Supposes

ThePoſies of GeorgeGaſcoigne Eſquire.Corrected,perfected, andaugmented by the Authour. 1575.

TamMarti, quàm Mercurio.

IMPRINTED AT London by H. Bynneman for Richard Smith.

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

❧ HEARBES.

Epigraph:

TamMarti quàm Mercurio.

In this diuiſion are conteyned:

TheComedie called Suppoſes. Folio.1.

TheTragedie called Iocaſta. Fol.73

Thefruite of Reconciliation. 129

Theforce of true Frendſhip. 131

Theforce of Loue in Strangers. 132

Thepraiſe of browne beautie. 134

ThePartrich and the Merlyn. 135

Thevertue of Ver. 136

Thecomplainte of a Dame in abſence. 138

Thepraiſe of a Coūteſſe.139

Theaffectiōof a louer. 140

Thecomplainte of a Dame ſuſpected. 141

ARiddle. 143

Theſhield of Loue. 144

Thegloze vpon Dominusijs opus habet. 145

Gaſcoignescounſel to Diue. Fol.148

Gaſcoignescounſel to Wythipole. 151

Gaſcoygneswoodmanſhip. Fol. 156

Gaſcoignsgardenings. 160

Gaſcoignsiourney into Hollande. 163

SVPPOSES:A Comedie vvritten in the Italian tongue by Ariosto, Engliſhed byGeorge Gaſcoygne of Grayes Inne Eſquire, and there preſented.1566.

Thenames of the Actors.

BAlia, theNurſe.

Polyneſta, theyong woman.

Cleander, theDoctor, ſuter to Polyneſta.

Paſyphilo, theParaſite.

Carion, theDoctors man.

Dulypo, faynedſeruant and louer of Polyneſta.

Eroſtrato, faynedmaſter and ſuter to Polyneſta.

Dalio& Crapyno ſeruantesto fayned Eroſtrato.

Scenaeſe, agentleman ſtranger.

Paquetto& Petrucio hisſeruantes.

Damon, fatherto Polineſta.

Neuola, andtwo other his ſeruants.

Pſyteria, anolda hag in his houſe.

Phylogano, a Scycilian gentleman,father to Eroſtrato.

Lytio, hisſeruant.

Ferrareſe, anInkéeper of Ferrara.

TheComedie preſented as it were in Ferrara.

ThePrologue or argument.

I Suppoſeyou are aſſembled here, ſuppoſing to reape the fruite of mytrauayles: and to be playne, I meane preſently to preſente youvvith a Comedie called Suppoſes: the verye name vvherof mayperaduenture driue into euery of your heades a ſundry Suppoſe, toſuppoſe, the meaning of our ſuppoſes. Some percaſe vvill ſuppoſevve meane to occupie your eares vvith ſophiſticall handling ofſubtill Suppoſitions. Some other vvil ſuppoſe vve go about todiſcipher vnto you ſome queint conceiptes, vvhich hitherto hauebene onely ſuppoſed as it vvere in ſhadovves: and ſome I ſeeſmyling as though they ſuppoſed vve vvould trouble you vvith thevaine ſuppoſe of ſome vvanton Suppoſe. But vnderſtand, this ourSuppoſe is nothing elſe but a myſtaking or imagination of onething for an other. For you ſhall ſee the maſter ſuppoſed forthe ſeruant, the ſeruant for the maſter: the freeman for a ſlaue,and the bondſlaue for a freeman: the ſtranger for a vvell knovvenfriend, and the familiar for a ſtranger. But vvhat? I ſuppoſe thateuen already you ſuppoſe me very fonde, that haue ſo ſimplydiſcloſed vnto you the ſubtilties of theſe our Suppoſes: vvhereothervviſe in deede I ſuppoſe you ſhoulde haue hearde almoſtethe laſte of our Suppoſes, before you coulde haue ſuppoſed anyeof them arighte. Let this then ſuffiſe.

primus. Scena. 1.

BALIA,the Nurſe. POLYNESTA, the yong vvoman.

HEreis no body, come foorth Polyneſta, letvs looke about, to be ſure leaſt any man heare our talke: for Ithinke within the houſe the tables, the plankes, the beds, theportals, yea and the cupbords them ſelues haue eares.

PolineſtaYou might as well haue ſayde, the windowes and the doores: do younot ſée howe they harken?

BaliaWell you ieſt faire, but I would aduiſe you take héede, I hauebidden you a thouſande times beware: you will be ſpied one daytalking with Dulippo.

PolineſtaAnd why ſhould I not talke with Dulippo, aswell as with any other, I pray you?

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

PolineſtaA great miſhappe I promiſe you: marie Gods bleſſing on theirheart that ſette ſuche a brouche on my cappe.

BaliaWell, looke well about you: a man would thinke it were inough for youſecretly to reioyce, that by my helpe you haue paſſed ſo manypleaſant nightes togither: and yet by my trouth I do it more thanhalfe agaynſt my will, for I would rather you had ſetled yourfanſie in ſome noble familie yea and it is no ſmall griefe vntome, that (reiecting the ſuites of ſo many nobles and gentlemen) youhaue choſen for your darling a poore ſeruaunt of your fathers, bywhome ſhame and infamie is the beſt dower you can looke for toattayne.

PolineſtaAnd I pray you whome may I thanke but gentle nourſe? thatcontinually prayſing him, what for his perſonage, his curteſie,and aboue all, the extreme paſſions of his minde, in fine you wouldneuer ceaſe till I accepted him, delighted in him, and at lengthdeſired him with no leſſe affection, than he earſt deſired me.

BaliaI 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 continuallyhe neuer ceaſſed to fill mine eares with lamentable complaynts.

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

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

PolineſtaNo 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 taleanone.

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

PolineſtaNay rather the author of my good happe (gentle Nourſe) for I wouldthou kneweſt I loue not Dulipo, norany of ſo meane eſtate, but haue beſtowed my loue more worthilythan thou déemeſt: but I will ſay no more at this time.

BaliaThen I am glad you haue changed your minde yet.

PolineſtaNay I neither haue changed, nor will change it.

BaliaThen I vnderſtande you not, how ſayde you?

PolineſtaMary I ſay that I loue not Dulipo, norany ſuche as he, and yet I neither haue changed nor wil change myminde.

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

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

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

PolineſtaWell, it is of greater importance than you thinke Nourſe: yet wouldI tell it you vnder condition and promiſe that you ſhall not tellit agayne, nor giue any ſigne or token to be ſuſpected that youknow it.

BaliaI promiſe you of my honeſtie, ſay on.

PolineſtaWell heare you me then: this yong man whome you haue alwayes takenfor Dulipo, isa noble borne Sicilian, hisright name Eroſtrato, ſonneto Philogano, oneof the worthieſt men in that countrey.

BaliaHow Eroſtrato? isit not our neighbour, whiche?

PolineſtaHolde thy talking nourſe, and harken to me, that I may explane thewhole caſe vnto thée. The man whome to this day you haue ſuppoſedto be Dulipo, is(as I ſay) Eroſtrato, agentleman that came from Sicilia toſtudie in this Citie, & euen at his firſt arriuall met me inthe ſtréet, fel enamored of me, & of ſuche vehement force werethe paſſions he ſuffred, that immediatly he caſt aſide both longgowne and bookes, & determined on me only to apply his ſtudy.And to the end he might the more cōmodiouſly bothe ſée me andtalke with me, he exchanged both name, habite, clothes and creditewith his ſeruāt Dulipo (whomonly he brought with him out of Sicilia)and ſo with the turning of a hand, of Eroſtrato agentleman, he became Dulipo aſeruing man, and ſoone after ſought ſeruice of my father, andobteyned it.

BaliaAre you ſure of this?

PolineſtaYea out of doubt: on the other ſide Dulippo tookevppon him the name of Eroſtrato hismaiſter, the habite, the credite, bookes, and all things néedefullto a ſtudente, and in ſhorte ſpace profited very muche, and isnowe eſtéemed as you ſée.

Balia

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

PolineſtaVery fewe that paſſe this way, and fewe or none that tarrie héereany time.

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

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

BaliaDaughter you haue reaſon, but let vs go in before he come anynéerer.

Polyneſtagoeth in, and Balya ſtayeth a little vvhyle after, ſpeaking avvorde or tvvo to the doctor, and then departeth.

2.

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

theſe dames héere, or did mine eyes dazil?

Nay ſyr héere were Polyneſta andhir nourſe.

Was my Polyneſta héere?alas I knewe hir not.

BaliaHe muſte haue better eyeſight that ſhoulde marryyour Polyneſta, orelſe he may chaunce to ouerſée the beſt poynt in his tablesſometimes.

PaſiphiloSyr it is no maruell, the ayre is very miſtie too day: I my ſelfeknew hir better by hir apparell than by hir face.

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

How can it be otherwiſe? you are but yong.

I am fiftie yeres olde.

He telles ten leſſe than he is.

What ſayſt thou of ten leſſe?

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

I am no leſſe than I tell.

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

Why is Paſiphilo aChiromancer?

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

Here it is.

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

Thou wouldeſt ſay, Methuſalem.

Why is it not all one?

I perceiue you are no very good Bibler Paſiphilo.

PaſiphiloYes ſir an excellent good Bibbeler, ſpecially in a bottle: Oh whata mounte of Venus here is? but this lighte ſerueth not very well, Iwill beholde it an other day, when the ayre is clearer, and tell youſomewhat, peraduenture to your contentation.

CleanderYou ſhal do me great pleaſure: but tell me, I praythée Paſiphilo, whomedoſte thou thinke Polyneſta likethbetter, Eroſtrato orme?

PaſiphiloWhy? you out of doubt: She is a gentlewoman of a noble minde, andmaketh greater accompte of the reputation ſhe ſhall haue inmarrying your worſhip, than that poore ſcholer, whoſe birthe andparentage God knoweth, and very fewe elſe.

Yet he taketh it vpon him brauely in this countrey.

PaſiphiloYea, where no man knoweth the contrarie: but let him braue it, boſthis birth, and do what he can, the vertue and knowledge that iswithin this body of yours, is worth more than all the countrey hecame from.

