_Herc._ _Whereas some over amorous and unconscionable covetous young gallants, without all grace of Venus, or the fear of Cupid in their minds, have at one time engrossed the care or cures of divers mistresses, with the charge of ladies, into their own tenure or occupation,[285] whereby their mistresses must of necessity be very ill and insufficiently served, and likewise many able portly gallants live unfurnished of competent entertainment, to the merit of their bodies; and whereas likewise some other greedy strangers have taken in the purlieus, outset land, and the ancient commons of our sovereign liege Don Cupid, taking in his very highways, and enclosing them, and annexing them to their own lordships, to the much impoverishing and putting of divers of Cupid's true hearts and loyal subjects to base and abhominable[286] shifts: Be it therefore enacted, by the sovereign authority and erected ensign of Don Cupid, with the assent of some of the lords, most of the ladies, and all the commons, that what person or persons soever shall, in the trade of honour, presume to wear at one time two ladies' favours, or at one time shall earnestly court two women in the way of marriage, or if any under the degree of a duke shall keep above twenty women of pleasure, a duke's brother fifteen, a lord ten, a knight or a pensioner or both four, a gentleman two, shall_ ipso facto _be arrested by folly's mace, and instantly committed to the ship of fools, without either bail or main prize_, Millesimo centesimo quingentesimo quadragesimo nono Cupidinis semper unius.--Nymphadoro, to the bar! 248 _Nym._ Shame o' folly, will Fawn now turn an informer? Does he laugh at me? _Herc._ Domina Garbetza, did he not ever protest you were his most only elected mistress? _Gar._ He did. _Herc._ Domina Donella, did he not ever protest, you were his most only elected mistress? _Don._ He did. _Herc._ Domina Poveia, did he not ever protest, that you were his most only elected mistress? _Pov._ He did. _Nym._ Mercy! 260 _Cup._ Our mercy is nothing, unless some lady will beg thee. _Ladies._ Out upon him, dissembling, perfidious liar! _Herc._ Indeed 'tis no reason ladies should beg liars. _Nym._ Thus he that loveth many, if once known, Is justly plagued to be belov'd of none. [_Exit._