A Masque. Enter IRIS.
Iris. Ceres, most bounteous lady, thy rich leas
Of wheat, rye, barley, vetches, oats, and pease;
Thy turfy mountains where live nibbling sheep,
And flat meads thatch'd with stover, them to keep;
Thy banks with peonied and lilied brims,
Which spongy April at thy best betrims,

To make cold nymphs chaste crowns; and thy broom groves,

Whose shadow the dismissed bachelor loves,
Being lass-lorn; thy pole-clipt vineyard;
And thy sea-marge, sterile and rocky-hard,
Where thou thyself dost air: The queen o' the sky,
Whose watery arch and messenger am I,

Bids thee leave these; and, with her sovereign grace,
Here on this grass-plot, in this very place,
To come and sport: her peacocks fly amain;
Approach, rich Ceres, her to entertain.

Be not afraid: I met her deity

Cutting the clouds towards Paphos; and her son

Dove-drawn with her: here thought they to have done

Some wanton charm upon this man and maid,

Whose vows are, that no bed-rite shall be paid,

Till Hymen's torch be lighted: but in vain;

Mars's hot minion is return'd again :

Her waspish-headed son has broke his arrows,

Swears he will shoot no more, but play with sparrows;
And be a boy right out.

C'er.
Highest queen of state,
Great Juno comes; I know her by her gait.

Enter JUNO.

Juno. How does my bounteous sister? Go with me, To bless this twain, that they may prosperous be, And honour'd in their issue.

SONG.

Juno. Honour, riches, marriage-blessing,
Long continuance, and increasing,
Hourly joys be still upon you!
Juno sings her blessings on you.
Cer. Earth's increase and foison plenty;
Barns and garners never empty;
Vines with clust'ring bunches growing;
Plants with goodly burden bowing;
Spring come to you, at the farthest,
In the very end of harvest!

Scarcity and want shall shun you;
Ceres' blessing so is on you.

Fer. This is a most majestic vision, and ⚫ Harmonious charmingly: May I be bold To think these spirits?

Pro.

Spirits, which by mine art I have from their confines call'd to enact

My present fancies.

Fer.

Let me live here ever;

So rare a wonder'd father, and a wife,
Make this place Paradise.

[Juno and Ceres whisper, and send IRIS on
employment.

Pro.
Sweet now, silence:
Juno and Ceres whisper seriously;

There's something else to do: hush, and be mute, Or else our spell is marr'd.

Iris. You nymphs, call'd Naiads, of the wand'ring brooks,

With your sedg'd crowns and ever-harmless looks,
Leave your crisp channels, and on this green land
Answer your summons: Juno does command:
Come, temperate nymphs, and help to celebrate
A contract of true love: be not too late.
Enter certain Nymphs.

You sun-burn'd sicklemen, of August weary,
Come hither from the furrow, and be merry;
Make holy-day: your rye-straw hats put on,
And these fresh nymphs encounter every one
In country footing.

Enter certain Reapers, properly habited: they join with the Nymphs in a graceful dance; towards the end whereof PROSPERO starts suddenly, and speaks; after which, to a strange, hollow, and confused, noise, they heavily vanish.

Pro. [Aside.] I had forgot that foul conspiracy
Of the beast Caliban and his confederates,
Against my life: the minute of their plot

Is almost come.-[To the Spirits.] Well done:avoid :-no more.

Fer. This is most strange: your father's in some passion

That works him strongly.

Mira.

Never till this day

Saw I him touch'd with anger so distemper'd.
Pro. You do look, my son, in a mov'd sort,
As if you were dismay'd be cheerful, sir:
Our revels now are ended: these our actors,
As I foretold you, were all spirits, and
Are melted into air, into thin air:
And, like the baseless fabric of this vision,
The cloud-capp'd towers, the gorgeous palaces,
The solemn temples, the great globe itself,
Yea, all which it inherit, shall dissolve;
And, like this insubstantial pageant faded,
Leave not a rack behind: We are such stuff
As dreams are made of, and our little life
Is rounded with a sleep.-Sir, I am vex'd⚫

Bear with my weakness: my old brain is troubled:
Be not disturb'd with my infirmity:

If you be pleas'd, retire into my cell,

And there repose: a turn or two I'll walk,

To still my beating mind.

