMPHIBOLIES, ambiguities. + +AMUSED, bewildered, amazed. + +AN, if. + +ANATOMY, skeleton, or dissected body. + +ANDIRONS, fire-dogs. + +ANGEL, gold coin worth 10 shillings, stamped with the +figure of the archangel Michael. + +ANNESH CLEARE, spring known as Agnes le Clare. + +ANSWER, return hit in fencing. + +ANTIC, ANTIQUE, clown, buffoon. + +ANTIC, like a buffoon. + +ANTIPERISTASIS, an opposition which enhances the quality +it opposes. + +APOZEM, decoction. + +APPERIL, peril. + +APPLE-JOHN, APPLE-SQUIRE, pimp, pander. + +APPLY, attach. + +APPREHEND, take into custody. + +APPREHENSIVE, quick of perception; able to perceive and appreciate. + +APPROVE, prove, confirm. + +APT, suit, adapt; train, prepare; dispose, incline. + +APT(LY), suitable(y), opportune(ly). + +APTITUDE, suitableness. + +ARBOR, "make the--," cut up the game (Gifford). + +ARCHES, Court of Arches. + +ARCHIE, Archibald Armstrong, jester to James I. and Charles I. + +ARGAILE, argol, crust or sediment in wine casks. + +ARGENT-VIVE, quicksilver. + +ARGUMENT, plot of a drama; theme, subject; matter in question; +token, proof. + +ARRIDE, please. + +ARSEDINE, mixture of copper and zinc, used as an imitation of +gold-leaf. + +ARTHUR, PRINCE, reference to an archery show by a society who +assumed arms, etc., of Arthur's knights. + +ARTICLE, item. + +ARTIFICIALLY, artfully. + +ASCENSION, evaporation, distillation. + +ASPIRE, try to reach, obtain, long for. + +ASSALTO (Italian), assault. + +ASSAY, draw a knife along the belly of the deer, a +ceremony of the hunting-field. + +ASSOIL, solve. + +ASSURE, secure possession or reversion of. + +ATHANOR, a digesting furnace, calculated to keep up a +constant heat. + +ATONE, reconcile. + +ATTACH, attack, seize. + +AUDACIOUS, having spirit and confidence. + +AUTHENTIC(AL), of authority, authorised, trustworthy, genuine. + +AVISEMENT, reflection, consideration. + +AVOID, begone! get rid of. + +AWAY WITH, endure. + +AZOCH, Mercurius Philosophorum. + +BABION, baboon. + +BABY, doll. + +BACK-SIDE, back premises. + +BAFFLE, treat with contempt. + +BAGATINE, Italian coin, worth about the third of a farthing. + +BAIARD, horse of magic powers known to old romance. + +BALDRICK, belt worn across the breast to support bugle, etc. + +BALE (of dice), pair. + +BALK, overlook, pass by, avoid. + +BALLACE, ballast. + +BALLOO, game at ball. + +BALNEUM (BAIN MARIE), a vessel for holding hot water +in which other vessels are stood for heating. + +BANBURY, "brother of--," Puritan. + +BANDOG, dog tied or chained up. + +BANE, woe, ruin. + +BANQUET, a light repast; dessert. + +BARB, to clip gold. + +BARBEL, fresh-water fish. + +BARE, meer; bareheaded; it was "a particular mark of state +and grandeur for the coachman to be uncovered" (Gifford). + +BARLEY-BREAK, game somewhat similar to base. + +BASE, game of prisoner's base. + +BASES, richly embroidered skirt reaching to the knees, or +lower. + +BASILISK, fabulous reptile, believed to slay with its eye. + +BASKET, used for the broken provision collected for prisoners. + +BASON, basons, etc., were beaten by the attendant mob when +bad characters were "carted." + +BATE, be reduced; abate, reduce. + +BATOON, baton, stick. + +BATTEN, feed, grow fat. + +BAWSON, badger. + +BEADSMAN, prayer-man, one engaged to pray for another. + +BEAGLE, small hound; fig. spy. + +BEAR IN HAND, keep in suspense, deceive with false hopes. + +BEARWARD, bear leader. + +BEDPHERE. See Phere. + +BEDSTAFF, (?) wooden pin in the side of the bedstead for +supporting the bedclothes (Johnson); one of the sticks or +"laths"; a stick used in making a bed. + +BEETLE, heavy mallet. + +BEG, "I'd--him," the custody of minors and idiots was +begged for; likewise property fallen forfeit to the Crown +("your house had been begged"). + +BELL-MAN, night watchman. + +BENJAMIN, an aromatic gum. + +BERLINA, pillory. + +BESCUMBER, defile. + +BESLAVE, beslabber. + +BESOGNO, beggar. + +BESPAWLE, bespatter. + +BETHLEHEM GABOR, Transylvanian hero, proclaimed King of Hungary. + +BEVER, drinking. + +BEVIS, SIR, knight of romance whose horse was equally celebrated. + +BEWRAY, reveal, make known. + +BEZANT, heraldic term: small gold circle. + +BEZOAR'S STONE, a remedy known by this name was a +supposed antidote to poison. + +BID-STAND, highwayman. + +BIGGIN, cap, similar to that worn by the Beguines; nightcap. + +BILIVE (belive), with haste. + +BILK, nothing, empty talk. + +BILL, kind of pike. + +BILLET, wood cut for fuel, stick. + +BIRDING, thieving. + +BLACK SANCTUS, burlesque hymn, any unholy riot. + +BLANK, originally a small French coin. + +BLANK, white. + +BLANKET, toss in a blanket. + +BLAZE, outburst of violence. + +BLAZE, (her.) blazon; publish abroad. + +BLAZON, armorial bearings; fig. all that pertains to +good birth and breeding. + +BLIN, "withouten--," without ceasing. + +BLOW, puff up. + +BLUE, colour of servants' livery, hence "--order," +"--waiters." + +BLUSHET, blushing one. + +BOB, jest, taunt. + +BOB, beat, thump. + +BODGE, measure. + +BODKIN, dagger, or other short, pointed weapon; long +pin with which the women fastened up their hair. + +BOLT, roll (of material). + +BOLT, dislodge, rout out; sift (boulting-tub). + +BOLT'S-HEAD, long, straight-necked vessel for distillation. + +BOMBARD SLOPS, padded, puffed-out breeches. + +BONA ROBA, "good, wholesome, plum-cheeked wench" (Johnson) +--not always used in compliment. + +BONNY-CLABBER, sour butter-milk. + +BOOKHOLDER, prompter. + +BOOT, "to--," into the bargain; "no--," of no avail. + +BORACHIO, bottle made of skin. + +BORDELLO, brothel. + +BORNE IT, conducted, carried it through. + +BOTTLE (of hay), bundle, truss. + +BOTTOM, skein or ball of thread; vessel. + +BOURD, jest. + +BOVOLI, snails or cockles dressed in the Italian manner +(Gifford). + +BOW-POT, flower vase or pot. + +BOYS, "terrible--," "angry--," roystering young bucks. +(See Nares). + +BRABBLES (BRABBLESH), brawls. + +BRACH, bitch. + +BRADAMANTE, a heroine in "Orlando Furioso." + +BRADLEY, ARTHUR OF, a lively character commemorated in +ballads. + +BRAKE, frame for confining a horse's feet while being +shod, or strong curb or bridle; trap. + +BRANCHED, with "detached sleeve ornaments, projecting +from the shoulders of the gown" (Gifford). + +BRANDISH, flourish of weapon. + +BRASH, brace. + +BRAVE, bravado, braggart speech. + +BRAVE (adv.), gaily, finely (apparelled). + +BRAVERIES, gallants. + +BRAVERY, extravagant gaiety of apparel. + +BRAVO, bravado, swaggerer. + +BRAZEN-HEAD, speaking head made by Roger Bacon. + +BREATHE, pause for relaxation; exercise. + +BREATH UPON, speak dispraisingly of. + +BREND, burn. + +BRIDE-ALE, wedding feast. + +BRIEF, abstract; (mus.) breve. + +BRISK, smartly dressed. + +BRIZE, breese, gadfly. + +BROAD-SEAL, state seal. + +BROCK, badger (term of contempt). + +BROKE, transact business as a broker. + +BROOK, endure, put up with. + +BROUGHTON, HUGH, an English divine and Hebrew scholar. + +BRUIT, rumour. + +BUCK, wash. + +BUCKLE, bend. + +BUFF, leather made of buffalo skin, used for military +and serjeants' coats, etc. + +BUFO, black tincture. + +BUGLE, long-shaped bead. + +BULLED, (?) bolled, swelled. + +BULLIONS, trunk hose. + +BULLY, term of familiar endearment. + +BUNGY, Friar Bungay, who had a familiar in the shape of a dog. + +BURDEN, refrain, chorus. + +BURGONET, closely-fitting helmet with visor. + +BURGULLION, braggadocio. + +BURN, mark wooden measures ("--ing of cans"). + +BURROUGH, pledge, security. + +BUSKIN, half-boot, foot gear reaching high up the leg. + +BUTT-SHAFT, barbless arrow for shooting at butts. + +BUTTER, NATHANIEL ("Staple of News"), a compiler of general +news. (See Cunningham). + +BUTTERY-HATCH, half-door shutting off the buttery, where +provisions and liquors were stored. + +BUY, "he bought me," formerly the guardianship of wards +could be bought. + +BUZ, exclamation to enjoin silence. + +BUZZARD, simpleton. + +BY AND BY, at once. + +BY(E), "on the __," incidentally, as of minor or secondary +importance; at the side. + +BY-CHOP, by-blow, bastard. + +CADUCEUS, Mercury's wand. + +CALIVER, light kind of musket. + +CALLET, woman of ill repute. + +CALLOT, coif worn on the wigs of our judges or +serjeants-at-law (Gifford). + +CALVERED, crimped, or sliced and pickled. (See Nares). + +CAMOUCCIO, wretch, knave. + +CAMUSED, flat. + +CAN, knows. + +CANDLE-RENT, rent from house property. + +CANDLE-WASTER, one who studies late. + +CANTER, sturdy beggar. + +CAP OF MAINTENCE, an insignia of dignity, a cap of state +borne before kings at their coronation; also an heraldic term. + +CAPABLE, able to comprehend, fit to receive instruction, +impression. + +CAPANEUS, one of the "Seven against Thebes." + +CARACT, carat, unit of weight for precious stones, etc.; +value, worth. + +CARANZA, Spanish author of a book on duelling. + +CARCANET, jewelled ornament for the neck. + +CARE, take