Volpone monologue from the perform by ben jonson

A monologue from the perform by Ben Jonson

NOTE: This monologue is reprinted from Volpone(1605).

CORVINO: Death of mine honour, with the city\s fool!

A juggling, tooth-drawing, prating mountebank!

And at a public windows! where, whilst he

Together with his strained action, and his dole of faces

To his drug-lecture attracts your irritation ears

A crew of old, unmarried, noted lechers

Stood leering up just like satyrs, and you smile

The majority of graciously, and fan your favours forth

To give the hot spectators satisfaction!

What, was the mountebank their very own call? all their whistle?

Or were y\ enamoured in the copper wedding rings?

His saffron jewel with the toad-stone in\t?

Or his embroidered suit, with the cope-stitch

Made of a hearse-cloth? or perhaps his old tilt-feather?

Or his starched beard? Very well, you shall have him, yes!

This individual shall return home, and minister unto you

The fricace of the mother. Or, let me see

I do think you\d rather mount, might you not attach?

Why, in the event that you\ll install, you may, yes, truly, you might!

And so you could possibly be seen, to th\ ft ..

Get you a cittern, Lady Vanity

And be a dealer with all the virtuous person

Make 1. I\ll yet protest personally a cuckold

And keep your dowry. I\m a Dutchman, I!

Pertaining to if you thought me a great Italian

It would be easiest damned ere you performed this, you whore!

Thou\dst tremble to assume that the murder

Of father, mother, buddy, all thy race

Should follow, while the subject of my own justice!

I ought to strike this steel in to thee, with as many stabs

As thou wert gazed upon with goatish sight!

You had been an acting professional, with your handkerchief

Which he most sweetly kissed inside the receipt

And may, no doubt, go back it using a letter

And \point the place where you might meetyour sister\s

The mother\s, or perhaps your aunt\s might serve the change.

And therefore indicate me: thy restraint just before

Was freedom To what I now decree.

Initial, I will have this bawdy light damned up

And till\t be done, a few two or three back yards off

I\ll chalk a line, o\er which if perhaps thou yet chance

To create thy desp\rate foot, even more hell, more horror

Even more wild remorseless rage shall seize in thee

Than on a conjuror that experienced heedless kept

His circle\s safety ere his satan was put.

Then, here\s a secure which I will certainly hang after thee

And, now I think on\t, I will keep thee backwards

Thy lodging shall be backwards, thy walks back

Thy potential customer all be back, and no enjoyment

That thou shalt find out, but back. Nay, while you force

My personal honest nature, know it is definitely your very own

Being too open, makes me employ you as a result

Since you will not likely contain your subtle nostrils

In a sweet room, nonetheless they must snuff the air

Of rank and sweaty people!

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