University of Virginia Library

SCENE V.

Enter STEPHANIUM.
Step.
Here, at your service, my dear lads—
Now lovely Venus help me! I'd been with you
Here long ago, but that I staid to trick
Myself out for you.—'Tis our sex's way,
That be a woman ne'er so clean and nice,
And trim and dress'd, the work is never done.
A courtezan shall by one sluttish act
Easier offend, than please by all her neatness.

Sag.
Prettily said!

Sti.
And Venus spoke by her,
My Sagarinus—

Sag.
What's the matter, man?

Sti.
The pangs of love all over me—

Sag.
All over?
That's hard indeed!

Steph.
Where shall I place myself?

Sag.
Where'er you please—

Step.
Between you both, I think,
For sure I love you both.—

Sti.
'Tis over with me.
My means are going all to wreck and ruin.
I ne'er shall get my freedom by these doings.

Step.
Make room, my dears, that I may sit between you.
Now this is as I like—For I would fain
Be well with both—

Sti.
Then I'm undone indeed!

Sag.
What say'st then?

Sti.
What, indeed!

Sag.
Nay, by the gods!
This day shall never pass without a dance.
Come, honey; come, my sweet—Give us a dance,
And I'll dance with thee.

Sti.
Now, by Pollux' temple!
You shall not get the better of me there.
I'll have a touch with her, as well as you.

Step.
Well, if I am to dance, you'll give the piper
A cup of wine—

Sti.
A cup too for ourselves.

Sag.
The piper first—Here take it—Afterwards,
When you have tip'd it off, as you were wont,
We'll have a merry song, will make us itch
Down to our little finger nails—Some water here.

Sag.
Here, piper, take it off—But now, your liquor
Pleas'd not, it seems; now you can suck it in—
Here, take it, man—Now, while the piper's at it,
Give me a kiss, you rogue—A rare whore's trick
To give a friend a kiss just as he passes.
What! tho' the piper boggled at his cup,
It has not hurt him.—Come, now blow away.

Sti.
Ay, let's have something soft—For our old wine,
Come give us a new tune.

Sag.
[dancing.]
Where's your Cinædic
Or your Ionic dancers can do that?
If in this round you get the better of me,
Challenge me at another—Dance like that—

Sti.
Or you like this. [dancing.]


Sag.
O brave!

Sti.
O rare!

Sag.
O excellent!

Sti.
Enough!—

Sag.
Ay, one's as good as t'other—I,
I challenge your Cinædic's one and all—
No more to us than rain is to a mushroom.
Come, let us in—We've dusted it away,
As long as our wine lasted.—Your applause,
Spectators—And you may go home to supper.

[Exeunt.