THE
NOVELLA,
A
COMEDIE.
Acted at the Black-Friers, by his
MAJESTIES Servants,
Anno,1632.
WRITTEN
By
RICHARD BROME.
MART.
Hic totus volo rideat Libellus.
LONDON.
Printed for RICHARD MARRIOT, and
THO. DRING, and are to be ſold at their
Shops in Fleet-ſtreet, 1653.
[H 3]
The Perſons of the Play.
PAntaloni
Guadagni | } | Two Senators. |
| Fabritio, Sonne to Pantaloni. |
Piſo, His Friend.
Franciſco, Lover of Flavia. |
| Horatio, His Friend―――― |
Nanulo,
Aſtutta, | } | Servants to Guadagni. |
| Nicolo, Servant to Pantaloni. |
| Victoria – – – –The Novella. |
| Jacconetta, Servant to Victoria. |
| Flavia, Daughter to Guadagni. |
| Paulo, – – – By-named Burgio. |
| Swatzenburgh. |
Cheqinno,
Proſpero, | } | Two Lawyers.
|
Pedler, Woman.
Zaffi, an Officer. |
The Sceane Venice.
H 4P R O-
PROLOGUE.
SHould I not ſpeake a Prologue, and appeare
In a ſtarch’d formall Beard and Cloake, I feare,
Some of this Auditory would be vext,
And ſay this is a Sermon without a Text.
Some thinke it ſo eſſentiall, that they ſay
Nor foole, nor Prologue, there can be no Play.
Our Author’s unprovided, and doth vow,
What e’re I ſay muſt ſtand for Prologue now;
Then have at wit for once, why mayn’t I be
Inſpir’d with wit, and ſence extempore?
But firſt I’le tell you, that I had commiſſion
From him to tell you that hee’l not petition
To be dubb’d Poet, for he holds it fit,
That nought ſhould make a man a wit, but wit,
Hee’ll ’bide his triall, and ſubmits his cauſe
To you the Jury, ſo you’l judge by Lawes.
If Pride or Ignorance ſhould rule, he feares
An unfaire tryall, ’cauſe not try’d by’s Peeres.
Faith be your ſelves awhile, and paſs your vote
On what you underſtand, and doe not dote
On things ’bove nature or intelligence;
All we pretend to is but Mirth and Sence,
And he that lookes for more, muſt ee’ne goe ſeeke
Thoſe Poet-Bownces that write Engliſh Greeke.
Our Author aimes only to gaine you laughter,
Which if you won’t, hee’l laugh at you hereafter.
[H 4v]T H E
THE
N O V E L L A
ACT I. SCENE I.
Enter Piſo, Fabritio.
Pi.COme, I proteſt I’le have you home againe,
And tell all to your Father, if you goe not
More chearfully on about this buſineſſe.
Fab.O
Piſo! deareſt (deareſt?) only Friend,
That Name of
Father tis, that checks my blood,
And ſtrikes a filiall Reverence through my Soule;
Layes load upon my loynes, clogging my ſteps,
And like an armed
Angell warnes me back.
Pi.So, ſo, he runs away to proper purpoſe
That beares his Hue and Cry in’s conſcience.
Fab.It is not yet day-light: night will conceale
My ſecret purpoſes. I will returne.
Pi.Do ſo; and damne thee blacker then the night,
Thee and thy Father too for company
Expreſſe your filiall Reverence ſo, doe ſo.
Doſt thou not fly from him to ſave his Soule?
[H 5]His
The Novella.
His and thine own to boot? will not thy ſtay
(Stay not to anſwer me!) ruine your Family;
Cut off all hope of
Bleſſing, if not
Being
Of your Poſterity? and all this by obaying
A wilfull Father in a lawleſſe Marriage;
More fatall (I foreſee’t) then ere our State
Of
Venice yet produc’d example for.
Fab.O now thou tear’ſt my very bowells
Piſo,
Should I conſent (as I dare not deny
My over-haſty Father) to this match,
I ſhould ſubmit my ſelfe the moſt perfidious,
That ever ſhadow’d
Treachery with
Love.
No, my
Victoria, ſooner ſhall this ſteele
Remove thy hindrance from a ſecond choyce,
Then I give word or thought, but to be thine.
Pi.Why flie we not to
Rome then, where you left her,
And ſhun the danger of your Fathers Plot,
Which would not only force you break your Faith
With chaſt
Victoria, but to wed another,
Whoſe faith is given already to another
?
