ALBVMAZAR A Comedy presented before the Kings Maiestie at Cambridge the ninth of March 1614 By the Gentlemen of Trinitie Colledge LONDON Printed by Nicholas Okes for Walter Burre and are to be sold at his Shop in Pauls Church-yard 1615 Dramatis Personae ALBVMAZAR An Astrologer RONCA Theeues HARPAX Theeues FVRBO Theeues PANDOLFO An old Gentleman CRICCA His seruant TRINCALO Pandolfo's Farmer ARMELLINA Antonio's Maid LELIO Antonio's sonne EVGENIO Pandolfo's sonne FLAVIA Antonio's daughter SVLPITIA Pandolfo's daughter BEVILONA A Curtezan ANTONIO An old Gentleman The Prologue THe brightnesse of so great and faire a presence They say strikes cold amazement But I feele Contrarie effects For from the gracious center O' th Honorable assembly some secret power Inflames my courage and me thinkes I am growne Taller by th' vertue of this Audience And yet thus rais'd I feare there 's no retiring Ladies whose beauties glad the whole Assembly Vpon your fauours I impose my businesse If 't be a fault to speake this forraigne language For Latine is our mother tongue I must intreate you To frame excuses for vs for whose sake Wee now speake English All the rest we hope Come purposely to grace our poore endeuours As we to please In whose faire curtesie We trust not in our weake abilitie ALBVMAZAR Act. 1. Scoen. 1. Enter ALBVMAZAR HARPAX RONCA ALBVMAZAR COme braue Mercurials sublim'd in cheating My deere companions fellow-souldiers I' th watchfull exercise of Theevery Shame not at your so large profession No more then I at deepe Astrologie For in the dayes of old Good morrow Theife As welcome was receiu'd as now Your Worship The Spartans held it lawfull and th' Arabians So grew Arabia Foelix Sparta valiant RONC. Read on this lecture wise ALBVMAZAR ALB. Your patron Mercury in his mysterious character Holds all the markes of th' other wanderers And with his subtile influence workes in all Filling their stories full of robberies Most Trades and Callings much participate Of yours though smoothly gilt with th' honest title Of Merchant Lawyer or such like the learned Onely excepted and hee 's therefore poore HARP. And yet he steales one author from another This Poet is that Poets Plagiary And he a third's till they end all in Homer ALB. And Homer filtch't all from an Aegyptian Preestesse The world 's a Theater of theft Great rivers Rob smaller brookes and them the Ocean And in this world of ours this Microcosme Guts from the stomack steale and what they spare The meseraicks filch and lay 't i' th liver Where least it should be found turn'd to red Nectar T is by a thousand theevish veines convey'd And hid in flesh nerues bones muscles and sinewes In tendons skin and haire so that the property Thus altered the theft can never be discovered Now all these pilfries couch't and composd in order Frame thee and me Man 's a quick masse of the every RONC. Most Philosophicall ALBVMAZAR HARP. I thought these parts had lent and borrowed mutuall ALB. Say they doe so 't is done with full intention Nere to restore and that 's flat robbery Therefore go on follow your vertu's lawes Your card'nall vertue great Necessity Wait on her close with all occasions Be watchfull haue as many eyes as heauen And eares as harvest be resolu'd and impudent Beleeue none trust none for in this Citie As in a fought field Crowes and Carkasses No dwellers are but Cheaters and Cheateez RONC. If all the houses in the towne were prisons The chambers cages all the settles stockes The broad gates gallowses and the whole people Iustices Iuries Constables Keepers and Hangmen I 'de practise spite of all and leaue behind mee A fruitfull seminarie of our profession And call them by thy name Albumazarians HARP. And I no lesse were all the Citie theeues As cunning as thy selfe ALB. Why brauely spoken Fitting such generous spirits I le make way To your great vertue with a deepe resemblance Of high Astrologie Harpax and Ronca List to our profit I haue new lodg'd a pray Hard by that taken is so fat and rich 'T will make vs leaue off trading and fall to purchase HARP. Who is 't speak quickly RON. Where good Albumazar ALB. 