About my stature; for, at pentecost,

When all our pageants of delight were play'd, Our youth got me to play the woman's part, And I was trimm'd in madam Julia's gown,

If that be all the difference in his love,
I'll get me such a colour'd periwig.
Her eyes are grey as glass, and so are mine:
Ay, but her forehead's low, and mine's as high.
What should it be, that he respects in her,
But I can make respective in myself,

If this fond love were not a blinded god?
Come, shadow, come, and take this shadow up,
For 'tis thy rival. O thou senseless form!
Thou shalt be worshipp'd, kiss'd, lov'd, and

ador'd,

And, were there sense in his idolatry,
My substance should be statue in thy stead.
I'll use thee kindly for thy mistress' sake,
That us'd me so; or else, by Jove I vow,

I should have scratch'd out your unseeing eyes,
To make my master out of love with thee.

[Exit.

That Silvia at friar Patrick's cell should meet

As if the garment had been made for me:
Therefore, I know she is about my height.
And at that time I made her weep a-good,
For I did play a lamentable part.
Madam, 'twas Ariadne, passioning
For Theseus' perjury, and unjust flight;
Which I so lively acted with my tears,
That my poor mistress, moved therewithal,
Wept bitterly; and, would I might be dead,
If I in thought felt not her very sorrow.

And she shall thank you for't, if e'er you know her

A virtuous gentlewoman, mild, and beautiful.
I hope my master's suit will be but cold,
Since she respects my mistress' love so much.
Alas, how love can trifle with itself!
Here is her picture. Let me see: I think,
If I had such a tire, this face of mine
Were full as lovely as is this of hers;
And yet the painter flatter'd her a little,
Unless I flatter with myself too much.
Her hair is auburn, mine is perfect yellow:

[Exeunt.

SCENE II. The same. A Room in the Duke's

Palace.

Enter Thurio, Proteus, and Julia.
Thurio.

Sir Proteus, what says Silvia to my suit?
Proteus.

O, sir! I find her milder than she was; And yet she takes exceptions at your person. Thurio.

What! that my leg is too long?
Proteus.

No, that it is too little.
Thurio.

I'll wear a boot to make it somewhat rounder.
Julia.

[Aside. But love will not be spurr'd to what it loaths.

Thurio. What says she to my face? Proteus. She says it is a fair one.

Thurio.

Nay, then the wanton lies: my face is black.

Proteus.

But pearls are fair, and the old saying is, Black men are pearls in beauteous ladies' eyes.

How now, sir Proteus! how now, Thurio! Which of you saw sir Eglamour of late?

Not I.

Nor I.

Thurio.

Proteus.

Silvia.

O Valentine! this I endure for thee.

[Exeunt.

SCENE IV. Another Part of the Forest. Enter Valentine.

Valentine.

How use doth breed a habit in a man! This shadowy desert, unfrequented woods, I better brook than flourishing peopled towns. Here can I sit alone, unseen of any, And to the nightingale's complaining notes Tune my distresses, and record my woes. O! thou that dost inhabit in my breast, Leave not the mansion so long tenantless, Lest, growing ruinous, the building fall, And leave no memory of what it was! Repair me with thy presence, Silvia! Thou gentle nymph, cherish thy forlorn swain!What halloing, and what stir, is this to-day? These are my mates, that make their wills their Have some unhappy passenger in chase. They love me well; yet I have much to do, To keep them from uncivil outrages. Withdraw thee, Valentine: who's this comes here? [Steps aside.

Enter Proteus, Silvia, and Julia.

[law,

Proteus. Madam, this service I have done for you, (Though you respect not aught your servant doth)

To hazard life, and rescue you from him,
That would have forc'd your honour and your
love.
Vouchsafe me, for my meed, but one fair look;
A smaller

A smaller boon than this I cannot beg,
And less than this, I am sure, you cannot give.

Valentine.

[Aside. How like a dream is this, I see, and hear! Love, lend me patience to forbear awhile.

Silvia.

O, miserable! unhappy that I am!

Proteus.

Unhappy were you, madam, ere I came ; But by my coming I have made you happy.

Silvia.

By thy approach thou mak'st me most unhappy.

Julia.

[Aside. And me, when he approacheth to your pre

sence.

Silvia.

Had I been seized by a hungry lion,
I would have been a breakfast to the beast,
Rather than have false Proteus rescue me.
O, heaven! be judge, how I love Valentine,
Whose life's as tender to me as my soul;
And full as much (for more there cannot be)
I do detest false, perjur'd Proteus:
Therefore be gone: solicit me no more.
Proteus.

What dangerous action, stood it next to death,
Would I not undergo for one calm look.
O! 'tis the curse in love, and still approv'd,
When women cannot love, where they're belov'd.

O good sir! my master charg'd me to deliver a ring to madam Silvia, which, out of my neglect, was never done.

Proteus.

Where is that ring, boy?

Julia.

Here 'tis: this is it. [Gives a ring.
Proteus.

How! let me see. Why, this is the ring I gave to Julia.

Julia.

O! cry you mercy, sir; I have mistook : This is the ring you sent to Silvia.

[Shows another ring.

Proteus.
But, how cam'st thou by this ring?
At my depart I gave this unto Julia.
Julia.

And Julia herself did give it me;
And Julia herself hath brought it hither.
Proteus.

How? Julia!

Julia.

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 asham'd, that I have took upon me Such an immodest raiment; if shame live In a disguise of love.

[minds.

It is the lesser blot, modesty finds,
Women to change their shapes, than men their

Proteus.

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
Inconstancy falls off, ere it begins. [all the sins:
What is in Silvia's face, but I may spy
More fresh in Julia's, with a constant eye?
Valentine.

Come, come, a hand from either. Let me be blest to make this happy close: "Twere pity two such friends should be long foes.

Proteus.

Valentine.

Thurio, give back, or else embrace thy death. Come not within the measure of my wrath: Do not name Silvia thine; if once again, Verona shall not hold thee. Here she stands: Take but possession of her with a touch. I dare thee but to breathe upon my love. Thurio.

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 deriv'd: [her. Take thou thy Silvia, for thou hast deserv'd

It is petter that friends is the sword, and end it: and there is also another device in my prain, which, peradventure, prings goot discretions