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constable of the watch, and then pathetically laments him, that his young blood should lead him into such scrapes. Hear how loudly he laughs at his own follies; and see with what a hearty smack of the shoulder he saluteth his next neighbour! But they who hear him know their man; and laugh not with him, but at him."

Master Shakspeare then directed his attention to another

group.

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"See you that sagacious looking youth," said he, "that hath got Will Kempe in serious discourse, close unto where Anthony Wadeson, Thomas Pope, and Nicholas Towley are in such furious discussion? Notice the very gravity of his features-the demure combing of his hair-the antique cut of his beard. See how soberly he is clad-mark how stiffly he bears himself. speaks slowly-as if he weighed every word that fell from his lips-and seemeth quite shocked at the boisterousness of manner of the group of gay young lords at his right. He goeth among us by the name of Young Antiquity-yet is he called by his proper name, Lord Wiseacre. I warrant you, he is entertaining my friend Will with a right woeful lamentation upon the degeneracy of the age; and leaving him with a shake of the head worthy of a second Nestor, is now making the profound remark, Alack! boys will be boys!""

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Master Francis could not help a smile, for the

manner in which his companion spoke the last words, was marked with such an exceeding drollery, that to look grave the while, was out of the ques

tion.

"A little way to the left of him, notice that neatly dressed old gallant, talking with so mysterious an air to a handsome young nobleman," continued Master Shakspeare. "The one is my Lord Howard of Walden, who sweareth every man of his acquaintance to strict confidence, and then letteth out the famous secret to all whom he can get to listen, of some fair dame being in love with him. He will dilate upon every look he has received from her, and enumerate what wonderful signs she hath given him of her regard; and then he will assert his exceeding virtuousness, and the fear he is in that this affection of another woman for him should be noticed by my Lady Howard, whom he believeth to be a very miracle of chastity-though there be others that have a different opinion; and will conjure his listener to be as secret as the grave, and straightway go and tell as many as he can the same story, the which, as may well be believed, hath no existence save in his own imagination, and thorough vanity. The person he hath hold of is my Lord Pembroke, as worthy, admirable, and generous a man as breathes; and desireth to be my excellent patron and friend.

"Now, behold you those two young lords that

have got Hart by the ear, up in the corner?" continued he; "they are my Lords Simple and Dimple; they affect to be the Castor and Pollux of these our times, and are never seen apart. At no time have they been heard to differ on any one subject; they dress alike on all occasions-ay, to such a nearness, that if my Lord Simple have thirty points to his hose, of a surety hath my Lord Dimple exactly the same. At meals they will be helped from the same dish, and have the same quantity to a nicety. If there be but one wing left of the pullet, it must needs be divided to the exactitude of a hair, or they will touch it not; and if the one hath a spoonful more gravy in his trencher than hath the other, then are both infinitely miserable till the balance be adjusted. This conceit they follow up in all things:-when Simple hath the toothache, Dimple tieth up his jaw; and if one be afflicted with the cholic, the other rubbeth his bowels, and belloweth like a town bull. Yet with all this affectation of friendship, I warrant you Castor doth not care a fig's end for Pollux-and Pollux would not cross the way to save his Castor from the whipping-post."

Then Master Shakspeare, suddenly turning round, said to his young friend, "Hear you how Green maketh the people laugh?" And sure enough there was heard at that moment a very

roar of laughter, which, at intervals, did continue, with boisterous clapping of hands and the like.

"Now turn your vision to where stands that tall slim gentleman, in close converse with Robert Armyn," said he. "Saw you anything so spic and span? he looks as dainty as a bowl of whipped syllabub, and smelleth as nice as a dish of stewed prunes. Surely you will think so fine a personage was made only for Sundays; for he seemeth a marvellous deal too delectable for this every-day world. His speech too he maketh to match with his dress; for it be other folk's finery, cut and clipped in accordance with his own taste. Truly, is he choice in his phrases, and putteth them to a very absolute good use. He will talk you upon the cracking of nuts in the tapestry style of Sir Philip Sydney his Arcadia; and describe the fashion of a garter in the heroic vein of the blank verse of my Lord Sackville. He is Master Aniseed: doubtless you suppose that his birth was as delicate as his behaviour; and his bringing up as holiday-like as his apparelling. Yet was his mother a poor midwife, and his father a rat-catcher, and to the latter reputable vocation was he born and bred, and did practise with very notable success, after the demise of his worshipful parents, till a miserly uncle dying, whose heir he was, he straightway began very earnestly, with his new found gold, to purchase the necessaries

of gentility; and now passeth he, as he doth imagine, for a truly creditable gentleman. 'Tis like you may fancy, by the pains he takes, that Master Aniseed preferreth his new mode of life wonderfully but in that are you much deceived; for have I good grounds for saying, that, in secret, he doth sigh continually for the more exquisite pleasure he hath found in the catching of rats."

:

At that moment there entered at the door one of the players, dressed as King Henry the Fourth, whom Master Shakspeare thus addressed:

"Well, Lowing, and how goeth the play with her majesty ?"

"Never went anything better," said he, very cheerfully; "her majesty hath shewn from the beginning an admirable interest in the story; and Green hath made her laugh till her crown tottered again ;" and then he passed on.

"Here, observe you that portly man, with the red face and the black beard, talking familiarly to our Dame Quickly and Doll Tearsheet," continued Master Shakspeare to his young friend; "a turkey-cock looks not so valiant. Judging of him by the way he beareth himself, one might suppose that he had inherited the warlike spirits of all the heroes who have gone before him. before him. He seemeth of so great a heart that he could have braved Cæsar, Hear him talk,

or pulled Alexander by the nose.

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