Gov. Well, if he be alive, captain,

Pedro. It much delighted me.

Rod. They talk of fairies, and such demi-devils; This is as fine a place to dance their gambolsPedro Methought I heard a voice.

any way,

[Music and birds.

Rod. They can sing admirably; They never lose their maidenheads.—I would fool [Apart. To make him merry now w-Methinks yon rocks Shew like enchanted cells, where they inhabit. [Music afar off. Birds. Pedro. 'Tis here again. Hark, gentle Roderigo, Hark, hark! oh, sweet, sweet! how the birds record too!

Mark how it flies now every way!-Oh, love!
In such a harmony art thou begotten;

In such soft air, so gentle, lull'd and nourish'd.
Oh, my best mistress !

Rod. How he weeps! Dear Heaven,
Give him his heart's content, and me forgive too!
I must melt too.

Pedro. The birds sing louder, sweeter,

And every note they emulate one another :
Lie still and hear.-These, when they have done
their labours,

Their pretty airs, fall to their rests, enjoy 'em :
Nothing rocks love asleep but death.

Enter ALINDA and JULETTA, like old women.

Rod. Who are these?

Pedro. What?

Rod. Those there, those, those things that come

upon us,

Those grandam things, those strange antiquities.

mind

Jul. Now you may view 'em.

Before you, there. Do not turn coward, mistress ! If you do love, carry your love out handsomely.

Alin. 'Tis he and Roderigo: What a peace Dwells in their faces! what a friendly calm Crowns both their souls!

Rod. They shew as if they were mortal. They come upon us still.

Pedro. Be not afraid, man;

Let 'em be what they will, they cannot hurt us. Rod. That thing i' th' button'd cap looks terribly:

She has guns in her eyes; the devil's engineer! Pedro. Come, stand: and let's go meet 'em.

Rod. Go you first;

[Rises.

I have less faith: When I have said my prayersPedro. There needs no fear.-Hail, reverend

dames!

Alin. Good even!

What do ye seek?

Pedro. We would seek happier fortunes.

Rod. That little devil has main need of a barber!

What a trim beard she has !

[Aside.

Alin. Seek 'em, and make 'em!

Pedro. Let's away,

Lie not still, nor linger here;

Here inhabits nought but fear.

Be constant, good: in faith be clear;
Fortune will wait ye every where.

Pedro. Whither should we go? for we believe thy reverence,

And next obey.

Alin. Go to Segovia ;

And there before the altar pay thy vows,
Thy gifts, and pray'rs : unload thy heaviness;
To-morrow shed thy tears, and gain thy suit:
Such honest noble showers ne'er wanted fruit.
Jul. Stand you out too!

[To RODERIGO.

Rod. I shall be hang'd, or whipp'd now;
These know and these have power.
Jul. See how he shakes!

A secure conscience never quakes:
Thou hast been ill, be so no more;
A good retreat is a great store.
Thou hast commanded men of might;
Command thyself, and then thou'rt right.
Alin. Command thy will, thy foul desires;

Put out and quench thy unhallow'd fires;
Command thy mind, and make that pure;
Thou'rt wise then, valiant, and secure?
A blessing then thou may'st beget.
Jul. A curse else, that shall never set,
Will light upon thee. Say thy prayers;
Thou hast as many sins as hairs.
Thou art a captain, let thy men

Be honest, have good thoughts, and then
Thou mayst command, and lead in chief;
Yet thou art bloody, and a thief.
Rod, What shall I do? I do confess.,
Alin. Retire,

And purge thee perfect in his fire:
His life observe; live in his school,
And then thou shalt put off the fool.
Jul. Pray at Segovia too, and give

Thy offerings up; repent, and live! [Music within. Alin. Away, away! inquire no more : Do this, ye're rich; else, fools, and poor.What music's this? [Aside.

