I killed a man, whose death I much repent; 1st Out. Why, ne'er repent it, if it were done so: But were you banished for so small a fault? Val. I was, and held me glad of such a doom. 1st Out. Have you the tongues? l'al. My youthful travel therein made me happy; Or else I often had been miserable. 3rd Out. By the bare scalp of Robin Hood's fat friar, This fellow were a king for our wild faction. 1st Out. We'll have him; sirs, a word. It is an honourable kind of thievery. 2nd Out. Tell us this: Have you anything to take to? Val. Nothing, but my fortune. 3rd Out. Know then, that some of us are gen tlemen, Such as the fury of ungoverned youth 2nd Out. And I from Mantua, for a gentleman, Whom, in my mood, I stabbed unto the heart. 1st Out. And I, for such like petty crimes as these. But to the purpose, for we cite our faults, 2nd Out. Indeed, because you are a banished man, Therefore, above the rest, we parley to you: Are you content to be our general? To make a virtue of necessity, 3rd Out. What say'st thou? wilt thou be of our consórt? Say, ay, and be the captain of us all : We'll do thee homage, and be ruled by thee, Love thee as our commander, and our king. 1st Out. But if thou scorn our courtesy, thou diest. 2nd Out. Thou shalt not live to brag what we have offered. Val. I take your offer, and will live with you; Provided that you do no outrages On silly women, or poor passengers. 3rd Out. No, we detest such vile base practices. Come, go with us, we 'll bring thee to our crews, And shew thee all the treasures we have got; Which, with ourselves, all rest at thy dispose. Pro. Already have I been false to Valentine, And now I must be as unjust to Thurio. Under the colour of commending him, I have access my own love to prefer; But Silvia is too fair, too true, too holy, To be corrupted with my worthless gifts. When I protest true loyalty to her, She twits me with my falsehood to my friend; When to her beauty I commend my vows, She bids me think, how I have been forsworn In breaking faith with Julia whom I loved : And, notwithstanding all her sudden quips, The least whereof would quell a lover's hope, Yet, spaniel-like, the more she spurns my love, The more it grows, and fawneth on her still. But here comes Thurio: now must we to her window, And give some evening music to her ear. Enter THURIO and Musicians. Thu. How now, Sir Proteus? are you crept before us? Pro. Ay, gentle Thurio; for you know that love Will creep in service where it cannot go. Thu. Ay, but I hope, sir, that you love not here. Pro. Sir, but I do; or else I would be hence. Thu. Whom? Silvia? Pro. Ay, Silvia,-for your sake. Thu. I thank you for your own. Now, gentlemen, Let's tune, and to it lustily awhile. Enter Host, at a distance; and JULIA, in boy's clothes. Host. Now, my young guest! methinks you're allycholly: I pray you, why is it? Who is Silvia? what is she, That all our swains commend her? Holy, fair, and wise is she, The heavens such grace did lend her, That she might admired be. Is she kind, as she is fair? For beauty lives with kindness: To help him of his blindness; Host. How now? are you sadder than you were before? How do you, man? the music likes you not. Jul. He plays false, father. Host. How? out of tune on the strings? Jul. Not so; but yet so false that he grieves my very heart-strings. Host. You have a quick ear. Jul. Ay, I would I were deaf! it makes me have a slow heart. Host. I perceive you delight not in music. Host. Hark, what fine change is in the music! Host. You would have them always play but one thing? Jul. I would always have one play but one thing. But, host, doth this Sir Proteus, that we talk on, often resort unto this gentlewoman? Host. I tell you what Launce, his man, told me ; he loved her out of all nick. Jul. Where is Launce? Host. Gone to seek his dog; which, to-morrow, by his master's command, he must carry for a present to his lady. Jul. Peace! stand aside! the company parts. Pro. Sir Thurio, fear not you! I will so plead, That you shall say, my cunning drift excels. Thu. Where meet we? Pro. At Saint Gregory's well. Thu. Farewell. [Exeunt THURIO and Musicians. SILVIA appears above, at her window. Pro. Madam, good even to your ladyship. Sil. I thank you for your music, gentlemen: Who is that, that spake? Pro. One, lady, if you knew his pure heart's truth, You'd quickly learn to know him by his voice. Pro. That I may compass yours. Sil. You have your wish; my will is even this,— That hast deceived so many with thy vows? Jul. 