And deal in her command without her power; Cal. I shall be pinch'd to death, 5 Alon. Is not this Stephano my drunken butler? Seb. He's drunk now: Where had he wine? [they] Alon. And Trinculo isreeling ripe: Whereshouid 10 Find this grand liquor that hath gilded them?— How cam'st thou in this pickle? Trin. I have been in such a pickle since I saw you last, that, I fear me, will never out of my bones: I shall not fear fly-blowing. Seb. Why, how now, Stephano? [a cramp'. Pro. Sir, I invite your highness, and your train, 15 Of these our dear beloved solemniz'd; Ste. O, touch me not: I am not Stephano, but [Pointing to Caliban. Pro. He is as disproportion'd in his manners, Cal. Ay that I will; and I'll be wise hereafter, 25 To hear the story of your life, which must Pro. I'll deliver all: 1 That is, I am all over a cramp. Prospero had ordered Ariel to shorten up their sinews with aged cramps. Touch me not alludes to the soreness occasioned by them. In the next line, the speaker confirms this meaning by a quibble on the word sore. SCENE, sometimes in Verona; sometimes in Milan; and on the frontiers of Mantua. SCENE I. An open place in Verona. A C T I. Enter Valentine and Protheus. Fal. CEASE to persuade, my loving Protheus; I rather would intreat thy company, To see the wonders of the world abroad, 10 Pro.Wilt thou begone? Sweet Valentine, adieu! Val. And on a love book pray for my success. 20 Pro. Upon some book I love, I'll pray for thee. Val. To be in love, where scorn is bought with groans: Coy looks, with heart-sore sighs; one fading mo- With twenty watchful, weary, tedious nights; Pro. So, by your circumstance, you call me fool. 'Theobald pronounces this to be a proverbial expression, though now disused, signifying, Don't. make a laughing-stock of me; don't play upon me. Mr. Steevens, however, is of opinion, that it might take its origin from a sport the country-people in Warwickshire use at their harvest home, where one sits as judge to try misdemeanors committed in harvest, and the punishment for the men is, to be laid on a bench, and slapped on the breech with a pair of boots. This they call giving them the boots. He also adds, that the boots were an ancient engine of torture, Vals Fal. Love is your master, for he masters you; And he that is so yoked by a fool, Methinks should not be chronicled for wise. Pro. Yet writers say, As in the sweetest bud The eating canker dwells, so eating love Inhabits in the finest wits of all. l'al. And writers say, As the most forward bud Is eaten by the canker ere it blow, Even so by love the young and tender wit Is turn'd to folly; blasting in the bud, Losing his verdure even in the prime, And all the fair effects of future hopes, But wherefore waste I time to counsel thee, That art a votary to fond desire? Once more adieu: my father at the road Expects my coming, there to see me shipp'd. Pro. And thither will I bring thee, Valentine. Val. Sweet Protheus, no; now let us take our At Mutan, let me hear from thee by letters [leave. Of thy success in love, and what news else Betideth here in absence of thy friend: And I likewise will visit thee with mine. Pro. All happiness bechance to thee in Milan! Val. As much to you at home! and so farewell! Pro. But dost thou hear? gav'st thou my letter to Julia? Speed. Ay, sir: I a lost mutton'; gave your letter to her, a lac'd mutton; and she, a lac'd mutton2, 5 gave me, a lost mutton, nothing for my labour. Pro. Here's too small a pasture for such a store of muttons. 10 15 20 [Exit. 25 Pro. He after honour hunts, I after love: He leaves his friends, to dignify them more; I leave myself, my friends, and all for love. Thou, Julia, thou hast metamorphos'd me; Made me neglect my studies, lose my time, War with good counsel, set the world at nought; Made wit with musing weak, heart sick with thought. Enter Speed. 1301 [master? Pro. Indeed, a sheep doth very often stray, Pro. I do. Speed. Why then my horns are his horns, whee ther I wake or sleep. Pro. A silly answer, and fitting well a sheep. over, 'Tis threefold too little for carrying a letter to your lover. Pro. But what said she? did she nod?[Speed nods. Pro. Nod, I? why that's noddy'. Speed. You mistook, sir; I said she did nod: and you ask me, if she did nod; and I said I. Pro. And that set together, is-noddy. Speed. Now you have taken the pains to set it together, take it for your pains. [ter. Pro. No, no, you shall have it for bearing the letSpeed. 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. Beshrew me, but you have a quick wit. Speed. And yet it cannot overtake your slow purse, Pro. Come, come, open the matter in brief : What said she? Speed. Open your purse; that the money, and the matter, may be both at once deliver'd. Pro. Well, sir, here is for your pains: What 40 said she? Speed. Truly, sir, I think you'll hardly win her. Pro. Why? couldst thou perceive so much from her? Speed. Sir, I could perceive nothing at all from 45 her: no, not so much as a ducket for delivering your letter; And being so hard to me that brought your mind, I fear, she'll prove as hard to you in telling her mind. Give her no token but stones; for she's as hard as steel. 