 | Amyntas |  |
8
Scen. 3.
Thestylis. Mopsus. Iocastus.Mop.
Iocastus, I love Thestylis abominably,
The mouth of my affection waters at her.
Io.
Be wary Mopsus, learne of mee to skorne
The mortalls; choose a better match: goe love
Some Fairy Lady! Princely Oberon
Shall stand thy friend: and beauteous Mab his Queene
Give thee a Maid of Honour.
Mop.
How Iocastus?
Marry a puppet? Wed a mote ith' Sunne?
Goe looke a wife in nutshells? wooe a gnat
That's nothing but a voice? No no, Iocastus,
I must have flesh and blood, and will have Thestylis.
A fig for Fairies!
Thes.
—Tis my sweet-heart Mopsus,
And his wise brother: O the twins of folly!
These doe I entertaine only to season
The poore Amyntas madnesse.
Mop.
Sacred red and white,
How fares thy reverend beauty?
The.
Very ill
Since you were absent, Mopsus! where have you
Beene all this live-long houre?
Mop.
I have been
Discoursing with the birds.
The.
Why, can birds speake?
Io.
In Fairy land they can: I have heard 'em chirpe
9
Mop.
And our Birds
Talke better farre then they: a new-laid egge
Of Sicilie shall out talke the bravest Parrat
In Oberons, Vtopia.
The.
But what languages
Doe they speake, servant?
Mop.
Severall languages,
As Cawation, Chirpation, Hootation.
Whistleation, Crowation, Cackleation,
Shreekation, Hissation.
The.
And Fooleation.
Mop.
No, that's our language, we our selves speak that,
That are the learned Augurs.
The.
What successe
Does your Art promise?
Mop.
Very good.
The.
What Birds
Met you then first?
Mop.
A Wood-cock and a Goose.
The.
Well met.
Mop.
I told 'em so.
The.
And what might this portend?
Mop.
Why thus—and first the Wood-cock—Wood and Cock,
Both very good signes. For first the wood doth signify
The fire of our love shall never goe out,
Because it has more fuell: wood doth signify
More fuell.
The.
What the Cock?
10
Better then t'other:
That I shall crow ore those that are my rivalls,
And roost my selfe with thee.
The.
But now the Goose?
Mop.
I, I the Goose, that likes me best of all,
Th'ast heard our gray-beard sheapherds talk of Rome,
And what the Geese did there: The Goose doth signify
That I shall keep thy Capitoll.
The.
Good gander!
Io.
—It cannot choose but strangely please his highnesse!
The.
What are you studying of Iocastus, ha?
Io.
A rare devise, a Masque to entertaine
His Grace of Fairy with.
The.
A Masque? what i'st?
Io.
An Anti-masque of fleaes, which I have taught
To dance Currantoes on a spiders thread.
Mop.
An Anti-masque of fleaes? brother me thinkes
A masque of Birds were better, that could dance
The morrice in the aire, Wrens and Robin-redbrests,
Linnets, and Titmise.
Io.
So! and why not rather
Your Geese & Wood-cocks? Mortall hold thy tongue,
Thou dost not know the mystery.
The.
Tis true
He tells you Mopsus, leave your Augurie,
Follow his counsell, and be wise.
Mop.
Be wise?
I skorne the motion! follow his counsell and be wise?
That's a fine trick i'faith! is this an age
11
The.
Then you mean I see,
T'expound the Oracle.
Mop.
I doe mean to be
Th'interpreter.
Io.
—And then a jig of Pismires
Is excellent.
Mop.
What to interpret Oracles?
A foole must be th'interpreter.
The.
Then no doubt
But you will have the honour.
Mop.
Nay I hope
I am as faire for't as another man.
If I should now grow wise against my will,
And catch this wisdome!
The.
Never feare it Mopsus.
Mop.
Twere dangerous ventring. Now I think on't too
Pray Heaven this aire be wholsome! is there not
An antidote against it? what doe you think
Of garlick every morning?
The.
Fy upon't,
'Twill spoile our kissing! and besides I tell you
Garlick's a dangerous dish, eating of garlick
May breed the sicknesse, for as I remember
Tis the Phylosophers dyet.
Mop.
Certainly
I am infected, now the fit's upon mee!
Tis some thing like an ague, sure I caught it
With talking with a Scholar next my heart.
The.
How sad a life live I,
12
For Mopsus Ile prescribe you such a diet
As shall secure you.
Mop.
Excellent she Doctor!
Your women are the best Physitians,
And have the better practice.
The.
First my Mopsus,
Take heed of fasting, for your hungry meales
Nurse wisdome.
Mop.
True! O what a stomach have I
To be her patient!
The.
Besides, take speciall care
You weare not thred-bare clothes: 'twill breed at least
Suspicion you are wise.
Io.
I marry will it.
The.
And walke not much alone; or if you walke
With company, be sure you walke with fooles,
None of the wise.
Mop.
No, no I warrant you,
Ile walke with no body but my brother here,
Or you, or mad Amyntas.
The.
By all meanes
Take heed of Travell, your beyond-sea wit
Is to be feard.
Mop.
If ere I travell hang mee.
Io.
Not to the Fairy land?
The.
Thither he may.
But above all things weare no beards, long beards
Are signes the braines are full, because the excrements
Come out so plentifully.
13
Rather empty,
Because they have sent so much out, as if
Their brains were sunk into their beards: King Oberon
Has ne're a beard, yet for his wit I am sure
He might have beene a Gyant. Who comes here?
Enter Dorylas.
Dor.
All haile unto the fam'd interpreter
Of fowles and Oracles!
Mop.
Thankes good Dorylas.
Dor.
How fares the winged cattell? are the woodcocks,
The jayes, the dawes, the cuckoes, and the owles
In health?
Mop.
I thank the gracious starres they are!
Dor.
Like health unto the president of the jigs;
I hope King Oberon and his joyall Mab
Are well.
Io.
They are, I never saw their Graces
Eate such a meale before.
Dor.
E'ne much good doe't em!
Io.
They're rid a hunting.
Do.
Hare or Deere my Lord?
Io.
Neither, a brace of snailes of the first head.
The.
But Dorylas, there's a mighty quarrell here,
And you are chosen umpire.
Dor.
About what?
The.
The exposition of the Oracle:
Which of these two you think the verier foole.
Dor.
It is a difficult cause, first let me pose'em!
You Mopsus, cause you are a learned Augur,
How many are the seven Liberall Sciences?
14
Why much about a dozen.
Dor.
You Iocastus,
When Oberon shav'd himselfe, who was his Barber?
Io.
I knew him well, a little dapper youth,
They call him Periwinckle.
Dor.
Thestylis,
A weighty cause and askes a longer time.
The.
Wee'll in the while to comfort sad Amyntas.
Exeunt The. Mop. Io.
| Amyntas | |