Spa. I protest and vow, friend Secco, I know no leaps, I.

Sec. Lecherously goatish, and an eunuch! this cut, and then

Spa. Confound thee, thy leaps and thy cuts! I am no eunuch, you finical ass, I am no eunuch; but at all points as well provided as any he in Italy, and that thy wife could have told thee. This your conspiracy! to thrust my head into a brazen tub of kitchen-lee, hood-wink mine eyes in mud-soap, and then offer to cut my throat in the dark, like a coward? I may live to be revenged on both of ye.

Nit. O scurvy! thou art angry; feel, man, whether thy weason be not cracked first.

Sec. You must fiddle my brains into a jealousy, rub my temples with saffron, and burnish my forehead with the juice of yellows! Have I fitted you now, sir?

Enter MOROSA,

Spa. All's whole yet, I hope.

Mor. Yes, sirrah, all is whole yet; but if ever thou dost speak treason against my sweeting and me once more, thou'lt find a roguy bargain on't. Dear, this was handled like one of spirit and discretion; Nitido has paged it trimly too; no wording, but make ready and attend at court.

Sec. Now we know thou art a man, we forget what hath past, and are fellows and friends again. Nit. Wipe your face clean, and take heed of a [Exeunt MOR. SEC. and NIT.

razor.

Spa. The fear put me into a sweat; I cannot help it. I am glad I have my throat mine own, and must laugh for company, or be laughed at.

[Exit.

SCENE III-A State Room in the same.

Enter LIVIO and TROYLO.

Liv. You find, sir, I have proved a ready servant, And brought th' expected guests: amidst these feastings,

These costly entertainments, you must pardon
My incivility that here sequesters
Your ears from choice of music or discourse,
To a less pleasant parley. Night draws on,
And quickly will grow old; it were unmanly
For any gentleman who loves his honour,
To put it on the rack; here is small comfort
Of such a satisfaction as was promised,
Though certainly it must be had pray tell me,
What can appear about me to be used thus ?
My soul is free from injuries.

Was woo'd unto a sight, for his approvement;
No more.

Rom. Not I, I do protest: I hope, sir,
You cannot think I am a lapidary ;
I, skill in jewels!

Oct. 'Tis a proper quality

For any gentleman; your other friends,
May be, are not so coy.

Jul. Who, they? they know not
A topaz from an opal.

Cam. We are ignorant

In gems which are not common.

Vesp. But his lordship

Is pleased, it seems, to try our ignorance.-
For passage of the time, till they are brought,
Pray look upon a letter lately sent me.
Lord Julio, madam, Romanello, read
A novelty; 'tis written from Bononia.
Fabricio, once a merchant in this city,
Is entered into orders, and received
Amongst the Capuchins, a fellow; news
Which ought not any ways to be unpleasant:
Certain, I can assure it.

Departing leaves them in cold robes of ice, As I leave Genoa.

Enter TRELCATIO, SPINELLA, and CASTANNA.

Now appears the object

Of my apprenticed heart: thou bring'st, Spinella,
A welcome in a farewell-souls and bodies
Are sever'd for a time, a span of time,
To join again, without all separation,
In a confirmed unity for ever:

Such will our next embraces be, for life;
And then to take the wreck of our divisions,
Will sweeten the remembrance of past dangers,
Will fasten love in perpetuity,

Will force our sleeps to steal upon our stories.
These days must come, and shall, without a cloud,
Or night of fear, or envy. To your charge,
Trelcatio, our good uncle, and the comfort
Of my Spinella's sister, fair Castanna,
I do entrust this treasure.

A while, you are design'd your sister's husband. Give me thy hand, Spinella; you did promise, To send me from you with more cheerful looks, Without a grudge or tear; 'deed, love, you did. Spi. What friend have I left in your absence? Aur. Many:

thee;

Faith, purity of thoughts, and such a meekness, As would force scandal to a blush.

Spi. Admit, sir,

The patent of your life should be call'd in ;
How am I then left to account with griefs,
More slav'd to pity than a broken heart?
Auria! soul of my comforts, I let fall
No eye on breach of fortune; I contemn
No entertainment to divided hopes,

I

urge no pressures by the seorn of change;
And yet, my Auria, when I but conceive
How easy 'tis (without impossibility)
Never to see thee more, forgive me then,
If I conclude I may be miserable,
Most miserable.

Cast. And such conclusion, sister,

Argues effects of a distrust more voluntary,
Than cause by likelihood.

Aur. 'Tis true, Castanna.

