The Works of William Shakespeare

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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?
ful. 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. O, he sends you for a picture.
Ful. Ay, madam.

Sil. Ursula, bring my picture there.

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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
Deliver'd you a paper that I should not:
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 stuff'd 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

[Exit Silvia, with attendants. Jul. And she shall thank you for't, if e'er you know her.

190

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 is this of hers:
And yet the painter flatter'd 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 colour'd periwig.
Her eyes are grey as glass, and so are mine:
Ay, but her forehead's low, and mine's as high.
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 'tis thy rival. O thou senseless form,
Thou shalt be worshipp'd, kiss'd, 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,

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I should have scratch'd out your unseeing eyes, To make my master out of love with thee! [Exit.

ACT V.

SCENE I. Milan. An abbey.

Enter EGLAMOUR.

Egl. The sun begins to gild the western sky; And now it is about the very hour

That Silvia, at Friar Patrick's cell, should

meet me.

She will not fail, for lovers break not hours, Unless it be to come before their time;

So much they spur their expedition.

See where she comes.

Enter SILVIA.

Lady, a happy evening!

ful. About my stature; for at Pentecost, When all our pageants of delight were play'd, Our youth got me to play the woman's part, And I was trimm'd in Madam Julia's gown, Which served me as fit, by all men's judgements, As if the garment had been made for me:

Sil. Amen, amen! Go on, good Eglamour, Out at the postern by the abbey-wall:

I fear I am attended by some spies.

ΙΟ

Egl. Fear not the forest is not three leagues off;

If we recover that, we are sure enough. [Exeunt.

SCENE II. The same.
The DUKE's palace.
Enter THURIO, PROTEUS, and Julia.
Thu. Sir Proteus, what says Silvia to my
suit?

Pro. O, 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. [Aside] But love will not be spurr'd to
what it loathes.

Thu. What says she to my face?
Pro. She says it is a fair one.

Thu. Nay then, the wanton lies; my face is
black.

ΙΟ

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

Black men are pearls in beauteous ladies' eyes.
Jul. [Aside] '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.

Thu. But well, when I discourse of love and
peace?

Jul. [Aside] But better, indeed, when you hold your peace.

Thu. What says she to my valour?
Pro. O, sir, she makes no doubt of that.
Jul. [Aside] She needs not, when she knows
it cowardice.

Thu. What says she to my birth?

Pro. That you are well derived.

Jul. [Aside] True; from a gentleman to a fool.

Thu. Considers she my possessions?

Pro. O, ay; and pities them.

Thu. Wherefore?

Jul. [Aside] That such an ass should owe
them.

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?

SCENE IV. Another part of the forest.
Enter VALENTINE.

Val. How use doth breed a habit in a man!
This shadowy desert, unfrequented woods,
I better brook than flourishing peopled towns:
Here can I sit alone, unseen of any,

30 And to the nightingale's complaining notes
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 halloing and what stir is this to-day?
These are my mates, that make their wills

Thu. Not I.

Neither.

Duke. Why then,

She's fled unto that peasant Valentine;
And Eglamour is in her company.

'Tis true; for Friar Laurence met them both,
As he in penance wander'd through the forest;
Him he knew well, and guess'd that it was she,
But, being mask'd, he was not sure of it;
Besides, she did intend confession

At Patrick's cell this even; and there she
was not;

These likelihoods confirm her flight from hence.
Therefore, I pray you, stand not to discourse,
But mount you presently and meet with me
Upon the rising of the mountain-foot

That leads toward Mantua, whither they are fled:
Dispatch, sweet gentlemen, and follow me. [Exit.

their law,

ΙΟ

Val. [Aside] How like a dream is this I see By penitence the Eternal's wrath's appeased: 81

and hear!

to your presence.

And, that my love may appear plain and free,
All that was mine in Silvia I give thee.
Jul. O me unhappy!
Pro. Look to the boy.

[Swoons.

Val. Why, boy! why, wag! how now! what's the matter? Look up; speak.

Jul. O good sir, my master charged me to deliver a ring to Madam Silvia, which, out of my neglect, was never done.

Pro. Where is that ring, boy?
Ful.
Pro.

How! let me see:

Here 'tis; this is it.

Why, this is the ring I gave to Julia.

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

Sil. Had I been seized 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 I gave this unto Julia.
death,

Would I not undergo for one calm look!

O, 'tis 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.

Read over Julia's heart, thy first best love,

Pro. But how camest thou by this ring? At my depart

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

100

Jul. Behold her that gave aim to all thy oaths,
And entertain'd 'em deeply in her heart.
How oft hast thou with perjury cleft the root!
O Proteus, let this habit make thee blush!

For whose dear sake thou didst then rend thy Be thou ashamed that I have took upon me faith

'Mongst all foes that a friend should be the worst!
Pro. My shame and guilt confounds me.
Forgive me, Valentine: if hearty sorrow
Be a sufficient ransom for offence,

I tender 't here; I do as truly suffer

As e'er I did commit.

Val.

Then I am paid;

Who by repentance is not satisfied

And once again I do receive thee honest.

