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Speed. But tell me true, will't be a match? Laun. Ask my dog; if he say ay, it will; if he say no, it will; if he shake his tail, and say nothing, 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.
Speed. Than how?

5

Without some treachery used to Valentine:-
This night, he meaneth with a corded ladder
To climb celestial Silvia's chamber-window;
Myself in council, his competitor2:

Now presently I'll give her father notice
Of their disguising, and pretended 'flight;
Who, all enrag'd, will banish Valentine;

For Thurio, he intends, shall wed his daughter: But, Valentine being gone, I'll quickly cross, [ing. 10 By some sly trick, blunt Thurio's dull proceedLove, lend me wings to make my purpose swift, As thou hast lent me wit to plot this drift! [Exit. SCENE VII.

Laun. A notable lubber, as thou reportest him to be. [me. Speed. Why, thou whoreson ass, thou mistakest 15 Laun. Why, fool, I meant not thee; I meant thy master. [lover. Speed. I tell thee, my master is become a hot Luun. Why, I tell thee, I care not though he burn himself in love. If thou wilt go with me to 20 the alehouse, 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 alehouse with a Christian: 25 wilt thon go?

Speed. At thy service.

SCENE VI.

Enter Protheus.

[Exeunt.

30

[oath, 35

Pro. To leave my Julia, shall I be forsworn; To love fair Silvia, shall I be forsworn; To wrong my friend, I shall be much forsworn ; And even that power which gave me first my Provokes me to this threefold perjury. Love bade me swear, and love bids me forswear: 'O sweet-suggesting love, if thou hast sinn'd, Teach me, thy tempted subject, to excuse it! At first I did adore a twinkling star, But now I worship a celestial sun. Unheedful vows may heedfully be broken; And he wants wit, that wants resolved will To learn his wit to exchange the bad for better.Fie, fie, unreverend tongue! to call her bad, Whose sovereignty so oft thou hast preferr'd With twenty thousand soul-confirming oaths. I cannot leave to love, and yet I do; But there I leave to love, where I should love. Julia I lose, and Valentine I lose: If I keep them, I needs must lose myself; If I lose them, this find I by their loss, For Valentine, myself; for Julia, Silvia.

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Julia's house in Verona.

Enter Julia and Lucetta.

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 journey to my loving Protheas.

A

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 Protheus.

Luc. Better forbear, till Protheus make return. Jul. Oh, know'st thou not, his looks are my soul's Pity the dearth that I have pined in, [food?

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. 40 Jul. The more thou damm'st it up, the more it The current,thatwith gentle murmur glides, [burns: Thou know'st, being stopp'd, impatiently doth But, when his fair course is not hindered, [rage: He makes sweet music with the enamel'd stones, 45 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:
50 I'll be as patient as a gentle stream,

155

160

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. [hair.
Luc. Why then your ladyship must cut your
Jul. No, girl: I'll knit it up in silken strings,

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Competitor is confederate, assistant, part

With twenty odd-conceited true-love knots;
To be fantastic, may become a youth
Of greater time than I shall shew to be.

Luc. What fashion, madam, shall I make
your breeches?

Jul. That fitsas 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 codpiece, madam.

5

10

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 Protheus.

Luc. All these are servants to deceitful men.
Jul. Base men, that use them to so base effect!
But truer stars did govern Protheus' 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!
[wrong,
Jul. Now, as thou lov'st me, do him not that

Jul. Out,out, Lucetta'! that will be ill-favour'd.
Luc. A round hose, madam, now's not worth a
Unless you have a cod-piece to stick pins on. [pin,
Jul. Lucetta, as thou lov'st me, let me have
What thou think'st meet, and is most mannerly: 15 To bear a hard opinion of his truth:
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. [go not.
Luc. If you think so, then stay at home, and
Jul. Nay, that I will not.

Luc. Then never dream on infamy, but go.
If Protheus 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.

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 2 journey.
20 All that is mine I leave at thy dispose,
My goods, my lands, my reputation;
Only, in lieu thereof, dispatch me hence.
Come, answer not, but to it presently;
I am impatient of my tarriance.

[Exeunt.

SCENE I.

ACT III.