CleanderIt becommeth not a man to praiſe him ſelfe: but in déede I mayſay, (and ſay truely,) that my knowledge hath ſtoode me in betterſteade at a pinche, than coulde all the goodes in the worlde. I cameout of Otranto whenthe Turkes wonne it, and firſt I came to Padua, afterhither, where by reading, counſailing, and pleading, within twentieyeares. I haue gathered and gayned as good as ten thouſande Ducats.

PaſiphiloYea mary, this is the righte knowledge: Philoſophie, Poetrie,Logike, and all the reſt, are but pickling ſciences in compariſonto this.

CleanderBut pyckling in déede, whereof we haue a verſe: Thetrade of Lavve doth fill the boyſtrous bagges, They ſvvimme inſilke, vvhen others royſt in ragges.

O excellent verſe, who made it? Virgil?

Virgil? tuſheit is written in one of our gloſes.

PaſiphiloSure who ſoeuer wrote it, the morall is excellent, and worthy to bewritten in letters of golde. But too the purpoſe: I thinke you ſhallneuer recouer the wealth that you loſte at Otranto.

CleanderI 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 yeresolde.

O great pitie.

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

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

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

PaſiphiloAlas, I could weepe for compaſſion, but there is no remedy butpatience, you ſhall get many by this yong damſell with the grace ofGod.

Yea, if I get hir.

Get hir? why doubt you of that?

Why? hir father holds me off with delayes, ſo that I muſt needesdoubt.

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

CleanderAnd haſt thou not tolde him that I would make his Daughter a dowerof two thouſand Ducates?

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

What ſaid he?

Nothing, but that Eroſtrato hadprofered the like.

Eroſtrato? howcan he make any dower, and his father yet aliue?

PaſiphiloThinke you I did not tell him ſo? yes I warrāt you, I forgotnothing that may furder your cauſe: & doubte younot, Eroſtrato ſhalneuer haue hir vnleſſe it be in a dreame.

CleanderWell gentle Paſiphilo, gothy wayes and tell Damon Irequire nothing but his daughter: I wil none of his goods: I ſhalenrich hir of mine owne: & if this dower of two thouſand Ducatesſeem not ſufficiēt, I wil make it fiue hundreth more, yea athouſand, or what ſo euer he wil demaūd rather thē faile: goto Paſiphilo, ſhewthy 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.

Where ſhall I come to you againe?

At my houſe.

When?

When thou wilte.

Shall I come at dinner time?

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

Faſte till thou famiſhe.

Harke.

He ſpeaketh of a dead mans faſte.

Thou heareſt me not.

Nor thou vnderſtandeſt me not.

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

What? think you I know not where to dine?

Yes Paſiphilo thouart not to ſéeke.

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

CleanderThat I knowe well enough Paſiphilo, butthou canſt not be better welcome in any place than to me, I willtarrie for thée.

Well, ſince you will néedes, I will come.

Diſpatche then, and bring no newes but good.

Better than my rewarde by the rood.

exit, Paſiphilo reſtat.

iij.

PASIPHILO.DVLIPO.

O Miſerablecouetous wretche, he findeth an excuſe by S. Nicolas faſt, bicauſeI ſhould not dine with him, as though I ſhould dine at his ownediſhe: he maketh goodly feaſts I promiſe you, it is no wonderthough hée thinke me bounde vnto him for my fare: for ouer andbeſides that his prouiſion is as ſkant as may be, yet there isgreat difference betwéene his diet and mine. I neuer ſo much asſippe of the wine that he taſteth, I féede at the bordes ende withbrowne bread: Marie I reach always to his owne diſhe, for there areno more but that only on the table. Yet he thinks that for one ſuchdinner I am bound to do him al the ſeruice that I can, and thinks meſufficiently rewarded for all my trauell, with one ſuche feſtiuallpromotion. And yet peraduenture ſome men thinke I haue great gainesvnder him: but I may ſay and ſweare, that this doſen yéere I hauenot gayned ſo muche in value as the points at my hoſe (whiche arebut thrée with codpéece poynt and al): he thinkes that I may féedevpon his fauour and faire wordes: but if I could not otherwiſeprouide for one, Paſiphilo werein a wyſe caſe. Paſiphilo hathmo paſtures to paſſe in than one, I warrant you: I am of houſholdewith this ſcholer Eroſtrato, (hisriuale) as well as with DomineCleander: nowewith the one, and then with the other, according as I ſée theirCaters prouide good chéere at the market: and I finde the meanes ſoto handle the matter, that I am welcome too bothe. If the one ſéeme talke with the other, I make him beleeue it is to harken newes inthe furtherance of his cauſe: and thus I become a broker on botheſides. 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 ſéemeto worke wonders on eche hande. But is not this oneof Damons ſeruantsthat commeth foorth? it is: of him I ſhall vnderſtand where hismaſter is. Whither goeth this ioyly gallant?

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

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

I haue no commiſſion to bring ſo many.

How many? I will come alone.

How canſt thou come alone, that haſt continually a legion ofrauening wolues within thée?

Thou doeſt (as ſeruants commonly doe) hate al that loue to viſitetheir maiſters.

And why?

Bicauſe they haue too many téeth as you thinke.

Nay bicauſe they haue to many tongues.

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

I ſpeake but merily with you Paſiphilo, goein, my maiſter is ready to dine.

What? dineth he ſo earely?

He that riſeth early, dineth early.

PaſiphiloI would I were his man, maiſter doctor neuer dineth till noone, andhow dilicately then God knoweth. I wil he bolde to goe in, for Icount my ſelfe bidden.

You were beſt ſo.

Paſiphilointrat. Dulipo reſtat.

Hardhap had I when I firſt began this vnfortunate enterpriſe: for Iſuppoſed the readieſt medicine to my miſerable affects had beneto change name, clothes, & credite with my ſeruant, & toplace 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 paſſionsfinde remedie by their contraries, ſo my reſt leſſe deſire mighthaue founde quiet by continuall contemplation. But alas, I find thatonly loue is vnſaciable: for as the flie playeth with the flame tillat laſt ſhe is cauſe of hir owne decay, ſo the louer thatthinketh with kiſſing and colling to content his vnbrideledapetite, 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: ofwhom I haue receiued as much fauour & grace as euer man founde inhis 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) tolie with hir. I reape the fruites of my deſire: yet as my ioyesabounde, euen ſo my paines encreaſe. I fare like the couetous man,that hauing all the world at will, is neuer yet content: the more Ihaue, the more I deſire. Alas, what wretched eſtate haue I broughtmy ſelfe vnto, if in the ende of all my farre fetches, ſhe be giuenby hir father to this olde doting doctor, this buzard, this bribingvillaine, that by ſo many meanes ſeeketh to obtain hir at hirfathers hāds? I know ſhe loueth me beſt of all others, but whatmay that preuaile when perforce ſhe ſhalbe cōſtrained to marieanother? Alas, the pleaſant taſt of my ſugred ioyes doth yetremaine ſo perfect in my remēbrance, that the leaſt ſoppe ofſorow ſéemeth more ſoure thā gal in my mouth. If I had neuerknowen delight, with better contentatiō might I haue paſſed theſedreadful dolours. And if this olde Mumpſimus (whomthe pockes conſume) ſhould win hir, then may I ſay, farewell thepleaſant talke, the kind embracings, yea farewel the ſight ofmy Polyneſtat forhe like a ielouſe wretch will pen hir vp, that I thinke the birdesof the aire ſhall not winne the ſighte of hir. I hoped to hauecaſte a blocke in his waie, by the meanes that my ſeruaunt (who isſuppoſed to be Eroſtrato, andwith my habite and credite is wel eſtéemed) ſhould proffer himſelfa ſuter, at the leaſt to counteruaile the doctors proffers. But mymaiſter knowing the wealth of the one, and doubting the ſtate ofthe other, is determined to be fed no longer with faire wordes, butto accept the doctor, (whom he right well knoweth) for his ſonne inlaw. Wel, my ſeruant promiſed me yeſterday to deuiſe yet againeſome newe conſpiracie to driue maiſter doctor out of conceite, andto laye a ſnare that the foxe himſelfe might be caughte in: what itis, I knowe not, nor I ſaw him not ſince he went about it: I willgoe ſée if he be within, that at leaſt if he helpe me not, be mayeyet prolong my life for this once. But here commeth his lackie: hoIack pack, where is Eroſtrato?

Heremuſt Crapine be comming in with a baſket and a ſticke in hishand.

iiij.

CRAPINOthe Lackie. DVLIPO.

he is in his ſkinne.

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

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

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

In déede?

Tarry me a little.

In faith ſir I haue no leiſure.

Shall we trie who can runne faſteſt?

Your legges be longer than mine, you ſhould haue giuen me theaduauntage.

Go to, tell me where is Eroſtrato?

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

DulipoIf thou ſée him, tell him I muſt needes ſpeake with himimmediatly: or abide awhyle, I will go ſeeke him my ſelfe, ratherthan he ſuſpected by going to his houſe.

departeth, and Dulipo alſo: after Dulipo commeth in agayne ſeekingEroſtrato.

Actus. 1.

ij. Scena. j.

DVLIPO.EROSTRATO.

I Thinkeif I had as many eyes as Argus, Icoulde not haue ſought a man more narrowly in euery ſtréete andeuery by lane, there are not many Gentlemen, ſcholers, norMarchauntes in the Citie of Ferara, butI haue mette with them, excepte him: peraduenture hée is come homean other way: but looke where he commeth at the laſt.

In good time haue I ſpied my good maiſter.

DulipoFor the loue of God call me Dulipo (notmaſter,) maintayne the credite that thou haſte hitherto kepte, andlet me alone.

Yet ſir let me ſometimes do my duetie vnto you, eſpecially whereno body heareth.

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

Good.

In déede?

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

Oh, how happie were I if this were true?