Fer. Mira.

We wish you peace. [Exeunt.

Pro. Come with a thought:-I thank you -Ariel,

come.

Enter ARIEL.

Ari. Thy thoughts I cleave to: What's thy pleasure?
Pro.
Spirit,

We must prepare to meet with Caliban.

Ari. Ay, my Commander; when I presented Ceres, I thought to have told thee of it; but I fear'd, Lest I might anger thee.

Pro. Say again, where did'st thou leave these varlets? Ari. I told you, sir, they were red hot with drinking; So full of valour, that they smote the air For breathing in their faces; beat the ground For kissing of their feet; yet always bending Towards their project: Then I beat my tabor, At which, like unback'd colts, they prick'd their ears, Advanc'd their eye-lids, lifted up their noses, As they smelt music: so I charm'd their ears, That, calf-like, they my lowing follow'd, through Tooth'd briers, sharp furzes, pricking goss, and thorns, Which enter'd their frail shins: at last I left them I' the filthy mantled pool beyond your cell, There dancing up to the chins, that the foul lake O'er-stunk their feet.

Pro.

This was well done, my bird:

Thy shape invisible retain thou still :
The trumpery in my house, go, bring it hither,
For stale to catch these thieves.

Ari.
I go, I go. [Exit ARIEL
Pro. A devil, a born devil, on whose nature
Nurture can never stick on whom my pains,
Humanely taken, all, all lost, quite lost;
And as, with age, his body uglier grows,
So his mind cankers: I will plague them all,
Re-Enter ARIEL, loaded with glistening apparel, &c.
Even to roaring :-Come, hang them on this line.
PROSPERO and ARIEL remain invisible.
CALIBAN, STEPHANO, and TRINCULO, all wet.

Enter

Cal. Pray you, tread softly, that the blind mole may not

Hear a foot fall: we now are near his cell.

Stc. Monster, your fairy, which, you say, is a harmless fairy, has done little better than play'd the Jack with us.

Trin. Monster, I do smell all horse-piss; at which my nose is in great indignation.

Ste. So is mine. Do you hear, monster? should take a displeasure against you; look you,— Trin. Thou wert but a lost monster.

If I

Cal. Good my lord, give me thy favour still : Be patient, for the prize I'll bring thee to Shall hood-wink this mischance: therefore, speak softly. All's hush'd as midnight yet.

Trin. Ay, but to lose our bottles in the pool,Ste. There is not only disgrace and dishonour in that, monster, but an infinite loss.

Trin. That's more to me than my wetting; yet this is your harmless fairy, monster.

Ste. I will fetch off my bottle, though I be o'er ears for my labour.

Cal. Pr'ythee, my king, be quiet: Seest thou here: This is the mouth of the cell: no noise, and enter: Do that good mischief which may make this island Thine own for ever, and I, thy Caliban,

For aye thy foot-licker.

Ste. Give me thy hand: I do begin to have bloody thoughts.

Trin. O king Stephano! O peer! O worthy Stephano! look, what a wardrobe here is for thee!

Cal. Let it alone, thou fool: it is but trash. Trin. O, ho! monster; we know what belongs to a frippery :-O king Stephano!

Ste. Put off that gown, Trinculo: by this hand, I'll have that gown.

Trin. Thy grace shall have it.

Cal. The dropsy drown this fool! what do you mean
To doat thus on such luggage? Let's along,
And do the murder first: if he awake,

From toe to crown he'll fill our skins with pinches;
Make us strange stuff.

Ste. Be you quiet, monster.-Mistress line, is not this my jerkin? Now is the jerkin under the line: now, jerkin, you are like to lose your hair, and prove a bald jerkin.

Trin. Do, do: we steal by line and level, an't like your grace.

