Chapter X: Act IV: Scene I

_A court before an inn._

ALVAREZ, GUIAMARA, CONSTANZA, CHRISTIANA,
SANCHO, SOTO, ANTONIO, CARLO, RODERIGO, _and
others discovered, disguised as before. A
shout within. Enter_ JOHN.
ALV. } Welcome, welcome, welcome!
GUI., _&c._[308] }
SOTO. More sacks to the mill.
SAN. More thieves to the sacks.
ALV. Peace!
CONSTI. I give you now my welcome without noise.
JOHN. ’Tis music to me. [_Offering to kiss_ CONST.
ALV. } O Sir!
GUI., _&c._ }
SAN. You must not be in your mutton[309] before we are
out of our veal.
SOTO. Stay for vinegar to your oysters; no opening till
then.
GUI. No kissing till you’re sworn.
JOHN. Swear me then quickly,
I have brought gold for my admission.
ALV. What you bring leave, and what you leave count
lost.
SAN. I brought all my teeth, two are struck out; them I
count lost, so must you.
SOTO. I brought all my wits; half I count lost, so must
you.
JOHN. To be as you are, I lose father, friends,
Birth, fortunes, all the world: what will you do
With the beast I rode on hither?

SAN. A beast? is’t a mule? send him to Muly Crag a
whee[310] in Barbary.
SOTO. Is’t an ass? give it to a lawyer, for in Spain
they ride upon none else.
JOHN. Kill him by any means, lest, being pursu’d,
The beast betray me.
SOTO. He’s a beast betrays any man.
SAN. Except a bailiff to be pumped.
JOHN. Pray, bury the carcass and the furniture.
SAN. Do, do; bury the ass’s household stuff, and in his
skin sew any man that’s mad for a woman.
ALV. Do so then, bury it: now to your oath.
GUI. All things are ready.
ALV. [_sings_[311]]

_Thy best[312] hand lay on this turf of grass,
There thy heart lies, vow not to pass
From us two years for sun nor snow,
For hill nor dale, howe’er winds blow;
Vow the hard earth to be thy bed,
With her green cushions under thy head;
Flower-banks or moss to be thy board,
Water thy wine_——
SAN. [_sings_] _And drink like a lord._
_Chorus._
_Kings can have but coronations;
We are as proud of gipsy-fashions:
Dance, sing, and in a well-mix’d border
Close this new brother of our order._
ALV. [_sings_]
_What we get with us come share,
You to get must vow to care;
Nor strike gipsy, nor stand by
When strangers strike, but fight or die;
Our gipsy-wenches are not common,
You must not kiss a fellow’s leman;[313]
Nor to your own, for one you must,
In songs send errands of base lust._
_Chorus._
_Dance, sing, and in a well-mix’d border
Close this new brother of our order._
JOHN. [_sings_]
_On this turf of grass I vow
Your laws to keep, your laws allow._
ALL. A gipsy! a gipsy! a gipsy!
GUI. [_sings_]
_Now choose what maid has yet no mate,
She’s yours._
JOHN. [_sings_] _Here then fix I my fate._
[_Takes_ CONSTANZA _by the hand, and offers to kiss her_.
SAN. Again fall to before you ha' washed?
SOTO. Your nose in the manger before the oats are
measured, jade so hungry?
ALV. [_sings_]
_Set foot to foot; those garlands hold;
Now mark[314]_ [_well_] _what more is told.
By cross arms, the lover’s sign,
Vow, as these flowers themselves entwine,
Of April’s wealth building a throne
Round, so your love to one or none;
By those touches of your feet,
You must each night embracing meet,
Chaste, howe’er disjoin’d by day;
You the sun with her must play,
She to you the marigold,
To none but you her leaves unfold;
Wake she or sleep, your eyes so charm,
Want, woe, nor weather do her harm._
CAR.[315] [_sings_]
_This is your market now of kisses,
Buy and sell free each other blisses._
JOHN. Most willingly.
_Chorus._
_Holydays, high days, gipsy fairs,
When kisses are fairings, and hearts meet in pairs._
ALV. All ceremonies end here: welcome, brother gipsy!
SAN. And the better to instruct thee, mark what a brave
life ’tis all the year long. [_Sings._
_Brave don, cast your eyes
On our gipsy fashions:
In our antic hey-de-guize[316]
We go beyond all nations;
Plump Dutch
At us grutch,
So do English, so do French,
He that lopes[317]
On the ropes,
Shew me such another wench._[318]
_We no camels have to shew,
Nor elephant with growt_[319] _head;
We can dance, he cannot go,
Because the beast is corn-fed;_[320]
_No blind bears
Shedding tears,
For a collier’s whipping;
Apes nor dogs,
Quick as frogs,
Over cudgels skipping,_

