False, faithless, wanton beast! I'll spoil your

There's not a page, a groom, nay, not a citizen
That shall be cast [away] upon thee, Kala;
I'll keep thee in my service all thy lifetime,
Without hope of a husband or a suitor.

Kal. I have not verily deserv'd this cruelty. Tha. Parthenophill shall know, if he respect My birth, the danger of a fond' neglect. [Exit. Kal. Are you so quick? Well, I may chance

to cross

Your peevishness. Now, though I never meant
The young man for myself, yet, if he love me,
I'll have him, or I'll run away with him;
And let her do her worst then! What! we're all
But flesh and blood; the same thing that will do
My lady good, will please her woman too." [Erit.

SCENE II.

An Apartment at the Castle.

Enter CLEOPHILA and TROLLIO.

Cleo. Tread softly, Trollio, my father sleeps still. Trol. Ay, forsooth; but he sleeps like a hare, with his eyes open, and that's no good sign.

+ I'll spoil your carriage!] So the 4to. reads. From the sequel of the speech it appears not improbable that the poet's word was marriage.

Of a fond neglect.] i. e. the danger of slighting the love of a

rank.

lady of my ears some resemblance to Valeria, in Shirley's Tragedy

of The Cardinal.

Cleo. Sure thou art weary of this sullen living; But I am not; for I take more content

In my obedience here, than all delights
The time presents elsewhere.

Mel. Oh!

Cleo. Dost hear that groan?

Trol. Hear it? I shudder; it was a strong blast, young mistress, able to root up heart, liver, lungs, and all.

Cleo. My much-wrong'd father! let me view his face.

[Draws the Arras, MELEANDER discovered in a chair, sleeping.

Trol. Lady mistress, shall I fetch a barber to steal away his rough beard whilst he sleeps? In his naps he never looks in a glass-and 'tis high time, o' my conscience, for him to be trimmed; he has not been under the shaver's hand almost these four years.

Cleo. Peace, fool!

Trol. I could clip the old ruffian; there's hair enough to stuff all the great cod-pieces in Switzerland. He begins to stir; he stirs. Bless us, how his eyes roll! A good year keep your lordship in your right wits, I beseech ye! [Aside. Mel. Cleophila!

Cleo. Sir, I am here; how do you, sir?.

7 ——— while he sleeps? In his naps, &c.] The 4to. reads, "While he sleeps in his naps?"—which is not easily understood: unless by naps the facetious Trollio means in his rough state. I believe, however, that the error lies in the pointing.

Trol. Sir, is your stomach up yet? get some warm porridge in your belly; 'tis a very good settle-brain.

Mel. The raven croak'd, and hollow shrieks of

owls

Sung dirges at her funeral; I laugh'd

The while, for 'twas no boot to weep.

The girl Was fresh and full of youth; but, oh! the cun

ning

Of tyrants, that look big! their very frowns

Doom poor souls guilty ere their cause be heard.— Good! what art thou? and thou?

Cleo. I am Cleophila, Your woeful daughter.

Trol. I am Trollio,

Your honest implement.

Mel. I know you both. 'Las, why d'ye use me thus ?

Thy sister, my Eroclea, was so gentle,

That turtles in their down, do feed more gall, Than her spleen mix'd with:-yet, when winds and storm

Drive dirt and dust on banks of spotless snow,
The purest whiteness is no such defence
Against the sullying foulness of that fury.
So raved Agenor, that great man, mischief
Against the girl-'twas a politic trick!
We were too old in honour.—I am lean,
And fall'n away extremely; most assuredly
I have not dined these three days.

Cleo. Will you now, sir?

Trol. I beseech you heartily, sir: I feel a horrible puking myself.

Mel. Am I stark mad?

Trol. No, no, you are but a little staringthere's difference between staring and stark mad. You are but whimsied yet; crotcheted, conundrumed, or so.

[Aside. Mel. Here's all my care; and I do often sigh For thee, Cleophila; we are secluded From all good people. But take heed; Amethus Was son to Doryla, Agenor's sister;

There's some ill blood about him, if the surgeonHave not been very skilful to let all out.

Cleo. I am, alas! too griev'd to think of love; That must concern me least.

Mel. Sirrah, be wise! be wise!

Enter AMETHUS, MENAPHON, PARTHENOPHILL, and RHETIAS.

Trol. Who, I? I will be monstrous and wise immediately.-Welcome, gentlemen; the more the merrier. I'll lay the cloth, and set the stools in a readiness, for I see here is some hope of dinner now.

[Exit. Amet. My lord Meleander, Menaphon, your

kinsman,

Newly return'd from travel, comes to tender
His duty to you; to you his love, fair mistress.
Men. I would I could as easily remove

Sadness from your remembrance, sir, as study

E

To do you
faithful service. My dear cousin,
All best of comforts bless your sweet obedience!
Cleo. One chief of them, [my] worthy cousin,
lives

In

you, and your well-doing.

Men. This young stranger

Will well deserve your knowledge.

Amet. For my friend's sake,
Lady, pray give him welcome.

Cleo. He has met it,

If sorrows can look kindly.

Par. You much honour me.

Rhe. How he eyes the company! sure my passion will betray my weakness.-O my master, my noble master, do not forget me; I am still the humblest, and the most faithful in heart of those that serve you.

Mel. Ha, ha, ha!

[Aside.

Rhe. There's wormwood in that laughter; 'tis the usher to a violent extremity.

[Aside.

Mel. I am a weak old man. All these are come,

To jeer my ripe calamities.

Men. Good uncle!

Mel. But I'll outstare ye all: fools, desperate
fools!

You are cheated, grossly cheated; range, range on,
And roll about the world to gather moss,

The moss of honour, gay reports, gay clothes,

Gay wives, huge empty buildings, whose proud roofs

Shall with their pinnacles even reach the stars!