University of Virginia Library

Actus quartus

IV. i

Enter Cosmo Gismond fernesi bentivoli
Cosmo
hees a strange Chandg my lord.

Gis
and sodaine our new duke
before hee has full aprobation
for hees not Crownd yet growes an antient tirant

fer
preuent the worst in time then & depose him

Gis
wee Cannot, hee has not only the electiue signet
but all our oaths

fer
hee must bee tould on't then.

Cos
and Chid fort soundly

Bent
Chid fort so I hard yow say did yow neuer here the tale of the
mice and the ratts,

all
neuer what wast

bent
a foolish tale, some witt may bee pickt out on't thow and thus
yt was, the mice and ratts being once good Comonwealths men and
liuing as yow did in a free state began to grow factious and not
Content wt h antient liberty must needs grow to the election of a
ruler.

all
of a duke as wee haue done

bent
giue him what title yow please my tale sayes a ruler, and Ile
keep wt hin Compase of my authority

Gis
and whome did they Chuse

bent.
not aspero but as bad a tirant one signior tibert the Catt
who ere hee was scarce warme in his authority was vp to the eares
in bloud.

Cossmo
a fitt Comparison so ys aspero.

benti
depose him they Could not in regard of theire owne election
murther him they durst not for feare of his faction.

Gis
our owne Case still so tis wt h aspero.

bent
at last the poore mice and ratts seeing the Could not keep their wiues
in theire holes nor theire Children in theire nests for tiberts Cruelty
met as yow do or at least should do about a reformation.

fer
the mice and rats did.

bent
so sayes my tale their Conuocation house was a Country farmers
dayry theire table (to be rownnd) a goodly holland Cheese, about
wc h being sett, and finding they Could nether depose nor murther him
they determined to giue him good Councell

Cosmo
the mice and ratts did.

bent
the mice and ratts wc h was to tye a siluer bell[s] about his neck
that so though they Could not liue out of his tirrany yet hauing
warning of yt they might fly from yt or yf not

fer
they must take what followes

bent
y'are ithe right, as they were rising from the table steps mee
vp a goodly fatt ratt of a sterne aduise and grisled experience
and spooke thus but who quoth hee shall tye this bell about his neck
ere they Could make their answere surly gibb hauing heard their
Consultation in an vpper loft Iumps mee downe in the midst of them
and Catches him fast by the back at wc h the rest insteed of tying
the bell about his neck run euery one to his hole

Cosmo
& left their fellow in danger

benti
I find not that in my tale & Ile not go an Inch beyond the tether
of my authority, like these yow talke of tying the bell of wholsom
admonitions about asperoes neck behind his back but shew mee
the man will doot to his face

Cosmo
indeed tis our indulgence that marrs all
but now the state suffers in generall Ile tell him his owne
[and]

Gis
and weele all second yee

bent
I shall thinke I tould my talle to a happy end then & when
I seet efected Ile tell yee another as good but lupus in
fabula the woolfes i the henroost

Enter aspero Ambasador doctor
asp
now lords of venice haue yow as wee Comanded
tasted the entertainment of the Country

amb
and that so fully wee are sated wt h yt

Cosmo
the ocasions offred second mee my lords
and that so rudly our poore Cuntrimen
are weried wt h yt

asp
weried Come y'are sawcy

Cosmo
pardon mee my lord, I do not speake myne owne
but the whole Countryes greuance

aspe
hang em pesants—for yow

Cosmo
yor worst Ime vrgd & I must speake

fer
yare misled & I will tell yow on't

bent
well said lords on wt h the bell now or neuer

Gis
yor state ys dangerous wee are all sory for't

aspe
rebelious traitors are not wee yor duke
so by election and yor priuate oaths

Cos
and yet not Crownd my lord or yf yow were
please yow remember wee yt are florentines
though subiects, scorne to bee oprest like slaues

aspe
yow must and shalbee what wee please to make yee
the prowdest starr that moues about our throane
taks place & title from vs & they shall pay
homadge & do vs seruice for theire being
or wee will pluck them forth theire spheres & throw
them & their surly familyes to ruin.
but to our busines, wheres the scornfull princes
yf she once more slight our intreat: Comaund
shall force her toote—let her bee sent for

Ent Elinor.
Eli
Tricks? does hee iudgle wt h mee
madd & not madd.

aspe
lady once more in prince hortenzaes behalfe.

