Supposes

The Poſies of George Gaſcoigne Eſquire. Corrected, perfected, and augmented by the Authour. 1575.

Tam Marti, quàm Mercurio.

¶ IMPRINTED AT London by H. Bynneman for Richard Smith.

Theſe Bookes are to be ſolde at the Northweſt dore of Paules Church.

Epigraph:

Tam Marti quàm Mercurio.

¶ In this diuiſion are conteyned:

The Comedie called Suppoſes. Folio. 1.

The Tragedie called Iocaſta. Fol. 73

The fruite of Reconciliation. 129

The force of true Frendſhip. 131

The force of Loue in Strangers. 132

The praiſe of browne beautie. 134

The Partrich and the Merlyn. 135

The vertue of Ver. 136

The complainte of a Dame in abſence. 138

The praiſe of a Coūteſſe. 139

The affectiō of a louer. 140

The complainte of a Dame ſuſpected. 141

A Riddle. 143

The ſhield of Loue. 144

The gloze vpon Dominus ijs opus habet. 145

Gaſcoignes counſel to Diue. Fol. 148

Gaſcoignes counſel to Wythipole. 151

Gaſcoygnes woodmanſhip. Fol. 156

Gaſcoigns gardenings. 160

Gaſcoigns iourney into Hollande. 163

BAlia, the Nurſe.

Polyneſta, the yong woman.

Cleander, the Doctor, ſuter to Polyneſta.

Paſyphilo, the Paraſite.

Carion, the Doctors man.

Dulypo, fayned ſeruant and louer of Polyneſta.

Eroſtrato, fayned maſter and ſuter to Polyneſta.

Dalio & Crapyno ſeruantes to fayned Eroſtrato.

Scenaeſe, a gentleman ſtranger.

Paquetto & Petrucio his ſeruantes.

Damon, father to Polineſta.

Neuola, and two other his ſeruants.

Pſyteria, an olda hag in his houſe.

Phylogano, a Scycilian gentleman, father to Eroſtrato.

Lytio, his ſeruant.

Ferrareſe, an Inkéeper of Ferrara.

The Comedie preſented as it were in Ferrara.

I Suppoſe you are aſſembled here, ſuppoſing to reape the fruite of my trauayles: and to be playne, I meane preſently to preſente you vvith a Comedie called Suppoſes: the verye name vvherof may peraduenture driue into euery of your heades a ſundry Suppoſe, to ſuppoſe, the meaning of our ſuppoſes. Some percaſe vvill ſuppoſe vve meane to occupie your eares vvith ſophiſticall handling of ſubtill Suppoſitions. Some other vvil ſuppoſe vve go about to diſcipher vnto you ſome queint conceiptes, vvhich hitherto haue bene onely ſuppoſed as it vvere in ſhadovves: and ſome I ſee ſmyling as though they ſuppoſed vve vvould trouble you vvith the vaine ſuppoſe of ſome vvanton Suppoſe. But vnderſtand, this our Suppoſe is nothing elſe but a myſtaking or imagination of one thing for an other. For you ſhall ſee the maſter ſuppoſed for the ſeruant, the ſeruant for the maſter: the freeman for a ſlaue, and the bondſlaue for a freeman: the ſtranger for a vvell knovven friend, and the familiar for a ſtranger. But vvhat? I ſuppoſe that euen already you ſuppoſe me very fonde, that haue ſo ſimply diſcloſed vnto you the ſubtilties of theſe our Suppoſes: vvhere othervviſe in deede I ſuppoſe you ſhoulde haue hearde almoſte the laſte of our Suppoſes, before you coulde haue ſuppoſed anye of them arighte. Let this then ſuffiſe.

Suppoſes.

Actus primus. Scena. 1.

BALIA, the Nurſe. POLYNESTA, the yong vvoman.

HEre is no body, come foorth Polyneſta, let vs looke about, to be ſure leaſt any man heare our talke: for I thinke within the houſe the tables, the plankes, the beds, the portals, yea and the cupbords them ſelues haue eares.

Polineſta You might as well haue ſayde, the windowes and the doores: do you not ſée howe they harken?

Balia Well you ieſt faire, but I would aduiſe you take héede, I haue bidden you a thouſande times beware: you will be ſpied one day talking with Dulippo.

Polineſta And why ſhould I not talke with Dulippo, as well as with any other, I pray you?

Balia I haue giuen you a wherfore for this why many times: but go too, followe your owne aduiſe till you ouerwhelme vs all with ſoden miſhappe.

Polineſta A great miſhappe I promiſe you: marie Gods bleſſing on their heart that ſette ſuche a brouche on my cappe.

Balia Well, looke well about you: a man would thinke it were inough for you ſecretly to reioyce, that by my helpe you haue paſſed ſo many pleaſant nightes togither: and yet by my trouth I do it more than halfe agaynſt my will, for I would rather you had ſetled your fanſie in ſome noble familie yea and it is no ſmall griefe vnto me, that (reiecting the ſuites of ſo many nobles and gentlemen) you haue choſen for your darling a poore ſeruaunt of your fathers, by whome ſhame and infamie is the beſt dower you can looke for to attayne.

Polineſta And I pray you whome may I thanke but gentle nourſe? that continually prayſing him, what for his perſonage, his curteſie, and aboue all, the extreme paſſions of his minde, in fine you would neuer ceaſe till I accepted him, delighted in him, and at length deſired him with no leſſe affection, than he earſt deſired me.

Balia I can not denie, but at the beginning I did recommende him vnto you (as in déede I may ſay that for my ſelfe I haue a pitiful heart) ſéeing the depth of his vnbridled affection, and that continually he neuer ceaſſed to fill mine eares with lamentable complaynts.

Polineſta Nay rather that he filled your purſſe with bribes and rewards, Nourſe.

Balia Well you may iudge of Nourſe as you liſte. In déede I haue thought it alwayes a déede of charitie to helpe the miſerable yong men, whoſe tender youth conſumeth with the furious flames of loue. But be you ſure if I had thought you would haue paſſed to the termes you nowe ſtand in, pitie nor pencion, peny nor pater noſter ſhoulde euer haue made Nurſe once to open hir mouth in the cauſe.

Polineſta No of honeſtie, I pray you, who firſt brought him into my chamber? who firſt taught him the way to my bed but you? fie Nourſe fie, neuer ſpeake of it for ſhame, you will make me tell a wiſe tale anone.

Balia And haue I theſe thanks for my good wil? why then I ſée wel I ſhall be counted the cauſe of all miſhappe.

Polineſta Nay rather the author of my good happe (gentle Nourſe) for I would thou kneweſt I loue not Dulipo, nor any of ſo meane eſtate, but haue beſtowed my loue more worthily than thou déemeſt: but I will ſay no more at this time.

Balia Then I am glad you haue changed your minde yet.

Polineſta Nay I neither haue changed, nor will change it.

Balia Then I vnderſtande you not, how ſayde you?

Polineſta Mary I ſay that I loue not Dulipo, nor any ſuche as he, and yet I neither haue changed nor wil change my minde.

Balia I can not tell, you loue to lye with Dulipo very well: this geare is Gréeke to me: either it hangs not well togither, or I am very dull of vnderſtanding: ſpeake plaine I pray you.

Polineſta I can ſpeake no plainer, I haue ſworne to y^e contrary.

Balia Howe? make you ſo deintie to tell it Nourſe, leaſt ſhe ſhoulde reueale it? you haue truſted me as farre as may be, (I may ſhewe to you) in things that touche your honor if they were knowne: and make you ſtrange to tell me this? I am ſure it is but a trifle in compariſon of thoſe things wherof heretofore you haue made me priuie.

Polineſta Well, it is of greater importance than you thinke Nourſe: yet would I tell it you vnder condition and promiſe that you ſhall not tell it agayne, nor giue any ſigne or token to be ſuſpected that you know it.

Balia I promiſe you of my honeſtie, ſay on.

Polineſta Well heare you me then: this yong man whome you haue alwayes taken for Dulipo, is a noble borne Sicilian, his right name Eroſtrato, ſonne to Philogano, one of the worthieſt men in that countrey.

Balia How Eroſtrato? is it not our neighbour, whiche?

Polineſta Holde thy talking nourſe, and harken to me, that I may explane the whole caſe vnto thée. The man whome to this day you haue ſuppoſed to be Dulipo,^[92] is (as I ſay) Eroſtrato, a gentleman that came from Sicilia to ſtudie in this Citie, & euen at his firſt arriuall met me in the ſtréet, fel enamored of me, & of ſuche vehement force were the paſſions he ſuffred, that immediatly he caſt aſide both long gowne and bookes, & determined on me only to apply his ſtudy. And to the end he might the more cōmodiouſly bothe ſée me and talke with me, he exchanged both name, habite, clothes and credite with his ſeruāt Dulipo (whom only he brought with him out of Sicilia) and ſo with the turning of a hand, of Eroſtrato a gentleman, he became Dulipo a ſeruing man, and ſoone after ſought ſeruice of my father, and obteyned it.

Balia Are you ſure of this?

Polineſta Yea out of doubt: on the other ſide Dulippo tooke vppon him the name of Eroſtrato his maiſter, the habite, the credite, bookes, and all things néedefull to a ſtudente, and in ſhorte ſpace profited very muche, and is nowe eſtéemed as you ſée.

Balia

Are there no other Sicylians héere: nor none that paſſe this way, which may diſcouer them?

Polineſta Very fewe that paſſe this way, and fewe or none that tarrie héere any time.

Balia This hath béen a ſtraunge aduenture: but I pray you howe hang theſe thinges togither? that the ſtudente whome you ſay to be the ſeruant, and not the maiſter, is become an earneſt ſuter to you, and requireth you of your father in mariage?

Polineſta That is a pollicie deuiſed betwéene them, to put Doctor Dotipole out of conceite: the olde dotarde, he that ſo inſtantly dothe lye vpon my father for me. But looke where he comes, as God helpe me it is he, out vpon him, what a luſkie yonker is this? yet I had rather be a Noone a thouſande times, than be combred with ſuche a Coyſtrell.

Balia Daughter you haue reaſon, but let vs go in before he come any néerer.

Polyneſta goeth in, and Balya ſtayeth a little vvhyle after, ſpeaking a vvorde or tvvo to the doctor, and then departeth.

Scena. 2.

CLEANDER, Doctor. PASIPHILO, Paraſite. BALYA, Nourſe.

WEre theſe dames héere, or did mine eyes dazil?

Paſiphilo Nay ſyr héere were Polyneſta and hir nourſe.

Cleander Was my Polyneſta héere? alas I knewe hir not.

Balia He muſte haue better eyeſight that ſhoulde marry your Polyneſta, or elſe he may chaunce to ouerſée the beſt poynt in his tables ſometimes.

Paſiphilo Syr it is no maruell, the ayre is very miſtie too day: I my ſelfe knew hir better by hir apparell than by hir face.

Cleander In good fayth and I thanke God I haue mine eye ſighte good and perfit, little worſe than when I was but twentie yeres olde.

Paſiphilo How can it be otherwiſe? you are but yong.

Cleander I am fiftie yeres olde.

Paſiphilo He telles ten leſſe than he is.

Cleander What ſayſt thou of ten leſſe?

Paſiphilo I ſay I woulde haue thoughte you tenne leſſe, you looke like one of ſixe and thirtie, or ſeuen and thirtie at the moſte.

Cleander I am no leſſe than I tell.

Paſiphilo You are like inough too liue fiftie more: ſhewe me your hande.

Cleander Why is Paſiphilo a Chiromancer?

Paſiphilo What is not Paſiphilo? I pray you ſhewe mée it a little.

Cleander Here it is.

Paſiphilo O how ſtraight and infracte is this line of life? you will liue to the yéeres of Melchiſedech.

Cleander Thou wouldeſt ſay, Methuſalem.

Paſiphilo Why is it not all one?

Cleander I perceiue you are no very good Bibler Paſiphilo.

Paſiphilo Yes ſir an excellent good Bibbeler, ſpecially in a bottle: Oh what a mounte of Venus here is? but this lighte ſerueth not very well, I will beholde it an other day, when the ayre is clearer, and tell you ſomewhat, peraduenture to your contentation.

Cleander You ſhal do me great pleaſure: but tell me, I pray thée Paſiphilo, whome doſte thou thinke Polyneſta liketh better, Eroſtrato or me?

Paſiphilo Why? you out of doubt: She is a gentlewoman of a noble minde, and maketh greater accompte of the reputation ſhe ſhall haue in marrying your worſhip, than that poore ſcholer, whoſe birthe and parentage God knoweth, and very fewe elſe.

Cleander Yet he taketh it vpon him brauely in this countrey.

Paſiphilo Yea, where no man knoweth the contrarie: but let him braue it, boſt his birth, and do what he can, the vertue and knowledge that is within this body of yours, is worth more than all the countrey he came from.

Cleander It becommeth not a man to praiſe him ſelfe: but in déede I may ſay, (and ſay truely,) that my knowledge hath ſtoode me in better ſteade at a pinche, than coulde all the goodes in the worlde. I came out of Otranto when the Turkes wonne it, and firſt I came to Padua, after hither, where by reading, counſailing, and pleading, within twentie yeares. I haue gathered and gayned as good as ten thouſande Ducats.

Paſiphilo Yea mary, this is the righte knowledge: Philoſophie, Poetrie, Logike, and all the reſt, are but pickling ſciences in compariſon to this.

Cleander But pyckling in déede, whereof we haue a verſe: The trade of Lavve doth fill the boyſtrous bagges, They ſvvimme in ſilke, vvhen others royſt in ragges.

Paſiphilo O excellent verſe, who made it? Virgil?

Cleander Virgil? tuſhe it is written in one of our gloſes.

