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Break all the laws of kind; if it succeed, An honest, noble, and praise-worthy deed.' While he that takes thy poisons in, shall feel Their virulent workings in a point of time When no repentance can bring aid, but all His spirits shall melt, with what his conscience burn'd, [mourn'd.

And dying in a flatterer's arms, shall fall unThere's matter for you now.

Lat. My lord, this makes not From loving of my master 51.

Aub. Loving? no;

They hate ill princes most that make them so.

Enter Rollo, Hamond, Allan, and Guard. Rollo. I'll hear no more!

Ham. Alas, 'tis for

my brother

I beseech your highness.

Rollo. How! a brother?

Had not I one myself? did title move me When it was fit that he should die? Away! Allan. Brother, lose no word more; leave my good cause

T'upbraid the tyrant: I am glad I'm fall'n Now in those times, that will'd some great example

T'assure men we can die for honesty.

Rollo. Sir, you are brave; 'pray that you hold your neck

As bravely forth anon unto the headsman. Allan. Would he would strike as bravely, and thou by!

Rollo, 'twould make thee quake to see me die. Aub. What's his offence?

Ham. For giving Gisbert burial, Who was some time his master.

Allan. Yes, lord Aubrey,

My gratitude and humanity are my crines.
Rollo. Why bear you him not hence?
Aub. My lord-(Stay, soldiers)--
I do beseech your highness, do not lose
Such men for so slight causes. This is one
Hath still been faithful to you; a tried soul
In all your father's battles; I have seen him
Bestride a friend against a score of foes:
And look, he looks as he would kill his hun-
For you, sir, were you in danger. [dred
Allan. Till be kill'd
Tter;
His brother, his chancellor, and then his mas-

51 My lord, this makes not

To which he can add nought to equal Nero, But killing of his mother.

Aub. Peace, brave fool,

Thou valiant ass!-Here is his brother too, sir,

A captain of your guard, hath serv'd you long, With the most noble witness of his truth Mark'd in his face, and every part about him; That turns not from an enemy. But view him; Oh, do not grieve him, sir, if you do mean That he shall hold his place: It is not safe To tempt such spirits, and let them wear their swords; [acts, You'll make your guards your terrors by these And throw more hearts off from than you hold. And I must tell you,sir, (with my old freedom, And my old faith to boot) you have not liv'd so But that your state will need such men, such hands,

you

Of which here's one, shall in an hour of trial Do you more certain service, with a stroke, Than the whole bundle of your flatterers, With all th' unsavory unction of their tongues. Rollo. Peace, talker!

Aub. One that loves you yet, my lord, And would not see you pull on your own ruins, Mercy becomes a prince,and guards him best; Awe and affrights are never ties of love; And when men 'gin to fear the prince, they hate him.

Rollo. Am I the prince, or you?

Aub. My lord, I hope

I have not utter'd aught should urge that question.

Rollo. Then practise your obedience. See him dead!

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This

For loving of my master.] How do Latorch's words express his sentiments? makes not for loving of my master,' should seem to imply, that Aubrey's speech shewed no love to Rollo; but Aubrey's answer plainly shews that Latorch spoke something of his own love to his master, and not of Aubrey's. Perhaps the reader may think the old reading may be construed to this sense; and therefore, without disturbing the text, I shall only offer a conjecture of which I am myself very dubious.

Lat. My lord, this rating's

For loving of my master.'

i. e. The real cause of your anger to me is my love to my master.'

Seward.

The simple change of for to from gives an easier and more natural reading:

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My lord, this makes not

'From loving of my master.'

i. e. All this does not disprove my affection to my master;' to which Aubrey's answer is a proper and apposite reply.

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Is capable of such a trust about you,
Or worthy to be groom of your delight 52.
Rollo. Oh, my Latorch, what shall I ren-
der thee

For all thy travels, care and love?

Lat. Sir, one suit,
[me.
Which I will ever importune, 'till you grant
Rollo. About your mathematicians?
Lat. Yes, to have

The scheme of your nativity judg'd by them;
I have't already erected. Oh, my lord,
You do not know the labour of my fears;
My doubts for you are such as cannot hope

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[figure.

