_Herc._ O my Don, that God made no other means of procreation but by these women! I speak it not to vex you. _Zuc._ O Fawn, thou hast no mercy in thee: dost thou leer on me? Well, I'll creep upon my knees to my wife: dost laugh at me? dost gern at me? dost smile? dost leer on me, dost thou? O I am an ass; true, I am a coxcomb; well, I am mad; good: a mischief on your cogging tongue, your soothing throat, your oily jaws, your supple hams,[268] your dissembling smiles, and O the grand devil on you all! When mischief favours our fortunes, and we are miserably,[269] tho' justly wretched, 582 More pity, comfort, and more help we have In foes profess'd, than in a flattering knave. [_Exit._ _Herc._ Thus few strike sail until they run on shelf; The eye sees all things but his proper self; In all things curiosity hath been Vicious at least, but herein most pernicious. What madness is't to search and find a wound For which there is no cure, and which unfound 590 Ne'er rankles, whose finding only wounds? But he that upon vain surmise forsakes His bed thus long, only to search his shame; Gives to his wife youth, opportunity, Keeps her in idleful deliciousness, Heats and inflames imagination, Provokes her to revenge with churlish wrongs,-- What should he hope but this? Why should it lie in women, Or even in chastity itself (since chastity's a female), T' avoid desires so ripened, such sweets so candied? 600 But she that hath out-born such mass of wrongs, Out-dured all persecutions, all contempts, Suspects, disgrace, all wants, and all the mischief, The baseness of a canker'd churl could cast upon her, With constant virtue, best feign'd[270] chastity, And in the end turns all his jealousies To his own scorn, that lady, I implore, It may be lawful not to praise, but even adore. _Enter_ GONZAGO, GRANUFFO, _with full state. Enter the Cornets sounding._ _Gon._ Are our sports ready? is the prince at hand? _Herc._ The prince is now arrived at the court gate. 610 _Gon._ What means our daughter's breathless haste? _Enter_ DULCIMEL _in haste_. _Dul._ O my princely father, now or never let your princely wisdom appear! _Gon._ Fear not, our daughter, if it rest within human reason, I warrant thee; no, I warrant thee, Granuffo, if it rest in man's capacity. Speak, dear daughter. _Dul._ My lord, the prince---- _Gon._ The prince, what of him, dear daughter? _Dul._ O Lord, what wisdom our good parents need to shield their chickens from deceits and wiles of kite-like youth! 621 _Gon._ Her very phrase displays whose child she is.