Pol. But you shall swear unto me, on Not to anticipate- Pol. Nor reveal A circumstance My paper is not with me. Per. O, but you can remember, sir. Concerning tinder-boxes. You must know, Or you come out again, and none the wiser ? Pol. Go to then. I therefore Advertise to the state, how fit it were, That none but such as were known patriots, Sound lovers of their country, should be suffer'd [those T'enjoy them in their houses; and even Seal'd at some office, and at such a bigness As might not lurk in pockets. Per. Admirable ! [resolv'd, Pol. My next is, how t' enquire, and be By present demonstration, whether a ship, Newly arriv'd from Soria, or from Any suspected part of all the Levant, Be guilty of the plague and where they use To lie out forty, fifty days sometimes, About the Lazaretto, for their trial, I'll save that charge and loss unto the merchant, And in an hour clear the doubt. Per. Indeed, sir? Pol. Or- I will lose my labour. Pol. Nay, sir, conceive me. 'Twill cost Some thirty livres- Per. Which is one pound sterling. Pol. Beside my water-works: for this I do, sir. [walls; First, I bring in your ship 'twixt two brick(But those the state shall venture) on the one I strain me a fair tarpauling, and in that I stick my onions, cut in halves; the other Is full of loop-holes, out of which I thrust The noses of my bellows; and those bellows Whether a ship I keep, with water-works, in perpetual motion, (Which is the easiest matter of a hundred.) Now, sir, your onion, which doth naturally Attract th' infection, and your bellows blowing The air upon him, will shew (instantly) But you ha' done well for once, sir. [reasons Or would be made so, I could shew you How I could sell this state now to the Turk, spite of their galleys, or their Per. 'Pray you, sir Pol. Pol. I have 'em not about me. They are there, sir. Pal. No, this is my diary, Wherein I note my actions of the day. Per. Pray you let's see, sir. What is here? Notandum, [standing, A rat had gnawn my spur-leathers; notwithput on new, and did go forth: but first I I threw three beans over the threshold. Item, I went and bought two tooth-picks, whereof Newly arriv'd from SORIA.] i. e. Syria, which is so called by the Italians. The city Tyre, from whence the whole country Syria had its name, was antiently called Zur or Zor; and since the Arabs erected their empire in the East, it is again called Sor, and is at this day known by no other name in those parts. Hence the Italians formed their Soria. I do slip No action of my life thus, but I QUOTE it.] The words note and quote, were at this time synonymous; they have before been used so in this same play. 7 I, he plays BOTH with me.] i. e. both FAST AND LOOSE. [me. Lad. Why in this habit, sir, you apprehend Well, master Would-be, this doth not become you; [name I had thought the odour, sir, of your good Had been more precious to you, that you would not [honour; Have done this dire massacre on your One of your gravity and rank besides ! But knights, I see, care little for the oath They make to ladies; chiefly, their own [my knighthood.) Pol. Now, by my spurs, (the symbol of (Per. Lord, how his brain is humbled for an oath !) you not. ladies. Pol. I reach [you. Lad. Right, sir, your politie May bear it through thus. Sir, a word with I would be loth to contest publicly With any gentlewoman, or to seem Froward, or violent, (as the courtier says) It comes too near rusticity in a lady, Which I would shun by all means; and -Only your nose inclines Why, if your knight have set you to beg shirts, [it Or to invite me home, you might have done A nearer way by far. Lad. This cannot work you Out of my snare. Per. Why am I in it, then? Indeed your husband told me you were fair, And so you are; only your nose inclines (That side that's next the sun) to the queenapple. [patience. Lad. This cannot be endur'd, by any SCENE III. Mosca, Lady, Peregrine. Mos. What is the matter, madam? Right not my quest in this, I will protest 'em Mos. What is the injury, lady? You told me of, here I have ta'en disguis'd. Mos. Who? this? what means your ladyship? the creature I mention'd to you, is apprehended, now, Before the senate: you shall see her (That side that's next the sun) to the queen-apple.] This burlesque similitude seems to have furnished Sir John Suckling with a very pretty allusion, in his description of the rural bride: "For streaks of red were mingled there, "Such as are on a Catharin-pear, "The side that's next the sun.' [gentleman, Lad. Where? Mos. I'll bring you to her. This young I saw him land this morning at the port. Lad. Is't possible! how has my judgment wander'd! Sir, I must, blushing, say to you, I have err'd; And plead your pardon. Per. What, more changes yet? Lud. I hope yo' ha' not the malice to remember A gentlewoman's passion. If you stay In Venice here, please you to use me, sir Mos. Will you go, madam? Lad. 'Pray you, sir, use me; in faith, The more you see me, the more I shall conYou have forgot our quarrel. [ceive [Bawd! Per. This is rare! Sir Politick Would-be ? no, sir Politick To bring me thus acquainted with his wife! Well, wise sir Pol, since you have practis'd thus [head, Upon my freshman-ship, I'll try your saltWhat proof it is against a counter-plot. -We will but use his tongue, Mos. When we ha' done, you mean? Mos. Why, why we'll think: [To Voltore. How he doth sport it with his head?