"Who calls Jeronimo from his naked bed?"
Sweet lady, was it you? If thou be'st the devil,
First, having cross'd myself, to keep out wildfire,
Then said some special prayers to defend me
Against thy most unhallow'd hood, have at thee!
Land. Hold, sir, I am no devil-
John. That's all one.

Land. I am your very landlady.
John. I defy thee!

Thus, as St. Dunstan blew the devil's nose
With a pair of tongs, even so, right worshipful-
Land. Sweet son, I am old Gillian.

Duke. This is no spirit.

John. Art thou old Gillian, flesh and bone?

Land. I am, son.

Vec. Sit still, sir; now I'll shew ye all. [Exit. John. Where's thy bottle?

Land. Here, I beseech you, son

John. For I know the devil

Cannot assume that shape.

Fred. 'Tis she, John, certain.

John. A hog's pox o' your mouldy chaps! what

make you

Tumbling and juggling here?

Land. I am quit now, signor,

For all the pranks you play'd, and railings at me;
For, to tell truth, out of a trick I put

Upon your high behaviours (which was a lie,
But then it served my turn), I drew the lady
Unto my kinsman's here, only to torture
Your don-ships for a day or two, and secure her
Out of all thoughts of danger. Here she comes now.

Enter VECCHIO and CONSTANTIA.

Duke. May I yet speak?

Vec. Yes, and embrace her too,

For one that loves you dearer-—

Duke. Oh, my sweetest!

Petr. Blush not; I will not chide you.
Con. To add more

Unto the joy I know, I bring you (see, sir),

The happy fruit of all our vows!

Duke. Heaven's blessing

Be round about thee ever!

John. Pray bless me too;

For if your grace be well instructed this way,

You'll find the keeping half the getting.
Duke. How, sir?

John. I'll tell you that anon.

Con. 'Tis true, this gentleman

Has done a charity worthy your favour,
And let him have it, dear sir.

Duke. My best lady,

He has, and ever shall have.-So must you, sir,
To whom I am equal bound as to my being.

Fred. Your grace's humble servants!
Duke. Why kneel you, sir?

Vec. For pardon for my boldness; yet 'twas harmless,

And all the art I have, sir. Those your grace saw, Which you thought spirits, were my neighbours'

children,

For you have pleased me truly; so well pleased me, That, when I shall forget it

Petr. Here's old Antonio,

(I spied him at a window) coming mainly;
I know, about his whore; the man you lit on,
As you discover'd unto me. Good your grace,
Let's stand by all; 'twill be a mirth above all
To observe his pelting fury

John. I.

Ant. How!

John. I.

Ant. Who was he?
John. I.

Ant. Do you hear, conjurer?
Dare you venture your devil?
Vec. Yes.

Ant. Then I'll venture my dagger.

Have at your devil's pate! [Strikes him, DON JOHN throws off his disguise.] Do you

mew?

Re-enter DUKE, PETRUCCIO, CONSTANTIA, FREDERIC, &c. Vec. Hold!

Petr. Hold there!

I do command you hold.

Ant. Is this the devil?

Why, conjurer

Petr. He has been a devil to you, sir; But now you shall forget all. Your whore's safe, And all your jewels; your boy too.

SCENE I.-CAEN.-An Apartment in the Palace.

Enter GISBERT and BALDWIN.

Bald. The brothers then are met?

Gis. They are, sir.

Baid. 'Tis thought

They may be reconciled.

Gis. 'Tis rather wish'd;

For such, whose reason doth direct their thoughts,
Without self-flattery, dare not hope it, Baldwin.
The fires of love, which the dead duke believed
His equal care of both would have united,
Ambition hath divided: And there are
Too many on both parts, that know they cannot
Or rise to wealth and honour (their main ends),
Unless the tempest of the princes' fury
Make troubled seas, and those seas yield fit billows
To heave them up; and these are too well practised
In their bad arts to give way to a calm,
Which, yielding rest to good men, proves their ruin.
Bald. And in the shipwreck of their hopes and
fortunes,

The dukedom might be saved, had it but ten
That stood affected to the general good,
With that confirm'd zeal which brave Aubrey does.
Gis. He is indeed the perfect character
Of a good man, and so his actions speak him.
Baid. But did you observe the many doubts and
cautions

The brothers stood upon before they met ?

I.

Gis. I did; and yet, that ever brothers should Stand on more nice terms than sworn enemies After a war proclaim'd, would with a stranger Wrong the reporter's credit. They saluted At distance, and so strong was the suspicion Each had of other, that, before they durst Embrace, they were by several servants search'd, As doubting conceal'd weapons; antidotes Ta'en openly by both, fearing the room Appointed for the interview was poison'd; The chairs and cushions, with like care, survey'd; And, in a word, in every circumstance, So jealous on both parts, that it is more Than to be feared, concord can never join Minds so divided.

Bald. Yet our best endeavours Should not be wanting, Gisbert. Gis. Neither shall they.

