Volpone and Other Plays by Ben Jonson Page A

think.
    [
Exeunt
.]
ACT TWO
II, i                          [ SCENE ONE ]
    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â [
The Public Square outside Corvino’s house
.]
    Â Â Â Â Â Â [
Enter
SIR POLITIC WOULD–BE
and
PEREGRINE .]
    [ SIR POLITIC:] Sir, to a wise man, all the world’s his soil.
    It is not Italy, nor France, nor Europe,
    That must bound me, if my fates call me forth.
    Yet, I protest, it is no salt desire
    Of seeing countries, shifting a religion,
    Nor any disaffection to the state
    Where I was bred, and unto which I owe
    My dearest plots, hath brought me out; much less
    That idle, antique, stale, grey-headed project.
    10        Of knowing men’s minds, and manners, with Ulysses;
    But a peculiar humour of my wife’s,
    Laid for this height of Venice, to observe,
    To quote, to learn the language, and so forth –
    I hope you travel, sir, with licence?
    PEREGRINE :                                                           Yes.
    SIR POLITIC : I dare the safelier converse – How long, sir,
    Since you left England?
    PEREGRINE :                                Seven weeks.
    SIR POLITIC:                                                       So lately!
    You ha’not been with my Lord Ambassador?
    PEREGRINE : Not yet, sir.
    SIR POLITIC :                              Pray you, what news, sir, vents our climate?
    I heard last night a most strange thing reported
    20        By some of my lord’s followers, and I long
    To hear how ’twill be seconded.
    PEREGRINE :                                          What was’t, sir?
    SIR POLITIC : Marry, sir, of a raven, that should build
    In a ship royal of the King’s.
    PEREGRINE [
aside
]:                              – This fellow,
    Does he gull me, trow? or is gulled? – Your name, sir?
    SIR POLITIC : My name is Politic Would-be.
    PEREGRINE [
aside
]:                                       – O, that speaks him–
    A knight, sir?
    SIR POLITIC : A poor knight, sir.
    PEREGRINE :                                    Your lady
    Lies here, in Venice, for intelligence
    Of tires , and fashions, and behaviour
    Among the courtesans? The fine Lady Would-be?
    30     SIR POLITIC : Yes, sir, the spider and the bee oft-times
    Suck from one flower.
    PEREGRINE :                              Good Sir Politic!
    I cry you mercy; I have heard much of you.
    â€™Tis true, sir, of your raven.
    SIR POLITIC :                                      On your knowledge?
    PEREGRINE : Yes, and your lion’s whelping in the Tower.
    SIR POLITIC : Another whelp!
    PEREGRINE