Jac. O, sir! our saints can better distinguish between the prayers of a Catholic and a Lutheran.

Wild. I beseech you, madam, trouble not yourself for my religion; for, though I am a heretic to the men of your country, to your ladies I am a very zealous Catholic; and for fornication and adultery, I assure you I hold with both churches.

Theo. to Bel. Sir, if you will not be more devout, be at least more civil; you see you are observed. Bel. And pray, madam, what do you think the lookers on imagine I am employed about?

Theo. I will not trouble myself to guess.

Bel. Why, by all circumstances, they must conclude that I am making love to you; and, methinks, it were scarce civil to give the opinion of so much good company the lie.

Theo. If this were true, you would have little reason to thank them for their divination.

Bel. Meaning, I should not be loved again? Theo. You have interpreted my riddle, and may take it for your pains.

Enter ALONZO, and goes apart to his devotion.
Beat. Madam, your father is returned.

Bel. She has nettled me; would, I could be revenged on her!

Wild. Do you see their father? Let us make as though we talked to one another, that we may not be suspected.

Beat. You have lost your Englishmen.

Jac. No, no, 'tis but design, I warrant you: You shall see these island cocks wheel about immediate[The English gather up close to them.

ly.

Beat. Perhaps they thought they were observed. Wild. to Bel. Talk not of our country ladies: I declare myself for the Spanish beauties.

Bel. Pr'ythee, tell me what thou canst find to doat on in these Castilians?

Wild. Their wit and beauty.

Theo. Now for our champion, St Jago, for Spain. Bel. Faith, I can speak no such miracles of either; for their beauty, 'tis much as the Moors left it; not altogether so deep a black as the true Ethiopian; a kind of beauty that is too civil to the lookers-on to do them any mischief.

Jac. This was your frowardness, that provoked him, sister.

Theo. But they shall not carry it off so.

Bel. As for their wit, you may judge it by their breeding, which is commonly in a nunnery; where the want of mankind, while they are there, makes them value the blessing ever after.

Theo. Prythee, dear Jacintha, tell me, what kind of creatures were those we saw yesterday at the audience? Those, I mean, that looked so like Frenchmen in their habits, but only became their apishness so much worse.

Jac. Englishmen, I think, they called them.

Theo. Cry you mercy; they were of your wild English, indeed; that is, a kind of northern beast, that is taught its feats of activity in Monsieurland; and, for doing them too lubberly, is laughed at all the world over.

Bel. Wildblood, I perceive the women understand little of discourse; their gallants do not use them to it: They get upon their jennets, and prance before their ladies' windows; there the palfrey curvets and bounds, and, in short, entertains them for his master.

Wild. And this horseplay they call making love. Beat. Your father, madam

Alon. Daughters! what cavaliers are those which were talking by you?

Jac. Englishmen, I believe, sir, at their devotions.-Cavalier, would you would try to pray a little better than you have rallied. [Aside to WILD.

Wild. Hang me if I put all my devotions out of order for you: I remember I prayed but on Tuesday last, and my time comes not till Tuesday next. Mask. You had as good pray, sir: she will not stir till you have: Say any thing.

Wild. Fair lady, though I am not worthy of the least of your favours, yet give me the happiness this evening to see you at your father's door, that I may acquaint you with part of my sufferings.

Aside to JAC. Alon. Come, daughters, have you done?

Jac. Immediately, sir.-Cavalier, I will not fail to be there at the time appointed, if it be but to teach you more wit, henceforward, than to engage your heart so lightly. [Aside to WILD.

Wild. I have engaged my heart with so much zeal and true devotion to your divine beauty, that-Alon. What means this cavalier? Jac. Some zealous ejaculation. Alon. May the saint hear him!

Jac. I'll answer for her.

[Exeunt Father and Daughters. Wild. Now, Bellamy, what success?

Bel. I prayed to a more marble saint than that was in the shrine; but you, it seems, have been successful.

Wild. And so shalt thou; let me alone for both. Bel. If you'll undertake it, I'll make bold to indulge my love, and within these two hours be a desperate inamorato. I feel I am coming apace to

it.

Wild. Faith, I can love at any time with a wish, at my rate: I give my heart according to the old law of pawns, to be returned me before sunset.

Bel. I love only that I may keep my heart warm; for a man's a pool, if love stir him not; and to bring it to that pass, I first resolve whom to love, and presently after imagine I am in love: for a strong imagination is required in a lover as much as in a witch.

Wild. And is this all your receipt?

Bel. These are my principal ingredients; as for piques, jealousies, duels, daggers, and halters, I let them alone to the vulgar.

Wild. Prythee, let's round the street a little; till Maskall watches for their woman.

Bel. That's well thought on: He shall about it immediately.

We will attempt the mistress by the maid:
Women by women still are best betrayed.
[Exeunt.

ACT II. SCENE I.

Enter WILDBLOOD, BELLAMY, and MASKALL. Wild. Did you speak with her woman? Mask. Yes, but she was in haste, and bid me wait her hereabouts when she returned.

Bel. Then you have discovered nothing more? Mask. Only, in general, that Donna Theodosia is engaged elsewhere; so that all your courtship will be to no purpose-But for your mistress, sir, [To WILD.] she is waded out of her depth in love to you already.

Wild. That's very hard, when I am scarce kneedeep with her: "Tis true, I have given her hold of my heart; but, if she take not heed, it will slip through her fingers.

Bel. You are prince of the soil, sir, and may take your pleasure when you please; but I am the eve

to your holiday, and must fast for being joined to

you.

Wild. Were I as thou art, I would content myself with having but one fair flight at her, without wearying myself on the wing for a retrieve; for, when all is done, the quarry is but a woman.

Bel. Thank you, sir, you would fly them both yourself; and while I turn tail, we should have you come, gingling with your bells in the neck of my partridge. Do you remember who encouraged me to love, and promised me his assistance?

Wild. Ay, while there was hope, Frank! while there was hope! but there's no contending with one's destiny.

Bel. Nay, it may be I care as little for her as another man; but, while she flies before me, I must follow: I can love a woman first with ease; but if she begins to fly before me, I grow opiniatre as the devil.

Wild. What a secret have you found out? Why, 'tis the nature of all mankind: We love to get our mistresses, and purr over them, as cats do over mice, and let them go a little way; and all the pleasure is, to pat them back again: But yours, I take it, Frank, is gone too far. Pr'ythee, how long dost thou intend to love at this rate?

Bel. Till the evil constellation be past over me: Yet, I believe, it would hasten my recovery, if I knew whom she loved.

Mask. You shall not be long without that satisfaction.

Wild. 'St, the door opens; and two women are coming out.

Bel. By their stature, they should be thy gracious mistress and Beatrix.

Wild. Methinks you should know your cue then, and withdraw.