_Jack[s]-in-boxes,_[321] _nor decoys,
Puppets, nor such poor things,
Nor are we those roaring boys
That cozen fools with gilt rings;_[322]
_For an ocean,
Not[323] such a motion
As the city Nineveh;[324]
Dancing, singing,
And fine ringing,
You these sports shall hear and see._

Come now, what shall his name be?
CONSTI. His name shall now be Andrew.—Friend Andrew,
mark me:
Two years I am to try you; prove fine gold,
The uncrack’d diamond of my faith shall hold.
JOHN. My vows are rocks of adamant.
CONSTI. Two years you are to try me: black[325] when I
turn
May I meet youth and want, old age and scorn!
JOHN. Kings' diadems shall not buy thee.
CAR.[326] Do you think
You can endure the life, and love it?
JOHN. As usurers doat upon their treasure.
SOTO. But when your face shall be tann’d
Like a sailor’s worky-day hand——
SAN. When your feet shall be gall’d,
And your noddle be mall’d[327]——
SOTO. When the woods you must forage,
And not meet with poor pease-porridge——
SAN. Be all to-be-dabbled,[328] yet lie in no sheet——
SOTO. With winter’s frost, hail, snow, and sleet;
What life will you say it is then?
JOHN. As now, the sweetest.
DIEGO. [_within_] Away! away! the corregidor has sent
for you.
SAN. [_sings_]
_Hence merrily fine to get money!
Dry are the fields, the banks are sunny,
Silver is sweeter far than honey;
Fly like swallows,
We for our conies must get mallows;
Who loves not his dill,[329] let him die at the gallows.
Hence, bonny girls, foot it trimly,
Smug up your beetle-brows, none look grimly;
To shew a pretty foot, O ’tis seemly!_
[_Exeunt all except_ SOTO: _as he is going out_,

_Enter_ CARDOCHIA, _who stays him_.

CARD. Do you hear, you gipsy? gipsy!
SOTO. Me?
CARD. There’s a young gipsy newly entertain’d;
Sweet gipsy, call him back for one two words,
And here’s a jewel for thee.
SOTO. I'll send him.
CARD. What’s his name?
SOTO. Andrew. [_Exit._
CARD. A very handsome fellow; I ha' seen courtiers
Jet[330] up and down in their full bravery,[331]
Yet here’s a gipsy worth a drove of ’em.

_Re-enter_ JOHN.