care; object. + +CAROSH, coach, carriage. + +CARPET, table-cover. + +CARRIAGE, bearing, behaviour. + +CARWHITCHET, quip, pun. + +CASAMATE, casemate, fortress. + +CASE, a pair. + +CASE, "in--," in condition. + +CASSOCK, soldier's loose overcoat. + +CAST, flight of hawks, couple. + +CAST, throw dice; vomit; forecast, calculate. + +CAST, cashiered. + +CASTING-GLASS, bottle for sprinkling perfume. + +CASTRIL, kestrel, falcon. + +CAT, structure used in sieges. + +CATAMITE, old form of "ganymede." + +CATASTROPHE, conclusion. + +CATCHPOLE, sheriff's officer. + +CATES, dainties, provisions. + +CATSO, rogue, cheat. + +CAUTELOUS, crafty, artful. + +CENSURE, criticism; sentence. + +CENSURE, criticise; pass sentence, doom. + +CERUSE, cosmetic containing white lead. + +CESS, assess. + +CHANGE, "hunt--," follow a fresh scent. + +CHAPMAN, retail dealer. + +CHARACTER, handwriting. + +CHARGE, expense. + +CHARM, subdue with magic, lay a spell on, silence. + +CHARMING, exercising magic power. + +CHARTEL, challenge. + +CHEAP, bargain, market. + +CHEAR, CHEER, comfort, encouragement; food, entertainment. + +CHECK AT, aim reproof at. + +CHEQUIN, gold Italian coin. + +CHEVRIL, from kidskin, which is elastic and pliable. + +CHIAUS, Turkish envoy; used for a cheat, swindler. + +CHILDERMASS DAY, Innocents' Day. + +CHOKE-BAIL, action which does not allow of bail. + +CHRYSOPOEIA, alchemy. + +CHRYSOSPERM, ways of producing gold. + +CIBATION, adding fresh substances to supply the waste +of evaporation. + +CIMICI, bugs. + +CINOPER, cinnabar. + +CIOPPINI, chopine, lady's high shoe. + +CIRCLING BOY, "a species of roarer; one who in some way +drew a man into a snare, to cheat or rob him" (Nares). + +CIRCUMSTANCE, circumlocution, beating about the bush; +ceremony, everything pertaining to a certain condition; +detail, particular. + +CITRONISE, turn citron colour. + +CITTERN, kind of guitar. + +CITY-WIRES, woman of fashion, who made use of wires +for hair and dress. + +CIVIL, legal. + +CLAP, clack, chatter. + +CLAPPER-DUDGEON, downright beggar. + +CLAPS HIS DISH, a clap, or clack, dish (dish with a +movable lid) was carried by beggars and lepers to show +that the vessel was empty, and to give sound of their +approach. + +CLARIDIANA, heroine of an old romance. + +CLARISSIMO, Venetian noble. + +CLEM, starve. + +CLICKET, latch. + +CLIM O' THE CLOUGHS, etc., wordy heroes of romance. + +CLIMATE, country. + +CLOSE, secret, private; secretive. + +CLOSENESS, secrecy. + +CLOTH, arras, hangings. + +CLOUT, mark shot at, bull's eye. + +CLOWN, countryman, clodhopper. + +COACH-LEAVES, folding blinds. + +COALS, "bear no--," submit to no affront. + +COAT-ARMOUR, coat of arms. + +COAT-CARD, court-card. + +COB-HERRING, HERRING-COB, a young herring. + +COB-SWAN, male swan. + +COCK-A-HOOP, denoting unstinted jollity; thought to +be derived from turning on the tap that all might +drink to the full of the flowing liquor. + +COCKATRICE, reptile supposed to be produced from a +cock's egg and to kill by its eye--used as a term +of reproach for a woman. + +COCK-BRAINED, giddy, wild. + +COCKER, pamper. + +COCKSCOMB, fool's cap. + +COCKSTONE, stone said to be found in a cock's +gizzard, and to possess particular virtues. + +CODLING, softening by boiling. + +COFFIN, raised crust of a pie. + +COG, cheat, wheedle. + +COIL, turmoil, confusion, ado. + +COKELY, master of a puppet-show (Whalley). + +COKES, fool, gull. + +COLD-CONCEITED, having cold opinion of, coldly +affected towards. + +COLE-HARBOUR, a retreat for people of all sorts. + +COLLECTION, composure; deduction. + +COLLOP, small slice, piece of flesh. + +COLLY, blacken. + +COLOUR, pretext. + +COLOURS, "fear no--," no enemy (quibble). + +COLSTAFF, cowlstaff, pole for carrying a cowl=tub. + +COME ABOUT, charge, turn round. + +COMFORTABLE BREAD, spiced gingerbread. + +COMING, forward, ready to respond, complaisant. + +COMMENT, commentary; "sometime it is taken for a lie +or fayned tale" (Bullokar, 1616). + +COMMODITY, "current for--," allusion to practice of +money-lenders, who forced the borrower to take part of +the loan in the shape of worthless goods on which the +latter had to make money if he could. + +COMMUNICATE, share. + +COMPASS, "in--," within the range, sphere. + +COMPLEMENT, completion, completement; anything +required for the perfecting or carrying out of +a person or affair; accomplishment. + +COMPLEXION, natural disposition, constitution. + +COMPLIMENT, See Complement. + +COMPLIMENTARIES, masters of accomplishments. + +COMPOSITION, constitution; agreement, contract. + +COMPOSURE, composition. + +COMPTER, COUNTER, debtors' prison. + +CONCEALMENT, a certain amount of church property +had been retained at the dissolution of the monasteries; +Elizabeth sent commissioners to search it out, and the +courtiers begged for it. + +CONCEIT, idea, fancy, witty invention, conception, opinion. + +CONCEIT, apprehend. + +CONCEITED, fancifully, ingeniously devised or conceived; +possessed of intelligence, witty, ingenious (hence well +conceited, etc.); disposed to joke; of opinion, possessed +of an idea. + +CONCEIVE, understand. + +CONCENT, harmony, agreement. + +CONCLUDE, infer, prove. + +CONCOCT, assimilate, digest. + +CONDEN'T, probably conducted. + +CONDUCT, escort, conductor. + +CONEY-CATCH, cheat. + +CONFECT, sweetmeat. + +CONFER, compare. + +CONGIES, bows. + +CONNIVE, give a look, wink, of secret intelligence. + +CONSORT, company, concert. + +CONSTANCY, fidelity, ardour, persistence. + +CONSTANT, confirmed, persistent, faithful. + +CONSTANTLY, firmly, persistently. + +CONTEND, strive. + +CONTINENT, holding together. + +CONTROL (the point), bear or beat down. + +CONVENT, assembly, meeting. + +CONVERT, turn (oneself). + +CONVEY, transmit from one to another. + +CONVINCE, evince, prove; overcome, overpower; convict. + +COP, head, top; tuft on head of birds; "a cop" may +have reference to one or other meaning; Gifford and +others interpret as "conical, terminating in a point." + +COPE-MAN, chapman. + +COPESMATE, companion. + +COPY (Lat. copia), abundance, copiousness. + +CORN ("powder--"), grain. + +COROLLARY, finishing part or touch. + +CORSIVE, corrosive. + +CORTINE, curtain, (arch.) wall between two towers, etc. + +CORYAT, famous for his travels, published as "Coryat's +Crudities." + +COSSET, pet lamb, pet. + +COSTARD, head. + +COSTARD-MONGER, apple-seller, coster-monger. + +COSTS, ribs. + +COTE, hut. + +COTHURNAL, from "cothurnus," a particular boot worn by +actors in Greek tragedy. + +COTQUEAN, hussy. + +COUNSEL, secret. + +COUNTENANCE, means necessary for support; credit, standing. + +COUNTER. See Compter. + +COUNTER, pieces of metal or ivory for calculating at play. + +COUNTER, "hunt--," follow scent in reverse direction. + +COUNTERFEIT, false coin. + +COUNTERPANE, one part or counterpart of a deed or indenture. + +COUNTERPOINT, opposite, contrary point. + +COURT-DISH, a kind of drinking-cup (Halliwell); N.E.D. +quotes from Bp. Goodman's "Court of James I.": "The +king...caused his carver to cut him out a court-dish, +that is, something of every dish, which he sent him as +part of his reversion," but this does not sound like +short allowance or small receptacle. + +COURT-DOR, fool. + +COURTEAU, curtal, small horse with docked tail. + +COURTSHIP, courtliness. + +COVETISE, avarice. + +COWSHARD, cow dung. + +COXCOMB, fool's cap, fool. + +COY, shrink; disdain. + +COYSTREL, low varlet. + +COZEN, cheat. + +CRACK, lively young rogue, wag. + +CRACK, crack up, boast; come to grief. + +CRAMBE, game of crambo, in which the players find +rhymes for a given word. + +CRANCH, craunch. + +CRANION, spider-like; also fairy appellation for a +fly (Gifford, who refers to lines in Drayton's +"Nimphidia"). + +CRIMP, game at cards. + +CRINCLE, draw back, turn aside. + +CRISPED, with curled or waved hair. + +CROP, gather, reap. + +CROPSHIRE, a kind of herring. (See N.E.D.) + +CROSS, any piece of money, many coins being stamped +with a cross. + +CROSS AND PILE, heads and tails. + +CROSSLET, crucible. + +CROWD, fiddle. + +CRUDITIES, undigested matter. + +CRUMP, curl up. + +CRUSADO, Portuguese gold coin, marked with a cross. + +CRY ("he that cried Italian"), "speak in a musical +cadence," intone, or declaim (?); cry up. + +CUCKING-STOOL, used for the ducking of scolds, etc. + +CUCURBITE, a gourd-shaped vessel used for distillation. + +CUERPO, "in--," in undress. + +CULLICE, broth. + +CULLION, base fellow, coward. + +CULLISEN, badge worn on their arm by servants. + +CULVERIN, kind of cannon. + +CUNNING, skill. + +CUNNING, skilful. + +CUNNING-MAN, fortune-teller. + +CURE, care for. + +CURIOUS(LY), scrupulous, particular; elaborate, +elegant(ly), dainty(ly) (hence "in curious"). + +CURST, shrewish, mischievous. + +CURTAL, dog with docked tail, of inferior sort. + +CUSTARD, "quaking--," "--politic," reference to +a large custard which formed part of a city feast +and afforded huge entertainment, for the fool jumped +into it, and other like tricks were played. (See +"All's Well, etc." ii. 5, 