EroſtratoHeare you me, yeſternight in the euening I walked out, andfounde Paſiphilo, andwith ſmall entreating I had him home to ſupper, where by ſuchemeanes as I vſed, he became my great friend, and tolde me the wholeorder of our aduerſaries determination: yea and what Damon dothintende to do alſo, and hath promiſed me that frō time to time,what he can eſpie he will bring me word of it.

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

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

And what was it in effect?

EroſtratoThat Damon hadpurpoſed to giue his daughter in mariage to this doctor, vpō thedower that he hath profered.

Are theſe your good newes? your excellent newes?

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

DulipoWell, ſay on.

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

Well ſayde.

Abide, you heare not the worſt yet.

O God, is there any worſſe behinde?

EroſtratoWorſſe? why what aſſurance coulde you ſuppoſe that I might makewithout ſome ſpeciall conſent from Philogano myfather?

DulipoNay you can tell, you are better ſcholer than I.

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

Leaue thy ieſting, and procéede.

EroſtratoI ſayd further, that I receyued letters lately from my father,whereby I vnderſtoode that he woulde be héere very ſhortly toperforme all that I had profered: therefore I required him torequeſt Damon onmy behalf, that he would ſtay his promiſe to the doctor for afourtnight or more.

DulipoThis is ſomewhat yet, for by this meanes I ſhal be ſure to lingerand liue in hope one fourtnight longer: but, at the fourthnights endewhen Philogano commethnot, how ſhall I then do? yea and though he came, howe may I any wayhope of his conſent, when he ſhall ſée, that to follow thisamorous enterpriſe, I haue ſet aſide all ſtudie, all remembraunceof my duetie, and all dread of ſhame. Alas, alas, I may go hang myſelfe.

EroſtratoComforte your ſelfe man, and truſt in me: there is a ſlaue foreuery ſore, and doubt you not, to this miſchéefe we ſhall finde aremedie.

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

EroſtratoWell harken a while then: this morning I tooke my horſe and rodeinto the fieldes to ſolace my ſelf, and as I paſſed the foordebeyonde S.Anthonies gate,I met at the foote of the hill a gentleman riding with two or thréemen: and as me thought by his habite and his lookes, he ſhould benone of the wiſeſt. He ſaluted me, and I him: I aſked him fromwhence he came, and whither he would? he anſwered that he had comefrom Venice, thenfrom Padua, nowewas going to Ferrara, andſo to his countrey, whiche is Scienna: Asſoone as I knewe him to be a Sceneſe, ſodenlylifting vp mine eyes, (as it were with an admiration) I ſayd vntohim, are you a Sceneſe, andcome to Farrara? whynot, ſayde he: quoth I (, halfe and more with a trembling voyce)know you the daunger that ſhould enſue if you be knownein Ferrara tobe a Sceneſe? hemore than halfe amaſed, deſired me earneſtly to tell him what Iment.

I vnderſtande not wherto this tendeth.

I beléeue you: but harken to me.

Go too then.

EroſtratoI anſwered him in this ſorte: Gentleman, bycauſe I haue heretoforefounde very curteous entertaynement in your countrey, (béeing aſtudēt there,) I accompt my ſelf as it were bounde toa Sceneſe: andtherefore if I knewe of any miſhappe towards any of that countrey,God forbid but I ſhould diſcloſe it: and I maruell that you knewenot of the iniurie that your countreymen offered this other day tothe Embaſſadours of Counte Hercules.

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

EroſtratoIf you will harken a whyle, you ſhall finde them no tales, but thatthey appertayne to you more than you thinke for.

Foorth.

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

DulipoWhither the diuell wil he? is it poſſible that this geareappertaine any thing to my cauſe? I finde neither head nor foote init.

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

Go to yet a while then.

EroſtratoI procéeded, that vpon theſe cauſes the Duke ſent his Chauncelorto declare the caſe vnto the Senate there, of whome he had the moſtevncurteous anſwere that euer was heard: whervpon he was ſo enragedwith all of that countrey, that for reuenge he had ſworne to ſpoyleas many of them as euer ſhould come to Ferara, andto ſende them home in their dublet and their hoſe.

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

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

I would fayne heare you conclude.

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

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

EroſtratoFurther I ſayde, the duke had charged vpon great penalties, that theInholders and vitlers ſhoulde bring worde dayly of asmany Sceneſes ascame to their houſes. The gentleman béeing (as I geſſed at thefirſt) a mā of ſmal ſapientia, whenhe heard theſe newes, would haue turned his horſe an other way.

DulipoBy likelyhoode he was not very wiſe when hée would beleeue that ofhis countrey, which if it had bene true euery man muſt néedes haueknowen it.

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

Belike he was of ſmall experience.

EroſtratoI 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 harkenI pray you.

Make an ende I pray thée.

EroſtratoHe, as I ſay, when he hard theſe words, would haue turned thebridle: and I fayning a countenance as though I were ſomewhatpenſiue and carefull for him, pauſed a while, & after with agreat ſighe ſaide to him: Gentleman, for the curteſie that (as Iſaid) I haue found in your countrey, & bicauſe your affairesſhall be the better diſpatched, I will finde the meanes to lodgeyou in my houſe, and you ſhal ſay to euery mā, that you area Sicilian of Cathanea, yourname Philogano, fatherto me that am in déede of that countrey and citie, calledhere Eroſtrato. AndI (to pleaſure you) will (during your abode here) do you reuerenceas you were my father.

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

Well, and how like you of it?

Indifferently, but one thing I doubt.

What is that?

DulipoMarie, that when he hath bene here twoo or thrée dayes, he ſhalheare of euery man that there is no ſuch thing betwene the Duke andthe Towne of Sciene.

EroſtratoAs for that let me alone, I doe entertaine and will entertaine him ſowell, that within theſe two or thrée daies I will diſcloſe vntohim all the whole matter, and doubte not but to bring him in forperformance of as muche as I haue promiſed to Damon: forwhat hurte can it be to him, when he ſhall binde a ſtrange name andnot his owne?

DulipoWhat, thinke you he will be entreated to ſtande bounde for a dowerof two thouſand Ducates by the yéere?

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

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

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

And where haue you left him?

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

Why brought you him not with you?

I thought better to vſe your aduiſe firſt.

Well, goe take him home, make him all the chéere you can, ſpare forno coſt, I will alowe it.

Content, looke where he commeth.

DulipoIs this he? goe méete him, by my trouthe he lookes euen lyke a goodſoule, he that fiſheth for him, mighte bée ſure to catche a codsheade: I will reſt here a while to diſcipher him.

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

ij.

TheSCENESE. PAQVETTO & PETRVCIO his ſeruāts. EROSTRATO.

that trauaileth in this worlde paſſeth by many perilles.

PaſiphiloYou ſaye true ſir, if the boate had bene a little more laden thismorning at the ferrie, wée had bene all drowned, for I thinke, thereare none of vs that could haue ſwomme.

I ſpeake not of that.

PaſiphiloO you meane the foule waye that we had ſince wée came fromthis Padua, Ipromiſe you, I was afraide twice or thrice, that your mule wouldhaue lien faſt in the mire.

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

PaſiphiloA great peril I promiſe you, that we were no ſooner ariued, but youfounde a frende that brought you from the Inne, and lodged you in hisowne houſe.

SceneſeYea marie, God rewarde the gentle yong man that we mette, for elſewe had bene in a wiſe caſe by this time. But haue done withtheſe tales, and take you héede, & you alſo ſirra, take héedethat none of you ſaie we be Sceneſes, andremember that you call me Philogano of Cathanea.

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

I ſay, Cathanea, andnot Haecanea, witha vengeance.

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

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

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

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

Welcome, my deare father Philogano.

Gramercie my good ſonne Eroſtrato.

That is well ſaide, be mindefull of your toung, fortheſe Ferareſes beas craftie as the Deuill of hell.

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

EroſtratoFor if you ſhould name Scene theywould ſpoile you immediatly, and turne you out of the towne, withmore ſhame, than I woulde ſhoulde befall you for a thouſandeCrownes.

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

EroſtratoYea and truſt not the ſeruauntes of my houſholde to far, for theyare Ferareſes all,and neuer knew my father, nor came neuer in Sicilia: thisis my houſe, will it pleaſe you to goe in? I will follow.

Theygoe in. Dulipo tarieth and eſpieth the Doctor comming in with hisman.

iij.

DVLIPOalone.

THisgeare hath had no euill beginning, if it continue ſo and fall tohappie ende. But is not this the ſilly Doctor with the ſide bonet,the doting foole, that dare preſume to become a ſuter to ſuch apéerleſſe Paragone? O how couetouſneſſe doth blind the commonſort of men. Damon moredeſirous of the dower, than mindfull of his gentle & gallantdaughter, hath determined to make him his Sonne in law, who for hisage may be his father in law: and hath greater reſpect to theabundance of goods, than to his owne naturall childe. He beareth wellin minde to fill his owne purſe, but he litle remembreth that hisdaughters purſe ſhalbe continually emptie, vnleſſe MaiſterDoctour fill it with double ducke egges. Alas: I ieſt and haue noioy, I will ſtand here aſide and laugh a litle at this lobcocke.

eſpieth the Doctor and his man comming.

iiij.

CARIONthe doctors man. CLEANDER. DVLIPO.

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

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

CarionAs though ſixe mouthes and the cat for the ſeuenth, bée notſufficient to eate an harlotrie ſhotterell, a pennieworth ofcheeſe, and halfe a ſcore ſpurlings: this is all the dainties youhaue dreſſed for you and your familie.

Ah gréedie gut, art thou afearde thou ſhalt want?

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

Shall I make ſome ſporte with this gallant? what ſhall I ſay tohim?

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

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

Heare and hyde? and why not fleſh and all?

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

She may thanke you then, for your good attendāce.

Nay ſhe may thanke you for your ſmall allowance.

In faith now let me alone.

Holde thy peace drunken knaue, and eſpie me Paſiphilo.

DulipoSince I can doe no better, I will ſet ſuch a ſtaunce betwéene himand Paſiphilo, thatall this towne ſhall not make them friendes.

CarionCould you not haue ſent to ſéeke him, but you muſt come yourſelfe? ſurely you come for ſome other purpoſe, for if you wouldhaue had Paſiphilo todinner, I warant you he would haue taried here an houre ſince.

