for ALBI. I, fir, 'tis a prettie ayre. These courtiers runne in my minde ftill; I must looke out IVPITERS fake, fit, fir. Or please you walke into the garden? There's a garden on the back-fide. ΙΟ CRIS. I am most strenuously well, I thanke you, fir. CHLO. Come, bring those perfumes forward a little, and ftrew some roses, and violets here; Fye, here bee roomes fauour the most pittifully ranke that euer I felt: I crie the gods mercie, my husband's in the winde of vs. ALBI. Why, this is good, excellent, excellent: well said, my sweet CHLOE. Trimme vp your house most obfequiously. CHLO. For VVLCANVS fake, breathe somewhere elfe in troth you ouercome our perfumes exceedingly, you are too predominant. ALBI. Heare but my opinion, sweet wife. CHLO. A pinne for your pinnion. In finceritie, if you be thus fulfome to me in euerie thing, I'le bee diuorc't; Gods my bodie? you know what you were, before I married you; I was a gentlewoman borne, I; I loft all my friends to be a citizens wife; because I heard indeed, they kept their wiues as fine as ladies; and that wee might rule our husbands, like ladies; and doe what wee lifted: doe you thinke I would haue married you, elfe? as [287] ALBI. I acknowledge, fweet wife, she speakes the beft of any woman in Italy, and mooues mightily which makes me, I had rather she should make bumpes on my head, as big as my two fingers, then I would offend her. But fweet wife CHLO. Yet againe? I'ft not grace inough for you, that I call you husband, and you call me wife: but you must still bee poking mee, against my will, to things? 15 20 25 30 35 40 10 air. [Aside.] N 15 Exit. Q Enter CHLOE, and two Maids. G [Exit. Enter CHLOE, with two Maids. N 19 mercy, [sees Albius] 27 pinnion] opinion 1692, ALBI. But you know, wife; here are the greatest ladies, and gallantest gentlemen of ROME, to bee entertain'd in our house now: and I would faine aduise thee, to entertaine them in the best fort, yfaith wife. CHLO. In finceritie, did you euer heare a man talke fo idlely? You would feeme to be mafter? You would haue your spoke in my cart? you would aduise me to entertaine ladies, and gentlemen? because you can marshall your pack-needles, horse-combes, hobbyhorses, and wall-candlestickes in your ware-house better then I; therefore you can tell how to entertaine ladies, and gentle-folkes better then I? ALBI. O my fweet wife, vpbraid me not with that: "Gaine fauours fweetly from any thing; He that respects to get, must relish all commodities alike; and admit no difference betwixt oade, and frankincenfe; or the most precious balsamum, and a tar-barrell. 45 50 55 60 CHLO. Mary fough: You fell fnuffers too, if you be remembred, but I pray you let mee buy them out of your hand; for I tell you true, I take it highly in fnuffe, to learne how to entertaine gentle folkes, of you, at these yeeres, I faith. Alas man; there was not a gentleman 65 came to your house i' your tother wiues time, I hope? nor a ladie? nor mufique? nor maiques? Nor you, nor your house were so much as spoken of, before I difbaft my felfe, from my hood and my fartingall, to these bumrowles, and your whale-bone-bodies. ALBI. Looke here, my fweet wife; I am mum, my deare mummia, my balfamum, my fpermacete, and my verie citie offhee has the most beft, true, fæminine wit in ROME! 70 CRIS. I haue heard fo, fir; and doe moft vehemently 75 defire to participate the knowledge of her faire features. ALBI. Ah, peace; you shall heare more anon: bee not feene yet, I pray you; not yet: Obferue. CHLO. 'Sbodie, giue husbands the head a little more, and they'll bee nothing but head fhortly; whats he there? MAYD. 2. Who would you speake with, sir? CRIS. I would speake with my coufin CYTHERIS. 80 MAYD. Hee is one forfooth would fpeake with his 85 Coufin CYTHERIS. CHLO. Is the your coufin, fir? CRIS. Yes in truth, forfooth, for fault of a better. CHLO. Shee is a gentlewoman? [288] CRIS. Or else she should not be my cousin, I 90 affure you. CHLO. Are you a gentleman borne? CRIS. That I am, ladie; you fhall fee mine armes, if't please you. CHLO. No, your legges doe fufficiently fhew you are a gentleman borne, fir: for a man borne vpon little legges, is alwayes a gentleman borne. 