Paſiphilo Sure who ſoeuer wrote it, the morall is excellent, and worthy to be written in letters of golde. But too the purpoſe: I thinke you ſhall neuer recouer the wealth that you loſte at Otranto.

Cleander ^[93]I thinke I haue dubled it, or rather made it foure times as muche: but in déed, I loſt mine only ſonne there, a childe of fiue yeres olde.

Paſiphilo O great pitie.

Cleander Yea, I had rather haue loſt al the goods in y^e world.

Paſiphilo Alas, alas: by God and grafts of ſuche a ſtocke are very gayſon in theſe dayes.

Cleander I know not whether he were ſlayne, or the Turks toke him and kept him as a bond ſlaue.

Paſiphilo Alas, I could weepe for compaſſion, but there is no remedy but patience, you ſhall get many by this yong damſell with the grace of God.

Cleander Yea, if I get hir.

Paſiphilo Get hir? why doubt you of that?

Cleander Why? hir father holds me off with delayes, ſo that I muſt needes doubt.

Paſiphilo Content your ſelfe ſir, he is a wiſe man, and deſirous to place his Daughter well: he will not be too raſhe in hys determination, he will thinke well of the matter: and lette him thinke, for the longer he thinketh, the more good of you ſhall he thinke: whoſe welth? whoſe vertue? whoſe ſkill? or whoſe eſtimation can he compare to yours in this Citie?

Cleander And haſt thou not tolde him that I would make his Daughter a dower of two thouſand Ducates?

Paſiphilo Why, euen now, I came but fr•m thence ſince.

Cleander What ſaid he?

Paſiphilo Nothing, but that Eroſtrato had profered the like.

Cleander Eroſtrato? how can he make any dower, and his father yet aliue?

Paſiphilo Thinke you I did not tell him ſo? yes I warrāt you, I forgot nothing that may furder your cauſe: & doubte you not, Eroſtrato ſhal neuer haue hir vnleſſe it be in a dreame.

Cleander Well gentle Paſiphilo, go thy wayes and tell Damon I require nothing but his daughter: I wil none of his goods: I ſhal enrich hir of mine owne: & if this dower of two thouſand Ducates ſeem not ſufficiēt, I wil make it fiue hundreth more, yea a thouſand, or what ſo euer he wil demaūd rather thē faile: go to Paſiphilo, ſhew thy ſelfe frēdly in working this feate for me: ſpare for no coſt, ſince I haue gone thus farre, I wilbe loth to be out bidden. Go.

Paſiphilo Where ſhall I come to you againe?

Cleander At my houſe.

Paſiphilo When?

Cleander When thou wilte.

Paſiphilo Shall I come at dinner time?

Cleander I would byd thée to dinner, but it is a Saincts euen which I haue euer faſted.

Paſiphilo Faſte till thou famiſhe.

Cleander Harke.

Paſiphilo He ſpeaketh of a dead mans faſte.

Cleander Thou heareſt me not.

Paſiphilo Nor thou vnderſtandeſt me not.

Cleander I dare ſay thou art angrie I byd the not to dinner: but come if thou wilte, thou ſhalt take ſuch as thou findeſt.

Paſiphilo What? think you I know not where to dine?

Cleander Yes Paſiphilo thou art not to ſéeke.

Paſiphilo No be you ſure, there are enowe will pray me.

Cleander That I knowe well enough Paſiphilo, but thou canſt not be better welcome in any place than to me, I will tarrie for thée.

Paſiphilo Well, ſince you will néedes, I will come.

Cleander Diſpatche then, and bring no newes but good.

Paſiphilo Better than my rewarde by the rood.

Cleander exit, Paſiphilo reſtat.

Scena. iij.

PASIPHILO. DVLIPO.

O Miſerable couetous wretche, he findeth an excuſe by S. Nicolas faſt, bicauſe I ſhould not dine with him, as though I ſhould dine at his owne diſhe: he maketh goodly feaſts I promiſe you, it is no wonder though hée thinke me bounde vnto him for my fare: for ouer and beſides that his prouiſion is as ſkant as may be, yet there is great difference betwéene his diet and mine. I neuer ſo much as ſippe of the wine that he taſteth, I féede at the bordes ende with browne bread: Marie I reach always to his owne diſhe, for there are no more but that only on the table. Yet he thinks that for one ſuch dinner I am bound to do him al the ſeruice that I can, and thinks me ſufficiently rewarded for all my trauell, with one ſuche feſtiuall promotion. And yet peraduenture ſome men thinke I haue great gaines vnder him: but I may ſay and ſweare, that this doſen yéere I haue not gayned ſo muche in value as the points at my hoſe (whiche are but thrée with codpéece poynt and al): he thinkes that I may féede vpon his fauour and faire wordes: but if I could not otherwiſe prouide for one, Paſiphilo were in a wyſe caſe. Paſiphilo hath mo paſtures to paſſe in than one, I warrant you: I am of houſholde with this ſcholer Eroſtrato, (his riuale) as well as with Domine Cleander: nowe with the one, and then with the other, according as I ſée their Caters prouide good chéere at the market: and I finde the meanes ſo to handle the matter, that I am welcome too bothe. If the one ſée me talke with the other, I make him beleeue it is to harken newes in the furtherance of his cauſe: and thus I become a broker on bothe ſides. Well, lette them bothe apply the matter as well as they can, for in déede I will trauell for none of them bothe: yet will I ſéeme to worke wonders on eche hande. But is not this one of Damons ſeruants that commeth foorth? it is: of him I ſhall vnderſtand where his maſter is. Whither goeth this ioyly gallant?

Dulipo I come to ſéeke ſome body that may accompany my Maſter at dinner, he is alone, and woulde fayne haue good company.

Paſiphilo Séeke no further, you coulde neuer haue found one better than me.

Dulipo I haue no commiſſion to bring ſo many.

Paſiphilo How many? I will come alone.

Dulipo How canſt thou come alone, that haſt continually a legion of rauening wolues within thée?

Paſiphilo Thou doeſt (as ſeruants commonly doe) hate al that loue to viſite their maiſters.

Dulipo And why?

Paſiphilo Bicauſe they haue too many téeth as you thinke.

Dulipo Nay bicauſe they haue to many tongues.

Paſiphilo Tōgues? I pray you what did my tōgue euer hurt you?

Dulipo I ſpeake but merily with you Paſiphilo, goe in, my maiſter is ready to dine.

Paſiphilo What? dineth he ſo earely?

Dulipo He that riſeth early, dineth early.

Paſiphilo I would I were his man, maiſter doctor neuer dineth till noone, and how dilicately then God knoweth. I wil he bolde to goe in, for I count my ſelfe bidden.

Dulipo You were beſt ſo.

Paſiphilo intrat. Dulipo reſtat.

Hard hap had I when I firſt began this vnfortunate enterpriſe: for I ſuppoſed the readieſt medicine to my miſerable affects had bene to change name, clothes, & credite with my ſeruant, & to place my ſelfe in Damons ſeruice: thinking that as ſheuering colde by glowing fire, thurſt by drinke, hunger by pleaſant repaſts, and a thouſande ſuche like paſſions finde remedie by their contraries, ſo my reſt leſſe deſire might haue founde quiet by continuall contemplation. But alas, I find that only loue is vnſaciable: for as the flie playeth with the flame till at laſt ſhe is cauſe of hir owne decay, ſo the louer that thinketh with kiſſing and colling to content his vnbrideled apetite, is cōmonly ſeene the only cauſe of his owne conſumption. Two yeeres are nowe paſt ſince (vnder the colour of Damons ſeruice) I haue bene a ſworne ſeruant to Cupid: of whom I haue receiued as much fauour & grace as euer man founde in his ſeruice. I haue free libertie at al times to behold my deſired, to talke with hir, to embrace hir, yea (be it ſpoken in ſecrete) to lie with hir. I reape the fruites of my deſire: yet as my ioyes abounde, euen ſo my paines encreaſe. I fare like the couetous man, that hauing all the world at will, is neuer yet content: the more I haue, the more I deſire. Alas, what wretched eſtate haue I brought my ſelfe vnto, if in the ende of all my farre fetches, ſhe be giuen by hir father to this olde doting doctor, this buzard, this bribing villaine, that by ſo many meanes ſeeketh to obtain hir at hir fathers hāds? I know ſhe loueth me beſt of all others, but what may that preuaile when perforce ſhe ſhalbe cōſtrained to marie another? Alas, the pleaſant taſt of my ſugred ioyes doth yet remaine ſo perfect in my remēbrance, that the leaſt ſoppe of ſorow ſéemeth more ſoure thā gal in my mouth. If I had neuer knowen delight, with better contentatiō might I haue paſſed theſe dreadful dolours. And if this olde Mumpſimus (whom the pockes conſume) ſhould win hir, then may I ſay, farewell the pleaſant talke, the kind embracings, yea farewel the ſight of my Polyneſtat for he like a ielouſe wretch will pen hir vp, that I thinke the birdes of the aire ſhall not winne the ſighte of hir. I hoped to haue caſte a blocke in his waie, by the meanes that my ſeruaunt (who is ſuppoſed to be Eroſtrato, and with my habite and credite is wel eſtéemed) ſhould proffer himſelf a ſuter, at the leaſt to counteruaile the doctors proffers. But my maiſter knowing the wealth of the one, and doubting the ſtate of the other, is determined to be fed no longer with faire wordes, but to accept the doctor, (whom he right well knoweth) for his ſonne in law. Wel, my ſeruant promiſed me yeſterday to deuiſe yet againe ſome newe conſpiracie to driue maiſter doctor out of conceite, and to laye a ſnare that the foxe himſelfe might be caughte in: what it is, I knowe not, nor I ſaw him not ſince he went about it: I will goe ſée if he be within, that at leaſt if he helpe me not, be maye yet prolong my life for this once. But here commeth his lackie: ho Iack pack, where is Eroſtrato?

Here muſt Crapine be comming in with a baſket and a ſticke in his hand.

Scena. iiij.

CRAPINO the Lackie. DVLIPO.

ERoſtrato? mary he is in his ſkinne.

Dulipo Ah hooreſon boy, I ſay, howe ſhall I finde Eroſtrato?

Crapino Finde him? howe meane you, by the wéeke or by the yéere?

Dulipo You cracke halter, if I catche you by the eares, I ſhall make you anſwere me directly.

Crapino In déede?

Dulipo Tarry me a little.

Crapino In faith ſir I haue no leiſure.

Dulipo Shall we trie who can runne faſteſt?

Crapino Your legges be longer than mine, you ſhould haue giuen me the aduauntage.

Dulipo Go to, tell me where is Eroſtrato?

Crapino I left him in the ſtréete, where he gaue me this Caſket, (this baſket I would haue ſayde) and had me beare it to Dalio, and returne to him at the Dukes Palace.

Dulipo If thou ſée him, tell him I muſt needes ſpeake with him immediatly: or abide awhyle, I will go ſeeke him my ſelfe, rather than he ſuſpected by going to his houſe.

Crapino departeth, and Dulipo alſo: after Dulipo commeth in agayne ſeeking Eroſtrato.

Finis Actus. 1.

Actus. ij. Scena. j.

DVLIPO. EROSTRATO.

I Thinke if I had as many eyes as Argus, I coulde not haue ſought a man more narrowly in euery ſtréete and euery by lane, there are not many Gentlemen, ſcholers, nor Marchauntes in the Citie of Ferara, but I haue mette with them, excepte him: peraduenture hée is come home an other way: but looke where he commeth at the laſt.

Eroſtrato In good time haue I ſpied my good maiſter.

Dulipo For the loue of God call me Dulipo (not maſter,) maintayne the credite that thou haſte hitherto kepte, and let me alone.

Eroſtrato Yet ſir let me ſometimes do my duetie vnto you, eſpecially where no body heareth.

Dulipo Yea, but ſo long the Parat vſeth to crie knappe in ſporte, that at the laſt ſhe calleth hir maiſter knaue in earneſt: ſo long you will vſe to call me maſter, that at the laſt we ſhall be heard. What newes?

Eroſtrato Good.

Dulipo In déede?

Eroſtrato Yea excellent, we haue as good as won the wager.

Dulipo Oh, how happie were I if this were true?

Eroſtrato Heare you me, yeſternight in the euening I walked out, and founde Paſiphilo, and with ſmall entreating I had him home to ſupper, where by ſuche meanes as I vſed, he became my great friend, and tolde me the whole order of our aduerſaries determination: yea and what Damon doth intende to do alſo, and hath promiſed me that frō time to time, what he can eſpie he will bring me word of it.

Dulipo I can not tel whether you know him or no, he is not to truſt vnto, a very flattering and a lying knaue.

Eroſtrato I know him very well, he can not deceiue me: and this that he hath told me I know muſt néedes be true.

Dulipo And what was it in effect?

Eroſtrato That Damon had purpoſed to giue his daughter in mariage to this doctor, vpō the dower that he hath profered.^[94]

Dulipo Are theſe your good newes? your excellent newes?

Eroſtrato Stay a whyle, you will vnderſtande me before you heare me.

Dulipo Well, ſay on.

Eroſtrato I anſwered to that, I was ready to make hir the lyke dower.

Dulipo Well ſayde.

Eroſtrato Abide, you heare not the worſt yet.

Dulipo O God, is there any worſſe behinde?

Eroſtrato Worſſe? why what aſſurance coulde you ſuppoſe that I might make without ſome ſpeciall conſent from Philogano my father?

Dulipo Nay you can tell, you are better ſcholer than I.

Eroſtrato In deede you haue loſt your time: for the books that you toſſe now a dayes, treate of ſmal ſcience.

Dulipo Leaue thy ieſting, and procéede.