CleanderHolde thy peace, here is one of Damons ſeruaunts, ofhim I ſhall vnderſtand where he is: good fellow art not thou oneof Damons ſeruaunts?

Yes ſir, at your knamandement.

Gramercie, tell me then, hath Paſiphilo benethere this day or no?

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

What laugheſt thou?

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

What?

Talke, that Paſiphilo hadwith my maſter this day.

What talke I pray thée?

I may not tell it.

Doth it concerne me?

Nay I will ſay nothing.

Tell me.

I can ſay no more.

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

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

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

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

He ſhall neuer know it, ſay on.

Yea, but what aſſurance ſhall I haue?

I lay thée my faith and honeſtie in paune.

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

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

Yea marie ſir, but where be they? but will you néedes haue me tellit vnto you?

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

Yes it is of you, and I would gladly tell it you, bicauſe I wouldnot haue ſuche a man of worſhip ſo ſcorned by a villaineribaulde.

I pray thée tell me then.

I will tell you ſo that you will ſweare neuer to tell itto Paſiphilo, tomy maiſter, nor to any other bodie.

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

I thinke I haue a booke here.

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

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

DulipoI will tell you, I am ſorie to ſee how Paſiphilo dothabuſe you, perſwading you that alwayes he laboureth for you, wherein déede, he lieth on my maiſter continually, as it were with toothand naile for a ſtraunger, a ſcholer, borne in Sicilia theycall him Roſcus orarſkiſſe, he hathe a madde name I can neuer hit vpon it.

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

DulipoThat ſame I ſhould neuer haue remembred it: and the villanyſpeaketh al the euill of you that can be deuiſed.

To whom?

To my maiſter, yea and to Polyneſta hirſelfeſometimes.

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

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

Sayeth Paſiphilo ſoby me?

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

That the Deuill take him elſe.

DulipoAnd that you are the teſtieſt man, & moſte diuers to pleaſein the whole worlde, ſo that he cannot pleaſe you vnleſſe heſhould euen kill himſelfe with continuall paine.

O deuiliſh tong.

Furthermore, that you cough continually and ſpit, ſo that a doggecannot abide it.

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

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

If I quite him not for this geare.

And that you are burſten in the cods.

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

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

What meaneth he by that?

Peraduenture that by hir beautie, you woulde entice many yong men toyour houſe.

Yong men? to what purpoſe?

Nay, geſſe you that.

Is it poſſible that Paſiphilo ſpeakeththus of me?

Yea, and much more.

And doth Damon beléeuehim?

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

How for his aduantage?

Marie, that during your ſute he might ſtill haue ſome rewarde forhis great paines.

CleanderHe ſhall haue a rope, and yet that is more than he deſerueth: I hadthought to haue giuen him theſe hoſe when I had worne them a litlenearer, but he ſhall haue a. &c.

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

Nay, I haue heard to much of thée already.

Then I will take my leaue of you.

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

Sir, they call me Foule fall you.

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

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

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

Why ſir, will you tarie for Paſiphilo tillwe die for hunger?

Trouble me not, that the Deuill take you both.

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

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

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

Goe with miſchaunce.

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

Actus. 2.

Actus.iij. Scena. j.

DALIOthe cooke. CRAPINE the lackie. EROSTRATO, DVLIPO.

BYthat time we come to the houſe, I truſte that of theſe xx. eggesin the baſket we ſhall find but very few whole. But it is a follyto talke to him. What the deuill, wilt thou neuer lay that ſtickeout of thy hande? he fighteth with the dogges, beateth the beares, ateuery thing in the ſtreate he findeth occaſion to tarie: if he ſpiea ſlipſtring by the waye ſuch another as himſelf, a Page, aLackie 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 muſtelooke backe for my yonker: goe to halter ſicke, if you breake oneegge I may chance breake, &c.

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

Ah beaſt.

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

DalioIs it euen ſo? is the winde in that doore? If I were vnloden I wouldtel you whether I be a horned beaſt or no.

You are alway laden either with wine or with ale.

Ah ſpitefull boy, ſhall I ſuffer him?

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

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

Tel him the worſt thou canſt by me.

What noiſe, what a rule is this?

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

The villaine lieth deadly, he reuiles me bicauſe I bid him makehaſt.

EroſtratoHolla: no more of this. Dalio, doeyou make in a readineſſe thoſe Pigeons, ſtock Doues, and alſothe breaſt of Veale: and let your veſſell be as cleare as glaſſeagainſt I returne, that I may tell you which I will haue roaſted, &which boyled. Crapine, ſaydowne that baſket and followe me. Oh that I coulde tell where tofinde Paſiphilo, butlooke where he commeth that can tell me of him.

What haue you done with Philogano yourfather?

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

DulipoHe dined this day with my maiſter, but whether he went from thence Iknow not, what would you with him?

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

DulipoO déere friend, goe thy wayes ſéeke Paſiphilo, findehim out, and conclude ſomewhat to our contentation.

But where ſhall I finde him?

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

What ſhould he doe with them?

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

In faith, and I will ſéeke there for him.

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

Whereat?

At certaine ſport I made to day with maſter doctor.

And why not now?

No it aſketh further leyſure, I pray thée diſpatche, and findeout Paſiphilo thathoneſt man.

tarieth.

goeth out.

ij.

DVLIPOalone.

THisamorous cauſe that hāgeth in cōtrouerſie betwene Dominedoctor &me, may be compared to thē that play at primero: of whō ſome oneperaduēture ſhal léeſe a great ſum of money before he win oneſtake, & at laſt halfe in anger ſhal ſet vp his reſt: winit: & after that another, another, & another, till at laſthe draw the moſt part of the money to his heape: y^e otherby litle & litle ſtil diminiſhing his reſt, til at laſt he become as néere the brinke, as earſt y^e otherwas: yet again peraduēture fortune ſmiling on him, he ſhal as itwere by péece meale, pull out the guts of his fellows bags, &bring him barer than he himſelfe was tofore, & ſo in playcontinue ſtil, (fortune fauoring now this way, now y^t way)til at laſt the one of thē is left with as many croſſes as Godhath brethren. O howe often haue I thoughte my ſelfe ſure of thevpper hande herein? but I triumphed before the victorie. And then howofte againe haue I thoughte the fielde loſte? Thus haue I béenetoſſed nowe ouer, nowe vnder, euen as fortune liſt to whirle thewhéele, neither ſure to winne nor certayne to looſe the wager. Andthis practiſe that nowe my ſeruaunte hath deuiſed, althoughhitherto it hath not ſucceeded amiſſe, yet can I not count myſelfe aſſured of it: for I feare ſtill that one miſchance orother wyll come and turne it topſie turuie. But looke where mymayſter commeth.

comming in, eſpieth Dulipo and calleth him.

iij.

DAMON.DVLIPO. NEVOLA, and two mo ſeruants.

Here ſir.

DalioGo in and bid Neuola andhis fellowes come hither that I may tell them what they ſhall goeabout, and go you into my ſtudie: there vpon the ſhelfe you ſhallfind 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.

It ſhall be done ſir.

DalioGo, I wil prepare other maner of writings for you thā you are awareof. O fooles that truſt any mā but themſelues now adaies: ohſpiteful fortune, thou doeſt me wrong I thinke, that from the depthof Hell pitte thou haſte ſente mée this ſeruaunt to be theſubuerſion of me and all mine. Come hither ſirs, and hearewhat I ſhal ſay vnto you: go into my ſtudie, where you ſhallfinde Dulipo, ſtepto him all at once, take him and (with a corde that I haue laide onthe table for the nonce) bind him hande and foote, carie him into thedungeon vnder the ſtayres, make faſte the dore & bring me thekey, it hangeth by vpon a pin on the wall. Diſpatche and doe thisgeare as priuily as you can: and thou Neuola comehither to me againe with ſpéede.

Well I ſhall.

DalioAlas how ſhall I be reuenged of this extreme deſpite? if I puniſhemy ſeruant according to his diueliſhe deſerts, I ſhall heapefurther cares vpon mine owne head: for to ſuche deteſtable offencesno puniſhment can ſéeme ſufficient, but onely death, and in ſuchcaſes it is not lawful for a man to be his owne caruer. The lawesare ordeyned, and officers appoynted to miniſter iuſtice for theredreſſe of wrongs: and if to the poteſtates I complayne me, Iſhall publiſhe mine owne reproche to the worlde. Yea, what ſhouldit preuayle me to vſe all the puiniſhments that can be deuiſed?the thing once done can not be vndone. My daughter is defloured, andI vtterly diſhoneſted: how can I then wype that blot off my browe?and on whome ſhall I ſéeke reuenge? Alas, alas I my ſelfe hauebene the cauſe of all theſe cares, and haue deſerued to beare thepuniſhment of all theſe miſhappes. Alas, I ſhould not hauecommitted my deareſt darling in cuſtodie to ſo careleſſe acreaſure as this olde Nurſe: for we ſee by common proofe, thattheſe olde women be either péeuiſhe, or pitifull: either eaſilyenclined to euill, or quickly corrupted with bribes and rewards. Owife, my good wife (that nowe lyeſt colde in the graue) now may Iwell bewayle the wante of thée, and mourning nowe may I bemone thatI miſſe thée: if thou hadſt liued (ſuche was thy gouernement ofthe leaſt things) that thou wouldeſt prudently haue prouided forthe preſeruation of this pearle. A coſtly iewell may I wellaccompte hir, that hath béen my chéefe comforte in youth, and isnowe become the coroſiue of mine age. O Polyneſta, fulleuill haſt thou requited the clemencie of thy carefull father: andyet to excuſe thée giltleſſe before God, and to condemne théegiltie before the worlde, I can count none other but my wretchedſelfe the caytife and cauſer of all my cares. For of al the duetiesthat are requiſite in humane lyfe, onely obedience is by the parentsto be required of the childe: where on y^e otherſide the parents are bound, firſt to beget them, then to bring thēfoorth, after to nouriſh them, to preſerue them from bodily perilsin the cradle, from daunger of ſoule by godly education, to matchethem in conſort enclined to vertue, too baniſh them all ydle andwanton companie, to allow them ſufficiente for their ſuſtentation,to cut off exceſſe the open gate of ſinne, ſeldome or neuer toſmile on them vnleſſe it be to their encouragement in vertue, andfinally, to prouide them mariages in time cōuenient, leſt(neglected of vs) they learne to ſette either to much or to litle bythēſelues. Fiue yeares are paſt ſince I might haue maried hir,when by cōtinuall excuſes I haue prolonged it to my owneperdition. Alas, I ſhoulde haue conſidered, ſhe is a collop of myowne fleſh: what ſhold I think to make hir a princeſſe? Alasalas, a poore kingdome haue I now caught to endowe hir with: It istoo true, that of all ſorowes this is the head ſource and chiefefountaine of all furies: the goods of the world are incertain, thegaines to be reioyced at, and the loſſe not greatly to be lamented:only the children caſt away, cutteth the parents throate with theknife of inward care, which knife will kill me ſurely, I make noneother accompte.

