I throw thy name against the bruising stones,
Trampling contemptuously on thy disdain,
Look, here is writ-love-wounded Proteus:-
Poor wounded name! my bosom, as a bed,

Shall lodge thee, till thy wound be thoroughly heal'd;
And thus I search it with a sovereign kiss.

But twice, or thrice, was Proteus written down?
Be calm, good wind, blow not a word away,
Till I have found each letter in the letter.

Except mine own name; that some whirlwind bear
Unto a ragged, fearful, hanging rock,

And throw it thence into the raging sea!
Lo, here in one line.is his name twice writ,-
Poor forlorn Proteus, passionate Proteus,
To the sweet Julia; that I'll tear away;
And yet I will not, sith* so prettily
He couples it to his complaining names:
Thus will I fold them one upon another;
Now kiss, embrace, contend, do what you will.
Re-enter LUCETTA.

Luc. Madam, dinner's ready, and your father stays.
Jul. Well, let us go.

Luc. What, shall these papers lie like tell-tales here?
Jul. If you respect them, best to take them up.
Luc. Nay, I was taken up for laying them down:
Yet here they shall not lie, for catching cold.
Jul. I see, you have a month's mind to them.

Luc. Ay, Madam, you may say what sights you see;

I see things too, although you judge I wink.
Jul. Come, come, will't please you go?

[Exeunt.

SCENE III.-The same. A room in ANTONIO'S House.

Enter ANTONIO and PANTHINO.

Ant. Tell me, Panthino, what sadt talk was that,
Wherewith my brother held you in the cloister?
Pan. "Twas of his nephew, Proteus, your son.
Ant. Why, what of him?

Pan. He wonder'd, that your lordship
Would suffer him to spend his youth at home:
While other men, of slender reputation,‡
Put forth their sons to seek preferment out:
Some, to the wars, to try their fortune there :
Some, to discover islands far away;
Some, to the studious universities.
For any, or for all these exercises,
He said, that Proteus, your son, was meet;
And did request me to impórtune you,
To let him spend his time no more at home,

Which would be great impeachment§ to his age,

* Since.

Little consequence.

+ Serious.

§ Reproach.

In having known no travel in his youth.

Ant. Nor need'st thou much impórtune me to that,
Whereon this month I have been hammering.
I have consider'd well his loss of time;
And how he cannot be a perfect man,
Not being tried and tutor❜d in the world:
Experience is by industry achieved.

And perfected by the swift course of time:
Then, tell me, whither were I best to send him?
Pan. I think, your lordship is not ignorant,
How his companion, youthful Valentine,

Attends the emperor in his royal court.

Ant. I know it well.

Pan. Twere good, I think, your lordship sent him thither: There shall he practise tilts and tournaments,

Hear sweet discourse, converse with noblemen:

And be in eye of every exercise,

Worthy his youth and nobleness of birth.

Ant. I like thy counsel; well hast thou advised: And, that thou mayst perceive how well I like it, The execution of it shall make known;

Even with the speediest expedition

I will despatch him to the emperor's court.

Pan. To-morrow, may it please you, Don Alphonso, With other gentlemen of good esteem,

Are journeying to salute the emperor,

And to commend their service to his will.

Ant. Good company: with them shall Proteus go; And, in good time,-now will we break with him.

Enter PROTEUS.

Pro. Sweet love! sweet lines! sweet life!
Here is her hand, the agent of her heart;
Here is her oath for love, her honour's pawn:
O, that our fathers would applaud our foves,
To seal our happiness with their consents!
O heavenly Julia!

Ant. How now? what letter are you reading there?
Pro. May't please your lordship, 'tis a word or two
Of commendation sent from Valentine,

Deliver'd by a friend that came from him.

Ant. Lend me the letter; let me see what news.
Pro. There is no news, my lord; but that he writes
How happily he lives, how well beloved,

And daily graced by the emperor;

Wishing me with him, partner of his fortune.
Ant. And how stand you affected to his wish?
Pro. As one relying on your lordship's will,

And not depending on his friendly wish.

Ant. My will is something sorted with his wish: Muset not that I thus suddenly proceed;

* Break the matter to him.

† Wonder.

For what I will, I will, and there an end.
I am resolved, that thou shalt spend some time
With Valentinus in the emperor's court;
What maintenance he from his friends receives,
Like exhibition* thou shalt have from me.
To-morrow be in readiness to go:

Excuse it not, for I'm peremptory.

Pro. My lord, I cannot be so soon provided;

Please you, deliberate a day or two.

Ant. Look, what thou wants't, shall be sent after thee: No more of stay; to-morrow thou must go.

Come on, Panthino; you shall be employ'd

To hasten on his expedition.

[Exeunt ANT. and PAN. Pro. Thus have I shunn'd the fire, for fear of burning; And drench'd me in the sea, where I am drown'd:

I fear'd to show my father Julia's letter,

Lest he should take exceptions to my love;
And with the vantage of mine own excuse
Hath he excepted most against my love.
O, how this spring of love resembleth

The uncertain glory of an April day;
Which now shows all the beauty of the sun,
And by-and-by a cloud takes all away!

Re-enter PANTHINO.

Pan. Sir Proteus, your father calls for you; He is in haste, therefore, I pray you, go.

