Volpone Or the Fox Part 37

MOS: Patron!

VOLP: Nay, now, My ruins shall not come alone; your match I'll hinder sure: my substance shall not glue you, Nor screw you into a family.

MOS: Why, patron!

VOLP: I am Volpone, and this is my knave; [POINTING TO MOSCA.]

This [TO VOLT.], his own knave; This [TO CORB.], avarice's fool; This [TO CORV.], a chimera of wittol, fool, and knave: And, reverend fathers, since we all can hope Nought but a sentence, let's not now dispair it.

You hear me brief.

CORV: May it please your fatherhoods-

COM: Silence.

1 AVOC: The knot is now undone by miracle.

2 AVOC: Nothing can be more clear.

3 AVOC: Or can more prove These innocent.

1 AVOC: Give them their liberty.

BON: Heaven could not long let such gross crimes be hid.

2 AVOC: If this be held the high-way to get riches, May I be poor!

3 AVOC: This is not the gain, but torment.

1 AVOC: These possess wealth, as sick men possess fevers, Which trulier may be said to possess them.

2 AVOC: Disrobe that parasite.

CORV, MOS: Most honour'd fathers!-

1 AVOC: Can you plead aught to stay the course of justice?

If you can, speak.

CORV, VOLT: We beg favour,

CEL: And mercy.

1 AVOC: You hurt your innocence, suing for the guilty.

Stand forth; and first the parasite: You appear T'have been the chiefest minister, if not plotter, In all these lewd impostures; and now, lastly, Have with your impudence abused the court, And habit of a gentleman of Venice, Being a fellow of no birth or blood: For which our sentence is, first, thou be whipt; Then live perpetual prisoner in our gallies.

VOLT: I thank you for him.

MOS: Bane to thy wolvish nature!

1 AVOC: Deliver him to the saffi.

[MOSCA IS CARRIED OUT.]

-Thou, Volpone, By blood and rank a gentleman, canst not fall Under like censure; but our judgment on thee Is, that thy substance all be straight confiscate To the hospital of the Incurabili: And, since the most was gotten by imposture, By feigning lame, gout, palsy, and such diseases, Thou art to lie in prison, cramp'd with irons, Till thou be'st sick, and lame indeed.-Remove him.

[HE IS TAKEN FROM THE BAR.]

VOLP: This is call'd mortifying of a Fox.

1 AVOC: Thou, Voltore, to take away the scandal Thou hast given all worthy men of thy profession, Art banish'd from their fellowship, and our state.

Corbaccio!-bring him near-We here possess Thy son of all thy state, and confine thee To the monastery of San Spirito; Where, since thou knewest not how to live well here, Thou shalt be learn'd to die well.

CORB: Ah! what said he?

AND: You shall know anon, sir.

1 AVOC: Thou, Corvino, shalt Be straight embark'd from thine own house, and row'd Round about Venice, through the grand ca.n.a.le, Wearing a cap, with fair long a.s.ses' ears, Instead of horns; and so to mount, a paper Pinn'd on thy breast, to the Berlina-

CORV: Yes, And have mine eyes beat out with stinking fish, Bruised fruit and rotten eggs-'Tis well. I am glad I shall not see my shame yet.

1 AVOC: And to expiate Thy wrongs done to thy wife, thou art to send her Home to her father, with her dowry trebled: And these are all your judgments.

ALL: Honour'd fathers.-

1 AVOC: Which may not be revoked. Now you begin, When crimes are done, and past, and to be punish'd, To think what your crimes are: away with them.

Let all that see these vices thus rewarded, Take heart and love to study 'em! Mischiefs feed Like beasts, till they be fat, and then they bleed.

[EXEUNT.]

[VOLPONE COMES FORWARD.]

VOLPONE: The seasoning of a play, is the applause.

Now, though the Fox be punish'd by the laws, He yet doth hope, there is no suffering due, For any fact which he hath done 'gainst you; If there be, censure him; here he doubtful stands: If not, fare jovially, and clap your hands.

[EXIT.]