For what I will, I will, and there an end. Pro. My lord, I cannot be so soon provided; [thee: Ant. Look, what thou want'st, shall be sent after And drench'd me in the sea, where I am drown'd: Lest he should take exceptions to my love; The uncertain glory of an April day; Pan. Sir Proteus, your father calls for you; Pro. Why, this it is! my heart accords thereto; And yet a thousand times it answers no. [Exeunt. ACT. II. Val. Hast thou observed that? even she I mean. Val Dost thou know her by my gazing on her, Speed. Is she not hard-favoured, sir? [favoured. Speed. That's because the one is painted, and Val. How painted? and how out of count? Val. I have loved her ever since I saw her; and Speed. If you love her, you cannot see her. Speed. Because love is blind. O, that you had Val. What should I see then? Speed. Your own present folly, and her passing deformity for he, being in love, could not see to SCENE I.-Milan. An Apartment in the Duke's garter his hose; and you, being in love, cannot Palace. Enter VALENTINE and SPEED. Speed. Sir, your glove. [but one. Val. Not mine; my gloves are on. Speed. Madam Silvia! madam Silvia! Speed. She is not within hearing, sir. Val. Are all these things perceived in me? Speed. Without you; nay, that's certain, for, without you were so simple, none else would; but you are so without these follies, that these follies are within you, and shine through you like the water in an urinal; that not an eye, that sees you, but is a physician to comment on your malady. Val. But tell me, dost thou know my lady Silvia? Speed. She, that you gaze on so, as she sits at supper? see to put on your hose. Val. Belike, boy, then you are in love; for last Speed. True, sir, I was in love with my bed: I Val. In conclusion, I stand affected to her. Val. I have. Speed. Are they not lamely writ? Val. No, boy, but as well as I can do them;— Peace, here she comes. Enter SILVIA. Speed. O excellent motion! O exceeding puppet! now will he interpret to her. (Aside.) [morrows. Val. Madam and mistress, a thousand goodSpeed. O, 'give you good even! here's a million of manners. (A side.) Sil. Sir Valentine and servant, to you two thousand. [it him. (Aside.) Speed. He should give her interest, and she gives Val. As you enjoin'd me, I have writ your letter, Unto the secret nameless friend of yours; Which I was much unwilling to proceed in, But for my duty to your ladyship. [done. Sil. I thank you, gentle servant: 'tis very clerkly [pains? Sil. Perchance you think too much of so much Val. No, madam; so it stead you, I will write, Please you command, a thousand times as much : And yet, Sil. A pretty period! Well, I guess the sequel; Val. What means your ladyship? do you not Val. Madam, they are for you. Sil. Ay, ay; you writ them, sir, at my request; But I will none of them; they are for you: I would have had them writ more movingly. Val. Please you, I'll write your ladyship another. Sil. And when its writ, for my sake read it over: And if it please you, so; if not, why, so. Val. If it please me, madam! what then? Sul. Why, if it please you, take it for your labour. And so good-morrow, servant. [Exit Silvia. Speed. O jest unseen, inscrutable, invisible, As a nose on a man's face, or a weathercock on a steeple! [suitor, My master sues to her; and she hath taught her He being her pupil, to become her tutor. O excellent device! was there ever heard a better? That my master, being scribe, to himself should write the letter? Val. How now, sir? what, are you reasoning with yourself? Speed. Nay, I was rhyming; 'tis you that have the reason. Val. To do what? Speed. To be a spokesman from madam Silvia. Speed. By a letter, I should say. Speed. What needs she, when she hath made you write to yourself? Why, do you not perceive the jest? Val. No, believe me. Speed. No believing you indeed, sir; but did you perceive her earnest? Val. She gave me none, except an angry word. Enter PANTHINO. Pan. Sir Proteus, you are staid for. Pro. Go; I come, I come : Alas! this parting strikes poor lovers dumb. [Exeunt. SCENE III.