Ste. I thank thee for that jest: here's a garment for't: wit shall not go unrewarded, while I am king of this country: Steal by line and level is an excellent pass of pate: there's another garment for't.

Trin. Monster, come, put some lime upon your fingers, and away with the rest.

Cal. I will have none on't: we shall lose our time, And all be turn'd to barnacles, or to apes With foreheads villainous low.

Ste. Monster, lay-to your fingers; help to bear this away, where my hogshead of wine is, or I'll turn you out of my kingdom: go to, carry this.

Trin. And this.

Ste. Ay, and this.

A noise of hunters heard. Enter divers Spirits, in shape of hounds, and hunt them about, PROSPERO and ARIEL setting them on.

Pro. Hey, Mountain, hey!
Ari. Silver! there it goes, Silver!

Pro. Fury, Fury! there, Tyrant, there! hark, hark!
[CAL. STE. and TRIN. are driven out.
Go, charge my goblins that they grind their joints
With dry convulsions; shorten up their sinews
With aged cramps; and more pinch-spotted make them
Than pard or cat o'mountain.

Ari.

Hark! they roar.

When first I rais'd the tempest. How fares the king and his ? Ari.

Say, my spirit.

Confin'd together

In the same fashion as you gave in charge;
Just as you left them, sir; all prisoners
In the lime-grove which weather-fends your cell :
They cannot budge till you release. The king,
His brother, and yours, abide all three distracted;
And the remainder mourning over them,
Brim-full of sorrow and dismay; but chiefly
Him you term'd, sir, The good old lord, Gonzalo;
His tears run down his beard, like winter's drops
From eaves of reeds: your charm so strongly works
them,

That if you now beheld them, your affections
Would become tender.
Pro.
Dost thou think so, spirit?
Ari. Mine would, sir, were I human.
Pro.

And mine shall.
Hast thou, which art but air, a touch, a feeling,
Of their afflictions; and shall not myself,
One of their kind, that relish all as sharply,
Passion as they, be kindlier mov'd than thou art?
Though with their high wrongs I am struck to the quick,
Yet, with my nobler reason, 'gainst my fury
Do I take part: the rarer action is

In virtue than in vengeance: they being penitent,
The sole drift of my purpose doth extend
Not a frown further: Go, release them, Ariel;
My charms I'll break, their senses I'll restore,
And they shall be themselves.
Ari.
I'll fetch them, sir. [Erit.
Pro. Ye elves of hills, brooks, standing lakes, and
groves,

And ye that, on the sands, with printless foot,
Do chase the ebbing Neptune, and do fly him,
When he comes back; you demi-puppets that
By the moonshine do the green-sour ringlets make,
Whereof the ewe not bites; and you whose pastime
Is to make midnight mushrooms; that rejoice
To hear the solemn curfew; by whose aid
(Weak masters though you be), I have bedimm'd
The noon-tide sun, call'd forth the mutinous winds,
And 'twixt the green sea and the azur'd vault
Set roaring war: to the dread rattling thunder
Have I given fire, and rifted Jove's stout oak
With his own bolt; the strong-bas'd promontory
Have I made shake; and by the spurs pluck'd up
The pine and cedar: graves, at my command,
Have wak'd their sleepers; op'd, and let them forth,
By my so potent art: but this rough magic
I here abjure; and, when I have requir'd
Some heavenly music, (which even now I do),
To work mine end upon their senses, that
This airy charm is for, I'll break my staff,
Bury it certain fathoms in the earth,
And, deeper than did ever plummet sound,
I'll drown my book.

[Solemn music.

Re-enter ARIEL: after him, ALONZO, with a frantic gesture, attended by GONZALO; SEBASTIAN and ANTONIO, in like manner, attended by ADRIAN and FRANCISCO: They all enter the circle which PROSPERO had made, and there stand charmed; which PROSPERO observing, speaks.

A solemn air, and the best comforter
To thy unsettled fancy, cure thy brains,
Now useless, boil'd within thy skull! There stand,
For you are spell-stopp'd.--

Holy Gonzalo, honourable man,

Mine eyes, even sociable to the show of thine,
Fall fellowly drops.-The charm dissolves apace;
And, as the morning steals upon the night,
Melting the darkness, so their rising senses
Begin to chase the ignorant fumes that mantle
Their clearer reason.-O my good Gonzalo,
My true preserver, and a loyal sir

To him thou follow'st; I will pay thy graces
Home, both in word and deed.-Most cruelly
Didst thou, Alonzo, use me and my daughter:
Thy brother was a furtherer in the act:-
Thou'rt pinch'd for't now, Sebastian.-Flesh and blood,
You brother mine, that entertain'd ambition,
Expell'd remorse and nature; who, with Sebastian,
(Whose inward pinches therefore are most strong,)
Would here have kill'd your king: I do forgive thee,
Unnatural though thou art!Their understanding
Begins to swell; and the approaching tide
Will shortly fill the reasonable shores,
That now lie foul and muddy. Not one of them,
That yet looks on me, or would know me :-Ariel,

Fetch me the hat and rapier in my cell: [Exit ARIEL.
I will dis-case me, and myself present,
As I was sometime Milan:-quickly, spirit:
Thou shalt ere long be free.

ARIELre-enters, singing, and helps to attire PROSPERO.
Ari. Where the bee sucks, there suck I:
In the cowslip's bell I lie :

There I couch when owls do cry:
On the bat's back I do fly,

After summer, merrily:

Merrily, merrily, shall I live now,

Under the blossom that hangs on the bough.

Pro. Why, that's my dainty Ariel: I shall miss thee;
But yet thou shalt have freedom: 80, 80, 80.-
To the king's ship, invisible as thou art:
There shalt thou find the mariners asleep

Under the hatches: the master and the boatswain
Being awake, enforce them to this place;

And presently, I pr'ythee.

Ari. I drink the air before me, and return Or e'er your pulse twice beat.

[Exit ARIEL.

Gon. All torment, trouble, wonder, and amazement, Inhabits here: Some heavenly power guide us Out of this fearful country!

A hearty welcome.

Alon.

Whe'r thou beest he, or no,
Or some enchanted trifle to abuse me,
As late I have been, I know not: thy pulse
Beats, as of flesh and blood; and, since I saw thee,
Th' affliction of my mind amends, with which,
I fear, a madness held me: this must crave
(An if this be at all,) a most strange story.
Thy dukedom I resign; and do entreat

Thou pardon me my wrongs :-But how should Prospero
Be living, and be here?

Pro.

First, noble friend,

A daughter?

O heavens! that they were living both in Naples,
The king and queen there! that they were, I wish.
Myself were mudded in that Oozy bed

Where my son lies. When did you lose your daughter?
Pro. In this last tempest. I perceive, these lords
At this encounter do so much admire,
That they devour their reason; and scarce think
Their eyes do offices of truth, their words
Are natural breath; but, howsoe'er you have
Been justled from your senses, know for certain
That I am Prospero, and that very duke

B

Which was thrust forth of Milan; who most strangely
Upon this shore, where you were wreck'd, was landed,
To be the lord on't. No more yet of this;
For 'tis a chronicle of day by day,
Not a relation for a breakfast, nor

Befitting this first meeting. Welcome, sir;
This cell's my court: here have I few attendants,
And subjects none abroad: pray you, look in.
My dukedom since you have given me again,
I will requite you with as good a thing;
At least, bring forth a wonder to content ye,
As much as me my dukedom.

The entrance of the cell opens, and discovers FER
DINAND and MIRANDA playing at Chess.

Mira. Sweet lord, you play me false.

Fer.

I would not for the world.

No, my dearest love,

But, by immortal Providence, she's mine;
I chose her, when I could not ask my father
For his advice; nor thought I had one: she
Is daughter to this famous duke of Milan,
Of whom so often I have heard renown.
But never saw before; of whom I have
Receiv'd a second life; and second father
This lady makes him to me.

Alon.
I am hers:
But oh! how oddly will it sound, that I
Must ask my child forgiveness!

Pro.