50 Pro. The sheep for fodder follows the shepherd, the shepherd for the food tollows not the sheep: 55 theu for wages followest thy master, thy master for wages follows not thee: therefore thou art a sheep. Speed. Such another proof will make me cry baa. 2 Pro. What, said she nothing? Speed. No, not so much as-take this for thy pains. To testify your bounty, I thank you, you have testern'd me; in requital whereof, henceforth carry your letters yourself: and so, sir, I'll commend you to my master. [wreck; Pro. Go, go, be gone, to save your ship from Which cannot perish, having thee aboard, Being destin'd to a drier death on shore: 1 Speed calls himself a lost mutton, because he had lost his master, and because Protheus had been proving him a sheep. Cotgrave, in his English-French Dictionary, explains lac'd mutton by a girl of pleasure. A lac'd mutton was so established a name for a courtezan, that a street in Clerkenwell, which was much frequented by women of the town, was formerly called Mutton-lane. 3 Noddy was a game at cards. That is, you have gratified me with a tester, testern, or testen, that is, with a xpence. I must 11 5 Jul. But say, Lucetta, now we are alone, Luc. Please you, repeat their names, I'll shew According to my shallow simple skill. Jul. What think'st thou of the fair Sir Eglamour? Jul. What thinks't thou of the rich Mercatio? his name? Luc. Pardon, dear madam; 'tis a passing shame, [hate. Or else return no more into my sight. Luc. That you may ruminate. [Exit. Jul. And yet, I would I had o'erlook'd the let- 20 25 Jul. Why not on Protheus, as of all the rest? [best. Luc. I have no other but a woman's reason; 35 Luc. Ay, if you thought your love not cast away. 45 Jul. I would I knew his mind. He would have given it you, but I. being in the Jul. Then let it lie for those that it concerns. Luc. Madam, it will not lye where it concerns, Unless it have a false interpreter. [rhime. Jul. Some love of yours hath writ to you in Luc. I cannot reach so high. [it. Jul. Let's see your song:-How now, minion? Luc. No, madam, it is too sharp. Jul. You, minion, are too saucy. 55 And mar the concord with too harsh a descant*: 4 1 To censure means, in this place, to pass sentence. 2 A broker was used for matchmaker, sometimes for procuress. Stomach was used for passion or obstinacy. * Descant is a term in music. "The mean is the tenor in music. The speaker here turns the allusion (which her mistress employed) from the base in music to a country exercise, Bid the base; in which some pursue, and others are made prisoners. Jul. Jul. This babble shall not henceforth trouble me. Put forth their sons to seek preferment out: Luc. She makes it strange; but she would be 5 For any, or for all of these exercises, best pleas'd To be so anger'd with another letter. [Exit. Jul. Nay, would I were so anger'd with the same! Oh hateful hands, to tear such loving words! He said, that Protheus, your son, was meet; I throw thy name against the bruising stones, Luc. Madam, dinner's ready, and your father here? And perfected by the swift course of time: Ant. I know it well. Worthy his youth and nobleness of birth. Ant. I like thy counsel; well hast thou advis'd: 35 Jul. If thou respect them, best to take them Yet here they shall not lie, for catching cold. see; I see things too, although you judge I wink. SCENE III. Enter Antonio and Panthino. Ant. Tell me, Panthino, what sad2 talk was that, Wherewith my brother held you in the cloister Pant. 'Twas of his nephew Protheus, your son. Ant. Why, what of him? Pant. He wonder'd, that your lordship Would suffer him to spend his youth at home; While other men, of slender reputation, 50 55 I will dispatch him to the emperor's court. [phonso. Are journeying to salute the emperor, And to commend their service to his will. [go: Ant. Good company; with them shall Protheus |And, in good time,—now will we break with him. Enter Protheus. Pro. Sweet love! sweet lines! sweet life! [there? Ant. How now? what letter are you reading Pro. May't please your lordship, 'tis a word or Of commendation sent from Valentine, [two Deliver'd by a friend that came from him. Ant. Lend me the letter; let me see what news. How happily he lives, how well belov'd, Ant. My will is something sorted with his wish; 60 Muse not that I thus suddenly proceed; A month's mind was an anniversary in times of popery; or, as Mr. Ray calls it, a less solemnity directed by the will of the deceased. There was also a year's mind, and a week's mind. See Proverbial Phrases. Sad is the same as grace or serious. Impeachment is hindrance. 4 The old expres sion when something happened which suited the thing in hand, similar to the French à propos. For |