-The same. A Street. Enter LAUNCE, leading a dog. Laun. Nay, 'twill be this hour ere I have done weeping; all the kind of the Launces have this very fault: I have received my proportion, like the prodigious son, and am going with Sir Proteus to the Imperial's court. I think, Crab my dog be the sourest-natured dog that lives: my mother weeping, my father wailing, my sister crying, our maid howling, our cat wringing her hands, and all our house in a great perplexity, yet did not this cruel-hearted cur shed one tear; he is a stone, a very pebble-stone, and has no more pity in him than a dog: a Jew would have wept to have seen our parting; why, my grandam having no eyes, look you, wept herself blind at my parting. Nay, I'll show you the manner of it: This shoe is my father;-no, this left shoe is my father;-no, no, this left shoe is my mother;-nay, that cannot be so neither;-yes, it is so, it is so; it hath the worser sole: This shoe, with the hole in it, is my mother, and this my father; a vengence on't! there 'tis: now, sir, this staff is my sister; for, look you, she is as white as a lily, and as small as a wand: this hat is Nan, our maid; I am the dog-no, the dog is himself, and I am the dog,--O, the dog is me, and I am myself; ay, so, so. Now come I to my father; Father, your blessing; now should not the shoe speak a word for weeping; now should I kiss my father; well, he weeps on:-now come I to my mother, (O, that she could speak now!) like a good woman; Speed. And that letter hath she deliver'd, and well, I kiss her;-why, there 'tis; here's my there an end. SCENE IL-Verona. A Room in Julia's House. Enter PROTEUS and JULIA, Pro. Have patience, gentle Julia. Jul. I must, where is no remedy. Pro. When possibly I can, I will return. Jul. If you turn not, you will return the sooner: Keep this remembrance for thy Julia's sake. (Giving a ring.) Pro. Why then we'll make exchange; here, take you this. Jal. And seal the bargain with a holy kiss. Pro. Here is my hand for my true constancy; And when that hour o'er-slips me in the day, Wherein I sigh not, Julia, for thy sake, The next ensuing hour some foul mischance Torment me for my love's forgetfulness! My father stays my coming; answer not; The tide is now: nay, not the tide of tears; That tide will stay me longer than I should; [Exit Julia. Julia, farewell.-What! gone without a word? Ay, so true love should do: it cannot speak; For truth hath better deeds, than words, to grace it. mother's breath up and down; now come I to my sister; mark the moan she makes: now, the dog all this while sheds not a tear, nor speaks a word; but see how I lay the dust with my tears. Enter PANTHINO. Pan. Launce, away, away, aboard; thy master is shipped, and thou art to post after with oars. What's the matter? why weep'st thou, man? Away, ass; you will lose the tide, if you tarry any longer. Laun. It is no matter if the ty'd were lost; for it is the unkindest ty'd that ever any man ty'd. Pan. What's the unkindest tide? Laun. Why, he that's ty'd here; Crab, my dog. Pan. Tut, man, I mean thou'lt lose the flood: and, in losing the flood, lose thy voyage; and, in losing thy voyage, lose thy master, and, in losing thy master, lose thy service; and, in losing thy service,-Why dost thou stop my mouth? Laun. For fear thou should'st lose thy tongue. Pan. In thy tail? Laun. Lose the tide, and the voyage, and the master, and the service? The tide!-Why, man, if the river were dry, I am able to fill it with my tears; if the wind were down, I could drive the boat with my sighs. [call thee. Pan. Come, come away, man; I was sent to Laun. Sir, call me what thou darest. Pan. Wilt thou go? Laun. Well, I will go. [Exeunt. 1 1 Thu. That hath more mind to feed on your blood, than live in your air. Val. You have said, sir. Thu. Ay, sir, and done too, for this time. Val. I know it well, sir; you always end ere you begin. Sil. A fine volley of words, gentlemen, and quickly shot off. Val. "Tis indeed, madam; we thank the giver. Val. Yourself, sweet lady; for you gave the fire: sir Thurio borrows his wit from your ladyship's looks, and spends what he borrows, kindly in your Val. My lord, I will be thankful Duke. Hath he not a son? Val. Ay, my good lord; a son, that well deserves The honour and regard of such a father. Duke. You know him well? Val. I knew him, as myself; for from our infancy To clothe mine age with angel-like