Jul. What think'st 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 beft.
Jul. Your reafon?

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

I think him fò, because. I think him fo.

Ful. 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 fpeaking fhews his love but small.
Luc. The fire that's clofeft kept, burns most of all.
Jul. They do not love, that do not fhew their love..
Luc. Oh, they love least, that let men know their love,.
Jul. I would 1 knew his mind..
Luc. Perufe this paper, Madam.
Ful. 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 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 modefty, a goodly broker!

Dare

you prefume to harbour wanton lines!
To whifper and confpire against my youth?
Now, truft-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 elfe return no more into my fight.

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

Jul. Will ye be gone?

Luc. That you may ruminate.

[Exit.

Jul. And yet I would I had o'erlook'd the letter. It were a fhame to call her back again,

And

pray her to a fault, for which I chid her,

L3.

What

What fool is fhe, that knows I am a maid,
And would not force the letter to my view?
Since maids, in modefty, fay No, to that

Which they would have the proff'rer conftrue, Ay.
Fy, fy; how wayward is this foolish love,
That, like a tefty babe, will feratch the nurse,
And presently, all humbled, kiss the rod?
How churlishly I chid Lucetta hence,
When willingly I would have had her here!
How angrily I taught my brow to frown,
When inward joy enforc'd my heart to fmile!
My penance is to call Lucetta back,
And afk remiffion for my folly past.
What ho! Lucetta!

Jul. What is't that you

Took up fo gingerly?

Luc. Nothing.

Jul. Why didft thou ftoop then!

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

Ful. And is that paper nothing?

Luc. Nothing concerning me.

Jul. Then let it lie for those that it concerns.
Luc. Madam, it will not lie, where it concerns,▾

Unless it have a false interpreter.

Jul. Some love of your's hath writ to you in rhyme.

Luc. That I might fing it, Madam, to a tune:

Give me a note; your Ladyship can fet.

Ful. As little by fuch toys as may be poffible:

Beft fing it to the tune of Light o' love.

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

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

Luc. I cannot reach fo high,

Ful.

Luc. Keep tune there ftill, fo you will fing it out;
And yet methinks I do not like this tune.
Jul. You do not?

Luc. No, Madam, 'tis too fharp.
ful. You, minion, are too faucy.
Luc. Nay, now you are too flat.

And mar the concord with too harsh a defcant:

There wanteth but a mean to fill y

your fong. Jul. The mean is drown'd with your unruly base. Luc. Indeed I bid the bafe for Protheus.

Jul. This babble fhall not henceforth trouble me. Here is a coil with protestation!

papers

lie:

Go, get you gone; and let the
You would be fingering them, to anger me.

[Tears it.

Luc. She makes it strange, but she would be best pleas'd To be fo anger'd with another letter.

[Exit.
Jul. Nay, would I were fo anger'd with the fame!
Oh hateful hands, to tear such loving words!
Injurious wafps, to feed on fuch fweet honey,
And kill the bees that yield it, with your flings!
I'll kiss each several paper for amends:
Look, here is writ kind Julia;-Unkind Julia!
As in revenge of thy ingratitude,

I throw thy name against the bruising stones;
Trampling contemptuoufly on thy difdain.
Look, here is writ, Love-wounded Protheus.
Poor wounded name! my bofom, as a bed,
Shall lodge thee, till thy wound be thoroughly heal'd;
And thus I fearch it with a fov'reign kifs.
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 whirlwind bear
Unto a 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 fweet Julia: that I'll tear away;
And yet I will not, fith so prettily
He couples it to his complaining names.

Thus

Thus I will fold them one upon another;

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

Enter Lucetta

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

Luc. What, fhall these papers lie like tell-tales here? Jul. If thou refpect them, beft to take them up. Luc. Nay, I was taken up for laying them down: Yet here they shall not lie, for catching cold.

Jul. I fee you have a month's mind to them.
Luc. Ay, Madam, you may say what fights you
I fee things too, although you judge I wink.
Jul. Come, come, wilt. please you go?

SCENE IV. Anthonio's house.

Enter Anthonio and Panthion.

fee:

[Exeunt.

Ant. Tell 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: .
Some to the wars, to try their fortune there;
Some to discover islands far away;

Some to the ftudious univerfities.
For any, or for all these exercises,

He faid that Protheus, your fon, was meet:
And did requeft 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 to travel in his youth.

Ant. Nor need'ft thou much importune me to that,
Whereon this month I have been hammering.
I have confider'd well his lofs 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

And perfected by the fwift courfe of time;
Then tell me whither were I beft to fend him?
Pant. I think your Lordship is not ignorant,
How his companion, youthful Valentine,
Attends the Emperor in his royal court,
Ant. I know it well.

Pant. "Twere good, I think, your Lordship fent him thither;

There fhall he practife tilts and tournaments,

Hear fweet discourse, converfe with noblemen;
And be in eye of every exercise,

Worthy his youth and noblenefs of birth.

Ant. I like thy counfel; well haft thou advis'd; And that thou may'ft perceive how well I like it, The execution of it fhall make known;

Ev'n with the speediest expedition

I will dispatch him to the Emperor's court.

Pant. To-morrow, may it please you, Don Alphonfa, With other gentlemen of good efteem,

Are journeying to falute the Emperor,

And to commend their fervice to his will.

Ant. Good company: with them fhall Protheus go. And, in good time, now will we break with him.

Enter Protheus,

Pro, Sweet love, fweet lines, fweet life!
Here is her hand, the agent of her heart;
Here is her oath for love, her honour's pawn,
Oh! that our fathers would applaud our loves,
To feal our happinefs with their confents!

Oh heav'nly Julia!

Ant. How now? what letter are you reading there? Pro, May't please your Lordship, 'tis a word or two Of commendation fent from Valentine;

Deliver❜d by a friend that came from him.

Ant. Lend me the letter; let me fee what news. Pro. There is no news, my Lord, but that he writes How happily he lives, how well belov'd,

And daily graced by the Emperor;

Wifhing me with him, partner of his fortune.
Ant. And how ftand you affected to his wifh?
Pro, As one relying on your Lordship's will,

And