Lat. They dare not else, sir, offer at your Oh, I shall bring you wonders! there's a friar, Rusee, an admirable man; another,

A gentleman; and then la Fiske,
The mirror of his time; 'twas he that set it.
But there's one Norbret (him I never saw)
Has made a mirror, a mere looking-glass,
In show you'd think't no other; the form oval,
As I am given to understand by letter,
Which renders you such shapes, and those so
differing,
[swers;
And some that will be question'd and give an-
Then has he set it in a frame, that wrought
Unto the revolutions of the stars,
And so compact by due proportions
Unto their harmony, doth move alone
A true automaton; thus Dædalus' statues,
Or Vulcan's stools-

Rollo. Dost thou believe this?
Lat. Sir?

Why, what should stay my faith, or turn my

sense?

H' has been about it above twenty years, Three sevens, the powerful, and the perfect numbers;

And art and time, sir,can produce such things. What do we read there of Hiarbas' banquet, (The great gymnosophist) that had his butlers And carvers of pure gold waiting at table? The images of Mercury, too, that spoke? The wooden dove that flew? a snake of brass That hiss'd? and birds of silver that did sing? All these were done, sir, by the mathematicks, Without which there's no science, nor no truth.

* Tame to your highness, say, &c.] The folio reads,

Tame to your highness' wish, say,' &c.

52 Or worthy to be secretary of your pleasure.] This indeed is good sense, but it is only the conjectural reading of the late editions, and departs too much from the trace of the letters to be allowed to stand. The old quarto reads,

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Here a word was lost: bawd or pimp, which are his true character, are too coarse names for a man to call himself; secretury, steward, and all words but monosyllables are excluded by the measure. Groom therefore seems to bid fairest for being the original. Seward.

We believe the original to have been a coarse word, which occasioned the omission, as in Some other instances.

Rollo. You are in your own sphere, La-
torch; and rather

Than I'll contend w'ye for it, I'll believe it:
You've won upon me that I wish to see
My fate before me now, whate'er it be.

Lat. And I'll endeavour, you shall know't with speed; [me, For which I should have one of trust go with (If you please, Hamond) that I may by him Send you my first dispatches; after, I Shall bring you more 53, and as they come still more,

And accurate forth from them.

Rollo, Take your way,

Chuse your own means, and be it prosperous to us!

SCENE II.

[Exeunt.

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Fiske. Come, we are stark naught all; bad's
the best of us:

Four of the seven deadly spots we are:
Besides our lechery, we are envious,
And most, most gluttonous when we have
it thus,

Most covetous now we want it; then our boy,
He is a fifth spot, sloth, and he undoes us.

Bube. 'Tis true the child was wont to be industrious,

And now and then sent in a merchant's wife Sick of the husband, or a swearing butler That miss'd one of his bowls, a crying maid Had lost a silver spoon; the curry-comb Sometimes was wanting; there was something [gotten; Pip. What now? Did I not yester-morning Bring you in a cardecu 54 there from the pea

But now

sant

Whose ass I'd driven aside, and hid, that you
Might conjure for him? and again, last night,
Six sous from the cook's wife you shar'd among
To set a figure for the pestle I stole ; [you,
It is not at home yet. These things, my mas-
ters,
[You

In a hard time, they would be thought on:
Talk of your lands and castles in the air,
Of your twelve houses there; but it is I'
That bring you in your rents for 'em, 'tis
That is your bird-call.
[Pippeau

Norb. 'Faith, he does well,

And cuts thro' the elements for us, I must

needs say,

In a fine dextrous line.

Fiske. But not as he did

At first; then he would sail with
Into every creek and corner.

any wind, Pip. I was light then, [gentlemen; New built and rigg'd, when I came to you, But now, with often and far venturing for you, Here be leaks sprung, and whole planks wanting, see you.

you

If you'll new-sheath me again, yet I am for
[send me;
To any gulf or streights 55, where-e'er you'll
For as I am, where can this ragged bark
Put in for any service, 'less it be

The two following editions exhibit,

53 Shall bring you more, as they come more,
And accurate forth from them.] So quarto.
'Shall bring you more, and as they come still more,'

and omit the last line. Mr. Seward reads,

Shall bring you more, and as they come forth from 'em,

More and more accurate.?

