A CT V. SCENE I.

Scene continues in Milan. Enter Eglamour.

Egl. TA

HE fun begins to gild the western sky, And now it is about the very hour Silvia, at Friar Patrick's cell, fhould meet me. She will not fail; for lovers break not hours, Unless it be to come before their time:

So much they fpur their expedition.

See where the comes. Lady, a happy evening!
Enter Silvia.

Sil. Amen, Amen! Go on, good Eglamour,
Out at the postern by the abby-wall;

I fear I am attended by fome fpies.

Egl. Fear not; the foreft is not three leagues off; J we recover that, we're fure enough.

[Exeunt.
SCENE II. Enter Thurio, Protheus and Julia.
Thu. Sir Protheus, what fays Silvia to my fuit?
Oh, Sir, I find her milder than fhe was,

And yet fhe takes exceptions at your perfon.
Thu. What, that my leg is too long?

Pro. No; that it is too little.

Thu. I'll wear a boot to make it fomewhat rounder.
Pro. But love will not be spurr'd to what it loaths.
Thu. What fays fhe to my face?

Pro. She fays, it is a fair one.

Thu. Nay, then the wanton lies; my face is black. Pro. But pearls are fair; and the old faying is, Black men are pearls in beauteous ladies eyes. Jul. 'Tis true, fuch pearls as put out ladies eyes; For I had rather wink than look on them. Thu. How likes the my difcourfe?

Pro. Ill, when you talk of war.

i

[Afide

Thu. But well when I difcourfe of love and peace?
Jul. But better indeed when you hold your peace.
Thu. What fays fhe to my valour?

Pro. Oh, Sir, fhe makes no doubt of that.

Jul. She needs not, when she knows it cowardife.
Thu. What fays fhe to my birth?

Pro. That you are well deriv'd.

Ful

Jul. True; from a gentleman to a fool.
Thu. Confiders fhe my poffeffions?

Pro. Oh, ay, and pities them."

Thu. Wherefore?

Jul. That fuch an ass should own them.
Pro. That they are out by lease.

Jul. Here comes the Duke.

Enter Duke.

Duke. How now, Sir Protheus? how now, Thurie? Which of you faw Sir Eglamour of late?

Thu. Not I.

Pro. Nor I.

Duke. Saw you my daughter?"
Pro. Neither.

Duke. Why then?

She's fled unto the peasant Valentine;
And Eglamour is in her company.

'Tis true;

for Friar Laurence met them both,
As he in penance wander'd through the foreft:
Him he knew well, and guefs'd that it was fhe;
But, being mash'd, he was not fure of it.
Befides, the did intend confeffion

At Patrick's cell this even, and there fhe was not:
These likelihoods confirm her flight from hence,
Therefore I pray you, ftand not to discourse,
But mount you prefently, and meet with me
Upon the rifing of the mountain-foot

That leads tow'rds Mantua, whither they are fled.
Dispatch, fweet gentlemen, and follow me.

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

Pro. And I will follow, more for Silvia's love, Than hate of Eglamour that goes with her.

Jul. And I will follow, more to cross that love, Than hate for Silvia, that is gone for love.

[Exeunt. SCENE III. The Foreft. Enter Silvia and Out-laws. 1 Out. Come, come, be patient; we must bring you to ⚫ur captain.

Sil

Sil. A thousand more mifchances than this one Have learn'd me how to brook this patiently. 2 Out. Come, bring her away.

I Out. Where is the gentleman that was with her? 3 Out. Being nimble-footed, he hath out-run us; But Moyfes and Valerius follow him,

Go thou with her to th' weft end of the wood,
There is our captain: follow him that's fled.
The thicket is befet, he cannot 'scape.

1 Out. Come, I muft bring you to our captain's cave.
Fear not; he bears an honourable mind,
And will not use a woman lawlesly.

Sil. O Valentine! this I endure for thee.

