Grut. The case is altered with you.

Morel It does appear so; but nothing can make

me proud, I'll know my fellows.

Peren. How do you mean, Morello?

Duke. What is't?

ball;

'Tis all the sport now-a-days.

What other is the world than a ball,

Which we run after with hoop and with
hollow?

He that doth catch it is sure of a fall,
His heels trip'd up by him that doth follow.
Dond. Do not women play too?
Grut. They are too light, quickly down.
Morel. O yes, they are the best gamesters of all,

18

For though they often lie on the ground, Not one amongst a hundred will fall, But under her coats the ball will be found. With a a fading. But we be three of old, without exception to your lordship, only with this difference, I am the wisest fool; for you play the tool in your old clothes, and I have a new coat on.

Peren. Does it not become him? Dond. Rarely well; Do you ever mean to resign it?

Grut. Twere pity bat he should have a patent for't, to him and his posterity.

Morel. Hark you, gentlemen, d'ye hear the news? Dond. News! what news?

Morel. Do you not hear on't yet? why, 'tis in a ballad already.

Grut. And thou can'st sing it.

Morel. 'Twas well gues'd, and I can but hit o' the tune.

Duke. Let us see him and his present;

It will reward my daughter's patience,
Love and obedience :--All the rarities
Ten kingdoms yield, shall not be thought too
weighty,

That she may shift each solitary hour
With a fresh object.

Enter BONAMICO. A Cage discovered.
Dond. Bonamico!
Grut. 'Tis he.

Duke. By my love to goodness,
It is a master-piece, 'twill feed the eye
With plenty of delight.

Bonam. I am as jocund since I am admitted, I
talk as glib,

Methinks, as he that farms the monuments. 19
Duke. Is't not, sirs?

Peren. My lord, I have not seen so much delight In any piece these seven years.

Duke. Where's the master of this work?
Bonam. My lord,

I am the constable, that put all these in the cage, and you may call it a point of injustice, for they never kept late hours: though they all wear feathers, there's not a roarer amongst them, and yet, were they suffered, they'd fly high, for some of them are very lofty-minded.

Duke. A pleasant fellow too.

Bonum. Oh, my lord, we are all born in our degrees to make one another merry: the birds make me merry, I make my wife merry, the fool makes your courtiers merry, and the courtiers make your Grace merry.

Duke. And whom do I make merry?

Bonam. The whole commonwealth, if you go vern handsomely.

Duke. There's salt in's mirth :

:

Dond. And what call you this?

Bonam. This was the duke of Venice his own bulfinch, and taken by the Turks.

Duke. By the Turks say'st thou? he droops indeed.

Bonam. Since his captivity, the wretch endured Much misery by the infidel; it had nothing But bread and water for three months.

Fulo. A shrewd calamity.

Duke. I do affect this fellow's prate.
Peren What's this?

Bonam. This is the blackbird which was hatcht that day

Gondamore died; 20 and which was ominous, About that time Spinola's thrush 21 forsook him. Peren. Was this he?

23

So dearly loved, he called it wife, but could not
(Though in much jealousy he had caged her up)
Keep her from flying out. This was a rail,
Bred up by a zealous brother in Amsterdam,
Which being sent unto an English lady,
Was ta'en at sea by Dunkirkers.-Name but
Rome,

And straight she gapes as she would eat the pope;
A bird to be made much on: she and the horse
That snorts at Spain, by an instinct of nature,
Should have shewn tricks together. I could run

over

But your gracious pardon,

Duke. How, our pardon?

| Italy, and other parts of Europe yield
For the work; if it prove so fortunate
To receive grace from your divine acceptance,
The workmanship (so duty suffer not)
I freely tender-

Duke. No, that were to quench
The fire in all deservers-Fulvio.
Fulv. My lord.

Duke. Pay the cost double: I'll send it to my daughter.

Bonam. It takes as art could wish it. [Aside. Duke. I know it is a present, the sweet soul Will raise much joy in.-Signior Perenotto— Peren. My lord.

Bonam. There are two birds I ha' not named.
Dond. What are they?

Bonam. A pair of gulls, which you may share
between you.

Peren. It shall, my lord.

