PROTEA

Dear father, I will obey both to sale and slaugh ter, accounting it the only happiness of my life, should I live and hundred years, to prolong yours but one my to: I yield father, chop and change me, I am ready, but first let me make my prayers to Neptune, and with draw your self till I have done, long it shall not be, now it must be. Sacred Neptune, whose godhead conquered my maidenhead, be as ready to hear my passion, as I was to believe thine, and perform that now I entreat, which thou didst promise when thy self didst love. Let not me be a pray to this Merchant, who knows no other God then Gold, unless it be falsely swearing by a God to get gold; let me, as often as I be bought for money, or pawned for meat, be turned into a Bird, Hare, or Lamb, or any shape, wherein I may be safe, oh shall I preserve mine own honour, my father's life, and never repent me of thy love, and now bestir thee, for of all men, I hate that Merchant, who, if he find my beauty worth one penny, will put it to use to gain ten, having no Religion in his mind, nor word in his mouth but money. Neptune, hear now or never. Father, I have done. If I had not been here, had I been forfeited Gentleman? Your conditions in deed brought in your obli gations, your obligations, your Usury, your Usury, your Gentry. Yes, many, and some no men. It may. Commmaunded I will not be. Father, hath this Merchant also bought my mind? Farewell, deer Father, I will not cease continue Alley to pray to Ceres, for thy recovery. And mine own. In power if I will. Yet roughly handled, Nettles are Nettles, and a Wasp is a Wasp, though he loose her sting. Nor good. Sure I am, they have Gentlemens goods. Neptune, that great God, when I was ready to go with the Merchant into the ship, turned me to a Fisher man on the shore, with and Angle in my hand, and on my shoulder a net; the Merchant missing me, and yet fin ding me, asked me who I was, and whither I saw not a fair maiden? I answered no? He marue ling and raging, was forced either to loose his passage, or secke for me a mong the Pebbles? To make short, a good wind caused him to go I know not whither, and me (thanks be to Nep tune ) to return home. My father cannot be miserable, if Protea be hap pie, for by selling me every day, he shall never want meat, nor I to escape. And now, Father, give me leave to enjoy my Petulius, that on this unfortunate shore still seeks me sorrowing. Aye me, behold, a Syren haunts this shore, the gods forbid she should entangle my Petulius. Unnatural monster, no maid that accuseth men, whose loves are built on truth, and whose hearts are removed by courtesy: I will hear the depth of her malice. She rails at men, but seeks to entangle them, this slight is prepared for my sweet Petulius, I will with draw my self close, for Petulius follows, he will with out doubt be enamored of her, enchanted he shall not be, my charms shall countervail hers, it is he hath saved my Father's life with money, and must prolong mine with love. It is high time to prevent this mischief: Now Neptune, stand to thy promise, and let me take suddenly the shape of and old man; so shall I mar what she makes. Believe not this Inchauntresse (sweet youth) who retaineth the face of a Virgin, but the heart of a F end, whose sweet tongue sheadeth more drops of blood, then it uttereth syllables. If thou listen to her words, thou shalt not live to repent: for her malice is as sudden, as her joys are sweet. That young cruel resembles old Apes, who kill by culling; from the top of this Rock whereon she sitteth, will she throw thee headlong into the Sea, whose song is the instrument of her witchcraft, never smiling but when she means to smite, and under the flattery of love, practiseth the shedding of blood. I am the Ghost of Ulysses, who continually hover about these places, where this Syren haunteth, to save those which otherwise should be spoiled: stop thine ears, as I did mine, and succour the fair, but by thy folly, the most infortunate Protea. In this thicket, ready to hang her self, because thou carest not for her, that did swear to follow: curse this hag who only hath the voice and face of a Virgin, the rest all fish and feathers, and filth; follow me, and strongly stop thine ears, left the second encounter make the wound incurable. Follow me at this door, and out at the other. Here stands Protea, that hath saved thy life, thou must also prolong hers: but let us into the woods, and there I will tell thee how I came to Ulysses, and the sum of all my Fortune's, which happily will breed in thee both love and wonder. I have told both my Father's misfortunes, grown by stoutness, and mine by weakness, his thwarting of Ceres, my yielding to Neptune. I have herd too, that hearts of men stiffer then steel, have by love been made softer then wool, and then they cry, And women forged tears. Suppose I care not. If women swear they love, how will you try their dissembling? And nature deceit into men. Nor I, but to prove your faith. But see, Petulius, what miraculous punishments here are for deserts in love; this Rock was a Nymph to Ceres, so was this Rose, so that Bird. All changed by Cupid, because they disdained love, or dissembled in it. And Item for Petulius, that he delude not those that love him; for Cupid can also change men. Let . And me. And Protea most fortunate.