Eroſtrato I ſayd further, that I receyued letters lately from my father, whereby I vnderſtoode that he woulde be héere very ſhortly to performe all that I had profered: therefore I required him to requeſt Damon on my behalf, that he would ſtay his promiſe to the doctor for a fourtnight or more.

Dulipo This is ſomewhat yet, for by this meanes I ſhal be ſure to linger and liue in hope one fourtnight longer: but, at the fourthnights ende when Philogano commeth not, how ſhall I then do? yea and though he came, howe may I any way hope of his conſent, when he ſhall ſée, that to follow this amorous enterpriſe, I haue ſet aſide all ſtudie, all remembraunce of my duetie, and all dread of ſhame. Alas, alas, I may go hang my ſelfe.

Eroſtrato Comforte your ſelfe man, and truſt in me: there is a ſlaue for euery ſore, and doubt you not, to this miſchéefe we ſhall finde a remedie.

Dulipo O friend reuiue me, that hitherto ſince I firſt attempted this matter haue bene continually dying.

Eroſtrato Well harken a while then: this morning I tooke my horſe and rode into the fieldes to ſolace my ſelf, and as I paſſed the foorde beyonde S. Anthonies gate, I met at the foote of the hill a gentleman riding with two or thrée men: and as me thought by his habite and his lookes, he ſhould be none of the wiſeſt. He ſaluted me, and I him: I aſked him from whence he came, and whither he would? he anſwered that he had come from Venice, then from Padua, nowe was going to Ferrara, and ſo to his countrey, whiche is Scienna: As ſoone as I knewe him to be a Sceneſe, ſodenly lifting vp mine eyes, (as it were with an admiration) I ſayd vnto him, are you a Sceneſe, and come to Farrara? why not, ſayde he: quoth I (, halfe and more with a trembling voyce) know you the daunger that ſhould enſue if you be knowne in Ferrara to be a Sceneſe? he more than halfe amaſed, deſired me earneſtly to tell him what I ment.

Dulipo I vnderſtande not wherto this tendeth.

Eroſtrato I beléeue you: but harken to me.

Dulipo Go too then.

Eroſtrato I anſwered him in this ſorte: Gentleman, bycauſe I haue heretofore founde very curteous entertaynement in your countrey, (béeing a ſtudēt there,) I accompt my ſelf as it were bounde to a Sceneſe: and therefore if I knewe of any miſhappe towards any of that countrey, God forbid but I ſhould diſcloſe it: and I maruell that you knewe not of the iniurie that your countreymen offered this other day to the Embaſſadours of Counte Hercules.

Dulipo What tales he telleth me: what appertayne theſe to me?

Eroſtrato If you will harken a whyle, you ſhall finde them no tales, but that they appertayne to you more than you thinke for.

Dulipo Foorth.

Eroſtrato I tolde him further, theſe Ambaſſadoures of Counte Hercules had dyuers Mules, Waggons, and Charettes, ladē with diuers coſtly iewels, gorgeous furniture, & other things which they caried as preſents, (paſſing that way) to the king of Naples: the which were not only ſtayd in Sciene by the officers whom you cal Cuſtomers, but ſerched, ranſacked, toſſed & turned, & in the end exacted for tribute, as if they had bene the goods of a meane marchaunt.

Dulipo Whither the diuell wil he? is it poſſible that this geare appertaine any thing to my cauſe? I finde neither head nor foote in it.

Eroſtrato O how impaciēt you are: I pray you ſtay a while.

Dulipo Go to yet a while then.

Eroſtrato I procéeded, that vpon theſe cauſes the Duke ſent his Chauncelor to declare the caſe vnto the Senate there, of whome he had the moſte vncurteous anſwere that euer was heard: whervpon he was ſo enraged with all of that countrey, that for reuenge he had ſworne to ſpoyle as many of them as euer ſhould come to Ferara, and to ſende them home in their dublet and their hoſe.

Dulipo And I pray thée how couldeſt thou vpon the ſudden deuiſe or imagine ſuche a lye? and to what purpoſe?

Eroſtrato You ſhall heare by and by a thing as fitte for our purpoſe, as any could haue happened.

Dulipo I would fayne heare you conclude.

Eroſtrato You would fayne leape ouer the ſtile, before you come at the hedge: I woulde you had heard me, and ſéene the geſtures that I enforced to make him beléeue this.

Dulipo I beléeue you, for I knowe you can counterfet wel.

Eroſtrato Further I ſayde, the duke had charged vpon great penalties, that the Inholders and vitlers ſhoulde bring worde dayly of as many Sceneſes as came to their houſes. The gentleman béeing (as I geſſed at the firſt) a mā of ſmal ſapientia, when he heard theſe newes, would haue turned his horſe an other way.

Dulipo By likelyhoode he was not very wiſe when hée would beleeue that of his countrey, which if it had bene true euery man muſt néedes haue knowen it.

Eroſtrato Why not? when he had not béene in his countrey for a moneth paſte, and I tolde him this had hapned within theſe ſeuen dayes.

Dulipo Belike he was of ſmall experience.

Eroſtrato I thinke, of as litle as may be: but beſte of all for our purpoſe, and good aduenture it was, that I mette with ſuch an one. Now harken I pray you.

Dulipo Make an ende I pray thée.

Eroſtrato He, as I ſay, when he hard theſe words, would haue turned the bridle: and I fayning a countenance as though I were ſomewhat penſiue and carefull for him, pauſed a while, & after with a great ſighe ſaide to him: Gentleman, for the curteſie that (as I ſaid) I haue found in your countrey, & bicauſe your affaires ſhall be the better diſpatched, I will finde the meanes to lodge you in my houſe, and you ſhal ſay to euery mā, that you are a Sicilian of Cathanea, your name Philogano, father to me that am in déede of that countrey and citie, called here Eroſtrato. And I (to pleaſure you) will (during your abode here) do you reuerence as you were my father.

Dulipo Out vpon me, what a groſſe hedded foole am I? now I perceiue whereto this tale tendeth.

Eroſtrato Well, and how like you of it?

Dulipo Indifferently, but one thing I doubt.

Eroſtrato What is that?

Dulipo Marie, that when he hath bene here twoo or thrée dayes, he ſhal heare of euery man that there is no ſuch thing betwene the Duke and the Towne of Sciene.

Eroſtrato As for that let me alone, I doe entertaine and will entertaine him ſo well, that within theſe two or thrée daies I will diſcloſe vnto him all the whole matter, and doubte not but to bring him in for performance of as muche as I haue promiſed to Damon: for what hurte can it be to him, when he ſhall binde a ſtrange name and not his owne?

Dulipo What, thinke you he will be entreated to ſtande bounde for a dower of two thouſand Ducates by the yéere?

Eroſtrato Yea why not, (if it were ten thouſande) as long as he is not in déede the man that is bound?

Dulipo Well, if it be ſo, what ſhall we be the néerer to our purpoſe?

Eroſtrato Why? when we haue done as muche as we can, how can we doe any more?

Dulipo And where haue you left him?

Eroſtrato At the Inne, bicauſe of his horſes: he and his men ſhall lie in my houſe.

Dulipo Why brought you him not with you?

Eroſtrato I thought better to vſe your aduiſe firſt.

Dulipo Well, goe take him home, make him all the chéere you can, ſpare for no coſt, I will alowe it.

Eroſtrato Content, looke where he commeth.

Dulipo Is this he? goe méete him, by my trouthe he lookes euen lyke a good ſoule, he that fiſheth for him, mighte bée ſure to catche a cods heade: I will reſt here a while to diſcipher him.

Eroſtrato eſpieth the Sceneſe and goeth towards him: Dulipo ſtandeth aſide.

Scena. ij.

The SCENESE. PAQVETTO & PETRVCIO his ſeruāts. EROSTRATO.

HE that trauaileth in this worlde paſſeth by many perilles.

Paſiphilo ^[95]You ſaye true ſir, if the boate had bene a little more laden this morning at the ferrie, wée had bene all drowned, for I thinke, there are none of vs that could haue ſwomme.

Sceneſe I ſpeake not of that.

Paſiphilo O you meane the foule waye that we had ſince wée came from this Padua, I promiſe you, I was afraide twice or thrice, that your mule would haue lien faſt in the mire.

Sceneſe Ieſu, what a blockehead thou art, I ſpeake of the perill we are in preſently ſince we came into this citie.

Paſiphilo A great peril I promiſe you, that we were no ſooner ariued, but you founde a frende that brought you from the Inne, and lodged you in his owne houſe.

Sceneſe Yea marie, God rewarde the gentle yong man that we mette, for elſe we had bene in a wiſe caſe by this time.^[96] But haue done with theſe tales, and take you héede, & you alſo ſirra, take héede that none of you ſaie we be Sceneſes, and remember that you call me Philogano of Cathanea.

Paſiphilo Sure I ſhal neuer remember theſe outlādiſh words, I could well remember Haccanea.

Sceneſe I ſay, Cathanea, and not Haecanea, with a vengeance.

Paſiphilo Let another name it then when néede is, for I ſhall neuer remember it.

Sceneſe Then holde thy peace, and take héede thou name not Scene.

Paſiphilo Howe ſay you, if I faine my ſelfe dum as I did once in the houſe of Criſobolus?

Sceneſe Doe as thou thinkeſt beſt: but looke where commeth the gentleman whom we are ſo much bounde vnto.

Eroſtrato Welcome, my deare father Philogano.

Sceneſe Gramercie my good ſonne Eroſtrato.

Eroſtrato That is well ſaide, be mindefull of your toung, for theſe Ferareſes be as craftie as the Deuill of hell.

Sceneſe No, no, be you ſure we will doe as you haue bidden vs.

Eroſtrato For if you ſhould name Scene they would ſpoile you immediatly, and turne you out of the towne, with more ſhame, than I woulde ſhoulde befall you for a thouſande Crownes.

Sceneſe I warant you, I was giuing thē warning as I came to you, and I doubt not but they will take good héede.

Eroſtrato Yea and truſt not the ſeruauntes of my houſholde to far, for they are Ferareſes all, and neuer knew my father, nor came neuer in Sicilia: this is my houſe, will it pleaſe you to goe in? I will follow.

They goe in. Dulipo tarieth and eſpieth the Doctor comming in with his man.

Scena. iij.

DVLIPO alone.

THis geare hath had no euill beginning, if it continue ſo and fall to happie ende. But is not this the ſilly Doctor with the ſide bonet, the doting foole, that dare preſume to become a ſuter to ſuch a péerleſſe Paragone? O how couetouſneſſe doth blind the common ſort of men. Damon more deſirous of the dower, than mindfull of his gentle & gallant daughter, hath determined to make him his Sonne in law, who for his age may be his father in law: and hath greater reſpect to the abundance of goods, than to his owne naturall childe. He beareth well in minde to fill his owne purſe, but he litle remembreth that his daughters purſe ſhalbe continually emptie, vnleſſe Maiſter Doctour fill it with double ducke egges. Alas: I ieſt and haue no ioy, I will ſtand here aſide and laugh a litle at this lobcocke.

Dulippo eſpieth the Doctor and his man comming.

Scena. iiij.

CARION the doctors man. CLEANDER. DVLIPO.

MAiſter, what the Diuel meane you to goe ſéeke gueſtes at this time of the day? the Maiors officers haue dined ere this time, which are alway the laſt in the market.

Cleander I come to ſéeke Paſiphilo, to the ende he may dine with mée.

Carion As though ſixe mouthes and the cat for the ſeuenth, bée not ſufficient to eate an harlotrie ſhotterell, a pennieworth of cheeſe, and halfe a ſcore ſpurlings: this is all the dainties you haue dreſſed for you and your familie.

Cleander Ah gréedie gut, art thou afearde thou ſhalt want?

Carion I am afearde in déede, it is not the firſt time I haue founde it ſo.

Dulipo Shall I make ſome ſporte with this gallant? what ſhall I ſay to him?

Cleander Thou arte afearde belike that he will eate thée and the reſt.

Carion Nay, rather that he will eate your mule, both heare and hyde.

Cleander Heare and hyde? and why not fleſh and all?

Carion Bicauſe ſhe hath none. If ſhe had any fleſh, I thinke you had eaten hir your ſelfe by this time.

Cleander She may thanke you then, for your good attendāce.

Carion Nay ſhe may thanke you for your ſmall allowance.

Dulipo In faith now let me alone.

Cleander Holde thy peace drunken knaue, and eſpie me Paſiphilo.

Dulipo Since I can doe no better, I will ſet ſuch a ſtaunce betwéene him and Paſiphilo, that all this towne ſhall not make them friendes.

Carion Could you not haue ſent to ſéeke him, but you muſt come your ſelfe? ſurely you come for ſome other purpoſe, for if you would haue had Paſiphilo to dinner, I warant you he would haue taried here an houre ſince.

Cleander Holde thy peace, here is one of Damons ſeruaunts,^[97] of him I ſhall vnderſtand where he is: good fellow art not thou one of Damons ſeruaunts?

Dulipo Yes ſir, at your knamandement.

Cleander Gramercie, tell me then, hath Paſiphilo bene there this day or no?

Dulipo Yes ſir, and I thinke he be there ſtill, ah, ah, ah.

Cleander What laugheſt thou?

Dulipo At a thing, that euery man may not laugh at.

Cleander What?

Dulipo Talke, that Paſiphilo had with my maſter this day.

Cleander What talke I pray thée?

Dulipo I may not tell it.

Cleander Doth it concerne me?

Dulipo Nay I will ſay nothing.

Cleander Tell me.

Dulipo I can ſay no more.

Cleander I woulde but knowe if it concerne mée, I pray thée tell mée.

Dulipo I would tell you, if I were ſure you would not tell it againe.

