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Know, worthy prince, Sir Valentine, my friend,
This night intends to fteal away your daughter :
Myfelf am one made privy to the plot.

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

Duke. Protheus, I thank thee for thine honest care;
Which to requite, command me while I live.
This love of theirs myself have often seen,
Haply, when they have judg'd me fast asleep;
And oftentimes have purpos'd 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 fhunn'd);
I gave him gentle looks; thereby to find
That which thyself haft now difclos'd to me."
And, that thou may'ft perceive my fear of this,
Knowing that tender youth is foon fuggefted,
I nightly lodge her in an upper tower,
The key whereof myself have ever kept;
And thence the cannot be convey'd away.

Pro. Know, noble lord, they have devis'd a mean How he her chamber-window will ascend, And with a corded ladder fetch her down; -For which the youthful lover now is gone, And this way comes he with it presently: Where, if it please you, you may intercept him. But, good my lord, do it so cunningly, That my discovery be not aimed at;

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•be not aimed at ;] Be not guessed. JOHNSON.

For

For love of you, not hate unto my friend,
Hath made me publisher of this pretence.

2

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.

Enter Valentine.

[Exit Pro.

Duke. Sir Valentine, whither away fo faft? 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; ftay with me a while; I am to break with thee of fome affairs,

That touch me near; wherein thou must be fecret.
'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; befides, the gentleman
Is full of virtue, bounty, worth, and qualities
Beseeming 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, disobedient, stubborn, lacking duty;
Neither regarding that he is my child,
Nor fearing me as if I were her father:
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
Should have been cherish'd by her child-like duty,
I now am full refolv'd to take a wife,
And turn her out to who will take her in.

age

-of this pretence.] Of this claim made to your daughter.

K 2

JOHNSON.
Then

Then let her beauty be her wedding-dower,
For me, and my poffeffions, fhe esteems not.
Vel. What would your grace have me to do in
this?

Duke. There is a lady, 3 Sir, in Milan, here,
Whom I affect; but fhe 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:
Befides, the fashion of the time is chang'd)
How, and which way, I may bestow myself,
To be regarded in her fun-bright eye.

4

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

More than quick words, do move a woman's mind. Duke. But he did fcorn a present that I fent her. Vel. A woman fcorns fometimes what beft contents her:

Send her another; never give her o'er;

For fcorn at firft makes after-love the more.
If fhe do frown, 'tis not in hate of you,
But rather to beget more love in you:
If fhe do chide, 'tis not to have you gone:
For why, the fools are mad if left alone.
Take no repulfe, whatever fhe doth fay;
For, get you gone, fhe doth not mean, away:
Flatter and praife, commend, extol their graces;
Though ne'er fo black, fay, they have angels' faces.
That man that hath a tongue, I fay, is no man,
If with his tongue he cannot win a woman.

3-Sir, in Milan, here,] It ought to be thus, inftead 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 firft fcene of the fourth act. A like miftake has crept into the eighth fcene of act II. where Speed bids his fellowfervant Launce welcome to Padua. POPE.

4 the fashion of the time-] The modes of courtship, the acts by which men recommended them felves to ladies.

JOHNSON.
Duke.

Duke. But fhe I mean, is promis'd by her friends Unto a youthful gentleman of worth, And kept feverely from refort of men,

That no man hath access 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 fafe,

That no man hath recourfe to her by night.

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, Advise me where I may have fuch a ladder.

Val. When would you use it? pray, Sir, tell me

that.

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. Duke. But hark thee: I will go to her alone; How fhall I beft convey the ladder thither? Val. It will be light, my lord, that you may

it

Under a cloak that is of any length.

bear

Duke. A cloak as long as thine will ferve the turn? Val. Ay, my good lord.

Duke. Then let me fee thy cloak;

I'll get me one of fuch another length.

I

Val. Why, any cloak will ferve the turn, my lord. Duke. How fhall I fafhion me to wear a cloak?

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. [Duke reads.

My thoughts do harbour with my Sylvia nightly,
And flaves they are to me, that fend them flying:
Oh, could their master come and go as lightly,

Himfelf would lodge, where fenfeless they are lying:
My herald thoughts in thy pure bofom reft them,
While I, their king, that thither them importune,
Do curfe the grace, that with fuch grace hath bless'd them,
Becaufe myfelf do want my fervant's fortune;
I curfe myself, for they are fent by me,

That they should barbour where their lord would be.
What's here? Sylvia, this night will I enfranchife thee:
'Tis fo, and here's the ladder for the purpofc.-
Why, Phaeton (for thou art 6 Merops' fon)
Wilt thou afpire to guide the heavenly car,
And with thy daring folly burn the world?
Wilt thou reach ftars, because they fhine on thee?
Go, bafe intruder! over-weening flave!
Beftow thy fawning fimiles on equal mates;
And think, my patience, more than thy defert,
Is privilege for thy departure hence:

Thank me for this, more than for all the favours,
Which, all too much, I have beftow'd on thee,
But if thou linger in my territories,
Longer than fwifteft expedition

Will give thee time to leave our royal court,
By heaven, my wrath fhall far exceed the love
I ever bore my daughter or thyfelf:

Be gone, I will not hear thy vain excufe,

But, as thou lov'ft thy life, make speed from hence.

5

[Exit. Val. And why not death, rather than living tor

ment?

for they are fent by me,] For is the fame as for that, fince. JOHNSON.

6-Merops' Jon)] Thou art Phaeton in thy rafinefs, but without his pretenfions; thou art not the fon of a divinity, but a terræ filius, a low born wretch; Merops is thy true father, with whom Phaeton was falfely reproached. JOHNSON.

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