perfection; Duke. Welcome him then according to his worth; Sil. Belike, that now she hath enfranchis'd them How could he see his way to seek out you? Sil. Have done, have done; here comes the gen- Confirm his welcome with some special favour. Sil. His worth is warrant for his welcome hither, Sil. Too low a mistress for so high a servant. No; that you are worthless. Ser. Madam, my lord your father would speak Sil. I'll wait upon his pleasure. [Exit Servant. Pro. My tales of love were wont to weary you; Val. Ay, Proteus, but that life is alter'd now: Duke. Beshrew me, sir, but, if he make this good, Upon the very naked name of love. He is as worthy for an empress' love, Val. Should I have wish'd a thing, it had been he. [row. Pro. Enough; I read your fortune in your eye: Val. Even she; and is she not a heavenly saint? Pro. SCENE 6.] TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA. Pro. When I was sick, you gave me bitter pills; And I must minister the like to you. Val. Then speak the truth by her; if not divine, Sovereign to all the creatures on the earth. Val. Sweet, except not any; Pro. Why, Valentine, what braggardism is this? Pro. Then let her alone. [own; Val. Not for the world: why, man, she is mine Is Ay, we are betroth'd: Pro. I will.— Even as one heat another heat expels, [Exit Val. Or as one nail by strength drives out another, SCENE V-The same. A Street. Speed. Come on, you mad-cap, I'll to the alehouse with you presently; where, for one shot of five-pence, thou shalt have five thousand welcomes. But, sirrah, how did thy master part with madam Julia? Laun. Marry, after they closed in earnest, they parted very fairly in jest. Speed. But shall she marry him? Laun. No. Speed. How then? shall he marry her? Speed. What, are they broken? Laun. No, they are both as whole as a fish. Laun. Marry, thus; when it stands well with Laun. Ay, and what I do, too: look thee, I'll Speed. It stands under thee, indeed. say, no, it will. Speed. The conclusion is then, that it will. Laun. Thou shalt never get such a secret from me, but by a parable. Speed. 'Tis well that I get it so. But, Launce, how say'st thou, that my master is become a notable lover? Laun. I never knew him otherwise. Laun. A notable lubber, as thou reportest him [me. to be. Speed. Why, thou whoreson ass, thou mistakest Laun. Why fool, I meant not thee, I meant thy master. Speed. I tell thee, my master is become a hot lover. Laun. Why, I tell thee, I care not though he burn himself in love. If thou wilt go with me to the ale-house, so; if not, thou art an Hebrew, a Jew, and not worth the name of a Christian. Speed. Why? Laun. Because thou hast not so much charity in thee, as to go to the ale with a Christian: Wilt thou go? Speed. At thy service. [Exeunt, SCENE VI.-The same. An Apartment in the Palace. Pro. To leave my Julia, shall I be forsworn; Love bade me swear, and love bids me forswear: Enter SPEED and LAUNCE. Speed. Launce! by mine honesty, welcome to Milan. Laun. Forswear not thyself, sweet youth; for I am not welcome. I reckon this always-that a man is never undone, till he be hanged; nor welcome to a place, till some certain shot be paid, and the hostess say, welcome. And Silvia, witness heaven, that made her fair! will forget that Julia is alive, Jul. Counsel, Lucetta; gentle girl, assist me! And, even, in kind love, I do conjure thee,Who art the table wherein all my thoughts Are visibly character'd and engrav'd, To lesson me; and tell me some good mean, How, with my honour, I may undertake A journey to my loving Proteus. Luc. Alas! the way is wearisome and long. Jul. A true-devoted pilgrim is not weary To measure kingdoms with his feeble steps; Much less shall she, that hath love's wings, to fly; And when the flight is made to one so dear, Of such divine perfection, as sir Proteus. [food? Luc. Better forbear, till Proteus make return. Jul. O, know'st thou not, his looks are my soul's Pity the dearth that I have pined in, By longing for that food so long a time. Didst thou but know the inly touch of love, Thou would'st as soon go kindle fire with snow, As seek to quench the fire of love with words. Luc. I do not seek to quench your love's hot fire; But qualify the fire's extreme rage, Lest