ew you; and Trusty, my woman, shall be ever awake for you: you
need not fear to communicate any thing with her, for she is a
Fidelia. I pray you wear this jewel for my sake, sir Dauphine.--
[ENTER CENTAURE.]
Where is Mavis, Centaure?
CEN: Within, madam, a writing. I'll follow you presently:
[EXIT HAU.]
I'll but speak a word with sir Dauphine.
DAUP: With me, madam?
CEN: Good sir Dauphine, do not trust Haughty, nor make any credit
to her, whatever you do besides. Sir Dauphine, I give you this
caution, she is a perfect courtier, and loves nobody but for her
uses: and for her uses she loves all. Besides, her physicians give
her out to be none o' the clearest, whether she pay them or no,
heaven knows: and she's above fifty too, and pargets! See her in
a forenoon. Here comes Mavis, a worse face then she! you would
not like this, by candle-light.
[RE-ENTER MAVIS.]
If you'll come to my chamber one o' these mornings early, or late
in an evening, I will tell you more. Where's Haughty, Mavis?
MAV: Within, Centaure.
CEN: What have you, there?
MAV: An Italian riddle for sir Dauphine,--you shall not see it
i'faith, Centaure.--
[EXIT CEN.]
Good sir Dauphine, solve it for me. I'll call for it anon.
[EXIT.]
CLER [COMING FORWARD.]: How now, Dauphine! how dost thou quit
thyself of these females?
DAUP: 'Slight, they haunt me like fairies, and give me jewels
here; I cannot be rid of them.
CLER: O, you must not tell though.
DAUP: Mass, I forgot that: I was never so assaulted. One loves
for virtue, and bribes me with this;
[SHEWS THE JEWEL.]
--another loves me with caution, and so would possess me; a
third brings me a riddle here: and all are jealous: and rail each
at other.
CLER: A riddle! pray let me see it.
[READS.]
Sir Dauphine, I chose this way of intimation for privacy. The
ladies here, I know, have both hope and purpose to make a
collegiate and servant of you. If I might be so honoured, as to
appear at any end of so noble a work, I would enter into a fame
of taking physic to-morrow, and continue it four or five days,
or longer, for your visitation. Mavis.
By my faith, a subtle one! Call you this a riddle? what's their
plain dealing, trow?
DAUP: We lack Truewit to tell us that.
CLER: We lack him for somewhat else too: his knights reformadoes
are wou
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