Duke. Thou know'st, how willingly I would Upon this warrant shall you have access, effect

Where you with Silvia may confer at large; The match between Sir Thurio and my daughter. For she is lumpish, heavy, melancholy, Pro. I do, my lord.

And, for your friend's sake, will be glad of you; Duke. And also, I think, thou art not ignorant Where you may temper her, by your persuasion, How she opposes her against my will.

To hate young Valentine, and love my friend. Pro. She did, my lord, when Valentine was here. Pro. As much as I can do, I will effect :

Duke. Ay, and perversely she persévers so. But you, Sir Thurio, are not sharp enough; What might we do, to make the girl forget You must lay line to tangle her desires, The love of Valentine, and love Sir Thurio ? By wailful sonnets, whose composéd rhymes

Pro. The best way is, to slander Valentine Should be full fraught with serviceable vows. With falsehood, cowardice, and poor descent; Duke. Ay, much is the force of heaven-bred Three things that women highly hold in hate. I poesy.

Duke. Ay, but she 'll think that it is spoke in hate. Pro. Say, that upon the altar of her beauty Pro. Ay, if his enemy deliver it :

You sacrifice your tears, your sighs, your heart ; Therefore it must, with circumstance, be spoken Write till your ink be dry; and with your tears By one whom she esteemeth as his friend. Moist it again; and frame some feeling line,

Duke. Then you must undertake to slander him. That may discover such integrity :

Pro. And that, my lord, I shall be loth to do : For Orpheus lute ‘was strung with poets' sinews; 'T is an ill-office for a gentleman;

Whose golden touch could soften steel and stones, Especially against his very friend.

Make tigers tame, and huge leviathans Duke. Where your good word cannot advantage Forsake unsounded deeps to dance on sands. him,

After your dire lamenting elegies, Your slander never can endamage him;

Visit by night your lady's chamber-window Therefore the office is indifferent,

With some sweet concert: to their instruments Being entreated to it by your friend.

Tune a deploring dump; the night's dead silence Pro. You have prevailed, my lord : if I can do it, Will well become such sweet complaining grievance. By aught that I can speak in his dispraise, This, or else nothing, will inherit her. She shall not long continue love to him.

Duke. This discipline shews thou hast been in But say this weed her love from Valentine,

love. It follows not that she will love Sir Thurio.

Thu. And thy advice this night I'll put in Thu. Therefore, as you unwind her love from

practice : him,

Therefore, sweet Proteus, my direction-giver, Lest it should ravel, and be good to none, Let us into the city presently, You must provide to bottom it on me :

To sort some gentlemen well-skilled in music : Which must be done by praising me as much

I have a sonnet that will serve the turn,
As you in worth dispraise Sir Valentine. To give the onset to thy good advice.
Duke. And, Proteus, we dare trust you in this | Duke. About it, gentlemen.
kind

Pro. We 'll wait upon your grace till after supper.
Because we know, on Valentine's report, And afterward determine our proceedings.
You are already love's firm votary,

Duke. Even now about it; I will pardon you. And cannot soon revolt and change your mind. I

[Exeunt.

SCENE I. — A Forest, near Mantua. | But yet I slew him manfully in fight,

Without false vantage, or base treachery.
Enter certain Outlaws.

1st Out. Why, ne'er repent it, if it were done 1st Out. Fellows, stand fast; I see a passenger.

so:

with 'em.

Val. I was, and held me glad of such a doom.

1st Out. Have you the tongues ? Enter VALENTINE and SPEED.

Val. My youthful travel therein made me

happy;
3rd Out. Stand, sir, and throw us that you have or else I often had been miserable,
about you;

| 3rd Out. By the bare scalp of Robin Hood's fat If not, we'll make you sir, and rifle you.

friar, Speed. Sir, we are undone! these are the vil. This fellow were a king for our wild faction. lains

1st Out. We'll have him ; sirs, a word. That all the travelers do fear so much.