54 Cardecu.] A corruption of quart d'ecu, the quarter part of a crown-piece.

55

-yet I am for you

To any bog or sleights.] Mr. Theobald proposed reading bog or sloughs; Mr. Seward introduced gulf for bog; and he and Mr. Sympson concurred in altering sleights to streights, and quote the following passage from Jonson's Underwoods as a confirmation of its propriety: -their very trade

Is borrowing; that but stopt, they do invade
All as their prize, turn pirates here at land,

♦ Have their Bermudas and their streights in the Strand,

'Man out their boats to th' Temple, and not shift

Now but command

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Your own good motions, doctor, your dear Fiske. Yes, for we all do know the latitude Of your concupiscence.

Rusee. Here about your belly.

[sey,

Bube. You'll pick a Lottle open, or a whimAs soon as the best of us.

Fiske. And dip your wrist-bands (For cuffs you've none) as comely in the sauce As any courtier Bellrings.]11ark, the bell! Who's there?

Rusee. Good luck, I do conjure thee! Boy, look out. [Exit Pip, and enter again. Pip. They're gallants, courtiers; one of Of the duke's bed-chamt er. ['em is

Rusee. Latorch.-Down! On with your gown [to Norb.]; there's a new

suit arriv'd.

Did I not tell you, sons of hunger? Crowns, Crowns, are coming toward you; wine and

wenches

You shall have once again, and fidlers!
Into your studies close; each lay his ear
To his door, and as you hear me to prepare

you,

So come, and put me on that vizard only.
[Exeunt omnes præter Rusee and Pippeau.

Enter Latorch und Hamond.
Lat. You'll not be far hence, captain.
When the business

Is done, you shall receive present dispatch.
Ham. I'll walk, sir, in the cloister. [Exit.
Rusee. Monsieur Latorch? my son,
The stars are happy still that guide you hither.
Lat. I'm glad to hear their secretary say so,
My learned father Rusee. Where's la Fiske?
Monsieur de Bube? how do they?

Rusce. At their studies;

They are the secretaries of the stars, sir, Still at their books, they will not be pull'd off,

They stick like cupping-glasses. If ever men Spoke with the tongue of destiny, 'tis they. Lat. For love's sake, let's salute 'em. Rusee. Boy, go see;

Tell them who's here; say, that their friends do challenge

Some portion of their time; this is our minute, Pray 'em they'll spare it. They are the sun [Exit Pip.

and moon

Of knowledge; pity two such noble lights Should live obscur'd here in an university, Whose beams were fit t'illumine any court Of Christendom!

Enter la Fiske, de Bube, and Pippeau.

Lat. The duke will shortly know 'em.
Fiske. Well, look upon the astrolabe;
you'll find it

Four almucanturies 57 at least.
Bube. It is so.

Rusee. Still of their learned stuff; they
care for nothing,

[dies But how to know; as negligent of their bo In diet, or else, especially in their cloaths, As if they had no change.

Pip. They have so little

[Aside. [shifters.

As well may free them from the name of
Fiske. Monsieur Latorch!
Lat. How is it, learned gentlemen,

With both your virtues?

Bube. A most happy hour,

When we see you, sir.

Lat. When you hear me then

It will be happier: The duke greets you both Thus; and tho' you may touch no money, Yet you may take it.

[father,

Rusce. 'Tis his highness' bounty, But yet to me, and these that have put off The world, superfluous.

Fiske. We have heard of late His highness' good success.

Bube. And gratulate it.

Lat. Indeed h' bath 'scap'd & strange con

spiracy,

[me, Thanks to his stars! which stars he prays by You would again consult, and make a judg

ment

On what you lately erected for my love, Rusee. Oh, sir, we dare not!

Fiske. For our lives!

Bube. It is

The prince's scheme!

Lat. T'encounter with that fear, Here's, to assure you, his signet; write your And be secur'd all three.

[names, Bube. We must entreat some time, sir, Lat. I must then

Entreat, it be as present as you can.
Fiske. Have you the scheme here?
Lat. Yes.

Rusee. I would you had, sir,
Another warrant!