Enter GRANDPREE and VERDON.

But what are these?

Bald. They are without my knowledge; But, by their manners and behaviours, They should express themselves.

Grandp. Since we serve Rollo,

The eldest brother, we'll be Rollians,
Who will maintain us, lads, as brave as Romans.
You stand for him?

Verd. I do.

Grandp. Why then, observe

How much the business, the so-long'd-for business, By men that are named from their swords, concerns you.

Lechery, our common friend, so long kept under
With whips, and beating fatal hemp, shall rise,
And Bawdry, in a French hood, plead before her ;
Where it shall be concluded, after twelve
Virginity shall be carted.

Verd. Excellent!

Grandp. And Hell but grant, the quarrel that's between

The princes may continue, and the business
That's of the sword, to out-last three suits in law !
And we will make attornies lance-prizadoes,
And our brave gown-men practisers of back-sword!
The pewter of all sergeants' maces shall
Be melted, and turn'd into common flaggons,
In which it shall be lawful to carouse

To their most lousy fortunes.

Bald. Here's a statesman!

Grandp. A creditor shall not dare, but by To make demand of any debt; and that [petition, Only once every leap year, in which, if

The debtor may be won, for a French crown
To pay a sous, he shall be register'd

His benefactor.

Verd. The chancellor hears you.

Grandp. Fear not; I now dare speak as loud as he,

And will be heard, and have all I speak law.
Have you no eyes? There is a reverence due
From children of the gown to men of action.
Gis. How's this?

Grandp. Even so: The times, the times are changed;

All business is not now preferr'd in parchment,
Nor shall a grant pass that wants this broad seal :
[Shews his sword.

This seal, do you see? Your gravity once laid
My head and heels together in the dungeon,
For cracking a scald officer's crown, for which
A time is come for vengeance, and expect it;
For know, you have not full three hours to live.
Gis. Yes, somewhat longer.
Grandp. To what end?

Gis. To hang you:

Think on that, ruffian !

Grandp. For you, schoolmaster,

You have a pretty daughter: Let me see;

Near three o'clock, (by which time, I much fear,
I shall be tired with killing some five hundred)
Provide a bath, and her to entertain me,
And that shall be your ransom.

Bald. Impudent rascal !

Enter TREVILE and DUPKETE.

Gis. More of the crew?

Grandp. What are you? Rollians?

Trev. No; this for Rollo, and all such as serve him!

We stand for Otto.

[Snaps his fingers.

Trev. I kiss

Your hands for the good offer: Here's another,
The servant of your servant, which shall be proud
To be scoured in your sweet guts; till when
Pray you command me.

Grandp. Your idolater, sir.

[Exeunt all but GISBERT and BALDWIN. Gis. That ever such should hold the names of Or justice be held cruelty, when it labours [men, To pluck such weeds up!

Bald. Yet they are protected,

And by the great ones.

Gis. Not the good ones, Baldwin.

Enter AUBREY.

Aub. Is this a time to be spent thus, by such As are the principal ministers of the state, When they that are the heads have fill'd the court With factions, a weak woman only left

To stay their bloody hands? Can her weak arms
Alone divert the dangers ready now

To fall upon the commonwealth, and bury
The honours of it, leaving not the name

Of what it was?-Oh, Gisbert, the fair trials
And frequent proofs which our late master made,
Both of your love and faith, gave him assurance,
To chuse you at his death a guardian, nay,
A father to his sons; and that great trust,
How ill do you discharge! I must be plain,
That, at the best, you're a sad looker-on
Of those bad practices you should prevent.-
And where's the use of your philosophy
In this so needful time? Be not secure ;
For, Baldwin, be assured, since that the princes
(When they were young, and apt for any form)
Were given to your instruction, and grave order-
'Twill be expected that they should be good, [ing,
Or their bad manners will be imputed yours.

Bald. 'Twas not in me, my lord, to alter

nature.

Gis. Nor can my counsels work on them, that Vouchsafe me hearing. [will not

Aub. Do these answers sort

Or with your place, or persons, or your years?
Can Gisbert, being the pillar of the laws,
See them trod under foot, or forced to serve
The princes' unjust ends, and, with a frown,
Be silenced from exclaiming on the abuse?
Or Baldwin only weep the desperate madness
Of his seduced pupils ? see their minds,
(Which with good arts he laboured to build up,
Examples of succeeding times) o'erturn'd
By undermining parasites? No one precept,
Leading to any act or great or good,
But is forced from their memory; in whose room
Black counsels are received, and their retirements
And secret conference producing only

Devilish designs, a man would shame to father!
But I talk when I should do, and chide others
For that I now offend in.

Enter ROLLO, with LATORCH, GRANDFREE, and VERDON; and OTTO, with TREVILE and DUPRETE.

See 't confirmed!

Now do, or never speak more!

Gis. We are yours.

Rollo. You shall know who I am!
Otto. I do; my equal!

Rollo. Thy prince. Give way! Were we alone,
I'd force thee,