_Cur._ _Laura_ confin’d too! ‘tis time to hasten then,
With my, till now, almost disarmed Revenge:
--Thus I may pass unknown the Streets of _Florence_,
And find an opportunity to reach this Prince’s Heart,
--Oh, Vengeance! luxurious Vengeance!
Thy Pleasures turn a Rival to my Love,
And make the mightier Conquest o’er my Heart.
--_Cloris_, I will revenge thy Tears and Sufferings;
And to secure the Doom of him that wrong’d thee,
I’ll call on injur’d _Laura_ too.
--Here take these Pictures--and where thou see’st [Gives him Boxes.
A knot of Gallants, open one or two, as if by stealth,
To gaze upon the Beauties, and then straight close them--
But stay, here comes the only Man
I could have wish’d for; he’ll proclaim my Business
Better than a Picture or a Trumpet. [They stand by.
[_Curtius_ takes back the Pictures.
Enter _Lorenzo_ and _Guilliam_ dressed in fineish Clothes, but
the same high-crown’d Hat.
_Lor._ Did, ha, ha, ha, did, ha, ha; did ever any
Mortal Man behold such a Figure as thou art now?
Well, I see ‘tis a damnable thing not to
Be born a Gentleman; the Devil himself
Can never make thee truly jantee now.
--Come, come, come forward; these Clothes become
Thee, as a Saddle does a Sow; why com’st thou not?
--Why--ha, ha, I hope thou hast not
Hansel’d thy new Breeches,
Thou look’st so filthily on’t. [He advances, looking sourly.
_Guil._ No, Sir, I hope I have more manners than so;
But if I should, ‘tis not my fault;
For the necessary Houses are hard
To be met withal here at Court.
_Lor._ Very well, Sirrah; you begin already to be
Witty with the Court: but I can tell you, it has as
Many necessary Places in’t, as any Court in Christendom
--But what a Hat thou hast?
_Guil._ Why, Sir, though I say’t, this is accounted of
In our Village; but I had another but now,
Which I blew off in a high Wind; and I never mist it,
Till I had an occasion to pluck it off to a young
Squire, they call a Lacquey; and, Fegs,
I had none at all: and because I would not lose
My Leg for want of a Hat, I fetch’d this;
And I can tell you, Sir, it has a fashionable Brim.
_Lor._ A Fool’s head of your own, has it not?
The Boys will hoot at us as we pass--hah,
Who be these, who be these-- [Goes towards _Cur._ and _Piet._
_Cur._ Here--this to _Don Alonso_--this to the
_English_ Count; and this you may shew to the
Young _German_ Prince--and this--
I will reserve for higher Prices. [Gives _Piet._ Pictures.
_Piet._ Will you shew none to the Courtiers, Sir?
_Cur._ Away, you Fool, I deal in no such Trash.
_Lor._ How, Sir, how was that? pray how came we to
Gain your dis-favour?
_Cur._ I cry you mercy, Sir, pray what are you;
_Lor._ A Courtier, Sir, I can assure you,
And one of the best Rank too;
I have the Prince’s ear, Sir.
--What have you there, hah?--Pictures? let me see--
What, are they to be bought?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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