Speed. Master, be one of them;
Val. My friends,-

It is an honorable kind of thievery.
1st Out. That's not so, sir; we are your ene Val. Peace, villain !
mies.

2nd Out. Tell us this: Have you any thing to 2nd Out. Peace; we'll hear him.

take to? 3rd Out. Ay, by my beard, will we;

Val. Nothing, but my fortune. For he's a proper man.

3rd Out. Know, then, that some of us are genVal. Then know, that I have little wealth to

tlemen, lose;

Such as the fury of ungoverned youth A man I am crossed with adversity;

Thrust from the company of awful men:
My riches are these poor habiliments,

Myself was from Verona banished
Of which if you should here disfurnish me, For practicing to steal away a lady,
You take the sum and substance that I have. An heir, and near allied unto the duke.
2nd Out. Whither travel you?

2nd Out. And I from Mantua, for a gentleman, Val. To Verona.

Whom, in my mood, I stabbed unto the heart. 1st Out. Whence came you?

1st Out. And I, for such like petty crimes as Val. From Milan.

these.
3rd Out. Have you long sojourned there? But to the purpose, — for we cite our faults,
Val. Some sixteen months; and longer might That they may hold excused our lawless lives;
have stayed,

And, partly, seeing you are beautified
If crooked fortune had not thwarted me. With goodly shape; and by your own report

1st Out. What, were you banished thence ? A linguist; and a man of such perfection,
Val. I was.

As we do in our quality much want;-
2nd Out. For what offense ?

2nd Out. Indeed, because you are a banished Val. For that which now torments me to re

man, hearse :

Therefore, above the rest, we parley to you: I killed a man, whose death I much repent; | Are you content to be our general ?

61

ACT IV.

TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA.

SCENE II.

To make a virtue of necessity,

Thu Ay, but I hope, sir, that you love not And live, as we do, in this wilderness ?

here. - 3rd Out. What say'st thou? wilt thou be of our Pro. Sir, but I do; or else I would be hence. consórt ?

Thu. Whom? Silvia ? Say, ay, and be the captain of us all :

Pro. Ay, Silvia, — for your sake. We'll do thee homage, and be ruled by thee, Thu. I thank you for your own. Now, gentleLove thee as our commander, and our king.

men, 1st Out. But if thou scorn our courtesy, thou Let's tune, and to it lustily awhile.

diest. 2nd Out. Thou shalt not live to brag what we

Enter Host, at a distance; and Julia, in boy's

clothes. have offered. Val. I take your offer, and will live with you; Host. Now, my young guest ! methinks you 're Provided that you do no outrages

allycholly: I pray you, why is it? On silly women, or poor passengers.

Jul. Marry, mine host, because I cannot be 3rd Out. No, we detest such vile base practices. merry Come, go with us, we 'll bring the to our crews, Host. Come, we'll have you merry; I'll bring And shew thee all the treasures we have got; you where you shall hear music, and see the genWhich, with ourselves, all rest at thy dispose. tleman that you asked for.

[Exeunt. Jul. But shall I hear him speak ?

Host. Ay, that you shall.

Jul. That will be music. [Music plays. SCENE II. — Milan. Court of the Palace. Host. Hark! hark !

Jul. Is he among these ?
Enter PROTEUS.

Host. Ay; but peace, let's hear 'em.
Pro. Already have I been false to Valentine,
And now I must be as unjust to Thurio.

SONG.
Under the color of commending him,

Who is Silvia? what is she, I have access my own love to prefer;

That all our swains commend her? But Silvia is too fair, too true, too holy,

Holy, fair, and wise is she, To be corrupted with my worthless gifts.

The heavens such grace did lend her,

That she might admired be.
When I protest true loyalty to her,
She twits me with my falsehood to my friend;

Is she kind, as she is fair ?
When to her beauty I commend my vows,

For beauty lives with kindness : She bids me think, how I have been forsworn

Love doth to her eyes repair, In breaking faith with Julia whom I loved :

To help him of his blindness ;

And, being helped, inhabits there.
And, notwithstanding all her sudden quips,
The least whereof would quell a lover's hope,

Then to Silvia let us sing,
Yet, spaniel-like, the more she spurns my love,

That Silvia is excelling; The more it grows, and fawneth on her still.