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Enter Outlaws, with DUKE and THURIO.
Outlaws. A prize, a prize, a prize!
Val. Forbear, forbear, I say! it is my lord
the duke.

Your grace is welcome to a man disgraced,
Banished Valentine.

† Verona shall not hold thee. Here she stands:
Take but possession of her with a touch:
I dare thee but to breathe upon my love.
Thu. Sir Valentine, I care not for her, I:

I hold him but a fool that will endanger

His body for a girl that loves him not:

I claim her not, and therefore she is thine.
Duke. The more degenerate and base art
thou,

Is nor of heaven nor earth, for these are pleased. To make such means for her as thou hast done

140

And leave her on such slight conditions.
Now, by the honour of my ancestry,
I do applaud thy spirit, Valentine,
And think thee worthy of an empress' love:
Know then, I here forget all former griefs,
Cancel all grudge, repeal thee home again,
Plead a new state in thy unrival'd merit,
To which I thus subscribe: Sir Valentine,
Thou art a gentleman and well derived;
Take thou thy Silvia, for thou hast deserved her.
Val. I thank your grace; the gift hath made
me happy.

I now beseech you, for your daughter's sake,
To grant one boon that I shall ask of
you. 150
Duke. I grant it, for thine own, whate'er it be.
Val. These banish'd men that I have kept
withal

Are men endued with worthy qualities:
Forgive them what they have committed here
And let them be recall'd from their exile:
They are reformed, civil, full of good

And fit for great employment, worthy lord.
Duke. Thou hast prevail'd; I pardon them
and thee:
Dispose of them as thou know'st their deserts.
Come, let us go: we will include all jars
With triumphs, mirth and rare solemnity.

160

Val. And, as we walk along, I dare be bold With our discourse to make your grace to smile. What think you of this page, my lord?

Duke. I think the boy hath grace in him; he blushes.

Val. I warrant you, my lord, more grace than boy.

Duke. What mean you by that saying?

Val. Please you, I'll tell you as we pass along, That you will wonder what hath fortuned. Come, Proteus; 'tis your penance but to hear 170 The story of your loves discovered:

That done, our day of marriage shall be yours; One feast, one house, one mutual happiness.

[Exeunt.

Shal. Sir Hugh, persuade me not; I will make a Star-chamber matter of it: if he were twenty Sir John Falstaffs, he shall not abuse Robert Shallow, esquire.

Slen. In the county of Gloucester, justice of peace and 'Coram.'

Shal. Ay, cousin Slender, and 'Custalorum.' Slen. Ay, and 'Rato-lorum' too; and a gentleman born, master parson; who writes himself 'Armigero,' in any bill, warrant, quittance, or obligation, Armigero.' 11

Shal. Ay, that I do; and have done any time these three hundred years.

Slen. All his successors gone before him hath done't; and all his ancestors that come after him may: they may give the dozen white luces in their coat.

Shal. It is an old coat. Evans. The dozen white louses do become an old coat well; it agrees well, passant; it is a familiar beast to man, and signifies love. Shal. The luce is the fresh fish; the salt fish is an old coat.

Slen. I may quarter, coz.
Shal.

You may, by marrying.

Evans. It is marring indeed, if he quarter it. Shal. Not a whit.

Evans. Yes, py'r lady; if he has a quarter of your coat, there is but three skirts for yourself, in my simple conjectures: but that is all one. If Sir John Falstaff have committed disparagements unto you, I am of the church, and will be glad to benevolence to make atonements and compremises between you.

do my

Shal. The council shall hear it; it is a riot. Evans. It is not meet the council hear a riot; there is no fear of Got in a riot: the council,

look you, shall desire to hear the fear of Got, and not to hear a riot; take your vizaments in that. Shal. Ha! o' my life, if I were young again, the sword should end it.

Evans. It is petter that friends is the sword, and end it and there is also another device in my prain, which peradventure prings goot discretions with it: there is Anne Page, which is daughter to Master Thomas Page, which is pretty virginity.

Slen. Mistress Anne Page? She has brown hair, and speaks small like a woman.

Evans. It is that fery person for all the orld, as just as you will desire; and seven hundred pounds of moneys, and gold and silver, is her grandsire upon his death's-bed-Got deliver to a joyful resurrections!—give, when she is able to overtake seventeen years old: it were a goot motion if we leave our pribbles and prabbles, and desire a marriage between Master Abraham and Mistress Anne Page.

Slen. Did her grandsire leave her seven hundred pound?

Evans. Ay, and her father is make her a petter penny.

Slen. I know the young gentlewoman; she has good gifts.

Evans. Seven hundred pounds and possibilities is goot gifts.

Shal. Well, let us see honest Master Page. Is Falstaff there?

Evans. Shall I tell you a lie? I do despise a liar as I do despise one that is false, or as I despise one that is not true. The knight, Sir John, is there; and, I beseech you, be ruled by your well-willers. I will peat the door for Master Page. [Knocks] What, hoa! Got pless your house here! Page. [Within] Who's there?

Enter PAGE.

Evans. Here is Got's plessing, and your friend, and Justice Shallow; and here young

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