40.) + +CUTWORK, embroidery, open-work. + +CYPRES (CYPRUS) (quibble), cypress (or cyprus) being +a transparent material, and when black used for mourning. + +DAGGER ("--frumety"), name of tavern. + +DARGISON, apparently some person known in ballad or tale. + +DAUPHIN MY BOY, refrain of old comic song. + +DAW, daunt. + +DEAD LIFT, desperate emergency. + +DEAR, applied to that which in any way touches us nearly. + +DECLINE, turn off from; turn away, aside. + +DEFALK, deduct, abate. + +DEFEND, forbid. + +DEGENEROUS, degenerate. + +DEGREES, steps. + +DELATE, accuse. + +DEMI-CULVERIN, cannon carrying a ball of about ten pounds. + +DENIER, the smallest possible coin, being the twelfth +part of a sou. + +DEPART, part with. + +DEPENDANCE, ground of quarrel in duello language. + +DESERT, reward. + +DESIGNMENT, design. + +DESPERATE, rash, reckless. + +DETECT, allow to be detected, betray, inform against. + +DETERMINE, terminate. + +DETRACT, draw back, refuse. + +DEVICE, masque, show; a thing moved by wires, +etc., puppet. + +DEVISE, exact in every particular. + +DEVISED, invented. + +DIAPASM, powdered aromatic herbs, made into balls +of perfumed paste. (See Pomander.) + +DIBBLE, (?) moustache (N.E.D.); (?) dagger (Cunningham). + +DIFFUSED, disordered, scattered, irregular. + +DIGHT, dressed. + +DILDO, refrain of popular songs; vague term of low meaning. + +DIMBLE, dingle, ravine. + +DIMENSUM, stated allowance. + +DISBASE, debase. + +DISCERN, distinguish, show a difference between. + +DISCHARGE, settle for. + +DISCIPLINE, reformation; ecclesiastical system. + +DISCLAIM, renounce all part in. + +DISCOURSE, process of reasoning, reasoning faculty. + +DISCOURTSHIP, discourtesy. + +DISCOVER, betray, reveal; display. + +DISFAVOUR, disfigure. + +DISPARAGEMENT, legal term applied to the unfitness +in any way of a marriage arranged for in the case +of wards. + +DISPENSE WITH, grant dispensation for. + +DISPLAY, extend. + +DIS'PLE, discipline, teach by the whip. + +DISPOSED, inclined to merriment. + +DISPOSURE, disposal. + +DISPRISE, depreciate. + +DISPUNCT, not punctilious. + +DISQUISITION, search. + +DISSOLVED, enervated by grief. + +DISTANCE, (?) proper measure. + +DISTASTE, offence, cause of offence. + +DISTASTE, render distasteful. + +DISTEMPERED, upset, out of humour. + +DIVISION (mus.), variation, modulation. + +DOG-BOLT, term of contempt. + +DOLE, given in dole, charity. + +DOLE OF FACES, distribution of grimaces. + +DOOM, verdict, sentence. + +DOP, dip, low bow. + +DOR, beetle, buzzing insect, drone, idler. + +DOR, (?) buzz; "give the--," make a fool of. + +DOSSER, pannier, basket. + +DOTES, endowments, qualities. + +DOTTEREL, plover; gull, fool. + +DOUBLE, behave deceitfully. + +DOXY, wench, mistress. + +DRACHM, Greek silver coin. + +DRESS, groom, curry. + +DRESSING, coiffure. + +DRIFT, intention. + +DRYFOOT, track by mere scent of foot. + +DUCKING, punishment for minor offences. + +DUILL, grieve. + +DUMPS, melancholy, originally a mournful melody. + +DURINDANA, Orlando's sword. + +DWINDLE, shrink away, be overawed. + +EAN, yean, bring forth young. + +EASINESS, readiness. + +EBOLITION, ebullition. + +EDGE, sword. + +EECH, eke. + +EGREGIOUS, eminently excellent. + +EKE, also, moreover. + +E-LA, highest note in the scale. + +EGGS ON THE SPIT, important business on hand. + +ELF-LOCK, tangled hair, supposed to be the work of elves. + +EMMET, ant. + +ENGAGE, involve. + +ENGHLE. See Ingle. + +ENGHLE, cajole; fondle. + +ENGIN(E), device, contrivance; agent; ingenuity, wit. + +ENGINER, engineer, deviser, plotter. + +ENGINOUS, crafty, full of devices; witty, ingenious. + +ENGROSS, monopolise. + +ENS, an existing thing, a substance. + +ENSIGNS, tokens, wounds. + +ENSURE, assure. + +ENTERTAIN, take into service. + +ENTREAT, plead. + +ENTREATY, entertainment. + +ENTRY, place where a deer has lately passed. + +ENVOY, denouement, conclusion. + +ENVY, spite, calumny, dislike, odium. + +EPHEMERIDES, calendars. + +EQUAL, just, impartial. + +ERECTION, elevation in esteem. + +ERINGO, candied root of the sea-holly, formerly +used as a sweetmeat and aphrodisiac. + +ERRANT, arrant. + +ESSENTIATE, become assimilated. + +ESTIMATION, esteem. + +ESTRICH, ostrich. + +ETHNIC, heathen. + +EURIPUS, flux and reflux. + +EVEN, just equable. + +EVENT, fate, issue. + +EVENT(ED), issue(d). + +EVERT, overturn. + +EXACUATE, sharpen. + +EXAMPLESS, without example or parallel. + +EXCALIBUR, King Arthur's sword. + +EXEMPLIFY, make an example of. + +EXEMPT, separate, exclude. + +EXEQUIES, obsequies. + +EXHALE, drag out. + +EXHIBITION, allowance for keep, pocket-money. + +EXORBITANT, exceeding limits of propriety or law, +inordinate. + +EXORNATION, ornament. + +EXPECT, wait. + +EXPIATE, terminate. + +EXPLICATE, explain, unfold. + +EXTEMPORAL, extempore, unpremeditated. + +EXTRACTION, essence. + +EXTRAORDINARY, employed for a special or temporary purpose. + +EXTRUDE, expel. + +EYE, "in--," in view. + +EYEBRIGHT, (?) a malt liquor in which the herb of +this name was infused, or a person who sold the same +(Gifford). + +EYE-TINGE, least shade or gleam. + +FACE, appearance. + +FACES ABOUT, military word of command. + +FACINOROUS, extremely wicked. + +FACKINGS, faith. + +FACT, deed, act, crime. + +FACTIOUS, seditious, belonging to a party, given to party feeling. + +FAECES, dregs. + +FAGIOLI, French beans. + +FAIN, forced, necessitated. + +FAITHFUL, believing. + +FALL, ruff or band turned back on the shoulders; or, veil. + +FALSIFY, feign (fencing term). + +FAME, report. + +FAMILIAR, attendant spirit. + +FANTASTICAL, capricious, whimsical. + +FARCE, stuff. + +FAR-FET. See Fet. + +FARTHINGAL, hooped petticoat. + +FAUCET, tapster. + +FAULT, lack; loss, break in line of scent; "for--," in default of. + +FAUTOR, partisan. + +FAYLES, old table game similar to backgammon. + +FEAR(ED), affright(ed). + +FEAT, activity, operation; deed, action. + +FEAT, elegant, trim. + +FEE, "in--" by feudal obligation. + +FEIZE, beat, belabour. + +FELLOW, term of contempt. + +FENNEL, emblem of flattery. + +FERE, companion, fellow. + +FERN-SEED, supposed to have power of rendering invisible. + +FET, fetched. + +FETCH, trick. + +FEUTERER (Fr. vautrier), dog-keeper. + +FEWMETS, dung. + +FICO, fig. + +FIGGUM, (?) jugglery. + +FIGMENT, fiction, invention. + +FIRK, frisk, move suddenly, or in jerks; "--up," +stir up, rouse; "firks mad," suddenly behaves like +a madman. + +FIT, pay one out, punish. + +FITNESS, readiness. + +FITTON (FITTEN), lie, invention. + +FIVE-AND-FIFTY, "highest number to stand on at +primero" (Gifford). + +FLAG, to fly low and waveringly. + +FLAGON CHAIN, for hanging a smelling-bottle (Fr. +flacon) round the neck (?). (See N.E.D.). + +FLAP-DRAGON, game similar to snap-dragon. + +FLASKET, some kind of basket. + +FLAW, sudden gust or squall of wind. + +FLAWN, custard. + +FLEA, catch fleas. + +FLEER, sneer, laugh derisively. + +FLESH, feed a hawk or dog with flesh to incite +it to the chase; initiate in blood-shed; satiate. + +FLICKER-MOUSE, bat. + +FLIGHT, light arrow. + +FLITTER-MOUSE, bat. + +FLOUT, mock, speak and act contemptuously. + +FLOWERS, pulverised substance. + +FLY, familiar spirit. + +FOIL, weapon used in fencing; that which +sets anything off to advantage. + +FOIST, cut-purse, sharper. + +FOND(LY), foolish(ly). + +FOOT-CLOTH, housings of ornamental cloth which +hung down on either side a horse to the ground. + +FOOTING, foothold; footstep; dancing. + +FOPPERY, foolery. + +FOR, "--failing," for fear of failing. + +FORBEAR, bear with; abstain from. + +FORCE, "hunt at--," run the game down with dogs. + +FOREHEAD, modesty; face, assurance, effrontery. + +FORESLOW, delay. + +FORESPEAK, bewitch; foretell. + +FORETOP, front lock of hair which fashion +required to be worn upright. + +FORGED, fabricated. + +FORM, state formally. + +FORMAL, shapely; normal; conventional. + +FORTHCOMING, produced when required. + +FOUNDER, disable with over-riding. + +FOURM, form, lair. + +FOX, sword. + +FRAIL, rush basket in which figs or raisins +were packed. + +FRAMPULL, peevish, sour-tempered. + +FRAPLER, blusterer, wrangler. + +FRAYING, "a stag is said to fray his head when he +rubs it against a tree to...cause the outward coat +of the new horns to fall off" (Gifford). + +FREIGHT (of the gazetti), burden (of the newspapers). + +FREQUENT, full. + +FRICACE, rubbing. + +FRICATRICE, woman of low character. + +FRIPPERY, old clothes shop. + +FROCK, smock-frock. + +FROLICS, (?) humorous verses circulated at a feast +(N.E.D.); couplets wrapped round sweetmeats (Cunningham). + +FRONTLESS, shameless. + +FROTED, rubbed. + +FRUMETY, hulled wheat boiled in milk and spiced. + +FRUMP, flout, sneer. + +FUCUS, dye. + +FUGEAND, (?) figent: fidgety, restless (N.E.D.). + +FULLAM, false dice. + +FULMART, polecat. + +FULSOME, foul, offensive. + +FURIBUND, raging, furious. + +GALLEY-FOIST, city-barge, used on Lord Mayor's Day, +when he was sworn into his office at Westminster +(Whalley). + +GALLIARD, lively dance in triple time. + +GAPE, be eager after. + +GARAGANTUA, Rabelais' giant. + +GARB, sheaf (Fr. gerbe); manner, fashion, behaviour. + +GARD, guard, trimming, gold or silver lace, or other +ornament. + +GARDED, faced or trimmed. + +GARNISH, fee. + +GAVEL-KIND, name of a land-tenure existing chiefly in +Kent; from 16th century often used to denote custom +of dividing a deceased man's property equally among +his sons (N.E.D.). + +GAZETTE, small Venetian coin worth about three-farthings. + +GEANCE, jaunt, errand. + +GEAR (GEER), stuff, matter, affair. + +GELID, frozen. + +GEMONIES, steps from which the bodies of criminals +were thrown into the river. + +GENERAL, free, affable. + +GENIUS, attendant spirit. + +GENTRY, gentlemen; manners characteristic of gentry, +good breeding. + +GIB-CAT, tom-cat. + +GIGANTOMACHIZE, start a giants' war. + +GIGLOT, wanton. + +GIMBLET, gimlet. + +GING, gang. + +GLASS ("taking in of shadows, etc."), crystal or beryl. + +GLEEK, card game played by three; party of three, trio; +side glance. + +GLICK (GLEEK), jest, gibe. + +GLIDDER, glaze. + +GLORIOUSLY, of vain glory. + +GODWIT, bird of the snipe family. + +GOLD-END-MAN, a buyer of broken gold and silver. + +GOLL, hand. + +GONFALIONIER, standard-bearer, chief magistrate, etc. + +GOOD, sound in credit. + +GOOD-YEAR, good luck. + +GOOSE-TURD, colour of. (See Turd). + +GORCROW, carrion crow. + +GORGET, neck armour. + +GOSSIP, godfather. + +GOWKED, from "gowk," to stand staring and gaping like +a fool. + +GRANNAM, grandam. + +GRASS, (?) grease, fat. + +GRATEFUL, agreeable, welcome. + +GRATIFY, give thanks to. + +GRATITUDE, gratuity. + +GRATULATE, welcome, congratulate. + +GRAVITY, dignity. + +GRAY, badger. + +GRICE, cub. + +GRIEF, grievance. + +GRIPE, vulture, griffin. + +GRIPE'S EGG, vessel in shape of. + +GROAT, fourpence. + +GROGRAN, coarse stuff made of silk and mohair, or of +coarse silk. + +GROOM-PORTER, officer in the royal household. + +GROPE, handle, probe. + +GROUND, pit (hence "grounded judgments"). + +GUARD, caution, heed. + +GUARDANT, heraldic term: turning the head only. + +GUILDER, Dutch coin worth about 4d. + +GULES, gullet, throat; heraldic term for red. + +GULL, simpleton, dupe. + +GUST, taste. + +HAB NAB, by, on, chance. + +HABERGEON, coat of mail. + +HAGGARD, wild female hawk; hence coy, wild. + +HALBERD, combination of lance and battle-axe. + +HALL, "a--!" a cry to clear the room for the dancers. + +HANDSEL, first money taken. + +HANGER, loop or strap on a sword-belt from which the +sword was suspended. + +HAP, fortune, luck. + +HAPPILY, haply. + +HAPPINESS, appropriateness, fitness. + +HAPPY, rich. + +HARBOUR, track, trace (an animal) to its shelter. + +HARD-FAVOURED, harsh-featured. + +HARPOCRATES, Horus the child, son of Osiris, figured +with a finger pointing to his mouth, indicative of +silence. + +HARRINGTON, a patent was granted to Lord H. for the +coinage of tokens (q.v.). + +HARROT, herald. + +HARRY NICHOLAS, founder of a community called the +"Family of Love." + +HAY, net for catching rabbits, etc. + +HAY! (Ital. hai!), you have it (a fencing term). + +HAY IN HIS HORN, ill-tempered person. + +HAZARD, game at dice; that which is staked. + +HEAD, "first--," young deer with antlers first +sprouting; fig. a newly-ennobled man. + +HEADBOROUGH, constable. + +HEARKEN AFTER, inquire; "hearken out," find, search out. + +HEARTEN, encourage. + +HEAVEN AND HELL ("Alchemist"), names of taverns. + +HECTIC, fever. + +HEDGE IN, include. + +HELM, upper part of a retort. + +HER'NSEW, hernshaw, heron. + +HIERONIMO (JERONIMO), hero of Kyd's "Spanish Tragedy." + +HOBBY, nag. + +HOBBY-HORSE, imitation horse of some light material, +fastened round the waist of the morrice-dancer, who +imitated the movements of a skittish horse. + +HODDY-DODDY, fool. + +HOIDEN, hoyden, formerly applied to both sexes (ancient +term for leveret? Gifford). + +HOLLAND, name of two famous chemists. + +HONE AND HONERO, wailing expressions of lament or discontent. + +HOOD-WINK'D, blindfolded. + +HORARY, hourly. + +HORN-MAD, stark mad (quibble). + +HORN-THUMB, cut-purses were in the habit of wearing a horn +shield on the thumb. + +HORSE-BREAD-EATING, horses were often fed on coarse bread. + +HORSE-COURSER, horse-dealer. + +HOSPITAL, Christ's Hospital. + +HOWLEGLAS, Eulenspiegel, the hero of a popular German +tale which relates his buffooneries and knavish tricks. + +HUFF, hectoring, arrogance. + +HUFF IT, swagger. + +HUISHER (Fr. huissier), usher. + +HUM, beer and spirits mixed together. + +HUMANITIAN, humanist, scholar. + +HUMOROUS, capricious, moody, out of humour; moist. + +HUMOUR, a word used in and out of season in the time +of Shakespeare and Ben Jonson, and ridiculed by both. + +HUMOURS, manners. + +HUMPHREY, DUKE, those who were dinnerless spent the +dinner-hour in a part of St. Paul's where stood a +monument said to be that of the duke's; hence "dine +with Duke Humphrey," to go hungry. + +HURTLESS, harmless. + +IDLE, useless, unprofitable. + +ILL-AFFECTED, ill-disposed. + +ILL-HABITED, unhealthy. + +ILLUSTRATE, illuminate. + +IMBIBITION, saturation, steeping. + +IMBROCATA, fencing term: a thrust in tierce. + +IMPAIR, impairment. + +IMPART, give money. + +IMPARTER, any one ready to be cheated and to part +with his money. + +IMPEACH, damage. + +IMPERTINENCIES, irrelevancies. + +IMPERTINENT(LY), irrelevant(ly), without reason or purpose. + +IMPOSITION, duty imposed by. + +IMPOTENTLY, beyond power of control. + +IMPRESS, money in advance. + +IMPULSION, incitement. + +IN AND IN, a game played by two or three persons +with four dice. + +INCENSE, incite, stir up. + +INCERATION, act of covering with wax; or reducing +a substance to softness of wax. + +INCH, "to their--es," according to their stature, +capabilities. + +INCH-PIN, sweet-bread. + +INCONVENIENCE, inconsistency, absurdity. + +INCONY, delicate, rare (used as a term of affection). + +INCUBEE, incubus. + +INCUBUS, evil spirit that oppresses us in sleep, nightmare. + +INCURIOUS, unfastidious, uncritical. + +INDENT, enter into engagement. + +INDIFFERENT, tolerable, passable. + +INDIGESTED, shapeless, chaotic. + +INDUCE, introduce. + +INDUE, supply. + +INEXORABLE, relentless. + +INFANTED, born, produced. + +INFLAME, augment charge. + +INGENIOUS, used indiscriminantly for ingenuous; +intelligent, talented. + +INGENUITY, ingenuousness. + +INGENUOUS, generous. + +INGINE. See Engin. + +INGINER, engineer. (See Enginer). + +INGLE, OR ENGHLE, bosom friend, intimate, minion. + +INHABITABLE, uninhabitable. + +INJURY, insult, affront. + +IN-MATE, resident, indwelling. + +INNATE, natural. + +INNOCENT, simpleton. + +INQUEST, jury, or other official body of inquiry. + +INQUISITION, inquiry. + +INSTANT, immediate. + +INSTRUMENT, legal document. + +INSURE, assure. + +INTEGRATE, complete, perfect. + +INTELLIGENCE, secret information, news. + +INTEND, note carefully, attend, give ear to, be +occupied with. + +INTENDMENT, intention. + +INTENT, intention, wish. + +INTENTION, concentration of attention or gaze. + +INTENTIVE, attentive. + +INTERESSED, implicated. + +INTRUDE, bring in forcibly or without leave. + +INVINCIBLY, invisibly. + +INWARD, intimate. + +IRPE (uncertain), "a fantastic grimace, or contortion +of the body: (Gifford)." + +JACK, Jack o' the clock, automaton figure that strikes +the hour; Jack-a-lent, puppet thrown at in Lent. + +JACK, key of a virginal. + +JACOB'S STAFF, an instrument for taking altitudes and +distances. + +JADE, befool. + +JEALOUSY, JEALOUS, suspicion, suspicious. + +JERKING, lashing. + +JEW'S TRUMP, Jew's harp. + +JIG, merry ballad or tune; a fanciful dialogue or +light comic act introduced at the end or during an +interlude of a play. + +JOINED (JOINT)-STOOL, folding stool. + +JOLL, jowl. + +JOLTHEAD, blockhead. + +JUMP, agree, tally. + +JUST YEAR, no one was capable of the consulship until +he was forty-three. + +KELL, cocoon. + +KELLY, an alchemist. + +KEMB, comb. + +KEMIA, vessel for distillation. + +KIBE, chap, sore. + +KILDERKIN, small barrel. + +KILL, kiln. + +KIND, nature; species; "do one's--," act according +to one's nature. + +KIRTLE, woman's gown of jacket and petticoat. + +KISS OR DRINK AFORE ME, "this is a familiar expression, +employed when what the speaker is just about to say is +anticipated by another" (Gifford). + +KIT, fiddle. + +KNACK, snap, click. + +KNIPPER-DOLING, a well-known Anabaptist. + +KNITTING CUP, marriage cup. + +KNOCKING, striking, weighty. + +KNOT, company, band; a sandpiper or robin snipe (Tringa +canutus); flower-bed laid out in fanciful design. + +KURSINED, KYRSIN, christened. + +LABOURED, wrought with labour and care. + +LADE, load(ed). + +LADING, load. + +LAID, plotted. + +LANCE-KNIGHT (Lanzknecht), a German mercenary foot-soldier. + +LAP, fold. + +LAR, household god. + +LARD, garnish. + +LARGE, abundant. + +LARUM, alarum, call to arms. + +LATTICE, tavern windows were furnished with lattices of +various