Cleander Beleue me I will kepe it cloſe: Carion giue vs leaue a litle, goe aſide.

Dulipo If my maiſter ſhoulde know that it came by me, I were better die a thouſand deaths.

Cleander He ſhall neuer know it, ſay on.

Dulipo Yea, but what aſſurance ſhall I haue?

Cleander I lay thée my faith and honeſtie in paune.

Dulipo A pretie paune, the fulkers will not lend you a farthing on it.

Cleander Yea, but amongſt honeſt mē it is more worth than golde.

Dulipo Yea marie ſir, but where be they? but will you néedes haue me tell it vnto you?

Cleander Yea I pray thée if it any thing appertaine to me.

Dulipo Yes it is of you, and I would gladly tell it you, bicauſe I would not haue ſuche a man of worſhip ſo ſcorned by a villaine ribaulde.

Cleander I pray thée tell me then.

Dulipo I will tell you ſo that you will ſweare neuer to tell it to Paſiphilo, to my maiſter, nor to any other bodie.

Carion Surely it is ſome toye deuiſed to get ſome money of him.

Cleander I thinke I haue a booke here.

Carion If he knew him as well as I, he woulde neuer goe aboute it, for he may as ſoone get one of his téeth from his iawes with a paire of pinchers, as a pennie out of his purſe with ſuch a conceite.

Cleander Here is a letter wil ſerue the turne: I ſweare to thée by the contents hereof neuer to diſcloſe it to any man.

Dulipo I will tell you, I am ſorie to ſee how Paſiphilo doth abuſe you, perſwading you that alwayes he laboureth for you, where in déede, he lieth on my maiſter continually, as it were with tooth and naile for a ſtraunger, a ſcholer, borne in Sicilia they call him Roſcus or arſkiſſe, he hathe a madde name I can neuer hit vpon it.

Cleander And thou reckneſt it as madly: is it not Eroſtrato?

Dulipo That ſame I ſhould neuer haue remembred it: and the villany ſpeaketh al the euill of you that can be deuiſed.

Cleander To whom?

Dulipo To my maiſter, yea and to Polyneſta hirſelfe ſometimes.

Cleander Is it poſſible, Ah ſlaue, and what ſaith he?

Dulipo More euill than I can imagine: that you are the miſerableſt and moſt nigardly man that euer was.

Cleander Sayeth Paſiphilo ſo by me?

Dulipo And that as often as he commeth to your houſe, he is like to die for hunger, you fare ſo well.

Cleander That the Deuill take him elſe.

Dulipo And that you are the teſtieſt man, & moſte diuers to pleaſe in the whole worlde, ſo that he cannot pleaſe you vnleſſe he ſhould euen kill himſelfe with continuall paine.

Cleander O deuiliſh tong.

Dulipo Furthermore, that you cough continually and ſpit, ſo that a dogge cannot abide it.

Cleander I neuer ſpitte nor coughe more than thus, vho, vho, and that but ſince I caughte this murre, but who is frée from it?

Dulipo You ſaye true ſir, yet further he ſayth, your arme holes ſtincke, your féete worſe than they, and your breathe worſt of all.

Cleander If I quite him not for this geare.

Dulipo And that you are burſten in the cods.

Cleander O villaine, he lieth, and if I were not in the ſtréete thou ſhouldeſt ſée them.

Dulipo And he ſaith, that you deſire this yong gentle woman, as much for other mens pleaſure as for your owne.

Cleander What meaneth he by that?

Dulipo Peraduenture that by hir beautie, you woulde entice many yong men to your houſe.

Cleander Yong men? to what purpoſe?

Dulipo Nay, geſſe you that.

Cleander Is it poſſible that Paſiphilo ſpeaketh thus of me?

Dulipo Yea, and much more.

Cleander And doth Damon beléeue him?

Dulipo Yea, more than you would thinke: in ſuch ſort, that long ere this, he woulde haue giuen you a flat repulſe, but Paſiphilo intreated him to continue you a ſuter for his aduantage.

Cleander How for his aduantage?

Dulipo Marie, that during your ſute he might ſtill haue ſome rewarde for his great paines.

Cleander He ſhall haue a rope, and yet that is more than he deſerueth: I had thought to haue giuen him theſe hoſe when I had worne them a litle nearer, but he ſhall haue a. &c.

Dulipo In good faith ſir, they were but loſte on him. Will you any thing elſe with me ſir?

Cleander Nay, I haue heard to much of thée already.

Dulipo Then I will take my leaue of you.

Cleander Farewell, but tell me, may I not know thy name?

Dulipo Sir, they call me Foule fall you.

Cleander An ill fauored name by my trouthe: arte thou this countrey man?

Dulipo No ſir, I was borne by a caſtle mē cal Scabbe catch you: fare you well ſir.

Cleander Farewel. Oh God how haue I bene abuſed? what a ſpokeſman? what a meſſanger had I prouided?

Carion Why ſir, will you tarie for Paſiphilo till we die for hunger?

Cleander Trouble me not, that the Deuill take you both.

Carion Theſe newes what ſo euer they be, like him not.

Cleander Art thou ſo hungrie yet? I pray to God thou be neuer ſatiſfied.

Carion By the maſſe no more I ſhal as long as I am your ſeruaunt.

Cleander Goe with miſchaunce.

Carion Yea, and a miſchiefe to you, and to al ſuch couetous wretches.

Finis Actus. 2.

Actus. iij. Scena. j.

DALIO the cooke. CRAPINE the lackie. EROSTRATO, DVLIPO.

BY that time we come to the houſe, I truſte that of theſe xx. egges in the baſket we ſhall find but very few whole. But it is a folly to talke to him. What the deuill, wilt thou neuer lay that ſticke out of thy hande? he fighteth with the dogges, beateth the beares, at euery thing in the ſtreate he findeth occaſion to tarie: if he ſpie a ſlipſtring by the waye ſuch another as himſelf, a Page, a Lackie or a dwarfe, the deuill of hell cannot holde him in chaynes, but he will be doing with him: I cannot goe two ſteppes, but I muſte looke backe for my yonker: goe to halter ſicke, if you breake one egge I may chance breake, &c.

Crapino What will you breake? your noſe in mine &c?

Dalio Ah beaſt.

Crapino If I be a beaſt, yet I am no horned beaſt.

Dalio Is it euen ſo? is the winde in that doore? If I were vnloden I would tel you whether I be a horned beaſt or no.

Crapino You are alway laden either with wine or with ale.

Dalio Ah ſpitefull boy, ſhall I ſuffer him?

Crapino Ah cowardely beaſt, dareſt thou ſtrike and ſay neuer a woorde?

Dalio Well, my maiſter ſhall know of this géere, either he ſhall redreſſe it, or he ſhall loſe one of vs.

Crapino ^[98]Tel him the worſt thou canſt by me.

Eroſtrato What noiſe, what a rule is this?

Crapino Marie ſir, he ſtriketh mée bicauſe I tell him of his ſwearing.

Dalio The villaine lieth deadly, he reuiles me bicauſe I bid him make haſt.

Eroſtrato Holla: no more of this. Dalio, doe you make in a readineſſe thoſe Pigeons, ſtock Doues, and alſo the breaſt of Veale: and let your veſſell be as cleare as glaſſe againſt I returne, that I may tell you which I will haue roaſted, & which boyled. Crapine, ſay downe that baſket and followe me. Oh that I coulde tell where to finde Paſiphilo, but looke where he commeth that can tell me of him.

Dulipo ^[99]What haue you done with Philogano your father?

Eroſtrato I haue left him within, I would faine ſpeake with Paſiphilo, can you tell me where he is?

Dulipo He dined this day with my maiſter, but whether he went from thence I know not, what would you with him?

Eroſtrato I woulde haue him goe tell Damon that Philogano my father is come and ready to make aſſurance of as much as he wil require. Now ſhall I teach maiſter doctor a ſchole point, he trauaileth to none other end but to catche Cornua, and he ſhall haue them, for as old as he is, and as many ſubtilties as he hath learned in the law, he can not goe beyond me one ace.

Dulipo O déere friend, goe thy wayes ſéeke Paſiphilo, finde him out, and conclude ſomewhat to our contentation.

Eroſtrato But where ſhall I finde him?

Dulipo At the feaſts if there be any, or elſe in the market with the poulters or the fiſhmongers.

Eroſtrato What ſhould he doe with them?

Dulipo Mary he watcheth whoſe Caters bie the beſt meat. If any bie a fat Capon, a good breaſt of Veale, freſh Samon or any ſuche good diſhe, he followeth to the houſe, and either with ſome newes, or ſome ſtale ieſt he will be ſure to make himſelfe a geaſt.

Eroſtrato In faith, and I will ſéeke there for him.

Dulipo Then muſte you néedes finde him, and when you haue done I will make you laughe.

Eroſtrato Whereat?

Dulipo At certaine ſport I made to day with maſter doctor.

Eroſtrato And why not now?

Dulipo No it aſketh further leyſure, I pray thée diſpatche, and finde out Paſiphilo that honeſt man.

Dulipo tarieth.

Eroſtrato goeth out.

Scena. ij.

DVLIPO alone.

THis amorous cauſe that hāgeth in cōtrouerſie betwene Domine doctor & me, may be compared to thē that play at primero: of whō ſome one peraduēture ſhal léeſe a great ſum of money before he win one ſtake, & at laſt halfe in anger ſhal ſet vp his reſt: win it: & after that another, another, & another, till at laſt he draw the moſt part of the money to his heape: y^e other by litle & litle ſtil diminiſhing his reſt, til at laſt he be come as néere the brinke, as earſt y^e other was: yet again peraduēture fortune ſmiling on him, he ſhal as it were by péece meale, pull out the guts of his fellows bags, & bring him barer than he himſelfe was tofore, & ſo in play continue ſtil, (fortune fauoring now this way, now y^t way) til at laſt the one of thē is left with as many croſſes as God hath brethren. O howe often haue I thoughte my ſelfe ſure of the vpper hande herein? but I triumphed before the victorie. And then how ofte againe haue I thoughte the fielde loſte? Thus haue I béene toſſed nowe ouer, nowe vnder, euen as fortune liſt to whirle the whéele, neither ſure to winne nor certayne to looſe the wager. And this practiſe that nowe my ſeruaunte hath deuiſed, although hitherto it hath not ſucceeded amiſſe, yet can I not count my ſelfe aſſured of it: for I feare ſtill that one miſchance or other wyll come and turne it topſie turuie. But looke where my mayſter commeth.

Damon comming in, eſpieth Dulipo and calleth him.

Scena. iij.

DAMON. DVLIPO. NEVOLA, and two mo ſeruants.

DVlipo.

Dulipo Here ſir.

Dalio Go in and bid Neuola and his fellowes come hither that I may tell them what they ſhall goe about, and go you into my ſtudie: there vpon the ſhelfe you ſhall find a roule of writings which Iohn of the Deane made to my Father, when he ſolde him the Grange ferme, endorced with bothe their names: bring it hither to me.

Dulipo It ſhall be done ſir.

Dalio Go, I wil prepare other maner of writings for you thā you are aware of. O fooles that truſt any mā but themſelues now adaies: oh ſpiteful fortune, thou doeſt me wrong I thinke, that from the depth of Hell pitte thou haſte ſente mée this ſeruaunt to be the ſubuerſion of me and all mine. Come hither ſirs,^[100] and heare what I ſhal ſay vnto you: go into my ſtudie, where you ſhall finde Dulipo, ſtep to him all at once, take him and (with a corde that I haue laide on the table for the nonce) bind him hande and foote, carie him into the dungeon vnder the ſtayres, make faſte the dore & bring me the key, it hangeth by vpon a pin on the wall. Diſpatche and doe this geare as priuily as you can: and thou Neuola come hither to me againe with ſpéede.

Nevola Well I ſhall.

Dalio Alas how ſhall I be reuenged of this extreme deſpite? if I puniſhe my ſeruant according to his diueliſhe deſerts, I ſhall heape further cares vpon mine owne head: for to ſuche deteſtable offences no puniſhment can ſéeme ſufficient, but onely death, and in ſuch caſes it is not lawful for a man to be his owne caruer. The lawes are ordeyned, and officers appoynted to miniſter iuſtice for the redreſſe of wrongs: and if to the poteſtates I complayne me, I ſhall publiſhe mine owne reproche to the worlde. Yea, what ſhould it preuayle me to vſe all the puiniſhments that can be deuiſed? the thing once done can not be vndone. My daughter is defloured, and I vtterly diſhoneſted: how can I then wype that blot off my browe? and on whome ſhall I ſéeke reuenge? Alas, alas I my ſelfe haue bene the cauſe of all theſe cares, and haue deſerued to beare the puniſhment of all theſe miſhappes. Alas, I ſhould not haue committed my deareſt darling in cuſtodie to ſo careleſſe a creaſure as this olde Nurſe: for we ſee by common proofe, that theſe olde women be either péeuiſhe, or pitifull: either eaſily enclined to euill, or quickly corrupted with bribes and rewards. O wife, my good wife (that nowe lyeſt colde in the graue) now may I well bewayle the wante of thée, and mourning nowe may I bemone that I miſſe thée: if thou hadſt liued (ſuche was thy gouernement of the leaſt things) that thou wouldeſt prudently haue prouided for the preſeruation of this pearle. A coſtly iewell may I well accompte hir, that hath béen my chéefe comforte in youth, and is nowe become the coroſiue of mine age. O Polyneſta, full euill haſt thou requited the clemencie of thy carefull father: and yet to excuſe thée giltleſſe before God, and to condemne thée giltie before the worlde, I can count none other but my wretched ſelfe the caytife and cauſer of all my cares. For of al the dueties that are requiſite in humane lyfe, onely obedience is by the parents to be required of the childe: where on y^e other ſide the parents are bound, firſt to beget them, then to bring thē foorth, after to nouriſh them, to preſerue them from bodily perils in the cradle, from daunger of ſoule by godly education, to matche them in conſort enclined to vertue, too baniſh them all ydle and wanton companie, to allow them ſufficiente for their ſuſtentation, to cut off exceſſe the open gate of ſinne, ſeldome or neuer to ſmile on them vnleſſe it be to their encouragement in vertue, and finally, to prouide them mariages in time cōuenient, leſt (neglected of vs) they learne to ſette either to much or to litle by thēſelues. Fiue yeares are paſt ſince I might haue maried hir, when by cōtinuall excuſes I haue prolonged it to my owne perdition. Alas, I ſhoulde haue conſidered, ſhe is a collop of my owne fleſh: what ſhold I think to make hir a princeſſe? Alas alas, a poore kingdome haue I now caught to endowe hir with: It is too true, that of all ſorowes this is the head ſource and chiefe fountaine of all furies: the goods of the world are incertain, the gaines to be reioyced at, and the loſſe not greatly to be lamented: only the children caſt away, cutteth the parents throate with the knife of inward care, which knife will kill me ſurely, I make none other accompte.

