And threw her sun-expelling mask away,
The air hath starv'd the roses in her cheek
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 judgments,
As if the garment had been made for me:
Therefore, I know she is about my height.
And at that time I made her weep a-good,1
For I did play a lamentable part.
Madam, 't was Ariadne, passioning
For Theseus' perjury, and unjust flight;
Which I so lively acted with my tears,
That my poor mistress, moved therewithal,
Wept bitterly; and, would I might be dead,
If I in thought felt not her very sorrow.

Sil. She is beholding 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.
Farewell.
[Exit SILVIA.

Jul. And she shall thank you for 't, if e'er you know

her.

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 green as grass, and so are mine:
Ay, but her forehead's low, and mine's as high.
What should it be, that he respects in her,

1 In good earnest. 2 grey as glass: in f. e.

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 't is thy rival. O thou senseless form!

Thou shalt be worshipp'd, kiss'd, lov'd, and ador'd;
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 us'd me so; or else, by Jove I vow,
I should have scratch'd out your unseeing eyes,
To make my master out of love with thee.

[Exit.

ACT V.

SCENE I.-The Same. 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.

Enter SILVIA.

See, where she comes.-Lady, a happy evening.
Sil. Amen, amen. Go on, good Eglamour,
Out at the postern by the abbey-wall.

I fear, I am attended by some spies.

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

If we recover that, we are sure enough.

[Exeunt.

SCENE II.-The Same. A Room in 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. But love will not be spurr'd to what it loaths.

VOL. I.-11

[Aside.

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. Pro. But pearls are fair, and the old saying is, Black men are pearls in beauteous ladies' eyes. Jul. 'T is true, such pearls as put out ladies' eyes; For I had rather wink than look on them. [Aside.

Thu. How likes she my discourse?

Pro. Ill, when you talk of war.

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

Jul. But better, indeed, when you hold your peace.

[Aside.

Thu. What says she to my valour?

Pro. O, sir! she makes no doubt of that.

Jul. She needs not, when she knows it cowardice.

[Aside.

Thu. What says she to my birth?

Pro. That you are well deriv’d.

Jul. True; from a gentleman to a fool.

[Aside.

Thu. Considers she my large possessions?

Pro. O ay, and pities them.

Thu. Wherefore?

Jul. That such an ass should owe them.

[Aside.

Pro. That they are out by lease.

Enter DUKE, angrily.1

Jul. Here comes the duke.

Duke. How now, sir Proteus! how now, Thurio!

Which of you saw sir2 Eglamour of late?

Thu. Not I.

Pro. Nor I.

Duke. Saw you my daughter?

Pro. Neither.

Duke. Why, then

She's fled unto that peasant Valentine,

And Eglamour is in her company.

'T is true; for friar Lawrence 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 her:
Besides, she did intend confession

At Patrick's cell this even, and there she was not.
These likelihoods confirm her flight from hence:

1 2 Not in f. e.

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 towards Mantua, whither they are fled.
Dispatch, sweet gentlemen, and follow me.

[Exit in haste.1

Thu. Why, this it is to be a peevish girl, That flies her fortune when it follows her. I'll after, more to be reveng'd on Eglamour, Than for the love of reckless Silvia.

[Exit.

Pro. And I will follow, more for Silvia's love, Than hate of Eglamour that goes with her. [Exit. Jul. And I will follow, more to cross that love, Than hate for Silvia that is gone for love.

SCENE III.-The Forest.

Enter SILVIA, and Outlaws.

[Exit.

1 Out. Come, come; be patient, we must bring you

to our captain.

[Drawing her in.

Sil. A thousand more mischances than this one Have learn'd me how to brook this patiently.

2 Out. Come, bring her away.

1 Out. Where is the gentleman that was with her? 3 Out. Being nimble-footed, he hath outrun us;

But Moyses, and Valerius, follow him.

Go thou with her to the west end of the wood;
There is our captain. We'll follow him that's fled :
The thicket is beset; he cannot 'scape.

1 Out. Come, I must bring you to our captain's cave. Fear not; he bears an honourable mind,

And will not use a woman lawlessly.

Sil. O Valentine! this I endure for thee. [Exeunt.

SCENE IV.-Another Part of the Forest.
Enter VALENTINE.

Val. How use doth breed a habit in a man !
These shadowy, desert, unfrequented woods,
I better brook than flourishing peopled towns.
Here can I sit alone, unseen of any,
And to the nightingale's complaining notes
Tune my distresses, and record3 my woes.
O! thou that dost inhabit in my breast,
Leave not the mansion too long tenantless,

1 in haste: not in f. e. 2 This shadowy desert: in f. e. 3 sing.

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? [Shouts.1
These my rude mates,2 that make their wills their law,
Have some unhappy passenger in chase.

They love me well; yet I have much to do,
To keep them from uncivil outrages.

Withdraw thee, Valentine: who's this comes here?

[Withdraws.

Enter PROTEUS, SILVIA, and JULIA.

Pro. Madam, this service having done for you, (Though you respect not aught your servant doth) To hazard life, and rescue you from him, That would have forc'd your honour and your love, Vouchsafe me, for my meed, but one fair look." A smaller boon than this I cannot beg, And less than this, I am sure, you cannot give. Val. How like a dream is this, I see and hear! Love, lend me patience to forbear awhile.

5

[Aside.

Sil. O, miserable! unhappy that I am!
Pro. Unhappy were you, madam, ere I came;
But by my coming I have made you happy.
Sil. By thy approach thou mak'st me most unhappy.
Jul. And me, when he approacheth to your presence.

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, perjur'd Proteus :
Therefore be gone: solicit me no more.

[Aside.

Pro. What dangerous action, stood it next to death, Would I not undergo for one calm look.

O! 'tis the curse in love, and still approv'd,"
When women cannot love where they 're belov'd.

Sil. When Proteus cannot love where he's belov'd. Read over Julia's heart, thy first best love,

Not in f. e. 2 are my mates: in f. e. 3 Steps aside: in f. e. I have in f. e. 5 f. e. have a period. 6 f. e. have a semi-colon. " proved.