Methinks, fhould not be chronicled for wife.
Pro. Yet writers fay, as in the sweetest bud
The eating canker dwells; fo eating love
Inhabits in the finest wits of all.

Val. And writers fay, as the most forward bud
Is eaten by the canker, ere it blow;
Even fo by love the young and tender wit
Is turn'd to folly, blafting in the bud ;;
Lofing his verdure even in the prime,
And all the fair effects of future hopes.
But wherefore wafte I time to counfel thee,
That art a votary to fond defire ?

Once more, adieu: my father at the road
Expects my coming, there to fee me shipp'd.

Pro. And thither will I bring thee, Valentine.
Val. Sweet Protheus, no: now let us take our leave.
At Milan, let me hear from thee by letters
Of thy fuccefs in love; and what news elfe
Betideth here in abfence of thy friend:

And I likewife will vifit thee with mine.

Pro. All happinefs bechance to theé in Milan! ·
Val. As much to you at home; and fo farewel! [Exit..
Pro. He after honour hunts, Tafter love;

He leaves his friends to dignify them more;
I leave myself, my friends, and all for love.
Thou, Julia, thou haft metamorphos'd me ;;-
Made me neglect my ftudies, lose my time,
War with good counfel, fet the world at nought;
Made wit with mufing weak ; heart fick with thought.

Enter Speed.

Speed. Sir Protheus, fave you; faw you my mafter A Pro. But now he parted hence, t'embark for Milan. Speed. Twenty to one then he is fhipp'd already, And I have play'd the fheep in lofing him.

Pro. Indeed, a fheep doth very often stray, An if the fhepherd be awhile away.

Speed. You conclude that my mafter is a fhepherd then, and I a sheep.

Pro. I do.

Speed. Why then my horns are his horns, whether I wake or fleep.

Pro. A filly anfwer, and fitting well a fheep.
Spead. This proves me ftill a fheep.

Pro. True; and thy mafter a fhepherd.

1

Speed. Nay, that I can deny by a circumftance. Pro. It fhall go hard, but I'll prove it by another. Speed. The fhepherd feeks the fheep, and not the fheep the fhepherd; but I feek my mafter, and my master feeks not me; therefore I am no sheep.

Pro. The fheep for fodder follows the fhepherd, the fhepherd for food follows not the fheep; thou for wages. followeft thy mafter, thy mafter for wages follows not thee; therefore thou art a fheep.

Speed. Such another proof will make me cry Baa. Pro. But doft thou hear? gaveft thou my letter to Julia.. Speed. Ay, Sir, I, a loft mutton, gave your letter to her, a lac'd mutton (3); and fhe, a lac'd mutton, gave me, a loft mutton, nothing for my labour.

Pro. Here's too fmall a pafture for fuch ftore of muttons. Speed. If the ground be over-charg'd, you were beft Aick her, 1

(3) I, a loft mutton, gave your letter to her, a lac'd mutton;] Launce calls himself a loft mutton, because he had loft his mafter, and because Protheus had been proving him a fheep. But why does he call the Lady a lac'd mutton? Your notable wenchers are to this day call'd Muttonmongers and confequently the object of their paffion muft, by the Metaphor, be the mutton. And Cotgrave, in his English-French Dictionary, explains lac'd mutton, une garfe, putain, fille de joy. And Mr. Motteaux has rendered this paffage of Rabelais, in the Prologue of his fourth book, cailles coiphees mignonnement chantans, in this er, coated quails and laced mutton waggishly finging. So that lac'd

has been a fort of ftandard phrafe for girls of pleasure. I fhall explain cailles coipbees in its proper place, upon a paffage of Troilus and Creffida.) That lac'd mutton was a term in vogue before our Author appear'd in writing, I find from an old play, printed in black letter in the year 1578, call'd Promos and Caffandra: in which a courtezan's fervant thus fpeaks to her;

Prying abroad for playefellowes, and fuch,
For you, miftreffe, I hearde of one Phallax,
A man efteemde of Promos verie much:
Of whofe nature I was fo bolde to axe,
And I fmealte, he lov'd lafe mutton well, ́

Pro

Pro. Nay, in that you are a ftray (4); 'twere beft pound you.

Speed. Nay, Sir, lefs than a pound fhall ferve me for carrying your letter.

Pro. You mistake: I mean the pound, a pinfold.

Speed. From a pound to a pin fold it over and over,, 'Tis threefold too little for carrying a letter to your lover. Pro. But what faid fhe; did fhe nod? [Speed nods. Speed. I.

Pro. Nod-I? why, that's noddy.

Speed. You mistook, Sir; I faid, fhe did nod; And you ask me, if she did nod; and I faid, I. Pro. And that fet together, is noddy.

Speed. Now you have taken the pains to fet it toge-ther, take it for your pains.