ſeruants come to him againe.

iiij.

NEVOLA.DAMON. PASIPHILO.

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

Well, go then Neuola andſéeke maſter Caſteling theiayler, he dwelleth by S. Antonies gate, deſire him too lend me apaire of the fetters he vſeth for his priſoners, and come againequickly.

Well ſir.

Heare you, if he aſke what I would do with them, ſay you cā nottell, and tell neither him nor any other, what is become of Dulipo.

Damon goethout.

Iwarant you ſir. Fye vpon the Deuill, it is a thing almoſtvnpoſſible for a man nowe a dayes to handle money, but the mettalwill ſticke on his fingers: I maruelled alway at this fellowe ofmine Dulipo, thatof the wages he receiued, he could maintaine himſelfe ſo brauelyapparelled, but nowe I perceiue the cauſe, he had the diſburſingand receit of all my maſters affaires, the keys of thegranair, Dulippo here, Dulippo there,fauoure with my maiſter, in fauoure with his daughter, what wouldeyou more, he was Magiſterfactotum: hewas as fine as the Cruſadoe, and wée ſilly wretches as courſe ascanuas: wel, behold what it is come to in the ende, he had bin betterto haue done leſſe.

Thou ſaiſt true Neuola, hehath done to much in déed.

From whence commeſt thou in the deuils name?

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

We had thought thou hadſt bene gone long ſince.

PaſiphiloWhen I aroſe from the table, I felte a rumbling in my belly, whichemade me runne to the ſtable, and there I fell on ſléepe vppon theſtrawe, and haue line there euer ſince: And thou whether goeſtthou?

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

Whether I pray thée?

Nay I may not tell: Farewell.

PaſiphiloAs though I néede any further inſtructions: O God what newes Iheard euē now, as I lay in the ſtable: O good Eroſtrato andpore Cleander, thathaue ſo earneſtly ſtrouen for this damſel, happie is he that canget hir I promiſe you, he ſhall be ſure of mo than one at a clapthat catcheth hir, eyther Adam or Eue within hir belie. Oh God, howmen may be deceiued in a woman? who wold haue beléeued the contrarybut that ſhe had bin a virgin? aſke the neighbours and you ſhallheare very good report of hir: marke hir behauiors & you wouldhaue 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 thedoore for the bypaſſers: you would haue thought hir a holy yongwoman. But muche good doe it DomineDoctor, heeſhall be ſure to lacke no CORNE ina deare yere, whatſoeuer he haue with hir elſe: I beſhrewe me if Ilet the mariage any way. But is not this the old ſcabbed queane thatI heard diſcloſing all this géere to hir maſter, as I ſtoode inthe ſtable ere nowe? it is ſhée. Whithergoeth Pſiteria?

eſpieth Pſiteria comming.

v.

PSITERIA,PASIPHILO.

a Goſſip of myne héereby.

What? to tattle of the goodly ſtirre that thou keptſtconcerning Polyneſta.

No no: but how knew you of that géere?

You tolde me.

I? when did I tell you?

PaſiphiloEuen now when you tolde it to Damon, Iboth ſawe you and heard you, though you ſaw not me: a good parte Ipromiſe you, to accuſe the poore wenche, kill the olde man withcare, ouer and beſides the daunger you haue brought Dulipo andthe Nurſſe vnto, and many moe, fie, fie.

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

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

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

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

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

Why? how could he take it?

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

Go that the gunne pouder conſume thée olde trotte.

Actus. 3.

iiij. Scena. j.

EROSTRATOfained.

WHatſhall I doe? Alas what remedie ſhall I finde for my ruefull eſtate?what eſcape, or what excuſe may I now deuiſe to ſhifte ouer ourſubtile ſuppoſes? for though to this day I haue vſurped the nameof my maiſter, and that without checke or controll of any man, nowſhal I be openly diſcyphred, and that in the ſight of euery man:now ſhal it openly be knowen, whether I be Eroſtrato thegentleman, or Dulipo theſeruaunt. We haue hitherto played our parts in abuſing others: butnowe commeth the man that wil not be abuſed, the right Philogano theright father of the right Eroſtrato: goingto ſeke Paſiphilo, andhearing that he was at the water gate, beholde I eſpied myfellowe Litio, andby and by my olde maiſter Philogano ſettingforth his firſt ſtep on land: I to fuge and away hither as faſt asI could to bring word to the right Eroſtrato, ofhis right father Philogano, thatto ſo ſodaine a miſhap ſome ſubtile ſhift might be vpō theſodaine 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 thistowne, he for Dulipo, aſlaue & ſeruant to Damon, &I for Eroſtrato agentleman & a ſtudent? But beholde, runne Crapine toyonder olde woman before ſhe get within the doores, & deſirehir to call out Dulipo: butheare you? if ſhe aſke who would ſpeake with him, ſaye thy ſelfeand none other.

eſpieth Pſiteria comming, and ſendeth his lackey to hir.

ij.

CRAPINE.PSITERIA. EROSTRATO fained.

woman, you goſſip, thou rotten whore, heareſt thou not oldewitche?

PſiteriaA rope ſtretche your yong bones, either you muſte liue to be as oldas I, or be hanged while you are yong.

I pray thée loke if Dulipo bewithin.

Yes that he is I warrant him.

Deſire him then to come hither and ſpeake a word with me, he ſhallnot tarie.

Content your ſelfe, he is otherwiſe occupied.

Yet tell him ſo gentle girle.

I tell you he is buſie.

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

A rope ſtretche you marie.

A pockes eate you marie.

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

And thou wilt be burnt I warant thée, if the canker conſume théenot.

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

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

Goe with a miſchiefe, I thinke thou be ſome deuill that wouldetempte me.

EroſtratoCrapine: heareyou? come away, let hir goe with a vengeance, why come you not? Alasloke where my maiſter Philogano commeth:what ſhall I doe? where ſhall I hide me? he ſhall not ſée me intheſe clothes, nor before I haue ſpoken with the right Eroſtrato.

eſpyeth Phylogano commming, and runneth about to hide him.

iij.

PHILOGANO.FERRARESE the Inne keper. LITIOa ſeruant.

HOneſtman it is euen ſo: be you ſure there is no loue to be compared likethe loue of the parents towards their children. It is not long ſinceI thought that a very waightie matter ſhoulde not haue made me comeout of Sicilia, andyet now I haue taken this tedious toyle and trauaile vpon me, only toſée my ſonne, and to haue him home with me.

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

PhiloganoYea be you ſure: I came in companie with certaine gentlemen of mycountrey, who had affaires to diſpatche as far as to Aneona, fromthence by water too Rauenna, andfrom Rauenna hither,continually againſt the tide.

Yea & I think y^t youhad but homly lodging by y^t way.

PhiloganoThe worſt y^t euerman had: but that was nothing to the ſtirre that y^e ſercherskept with me when I came aborde y^e ſhip:Ieſus how often they vntruſſed my male, & ranſaked a litlecapcaſe that I had, toſſed & turned al that was within it,ſerched my boſome, yea my breeches, y^t Iaſſure you I thought they would haue flayed me to ſearche betwenethe fell and the fleſhe for fardings.

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

PhiloganoYea be you well aſſured, ſuche an office is the inheritance of aknaue, and an honeſt man will not meddle with it.

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

PhiloganoNay, that was not the matter, for I had rather haue him giue ouer hisſtudie altogither and come home.

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

PhiloganoI will tell you: when he was at home he did as moſt yong men doe, heplayed many mad prankes and did many things that liked me not verywell: and I thinking, that by that time he had ſene the worlde, hewould learne to know himſelfe better, exhorted him to ſtudie, andput in his electiō what place he would go to. At the laſt he camehither, and I thinke he was ſcarce here ſo ſone as I felt the wantof him, in ſuche ſorte, as from that day to this I haue paſſedfewe nightes without teares. I haue written to him very often that heſhoulde come home, but continually he refuſed ſtil, beſeching meto continue his ſtudie, wherein he doubted not (as he ſaid) but toprofite greatly.

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

PhiloganoI am glad he hath not loſt his time, but I care not greatly for ſomuch knowledge. I would not be without the ſighte of hym againe ſolong, for all the learning in the worlde. I am olde nowe, and if Godſhoulde call mée in his abſence, I promiſe you I thinke it wouldedriue me into diſperation.

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

PhiloganoWell, I confeſſe it is my faulte: and yet I will tell you anothercauſe of my comming hither, more waightie than this. Diuers of mycountrey haue bene here ſince hée came hither, by whome I haueſente vnto him, and ſome of thē haue bene thrice, ſome foure orfiue times at his houſe, and yet could neuer ſpeake with him. Ifeare he applies his ſtudie ſo, that he will not léeſe the minuteof an houre from his booke. What, alas, he might yet talke with hiscountrymen for a while: he is a yong man, tenderly brought vp, and ifhe fare thus cōtinually night & day at his booke, it may beenough to driue him into a freneſie.

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

Yea, I pray you knocke.

They heare not.

Knocke againe,

I thinke they be on ſlepe.

LitioIf this gate were your Grandefathers ſoule, you coulde not knockemore ſoftly, let me come: ho, ho, is there any body within?

commeth to the wyndowe, and there maketh them anſwere.

iiij.

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

deuill of hell is there? I thinke hée will breake the gates inpéeces.

LitioMarie ſir, we had thoughte you had béene on ſléepe within, andtherefore we thought beſt to wake you: what doth Eroſtrato?

He is not within.

Open the dore good fellow I pray thée.

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

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

Here is Philogano mymaiſters father, lately come out of Sicilia.

PhiloganoThou ſpeakeſt truer thā thou arte aware of, he will be, by thattime thou haſt opened the dore: open I pray thée hartily.

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

Of whome?

I tolde you: here is Philogano mymaiſters father come from Cathanea.

And when came he?

DalioHe came thrée houres ſince, or more, he alighted at the Aungell,and left his horſes there: afterwarde my maiſter brought himhither.

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

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

I thinke he be drunken.

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

Abide fellow, what Philogano isit whome thou talkeſt of?

An honeſt gentlemā, father to Eroſtrato mymaiſter.

And where is he?

Here within.

May we ſée him?

I thinke you may if you be not blind.

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

Mary that I will willingly doe.

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

LitioI cannot tell you what I ſhoulde ſay ſir, the worlde is large andlong, there maye be moe Philoganos andmoe Eroſtratos thanone, yea and moe Ferraras, moe Sicilias, andmoe Cathaneas: peraduenturethis is not that Ferrara whicheyou ſent your ſonne vnto.

PhiloganoPeraduenture thou arte a foole, and he was another that anſwered vseuen now. But be you ſure honeſt man, that you miſtake not thehouſe?

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

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

v.

SCENESE.PHLLOGANO. DALIO.

you ſpeake with me ſir?

Yea ſir, I would faine knowe whence you are.

Sir I am a Sicilian, atyour commaundement.

What part of Sicilia?

Of Cathanea.

What ſhall I call your name?

My name is Philogano.

What trade doe you occupie?

Marchandiſe.

What marchandiſe brought you hither?

None, I •ame onely to ſee a ſonne that I haue here whom I ſawenot theſe two yeares.

What call they your ſonne?

Eroſtrato.

Is Eroſtrato yourſonne?

Yea verily.

And are you Philogano?

The ſame.

And a marchant of Cathanea?

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

Yes, you haue told me a falſe lie, and thou arte a vilaine and nobetter.

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

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

Sir I am Philogano of Cathanea, outof all doubte, if I were not I would be loth to tell you ſo.

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

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

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

DalioShall I ſuffer a knaue to abuſe my maiſters father thus? hencevillaine, hence, or I will ſheath this good fawchiō in yourpaūch: if my maiſter Eroſtrato findyou prating here on this faſhiō to his father, I wold not be inyour 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.

pulleth the Sceneſe in at the dores.

vj.

PHILOGANO.LITIO. FERARESE.

likeſt thou this géere?

LitioSir, I like it as euill as may be: but haue you not often heard tellof the falſehood of Ferara, andnow may you ſée, it falleth out accordingly.

Friend, you do not well to ſlaunder the Citie, theſe men areno Ferrareſes youmay know by their tong.

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

What knowe the officers of this? thinke you they know of eueryfault?

LitioNay, I thinke they will knowe as little as may bée, ſpecially whenthey haue no gaines, by it, but they ought to haue their eares asopen to heare of ſuch offēces, as the Ingates be to receiuegueſts.

Holde thy peace foole.

By the maſſe I am a fearde that we ſhall be proued fooles bothtwo.

Well, what ſhall we doe?

I would thinke beſt we ſhould go ſéeke Eroſtrato himſelfe.

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

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

Sure, my mind giues me that we ſhall find a new Eroſtrato ereit be long.

FerrareſeLooke where he is, whether runnes he? ſtay you awhile, I will goetell him that you are here: Eroſtrato,Eroſtraro, ho Eroſtrato, Iwould ſpeake with you.

Eroſtratois eſpied vppon the ſtage running about.

vij.

FainedEROSTRATO. FERARESE. PHILOGANO.LITIO. DALIO.

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

O Eroſtrato,Philogano yourfather is come out of Sicilia.

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

Is it poſſible? and it ſéemeth by him that you know not of hiscomming.

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

FerrareſeLoke you where he ſtandes, why go you not too him? Lookeyou Philogano, beholdeyour deare ſon Eroſtrato.

Eroſtrato? thisis not Eroſtrato: thysſéemeth rather to be Dulipo, andit is Dulipo indéede.

Why, doubte you of that?

What ſaith this honeſt man?

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

To whome ſpeaketh he?

What, God helpe, do you not know me?

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

Harke Litio, h••eis good géere, this honeſt man will not know me.

Gentleman, you take your markes amiſſe.

LitioDid I not tell you of the falſehood of Ferrara maſter? Dulipo hathlearned to play the knaue indifferently well ſince he came hither.

Peace I ſay.

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

FerrareſeIn déede, I neuer knewe him otherwiſe called than Eroſtrato: andſo they call him, as many as knowe him.

LitioMaſter, nowe you may ſée the falſehood of theſe fellowes: thishoneſt man your hoſte, is of counſaile with him, and wouldface vs down that it is Eroſtrato: bewareof theſe mates.

FerrareſeFriende, thou doeſt me wrong to ſuſpect me, for ſure I neuerhearde hym otherwiſe called than Eroſtrato.

EroſtratoWhat name could you heare me called by, but by my right name? But Iam wiſe enough to ſtand prating here with this old man, I thinke hebe mad.

PhiloganoAh runnagate, ah villaine traitour, doeſt thou vſe thy maſterthus? what haſt thou done with my ſon villain?

Doth this dogge barke here ſtill? and will you ſuffer him maſterthus to reuile you?

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

I will rap the olde cackabed on the coſterd.

EroſtratoAway with it, & you ſirra, lay downe theſe ſtones: come in atdore euery one of you, beare with him for his age, I paſſe not ofhis euill wordes.

taketh all his ſeruantes in at the dores.

viij.

PHILOGANO.FERARESE. LITIO.

ALas,who ſhall relieue my miſerable eſtate? to whome ſhall Icomplaine? ſince he whome I brought vp of a childe, yea andcheriſhed him as if he had bene mine owne, doth nowe vtterly denieto knowe me: and you whome I toke for an honeſt man, and he thatſhould haue broughte me to the ſighte of my ſonne, are compactewith this falſe wretch, and woulde face me downe that heis Eroſtrato. Alas,you might haue ſome compaſſion of mine age, to the miſerie I amnow in, and that I am a ſtranger deſolate of all comforte in thiscountrey: or at the leaſt, you ſhoulde haue feared the vengeaunceof God the ſupreme iudge (whiche knoweth the ſecrets of all harts)in hearing this falſe witneſſe with him, whome heauen and earthdoe knowe to be Dulipo andnot Eroſtrato.

LitioIf there be many ſuch witneſſes in this coūtrey, men may goabout to proue what they wil in cōtrouerſies here.

FerrareſeWell ſir, you may iudge of me as it pleaſeth you: & how thematter commeth to paſſe I know not, but truly, euer ſince he camefirſt hither, I haue knowen him by the name of Eroſtrato theſonne of Philogano a Cathaneſe: nowewhether he be ſo in déede, or whether he be Dulipo, (asyou alledge) let that be proued by them that knewe him before he camehether. But I proteſt before God, that whiche I haue ſaid, isneither a matter compact with him, nor any other, but euen as I hauehard him called & reputed of al mē.

PhiloganoOut and alas, he whom I ſent hither with my ſon to be hisſeruaunt, and to giue attendance on him, hath eyther cut histhroate, or by ſome euill meanes made him away: and hath not onelytaken his garmentes, his bookes, his money, and that whiche hebrought out of Sicilia withhim, but vſurpeth his name alſo, and turneth to his owne commoditiethe bills of exchaunge that I haue alwayes allowed for my ſonnesexpences. Oh miſerable Philogano, ohvnhappie old man: oh eternall God, is there no iudge? no officer? nohigher powers whom I may complaine vnto for redreſſe of theſewrongs?

FerrareſeYes ſir, we haue poteſtates, we haue Iudges, and aboue al, we hauea moſt iuſte prince: doubt you not, but you ſhall haue iuſtice ifyour cauſe be iuſt.

PhiloganoBring me then to the Iudges, to the poteſtates, or to whome youthinke beſt: for I will diſcloſe a packe of the greateſtknauerie, a fardell of the fowleſt falſehoode that euer was heardof.

LitioSir, he that wil goe to the lawe, muſt be ſure of foure things:firſt, a right and a iuſt cauſe: then a righteous aduocate topleade: nexte, fauour coramIudice: andaboue all, a good purſe to procure it.

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

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

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

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

FerrareſeOf thus much (although I neuer heard thus muche in this coūtreybefore) doubt you not Philogano, Iwill bring you to an aduocate that ſhall ſpéede you accordingly.

PhiloganoThen ſhall I giue my ſelfe, as it were a pray to the Lawyers, whoſeinſatiable iawes I am not able to féede, although I had here allthe goods and landes which I poſſeſſe in mine own countrey: muchleſſe being a ſtraunger in this miſerie. I know their cautels ofold: at the firſt time I come they wil ſo extoll my cauſe, asthough 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 tofinde cauils in my cauſe, ſaying, that at the firſte I did notwell inſtructe them, till at the laſt, they will not onely drawethe ſtuffing out of my purſe, but the marrow out of my bones.

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

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

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

FerrareſeWell ſir, I thinke this whom I meane, is no ſuche manner of man:but if he were, there is ſuch hatred and euil wil betwene him &this gentlemā (whether he be Eroſtrato or Dulipo, whatſo euer he be) that I warrant you, he will doe whatſoeuer he can dofor you, were it but to ſpite him.

Why? what hatred is betwixt them?

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

PhiloganoWhy? is the villeine become of ſuch eſtimatiō that he darepreſume to be a ſuter to any gentlewomā of a good familie?