Damons ſeruants come to him againe.

Scena. iiij.

NEVOLA. DAMON. PASIPHILO.

SIr, we haue done as you hadde vs, and here is the key.

Dalio Well, go then Neuola and ſéeke maſter Caſteling the iayler, he dwelleth by S. Antonies gate, deſire him too lend me a paire of the fetters he vſeth for his priſoners, and come againe quickly.

Nevola Well ſir.

Dalio Heare you, if he aſke what I would do with them, ſay you cā not tell, and tell neither him nor any other, what is become of Dulipo.

Damon goeth out.

I warant you ſir. Fye vpon the Deuill,^[101] it is a thing almoſt vnpoſſible for a man nowe a dayes to handle money, but the mettal will ſticke on his fingers: I maruelled alway at this fellowe of mine Dulipo, that of the wages he receiued, he could maintaine himſelfe ſo brauely apparelled, but nowe I perceiue the cauſe, he had the diſburſing and receit of all my maſters affaires, the keys of the granair, Dulippo here, Dulippo there, fauoure with my maiſter, in fauoure with his daughter, what woulde you more, he was Magiſter factotum: he was as fine as the Cruſadoe, and wée ſilly wretches as courſe as canuas: wel, behold what it is come to in the ende, he had bin better to haue done leſſe.^[102]

Paſiphilo Thou ſaiſt true Neuola, he hath done to much in déed.

Nevola From whence commeſt thou in the deuils name?

Paſiphilo Out of the ſame houſe thou cameſt from, but not out of the ſame dore.

Nevola We had thought thou hadſt bene gone long ſince.

Paſiphilo When I aroſe from the table, I felte a rumbling in my belly, whiche made me runne to the ſtable, and there I fell on ſléepe vppon the ſtrawe, and haue line there euer ſince: And thou whether goeſt thou?

Nevola My maſter hath ſent me on an errand in great haſt.

Paſiphilo Whether I pray thée?

Nevola Nay I may not tell: Farewell.

Paſiphilo As though I néede any further inſtructions: O God what newes I heard euē now, as I lay in the ſtable: O good Eroſtrato and pore Cleander,^[103] that haue ſo earneſtly ſtrouen for this damſel, happie is he that can get hir I promiſe you, he ſhall be ſure of mo than one at a clap that catcheth hir, eyther Adam or Eue within hir belie. Oh God, how men may be deceiued in a woman? who wold haue beléeued the contrary but that ſhe had bin a virgin? aſke the neighbours and you ſhall heare very good report of hir: marke hir behauiors & you would haue iudged hir very maydenly: ſeldome ſéene abroade but in plac• of prayer, and there very deuout, and no gaſer at outwarde ſightes, no blaſer of hir beautie aboue in the windowes, no ſtale at the doore for the bypaſſers: you would haue thought hir a holy yong woman. But muche good doe it Domine Doctor, hee ſhall be ſure to lacke no CORNE in a deare yere, whatſoeuer he haue with hir elſe: I beſhrewe me if I let the mariage any way. But is not this the old ſcabbed queane that I heard diſcloſing all this géere to hir maſter, as I ſtoode in the ſtable ere nowe? it is ſhée. Whither goeth Pſiteria?

Paſiphilo eſpieth Pſiteria comming.

Scena. v.

PSITERIA, PASIPHILO.

TO a Goſſip of myne héereby.

Paſiphilo What? to tattle of the goodly ſtirre that thou keptſt concerning Polyneſta.

Pſiteria No no: but how knew you of that géere?

Paſiphilo You tolde me.

Pſiteria I? when did I tell you?

Paſiphilo Euen now when you tolde it to Damon, I both ſawe you and heard you, though you ſaw not me: a good parte I promiſe you, to accuſe the poore wenche, kill the olde man with care, ouer and beſides the daunger you haue brought Dulipo and the Nurſſe vnto, and many moe, fie, fie.

Pſiteria In déed I was to blame, but not ſo much as you think.

Paſiphilo And how not ſo muche? did I not heare you tell?

Pſiteria Yes, But I will tell you how it came to paſſe: I haue knowen for a great while, that this Dulipo and Polyneſta haue lyen togither, and all by the meanes of the nurſe: yet I held my peace, and neuer tolde it. Now this other day the Nurſſe ſell on ſcolding with me, and twyce or thryce called me drunken olde whore, and ſuche names that it was too badde: and I called hir baude, and tolde hir that I knew well enoughe howe often ſhe had brought Dulipo to Polyneſtas bed: yet all this while I thought not that anye body had heard me, but it befell cleane contrarye: for my maiſter was on the other ſide of the wall, and heard all our talke, where vpon he ſent for me, and forced me to confeſſe all that you heard.

Paſiphilo And why wouldeſt thou tell him? I woulde not for. &c.

Pſiteria Well, if I had thought my maiſter would haue taken it ſo, he ſhould rather haue killed me.

Paſiphilo Why? how could he take it?

Pſiteria Alas, it pitieth me to ſée the poore yong woman how ſhe wéepes, wailes, and teares hir heare: not eſteming hir owne life halfe ſo deare as ſhe doth poore Dulipos: and hir father, he wéepes on the other ſide, that it would pearce an hart of ſtone with pitie: but I muſt be gone.

Paſiphilo Go that the gunne pouder conſume thée olde trotte.

Finis Actus. 3.

Actus. iiij. Scena. j.

EROSTRATO fained.

WHat ſhall I doe? Alas what remedie ſhall I finde for my ruefull eſtate? what eſcape, or what excuſe may I now deuiſe to ſhifte ouer our ſubtile ſuppoſes? for though to this day I haue vſurped the name of my maiſter, and that without checke or controll of any man, now ſhal I be openly diſcyphred, and that in the ſight of euery man: now ſhal it openly be knowen, whether I be Eroſtrato the gentleman, or Dulipo the ſeruaunt. We haue hitherto played our parts in abuſing others: but nowe commeth the man that wil not be abuſed, the right Philogano the right father of the right Eroſtrato: going to ſeke Paſiphilo, and hearing that he was at the water gate, beholde I eſpied my fellowe Litio, and by and by my olde maiſter Philogano ſetting forth his firſt ſtep on land: I to fuge and away hither as faſt as I could to bring word to the right Eroſtrato, of his right father Philogano, that to ſo ſodaine a miſhap ſome ſubtile ſhift might be vpō the ſodaine deuiſed. But what can be imagined to ſerue the turne, although we had monethes reſpite to beate oure braines about it, ſince we are commōly knowen, at the leaſt ſuppoſed in this towne, he for Dulipo, a ſlaue & ſeruant to Damon, & I for Eroſtrato a gentleman & a ſtudent? But beholde, runne Crapine to yonder olde woman before ſhe get within the doores, & deſire hir to call out Dulipo: but heare you? if ſhe aſke who would ſpeake with him, ſaye thy ſelfe and none other.

Eroſtrato eſpieth Pſiteria comming, and ſendeth his lackey to hir.

Scena. ij.

CRAPINE. PSITERIA. EROSTRATO fained.

HOneſt woman, you goſſip, thou rotten whore, heareſt thou not olde witche?

Pſiteria A rope ſtretche your yong bones, either you muſte liue to be as old as I, or be hanged while you are yong.

Crapino I pray thée loke if Dulipo be within.

Pſiteria Yes that he is I warrant him.

Crapino Deſire him then to come hither and ſpeake a word with me, he ſhall not tarie.

Pſiteria Content your ſelfe, he is otherwiſe occupied.

Crapino Yet tell him ſo gentle girle.

Pſiteria I tell you he is buſie.

Crapino Why is it ſuch a matter to tell him ſo, thou crooked Crone?

Pſiteria A rope ſtretche you marie.

Crapino A pockes eate you marie.

Pſiteria Thou wilt be hanged I warāt thée, if thou liue to it.

Crapino And thou wilt be burnt I warant thée, if the canker conſume thée not.

Pſiteria If I come néere you hempſtring, I will teache you to ſing ſolfa.

Crapino Come on, and if I get a ſtone I will ſcare crowes with you.

Pſiteria Goe with a miſchiefe, I thinke thou be ſome deuill that woulde tempte me.

Eroſtrato Crapine: heare you? come away, let hir goe with a vengeance, why come you not? Alas loke where my maiſter Philogano commeth: what ſhall I doe? where ſhall I hide me? he ſhall not ſée me in theſe clothes, nor before I haue ſpoken with the right Eroſtrato.

Eroſtrato eſpyeth Phylogano commming, and runneth about to hide him.

Scena. iij.

PHILOGANO. FERRARESE the Inne keper. LITIO a ſeruant.

HOneſt man it is euen ſo: be you ſure there is no loue to be compared like the loue of the parents towards their children. It is not long ſince I thought that a very waightie matter ſhoulde not haue made me come out of Sicilia, and yet now I haue taken this tedious toyle and trauaile vpon me, only to ſée my ſonne, and to haue him home with me.

Ferrareſe By my faith ſir, it hath ben a great trauaile in dede, and to much for one of your age.

Philogano Yea be you ſure: I came in companie with certaine gentlemen of my countrey, who had affaires to diſpatche as far as to Aneona, from thence by water too Rauenna, and from Rauenna hither, continually againſt the tide.

Ferrareſe Yea & I think y^t you had but homly lodging by y^t way.

Philogano The worſt y^t euer man had: but that was nothing to the ſtirre that y^e ſerchers kept with me when I came aborde y^e ſhip: Ieſus how often they vntruſſed my male, & ranſaked a litle capcaſe that I had, toſſed & turned al that was within it, ſerched my boſome, yea my breeches, y^t I aſſure you I thought they would haue flayed me to ſearche betwene the fell and the fleſhe for fardings.

Ferrareſe Sure I haue heard no leſſe, and that the marchants bobbe them ſomtimes, but they play the knaues ſtill.

Philogano Yea be you well aſſured, ſuche an office is the inheritance of a knaue, and an honeſt man will not meddle with it.

Ferrareſe Wel, this paſſage ſhal ſeme pleaſant vnto you whē you ſhall finde your childe in health and well: but I praye you ſir why did you not rather ſend for him into Sicilia, than to come your ſelfe, ſpecially ſince you had none other buſineſſe? peraduenture you had rather endanger your ſelfe by this noyſome iourney, than hazard to drawe him from his ſtudie.

Philogano Nay, that was not the matter, for I had rather haue him giue ouer his ſtudie altogither and come home.

Ferrareſe Why? if you minded not to make him learned, to what ende did you ſend him hither at the firſt?

Philogano I will tell you: when he was at home he did as moſt yong men doe, he played many mad prankes and did many things that liked me not very well: and I thinking, that by that time he had ſene the worlde, he would learne to know himſelfe better, exhorted him to ſtudie, and put in his electiō what place he would go to. At the laſt he came hither, and I thinke he was ſcarce here ſo ſone as I felt the want of him, in ſuche ſorte, as from that day to this I haue paſſed fewe nightes without teares. I haue written to him very often that he ſhoulde come home, but continually he refuſed ſtil, beſeching me to continue his ſtudie, wherein he doubted not (as he ſaid) but to profite greatly.

Ferrareſe In dede he is very much commended of al men, and ſpecially of the beſt reputed ſtudentes.

Philogano I am glad he hath not loſt his time, but I care not greatly for ſo much knowledge. I would not be without the ſighte of hym againe ſo long, for all the learning in the worlde. I am olde nowe, and if God ſhoulde call mée in his abſence, I promiſe you I thinke it woulde driue me into diſperation.

Ferrareſe It is commendable in a man to loue his childrē but to be ſo tender ouer them is more womanlike?

Philogano Well, I confeſſe it is my faulte: and yet I will tell you another cauſe of my comming hither, more waightie than this. Diuers of my countrey haue bene here ſince hée came hither, by whome I haue ſente vnto him, and ſome of thē haue bene thrice, ſome foure or fiue times at his houſe, and yet could neuer ſpeake with him. I feare he applies his ſtudie ſo, that he will not léeſe the minute of an houre from his booke. What, alas, he might yet talke with his countrymen for a while: he is a yong man, tenderly brought vp, and if he fare thus cōtinually night & day at his booke, it may be enough to driue him into a freneſie.

Ferrareſe In dede, enough were as good as a feaſt. Loe you ſir here is your ſonne Eroſtratoes houſe, I will knocke.

Philogano Yea, I pray you knocke.

Ferrareſe They heare not.

Philogano Knocke againe,

Ferrareſe I thinke they be on ſlepe.

