Now, when you please, begin.

San. Such Læda's breasts were,

[Turns from her. Down pillows styled by Jove: "And their pure whiteness

Shames the swan's down, or snow. No heat of lust
Swells up her azure veins. And yet I feel
That this chaste ice, but touched, fans fire in me.
Lyd. You need not, noble sir, be thus trans-
ported,

Or trouble your invention to express
Your thought of me: The plainest phrase and
language

That you can use, will be too high a strain
For such an humble theme.

San. If the great duke

Made this his end to try my constant temper,
Though I am vanquished, 'tis his fault, not mine;
For I am flesh and blood, and have affections
Like other men. Who can behold the temples,
Or holy altars, but the objects work
Devotion in him? And I may as well
Walk over burning iron with bare feet,
And be unscorched, as look upon this beauty
Without desire, and that desire pursued, too,
Till it be quenched with the enjoying those
Delights, which to atchieve, danger is nothing,
And loyalty but a word.

[Aside.

Lyd. I ne'er was proud; Nor can I find I'm guilty of a thought Deserving this neglect and strangeness from you. Nor am I amorous

San. Suppose his greatness

Loves her himself, why makes he choice of me
To be his agent? It is tyranny

To call one, pinched with hunger, to a feast,
And at that instant cruelly deny him
To taste of what he sees. Allegiance,
Tempted too far, is like the trial of
A good sword on an anvil: as that often
Flies in pieces without service to the owner;

With such as are more glorious. Though I never
Did injury, yet I am sensible
When I'm contemned, and scorned.

San. Will you please to hear me?

Lyd. O the difference of natures! Giovanni, A prince in expectation, when he lived here, Stole courtesy from Heaven, and would not, to The meanest servant in my father's house, Have kept such distance.

San. Pray you, do not think me Unworthy of your ear: It was your beauty That turned me statue.-I can speak, fair lady. Lyd. And I can hear. The harshness of your courtship

Cannot corrupt my courtesy.

San. Will you hear me,

If I speak of love?

Lyd. Provided you be modest;

I were uncivil, else.

Car. They are come to parley:

I must observe this nearer.
San. You're a rare one,

[CAROLO descends.

And such (but that my haste commands me

So trust, enforced too far, proves treachery, And is too late repented.

[Aside.

Aside.

A parting kiss, fair maid.

Lyd. Pray you, sir,

Or license me to leave you, or deliver

The reasons which invite you to command

My tedious waiting on you.

Car. As I live,

I know not what to think on't. Is't his pride,

Or his simplicity?

San. Whither have my thoughts

Carried me from myself? In this my dulness, I've lost an opportunity.

Lyd. 'Tis true,

[He turns to her.

[She falls off.

I was not bred in court, nor live a star there;
Nor shine in rich embroideries and pearl,

As they, that are the mistresses of great fortunes,
Are every day adorned with.

San. Will you vouchsafe

Your ear, sweet lady?

Lyd. Yet I may be bold,

For my integrity and fame, to rank

VOL. II.

Lyd. That custom grants you.

Car. A homely breakfast does attend your lordship,

Such as the place affords.

San. No; I have feasted

Already here. My thanks, and so I leave you :

I will see you again. Till this unhappy hour

I ne'er was lost; and what to do, or say,

I have not yet determined.

Car. Gone so abruptly?

'Tis very strange!

Lyd. Under your favour, sir,

[Exit SANAZARRO.

His coming hither was to little purpose
For any thing I heard from him.

Car. Take heed, Lydia!

I do advise you with a father's love,

And tenderness of your honour; as I would not Have you coarse and harsh in giving entertain

ment,

N

So, by no means be credulous. For great men,
Till they have gained their ends, are giants in
Their promises; but, those obtained, weak pigmies
In their performance. And it is a maxim
Allowed among them, so they may deceive,
They may swear any thing; for the queen of love,
As they hold constantly, does never punish,
But smile at lovers' perjuries.-Yet be wise, too;

SCENE I.

Enter SANAZARRO and Servant.

And, when you are sued to in a noble way, Be neither nice nor scrupulous.

Lyd. All you speak, sir,

I hear as oracles; nor will digress
From your directions.

Car. So shall you keep
Your fame untainted.

Lyd. As I would my life, sir.

San. Leave the horses with my grooms; but be you careful

With best diligence and speed, to find out
your
The prince, and humbly in my name entreat him
I may exchange some private conference with him,
Before the great duke know of my arrival.
Serv. I haste, my lord.

San. Here I'll attend his coming;

[Exeunt.

Serv. To serve your lordship,

I wish I were invisible.

San. I am driven

[Exit servant.

