Julia I lose, and Valentine I lose : 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 charácter'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. Luc.Better forbear,till Proteus make return. Jul. O, know'st thou not, his looks are my soul's food? Pity the dearth that I have pined in, Jul. The more thou dam'st ‡ it up, the more it burns; With willing sport, to the wild ocean. Luc. But in what habit will you go along? Jul. No, girl; I'll knit it up in silken strings, With twenty odd conceited true-love knots: To be fantastic may become a youth Of greater time than I shall show to be. Luc. What fashion, madam, shall I make your breeches? [my lord, Jul. That fits as well, as-" tell me, good "What compass will you wear your farthingale?" [Lucetta. Why, even that fashion that thou best likʼst, Luc. You must needs have them with a cod piece, madam. Jul. Out, out, Lucetta! that will be ill- I fear me, it will make ne scandaliz❜d. 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. [come to him! Luc. Pray heaven he prove so, when you Jul. Now, as thon 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. [Exeunt. Longed for. Closest. Trouble. ACT III. SCENE I. Milan. An Ante-room in the Duke's palace. 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? [discover, Pro. My gracious lord, that which I would The law of friendship bids me to conceal: But, when I call to mind your gracious favours Done to me, undeserving as I am, My duty pricks me on to utter that [me! Which else no worldly good should draw from Know, worthy prince, sir Valentine,my friend, This night intends to steal away your daughter; Myself am one made privy to the plot. I know, you have determin'd 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. Duke. Proteus, I thank thee for thine honest care; Which to requite, command me while I live. a mean How he her chamber-window will ascend, That I had any light from thee of this. Proud, disobedient, stubborn, lacking duty; I now am full resolved to take a wife, Duke. There is a lady, sir, in Milan here,' Val Win her with gifts, if she respect not words; Dumb jewels often, in their silent kind, More than quick words, do move a woman's mind. [ber. Duke. But she did scorn a present that I sent Val. A woman sometimes scorns what best contents her: Send her another; never give her o'er; 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 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? Val. It will be light, my lord, that you may Under a cloak, that is of any length. [bear it Duke. A cloak as long as thine will serve Val. Ay, my good lord. [the turn? Duke. Then let me see thy cloak; I'll get me one of such another length. Val. Why, any cloak will serve the turn, my lord. [cloak? Duke. How shall I fashion me to wear a I 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! I'll be so bold to break the seal for once. [reads. My thoughts do harbour with my Silvia nightly; And slaves they are to me, that send them flying: O, could their master come and go as lightly, Himself would lodge, where senseless they are lying. [them; My herald thoughts in thy pure bosom rest While I, their king, that thither them importune, Do curse the grace that with such grace hath bless'd them, Because myself do want my servants' fortune: I curse myself, for they are sent by me, That they should harbour where their lord should be. What's here? Silvia, this night I will enfranchise thee: 'Tis so; and here's the ladder for the purpose.— 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! overweening slave! onger than swiftest expedition Will give thee time to leave our royal court, By heaven, my wrath shall far exceed the love I ever bore my daughter, or thyself. Be gone, I will not hear thy vain excuse, But, as thou lov'st thy life, make speed from hence. (Exit DUKE. Val. And why not death, rather than living torment? To die, is to be banish'd from myself; Enter PROTEUS and LAUNCE. Pre. Run, boy, run, run, and seek him out. Laun. So-ho! so ho! Pro. What seest thou? Laun. Him we go to find: there's not a hair on's head, but 'tis a Valentine. Pro. Valentine? Val. No. * Hinders. Val. O, 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 otter'd to the doom, (Which, unrevers'd, stands in effectual force,) As if but now they waxed pale for woe: tears, Could penetrate her uncompassionate sire; Have some malignant power upon my life: Pro. Cease to lament for that thou canst not And study help for that which thou lament'st, * Grief. horse shall not pluck that from me; nor who Speed. How now, signor Launce? what Speed. Well, your old vice still; mistake the word: What news then in your paper? Laun. The blackest news that ever thou heard'st. Speed. Why, man, how black? Laun. Fie on thee, jolt-head; thou can'st not read. Speed. Thou liest, I can. Laun. I will try thee: Tell me this: Who begot thee? Speed. Marry, the son of my grandfather. Laun. O illiterate loiterer! it was the son of thy grandmother: this proves, that thou canst not read, Speed. Come, fool, come: try me in thy paper. Laun. There; and saint Nicholas + be thy Speed. Imprimis, She can milk. Speed. Item, She brews good ale. Laun. And therefore comes the proverb,- Laun. That's as much as to say, Can she so? 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 be washed and scoured. Speed. Item, She can spin. Laun. Then may 1 set the world on wheels, when she can spin for her living. Speed. Item, She hath many nameless virtues. Laun. That's as much as to say, bastard virtues; 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 kissed fasting, in respect of her breath. + St. Nicholas presided over young scholars. 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. Speed. Item, She doth talk in her sleep. Laun. 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 this down among her 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. my letter: An unmannerly slave, that will SCENE II. The same. A Room in the Duke's Palace. Enter DUKE and THURIO; PROTEUS behind. Duke. Sir Thurio, fear not but that she will Now Valentine is banish'd from her sight. most, Laun. Out with that too; it was Eve's le- Forsworn my company, and rail'd at me, gacy, and cannot be ta'en from her. Speed. Item, She hath no te th. 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. 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; for 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 more faults than hairs, and more wealth than faults. Laun. Stop there; I'll have her: she was mine, and not mine, twice or thrice in that last article: Rehearse that once more. Speed.Item, She hath more hair than wit,— Laun. More hair than wit, it may be; I' 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 thun hairs,— out! That I am desperate of obtaining her. Duke. This weak impress of love is as a figure Trench'd in ice; which with an hour's heat Duke. So I believe; but Thurio thinks not Pro. Longer than I prove loyal to your grace, The match between sir Thurio and my daughter. Duke. And also, I think,thon art not ignoraut Duke. Ay, and perversely she persévers so. Pro. The best way is to slander Valentine With falsehood, cowardice, and poor descent; Three things that women highly hold in hate. Duke. Ay, but she'll think that it is spoke Pro. Ay, if his enemy deliver it: [in hate. Therefore it must, with circumstance,be spoken By one whom she esteemeth as his friend. Duke. Then you must undertake to slander him. Your slander never can endamage him; ↑ Graceful. |