 | A Duke and no Duke |  |
Barberino and Flametta.
Flam.
I do beseech your Honour to repeal
My only joy, my banisht Trappolin;
Take pity on a helpless Virgins tears,
Abandon'd to Distress—You must—You will—
For as our Sov'raign left his Power with you
He left his Mercies too.
Barb.
Her tears inflame me:
And were this Dukedom which I hold in trust
My due by Birth, I'd give it in exchange
For this sweet Innocence, this Artless Beauty.
Indeed (my pretty One) you wrong your Charms;
Nay I must say, you wrong your Virtue too
By this concern, for an abandon'd Slave,
Devoted to all Crimes; forget and scorn him.
Fla.
I gave my heart before I knew his Vices,
But it will be my triumph to reclaim him,
I do beseech your Honour to call him home.
Barb.
And what Return may I expect for this?
Fla.
Goodness has always been it's own reward;
But to convince you that your Courtesie
Shall not be wholly thrown away upon me,
By Day or Night you shall command—
Barb.
What?
Fla.
My Prayers.
Barb.
A very hopeful Recompence;
What Statesman ever yet took Prayers for pay?
Deluded Maid, thou dost not know thy worth,
This Beauty must not be a Beggars Prize,
Design'd by Nature for a Nobler Sphere.
What can this Minion whose repeal you seek
To deck thy Youth, or to inrich thy Age?
Come be advis'd, here's Gold and Jewels for thee,
The Pride, the Pomp of Nature shall be thine:
Make all your study how to please your self,
Fortune shall wait to see your wish perform'd.
Fla.
Are you our Prince, my Lord?
Barb.
What means that Question?
Fla.
If you were,
The Prince should be deny'd.
Barb.
Then much more I.
Why do I trifle thus? I am no Prince,
Yet will not be deny'd;—Who waits without?
Fla.
Heaven shield me! You intend no Violence.
Barb.
What I intend is Love; if you refuse,
You make the Rape, that's all: Who waits I say?
Enter Servant.
Fla.
Help Heaven!
Serv.
My Lord, my Lord most unexpected News!
Barb.
Come near
And bear this peevish Girl to my Apartment,
Shee'l thank me for the Force.
Serv.
The Duke, my Lord, his Highness.
Barb.
Take her Slave.
Serv.
His Highness is return'd from Millain.
Barb.
Ha!
The Duke return'd from Millain? Thou art mad.
Serv.
Just now arriv'd my Lord, and coming hither.
Barb.
Here!
Dispose of her as I commanded thee,
'Till I find out the meaning of this Dream.
Ha! that's his voice—And here he comes in Person:
Let her go Slave.—Away dear Maid, away.
[Puts her out.
Barb.
Great Sir,
Upon our knees we welcome your Return,
Trap.
And upon our Legs we take it:—Hem! hem!
[He struts about.
Alb.
Your Highness comes unlook't for, we did not expect
This happy time so soon by fourteen dayes.
Barb.
So please your Grace, where is our Dutchess?
Trap.
Your Dutchess will not come 'till the Gods know
when; for my part I know nothing of the matter. I left my
Train behind me and came unlookt for, to see how you governed
in my absence, which I fear you have done scurvily
enough.
Alb.
How wild he talks!
Trap.
Eo, Meo, and Areo, well stuck to me I'faith—Well
Lords, you never pity my Misfortunes; I have been robb'd in my
journey, had my Horse taken from me, and if it had not been
for Father Conjurer.
Barb.
How Sir?
Trap.
I say, if I had not been a Conjurer, I had ne'er got home
in my Royal skin;—Well stuck there again, Boys, well stuck.
Alb.
What means your Highness?
Trap.
Our Highness means to take exact account of Affairs;
I left an honest Fellow here, call'd Trappolin. What's become of
him?
Barb.
Your Highness gave me charge to banish him.
Trap.
Why there's the Pillar of our State gone. You took
him for Buffoon, but I found him one of the best Politicians in
Christendome; other Countreys will value him, and for ought
I know, he's a Prince by this time—Eo, Meo, and Areo, true
Lads still.
Alb.
I am amaz'd!
Trap.
Hear me, you Lord Barb. I love dispatch in Affairs, tell
me therefore quickly what you take to be the duty of a Statesman?
Barb.
To study first his Royal Masters profit,
No sinister design of private gain;
Nor pillage from the Crown to raise his Heirs,
His base-born Brood in Pomp above the Race
Of old descended Worth; to know Desert,
And turn the Princes favour on his Friends;
And keep an open Ear to just Complaints.
Trap.
Why there 'tis. I have travel'd, and can tell you what
a Statesman should be. I will have him ten times prouder than
his Master; I, and ten times richer too. To know none of his
old Friends, when he is once in Office; to inform himself who
has Merit, that he may know whom to do nothing for; to make
Sollicitors wait seven years to no purpose, and to bounce thr'o
a whole Regiment of 'em, like a Souldier through the Gantlet.
Alb.
This is meer Frenzy.
Trap.
And there is another good Friend of mine, Brunetto,
where is he?
Alb.
Dread Sir, Your Highness knows that for his presumption
in Courting of your Sister, you confin'd him.
Trap.
Nothing but lying in this world! I confine him: 'Tis
well known I never had a Sister in my life.
Barb.
No Sister, Sir?
Trap.
No, Jack Sawce, none that's worth imprisoning a Friend
for; honest Brunetto I'le be with thee in the twinkling of a—
Eo, Meo, and Areo, sit fast; pass.
[Exit.
Alb.
He cannot counterfeit so much.
Barb.
I know not;
But if he do not, he is surely mad.
Alb.
The Heaven's be merciful!
What wild fantastick things he do's? And talks
Of Eo, Meo, and Areo; Names
Unheard of in the Court before.
Barb.
Some Millain Counts I warrant you.
This kindness to Brunetto is most strange.
Alb.
Let's after him, and wait his better leisure.
[Exeunt.
| A Duke and no Duke | |