Pagina-afbeeldingen
PDF
ePub

hath stolen, otherwise he had been executed: I have stood on the pillory for geese he hath killed, otherwise he hath 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 I not 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?

Jul. It seems you loved her not, to leave her token;

She's dead, belike.

As

Pro. Not so; I think she lives.
Jul. Alas!

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

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.
'T is 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 mes

sage?

Alas, poor Proteus! thou hast entertained

Laun. No, indeed, she did not: here have I A fox, to be the shepherd of thy lambs: 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.

Alas, poor fool! why do I pity him
That with his very heart despiseth me?
Because he loves her, he despiseth me;
Because I love him, I must pity him.
This ring I gave him, when he parted from me,
To bind him to remember my good will:
And now am I (unhappy messenger!)

Pro. Go, get thee hence, and find my dog again; To plead for that which I would not obtain;

Or ne'er return again into my sight.

Away, I say! Stay'st thou to vex me here?
A slave, that still an end turns me to shame.
[Exit LAUNCE.

Sebastian, I have entertained thee,
Partly that I have need of such a youth,
That can with some discretion do my business,
For 't is no trusting to yon foolish lout;
But chiefly for thy face and thy behavior;
Which (if my augury deceive me not)
Witness good bringing up, fortune, and truth:
Therefore know thou, for this I entertain thee.
Go presently, and take this ring with thee,
Deliver it to Madam Silvia :

She loved me well delivered it to me

Το
carry that which I would have refused;
To praise his faith, which I would have dispraised.
I am my master's true confirméd love;
But cannot be true servant to my master,
Unless I prove false traitor to myself.
Yet I will woo for him; but yet so coldly,
As, heaven it knows, I would not have him speed.
Enter SILVIA, attended.

Gentlewoman, good day! I pray you, be my mean
To bring me where to speak with Madam Silvia.

Sil. What would you with her, if that I be she?
Jul. If you be she, I do entreat your patience
To hear me speak the message I am sent on.
Sil. From whom?

Jul. From my master, Sir Proteus, madam.
Sil. Ohe sends you for a picture?
Jul. Ay, 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.

Jul. Madam, please you peruse this letter.-
Pardon, me, madam; I have unadvised
that I should not;

Delivered you a paper
This is the letter to your ladyship.

Sil. I pray thee, let me look on that again.
Jul. It may not be; good madam, pardon me.
Sil. There, hold.

I will not look upon your master's lines:

I know they are stuffed with protestations,
And full of new-found oaths; which he will break
As easily as I do tear his paper.

Jul. Madam, he sends your ladyship this ring.
Sil. The more shame for him that he sends it me;
For I have heard him say a thousand times
His Julia gave it him at his departure:
Though his false finger hath profaned the ring,
Mine shall not do his Julia so much wrong.

Jul. She thanks you.

Sil. What say'st thou?

Jul. I thank you, madam, that you tender her: Poor gentlewoman: my master wrongs her much. Sil. Dost thou know her?

Jul. Almost as well as I do know myself: To think upon her woes, I do protest That I have wept an hundred several times. Sil. Belike she thinks that Proteus hath forsook her.

When all our pageants of delight were played,
Our youth got me to play the woman's part,
And I was trimmed in Madam Julia's gown;
Which servéd me as fit, by all men's judgment,
As if the garment had been made for me:
Therefore I know she is about my height.
And at that time I did make her weep a-good,
For I did play a lamentable part;
Madam, 't was Ariadne, passioning
For Theseus' perjury and unjust flight;
Which I so lively acted with my tears,
That my poor mistress, movéd therewithal,
Wept bitterly; and would I might be dead
If I in thought felt not her very sorrow.

Sil. She is beholden to thee, gentle youth!Alas, poor lady! desolate and left!

I

weep myself to think upon thy words. Here, youth, there is my purse; I give thee this For thy sweet mistress' sake, because thou lovest her. Farewell. [Exit SILVIA. Jul. And she shall thank you for 't, if e'er you know her.

