Pro.

Who respects friend?

Sil.

In love,

All men but Proteus.

Pro. Nay, if the gentle spirit of moving words Can no way change you to a milder form, 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. 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 such is a friend now ;) treacherous man! Thou hast beguiled my hopes; nought but mine

eye

Could have persuaded me: now I dare not say I have one friend alive; thou wouldst disprove

me.

Who should be trusted when one's own right hand

Is perjured 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
accurst!

'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.

Val.

Then I am paid;

And once again I do receive thee honest :

Who by repentance is not satisfied,

Is nor of heaven, nor earth; for these are pleased;
By penitence the Eternal's wrath's appeased,-
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's the matter. Look up; speak.

Jul. O good sir, my master charged 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 see:

Why, this is the ring I gave to Julia.

[Gives a ring.

ful. O, cry your mercy, sir, I have mistook;

This is the ring you sent to Silvia.

[Shows another ring Pro. But how camest thou by this ring At my depart, I gave this unto Julia. ful. And Julia herself did give it me; And Julia herself has 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 ashamed, that I have took upon me
Such an immodest raiment; 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 the sins:

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.

Ful. And I mine.

Enter Outlaws, with DUKE and THURIO. Out. A prize, a prize, a prize!

Val. Forbear, forbear, I say; it is my lord

the duke.

Your grace is welcome to a man disgraced,
The banish'd 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 :
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 for her as thou hast done,

And leave her on such slight 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 derived;
Take thou thy Silvia, for thou hast deserved 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;
Forgive them what they have committed here,
And let them be recall'd from their exíle :
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 include 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 fortunèd— 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.

[Exeunt.