56 With wholsome two souz'd petitoes.] Mr. Theobald reads, from the old quarto, two sous'd; the idea which he would affix is, suppose, twice pickled, or twice salted: But sola, soulz, or sous, the French coin, making a more natural expression, and a stronger antithesis to the crown ordinaries, I think that the true one. Seward.

57 Almucanturies.] Almacantors, Almicunterahs, or Almicanturahs, circles of altitude parallel to the horizon, the common pole of which is in the zenith. Bailey.

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He was initiated. But we shall hardly
Draw him from his chair.

Lat. Tell him he shall have gold-
Fiske. Oh, such a syllable would make
him forswear

Ever to breathe in your sight.

Lat. How then?

Fiske. Sir, he, if you do please to give him any thing,

Must have't convey'd under a paper.

Rusee. Or left behind some book in his study. Bube. Or in some old wall. Fiske. Where his familiars May tell him of it, and that pleases him, sir. Bube. Or else, I'll go and assay bim 58. Lat. Take gold with you.

Rusee. That will not be amiss. Give it the boy, sir;

He knows his holes, aud how to bait his spirits. Pip. We must lay in several places, sir. Rusee. That's true;

That if one come not, the other may hit. [Exeunt Rusee and Pippeau. Lat. Well, go then. Is he so learned, gentlemen?

Fiske. The very top of our profession, mouth o'th' fates!

[take, 'Pray Heav'n his spirits be in good humour to They'll fling the gold about the house else!

Bube. Ay,

And beat the friar, if he go not well
Furnish'd with holy water.

Fiske. Sir, you must observe him.

Bube. Not cross him in a word; for then

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Let's see't; dispatch; nay, fumbling now! Who's this?

Rusee, Chief gentleman of the duke's chamber, doctor.

Norb. Oh, let him be; good ev'n to him! he's a courtier; here? I'll spare his compliment, tell him. What is The geniture nocturnal, longitude At twenty-one degrees 59, the latitude At forty-nine and ten minutes? How are the Cardines? [nutes; Fiske. Libra in twenty-four, forty-four miAnd Capricorn

Norb. I see it; see the planets,
Where, how they are dispos'd; the Sun and
Mercury,

Mars with the Dragon's tail in the third house,
And pars Fortune in the Imo Cæli,
Then Jupiter in the twelfth, the Cucodemon.
Bube. And Venus in the second Inferna

Porta.

[fifth, Norb. I see it; peace! then Saturn in the Luna i'th' seventh, and much of Scorpio, Then Mars his Gaudium, rising in th' Ascen[Venus, And join'd with Libra too, the house of And Imum Cæli, Murs his exaltation In the seventh house, Aries being his natural

dent,

house [him And where he is now seated, and all these shew To be the Almuter.

Rusee. Yes, he's lord of the geniture, Whether you examine it by Ptolomy's way, Or Messahalah's, Luel, or Alkindus.

Fiske. No other planet hath so many dignities,

Either by himself, or in regard of the cuspes. Norb. Why, hold your tongue then, if you

know it; Venus

The lady of the horoscope, being Libra,
The other part, Mars rules: So that, the geni-
Being nocturnal, Luna is the highest, [ture
None else being in suficient dignity,
She being in Aries in the seventh house,
Where Sol exalted, is the Alchoroden.

Bube. Yes, for you see he hath his termine
In the degrees where she is, and enjoys
By that six dignities.

Fiske. Which are clearly more
Than any else that view her in the scheme.
Norb. Why, I saw this, and could have
told you too,

That he beholds her with a trine aspect
Here out of Sagittary, almost quartile",

58 Bube. Or else I'll go and assay him.] The words or else were struck out by Seward and Sympson, as injurious to sense and measure,'

In our opinion, they assist both.

59 At twenty-one degrees, the latitude.] This line, strange as it may appear, is in no edition but the old quarto.

60 Or Messethales.] The quarto reads, Nassahales. The right name is Messahalah: he was a Jew famous for judicial astrology, and lived in the times of the chalifs Almansor and Almamon. Vide Salmasium de Annis Climactericis, p. 309. Sympson.

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-almost partile.] The old quarto reads, almost partly; quartile is undoubtedly the true word. It is difficult to us at present to relish the jargon of a science so long exploded,

but

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