JOHN. With me, sweetheart?
CARD. Your name is Andrew?
JOHN. Yes.
CARD. You can tell fortunes, Andrew?
JOHN. I could once,
But now I ha' lost that knowledge; I'm in haste,
And cannot stay to tell you yours.
CARD. I cannot tell yours then;
And ’cause you’re in haste, I'm quick; I am a maid——
JOHN. So, so, a maid quick?
CARD. Juanna Cardochia,
That’s mine own name; I am my mother’s heir
Here to this house, and two more.
JOHN. I buy no lands.
CARD. They shall be given you, with some plate and
money,
And free possession during life of me,
So the match like[332] you; for so well I love you,
That I, in pity of this trade of gipsying,
Being base, idle, and slavish, offer you
A state to settle you, my youth and beauty,
Desir’d by some brave Spaniards, so I may call you
My husband: shall I, Andrew?
JOHN. ’Las, pretty soul,
Better stars guide you! may that hand of Cupid
Ache, ever shot this arrow at your heart!
Sticks there one such indeed?
CARD. I would there did not,
Since you’ll not pluck it out.
JOHN. Good sweet, I cannot;
For marriage, ’tis a law amongst us gipsies
We match in our own tribes; for me to wear you,
I should but wear you out.
CARD. I do not care;
Wear what you can out, all my life, my wealth,
Ruin me, so you lend me but your love,
A little of your love!
JOHN. Would I could give it,
For you are worth a world of better men,
For your free noble mind! all my best wishes
Stay with you; I must hence.
CARD. Wear for my sake
This jewel.
JOHN. I'll not rob you, I'll take nothing.
CARD. Wear it about your neck but one poor moon;
If in that time your eye be as ’tis now,
Send my jewel home again, and I protest
I'll never more think on you; deny not this,
Put it about your neck.
JOHN. Well then,’tis done. [_Putting on jewel._
CARD. And vow to keep it there.
JOHN. By all the goodness
I wish attend your fortunes, I do vow it! [_Exit._
CARD. Scorn’d! thou hast temper’d poison to kill me
Thyself shall drink; since I cannot enjoy thee,
My revenge shall.

_Enter_ DIEGO.

DIEGO. Where are the gipsies?
CARD. Gone.
Diego, do you love me?
DIEGO. Love thee, Juanna?
Is my life mine? it is but mine so long
As it shall do thee service.
CARD. There’s a young[333] gipsy newly entertain’d.
DIEGO. A handsome rascal; what of him?
CARD. That slave in obscene language courted me,
Drew reals[334] out, and would have bought my body,
Diego, from thee.
DIEGO. Is he so itchy? I'll cure him.
CARD. Thou shalt not touch the villain, I'll spin his
fate;
Woman strikes sure, fall the blow ne’er so late.
DIEGO. Strike on, since[335] thou wilt be a
striker.[336] [_Exeunt._

SCENE II.

_A room in_ FERNANDO’S _house_.

_Enter_ FERNANDO, FRANCISCO, PEDRO, _and_ LOUIS.

FER. See, Don Louis; an arm,[337]
The strongest arm in Spain, to the full length
Is stretch’d to pluck old count Alvarez home
From his sad banishment.
LOUIS. With longing eyes,
My lord, I expect the man: your lordship’s pardon,
Some business calls me from you.
FER. Prithee, Don Louis,
Unless th' occasion be too violent,
Stay and be merry with us; all the gipsies
Will be here presently.
LOUIS. I'll attend your lordship
Before their sports be done.
FER. Be your own carver. [_Exit_ LOUIS.
[_To_ FRAN.] Not yet shake off these fetters? I see a
son
Is heavy when a father carries him
On his old heart.
FRAN. Could I set up my rest
That he were lost, or taken prisoner,
I could hold truce with sorrow; but to have him
Vanish I know not how, gone none knows whither,
’Tis that mads me.
PED. You said he sent a letter.
FRAN. A letter? a mere riddle; he’s gone to see[k]
His fortune in the wars; what wars have we?
Suppose we had, goes any man to th' field
Naked, unfurnish’d both [of] arms and money?
FER. Come, come, he’s gone a-wenching; we in our youth
Ran the self-same bias.

_Enter_ DIEGO.

DIEGO. The gipsies, my lord, are come.
FER. Are they? let them enter. [_Exit_ DIEGO.
My lord De Cortes, send for your wife and daughter;
Good company is good physic: take the pains
To seat yourselves in my great chamber. See,
They[338] are here.—
[_Exeunt._ FRANCISCO _and_ PEDRO.

_Enter_ ALVAREZ, GUIAMARA, CONSTANZA,
CHRISTIANA, JOHN, RODERIGO, ANTONIO, CARLO,
SANCHO, _and_ SOTO, _disguised as before_.

