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My goods, my lands, my reputation
Only, in lieu thereof, difpatch me hence.* . ↑
Come, answer not, but do it presently;.

I am impatient of my tarriance.

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SCENE, the Duke's Palace in Milan.

Enter DUKE, THURIO, and PROTHEUS..

J

DUKE.

SIR Thurio, give us leave, I pray, a while;

We have fome fecrets to confer about.

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[Exit Thur. Now tell me, Protheus, what's your will with me? Pro. My gracious Lord, that which I would difThe law of friendship bids me to conceal; [cover, But when I call to mind your gracious favours Done to me, undeferving as I am,,

My duty pricks me on to utter that.

Which, elfe, no worldly good fhould draw from me. Know, worthy Prince, Sir Valentine my friend

This night intends to fteal away your daughter: Myfelf am one made privy to the plot.

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I know you have determined to beltow her
On Thurio, whom your gentle daughter hates;
And fhould the thus be ftolen away from you,
It would be inuch vexation to your age.
Thus, for my duty's fake, I rather chofe
To crofs my friend in his intended drift,
Than, by concealing it, heap on your head,
A pack of forrows, which would prefs you down,
If unprevented, to your timeless grave.

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Duke. Protheus, I thank theẻ for thine honest Which to requite, command me while I live. [care;; This love of theirs myself have often feen, Haply when they have judged me faft afleep; And oftentimes have purposed to forbid Sir Valentine her company, and my court: But fearing left my jealous aim might err, And fo unworthily difgrace the man,. (A rafhnefs that I ever yet have fhunned,) I gave him gentle looks,. thereby to find. That which thyfelf haft now difclosed to mes And that thou mayeft perceive my fear of this, Knowing that tender youth is foon suggested, I nightly lodge her in an upper tower, The key whereof myself have ever kept; And thence the cannot be conveyed away.

Pro. Know, noble Lord, they have devised ac How he her chamber-window will afcend, [meant And with a corded-ladder fetch her down; For which the youthful lover now is gone, And this way comes he with it prefently:" Where, if it please you, you may intercept him. But, good my Lord, do it fo cunningly, That my difcovery be not aimed at; For love of you, not hate unto my friend, Hath made me publifher of this pretence.

Duke. Upon mine honour, he fhall never know

That I had any light from thee of this.

Pro. Adieu, my Lord: Sir Valentine is coming. [Exit Pro.

Enter VALENTINE.

Duke. Sir Valentine, whither away so fast?" Val. Please it your Grace, there is a meffenger That stays to bear my letters to my friends, And I am going to deliver them,

Duke. Be they of much import?

Val. The tenor of them doth but fignify
My health, and happy being at your court.
Duke. Nay then, no matter; stay with me a while;
I am to break with thee of fome affairs.

That touch me near, wherein thou must be secret..
'Tis not unknown to thee, that I have fought
To match my friend, Sir Thurio, to my daughter..
Val. I know it well, my Lord; and fure the match
Were rich and honourable; besides, the gentleman
Is full of virtue, bounty, worth, and qualities 1!
Befeeming fuch a wife as your fair daughter..
Cannot your Grace win her to fancy him?

Duke. No, truft me; fhe is peevish, fullen, froward,
Proud, difobedient, ftubborn, lacking duty;
Neither regarding that he is my child,
Nor fearing me as if I were her fathers
And may I fay to thee, this pride of hers,
Upon advice, hath drawn my love from her;
And, where I thought the remnant of mine age
Should have been cherished by her child-like duty,
I now am full refolved to take a wife,

And turn her out to who will take her in:
Then let her beauty be her wedding-dower;
For me and my poffeflions the efteems not.
Val. What would your Grace have me to do in this?
Duke. There is a lady, Sir, in Milan * here,
Whom I affect; but the is nice and coy,
And nought efteems my aged eloquence:
Now therefore would I have thee to my tutor;
(For long agone I have forgot to court;

1

Sir, in Milan here. It ought to be thus, instead of— in Verona here for the fcene apparently is in Milan, as is clear from feveral paffages in the first Act, and in the beginning of the fit fcene of the fourth act. A like mistake has crept into the eighth scene of a✪ 11. where Speed bids his fellow-fervant Launce, welcome to Padua. Mr Pope

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Befides, the fashion of the time is changed,) I
How, and which way, I may bestow myself,
To be regarded in her fun-bright eye..

Val. Win her with gifts, if the respects not words; Dumb jewels often in their filent kind,

A

More than quick words, do move a woman's mind.
Duke. But he did fcorn a prefent that I fent her.
Val. A woman fometimes fcorns what best con-
Send her another; never give her o'er; [tents her;
For doorn at first makes after-love the more. 3147
If the do frown, 'tis not in hate of you,?.
But rather to beget more love in you;.
If the do chide, 'tis not to have you gonecy
For, why, the fools are mad if left alone.
Take no repulfe, whatever the doth fay;..
For, get you gone, the doth not mean away:
Flatter, and praise, commend, extol their
Tho' ne'er, fo black, fay they have angels faces.
That man that hath a tongue, I fay, is no man, 4!
If with his tongue he cannot win a woman.

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graces;

I

17.

Duke. But the I mean is promis'd by her friends Unto a youthful gentleman of worth,

And kept severely from refort of men,
That no man hath accefs by day to her.

Val. Why then I would refort to her by night.. Duke. Ay, but the doors be lock'd, and keys kept That no man hath recourse to her by night. [fafe, Val. What lets but one may enter at her window?^~ Duke. Her chamber is aloft, far from the ground, And built fo fhelving, that one cannot climb it Without apparent hazard of his life..

Val. Why then a ladder quaintly made of cords. To caft up, with a pair of anchoring hooks,

Would ferve to fcale another Hero's tower,
So bold Leander would adventure it.

Duke. Now, as thou art a gentleman of blood,

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Advise me where I may have fuch a ladder. [that.
Val. When would you use it? pray, Sir, tell me
Duke. This very night; for love is like a child,
That longs for every thing that he can come by.
Val. By feven a clock I'll get you fuch a ladder.
Dake. But hark thee; I will go to her alone;
How fhall I best convey the ladder thither?
Val. It will be light, my Lord, that you may
Under a cloak that is of any length, [bear it
Duke. A cloak as long as thine will ferve the turn?
Val. Ay, my good Lord., 1.

Duke. Thendet me fee thy cloak;

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I'll get me one of fuch another length.

[Lord.

Val. Why, any cloak will ferve the turn, my Duke. How hall I fashion me to wear a cloak?

I

I pray thee, let me feel thy cloak upon me.
What letter is this fame? what's here? To Silvia?
And here an engine fit for my proceeding?
I'll be fo bold to break the feal for once.

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[Duke reads. My thoughts do harbour with my Silvia nightly, "And flaves they are to me, that fend them flying: "Oh, could their mafter come and go as lightly, "Himfelf would lodge where, fenfelefs, they are lying, og by!

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"My herald thoughts in thy pure bosom reft them, "While I, their King, that thither them importune, Do curfe the, grace that with such

" bleft them, i

grace

hath

"Because myself do want my fervant's fortune:

- I curfe myself, for they are fent by me

That they should harbour where their lord

"would be."

J-[thee?" "What's here?" Silvia, this night will I enfranchife 'Tis fo; and here's the ladder for the purpose. Why, Phaeton, for thou art Merops' fon,

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