She shall not long continue love to him. Lest it should ravel, and be good to none, Because we know, on Valentine's report, And cannot soon revolt and change your mind. Pro. Say, that upon the altar of her beauty You sacrifice your tears, your sighs, your heart: Write till your ink be dry; and with your tears Make tigers tame, and huge leviathans Duke. This discipline shows thou hast been in love. Thu. And thy advice this night I'll put in practice: Therefore, sweet Proteus, my direction-giver, Duke. About it, gentlemen. [supper: Pro. We'll wait upon your grace till after And afterward determine our proceedings. Duke. Even now about it; I will pardon you. [Exeunt. SCENE I. A Forest, near Mantua. Enter certain OUTLAWs. 1 Out. Fellows, stand fast; I see a passenger. 2 Out. If there be ten, shrink not, but down with 'em. Enter VALENTINE and SPEED. 3 Out. Stand, sir, and throw us that you have about you; If not, we'll make you sit, and rifle you. Speed. Sir, we are undone! these are the villains That all the travellers do fear so much. [mies. 1 Out. That's not so, sir; we are your ene2 Out. Peace; we'll hear him. 3 Out. Ay, by my beard, will we; For he's a proper man. [to lose; Val. Then know, that I have little wealth A man I am, cross'd with adversity: My riches are these poor habiliments, Of which if you should here disfurnish me, You take the sum and substance that I have. 2 Out. Whither travel you? Val. To Verona. 1 Out. Whence came you? Val. From Milan. 3 Out. Have you long sojourn'd there? Val. Some sixteen months; and longer might have staid, If crooked fortune had not thwarted me. 1 Out. What, were you banish'd thence? Val. I was. 2 Out. For what offence? [rehearse : Val. For that which now torments me to I kill'd a man, whose death I much repent; But yet I slew him manfully in fight, Without false vantage, or base treachery. 1 Out. Why ne'er repent it,if it were done so : But were you banish'd for so small a fault? Vul. I was, and held me glad of such a doom. 1 Out. Have you the tongues ? Val. My youthful travel therein made me Or else I often had been miserable. [happy; 3 Out. By the bare scalp of Robin Hood's fat friar, This fellow were a king for our wild faction. [take to? 2 Out. Tell us this: Have you any thing to Val. Nothing, but my fortune. [tlemen, 3 Out. Know, then, that some of us are gen. Such as the fory of ungovern'd youth Thrust from the company of awful men ; Myself was from Verona banished, For practising to steal away a lady, An heir, and near allied unto the duke. 2 Out. And I from Mantua, for a gentleman, Whom,in my mood**, I stabb'd unto the heart. Choose out. § Well-looking. ** Anger, resentment. E 1 Out. And I, for such like petty crimes as these. But to the purpose,-(for we cite our faults, 2 Out. Indeed, because you are a banish'd man, Therefore, above the rest, we parley to you: Are you content to be our general? To make a virtue of necessity, And live, as we do, in this wilderness? 3 Out.What say'st thou? wilt thou be of our consórt? Say, ay, and be the captain of us all : We'll do thee homage, and be rul'd by thee, Love thee as our commander, and our king. 1 Out. But if thou scorn our courtesy, thou diest. 2 Out. Thou shalt not live to brag what we have offer'd. Val. I take your offer, and will live with you; Provided that you do no outrages On silly women, or poor passengers. 3 Out. No, we detest such vile base practices. Come, go with us, we'll bring thee to our crews, And show thee all the treasure we have got; Which, with ourselves, all rest at thy dispose. [Exeunt. SCENE II. Milan. Court of the Palace. Enter PROTEUS. Pro. Already have I been false to Valentine, And now I must be as unjust to Thurio, Under the colour of commending him, I have access my own love to prefer; But Silvia is too fair, too true, too holy, To be corrupted with my worthless gifts, When I protest true loyalty to her, She twits me with my falsehood to my friend; When to her beauty I commend my vows, She bids me think, how I have been forsworn In breaking faith with Julia whom I lov'd: And, notwithstanding all her sudden quips, The least whereof would quell a lover's hope, Yet, spaniel-like, the more she spurns my love, The more it grows and fawneth on her still. But here comes Thurio: now must we to her window, And give some evening music to her ear. Enter THURIO, and Musicians. Thu. How now, sir Proteus? are you crept before us? [love Pro. Ay, gentle Thurjo; for, you know, that Will creep in service where it cannot go. Thu. Ay, but, I hope, sir, that you love not here. Pro. Sir, but I do; or else I would be hence. Thu. Whom? Silvia? Pro. Ay, Silvia,-for your sake. Enter Host, at a distance; and JULIA in boy's clothes. Host. Now, my young guest! methinks you're allycholly; I pray you, why is it? Jul. Marry, mine host, because I cannot be merry. Host. Come, we'll have you merry: I'll bring you where you shall hear music, and see the gentleman that you ask'd for. [Music plays. Jul. But shall I hear him speak? Who is Silvia? What is she, That all our swains commend her? The heavens such grace did lend her, For beauty lives with kindness: To help him of his blindness; That Silvia is excelling; Upon the dull earth dwelling: Host. How now? are you sadder than you were before? How do you, man? the music likes you not. Jul. He plays false, father. Host. How? out of tune on the strings? Jul. Not so; but yet so false that he grieves my very heart-strings. Host. You have a quick ear. Jul. Ay, I would I were deaf! it makes me have a slow heart. Host. I perceive, you delight not in music. Jul. Not a whit, when it jars so. Host. Hark,what fine change is in the music! Jul. Ay; that change is the spite. Host. You would have them always play but one thing? Jul. I would always have one play but one thing. But, host, doth this sir Proteus, that we talk on, often resort unto this gentlewoman? Host. I tell you what Launce, his man, told me, he loved her out of all