What’s your number?
SAN. The figure of nine casts us all up, my lord.
FER. Nine? let me see—you are ten, sure.
SOTO. That’s our poet, he stands for a cipher.
FER. Ciphers make numbers:—what plays have you?
ALV. Five or six, my lord.
FER. It’s well so many already.
SOTO. We are promised a very merry tragedy, if all hit
right, of Cobby Nobby.
FER. So, so; a merry tragedy! there is a way
Which the Italians and the Frenchmen use,
That is, on a word given, or some slight plot,
The actors will extempore fashion out
Scenes neat and witty.
ALV. We can do that, my lord;
Please you bestow the subject.
FER. Can you?—Come hither,
You master poet: to save you a labour,
Look you, against your coming I projected
This comic passage [_producing a paper_]; your drama,
that’s the scene——
ROD. Ay, ay, my lord.
FER. I lay in our own country, Spain.
ROD. ’Tis best so.
FER. Here’s a brave part for this old gipsy; look you,
The father: read the plot; this young she-gipsy,
This lady: now the son, play him yourself.
ROD. My lord, I am no player.
FER. Pray, at this time,
The plot being full, to please my noble friends,
Because your brains must into theirs put language,
Act thou the son’s part; I'll reward your pains.
ROD. Protest, my lord——
FER. Nay, nay, shake off protesting;
When I was young, sir, I have play’d myself.
SAN. Yourself, my lord? you were but a poor company
then.
FER. Yes, full enough, honest fellow.—Will you do it?
ROD. I'll venture.
FER. I thank you: let this father be a don
Of a brave spirit.—Old gipsy, observe me——
ALV. Yes, my lord.
FER. Play him up high; not like a pantaloon,[339]
But hotly, nobly, checking this his son,
Whom make a very rake-hell, a debosh’d fellow.—
This point, I think, will shew well.
ROD. This of the picture?
It will indeed, my lord.
SAN. My lord, what part play I?
FER. What parts dost use to play?
SAN. If your lordship has ever a coxcomb, I think I
could fit you.
FER. I thank your coxcombship.
SOTO. Put a coxcomb upon a lord!
FER. There are parts to serve you all; go, go, make
ready,
And call for what you want. [_Exit._
ALV. Give me the plot; our wits are put to trial.
What’s the son’s name? Lorenzo: that’s your part,
[_To_ RODERIGO.
Look only you to that; these I'll dispose:
Old Don Avero, mine; Hialdo, Lollio,
Two servants,—you for them. [_To_ SANCHO _and_ SOTO.
SAN. One of the foolish knaves give me; I'll be Hialdo.
SOTO. And I, Lollio.
SAN. Is there a banquet in the play? we may call for
what we will.
ROD. Yes, here is a banquet.
SAN. I'll go, then, and bespeak an ocean of sweet-meats,
marmalade, and custards.
ALV. Make haste to know what you must do.
SAN. Do? call for enough; and when my belly is full,
fill my pockets.
SOTO. To a banquet there must be wine; fortune’s a
scurvy whore, if she makes not my head sound like a
rattle, and my heels dance the canaries.[340]
ALV. So, so; despatch, whilst we employ our brains
To set things off to th' life.
ROD. I'll be straight with you.—
[_Exeunt all except_ RODERIGO.
Why does my father put this trick on me?
Spies he me through my vizard? if he does,
He’s not the king of Spain, and ’tis no treason;
If his invention jet[341] upon a stage,
Why should not I use action? A debosh’d fellow!
A very rake-hell! this reflects on me,
And I'll retort it: grown a poet, father?
No matter in what strain your play must run,
But I shall fit you for a roaring son. [_Exit._

SCENE III.

_A large apartment in_ FERNANDO’S _house_.

_Enter_ FERNANDO, FRANCISCO, PEDRO, DIEGO, MARIA, CLARA,
_and Servants_.

FER. Come, ladies, take your places. [_Flourish
within._] This their music?
’Tis very handsome: O, I wish this room
Were freighted but with [pleasures[342]], noble friends,
As are to you my welcomes!—Begin there, masters.
SAN. [_within_] Presently, my lord; we want but a cold
capon for a property.[343]
FER. Call, call for one.

_Enter_ SANCHO _as Prologue_.

Now they begin.
SAN. _Both short and sweet some say is best;
We will not only be sweet, but short:
Take you pepper in the nose,[344] you mar our sport._
FER. By no means pepper.
SAN. _Of your love measure us forth but one span;
We do, though not the best, the best we can._ [_Exit._
FER. A good honest gipsy!

