untill his sonne attain'de
To riper years to weld [_sic_] and governe them.
Then openly thou canst not do him wrong,
He living: theres the burthen of the song.
Call it a burthen, for it seemes so great
And heavie burthen, that the boy should live
And thrust me from this height of happinesse,
That I will not indure so heavie waight,
But shake it off, and live at libertie,
Free from the yoake of such subjection.
The boy shall dye, were he my fathers sonne,
Before ile part with my possession.
Ile call my sonne, and aske his good advice,
How I may best dispatch this serious cause.--
Hoe, sir, _Allenso_!

_Alle_. Father.

_Fall_. Hearken, sonne.
I must intreate your furtherance and advise
About a thing that doth concerne us neere.
First tell me how thou doost affect in heart
Little _Pertillo_, thy dead Unckles sonne.

_Allen_. So well, good father, that I cannot tell,
Whether I love him dearer then my selfe;
And yet if that my heart were calde to count,
I thinke it would surrender me to death,
Ere young _Pertillo_ should sustain a wrong.

_Fall_. How got his safetie such a deepe regarde
Within your heart, that you affect it so?

_Allen_. Nature gave roote; love, and the dying charge,
Of his dead father, gives such store of sap
Unto this tree of my affection
That it will never wither till I dye.

_Fall_. But nature, love, and reason, tells thee thus,
Thy selfe must yet be neerest to thyselfe.

_Allen_. His love dooth not estrange me from my selfe,
But doth confirme my strength with multitudes
Of benefits his love will yeelde to me.

_Fall_. Beware to foster such pernicious snakes
Within thy bosome, which will poyson thee.

_Allen_. He is a Dove, a childe, an innocent,
And cannot poyson, father, though he would.

_Fall_. I will be plainer: know, _Pertillos_ life,
Which thou doost call a dove, an innocent,
A harmlesse childe, and, and I know not what,
Will harm thee more, than any Serpent can,
I, then the very sight of Basiliskes.

_Allen_. Father you tell me of a strange discourse.
How can his life produce such detriment,
As Basiliskes, whose only sight is death?

_Fall_. Hearken to me, and I will tell thee how;
Thou knowst his fathers goods, his houses, lands,
Have much advaunc'd our reputation,
In having but their usage for a time.
If the boy live, then like to sencelesse beasts,
Like longd-eard Asses and riche-laden Mules,
We must resign these treasures to a boye,
And we like Asses fe