Yea ſir out of all doubt.

How call you his aduerſarie?

Cleander, oneof the excellenteſt doctors in our citie.

For Gods loue let vs goe to him.

Goe we then.

Actus. 4.

v. Scena. 1.

FaynedEROSTRATO.

WHata miſhappe was this? that before I could méete with Eroſtrato, Ihaue light euen ful in the lap of Philogano: whereI was cōſtrained to denie my name, to denie my maſter, & tofaine 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 infauour with him againe. Therefore if I could come to ſpeake withy^e right Eroſtrato, Iwill renounce vnto him both habite and credite, and away as faſt asI can trudge into ſome ſtrange countrey, where I may neuerſee Philogano againe.Alas, he that of a litle childe hath brought me vp vnto this day, andnouriſhed me as if I had bene his owne: & in déede (to confeſſethe trouth) I haue no father to truſt vnto but him. But lookewhere Paſiphilo commeth,the fitteſt man in the world to goe on me meſſage to Eroſtrato.

eſpieth Paſiphilo comming towards him.

ij.

PASIPHILO.EROSTRATO.

TWogood newes haue I heard to day alreadie: one that Eroſtrato prepareda great feaſt this night: the other, that he ſéeketh for me. And Ito eaſe him of his trauaile, leaſt he ſhoulde runne vp and downeſéeking me, and bicauſe no man loueth better thā I to haue anerand where good chéere is, come in poſt haſt euen home to hisowne houſe: and loke where he is.

Paſiphilo, thoumuſte doe one thing for me if thou loue me.

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

Go then a litle there, to Damons houſe,aſke for Dulipo, andtell him.

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

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

In a vile dungeon there within his maſters houſe.

Canſt thou tell wherefore?

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

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

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

More than thou thinkeſt Paſiphilo byGod.

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

EroſtratoWhy Paſiphilo, isthis the truſt I haue had in you? are theſe the faire promiſes youhaue awayes made me?

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

EroſtratoWel Paſiphilo, eythertel me, or at few woordes neuer thinke to be welcome to this houſefrom henceforthe.

PaſiphiloNay, yet I had rather léeſe all the Gentlemen in this towne. But ifI tell you any thing that diſpleaſe you, blame no body but yourſelfe now.

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

PaſiphiloWell, ſince you would néedes haue it, I wil tell you: he was takena bed with your beloued Polyneſta.

Alas, and doth Damon knoweit?

PaſiphiloAn olde trotte in the houſe diſcloſed it to him, whervpon he tookebothe Dulipo andthe Nurſe which hath bene the broker of all this bargayne, andclapte them bothe in a cage, where I thinke they ſhall haue ſoroweſoppes too their ſwéete meates.

EroſtratoPaſiphilo, gothy wayes into the kitchin, commaund the cooke to boyle and roaſtwhat liketh thee beſt, I make thée ſupra viſour of this ſupper.

PaſiphiloBy the maſſe if you ſhould haue ſtudied this ſeuennight, youcould not haue appointed me an office to pleaſe me better. You ſhallſée what diſhes I will deuiſe.

goeth in, Eroſtrato tarieth.

iij.

FaynedEROSTRATO alone.

I Wasglad to rid him out of the way, leaſt he ſhoulde ſée me burſtout of theſe ſwelling teares, which hitherto with great payne Ihaue priſoned in my breſt, & leaſt he ſhoulde heare the Ecchoof my doubled ſighes, whiche bounce from the botome of my heuyheart. O curſed I, O cruell fortune, that ſo many diſperſedgriefes as were ſufficient to ſubuert a legion of Louers, haſtſodenly aſſembled within my carefull carkaſe to treat thisfearfull heart in ſunder with deſperation. Thou that haſt kepte mymaſter all his youthe within the realme of Sicilia, reſeruingthe wind and waues in a temperate calme (as it were at his commaunde)nowe to conuey his aged limmes hither, neither ſooner nor later: buteuen in the worſt time that may be. If at any time before thouhaddeſt conducted him, this enterpriſe had bene cut off withoutcare in the beginning: and if neuer ſo little longer thou hadſtlingred his iorney, this happie day might then haue fully finiſhedour drifts & deuiſes. But alas, thou haſt brought him euen inthe 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 inthy crooked clawes, to reward vs both with open ſhame & rebuke.Two yéeres haſt thou kept ſecrete our ſubtill Suppoſes, euenthis day to diſcipher them with a ſorowfull ſucceſſe. What ſhallI do? Alas what ſhift ſhall I make? it is too late now to imagineany further deceite, for euery minute ſéemeth an houre til I findſome 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 leaſthe may prouide in time, before his ſonne féele the ſmart of ſomeſharpe reuenge and puniſhment. This is the beſt, and thus wil Ido. Yet I know, that for mine owne parte I ſhal do bitter penancefor my faults forepaſſed: but ſuche is the good will and duetiethat I beare to Eroſtrato, aseuen with the loſſe of my life I muſt not ſticke to aduenture anything which may turne to his commoditie. But what ſhall I do? ſhalI go ſéeke my maſter about the towne, or ſhall I tarrie hisreturne hither? If I méete him in the ſtréetes, he wil crie outvpon me, neither will he harken to any thing that I ſhall ſay, tillhe haue gathered all the people wondring about me, as it were at anOwle. Therefore I were better to abide here, and yet if he tarrielong I will goe ſéeke him, rather than prolong the timeto Eroſtratos perill.

returneth to Eroſtrato.

iiij.

PASIPHILO.Fayned EROSTRATO.

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

And what fault I pray thée?

PaſiphiloMarie, Dalio wouldhaue layd the ſhoulder of mutton and the Capon bothe to the fire atonce like a foole: he did not conſider, that the one woulde hauemore roaſting than the other.

Alas, I would this were the greateſt fault.

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

Thou haſt reaſon Paſiphilo.

PaſiphiloNow ſir, if it pleaſe you I will goe into the towne and buyeoranges, oliues, and caphers, for without ſuche ſauce the ſupperwere more than halfe loſt.

There are within already, doubt you not, there ſhal lacke nothingthat is neceſſarie.

PaſiphiloSince I told him theſe newes of Dulipo, heis cleane beſide himſelf: he hath ſo many hammers in his head,that his braynes are ready to burſt: and let them breake, ſo Imay ſuppe with him to night, what care I? But is not this Dominusnoſter Cleandrus thatcommeth before? well ſayde, by my truth we will teache maiſterDoctor to weare a cornerd cappe of a new faſhion. ByGod Polyneſta ſhalbe his, he ſhall haue hir out of doubt, for I hauetolde Eroſtrato ſuchnewes of hir, that he will none of hir.

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

v.

CLEANDER.PHILOGANO. LITIO. PASIPHILO.

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

PhiloganoI will tel you ſir, let me be kept here faſt in priſon, & atmy charges let there be ſome man ſent into Sicilia, thatmay bring hither with him two or thrée of the honeſteſt mēin Cathanea, andby them let it be proued if I or this other be Philogano, andwhether he be Eroſtrato or Dulipo myſeruant: & if you finde me contrarie, let me ſuffer death forit.

I will go ſalute maſter Doctour.

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

God ſaue you ſir.

And reward you as you haue deſerued.

Then ſhall he giue me your fauour continually.

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

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

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

Why? wherein haue I offended you ſir?

Hence to the gallowes knaue.

What ſofte and faire ſir, I pray you, Ipraeſequar, youare mine elder.

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

Why ſir? I neuer offended you.

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

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

Prateſt thou yet villein? I will make thée.

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

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

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

Thou lieſt in thy throate knaue.

O ſir, ſtay your wiſedome.

What will you fight? marie come on.

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

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

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

PaſiphiloNay by the Maſſe, all is one, I care not, for I haue nothing: if Ihad either landes or goods, peraduenture you would pull me into thelawe.

Sir, I perceiue your pacience is moued.

CleanderThis villaine: but let him goe, I will ſee him puniſhed as he hathdeſerued. Now to the matter, how ſaid you?

This fellow hath diſquieted you ſir, peraduenture you would be lothto be troubled any further.

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

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

CleanderYea I remember that wel, & it is the ſureſt way as this caſerequireth: but tel me, how is he your ſeruant? and how come you byhim? enforme me fully in the matter.

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

Oh, you put me in remembrance of my miſhappes.

How ſir?

CleanderFor I was driuen among the reſt out of the towne (it is my natiuecountrey) and there I loſt more than euer I ſhall recouer againewhile I liue.

Alas, a pitifull caſe by S. Anne.

Well, procéede.

PhiloganoAt that time (as I ſaide) there were certaine of our countrey thatſcoured thoſe coſtes vpon the ſeas, with a good barke; wellappointed for the purpoſe, and had eſpiall of a Turkey veſſellthat came laden from thence with great aboundance of riches.

And peraduenture moſt of mine.

PhiloganoSo they boarded them, & in the end ouercame them, & broughtthe goods to Palermo,//// whence they came, and amōgſt other things that they had, wasthis villeine my ſeruaunt, a boy at that time, I thinke not paſtfiue yéeres olde.

Alas, I loſt one of that ſame age there.

PhiloganoAnd I beyng there, and liking the Childes fauour well, proffered themfoure and twentie ducates for him, and had him.

What? was the childe a Turke? or had the Turkes brought himfrom Otranto?

PhiloganoThey ſaide he was a Childe of Otranto, butwhat is that to the matter? once .xxiiij. Ducattes he coſt me, thatI wot well.

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

Why, whom meane you ſir?

Beware ſir, be not to lauiſh.

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

Beware what you ſay ſir.

What the deuill haſt thou to doe? Dulipo? noſir his name was Carino.

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

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

PhiloganoWe called him Dulipo, bycauſewhen he cryed as Chrildren doe ſometimes, he woulde alwayes cry onthat name Dulipo.

CleanderWell, then I ſée well it is my owne onely Childe, whome I loſte,when I loſte my countrie: he was named Carino afterhis grandfather, and this Dulipo whomehe alwayes remembred in his lamenting, was his foſter father thatnouriſhed him and brought him vp.