Elinor
sdeath still by deputy has hee found his witts
and lost his toung ithe stead of em, strange state

amb
tis no state madam but a modest feare least hee ofend

Elino
ofend whom

aspe
yor adonis, yor what de Calt, yor meriment, yor mirth:
tis wonder hees not pind vpon yor sleeue

Bent
madam Count garullo
Enter Benti wt h a letter
Comends his best of seruice to yow in this

Elinor
wee thanke thy paines and will dispatch thee straight

doctor
yst done

bent
to purpose neuer feare yt obserue her.

doct
yt nips allredy.

bent
twill do anone

Elinor:
wt hin: take this ould rufian to the stocks

bent
stocks madam thats a tale indeed I hope; how euer my Cossen
garrullo ys much kindnell to yor Chambermaide

Elinor
my Chamber: deuill: flowted fetch my Carouch

asper.
whence growes this tempest ys not the Count in health

Elinor
agues & feuers shake his Ioynts asunder.
my Chamberdrudge

aspe
why what of her

Elinor
vexation maried

all
maried

Elinor
man & wife this three wekes

asper
The Count & lesbia. troth I am prowd of yt
was this the man yow lou'd & Countenanct so.

Elinor
Countenance? what Coūtenance the most that I did
was when I entertaind him for my foole

Gis.
vpon myne honor and knowledg my lord shee neuer
lou'd him otherwise

aspero
why does shee storme to heare hees married then.

Elinor
not Cause hees maried, but that the foole
should haue the witt to know I made him one
ere I had Compast myne owne ends, for how
so ere I seemd to slight hortenzo I vsd
the fooles loue but as birders do their stale
to make him stoope

amb
lou'd yow the prince & Could yow suffer him loose so many teares

Elinor
I did in a pride to make him Court mee first but now
to shew my selfe his prisoner see here the Coppy
of a letter writt & sent to lett him know so much

asper
& see Iust wt h that word hee enters

Enter Hortenzo
Elinor.
and Ile giue him vnlookt for welcome
hortenzo, prince, how frowne & turne away? Hortenzo.

doct
very well acted.

Elino
dost slite mee

aspe
why not yow neglected him, & scornd his passions

Elinor
but I recant & writt a letter wc h—throw't back agen;
and scorne to open yt.

doctor
hee has studdied my directions to an accent

Elinor
yf words preuaile not I will speake in teares
and like an humble suppliant on my knee
follow my suite. hortenzo gentle prince
duke lords bentivoli yf yow were ere in loue
pitty a louer

Exit Hortenzo.
doctor
torture enough, now leaue her

Elinor
dost stopp thyne eare & leaue mee [OMITTED] Cruell man

aspero
troth hee deales Iustly wt h yow, payes yor scorne
wt h merited neglect.

docto
yet were I sure yow did not Counterfeit

Elinor
haue yee so litle Charity to thinke so.

doct
some of yor sex do litle elce I haue better hope of yow thoe
and yf I should Change nature in him now & make him amorous

Elinor
oh mr doctor do but winn him for mee
Ile build an aulter to thyne art, and offer
my sighs & teares for sacrifice

docto
no more: and yet I dare not trust yee

Ent Hortenzo
Hor
why then I dare

Elino
Hortenzo.

Hor
Call mee loue for yf thy hart & toung bee one I am so.
but and yow euer breake wt h mee agen
Ile nere lend pitty to a desperate louer for yor sake more

Elinor
do not: this last act proues, though foxes eyes louers haue harts of doues

Bent
mild as turtles being pleasd, but tiranous as vultures being [ang]
angred, and this reconsilement has made yow freinds wt h garrullo

Elinor
Indeed there hee may haue time to Consider vpon the sinderisis
of his hierogliphicks, and the antiphona of his cacumenos

aspero
things sort to purpose, Come my princly louers
since your afections meet in such a Iust
and euen diameeter, yf fate bee pleasd
to lend my mr s her best health agen
(as I well hope) one day shalbe made happy
wt h two ritch mariages: meane time sett on
weele shew our Care ithe preparation.