Double damnation
! ’Twere a way indeed
To make your children baſtards o’ both ſides.
Fab.Can there no way be found to ſhun the danger
Of this ſo haſtily intended Marriage,
But by my flight, and the moſt certaine loſſe
Pi.That would be thought on.
Fab.Stay; who comes here?
Muſick, and divers Gentlemen paſſe to and fro with lights,
at laſt Enter Pantaloni, lighted by Nicolo,
with darke Lanthorns.
Pi.Some Night-walkers, that throw
Balls at their Miſtreſſes, well of all Citties
Under the univerſall raigne of venery,
This is the civill’ſt! in what ſweet tranquillity,
[H 5v]The
The Novella.
The ſubjects paſſe by and ſalute each other
!
Stay, what grave beaſt, what reverend
Gib is
(I’th’ name of darkneſſe) dropt out of a gutter?
O age what art thou come to
!
Pi.Looke there
Fabritio,
Venus can it be?
Pi.Nay now I know I am not,
For by that little loving glimpſe of light
That leads him on,
Fabritio, tis thy Father.
Pi.What will this City come to
?
A young man ſhall not ſhortly venture to
A vaulting Schoole for feare he jumpe in the
Same ſadle with his Father, to the danger
Enter Franciſco, and Horatio.
Stay here comes more. This is
Some ſpeciall haunt! ſure tis the habitation
Of the
Novella lately come to Town,
Which drawes the admiration of all
The Rampant Gallantry about the City!
Fab.They ſay ſhee’s yet a Virgine.
So to continue, ſtill ſhee prove ſtale fiſh,
At the rate ſhee’s ſtamp’d for: for ſhe has ſet
Such a large price upon her new nothing,
That Venery and Prodigality are at ods
About her, it ſeemes thy
Father could not bargaine.
Pi.Not hee! peace and ſtand cloſe.
Fran.Is ſhee ſo rare a Creature, this
Novella?
Ho.Rare? above excellent (man) it is unpoſſible
For a Painter to flatter her, or a Poet to bely her
In ayming to augment her beauty: For
[H 6]I
The Novella.
I ſaw her that can judge;
Were to unkennell the handſomeſt ſhee Fox
In
Venice, let him follow theſe doggs. Sure
Shee is earth’d hereabouts. They have the ſent.
Fran.You have not ſeene her often?
At Church, That’s once for every day, that ſhee
Has beautified this City.
May this be to
devotion, that he ſpeaks of!
Fran.And all this
Beauty, and this ſeeming
vertue
Pi.I thought ’twas ſuch a peece.
Hor.Thence only ſprings the knowledge of her worth
Marke but the price ſhee’s cry’d at
: two thouſand
For her Maydenhead, and one moneths ſociety.
Pi.What a way, now, would that money reach
Hor.Shee is indeed for beauty,
Perſon, and Price, fit onely for a Prince:
I cannot thinke a leſſe man then the
Duke
Himſelfe muſt beare her; and indeed ’twere pitty
That ſhee ſhould ſinne at leſſe advantage.
Fran.Why do
we then make way to viſit her
By our expence in Muſick?
Pi.A wary whore-maſter: I like him well
:
A penneyworth for a penny would be look’d for.
Hor.Although her price be ſuch to be ſold for
In ready money, ſhee is yet allow’d
To give herſelfe for love if ſhee be pleas’d.
Who knowes how well ſhee may affect a man
[H 6v](As
The Novella.
(As here and there a Woman may by chance)
Onely for
vertue? That’s worth our adventure,
But I wiſh rather we could purchace her
At the ſet price betwixt us for a twelvemonth
Our friendſhip ſhould not ſuffer us to grudge
At one anothers good turnes.
Pi.There’s love in couples,
What whelpes are theſe? ſure this
Franciſco is
The late forſaken lover, betroth’d to
Flavia
Whom now thy Father would ſo violently
Fab.Would he had her
Piſo.
Pi.O here they pitch, ſtand cloſe, wee’l heare their
Song.
Hor.Come ſad
Franciſco, wee’l to morrow ſee
This Miracle of nature, whoſe meere ſight
Will wipe away the injury thou ſufferd’ſt
In
Flavia, and make thee quite forget her.
Pi.Tis he, and I will ſpeake to him.
Pi.Franciſco muſt not ſo forget his
Flavia.
Pi.Men, that would have you be ſo,
And not to wanton out your holy vowes
Drawes.
Dancing your ſelfes to th’Devill.
Fran.VVhat doe you meane?
Pi.I meane,
Franciſco, you too much forget
The love you bore to
Flavia, ſhee to you.
Hor.Shee has forſaken him, and is beſtow’d
(Forc’d by the torrent of her fathers will)
On young
Fabritio, Pantalonies Sonne.
Pi.Here ſtands the man denies it, ſpeake
Fabritio.
Fab.Not that I undervalue
Flavius worth,
But not to violate her faith by breach
[H 7]Of
The Novella.
Of mine, were all this ſigniory her dowry
(Here is my hand
Franciſco,) i’le not wed her.
Fran.I muſt embrace you ſir.
My Lodging is not farre, pleaſe you retire,
And there repoſe your ſelfes, untill the light
That now is near at hand, ſhall point you forth
A way to future comfort; you ſhall finde
Good wine and welcome, pleaſe you to accept it
Pi.Your offer ſir is large: yet let (me aſke
If we may reſt ſecurely for a day;
Lurke cloſe and private, till the appointed houre
For this forc’d Marriage be over-ſlipp’d,
In caſe that our neceſſity may require it
?
Hor.I underſtand you, Take mine honor of it.
Pi.Be cheard
Fabritio, thou ſhalt not to
Rome,
VVe may prevent thy danger nearer home.
Now night we thanke, and follow thee away
(As being thy ſervants) from th’ approach day.
Hor.You conclude well, lovers and ſprights are
Night-walkers, warn’d away by th’morning, Starre.
Ex.
ACT I. SCENE II.
Enter Guadagni in his Study.
A Taper, Baggs,
Books, &c.
Gua.W Hileſt yet the Leaden finger’d god of ſleepe
Keeps cloſe the eye-lids of phantaſtick
youth,
Feeding their aery fancies with light dreames,
Of wanton pleaſures; giddy, vaine delights,
[H 7v]The
The Novella.
The ever watchfull cares of aged Parents
Throw ope the gates and windowes of ſoft reſt,
Making our midnight noone, to guard and order
The wholſome fruits of our continuall labour.
VVholſome and happy off-ſprings of my paines
Thus I ſalute you and implore your ſafty,
And thus that you may reſt, grow and increaſe
Mine eyes prevent the breakers of your peace.
But ſee the morning haſtens to relieve me!
Day ſpreads apace, and warnes the provident
Doe out the uſeleſſe taper. Hoe! what hoe!
Enter Nanulo, Aſtutta.
Nanulo!
Aſtutta! is it midnight with you?
Nan.Your ſervants are all here and ready ſir.
Gua.About about, you drowſy headed drones,
Aſt.Up and ready too ſir.
Gua.Sirrah haſte you to
Pantalonies houſe.
Tell him I doe attend his comming hither,
To expedite the work we have in hand.
Nan.It ſhall be done ſir, pleaſe you give me
Gua.Here take the Keys; lock the dore after him
Then call my Daughter to me.
Aſt.See ſhee’s here ſir.
Ex. Nan. Aſt.
Gua.Flavia my Girle, ſee how my early care
Provides for thee, The toyle of many yeares
By dayly travaile, and my nightly watches
Lies here in readineſſe to build thy fortune.
And take it willingly, ſince thou conſentſt
To match unto my will; whereby this Coyne,
Thy ſelfe, and both our joyes may finde increaſe.
I can no leſſe then thanke thee
Flavia,
Although I muſt confeſſe, my ſute was long,
[H 8]And
The Novella.
And grievous to me, ere thy childiſh will
Yeilded to my appointment of a huſband
:
For whom (with no ſmall joy I ſpeak’t) thou didſt
Caſt off (indeed) the off-ſcum of his blood
The poore, degenerate in fortune, fellow,
Fla.Alas my
Franciſco―――.
Gua.By which thou gain’ſt the Nonpareil of heires
In all this wealthy City.
The Riddance of the one, to gaine the other,
Both which are equall bleſſings unto me
Can ad unto my preſent happineſſe
More, then the thought of your paternall wiſdome,
VVhoſe provident care was author of this good:
Chiefly to you I therefore wiſh the comfort.
Gua.It will be ſo
: I finde it, my deare child
For though thy joy I know will be abundant
Mine muſt exceed, that includes thine with it.
VVhy ſmil’ſt thou
Flavia,? to think how deare
Thy
Hymeneall day, to morrow is
?
