_Jul._ Counsel, Lucetta; gentle girl, assist me;
And, even in kind love, I do conjure thee,
Who art the table wherein all my thoughts
Are visibly character'd and engraved,
To lesson me; and tell me some good mean, 5
How, with my honour, I may undertake
A journey to my loving Proteus.
_Luc._ Alas, the way is wearisome and long!
_Jul._ A true-devoted pilgrim is not weary
To measure kingdoms with his feeble steps; 10
Much less shall she that hath Love's wings to fly,
And when the flight is made to one so dear,
Of such divine perfection, as Sir Proteus.
_Luc._ Better forbear till Proteus make return.
_Jul._ O, know'st thou not, his looks are my soul's food? 15
Pity the dearth that I have pined in,
By longing for that food so long a time.
Didst thou but know the inly touch of love,
Thou wouldst as soon go kindle fire with snow
As seek to quench the fire of love with words. 20
_Luc._ I do not seek to quench your love's hot fire,
But qualify the fire's extreme rage,
Lest it should burn above the bounds of reason.
_Jul._ The more thou damm'st it up, the more it burns.
The current that with gentle murmur glides, 25
Thou know'st, being stopp'd, impatiently doth rage;
But when his fair course is not hindered,
He makes sweet music with the enamell'd stones,
Giving a gentle kiss to every sedge
He overtaketh in his pilgrimage; 30
And so by many winding nooks he strays,
With willing sport, to the wild ocean.
Then let me go, and hinder not my course:
I'll be as patient as a gentle stream,
And make a pastime of each weary step, 35
Till the last step have brought me to my love;
And there I'll rest, as after much turmoil
A blessed soul doth in Elysium.
_Luc._ But in what habit will you go along?
_Jul._ Not like a woman; for I would prevent 40
The loose encounters of lascivious men:
Gentle Lucetta, fit me with such weeds
As may beseem some well-reputed page.
_Luc._ Why, then, your ladyship must cut your hair.
_Jul._ No, girl; I'll knit it up in silken strings 45
With twenty odd-conceited true-love knots.
To be fantastic may become a youth
Of greater time than I shall show to be.
_Luc._ What fashion, madam, shall I make your breeches?
_Jul._ That fits as well as, 'Tell me, good my lord, 50
What compass will you wear your farthingale?'
Why even what fashion thou best likest, Lucetta.
_Luc._ You must needs have them with a codpiece, madam.
_Jul._ Out, out, Lucetta! that will be ill-favour'd.
_Luc._ A round hose, madam, now's not worth a pin, 55
Unless you have a codpiece to stick pins on.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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