"How fhall I beft convey the ladder thither?

"Val. It will be light, my lord; that you may bear it "Under a cloak, that is of any length.

"Duke. A cloak as long as thine will serve the turn ? "Val. Ay, my good lord.

"Duke. Then let me fee thy cloak ; "I'll get me one of fuch another length.

"Val. Why, any cloak will serve the turn, my lord. "Duke. How fhall I fashion me to wear a cloak ?— "I pray thee, let me feel thy cloak upon me.— What letter is this fame? What's here? To Silvia? And here an engine fit for my proceeding! I'll be fo bold to break the feal for once. My thoughts do harbour with my Silvia nightly; And flaves they are to me, that fend them flying: O, could their master come and go as lightly,

[Reads.

Himfelf would lodge where fenfelefs they are lying. My herald thoughts in thy pure bofom reft them; While I, their king, that thither them importune, Do curfe the grace that with fuch grace bath bleft them, Becaufe myself do want my fervants' fortune:

I curfe myself, for they are fent by me,

That they should barbour where their lord would be. What's here?

'Silvia, this night I will enfranchife thee.

""Tis fo; and here's the ladder for the purpose.
"Why, Phaeton, (for thou art Merops' fon)'
"Wilt thou afpire to guide the heav'nly car,
“And with thy daring folly burn the world?
"Wilt thou reach ftars, because they thine on thee?
Go, bafe intruder! over-weening slave!
Beftow thy fawning fmiles on equal mates;
And think, my patience, more than thy defert,
Is privilege for thy departure hence:

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 fwifteft expedition

Will give thee time to leave our royal court,
By heaven, my wrath fhall far exceed the love
I ever bore my daughter, or thyfelf.

Be

Be gone, I will not hear thy vain excuse;

But, as thou lov'ft 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;
And Silvia is myfelf: banifh'd from her,
Is felf from felf; a deadly banishment!
What light is light, if Silvia be not feen?
What joy is joy, if Silvia be not by ?
Unless it be, to think that she is by,
And feed upon the fhadow of perfection.
Except I be by Silvia in the night,
There is no mufick in the nightingale;
Unless I look on Silvia in the day,
There is no day for me to look upon :
She is my effence; and I leave to be
If I be not by her fair influence
Fofter'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 feek him out.

Lau. So-ho! fo-ho!

Pro. What fee'st thou ?

Lau. Him we go to find; there's not a hair on's head, but 'tis a Valentine.

Pro. Valentine?

Val. No.

Pro. Who then? his spirit?

Val. Neither.

Pro. What then?

Val. Nothing.

Lau. Can nothing fpeak -Mafter, fhall I ftrike?
Pro. Whom would'st thou strike ?

Lau. Nothing.

Pro. Villain, forbear.

Lau. Why, fir, I'll ftrike nothing: I pray you-
Pro. Sirra, I fay, forbear.-Friend Valentine, a word.
Val. My ears are stopt, and cannot hear good news,

So

So much of bad already hath poffeft them.
"Pre. Then in dumb filence will I bury mine;
"For they are harsh, untunable, and bad.
Fah Is Sibuia dead?

"Pro. No, Valentine.

"Val. No Valentine, indeed, for facred Silvia :• Hath the forfworn me?

"Pro. No, Valentine.

"Fal. No Falentine, if Sikoin have forfworn me.— "What is your news?

Lau. Sir, there is a proclamation, that you are vanish'd.
Pro. That thou art banish'd; O, that is the news,
From hence, from Silvia, and from me thy friend.
Kal. O, I have fed upon this woe already,

And now excefs of it will make me forfeit.
Doth Silvia know that I am banished?

Pro. Ay, ay; and the hath offer'd to the doom,
(Which, unrevers'd, ftands in effectual force).
A fea of melting pearl, which fame call tears:
Those at her father's churlish feet she tender'd;
With them, upon her knees, her humble self;
Wringing her hands, whose whiteness so became them,
As if but now they waxed pale for woe:

But neither bended knees, pure hands held up,
Sad fighs, deep groans, nor filver-fhedding tears,
Could penetrate her uncompaffionate fire;
But Valentine, if he be ta'en, muft die.
"Befides, her interceffion chaf'd him for
" When she for thy repeal was fuppliant,
"That to close prifon he commanded her,

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

Pro. Ceafe to lament for that thou canst not help, And ftudy help for that which thou lament'ft. “ Time is the nurse and breeder of all good. Here if thou stay, thou canst not fee thy love; "Befides, thy ftaying will abridge thy life: Hope is a lover's ftaff; walk hence with that,

"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 bofom of thy love.
"The time now ferves 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 affairs:
As thou lov't Silvia, though not for thyself,
Regard thy danger, and along with me.

Val. I pray thee, Launce, an if thou fee'ft my boy,
Bid him make haste and meet me at the north-gate.
Pro, Go, firra, find him out: Come, Valentine.
Val. O my dear Silvia! hapless Valentine!

[Exeunt Valentine, and Protheus. Lau. I am but a fool, look you; and yet I have the wit to think, my mafter is a kind of a knave: but that's all one, if he be but one knave. He lives not now, that knows me to be in love: yet I am in love; but a team of horse fhall not pluck 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 the hath had goffips: yet 'tis a maid; for fhe is her master's maid, and ferves for wages. She hath more qualities than a water-spaniel,-which is much in ■ bare christian: here is [pulling out a paper] the catlog of her conditions. Imprimis, She can fetch and carry : Why, a horse can do no more: nay, a horse cannot fetch, but only carry; therefore, is the better than a jade. Item, She can milk, look you; a sweet virtue in a maid with clean hands.

Enter Speed.

Spe. How now, fignior Launce? what news with your maftership?

Lau. With my mafter's fhip? why, it is at fea. Spe. Well, your old vice ftill; miftake the word: What news then in your paper ?

Las. The blackeft news that ever thou heard'st.

Launce here again difplays great originality, and spirit of

Spe. Why, man, how black?
Lau. Why, as black as ink,
Spe. Let me read them.

Lau. Fie on thee, jolt-head; thou canft not read.
Spe. Thou ly'ft, I can.

Lau. I will try thee: Tell me this, Who begot thee?
Spe. Marry, the fon of my grandfather.

Lau. O illiterate loiterer! it was the son of thy grandmother: this proves, that thou canst not read.

Spe. Come, fool, come; try me in thy paper.
Lax. There; and faint Nicholas be thy speed!
Spe. Imprimis, She can milk.

Lau. Ay, that the can.

Spe. Item, She brews good ale.

[reads

Lau. And thereof comes the proverb,-Bleffing o

your heart, you brew good ale.

Spe. Item, She can forw.

Lau. That's as much as to fay, Can fhe fo

Spe. Item, She can knit.

Lax. What need a man care for a stock with a wench when the can knit him a ftock

Spe. Item, She can wash and fcour.

Lau. A fpecial virtue; for then she need not to be wash'd and fcour'd.

Spe. Item, She can spin.

Lau. Then may I fet the world on wheels, when he can fpin for her living.

Spe. Item, She bath many nameless virtues.

Lau. That's as much as to fay, baftard virtues; that, indeed, know not their fathers, and therefore have no

names.

Spe. Here follow her vices.

Lau. Clofe at the heels of her virtues.

Spe. Item, She is not to be kiss'd fafting, in respect of ber breath.

Lau. Well, that fault may be mended with a breakfaft. Read on.

Spe. Item, She hath a fweet mouth.

Lau. That makes amends for her four breath.

Spe. Item, She doth talk in her fleep

Lau. It's no matter for that, fo the fleep not in her talke