Fla.No I could weepe for that.
This money’s mine againe, and thou art not
If thou doſt wiſh one dayes procraſtination,
Degenerate brat, changeling―――
Fla.Deare Father――Father――
Gua.Th’aſt ſeene thy laſt of happineſſe: all content
From this black minute, and thy ſelfe are ſtrangers.
Fla.Sir, I beſeech you heare me―――
I’le mew you up where never Sun ſhall ſhow
Into what endleſſe miſery i’le caſt thee;
Nor any ſound bring ſuccour to thine Eare.
To call thee back from torment.
[H 8v]Fla.
The Novella.
Gua.My ſelfe will be your Keeper, Cook, and Carver.
Fla.Indeed you will be ſorry.
Fla.For the miſtake you run away withall.
Gua.Didſt thou not ſay thou wept’ſt, becauſe to mor-
Fla.So nigh and yet not come ſir,
Fearing how many dangerous houres are thither.
Gua.Ha! I beginne to be now ſorry indeed.
Fla.Loves Minutes ſir, are dayes, and houres are years,
When each protracted, multiplies our feares.
Gua.Now I am ſorry with all my heart; and here’s a
Thouſand checqines to expiate my treſpaſſe.
But do not let thy huſband know of them
Till he redeeme a fault to their full value.
Oh mine own Girle, my honey, honey Girle
:
Fla.Was not I ſir applauding of your wiſdome,
And giving you the glory of my comfort
Gua.Thou didſt, thou didſt,
With teares of joy I muſt confeſſe thou didſt.
Fla.Had you but heard me out, I had magnified
My fortune, ſprung out of your providence.
Gua.Speake yet, and I will heare attentively.
Fla.Firſt then, how firſt your admirable wiſdome
Weighing how I had ſetled my affection
Upon
Franciſco, excellent in parts,
Of noble blood, how ever low in fortune,
You gave your free conſent (knowing your eſtate
To be a portion fitter to reſtore him
Unto the dignity of his Anceſtors,
Then to be added to anothers Muck-hill)
That I ſhould be his wife――――
IFla,
The Novella.
Fla.Nay deare ſir flie not off.
Fla.I ſay you gave conſent, that I ſhould be
Wife to that noble Gentleman (pray ſit ſtill ſir)
As you had foreſeene my future happines
Only in him conſiſted――― ſir untill
This wealthy heire, young
Fabritio,
Your Neighbour Trades-mans Son, of great eſtate,
Was by his father tender’d unto you
For me a huſband, then unſeene by mee
:
But ſince I muſt confeſſe a proper man,
Fla.But that your wiſdome needs will have it ſo,
By reaſon that his heapes may purchaſe honour,
Which to’thers wants can never waſh away,
But farewell him: I muſt looke this way now;
And crown your wiſdome with this cloſing point,
That whereas I betroth’d was to
Frauciſco,
And
Pantalonies Sonne unto another,
(A Lady as tis juſtified at
Rome)
You force me on this man, the fitteſt huſband
On whom to make my party good hereafter,
Who ſhall not dare to upbraide my breach of faith.
Gua.And iſt not a ſound policy my
Flavia?
A Bell
But now no more; old
Pantaloni comes,
rings
I take it. How now! dos he not come
?
Enter Nanulo.
Nan.Signor
Pantaloni, ſir, intreats you
Meet him on the
Rialto inſtantly,
That you may goe to the Advocates together.
Gua.It is my
Flavia interchangeably
To ſeale your Marriage covenants; make thee happy,
Looke to my houſe and havings; keepe all ſafe,
I ſhall be abſent moſt part of this day.
[I 1v]Be
The Novella.
Be carefull Girle, thine own ſpeciall good
Requires thee to’t: and therefore I dare truſt thee.
Fla.Happy ſucceſſe attend you ſir, whilſt I
Reſt here in prayers for you.
Come ſirrah lock the doore. But firſt (dee hear)
Beware that none have entrance in my abſence
Except
Fabritio, Pantalonie’s Sonne;
Or ſuch as I have warranted, looke to it.
Gua.Come lock the doore I ſay.
Exit.
Fla.I, I be ſure of that, and I could wiſh
My thoughts were priſoners too: that they might fly
No further then the caſement, or the wicket;
Where they (looſe things) get out, and nothing bring
Back to this heart, but cold and ſad returnes.
Enter Aſtutta.
Aſt.Now or never helpe me!
