Act 5 — VOLPONE; OR, THE FOX
Reading edition
BY BEN JONSON
THE PERSONS OF THE PLAY
Volpone, a Magnifico.
Mosca, his Parasite.
Voltore, an Advocate.
Corbaccio, an old Gentleman.
Corvino, a Merchant.
Bonario, a young Gentleman, [son to Corbaccio.]
[Sir] Politic Would-be, a Knight.
Peregrine, a Gentleman Traveller.
Nano, a Dwarf.
Castrone, an Eunuch.
Androgyno, an Hermaphrodite.
Grege [or Mob].
Commandadori, Officers [of Justice.]
Mercatori, three Merchants.
Avocatori, four Magistrates.
Notario, the Register.
Fine Madame Would-be, the Knight’s Wife.
Celia, [Corvino] the Merchant’s Wife.
Servitore, a Servant, [two Waiting-] women, &c.
Scene.—Venice.
THE ARGUMENT
V olpone, childless, rich, feigns sick, despairs, O ffers his state to hopes of several heirs, L ies languishing: his parasite receives P resents of all, assures, deludes; then weaves O ther cross plots, which ope themselves, are told.5 N ew tricks for safety are sought; they thrive: when, bold, E ach tempts th’ other again, and all are sold.
PROLOGUE
Now, luck yet send us, and a little wit Will serve to make our play hit; According to the palates of the season, Here is rhyme, not empty of reason. This we were bid to credit from our poet,5 Whose true scope, if you would know it, In all his poems still hath been this measure, To mix profit with your pleasure; And not as some, whose throats their envy failing, Cry hoarsely, “All he writes is railing:”10 And when his plays come forth, think they can flout them, With saying, he was a year about them. To this there needs no lie, but this his creature, Which was two months since no feature: And though he dares give them five lives to mend it,15 ’T is known, five weeks fully penn’d it, From his own hand, without a coadjutor, Novice, journeyman, or tutor. Yet thus much I can give you as a token Of his play’s worth, no eggs are broken,20 Nor quaking custards with fierce teeth affrighted, Wherewith your rout are so delighted; Nor hales he in a gull, old ends reciting, To stop gaps in his loose writing; With such a deal of monstrous and forc’d action,25 As might make Bethlem[1555] a faction: Nor made he his play for jests stol’n from each table, But makes jests to fit his fable; And so presents quick comedy refin’d, As best critics have design’d;30 The laws of time, place, persons he observeth, From no needful rule he swerveth. All gall and copperas[1556] from his ink he draineth, Only a little salt remaineth, Wherewith he ’ll rub your cheeks, till, red with laughter,35 They shall look fresh a week after.