A virtuous gentlewoman, mild and beautiful.
I hope my master's suit will be but cold,
Since she respects my mistress' love so much.
Alas, how love can trifle with itself!
Here is her picture: Let me see; I think,
If I had such a tire, this face of mine
Were full as lovely as this of hers:
And yet the painter flattered her a little,
Unless I flatter with myself too much.
Her hair is auburn; mine is perfect yellow:
If that be all the difference in his love,
I'll get me such a colored periwig.
Her

eyes are grey as glass; and so are mine: Jul. I think she doth, and that's her cause of Ay, but her forehead's low; and mine's as high.

sorrow.

Sil. Is she not passing fair?

Jul. She hath been fairer, madam, than she is: When she did think my master loved her well, She, in my judgment, was as fair as you; But since she did neglect her looking-glass, And threw her sun-expelling mask away, The air hath starved the roses in her cheeks, And pinched the lilly-tincture of her face, That now she is become as black as I.

Sil. How tall was she?

Jul. About my stature: for, at Pentecost,

What should it be, that he respects in her,
But I can make respective in myself,
If this fond Love were not a blinded god?
Come, shadow, come, and take this shadow up,
For 't is thy rival. O thou senseless form!
Thou shalt be worshiped, kissed, loved, and adored;
And, were there sense in his idolatry,
My substance should be statue in thy stead.
I'll use thee kindly for thy mistress' sake,
That used me so; or else, by Jove, I vow
I should have scratched out your unseeing eyes,
To make my master out of love with thee. [Exit.

[blocks in formation]

Enter THURIO, PROTEUS, and JULIA.

Thu. Sir Proteus, what says Silvia to my suit? Pro. 0, sir! I find her milder than she was; And yet she takes exceptions at your person. Thu. What, that my leg is too long? Pro. No; that it is too little.

Thu. I'll wear a boot, to make it somewhat

rounder.

Jul. 'Tis true, such pearls as put out ladies'

eyes;

For I had rather wink than look on them.
Thu. How likes she my discourse?
Pro. Ill,
when you talk of war.

[Aside.

Thu. But well, when I discourse of love and

peace?

Jul. But better, indeed, when you hold your

peace.

Thu. What says she to my valor?

Pro. O, sir! she makes no doubt of that.

[Aside.

Jul. She needs not, when she knows it coward-
ice.
[Aside.

Thu. What says she to my birth?
Pro. That you are well derived.

Jul. True; from a gentleman to a fool. [Aside.
Thu. Considers she my possessions?
Pro. O, ay! and pities them.
Thu. Wherefore?

Jul. That such an ass should owe them. [Aside.
Pro. That they are out by lease.

Jul. Here comes the Duke.

Enter DUKE.

Duke. How now, Sir Proteus? How, now, Thurio?

Which of you saw Sir Eglamour of late?

Thu. Not I.

Pro. Nor I.

Duke. Saw you my daughter?

Pro. Neither.

Duke. Why, then she's fled unto that peasant
Valentine;

Pro. But love will not be spurred to what it And Eglamour is in her company.

loathes.

Thu. What says she to my

face?

Pro. She says it is a fair one.

'Tis true; for Friar Laurence met them both, And he in penance wandered through the forest : Him he knew well, and guessed that it was she;

Thu. Nay, then the wanton lies; my face is But, being masked, he was not sure of it:

black.

Pro. But pearls are fair; and the old saying is,

Black men are pearls in beauteous ladies' eyes;

Besides, she did intend confession

At Patrick's cell this even; and there she was

not:

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

Tune my distresses, and record my woes.
O thou that dost inhabit in my breast,
Leave not the mansion so long tenantless;
Lest, growing ruinous, the building fall,
And leave no memory of what it was!
Repair me with thy presence, Silvia;
Thou gentle nymph, cherish thy forlorn swain!
What hallooing and what stir is this to-day?
These are my mates, that make their wills their
law,

Have some unhappy passenger in chase:
They love me well; yet I have much to do
To keep them from uncivil outrages.
Withdraw thee, Valentine; who's this comes
here?