it should burn above the bounds of reason. Jul. The more thou dam'st it up, the more it burns; The current, that with gentle murmur glides, Thou know'st, being stopp'd, impatiently doth rage; But, when his fair course is not hindered, He makes sweet music with the enamel'd stones, Giving a gentle kiss to every sedge He overtaketh in his pilgrimage; And so by many winding nooks he strays, With willing sport, to the wild ocean. Then let me go, and hinder not my course: I'll be as patient as a gentle stream, And make a pastime of each weary step, Till the last step have brought me to my love; And there I'll rest, as, after much turmoil, A blessed soul doth in Elysium. Luc. But in what habit will you go along? Jul. Not like a woman; for I would prevent The loose encounters of lascivious men: Gentle Lucetta, fit me with such weeds As may beseem some well-reputed page. Luc. Why then, your ladyship must cut your hair. Jul. No, girl; I'll knit it up in silken strings, With twenty odd-conceited frue-love knots: To be fantastic, may become a youth Of greater time than I shall show to be. [breeches? Luc. What fashion, madam, shall I make your Jul. That fits as well, as-" tell me, good my lord, "What compass will you wear your farthingale?" Why, even that fashion thou best lik'st, Lucetta. Luc. You must needs have them with a cod-piece, madam. Jul. Out, out, Lucetta! that will be ill-favour'd. Laic. A round hose, madam, now's not worth a pin, Unless you have a cod-piece to stick pins on. Jul. Lucetta, as thou lov'st me, let me have What thou think'st meet, and is most mannerly: But tell me, wench, how will the world repute me, For undertaking so unstaid a journey? I fear me, it will make me scandaliz'd. Luc. If you think so, then stay at home, and go not. Jul. Nay, that I will not. Luc. Then never dream on infamy, but go. If Proteus like your journey, when you come, No matter who's displeas'd, when you are gone: I fear me he will scarce be pleas'd withal." Jul. That is the least, Lucetta, of my fear: A thousand oaths, an ocean of his tears, And instances as infinite of love, Warrant me welcome to my Proteus. Luc. All these are servants to deceitful men. Jul. Base men, that use them to so base effect! But truer stars did govern Proteus' birth: His words are bonds, his oaths are oracles; His love sincere, his thoughts immaculate; His tears, pure messengers sent from his heart; His heart as far from fraud, as heaven from earth. Luc. Pray heaven, he prove so, when you come to him! Jul. Now, as thou lov'st me, do him not that To bear a hard opinion of his truth; [wrong, Only deserve my love, by loving him ; And presently go with me to my chamber, To take a note of what I stand in need of, To furnish me upon my longing journey. All that is mine I leave at thy dispose, My goods, my lands, my reputation; Only, in lieu thereof, despatch me hence: Come, answer not, but to it presently; I am impatient of my tarriance. ACT III. [Exeunt. Enter DUKE, THURIO, and PROTEUS. Duke. Sir Thurio, give us leave, I pray, awhile; We have some secrets to confer about. [Exit Thurio. Now tell me, Proteus, what's your will with me? Pro. My gracious lord, that which I would disThe law of friendship bids me to conceal: [cover, But, when I call to mind your gracious favours Done to me, undeserving as I am, My duty pricks me on to utter that, Which else no worldly good should draw from me. I know, you have determin'd to bestow her A pack of sorrows, which would press you down, Duke. Proteus, I thank thee for thine honest care; Which to requite, command me while I live, This love of theirs myself have often seen, Haply, when they have judged me fast asleep; And oftentimes have purpos'd to forbid Sir Valentine her company, and my court: But, fearing lest my jealous aim might err, And so, unworthily, disgrace the man, (A rasliness that I ever yet have shunn'd,) I gave him gentle looks; thereby to find That, which thyself hast now disclos'd to me. And, that thou may'st perceive my fear of this, Knowing that tender youth is soon suggested, I nightly lodge her in an upper tower, The key whereof myself have ever kept; And thence she cannot be convey'd away. Pro. Know, noble lord, they have devis'd a mean |