In love to thee as well as victory, Grant this fair Countess here may be my queen. Po. No, great Cleanthes, give her to my hand, Whose heart was first the subject of her graces. Rhe. Then let the Arabian king make this his queen. Bi. Nay, this, Cleanthes, let my love enjoy. Cle. How fatal are these loves; now I perceive, Their fortunes that I told as I was Irus Will now in force, I see, be come to pass. Sa. Oh! holy Irus, blessed be thy tongue, That like an orator hath told our fortunes. Eli. He told us we should soon lose our first loves, Making our second choice 'mongst greatest kings. Cle. I did indeed, but God knows knew not how. Pe. How say you, master brother, am not I secret now? Cie. Thou art, and be so still, for not the world Shall ever know the mad pranks I have play'd. Now stand fair, my lords, and let these ladies view you. Eli. In my eye now the blackest is the fairest, For every woman chooseth white and red. Come, martial Porus, thou shalt have my love. Be. Out on thee, foolish woman, thou hast chose a devil. Pe. Not yet, sir, till he have horns. Sa. 'Tis not the face and colour I regard, But fresh and lovely youth allures my choice, And thee, most beauteous Bion, I affect. Rhe. Hapless is Rhesus! Bebri. Accursed Bebritius ! Cle. Have patience, gentle lords; I will Other Egyptian ladies for your turn, In honour of the conquest we have made, That at our banquet all the gods may 'tend, Plauding our victory and this happy end. [Exeunt. An Humorous Day's Mirth.* Enter the Count Labervele, in his shirt | 'Tis- La. Yet hath the morning sprinkled through the clouds But half her tincture, and the soil of night And through her window and this dim twilight Her maid, nor any waking I can see. Fair is my wife, and young and delicate, Is to be doubted, that when an object Despair not of children, Love with the longest; I hope 'tis plain and knowing; in this other that I write, God will reward her a thousand-fold, That takes what age can, and not what age would. I hope 'tis pretty and pathetical. Well, even here Lie both together till my love arise, Enter Lemot and Colenet. Co. The sky hangs full of humour, and I think we shall have rain. Le. Why, rain is fair weather when the ground is dry and barren, especially when it rains humour, for then do men, like hot sparrows and pigeons, open all their wings ready to receive them. Co. Why, then, we may chance to have a fair day, for we shall spend it with so humorous acquaintance as rains nothing but humour all their life-time. Le. True, Colenet, over which will I sit like an old king in an old-fashion play, having his wife, his council, his children, and his fool about him, to whom he will sit, and point very learnedly, as followeth:— "My council grave, and you, my noble peers, My tender wife, and you my children dear, And thou, my fool." Co. Not meaning me, sir, I hope. Le. No, sir: but thus will I sit, as it were, and point out all my humorous companions. Co. You shall do marvellous well, sir. Le. I thank you for your good encouragement: but, Colenet, thou shalt see Catalian bring me hither an odd gentleman presently, to be acquainted withal, who, in his manner of taking acquaintance will make us excellent sport. Ce. Why, Lemot, I think thou send'st about of purpose for young gallants to be acquainted withal, to make thyself merry in the manner of taking acquaintance. Le. By heaven I do, Colenet; for there is no better sport than to observe the compliment, for that's their word-compliment, do you mark, sir? Co. Yea, sir, but what humour hath this gallant in his manner of taking acquaintance? Le. Marry thus, sir: he will speak the very selfsame word, to a syllable, after him of whom he takes acquaintance: as if I should say, "I am marvellous glad of your acquaintance," he will reply "I am marvellous glad of your acquaintance;" "I have heard much good of your rare parts and fine carriage," "I have heard much good of your rare parts and fine carriage." So long as the compliments of a gentleman last, he is your complete ape. Co. Why, this is excellent. Le. Nay, sirrah, here's the jest of it: when he is past this gratulation, he will retire himself to a chimney, or a wall, standing folding his arms thus; and go you and