as swift

Call home thy ancient thoughts from banishment,
And banish hence these abject lowly dreams.
Look how thy servants do attend on thee,
Each in his office ready at thy beck.
Wilt thou have musick? hark, Apollo plays, (Muficks
And twenty caged nightingales do fing.
Or wilt thou sleep? we'll have thee to a couch,
Softer and sweeter than the lustful bed
On purpose trimm'd up for Semiramis,
Say thou wilt walk, we will bestrow the ground:
Or wilt thou ride? thy horses shall be trapp'd,
Their harness studded all with gold and pearl.
Dost thou love hawking? thou hast hawks will foar
Above the morning lark. Or wilt thou hunt,
Thy hounds shall make the welkin answer them,
And fetch Ihrill echoes from the hollow earth.

1 Man. Say thou wilt course, thy greyhounds are As breathed stags; ay, fleeter than the roe. 2 Man. Dost thou love pictures ? we will ferch thee

ftrait Adonis painted by a running, brook, And Citherea all in sedges hid, Which seem to move, and wanton with her breath Ev'n as the waving sedges play with wind.

Lord. We'll shew thee lo, as she was a maid, And how she was beguiled and surpris’d, As lively painted as the deed was done. 3 Man. Or Daphne roaming through a thorny

wood,
Scratching her legs, that one shall swear she bleeds;
And at the fight shall fad Apollo weep :
So workmanly the blood and rears are drawn.

Lord. Thou art a lord, and nothing, but a lord:
Thou hast a lady far more beautiful
Than any woman in this waining age:

1 Man. And 'till the tears that she hath shed for thee;
Like envious floods, o'er-run her lovely face,
She was the faireft creature in the world's
And yet he is inferior to none,

a

Sly. Am I a lord, and have I such a lady?
Or do I dream ? or have I dreamed 'till now?
I do not sleep; I see, I hear, I speak;
I smell sweet favours, and I feel soft things :
Upon my life I am a lord indeed,
And not a tinker, nor Christophero Sly.
Well, bring our lady hither to our fight,
And once again a pot o'rh* smallest ale.
2 Man. Will't please your mightiness to wash your

hands?
Oh how we joy to see your wits reftord,
Oh that once more you knew but what you'are!
These fifteen years you have been in a dream,
Or when you wak'd, you wak'd as if you slept.

Siy. These fifteen years! by my fay, a goodly nap :: But did I never speak of all that time?

1 Man. Oh yes, my lord, but very idle words. For tho' you lay here in this goodly chamber, Yet would you say, ye were beaten out of door, And rail'd upon the hostess of the house, And say you would present her at the Leet, Because she bought itone jugs, and no seal'd quarts Sometimes you would call out for Cicely Hacket, *Sly. Ay, the woman's maid of the house. 3 Man. Why Sir, you know no house, nor no such

maid,
Nor no such men as you have reckond up,
As Stephen Sly, and old John Naps of Greece,
And Peter Turf, and Henry Pimpernell,
And twenty more such names and men as these,
Which never were, nor no man ever saw.
Sly. Now lord be thanked for my good amends..

All. Amen.
Sly. † By th' mass I think I am a lord indeed.
What is thy name?

Man. Simon, 'an't please your honour.

Sly. Sim? that's as much as to say Simeon or Simon; put forth thy hand and fill the pot.

S CE N E. + This and the two following speeches added from 1he old edition,

S. CE NE V.

Enter Lady with attendants,
Sly. I thank thee, thou shalt not lose by it..
Lady. How fares my noble lord ?

Sly.. Marry I fare well, for here is cheer enough, Where is my wife?

Lady. Here noble lord, what is thy will with her ?

Sly. Are you my wife, and will not call me bushand? My men should call me lord, I am your good man. Lady. My husband and my lord, my lord and hus-

band,
"I am your wife in all obedience.

Sly I know it well: what must I call her.
Lord. Madam.,
Sly. Alce madam, or Joan madam?
Lord. Madam, and nothing elfe, so lords call ladies..

Sly. Come sit down on my knee. Sim, drink to. her. Madam wife, they fay that I have dream'd, and flept above some fifteen years and more.

Lady. Ay, and the time seems thirty unto me, Being all this tine abandon'd from your bed.

Sly. 'Tis much. Servants leave me and her alone :: madam, undress you, and come now to bed.. Sim, drink to her.

Lady. Thrice noble lord, let me entreat of you,, To pardon me yet for a night or two :: Or if not so, until the sun be set; For your physicians have exprefly charg’d,, In peril to incur your former malady, That I should yet absent me from your bed ; I hope this reason stands for my excuse.

Sly.. Ay, it stands so, that I may hardly tarry so long; but I would be loath to fall into my dream again: 1 will therefore tarry in defpight of the flesh and the blood.

S CE N E

SCENE VI.

Enter a Messenger. 'Mes. Your honour's players, hearing your amendo

ment,
Are come to play a pleasant comedy;
For so
your

doctors hold it very meet,
Seeing fo much ladness hath congeald your blood,
And melancholy is the nurse of frenzy,
Therefore they thought it good you hear a play,
And frame your mind to mirth and merriment,
Which bars a thousand harms, and lengthens life.

Sly. Marry I will, let them play, is it not a como modity! a Christmas gambol, or a tumbling trick?

Lady. No, my good lord, it is more pleasing stuff. sly. What, houthold stuff? Lady. It is a kind of history.

Siy. Well, we'll see't: come, Madam wife, fit by my side, and let the world Nip, we shall ne'er be younger.

1

LU CE N T I O.
Ranio, since for the great desire I had

To fee fair Padua, nursery of arts,
T

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 seryant, 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's 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 ftudy,
Virtue and that part of philofophy,
Will I apply, that treats of happiness,

BT