'T is a rich gentleman as old as foolish Th' poore remnant of whose brain that age had left him The doating loue of a yong girle hath dried And which concerne's vs most he giues firme credit To Necromancy and Astrologie Enter FVRBO Sending to me as one that promise both Pandolfo is the man HAR. What old Pandolfo ALB. The same but stay yon 's Furbo whose smoothest brow Shines with good newes and 's visage promises Triumphs and Trophies to 's FVRBO playes RON. My life h 'as learnt out all I know 't by 's musicke Then FVRBO sings this song Beare vp thy learned brow ALBVMAZAR Liue long of all the world admir'd For Art profound and skill retir'd To cheating by the height of starres Hence Gypsies hence hence rogues of baser straine That hazard life for little gaine Stand off and wonder gape and gaze a farre At the rare skill of great ALBVMAZAR FVRB. Albumazar Spread out thy nets at large here 's fowle abundance Pandolfo's ours I vnderstand his businesse Which I filch't closely from him while he reveal'd T' his man his purposes and proiects ALB. Excellent Thankes to this instrument for in pretence Of teaching yong Sulpitia th' old mans daughter I got accesse to th' house and while I waited Till she was ready ouer-heard Pandolfo Open his secrets to his seruant thus 't is Antonio Pandolfo's friend and neighbour Before he went to Barbary agreed To giue in marriage ALB. Furbo this no place Fit to consider curious points of businesse Come let 's away I 'le hear 't at large aboue Ronca stay you below and entertaine him With a lowd noise of my deepe skill in Art Thou know'st my Rosy modesty cannot do it Harpax vp you and from my bed-chamber Where all things for our purposes are ready Second each beck and nod and word of ours You know my meaning HAR. Yes yes FVR. Yes sir Furbo goes out singing Fa la la Pandolfo's ours ACT. 1. SCEN. 2. RONCA PANDOLFO CRICCA RON. THere 's old Pandolfo amorous as youthfull May And gray as Ianuary I 'le attend him here PAN. Cricca I seeke thy aide not thy crosse counsell I am mad in loue with Flauia and must haue her Thou spend'st thy reasons to the contrary Like arrowes 'gainst an Anuile I loue Flauia And must haue Flauia CRI. Sir you haue no reason Shee 's a yong girle of sixteene you of sixty PAN. I haue no reason nor spare roome for any Loue 's herbinger hath chalk't vpon my heart And with a coale writ on my braine for Flauia This house is wholy taken vp for Flauia Let reason get a lodging with her wit Vex me no more I must haue Flauia CRIC. But sir her brother Lelio vnder whose charge Shee 's now after her father's death sware boldly Pandolfo neuer shall haue
my old master of his plate For here 's the Farmer as like himselfe as euer Onely his cloathes excepted Trincalo TRI. Cricca where 's Trincalo do'st see him here CR. Yes and as ranke an Asse as e're he was TRI. Thou' rt much deceiu'd thou neither see'st nor know'st me I am transform'd transform'd CR. Th' art still thy selfe Lelio this Farmer 's halfe a foole halfe knaue And as Pandolfo did with much intreatie Perswade him to transforme so as much labour Will hardly bring the Coxcombe to himselfe That nere was out on 't Who art if not hee TR. My name is Don Antonio I am now going To my owne house to giue Pandolfo Flauia And Armellina to his Farmer Trincalo How dar'st thou Cricca but a meaner seruant Resemble me a man of worth and worship To such a clowne as Trincalo a branded foole An Asse a laughing-stock to Towne and Countrey Art not asham'd to name him with Antonio LE. Do not thy actions with thy rude behauiour Proclaime thee what thou art CR. Notorious clowne TR. Villaine th' hast broke my shoulders LE. O did'st feele him TR. I with a poxe LE. Then th' art still Trincalo For hadst thou beene Antonio he had smarted TRI. I feele it as I am Antonio CRI. Foole who loues Armellina TR. 