Pro. No, no, you shall have it for bearing the letter. Speed. Well, I perceive, I must be fain to bear with you.. Pro. Why, Sir, how do you bear with me? Speed. Marry, Sir, the letter very orderly ; Having nothing but the word noddy for my pains.. Pro. Befhrew me, but you have a quick wit. Speed. And yet it cannot overtake your flow purfe. Pro. Come, come, open the matter in brief; what faid fhe ?

Speed. Open your purfe, that the money and the matter may be both at once deliver❜d.

Pro. Well, Sir, here is for your pains, what faid fhe ? Speed. Truly, Sir, I think, you'll hardly win her. Pro. Why? could't thou perceive fo much from her? Speed. Sir, I could perceive nothing at all from her ; No, not fo much as a ducket for delivering your letter. And being fo hard to me that brought your mind, I fear, fhe'll prove as hard to you in telling her mind.. Give her no token but stones; for fhe's as hard as fteel. Pro. What, faid the nothing?

Speed. No, not so much as take this for thy pains:

(4) Nay, in that you are afray.] For the reafon Protheus gives, · Dr. Thirlby advifes that we fhould read, a tray; i. e. a ftray theep; which continues Protheus's banter upon Speed.

To

To teftify your bounty, I thank you, you have teftern'd me:
In requital whereof, henceforth carry your letter your
felf: and fo, Sir, I'll commend you to my mafter.
Pro. Go, go, be gone, to fave your fhip from wreck,
Which cannot perish, having thee aboard,
Being deftin'd to a drier death on shore..
I must go fend fome better meffenger:
I fear, my Julia would not deign my lines,
Receiving them from fuch a worthless poft.

[Exeunt feverally.

SCENE changes to Julia's Chamber.

Enter Julia and Lucetta.

UT fay, Lucetta, now we are alone,

Jul. Would't thou then counfel me to fall in love?

Luc. Ay, madam, fo you ftumble not unheedfully.
Jul. Of all the fair refort of gentlemen,
That ev'ry day with parle encounter me,
In thy opinion which is worthieft love?

Luc. Please you, repeat their names; I'll fhew my mind, According to my fhallow fimple fkill.

Jul. What think'ft thou of the fair Sir Eglamour? Luc. As of a Knight well fpoken, neat and fine; But were I you, he never fhould be mine.

Jul. What think'st thou of the rich Mercatio?. Luc. Well of his wealth; but of himself, fo, fo. Jul. What think'ft thou of the gentle Protheus? Luc. Lord, Lord! to fee what folly reigns in us! Jul. How now? what means this paffion at his name? Luc. Pardon, dear madam; 'tis a paffing fhame, That I, unworthy body as I am,

Should cenfure thus on lovely gentlemen.

Jul. Why not on Protheus, as of all the reft?
Luc. Then thus; of many good, I think him best.

Jul. Your reason ?

Luc. I have no other but a woman's reafon ;

I think him fo, because I

him fo...

Jul. And would't thou have me caft my love on him?
Luc. Ay, if you thought your love not caft away..

Jul. Why, he of all the reft hath never mov'd me..
Luc. Yet he of all the reft, I think, beft loves ye.
Jul. His little speaking fhews his love but fmall.
Luc. The fire, that's closest kept, burns most of all.
Jul. They do not love, that do not fhew their love.
Luc. Oh, they love leaft, that let men know their love..
Jul. I would, I knew his mind.

Luc. Perufe this
paper, madam.
Jul. To Julia; fay, from whom?
Luc. That the contents will fhew.
Jul. Say, fay; who gave it thee?

Luc.Sir Valentine's page; and fent,I think, from Protheus..
He would have given it you, but I, being in the way,
Did in your name receive it; pardon the fault, I pray.
Jul. Now, by my modefty, a goodly broker!
Dare you prefume to harbour wanton lines?
To whisper and confpire against my youth?
Now, trust me, 'tis an office of great worth
And you an officer fit for the place.

There, take the paper; see, it be return'd
Or elfe return no more into my fight.

V m

Luc. To plead for love deferves more fee than hate., Jul. Will ye be gone?

Luc. That you may ruminate.

X 2A
C

TExif

Jul. And yet I would, I had o'er-look'd the letter.

It were a fhame to call her back again,

And pray her to a fault, for which I chid her.
What fool is fhe, that knows I am a maid,

to my view?

And would not force the letter to my
Since maids, in modefty, fay no, to that

I

Which they would have the proff'rer conftrue, ay..
Fy, fy; how wayward is this foolish love,
That, like a tefty babe, will fcratch the nurfe,
And préfently, all humbled, kifs the rod ?

How churlishly I chid Lucetta hence,

When willingly I would have had her here!
How angerly I taught my brow

When inward joy enforc'd

my

O frown,

My penance is to call Lucetta back,

Bluod?

to

fmile!