Cor. Infinite: it were

More easy to conjecture every hour
We have to live, than reckon up the kinds,
Or causes of this anguish of the mind.

Soph. Thus you conclude, that, as the cause is doubtful,

The cure must be impossible; and then
Our prince, poor gentleman, is lost for ever,
As well unto himself, as to his subjects.

Cor. My lord, you are too quick; thus much I dare

Promise and do; ere many minutes pass,
I will discover whence his sadness is,
Or undergo the censure of my ignorance.
Are. You are a noble scholar.

Soph. For reward

You shall make your own demand.

Cor. May I be sure?

Are. We both will pledge our truth.
Cor. 'Tis soon perform'd.

That I may be discharged from my attendance
At court, and never more be sent for after:
Or-if I be, may rats gnaw all my books,
If I get home once, and come here again!
Though my neck stretch a halter for't, I care not.
Soph. Come, come, you shall not fear it.
Cor. I'll acquaint you

With what is to be done; and you shall fashion it.

[Exeunt.

SCENE II.

A Room in THAMASTA'S House.

Enter KALA and PARTHENOPHILL.

Kala. My lady does expect you, thinks all

time

Too slow till you come to her: wherefore, young

man,

If you intend to love me, and me only,

Before we part, without more circumstance,
Let us betroth ourselves.

Par. I dare not wrong you ;—

You are too violent.

Kala. Wrong me no more

Than I wrong you; be mine, and I am yours;

I cannot stand on points.

Par. Then, to resolve

All further hopes, you never can be mine,

Must not, and, pardon though I say, you shall

not.

Kala. The thing is sure a gelding. [Aside.]-
Shall not! Well,

You were best to prate unto my lady now,
What proffer I have made.

Par. Never, I vow.

Kala. Do, do! 'tis but a kind heart of my own, And ill luck can undo me.-Be refused!

O scurvy! Pray walk on, I'll overtake you.

[Exit PAR.

What a green-sickness liver'd boy is this!
My maidenhead will shortly grow so stale,
That 'twill be mouldy;—but I'll mar her market.❜

Enter MENAPHON.

Men. Parthenophill passed this way; prithee, Kala,

Direct me to him.

Kala. Yes, I can direct you;

But

you, sir, must forbear.

Men. Forbear?

Kala. I said so.

Your bounty has engaged my truth, receive
A secret, that will, as you are a man,

Startle your reason; 'tis but mere respect
Of what I owe to thankfulness. Dear sir,
The stranger, whom your courtesy received
For friend, is made your rival.

Men. Rival, Kala?

Take heed; thou art too credulous.
Kala. My lady

Doats on him: I will place you in a room,

Where, though you cannot hear, yet you shall see Such passages as will confirm the truth

Of my intelligence.

Men. Twill make me mad.

Kala. Yes, yes.

It makes me mad too, that a gentleman

3 But I'll mar her market.] Her mistress's; whom she accordingly betrays to Menaphon.

So excellently sweet, so liberal,

So kind, so proper, should be so betray'd By a young smooth-chinn'd straggler; but, for love's sake,

Bear all with manly courage.-Not a word;
I am undone then.

Men. That were too much pity:

Honest, most honest Kala! 'tis thy care,
Thy serviceable care.

Kala. You have ev'n spoken

All can be said or thought.

Men. I will reward thee:

But as for him, ungentle boy, I'll whip
His falsehood with a vengeance.-

Kala. O speak little.

Walk up these stairs; and take this key, it opens A chamber door, where, at that window yonder, You may see all their courtship.

Men. I am silent.

Kala. As little noise as may be, I beseech you; There is a back stair to convey you forth Unseen or unsuspected.- [Exit MENAPHON. He that cheats

A waiting-woman of a free good turn
She longs for, must expect a shrewd revenge.
Sheep-spirited boy! altho' he had not married

me,

He might have proffer'd kindness in a corner,
And ne'er have been the worse for't. They are

come:

On goes my set of faces most demurely.

Enter THAMASTA and PARTHENOPHILL.

Tha. Forbear the room.

Kala. Yes, madam.

Tha. Whosoever

Requires access to me, deny him entrance
Till I call thee; and wait without.

Kala. I shall.

Sweet Venus, turn his courage to a snow-ball, I heartily beseech it! [Aside, and exit.

Tha. I expose

The honour of my birth, my fame, my youth,
To hazard of much hard construction,

In seeking an adventure of a parley,
So private, with a stranger: if your thoughts
Censure me not with mercy, you may soon
Conceive, I have laid by that modesty,
Which should preserve a virtuous name unstain'd.
Par. Lady-to shorten long excuses-time
And safe experience have so thoroughly arm'd
My apprehension, with a real taste

Of your most noble nature, that to question
The least part of your bounties, or that freedom,
Which Heav'n hath with a plenty made you rich
in,

Would argue me uncivil; which is more,
Base-bred; and, which is most of all, unthankful.

4 Would argue me uncivil.] i. e. unacquainted with the language and manners of good society. In this sense the word frequently occurs in our old dramas.