'T is I 't is I CRI. Antonio neuer lou'd his kitchin-maid TRI. Well I was taken for Antonio And in his name receiu'd ten pound in gold Was by his mistresse entertain'd but thou Enuy'st my happinesse if th' hast th' ambition To rise as I haue done Go to Albumazar And let him change thee to a Knight or Lord CRI. Note the strange power of strong imagination TRI. A world of engines cannot wrest my thoughts From being a Gentleman I am one and will be And though I bee not yet will thinke my selfe so And scorne thee Cricca as a slaue and seruant ACT. 4. SCEN. 9. CRICCA LELIO ANTONIO CR. T Is but lost labour to disswade his dulnesse Beleeue me that 's your father LE. When I droue him thence Spight of my bloud his reuerent countenance Strooke me t' a deepe compassion To cleere all I 'le aske one question Signior Antonio What money tooke you when you went your voyage AN. As I remember fourescore and fifteene pound In Barbarie gold Had Lucio kept his word I had carried iust a hundred LE. Pardon me father 'T was my blind ignorance not want of duty That wrong'd you all was intended for a Farmer Whom an Astrologer they sayd transform'd AN. How an Astrologer LE. When you parted hence It seemes you promis'd Flauia to Pandolfo Newes of your death arriuing th' old Gentleman Importunes me to second what you purpos'd Consulting therefore with my friends and kindred Loth my yong sister should be buried quicke I' th graue of threescore yeares by their aduice I fully did deny him He chafes and stormes And finds at length a cunning man that promis'd To turne his Farmer to your shape and thus Possesse your house and giue him Flauia Whereof I warn'd wrong'd you in stead of Trincalo AN. Then hence it came they cald me Trincalo And talk't of an Astrologer which names Almost inrag'd me past my selfe and senses 'T is true I promis'd but haue oft repented it And much more since he goes about to cheate me He must not haue her sir LE. I am glad y' are so resolu'd And since with vs you finde that match vnequall Let 's all intreate you to bestow your daughter Vpon his sonne Eugenio AN. Sonne at your pleasure Dispose of Flauia with my full consent LE. And as you iudge him worthy your daughter Flauia Thinke me no lesse of his Sulpitia AN. I do and euer had desire to match Into that family and now I finde my selfe Old weake vnfit for marriage you shall enioy her If I can worke Pandolfo by intreatie CR. To deale with him with reason and intreaties Is to perswade a mad-man for his loue Makes him no lesse All speeches opposite T' his fixt desire and loue-corrupted iudgement Seeme extreame fooleries Will hee consent To giue his daughter to your sonne and you Deny him Flauia Shall Eugenio Expect or land or loue from old Pandolfo Being his open riuall 't is impossible He sought to cosen you therefore resolue To pay him in 's owne money Be but aduis'd By my poore counsaile and one stroke shall cut The root of his designes and with his arrowes Strike his owne plot so dead that Albumazar With all his starres and instruments shall neuer Giue it fresh motion AN. Cricca to thy direction We yeeld our selues manage vs at thy pleasure LE. Speake quickly Cricca CR. The ground of all this businesse Is to catch Trincalo and locke him fast Till I release him next that no man whisper Th' least word of your returne Then will I home And with a cheerefull looke tell my old master That Trincalo but stay looke where he comes Let 's in and there at leasure I 'le informe you From poynt to poynt Lelio detaine him here Till I send Armellina downe to second you Crosse him in nothing call him Antonio And good enough LE. Feare not let me alone ACT. 4. SCEN. 10. TRINCALO LELIO TRI. THis rascall Cricca with his arguments Of malice so disturbes my gentle thoughts That I halfe doubt I am not what I seeme But that will soone bee clear'd if they receiue mee In at Antonio's house I am Antonio LEL. Signior Antonio my most louing father Blest be the day and houre of your returne