The Duke's palace in Milan.
Enter Duke, Thurio, and Frotheus.
Duke. SIR Thurio, give us leave, I pray,a while;

We have some secrets to confer about.
[Exit Thurio.

[me.

;|

35

40I

Sir Valentine her company, and my court :
But, fearing lest my jealous aim might err,
And so, unworthily, disgrace the man,
(A rashness 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,
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
How he her chamber-window will ascend,
Aud with a corded ladder fetch her down;
For which the youthful lover now is gone,
And this way comes he with it presently;
Where, if it please you, you may intercept him.
But, good my lord, do it so cunningly,
50 That my discovery be not aimed at ;
For love of you, not hate unto my friend,
Hath made me publisher of this pretence".
Duke. Upon mine honour he shall never know
That I had any light from thee of this.
Pro. Adieu, my lord; sir Valentine is coming.
[Exit Pro.

Now, tellme, Protheus, what's your will with me:
Pro. My gracious lord, that which I would dis-
The 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
Know, worthy prince, sir Valentine, my friend, 45
This night intends to steal away your daughter;
Myself am one made privy to the plot.
I know, you have determined to bestow her
On Thurio, whom your gentle daughter hates
And should she thus be stolen away from you,
It would be much vexation to your age.
Thus, for my duty's sake, I rather chose
To cross my friend in his intended drift,
Than, by concealing it, heap on your head
A pack of sorrows, which would press you down,
Being unprevented, to your timeless grave [care,
Duke. Protheus, I thank thee for thine honest
Which to requite, command me while I live.
This love of theirs myself have often seen,
Haply, when they have judg'd me fast asleep;
And oftentimes have purpos'd to forbid

55

Enter Valentine.

60

Duke. Sir Valentine, whither away so fast?
Val. Please it your grace, there is a messenger
That stays to bear my letters to my friends,
And I am going to deliver them.

That is, wish'd or desired journey.

3 Aim

This interjection is still used in the North. means guess, in this instance. That is, be not guessed. That is, of this claim made to your daughter. Pretence implies design.

D

Duke.

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Val. I know it well, my lord; and sure,the match Were rich and honourable; besides, the gentleman 10| Is full of virtue, bounty, worth, and qualities Beseeming such a wife as your fair daughter: Cannot your grace win her to fancy him?

15

Duke. No,trustme;sheis peevish, sullen, froward,
Proud, disobedient, stubborn, lacking duty;
Neither regarding that she is my child,
Nor fearing me as if I were her father:
And, may I say to thee, this pride of her's,
Upon advice, hath drawn my love from her;
And, where I thought the remnant of mine age 20
Should have been cherish'd by her child-like duty,
I now am full resolv'd to t: ke a wife,
And turn her out to who will take her in :
Then let her beauty be her wedding-dower;
For me, and my possessions, she esteems not.

Val. What would your grace have me to do in
Duke. There is a lady, sir, in Milan, here, [this?
Whom I affect; but she is nice and coy,
And nought esteems my aged eloquence:
Now, therefore, would I have thee to my tutor,
(For long agone I have forgot to court;
Besides, the fashion of the time is chang'd)
How, and which way, I may bestow myself,
To be regarded in her sun-bright eye.
Val. Win her with gifts, if she respects not words; 35
Dumb jewels often, in their silent kind,
More than quick words, do move a woman's mind.

Val. Why, then, a ladder,quaintly made of cords,
To cast up, with a pair of anchoring hooks,
Would serve to scale another Hero's tower,
So bold Leander would adventure it.

Duke. Now, as thou art a gentleman of blood,
Advise me where I may have such a ladder.

Val. When would you use it?pray,sir, tell me that. Duke.This very night; for love is like a child, That longs for every thing that he can come by. Val. By seven o'clock I'll get you such a ladder. Duke. But hark thee; I will go to her alone; How shall I best convey the ladder thither? [it Val. It will be light, my lord, that you may bear Under a cloak, that is of any length. [turn? Duke. A cloak as long as thine will serve the Val. Ay, my good lord.

Duke. Then let me see thy cloak;

I'll get me one of such another length.

I

I

[lord.

