Induction.
¶Enter Galeatzo, Piero, Alberto, Antonio, Forobosco, Ba∣lurdo,
Matzagente, & Feliche, with parts in their hands:
hauing cloakes cast ouer their apparell.
COme sirs, come: the musique will sounde straight for entrance. Are yee readie, are yee perfect?
Pier.
Faith, we can say our parts: but wee are ignorant in what mould we must cast our Actors.
Albert.
Whome doe you personate?
Pie. Piero,
Duke of Venice.
Alb.
O, ho: then thus frame your exterior shape,
To hautie forme of elate maiestie;
As if you held the palsey shaking head
Of reeling chaunce, vnder your fortunes belt,
In strictest vassalage: growe big in thought,
As swolne with glory of succesfull armes.
Pie.
If that be all, feare not, Ile sute it right.
Who can not be proud, stroak vp the haire, and strut!
Al.
Truth: such ranke custome is growne popular;
And now the vulgar fashion strides as wide,
And stalkes as proud, vpon the weakest stilts
Of the slight'st fortunes, as if Hercules,
Or burly Atlas shouldred vp their state.
Pi.
Good: but whome act you?
Alb.
The necessitie of the play forceth me to act two parts; Andrugio, the distressed Duke of Genoa, and Alberto, a Venetian gentleman, enamoured on the La∣die Rossaline: whose fortunes being too weake to sus∣taine the port of her, he prou'd alwaies desastrous in loue: his worth being much vnderpoised by the vne∣uen