Maitland Club > Works of Sir Thomas Urquhart

EK2KYBAAATP0N. 237
things then as they proposed them, the clapper is up again, and they rap with a flap,
till a threefold clap made the sound to rebound. With this the porter awakes, looks
out at a lattice window of his lodge, and seeing them all with masks and vizards on their
faces, asked them what their desire was, or what it might be that moved them to come
so late in such a disguise ? The Prince himself answered, that they were gentlemen
desirous onely to salute my lady ; which courtesie when obtained, they should forth-
with be gone. The porter advertised) the page and tells him all, who doing the same
to the waiting gentlewoman, she, to receive orders from her mistris, opens the chamber
doore, enters in, relates the story, and demands direction from my Lady, who imme-
diately bids her call the page to her : she does it ; he comes, and enquiring what the
will of her signoria was with him, she enjoynes him to go down and beseech those
gentlemen to be pleased to have her excused for that night, because she was abed, and
not so well as she could wish to bear them company ; yet if they conceived any fault in
her, she should strive to make them amends for it some other time. The page accord-
ingly acquits himself of what is recommended him ; for after he had caused open the
wicket of the gate, and faced the street, he first saluted them with that court-like dex-
terity which did bespeak him a well educated boy, and of good parentage, then told
them that he was commanded by his Lady mistris to intreat them, seeing she knew
not what they were, and that their wearing of vizards did in civility debar her from
enquiring after their names, to take in good part her remitting of that their visit to
another time, by reason of her present indisposure and great need of rest ; which if
they should have any pretext to except against, she would heartily make atonement
for it, and give them satisfaction at any other time. The Prince's answer was, that
he thought not but that he should have been admitted with less ceremony, and that
though the time of the night, and his Lady mistriss her being in a posture of rest, might
seem to plead somewhat for the non-disturbance of her desired solitariness, that never-
theless the uncontrolled priviledges of the season exempting them from all prescribed,
and at all other times observed, boundaries, might in the carnavale-eeve, and supremest
night of its law transcendent jollities, by the custome of the whole country, very well
apologize for that trespass. Which words being spoken, he, without giving the page
leisure to reply, pretending it was cold in the streets, rusht in at the open wicket even
into the court, with all his gentlemen and torch-bearers, each one whereof was no less
cup-shotten then himself. The page, astonished at such unexpected rudeness, said,
with an audible voice, What do you mean, gentlemen ? do you intend to break in by
violence, and at such an undue time enforce my Lady to grant you admittance ? Look,
I pray you, to your own reputations ; and if regardless of any thing else, consider
what imputation and stain of credit wil lye upon you, thus to commit an enormous
action because of some colour of justifying it by immunities of set times, grounded up-
on no reason but meer toleration, without any other warrant then a feeble inveterate
prescription ; therefore let me beseech you, gentlemen, if you love yourselves, and the