Women Beware Women 2.2 – Guardiano

Guardiano has been the agent to lure an unsuspecting Bianca to a room where she can be surprised by the Duke and raped. As the Duke achieves his satisfaction offstage, Guardiano reappears and confides to us his satisfaction in the service he has performed.

Modern transcription:

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Guardiano

I can but smile as often as I think on’t.
How prettily the poor fool was beguiled,
How unexpectedly!  It’s a witty age.                                 395
Never were finer snares for women’s honesties
Than are devised in these days, no spider’s web
Made of a daintier thread than are now practised
To catch love’s flesh-fly by the silver wing.
Yet to prepare her stomach by degrees                              400
To Cupid’s feast, because I saw ‘twas queasy,
I showed her naked pictures by the way –
A bit to stay the appetite. Well, advancement,
I venture hard to find thee. If thou com’st
With a greater title set upon thy crest,                                405
I’ll take that first cross patiently, and wait
Until some other comes greater than that.
I’ll endure all.

Quarto: