And. Alas, those pleasures be stale and forsaken;
No, ’tis your fool wherewith I am so taken,
The only
one creature that I can call blessed;
For all other forms I have proved most distressed.
Nan. Spoke true, as thou wert in Pythagoras still.
This learned opinion we celebrate will,
Fellow eunuch,
as behoves us, with all our wit and art,
To dignify that whereof ourselves are so great and special a part.
Volp. Now, very, very pretty! Mosca, this
Was thy invention?
Mos. If it please my patron,
Not else.
Volp. It doth, good Mosca.
Mos. Then it was, sir.
Nano and Castrone sing.
Worth men’s envy or admiration:
Free from care or sorrow-taking,
Selves and others merry making:
All they speak or do is sterling.
Your fool he is your great man’s darling,
And your ladies’ sport and pleasure;
Tongue and bauble are his treasure.
E’en his face begetteth laughter,
And he speaks truth free from slaughter;
He’s the grace of every feast,
And sometimes the chiefest guest;
Hath his trencher and his stool,
When wit waits upon the fool.
O, who would not be
He, he, he?
[Knocking without.
Volp. Who’s that? Away!
[Exeunt Nano and Castrone.]
Look, Mosca. Fool, begone![Exit Androgyno.
Mos. ’Tis signior Voltore, the advocate;
I know him by his knock.
Volp. Fetch me my gown,
My furs and night-caps; say, my couch is changing,
And let him entertain himself
awhile
Without i’ the gallery. [Exit Mosca.] Now, now, my clients
Begin their visitation! Vulture, kite,
Raven,
and gorcrow, all my birds of prey,
That think me turning carcase, now they come;
I am not for them yet—
Re-enter Mosca, with the gown, etc.
Mos. A piece of plate, sir.
Volp. Of what bigness?
Mos. Huge,
Massy, and antique, with your name inscribed,
And arms engraven.
Volp. Good! and not a fox
Stretch’d on the earth, with fine delusive sleights,
Mocking a gaping crow? ha,
Mosca!
Mos. Sharp, sir.
Volp. Give me my furs. [Puts on his sick dress.] Why dost
thou laugh so, man?
Mos. I cannot choose, sir, when I apprehend
What thoughts he has without now, as he walks:
That this
might be the last gift he should give;
That this would fetch you; if you died to-day,
And gave him all, what
he should be to-morrow;
What large return would come of all his ventures;
How he should worship’d be,
and reverenced;
Ride with his furs, and foot-cloths; waited on
By herds of fools, and clients; have clear
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