Enter PROTEUS,1 not seeing his Father. Pro. Sweet love! sweet lines! sweet life! Here is her hand, the agent of her heart;

[Kissing a letter. Here is her oath for love, her honour's pawn. O! that our fathers would applaud our loves, And seal our happiness with their consents! O heavenly Julia!

Ant. How now! what letter are you reading there? Pro. May 't please your lordship, 't is a word or two Of commendations sent from Valentine, [Putting it up.3 Deliver'd by a friend that came from him.

Ant. Lend me the letter: let me see what news. Pro. There is no news, my lord, but that he writes How happily he lives, how well belov'd,

And daily graced by the emperor;

Wishing me with him, partner of his fortune.
Ant. And how stand you affected to his wish?
Pro. As one relying on your lordship's will,
And not depending on his friendly wish.

Ant. My will is something sorted with his wish.
Muse not that I thus suddenly proceed,

For what I will, I will, and there an end.

I am resolv'd, that thou shalt spend some time
With Valentino3 in the emperor's court:

What maintenance he from his friends receives,
Like exhibition* thou shalt have from me.
To-morrow be in readiness to go:

Excuse it not, for I am peremptory.

Pro. My lord, I cannot be so soon provided:

Please you, deliberate a day or two.

Ant. Look, what thou want'st shall be sent after thee:

No more of stay; to-morrow thou must go.

Come on, Panthino: you shall be employ'd

To hasten on his expedition.

[Exeunt ANTONIO and PANTHINO. Pro. Thus have I shunn'd the fire for fear of burning, And drench'd me in the sea, where I am drown'd. I fear'd to show my father Julia's letter, Lest he should take exceptions to my love; And, with the vantage of mine own excuse,

1 The rest of this direction is not in f. e. 2 Not in f. e. 3 Valentinus in f. e. 4 maintenance, still in use in this sense in English Universities.

Hath he excepted most against my love.
O! how this spring of love resembleth
The uncertain glory of an April day,
Which now shows all the beauty of the sun,
And by and by a cloud takes all away.
Re-enter PANTHINO.

Ant. Sir Proteus, your father calls for you:
He is in haste; therefore, I pray you, go.

Pro. Why, this it is: my heart accords thereto, And yet a thousand times it answers no.

[Exeunt.

ACT II.

SCENE I.-Milan. A Room in the DUKE's Palace.

Enter VALENTINE and SPEED.

Speed. Sir, your glove.

Val.

Not mine; my gloves are on.

Speed. Why then this may be yours, for this is but

one.

Val. Ha! let me see: ay, give it me, it's mine.Sweet ornament that decks a thing divine!

Ah Silvia! Silvia!

Speed. Madam Silvia! madam Silvia!
Val. How now, sirrah?

Speed. She is not within hearing, sir.

Val. Why, sir, who bade you call her?

Speed. Your worship, sir; or else I mistook.

Val. Well, you'll still be too forward.

Speed. And yet I was last chidden for being too slow. Val. Go to, sir. Tell me, do you know madam Silvia ? Speed. She that your worship loves?

Val. Why, how know you that I am in love? Speed. Marry, by these special marks. First, you have learn'd, like sir Proteus, to wreath your arms, like a mal-content; to relish a love song, like a robin-redbreast; to walk alone, like one that hath' the pestilence; to sigh, like a schoolboy that hath lost his ABC; to weep, like a young wench that hath buried her grandam ; to fast, like one that takes diet; to watch, like one that fears robbing; to speak puling, like a beggar at Hallowmas. You were wont, when you laugh'd, to

1 had in f. e.

crow like a cock; when you walk'd, to walk like one
of the lions; when you fasted, it was presently after
dinner; when you look'd sadly, it was for want of
money; and now you are so1 metamorphosed with a
mistress, that, when I look on you, I can hardly think
you my master.

Val. Are all these things perceived in me?
Speed. They are all perceived without ye.

Val. Without me? they cannot.

Speed. Without you? nay, that's certain; for, without you were so simple, none else would be: but you are so without these follies, that these follies are within you, and shine through you like the water in an urinal, that not an eye that sees you, but is a physician to comment on your malady.

Val. But tell me, dost thou know my lady Silvia?
Speed. She, that you gaze on so, as she sits at supper?
Val. Hast thou observed that? even she I mean.
Speed. Why, sir, I know her not.

