Tho.  Truly, Captaine, I cannot tell.

Cap.  You cannot tell? there’s your ignorance.  Drink is a vice I am as little given to as another man, for I doe abhorre it in my selfe.  I do wonder how any reasonable man can be drunk; therefore every wise man take Counsell and example by me, and he may see very plainely what an odious thing it is; for you must follow your leader, and vertue, which is an Antient—­

Tho.  Vertue an Antient?

Cap.  I, an Antient old gentlewoman that is growne very poore, and nobodie knowes where she dwells very hard to find her out, especially for a Capt.; you will find it very difficult for a Livetenent.  But wee will endeavour the best wee can; you see my courses, I have travel’d to find her out, and I could never yet see her at a baudihouse.

Un.  Who is to be seene at a baudihouse? to the right hand countermarch.

Tho.  He talkes of vertue, sir.

Un.  Vertue? she never comes there; why do you thinke she should be there, Captaine?

Cap.  Why, because she is an old gentlewoman and might keepe the house.

Tho.  Alas, Captaine, Mistris Vertue is poore and leane.

Cap.  Nay, then she is not fit to be a baud, but tell me did you ever see her, or if so did you ever doo’t with her?

Un.  No, but twas none of my fault; I know not what I may do in time when she understands the wordes of Command.

Tho.  He does not meane Mistris Dorothy:  but, Captaine, I would faine know the reason why your baudes are so fat still.

Cap.  A plaine case:  they lie fallow and get hart, then they keepe themselves so in health and so soluble with stewd prunes; and then sipping of sack is a great matter to fatten ’em.  But they are as good people as a man shall keepe company withall, and bring up the young gentlewomen so vertuously.  I came into one of their houses tother day for a carreere, and I found the baud sick upon her death bed, very religious and much given to repentance for those poore sins she had comitted.  When she had taken order for her soule, she told me the young gentlewoman I look’d for was in the next roome; and desiring her upon her blessing to give me content, she turnes herselfe to the wall and gives up the ghost very privatly, because she was loth to trouble us.

Un.  By your relation theis appeare to be very good people.  What if we went to visit one of these Matrons?  I have a great mind—­

Cap.  Wy, now you speake like an understanding soldier, and one that may come to something in the end.  Lett us therefore march on.

Un.  March on to Venus Warres.

Cap.  For you know, Thomas, that the Spider and the Bee, the Spider and the Bee, do both—­something, but in troth I have forgott what tis.

Un.  Tis no matter what; let us goe.