LitioSir, haue I not told you enough of y^e falſhoodof Ferara? thisgentleman will not only picke your purſe, but beguile you of yourſeruaunt alſo, & make you beleue he is his ſon.

Well goodfellow, I haue not vſed to lie.

Sir no, but euery thing hath a beginning.

Fie, Philogano haueyou not the leaſt ſuſpecte that may be of me.

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

CleanderWell, hold thou thy peace a litle good follow. I pray you tellme Philogano hady^e childany remembrance of his fathers name, his mothers name, or y^e nameof his familie?

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

I remember it well enough.

Tell it then.

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

Tell it I ſay, if thou can.

LitioCā? yes by y^e maſſeI cā wel enough: but I wil haue my tong pulled out, rather thātell it, vnleſſe he tell it firſt: doe you not perceiue ſir, whathe goeth about?

CleanderWell, I will tell you then, my name you know alredy: my wife hismothers name was Sophronia, thehouſe that I came of, they call Spiagia.

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

CleanderWhat nedeth me more euident tokens? this is my ſonne out of doubtwhom I loſt eighteen yeares ſince, and a thouſand thouſand timeshaue I lamented for him: he ſhuld haue alſo a mould on his leftſhoulder.

LitioHe hath a moulde there in deede: and an hole in an other place to, Iwould your noſe were in it.

CleanderFaire wordes fellow Litio: ohI pray you let vs goe talke with him, O fortune, howe much am Ibounde to thée if I finde my ſonne?

PhiloganoYea how little am I beholdē to fortune, that know not where myſonne is become, and you whome I choſe to be mine aduocate, willnowe (by the meanes of this Dulipo)become mine aduerſarie?

Sir, let vs firſt goe find mine: and I warrant you yours will befounde alſo ere it be long.

God graunt: goe we then,

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

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

Alas Litio, ifmy ſonne be loſte what care I what become of me?

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

and Pſiteria come in.

sexta.

DAMON.PSITERIA.

COmehither you olde kallat, you tatling huſwife, that the deuill cutoute your tong: tell me, howe could Paſiphilo knowof this géere but by you?

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

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

Sir, if you finde me contrarie, kill me.

Why? where ſhould he talke with thée?

He talked with me of it here in the ſtreete.

What did you here?

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

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

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

DalioAlas, alas, what ſhall I doe then? in at dores olde whore, I wilplucke that tong of thine out by the rootes one day. Alas it gréeuethme more that Paſiphilo knowethit, than all the reſt. He that will haue a thing kept ſecrete, lethim tell it to Paſiphilo: thepeople ſhall knowe it, and as many as haue eares and no mo. By thistime he hath tolde it in a hundreth places. Cleander wasthe firſte, Eroſtrato theſeconde, and ſo from one to another throughout the citie. Alas,what dower, what mariage ſhall I nowe prepare for my daughter? Opoore dolorous Damon, moremiſerable than miſerie it ſelfe, would God it were truethat Polyneſta toldeme ere while: that he who hathe deflowred hir, is of no ſeruileeſtate, (as hitherto he hath bene ſuppoſed in my ſeruice) butthat he is a gentleman borne of a good parentage in Sicilia. Alas,ſmall riches ſhoulde content me, if he be but of an honeſtfamilie: but I feare that he hathe deuiſed theſe toyes to allure mydaughters loue. Well I wil goe examine hir againe, my minde giueth methat I ſhall perceiue by hir tale whether it be true or not. But isnot this Paſiphilo thatcōmeth out of my neighbours houſe? what the deuill ayleth him toleape and laughe ſo like a foole in y^e highway?

commeth out of the towne laughing.

septima.

PHILOGANO.DAMON

that I might finde Damon athome.

What the diuill would he with me?

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

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

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

What newes Paſiphilo, thatthou arte ſo merie?

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

And that I haue nede of Paſiphilo.

PaſiphiloI knowe ſir, that you are a ſorowfull man for this miſhap thathath chaunced in your houſe, peraduenture you thoughte I had notknowen of it. But let it paſſe, plucke vp your ſprits, andreioyce: 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 yourſonne in law.

How knoweſt thou?

PaſiphiloHis father Philogano oneof the worthieſt men in all Cathanea, isnowe come to the citie, and is here in your neighbours houſe.

What, in Eroſtratos houſe?

PaſiphiloNay in Dulipos houſe:for where you haue alwayes ſuppoſed this gentlemā tobe Eroſtrato, itis not ſo, but your ſeruaunt whom you haue empriſoned hitherto,ſuppoſed to be Dulipo, heis in dede Eroſtrato: andthat other is Dulipo. Andthus they haue alwayes, euen ſince their firſt ariual in thiscitie, exchaunged names, to the ende that Eroſtrato themaiſter, vnder y^e nameof Dulipo aſeruant, might be entertained in your houſe, & ſo winne theloue of your daughter.

Wel, then I perceiue it is euē as Polineſta toldme.

Why, did ſhe tell you ſo?

Yea: But I thought it but a tale.

PaſiphiloWell, it is a true tale: and here they will be with you by and by:both Philogano thisworthie man, and maiſter doctor Cleander.

Cleander? whatto doe?

PaſiphiloCleander? Whytherby lies another tale, the moſte fortunate aduenture that eueryou heard: wot you what? this other Dulipo, whomeall this while we ſuppoſed to be Eroſtrato, isfounde to be the ſonne of Cleander, whomehe loſt at the loſſe of Otranto, andwas after ſolde in Sicilia toothis Philogano theſtrangeſt caſe that euer you heard: a mā might make a Comedie ofit. They wil come euen ſtraight, and tell you the whole circumſtanceof it themſelues.

DalioNay I will firſt goe heare the ſtorie of this Dulipo, beit Dulipo or Eroſtrato thatI haue here within, before I ſpeake with Philogano.

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

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

viij.

SCENESE.CLEANDER. PHILOGANO.

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

CleanderGentleman, you haue reaſon: and be you ſure, that as many as heareit, will take great pleaſure in it. And you Philogano maythinke, that god in heauen aboue, hath ordained your comming hitherat this preſent to the ende I mighte recouer my loſt ſonne, whomby no other meanes I coulde euer haue founde oute.

PhiloganoSurely ſir I thinke no leſſe, for I think that not ſo much as aleafe falleth from the trée, without the ordinance of god. But letvs goe ſeke Damon, forme thinketh euery day a yeare, euery houre a daye, and euery minuteto much till I ſée my Eroſtrato.

CleanderI cannot blame you, goe we then. Carino takeyou that gentleman home in the meane time, the fewer the better to bepreſent at ſuch affaires.

ſtayeth their going in.

.ix.

PHILOGANOCLEANDER.

doctor, will you not ſhew me this fauour, to tell me the cauſe ofyour diſpleaſure?

CleanderGentle Paſiphilo, Imuſte néedes confeſſe I haue done thée wrong, and that I beleuedtales of thée, whiche in déede I finde now contrary.

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

Yea beleue me Paſiphilo.

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

CleanderWell, content thy ſelfe Paſiphilo, Iam thy frende as I haue alwayes bene: for proofe whereof, come ſuppewith me to night, & from day to day this ſeuen night be thou mygueſt. But beholde, here cōmeth Damō outof his houſe.

they come all togither

decima.

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

WEare come vnto you ſir, to turne you ſorowe into ioy and gladneſſe:the ſorow, we meane, that of force you haue ſuſtained ſince thismiſhappe of late fallen in your houſe. But be you of good comforteſir, and aſſure your ſelfe, that this yong man which youthfullyand not maliciouſly hath commited this amorons offence, is veriewell able (with conſent of this worthie man his father) to make youſufficient amendes: being borne in Cathanea of Sicilia, ofa noble houſe, no way inferiour vnto you, and of wealth (byy^e reporteof ſuche as knowe it) farre excéeding that of yours.

PhiloganoAnd I here in proper perſon, doe preſente vnto you ſir, not onelymy aſſured frendſhip and brotherhoode, but do earneſtly deſireyou to accepte my poore childe (though vnworthy) as your ſonne inlawe: and for recompence of the iniurie he hath done you, I profer mywhole lands in dower to your daughter: yea and more would, if more Imight.

CleanderAnd I ſir, who haue hitherto ſo earneſtly deſired your daughterin mariage, doe now willingly yelde vp and quite claime to this yongman, who both for his yeares and for the loue he beareth hir, is moſtméeteſt to be hir huſbād. For wher I was deſirous of a wife bywhom I might haue yſſue, to leaue that litle which god hath ſentme: now haue I litle néede, that (thankes be to god) haue founde mydéerely beloued ſonne, whō I loſte of a childe at y^e ſiegeof Otranto.

DalioWorthy gentlemā, your friendſhip, your alliaunce, and thenobilitie of your birthe are ſuche, as I haue muche more cauſe todeſire them of you than you to requeſt of me that which is alreadygraunted. Therfore I gladly, and willingly receiue the ſame, andthinke my ſelfe moſte happie now of all my life paſt, that I hauegottē ſo toward a ſonne in lawe to my ſelfe, and ſo worthye afather in lawe to my daughter: yea and muche the greater is mycontentation, ſince this worthie gentleman maiſter Cleander, dothholde himſelfe ſatiſfied. And now behold your ſonne.

O father.

PaſiphiloBeholde the naturall loue of the childe to the father: for inwardeioye he cannot pronounce one worde, in ſteade wherof he ſendethſobbes and teares to tell the effect of his inward inuention. Butwhy doe you abide here abrode? wil it pleaſe you to goe into thehouſe ſir?

Paſiphilo hathſaide well: will it pleaſe you to goe in ſir?

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

Away with them now.

Yea, but what ſhal I doe with them?

DalioMarie I will tell thée Neuola: tomake a righte ende of our ſuppoſes, lay one of thoſe boltes in thefire, and make thée a ſuppoſitorie as long as mine arme, God ſauethe ſample. Nobles and gentlemen, if you ſuppoſe that our ſuppoſeshaue giuen you ſufficient cauſe of delighte, ſhewe ſome token,whereby we may ſuppoſe you are content.

Etplauſerunt.