colours. + +LAUNDER, to wash gold in aqua regia, so as imperceptibly +to extract some of it. + +LAVE, ladle, bale. + +LAW, "give--," give a start (term of chase). + +LAXATIVE, loose. + +LAY ABOARD, run alongside generally with intent to board. + +LEAGUER, siege, or camp of besieging army. + +LEASING, lying. + +LEAVE, leave off, desist. + +LEER, leering or "empty, hence, perhaps, leer horse, +a horse without a rider; leer is an adjective meaning +uncontrolled, hence 'leer drunkards'" (Halliwell); +according to Nares, a leer (empty) horse meant also a +led horse; leeward, left. + +LEESE, lose. + +LEGS, "make--," do obeisance. + +LEIGER, resident representative. + +LEIGERITY, legerdemain. + +LEMMA, subject proposed, or title of the epigram. + +LENTER, slower. + +LET, hinder. + +LET, hindrance. + +LEVEL COIL, a rough game...in which one hunted +another from his seat. Hence used for any noisy +riot (Halliwell). + +LEWD, ignorant. + +LEYSTALLS, receptacles of filth. + +LIBERAL, ample. + +LIEGER, ledger, register. + +LIFT(ING), steal(ing); theft. + +LIGHT, alight. + +LIGHTLY, commonly, usually, often. + +LIKE, please. + +LIKELY, agreeable, pleasing. + +LIME-HOUND, leash-, blood-hound. + +LIMMER, vile, worthless. + +LIN, leave off. + +Line, "by--," by rule. + +LINSTOCK, staff to stick in the ground, with forked +head to hold a lighted match for firing cannon. + +LIQUID, clear. + +LIST, listen, hark; like, please. + +LIVERY, legal term, delivery of the possession, etc. + +LOGGET, small log, stick. + +LOOSE, solution; upshot, issue; release of an arrow. + +LOSE, give over, desist from; waste. + +LOUTING, bowing, cringing. + +LUCULENT, bright of beauty. + +LUDGATHIANS, dealers on Ludgate Hill. + +LURCH, rob, cheat. + +LUTE, to close a vessel with some kind of cement. + +MACK, unmeaning expletive. + +MADGE-HOWLET or OWL, barn-owl. + +MAIM, hurt, injury. + +MAIN, chief concern (used as a quibble on heraldic +term for "hand"). + +MAINPRISE, becoming surety for a prisoner so as to +procure his release. + +MAINTENANCE, giving aid, or abetting. + +MAKE, mate. + +MAKE, MADE, acquaint with business, prepare(d), instruct(ed). + +MALLANDERS, disease of horses. + +MALT HORSE, dray horse. + +MAMMET, puppet. + +MAMMOTHREPT, spoiled child. + +MANAGE, control (term used for breaking-in horses); +handling, administration. + +MANGO, slave-dealer. + +MANGONISE, polish up for sale. + +MANIPLES, bundles, handfuls. + +MANKIND, masculine, like a virago. + +MANKIND, humanity. + +MAPLE FACE, spotted face (N.E.D.). + +MARCHPANE, a confection of almonds, sugar, etc. + +MARK, "fly to the--," "generally said of a goshawk +when, having 'put in' a covey of partridges, she takes +stand, marking the spot where they disappeared from +view until the falconer arrives to put them out to her" +(Harting, Bibl. Accip. Gloss. 226). + +MARLE, marvel. + +MARROW-BONE MAN, one often on his knees for prayer. + +MARRY! exclamation derived from the Virgin's name. + +MARRY GIP, "probably originated from By Mary Gipcy" = +St. Mary of Egypt, (N.E.D.). + +MARTAGAN, Turk's cap lily. + +MARYHINCHCO, stringhalt. + +MASORETH, Masora, correct form of the scriptural text +according to Hebrew tradition. + +MASS, abb. for master. + +MAUND, beg. + +MAUTHER, girl, maid. + +MEAN, moderation. + +MEASURE, dance, more especially a stately one. + +MEAT, "carry--in one's mouth," be a source of money +or entertainment. + +MEATH, metheglin. + +MECHANICAL, belonging to mechanics, mean, vulgar. + +MEDITERRANEO, middle aisle of St. Paul's, a general +resort for business and amusement. + +MEET WITH, even with. + +MELICOTTON, a late kind of peach. + +MENSTRUE, solvent. + +MERCAT, market. + +MERD, excrement. + +MERE, undiluted; absolute, unmitigated. + +MESS, party of four. + +METHEGLIN, fermented liquor, of which one ingredient +was honey. + +METOPOSCOPY, study of physiognomy. + +MIDDLING GOSSIP, go-between. + +MIGNIARD, dainty, delicate. + +MILE-END, training-ground of the city. + +MINE-MEN, sappers. + +MINION, form of cannon. + +MINSITIVE, (?) mincing, affected (N.E.D.). + +MISCELLANY MADAM, "a female trader in miscellaneous +articles; a dealer in trinkets or ornaments of various +kinds, such as kept shops in the New Exchange" (Nares). + +MISCELLINE, mixed grain; medley. + +MISCONCEIT, misconception. + +MISPRISE, MISPRISION, mistake, misunderstanding. + +MISTAKE AWAY, carry away as if by mistake. + +MITHRIDATE, an antidote against poison. + +MOCCINIGO, small Venetian coin, worth about ninepence. + +MODERN, in the mode; ordinary, commonplace. + +MOMENT, force or influence of value. + +MONTANTO, upward stroke. + +MONTH'S MIND, violent desire. + +MOORISH, like a moor or waste. + +MORGLAY, sword of Bevis of Southampton. + +MORRICE-DANCE, dance on May Day, etc., in which +certain personages were represented. + +MORTALITY, death. + +MORT-MAL, old sore, gangrene. + +MOSCADINO, confection flavoured with musk. + +MOTHER, Hysterica passio. + +MOTION, proposal, request; puppet, puppet-show; +"one of the small figures on the face of a large +clock which was moved by the vibration of the +pendulum" (Whalley). + +MOTION, suggest, propose. + +MOTLEY, parti-coloured dress of a fool; hence +used to signify pertaining to, or like, a fool. + +MOTTE, motto. + +MOURNIVAL, set of four aces or court cards in a hand; +a quartette. + +MOW, setord hay or sheaves of grain. + +MUCH! expressive of irony and incredulity. + +MUCKINDER, handkerchief. + +MULE, "born to ride on--," judges or serjeants-at-law +formerly rode on mules when going in state to Westminster +(Whally). + +MULLETS, small pincers. + +MUM-CHANCE, game of chance, played in silence. + +MUN, must. + +MUREY, dark crimson red. + +MUSCOVY-GLASS, mica. + +MUSE, wonder. + +MUSICAL, in harmony. + +MUSS, mouse; scramble. + +MYROBOLANE, foreign conserve, "a dried plum, brought +from the Indies." + +MYSTERY, art, trade, profession. + +NAIL, "to the--" (ad unguem), to perfection, to the +very utmost. + +NATIVE, natural. + +NEAT, cattle. + +NEAT, smartly apparelled; unmixed; dainty. + +NEATLY, neatly finished. + +NEATNESS, elegance. + +NEIS, nose, scent. + +NEUF (NEAF, NEIF), fist. + +NEUFT, newt. + +NIAISE, foolish, inexperienced person. + +NICE, fastidious, trivial, finical, scrupulous. + +NICENESS, fastidiousness. + +NICK, exact amount; right moment; "set in the--," +meaning uncertain. + +NICE, suit, fit; hit, seize the right moment, etc., +exactly hit on, hit off. + +NOBLE, gold coin worth 6s. 8d. + +NOCENT, harmful. + +NIL, not will. + +NOISE, company of musicians. + +NOMENTACK, an Indian chief from Virginia. + +NONES, nonce. + +NOTABLE, egregious. + +NOTE, sign, token. + +NOUGHT, "be--," go to the devil, be hanged, etc. + +NOWT-HEAD, blockhead. + +NUMBER, rhythm. + +NUPSON, oaf, simpleton. + +OADE, woad. + +OBARNI, preparation of mead. + +OBJECT, oppose; expose; interpose. + +OBLATRANT, barking, railing. + +OBNOXIOUS, liable, exposed; offensive. + +OBSERVANCE, homage, devoted service. + +OBSERVANT, attentive, obsequious. + +OBSERVE, show deference, respect. + +OBSERVER, one who shows deference, or waits upon another. + +OBSTANCY, legal phrase, "juridical opposition." + +OBSTREPEROUS, clamorous, vociferous. + +OBSTUPEFACT, stupefied. + +ODLING, (?) "must have some relation to tricking and +cheating" (Nares). + +OMINOUS, deadly, fatal. + +ONCE, at once; for good and all; used also for additional +emphasis. + +ONLY, pre-eminent, special. + +OPEN, make public; expound. + +OPPILATION, obstruction. + +OPPONE, oppose. + +OPPOSITE, antagonist. + +OPPRESS, suppress. + +ORIGINOUS, native. + +ORT, remnant, scrap. + +OUT, "to be--," to have forgotten one's part; +not at one with each other. + +OUTCRY, sale by auction. + +OUTRECUIDANCE, arrogance, presumption. + +OUTSPEAK, speak more than. + +OVERPARTED, given too difficult a part to play. + +OWLSPIEGEL. See Howleglass. + +OYEZ! (O YES!), hear ye! call of the public crier +when about to make a proclamation. + +PACKING PENNY, "give a--," dismiss, send packing. + +PAD, highway. + +PAD-HORSE, road-horse. + +PAINED (PANED) SLOPS, full breeches made of strips +of different colour and material. + +PAINFUL, diligent, painstaking. + +PAINT, blush. + +PALINODE, ode of recantation. + +PALL, weaken, dim, make stale. + +PALM, triumph. + +PAN, skirt of dress or coat. + +PANNEL, pad, or rough kind of saddle. + +PANNIER-ALLY, inhabited by tripe-sellers. + +PANNIER-MAN, hawker; a man employed about the inns of +court to bring in provisions, set the table, etc. + +PANTOFLE, indoor shoe, slipper. + +PARAMENTOS, fine trappings. + +PARANOMASIE, a play upon words. + +PARANTORY, (?) peremptory. + +PARCEL, particle, fragment (used contemptuously); article. + +PARCEL, part, partly. + +PARCEL-POET, poetaster. + +PARERGA, subordinate matters. + +PARGET, to paint or plaster the face. + +PARLE, parley. + +PARLOUS, clever, shrewd. + +PART, apportion. + +PARTAKE, participate in. + +PARTED, endowed, talented. + +PARTICULAR, individual