STAINES. Will it please your worship to accept of my poor service? you know my case is desperate; I beseech you that I may feed upon your bread, though it be of the brownest, and drink of your drink, though it may be of the smallest; for I am humble in body and dejected in mind, and will do your worship as good service for forty shillings a year as another shall for three pounds. BUB. I will not stand with you for such a matter, because you have been my master; but otherwise I will entertain no man without some knight's or lady's letter for their behaviour. Gervase, I take it, is your Christian name? STAINES. Yes, if it please your worship. BUB. Well, Gervase, be a good servant, and you shall find me a dutiful master; and because you have been a gentleman, I will entertain you for my tutor in behaviour. Conduct me to my palace. [_Exeunt omnes._ _Enter_ GERALDINE, _as in his study, reading_. GERA. _As little children love to play with fire, And will not leave till they themselves do burn; So did I fondly dally with desire, Until love's flame grew hot; I could not turn, Nor well avoid, but sigh, and sob, and mourn, As children do, when as they feel the pain, Till tender mothers kiss them whole again._ Fie! what unsavoury stuff is this! but she, Whose mature judgment can distinguish things, Will thus conceit: tales, that are harshest told, Have smoothest meanings, and to speak are bold. It is the first-born sonnet of my brain; Why[157] suck'd a white leaf from my black-lipp'd pen So sad employment? _Enter_ WILL RASH _and_ LONGFIELD. Yet the dry paper drinks it up as deep, As if it flow'd from Petrarch's cunning quill. W. RASH. How now! what have we here? a sonnet and a satire, coupled together like my lady's dog and her monkey? _As little children, &c._ GERA. Prythee, away: by the deepest oath that can be sworn, thou shalt not read it; by our friendship I conjure thee! prythee, let go. W. RASH. Now, in the name of Cupid, what want'st thou? a pigeon, a dove, a mate, a turtle? Dost thou love fowl, ha? _O no; she's fairer thrice than is the queen,_ _Who beauteous Venus called is by name._ Prythee, let me know what she is thou lovest, that I may shun her if I should chance to meet her. LONG. Why, I'll tell you, sir, what she is, if you do not know. W. RASH. No, not I, I protest. LONG. Why, 'tis your sister. W. RASH. How! my sister? LONG. Yes, your eldest sister.