And mark the tenor of my stile,
Enter Onion in haste.

Which shall such trembling hearts unfold,
As seldom hath to fore been told.
Such chances are, and doleful news,-

Oni. Fellow Juniper! peace a god's

name.

Junip. As may attempt your wits to muse. Oni. Godso, hear, inan! a pox a god on you.

Junip. And cause such trickling tears to puss, Except your hearts be flint or brass :

Oni. Juniper! Juniper!

Junip. To hear the news which I shall tell, That in Custella once befel.

'Sblood, where didst thou learn to corrupt a man in the midst of a verse, ha?

Oni. Godslid, mau, service is ready to go up, man: you must slip on your coat, and come in; we lack waiters pitifully.

Junip. A pitiful hearing; for now must I of a merry cobler become mourning crea

ture.

Oni. Well, you'll come. [Exit Onion. Junip. Presto. Go to, a word to the wise, away, fly, vanish:

Lie there the weeds that I disdain to wear. Ant. God save you, master Juniper. Junip. What signior Antonio Balladino! welcome sweet Ingle.

Ant. And how do you, sir?

Junip. Faith you see, put to my shifts here, as poor retainers be oft-times. Sirrah, Antony, there's one of my fellows mightily enamoured of thee; and I faith, you slave, now you're come, I'll bring you togethe

it's Peter Onion, the groom of the hall; do you know him?

Ant. No, not yet, I assure you.

Junip. O he is one as right of thy humour as may be, a plain simple rascal, a true dute; marry he hath been a notable villain in his time: he is in love, sirrah, with a wench, and I have preferred thee to him; thou shalt make him some pretty paradox, or some allegory. How does my coat sit? well?

Oni. Nay, godso, fellow Juniper, come away.

Junip. Art thou there, mad slave? I come with a powder. Sirrah, fellow Onion, I must have you peruse this gentleman well, and do him good offices of respect and kindnesses, as instances shall be given.

Ant. Nay, good master Onion, what do you mean, I pray you, sir? you are too respective, in good faith.

Oni. I would not you should think so, sir; for though I have no learning, yet Í honour a scholar in any ground of the earth, sir. Shall I request your name, sir?

Ant. My name is Antonio Balladino. Oni. Balladino! you are not pageant poet to the city of Milan, sir, are you? Ant. I supply the place, sir, when a worse cannot be had, sir.

Oni. I cry you mercy, sir; I love you the better for that, sir; by Jesu, you must pardon me, I knew you not; but I'll pray to be better acquainted with you, sir, I have seen of your works.

Ant. I am at your service, good master Onion; but concerning this maiden that you love, sir, what is she?

Oni. O did my fellow Juniper tell you? marry, sir, she is, as one may say, but a poor man's child indeed, and for mine own part, I am no gentleman born, I must confess; but my mind to me a kingdom is

truly.

Ant. Truly a very good saying.

Oni. 'Tis somewhat stale; but that's no

matter.

Ant. O'tis the better; such things ever are like bread, which the staler it is, the more wholsome.

Oni. 'Tis but a hungry comparison, in my judgment.

Ant. Why I'll tell you, master Onion, I do use as much stale stuff, though I say it myself, as any man does in that kind, I am sure. Did you see the last pageant I set forth?

Oni. No faith, sir; but there goes a huge report on't.

Ant. Why you shall be one of my Mæcenasses; I'll give you one of the books; O you'll like it admirably.

Oni. Nay that's certain, I'll get my fellow Juniper to read it.

Ant. Read it, sir! I'll read it to you. Oni. Tut, then I shall not chuse but like it.

Ant. Why look you, sir, I write so plain, and keep that old decorum, that you must of necessity like it: marry, you shall have some now (as for example, in plays) that will have every day new tricks, and write you nothing but humours; indeed this pleases the gentlemen, but the common sort they care not for't; they know not what to make on't; they look for good matter they, and are not edified with such toys.

Oni. You are in the right, I'll not give a halfpenny to see a thousand on 'em. I was at one the last term; but and ever I see a more roguish thing, I am a piece of cheese. and no Onion: nothing but kings and princes in it, the fool came not out a jet.

Ant. True, sir, they would have me make such plays; but as I tell 'em, and they'll give me twenty pounds a play, I'l not raise my vein.