-I should, If all were well and past. Sir, only you shall eat it. Much! [To Corvino. Worshipful sir 10, [Then to Voltore again. "Mercury sit upon your thundering tongue, Or the French Hercules, and make your language As conquering as his club, to beat along Volt. Here they come, ha' done. [sir, Mos. I have another witness, if you need, I can produce. Volt. Who is it? Mos. Sir, I have her. SCENE V. Avocatori 4, Bonario, Celia, Voltore, Corbaccio, Corvino, Mosca, Notario, Commandadori. Avoc. 1. The like of this the senate never heard of. Avoc. 2. Twill come most strange to them when we report it. [held Avoc. 4. The gentlewoman has been ever Of unreproved name. Aroc. 3. So the young man. Avoc. 4. The more unnatural part that of his father. Avoc. 2. More of the husband. Avoc. 1. I not know to give His act a name, it is so monstrous ! Avoc. 1. And all after-times! Mr. UPTON. [created As we do CROAKERS, here.] I read crackers, that is, squibs. It seems to be a cant term given to Corbaccio, since Corvino immediately replies, "I, "what shall he do?" If this is the sense, it should be wrote croaker's, i. e. his tongue and noise and this meaning seems to be countenanced by what Mosca afterwards says to Corbaccio, "If you but crouk a syllable, all comes out." 10 Mos. But you shall eat it. Mucч worshipful sir.] This is corruptly printed; the true reading exhibited by the old books is this, "But you shall eat it. Much!" that is, Much good may it do you; elliptically and ironically spoken. Other instances of this use of the word much, have been remarked before. "Mercury sit upon your thundering tongue, Or the FRENCH HERCULES.] The Gallic or Celtic Hercules was the symbol of eloquence. Lucian has a treatise on this French Hercules, surnamed Ogmius: he was pictured crest in his lion's skin; in his right hand he held his club ; in his left, his bow: several very small chains were figured, reaching from his tongue to the ears of crowds of men at some distance. Preserve himself a parent, (his son's ills Growing to that strange flood) at last decreed To disinherit him. Avoc. 1. These be strange turns! Avoc. 2. The young man's fame was ever fair and honest. [vice, Volt. So much more ful! of danger is his That can beguile so under shade of virtue. But, as I said, (my honour'd sires) his father Having this settled purpose, (by what means To him betray'd, we know not) and this day Appointed for the deed; that parricide, (I cannot style him better) by confederacy Preparing this his paramour to be there, Enter'd Volpone's house, (who was the man, Your fatherhoods must understand, design'd For the inheritance) there sought his father: But with what purpose sought he him, my lords? (I tremble to pronounce it, that a son Unto a father, and to such a father, Should have so foul, felonious intent) It was to murder him: when being prevented By his more happy absence, what then did he? [new deeds; Not check his wicked thoughts; no, now 14 (Mischief doth ever end where it begins ;) An act of horror, fathers! he dragg'd forth The aged gentleman that had there lain bed-rid [couch, Three years and more, out off his innocent Naked upon the floor, there left him; wounded [pet, His servant in the face; and with this strumThe stale to his forg'd practice, who was glad To be so active, (I shall here desire Your fatherhoods to note but my collections, As most remarkable) thought at once to stop His father's ends, discredit his free choice In the old gentleman, redeem themselves, By laying infamy upon this man, To whom, with blushing, they should owe their lives. Whose TIMELY bounty makes him now Stand here, &c.] The epithet to bounty destroys the sentiment intended; the true reading is timeless, i. e. ill-timed bounty. 13 So 'bove all OTHERS of their gratitude.] The right lection given by the folio, "So 'bove all powers of their gratitude.' 14 Mischief doth EVER end where it begins.] But the reverse of this seems the truer remark, and what he intended to say; namely, that mischief does not stop where it first began, or set out. So that, notwithstanding the authority of the printed books, it is probable we should read, Mischief doth never end where it begins. [my heart Not. Your testimony's crav'd. Avoc. 1. But for what cause? Monster of men, swine, goat, wolf, parricide, Bon. Sir, I will sit down, And rather wish my innocence should suffer, May make the doubt. Avoc. 3. His grief hath made him frantic. Avoc. 1. Remove him hence. Avoc. 2. Look to the woman. [She swoons. Corv. Rare! prettily feign'd! again! Avoc. 4. Stand from about her. Avoc. 1. Give her the air. Avoc. 3. What can you say? Mos. My wound [receiv'd (May't please your wisdoms) speaks for me, In aid of my good patron, when he mist His sought-for father, when that well-taught dame Had her cue given her, to cry out, A rape. Bon. O most laid impudence"! Fa thers Avoc. 3. Sir, be silent; [theirs. You had your hearing free, so must they Avoc. 2. I do begin to doubt th' impos ture here. Without; who then had in the open streets Pursu'd them, but for saving her knight's honour. Avoc. 1. Produce that lady. They strike with wonder. Avoc. 3. I am turn'd a stone. SCENE VI. Mosca, Lady, Avocatori, &c. Mos. Be resolute, madam. Lad. I, this same is she. Out, thou camelion harlot;_now thine eyes I fear I have (forgettingly) transgrest 15 O most LAID impudence!] i. e. plotte, designed, or well contrived; as we now say, The scheme was well laid |