SCENE changes to Julia's Chamber.
Enter Julia and Lucetta.

Jul. B

UT say, Lucetta, now we are alone, Would'st thou then counsel me to fall in love? Luc. Ay, madam, so you stumble not unheedfully. Jul. Of all the fair refort of gentlemen,

That ev'ry day with parle encounter me,
In thy opinion which is worthiest love?

Luc. Please you, repeat their names; I'll shew my mind,

According to my shallow simple skill.

Jul. What think'it thou of the fair Sir Eglamour?
Luc. As of a Knight well spoken, neat and fine;

But were I you, he never should be mine.

Jul. What think'st thou of the rich Mercatio?
Luc. Well of his wealth; but of himself, so, fo.
Jul. What think'st thou of the gentle Protheus?
Luc. Lord, lord! to see what folly reigns in us!
Jul. How now? what means this passion at his name?
Luc. Pardon, dear madam; 'tis a passing shame,

That I, unworthy body as I am,

Should cenfure thus on lovely gentlemen.

Jul. Why not on Protheus, as of all the rest ?
Luc. Then thus; of many good, I think him beft.
Jul. Your reason?

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

I think him so, because I think him so.

Jul. And would'st thou have me cast my love on him ?
Luc. Ay, if you thought your love not cast away.
Jul. Why, he of all the rest hath never mov'd me.
Luc. Yet he of all the rest, I think, best loves ye.
Jul. His little speaking shews his love but small.
Luc. The fire, that's closeit kept, burns most of all.
Jul. They do not love, that do not shew their love.
Luc. Oh, they love least, that let men know their love.
Jul. I would, I knew his mind.
Luc. Peruse this paper, madam.
Jul. To Julia; fay, from whom?
Luc. That the contents will shew.
Jul. Say, fay; who gave it thee?

Luc. Sir Valentine's page; and sent, I think, from
Protheus.

He would have giv'n it you, but I, being in the way,
Did in your name receive it; pardon the fault, I pray.
Jul. Now, by my modesty, a goodly broker!

Dare you prefume to harbour wanton lines?
To whisper and conspire against my youth?
Now, trust me, 'tis an office of great worth,
And you an officer fit for the place.
There, take the paper; fee, it be return'd;

Or else return no more into my fight.

Luc. To plead for love deserves more fee than hate.

Jul. Will ye be gone?

Luc. That you may ruminate.

[Exit.

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

It were a shame to call her back again,
And pray her to a fault, for which I chid her.
What fool is she, that knows I am a maid,
And would not force the letter to my view?
Since maids, in modesty, say No, to that
Which they would have the proff'rer construe, Aj.
Fie, fie; how wayward is this foolish love,
That, like a testy babe, will scratch the nurse,
And presently, all humbled, kiss the rod ?
How churlishly I chid Lucetta hence,
When willingly I would have had her here!
How angerly I taught my brow to frown,
When inward joy enforc'd my heart to smile!
My penance is to call Lucetta back,
And ask remission for my folly past.
What ho! Lucetta!

Re-enter Lucetta.'

Luc. What would your ladyship ?

Jul. Is't near dinner-time ?

Luc. I would it were;

That you might kill your stomach on your meat,

And not upon your maid.

Jul. What is't that you

Took up so gingerly?

H 3

3

Luc.

Luc. Nothing.

Jul. Why didft thou stoop then?

Luc. To take a paper up, that I let fall.

Jul. And is that paper nothing?

Luc. Nothing concerning me.

Jul. Then let it lye for those that it concerns.

Luc. Madam, it will not lye, where it concerns;

Unless it have a false interpreter.

Jul. Some love of yours hath writ to you in rhime. Luc. That I might fing it, madam, to a tune :

Give me a note; your ladyship can fet.

Jul. As little by such toys as may be possible:

Best sing it to the tune of Light o love.

Luc. It is too heavy for so light a tune.

Jul. Heavy? belike, it hath some burthen then.Luc. Ay; and melodious were it, would you fing it. Jul. And why not you?

Luc. I cannot reach so high.

Jul. Let's fee your fong:

How now, minion?

Luc. Keep tune there still, so you will fing it out:

And yet, methinks, I do not like this tune.

