Wit. Sir, I must condition To have this gentleman by, a witness. Fitz. Well, I am content, so he be silent. Man. Yes, sir. Fitz. Come, Devil, I'll make but I'll shew you you room straight: First to your mistress, who's no common one, You must conceive, that brings this gain to see her. I hope thou'st brought me good luck. Pug. I shall do't, sir. [They all enter the house. SCENE III. A Room in FITZDOTTREL's House. Enter WITTIPOL, MANLY, and ENGINE. Wit. Engine, you hope of your half piece? 'tis there, sir. Be gone. [Exit Engine.]-Friend Manly, who's within here? fixed! [knocks him on the breast. Man. I am directly in a fit of wonder What will be the issue of this conference. Wit. For that ne'er vex yourself till the event. How like you him? Man. I would fain see more of him. Wit. What think you of this? Man. I am past degrees of thinking. Old Afric, and the new America, With all their fruit of monsters, cannot shew Wit. Could you have believed, Without your sight, a mind so sordid inward, Should be so specious, and laid forth abroad, To all the show that ever shop or ware was? Man. I believe any thing now, though I confess His vices are the most extremities I ever knew in nature. But why loves he Wit. O, sir! for hidden treasure He hopes to find; and has proposed himself He cares not what he parts with, of the present, Man. But have you faith, That he will hold his bargain? Wit. O dear sir! He will not off on't; fear him not: I know him. Man. A wondrous handsome creature, as I live! Enter FITZDOTTREL, with Mrs. FRANCES his wife. Fitz. Come, wife, this is the gentleman; nay, blush not. Mrs. Fitz. Why, what do you mean, sir, have you your reason? Fitz. Wife, I do not know that I have lent it forth To any one; at least, without a pawn, wife: Of disputation. Mrs. Fitz. Are you not enough The talk of feasts and meetings, but you'll still Make argument for fresh? Fitz. Why, careful wedlock, If I have a longing to have one tale more As bitterly on me, where both are laugh'd at. Fitz. Laugh'd at, sweet bird! is that the scruple? come, come, Thou art a niaise.' Which of your great houses, (I will not mean at home here, but abroad,) Your families in France, wife, send not forth Something within the seven year, may be laugh'd at? I do not say seven months, nor seven weeks, Thou art a niaise.] A marginal note in the old copy says, "a niaise is a young hawk taken crying out of the nest." This explanation could scarcely come from Jonson; for it explains nothing. A niaise (or rather an eyas, of which it is a corruption) is unquestionably a young hawk, but the niaise of the poet is the French term for," a simple, witless, inexperienced gull," &c. The word is very common in our old writers. when I have seen All London in't and London has seen me.] Had Pope read this passage? "Europe he saw, and Europe saw him too." All that pretend to stand for't on the stage: The ladies ask, who's that? for they do come To see us, love, as we do to see them. Now I shall lose all this, for the false fear Let me have such another cloke to-morrow, too; Shall I forbid them? No, let heaven forbid them: Or wit, if it have any charge on 'em. Come, thy ear wife, Is all I'll borrow of thee.-Set your watch, sir.Thou only art to hear, not speak a word, dove, To aught he says: that I do give you in precept, No less than counsel, on your wivehood, wife, Not though he flatter you, or make court, or love, As you must look for these, or say he rail; Whate'er his arts be, wife, I will have thee Delude them with a trick, thy obstinate silence. I know advantages; and I love to hit These pragmatic young men at their own weapons. Is your watch ready? Here my sail bears for you: Tack toward him, sweet pinnace. [He disposes his wife to her place.] Where's your watch? Wit. I'll set it, sir, with yours. Mrs. Fitz. I must obey. [Aside. Man. Her modesty seems to suffer with her beauty, And so, as if his folly were away, It were worth pity. Fitz. Now they are right; begin, sir.' But first, let me repeat the contract briefly. Now they are right.] i. e. the watches. Whalley says that the old copy has Now thou art right, meaning his wife; but he is mistaken, it reads as in the text. I am, sir, to enjoy this cloke I stand in, This is your covenant? Wit. Yes, but you'll allow For this time spent now? Fitz. Set them so much back. Wit. I think I shall not need it. Fitz. Well, begin, sir, There is your bound, sir; not beyond that rush. Wit. If you interrupt me, sir, I shall discloke you. The time I have purchased, lady, is but short; I hope I stand the nearer to my pardon. 4 And at all caracts.] i. e. to the nicest point, to the minutest circumstance. Caracts, as Whalley has somewhere before observed, are the weights by which gold and precious stones are weighed and valued. As scarce hath soul, Instead of salt to keep it sweet.] See vol. iv. p. 474. |