Into a desperate straight, and cannot steer
A middle course; and, of the two extremes
Which I must make election of, I know not
Which is more full of horror. Never servant
Stood more engaged to a magnificent master,
Than I to Cozimo. And all those honours
And glories, by his grace conferred upon me,
Or by my prosperous services deserved,
If now I should deceive his trust, and make
A shipwreck of my loyalty, are ruined.
And, on the other side, if I discover
Lydia's divine perfections, all my hopes
In her are sunk, never to be buoyed up:
For 'tis impossible, but as soon as seen,
She must with adoration be sued to.
A hermit at his beads, but looking on her,
Or the cold cynic, whom Corinthian Lais,
Not moved with her lust's blandishments, called
a stone,

At this object would take fire. Nor is the duke
Such an Hippolitus, but that this Phædra,
But seen, must force him to forsake the groves
And Dian's huntmanship, proud to serve under
Venus' soft ensigns. No, there is no way
For me to hope fruition of my ends,
But to conceal her beauties-and how that
May be effected, is as hard a task

As with a veil to cover the sun's beams,

Or comfortable light. Three years the prince
Lived in her company, and Contarino,
The secretary, hath possessed the duke
What a rare piece she is.-But he's my creature,
And may with ease be frighted to deny
What he hath said. And, if my long experience,
With some strong reasons I have thought upon,

You are ever

San. You shall have further cause To assure you of my faith and zeal to serve you. And, when I have committed to your trust (Presuming still on your retentive silence) A sccrèt of no less importance than My honour, nay, my head, it will confirm What value you hold with me.

Giov. Pray you believe, sir,

What you deliver to me, shall be locked up
In a strong cabinet, of which you yourself
Shall keep the key. For here I pawn my honour,
(Which is the best security I can give yet)
It shall not be discovered.

Sun. This assurance

Is more than I with modesty could demand From such a paymaster; but I must be sudden, And therefore to the purpose. Can your excellence,

In your imagination, conceive

On what design, or whither, the duke's will
Commanded me hence last night?

Giov. No, I assure you;

And it had been a rudeness to enquire
Of that I was not called to.

San. Grant me hearing.

And I will make you understand
It only did concern you.

Giov. Me, my lord?

San. You, in your present state, and future fortunes;

For both lie at the stake.

Giov. You much amaze me!
Pray you, resolve this riddle.

San. You know the duke,
If he die issueless (as yet he is)
Determines you his heir.

Giov. It hath pleased his highness
Oft to profess so much.

San. But say he should

Be won to prove a second wife, on whom He may beget a son, how, in a moment, Will all those glorious expectations, which Render you reverenced and remarkable, Be in a moment blasted, howe'er you are His much-beloved sister's son?

Giov. I must bear it

With patience, and in me it is a duty

That I was born with; and 'twere much unfit
For the receiver of a benefit

To offer, for his own ends, to prescribe
Laws to the giver's pleasure.

San. Sweetly answered,

And like your noble self. This your rare temper
So wins upon me, that I would not live
(If that by honest arts I can prevent it)
To see your hopes made frustrate, And but think
How you shall be transformed from what you

are,

Should this (as Heaven avert it) ever happen;
It must disturb your peace. For whereas now,
Being, as you are, received for the heir apparent,
You are no sooner seen, but wondered at;
The signiors making it a business to
Enquire how you have slept; and as you walk
The streets of Florence, the glad multitude,
In throngs, press but to see you, and with joy
The father, pointing with his finger, tells
His son, this is the prince, the hopeful prince,
That must hereafter rule, and you obey him.
Great ladies beg your picture, and make love
To that, despairing to enjoy the substance;
And, but the last night, when 'twas only ru-
moured

That you were come to court (as if you had
By sea past hither from another world)
What general shouts and acclamations followed!
The bells rang loud, the bonfires blazed, and such
As loved not wine, carousing to your health,
Were drunk, and blushed not at it: And is this
A happiness to part with?

Gioo. I allow these

As flourishes of fortune, with which princes
Are often soothed, but never yet esteemed them
For real blessings.

San. Yet all these were paid

To what you may be, not to what you are; For if the great duke but shew to his servants A son of his own, you shall, like one obscure, Pass unregarded.

Giov. I confess, command

Is not to be contemned; and if my fate
Appoint me to it, as I may, I'll bear it

With willing shoulders. But, my lord, as yet,

You've told me of a danger coming towards me, But have not named it.

San. That is soon delivered.

Great Cozimo, your uncle, as I more
Than guess (for 'tis no frivolous circumstance

That does persuade my judgment to believe it).
Purposes to be married.

Giov. Married, sir!

With whom, and on what terms? pray you, in

struct me.

San. With the fair Lydia,

Giov. Lydia!

San. The daughter
Of signior Charomonte.
Giov. Pardon me,

Though I appear incredulous; for, on
My knowledge, he ne'er saw her.
San. That is granted:

But Contarino hath so sung her praises,
And given her out for such a master-piece,
That he's transported with it, sir. And love
Steals sometimes through the ear, into the heart,
As well as by the eye. The duke no sooner
Heard her described, but I was sent in post
To see her, and return my judgment of her.
Giov. And what's your censure?
Sun. 'Tis a pretty creature.
Giov. She's very fair.

San. Yes, yes, I have seen worse faces.
Giov. Her limbs are neatly formed.
Sun. She hath a waist
Indeed, sized to love's wish.

