And afk remiffion 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 ftomach on your meat,

And not upon your maid.

Jul. What is, that you

Took up fo gingerly?

Luc. Nothing.

Jul. Why didst thou ftoop 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 lie for thofe that it concerns.
Luc. Madam, it will not lie, where it concerns ;

Unless it have a falfe interpreter.

Jul. Some love of yours hath writ to you in rhyme... Luc. That I might fing it, madam, to a tune ;. Give me a note; your Ladyfhip 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 fo light a tune.

Jul. Heavy belike, it hath fome burden then.

Luc. Ay; and melodious were it, would you fing it..

ful. And why not you?

Luc. I cannot reach fo high..

Jul. Let's fee your fong:

How now, minion?

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.

Jul. 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 your fong.

Jul. The mean is drown'd with your unruly base.

Luc

Luc. Indeed, I bid the bafe for Protheus. (5)
Jul. This babble fhall not henceforth trouble me.
Here is a coil with proteftation!

lie:

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

[Tears it..

Luc. She makes it ftrange, but she would be beft 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 fuch loving words;
Injurious wafps, to feed on fuch fweet honey,
And kill the bees, that yield it, with your ftings!
I'll kifs each feveral paper for amends:
Look, here is writ kind Julia; unkind Julia!
As in revenge of thy ingratitude,

I throw thy name against the bruifing ftones;
Trampling contemptuously 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 throughly 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 fome whirl-wind bear Unto a ragged, fearful, hanging rock,

And throw it thence into the raging fea!

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 fo prettily
He couples it to his complaining names:
Thus will I fold them one upon another;

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

(5) I bid the bafe for Protheus.] Lucetta here alters the allegory. from the bafe in mufick to a country exercife, call'd in the North, Bid-the-bafe; in which fome purfue, to take the others prifoners. So that Lucetta would intend to fay, "Indeed, I take pains to make you a captive for Protheus" Mr. Warburton.

Enter

Enter Lucetta.

Luc. Madam, dinner is ready, and your father stays. 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 fhall not lie, for catching cold.

Jul. I fee, you have a month's mind to them. Luc. Ay, madam, you may fay what fights you fee: I fee things too, although you judge I wink. Jul. Come, come, will't please you go?

Ant.

SCENE, Anthonio's Houfe.

Enter Anthonio and Panthion.

[Exeunt.

ELL me, Panthion, what fad talk was that, Wherewith mybrother held you in the cloifter? 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: (6)
Some to the wars, to try their fortune there;
Some, to difcover iflands far away ;.
Some, to the ftudious universities.
For any, or for all these exercises,,

He faid, that Protheus your fon was meet:
And did request me to importune you,
To let him fpend his time no more at home;
Which would be great impeachment to his age,
In having known no travel in his youth.

(6) Put forth their fons.] In Shakespeare's time, voyages for the difcovery of the Weft-Indies were all in vogue. And we find, in the journals of travellers of that time, that the fons 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 Mr. Warburton.

jt.

Ant.

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 perfected by the fwift course 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. (7)

Ant. I know it well.

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

There fhall he practise tilts and tournaments,
Hear fweet difcourfe, converfe with noblemen;
And be in eye of every exercise,

Worthy his youth and nobleness 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 speedieft expedition

I will dispatch him to the Emperor's court.

Pant. To-morrow, may it please you, Don Alphonfo, 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.

(7) Attends the Emperor in his royal court.] The Emperor's royal court is properly at Vienna, but Valentine, tis plain, is at Milan where, in most other paffages, 'tis faid he is attending the Duke, who makes one of the characters in the Drama. This feems to convict the Author of a forgetfulness and contradiction; but, perhaps, it may be folv'd thus, and Milan be call'd the Emperor's court, as, fince the reign of Charlemaigne, this dukedom and its territories have belong'd to the Emperors. I wish, I could as eafily folve another abfurdity, which encounters us; of Valentine's going from Verona to Milan, both inland places, by fea,

Enter

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.
O that our fathers would applaud our loves,
To feal our happiness 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;

Wishing 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 not depending on his friendly with.

Ant. My will is fomething forted with his wish ::
Mufe not, that I thus fuddenly proceed;
For what I will, I will; and there's an end.
I am refolv'd, that thou fhalt spend some time
With Valentino in the Emperor's court:

What maintenance he from his friends receives,.
Like exhibition thou fhalt have from me:
To-morrow be in readiness to go.

Excufe it not, for I am peremptory.

Pro. My Lord, I cannot be fo foon provided;

Please to deliberate a day or two.

Ant. Look, what thou want'ft, fhall be fent after thee: No more of ftay; to-morrow thou must go.

Come on, Panthion; you fhall be employ'd

To haften on his expedition. [Exe. Ant. and Pant..
Pro. Thus have I fhun'd the fire, for fear of burning;
And drench'd me in the fea, where I am drown'd:
I fear'd to fhew my father Julia's letter,
Left he should take exceptions to my love;
And with the vantage of mine own excuse,

Hath