Half. Nay, I hope to see thee so strong to shake three trees at once. Drom. We burn time, for I must give a reckoning of my day's work; let us close to the bush*, ad deliberandum. Half. Indeed, inter pocula philosophandum, it is good to plea among pots. Ris. Thine will be the worst, I fear we shall leave a halfpenny in hand. Half. Why, sayest thou that thou hast left a print deeper in thy hand already than a halfpenny can leave, unless it should singe worse than a hot iron. Luc. All friends, and so let us sing; 'tis a pleasant thing to go into the tavern clearing the throat. SONG t. Omnes. Io Bacchus! To thy table Drom. Thou call'st every drunken rabble; We already are stiff drinkers, Then seal us for thy jolly skinckers‡. Wine, O wine! O juice divine! How dost thou the nowle || refine. Ris. Plump thou mak'st men's ruby faces, And from girls can fetch embraces. * "Let us close to the bush." A bough of a tree was usually suspended in front of the houses where wine and spirits were sold: thence the old proverb quoted in the epilogue of " As You Like it," "Good wine needs no bush." + The songs in this play are omitted in the quarto edition of 1798, and given from Mr. Blount's. "Skincker," a cup bearer. "Nowle," the top of the head. BAILEY. It is used here for the head, or sense itself. Half. By thee our noses swell Now to show tricks like apes. Drom. Now lion-like to roar, Make us of thy reeling rabble. SCENE II. Enter MEMPHIO. [Exeunt. Mem. I marvel I hear no news of Dromio; either he slacks the matter, or betrays his master; I dare not motion any thing to Stellio till I know what my boy hath done; I'll hunt him out; if the loiter-sack be gone springing into a tavern, I'll fetch him reeling out. [Exit. Enter STELLIO. Stel. Without doubt Risio hath gone beyond himself in casting beyond the moon; I fear the boy be run mad with studying, for I know he loved me so well, that for my favour he will venture to run out of his wits, and it may be to quicken his invention he is gone into this ivybush, a notable nest for a grape-owl: I'll ferret him out, yet in the end use him friendly. I cannot be merry till I hear what's done in the marriages. [Exit. Enter PRISIUS. Pris. I think Lucio be gone a squirreling, but I'll squirrel him for it; I sent him on my errand, but I must go for an answer myself: I have tied up the loving worm my daughter, and will see whether fancy can worm fancy out of her head this green nosegay I fear my boy hath smelt to*; for if he get but a penny in his purse he turns it so suddenly into argentum potabile. I must search every place for him; for I stand on thorns till I hear what he hath done. Enter SPERAntus. [Exit. Sper. Well, be as be may is no banning†; I think I have charmed my young master; a hungry meal, a ragged coat, and a dry cudgel, have put him quite beside his love and his logic too: besides pigsnyt is put up; and, therefore, now I'll let him take the air and follow Stellio's daughter, with all his learning if he mean to be my heir; the boy hath wit sans measure more than needs; cat's meat and dog's meat enough for the vantage. Well, without Halfpenny all my wit is not worth a dodkin ||; that mite is mitching in this grove; for as long as his name is Halfpenny he will be banqueting for the other halfpenny. SCENE III. Enter CANDIus. [Exit. Cand. He must needs go that the devil drives; a father, a fiend, that seeks to place affection by * By the green nosegay Prisius means the ivy-bush, before spoken of, fixed up at the door of the tavern. †The meaning is, "I do not curse my son when I discard him." "Pigsny," a fondling epithet. || "Dodkin," a coin; of value the eighth part of a stiver; hence used as a term of contempt for things of the least possible value. appointment, and to force love by compulsion. I have sworn to woo Silena, but it shall be so coldly that she take as small delight in my words, as I do contentment in his commandment; I'll teach him one school-trick in love. But behold who is that that cometh out of Stellio's house? It should seem to be Silena by her attire. Enter SILENA. By her face I am sure it is she: oh, fair face! oh, lovely countenance! How now, Candius, if thou begin to slip at beauty on a sudden, thou wilt surfeit with carousing it at the last. Remember that Livia is faithful; ah! and let thine eyes witness Silena is amiable; here shall I please my father and myself: I will learn to be obedient, and come what will, I'll make a way: if she seem coy, I'll practise all the Art of Love; if cunning *, all the pleasures of love. Sil. My name is Silena, I care not who knows it, so I do not: my father keeps me close, so he does, and now I have stolen out, so I have, to go to old Bombie to know my fortune, so I will; for I have as fair a face as ever trod on shoe-sole, and as free a foot as ever looked with two eyes. Cand. What, I think she is lunatic, or foolish! * “If cunning,” in the quarto of 1598; and in The Six Court Comedies, this runs, " If I her cunning;" the edition of 1594 I could not obtain. An error was evident, and it might have been altered otherwise; indeed I think the right reading if coming, as it is evidently contrasted with coy. Candius, struck with the appearance of Silena, declares that if she were coy he would endeavour to engage her affections, and if she were inclined to favour him, would profit by her fondness. Coming is explained by Johnson to mean fond; forward; ready to come. Thou art a fool, Candius; so fair a face cannot be the scabbard of a foolish mind; mad she may be, for commonly in beauty so rare there falls passions extreme; love and beauty disdain a mean; not, therefore, because beauty is no virtue, but because it is happiness; and we scholars know that virtue is not to be praised but honoured. I will put on my best grace. Sweet wench, thy face is lovely, thy body comely, and all that the eye can see enchanting: you see how, unacquainted, I am bold to board you. Sil. My father boards me already, therefore I care not if your name were Geoffrey. Cand. She raves or overreaches. I am one, sweet soul, that loves you; brought hither by report of your beauty, and here languisheth with your rareness. Sil. I thank you that you would call. Cand. I will always call on such, a saint, that hath power to release my sorrows; yield, fair creature, to love. Sil. I am none of that sect. Cand. Thy loving sect is an ancient sect and an honourable, and therefore should be in a person so perfect. Sil. Much! Cand. I love thee much; give me one word of comfort. Sil. I'faith, sir, no; and so tell your master. Cand. I have no master, but come to make choice of a mistress. Sil. Ha, ha; are you there with your bears? Cand. Doubtless she is an idiot of the newest VOL. I. S |