Duke. If Florence now keep touch, we shortly

shall

Conclude all fear with a glad nuptial. [Exeunt.
Enter EUGENIA, FIDELLA, MARDONA, Donella,
CASSIANA, KATHARINA.

Don. You like this story best then?
Eug. That of Jupiter and Danae comes near

our own.

Don. Be it so we are all perfect in the plot, I think.

Eug. You shall dispose the rest.

Don. You will not be ambitious then, and quarrel about the parts, like your spruce actor, that will not play out of the best clothes, and the fine young prince, who, if he fight, 'tis six to four he kills all, and gets the lady.

Fid. We are constant, you shall appoint them. Don. Then, madam, without ceremony, you shall play Danae, that is shut up in the brazen

tower.

Eug. Well, I'm contented, 'twill suit with my

Don. I need not to instruct you in the chaYou shall be the king Acrisius, her father; a jealous, harsh, crabbed man, who, in fear of the oracle, commands her to be thus enclo

sed.

Mar. So:-I'll fit you for a vinegar king.

ven out.

Don. No matter for properties-24 We'll imagine, madam, you have a beard. Fid. What shall I play?

Don. You must be ladies, whom the king leaves to keep her company; entertain what humour you please.

Cas. and Kath. This is our own parts indeed. Don. You will play it the more natural, and let me alone to play the Thunderer, I'll wanton Jove it-now whet your inventions and about it, imagine our scene expressed, and the New-prison, the title advanced in form.

Eug. The New-prison! why?

Don. O'tis an excellent name, where spectators throng together, as ours do methinks in the arras already; the music have their part. Dispose yourselves for your entrances, while I speak the prologue to our mixed audience of silk and crewel gentlemen 25 in the hangings.-Hem. Kath. Let it be a confident prologue howso[Music. Don. Ye are welcome to New-prison; we have still

ever.

Our ancient keeper, and we fear he will
Speak in his old key too; but do not look for
Choice diet, for alas, we play the cook for
All you are like to feed on; let your palate
Expect at most then but a root or sallad
Picked from the prison garden. We know you

are

Judicious hangings, and well seen; nor dare
We lift you up (too bold) lest we incense
Your green and spreading wits with impudence.
As I began, let me conclude in rhyme;
Hang still, you learned critics of the time.
Now Danae and the ladies.

Eug. Was ever father to his child

So unkind? It makes me wild,
When, to beguile a tedious hour,
From the top of this high tower,
I see every other creature,
Enjoy a liberty by nature.
Can the silver running fountains,
Aud the cloud-aspiring mountains,
Every grove and flowery field,
But a new affliction yield?

Don. This is excellent; she has played the part before.

Cas. Waste not yourself in woeful plaint, Sorrow will not help restraint.

Think, madam, all is but a dream,

That we are in--Now I am out————— -beam, cream; Help me, Katharina, I can make no sense rhyme

to't.

Don. Cream is as good a rhyme as your mouth can wish; ha, ha, ha!

Cas. Does not the arras laugh at me? it shakes,

methinks.

Kath. It cannot chuse, there's one behind does tickle it.

Eug. A dream! alas, 'tis no relief
For us to flatter so much grief!
Fancy wants power to delight,
Or, if we could think it might,
Such a dream so sad would make us,
That it could not chuse but wake us.
Don. My lady has helped her pretty well out
of her dream.

Kath. The sun with glittering golden rays,
May appear one of these days;
You know always, after winter,
Comes the spring and pleasant summer.
Don. Winter and summer! ha, ha, ha.

Mar. Winter and summer! by my faith that's well, there's but half a year between; there be some call themselves poets, make their rhymes straddle so wide, a twelvemonth will hardly reconcile them, and I hope, a lady may straddle a little by poetical licence.

Cas. Madam, your father, king Acrisius.
Mar. Must I enter already?-Hum.
Eug. This is his hour to visit us.
Mar. How fares our daughter?
Cas. What voice is that?

Don. The king speaks through a trunk.

Mar. How is't, heroic birth? what dulness, cold As Saturn's, dwells on thy forehead? be bold To give thy grief a tongue; instruct, child, My paternal nature, lest I grow wild

As the rude north :-thought of thee makes my hairs

Silver, my blood is curdied with my cares.