Spi. I grant it truth; yet, Auria, I'm a woman, And therefore apt to fear: to show my duty, And not to take heart from you, I'll walk from

you,

Young ladies tread, left to their own discretion,
However wisely printed, are observed,
And construed as the lookers-on presume:
Point out thy ways then in such even paths,
As thine own jealousies from others' tongues
May not intrude a guilt, though undeserv'd.
Admit of visits as of physic forced,
Not to procure health, but for safe prevention
Against a growing sickness; in thy use
Of time and of discourse be found so thrifty,
As no remembrance may impeach thy rest.
Appear not in a fashion that can prompt
The gazer's eye, or holla, to report
Some widowed neglect of handsome value:
In recreations be both wise and free;
Live still at home, home to thyself, howe'er
Enrich'd with noble company; remember
A woman's virtue, in her lifetime, writes
The epitaph all covet on their tombs :
In short, I know thou never wilt forget
Whose wife thou art, or how upon thy lips
Thy husband at his parting seal'd this kiss.—
No more.

[Kisses her.

Aur. So the wrongs

I should have ventured on against thy fate
Must have denied all pardon. Not to hold
Dispute with reputations, why, before
This present instant, I conceal'd the stealth
Of my adventures from thy counsels,-know,
My wants do drive me hence.

Aurel. Wants! so you said,
And 'twas not friendly spoken.
Aur. Hear me further.

Aurel. Auria, take heed the covert of a folly Willing to range, be not, without excuse, Discover'd in the coinage of untruths; I use no harder language. Thou art near Already on a shipwreck, in forsaking The holy land of friendship, [and forbearing] To talk your wants.-Fie!

Aur. By that sacred thing

Last issued from the temple where it dwelt,
I mean our friendship, I am sunk so low
In my estate, that, bid me live in Genoa
But six months longer, I survive the remnant
Of all my store.

Aurel. Umph!

Aur. In my country, friend, Where I have sided my superior, friend,

Sway'd opposition, friend; friend, here to fall Subject to scorn, or rarely-found compassion, Were more than man that hath a soul could bear, A soul not stoop'd to servitude.

Aurel. You show,

Nor certainty, nor weak assurance yet
Of reparation in this course, in case
Command be proffer'd.

Aur. He who can not merit
Preferment by employments, let him bare
His throat unto the Turkish cruelty.

Or die, or live a slave without redemption !
Aurel. For that, so! but you have a wife, a

young,

A fair wife; she, though she could never claim
Right in prosperity, was never tempted
By trial of extremes; to youth and beauty
Baits for dishonour, and a perish'd fame.

Aur. Shew me the man that lives, and to my face

Dares speak, scarce think, such tyranny against
Spinella's constancy, except Aurelio-
He is my friend.

Aurel. There lives not then a friend
Dares love you like Aurelio; that Aurelio,
Who, late and early, often said, and truly,
Your marriage with Spinella would entangle
As much the opinion due to your discretion,
As your estate; it hath done so to both.
Aur. I find it hath.

Aurel. He who prescribes no law,
No limits of condition to the objects
Of his affection, but will merely wed

A face, because 'tis round, or limn'd by nature
In purest red and white; or, at the best,
For that his mistress owes an excellence
Of qualities, knows when and how to speak,
Where to keep silence, with fit reasons why;
Whose virtues are her only dower, (else [none,]
In either kind,) ought of himself to master
Such fortunes as add fuel to their loves;
For otherwise-but herein I am idle,
Have fool'd to little purpose.

Aur. She's my wife.

Aurel. And being so, it is not manly done

To leave her to the trial of her wits,

Her modesty, her innocence, her vows :

This is the way that points her out an art
Of wanton life.

Aur. Sir, said ye?

Aurel. You form reasons,

Just ones, for your abandoning the storms
Which threaten your own ruin; but propose
No shelter for her honour: what my tongue
Hath utter'd, Auria, is but honest doubt,
And you are wise enough in the construction.

Aur. Necessity must arm my confidence,
Which, if I live to triumph over, friend,
And e'er come back in plenty, I pronounce
Aurelio heir of what I can bequeath;
Some fit deduction for a worthy widow,
Allow'd, with caution she be like to prove so.

Aurel. Who? I your heir! your wife being
In every probability so forward [yet so young.
To make you a father? leave such thoughts.
Aur. Believe it,

Without replies, Aurelio: keep this note,
A warrant for receiving from Martino
Two hundred ducats; as you find occasion
Dispose them in my absence to Spinella: