my mind

Jul. Of all the fair resort of gentlemen,
That every day with parle encounter me,
In thy opinion, which is worthiest love?

Luc. Please you, repeat their names, I'll shew
According to my shallow simple skill.
Jul. What think'st thou of the fair Sir Egla-

mour? 3 Luc. As of a knight well-spoken, neat and fine; But, were I you, he never should be mine.*

Jul. What think'st thou of the rich Mercatio? Luc. Well, of his wealth; but of himself, so, fo. Jul. What think'st thou of the gentle Proteus ? Luc. Lord, lord ! to see what folly reigns in us ! Jul. How now! what means this passion at his

name? Luc. Pardon, dear madam; 'tis a passing shame, That I, unworthy body as I am, Should censure thus on lovely gentlemen.

3 What think’A thou of the fair Sir Eglamour ?] This Sir Eglas mour must not be confounded with the persona dramatis of the fame name. The latter lived at Milan, and had vowed “pure chastity" upon the death of his “ true love.” Ritson.

4 - be (Sir Eglamour] never should be mine.] Perhaps Sir Eglamour was once the common cant term for an insignificant inamorato. So, in Decker's Satiromaftix :

“ Adieu, for Eglamour; adieu lute-string, curtain-rod, goosequill,” &c. Sir Eglamour of Artoys indeed is the hero of an ancient metrical romance, « Imprinted at London, in Foster-lane, at the fygne of the Hartelhorne, by John Walley," bl. I. no date.

STEEVENS. 5 Should censure thus, &c.) To cenfure means, in this place, to pass sentence. So, in Hinde's Elioto Libidinoso, 1606: « Eliosto and Cleodora were astonished at such a hard cenfure, and went to limbo moft willingly.” Steevens.

To cenfure, in our author's time, generally signified to give one's judgement or opinion. Malone.

Jul. Why not on Proteus, as of all the reft? Luc. Then thus,--of many good I think him

beft. Jul. Your reason?

Luc. I have no other but a woman's reason; I think him so, because I think him so. Jul. And would'st thou have me cast my love

on him? Luc. Ay, if you thought your love not cast away. Jul. Why, he of all the rest hath never mov'd me. Luc. Yet he of all the rest, I think, best loves ye. Jul. His little speaking shows his love but

small. Luc. Fire, that is closest kept, burns most of all. Jul. They do not love, that do not fhow their

love. Luc. O, they love leaft, that let men know their

love. JUL. I would, I knew his mind. Luc.

Peruse this paper, madam. JUL. To Julia, --Say, from whom? Luc.

That the contents will shew. Jul. Say, fay; who gave it thee? Luc. Sir Valentine's page; and sent, I think,

from Proteus : He would have given it you, but I, being in the way, Did in your name receive it ; pardon the fault, I pray.

Jul. Now, by my modesty, a goodly broker !6 Dare you presume to harbour wanton lines? To whisper and conspire against my youth?

- a goodly broker ! A broker was used for matchmaker, sometimes for a procuress. JOHNSON.

Now, trust me, 'tis an office of great worth,
And you an officer fit for the place.
There, take the paper, see it be return'd;
Or else return no more into my sight.
Luc. To plead for love deserves more fee than

hate. Jul. Will

you

be gone? Luc.

That you may ruminate. [Exit. Jul. And yet, I would I had o'erlook'd the

letter. It were a shame, to call her back again, And pray her to a fault for which I chid her. What fool is she, that knows I am a maid, And would not force the letter to my view ? Since maids, in modesty, say No, to that Which they would have the profferer construe, Ay. Fie, fie ! how wayward is this foolish love, That, like a testy babe, will scratch the nurse, And presently, all humbled, kiss the rod! How churlishly I chid Lucetta hence, When willingly I would have had her here ! How angerly I taught my brow to frown, When inward joy enforc'd my heart to smile! My penance is, to call Lucetta back, And ask remission for my folly paft:What ho! Lucetta!

So, in Daniel's Complaint of Rosamond, 1599,:

“ And flie (o fie) these bed-brokers unclean,
“ The monsters of our sex,” &c. STEEVENS.

Say No, to that, &c.] A paraphrase on the old proverb, " Maids say nay, and take it.”

STEEVENS.

Re-enter LUCETTA.

1

Luc.

What would your ladyship?
Jul. Is it near dinner-time?
Luc.

I would it were;
That you might kill your stomach on your meat,'
And not upon your maid.
Jul.

What is't you took up
So gingerly?

Luc. Nothing
Jul.

Why did'st thou stoop 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 those that it concerns.

Luc. Madam, it will not lie where it concerns,
Unless it have a false 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 ladyship can set.

Jul. As little by such toys as may be possible:
Best sing it to the tune of Light o' love.'

Luc. It is too heavy for so light a tune.
Jul. Heavy? belike, it hath some burden then.
Luc. Ay; and melodious were it, would you
Jul. And why not you?

sing it.

8

ftomach on your meat,] Stomach was used for pasion or obftinacy. JOHNSON.

9 Light o' love.] This tune is given in a note on Much ado about Nothing, AC III. sc. iv. STEEVENS.

Luc.

I cannot reach so high. Jul. Let's see your song :—How now, minion?

Luc. Keep tune there still, so you will fing it out: And yet, methinks, I do not like this tune.

Jul. You do not?
Luc. No, madam ; it is too sharp.
Jul. You, minion, are too saucy.

Luc. Nay, now you are too, flat,
And mar the concord with too harsh a descant:
There wanteth but a mean’ to fill your song.
Jul. The mean is drown'd with your unruly

base. Luc. Indeed, I bid the base for Proteus.*

3

too harsh a descant:] Descant is a term in music. See Sir John Hawkins's note on the first speech in K. Richard III.

STEEVENS. 3 — but a mean, &c.] The mean is the tenor in music. So, in the enterlude of Mary Magdalen's Repentance, 1569:

“ Utilitie can sing the base full cleane,

“ And noble honour Mall sing the meane.” Steevens. 4 Indeed, I bid the base for Protheus.] The speaker here turns the allusion (which her mistress employed) from the base in musick to a country exercise, Bid the base : in which some pursue, and others are made prisoners. So that Lucetta would intend, by this, to say, Indeed I take pains to make you a captive to Proteus's passion.--He uses the same allusion in his Venus and Adonis :

“ To bid the winds a base he now prepares," And in his Cymbeline he mentions the game:

Lads more like “ To run the country base." WARBURTON. Dr. Warburton is not quite accurate. The game was not called Bid the Base, but the Baje. 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.”. Again, in Hall's Chronicle, fol. 98. b. “ The Queen marched from York to Wakefield, and bade base to the duke, even before his castle." Malone,