How their swift eyes run over the long deed, 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. All these Are out of hope; I am, sure, the man. Corv. But, Mosca-- Mos. Two cabinets Coro. Is this in earnest? [Takes the Will. Mos. One Of ebony Coro. 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 perfumed box-'Pray you forbear, You see I'm troubled-made of an onyxLady P. How! Mos. To-morrow or next day, I shall be at leisure To talk with you all. Coro. 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 For fear I tell some riddles; go, be melancholy. [Exit Lady Would-be. Volp. O, my fine devil! Coro. Mosca, 'pray you a word. Mos. Lord! will not you 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 you not know, I know you àn ass, And have it only in title, it sufficeth: [Exit Corvino. Volp. Rare Mosca! how his villainy 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, VOL. III. X Or I shall draw the only tooth is left. hired Me to the poisoning of my patron, sir? 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. Volt. Nay, leave off now, they are gone. Mos. Why, who are you ? What! who did send for you? O, cry you mercy, Things being so easy and direct, I shall not, 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. * Bid him eat lettuce well.]—as a soporific. "Did I eat any lettuce to supper, last night, that I am so sleepy?" Green's Tu Quoque. And Pope, "if your point be rest, "Lettuce, and cowslip-wine; probatum est." SCENE II. 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, 1 Mer. Trust it to our care. [Exeunt Merchants. Per. Save you, fair lady! Is sir Pol within? Wom. I do not know, sir. Per. Pray you say unto him, 3 In the Book of Voyages,] I know not what particular book Jonson had in view here, unless he may be thought to allude to the early volumes of Hakluyt, a man never to be mentioned without praise and veneration. Collections of voyages, how. ever, were sufficiently numerous. in the poet's time, when they formed the delight of all classes of people; many of them, too, contained "stories" not only "registered" but received “for truth," altogether as extravagant as this ridiculous adventure of sir Politick's, which had nothing in it to shock the taste, or even to tax the credulity of our forefathers. |