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,

This phoenix of our age?

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

And the brown bay; but for the chesnut co

loured,

A novice in my judgment of a lady;

you

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-

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

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

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,

He does appear, but much transformed from

what

He was when he came hither.

Cal. I confess

I am not very wise; and yet I find

A fool, so he be parcel knave, in court May flourish and grow rich.

Giov. Calandrino!

Cal. Peace!

I'm in contemplation.

Giov. Don't you know me?

Cal. I tell thee, no; on forfeit of my place,
I must not know myself, much less my father,
But by petition: that petition lined, too,
With golden birds, that sing to the tune of profit,
Or I am deaf.

Giov. But you've your sense of feeling.
[Offering to kick him.
San. Nay, pray you, forbear.
Cal. I have all that's requisite

To the making up of a signior. My spruce ruff,
My hooded cloak, long stocking, and paned hose,
My case of tooth-picks, and my silver fork,
To convey an olive neatly to my mouth;
And, what is all in all, my pockets ring
A golden peal. O, that the peasants in the
country,

My quondam fellows, but saw me as I am!
How they would admire and worship me!
Giov. As they shall;

For instantly you must thither.

Cal. My grand signior,

Vouchsafe a bezolus manus, and a cringe
Of the last edition.

Giov. You must ride post with letters
This night to Lydia.

Cal. An' it please your grace,

Shall I use my coach, or foot-cloth mule?

San. You widgeon,

SCENE I.

To convey a kiss from my lips to the cover of Your foot, dear signior.

Car. Fie, you stoop too low, sir.

Cal. The hem of your vestment, lady. Your glove is for princes;

Nay, I have conned my distances.
Lyd. 'Tis most courtly.
Caup. Fellow Calandrino!
Cal. Signior de Cauponi,
Grand botelier of the mansion!
Bern. How is it, man?

[Claps him on the shoulder.
Cal. Be not so rustic in your salutations.
Signior Bernardo, master of the accounts!
Signior Petruchio! May you long continue
Your function in the chamber.

Caup. When shall we learn such gambols in

our villa?

rooms are so.

What news at court?

Cal. Basto! They are mysteries,

And not to be revealed. With your favour, signior,

I am in private to confer awhile

With this signiora. But I'll pawn my honour,
That neither my terse language, nor my habit,
Howe'er it may convince, nor my new shrugs,
Shall render her enamoured.

Car. Take your pleasure.
A little of these apish tricks may pass;
Too much is tedious.
[Exit CAROLO.

Cal. The prince, in this paper,
Presents his service. Nay it is not courtly
To see the seal broke open. So I leave you.
Signiors of the villa, I'll descend to be
Familiar with you.

Caup. Have you forgot to dance?
Cal. No, I am bettered.

Pet. Will you join with us?

Cal. As I like the project.

Let me warm my brains, first, with the richest

grape,

And then I'm for you.

Caup. We will want no wine.

[Exeunt.

Lyd. [Alone.] That this comes only from the

best of princes,

With a kind of adoration does command me
To entertain it, and the sweet contents,

[Kissing the letter.
That are inscribed here by his hand, must be
Much more than musical to me. All the service
Of my life at no part can deserve this favour.
O what a virgin longing I find on me
To unrip the seal, and read it! Yet, to break
What he hath fastened, rashly, may appear

A saucy rudeness in me. I must do it, (Nor can I, else, learn his commands, or serve them)

But with such reverence, as I would open Some holy writ, whose grave instructions beat down

Rebellious sins, and teach my better part How to mount upward. So 'tis done, and I [Opens the letter. Reads. With eagle's eyes will curiously peruse it. 'Chaste Lydia! The favours are so great On me by you conferred, that to entreat "The least addition to them, in true sense May argue me of blushless impudence. 'But, such are my extremes, if you deny A farther grace, I must, unpitied, die. Haste cuts off circumstance.

As you're ad

Coz. "Tis more.

Thou hast

Abused our trust, and, in a high degree,
Committed treason.

Car. Treason! 'Tis a word

My innocence understands not. Were my breast
Transparent, and my thoughts to be discerned,
Not one spot shall be found to taint the candour
Of my allegiance. And I must be bold
To tell you, sir (for he that knows no guilt
Can know no fear), 'tis tyranny to o'er-charge
An honest man; and such, till now, I've lived;
And such, my lord, I'll die.

Coz. Sir, do not flatter

Yourself with hope, these great and glorious words,

(Which every guilty wretch, as well as you, That's armed with impudence, can with ease deliver,

And with as full a mouth) can work on us;
Nor shall gay flourishes of language clear
What is, in fact, apparent.

Car. Fact! What fact?

You, that know only what it is, instruct me,
For I am ignorant.

Coz. This, then, sir. We gave up
(On our assurance of your truth and care)
Our nephew Giovanni, nay, our heir
In expectation, to be trained up by you
As did become a prince.

Car. And I discharged it.
Is this the reason?

Coz. Take us with you, sir.

He might make some unworthy choice, before
His weaker judgment was confirmed, we did
Remove him from it; constantly presuming
You, with your best endeavours, rather would
Have quenched those heats in him, than light a
torch,

As you have done, to his looseness.
Car. I! my travail

Is ill-requited, sir; for, by my soul,

I was so curious that way, that I granted Access to none could tempt him, nor did ever One syllable, or obscene accent, touch

His ear, that might corrupt him.

Coz. No! Why, then,

With your allowance did you give free way