'T were false, if I should speak it; [Aside. Sil. Say that she be; yet Valentine, thy friend, Survives; to whom, thyself art witness, I am betrothed: And art thou not ashamed To wrong him with thy importúnacy? Pro. I likewise hear that Valentine is dead. Sil. And so suppose am I; for in his grave Assure thyself my love is buried. [Aside. Pro. Sweet lady, let me rake it from the earth. Sil. Go to thy lady's grave, and call her's thence; Or, at the least, in her's sepulchre thine. Jul. He heard not that. Pro. Madam, if your heart be so obdúrate, Vouchsafe me yet your picture for my love, The picture that is hanging in your chamber; To that I'll speak, to that I'll sigh and weep: For, since the substance of your perfect self Is else devoted, I am but a shadow; And to your shadow I will make true love. Jul. If 't were a substance, you would sure deceive it, And make it but a shadow, as I am. [Aside. Sil. I am very loth to be your idol, sir; Egl. As many, worthy lady, to yourself. I am thus early come, to know what service Sil. O, Eglamour, thou art a gentleman! plagues. SCENE IV.-The same. Enter LAUNCE, with his Dog. Laun. When a man's servant shall play the cur with him, look you, it goes hard: one that I brought up of a puppy; one that I saved from drowning, when three or four of his blind brothers and sisters went to it! I have taught him-even as one would say precisely, "Thus I would teach a dog." I was sent to deliver him, as a present to Mistress Silvia, from my master; and I came no sooner into the dining-chamber, but he steps me to her trencher, and steals her capon's leg. O, 't is a foul thing, when a cur cannot keep himself in all companies! I would have, as one should say, one that takes upon him to be a dog indeed, to be, as it were, a dog at all things. If I had not had more wit than he, to take a fault upon me that he did, I think verily he had been hanged for 't; sure as I live he had suffered for 't: you shall judge. He thrusts me himself into the company of three or four gentlemanlike dogs, under the Duke's table he had not been there (bless the mark!) a pissing while, but all the chamber smelt him. "Out with the dog," says one; "What cur is 66 that?" says another; "Whip him out," says the third; "Hang him up," says the Duke. I, having been acquainted with the smell before, knew it was Crab; and goes me to the fellow that whips the dogs: "Friend," quoth I, "you mean to whip the dog?" Ay, marry do I," quoth he. "You do him the more wrong," quoth I; "'t was I did the thing you wot of." He makes me no more ado, but whips me out of the chamber. How many masters would do this for their servant? Nay, I'll be sworn, I have sat in the stocks for puddings he hath stolen, otherwise he had been executed: I have stood on the pillory for geese he hath killed, otherwise he had suffered for 't: thou think'st not of this now!--Nay, I remember the trick you served me, when I took my leave of Madam Silvia; did not I bid thee still mark me, and do as I do? When didst thou see me heave up my leg, and make water against a gentlewoman's farthingale? Didst thou ever see me do such a trick? Enter PROTEUS and JULIA. Pro. Sebastian is thy name? I like thee well, And will employ thee in some service presently. Jul. In what you please;--I will do what I can. Pro. I hope thou wilt.-How now, you whoreson peasant? [TO LAUNCE. Where have you been these two days loitering? Laun. Marry, sir, I carried Mistress Silvia the dog you bade me. Pro. And what says she to my little jewel? Laun. Marry, she says, your dog was a cur; and tells you, currish thanks is good enough for such a present. Pro. But she received my dog? Laun. No, indeed, she did not here have I brought him back again. Pro. What, didst thou offer her this from me? Laun. Ay, sir; the other squirrel was stolen from me by the hangman's boys in the marketplace and then I offered her mine own; who is a dog as big as ten of yours, and therefore the gift the greater. Pro. Go, get thee hence, and find my dog again, Sebastian, I have entertainéd thee, Go presently, and take this ring with thee, She loved me well delivered it to me. Jul. It seems you loved her not, to leave her token; She's dead, belike. Pro. Not so; I think she lives. Pro. Why dost thou cry, alas? Jul. I cannot choose but pity her. Pro. Wherefore shouldst thou pity her? Jul. Because methinks that she loved you as well As you do love your lady Silvia : She dreams on him that has forgot her love; You dote on her that cares not for your love. 'Tis pity love should be so contrary; And thinking on it makes me cry, alas! Pro. Well, give her that ring, and therewithal This letter; that's her chamber.-Tell my lady, I claim the promise for her heavenly picture. Your message done, hie home unto my chamber, Where thou shalt find me sad and solitary. [Exit PROTEUS. Jul. How many women would do such a message? Alas, poor Enter SILVIA, attended. Gentlewoman, good day! I pray you, be my mean Jul. From my master, Sir Proteus, madam. Sil. Ursula, bring my picture there. [Picture brought. Go, give your master this: tell him from me, One Julia, that his changing thoughts forget, Would better fit his chamber than this shadow. |