Litio If this gate were your Grandefathers ſoule, you coulde not knocke more ſoftly, let me come: ho, ho, is there any body within?

Dalio commeth to the wyndowe, and there maketh them anſwere.

Scena. iiij.

DALIO the cooke. FERARESE the inholder. PHILOGANO. LITIO his man.

WHat deuill of hell is there? I thinke hée will breake the gates in péeces.

Litio Marie ſir, we had thoughte you had béene on ſléepe within, and therefore we thought beſt to wake you: what doth Eroſtrato?

Dalio He is not within.

Philogano Open the dore good fellow I pray thée.

Dalio If you thinke to lodge here, you are deceiued I tell you, for here are gueſtes enowe already.

Philogano A good fellow, and much for thy maiſter honeſty by our Ladie: and what gueſtes I pray thée?

Dalio ^[104]Here is Philogano my maiſters father, lately come out of Sicilia.

Philogano Thou ſpeakeſt truer thā thou arte aware of, he will be, by that time thou haſt opened the dore: open I pray thée hartily.

Dalio It is a ſmall matter for me to open the dore, but here is no lodging for you, I tell you plaine, the houſe is full.

Philogano Of whome?

Dalio I tolde you: here is Philogano my maiſters father come from Cathanea.

Philogano And when came he?

Dalio He came thrée houres ſince, or more, he alighted at the Aungell, and left his horſes there: afterwarde my maiſter brought him hither.

Philogano Good fellow, I thinke thou haſt good ſport to mocke mée.

Dalio Nay, I thinke you haue good ſporet to make me tary here, as though I haue nothing elſe to doe: I am matched with an vnrulye mate in the kitchin. I will goe looke to him another while.

Philogano I thinke he be drunken.

Ferrareſe Sure he ſemes ſo: ſée you not how redde he is about the gilles?

Philogano Abide fellow, what Philogano is it whome thou talkeſt of?

Dalio An honeſt gentlemā, father to Eroſtrato my maiſter.

Philogano And where is he?

Dalio Here within.

Philogano May we ſée him?

Dalio I thinke you may if you be not blind.

Philogano Go to, go tel him here is one wold ſpeake with him.

Dalio Mary that I will willingly doe.

Philogano I can not tell what I ſhoulde ſay to this géere. Litio, what thinkeſt thou of it?

Litio I cannot tell you what I ſhoulde ſay ſir, the worlde is large and long,^[105] there maye be moe Philoganos and moe Eroſtratos than one, yea and moe Ferraras, moe Sicilias, and moe Cathaneas: peraduenture this is not that Ferrara whiche you ſent your ſonne vnto.

Philogano Peraduenture thou arte a foole, and he was another that anſwered vs euen now. But be you ſure honeſt man, that you miſtake not the houſe?

Ferrareſe Nay, then god helpe, thinke you I knowe not Eroſtratos houſe? yes, and himſelfe alſo: I ſawe him here no longer ſince thā yeſterday. But here cōmes one that wil tell vs tydings of him, I like his countenaunce better than the others that anſwered at the windowe erewhile.

Dalio draweth his hed in at the wyndowe, the Sceneſe commeth out.

Scena. v.

SCENESE. PHLLOGANO. DALIO.

WOuld you ſpeake with me ſir?

Philogano Yea ſir, I would faine knowe whence you are.

Sceneſe Sir I am a Sicilian, at your commaundement.

Philogano What part of Sicilia?

Sceneſe Of Cathanea.

Philogano What ſhall I call your name?

Sceneſe My name is Philogano.

Philogano What trade doe you occupie?

Sceneſe Marchandiſe.

Philogano What marchandiſe brought you hither?

Sceneſe None, I •ame onely to ſee a ſonne that I haue here whom I ſawe not theſe two yeares.

Philogano What call they your ſonne?

Sceneſe Eroſtrato.

Philogano Is Eroſtrato your ſonne?

Sceneſe Yea verily.

Philogano And are you Philogano?

Sceneſe The ſame.

Philogano And a marchant of Cathanea?

Sceneſe What néede I tell you ſo often? I will not tell you a lye.

Philogano Yes, you haue told me a falſe lie, and thou arte a vilaine and no better.

Sceneſe Sir, you offer me great wrong with theſe iniurious wordes.

Philogano Nay, I will doe more than I haue yet proffered to doe, for I will proue thée a lyer, and a knaue to take vpon thée that thou art not.

Sceneſe ^[106]Sir I am Philogano of Cathanea, out of all doubte, if I were not I would be loth to tell you ſo.

Philogano Oh, ſée the boldneſſe of this brute beaſt, what a braſen face he ſetteth on it?

Sceneſe Well, you may beleue me if you liſte: what wonder you?

Philogano I wonder at thy impudencie, for thou, nor nature that framed thée, can euer counterfaite thee to be me, ribauld villaine, and lying wretch that thou arte.

Dalio ^[107]Shall I ſuffer a knaue to abuſe my maiſters father thus? hence villaine, hence, or I will ſheath this good fawchiō in your paūch: if my maiſter Eroſtrato find you prating here on this faſhiō to his father, I wold not be in your coate for mo conney ſkins thā I gat theſe twelue monethes: come you in againe ſir, and let this Curre barke here till he burſt.

Dalio pulleth the Sceneſe in at the dores.

Scena. vj.

PHILOGANO. LITIO. FERARESE.

LItio, how likeſt thou this géere?

Litio Sir, I like it as euill as may be: but haue you not often heard tell of the falſehood of Ferara, and now may you ſée, it falleth out accordingly.

Ferrareſe Friend, you do not well to ſlaunder the Citie, theſe men are no Ferrareſes you may know by their tong.

Litio Well, there is neuer a barrell better herring, béetwene you both: but in déed your officers are moſt to blame, that ſuffer ſuch faultes to eſcape vnpuniſhed.

Ferrareſe What knowe the officers of this? thinke you they know of euery fault?

Litio Nay, I thinke they will knowe as little as may bée, ſpecially when they haue no gaines, by it, but they ought to haue their eares as open to heare of ſuch offēces, as the Ingates be to receiue gueſts.

Philogano Holde thy peace foole.

Litio By the maſſe I am a fearde that we ſhall be proued fooles both two.

Philogano Well, what ſhall we doe?

Litio I would thinke beſt we ſhould go ſéeke Eroſtrato him ſelfe.

Ferrareſe I will waite vpon you willingly, and either at the ſchooles, or at the conuocations, we ſhall find him.

Philogano By our Lady I am wery, I will run no longer about to ſeke him, I am ſure hither he will come at the laſt.

Litio Sure,^[108] my mind giues me that we ſhall find a new Eroſtrato ere it be long.

Ferrareſe Looke where he is, whether runnes he? ſtay you awhile, I will goe tell him that you are here: Eroſtrato, Eroſtraro, ho Eroſtrato, I would ſpeake with you.

Eroſtrato is eſpied vppon the ſtage running about.

Scena. vij.

Fained EROSTRATO. FERARESE. PHILOGANO. LITIO. DALIO.

NOwe can I hide me no longer. Alas what ſhall I doe: I will ſet a good face on, to beare out the matter.

Ferrareſe O Eroſtrato, Philogano your father is come out of Sicilia.

Eroſtrato Tell me that I knowe not, I haue bene with him and ſéene him alredy.

Ferrareſe Is it poſſible? and it ſéemeth by him that you know not of his comming.

Eroſtrato Why, haue you ſpoken with him? when ſaw you him I pray you?

Ferrareſe Loke you where he ſtandes, why go you not too him? Looke you Philogano, beholde your deare ſon Eroſtrato.

Philogano Eroſtrato? this is not Eroſtrato: thys ſéemeth rather to be Dulipo, and it is Dulipo in déede.

Litio Why, doubte you of that?

Eroſtrato What ſaith this honeſt man?

Philogano Mary ſir, in deede you are ſo honorably •ladde, it is no maruell if you loke bigge.

Eroſtrato To whome ſpeaketh he?

Philogano What, God helpe, do you not know me?

Eroſtrato As farre as I remember Sir, I neuer ſawe you before.

Philogano Harke Litio, h••e is good géere, this honeſt man will not know me.

Eroſtrato ^[109]Gentleman, you take your markes amiſſe.

Litio Did I not tell you of the falſehood of Ferrara maſter? Dulipo hath learned to play the knaue indifferently well ſince he came hither.

Philogano Peace I ſay.

Eroſtrato Friend, my name is not Dulipo, aſke you thorough out this towne of great and ſmall, they know me: aſke this honeſt man that is with you, if you wyll not beléeue me.

Ferrareſe In déede, I neuer knewe him otherwiſe called than Eroſtrato: and ſo they call him, as many as knowe him.

Litio Maſter, nowe you may ſée the falſehood of theſe fellowes: this honeſt man your hoſte, is of counſaile with him,^[110] and would face vs down that it is Eroſtrato: beware of theſe mates.

Ferrareſe Friende, thou doeſt me wrong to ſuſpect me, for ſure I neuer hearde hym otherwiſe called than Eroſtrato.

Eroſtrato What name could you heare me called by, but by my right name? But I am wiſe enough to ſtand prating here with this old man, I thinke he be mad.

Philogano Ah runnagate, ah villaine traitour, doeſt thou vſe thy maſter thus? what haſt thou done with my ſon villain?

Dalio Doth this dogge barke here ſtill? and will you ſuffer him maſter thus to reuile you?

Eroſtrato Come in, come in, what wilt thou do with thys peſtil?

Dalio I will rap the olde cackabed on the coſterd.

Eroſtrato Away with it, & you ſirra, lay downe theſe ſtones: come in at dore euery one of you, beare with him for his age, I paſſe not of his euill wordes.

Eroſtrato taketh all his ſeruantes in at the dores.

Scena. viij.

PHILOGANO. FERARESE. LITIO.

ALas, who ſhall relieue my miſerable eſtate? to whome ſhall I complaine? ſince he whome I brought vp of a childe, yea and cheriſhed him as if he had bene mine owne, doth nowe vtterly denie to knowe me: and you whome I toke for an honeſt man, and he that ſhould haue broughte me to the ſighte of my ſonne, are compacte with this falſe wretch, and woulde face me downe that he is Eroſtrato.^[111] Alas, you might haue ſome compaſſion of mine age, to the miſerie I am now in, and that I am a ſtranger deſolate of all comforte in this countrey: or at the leaſt, you ſhoulde haue feared the vengeaunce of God the ſupreme iudge (whiche knoweth the ſecrets of all harts) in hearing this falſe witneſſe with him, whome heauen and earth doe knowe to be Dulipo and not Eroſtrato.

Litio If there be many ſuch witneſſes in this coūtrey, men may go about to proue what they wil in cōtrouerſies here.

Ferrareſe Well ſir, you may iudge of me as it pleaſeth you: & how the matter commeth to paſſe I know not, but truly, euer ſince he came firſt hither, I haue knowen him by the name of Eroſtrato the ſonne of Philogano a Cathaneſe: nowe whether he be ſo in déede, or whether he be Dulipo, (as you alledge) let that be proued by them that knewe him before he came hether. But I proteſt before God, that whiche I haue ſaid, is neither a matter compact with him, nor any other, but euen as I haue hard him called & reputed of al mē.

Philogano Out and alas, he whom I ſent hither with my ſon to be his ſeruaunt,^[112] and to giue attendance on him, hath eyther cut his throate, or by ſome euill meanes made him away: and hath not onely taken his garmentes, his bookes, his money, and that whiche he brought out of Sicilia with him, but vſurpeth his name alſo, and turneth to his owne commoditie the bills of exchaunge that I haue alwayes allowed for my ſonnes expences. Oh miſerable Philogano, oh vnhappie old man: oh eternall God, is there no iudge? no officer? no higher powers whom I may complaine vnto for redreſſe of theſe wrongs?

Ferrareſe Yes ſir, we haue poteſtates, we haue Iudges, and aboue al, we haue a moſt iuſte prince: doubt you not, but you ſhall haue iuſtice if your cauſe be iuſt.

Philogano Bring me then to the Iudges, to the poteſtates, or to whome you thinke beſt: for I will diſcloſe a packe of the greateſt knauerie, a fardell of the fowleſt falſehoode that euer was heard of.

Litio Sir, he that wil goe to the lawe, muſt be ſure of foure things: firſt, a right and a iuſt cauſe: then a righteous aduocate to pleade: nexte, fauour coram Iudice: and aboue all, a good purſe to procure it.

Ferrareſe I haue not heard, that the law hath any reſpect to fauour: what you meane by it I cannot tell.

Philogano Haue you no regard to his wordes, he is but a foole.

Ferrareſe I pray you ſir, let him tell me what is fauour.

Litio Fauour cal I, to haue a friend néere about the iudge, who may ſo ſollicite thy cauſe, as if it be right, ſpéedie ſentence may enſue without any delayes: if it be not good, then to prolong it, till at the laſt, thine aduerſarie being wearie, ſhalbe glad to compound with thée.

Ferrareſe Of thus much (although I neuer heard thus muche in this coūtrey before) doubt you not Philogano, I will bring you to an aduocate that ſhall ſpéede you accordingly.

Philogano Then ſhall I giue my ſelfe, as it were a pray to the Lawyers, whoſe inſatiable iawes I am not able to féede, although I had here all the goods and landes which I poſſeſſe in mine own countrey: much leſſe being a ſtraunger in this miſerie. I know their cautels of old: at the firſt time I come they wil ſo extoll my cauſe, as though it were already won: but within a ſeuēnight or ten daies, if I do not continually féede them as the crow doth hir brattes, twētie times in an houre, they will begin to waxe colde, and to finde cauils in my cauſe, ſaying, that at the firſte I did not well inſtructe them, till at the laſt, they will not onely drawe the ſtuffing out of my purſe, but the marrow out of my bones.