SCENE IV. Enter Valentine.
Val. How ufe doth breed a habit in a man!
This fhadowy defart, unfrequented woods,
I better brook than flourishing peopled towns.
Here I can fit alone, unfeen of any,
And to the nightingale's complaining notes
Tune my diftreffes, and record my woes.
O thou that doft inhabit in my breast,
Leave not the manfion fo long tenantless,
Left, growing ruinous, the building fall,
And leave no memory of what it was.
Repair me with thy prefence, Silvia;
Thou gentle nymph, cherish thy forlorn fwain.
What hollowing and what ftir is this to day?

[Exeunt.

These are my mates, that make their wills their law,
Have fome unhappy paffenger 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?
Enter Protheus, Silvia and Julia.

Pro, Madam, this fervice have I done for you,
(Tho' you refpect not ought your fervant doth)
To hazard life, and refcue you from him
That wou'd have forc'd your honour and your love.
Vouchsafe me for my meed but one fair look:
A fmaller boon than this I cannot beg,
And lefs than this I'm fure you cannot give.

Val. How like a dream is this I fee and hear!
Love, lend me patience to forbear a while.
Sil. O miferable 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'ft me most unhappy.
ful. And me when he approacheth to your prefence.[Afide.
Sil. Had I been feized by a hungry lion,

I would have been a breakfast to the beaft,
Rather than have falfe Protheus refcue me.
Oh heav'n, be judge how I love Valentine,
Whofe life's as tender to me as my foul;
And full as much, for more there cannot be,
I do deteft falfe perjur'd Protheus:
Therefore be gone, follicit me no more.

Pro. What dang'rous action, ftood it next to death,
Would I not undergo for one calm look?

Oh, 'tis the curfe in love, for ever prov'd,
When women cannot love where they're belov'd.

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

For whofe dear fake thou then didst rend thy faith
Into a thousand oaths; and all thofe oaths
Defcended into perjury to deceive me.

Thou haft no faith left now, unless thou'dft two,
And that's far worse than none: better have none
Than plural faith, which is too much by one.
Thou counterfeit to thy true friend!

Pro. In love,

Who respects friend?

Sil. All men but Protheus.

Pro. Nay, if the gentle spirit of moving words
Can no way change you to a milder form;
I'll move you like a foldier, at arms end,

And love you 'gainst the nature of love; force ye.
Sil. O heav'n!

Pro. I'll force thee yield to my defire.

Val. Ruffian, let go that rude uncivil touch, Thou friend of an ill fashion!

Pro. Valentine!

Val. Thou common friend, that's without faith or love; For fuch is a friend now: thou treach'rous man!

Thou haft beguil'd my hopes; nought but mine eye
Could have perfuaded me. I dare not fay,

I have one friend alive; thou wouldst difprove me.
Who fhould be trufted now, when the right hand
Is perjur'd to the bofom? Protheus,

I'm forry I muft never truft thee more,
But count the world a stranger for thy fake.
The private wound is deepeft. Oh time accurft!
'Mongst all foes, that a friend should be the worst!
Pro. My fhame and guilt confound me:
Forgive me, Valentine; if hearty forrow
Be a fufficient ranfom for offence,

I tender't here; I do as truly fuffer,
As e'er I did commit.

Val. Then I am paid:

And once again I do receive thee honeft.
Who by repentance is not fatisfy'd,

Is nor of heav'n nor earth, for these are pleas'd;
By penitence th' 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. Oh me unhappy!

Pro. Look to the boy.

[Swoons.

Val. Why, boy? how now? what's the matter? look up; speak.

Jul. O good Sir, my mafter 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.

Pro. How? let me fee:

This is the ring I gave to Julia.

Jul. Oh, cry you mercy, Sir, I have mistook ; This is the ring you fent to Silvia.

This paffage cither hath been much fophifticated, or is one great proof that the main parts of this Play did not proceed from Shakespeare: for it is impoffible He could make Valentine act and fpeak fo much out of character; or give to Silvia so unnatural a behaviour as to take no notice of this ftrange declaration if it had been made.

Pro.