TRIN. Son Lelio a blessing on my child I pray thee tell mee How fares my seruant Armellina well LEL. Haue you forgot my sister Flauia TRIN. What my deere daughter Flauia no but first Call Armellina for this day wee 'l celebrate A gleeke of Marriages Pandolfo and Flauia Sulpitia and my selfe and Trincalo With Armellina Call her good Lelio quickly LEL. I will sir TRI. So this is well that Lelio Confesseth mee his father Now I am perfect Perfect Antonio ACT. 4. SCEN. 11. ARMELLINA TRINCALO AR. SIgnior Antonio My long expected Maister TR. O Armellina Come let mee kisse thy brow like my owne daughter AR. Sir 't is too great a fauour I kisse your foote What falne Alas how feeble you are growne With your long trauel TR. True and being drown'd Nothing so grieu'd mee as to loose thy company But since I am safe return'd for thy good seruice I 'le helpe thee to a husband ARM. A husband sir Some yong and lusty youth or else I 'le none TRI. To one that loue 's thee deerely deerely wench A goodly man like mee in limbs and fashion AR. Fye an old man how cast my selfe away And bee no nurse but his TR. Hee 's not like mee In yeares and grauity but faire proportion A hansome well-set man as I AR. His name TR. 'T is Tom Trincalo of Totnam ARM. Signior Pandolfo's lusty Farmer TRI. That 's hee ARM. Most vnexpected happinesse 't is the man I more esteeme
Flauia PAN. His father ere hee went to Barbary Promis'd her me who be he liue or dead Spight of a Last of Lelio's Pandolfo Shall enioy Flauia CRIC. Sir y' are too old PAN. I must confesse in yeares about three score But in tuffe strength of body foure and twenty Or two monthes lesse Loue of yong Flauia More powerfull then Medea's drugges renew's All decay'd parts of man my Arteryes Blowne full with youthfull spirits moue the bloud To a new businesse my withred Neru's grow plumpe And strong longing for action Hence thou poore prop Of feeblenesse and age walke with such sires As with cold palsies shake away their strength And loose their legges with curelesse gouts Pandolfo New moulded is for Reuels Masks and Musick Cricca String my neglected Lute and from my Armory Skowre my best sword companion of my youth Without which I seeme naked CRIC. Your loue sir like strong water To a deplor'd sicke man quick's your feeble limbs For a poore moment But after one night's lodging You 'l fall so dull and cold that Flauia Will shrike and leape from bed as from a Sepulchre Shall I speake plainer sir Shee 'l Cuckold you Alas shee 'le Cuckold you PAN. What mee a man of knowne discretion Of riches yeares and this gray grauity I 'le satisfy 'r with gold rich cloathes and iewels CRIC. Wert not farre fitter vrge your son Eugenio To wooe her for himselfe PAN. Cricca bee gone Touch no more there I will and must haue Flauia Tell Lelio if hee grant m' his sister Flauia I 'le giue my daughter to him in exchange Be gone and finde mee heere within this halfe houre ACT. 1. SCEN. 3. RONCA PANDOLFO RON. T Is well that servant 's gone I shall the easier Wind vp his master to my purposes PAN. Sure this some novice of th' Artillery That winke's and shoots sir prime your peece anew The powder 's wet tick tock tick tock RON. A good ascendent blesse me sir are you frantick PAN. Why franticke are not knockes the lawfull courses T' open doores and eares RON. Of vulgar men and houses PAN. Whose lodging 's this is 't not th' Astrologers RON. His lodging no 't is the learn'd Phrontisterion Of most divine Albumazar PAN. Good sir If the doore breake a better shall redeeme it RON. How all your land sold at a hundreth yeares purchase Cannot repaire th' dammage of one poore rap To thunder at the Phrontisterion Of great Albumazar PAN. Why man what harme RON. Sir you must know my master's heauenly braine Pregnant with mysteries of Metaphisickes Growes to an Embryo of rare contemplation Which at full time brought forth excel's by farre The armed fruit of Vulcan's Midwifry That leapt from Iupiter's mightie Cranium PAN. What