nickt. Jul. Where is Launce? Host. Gone to seek his dog; which, to-morrow, by his master's command, he must carry for a present to his lady. Jul. Peace! stand aside! the company parts. Pro. Sir Thurio, fear not you! I will so plead, Thu. I thank you for your own. Now, gen- That you shall say, my cunning drift excels. tlemen, Let's tune, and to it lustily a while. • Passionate reproaches. Thu. Where meet we? Pro. At Saint Gregory's well. Beyond all reckoning, Thu, Farewell. [Exeunt THURIO and Musicians. SILVIA appears above, at her window. Pro. Madam, good even to your ladyship. Pro. That I may compass yours. Sil. You have your wish; my will is even this, That presently you hie you home to bed. That hast deceiv'd so many with thy vows? Egl. As many, worthy lady, to yourself. Sil. O Eglamour, thou art a gentleman, Even for this time I spend in talking to thee.I bear unto the banish'd Valentine; Pro. Ilikewise hear, that Valentine is dead. Pro. Sweet lady, let me rake it from the And make it but a shadow, as I am. [Aside. 1 As wretches have o'ernight, That wait for execution in the morn. [Exeunt PROTEUS; and SILVIA from above. Jul. Host, will you go? Host. By my hailidom*, I was fast asleep. Jul. Pray you, where lies sir Proteus? Host. Marry, at my house: Trust me, I think, 'tis almost day. Nor how my father would enforce me marry I do desire thee, even from a heart Egl. Madam, I pity much your grievances; Sil. Sil. Good-morrow, kind sir Eglamour. [Exeunt. SCENE IV. The same. Laun. When a man's servant shall play the Holy dame, blessed lady. + Injunction, command. Pitiful, § Caring. cur with him, look you, it goes hard: one that I brought up of a puppy; one that I saved from drowning, when three or four of his blind brothers and sisters went to it! I have taught himeven as one would say precisely, Thus I would teach a dog. I was sent to deliver him, as a present to mistress Silvia, from my master; and I came no sooner into the dining-cham. ber, but he steps me to her trencher, and steals her capon's leg. O, 'tis a foul thing, when a cur cannot keep himself in all companies! I would have, as one should say, one that takes upon him to be a dog indeed, to be, as it were, a dog at all things. If I had not had more wit than he, to take a fault upon me that he did, I think verily he had been hanged for't; sure as I live, he had suffered for't: you shall judge. He thrusts me himself into the company of three or four gentlemen-like dogs, under the duke's table: he had not been there (bless the mark) a pissing while; but all the chamber smelt him. Out with the dog, says one; What cur is that? says another; Whip him out, says the third; Hang him up, says the duke. I, having been acquainted with the smell before, knew it was Crab; and goes me to the fellow that whips the dogs: Friend, quoth I, you mean to whip the dog? Ay, marry, do I, quoth he. You do him the more wrong, quoth I; 'twas I did the thing you wot of. He makes me no more ado, but whips me out of the chamber. How many masters would do this for their servant? Nay, I'll be sworn, I have sat in the stocks for puddings he hath stolen, otherwise he had been executed: I have stood on the pillory for geese he hath killed, otherwise he had 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 not I 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? Pro. Go, get thee hence, and find my dog She loved me well, deliver'd it to me. Pro. Why dost thou cry, alas? Pro. Well, give her that ring, and therewithal Alas, poor Proteus! thou hast entertain'd A fox, to be the shepherd of thy lambs: 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, Enter PROTEUS and JULIA, To bind him to remember my good will: Pro. Sebastian is thy name? I like thee well, And now am I (unhappy messenger) And will employ thee in some service presently. To plead for that, which I would not obtain ; Jul.Inwhat you please ;-Iwill do what Ican. To carry that which I would have refus'd; Pro. I hope, thou wilt.-How now, you Topraise his faith,which Iwould have disprais'd. whoreson peasant ? [TO LAUNCE.I ain my master's true confirmed love; 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? Laun. No, indeed, she did not: here have I 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 mar ket-place: and then I offered her mine own; who is a dog as big as ten of yours, and therefore the gift the greater. * Restrain. But cannot be true servant to my master, Sil. What would you with her,if that I be she? Jul. From my master, sir Proteus, madam. Sil. Ursula, bring my picture there. + In the end. Go, give your master this: tell him from me, Sil. I pray thee, let me look on that again. I will not look upon your master's lines: Jul. Almost as well as I do know myself: Jul. She hath been fairer,madam,than she is: When she did think my master lov'd her well, She, in my judgment, was as fair as you But since she did ueglect her looking-glass, And threw her sun expelling mask away, The air hath starv'd the roses in her cheeks, And pinch'd the lily-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*, 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 judgment, SCENE 1. The same. An Abbey. Enter EGLAMOUR. As if the garment had been made for me; 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 lov'st her. [Exit SILVIA. Farewell. Jul. And she shall thank you for't, if e'er you know her. A virtuous gentlewoman, mild, and beautiful. ACT V. Egl. The sun begins to gild the western sky; See, where she comes: Lady, a happy evening! • Whitsuntide. [Exit. Egl. Fear not: the forest is not three leagues If we recover that, we are sure enough. [off; [Exeunt. SCENE II. The same.. An Apartment in the Duke's Palace. Enter THURIO, PROTEUS, and JOLIA. Thu. Sir Proteus, what says Silvia to my suit? Pro. U, 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. Nu; that it is too little. Thu. I'll wear a boot, to make it somewhat rounder." + In good earnest. + Head dress. |