There, sir, stop:

Let us not burden our remembrances With a heaviness that's gone.

Gon.

I have inly wept,

Or should have spoken ere this. Look down, you gods,
And on this couple drop a blessed crown:

For it is you that have chalk'd forth the way
Which brought us hither!

A lon.

I say, Amen, Gonzalo ! Gon. Was Milan thrust from Milan, that his issue Should become kings of Naples? Oh! rejoice

Beyond a common joy; and set it down
With gold on lasting pillars: In one voyage

Did Claribel her husband find at Tunis;

And Ferdinand, her brother, found a wife,
Where he himself was lost; Prospero his dukedom
In a poor isle; and all of us, ourselves,
When no man was his own.

Alon. Give me your hands: [To FER. and MIR.
Let grief and sorrow still embrace his heart,
That doth not wish you joy!

Be't so! Amen!

Gon. Re-enter ARIEL, with the MASTER and BOATSWAIN amazedly following.

Oh look, sir, look, sir; here are more of us!

I prophecied, if a gallows were on land,
This fellow could not drown:-Now, blasphemy,
That swear'st grace o'erboard, not an oath on shore?
Hast thou no mouth by land? What is the news?

Boats. The best news is, that we have safely found
Our king and company: the next, our ship,—
Which, but three glasses since, we gave out split,-
Is tight and yare, and bravely rigg'd, as when
We first put out to sea.

From strange to stranger:-Say, how came you hither?
Boats. If I did think, sir, I were well awake,
I'd strive to tell you. We were dead of sleep,
And, (how, we know not,) all clapp'd under hatches,
Where, but even now, with strange and several noises
Of roaring, shrieking, howling, gingling chains,
And more diversity of sounds, all horrible,
We were awak'd; straightway, at liberty:
Where we, in all her trim, freshly beheld
Our royal, good, and gallant, ship; our master
Cap'ring to eye her: On a trice, so please you,
Even in a dream, were we divided from them,
And were brought moping hither.

Ari.

Was't well done? [Aside. Pro. Bravely, my diligence. Thou shalt be free. [Aside. Alon. This is as strange a maze as e'er men trod : And there is in this business more than nature Was ever conduct of: some oracle Must rectify our knowledge.

Pro.

Sir, my liege,

Do not infest your mind with beating on

The strangeness of this business: at pick'd leisure,
Which shall be shortly, single I'll resolve you
(Which to you shall seem probable), of every
These happen'd accidents: till when, be cheerful,
And think of each thing well.-Come hither, spirit:

[Aside.

Set Caliban and his companions free :
Untie the spell. [Exit ARIEL.] How fares my gra-
cious sir?

There are yet missing of your company
Some few odd lads, that you remember not.
Re-enter ARIEL, driving in CALIBAN, STEPHANO,
and TRINCULO, in their stolen apparel.

Ste. Every man shift for all the rest, and let no man take care for himself; for all is but fortune:-Coragio, bully-monster, Coragio!

Trin. If these be true spies which I wear in my head, here's a goodly sight.

Cal. O Setebos, these be brave spirits, indeed! How fine my master is! I am afraid

He will chastise me.

Seb.

Ha, ha!

Is a plain fish, and, no doubt, marketable.
Pro. Mark but the badges of these men, my lords,
Then say, if they be true:-This mis-shapen knave,
His mother was a witch; and one so strong
That could control the moon, make flows and ebbs,
And deal in her command, without her power;
These three have robb'd me; and this demi-devil
(For he's a bastard one), had plotted with them
To take my life; two of these fellows you
Must know, and own; this thing of darkness I
Acknowledge mine.

Cal.

I shall be pinch'd to death. Alon. Is not this Stephano, my drunken butler? Seb. He is drunk now: Where had he wine?

Alon. And Trinculo is reeling ripe: Where should they

Find this grand liquor that hath gilded them ?—
How cam'st thou in this pickle?

Trin. I have been in such a pickle, since I saw you

last, that, I fear me, will never out of my bones: 1 shall not fear fly-blowing.

Seb. Why, how now, Stephano?