Val. Why, any cloak will serve the turn, my
Duke. How shall I fashion me to wear a cloak?
pray thee, let me feel thy cloak upon me.-

What letter is this same? what's here? To Silvia?
And here an engine fit for my proceeding! [Duke
I'll be so bold to break the seal for once. [reads.
25 My thoughts do harbour with my Silvia nightly;
And slaves they are to me,that send them flying;
Oh,couldtheir master come and go as lightly,[ing.
Himselfwouldlodge,there senseless they arely-
My herald thoughts in thy pure bosom rest them;
30 While I,theirking, that thither them importune,
Docurse the grace that with suchgracehath bless'd
Becausemyseldowantmyservants fortune:[them,
curse myself, for they are sent by me,
[be.
That they should harbour where their lord would
What's here? Sylvia, this night will I enfranchise
'Tis so and here's the ladder for the purpose. [thee:
Why, Phaeton, (for thou art Merops' son)
Wilt thou aspire to guide the heavenly car,
And with thy daring folly burn the world?
Wilt thou reach stars, because they shine on thee?
Go, base intruder! over-weening slave!
Bestow thy fawning smiles on equal mates;
And think, my patience, more than thy desert,
Is privilege for thy departure hence:

45 Thank me for this, more than for all the favours,
Which, all too much, I have bestow'd on thee.
But if thou linger in my territories,
Longer than swiftest expedition

Duke. But she did scorn a present that I sent her.
Val. A woman scorns sometimes what best con-
Send her another; never give her o'er; [tents her: 40
For scorn at first makes after-love the more.
If she do frown, 'tis not in hate of you,
But rather to beget more love in you:
If she do chide, 'tis not to have you gone;
For why, the fools are mad if left alone.
Take no repulse, whatever she doth say;
For, get you gone, she doth not mean, awan:
Flatter, and praise, commend, extol their graces;
Though ne'er so black, say, they have angels' faces.
That man that hath a tongue, I say, is no man,
I
If with his tongue he cannot win a woman.
Duke. But she I mean, is promis'd by her friends
Unto a youthful gentleman of worth;
And kept severely from resort of men,
That no man hath access by day to her.

Vul. Why then I would resort to her by night.
Duke. Ay,but the doors be lock'd,and keys kept
That no man hath recourse to her by night. [sale,
Val. What lets', but one inay enter at her window?
Duke Herchamber is aloft, far from the ground;
And built so shelving, that one cannot climb it
Without apparent hazard of his life."

That is, what hinders.

Will give thee time to leave our royal court,
50 By heaven, my wrath shall far exceed the love
I ever bore my daughter, or thyself.
Begone, I will not hear thy vain excuse,
But, as thou lov'st thy life, make speed from hence.

55

60

[Exit.

Fal. And why not death, rather than living tor-
To die, is to be banish'd from myself! [ment?
And Sylvia is myself: banish'd from her,
Is self from self; a deadly banishment!
What light is light, if Sylvia be not seen?
What joy is joy, if Silvia be not by?
Unless it be, to think that she is by,
And feed upon the shadow of perfection.

For is the same as for that, since.

Except I be by Silvia in the night,
There is no musick in the nightingale;
Unless I look on Silvia in the day,
There is no day for me to look upon;
She is my essence; and I leave to be,
If I be not by her fair influence
Foster'd, illumin'd, cherish'd, kept alive.
I fly not death, to fly his deadly doom':
Tarry I here, I but attend on death;
But fly I hence, I fly away from life.

Enter Protheus and Launce.

Pro. Run, boy, run, run, and seek him out.
Laun. So-ho! so-ho!

Pro. What seest thou?

But Valentine, if he be ta’en, must die.
Besides, her intercession chaf'd him so,
When she for thy repeal was suppliant,
That to close prison he commanded her,

5 With many bitter threats of 'biding there. [speak'st,
Val. No more; unless the next word that thou
Have some malignant power upon my life:
If so, I pray thee, breathe it in mine ear,
As ending anthem of my endless dolour.

10

Pro.Ceaseto lament for that thou can'st not help,
And study help for that which thou lament'st.
Time is the nurse and breeder of all good.
Here if thou stay, thou can'st not see thy love;
Besides, thy staying will abridge thy life.

Laun. Him we go to find: there's not an bair 15 Hope is a lover's staff; walk hence with that,

on's head, but 'tis à Valentine.

