Speed. No, not fo much as-take this for thy pains. To testify your bounty, I thank you, you have teftern'd me '; in requital whereof, henceforth carry your letters yourfelf: and fo, fir, 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 destined to a drier death on fhore :I must go fend fome better meffenger; I fear, my Julia would not deign my lines, Receiving them from fuch a worthless poft. [Exeunt. Jul. But fay, Lucetta, now we are alone, That every day with parle encounter me, In thy opinion, which is worthieft love? Luc. Pleafe you, repeat their names, I'll fhew my mind According to my fhallow fimple skill. Jul. What think'st 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'ft thou of the rich Mercatio? Luc. Well, of his wealth; but of himself, so, 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, 5-you bave teltern'd me;] You have gratified me with a refer, tefern, or teften, that is, with a fixpence. JOHNSON. The old reading is-ceftern'd. STEEVENS. This typographical error was corrected by the editor of the fecond folio. MALONE. 6 Which cannot perish, &c.] The fame proverb has been already alJuded to. See p. 6. REED. 7-fair Sir Eglamour?] Sir Eglamour of Artoys is the hero of an ancient metrical romance. STEEVENS. Should Should cenfure thus on lovely gentlemen. Jul. Why not on Protheus, as of all the reft? Luc. I have no other but a woman's reafon; I think him fo, because I think him fo. Jul. And would't thou have me caft my love on him? Luc. Perufe this paper, madam. Luc. Sir Valentine's page; and fent, I think, from He would have given it you, but I, being in the way, There, take the paper, fee it be return'd; Luc. To plead for love deferves more fee than hate. Luc. That you may ruminate. [Exit. 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. 8 Should cenfure thus-] To cenfure, in our author's time, generally fignified to give one's judgment or opinion. MALONE. 9-a goodly broker !] A broker was used for matchmaker, fometimes for a procurefs. JOHNSON. What What fool is fhe, that knows I am a maid, And ask remiffion for my folly past :- Re-enter LUCETTA. Luc. What would your ladyfhip? Jul. Is it near dinner-time? Luc. I would, it were; That you might kill your ftomach on your meat, And not upon your maid. Jul. What is't that you Took up fo gingerly? Luc. Nothing. Jul. Why didit thou ftoop then? Luc. To take a paper up that I let fall. Jul. And is that paper nothing? Luc. Nothing concerning me. Jul. Then let it lie for thofe that 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 ladyfhip can fet. Jul. As little by fuch toys as may be poffible: Beft fing it to the tune of Light o' love. Luc. It is too heavy for fo light a tune. Jul. Heavy? belike, it hath fome burden then. Ifay No, to that &c.] A paraphrafe on the old proverb, «Maids fay nay, and take it." STEEVENS. -fromack] was used for paffion or obftinary. JOHNSON. Luc. Luc. Ay; and melodious were it, would you fing it. Jul. And why not you? Luc. I cannot reach fo high. Jul. Let's fee your fong:-How now, minion? Luc. Keep tune there ftill, fo you will fing it out: And yet, methinks, I do not like this tune. Jul. You do not? Luc. No, madam; it is too fharp. And mar the concord with too harsh a defcant 3: Go, get you gone; and let the papers lie: Luc. She makes it ftrange; but fhe would be beft pleas'd To be fo anger'd with another letter. [Exit. Jul. Nay, would I were fo anger'd with the fame! O hateful hands, to tear fuch loving words! I throw thy name against the bruifing ftones, 4 And 3- too harsh a defcant:] Defcant is a term in mufic. See Sir John Hawkins's note on the firft fpeech in K. Richard III. STEEVENS. -but a mean, &c.] The mean is the tenor in mufic. STEEVENS 5 Indeed, I bid the bafe for Protheus.] The fpeaker here turns the allufion (which her miftrefs employed) from the bafe in mufick to a country exercife, Bid the bafe: in which fome purfue, and others are made prifoners. So that Lucetta would intend, by this, to fay, Indeed I take pains to make you a captive to Protheus's paffion. WARE. Dr. Warburton is not quite accurate. The game was not called Bid And thus I fearch it with a fovereign kiss. But twice, or thrice, was Protheus written down: Now kifs, embrace, contend, do what you will. Luc. Madam, dinner's ready, and your father ftays. Luc. What, fhall these papers lie like tell-tales here? Jul. If you refpect them, beft to take them up. Luc. Nay, I was taken up for laying them down: Yet here they shall not lie, for catching cold. Jul. I fee, you have a month's mind to them". Luc. Ay, madam, you may fay what fights you fee; I fee things too, although you judge I wink. Jul. Come, come, will't please you go ? [Exeunt. the Bafe, but the Bafe. To bid the base means here, I believe, to challenge to a conteft. So, in our author's Venus and Adonis: To bid the wind a base he now prepares, "And wh'er he run, or fly, they knew not whether." MALONE. 6 I fee, you have a month's mind to them.] A month's mind was an anniverfary in times of popery; or, as Mr. Ray calls it, a lefs folemnity directed by the will of the deceafed. There was also a year's mind, and a week's mind. See Proverbial Phrafes. GREY. A month's mind, in the ritual fenfe, fignifies not defire or inclination, but remembrance; yet I fuppofe this is the true original of the expreffion. JOHNSON. In Hampshire, and other western counties, for "I can't remember it," they fay, "I can't mind it." BLACKSTONE. If this line was defigned for a verfe, we should read-montbes mind. So, in the Midfummer Night's Dream: "Swifter than the moones fphere." Both thefe are the Saxon genitive cafe. STEEVENS. SCENE |