95 CRIS. Yet, I pray you, vouchfafe the fight of my armes, Miftreffe; for I beare them about me, to haue 'hem feene: my name is CRISPINVS, or CRI-SPINAS 100 indeed; which is well expreft in my armes, (a Face crying in chiefe; and beneath it a blouddie Toe, betweene three Thornes pungent.) CHLO. Then you are welcome, fir; now you are a gentleman borne, I can find in my heart to welcome 105 you: for I am a gentlewoman borne too; and will beare my head high inough, though 'twere my fortune to marrie a tradef-man. CRIS. No doubt of that, fweet feature, your carriage fhewes it in any mans eye, that is carried vpon you 110 with iudgement. Hee is ftill going in and out. ALBI. Deare wife, be not angry. ALBI. Heare me but one thing; let not your maydes fet cushions in the parlor windowes; nor in the dyning- 115 chamber windowes; nor vpon ftooles, in eyther of them, in any cafe; for 'tis tauerne-like; but lay them one vpon another, in fome out-roome, or corner of the dyning-chamber. CHLO. Goe, goe, meddle with your bed-chamber 120 onely, or rather with your bed in your chamber, onely; or rather with your wife in your bed onely; or on my faith, I'le not be pleas'd with you onely. ALBI. Looke here, my deare wife, entertaine that gentleman kindly, I pre'thee;-—mum. CHLO. Goe, I need your instructions indeede; anger mee no more, I aduife you. Citi-fin, quoth'a! fhe's a wife gentlewoman yfaith, will marrie her felfe to the finne of the citie. 125 ALBI. But this time, and no more (by heauen) 130 wife: hang no pictures in the hall, nor in the dyningchamber, in any cafe, but in the gallerie onely, for 'tis not courtly elfe, o' my word, wife. CHLO. 'Sprecious, neuer haue done! ALBI. Wife. CHLO. Doe I not beare a reasonable corrigible hand ouer him, CRISPINVS? CRIS. By this hand, ladie, you hold a moft sweet hand ouer him. ALBI. And then for the great gilt andyrons?————— CHLO. Againe! would the andyrons were in your great guttes, for mee. ALBI. I doe vanish, wife. III S.D.] om. Q Re-enter ALBIUS. G 125 pr'y thee 1640, W pry'thee 1692, 1716 G, N 130 Alb. [re-entering.] G, N 136 not] om. N 135 140 ALBIUS still going out and in. N prithee G, N Exit. Q. 135 Exit. Q, G, N 140 Alb. [re-entering.] G, N 143 Exit. Q,G,N CHLO. How fhall I doe, Mafter CRISPINVS? here will bee all the braueft ladies in court presently, to fee 145 your coufin CYTHERIS: ô the [289] gods! how might I behaue my felfe now, as to entertayne them most courtly? CRIS. Mary, ladie, if you will entertaine them most courtly, you must doe thus: as foone as euer your 150 maide, or your man brings you word they are come; you must say (A poxe on 'hem, what doe they here.) And yet when they come, speake them as faire, and giue them the kindeft welcome in wordes, that can be. CHLO. Is that the fashion of courtiers, CRISPINVS? 155 CRIS. I affure you, it is, ladie, I haue obferu'd it. CHLO. For your poxe, fir, it is eafily hit on; but, 'tis not so easily to fpeake faire after, me thinkes? ALBI. O wife, the coaches are come, on my word, a number of coaches, and courtiers. CHLO. A poxe on them: what doe they here? ALBI. How now wife! wouldst thou not haue 'hem come? 160 CHLO. Come? come, you are a foole, you: He knowes not the trick on't. Call CYTHERIS, I pray you: 165 and good master CRISPINVS, you can obferue, you say; let me intreat you for all the ladies behauiours, iewels, iefts, and attires, that you marking as well as I, we may put both our markes together, when they are gone, and conferre of them. CRIS. I warrant you, fweet ladie; let mee alone to obferue, till I turne my selfe to nothing but obferuation. Good morrow cousin CYTHERIS. CYTн. Welcome kind coufin. come? 170 What? are they 175 ALBI. I, your friend CORNELIVS GALLVS, OVID, TIBVLLVS, PROPERTIVS, with IVLIA the Emperors daugh 152 ()] italics, Q 1640, 1692, 1716, W 161 italics, Q CYTHERIS. G, N 157 on] vpon Q 158 eafily] easie Q 172 Enter |