though against his will; and, when Aurelia sees she cannot be his, perhaps she will accept my love.

Alon. I warrant you, sir, 'tis all pieced right, both top, sides, and bottom; for, look you, sir, here was Aldeboran, and there Cor Scorpii

Lop. Don Alonzo, I am happy to see you under my roof; and shall take it

Alon. I know what you would say, sir; that though I am your neighbour, this is the first time I have been here.-To BELLAMY.] But, come, sir, by Don Lopez' permission, let us return to our nativity.

Bel. Would thou wert there, in thy mother's belly again! [Aside. [TO ALONZO.

Lop. But, sennor

Alon. It needs not, sennor; I'll suppose your compliment; you would say, that your house, and all things in it, are at my service.-But let us proceed, without this interruption.

Bel. By no means, sir; this cavalier is come on purpose to perform the civilities of his house to you.

Alon. But, good sir

Bel. I know what you would say, sir.

[Exeunt BELLAMY and MASKALL. Lop. No matter, let him go, sir. I have long desired this opportunity, to move a suit to you in the behalf of a friend of mine, if you please to allow me the hearing of it.

Alon. With all my heart, sir.

Lop. He is a person of worth and virtue, and is infinitely ambitious of the honour

sir.

Alon. Of being known to me; I understand you,

Lop. If you will please to favour me with your patience, which I beg of you a second time. Alon. I am dumb, sir.

Lop. This cavalier, of whom I was speaking, is in love

Alon. Satisfy yourself, sir, I'll not interrupt you. Lop. Sir, I am satisfied of your promise.

Alon. If I speak one syllable more, the devil take me! Speak when you please.

Lop. I am going, sir.

Alon. You need not speak twice to me to be silent: Though I take it somewhat ill of you to be tutored.

Lop. This eternal old man will make me mad.

[Aside. Alon. Why, when do you begin, sir? How long must a man wait for you? Pray make an end of what you have to say quickly, that I may speak in my turn too.

Lop. This cavalier is in love

Alon. You told me that before, sir; do you speak oracles, that you require this strict attention? Either let me share the talk with you, or I am gone. Lop. Why, sir, I am almost mad to tell you, and

you will not suffer me.

Alon. Will you never have done, sir? I must tell you, sir, you have tattled long enough; and 'tis now good manners to hear me speak. Here's a torrent of words indeed; a very impetus dicendi; will you never have done?

Lop. I will be heard in spite of you.

[This next speech of LOPEZ, and the next of ALONZO'S, with both their replies, are to be spoken at one time, both raising their voices by little and little, till they bawl, and come up

close to shoulder one another.

Lop. There's one Don Melchor de Guzman, a friend and acquaintance of mine, that is desperately in love with your eldest daughter Donna Theodo

sia.

Alon. [At the same time.] "Tis the sentence of a philosopher, Loquere ut te videam; speak, that I may know thee; now, if you take away the power of speaking from me

[Both pause a little; then speak together again. Lop. I'll try the language of the law; sure the devil cannot out-talk that gibberish.-For this Don Melchor, of Madrid aforesaid, as premised, I request, move, and supplicate, that you would give, bestow, marry, and give in marriage, this your daughter aforesaid, to the cavalier aforesaid.-Not yet, thou devil of a man! thou shalt be silent.

[Exit LOPEZ running.

Alon. [At the same time with LOPEZ's last speech, and after LOPEZ is run out.] Oh, how I hate, abominate, detest, and abhor, these perpetual talkers, disputants, controverters, and duellers of the tongue! But, on the other side, if it be not permitted to prudent men to speak their minds, appositely, and to the purpose, and in few words; if, I say, the prudent must be tongue-tied, then let great nature be destroyed; let the order of all things be turned topsy-turvy; let the goose devour the fox; let the in fants preach to their great-grandsires; let the tender lamb pursue the wolf, and the sick prescribe to the physician; let fishes live upon dry land, and the beasts of the earth inhabit in the water; let the fearful hare

Enter LOPEZ with a bell, and rings it in his ears. Alon. Help, help, murder, murder, murder!

[Exit ALONZO, running. Lop. There was no way but this to be rid of him.

Enter a Servant.

Sero. Sir, there are some women without in mas

querade, and, I believe, persons of quality, who are come to play here.

Lop. Bring them in with all respect.

Enter again the Servant, after him JACINTHA, BEATRIX, and other Ladies and Gentlemen: all masqued.

Lop. Cavaliers, and ladies, you are welcome: I wish I had more company to entertain you:-Oh, here comes one sooner than I expected.

Enter WILDBLOOD and MASKALL.

Wild. I have swept your gaming house, i̇'faith; Ecce signum. [Shows gold. Lop. Well, here's more to be had of these ladies, if it be your fortune.

Wild. The first stakes I would play for, should be their veils and visor masks.

Jac. to Beat. Do you think he will not know us? Beat. If you keep your design of passing for an African.

Jac. Well, now I shall make an absolute trial of him; for, being thus incognita, I shall discover if he make love to any of you. As for the gallantry of his serenade, we will not be indebted to him, for we will make him another with our guitars.

Beat. I'll whisper your intention to the servant, who shall deliver it to Don Lopez.

[BEAT. whispers to the Serv. Servo. to Lopez. Sir, the ladies have commanded me to tell you, that they are willing, before they play, to present you with a dance; and to give you an essay of their guitars.

Lop. They much honour me.

A DANCE.

After the dance, the Cavaliers take the Ladies, and

court them.

WILDBLOOD takes JACINTHA.

Wild. While you have been singing, lady, I have been praying: I mean, that your face and wit may not prove equal to your dancing; for, if they be, there's a heart gone astray, to my knowledge.

Jac. If you pray against me before you have seen me, you'll curse me when you have looked on me. Wild. I believe I shall have cause to do so, if your beauty be as killing as I imagine it.

Jac. "Tis true, I have been flattered in my own country, with an opinion of a little handsomeness; but how it will pass in Spain is a question.

Wild. Why, madam, are you not of Spain?

Jac. No, sir, of Morocco: I only came hither to see some of my relations, who are settled here, and turned Christians, since the expulsion of my countrymen, the Moors.

Wild. Are you then a Mahometan?

Jac. A Mussulman, at your service.

Wild. A Mussulwoman, say you? I protest, by your voice, I should have taken you for a Christian lady of my acquaintance.

Jac. It seems you are in love then: If so, I have done with you. I dare not invade the dominions of another lady; especially in a country where my ancestors have been so unfortunate.

Wild. Some little liking I might have, but that was only a morning-dew; 'tis drawn up by the sunshine of your beauty: I find your African Cupid is a much surer archer than ours of Europe. Yet would I could see you; one look would secure your victory.

Jac. I'll reserve my face to gratify your imagination with it; make what head you please, and set it on my shoulders.

Wild. Well, madam, an eye, a nose, or a lip shall break no squares: The face is but a span's breadth