[399] "As bold as blind bayard" was a proverb (as old as Chaucer) applied to those who do not look before they leap. In R. B.'s _Appius and Virginia_, 1575, we have:--"As bold as blind bayard, as wise as a woodcock." _Bayard_ was the name for a bay-horse. PROLOGUS. Nor labours he the favour of the rude, Nor offers sops unto the Stygian dog, To force a silence in his viperous tongues; Nor cares he to insinuate the grace Of loath'd detraction, nor pursues the love Of the nice critics of this squeamish age; Nor strives he to bear up with every sail Of floating censure; nor once dreads or cares What envious hand his guiltless muse hath struck; Sweet breath from tainted stomachs who can suck? But to the fair proportion'd loves of wit, 11 To the just scale of even, paizèd[400] thoughts; To those that know the pangs of bringing forth A perfect feature; to their gentle minds, That can as soon slight of as find a blemish; To those, as humbly low as to their feet, I am obliged to bend--to those his muse Makes solemn honour for their wish'd delight. He vows industrious sweat shall pale his cheek, But he'll gloss up sleek objects for their eyes; 20 For those he is asham'd his best's too bad. A silly subject, too too[401] simply clad, Is all his present, all his ready pay For many debts. Give further day.[402] I'll give a proverb,--Sufferance giveth ease: So you may once be paid, we once may please. [_Exit._ [400] Balanced.--Perhaps we should read "even-paizèd." [401] Sometimes written "too-too" (a strengthened form of _too_), but quite as often printed as two separate words. I have followed the old copies. [402] "Give further day" = allow the day of payment to be deferred. Cf. Middleton, ii. 337. _DRAMATIS PERSONÆ._ _Duke of Venice._ ALBANO, _a merchant_. JACOMO, _in love with_ CELIA. ANDREA, } RANDOLFO, } _brothers to_ ALBANO. QUADRATUS. LAVERDURE, _a Frenchman_. LAMPATHO DORIA. SIMPLICIUS FABER. FRANCISCO, _a perfumer_. PHILUS, _page to_ JACOMO. BIDET, _page to_ LAVERDURE. SLIP, _page to_ ALBANO. HOLOFERNES PIPPO, _page to_ SIMPLICIUS. _A Schoolmaster._ BATTUS, } NOUS, } _schoolboys_. NATHANIEL, } SLIP, } NOOSE, } TRIP, } _pages_. DOIT, } CELIA, _wife to_ ALBANO. MALETZA, _sister to_ CELIA. LYZABETTA. LUCIA, _waiting-woman to_ CELIA. THE SCENE--VENICE. WHAT YOU WILL. ACT I. SCENE I. _A Street._ _Enter_ QUADRATUS, PHILUS _following him with a lute; a Page going before_ QUADRATUS _with a torch._