Pro. Why this it is! my heart accords thereto;

And yet a thousand times it answers, no.

ACT II.

[Exeunt.

SCENE I-Milan. An Apartment in the DUKE's Palace.

Enter VALENTINE and SPEED.

Speed. Sir, your glove.

Val. Not mine; my gloves are on.

Speed. Why then this may be yours, for this is but one.

Val. Ha! let me see: ay, give it me, it's mine:

Sweet ornament that decks a thing divine!

Ah Silvia! Silvia!

Speed. Madam Silvia! Madam Silvia!

Val. How now, sirrah?

Speed. She is not within hearing, Sir.

Val. Why, Sir, who bade you call her?

Speed. Your worship, Sir; or else I mistook.

Val. Well, you'll still be too forward.

Speed. And yet I was last chidden for being too slow.
Val. Go to, Sir; tell me, do you know Madam Silvia ?
Speed. She that your worship loves?

* Allowance.

Fal. Why, how know you that I am in love?

Speed. Marry, by these special marks: First, you have learned, like Sir Proteus, to wreath your arms like a male content; to relish a love-song, like a robin-red-breast; to walk alone, like one that had the pestilence; to sigh, like a school-boy that had lost his A B C; to weep like a young wench that had buried her grandam; to fast, like one that takes diet:* to watch, like one that fears robbing; to speak puling, like a beggar at Hallowmas.† You were wont, when you laughed, to crow like a cock; when you walked, to walk like one of the lions; when you fasted, it was presently after dinner; when you looked sadly, it was for want of money and now you are metamorphosed with a mistress, that, when I look on you, I can hardly think you my master. Val. Are all these things perceived in me?

Speed. They are all perceived without you.

Val. Without me? They cannot.

Speed. Without you? nay, that's certain, for, without you were so simple, none else would: but you are so without these follies, that these follies are within you, and shine through you like the water in an urinal; that not an eye, that sees you, but is a physician to comment on your malady.

Val. But tell me, dost thou know my lady Silvia?

Speed. She, that you gaze on so, as she sits at supper?

Val. Hast thou observed that

even she I mean.

Speed. Why, Sir, I know her not.

Val. Dost thou know her by my gazing on her, and yet know'st her not?

Speed. Is she not hard-favoured, Sir?

Val. Not so fair, boy, as well-favoured.
Speed. Sir, I know that well enough.
Val. What dost thou know?

Speed. That she is not so fair, as (of you) well-favoured.

Val. I mean, that her beauty is exquisite, but her favour infinite.

Speed. That's because the one is painted, and the other out of all count.

Val. How painted? and how out of count?

Speed. Marry, Sir, so painted to make her fair, that no man counts of her beauty.

Val. How esteem'st thou me? I account of her beauty,

Speed. You never saw her since she was deformed.

Val. How long hath she been deformed.

Speed. Ever since you loved her.

Val. I have loved her ever since I saw her; and still I see her beautiful.

Speed. If you love her, you cannot see her.

Val. Why?

Speed. Because love is blind. O, that you had mine eyes; or your own had the lights they were wont to have, when you chid at Sir Proteus for going ungartered!

Val. What should I see then?

* Under a regimen.

† Allhallowmas.

Speed. Your own present folly, and her passing deformity: for he, being in love, could not see to garter his hose; and you, being in love, cannot see to put on your hose.

Val. Belike, boy, then you are in love; for last morning you could not see to wipe my shoes.

Speed. True, Sir; I was in love with my bed: I thank you, you swinged me for my love, which makes me the bolder to chide you for yours.

Val. In conclusion, I stand affected to her.

Speed. I would you were set; so, your affection would cease. Val. Last night she enjoined me to write some lines to one she loves.

Speed. And have you?

Val. I have.

Speed. Are they not lamely writ ?

Val. No, boy, but as well as I can do them :-Peace, here she

Speed. O excellent motion! O exceeding puppet! now will he interpret to her.

Val. Madam and mistress, a thousand good-morrows.
Speed. O, 'give you good even! Here's a million of manners.

[Aside.

Sil. Sir Valentine and servant, to you two thousand.
Speed. He should give her interest; and she gives it him.
Val. As you enjoin'd me, I have writ your letter.
Unto the secret nameless friend of yours;

Which I was much unwilling to proceed in,

But for my duty to your ladyship.

Sil. I thank you, gentle servant: 'tis very clerkly‡ done.
Val. Now trust me, Madam, it came hardly off;

For, being ignorant to whom it goes,

I writ at random, very doubtfully.

Sil. Perchance you think too much of so much pains?
Val. No, Madam; so it stead you, I will write,
Please you command, a thousand times as much':
And yet,-

Sil. A pretty period! Well, I guess the sequel;
And yet I will not name it:-and yet I care not;-
And yet take this again;-and yet I thank you;
Meaning henceforth to trouble you no more.

Speed. And yet you will: and yet another yet.
Val. What means your ladyship? do you not like it?
Sil. Yes, yes; the lines are very quaintly writ:
But since unwillingly, take them again;
Nay, take them.

Val. Madam, they are for you.

Sil. Ay, ay; you writ them, Sir, at my request:
But I will none of them; they are for you:
I would have had them writ more movingly
Val. Please you, I'll write your ladyship another.

[Aside,

Like a scholar.