SCENE II.

_The same. A Room in_ CAMIOLA'_s House_.

_Enter_ ADORNI, SYLLI, _and_ CLARINDA.

_Ador._ So melancholy, say you!

_Clar._ Never given To such retirement.

_Ador._ Can you guess the cause?

_Clar._ If it hath not its birth and being from The brave Bertoldo's absence, I confess 'Tis past my apprehension.

_Syl._ You are wide, The whole field wide[147]. I, in my understanding, Pity your ignorance.

_Ador._ Resolve us.

_Syl._ Know, Here walks the cause. She dares not look upon me; My beauties are so terrible and enchanting, She cannot endure my sight.

_Ador._ There I believe you.

_Syl._ But the time will come, be comforted, when I will Put off this vizor of unkindness to her, And show an amorous and yielding face: And, until then, though Hercules himself Desire to see her, he had better eat His club, than pass her threshold; for I will be Her Cerberus, to guard her.

_Ador._ A good dog!

_Clar._ Worth twenty porters.

_Enter Page._

_Page._ Keep you open house here? No groom to attend a gentleman! O, I spy one.

_Syl._ He means not me, I am sure.

_Page._ You, sirrah sheep's-head, With a face cut on a cat-stick[148], do you hear? You, yeoman fewterer[149], conduct me to The lady of the mansion, or my poniard Shall disembogue thy soul.

_Syl._ O terrible! _disembogue!_ I talk'd of Hercules, and here is one Bound up in _decimo sexto_.

_Page._ Answer, wretch.

_Syl._ Pray you, little gentleman, be not so furious: The lady keeps her chamber.

_Page._ And we present, Sent on an embassy to her! but here is Her gentlewoman. Sirrah! hold my cloak, While I take a leap at her lips: do it, and neatly; Or, having first tripp'd up thy heels, I'll make Thy back my footstool. [_Kisses_ CLARINDA.

_Syl._ Tamberlane in little! Am I turn'd Turk[150]! What an office am I put to!

_Clar._ My lady, gentle youth, is indisposed.

_Page._ Though she were dead and buried, only tell her, The great man in the court, the brave Fulgentio, Descends to visit her, and it will raise her Out of the grave for joy.

_Enter_ FULGENTIO.

_Syl._ Here comes another! The devil, I fear, in his holiday clothes.

_Page._ So soon! My part is at an end then. Cover my shoulders; When I grow great, thou shalt serve me.

_Ful._ Are you, sirrah, An implement of the house? [_To_ SYLLI.

_Syl._ Sure he will make A jointstool of me!

_Ful._ Or, if you belong [_To_ ADOR. To the lady of the place, command her hither.

_Ador._ I do not wear her livery, yet acknowledge A duty to her; and as little bound To serve your peremptory will, as she is To obey your summons. 'Twill become you, sir, To wait her leisure; then, her pleasure known, You may present your duty.

_Ful._ Duty! Slave, I'll teach you manners.

_Ador._ I'm past learning; make not A tumult in the house.

_Ful._ Shall I be braved thus? [_They draw._

_Clar._ Help! murder!

_Enter_ CAMIOLA.

_Cam._ What insolence is this? Adorni, hold, Hold, I command you.

_Ful._ Saucy groom!

_Cam._ Not so, sir; However, in his life, he had dependence Upon my father, he's a gentleman, As well born as yourself. Put on your hat.

_Ful._ In my presence, without leave!

_Syl._ He has mine, madam.

_Cam._ And I must tell you, sir, and in plain language, Howe'er your glittering outside promise gentry, The rudeness of your carriage and behaviour Speaks you a coarser thing.

_Syl._ She means a clown, sir; I am her interpreter, for want of a better.

_Cam._ I am a queen in mine own house; nor must you Expect an empire here.

_Syl._ Sure I must love her Before the day, the pretty soul's so valiant.

_Cam._ What are you? and what would you with me?

_Ful._ Proud one, When you know what I am, and what I came for, And may, on your submission, proceed to, You, in your reason, must repent the coarseness Of my entertainment.

_Cam._ Why, fine man? what are you?

_Ful._ A kinsman of the king's.

_Cam._ I cry you mercy, For his sake, not your own. But, grant you are so, 'Tis not impossible but a king may have A fool to his kinsman,--no way meaning you, sir.

_Ful._ You have heard of Fulgentio?

_Cam._ Long since, sir; A suit-broker in court. He has the worst Report among good men I ever heard of, For bribery and extortion: in their prayers, Widows and orphans curse him for a canker And caterpillar in the state. I hope, Sir, you are not the man.

_Ful._ I reply not As you deserve, being assured you know me; Pretending ignorance of my person, only To give me a taste of your wit: 'tis well, and courtly; I like a sharp wit well.

_Syl._ I cannot endure it; Nor any of the Syllis.

_Ful._ More; I know, too, This harsh induction must serve as a foil To the well-tuned observance and respect You will hereafter pay me, being made Familiar with my credit with the king, And that (contain your joy) I deign to love you.

_Cam._ Love me! I am not rapt with it.

_Ful._ Hear 't again; I love you honestly: now you admire me.

