let me intreat a courtesy of you. I am sent for, this morning, by a friend i'the Old Jewry, to come to him : Will you bear me company? I protest it is not to draw you into bond, or any plot, coz.

Step. Sir, that's all one, an' 'twere; you shall command me twice so far, to do you good, in such a matter. Do you think I would leave you? I protest— Y. Kno. No, no, you shall not protest, coz.

Step. By my fackins, but I will, by your leave; I'll protest more to my friend than I'll speak of at this time.

Y. Kno. You speak very well, coz.

Step. Nay, not so, neither: you shall pardon me : but I speak to serve my turn.

you

Y. Kno. Your turn, coz! Do you know what say? A gentleman of your sort, parts, carriage, and estimation, to talk o' your turn; come, come, wrong not the quality of your desert, with looking downward, coz; but hold up your head, so; and let the idea of what you are, be portray'd i' your face, that men may read i' your physiognomy: "Here, within this place, is to be seen the true and accomplished monster, or miracle of nature," which is all one. What think this, coz ?

you

of

Step. Why, I do think of it: and I will be more proud and melancholy, and gentlemanlike than I have been, I'll assure you.

Y. Kno. Why, that's resolute, Master Stephen! Now, if I can but hold him up to his height, as it is happily begun, it will do well for a suburb-humour: we may hap have a match with the city, and play him for forty pounds. Come, coz.

Step. I'll follow you.

Y. Kno. Follow me; you must go before. Step. Nay, an' I must, I will. Pray you, show me, good cousin.

[Exeunt.

SCENE III.

The Street, before COB's House.

Enter MASTER MATTHEW.

Mat. I think this be the house. What, hoa

Enter Coв from the House.

Cob. Who's there? O, Master Matthew! gi' your worship good morrow.

Mat. What, Cob! How dost thou, good Cob? Dost thou inhabit here, Cob ?

Cob. Ay, sir, I and my lincage ha' kept a poor house here in our days.

Mat. Cob, canst thou show me of a gentleman, one Captain Bobadil, where his lodging is?

Cob. O, my guest, sir, you mean!
Mat. Thy guest! alas! ha! ha!

Cob. Why do you laugh, sir? Do you not mean Captain Bobadil.

Mat. Cob, pray thee, advise thyself well: do not wrong the gentleman and thyself too. I dare be sworn he scorns thy house. He! he lodge in such a base, obscure place as thy house! Tut, I know his disposition so well, he would not lie in thy bed, if thou'dst gi' it him.

Cob. I will not give it him, though, sir. Mass, I thought somewhat was in't we could not get him to bed all night! Well, sir, though he lie not o'my bed, he lies o' my bench. An't please you to go up, sir, you shall find him with two cushions under his head, and his cloak wrapped about him, as though he had neither won nor lost; and yet, I warrant, he ne'er cast better in his life, than he has done to-night.

Mat. Why, was he drunk?

Cob. Drunk, sir! you hear not me say so. Perhaps he swallowed a tavern-token, or some such device, sir : I have nothing to do withal. I deal with water, and not with wine. Gi' me my bucket there, hoa. God b'wi' you, sir, it's six o'clock: I should ha' carried two turns by this. What hoa! my stopple !

come.

Mat. Lie in a water-bearer's house! A gentleman of his havings! Well, I'll tell him my mind.

:

Cob. What, Tib, show this gentleman up to the Captain. [TIB shows MASTER MATTHEW into the House.] You should ha'some now, would take this Mr.Matthew to be a gentleman at the least. His father is an honest man, a worshipful fishmonger, and so forth; and now does he creep, and wriggle into acquaintance with all the brave gallants about the town, such as my guest is. O, my guest is a fine man! he does swear the legiblest of any man christened by St. George--the foot of Pharoah,-the body of me,-as I am a gentleman and a soldier; such dainty oaths! and withal, he does this same filthy roguish tobacco, the finest and cleanliest! it would do a man good to see the fume come forth out at's tonnols! Well, he owes me forty shillings, my wife lent him out of her purse by sixpence a time, besides his lodging; I would I had it. I shall ha' it he says, the next action. Helter skelter, hang sorrow, care'll kill a cat, up-tails all, and a louse for the hangman. [Exit.

SCENE IV.

A Room in COB's House.

BOBABIL discovered upon a Bench. Enter TIB.

Bob. Hostess! Hostess !

Tib. What say you, sir?

Bob. A cup o' thy small-beer, sweet Hostess. Tib. Sir, there's a gentleman below, would speak with you.

Bob. A gentleman! 'Odso, I am not within.

Tib. My husband told him you were, sir.
Bob. What a plague--what meant he?
Mat. [Within.] Captain Bobadil!

Bob. Who's there!-Take away the bason, good Hostess. Come up, sir.

Tib. He would desire you to come up, sir. You come into a cleanly house here.

Enter MASTER MATTHEW.

Mat. 'Save you, sir: 'save you, Captain!

Bob. Gentle Master Matthew! Is it you, sir? Please you sit down.

Mat. Thank you, good Captain; you may see I am somewhat audacious.

Bob. Not so, sir. I was requested to supper, last night, by a sort of gallants, where you were wish’d for, and drank to, I assure you.

Mat. Vouchsafe me by whom, good Captain, Bob. Marry, by young Wellbred, and others. Why, Hostess! a stool here for this gentleman. Mat. No haste, sir, 'tis very well.

Bob. Body of me! It was so late ere we parted last night, I can scarce open my eyes yet; I was but new risen, as you came. How passes the day abroad, sir? you can tell.

Mat. Faith, some half hour to seven. Now, trust me, you have an exceeding fine lodging here, very neat, and private !

Bob. Ay, sir: I pray you, Master Matthew, in any case, possess no gentleman of our acquaintance with notice of my lodging.

Mat. Who, I, sir? No.

Bob. Not that I need to care who know it, for the

cabin is convenient; but in regard I would not be too popular and generally visited, as some are.

Mat. True, Captain, I conceive you.

Bob. For, do you see, sir, by the heart of valour in me, except it be to some peculiar and choice spirits, to whom I am extraordinarily engaged, as yourself, or so, I could not extend thus far.

Mat. O lord, sir, I resolve so.

[Pulls out a Paper, and reads. Bob. I confess, I love a cleanly and quiet privacy, above all the tumult and roar of fortune. What new piece ha' you there? Read it.

Mat. [Reads.] To thee, the purest object of my sense, The most refined essence heaven covers,

Send I these lines, wherein I do commence The happy state of turtlebilling lovers.

Bob. 'Tis good; proceed, proceed. Where's this? Mat. This, sir? a toy o' mine own, in my nonage : the infancy of my muses. But, when will you come and see my study? Good faith, I can show you some very good things I have done of late

Bob. What, all as good as that?

Mat. That boot becomes your leg, passing well, Captain, methinks.

Bob. So, so; it's the fashion gentlemen now use. Mat. Troth, Captain, and now you speak o' the fashion, Master Wellbred's elder brother and I are fallen out exceedingly; this other day, I happen'd to enter into some discourse of a hanger, which I assure you both for fashion and workmanship was most peremp tory-beautiful and gentlemanlike: yet he condemn'd, and cry'd it down, for the most pied and ridiculous that ever he saw.

Bob. 'Squire Downright, the half brother, was't not? Mat. Ay, sir, George Downright.

Bob. Hang him, rook! He! Why, he has no more judgment than a malt horse. By St. George, I won