Ste. Oh! touch me not: I am not Stephano, but a cramp.

Pro. You'd be king of the isle, sirrah?

Ste. I should have been a sore one, then.

Alon. This is as strange a thing a e'er I look'd on. [Pointing to CALIBAN.

Pro. He is as disproportion'd in his manners,

As in his shape:-Go, sirrah, to my cell:
Take with you your companions: as you look
To have my pardon, trim it handsomely.

Cal. Ay, that I will; and I'll be wise hereafter,
And seek for grace: What a thrice-double ass
Was I, to take this drunkard for a god.
And worship this dull fool.

Pro.

Go to; away!

Alon. Hence, and bestow your luggage where you

found it.

Seb. Or stole it, rather.

[Exeunt CAL. STE. and TRIN.
Pro. Sir, I invite your highness and your train
To my poor cell, where you shall take your rest
For this one night; which (part of it,) I'll waste
With such discourse as, I doubt not, shall make it
Go quick away: the story of my life,
And the particular accidents, gone by,
Since I came to this isle: And in the morn,
I'll bring you to your ship, and so to Naples,
Where I have hope to see the nuptial
Of these our dear-beloved solemniz'd;
And thence retire me to my Milan, where
Every third thought shall be my grave.
Alon.

To hear the story of your life, which must
Take the ear strangely.

Pro.

I long

I'll deliver all; And promise you calm seas, auspicious gales, And sail so expeditious, that shall catch Your royal fleet far off-My Ariel;-chick,That is thy charge: then to the elements Be free, and fare thou well!-[Aside.] Please you draw near. [Exeunt.

EPILOGUE.

SPOKEN BY PROSPERO.

Now my charms are all o'erthrown, And what strength I have's mine own, Which is most faint: now, 'tis true, I must be here confin'd by you, Or sent to Naples: Let me not, Since I have my dukedom got, And pardon'd the deceiver, dwell In this bare island, by your spell; But release me from my bands, With the help of your good hands. Gentle breath of yours my sails Must fill, or else my project fails, Which was to please: Now I want Spirits to enforce, art to enchant; And my ending is despair, Unless I be reliev'd by prayer, Which pierces so, that it assaults Mercy itself, and frees all faults. As you from crimes would pardon'd be, Let your indulgence set me free.

To the sweet glances of thy honour'd love,

I rather would entreat thy company
To see the wonders of the world abroad,
Than, living dully sluggardiz'd at home,
Wear out thy youth with shapeless idleness;

But, since thou lov'st, love still, and thrive therein,
Even as I would, when I to love begin.

Pro. Wilt thou be gone? Sweet Valentine, adieu! Think on thy Proteus, when thou, haply, seest Some rare note-worthy object in thy travel: Wish me partaker in thy happiness,

When thou dost meet good hap; and, in thy danger,
If ever danger do environ thee,

Commend thy grievance to my holy prayers,
For I will be thy beadsman, Valentine.

Val. And on a love-book pray for my success.
Pro. Upon some book I love, I'll pray for thee.
Val. That's on some shallow story of deep love,
How young Leander cross'd the Hellespont.

Pro. That's a deep story of a deeper love; For he was more than over shoes in love.

Val. "Tis true; for you are over boots in love, And yet you never swam the Hellespont. Pro. Over the boots? Nay, give me not the boots. Val. No, I'll not, for it boots thee not. Pro.

What?

If lost, why then a grievous labour won;
However, but a folly bought with wit,

Or else a wit by folly vanquished.

Pro. So, by your circumstance, you call me fool. Val. So, by your circumstance, I fear you'll prove. Pro. "Tis Love you cavil at; I am not Love. Val. Love is your master, for he masters you; And he that is so yoked by a fool, Methinks should not be chronicled for wise.

Pro. Yet writers say, As in the sweetest bud The eating canker dwells, so eating love Inhabits in the finest wits of all.

Val. And writers say, As the most forward bud
Is eaten by the canker, ere it blow,

Even so by love the young and tender wit
Is turn'd to folly; blasting in the bud,
Losing his verdure even in the prime,
And all the fair effects of future hopes.