Jul. Retire; 'tis some neat joy,

In honour of the king's great day. They wonder:
This comes in right to confirm their reverence.
Away, away! let them admire; it makes
For our advantage. How the captain shakes!

Pedro. This was the music.

Rod. Yes, yes. How I sweat!

[Exeunt.

I was never so deserted! Sure these woods are
Only inhabited with rare dreams and wonders.
I would not be a knave again, a villain-
Lord, how I loath it now! for these know all, sir,
And they would find me out.

Pedro. They are excellent women;
Deep in their knowledge, friend.

Rod. I would not be traitor,

And have these of my jury-How light I am,

And how my heart laughs now methinks within me !
Now I am catechized, I would ever dwell here,
For here's a kind of court of reformation :

Had I been stubborn, friend

Pedro. They would have found it.

Rod. And then they would have handled me a

new way;

The devil's dump had been danced then.

And do their great commands, and do 'em handsomely,

Contrite, and true; for I believe, Roderigo,
And constantly believe, we shall be happy.

Rod. So you do well; fall edge or flat o' my side,
All I can stagger at is the king's anger;
Which, if it come, I am prepared to meet it.
Pedro. The king has mercy, friend, as well as
justice.

And when you fall

Rod. No more; I hope the fairest.

[Exeunt.

SCENE V.-SEGOVIA. An Ante-chamber in the

Mad-house.

Enter Master, SEBERTO, and Curio,

Curio. We have told ye what he is, what time

we have sought him,

His nature, and his name; the seeming boy too,
Ye had here, how, and what; by your own relation
All circumstances we have clear'd; that the duke
sent him

We told ye how impossible; he knows him not:
That he is mad himself, and therefore fit
To be your prisoner, we dare swear against it.
Seb. Take heed, sir; be not madder than you
would make him!)

Though he be rash, and sudden, (which is all his wildness,)

Take heed ye wrong him not: He is a gentleman, And so must be restored and clear'd in all points; The king shall be a judge else.

Curio. 'Twas some trick

That brought him hither; the boy and letter counterfeit,

Which shall appear, if ye dare now detain him.

Mast. I dare not, sir, nor will not; I believe ye, | And will restore him up: Had I known sooner He had been a neighbour, and the man you speak him,

(Though, as I live, he carried a wild seeming,)
My service and myself had both attended him.
How I have used him, let him speak.

Seb. Let's in, and visit him;
Then to the holy temple, there pay our duties;
And so we'll take our leaves.

Mast. I'll wait upon ye.

[Exeunt. ¡

Enter PEDRO and RODERIGO, and kneel before the Altar.
Pedro. For ourselves first, thus we bend;

Forgive us, Heaven, and be our friend!
And happy fortune to us send!

Rod.
Pedro. To the king, honour and all joy,
Long, and happy from annoy.
Rod.
Prosperous be all his days,
Every new hour a new praise !
Pedro. Every minute thus be seen,
Both.

And thousand honours crown the queen.
[Music.

Enter ALPHONSO, CURIO, and SEBERTO.

Seb. Come to the altar; let us do our duties.
Alph. I have almost forgot a church.
Curio. Kneel reverently.

Alph. For my lost wits (let me see)
First I pray; and secondly,
To be at home again, and free;
And if I travel more, hang me!
For the king, and for the queen,
That they may be wise, and seen
Never in the madman's inn,
For my daughter I would pray;
But she has made a holiday,

And needs not my devotion now:
Let her take her own course, Heaven,
Whether it be odd or even,

And if that please not, take her you!

With such a face once, such eyes, and nose too.
Ha, let me see! 'tis wondrous like Alinda.
Their devotion ended, I'll mark 'em, and nearer.
And she had a filly too that waited on her,
Just with such a favour: Do they keep goats now?

Alin. Thus we kneel, and thus we pray
A happy honour to this day;

Jul.

Thus our sacrifice we bring
Ever happy to the king.

These of purple, damask, green,
Sacred to the virtuous queen,
Here we hang.