person. + +PARTIZAN, kind of halberd. + +PARTRICH, partridge. + +PARTS, qualities, endowments. + +PASH, dash, smash. + +PASS, care, trouble oneself. + +PASSADO, fencing term: a thrust. + +PASSAGE, game at dice. + +PASSINGLY, exceedingly. + +PASSION, effect caused by external agency. + +PASSION, "in--," in so melancholy a tone, so pathetically. + +PATOUN, (?) Fr. Paton, pellet of dough; perhaps the +"moulding of the tobacco...for the pipe" (Gifford); (?) +variant of Petun, South American name of tobacco. + +PATRICO, the recorder, priest, orator of strolling +beggars or gipsies. + +PATTEN, shoe with wooden sole; "go--," keep step with, +accompany. + +PAUCA VERBA, few words. + +PAVIN, a stately dance. + +PEACE, "with my master's--," by leave, favour. + +PECULIAR, individual, single. + +PEDANT, teacher of the languages. + +PEEL, baker's shovel. + +PEEP, speak in a small or shrill voice. + +PEEVISH(LY), foolish(ly), capricious(ly); childish(ly). + +PELICAN, a retort fitted with tube or tubes, for +continuous distillation. + +PENCIL, small tuft of hair. + +PERDUE, soldier accustomed to hazardous service. + +PEREMPTORY, resolute, bold; imperious; thorough, utter, +absolute(ly). + +PERIMETER, circumference of a figure. + +PERIOD, limit, end. + +PERK, perk up. + +PERPETUANA, "this seems to be that glossy kind of stuff +now called everlasting, and anciently worn by serjeants +and other city officers" (Gifford). + +PERSPECTIVE, a view, scene or scenery; an optical device +which gave a distortion to the picture unless seen from a +particular point; a relief, modelled to produce an +optical illusion. + +PERSPICIL, optic glass. + +PERSTRINGE, criticise, censure. + +PERSUADE, inculcate, commend. + +PERSWAY, mitigate. + +PERTINACY, pertinacity. + +PESTLING, pounding, pulverising, like a pestle. + +PETASUS, broad-brimmed hat or winged cap worn by Mercury. + +PETITIONARY, supplicatory. + +PETRONEL, a kind of carbine or light gun carried by horsemen. + +PETULANT, pert, insolent. + +PHERE. See Fere. + +PHLEGMA, watery distilled liquor (old chem. "water"). + +PHRENETIC, madman. + +PICARDIL, stiff upright collar fastened on to the coat +(Whalley). + +PICT-HATCH, disreputable quarter of London. + +PIECE, person, used for woman or girl; a gold coin +worth in Jonson's time 20s. or 22s. + +PIECES OF EIGHT, Spanish coin: piastre equal to eight +reals. + +PIED, variegated. + +PIE-POUDRES (Fr. pied-poudreux, dusty-foot), court held +at fairs to administer justice to itinerant vendors and +buyers. + +PILCHER, term of contempt; one who wore a buff or leather +jerkin, as did the serjeants of the counter; a pilferer. + +PILED, pilled, peeled, bald. + +PILL'D, polled, fleeced. + +PIMLICO, "sometimes spoken of as a person--perhaps +master of a house famous for a particular ale" (Gifford). + +PINE, afflict, distress. + +PINK, stab with a weapon; pierce or cut in scallops for +ornament. + +PINNACE, a go-between in infamous sense. + +PISMIRE, ant. + +PISTOLET, gold coin, worth about 6s. + +PITCH, height of a bird of prey's flight. + +PLAGUE, punishment, torment. + +PLAIN, lament. + +PLAIN SONG, simple melody. + +PLAISE, plaice. + +PLANET, "struck with a--," planets were supposed to +have powers of blasting or exercising secret influences. + +PLAUSIBLE, pleasing. + +PLAUSIBLY, approvingly. + +PLOT, plan. + +PLY, apply oneself to. + +POESIE, posy, motto inside a ring. + +POINT IN HIS DEVICE, exact in every particular. + +POINTS, tagged laces or cords for fastening the breeches +to the doublet. + +POINT-TRUSSER, one who trussed (tied) his master's +points (q.v.). + +POISE, weigh, balance. + +POKING-STICK, stick used for setting the plaits of ruffs. + +POLITIC, politician. + +POLITIC, judicious, prudent, political. + +POLITICIAN, plotter, intriguer. + +POLL, strip, plunder, gain by extortion. + +POMANDER, ball of perfume, worn or hung about the +person to prevent infection, or for foppery. + +POMMADO, vaulting on a horse without the aid of stirrups. + +PONTIC, sour. + +POPULAR, vulgar, of the populace. + +POPULOUS, numerous. + +PORT, gate; print of a deer's foot. + +PORT, transport. + +PORTAGUE, Portuguese gold coin, worth over 3 or 4 +pounds. + +PORTCULLIS, "--of coin," some old coins have a +portcullis stamped on their reverse (Whalley). + +PORTENT, marvel, prodigy; sinister omen. + +PORTENTOUS, prophesying evil, threatening. + +PORTER, references appear "to allude to Parsons, the king's +porter, who was...near seven feet high" (Whalley). + +POSSESS, inform, acquaint. + +POST AND PAIR, a game at cards. + +POSY, motto. (See Poesie). + +POTCH, poach. + +POULT-FOOT, club-foot. + +POUNCE, claw, talon. + +PRACTICE, intrigue, concerted plot. + +PRACTISE, plot, conspire. + +PRAGMATIC, an expert, agent. + +PRAGMATIC, officious, conceited, meddling. + +PRECEDENT, record of proceedings. + +PRECEPT, warrant, summons. + +PRECISIAN(ISM), Puritan(ism), preciseness. + +PREFER, recommend. + +PRESENCE, presence chamber. + +PRESENT(LY), immediate(ly), without delay; at the +present time; actually. + +PRESS, force into service. + +PREST, ready. + +PRETEND, assert, allege. + +PREVENT, anticipate. + +PRICE, worth, excellence. + +PRICK, point, dot used in the writing of Hebrew and +other languages. + +PRICK, prick out, mark off, select; trace, track; +"--away," make off with speed. + +PRIMERO, game of cards. + +PRINCOX, pert boy. + +PRINT, "in--," to the letter, exactly. + +PRISTINATE, former. + +PRIVATE, private interests. + +PRIVATE, privy, intimate. + +PROCLIVE, prone to. + +PRODIGIOUS, monstrous, unnatural. + +PRODIGY, monster. + +PRODUCED, prolonged. + +PROFESS, pretend. + +PROJECTION, the throwing of the "powder of projection" +into the crucible to turn the melted metal into gold or +silver. + +PROLATE, pronounce drawlingly. + +PROPER, of good appearance, handsome; own, particular. + +PROPERTIES, stage necessaries. + +PROPERTY, duty; tool. + +PRORUMPED, burst out. + +PROTEST, vow, proclaim (an affected word of that time); +formally declare non-payment, etc., of bill of exchange; +fig. failure of personal credit, etc. + +PROVANT, soldier's allowance--hence, of common make. + +PROVIDE, foresee. + +PROVIDENCE, foresight, prudence. + +PUBLICATION, making a thing public of common property (N.E.D.). + +PUCKFIST, puff-ball; insipid, insignificant, boasting fellow. + +PUFF-WING, shoulder puff. + +PUISNE, judge of inferior rank, a junior. + +PULCHRITUDE, beauty. + +PUMP, shoe. + +PUNGENT, piercing. + +PUNTO, point, hit. + +PURCEPT, precept, warrant. + +PURE, fine, capital, excellent. + +PURELY, perfectly, utterly. + +PURL, pleat or fold of a ruff. + +PURSE-NET, net of which the mouth is drawn together +with a string. + +PURSUIVANT, state messenger who summoned the persecuted +seminaries; warrant officer. + +PURSY, PURSINESS, shortwinded(ness). + +PUT, make a push, exert yourself (N.E.D.). + +PUT OFF, excuse, shift. + +PUT ON, incite, encourage; proceed with, take in hand, try. + +QUACKSALVER, quack. + +QUAINT, elegant, elaborated, ingenious, clever. + +QUAR, quarry. + +QUARRIED, seized, or fed upon, as prey. + +QUEAN, hussy, jade. + +QUEASY, hazardous, delicate. + +QUELL, kill, destroy. + +QUEST, request; inquiry. + +QUESTION, decision by force of arms. + +QUESTMAN, one appointed to make official inquiry. + +QUIB, QUIBLIN, quibble, quip. + +QUICK, the living. + +QUIDDIT, quiddity, legal subtlety. + +QUIRK, clever turn or trick. + +QUIT, requite, repay; acquit, absolve; rid; forsake, +leave. + +QUITTER-BONE, disease of horses. + +QUODLING, codling. + +QUOIT, throw like a quoit, chuck. + +QUOTE, take note, observe, write down. + +RACK, neck of mutton or pork (Halliwell). + +RAKE UP, cover over. + +RAMP, rear, as a lion, etc. + +RAPT, carry away. + +RAPT, enraptured. + +RASCAL, young or inferior deer. + +RASH, strike with a glancing oblique blow, as a +boar with its tusk. + +RATSEY, GOMALIEL, a famous highwayman. + +RAVEN, devour. + +REACH, understand. + +REAL, regal. + +REBATU, ruff, turned-down collar. + +RECTOR, RECTRESS, director, governor. + +REDARGUE, confute. + +REDUCE, bring back. + +REED, rede, counsel, advice. + +REEL, run riot. + +REFEL, refute. + +REFORMADOES, disgraced or disbanded soldiers. + +REGIMENT, government. + +REGRESSION, return. + +REGULAR ("Tale of a Tub"), regular noun (quibble) (N.E.D.). + +RELIGION, "make--of," make a point of, scruple of. + +RELISH, savour. + +REMNANT, scrap of quotation. + +REMORA, species of fish. + +RENDER, depict, exhibit, show. + +REPAIR, reinstate. + +REPETITION, recital, narration. + +REREMOUSE, bat. + +RESIANT, resident. + +RESIDENCE, sediment. + +RESOLUTION, judgment, decision. + +RESOLVE, inform; assure; prepare, make up one's mind; +dissolve; come to a decision, be convinced; relax, set +at ease. + +RESPECTIVE, worthy of respect; regardful, discriminative. + +RESPECTIVELY, with reverence. + +RESPECTLESS, regardless. + +RESPIRE, exhale; inhale. + +RESPONSIBLE, correspondent. + +REST, musket-rest. + +REST, "set