But wherefore waste I time to counsel thee?
That art a votary to fond desire.
Once more adieu: my father at the road
Expects me coming, there to see me shipp'd.

Pro. And thither will I bring thee, Valentine.
Val. Sweet Proteus, no; now let us take our leave.
At Milan, let me hear from thee by letters,
Of thy success in love, and what news else
Betideth here in absence of thy friend;
And I likewise will visit thee with mine.

Pro. All happiness bechance to thee in Milan ! Val. As much to you at home! and so, farewell! [Exit VALENTINE. Pro. He after honour hunts, I after love: He leaves his friends, to dignify them more; I leave myself, my friends, and all, for love. Thou, Julia, thou hast metamorphos'd me; Made me neglect my studies, lose my time, War with good counsel, set the world at nought; Made wit with musing weak, heart sick with thought.

Pro. A silly answer, and fitting well a sheep.
Specd. This proves me still a sheep.

Pro. True; and thy master a shepherd. Specd. Nay, that I can deny by a circumstance. Pro. It shall go hard but I'll prove it by another. Speed. The shepherd seeks the sheep, and not the sheep the shepherd; but I seek my master, and my master seeks not me: therefore, I am no sheep.

Pro. The sheep for fodder follows the shepherd, the

shepherd for food follows not the sheep; thou for wages followest thy master, thy master for wages follows not thee: therefore, thou art a sheep.

Speed. Such another proof will make me cry baa. Pro. But dost thou hear? gav'st thou my letter to Julia?

Speed. Ay, sir: I, a lost mutton, gave your letter to her, a laced mutton; and she, a laced mutton, gave me, a lost mutton, nothing for my labour.

Pro. Here's too small a pasture for such a store of

muttons.

Speed. If the ground be overcharged, you were best stick her.

Pro. Nay, in that you are astray: 'twere best pound you.

Speed. Nay, sir, less than a pound shall serve me for carrying you 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 said she? did she nod? [SPEED nods. Specd. I.

Pro. Nod, I; why, that's noddy.

Speed. You mistook, sir; I say she did nod; and you ask me if she did nod; and I say, I.

Pro. And that, set together, is-noddy.

Speed. Now you have taken the pains to set it together, 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? Specd. Marry, sir, the letter very orderly; having nothing but the word, noddy, for my pains.

Pro. Beshrew me, but you have a quick wit. Speed. And yet it cannot overtake your slow purse. Pro. Come, come, open the matter in brief: What said she?

Speed. Open your purse, that the money and the matter may be both at once delivered.

Pro. Well, sir, here is for your pains: What said she? Speed. Truly, sir, I think you'll hardly win her. Pro. Why? Could'st thou perceive so much from her? Speed. Sir, I could perceive nothing at all from her; no, not so much as a ducat for delivering your letter: And being so hard to me that brought your mind, I fear she'll prove as hard to you in telling her mind. Give her no token but stones; for she's as hard as steel. Pro. What, said she nothing?

Speed. No, not so much as-take this for thy pains, To testify your bounty, I thank you, you have testern'd me; in requital whereof, henceforth, carry your letters yourself: and so, sir, I'll commend you to my master.

Pro. Go, go, begone, to save your ship from wreck, Which cannot perish, having thee aboard, Being destin'd to a drier death on shore:I must go send some better messenger;

I fear, my Julia will not deign my lines,

Receiving them from such a worthless post. [Exeunt. SCENE II.-The same. Garden of JULIA's house. Enter JULIA and LUCETTA.

Jul. But 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 resort of gentlemen That every day with parle encounter me, In thy opinion, which is worthiest love? Luc. Please you repeat their names, I'll show my mind

According to my shallow, simple skill.

Jul. What think'st 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, so. Jul. What think'st thou of the gentle Proteus? 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 censure thus on lovely gentlemen.

Jul. Why not on Proteus, as of all the rest?
Luc. Then thus,-of many good, I think him best.
Jul. Your reason?

Inc. 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.