Oni, No, it were a vain thing and you should, sir.

Ant. Tut, give me the penny, I care not for the gentlemen I; let me have a good ground, no matter for the pen, the plot shall carry it.

Omi. Indeed that's right, you are in prin already for the best plotter.

Ant. I, I might as well have been put in for a dumb shew too.

Oni. I, marry, sir, I marle you were not. Stand aside, sir, a while.

Enter an armed sewer, some half dozen is mourning coats following, and pass by with service. Enter Valentine.

Oni. How now, friend, what are you there? be uncovered. Would you speak with any man here?

Val. I, or else I must have returned you

no answer.

Oni. Friend, you are somewhat too pë remptory, let's crave your absence; nay, never scorn it, I am a little your better this place.

Val. I do acknowledge it.

Oni. Do you acknowledge it? nay, then you shall go forth; I'll teach you how you shall acknowledge it another time; g void, I must have the hall purged; no setting up of a rest here, pack, begone.

Val. I pray you, sir, is not your name Onion?

Oni. Your friend as you may use him, and master Onion; say on.

Val. Master Onion with a murrain; come, come, put off this lion's hide, your ears have discovered you. Why Peter! do not I know you, Peter?

Oni. Godso, Valentine?

Val. O can you take knowledge of me now, sir?

Oni. Good lord, sirrah, how thou art altered with thy travel!

Enter the sewer, puss by with service again, the serving-men take knowledge of Valentine as they go. Juniper salutes him. Junip. What, Valentine! fellow Onion, ake my dish, I prithee. You rogue, sirrah, ell me how thou dost, sweet Ingle. Val. Faith, Juniper, the better to see thee hus frolick. [Exit Onion.

Junip. Nay, slid I am no changling, I am Juniper still. I keep the pristinate; ha, you mad hieroglyphick, when shall we swagger?

Val. Hieroglyphick? what meanest thou by that?

Junip. Mean! Godso, is't not a good word, man? what, stand upon the meaning with your friends. Puh, abscond.

Val. Why but stay, stay; how long has this sprightly humour haunted thee?

Junip. Foh, humour, a foolish natural gift we have in the Equinoxial.

Val. Natural, 'slid it may be supernatural all this.

Junip. Valentine, I prithee ruminate thyself welcome. What fortuna de la guerra. Val. O how pitifully are these words forc'd, As though they were pumpt out on's belly. Junip. Sirrah, Ingle, I think thou hast

seen all the strange countries in Christendom since thou went'st.

Val. I have seen some, Juniper.
Junip. You have seen Constantinople?
Val. I, that I have.

Junip. And Jerusalem, and the Indies, and Goodwin-sands, and the tower of Babylon, and Venice, and all?

Val. I, all: no, marle, and he have a nimble tongue, if he practise to vault thus from one side of the world to another.

Junip. O it's a most heavenly thing to travel, and see countries, especially at sea, and a man had a patent not to be sick. Val. O sca-sick jest, and full of the scurvey.

SCENE III.

Enter Juniper, Antonio, Sebastian, Martino, Vincentio, Balthasar and Christophero. Seb. Valentine! welcome I faith; how dost, sirrah?

Mart. How do you, good Valentine? Vinc. Troth, Valentine, I am glad to see

you.

Balth. Welcome, sweet rogue.

Seb. Before god he never lookt better in his life.

Balth. And how is't, man? what alla coragio?

Val. Never better, gentlemen, I faith.
Junip. 'Swill, here comes the steward.

Chr. Why how now, fellows! all here, and nobody to wait above, now they are ready to rise? look up, one or two; signior Francisco Colonia's man, how does your good master?

[Exeunt Juniper, Martino, Vincentio. Val. In health, sir; he will be here anon, Chr. Is he come home then?

Val. I, sir, he is not past six miles hence; he sent me before to learn if count Ferneze were here, and return him word.

Chr. Yes, my lord is here, and you may tell your master, he shall come very happily to take his leave of lord Paulo Ferneze, who is now instantly to depart, with other noble gentlemen, upon special service.

Val. I will tell him, sir.

Chr. I pray you do; fellows, make him drink.