Ferrareſe Yea ſir, but this man that I tell you of, is halfe a Saincte.

Litio And the other halfe a Deuill, I hold a pennie.

Philogano Well ſayd Litio, in déede I haue but ſmal confidence in their ſmothe lookes.

Ferrareſe Well ſir, I thinke this whom I meane, is no ſuche manner of man: but if he were,^[113] there is ſuch hatred and euil wil betwene him & this gentlemā (whether he be Eroſtrato or Dulipo, what ſo euer he be) that I warrant you, he will doe whatſoeuer he can do for you, were it but to ſpite him.

Philogano Why? what hatred is betwixt them?

Ferrareſe They are both in loue and ſuters to one gentlewoman, the daughter of a welthie man in this citie.

Philogano Why? is the villeine become of ſuch eſtimatiō that he dare preſume to be a ſuter to any gentlewomā of a good familie?

Ferrareſe Yea ſir out of all doubt.

Philogano How call you his aduerſarie?

Ferrareſe Cleander, one of the excellenteſt doctors in our citie.

Philogano For Gods loue let vs goe to him.

Ferrareſe Goe we then.

Finis Actus. 4.

Actus. v. Scena. 1.

Fayned EROSTRATO.

WHat a miſhappe was this? that before I could méete with Eroſtrato, I haue light euen ful in the lap of Philogano: where I was cōſtrained to denie my name, to denie my maſter, & to faine that I knew him not, to contend with him, & to reuile him, in ſuch ſort, that hap what hap can, I cā neuer hap well in fauour with him againe. Therefore if I could come to ſpeake with y^e right Eroſtrato, I will renounce vnto him both habite and credite, and away as faſt as I can trudge into ſome ſtrange countrey, where I may neuer ſee Philogano againe. Alas, he that of a litle childe hath brought me vp vnto this day,^[114] and nouriſhed me as if I had bene his owne: & in déede (to confeſſe the trouth) I haue no father to truſt vnto but him. But looke where Paſiphilo commeth, the fitteſt man in the world to goe on me meſſage to Eroſtrato.

Eroſtrato eſpieth Paſiphilo comming towards him.

Scena. ij.

PASIPHILO. EROSTRATO.

TWo good newes haue I heard to day alreadie: one that Eroſtrato prepared a great feaſt this night: the other, that he ſéeketh for me. And I to eaſe him of his trauaile, leaſt he ſhoulde runne vp and downe ſéeking me, and bicauſe no man loueth better thā I to haue an erand where good chéere is, come in poſt haſt euen home to his owne houſe: and loke where he is.

Eroſtrato Paſiphilo, thou muſte doe one thing for me if thou loue me.

Paſiphilo If I loue you not, who loues you? commaunde me.

Eroſtrato Go then a litle there, to Damons houſe, aſke for Dulipo, and tell him.

Paſiphilo Wot you what? I cannot ſpeake with him, he is in priſon.

Eroſtrato In priſon? how commeth that to paſſe? where is he in priſon?

Paſiphilo In a vile dungeon there within his maſters houſe.

Eroſtrato Canſt thou tell wherefore?

Paſiphilo Be you content to know he is in priſon, I haue told you to muche.

Eroſtrato If euer you will doe any thing for me, tell me.

Paſiphilo I pray you deſire me not, what were you the better if you knew?

Eroſtrato More than thou thinkeſt Paſiphilo by God.

Paſiphilo Well, and yet it ſtandes me vpon more than you thinke, to kéepe it ſecrete.

Eroſtrato Why Paſiphilo, is this the truſt I haue had in you? are theſe the faire promiſes you haue awayes made me?

Paſiphilo By the maſſe I would I had faſted this night with maiſter doctor, rather than haue come hither.

Eroſtrato Wel Paſiphilo, eyther tel me, or at few woordes neuer thinke to be welcome to this houſe from henceforthe.

Paſiphilo Nay, yet I had rather léeſe all the Gentlemen in this towne. But if I tell you any thing that diſpleaſe you, blame no body but your ſelfe now.

Eroſtrato There is nothing cā greue me more thā Dulipoes miſhappe, no not mine owne: and therfore I am ſure thou canſt tell me no worſſe tidings.

Paſiphilo ^[115]Well, ſince you would néedes haue it, I wil tell you: he was taken a bed with your beloued Polyneſta.

Eroſtrato Alas, and doth Damon knowe it?

Paſiphilo An olde trotte in the houſe diſcloſed it to him, whervpon he tooke bothe Dulipo and the Nurſe which hath bene the broker of all this bargayne, and clapte them bothe in a cage, where I thinke they ſhall haue ſorowe ſoppes too their ſwéete meates.

Eroſtrato Paſiphilo, go thy wayes into the kitchin, commaund the cooke to boyle and roaſt what liketh thee beſt, I make thée ſupra viſour of this ſupper.

Paſiphilo By the maſſe if you ſhould haue ſtudied this ſeuennight, you could not haue appointed me an office to pleaſe me better. You ſhall ſée what diſhes I will deuiſe.

Paſiphilo goeth in, Eroſtrato tarieth.

Scena. iij.

Fayned EROSTRATO alone.

I Was glad to rid him out of the way, leaſt he ſhoulde ſée me burſt out of theſe ſwelling teares, which hitherto with great payne I haue priſoned in my breſt, & leaſt he ſhoulde heare the Eccho of my doubled ſighes, whiche bounce from the botome of my heuy heart. O curſed I, O cruell fortune, that ſo many diſperſed griefes as were ſufficient to ſubuert a legion of Louers, haſt ſodenly aſſembled within my carefull carkaſe to treat this fearfull heart in ſunder with deſperation. Thou that haſt kepte my maſter all his youthe within the realme of Sicilia, reſeruing the wind and waues in a temperate calme (as it were at his commaunde) nowe to conuey his aged limmes hither, neither ſooner nor later: but euen in the worſt time that may be. If at any time before thou haddeſt conducted him, this enterpriſe had bene cut off without care in the beginning: and if neuer ſo little longer thou hadſt lingred his iorney, this happie day might then haue fully finiſhed our drifts & deuiſes. But alas, thou haſt brought him euen in the very worſt time, to plunge vs al in the pit of perdition. Neither art thou content to entāgle me alone in thy ruinous ropes, but thou muſt alſo catch the right Eroſtrato in thy crooked clawes, to reward vs both with open ſhame & rebuke. Two yéeres haſt thou kept ſecrete our ſubtill Suppoſes, euen this day to diſcipher them with a ſorowfull ſucceſſe. What ſhall I do? Alas what ſhift ſhall I make? it is too late now to imagine any further deceite, for euery minute ſéemeth an houre til I find ſome ſuccour for the miſerable captiue Eroſtrato. Wel, ſince there is no other remedie, I wil go to my maſter Philogano, & to him will I tell the whole truth of the matter, that at the leaſt he may prouide in time, before his ſonne féele the ſmart of ſome ſharpe reuenge and puniſhment. This is the beſt, and thus wil I do. Yet I know, that for mine owne parte I ſhal do bitter penance for my faults forepaſſed: but ſuche is the good will and duetie that I beare to Eroſtrato, as euen with the loſſe of my life I muſt not ſticke to aduenture any thing which may turne to his commoditie. But what ſhall I do? ſhal I go ſéeke my maſter about the towne, or ſhall I tarrie his returne hither? If I méete him in the ſtréetes, he wil crie out vpon me, neither will he harken to any thing that I ſhall ſay, till he haue gathered all the people wondring about me, as it were at an Owle. Therefore I were better to abide here, and yet if he tarrie long I will goe ſéeke him, rather than prolong the time to Eroſtratos perill.

Paſiphilo returneth to Eroſtrato.

Scena. iiij.

PASIPHILO. Fayned EROSTRATO.

YEa dreſſe them, but lay them not to the fire, till they will be ready to ſit downe. This géere goeth in order: but if I had not gone in, there had fallen a foule faulte.

Eroſtrato And what fault I pray thée?

Paſiphilo Marie, Dalio would haue layd the ſhoulder of mutton and the Capon bothe to the fire at once like a foole: he did not conſider, that the one woulde haue more roaſting than the other.

Eroſtrato Alas, I would this were the greateſt fault.

Paſiphilo Why? and either the one ſhould haue bene burned before the other had bene roaſted, or elſe he muſte haue drawne them off the ſpitte: and they would haue bene ſerued to the boorde either colde or rawe.

Eroſtrato Thou haſt reaſon Paſiphilo.

Paſiphilo Now ſir, if it pleaſe you I will goe into the towne and buye oranges, oliues, and caphers, for without ſuche ſauce the ſupper were more than halfe loſt.

Eroſtrato ^[116]There are within already, doubt you not, there ſhal lacke nothing that is neceſſarie.

Paſiphilo Since I told him theſe newes of Dulipo, he is cleane beſide himſelf: he hath ſo many hammers in his head, that his braynes are ready to burſt:^[117] and let them breake, ſo I may ſuppe with him to night, what care I? But is not this Dominus noſter Cleandrus that commeth before? well ſayde, by my truth we will teache maiſter Doctor to weare a cornerd cappe of a new faſhion. By God Polyneſta ſhal be his, he ſhall haue hir out of doubt, for I haue tolde Eroſtrato ſuch newes of hir, that he will none of hir.

Cleander and Philogano come in, talking of the matter in controuerſie.

Scena. v.

CLEANDER. PHILOGANO. LITIO. PASIPHILO.

YEa, but howe will ye proue that he is not Eroſtrato, hauing ſuch preſumptiōs to the cōtrarie? or how ſhall it be thought that you are Philogano, when an other taketh vpon him this ſame name, and for proofe bringeth him for a witneſſe, which hath bene euer reputed here for Eroſtrato?

Philogano I will tel you ſir, let me be kept here faſt in priſon, & at my charges let there be ſome man ſent into Sicilia, that may bring hither with him two or thrée of the honeſteſt mē in Cathanea, and by them let it be proued if I or this other be Philogano, and whether he be Eroſtrato or Dulipo my ſeruant: & if you finde me contrarie, let me ſuffer death for it.

Paſiphilo I will go ſalute maſter Doctour.

Cleander It will aſke great labour & great expences to proue it this way, but it is the beſt remedie that I can ſee.

Paſiphilo God ſaue you ſir.

Cleander And reward you as you haue deſerued.

Paſiphilo Then ſhall he giue me your fauour continually.

Cleander He ſhall giue you a halter, knaue and villein that thou arte.

Paſiphilo I knowe I am a knaue, but no villein. I am your ſeruaunt.

Cleander I neither take thée for my ſeruāt, nor for my friend.

Paſiphilo Why? wherein haue I offended you ſir?

Cleander Hence to the gallowes knaue.

Paſiphilo What ſofte and faire ſir, I pray you, I praeſequar, you are mine elder.

Cleander I will be euen with you, be you ſure, honeſt man.

Paſiphilo Why ſir? I neuer offended you.

Cleander Well, I will teach you: out of my ſight knaue.

Paſiphilo What? I am no dogge, I would you wiſt.

Cleander Prateſt thou yet villein? I will make thée.

Paſiphilo What will you make me? I ſée wel the more a man doth ſuffer you, the worſſe you are.

Cleander Ah villein, if it were not for this gentleman, I wold tell you what I.

Paſiphilo Villein? nay I am as honeſt a man as you.

Cleander Thou lieſt in thy throate knaue.

Philogano O ſir, ſtay your wiſedome.

Paſiphilo What will you fight? marie come on.

Cleander Well knaue, I will méete with you another time, goe your way.

Paſiphilo Euen when you liſt ſir, I will be your man.

Cleander And if I be not euen with thee, call me out.

Paſiphilo Nay by the Maſſe, all is one, I care not, for I haue nothing: if I had either landes or goods, peraduenture you would pull me into the lawe.

Philogano Sir, I perceiue your pacience is moued.

Cleander This villaine: but let him goe, I will ſee him puniſhed as he hath deſerued. Now to the matter, how ſaid you?

Philogano ^[118]This fellow hath diſquieted you ſir, peraduenture you would be loth to be troubled any further.

Cleander Not a whit, ſay on, & let him go with a vengeance.

Philogano I ſay, let them ſend at my charge to Cathanea.

Cleander Yea I remember that wel, & it is the ſureſt way as this caſe requireth: but tel me, how is he your ſeruant? and how come you by him? enforme me fully in the matter.

Philogano I will tell you ſir: when the Turkes won Otranto.

Cleander Oh, you put me in remembrance of my miſhappes.

Philogano How ſir?

Cleander For I was driuen among the reſt out of the towne (it is my natiue countrey) and there I loſt more than euer I ſhall recouer againe while I liue.

Philogano Alas, a pitifull caſe by S. Anne.

Cleander Well, procéede.

Philogano At that time (as I ſaide) there were certaine of our countrey that ſcoured thoſe coſtes vpon the ſeas, with a good barke; well appointed for the purpoſe, and had eſpiall of a Turkey veſſell that came laden from thence with great aboundance of riches.

Cleander ^[119]And peraduenture moſt of mine.

Philogano So they boarded them, & in the end ouercame them, & brought the goods to Palermo, //// whence they came, and amōgſt other things that they had, was this villeine my ſeruaunt, a boy at that time, I thinke not paſt fiue yéeres olde.

Cleander Alas, I loſt one of that ſame age there.

Philogano And I beyng there, and liking the Childes fauour well, proffered them foure and twentie ducates for him, and had him.

Cleander What? was the childe a Turke? or had the Turkes brought him from Otranto?

Philogano They ſaide he was a Childe of Otranto, but what is that to the matter? once .xxiiij. Ducattes he coſt me, that I wot well.

