And twenty caged nightingales do sing: soar Above the morning lark: Or wilt thou hunt? 1 Serv. Say, thou wilt course; thy greyhounds are as swift As breathed stags, ay, fleeter than the roe. 2 Serv. Dost thou love pictures? we will fetch thee straight Adonis, painted by a running brook: Lord. We'll show thee Io, as she was a maid; 3 Serv. Or Daphne, roaming through a thorny wood; Scratching her legs that one shall swear she bleeds: And at that sight shall sad Apollo weep, So workmanly the blood and tears are drawn. Lord. Thou art a lord, and nothing but a lord: Thou hast a lady far more beautiful Than any woman in this waning age. 1 Serv. And, till the tears that she hath shed for thee, Like envious floods, o'er-ran her lovely face, And yet she is inferior to none. Sly. Am I a lord? and have I such a lady ? 2 Serv. Will't please your mightiness to wash your hands? [Servants present an ewer, bason, and napkin. O, how we joy to see your wit restor'd! Sly. These fifteen years! by my fay, a goodly nap. But did I never speak of all that time? 1 Serv. O, yes, my lord; but very idle words:For though you lay here in this goodly chamber, Yet would you say, ye were beaten out of door; And rail upon the hostess of the house; And say, you would present her at the leet, Because she brought stone jugs and no seal'd quarts: Sometimes you would call out for Cicely Hacket. Sly. Ay, the woman's maid of the house. 6 3 Serv. Why, sir, you know no house, nor no such maid; Nor no such men, as you have reckon'd up,- B Sly. Now, Lord be thanked for my good amends! All. Amen. Sly. I thank thee; thou shalt not lose by it. leet, At the Court-leet, or courts of the manor. Enter the Page, as a lady, with Attendants. Page. How fares my noble lord? Sly. Marry, I fare well; for here is cheer enough. Where is my wife? Page. Here, noble lord; What is thy will with her? Sly. Are you my wife, and will not call me husband? My men should call me-lord; I am your goodman. Page. My husband and my lord, my lord and husband; I am your wife in all obedience. Sly. I know it well :- What must I call her? Sly. Al'ce madam, or Joan madam? Lord. Madam, and nothing else; so lords call ladies. Sly. Madam wife, they say that I have dream'd, and slept Above some fifteen year and more. Page. Ay, and the time seems thirty unto me; Being all this time abandon'd from your bed. Sly. 'Tis much;-Servants, leave me and her alone. Madam, undress you, and come now to bed. To pardon me yet for a night or two; Sly. Ay, it stands so, that I may hardly tarry so long. But I would be loth to fall into my dreams again; I will therefore tarry, in despite of the flesh and the blood. Enter a Servant. Serv. Your honour's players, hearing your amend ment, Are come to play a pleasant comedy, Sly. Marry, I will; let them play it: Is not a commonty a Christmas gambol, or a tumblingtrick?" Page. No, my good lord; it is more pleasing stuff. Sly. What, houshold stuff? Page. It is a kind of history. Sly. Well, we'll see't: Come, by my side, and let the world slip; younger. madam wife, sit we shall ne'er be [They sit down. 7 Is not a commonty a Christmas gambol, or a tumbling trick?] Thus the old copies; the modern ones read-It is not a commodity, &c. Commonty for comedy, &c. STEEVENS. In the old play the players themselves use the word commodity corruptly for a comedy. BLACKSTONE. ACT I. SCENE I. Padua. A public Place. Enter LUCENTIO and TRANIO. Luc. Tranio, since for the great desire I had To see fair Padua, nursery of arts,I am arriv'd for fruitful Lombardy, The pleasant garden of great Italy; And, by my father's love and leave, am arm'd With his good will, and thy good company, Most trusty servant, well approv'd in all; Here let us breathe, and happily institute A course of learning, and ingenious studies. Pisa, renowned for grave citizens, Gave me my being, and my father first, A merchant of great traffick through the world, Vincentio, come of the Bentivolii. Vincentio his son, brought up in Florence, It shall become, to serve all hopes conceiv'd, To deck his fortune with his virtuous deeds: And therefore, Tranio, for the time I study, Virtue, and that part of philosophy Will I apply, that treats of happiness By virtue 'specially to be achiev'd. Tell me thy mind: for I have Pisa left, And am to Padua come; as he that leaves A shallow plash, to plunge him in the deep, And with satiety seeks to quench his thirst. 8 - ingenious - It was probably written - ingenuous studies, but of this and a thousand such observations there is little certainty. In Cole's Dictionary, 1677, it is remarked "ingenuous and ingenious are too often confounded." 9 - to serve all hopes conceiv'd,] To fulfil the expectations of his friends. VOL. IV. D |