Coz. She is delivered,

And feelingly, to us by Contarino,

For a master-piece in nature. I would have you
Ride suddenly thither, to behold this wonder:
But not as sent by us, that's our first caution.
The second is, and carefully observe it,
That, though you are a bachelor, and endowed
with

All those perfections that may take a virgin,
On forfeit of our favour, do not tempt her.
It may be her fair graces do concern us.
Pretend what business you think fit, to gain
Access into her father's house, and there
Make full discovery of her, and return me
A true relation. I have some ends in it,
With which we will acquaint you.

San. This is, sir,

An easy task.

Coz. Yet, one that must exact Your secrecy and diligence. Let not Your stay be long.

San. It shall not, sir.

Coz. Farewell,

And be, as you would keep our favour, careful. [Exeunt,

Fio. Nay, no more of this.

You shall o'ercome; no more, I pray you, sir.
And what delights-pray you, be liberal

In your relation-hath the country life
Afforded you?

Giov. All pleasures, gracious madam,

This worthy must be cherished. Giov. 'Twas a bounty

You never can repent.

Fio. I glory in it.

virtues.

I had a grave instructor, and my hours,
Designed to serious studies, yielded me
Pleasure with profit, in the knowledge of
What before I was ignorant in; the signior
Carolo de Charomonte being skilful

To guide me through the labyrinth of wild passions,

That laboured to imprison my free soul,

A slave to vicious sloth.

Fio. You speak him well.

Giov. But short of his deserts. Then, for the time

Of recreation, I was allowed

(Against the form followed by jealous parents
In Italy) full liberty to partake

His daughter's sweet society. She's a virgin,
Happy in all endowments which a poet
Could fancy in his mistress; being herself
A school of goodness, where chaste maids may
learn,

Without the aids of foreign principles,
By the example of her life and pureness,
To be, as she is, excellent. I but give you
A brief epitome of her virtues, which,
Dilated on at large, and to their merit,
Would make an ample story.

Fio. Your whole age,

So spent with such a father, and a daughter,
Could not be tedious to you.

Giov. True, great princess:

And now, since you have pleased to grant the hearing

Of my time's expence in the country, give me leave

To entreat the favour, to be made acquainted
What service, or what objects in the court
Have, in your excellence's acceptance, proved
Most gracious to you?

Fio. I'll meet your demand,

And make a plain discovery. The duke's care For my estate and person, holds the first

And choicest place; then, the respect the cour

tiers

Pay gladly to me, not to be contemned.

But that which raised in me the most delight,
For I'm a friend to valour, was to hear
The noble actions truly reported

Of the brave count Sanazarro. I profess,
When it hath been, and fervently, delivered,
How boldly in the horror of a fight,
Covered with fire and smoke, and, as if nature
Had lent him wings, like lightning he hath fallen
Upon the Turkish gallies, I have heard it
With a kind of pleasure, which hath whispered

to me

Render a man's society dear to ladies,
Like pages waiting on him; and it does
Work strangely on me.

Giov. To divert your thoughts,
Though they are fixed upon a noble subject,
I am a suitor to you.

Fio. You will ask,

I do presume, what I may grant, and then It must not be denied.

Giov. It is a favour,

For which, I hope, your excellence will thank me,
Fio. Nay, without circumstance,
Giov. That you would please

To take occasion to move the duke,
That you, with his allowance, may command
This matchless virgin, Lydia, of whom
I cannot speak too much, to wait upon you.
She's such a one, upon the forfeit of
Your good opinion of me, that will not
Be a blemish to your train.

Fio. 'Tis rank, he loves her:

But I will fit him with a suit. [Aside.] I pause

not,

As if it bred or doubt or scruple in me,
To do what you desire; for I'll effect it,
And make use of a fair and fit occasion.
Yet, in return, I ask a boon of you,
And hope to find you, in your grant to me,
As I have been to you.

Giov. Command ine, madam.

Fio. 'Tis near allied to yours. That you be

would

A suitor to the duke, not to expose,
After so many trials of his faith,
The noble Sanazarro to all dangers,
As if he were a wall, to stand the fury
Of a perpetual battery: But now,
To grant him, after his long labours, rest
And liberty to live in court; his arms,
And his victorious sword and shield hung up
For monuments.

Giov. Hum! I'll embrace, fair princess,
Enter COZIMO.

The soonest opportunity. The duke!

Coz. Nay, blush not; we smile on your pri

one;

Nor wealth nor greatness makes him proud.
Bern. There are

Too few of them; for most of our new courtiers,
Whose fathers were familiar with the prices
Of oil and corn, with when and where to vent
them,

And left their heirs rich from their knowledge that way,

Like gourds shot up in a night, disdain to speak But to cloth of tissue.

Enter CAROLO CHAROMONTE in a night gown, PETRUCHIO following.

Car. Stand, you prating knaves,

When such a guest is under my roof! See all The rooms perfumed. This is the man that car

ries

The sway and swing of the court; and I had rather

Preserve him mine, with honest offices, than

Trim herself up to the height; I know this courtier

Must have a smack at her; and, perhaps, by his

place,

Expects to wriggle further. If he does,

I shall deceive his hopes; For I'll not taint
My honour for the dukedom. Which way went
he?

Caup. To the round gallery.
Car. I will entertain him

As fits his worth and quality, but no farther.
[Exeunt.

SCENE III.

Enter SANAZARRO.

San. I cannot apprehend, yet I have argued All ways I can imagine, for what reasons The great duke does employ me hither; and, What does increase the miracle, I must render A strict and true account, at my return, Of Lydia, this lord's daughter, and describe In what she's excellent, and where defective. 'Tis a hard task; he that will undergo To make a judgment of a woman's beauty, And see through all her plasterings and paintings,

Had need of Lynceus' eyes, and, with more ease, May look, like him, through nine mud-walls, than

make

A true discovery of her. But the intents And secrets of my prince's heart must be Served, and not searched into.

treat of,

And
every grace about you offers to me
Such copiousness of language, that I stand
Doubtful which first to touch at. If I err,
As in my choice I may, let me entreat you,
Before I do offend, to sign my pardon;
Let this, the emblem of your innocence,
Give me assurance.

Lyd. My hand joined to yours,
Without this superstition, confirms it.
Nor need I fear you will dwell long upon me;
The barrenness of the subject yielding nothing
That rhetoric, with all her tropes and figures,
Can amplify. Yet, since you are resolved
To prove yourself a courtier in my praise,
As I'm a woman (and you men affirm
Our sex loves to be flattered) I'll endure it.
[CAROLO above.