hood,—if I love. And how can that be true love
which is falsely attempted? Love is a familiar; 180
Love is a devil: there is no evil angel but Love.
Yet was Samson so tempted, and he had an
excellent strength; yet was Solomon so seduced,
and he had a very good wit. Cupid's butt-shaft 184
is too hard for Hercules' club, and therefore too
much odds for a Spaniard's rapier. The first
and second cause will not serve my turn; the
passado he respects not, the duello he regards 188
not: his disgrace is to be called boy, but his
glory is to subdue men. Adieu, valour! rust,
rapier! be still, drum! for your manager is in
love; yea, he loveth. Assist me some extemporal 192
god of rime, for I am sure I shall turn sonnet.
Devise, wit; write, pen; for I am for whole
volumes in folio. Exit.
180 familiar: familiar spirit, i.e. demon
184 butt-shaft: arrow, without barb, for shooting at butts (targets)
187 cause: cause of quarrel
188 passado: pass, or thrust, in fencing
duello: duel
191 manager: wielder of weapons
193 turn sonnet: grow into a sonnet (?), turn sonneteer (?)
