ACT IV.

SCENE I. A forest, near Mantua.

Enter certain Out-laws.

1 Out. Fellows, stand fast: I see a passenger. 2 Out. If there be ten, shrink vot, but down with

'em.

Enter Valentine and Speed. 3 Out. Stand, sir, and throw us that you have

about you;

If not, we'll make you sit, and rifle you.

Speed. Sir, we are undone! these are the villains That all the travellers do fear so much.

Val. My friends, 1 Out. That's not so, sir; we are your enemies. 2 Out. Peace; we'll hear him.

3 Out. Ay, by my beard, will we; For he's a proper* man.

Val. Theu know, that I have little wealth to lose; A man I am, cross'd with adversity : My riches are these poor habiliments, Of which if you should here disfurnish me, You take the sum and substance that I have.

2 Out. Whither travel you? Val. To Veroua. 1 Out. Whence came you ? Val. From Milan. 3 Out. Have you long sojourn'd there? Val. Some sixteen months; and longer night hare

staid,
If crooked fortune had not thwarted me.

1 Out. What, were you bavish'd thence ?
Val. I was.

• Well-looking.

2 Out. For what offence?

Val. For that which now torments me to rehearse: I kill'd a man, whose death J much repent; But yet I slew him manfully in fight, Without false vantage, or base treachery.

1 Out. Why ne'er repent 'it, if it were done so : But were you banish'd for so small a fault?

Val. I was, and held me glad of such a doom. 1 Out. Have you the tongues?

Val. My youthful travel therein made me happy; Or else I often had been miserable. 3 Out. By the bare scalp of Robin Hood's fat

friar, This fellow were a king for our wild faction.

1 Out. We'll have him : sirs, a word.

Speed. Master, be one of them; It is an honourable kind of thievery.

Val. Peace, villain !
2 Out. Tell us this: have you any thing to take

to?
Val. Nothing, but my fortune.

3 Out. Know then, that some of us are gentlemen,
Such as the fury of ungovern'd youth
Thrust from the company of awfult men :
Myself was from Verona banished,
For practising to steal away a lady,
An heir, and near allied unto the duke.

2 Out. And I from Maptua, for a gentleman, Whom, in my moodi, I stabb'd unto the heart.

1 Out. And I, for such like petty crimes as these, But to the purpose-(for we cite our faults, That they may hold excus'd our lawless lives), And, partly, seeing you are beautified With goodly shape; and by your own report A linguist; and a man of such perfection, As we do in our quality much want;

2 Out. Indeed, because you are a banish'd man, Therefore, above the rest, we parley to you:

* Languages, t Lawful. Anger, resentment,

Are you content to be our general ?
To make a virtue of necessity,
And live, as we do, in this wilderness ?
3 Out. What say'st thou? wilt thou be of our con.

sórt?
Say, ay, and be the captain of us all:
We'll do thee homage, and be rul'd by thee,
Love thee as our commander, and our king.

1 Qut. But if thou scorn our courtesy, thou diest. 2 Out. Thou shalt not live to brag what we have

offer'd.. Val. I take your offer, and will live with you; Provided that you do no outrages On silly women, or poor passengers.

3 Out. No, we detest such vile base practices. Come, go with us, we'll bring thee to our crews, And show thee all the treasure we have got; Which, with ourselves, all rest at thy dispose.

[Ereunt.

SCENE II.

Milan. Court of the paluce.

Enter Proteus.

Pro. Already have I been false to Valentine,
And now I must be as unjust to Thurio.
Under the colour of commending him,
I have access my own love to prefer;
But Silvia is too fair, too true, too holy,
To be corrupted with my worthless gifts.
When I protest true loyalty to her,
She twits nie with my falsehood to my friend;
When to her beauty I commend my vows,
She bids me think, how I have beeu forsworn
In breaking faith with Julia whom I lov'd :
And, aotwithstanding all her sudden quips,

• Passionate reproaches.

The least whereof would quell a lover's hope,
Yet, spaniel-like, the more she spurds my love,
The more it grows and fawneth on her still.
But here comes Thurio: now must we to her window,
And give some evening music to her ear.

Enter Thurio, and Musicians.
Thu. How now, sír Proteus ? are you crept be.

fore us ? Pro. Ay, gentle Thurio; for, you know, that love Will creep in service where it cannot go.

Thu. Ay, but, I hope, sir, that you love not here.
Pro. Sir, but I do; or else I would be hence.
Thu. Whom? Silvia?
Pro. Ay, Silvia-for your sake.

Thu. I thank you for your own. Now, gentlemen, Let's tune, and to it lustily a while.

Enter Host, at a distance; and Julia in boy's

clothes. Host. Now, my young guest! methinks you're allycholly; I pray you, why is it?

Jul. Marry, mine host, because I cannot be merry.

Host. Come, we'll have you merry: I'll bring you where you shall hear music, and see the gentleman that you ask'd for.

Jul. But shall I hear him speak ?
Host. Ay, that you

shall.
Jul. That will be music.

(Music plays.
Host. Hark! lark !
Jul. Is he among these?
Host. Ay: but peace, let's hear 'em.

SONG.

Who is Silvia? What is she,

That all our swains commend her ?
Holy, fair, and wise is she;

The heavens such grace did lend her,
That she might admired be.

Is she kind, as she is fuir?

For beauty lives with kindness :
Love doth to her eyes repair,

To help him of his blindness;
And, being help'd, inhabits there,
Then to Silvia let us sing,

That Silviu is excelling;
She excels each mortal thing,

Upon the dull earth dwelling:
To her let us garlands bring.
Host. How now? are you sadder than you were

before?
How do you, man? the music likes you not.

Jul. You mistake; the musician likes me not.
Host. Why, my pretty youth?
Jul. He plays false, father.
Host. How? out of tune on the strings?

Jul. Not so; but yet so false that he grieves my very heart-strings.

Host. You have a quick ear.

Jul. Ay, I would I were deaf! it makes me have a slow heart.

Host. I perceive, you delight not in music.
Jul. Not a whit, when it jars so.
Host. Hark, what fine change is in the music!
Jul. Ay; that change is the spite,

Host. You would have them always play but one thing?

Jul. I would always have one play but one thing. But, liost, doth this sir Proteus, that we talk on, Often resort unto this gentlewomau?

Host. I tell you what Launce, his man, told me, he loved her out of all nick,

Jul. Where is Launce?

Host. Gone to seek his dog; which, to-morrow, by his master's command, he must carry for a present to his lady.

* Beyond all reckoning.