solved to open it, though I do not approve my own curiosity. [Opens and reads it.

Now my fear is over, I can laugh at my last night's adventure. I find that at fifty all men grow incorrigible, and lovers especially; for, certainly, never any creature could be worse treated than your father; [How's this, Valerio? I am amazed.] and yet the good, old, out-of-fashion gentleman heard himself rallied, and bore it with all the patience of a Christian prince. [Now, 'tis plain, the lady in masquerade is a mistress of my son's, and the undutiful wretch was in the plot to abuse me.] Ascanio will tell you the latter part of our misfortune, how hardly we got into the cloister. [A nun, too! Oh, the devil!] When we meet next, pray provide to laugh heartily; for there is subject sufficient for a plentiful fit, and fop enough to spare for another time.

LUCRETIA.

Val. Lucretia! now the mystery is unfolded.
Duke. Do you know her?

Val. When I was last at Rome I saw her often; she is near kinswoman to the present Pope; and, before he placed her in this nunnery of Benedictines, was the most celebrated beauty of the towń.

Duke. I know I ought to hate this woman, because she has affronted me thus grossly; but yet, I cannot help it, I must love her.

Val. But, sir, you come on too much disadvantage, to be your son's rival.

Duke. I am deaf to all considerations: Pr'ythee do not think of giving a madman counsel. Pity me, and cure me, if thou canst; but remember, there's but one infallible medicine, that's enjoyment.

Val. I had forgot to tell you, sir, that the governor, Don Mario, is without, to wait on you,

Duke. Desire him to come in.

Enter Don MARIO.

Mar. I am come, sir, to beg a favour from your highness; and 'tis on the behalf of my sister Sophronia, abbess of the Torr' di Specchi.

Val. Sir, she's abbess of that very monastery where your mistress is inclosed. [Aside to the Duke, Duke. I should be glad to serve any relation of yours, Don Mario.

Mar. Her request is, that you would be pleased to grace her chape' this afternoon. There will be music, and some little ceremony, in the reception of my two nieces, who are to be placed on pension there.

Duke. Your nieces, I hear, are fair, and great fortunes.

Mar. Great vexations, I'm sure they are; being daily haunted by a company of wild fellows, who buzz about my house like flies.

Duke. Your design seems reasonable: women in hot countries are like oranges in cold; to preserve them, they must be perpetually housed. I'll bear you company to the monastery.-Come, Valerio; this opportunity is happy beyond our expectation. [Exeunt.

SCENE II.

Enter CAMILLO and AURELIAN.

Cam. He has smarted sufficiently for this offence. Prythee, dear Aurelian, forgive him. He waits without, and appears penitent; I'll be responsible for his future carriage.

Aur. For your sake, then, I receive him into

grace.

Cam. [At the door.] Benito, you may appear; your peace is made.

Enter BENITO.

Aur. But it must be upon conditions.

Ben. Any conditions, that are reasonable; for, as I am a wit, sir, I have not eaten

Aur. You are in the path of perdition already; that's the principal of our conditions, you are to be a wit no more.

Ben. Pray, sir, if it be possible, let me be a little wit still.

Aur. No, sir; you can make a leg, and dance; those are no talents of a wit: you are cut out for a brisk fool, and can be no other.

Ben. Pray, sir, let me think I am a wit, or my heart will break.

Cam. That you will naturally do, as you are a fool.

Aur. Then no farther meddling with adventures, or contrivances of your own; they are all belonging to the territories of wit, from whence you are banished.

Ben. But what if my imagination should really furnish me with some

Aur. Not a plot, I hope?

Ben. No, sir, no plot; but some expedient then, to mollify the word, when your invention has failed you?

Aur. Think it a temptation of the devil, and believe it not.

Ben. Then farewell all the happiness of my life. Cam. You know your doom, Benito; and now you may take your choice, whether you will renounce wit, or eating.

Ben. Well, sir, I must continue my body, at what rate soever; and the rather, because now there's no

farther need of me in your adventures; for I was assured by Beatrix, this morning, that her two mistresses are to be put in pension, in the nunnery of Benedictines, this afternoon.

Cam. Then I am miserable.

Aur. And you have deferred the telling it, till it is past time to study for prevention.

Cam. Let us run thither immediately, and either perish in't, or free them. You'll assist me with your sword?

Aur. Yes, if I cannot do it to more purpose with my counsel. Let us first play the fairest of our game; 'tis time enough to snatch when we have lost it. [Exeunt.

SCENE III-A Chapel.

The DUKE, VALERIO, Attendants. At the other door, LAURA, VIOLETTA, BEATRIX, MARIO. Instrumental and vocal music; in the time of which, enter AURELIAN and CAMILLO. After the music, enter SOPHRONIA, LUCRETIA, HIPPOLITA, and other Nuns.

Duke. [To VALERIO, who had whispered to him.] I needed not those marks to know her. She's one continued excellence; she's all over miracle.

Soph. [To the DUKE.] We know, sir, we are not capable, by our entertainment, of adding any thing to your pleasures; and therefore we must attribute this favour of your presence, to your piety and devotion.

Duke. You have treated me with harmony so excellent, that I believed myself among a choir of angels; especially when I beheld so fair a troop behind you.

Soph. Their beauty, sir, is wholly dedicated to heaven, and is no way ambitious of a commenda

tion, which, from your mouth, might raise a pride in any other of the sex.

Cam. I am impatient, and can bear no longer. Let what will happen

Aur. Do you not see your ruin inevitable? Draw in a holy place! and in the presence of the Duke! Mar. I do not like Camillo's being here: I must cut short the ceremony. [Whispers SOPHRONIA.

Soph. [To LAURA and VIOLETTA.] Come, fair cousins, we hope to make the cloisteral life so pleasing, that it may be an inducement to you to quit the wicked world for ever.

Vio. [Passing by CAMILLO.] Take that, and read it at your leisure. [Conveys a note into his hand. Cam. A ticket, as I live, Aurelian.

Aur. Steal off, and be thankful: if that be my Beatrix with Laura, she's most confoundedly ugly. If ever we had come to love-work, and a candle had been brought us, I had fallen back from that face, like a buck-rabbit in coupling.

[Exeunt CAMILLO and AURELIAN. Soph. Daughters, the time of our devotion calls us.-All happiness to your highness.

Luc. [To HIPPOLITA.] Little thinks my venerable old love there, that his mistress in masquerade is so near him. Now do I even long to abuse that fopgravity again.

Hip. Methinks, he looks on us.

Luc. Farewell, poor love; I am she, I am, for all my demure looks, that treated thee so inhumanly last night. [She is going off, after SOPHRONIA. Duke. [following her.] Stay, lady; I would speak with you.

Luc. Ah!

[Shrieking. Soph. How now, daughter? What's the meaning of that indecent noise you make?

Luc. [Aside.] If I speak to him, he will discover my voice, and then I am ruined.