I'll woo you

like a soldier at arms' end;

And love you 'gainst the nature of love, force you. Sil. O heaven!

Pro.

I'll force thee yield to my desire.

that rude uncivil touch;

Val. Ruffian, let go
Thou friend of an ill fashion!

Pro.

Valentine!

Val. Thou common friend, that's without faith or love;

(For such is a friend now,) treacherous man!
Thou hast beguil'd my hopes; nought but mine eye
Could have persuaded me: Now I dare not say
I have one friend alive; thou would'st disprove me.
Who should be trusted now, when one's right hand
Is perjur'd to the bosom? Proteus,

I am sorry, I must never trust thee more,
But count the world a stranger for thy sake.
The private wound is deepest: O time most curst!
'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 it here; I do as truly suffer,
As e'er I did commit.

Then I am paid;

Val.
And once again I do receive thee honest:--
Who by repentance is not satisfied,

Is nor of heaven, nor earth; for these are pleas'd;
By penitence the Eternal's wrath's appeas'd:
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.

[Faints.

Val. Why boy, why wag! how now? what is the matter?

Look up; speak.

Jul.

O good sir, my master charg'd me

To deliver a ring to madam Silvia;

Which, out of my neglect was never done.

Pro. Where is that ring, boy?

Jul.

Here 'tis this is it. [Gives a ring.

Pro. How! let me see:

Why this is the ring I gave to Julia.

Jul. O, cry your mercy, sir, I have mistook; This is the ring you sent to Silvia.

I

[Shows another ring.

Pro. But, how cam'st thou by this ring? at my

depart,

gave this unto Julia.

Jul. And Julia herself did give it me; And Julia herself hath brought it hither.

Pro. How! Julia!

Jul. Behold her that gave aim to all thy oaths, And entertain'd them deeply in her heart: How oft hast thou with perjury cleft the root ?? O Proteus, let this habit make thee blush! Be thou asham'd, that I have took upon me Such an immodest rayment; if shame live In a disguise of love:

It is the lesser blot, modesty finds,

Women to change their shapes, than men their minds.

Pro. Than men their minds ? 'tis true: O heaven!

were man

But constant, he were perfect: that one error
Fills him with faults; makes him run through all sin:
Inconstancy falls off, ere it begins:

What is in Silvia's face, but I may spy
More fresh in Julia's with a constant eye?
Val. Come, come, a hand from either:

Let me be blest to make this happy close;

"Twere pity two such friends should be long foes. Pro. Bear witness, heaven, I have my wish for

ever.

Jul. And I have mine.

6 Direction.

7 An allusion to cleaving the pin in archery.

Enter Out-laws, with DUKE and THURIO. Out. A prize, a prize, a prize! Val. Forbear, I say, it is my lord the duke. Your grace is welcome to a man disgrac'd, Banished Valentine.

Duke.

Sir Valentine!

Thu. Yonder is Silvia: and Silvia's mine.

Val. Thurio, give back, or else embrace thy death;

Come not within the measure of my wrath :8
Do not name Silvia thine; if once again,
Milan shall not behold 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,
To make such means 9 for her as thou hast done,
And leave her on such light 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 unrivall'd merit,
To which I thus subscribe,-sir Valentine,
Thou art a gentleman, and well deriv'd;
Take thou thy Silvia, for thou hast deserv'd 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.

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;

8

Length of my sword.

9 Interest.

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 include1 all jars
With triumphs, mirth, and rare solemnity.

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 The story of your loves discovered: That done, our day of marriage shall be yours; One feast, one house, one mutual happiness.

1 Conclude.

[Exeunt.