PROS. Sister, you have a simple servant here, that crowns your beauty with such encomiums and devices, you may see what it is to be the mistress of a wit that can make your perfections so transparent, that every blear eye may look through them, and see him drowned over head and ears in the deep well of desire. Sister Biancha, I marvel you get you not a servant that can rhyme and do tricks too.
GIU. O monster! impudence itself! tricks!
BIA. Tricks, brother? what tricks?
HES. Nay, speak, I pray you, what tricks?
BIA. Ay, never spare any body here: but say, what tricks?
HES. Passion of my heart! do tricks?
PROS. 'Sblood, here's a trick vied, and revied: why, you monkeys, you! what a cater-wauling do you keep! has he not given you rhymes, and verses, and tricks?
GIU. Oh, see the devil!
PROS. Nay, you lamp of virginity, that take it in snuff so: come and cherish this tame poetical fury in your servant, you'll be begg'd else shortly for a concealment: go to, reward his muse, you cannot give him less than a shilling in conscience, for the book he had it out of cost him a teston at the least. How now gallants, Lorenzo, Signior Bobadilla! what, all sons of silence? no spirit.
GIU. Come, you might practise your ruffian tricks somewhere else, and not here, I wiss: this is no tavern, nor no place for such exploits.
PROS. 'Sheart, how now!
GIU. Nay, boy, never look askance at me for the matter; I'll tell you of it, by God's bread, ay, and you and your companions mend yourselves when Ihave done.
PROS. My companions?
GIU. Ay, your companions, sir, so I say! 'Sblood, I am not afraid of you nor them neither, you must have your poets, and your cavaliers, and your fools follow you up and down the city, and here they must come to domineer and swagger? sirrah, you ballad-singer, and slops, your fellow there, get you out; get you out: or (by the will of God) I'll cut off your ears, go to.
PROS. 'Sblood, stay, let's see what he dare do: cut off his ears; you are an ass, touch any man here, and by the Lord I'll run my rapier to the hilts in thee.
GIU. Yea, that would I fain see, boy.
BIA. O Jesu! Piso! Matheo! murder!
HES. Help, help, Piso!
[THEY ALL DRAW, ENTER PISO AND SOME MORE OF THE HOUSE TO PART THEM, THEWOMEN MAKE A GREAT CRY.
LOR. JU. Gentlemen, Prospero, forbear, I pray you.
BOB. Well, sirrah, you Holofernes: by my hand, I will pink thy flesh full of holes with my rapier for this, I will, by this good heaven: nay, let him come, let him come, gentlemen, by the body of St. George, I'll not kill him.
[THEY OFFER TO FIGHT AGAIN, AND ARE PARTED.
PIS. Hold, hold, forbear.
GIU. You whoreson, bragging coistril.
[ENTER THORELLO.
THO. Why, how now? what's the matter? what stir is here?
Whence springs this quarrel? Piso, where is he?
Put up your weapons, and put off this rage.
My wife and sister, they are cause of this.
What, Piso? where is this knave?
PIS. Here, sir.
PROS. Come, let's go: this is one of my brother's ancient humours, this.
STEP. I am glad nobody was hurt by this ancient humour.
[EXIT PROSPERO, LORENZO JU., MUSCO, STEPHANO, BOBADILLA, MATHEO.
THO. Why, how now, brother, who enforced this brawl?
GIU. A sort of lewd rake-hells, that care neither for God nor the devil.
And they must come here to read ballads and roguery, and trash. I'll mar the knot of them ere I sleep, perhaps; especially Signior Pithagoras, he that's all manner of shapes: and songs and sonnets, his fellow there.
HES. Brother, indeed you are too violent, Too sudden in your courses, and you know My brother Prospero's temper will not bear Any reproof, chiefly in such a presence, Where every slight disgrace he should receive, Would wound him in opinion and respect.
GIU. Respect? what talk you of respect 'mongst such As had neither spark of manhood nor good manners?
By God I am ashamed to hear you: respect?
[EXIT.
HES. Yes, there was one a civil gentleman, And very worthily demeaned himself.
THO. Oh, that was some love of yours, sister.
HES. A love of mine? i'faith, I would he were No other's love but mine.
BIA. Indeed, he seem'd to be a gentleman of an exceeding fair disposition, and of very excellent good parts.
[EXIT HESPERIDA, BIANCHA.
THO. Her love, by Jesu: my wife's minion, Fair disposition? excellent good parts?
'Sheart, these phrases are intolerable, Good parts? how should she know his parts? well, well, It is too plain, too clear: Piso, come hither.
What, are they gone?
PIS. Ay, sir, they went in.
THO. Are any of the gallants within?
PIS. No sir, they are all gone.
THO. Art thou sure of it?
PIS. Ay, sir, I can assure you.
THO. Piso, what gentleman was that they praised so?
PISO. One they call him Signior Lorenzo, a fair young gentleman, sir.
THO. Ay, I thought so: my mind gave me as much:
'Sblood, I'll be hang'd if they have not hid him in the house, Some where, I'll go search, Piso, go with me, Be true to me and thou shalt find me bountiful.