Exeunt manet nobles
Bent
the bells not hung about his neck yet

Cos:
no: wee haue made yt though & wee will hang yt on to.

bent
and quickly to yow were best, I shall tell yow another tale
shall make yor eares tingle agood elce

Exeunt

IV. ii

Enter Captaine, Leiftenant, Iulio antient, duke, Barber as hauing trimd him
barb
so gett the body of a duke where yee Can; thers the best face and the
likst all the art I haue Could make out of that yll fauord stuffe at least

Cap
well well desire no better

anti
hee like the duke I wonder what Crocthett Came into my Captaines
head to thinke hee should looke like the duke

Capt
Ile tell yow that herafter, reach mee my new beauer and my best
night gowne, on wt h them, so: how do yow like him now

anti
him what him sdeath but that I am Confident of the Contrary: I
should swere yt were the dvke indeed.

[Cap] Iuli
aparell may do much

Cap
obserue him well yow shall see a kind of mat i e in's looks
and state in his Cariadg

duke
I shall grow stately enough quickly neuer fer't: I should make
a good actor sure, for I thinke my selfe the very man I personate allredy

Iuli
sett a begger a horsback and heele ride

antient
but Come now yow haue made this mock duke to what vse will you put him

Cap
there goes a report yow know the good duke was murdred

anti
thats to trew amy Conscience the mores the pitty

Cap
and yet but only a report; Could but wee perswade the world (as
vnlikely things haue beene) that wee preserud him by some accident
and that this were hee

duke
nay & I make em not sweare that neuer trust imposture more for my sake

Cap
twould bee a meanes not only to practise our reuenge on aspero; reforme
some abuses in the state; wt hout authority, but saue much inocent bloud
wc h otherwise may bee spent & perhaps faile of our ends too.

Anti
an excellent proiect & a Charitable
now the newes wt h the laundresse

ent victoria as before
vict
my noble lord the duke

Iuli
wee shall haue yow play the foole for want of witt now.

Cap
hold thy toung heres some sport towards allredy

duke
peace wt h that slaue what sayes my obedient subiect
speake thy greefes freelly who has done thee wrong

vict
I must bee plaine my gratious lord, yor selfe
none but yor selfe has done yor subiect wrong

duke
I do thee wrong

vict
yes most iniurious wronge

Iuli
godamercy wench tell him his error soundly

vict
sought not alone to robb mee of myne honor
brand mee wt h imputation of a strumpet
but pratise how to murther mee wt hout legall or publike triall

Iulio
yst midsomer moone wt h thee, and yet Ime glad of
this ocasion to.

Cap
and our Iest should bring forth some serious discouery
twould bee a thing remarkable

duke
I do all this whats

asper
saluation.

Isabell
what afrights yor manly Coradg

aspe
th—that dambnd fury there

Isa
what fury where

asper
the—there: see where hee stalks & stares vpon mee

Isa
who

asper
picentio: see how hee frownes

Isa
tis nothing but Conceipt
and strange imagination, yf hee were here
sure I should see or heare or feele or some thing
away begone—are yow sure y'are waking

aspe
waking
Exit Picentio
I vse not to walk in my sleep—& yett
now I see nothing

Isa.
vpon my life yow drempt then
I haue done as much my selfe, marry t'has beene by some
that I lou'd dearly

asp
so did I picentio

Isa
I know yow did; but Come forgett him Come
and minde things more materiall or mariadge

aspe
I am prowd to heare yow talke thus

Isa
talke & doe,
any thing to exclude those fantasyes
out of yor thoughts

enter picentio as adoctor
aspe
I haue forgott em—Come, oh mr doctor welcome
I am bold to visitt yor sick patient

picen
how seeka. de voman seeka; so be de gran diabolo. & shee bee seeka
begar bee all a mond pour loue a.