Giov. A delicate hand, too.
San. Then for a leg and foot-
Giov. And there I leave you,
For I presumed no farther.

San. As she is, sir,

I know she wants no gracious part that may
Allure the duke; and if he only see her,
She is his own. He will not be denied,
And then you're lost. Yet, if you'll second me,
(As you have reason, for it most concerns you)
I can prevent all yet.

Gioa. I would you could,
A noble way.

San. I will cry down her beauties, Especially the beauties of her mind, As much as Contarino hath advanced them; And this, I hope, will breed forgetfulness, And kill affection in him. But you must Join with me in my report, if you be questioned. Giov. I never told a lie yet, and I hold it In some degree blasphemous, to dispraise What's worthy admiration. Yet, for once, I will dispraise a little, and not vary From your relation.

Sun. Be constant in it.

Giov. I will use

My best endeavour, sir.

That I should contradict him. I am dim, sir;
But he's sharp-sighted.

San. This is to my wish.

[Aside. Coz. We know not what to think of this; yet would not

Enter GIOVANNI, HIPPOLITO, and Lodovico, ́ Determine rashly of it. How do you like My nephew's horsemanship? Hip. In my judgment, sir,

San. I have seen a maid, sir;

But, if that I have judgment, no such wonder

As she was delivered to you.

Coz. This is strange!

Alph. And, to my fancy.

He did present great Alexander, mounted On his Bucephalus.

Coz. You are right courtiers,

And know it is your duty to cry up
All actions of a prince.

San. Do not betray

Giov. Two of them are, in my judgment,

looked on

With admiration in the country, sir :

But, if compared with many in your court,

She would appear but ordinary.

Coz. Contarino

Reports her otherwise.

San. Such as ne'er saw swans,

May think crows beautiful.

Čoz. How is her behaviour?

San. 'Tis like the place she lives in.

Coz. How her wit,

Discourse, and entertainment?

San. Very coarse;

I would not willingly say poor and rude:
But, had she all the beauties of fair women,
The dulness of her soul would fright me from
her.

Coz. You are curious, sir. I know not what to think on't.

And the brown bay; but for the chesnut co

loured,

Though he be full of metal, hot, and fiery,
He treads weak in his pasterns.

Coz. So, come nearer;

This exercise hath put you into a sweat;

Take this, and dry it: and now I command you To tell me truly, what's your censure of Charomonte's daughter, Lydia?

Giov. I am, sir,

A novice in my judgment of a lady;

But, such as it is, your grace shall have it freely.
I would not speak ill of her, and am sorry,
If I keep myself a friend to truth, I cannot
Report her as I would, so much I owe
Her reverend father: but I'll give you, sir,
As near as I can, her character in little.
She's of a goodly stature, and her limbs
Not disproportioned. For her face, it is
Far from deformity; yet they flatter her
That style it excellent. Her manners are
Simple and innocent; but her discourse
And wit deserve my pity, more than praise.
At the best, my lord, she is a handsome pic-

ture:

Coz. Pray you, make choice of The richest of our furniture for these horses; [To SANAZARRO.

And take my nephew with you; we, in this,
Will follow his directions.

Giov. Could I find now

The princess Fiorinda, and persuade her
To be silent in the suit that I moved to her,
All were secure.

San. In that, my lord, I'll aid you. Coz. We will be private; leave us, All my studies [Exeunt all but CozIMO. And serious meditations aim no farther Than this young man's good. He was my sister's

son,

And she was such a sister, when she lived,
I could not prize too much; nor can I better
Make known how dear I hold her memory,
Than in my cherishing the only issue

Which she hath left behind her. Who's that?
Enter FIORINDA.

Fio, Sir.

Coz. My fair charge, you are welcome to us. Fio. I have found it, sir.

Coz. All things go well in Urbin?

Fio. Your gracious care to me, an orphan, frees me

From all suspicion that my jealous fears
Can drive into my fancy.

Coz. The next summer

In our own person, we will bring you thither,

And seat you in your own.

Fio. When you think fit, sir.

But, in the mean time, with your highness' par

don,

With zeal and vehemence; and even when,
With his best words, he strived to set her forth,
Though the rare subject made him eloquent,
He would complain, all he could say came short
Of her deservings.

Coz. Pray you, have patience.

This was strangely carried.-Ha! are we trifled with?

Dare they do this? Is Cozimo's fury, that
Of late was terrible, grown contemptible?
Well; we will clear our brows, and undermine
Their secret works, though they have digged like
moles,

And crush them with the tempest of my wrath
When I appear most calm; he is unfit
To command others, that knows not to use it,
And with all rigour. Yet my stern looks shall

not

To-morrow, with the rising of sun, Be ready to ride with us. They with more safety

Had trod on fork-tongued adders, than provoked [Exit COZIMO. Fior. I come not to be thanked, sir, for the

me.

speedy

Performance of my promise touching Lydia; It is effected.

San. We are undone.

Fior. The duke

No sooner heard me, with my best of language,