Don. Most high and mighty nonsense! sure the king has swallowed pills, and his stomach, not able to digest them, does vomit them up again. Mar. Is thy organ dumb,

Or am I grown cheap in majesty? trivial fool, Shall I reap crabbed thistles in neglect for rich

1778, S.

12

Thy gaudy station. When I have unscrewed
Mystical oracles, which not understood,
Do perplex with involved sense-I shall then
Enlarge thy person, Danae; till when,

If aught else do clog thy thoughts with unkind
Thoughts, unload the dark burthen of thy mind.
Pronounce thy grief aloud, my amorous darling,
And I will-

Cas. Let him chuse his rhyme, I beseech you,

madam.

Mar. Uh, uh-cold phlegm obstructs my language-barling, carling.

Don. Ha, ha, 'tis time to make an end, He was almost choked with his own phrase. Mar. And you get me to play an old man' again

Don. We'll have a young one for thee; twentyone and a coat, is a double game :---my turn

comes next.

Eug. He's gone, and leaveth us behind,
To tell our passions to the wind.
Ha! what o'the sudden doth surprize
My active motion? On my eyes

What dark and heavy cloud doth sit,
To persuade me it is night?
It is some charm; I cannot keep
These windows open, I must sleep.

Enter JUPITER.

Cas. This was well passionated: now comes Jupiter, to take my lady napping; we'll sleep too: let the wanton have her swing, would she were a man for her sake.

Jup. Let the music of the spheres
Captivate these mortal ears;
While Jove descends into this tower,
In a golden streaming shower.
To disguise him from the eye
Of Juno, who is apt to pry
Into my pleasures, I to-day
Have bid Ganymed go play,
And thus stole from heaven to be
Welcome on earth to Danae.
And see where the princely maid,
On her casy couch is laid,
Fairer than the queen of loves,
Drawn about with milky doves.
To thee let Paphian altars smoke,
Priests thy better name invoke.
When Hymen lights his holy fires,
Thou that canst infuse desires
In the gods, from thy lip
Let Jove heavenly nectar sip,
And translate, by kissing thee,
Into thy breast his deity.
But I rob myself of treasure,
This is but the gate of pleasure:
To dwell here, it were a sin,

When Elysium is within.

Leave off then these flattering kisses,
To rifle other greater blisses.

[Bell within.

Eug. The bell-news from my father.

Cas. Then your play is interrupted JoveMadam, I'll see.

Don. Beshrew the bell-man; and you had not waked as you did, madam, I should ha' forgot myself, and played Jupiter indeed with you; my imaginations were strong upon me, and you lay sweetly--how now?

Cas. A present, madam, from the duke one of the finest pieces of pageantry that e'er you saw : 'tis a cage with variety of birds in it: it moves on wheels. Your assistance, ladies, to bring it in. Eug. A cage--if from Florence, it shall to the fire,

Or whence soe'er: it cannot be intended
But as a mockery of my restraint.
I'm very sad o'the sudden: ha! 'tis so:
Break it to pieces.

Don. 'Twere pity, madam, to destroy so much

art.

Eug. Yet spare the workmanship, in the perusal There's something pleads for mercy ---I feel within

Some alteration, I know not what;

Let me intreat your absence for some minutes;

I am in earnest, pray do, without reply.

Your eyes shall feed with plenteous satisfaction On this gay object, when I call you.

Ladies. We obey you.

[Exeunt.

Eug. Yet can't I say I am alone, that have
So many partners in captivity.

Sweet fellow-prisoners, 'twas a cruel art,
The first invention to restrain the wing,
To keep the inhabitants o'the air close captive,
That were created to sky freedom: surely
The merciless creditor took his first light,

And prisons their first models, from such birdloups.

I know yon nightingale is not long lived.
See how that turtle mourns, wanting her mate!
And doth the duke, my father, think I can
Take comfort either in restraint, or in
The sight of these that every moment do
Present it to me? were these tendered me?
They shall no more be prisoners to please me,
Nor shall the woods be robbed of so much music.
[She opens the Cage, and ROLLIARDO
comes from the Pillar.

Rol. I take you at your word, fair princess,

I am the truest prisoner: tremble not,

Fear flies the noble mind, for injury dares, not