_Enter_ ALVAREZ (_as_ AVERO), _and_ SOTO (_as_ LOLLIO).

ALV. _Slave, where’s my son Lorenzo?_
SOTO. _I have sought him, my lord, in all four elements:
in earth, my shoes are full of gravel; in water, I drop
at nose with sweating; in air, wheresoever I heard noise
of fiddlers, or the wide mouths of gallon-pots roaring;
and in fire, what chimney soever I saw smoking with good
cheer, for my master’s dinner, as I was in hope._
ALV. _Not yet come home? before on this old tree
Shall grow a branch so blasted, I'll hew it off,
And bury it at my foot! Didst thou inquire
At my brother’s?_
SOTO. _At your sister’s._
ALV. _At my wife’s father’s?_
SOTO. _At your uncle’s mother’s: no such sheep has broke
through their hedge; no such calf as your son sucks or
bleats in their ground._

ALV. _I am unbless’d to have but one son only,
One staff to bear my age up, one taper left
To light me to my grave, and that burns dimly;
That leaves me darkling hid in clouds of woe:
He that should prop me is mine overthrow._
FER. Well done, old fellow! is’t not?
FRAN. } _Yes, yes, my lord._
PED., _&c._ }
SOTO. _Here comes his man Hialdo._

_Enter_ SANCHO (_as_ HIALDO).

ALV. _Where’s the prodigal your master, sirrah?_
SAN. _Eating acorns amongst swine, draff amongst hogs,
and gnawing bones amongst dogs; has lost all his money
at dice, his wits with his money, and his honesty with
both; for he bum-fiddles me, makes the drawers curvet,
pitches the plate over the bar, scores up the vintner’s
name in the Ram-head, flirts his wife under the nose,
and bids you with a pox send him more money._
ALV. _Art thou one of his curs to bite me too?
To nail thee to the earth were to do justice._
SAN. _Here comes Bucephalus my prancing master; nail me
now who dares._

_Enter_ RODERIGO (_as_ LORENZO).

ROD. _I sit like an owl[345] in the ivy-bush of a
tavern; Hialdo, I have drawn red wine from the vintner’s
own hogshead._
SAN. _Here’s two more, pierce them too._
ROD. _Old don, whom I call father, am I thy son? if I
be, flesh me with gold, fat me with silver; had I Spain
in this hand, and Portugal in this, puff it should fly:
where’s the money I sent for?_—I'll tickle you for a
rake-hell! [_Aside._
SAN. _Not a marvedi._[346]
ALV. _Thou shalt have none of me._
SOTO. _Hold his nose[347] to the grin’stone, my lord._
ROD. _I shall have none?_
ALV. _Charge me a case[348] of pistols;
What I have built I'll ruin: shall I suffer
A slave to set his foot upon my heart?
A son? a barbarous villain! or if heaven save thee
Now from my justice, yet my curse pursues thee._
ROD. _Hialdo, carbonado thou the old rogue my father._
SAN. _Whilst you slice into collops the rusty gammon his
man there._
ROD. _No money? Can taverns stand without anon,
anon?[349] fiddlers live without scraping? taffeta girls
look plump without pampering? If you will not lard me
with money, give me a ship, furnish me to sea._
ALV. _To have thee hanged for piracy?_
SAN. _Trim, tram, hang master, hang man!_
ROD. _Then send me to the West Indies, buy me some
office there._
ALV. _To have thy throat cut for thy quarrelling?_
ROD. _Else send me and my ningle[350] Hialdo to the
wars._
SAN. _A match; we’ll fight dog, fight bear._

_Enter_ ANTONIO (_as_ HERNANDO).

