 | The Telltale |  |
IV. i
Enter Cosmo Gismond fernesi bentivoliCosmo
hees a strange Chandg my lord.
82
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.
83
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
84
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
85
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
86
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
87
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
88
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.
89
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
90
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
91
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
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