up one's--," venture one's all, one's +last stake (from game of primero). + +REST, arrest. + +RESTIVE, RESTY, dull, inactive. + +RETCHLESS(NESS), reckless(ness). + +RETIRE, cause to retire. + +RETRICATO, fencing term. + +RETRIEVE, rediscovery of game once sprung. + +RETURNS, ventures sent abroad, for the safe return of +which so much money is received. + +REVERBERATE, dissolve or blend by reflected heat. + +REVERSE, REVERSO, back-handed thrust, etc., in fencing. + +REVISE, reconsider a sentence. + +RHEUM, spleen, caprice. + +RIBIBE, abusive term for an old woman. + +RID, destroy, do away with. + +RIFLING, raffling, dicing. + +RING, "cracked within the--," coins so cracked were +unfit for currency. + +RISSE, risen, rose. + +RIVELLED, wrinkled. + +ROARER, swaggerer. + +ROCHET, fish of the gurnet kind. + +ROCK, distaff. + +RODOMONTADO, braggadocio. + +ROGUE, vagrant, vagabond. + +RONDEL, "a round mark in the score of a public-house" +(Nares); roundel. + +ROOK, sharper; fool, dupe. + +ROSAKER, similar to ratsbane. + +ROSA-SOLIS, a spiced spirituous liquor. + +ROSES, rosettes. + +ROUND, "gentlemen of the--," officers of inferior rank. + +ROUND TRUNKS, trunk hose, short loose breeches reaching +almost or quite to the knees. + +ROUSE, carouse, bumper. + +ROVER, arrow used for shooting at a random mark at +uncertain distance. + +ROWLY-POWLY, roly-poly. + +RUDE, RUDENESS, unpolished, rough(ness), coarse(ness). + +RUFFLE, flaunt, swagger. + +RUG, coarse frieze. + +RUG-GOWNS, gown made of rug. + +RUSH, reference to rushes with which the floors were +then strewn. + +RUSHER, one who strewed the floor with rushes. + +RUSSET, homespun cloth of neutral or reddish-brown colour. + +SACK, loose, flowing gown. + +SADLY, seriously, with gravity. + +SAD(NESS), sober, serious(ness). + +SAFFI, bailiffs. + +ST. THOMAS A WATERINGS, place in Surrey where criminals +were executed. + +SAKER, small piece of ordnance. + +SALT, leap. + +SALT, lascivious. + +SAMPSUCHINE, sweet marjoram. + +SARABAND, a slow dance. + +SATURNALS, began December 17. + +SAUCINESS, presumption, insolence. + +SAUCY, bold, impudent, wanton. + +SAUNA (Lat.), a gesture of contempt. + +SAVOUR, perceive; gratify, please; to partake of the nature. + +SAY, sample. + +SAY, assay, try. + +SCALD, word of contempt, implying dirt and disease. + +SCALLION, shalot, small onion. + +SCANDERBAG, "name which the Turks (in allusion to +Alexander the Great) gave to the brave Castriot, chief +of Albania, with whom they had continual wars. His +romantic life had just been translated" (Gifford). + +SCAPE, escape. + +SCARAB, beetle. + +SCARTOCCIO, fold of paper, cover, cartouch, cartridge. + +SCONCE, head. + +SCOPE, aim. + +SCOT AND LOT, tax, contribution (formerly a parish +assessment). + +SCOTOMY, dizziness in the head. + +SCOUR, purge. + +SCOURSE, deal, swap. + +SCRATCHES, disease of horses. + +SCROYLE, mean, rascally fellow. + +SCRUPLE, doubt. + +SEAL, put hand to the giving up of property or rights. + +SEALED, stamped as genuine. + +SEAM-RENT, ragged. + +SEAMING LACES, insertion or edging. + +SEAR UP, close by searing, burning. + +SEARCED, sifted. + +SECRETARY, able to keep a secret. + +SECULAR, worldly, ordinary, commonplace. + +SECURE, confident. + +SEELIE, happy, blest. + +SEISIN, legal term: possession. + +SELLARY, lewd person. + +SEMBLABLY, similarly. + +SEMINARY, a Romish priest educated in a foreign seminary. + +SENSELESS, insensible, without sense or feeling. + +SENSIBLY, perceptibly. + +SENSIVE, sensitive. + +SENSUAL, pertaining to the physical or material. + +SERENE, harmful dew of evening. + +SERICON, red tincture. + +SERVANT, lover. + +SERVICES, doughty deeds of arms. + +SESTERCE, Roman copper coin. + +SET, stake, wager. + +SET UP, drill. + +SETS, deep plaits of the ruff. + +SEWER, officer who served up the feast, and brought +water for the hands of the guests. + +SHAPE, a suit by way of disguise. + +SHIFT, fraud, dodge. + +SHIFTER, cheat. + +SHITTLE, shuttle; "shittle-cock," shuttlecock. + +SHOT, tavern reckoning. + +SHOT-CLOG, one only tolerated because he paid the shot +(reckoning) for the rest. + +SHOT-FREE, scot-free, not having to pay. + +SHOVE-GROAT, low kind of gambling amusement, perhaps +somewhat of the nature of pitch and toss. + +SHOT-SHARKS, drawers. + +SHREWD, mischievous, malicious, curst. + +SHREWDLY, keenly, in a high degree. + +SHRIVE, sheriff; posts were set up before his door for +proclamations, or to indicate his residence. + +SHROVING, Shrovetide, season of merriment. + +SIGILLA, seal, mark. + +SILENCED BRETHERN, MINISTERS, those of the Church or +Nonconformists who had been silenced, deprived, etc. + +SILLY, simple, harmless. + +SIMPLE, silly, witless; plain, true. + +SIMPLES, herbs. + +SINGLE, term of chase, signifying when the hunted stag +is separated from the herd, or forced to break covert. + +SINGLE, weak, silly. + +SINGLE-MONEY, small change. + +SINGULAR, unique, supreme. + +SI-QUIS, bill, advertisement. + +SKELDRING, getting money under false pretences; swindling. + +SKILL, "it--s not," matters not. + +SKINK(ER), pour, draw(er), tapster. + +SKIRT, tail. + +SLEEK, smooth. + +SLICE, fire shovel or pan (dial.). + +SLICK, sleek, smooth. + +'SLID, 'SLIGHT, 'SPRECIOUS, irreverent oaths. + +SLIGHT, sleight, cunning, cleverness; trick. + +SLIP, counterfeit coin, bastard. + +SLIPPERY, polished and shining. + +SLOPS, large loose breeches. + +SLOT, print of a stag's foot. + +SLUR, put a slur on; cheat (by sliding a die in some way). + +SMELT, gull, simpleton. + +SNORLE, "perhaps snarl, as Puppy is addressed" (Cunningham). + +SNOTTERIE, filth. + +SNUFF, anger, resentment; "take in--," take offence at. + +SNUFFERS, small open silver dishes for holding snuff, +or receptacle for placing snuffers in (Halliwell). + +SOCK, shoe worn by comic actors. + +SOD, seethe. + +SOGGY, soaked, sodden. + +SOIL, "take--," said of a hunted stag when he takes +to the water for safety. + +SOL, sou. + +SOLDADOES, soldiers. + +SOLICIT, rouse, excite to action. + +SOOTH, flattery, cajolery. + +SOOTHE, flatter, humour. + +SOPHISTICATE, adulterate. + +SORT, company, party; rank, degree. + +SORT, suit, fit; select. + +SOUSE, ear. + +SOUSED ("Devil is an Ass"), fol. read "sou't," which +Dyce interprets as "a variety of the spelling of "shu'd": +to "shu" is to scare a bird away." (See his "Webster," +page 350). + +SOWTER, cobbler. + +SPAGYRICA, chemistry according to the teachings of Paracelsus. + +SPAR, bar. + +SPEAK, make known, proclaim. + +SPECULATION, power of sight. + +SPED, to have fared well, prospered. + +SPEECE, species. + +SPIGHT, anger, rancour. + +SPINNER, spider. + +SPINSTRY, lewd person. + +SPITTLE, hospital, lazar-house. + +SPLEEN, considered the seat of the emotions. + +SPLEEN, caprice, humour, mood. + +SPRUNT, spruce. + +SPURGE, foam. + +SPUR-RYAL, gold coin worth 15s. + +SQUIRE, square, measure; "by the--," exactly. + +STAGGERING, wavering, hesitating. + +STAIN, disparagement, disgrace. + +STALE, decoy, or cover, stalking-horse. + +STALE, make cheap, common. + +STALK, approach stealthily or under cover. + +STALL, forestall. + +STANDARD, suit. + +STAPLE, market, emporium. + +STARK, downright. + +STARTING-HOLES, loopholes of escape. + +STATE, dignity; canopied chair of state; estate. + +STATUMINATE, support vines by poles or stakes; used +by Pliny (Gifford). + +STAY, gag. + +STAY, await; detain. + +STICKLER, second or umpire. + +STIGMATISE, mark, brand. + +STILL, continual(ly), constant(ly). + +STINKARD, stinking fellow. + +STINT, stop. + +STIPTIC, astringent. + +STOCCATA, thrust in fencing. + +STOCK-FISH, salted and dried fish. + +STOMACH, pride, valour. + +STOMACH, resent. + +STOOP, swoop down as a hawk. + +STOP, fill, stuff. + +STOPPLE, stopper. + +STOTE, stoat, weasel. + +STOUP, stoop, swoop=bow. + +STRAIGHT, straightway. + +STRAMAZOUN (Ital. stramazzone), a down blow, as opposed +to the thrust. + +STRANGE, like a stranger, unfamiliar. + +STRANGENESS, distance of behaviour. + +STREIGHTS, OR BERMUDAS, labyrinth of alleys and courts +in the Strand. + +STRIGONIUM, Grau in Hungary, taken from the Turks in +1597. + +STRIKE, balance (accounts). + +STRINGHALT, disease of horses. + +STROKER, smoother, flatterer. + +STROOK, p.p. of "strike." + +STRUMMEL-PATCHED, strummel is glossed in dialect dicts. +as "a long, loose and dishevelled head of hair." + +STUDIES, studious efforts. + +STYLE, title; pointed instrument used for writing on wax +tablets. + +SUBTLE, fine, delicate, thin; smooth, soft. + +SUBTLETY (SUBTILITY), subtle device. + +SUBURB, connected with loose living. + +SUCCUBAE, demons in form of women. + +SUCK, extract money from. + +SUFFERANCE, suffering. + +SUMMED, term of falconry: with full-grown plumage. + +SUPER-NEGULUM, topers turned the cup bottom up when +it was empty. + +SUPERSTITIOUS, over-scrupulous. + +SUPPLE, to make pliant. + +SURBATE, make sore with walking. + +SURCEASE, cease. + +SUR-REVERENCE, save your