OVID. HERMOGENES, cleere your throat: I fee by 155 him, here's a gentleman will worthily challenge you. CRIS. Not I, fir, I'le challenge no man.

TIBV. That's your modeftie, fir: but wee, out of an affurance of your excellencie, challenge him in your behalfe.

CRIS. I thanke you, gentlemen, I'le doe my best. HERM. Let that best be good, fir, you were best. GALL. O, this contention is excellent. What is't you fing, fir?

160

CRIS. If I freely may difcouer, &c. Sir, I'le fing 165 that.

OVID. One of your owne compofitions, HERMO

GENES.

He offers you vantage enough.

CRIS. Nay truely, gentlemen, I'le challenge no man-: I can fing but one staffe of the dittie neither.

[293] GALL. The better: HERMOGENES himselfe will bee intreated to fing the other.

170

Oft building hopes, and foone destroying,
Long, but fweet in the enioying,

180

Neither too eafie, nor too hard:

All extremes I would haue bard.

GALL. Beleeue me, fir, you fing most excellently.

OVID. If there were a praife aboue excellence, the gentleman highly deferues it.

185

170 stave N CRISPINUS, accompanied,

HERM. Sir, all this doth not yet make mee enuie

you: for I know I fing better then you.

TIBV. Attend HERMOGENES, now.

2.

Shee fhould be allowed her pafsions,
So they were but vs'd as fashions;

Sometimes froward, and then frowning,
Sometimes fickish, and then fwowning,
Euery fit, with change, ftill crowning.
Purely iealous, I would haue her,

190

Then onely conftant when I craue her.

195

'Tis a vertue should not faue her.

Thus, nor her delicates would cloy me,
Neither her peeuifhneffe annoy me.

IVLI. Nay, HERMOGENES, your merit hath long fince beene both knowne, and admir'd of vs.

HERM.

I begin.

200

You shall heare me sing another: now will

GALL. We fhall doe this gentlemans banquet too

much wrong, that ftaies for vs, ladies.

IVLI. 'Tis true: and well thought on, CORNELIVS 205 GALLVS.

HERM. Why 'tis but a fhort aire, 'twill be done. presently, pray'ftay; ftrike mufique.

OVID. No, good HERMOGENES: wee'll end this difference within.

IVLI. 'Tis the common disease of all your musicians, hat they know no meane, to be intreated, either to begin, or end.

ALBI. Please you lead the way, gentles?

ALL. Thankes, good ALBIVS.

[294] ALBI. O, what a charme of thankes was here put vpon me! O IOVE, what a fetting forth it is to a

210

215

2.] II. 1716, W

HERMOGENES, accompanied. G 215 Exeunt. Q [Exeunt all

186 yet] om. N HERMOGENES, accompanied, sings. N

but Albius. G, N

man, to haue many courtiers come to his house! Sweetly was it faid of a good olde house-keeper; I had rather want meate, then want ghefts: specially, if they 220 be courtly ghefts. For, neuer trust me, if one of their good legges made in a house, be not worth all the good cheere, a man can make them. Hee that would haue fine ghests, let him haue a fine wife; he that would haue a fine wife, let him come to me.

CRIS. By your kind leaue, Master ALBIVS.

225

ALBI. What, you are not gone, Master CRISPINVS? CRIS. Yes faith, I haue a deffeigne drawes me hence: pray' fir, fashion me an excufe to the ladies. ALBI. Will you not ftay? and fee the iewels, fir? 230 I pray you stay.

CRIS. Not for a million, fir, now; Let it fuffice, I muft relinquish; and fo in a word, please you to expiate this complement.

ALBI. Mum.

CRIS. Ile presently goe and enghle some broker, for a Poets gowne, and befpeake a garland: and then ieweller, looke to your best iewell yfaith.

218 many] may Q

Q, G, N

Secundi. Q

225 Re-enter CRISPINUS. G, N
238 Exit. Q, G, N

236 ingle N

235

235 Exit. Finis Actus

Act III.

Scene 1.

Hot. li. I. Sat. 9

H

HORACE, CRISPINVS.

Mh? yes; I will begin an ode fo: and it fhall be
to MECONAS.

CRIS. 'Slid, yonder's HORACE! they fay hee's an excellent Poet: MECONAS loues him. Ile fall into his acquaintance, if I can; I thinke he be compofing, as he goes i' the ftreet! ha? 't is a good humour, and he be: Ile compofe too.

HORA. Swell me a bowle with luftie wine,

Till I may fee the plump Lvævs fwim

Aboue the brim:

I drinke, as I would wright,

In flowing measure, fill'd with flame, and fpright. CRIS. Sweet HORACE, MINERVA, and the Mufes stand aufpicious to thy deffeignes. How far'ft thou, fweete man? frolicke? rich? gallant? ha?

HORA. Not greatly gallant, fir, like my fortunes; well. I'm bold to take my leaue, fir, you'ld naught else, fir, would you?

CRIS. Troth, no, but I could wifh thou did❜ft know vs, HORACE, we are a fcholer, I affure thee.

HORA. A scholer, fir? I fhall bee couetous of your faire knowledge.

5

10

15

20

CRIS. Gramercie, good HORACE. Nay, we are new turn'd Poet too, which is more; and a Satyrift too, which is more then that: I write iuft in thy veine, I. 25

ACTVS TERTIVS. SCENA PRIMA. Q Act . . . CRISPINVS.] The Via Sacra, (or Holy Street.) G, N Enter HORACE, CRISPINUS following. G HORACE meditating. N Hot. 9.] W om. G, N I Hor. Q, 1716+ Umph G 2 Enter CRISPINUS. N

17 I' am 1640

9] [Hor. lib. i. sat. HAh? 1640 HA! 1716, W 16 Not] Nor 1716

you'le 1640 you'll 1692, 1716, W, G

I am for your odes or your fermons, or any thing indeed; wee are a gentleman befides: our name is RvFvs LABERIUS CRISPINVS, we are a prettie ftoick too. [295] HORA. To the proportion of your beard, I thinke it, fir.

CRIS. By PHOвVS, here's a moft neate fine street, is't not? I protest to thee, I am enamour'd of this street now, more then of halfe the streets of Rome, againe; 'tis fo polite, and terfe! There's the front of a building now. I ftudie architecture too: if euer I fhould build, I'de haue a house iuft of that profpectiue. HORA. Doubtleffe, this gallants tongue has a good turne, when hee fleepes.

CRIS. I doe make verses, when I come in such a street as this: O your city-ladies, you shall ha'hem fit in euery shop like the Muses-offring you the caftalian dewes, and the thef pian liquors, to as many as haue but the sweet grace and audacitie tofip of their lips. Did you neuer heare any of my verses?

HORA. No, fir (but I am in fome feare, I must, now.)

30

35

40

45

CRIS. I'le tell thee fome (if I can but recouer 'hem) I compos'd e'en now of a dreffing, I saw a iewellers wife weare, who indeede was a iewell her felfe: I preferre that kind of tire now, what's thy opinion, 50 HORACE?

HORA. With your filuer bodkin, it does well, fir.

CRIS. I cannot tell, but it stirres me more then all your court-curles, or your spangles, or your tricks: I affect not these high gable-ends, these tufcane-tops, nor your coronets, nor your arches, nor your pyramid's; giue me a fine fweet little delicate dreffing, with a

55

36 I'ld 1640 48 dreffing] veluet

26 Sermones 1640, 1692, 1716 "Sermones" N 37-8 [Aside. G, N 45-6 [Aside. G, N cap Q 50 now [Describing it with his hands.]; N dreffing] veluet Cap Q

57 delicate