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War with good counsel, fet the world at n
Made wit with mufing weak, s heart fick w

SCENE

Enter Speed.

II. 6

Speed. Sir Protheus, fave you; faw you my mafter? Pro. But now he parted hence, t'imbark for Milan. Speed. Twenty to one then he is shipp'd already, And I have play'd the sheep in lofing him.

Pro. Indeed, a fheep doth very often stray, An if the fhepherd be awhile away.

Speed. You conclude that my mafter is a fhepherd then, and I a sheep?

Pro. I do.

Speed. Why then my horns are his horns, whether
I wake or fleep.

Pro. A filly anfwer, and fitting well a fheep.
Speed. This proves me ftill a fheep.

Pro. True; and thy mafter a shepherd.

Speed. Nay, that I can deny by a circumftance. Pro. It fhall go hard, but I'll prove it by another. Speed. The thepherd feeks the fheep, and not the fheep the shepherd; but I feek my mafter, and my mafter feeks not me; therefore I am no fheep. Pro. The sheep for fodder follows the shepherd, the

5 Made wit with mufing weak.] For made read make. Thou, Julia, haft made me war with good counjel, and make wit weak with mufing.

6 This whole scene, like many others in these plays (fome of which I believe were written by Shakespear, and others interpolated by the players) is compofed of the lowest and most trifling conceits, to be accounted for only from the grofs tafte of

the age he lived in ; Populo ut
placerent. I wish I had autho-
rity to leave them out; but I
have done all I could, fet a
mark of reprobation upon them
throughout this edition. POPE.

That this, like many other
Scenes, is mean and vulgar, will
be univerfally allowed; but that
it was interpolated by the players
feems advanced without any
proof, only to give a greater li-
cence to criticism,
N 4

Thep

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fhepherd for the food follows not the sheep, thou for wages followeft thy mafter, thy mafter for wages follows not thee; therefore thou art a sheep.

Speed. Such another proof will make me cry Baá. Pro. But doft thou hear? gaveft thou my letter to Julia?

Speed. Ay, Sir, I, a loft mutton, gave your letter to her, a lac'd mutton, 7 and fhe, a lac'd mutton, gave me, a loft mutton, nothing for my labour.

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Pro. Here's too fmall a pasture for fuch store of

muttons.

Speed. If the ground be over-charg'd, you were beft

ftick her.

Pro. Nay, in that you are a ftray, 'twere best pound you.

Speed. Nay, Sir, lefs than a pound fhail ferve me for carrying your letter.

Pro. You mistake: I mean the pound, a pin-fold. Speed. From a pound to a pin? fold it over and over, Tis threefold too little for carrying a letter to your lover. Pro. But what faid fhe: did fhe nod? [Speed nods. Speed. I.

Pro. Nod-I? why, that's noddy.

Speed. You mistook, Sir: I faid she did nod: And you ask me, if she did nod; and I faid, I.

7 I, a loft Mutton, gave your letter to her, a lac'd Mutton ;] Speed calls himself a loft Mutton, because he had loft his Mafter, and because Protheus had been proving him a Sheep. But why does he call the Lady a lac'd Matton? Wenchers are to this Day called Mutton-mongers: and confequently the Object of their Paffion muft, by the Metaphor, be the Mutton. And Cotgrave in his English-French Dictionary, explains Lac'd Mutton, Une Garfe, purain, fille de Jaye. And Mr.

Motteux has rendered this Paffage of Rabelais, in the Prologue of his fourth Book, Cailles coiphers mignonnement chantans, in this manner; Coated Quails and laced Mutton waggishly finging. So that lac'd Mutton has been a fort of Standard Phrase for Girls of Pleasure. THEOBALD.

8 Nay, in that you are aftray.] For the Reafon Protheus gives, Dr.Thirlby advises that we should read, a Stray, i. e, a ftay Sheep; which continues Protheus's Ban ter upon Speed,

THEOBALD,

Pro,

Pro. And that fet together, is noddy.

Speed. Now you have taken the pains to fet it together, take it for your pains.

Pro. No, no, you shall have it for bearing the letter. Speed. Well, I perceive, I must be fain to bear with

you.

Pro. Why, Sir, how do you bear with me? Speed. Marry, Sir, the letter very orderly; Having nothing but the word noddy for my pains. Pro. Behrew me, but you have a quick wit.

