And deal in her command without her power: Cal. I fhall be pinch'd to death. Alon. Is not this Stephano, my drunken butler? Seb. He's drunk now: Where had he wine? Alon. And Trinculo is reeling ripe: Where thould Find this grand liquor that hath gilded them?-[they How cam'ft thou in this pickle? Trin. I have been in fuch a pickle fince I faw you last, that, I fear me, will never out of my bones: I fhall not fear fly-blowing. Seb. Why, how now, Stephano? Ste. O, touch me not; I am not Stephano, but a Pro. You'd be king of the ifle, firrah? [cramp'. Ste. I fhould have been a fore one then. Abon. This is a strange thing as e'er I look'd on. [Pointing to Caliban. Pro. He is as difproportion'd in his manners, As in his shape:-Go, firrah, to my cell; Take with you your companions; as you look To have my pardon, trim it handfomely. Cal. Ay, that I will; and I'll be wife hereafter, And feek for grace: What a thrice-double afs Was I, to take this drunkard for a god, Pro. Sir, I invite your highnefs, and your train, To hear the ftory of your life, which must Pro. I'll deliver all; That is, I am all over a cramp. Profpero had ordered Ariel to fhorten up their finews with aged tramps. Touch me not alludes to the forenefs occafioned by them. In the next line, the fpeaker confirms this meaning by a quibble on the word fore. SCENE, fometimes in Verona; fometimes in Milan; and on the frontiers of Mantua. Val. SCENE I. ACTI. An open place in Verona. CEA EASE to perfuade, my loving Protheus; ! [ger, Pro. Wilt thou be gone? Sweet Valentine, adieu Val. And on a love-book pray for my fuccefs. Pro. Upon fome book I love, I'll pray for thee. Pro. That's a deep story of a deeper love; Pro. Over the boots? nay, give me not the boots1. Val. To be in love, where fcorn is bought with groans; Coy looks, with heart-fore fighs; one fading ma- With twenty watchful, weary, tedious nights: Pro. So, by your circumstance, you call me fooll 1 Theobald pronounces this to be a proverbial expreffion, though now disused, fignifying, Don't make a laughing-ftock of me; don't play upon me. Mr. Steevens, however, is of opinion, that it might take its origin from a fport the country people in Warwickshire ufe at their harvett-home, where one fits as judge to try misdemeanors committed in harveft, and the punishment for the men is to be laid on a bench, and flapp'd on the breech with a pair of boots. This they call giving them the boots. He alfo adds, that the boots were an ancient engine of torture. Val C 4 Val. Love is your mafter, for he masters you; Pro. But doft thou hear? gav'ft thou my letter And he that is fo yoked by a fool, Methinks fhould not be chronicled for wife. Pro. Yet writers fay, As in the sweetest bud The eating canker dwells, fo eating love Inhabits in the fineft wits of all. to Julia? Speed. Ay, fir: I a lot mutton', gave your letter to her, a lac'd mutton; and fhe, a lac'd mutton2, gave me, aloft mutton, nothing for my labour. Pro. Here's too fmall a pafture for fuch a ftore of Val. And writers fay, As the most forward bud muttons. Is eaten by the canker ere it blow, Even fo by love the young and tender wit Is turn'd to folly; blafting in the bud, Lofing his verdure even in the prime, But wherefore waîte "I time to counsel thee, Once more adieu: my father at the road Pro. All happiness bechance to thee in Milan! [Exit. Pro. He after honour hunts, I after love: Enter Speed. Speed. Sir Protheus, fave you: Saw you my master? Pro. But now he parted hence to embark for Milan. Speed. Twenty to onethen, he is shipp'd already; And I have play'd the fheep in lofing him. Pro. Indeed, a fheep doth very often tray, And if the thepherd be awhile away. Speed. You conclude, that my mafter is a thepherd 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. si: Speed. This proves me still a fheep. Speed. If the ground be over-charg'd, you were beft ftick her. Pro. Nay, in that you are a stray; 'twere best pound you. Speed. Nay, fir, lefs than a pound shall serve me for carrying your letter. Prc. You miftake; I mean the pound, a pinfold. over, 'Tis threefold too little for carrying a letter to your lover. Pro. But what faid fhe did the nod. [Speed nods. P. Nod, I? why, that's noddy 3. 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 muft be fain to bear with you. Pro. Why, fir, how do you bear with me? Speed. Merry, fir, the letter very orderly; hav ing nothing but the word noddy for my pains. Pro. Bethrew me, but you have a quick wit. Speed. And yet it cannot overtake your flow purfe. Pro. Come, come, open the matter in brief: What faid the ? Speed. Open your purfe; that the money, and the matter, may be both at once deliver d. Pro. Well, fir, here is for your pains: What faid the ? Speed. Truly, fir, I think you'll hardly win her. Pro. Why? could it 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 to hard to me that brought your mind, I fear, the'll prove as hard to you in telling her mind. Give her no token but stones; for the's as hard as fteel. Pro. True; and thy mafter a fhepherd. 