[Steps aside.

Enter PROTEUS, SILVIA, and JULIA.

love.

Pro. Madam, this service I have done for you. (Though you respect not aught your servant doth) To hazard life, and rescue you from him That would have forced honor and your your Vouchsafe me, for my meed, but one fair look; A smaller boon than this I cannot beg, And less than this, I am sure, you cannot give.

Val. How like a dream is this I see and hear! Love, lend me patience to forbear awhile. [Aside. Sil. O miserable, unhappy that I am! Pro. Unhappy were you, madam, ere I came; But by my coming I have made you happy. Sil. By thy approach thou mak'st me most unhappy.

Jul. And me, when he approacheth to your presence. [Aside.

Sil. Had I been seizéd by a hungry lion,

I would have been a breakfast to the beast
Rather than have false Proteus rescue me.
O, heaven be judge, how I love Valentine,
Whose life 's as tender to me as my soul!
And full as much (for more there cannot be)
I do detest false perjured Proteus :
Therefore be gone, solicit me no more.

Pro. What dangerous action, stood it next to

death,

Would I not undergo for one calm look?
O, 't is the curse in love, and still approved,
When women cannot love where they're beloved.
Sil. When Proteus cannot love where he's be-

loved.

[blocks in formation]

Sil.

All men but Proteus.

Pro. Nay, if the gentle spirit of moving words

Can no way change you to a milder form,

I'll woo you like a soldier, at arms' end;

[blocks in formation]

Jul. O, cry you mercy, sir, I have mistook. This is the ring you sent to Silvia.

[Shews another ring. Pro. But how cam'st thou by this ring? at my

And love you 'gainst the nature of love; force depart, I gave this unto Julia.

you.

S. O heaven!

Pro.

I'll force thee yield to my desire. Val. Ruffian, let go that rude uncivil touch; Thou friend of an ill fashion!

Pro.

Valentine!

Jul. And Julia herself did give it me;
And Julia herself hath brought it hither.
Pro. How! Julia!

Jul. Behold her that gave aim to all thy oaths,
And entertained them deeply in her heart :
How oft hast thou with perjury cleft the root!

Val. Thou common friend, that's without faith O Proteus, let this habit make thee blush!

or love;

(For such is a friend now ;) treacherous man!

Thou hast beguiled my hopes; nought but mine

eye

Be thou ashamed that I have took upon me
Such an immodest raiment; if shame live
In a disguise of love:

It is the lesser blot, modesty finds,

Could have persuaded me; thou would'st disprove Women to change their shapes, than men their

me.

Who should be trusted, when one's own right hand

Is perjured to the bosom? Proteus,

I am sorry I must never trust thee more,
But count the world a stranger for thy sake.
The private wound is deepest: O time most ac-
cursed!

'Mongst all foes, that a friend should be the worst!
Pro. My shame and guilt confound me.—
Forgive me, Valentine: if hearty sorrow

Be a sufficient ransom for offense,

I tender it here; I do as truly suffer,

As e'er I did commit.

[blocks in formation]

minds.

Pro. Than men their minds! 't is true; O heaven! were man

But constant, he were perfect: That one error
Fills him with faults; makes him run through all
sins:

Inconstancy falls off ere it begins:
What is in Silvia's face, but I may spy
More fresh in Julia's, with a constant eye?

Val. Come, come, a hand from either:
Let me be blest to make this happy close;
'T were pity two such friends should be long foes.
Pro. Bear witness, heaven, I have my wish for

ever.

Jul. And I mine.

Enter Outlaws, with DUKE and THURIO.

Out. A prize, a prize, a prize!

Val. Forbear; forbear, I say; it is my lord the

Duke.

« VorigeDoorgaan »