speak to him so far as the room you are in will afford you, you shall never get him from that most gentlemanlike set, or behaviour. Co. This makes his humour perfit; I would he would come once. Enter Catalian and Blanuel. Le. See where he comes. Now must I say, Lupus est in fabula, for these Latin ends are part of a gentleman and a good scholar. Ca. O, good morrow, Monsieur Lemot ; here is the gentleman you desired so much to be acquainted withal. Le. He is marvellous welcome. I shall be exceeding proud of your acquaintance. Bla. I shall be exceeding proud of your acquaintance. Le. I have heard much good of your rare parts and fine carriage. Bla. I have heard much good of your rare parts and fine carriage. Le. I shall be glad to be commanded by you. Bla. I shall be glad to be commanded by you. Le. I pray do not you say so. Bla. I pray do not you say so. Le. Well, gentlemen, this day let's consecrate to mirth; and, Colenet, you know, no man better, that you are mightily in love with love, by Martia, daughter to old Foyes. Co. I confess it: here are none but friends. Le. Well, then, go to her this morning in Countess Moren's name, and so perhaps you may get her company, though the old churl be so jealous that he will suffer no man to come at her, but the vain gull Labesha for his living sake, and he as yet she will not be acquainted withal. Co. Well, this I'll do, whatsoever come on it. Le. Why, nothing but good will come of it, ne'er doubt it, man. Ca. He hath taken up his stand, talk a little further and see and you can remove him. Le. I will, Catalian. Now, Monsieur Blanuel, mark, I pray. Bla. I do, sir, very well, I warrant you. Le. You know the old Count Labervele hath a passing fair young lady, that is a passing foul Puritan. Bla. I know her very well, sir; she goes more like a milkmaid than a Countess, for all her youth and beauty. Le. True, sir, yet of her is the old Count so jealous that he will suffer no man to come at her; yet I will find a means that two of us will have access to her, though before his face, which shall so heat his jealous humour till he be stark mad: but, Colenet, go you first to lovely Martia, for 'tis too soon for the old lord and his fair young lady to rise. Co. Adieu, Monsieur Blanuel. Bla. Adieu, good Monsieur Colenet. [Exit Col. Le. Monsieur Blanuel, your kindness in this will bind me much to you. Bla. Monsieur Lemot, your kindness in this will bind me much to you. Le. I pray you do not say so, sir. {Exit. Enter Foyes, and Martia, and Besha. Fo. Come on, fair daughter, fall to your work of mind, and make your body fit to embrace the body of this gentleman, 'tis art happy are they, say I. Be. I protest, sir, you speak the best that ever I heard. Fo. I pray, sir, take acquaintance of my daughter. Be. I do desire you of more acquain tance. Fo. Why dost not thou say yea, and I the same of you? Mar. That everybody says. Fo. Single, indeed, that's a pretty toy, Your betters, dame, bear double, and so shall you. Be. Exceeding pretty, did you mark it forsooth ? Mar. What should I mark forsooth? Be. Your bearing double, which equivocate is and hath a fit allusion to a horse that bears double, for your good father means you shall endure your single life no longer, not in worse sense than bearing double forsooth. Mar. I cry you mercy, you know both belike. Be. Knowledge, forsooth, is like a horse, and you that can bear double: it nourisheth both Bee and Spider-the Bee honeysuckle, the Spider poison. I am that bee. Mar. I thought so, by your stinging wit. Be. Lady, I am a bee without a sting, no way hurting any, but good to all, and before all, to your sweet self. Fo. Afore God, daughter, thou art not worthy to hear him speak: but who comes here? Enter Colenet. Co. God save you, sir. Fo. You are welcome, sir; for ought that I know yet. Co. I hope I shall be so still, sir. Fo. What is your business, sir, and then I'll tell you. Co. Marry thus, sir: the Countess Moren entreats your fair daughter to bear her company this forenoon. Fo. This forenoon, sir. Doth my lord or lady send for her, I pray? Co. My lady, I assure you. Fo. My lady, you assure me; very well, sir; yet that house is full of gallant gentle men; dangerous thorns to prick young maids, I