Fla.As thou didſt ever dreame what true love was,
Fancy ſome way to quit me of this bondage;
Or elſe contrive this houre to be my laſt.
Aſt.What! would you diſobey your
Father? what!
So good, ſo carefull, and ſo wiſe a
Parent?
Fla.O doe not vex me into longer life.
Either ſpeake helpe, or let me die in ſilence.
Aſt.Yes, at ſixteene; you would die at ſixteene?
Fla.Elſe let thy pitty of my youth preſerve me.
Aſt.O
Cupid what a
Termagant tyrant art thou
Over poore ſubjects of ſixteene! There is not one
Among a hundred of thoſe tickliſh
Trifles
But is more taken with a
Toy at ſixteene
Then ſix and twenty: becauſe by that time
The edges of moſt maydenheads are allayd.
Fla.Nay deare
Aſtutta haſt thou thought a courſe?
I 2Aſt.
The Novella.
Aſt.What to prevent your Father, my good Maſter?
Thinke you I can turne traytor to his truſt,
And croſſe his purpoſe for your Marriage?
Fla.If Knife, or Poyſon, Fire, or Water may
Remove this wretched cauſe, i’le do it elſe.
Aſt.Yes, you were beſt leape from the top o’th’ houſe
Into the
Cavailgrande: and there perhaps
Some courteous
Gondaliar may catch you up,
And waft you to ſome houſe of deare delight.
Aſt.You ſee the doore is ſhut,
And
Go-by-ground your fathers Giant here
More ſterne then
Cerberus holds faſt the Key,
You can make no excurſion; nor let in
Any attempt for your redemption
:
No Letter or a Meſſage can approach you,
But by this Gyant-dwarfe your Fathers Agent,
Though I my ſelfe were wicked to aſſiſt you.
Fla.O couldſt thou be ſo vertuous! Then I know
Some quaint deviſe would iſſue from thy braine
To conjure and controwle his weaker ſpirits.
Thou knowſt I have command of Gold and Jewells
Enough to buy a Senators large conſcience
:
Doe thou command it all to win him to us,
That petty thing. Dos he appeare brib -free?
Is he the only officer uncorrupted?
Enter Nanulo.
Nan.From your elected Bridegroome, brave
Fabritio.
Aſt.Diſſemble patience as you are a woman,
Or hope to be; and heare him handſomely.
Nan.VVell and reſpectfull towards you it ſeemes,
[I 2v]For
The Novella.
For hee deſires you not to ſtir abroad,
As I could wiſh you would not――――
You know I may not ſtir beyond the Key
You keepe, and yet you wiſh me ſtay within.
Aſt.VVill you marre all
? the reaſon
?
Nan.The reaſon is, he meanes to ſend anon
A
Mercadante from the
Merceria,
The famous Pedler woman of this City
VVith her moſt precious wares; for you to chooſe
VVhat you ſhall like and take them as his preſents,
(A ceremony us’d on wedding Eves)
Such Rings, ſuch Things, ſuch Knacks, ſuch Knots & Bobs;
Such Curles, ſuch Purles, ſuch Tricks and Trilly bubkins
As Mayds would turne no Mayds almoſt to ſee ’hem!
And can you yet be angry at ſuch newes
VVith me the gladſome bringer
?
I have heard of this rare Pedler-woman;
And that ſhee is much us’d in cloſe affaires
Twixt parties
Hee and
Shee; and doe not doubt
Since you make golden offers (gentle Miſtreſſe)
To work her to your ends, as neare (dee marke
?)
As womans wit may reach at ſuch a pinch,
Fla.VVell ſir, you know I ſhall not ſtir abroad;
VVhen ſhee is come ſhee’s welcome with my thanks.
Returne ſo by the meſſenger.
Aſt.Now Miſtris if I chance to ſet the ſadle
On the right horſe; that is, to place your Mayden-head
VVhere you would faine beſtow it, I truſt you will
Out of your ſtore reward me with a dowry
Fit to convey me to a
Tradeſmans Bed.
Fla.Yes, and wiſh there a ſecond Maydenhead,
I 3On
The Novella.
Aſt.Well, be chearfull then,
And cleare thoſe cloudy looks, awake your ſenſes,
Refreſh your temples, rowſe invention up.
I have found ground to build on; but there lacks
Much rewing, ſquaring, joynting, to make ſure,
Againſt all ſtormes, our lofty Archi’ture,
Fla.Now thou comforts me.
Exeunt. Om.