of all this RON. Thus one of your bold thunders may abortiue And cause that birth miscarry that might haue prou'd An instrument of wonders greater and rarer Then Apollonius the Magitian wrought PAN. Are you your Masters Countrey-man RON. Yes why aske you PAN. Then must I get an Interpreter for your language RON. You need not with a wind instrument my master made In fiue dayes you may breath ten languages As perfect as the Divell or himselfe PAN. When may I speake with him RON. When 't please the starres He pul's you not a haire nor pare's a naile Nor stirre's a foot without due figuring The Horoscope sit downe a while and 't please you I see the heavens incline to his approach PAN. What 's this I pray you RON. An engine to catch starres A mase t' arrest such Planets as haue lurk't Foure thousand yeares vnder protection Of Iupiter and Sol PAN. Pray you speake English RON. Sir 't is a perspicill th' best vnder heauen With this I le read a leafe of that small Iliade That in a wall-nut shell was desk't as plainly Twelue long miles off as you see Pauls from Highgate PAN. Wonderfull workman of so rare an Instrument RON. 'T will draw the Moone so neere that you would sweare The bush of thornes in 't prick your eyes the Chrystall Of a large Arch multiplie's millions Worke 's more then by poynt blanke and by refractions Opticke and strange searcheth like th' eye of truth All closets that haue windowes Haue at Rome I see the Pope his Card'nals and his mule The English Colledge and the Iesuits And what they write and doe PAN. Let me see too RON. So farre you can not for this glasse is fram'd For eyes of thirty you are nigh threescore But for some fifty miles 't will serue you With helpe of a refractiue glasse that 's yonder For triall sir where are you now PAN. In London RON. Ha you found the glasse within that chamber PAN. Yes RON. What see you PAN. Wonders wonders I see as in a Land-shappe An honorable throng of noble persons As cleare as I were vnder the same roofe Seemes by their gracious browes and courteous lookes Something they see which if t b' indifferent They 'l fau'rably accept if otherwise They 'l pardon who or what they be I know not RON. Why that 's the coure at Cambridge forty miles hence what else PAN. A Hall thrust full of bare-heads some bald some busht Some brauely branch't RON. That 's th' Vniversity Larded with Townes-men Look you there what now PAN. Who I see Douer Peere a man now landing Attended by two Porters that seeme to grone Vnder the burthen of two loades of paper RON. That 's Coriatus Persicus and 's obseruations Of Asia and Affrick PAN. The price RON. I dare not sel 't But here 's another of a stranger vertue The great Albumazar by wondrous Art In imitation of this Perspicill Hath fram'd an Instrument that multiplies Obiects of hearing as this doth of seeing That you may know each whisper from Prester Iohn Against the winde as fresh as 't were deliuered Through a trunke or Glosters listning wall PAN. And may I see it sir blesse me once more RON. 'T is somthing ceremonious but you shall try 't Stand thus What heare you Pan. Nothing RO. Set your hands thus That th' vertex of the Organ may perpendicularly Point out our Zenith What heare you now ha ha ha PAN. A humming noyse of laughter RO. Why that 's the Court And Vniuersitie that now are merry With an old gentleman in a Comaedy What now PAN. Celestiall musicke but it seemes farre off List list t is neerer now RO. 'T is musick twixt the Acts What now PAN. Nothing Ron. And now PAN. Musicke againe and strangely delicate O most Angelicall they sing RON. And now Sing sweetly that our notes may cause The heauenly Orbes themselues to pause And at our musick stand as still As at Ioue's amorous will So now release them as before Th'haue waited long enough no more PAN. 'T is gone giue mee 't againe O do not so RON. What heare you now PAN. No more then a dead Oyster O let me see this wondrous instrument RON. Sir this is cal'd an Otacousticon