reverence. + +SURVISE, peruse. + +SUSCITABILITY, excitability. + +SUSPECT, suspicion. + +SUSPEND, suspect. + +SUSPENDED, held over for the present. + +SUTLER, victualler. + +SWAD, clown, boor. + +SWATH BANDS, swaddling clothes. + +SWINGE, beat. + +TABERD, emblazoned mantle or tunic worn by knights +and heralds. + +TABLE(S), "pair of--," tablets, note-book. + +TABOR, small drum. + +TABRET, tabor. + +TAFFETA, silk; "tuft-taffeta," a more costly silken fabric. + +TAINT, "--a staff," break a lance at tilting in an +unscientific or dishonourable manner. + +TAKE IN, capture, subdue. + +TAKE ME WITH YOU, let me understand you. + +TAKE UP, obtain on credit, borrow. + +TALENT, sum or weight of Greek currency. + +TALL, stout, brave. + +TANKARD-BEARERS, men employed to fetch water from the +conduits. + +TARLETON, celebrated comedian and jester. + +TARTAROUS, like a Tartar. + +TAVERN-TOKEN, "to swallow a--," get drunk. + +TELL, count. + +TELL-TROTH, truth-teller. + +TEMPER, modify, soften. + +TENDER, show regard, care for, cherish; manifest. + +TENT, "take--," take heed. + +TERSE, swept and polished. + +TERTIA, "that portion of an army levied out of one +particular district or division of a country" (Gifford). + +TESTON, tester, coin worth 6d. + +THIRDBOROUGH, constable. + +THREAD, quality. + +THREAVES, droves. + +THREE-FARTHINGS, piece of silver current under Elizabeth. + +THREE-PILED, of finest quality, exaggerated. + +THRIFTILY, carefully. + +THRUMS, ends of the weaver's warp; coarse yarn made from. + +THUMB-RING, familiar spirits were supposed capable of +being carried about in various ornaments or parts of dress. + +TIBICINE, player on the tibia, or pipe. + +TICK-TACK, game similar to backgammon. + +TIGHTLY, promptly. + +TIM, (?) expressive of a climax of nonentity. + +TIMELESS, untimely, unseasonable. + +TINCTURE, an essential or spiritual principle supposed +by alchemists to be transfusible into material things; +an imparted characteristic or tendency. + +TINK, tinkle. + +TIPPET, "turn--," change behaviour or way of life. + +TIPSTAFF, staff tipped with metal. + +TIRE, head-dress. + +TIRE, feed ravenously, like a bird of prey. + +TITILLATION, that which tickles the senses, as a perfume. + +TOD, fox. + +TOILED, worn out, harassed. + +TOKEN, piece of base metal used in place of very small +coin, when this was scarce. + +TONNELS, nostrils. + +TOP, "parish--," large top kept in villages for +amusement and exercise in frosty weather when people +were out of work. + +TOTER, tooter, player on a wind instrument. + +TOUSE, pull, rend. + +TOWARD, docile, apt; on the way to; as regards; present, +at hand. + +TOY, whim; trick; term of contempt. + +TRACT, attraction. + +TRAIN, allure, entice. + +TRANSITORY, transmittable. + +TRANSLATE, transform. + +TRAY-TRIP, game at dice (success depended on throwing +a three) (Nares). + +TREACHOUR (TRECHER), traitor. + +TREEN, wooden. + +TRENCHER, serving-man who carved or served food. + +TRENDLE-TAIL, trundle-tail, curly-tailed. + +TRICK (TRICKING), term of heraldry: to draw outline of +coat of arms, etc., without blazoning. + +TRIG, a spruce, dandified man. + +TRILL, trickle. + +TRILLIBUB, tripe, any worthless, trifling thing. + +TRIPOLY, "come from--," able to perform feats of agility, +a "jest nominal," depending on the first part of the word +(Gifford). + +TRITE, worn, shabby. + +TRIVIA, three-faced goddess (Hecate). + +TROJAN, familiar term for an equal or inferior; thief. + +TROLL, sing loudly. + +TROMP, trump, deceive. + +TROPE, figure of speech. + +TROW, think, believe, wonder. + +TROWLE, troll. + +TROWSES, breeches, drawers. + +TRUCHMAN, interpreter. + +TRUNDLE, JOHN, well-known printer. + +TRUNDLE, roll, go rolling along. + +TRUNDLING CHEATS, term among gipsies and beggars for +carts or coaches (Gifford). + +TRUNK, speaking-tube. + +TRUSS, tie the tagged laces that fastened the breeches +to the doublet. + +TUBICINE, trumpeter. + +TUCKET (Ital. toccato), introductory flourish on the +trumpet. + +TUITION, guardianship. + +TUMBLER, a particular kind of dog so called from the +mode of his hunting. + +TUMBREL-SLOP, loose, baggy breeches. + +TURD, excrement. + +TUSK, gnash the teeth (Century Dict.). + +TWIRE, peep, twinkle. + +TWOPENNY ROOM, gallery. + +TYRING-HOUSE, attiring-room. + +ULENSPIEGEL. See Howleglass. + +UMBRATILE, like or pertaining to a shadow. + +UMBRE, brown dye. + +UNBATED, unabated. + +UNBORED, (?) excessively bored. + +UNCARNATE, not fleshly, or of flesh. + +UNCOUTH, strange, unusual. + +UNDERTAKER, "one who undertook by his influence in the +House of Commons to carry things agreeably to his +Majesty's wishes" (Whalley); one who becomes surety for. + +UNEQUAL, unjust. + +UNEXCEPTED, no objection taken at. + +UNFEARED, unaffrighted. + +UNHAPPILY, unfortunately. + +UNICORN'S HORN, supposed antidote to poison. + +UNKIND(LY), unnatural(ly). + +UNMANNED, untamed (term in falconry). + +UNQUIT, undischarged. + +UNREADY, undressed. + +UNRUDE, rude to an extreme. + +UNSEASONED, unseasonable, unripe. + +UNSEELED, a hawk's eyes were "seeled" by sewing the +eyelids together with fine thread. + +UNTIMELY, unseasonably. + +UNVALUABLE, invaluable. + +UPBRAID, make a matter of reproach. + +UPSEE, heavy kind of Dutch beer (Halliwell); "--Dutch," +in the Dutch fashion. + +UPTAILS ALL, refrain of a popular song. + +URGE, allege as accomplice, instigator. + +URSHIN, URCHIN, hedgehog. + +USE, interest on money; part of sermon dealing with the +practical application of doctrine. + +USE, be in the habit of, accustomed to; put out to interest. + +USQUEBAUGH, whisky. + +USURE, usury. + +UTTER, put in circulation, make to pass current; put forth for sale. + +VAIL, bow, do homage. + +VAILS, tips, gratuities. + +VALL. See Vail. + +VALLIES (Fr. valise), portmanteau, bag. + +VAPOUR(S) (n. and v.), used affectedly, like "humour," +in many senses, often very vaguely and freely ridiculed +by Jonson; humour, disposition, whims, brag(ging), +hector(ing), etc. + +VARLET, bailiff, or serjeant-at-mace. + +VAUT, vault. + +VEER (naut.), pay out. + +VEGETAL, vegetable; person full of life and vigour. + +VELLUTE, velvet. + +VELVET CUSTARD. Cf. "Taming of the Shrew," iv. 3, 82, +"custard coffin," coffin being the raised crust over a pie. + +VENT, vend, sell; give outlet to; scent, snuff up. + +VENUE, bout (fencing term). + +VERDUGO (Span.), hangman, executioner. + +VERGE, "in the--," within a certain distance of the court. + +VEX, agitate, torment. + +VICE, the buffoon of old moralities; some kind of +machinery for moving a puppet (Gifford). + +VIE AND REVIE, to hazard a certain sum, and to cover +it with a larger one. + +VINCENT AGAINST YORK, two heralds-at-arms. + +VINDICATE, avenge. + +VIRGE, wand, rod. + +VIRGINAL, old form of piano. + +VIRTUE, valour. + +VIVELY, in lifelike manner, livelily. + +VIZARD, mask. + +VOGUE, rumour, gossip. + +VOICE, vote. + +VOID, leave, quit. + +VOLARY, cage, aviary. + +VOLLEY, "at--," "o' the volee," at random (from a +term of tennis). + +VORLOFFE, furlough. + +WADLOE, keeper of the Devil Tavern, where Jonson and his +friends met in the 'Apollo' room (Whalley). + +WAIGHTS, waits, night musicians, "band of musical +watchmen" (Webster), or old form of "hautboys." + +WANNION, "vengeance," "plague" (Nares). + +WARD, a famous pirate. + +WARD, guard in fencing. + +WATCHET, pale, sky blue. + +WEAL, welfare. + +WEED, garment. + +WEFT, waif. + +WEIGHTS, "to the gold--," to every minute particular. + +WELKIN, sky. + +WELL-SPOKEN, of fair speech. + +WELL-TORNED, turned and polished, as on a wheel. + +WELT, hem, border of fur. + +WHER, whether. + +WHETSTONE, GEORGE, an author who lived 1544(?) to 1587(?). + +WHIFF, a smoke, or drink; "taking the--," inhaling the +tobacco smoke or some such accomplishment. + +WHIGH-HIES, neighings, whinnyings. + +WHIMSY, whim, "humour." + +WHINILING, (?) whining, weakly. + +WHIT, (?) a mere jot. + +WHITEMEAT, food made of milk or eggs. + +WICKED, bad, clumsy. + +WICKER, pliant, agile. + +WILDING, esp. fruit of wild apple or crab tree (Webster). + +WINE, "I have the--for you," Prov.: I have the +perquisites (of the office) which you are to share +(Cunningham). + +WINNY, "same as old word "wonne," to stay, etc." (Whalley). + +WISE-WOMAN, fortune-teller. + +WISH, recommend. + +WISS (WUSSE), "I--," certainly, of a truth. + +WITHOUT, beyond. + +WITTY, cunning, ingenious, clever. + +WOOD, collection, lot. + +WOODCOCK, term of contempt. + +WOOLSACK ("--pies"), name of tavern. + +WORT, unfermented beer. + +WOUNDY, great, extreme. + +WREAK, revenge. + +WROUGHT, wrought upon. + +WUSSE, interjection. (See Wiss). + +YEANLING, lamb, kid. + +ZANY, an inferior clown, who attended upon the chief +fool and mimicked his tricks. + + +End of The Project Gutenberg Etext of Volpone; Or, The Fox +by Ben Jonson + diff --git a/old/vlpnr10.zip b/old/vlpnr10.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..4a0fccf --- /dev/null +++ b/old/vlpnr10.zip |