_Cam._ I do, indeed; it being a word so seldom Heard from a courtier's mouth. But, pray you, deal plainly, Since you find me simple; what might be the motives Inducing you to leave the freedom of A bachelor's life, on your soft neck to wear The stubborn yoke of marriage; and, of all The beauties in Palermo, to choose me, Poor me? that is the main point you must treat of.

_Ful._ Why, I will tell you. Of a little thing You are a pretty peat[151], indifferent fair too; And, like a new-rigg'd ship, both tight and yare: Besides, the quickness of your eye assures An active spirit.

_Cam._ You are pleasant, sir; Yet I presume that there was one thing in me, Unmention'd yet, that took you more than all Those parts you have remember'd.

_Ful._ What?

_Cam._ My wealth, sir.

_Ful._ You are in the right; without that, beauty is A flower worn in the morning, at night trod on: But beauty, youth, and fortune meeting in you, I will vouchsafe to marry you.

_Cam._ You speak well; And, in return, excuse me, sir, if I Deliver reasons why, upon no terms, I'll marry you: I fable not.

_Syl._ I am glad To hear this: I began to have an ague.

_Ful._ Come, your wise reasons.

_Cam._ Such as they are, pray take them: First, I am doubtful whether you are a man, Since, for your shape, trimm'd up in a lady's dressing, You might pass for a woman; for the fairness Of your complexion, which you think will take me, The colour, I must tell you, in a man, Is weak and faint, and never will hold out, If put to labour: give me the lovely brown, A thick curl'd hair of the same die, a leg without An artificial calf;--I suspect yours; But let that pass.

_Syl._ She means me all this while, For I have every one of those good parts; O Sylli! fortunate Sylli!

_Cam._ You are moved, sir.

_Ful._ Fie! no; go on.

_Cam._ Then, as you are a courtier, A graced one too, I fear you have been too forward; And so much for your person. One word more, And I have done.

_Ful._ I'll ease you of the trouble, Coy and disdainful!

_Cam._ Save me, or else he'll beat me.

_Ful._ No, your own folly shall; and, since you put me To my last charm, look upon this, and tremble. [_Shows the king's ring._

_Cam._ At the sight of a fair ring! the king's, I take it? I have seen him wear the like: if he hath sent it, As a favour, to me----

_Ful._ Yes, 'tis very likely, His dying mother's gift, prized as his crown! By this he does command you to be mine; By his gift you are so:--you may yet redeem all.

_Cam._ You are in a wrong account still. Though the king may Dispose of my life and goods, my mind's mine own, And never shall be yours. The king, heaven bless him! Is good and gracious, and will not compel His subjects against their wills. I believe, Forgetting it when he wash'd his hands, you stole it, With an intent to awe me. But you are cozen'd; I am still myself, and will be.

_Ful._ A proud haggard[152], And not to be reclaim'd! which of your grooms, Your coachman, fool, or footman, is the lover Preferr'd before me?

_Cam._ You are foul-mouth'd.

_Ful._ Much fairer Than thy black soul; and so I will proclaim thee.

_Cam._ Were I a man, thou durst not speak this.

_Ful._ Heaven So prosper me, as I resolve to do it To all men, and in every place: scorn'd by A tit of ten-pence! [_Exeunt_ FULGENTIO _and Page_.

_Syl._ Now I begin to be valiant: Nay, I will draw my sword. O for a brother[153]! Do a friend's part; pray you, carry him the length of 't. I give him three years and a day to match my Toledo, And then we'll fight like dragons.

_Ador._ Pray, have patience.

_Cam._ I may live to have vengeance: my Bertoldo Would not have heard this.

_Ador._ Madam,----

_Cam._ Pray you, spare Your language. Prithee fool[154], and make me merry. [_To_ SYLLI.

_Syl._ That is my office ever.

_Ador._ I must do, Not talk; this glorious gallant shall hear from me. [_Exeunt._

FOOTNOTES:

[147] _The whole field wide._] This expression, however signior Sylli picked it up, is a Latinism: _Erras, tota via aberras._--GIFFORD.

[148] _A cat-stick._] This, I believe, is what is now called a _buck-stick_, used by children in the game of tip-cat, or kit-cat.--GIFFORD.

[149] _Fewterer_,] i. e. _a dog-keeper_, or one who lets the dogs loose in the chase. The word is a corruption of the French _vautrier_, or _vaultier_.

[150] _Tamberlane in little! Am I turned Turk!_] _Tamberlane_ was a proverbial term for a _bully_. _To turn Turk_, in our old dramatists, is generally used for a change of situation, occupation, mode of thought or action. The allusion, perhaps, is to the story of Tamberlane, who is said to have mounted his horse from the back of Bajazet, the Turkish emperor.--GIFFORD.

[151] _Peat_,] i. e. _a delicate person_. The modern word pet is supposed to be the same, probably from the French _petit_.

[152] _Haggard_,] i. e. _a wild hawk_.

[153] _O for a brother_,] i. e. _a brother in arms_, to do what he immediately requests Adorni to do for him: the expression was common at the time, and well understood by Massinger's audience.--GIFFORD.

[154] _Fool_,] i. e. _play the fool_.