Alin. As these are now,

Her glories ever spring, and shew!

These for ourselves, our hopes, and loves,
Full of pinks, and lady-gloves,

Of heart's-ease too, which we would fain,
As we labour for, attain:

Hear me, Heaven, and, as I bend,

Full of hope, some comfort send !

And let me get me home, and hope I am sober: Kiss, kiss; it must be thus. Stand up, Alinda

I am the more child, and more need of blessing.
You had a waiting-woman, one Juletta,

A pretty desperate thing, just such another
As this sweet lady ;) we call'd her Nimble-chaps :
I pray is this the party?

Jul. No, indeed, sir,

She is at home: I am a little foot-boy,

That walk o'nights, and fright old gentlemen; Make 'em lose hats and cloaks.

Alph. And horses too?

Jul. Sometimes I do, sir; teach 'em the way

through ditches,

And how to break their worships' shins and noses Against old broken stiles and stumps.

Alph. A fine art!

I feel it in my bones yet.

Jul. I am a drum, sir,

A drum at midnight; ran, tan, tan, tan, tan, sir!
Do you take me for Juletta? I am a page, sir,
That brought a letter from the duke of Medina
To have one signior Alphonso, (just such another
As your old worship,) worm'd for running mad, sir:
Alas, you are mistaken.

Alph. Thou art the devil,
And so thou hast used me.

Jul. I am anything;

An old woman, that tells fortunes-
Rod. Ha!

Jul. And frights good people,

And sends them to Segovia for their fortunes;

I am strange airs and excellent sweet voices;
I am anything, to do her good, believe me.
She now recover'd, and her wishes crown'd,
I am Juletta again; Pray, sir, forgive me!
Alph. I dare not

Do otherwise, for fear thou shouldst still follow me:
Pr'ythee be forgiven, and I pr'ythee forgive me too
And if any of you will marry her-

Jul. No, I beseech you, sir; my mistress is my husband;

With her I'll dwell still; And when you play
Any more pranks, you know where to have me.
Pedro. You know him, sir?

Gov. Know him, and much lament him,
The king's incensed much, much, sir, I can assure
Pedro. Noble governor-
[you.

Gov. But since he is your friend, and now

To please you with this play, we fear, will be
(So does the author too) a mystery
Somewhat above our art; for all men's eyes,
Ears, faiths, and judgments, are not of one size.
For, to say truth, and not to flatter ye,
This is nor comedy, nor tragedy,

Nor history, nor anything that may
(Yet in a week) be made a perfect play:

Yet those that love to laugh, and those that think
Twelve-pence goes further this way than in drink,

Or damsels, if they mark the matter through,
May stumble on a foolish toy, or two,
Will make 'em shew their teeth. Pray, for my sake,
(That likely am your first man) do not take
A distaste before you feel it; for ye may,
When this is hiss'd to ashes, have a play,
And here, to out-hiss this: Be patient then.
My honour done, you're welcome, gentlemen!

SCENE I.-The Street.

Enter LODOVICO and PISO.

For I believe those mad that seek vexations:
A wife, though she be honest, is a trouble.
Had I a wife as fair as Helen was,
That drew so many cuckolds to her cause,
These eyes should see another in my saddle
Ere I believe my beast would carry double.

Piso. So should not I, by'r lady! and I think My patience (by your leave) as good as yours. Report would stir me mainly, I am sure on't.

Lod. Report? you are unwise; report is noFor if there were a truth in what men talk, [thing; (I mean of this kind) this part of the world I am sure would be no more call'd Christendom. Piso. What then?

Lod. Why, Cuckoldom; for we should lose
Our old faiths clean, and hold their new opinions :
If talk would make me sweat, before I would marry,
I'd tie a surer knot, and hang myself.

I tell thee, there was never woman yet,
(Nor never hope there shall be) though a saint,
But she has been a subject to men's tongues,
And in the worst sense : And that desperate hus-

band,