She excels each mortal thing But here comes Thurio : now must we to her win

Upon the dull earth dwelling:

To her let us garlands bring. dow, And give some evening music to her ear.

Host. How now? are you sadder than you were

before? Enter THURIO and Musicians.

How do you, man? the music likes you not. Thu. How now, Sir Proteus ? are you crept be Jul. You mistake; the musician likes me not. fore us?

Host. Why, my pretty youth ? Pro. Ay, gentle Thurio; for you know that love Jul. He plays false, father. Will creep in service where it cannot go.

Host. How? out of tune on the strings ?

Jul. Not so; but yet so false that he grieves my For me, — by this pale queen of night I swear, very heart-strings.

I am so far from granting thy request,
Host. You have a quick ear.

That I despise thee for thy wrongful suit;
Jul. Ay, I would I were deaf ! it makes me have And by and by intend to chide myself,
a slow heart.

Even for this time I spend in talking to thee.
Host. I perceive you delight not in music. Pro. I grant, sweet love, that I did love a lady;
Jul. Not a whit, when it jars so.

But she is dead.
Host. Hark, what fine change is in the music! Jul. ?T were false, if I should speak it;
Jul. Ay; that change is the spite.

For I am sure she is not buried. [Aside. Host. You would have them always play but one Sil. Say that she be; yet Valentine, thy friend, thing?

Survives; to whom, thyself art witness,
Jul. I would always have one play but one I am betrothed : And art thou not ashamed
thing.

To wrong him with thy importúnacy? But, host, doth this Sir Proteus, that we talk on, Pro. I likewise hear that Valentine is dead. often resort unto this gentlewoman?

Sil. And so suppose am I; for in his grave Host. I tell you what Launce, his man, told me; Assure thyself my love is buried. he loved her out of all nick.

Pro. Sweet lady, let me rake it from the earth. Jul. Where is Launce ?

Sil. Go to thy lady's grave, and call her's Host. Gone to seek his dog; which, to-morrow, thence; by his master's command, he must carry for a pres- Or, at the least, in her's sepulchre thine. ent to his lady.

Jul. He heard not that.

[Aside. Jul. Peace! stand aside! the company parts. Pro. Madam, if your heart be so obdúrate,

Pro. Sir Thurio, fear not you! I will so plead, Vouchsafe me yet your picture for my love, That you shall say, my cunning drift excels. The picture that is hanging in your chamber; Thu. Where meet we?

To that I'll speak, to that I'll sigh and weep:
Pro. At Saint Gregory's well.

For, since the substance of your perfect self
Tha. Farewell.

Is else devoted, I am but a shadow;
[Exeunt THURIO and Musicians. And to your shadow I will make true love.

Jul. If 't were a substance, you would sure de-
SILVIA appears above, at her window.

ceive it,

[Aside.

And make it but a shadow, as I am.
Pro. Madam, good even to your ladyship. | Sil. I am very loth to be your idol, sir ;

Sil. I thank you for your music, gentlemen; But, since your falsehood shall become you well Who is that, that spake ?

To worship shadows, and adore false shapes, Pro. One, lady, if you knew his pure heart's Send to me in the morning, and I'll send it: truth,

And so, good rest.
You'd quickly learn to know him by his voice. Pro. As wretches have o'ernight,
Sil. Sir Proteus, as I take it.

That wait for execution in the morn.
Pro. Sir Proteus, gentle lady, and your servant. [Exeunt PROTEUS; and SILVIA, from above.
Sil. What is your will ?

Jul. Host, will you go?
Pro. That I may compass yours.

Host. By my halidom, I was fast asleep.
Sil. You have your wish; my will is even this, Jul. Pray you, where lies Sir Proteus ?
That presently you hie you home to bed.