Cleander Alas, I ſpeake it not for that ſir, I woulde it were he whome I meane.

Philogano Why, whom meane you ſir?^[120]

Litio Beware ſir, be not to lauiſh.

Cleander Was his name Dulipo then? or had he not another name?

Litio Beware what you ſay ſir.

Philogano What the deuill haſt thou to doe? Dulipo? no ſir his name was Carino.

Litio Yea, well ſaid, tell all and more to, doe.

Cleander O Lord, if it be as I thinke, how happie were I? & why did you change his name then?

Philogano We called him Dulipo, bycauſe when he cryed as Chrildren doe ſometimes, he woulde alwayes cry on that name Dulipo.

Cleander Well, then I ſée well it is my owne onely Childe, whome I loſte, when I loſte my countrie: he was named Carino after his grandfather, and this Dulipo whome he alwayes remembred in his lamenting, was his foſter father that nouriſhed him and brought him vp.

Litio Sir, haue I not told you enough of y^e falſhood of Ferara? this gentleman will not only picke your purſe, but beguile you of your ſeruaunt alſo, & make you beleue he is his ſon.

Cleander Well goodfellow, I haue not vſed to lie.

Litio Sir no, but euery thing hath a beginning.

Cleander Fie, Philogano haue you not the leaſt ſuſpecte that may be of me.

Litio No marie, but it were good he had the moſt ſuſpecte that may be.

Cleander Well, hold thou thy peace a litle good follow. I pray you tell me Philogano had y^e child any remembrance of his fathers name, his mothers name, or y^e name of his familie?

Philogano He did remember them, and could name his mother alſo, but ſure I haue forgotten the name.

Litio I remember it well enough.

Philogano Tell it then.

Litio Nay, that I will not marie, you haue tolde him too much al ready.

Philogano Tell it I ſay, if thou can.

Litio Cā? yes by y^e maſſe I cā wel enough: but I wil haue my tong pulled out, rather thā tell it, vnleſſe he tell it firſt: doe you not perceiue ſir, what he goeth about?

Cleander Well, I will tell you then, my name you know alredy: my wife his mothers name was Sophronia, the houſe that I came of, they call Spiagia.

Litio I neuer heard him ſpeake of Spiagia but in déede I haue heard him ſay, his mothers name was Sophronia: but what of y^t? a great matter I promiſe you. It is like enoughe that you two haue compact together to deceiue my maiſter.

Cleander What nedeth me more euident tokens? this is my ſonne out of doubt whom I loſt eighteen yeares ſince, and a thouſand thouſand times haue I lamented for him: he ſhuld haue alſo a mould on his left ſhoulder.

Litio He hath a moulde there in deede: and an hole in an other place to, I would your noſe were in it.

Cleander Faire wordes fellow Litio: oh I pray you let vs goe talke with him, O fortune, howe much am I bounde to thée if I finde my ſonne?

Philogano Yea how little am I beholdē to fortune, that know not where my ſonne is become, and you whome I choſe to be mine aduocate, will nowe (by the meanes of this Dulipo) become mine aduerſarie?

Cleander ^[121]Sir, let vs firſt goe find mine: and I warrant you yours will be founde alſo ere it be long.

Philogano God graunt: goe we then,

Cleander Since the dore is open, I will neuer knocke nor cal, but we will be bolde to goe in.

Litio Sir, take you héede, leaſt he leade you to ſome miſchiefe.

Philogano Alas Litio, if my ſonne be loſte what care I what become of me?

Litio Well, I haue tolde you my minde Sir, doe you as you pleaſe.

Exeunt: Damon and Pſiteria come in.

Scena sexta.

DAMON. PSITERIA.

COme hither you olde kallat, you tatling huſwife, that the deuill cut oute your tong: tell me, howe could Paſiphilo know of this géere but by you?

Pſiteria Sir, he neuer knewe it of me, he was the firſte that tolde me of it.

Dalio Thou lieſt old drabbe, but I would aduiſe you tel me the truth, or I wil make thoſe old bones rattle in your ſkin.

Pſiteria Sir, if you finde me contrarie, kill me.

Dalio Why? where ſhould he talke with thée?

Pſiteria He talked with me of it here in the ſtreete.

Dalio What did you here?

Pſiteria I was going to the weauers for a webbe of clothe you haue there.

Dalio And what cauſe coulde Paſiphilo haue to talke of it, vnleſſe thou began the mater firſt?

Pſiteria Nay, he began with me ſir, reuiling me, bycauſe I had tolde you of it: I aſked him how he knewe of it, and he ſaid he was in the ſtable when you examined me ere while.

Dalio Alas, alas, what ſhall I doe then? in at dores olde whore, I wil plucke that tong of thine out by the rootes one day. Alas it gréeueth me more that Paſiphilo knoweth it, than all the reſt. He that will haue a thing kept ſecrete, let him tell it to Paſiphilo: the people ſhall knowe it, and as many as haue eares and no mo. By this time he hath tolde it in a hundreth places. Cleander was the firſte, Eroſtrato the ſeconde, and ſo from one to another throughout the citie. Alas, what dower, what mariage ſhall I nowe prepare for my daughter? O poore dolorous Damon, more miſerable than miſerie it ſelfe,^[122] would God it were true that Polyneſta tolde me ere while: that he who hathe deflowred hir, is of no ſeruile eſtate, (as hitherto he hath bene ſuppoſed in my ſeruice) but that he is a gentleman borne of a good parentage in Sicilia. Alas, ſmall riches ſhoulde content me, if he be but of an honeſt familie: but I feare that he hathe deuiſed theſe toyes to allure my daughters loue. Well I wil goe examine hir againe, my minde giueth me that I ſhall perceiue by hir tale whether it be true or not. But is not this Paſiphilo that cōmeth out of my neighbours houſe? what the deuill ayleth him to leape and laughe ſo like a foole in y^e high way?

Paſiphilo commeth out of the towne laughing.

Scena septima.

PHILOGANO. DAMON

O God, that I might finde Damon at home.

Dalio What the diuill would he with me?

Paſiphilo That I may be the firſte that ſhall bring him theſe newes.

Dalio What will he tell me, in the name of God?

Paſiphilo O Lord, how happie am I? loke where he is.

Dalio What newes Paſiphilo, that thou arte ſo merie?

Paſiphilo Sir I am mery to make you glad: I bring you ioyfull newes.

Dalio And that I haue nede of Paſiphilo.

Paſiphilo I knowe ſir, that you are a ſorowfull man for this miſhap that hath chaunced in your houſe, peraduenture you thoughte I had not knowen of it. But let it paſſe, plucke vp your ſprits, and reioyce: for he that hath done you this iniurie is ſo well borne, and hath ſo riche parents, that you may be glad to make him your ſonne in law.

Dalio How knoweſt thou?

Paſiphilo His father Philogano one of the worthieſt men in all Cathanea, is nowe come to the citie, and is here in your neighbours houſe.

Dalio What, in Eroſtratos houſe?

Paſiphilo Nay in Dulipos houſe: for where you haue alwayes ſuppoſed this gentlemā to be Eroſtrato, it is not ſo, but your ſeruaunt whom you haue empriſoned hitherto, ſuppoſed to be Dulipo, he is in dede Eroſtrato: and that other is Dulipo. And thus they haue alwayes, euen ſince their firſt ariual in this citie, exchaunged names, to the ende that Eroſtrato the maiſter, vnder y^e name of Dulipo a ſeruant, might be entertained in your houſe, & ſo winne the loue of your daughter.

Dalio Wel, then I perceiue it is euē as Polineſta told me.

Paſiphilo Why, did ſhe tell you ſo?

Dalio Yea: But I thought it but a tale.

Paſiphilo Well, it is a true tale: and here they will be with you by and by: both Philogano this worthie man, and maiſter doctor Cleander.

Dalio Cleander? what to doe?

Paſiphilo Cleander? Why therby lies another tale, the moſte fortunate aduenture that euer you heard: wot you what? this other Dulipo, whome all this while we ſuppoſed to be Eroſtrato, is founde to be the ſonne of Cleander, whome he loſt at the loſſe of Otranto, and was after ſolde in Sicilia too this Philogano the ſtrangeſt caſe that euer you heard: a mā might make a Comedie of it. They wil come euen ſtraight, and tell you the whole circumſtance of it themſelues.

Dalio Nay I will firſt goe heare the ſtorie of this Dulipo, be it Dulipo or Eroſtrato that I haue here within, before I ſpeake with Philogano.

Paſiphilo So ſhall you doe well ſir, I will goe tell them that they may ſtay a while, but loke where they come.

Damon goeth in, Sceneſe, Cleander and Philogano come vpon the ſtage.

Scena. viij.

SCENESE. CLEANDER. PHILOGANO.

SIr, you ſhal not nede to excuſe y^e matter any further, ſince I haue receiued no greater iniurie than by words, let thē paſſe like wind, I take them well in worthe: and am rather well pleaſed than offended: for it ſhall bothe be a good warning to me another time howe to truſt euery man at the firſt ſighte, yea, and I ſhall haue good game here after to tel this pleaſant ſtory another day in mine owne countrey.

Cleander Gentleman, you haue reaſon: and be you ſure, that as many as heare it, will take great pleaſure in it. And you Philogano may thinke, that god in heauen aboue, hath ordained your comming hither at this preſent to the ende I mighte recouer my loſt ſonne, whom by no other meanes I coulde euer haue founde oute.

Philogano Surely ſir I thinke no leſſe, for I think that not ſo much as a leafe falleth from the trée, without the ordinance of god. But let vs goe ſeke Damon, for me thinketh euery day a yeare, euery houre a daye, and euery minute to much till I ſée my Eroſtrato.

Cleander I cannot blame you, goe we then. Carino take you that gentleman home in the meane time, the fewer the better to be preſent at ſuch affaires.

Paſiphilo ſtayeth their going in.

Scena .ix.

PHILOGANO CLEANDER.

MAiſter doctor, will you not ſhew me this fauour, to tell me the cauſe of your diſpleaſure?

Cleander Gentle Paſiphilo, I muſte néedes confeſſe I haue done thée wrong, and that I beleued tales of thée, whiche in déede I finde now contrary.

Paſiphilo I am glad then that it procéedee rather of ignorance than of malice.

Cleander Yea beleue me Paſiphilo.

Paſiphilo O ſir, but yet you ſhoulde not haue giuen me ſuche foule wordes.

Cleander Well, content thy ſelfe Paſiphilo, I am thy frende as I haue alwayes bene: for proofe whereof, come ſuppe with me to night, & from day to day this ſeuen night be thou my gueſt. But beholde, here cōmeth Damō out of his houſe.

Here they come all togither

Scena decima.

CLEANDER. PHILOGANO. DAMON. EROSTRATO. PASIPHILO. POLINESTA. NEVOLA. and other ſeruaunts.

WE are come vnto you ſir, to turne you ſorowe into ioy and gladneſſe: the ſorow, we meane, that of force you haue ſuſtained ſince this miſhappe of late fallen in your houſe. But be you of good comforte ſir, and aſſure your ſelfe, that this yong man which youthfully and not maliciouſly hath commited this amorons offence, is verie well able (with conſent of this worthie man his father) to make you ſufficient amendes: being borne in Cathanea of Sicilia, of a noble houſe, no way inferiour vnto you, and of wealth (by y^e reporte of ſuche as knowe it) farre excéeding that of yours.

Philogano And I here in proper perſon, doe preſente vnto you ſir, not onely my aſſured frendſhip and brotherhoode, but do earneſtly deſire you to accepte my poore childe (though vnworthy) as your ſonne in lawe: and for recompence of the iniurie he hath done you, I profer my whole lands in dower to your daughter: yea and more would, if more I might.

Cleander And I ſir, who haue hitherto ſo earneſtly deſired your daughter in mariage, doe now willingly yelde vp and quite claime to this yong man, who both for his yeares and for the loue he beareth hir, is moſt méeteſt to be hir huſbād. For wher I was deſirous of a wife by whom I might haue yſſue, to leaue that litle which god hath ſent me: now haue I litle néede, that (thankes be to god) haue founde my déerely beloued ſonne, whō I loſte of a childe at y^e ſiege of Otranto.

Dalio Worthy gentlemā, your friendſhip, your alliaunce, and the nobilitie of your birthe are ſuche, as I haue muche more cauſe to deſire them of you than you to requeſt of me that which is already graunted. Therfore I gladly, and willingly receiue the ſame, and thinke my ſelfe moſte happie now of all my life paſt, that I haue gottē ſo toward a ſonne in lawe to my ſelfe, and ſo worthye a father in lawe to my daughter: yea and muche the greater is my contentation, ſince this worthie gentleman maiſter Cleander, doth holde himſelfe ſatiſfied. And now behold your ſonne.

Eroſtrato O father.

Paſiphilo Beholde the naturall loue of the childe to the father: for inwarde ioye he cannot pronounce one worde, in ſteade wherof he ſendeth ſobbes and teares to tell the effect of his inward inuention. But why doe you abide here abrode? wil it pleaſe you to goe into the houſe ſir?

Dalio Paſiphilo hath ſaide well: will it pleaſe you to goe in ſir?

Nevola Here I haue brought you ſir, bothe fetters & boltes.

Dalio Away with them now.

Nevola Yea, but what ſhal I doe with them?

Dalio Marie I will tell thée Neuola: to make a righte ende of our ſuppoſes, lay one of thoſe boltes in the fire, and make thée a ſuppoſitorie as long as mine arme, God ſaue the ſample. Nobles and gentlemen, if you ſuppoſe that our ſuppoſes haue giuen you ſufficient cauſe of delighte, ſhewe ſome token, whereby we may ſuppoſe you are content.

Et plauſerunt.