Jul. You do not ?

Luc. No, madam, 'tis too sharp.
Jul. You, minion, are too sawcy.
Luc. Nay, now you are too flat.
And mar the concord with too harsh a descant:
There wanteth but a mean, to fill your fong.
Jul. The mean is drown'd with your unruly base.
Luc. Indeed, I bid the base for Protheus. (4)
Jul. This babble shall not henceforth trouble me.

Here is a coil with protestation !
Go, get you gone; and let the papers lye:
You would be fingering them, to anger me.

[Tears it.

(4) 1 bid the Base for Protheus.] Lucetta here alters the AlJegory from the Base in Musick to a Country Exercise, call'd in the North, Bid-the-Base; in which Some pursue, to take the Others Prisoners. So that Lucetta would intend to say, "Indeed, I take Pains to make you a Captive for Proteus."

Mr. Warburton.

Luc.

Luc. She makes it strange, but she would be best pleas'd

To be so anger'd with another letter.

[Exit.

Jul. Nay, would I were so anger'd with the same ! Oh hateful hands, to tear such loving words! Injurious wasps, to feed on such sweet honey, And kill the bees, that yield it, with your stings! I'll kiss each several paper for amends:.

Unkind Julia!

Look, here is writ kind Julia;
As in revenge of thy ingratitude,
I throw thy name against the bruising stones;
Trampling contemptuously on thy dildain.
Look, here is writ, Love-wounded Protheus.
Poor wounded name! my bosom, as a bed,
Shall lodge thee, 'till thy wound be throughly heal'd
And thus I search it with a sov'reign kiss.
But twice, or thrice, was Protheus written down;
Be calm, good wind, blow not a word away,
'Till I have found each letter in the letter,
Except mine own name: That some whirl-wind bear
Unto a rag ragged, fearful, hanging rock,
And throw it thence into the raging sea!
Lo, here in one Line is his name twice writ :
Poor forlorn Protheus, paffionate Protheus,
To the sweet Julia: that I'll tear away;
And yet I will not, fith so prettily
He couples it to his complaining names:
Thus will I fold them one upon another;

Now kiss, embrace, contend, do what you will.

Enter Lucetta.

Luc. Madam, dinner is ready, and your father stays.
Jul. Well, let us go.

Luc. What, shall these papers lye like tell-tales here?
Jul. If thou respect them, best to take them up.
Luc. Nay, I was taken up for laying them down:

Yet here they shall not lye, for catching cold.
Jul. I see, you have a month's mind to them.
Luc. Ay, madam, you may say what fights you fee:
I see things too, although you judge I wink.
Jul. Come, come, will't please you go?

Η 4.

[Exeunt. SCENE

Ant.

SCENE, Anthonio's House.

T

Enter Anthonio and Panthion.

ELL me, Panthion, what fad talk was

that,
Wherewith my brother held you in the cloister?
Pant. 'Twas of his nephew Protheus, your fon.
Ant. Why, what of him?

Pant. He wonder'd that your lordship
Would fuffer him to spend his youth at home,
While other men of flender reputation
Put forth their fons to feek preferment out: (5)
Some to the wars, to try their fortune there;
Some, to discover Islands far away;
Some, to the studious universities.
For any, or for all these exercises,
He said, that Protheus your son was meet:
And did request me to importune you,
To let him spend his time no more at home;
Which would be great impeachment to his age,
In having known no travel in his youth.

Ant. Nor need'st thou much importune me to that,
Whereon this month I have been hammering.
I have confider'd well his loss of time;
And how he cannot be a perfect man,
Not being try'd, and tutor'd in the world:
Experience is by industry atchiev'd,
And perfected by the swift course of time:
Then tell me, whither were I best to send him?
Pant. I think, your lordship is not ignorant,

How his companion, youthful Valentine,

(5) Put forth their Sons] In Shakespeare's Time, Voyages for the Discovery of the West-Indies were all in Vogue. And we find, in the Journals of Travellers of that Time, that the Sons of Noblemen, and of others of the best quality in England, went commonly on those Adventures. To which prevailing Fashion, 'tis evident, the Poet frequently alludes in this Play; not without high Commendations of it. Mr. Warburton.

Attends