Host. Marry, at my house : Trust me, I think Thou subtle, perjured, false, disloyal man ! 't is almost day. Think’st thou, I am so shallow, so conceitless, Jul. Not so; but it hath been the longest night To be seduced by thy flattery,

That e'er I watched, and the most heaviest. That hast deceived so many with thy vows ?

[Exeunt. Return, return, and make thy love amends.

SCENE III. — The same.

As much I wish all good befortune you.

When will you go?
Enter EGLAMOUR.

Sil. This evening coming.
Egl. This is the hour that Madam Silvia Egl. Where shall I meet you ?
Entreated me to call, and know her mind;

Sil. At Friar Patrick's cell, There's some great matter she'd employ me in.- Where I intend holy confession. Madam, madam!

Egl. I will not fail your ladyship;

Good morrow, gentle lady. Silvia appears above, at her window.

Sil. Good morrow, kind Sir Eglamour. Sil. Who calls ?

[Exeunt. Egl. Your servant, and your friend; One that attends your ladyship’s command. Sil. Sir Eglamour, a thousand times good mor

SCENE IV. — The same. , row. Egl. As many, worthy lady, to yourself.

Enter LAUNCE, with his Dog. According to your ladyship's impose,

Laun. When a man's servant shall play the cur I am thus early come, to know what service with him, look you, it goes hard: one that I It is your pleasure to command me in.

brought up of a puppy; one that I saved from Sil. O, Eglamour, thou art a gentleman ! drowning, when three or four of his blind brothers (Think not, I flatter, for I swear I do not), and sisters went to it! I have taught him — even Valiant, wise, remorseful, well-accomplished. as one would say precisely, “ Thus I would teach Thou art not ignorant, what dear good will a dog.” I was sent to deliver him, as a present to I bear unto the banished Valentine ;

Mistress Silvia, from my master; and I came no Nor how my father would enforce me marry sooner into the dining-chamber, but he steps me to Vain Thurio, whom my very soul abhorred. her trencher, and steals her capon's leg. 0, 't is Thyself hast loved; and I have heard thee say, a foul thing, when a cur cannot keep himself in all No grief did ever come so near thy heart, companies! I would have, as one would say, one As when thy lady and thy true love died, that takes upon him to be a dog indeed, to be, as Upon whose grave thou vowedst pure chastity. it were, a dog at all things. If I had not had more Sir Eglamour, I would to Valentine,

wit than he, to take a fault upon me that he did, I To Mantua, where I hear he makes abode ; think verily he had been hanged for 't; sure as I And, for the ways are dangerous to pass, live he had suffered for 't, you shall judge. He I do desire thy worthy company,

thrusts me himself into the company of three or four Upon whose faith and honor I repose.

gentlemenlike dogs, under the Duke's table: he Urge not my father's anger, Eglamour,

had not been there (bless the mark !) a pissing But think upon my grief, a lady's grief: while, but all the chamber smelt him. “Out with And on the justice of my flying hence,

the dog," says one; “What cur is that?” says To keep me from a most unholy match,

another; “Whip him out,” says the third; “ Hang Which heaven and fortune still reward with plagues. him up,” says the Duke. I, having been acI do desire thee, even from a heart

quainted with the smell before, knew it was Crab; As full of sorrows as the sea of sands,

and goes me to the fellow that whips the dogs; To bear me company, and go with me:

“Friend,” quoth I," you mean to whip the dog ?” If not, to hide what I have said to thee,

“Ay, marry, do I,” quoth he. “You do him the That I may venture to depart alone.

more wrong,” quoth I; “'t was I did the thing Egl. Madam, I pity much your grievances ; you wot of.” He makes me no more ado, but Which since I know they virtuously are placed, whips me out of the chamber. How many masI give consent to go along with you;

ters would do this for their servant? Nay, I 'll be Recking as little what betideth me

sworn, I have sat in the stocks for puddings he 64