Val. Dost thou know her by my gazing on her, and yet know'st her not?

Speed. Is she not hard-favour'd, sir?
Val. Not so fair, boy, as well favour'd.
Speed. Sir, I know that well enough.
Val. What dost thou know?

Speed. That she is not so fair, as (of you) wellfavour'd.

Val. I mean, that her beauty is exquisite, but her favour infinite.

Speed. That's because the one is painted, and the other out of all count.

Val. How painted? and how out of count?

Speed. Marry, sir, so painted to make her fair, that no man 'counts of her beauty.

Val. How esteem'st thou me? I account of her beauty.

Speed. You never saw her since she was deform'd.
Val. How long hath she been deform'd?

Speed. Ever since you loved her.

Val. I have loved her ever since I saw her, and still I see her beautiful.

Speed. If you love her, you cannot see her.

Val. Why?

1 2 Not in f. e.

1

Speed. Because love is blind. O! that you had mine eyes; or your own eyes had the lights they were wont to have, when you chid at sir Proteus for going ungartered!

Val. What should I see then?

Speed. Your own present folly, and her passing deformity; for he, being in love, could not see to garter his hose; and you, being in love, cannot see to put on your hose.

Val. Belike, boy, then you are in love; for last morning you could not see to wipe my shoes.

Speed. True, sir; I was in love with my bed. I thank you, you swinged me for my love, which makes me the bolder to chide you for yours.

Val. In conclusion, I stand affected to her.

Speed. I would you were set, so your affection would

cease.

Val. Last night she enjoin'd me to write some lines to one she loves.

Speed. And have you?

Val. I have.

Speed. Are they not lamely writ?

Val. No, boy, but as well as I can do them.Peace! here she comes.

Enter SILVIA.

Speed. O excellent motion ! O exceeding puppet! Now will he interpret to her.

Val. Madam and mistress, a thousand good morrows. Speed. O! 'give ye good even: here's a million of [Aside."

manners.

Sil. Sir Valentine and servant,3 to you two thousand. Speed. He should give her interest, and she gives it him.

Val. As you enjoin'd me, I have writ your letter
Unto the secret nameless friend of yours;

Which I was much unwilling to proceed in,
But for my duty to your ladyship. [Giving a paper.*
Sil. I thank you, gentle servant. 'T is very clerkly
done.

Val. Now trust me, madam, it came hardly off;
For, being ignorant to whom it goes,

I writ at random, very doubtfully.

1 A puppet show. 2 Not in f. e. 3 An old term for lover. 4 Not in f. e.

Sil. Perchance you think too much of so much pains? Val. No, madam: so it stead you, I will write, Please you command, a thousand times as much. And yet

Sil. A pretty period. Well, I guess the sequel: And yet I will not name it ;-and yet I care not ;— And yet take this again;-and yet I thank you, Meaning henceforth to trouble you no more.

Speed. And yet you will; and yet, another yet. [Aside.1 Val. What means your ladyship? do you not like it?

Sil. Yes, yes: the lines are very quaintly writ,
But since unwillingly, take them again.
Nay, take them.

Val. Madam, they are for you.

[Giving it back.

Sil. Ay, ay; you writ them, sir, at my request, But I will none of them: they are for you.

I would have had them writ more movingly.

Val. Please you, I'll write your ladyship another. Sil. And, when it's writ, for my sake read it over; And if it please you, so; if not, why, so.

Val. If it please me, madam; what then?

Sil. Why, if it please you, take it for your labour And so good-morrow, servant.

[Exit.

Speed. O jest! unseen, inscrutable, invisible, As a nose on a man's face, or a weathercock on a

steeple.

My master sues to her, and she hath taught her suitor, He being her pupil, to become her tutor.

O excellent device! was there ever heard a better, That my master, being scribe, to himself should write the letter?

Val. How now, sir! what, are you reasoning with yourself?

Speed. Nay, I was rhyming: 't is you that have the

reason.

Val. To do what?

Speed. To be a spokesman from madam Silvia.

Val. To whom?

Speed. To yourself.

Val. What figure?

Why, she woos you by a figure.

Speed. By a letter, I should say.

Val. Why, she hath not writ to me?

1 2 Not in f. e.