ALV.[351] _O dear Hernando, welcome!—Clap wings to your
heels,_ [_To_ SOTO.
_And pray my worthy friends bestow upon me
Their present visitation._[352]— [_Exit_ SOTO.
_Lorenzo, see the anger of a father;
Although it be as loud and quick as thunder,
Yet ’tis done instantly; cast off thy wildness,
Be mine, be mine, for I to call thee home
Have, with my honour’d friend here Don Hernando,
Provided thee a wife._
ROD. _A wife! is she handsome? is she rich? is she fair?
is she witty? is she honest? hang honesty! has she a
sweet face, cherry-cheek, strawberry-lip, white skin,
dainty eye, pretty foot, delicate legs, as there’s a
girl now?_
ANT. _It is a creature both for birth and fortunes,
And for most excellent graces of the mind,
Few like her are in Spain._
ROD. _When shall I see her?—
Now, father, pray take your curse off._
ALV. _I do: the lady
Lives from Madrill[353] very near fourteen leagues,
But thou shalt see her picture._
ROD. _That! that! most ladies in these days are but very
fine pictures._

_Enter_ CARLO, JOHN, GUIAMARA, CONSTANZA, _and_
CHRISTIANA (_as friends of_ AVERO).

ALV. _Ladies, to you first welcome; my lords, Alonzo,
And you worthy marquis, thanks for these honours.—
Away you!_ [_Exit_ SANCHO.[354]
_To th' cause now of this meeting. My son Lorenzo,
Whose wildness you all know, comes now to th' lure,
Sits gently; has call’d home his wandering thoughts,
And now will marry._
CONSTI. _A good wife fate send him!_
GUI. _One staid may settle him._
ROD. _Fly to the mark, sir; shew me the wench, or her
face, or any thing I may know ’tis a woman fit for me._
ALV. _She is not here herself, but here’s her picture._
[_Shews a picture._
FER. My lord De Carcomo, pray, observe this.
FRAN. I do, attentively.—Don Pedro, mark it.

_Re-enter_ SOTO.

SOTO. [_to John_] If you ha' done your part, yonder’s a
wench would ha' a bout with you. [_Exit._
JOHN. Me? _Exit._
DIEGO. A wench! [_Exit._
ALV. _Why stand you staring at it? how do you like
her?_
ROD. _Are you in earnest?_
ALV. _Yes, sir, in earnest._
ROD. _I am not so hungry after flesh to make the devil a
cuckold._
ANT. _Look not upon the face, but on the goodness
That dwells within her._
ROD. _Set fire on the tenement!_
ALV. _She’s rich; nobly descended._
ROD. _Did ever nobility look so scurvily?_
ALV. _I'm sunk in fortunes, she may raise us both._
ROD. _Sink let her to her granam! marry a witch? have
you fetched a wife for me out of Lapland? an old midwife
in a velvet hat were a goddess to this: that a red lip?_
CONSTI. _There’s a red nose._
ROD. _That a yellow hair?_
GUI. _Why, her teeth may be yellow._
ROD. _Where’s the full eye?_
CHRIS. _She has full blabber-cheeks._
ALV. _Set up thy rest, her marriest thou or none._
ROD. _None then: were all the water in the world one
sea, all kingdoms one mountain, I would climb on all
four up to the top of that hill, and headlong hurl
myself into that abyss of waves, ere I would touch the
skin of such rough haberdine,[355] for the breath of her
picture stinks hither._

_A noise within. Re-enter, in a hurry_, JOHN, DIEGO,
SANCHO, _and_ SOTO, _with_ CARDOCHIA.