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 theep, and not the theep the shepherd; but I feck my matter, and my mafter feeks not me: therefore I am no fheep. Pro. The sheep for fodder follows the thepherd, the shepherd for the food follows not the theep; commend you to my maiter. thout for wages followeft thy matter, thy mafter for wages follows not thee: therefore thou art a theep. Speed. Such another proot will make me cry baa. Pro. What, foid the nothing? Speed. No, not fo much as-take this for thy pains. To testify your bounty, I thank you, you have teftern'd 4 me; in requital whereof, henceforth carry your letters yourself: and fo, fir, 111 Pro Go, go, be gone, to fave your ship from Which cannot perith, having thee aboard, [wreck; Being deftin'd to a drier death on shore : Speed calls himself a loft mutton, because he had loft his mafter, and becaufe Protheus had been proving him a fheep. 2 Cotgrave, in his English-French Dictionary, explains lae'd mutton by a girl of pleasure. A lac'd mutton was fo established a name for a courtezan, that a street in Clerkenwell, which was much frequented by women of the town, was formerly call'd Mutton-lane. 3 Noddy was a game at cards. 4 That is, you have gratified me with a tefer, tefern, or teften, that is, with fixpence. Jul. And yet, I would I had o'erlook'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 the, that knows I am a maid,. And would not force the letter to my view? unheed-Since maids, in modesty, fay No, to that [fully. Jul. But fay, Lucetta, now we are alone, Would't thou then counfel me to fall in love? Luc. Ay, madam; fo you ftumble not Jul. Of all the fair refort of gentlemen, That every day with parle encounter me, In thy opinion which is worthiest love? Which they would have the profferer conftrue, Aya Luc. Please you, repeat their names, I'll fhew And presently, all humbled, kifs the rod ! According to my fhallow fimple skill. Jul. What think it thou of the fair Sir Eglamour? Luc. As of a knight well fpoken, neat and fine; But, were I you, he never fhould be mine. Jul. What think'st thou of the rich Mercatio? Lac. Well, of his wealth; but of himself, fo, fo. Jul. What think'st thou of the gentle Protheus? Luc. Lord, lord! to fee what folly reigns in us! Jul. How now? what means this pattion 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 of all the rest? Luc. Then thus,-of many good, I think him beft. Jal. Your reafon ? Luc. I have no other but a woman's reafon ; I think him fo, because I think him fo. Jal. And would't thou have me caft my love on him? Luc. Ay, if you thought your love not caft away. Jul. I would I knew his mind. Luc. Sir Valentine's page; and fent, I think, He would have given it you, but I, being in the way, 5 The mean is the tenor in mufic. How churlishly I chid Lucetta hence, Re-enter Lucetta. That you might kill your 3 ftomach on your meat, ful. What is 't that you Took up fo gingerly? Luc. Nothing. Jul. Why didit thou stoop then? Luc. To take a paper up, that I let fail. Jul. And is that paper nothing? Luc. Nothing concerning me. Jul. Then let it lie for those that it concerns. Luc. Madam, it will not lye where it concerns, Unless it have a falfe interpreter. Jul. Some love of yours hath writ to you in rhime. Luc. That I might fing it, madam, to a tune: Give me a note; your ladyship can set. Jul. As little by fuch toys as may be possible: Beft fing it to the tune of Light & love. Luc. It is too heavy for so light a tune. [ic. 2 A broker was used for matchmaker, some 1 To cenfure means, in this place, to pass sentence. times for procuress. 3 Stomach was used for paffion or cbstinacy. 4 Defiant is a term in music. The fpeaker here turns the allufion (which her miftrels employed, from the bafe in mufic to a country exercife, Bid the bafe; in which fome purfue, and others are made prifoners. Jul. This babble fhall not henceforth trouble me. Put forth their fons to seek preferment out Here is a coil with proteftation ! [Tears it. Some to the wars, to try their fortune there; T Go, get you gone; and let the papers lie: To be fo anger'd with another letter. [Exit. Jul Nay, would I were fo anger'd with the Oh hateful hands, to tear fuch loving words! I throw thy name against the bruising stones, Lo, here in one line is his name twice writ,- Luc. Madam, dinner's ready, and your father Jul. If thou refpect them, best to take them up. down: Yet here they shall not lie, for catching cold. I fce things too, although you judge I wink. SCENE III. Anthonio's boufe. Enter Anthonio and Panthino. He faid, that Protheus, your fon, was meet; [that Ant. Nor need'ft thou much importune me to And perfected by the swift course of time: Ant. I know it well. Worthy his youth, and nobleness of birth. Ant. I like thy counfel; well haft thou advis'd: I will difpatch him to the emperor's court. [phonfo, [go Ant. Good company; with them fhall Protheus Pro. Sweet love! fweet lines! fweet life! [there! Ant. How now? what letter are you reading Pro. May 't please your lordship, 'tis a word or Of commendation fent from Valentine, [two Deliver'd by a friend that came from him. [news. Ant. Lend me the letter; let me fee what Pro. There is no news, my lord; but that he writes Ant. Tell me, Panthino, what fad 2 talk was How happily he lives, how well belov'd, that, Pant. He wonder'd, that your lordship And daily grac'd by the emperor; Ant. My will is fomething forted with his wifh See Pro 1. A month's mind was an anniverfury in times of popcry; or, as Mr. Ray calls it, a lefs folemnity directed by the will of the deceated. There was alfo a year's mind, and a week's mind. verbial Phrafes. 2 Sad is the fame as grave or ferious. 3 Impeachment is hindrance. 4 The old expreffion when fomething happened which fuited the thing in hand, fimilar to the French à propos. For |