can tell you. Co. There are none but honest and honourable gentlemen. Fo. All is one, sir, for that; I'll trust my daughter with any man, but no man with my daughter, only yourself, Monsieur Besha, whom I will entreat to be her guardian, and to bring her home again. Co. I will wait upon her, and it please you. Fo. No, sir, your weight upon her will not be so good: here, Monsieur Besha, I deliver my daughter unto you a perfect maid, and so I pray you look well unto Have rain'd thee jewels for thy holy life, bowing my body to an idle work; the strength that I have had to this very deed might have been used to take a poor soul up in the highway. La. You are too curious, wife; behold your jewels: what! methinks there's posies written on them. Then he reads: Despair not of children, Love with the longest; When man is at the weakest, God is at the strongest. Wonderful rare and witty, nay divine! Why, this is heavenly comfort for thee, wife. What is this other? God will reward her a thousand-fold, That takes what age can, and not what age would. would yield so soon to courses of temptations? Nay, hark you, wife, I am not sure that going abroad will cause fruitfulness in you; that, you know, none knows but God himself. Flo. I know, my lord, 'tis true; but the lawful means must still be used. La. Yea, the lawful means indeed must still; but now I remember that lawful means is not abroad. Flo. Well, well, I'll keep the house still. La. Nay, hark you, lady, I would not have you think, marry, I must tell you this, if you should change the manner of your life, the world would think you changed religion too. Flo. 'Tis true, I will not go. Flo. Yea, a fancy, but that's no matter. The best that e'er I heard; no mortal and religious women. brain I think did ever utter such conceit For good plain matter, and for honest rhyme. Flo. Vain poetry, I pray you burn them, sir. La. You are to blame, wife; heaven hath sent you them to deck yourself withal, like to yourself, not to go thus like a milk-maid; why, there is difference in estates by all religion. Flo. There is no difference. La. I prithee, wife, be of another mind, And wear these jewels and a velvet hood. Flo. A velvet hood! O vain devilish device! A toy made with a superfluous flap, Enter Catalian like a scholar. Ca. God save your lordship, and you, most religious lady. La. Sir, you may say God save us well indeed, That thus are thrust upon in private walks. Ca. A slender thrust, sir, where I touch'd you not. La. Well, sir, what is your business? Ca. Why, sir, I have a message to my lady from Monsieur du Barte. La. To your lady! well, sir, speak your mind to your lady. Flo. You are very welcome, sir, and I pray how doth he? Ca. In health, madam, thanks be to Which being cut off, my head were still as God, commending his duty to your lady warm. Diogenes did cast away his dish, Because his hand would serve to help him drink, Surely these heathens shall rise up against us. La. Sure, wife, I think thy keeping always close, making thee melancholy, is the cause we have no children, and therefore if thou wilt, be merry, and keep company a God's name. Flo. Sure, my lord, if I thought I should be rid of this same punishment of barrenness, and use our marriage to the end it was made, which was for procreation, I should sin, if by my keeping house I should neglect the lawful means to be a fruitful mother, and therefore if it please you I'll use resort. La. Gods my passion, what have I done? who would have thought her pureness ship, and hath sent you a message which I would desire your honour to hear in private. Flo. "My ladyship" and "my honour!" they be words which I must have you leave, they be idle words, and you shall answer for them truly: "my duty to you,' or "I desire you," were a great deal better than "my ladyship," or " my honour." Ca. I thank you for your Christian admonition. Flo. Nay, thank God for me. Come, I will hear your message with all my heart, and you are very welcome, sir. La. "With all my heart, and you are very welcome, sir," and go and talk with a young lusty fellow able to make a man's hair stand upright on his head! What purity is there in this, trow you? ha, what wench of the faculty could have been more for |