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; Unscrew my advocate, upon new hopes: SCENE VIII. The Scrutineo, or Senate House. Avocatori, BONARIO, CELIA, CORBACCIO, CORVINO, Commandadori, Saffi, &c. 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! Volpone would have ravish'd her, he holds Coro. Grave fathers, he's possest; again, I say, Possest nay, if there be possession, and Obsession, he has both." 3 3 Avoc. Here comes our officer. if there be possession, and Obsession, he has both.j In possession, the evil spirit was supposed to enter the body of the demoniac; in obsession he was thought to besiege, and torment him from without. 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; 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, He vomits crooked pins! &c.] This, with what follows, as every one knows, always took place when a person chose to appear bewitched. It is to the praise of Jonson that he lets slip no opportunity of shewing his contempt for the popular opinions on this head; opinions which, in his days, indeed, were manifested to the destruction of many innocent Like a dead hare's hung in a poulter's shop! Coro. 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! Corb. What? I think I do. Core. '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 Acoc. Sudden, and full of wonder! 3 Acoc. If he were Possest, as it appears, all this is nothing. Coro. 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 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? my hand; persons; but which operated, as puritanism increased in influ ence and power, with a virulence that took away all security from age and infirmity; and crowded the prisons with bedridden old women, and the courts of justice with victims of ignorance, imposture, and blind and bloody superstition. 5 O practice!] i. e. confederacy, concerted fraud. The word is very common in this sense. 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. Coro. I heard so. 4 Avoc. Here comes the gentleman; make kim way. 3 Avoc. A stool. Enter Mosca. 4 Avoc. A proper man; and, were Volpone dead, A fit match for my daughter. [Aside. 3 Avoc. Give him way. Volp. Mosca, I was almost lost; the advocate Had betray'd all; but now it is recover'd; All's on the hinge again--Say, I am living. [Aside to Mos. Mos. What busy knave is this!-Most reverend fathers, I sooner had attended your grave pleasures, Of my dear patron, did require me. Volp. Mosca! [Aside. Mos. Whom I intend to bury like a gentleman. Volp. Ay, quick, and cozen me of all. [Aside. 2 Avoc. Still stranger! More intricate! 1 Avoc. And come about again! 4 Avoc. It is a match, my daughter is bestow'd. [Aside. Mos. Will you give me half? [Aside to Volp. Volp. First, I'll be hang'd. Mos. 1 know Your voice is good, cry not so loud." 1 Avoc. Demand The advocate.-Sir, did you not affirm Volp. Yes, and he is ; This gentleman told me so.-Thou shalt have half. [Aside to Mos. Mos. Whose drunkard is this same? speak, some that know him:. I never saw his face. I cannot now Afford it you so cheap. 1 Avoc. What say you? Volt. The officer told me. Volp. I did, grave fathers, [Aside to Volp. And will maintain he lives, with mine own life, And that this creature [points to Mosca.] told me. 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 Acoc. Take him away. Volp. Mosca! 3 Avoc. Let him be whipt. Volp. Wilt thou betray me? Cozen me? [Aside. Your voice is good, cry not so loud.] From the Mostellaria of Plautus, as Upton remarks: Tr. Scio te bonâ esse voce, ne clama nimis. |