_Lor._ Nay, do but hear me a little;
I vow ‘tis the strangest thing in the World,
A Man must part from so much Money as I have done,
And be confin’d to Signs and Grimaces only,
To declare his Mind in:
If a Man has a Tongue, let him exercise it, I say,
As long as he pays for speaking.
_Isab._ Again with your paying for’t? I see you are not
To be reclaim’d; farewel--
_Lor._ Stay, good _Isabella_, stay,
And thou shalt hear not one word of that more,
Though I am soundly urg’d to’t.
_Isab._ Yes, yes, pray count them, do;
I know you long to be at it,
And I am sure you will find you are in Arrears to us.
_Lor._ Say you so, I am not of that opinion: but well,
--Let me see--here ‘tis, here ‘tis--
My Bill of Charge for courting _Clarina_.
[Draws out his Table Book, and reads.
_Isab._ And here’s mine for the returns that have been
Made you; begin, begin. [Pulls out her Book.
_Lor._ _Item_, two hundred Crowns to _Isabella_ for undertaking.
_Isab_. _Item_, I have promis’d _Lorenzo_ to serve him
In his Amour with all Fidelity.
_Lor._ Well, I own that Debt paid, if you keep
Your word--out with it then-- [He crosses that out.
_Item_, two thousand Crowns in a Bracelet for _Clarina_;
What say you to that now, _Isabella_?
_Isab._ _Item_, the day after they were presented,
She saluted you with a smile at the Chappel.
_Lor._ And dost thou think it was not dearly bought?
_Isab._ No Man in _Florence_ should have had it
A Souce cheaper.
_Lor._ Say you so, _Isabella_? out with it then. [Crosses it out.
_Item_, one hundred more to thee for presenting them.
_Isab._ Which I did with six lyes in your Commendation,
Worth ten Pistoles a piece for the exactness of a Lye;
Write there indebted to me--
_Lor._ Nay then thou dost deserve it:
Rest due to _Isabella_. [Writes.
_Item_, Innumerable Serenades, Night-walks, Affronts
And Fears; and lastly, to the Poets for Songs, and the like.
_Isab._ All which was recompensed in the excessive
Laughing on you that Day you praunc’d under our
Window on Horse-back, when you made such a
Deal of Capriol and Curvet.
_Lor._ Yes, where I ventur’d my Neck to shew my
Activity, and therefore may be well accompted
Amongst my Losses.
_Isab._ Then she receiv’d your Presents,
Suffer’d your Serenades, without sending her Foot-men
To break your Pate with the Fiddles.
_Lor._ Indeed that was one of the best Signs;
For I have been a great Sufferer in that kind
Upon the like occasions: but dost thou think
In Conscience that this should satisfy?
_Isab._ Yes, any reasonable Man in the World, for the
First Month at least; and yet you are still up
With your Expences, as if a Lady of her Quality
Were to be gain’d without them.
--Let me hear of your Expences more, and I’ll--
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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