aspe
for loue of whome

picen
for dat sweet face a yor. provida for de mariash in time begar will
runa like de (Come apella vous) vile Catt out of so litle vitt elce

aspe
'tshalbee my instant busines, the meane while
sweet Chandge a kisse; now my best planetts smile

Exit
Isab
first, last, and all:
Enter Cosmo Gismond fernesee
now my good lords the newes

Cosmo
good beyond vttrrance wee are tould by letters
(and those not ydle the dukes owne hand writt em)
the duke and dutches are both liuing

Isa
heauen throwes downe his blessings powerfully, but where

Gis
at Castle angelo. where hearing of the outrage
of aspero. to saue the expence of bloud
hath Ioynd him selfe wt h the true harted soldiers
and pitcht a toyle to catch him wt h; in wc h yow must asist vs

Isa
wt h my vtmost strength—to his vndoing

Cos
had but picentio liud, to see this happy and vnlookt for Change

pice
picentio, vat picentio. dat loua de dusshes begar
be so liuea as de bloud in yor vaine

all
picentio liuing where

pice
hera hard by widdin two tree fowre dore a my shamra.

Cos
good mr doctor do vs the fauor but to send for him

picen

how senda? begar mee runa miselfe for him balla moy de mane for pulla
of my gownesleeue dat I may run more lighta; de loderatoo prestamento.
so: begar dis same horstaile do so tickla my shopps, & make a me sweatt
so & now my lords behold picentio.

discouer himselfe
embrace him
Cosmo.
fitt to our plott as may bee
Cloud yow againe, the maner & the time
how to intrap & when to take the tyrant
wt h the meanes of yor strange preseruation
refer to priuat Counsell, now bentivoli

Ent Benti
bent
as merry as a duck wt h her taile in her mouth
what ys this bell tyed about grim tiberts necke yet.

Cos
as good as done for both our Country freinds
& Cytty tenants haue promisd vs to doo'te

bent
nay faith then tis as good as no thing; Ile tell yee a tale shall make
yow Confes so much to; vpon a time a fox became tenaunt to a Country
yeoman indeed tenant at will for shee kept possession spight of his teeth
yet fearing her house should bee taken ouer her head; euery morning when
shee went forth to fetch in prouision.

Cosmo
for her selfe

benti

and her yong ones (the poore widdow had a great Chardge) shee Comaunded
her Cubbs to sculke in the brakes & bushes and listen what newes abroad.

fer
& tell her when shee Came home

benti
[mary did they,] so sayes my tale indeed. anon Comes mee the
landlord & his sonne Complaining how his tenants had broake downe his
fences, stolne his lambs & filcht his pullen but I haue tane a Course
quoth hee to bee ridd of them for to morow quoth hee my Contry tenants
haue promisd to Come and help mee digg em out & so departed.
at night when their mother Came home

Cosmo
the litle ones tould her what they heard

bent

mary did they and w
t hall fearfull of their landlords words intreated her to remoue her lodging, peace fooles quoth shee yow tremble at
shaddowes, yf hee trust to his tenants wee may safly venter one day
longer; they did so: next day the landlord Came vexing y
t his tenants had deceiud him: but tomorrow quoth hee my Cytty ffreinds & kinsmen
haue promisd to hellp mee

fer

they deceiud him to.

bent

yare i'the right, the third day he vext terribly, and now sonne quoth hee
since both tenants and kinsmen deceiue mee, prouide a mattoke & a spade
for to morrow Ile doot my selfe; at night when the Crafty fox herd this
I mary Children quoth shee, now tis high time to begone wee are like to
bee throwne out of dores indeed elce

Cos
then trusting nether tenants, freinds nor kinsmen
weele tye the [knott] bell a bout the Catts neck our selues

benti
I mary sir. why now I heare yow talke somwhat
freinds often faile & letters seldome speed.
what a man does him selfe ys done indeed.

Exeunt