me
children, and carrying on the work for public benefit.

_Luc._ Then you would put off heaven with your leavings, and use it
like them, who play at cards alone; take the courts for yourselves,
and give the refuse to the gentlemen.

_Fred._ You mistake me, madam; I would so contrive it, that heaven and
we might be served at once. We have occasion for wit and beauty; now
piety and ugliness will do as well for heaven: that plays at one game,
and we at another; and therefore heaven may make its hand with the
same cards that we put out.

_Luc._ I could easily convince you, if the argument concerned me; hut
I am one of those, whom, for want of wit and beauty, you have
condemned to religion; and therefore am your humble servant, to pray
for your handsome wife and children.

_Fred._ Heaven forbid, madam, that I should condemn you, or indeed any
handsome woman, to be religious! No, madam; the occasions of the world
are great and urgent for such as you; and, for my part, I am of
opinion, that it is as great a sin for a beauty to enter into a
nunnery, as for an ugly woman to stay out of it.

_Luc._ The cares of the world are not yet upon you; but as soon as
ever you come to be afflicted with sickness, or visited with a wife,
you'll be content I should pray for you.

_Fred._ Any where rather than in a cloyster; for, truly, I suppose,
all your prayers there will be how to get out of it; and, upon that
supposition, madam, I am come to offer you my service for your
redemption. Come, faith, be persuaded, the church shall lose nothing
by it: I'll take you out, and put in two or three crooked apostles in
your place. [_Bell rings within._

_Luc._ Hark, the bell rings; I must leave you: 'tis a summons to our
devotion.

_Fred._ Will you leave me for your prayers, madam? You may have enough
of them at any time, but remember you cannot have a man so easily.

_Luc._ Well, I'll say my beads for you, and that's but charity; for I
believe I leave you in a most deplorable condition. [_Exeunt Women._

_Fred._ Not deplorable neither, but a little altered: If I could be in
love, as I am sure I cannot, it should be with her, for I like her
conversation strangely.

_Asca._ Then, as young as I am, sir, I am beforehand with you; for I
am in love already. I would fain make the first proof of my manhood
upon a nun: I find I have a mighty grudging to holy flesh.

_Fred._ I'll ply Lucretia again, as soo