FER. What tumult’s this?
SAN. Murder, murder, murder!
SOTO. One of our gipsies is in danger of hanging,
hanging!
PED. Who is hurt?
DIEGO. ’Tis I, my lord, stabbed by this gipsy.
JOHN. He struck me first, and I'll not take a blow
From any Spaniard breathing.
PED. Are you so brave?
FER. Break up your play; lock all the doors.
DIEGO. I faint, my lord.
FRAN. Have him to a surgeon.—
[_Servants remove_ DIEGO.
How fell they out?
CARD. O, my good lord, these gipsies, when they lodg’d
At my house, I had a jewel from my pocket
Stolen by this villain.
JOHN. ’Tis most false, my lords;
Her own hands gave it me.
CONSTI. She that calls him villain,
Or says he stole——
FER. Hoyday! we hear your scolding.
CARD. And the hurt gentleman finding it in his bosom,
For that he stabb’d him.
FER. Hence with all the gipsies!
PED. Ruffians and thieves; to prison with ’em all!
ALV. My lord, we’ll leave engagements in plate and
money
For all our safe forthcomings; punish not all
For one’s offence; we’ll prove ourselves no thieves.
SAN. O Soto, I make buttons![356]
SOTO. Would I could make some, and leave this trade!
FER. Iron him then, let the rest go free; but stir not
One foot out of Madrill.[357] Bring you in your witness.
[_Exeunt._ JOHN _in custody of servants_,
ALVAREZ, GUIAMARA, CONSTANZA, CHRISTIANA,
ANTONIO, CARLO, _and_ CARDOCHIA.
SOTO. Prick him with a pin, or pinch him by the elbow;
any thing.
SAN. My lord Don Pedro, I am your ward; we have spent a
little money to get a horrible deal of wit, and now I am
weary of it.
PED. My runaways turn’d jugglers, fortune-tellers?
SOTO. No great fortunes.
FER. To prison with ’em both: a gentleman play the ass!
SAN. If all gentlemen that play the ass should to
prison, you must widen your jails.—Come, Soto, I scorn
to beg, set thy foot to mine, and kick at shackles.
FER. So, so; away with ’em!
SOTO. Send all our company after, and we’ll play there,
and be as merry as you here.
[_Exeunt._ SANCHO _and_ SOTO _with Servants_.
FER. Our comedy turn’d tragical! Please you, lords,
walk:
This actor here and I must change a word,
And I come to you.
FRAN. } Well, my lord, your pleasure.
PED., _&c._ }
[_Exeunt all except_ FERNANDO _and_ RODERIGO.
FER. Why, couldst thou think in any base disguise
To blind my sight? fathers have eagles' eyes.
But pray, sir, why was this done? why, when I thought
you
Fast lock’d in Salamanca at your study,
Leap’d you into a gipsy?
ROD. Sir, with your pardon,
I shall at fit time to you shew cause for all.
FER. Meantime, sir, you have got a trade to live by:
Best to turn player; an excellent ruffian, ha!
But know, sir, when I had found you out, I gave you
This project of set purpose; ’tis all myself;
What the old gipsy spake must be my language;
Nothing are left me but my offices
And thin-fac’d honours; and this very creature,
By you so scorn’d, must raise me by your marrying her.
ROD. You would not build your glory on my ruins?
FER. The rascal has belied the lady,
She is not half so bad; all’s one, she’s rich.
ROD. O, will you sell[358] the joys of my full youth
To dunghill muck? seek out some wretch’s daughter,
Whose soul is lost for gold then: you’re more noble
Than t' have your son, the top-branch of your house,
Grow in a heap of rubbish: I must marry a thing
I shall be asham’d to own, asham’d to bring her
Before a sunbeam.
FER. I cannot help it, sir;
Resolve upon’t, and do’t.
ROD. And do’t and die!
Is there no face in Spain for you to pick out
But one to fright me? when you sat the play here,
There was a beauty, to be lord of which
I would against an army throw defiance.
FER. She? alas!
ROD. How? she![359] at every hair of hers
There hangs a very angel; this! I'm ready
To drop down looking at it: sir, I beseech you
Bury me in this earth [_kneels_], on which I'm humbled
To beg your blessing on me, for a gipsy,
Rather than—O, I know not what to term it!
Pray, what is that young pensive piece of beauty?
Your voice for her; I ey’d her all the scene.
FER. I saw you did.
ROD. Methought ’twas a sweet creature.
FER. Well, though my present state stands now on ice,
I'll let it crack and fall rather than bar thee
Of thy content; this lady shall go by then.
ROD. Hang let her there, or any where!
FER. That young lannard,[360]
Whom you have such a mind to, if you can whistle her
To come to fist, make trial; play the young falconer;
I will nor mar your marriage nor yet make;
Beauty, no wealth,—wealth, ugliness,—which you will,
take.
ROD. I thank you, sir. [_Exit_ FERNANDO.]—Put on your
mask, good madam, [_To the picture._
The sun will spoil your face else. [_Exit._