Speed. And yet it cannot overtake your flow purse. Pro. Come, come, open the matter in brief: what faid fhe?

Speed. Open your purfe, that the money and the matter may be both at once deliver❜d.

Pro. Well, Sir, here is for your pains; what faid fhe?

Speed. Truly, Sir, I think you'll hardly win her.

Pro. Why? could't thou perceive fo much from her? Speed. Sir, I could perceive nothing at all from her; No, not fo much as a ducket for delivering your letter. And being fo hard to me that brought your mind, I fear, fhe'll prove as hard to you in telling her mind. Give her no token but ftones; for fhe's as hard as iteel. Pro. What, faid fhe nothing?

Speed. No, not fo much as-take this for thy pains. To teftify your bounty, I thank you, you have teftern'd

me: 9

In requital whereof, henceforth carry your letter your
felf and fo, Sir, I'll commend you to my mafter.
Pro. Go, go be gone, to fave your fhip from wreck,
Which cannot perish, having thee aboard,
Being deftin'd to a drier death on shore.

1 must go fend fome better meffenger:

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I fear, my Julia would not deign my lines,
Receiving them from fuch a worthless poft.

Jul. B

SCENE III.

[Exeunt feverally.

Changes to Julia's Chamber.

Enter Julia and Lucetta.

UT fay, Lucetta, now we are alone,

Would't thou then counfel me to fall in love? Luc. Ay, madam, fo you ftumble not unheedfully. Jul. Of all the fair refort of gentlemen,

That ev'ry day with parle encounter me,
In thy opinion which is worthiest love?

Luc. Pleafe you, repeat their names; I'll shew my mind,

According to my fhallow fimple fkill.

Jul. What think'st thou of the fair Sir Eglamour? Luc. As of a Knight well spoken, neat and fine; But were I you, he never should be mine.

Jul. What think'st thou of the rich Mercatio? Luc. Well of his wealth; but of himself, fo, so. Jul. What think'ft thou of the gentle Protheus? Luc. Lord, lord! to fee what folly reigns in us! Jul. How now? what means this paffion at his name? Luc. Pardon, dear madam; 'tis a paffing fhame, That I, unworthy body as I am,

Should cenfure thus on lovely gentlemen.

Jul. Why not on Protheus, as on all the rest?
Luc. Then thus; of many good, I think him best.

Jul. Your reafon?

Luc. I have no other but a woman's reafon;

I think him fo, because I think him so.

Jul. And would't thou have me cast my love on him? Luc. Ay, if you thought your love not caft away,

Ful.

Jul. Why, he of all the reft hath never mov'd me.
Luc. Yet he of all the reft, I think, beft loves ye.
Jul. His little fpeaking fhews his love but small.
Luc. The fire, that's clofeft kept, burns most of all.
Jul. They do not love, that do not fhew their love.
Luc. Oh, they love leaft, that let men know their love.
Jul. I would, I knew his mind.

Luc. Perufe this paper, madam.
Jul. To Julia; fay, from whom?
Luc. That the contents will fhew.
Jul. Say, fay; who gave it thee?

Luc. Sir Valentine's page; and fent, I think, from
Protheus.

He would have giv'n it you, but I, being in the way,
Did in your name receive it; pardon the fault, I pray.
Jul. Now, by my modefty, a goodly broker!1
Dare you prefume to harbour wanton lines?
To whisper and confpire against my youth?
Now, trust me, 'tis an office of great worth;
And you an officer fit for the place.

There, take the paper; fee, it be return'd;
Or else return no more into my fight.

Luc. To plead for love deserves more fee than hate.
Jul. Will ye be gone?

Luc. That you may ruminate.

[Exit.

Jul. And yet I would I had o'er-look'd the letter.

It were a fhame to call her back again,

And pray her to a fault, for which I chid her.
What fool is fhe, that knows I am a maid,
And would not force the letter to my view?
Since maids, in modefty, fay No, to that
Which they would have the proff'rer conftrue, Ay.
Fie, fie; how wayward is this foolish love,
That, like a tefty babe, will fcratch the nurse,
And prefently, all humbled, kifs the rod?

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a goodly broker.] A broker was used for matchmaker, ipmetimes for a procureis.

How

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