Val. Sirs, what service is't they are employed in?

Seb. Why, against the French; they mean to have a fling at Milain again, they say.

Val. Who leads our forces, can you tell? Seb. Marry, that does signior Maximilian, he is above now.

Val. Who! Maximilian of Vicenza?

[self.

Of my stray'd thoughts. Boy, bestow your [Exit Boy. Where is my father, signior Angelo? Ang. Marry in the gallery, where your lordship left him.

Pau. That's well. Then, Angelo, I will be brief,

Since time forbids the use of circumstance.
How well you are receiv'd in my affection,
Let it appear by this one instance only,
That now I will deliver to your trust
The dearest secrets, treasur'd in my bosom.
Dear Angelo, you are not every man,
But one, whom my
election hath design'd,
As the true proper object of my soul.
I urge not this t' insinuate my desert, ́-

Or supple your try'd phrases;

temper with soft

[ment: True friendship lothes such oily compli But from the abundance of that love that flows [fore'd. Through all my spirits, is my speech enAng. Before your lordship do proceed too far,

Let me be bold to intimate thus much,
That whatsoe'er your wisdom hath t' expose,
Be it the weightiest and most rich affair
That ever was included in your breast,
My faith shall poise it, if not———

Pau. O no more.
[sweet effects,
Those words have wrapt me with their
So freely breath'd, and so responsible
To that which I endeavour'd to extract,
Arguing a happy mixture of our souls.
Ang. Why, were there no such sympa
thy, sweet lord,

Yet the impressure of those ample favours I have deriv'd from your unmatched spirit, Would bind my faith to all observances. Pau. How! favours, Angelo! O speak net of them,

[merit. They are mere paintings, and import no Looks my love well? thereon my hopes are plac'd; [dust, Faith, that is bought with favours, cannot Enter Boy.

Boy. My lord. Pau. How now?

[house within;
Boy. You are sought for all about the
The count your father calls for you.
Pau. God!

What cross events do meet my purposes?
Now will he violently fret and grieve
That I am absent. Boy, say I come pre-
sently.
[Exit Bog
Sweet Angelo, I cannot now insist
Upon particulars, I must serve the time,
The main of all this is, I am in love.

Ang. Why starts your lordship?

Pau. I thought I heard my father coming hitherward, list, ha?

Ang. I hear not any thing, it was but your imagination sure.

Pau. No?

the blue order': I know not how it may shew now I am in black; but

Count. What's that you mutter, sir? will
you proceed?

Oni. An't like your good lordship.
Count. Yet more; god's precious!
Oni. What, do not this like him neither?
Count. What say you, sir knave?

Oni. Marry I say your lordship were best to set me to school again, to learn how to deliver a message.

Count. What do you take exceptions at me then?

Oni. Exception! I take no exceptions; but by god's so your humours-

Count. Go to, you are a rascal, hold your tongue.

Öni. Your lordship's poor servant, I.
Count. Tempt not my patience.

Oni. Why I hope I am no spirit, am I? Max. My lord, command your steward to correct the slave.

Oni. Correct him! 'sblood come you and correct him, and you have a mind to it. Correct him! that's a good jest, i' faith: the steward and you both come and correct him.

Count. Nay, sce, away with him; pull his cloth over his ears.

Oni. Cloth! tell me of your cloth, here's your cloth; nay, and I mourn a minute longer, I am the rottenest Onion that ever spake with a tongue. [They thrust him out.

Max. What call you your hind, count Ferneze?

Count. His name is Onion, signior. Max. I thought him some such saucy companion.

Count. Signior Maximilian.

Mar. Sweet lord.

Count. Let me intreat you, you would not regard

Any contempt flowing from such a spirit, So rude, so barbarous.

Max. Most noble count, under your favour

Count. Why I'll tell you, signior, He'll bandy with me word for word; nay

more,

Put me to silence, strike me perfect dumb,
And so amaze me, that oft-time I know not
Whether to check or cherish his presump -
tion;
Therefore, good siguior-

Max. Sweet lord, satisfy yourself, I am not now to learn how to manage my affections; I have observed and know the difference between a base wretch and a true man; I can distinguish them; the property of the wretch is, he would hurt, and cannot; of the man, he can hurt, and will

not.