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And manage it against despairing thoughts.
Thy letters may be here, though thou art hence;
Which, being writ to me, shall be deliver'd
Even in the milk-white bosom 2 of thy love.
The time now serves not to expostulate:
Come, I'll convey thee through the city-gate;
And, ere I part with thee, confer at large
Of all that may concern thy love altairs:
As thou lov'st Silvia, though not for thyself,
Regard thy danger, and along with me.
Va.I pray thee, Launce,an if thou seest myboy,
Bid hin inake haste, and meet me at the north-gate.
Pro.Go, sirrah, find him out. Come, Valentine.
Val. O my dear Silvia! hapless Valentine!
[Exeunt Valentine and Protheus.
Laun. I am but a fool, look you; and yet I have
the wit to think, my master is a kind of a knave:
but that's all one, if he be but one knave3. He
lives not now, that knows me to be in love: yet I

Val. No Valentine, indeed, for sacred Silvia!-35 am in love: but a team of horse shall not pluck Hath she forsworn me?

Pro. No, Valentine.

Val.No Valentine, if Silvia have forsworn me!-
What is your news?
[vanish'd.
Laun. Sir, there's a proclamation that you are 40
Pro.That thou art banish'd, oh, that is the news,
From hence, from Silvia, and from me thy friend.
Val. Oh, I have fed upon this woe already,
And now excess of it will make me surfeit.
Doth Silvia know that I am banished?

Pro. Ay, ay; and she hath offer'd to the doom,
(Which unrevers'd, stands in effectual force)
A sea of melting pearl, which some call tears;
Those at her father's churlish feet she tenderd;
With them, upon her knees, her humble self;
Wringing her hands, whose whiteness so became
As if but now they waxed pale for woe: [them,
But neither bended knees, pure hands held up,
Sad sighs, deep groans, nor silver-shedding tears,
Could penetrate her uncompassionate sire;

1

that from me: nor who 'tis I love, and yet 'tis a woman: but what woman, I will not tell myself, and yet 'tis a milk-maid: yet 'tis not a maid, for she hath had gossips: yet 'tis a maid, for she is her master's maid, and serves for wages.-She hath more qualities than a water-spaniel-which is much in a bare christian." Here is the cat-log [pulling out a paper] of her conditions.-Imprimis, She can fetch and carry. Why, a horse 45 can do no more; nay, a horse cannot fetch, but only carry; therefore, is she better than a jade.-Item, She can milk, look you; a sweet virtue in a maid with clean hands.

Enter Speed.

|50| Speed. How now, signíor Launce? what news with your mastership?

55

Laun. With my master's ship? why, it is at sea. Speed. Weil, your old vice still; mistake the word: What news then in your paper?

Laun.The blackest news that ever thou heard'st.

The phrase of, to fly his doom used here for by flying, or in flying, is a gallicism. The sense is, By avoiding the execution of his sentence I shall not escape death. Before the meaning of this address of letters to the bosom of a mistress can be understood, it should be known that women antiently had a pocket in the fore part of their stays, in which they not only carried love-letters and love-tokens, but even their money and materials for needle-work. In many parts of England the country girls still observe the same practice. 3 One knave may signify a knave on one occasion, a single knave. We still use a double villain for a villain beyond the common rate of guilt. 4 Gossips, not only signify those who are sponsors for a child in baptisin, but the tattling women who attend lyings-in. › Bare has two senses; mere and naked. Lunce uses it in both, and opposes the naked female to the waterspaniel cover'd with hairs of remarkable thickness. D 2

Speed.

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Laun. Fie on thee, jolt-head; thou can'st not
Speed. Thou lyest, I can..

[thee? 5 Laun. I will try thee: Tell me this: Who begot Speed. Marry, the son of my grandfather. Laun. O illiterate loiterer! it was the son of thy grandmother': this proves, that thou canʼst not

read.

Speed. Come, fool, come; try me in thy paper.
Laun. There; and St. Nicholas 2 be thy speed!
Speed. Imprimis, She can milk.
Laun. Ay, that she can.

Speed. Hem, She brews good ale.

Laun. And therefore comes the proverb,-
Blessing of your heart, you brew good ale.
Speed. Item, She can sew.

Laun. That's as much as to say, Can she so?
Speed. Item, She can knit.

Laun. What need a man care for a stock with
a wench, when she can knit him a stock??
Speed. Item, She can wash and scour.
Laun. A special virtue; for then she need not
to be wash'd and scour'd.

Speed. Item, She can spin.

Laun. Then may I set the world on wheels, when she can spin for her living.

Speed. Item, She will often praise her liquor. Laun. If her liquor be good, she shall: if she will not, I will; for good things should be praised, Speed. Item, She is too liberal.

Laun. Of her tongue she cannot; for that's writ down, she is slow of: of her purse she shall not; tor that I'll keep shut: now of another thing she may; and that I cannot help. Well, proceed.

Speed. Item, She hath more hair than wit, and 10more ults than hairs, and more wealththanjaults. Laun. Stop there; I'll have her: she was mine, and not mine, twice or thrice in that last article: Rehearse that once more.

15

20

Speed. Item, She hath more hair than wit,— Laan. More hair than wit,-it may be; I'll prove it: The cover of the salt hides the salt, and therefore it is more than the salt: the hair, that covers the wit, is more than the wit; for the greater hides the less. What's next?

Speed. And more faults than hairs,— Laun. That's monstrous: Oh, that that were lout!

Speed. And more wealth than faulis.

Laun. Why, that word makes the faults gra25cious: Well, I'll have her: And if it be a match, as nothing is impossible,―

Speed. Item, She hath many nameless virtues. Laun. That's as much as to say, bastard vir- 30 tues; that, indeed, know not their fathers, and therefore have no names.

Speed. Here follow her vices.

Laun. Close at the heels of her virtues. Speed. Item, She is not to be kiss'd fusting, 35 in respect of her breath.

Laun. Well, that fault may be mended with a breakfast; Read on.

Speed. Item, She hath a sweet mouth'.
Laun. That makes amends for her sour breath. 40
Speed. Item, She doth talk in her sleep.
Laum. It's no matter for that, so she sleep not
in her talk.

Speed. Item, She is slow in words.

Laun. O villain! that set down among her 45 vices? To be slow in words, is a woman's only virtue: I pray thee, out with't; and place it for her chief virtue.

Speed. Item, She is proud.

Speed. What then?

Laun. Why, then will I tell thee,—that thy master stays for thee at the north-gate. Speed. For me?

Laun. For thee? ay; who art thou? he hath staid for a better man than thee.

Speed. And must I go to him?

Laun. Thou must run to him, for thou hast staid so long, that going will scarce serve thy turn. Speed. Why didst not tell me sooner? pox on your love-letters!

Laun. Now will he be swing'd for reading my letter; an unmannerly slave, that will thrust himself into secrets !—I'll after, to rejoice in the boy's correction. [Exeunt.

SCENE II.

Enter Duke and Thurio, and Protheus behind.
Duke. Sir Thurio, fear not, but that she will
love you,

Now Valentine is banish'd from her sight.
Thu. Since his exile she hath despised me most,
Forsworn my company, and rail'd at me,

Laun. Out with that too; it was Eve's legacy, 50 That I am desperate of obtaining her. and cannot be taken from her.

Speed. Item, She hath no teeth.

Laun. I care not for that neither, because I love crusts.

Speed. Item, She is curst.

Laun. Well; the best is, she hath no teeth to bite.

Duke. This weak impress of love is as a figure
Trenched' in ice; which with an hour's heat
Dissolves to water, and doth lose his form.
A little time will melt her frozen thoughts,
55And worthless Valentine shall be forgot.
How now, sir Protheus? Is your countryman,
According to our proclamation, gone?

It is undoubtedly true that the mother only knows the legitimacy of the child. Launce probably infers, that if he could read, he must have read this well-known observation. 2 St. Nicholas presided over scholars, who were therefore call'd St. Nicholas's clerks. That is, a stocking. 4 Dr. Johnson is of opinion that sweet mouth implies the same with what is now vulgarly called a sweet tooth, a luxurious desire of dainties and sweetmeats; while Mr. Steevens believes, that by a sweet mouth is meant that she sings sweetly. Liberal, is licentious and gross in language. Gracious, in old language, means graceful. That is, cut, carv'd in ice.

Pro.

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