Pro. Longer than I prove loyal to your grace,
Let me not live to look upon your grace. [ellect
Duke. Thou know'st, how willingly I would 10
The match between sir Thurio and my daughter.
Pro. I do, my lord.

Duke. And also, I do think, thou art not ignorant
How she opposes her against my will.

Duke. And, Protheus, we dare trust you in this
Because we know, on Valentine's report, [kind;
You are already love's firm votary,

And cannot soon revolt and change your mind.
Upon this warrant shall you have access,
Where you with Silvia may conter at large,
For she is lumpish, heavy, melancholy,
And, for your friend's sake, will be glad of you;
Where you may temper her, by your persuasion,
To hate young Valentine, and love my friend.

Pro. As much as I can do, I will effect:-
But you, sir Thurio, are not sharp enough;
You must lay lime, to tangle her desires,
By wailful sonnets, whose composed rhimes
Should be full fraught with serviceable vows.
Duke. Ay,much is the force of heaven-bred poesy.
Pro. Say, that upon the altar of her beauty
You sacrifice your tears, your sighs, your heart:
Write, till your ink be dry; and with your tears
20 Moist it again; and frame some feeling line,
That may discover such integrity:-

Pro. She did, my lord, when Valentine was here. 15
Duke. Ay, and perversely she perseveres so.
What might we do to make the girl forget
The love of Valentine, and Ive sir Thurio?

Pro. The best way is, to slander Valentine
With falshood, cowardice, and poor descent;
Three things that women highly hold in hate.
Duke. Ay, but she'll think that it is spoke in hate.
Pro. Ay, if his enemy deliver it:

Therefore it must, with circumstance, be spoken
By one, whom she esteemeth as his friend.

Duke. Then you must undertake to slander him.
Pro. And that, my lord, I shall be loth to do:
'Tis an ill office for a gentleman;
Especially, against his very 1 friend.

[him,

For Orpheus' lute was strung with poets' sinews ;
Whose golden touch could soiten steel and stones,
Make tygers tame, and huge leviathans
25 Forsake unsounded deeps to dance on sands.
After your dire-lamenting elegies,

Duke. Where your good word cannot advantage 30
Your slander never can endamage him;
Therefore the office is indifferent,
Being intreated to it by your friend.

Pro. You have prevail'd, my lord: if I can do it,
By aught that I can speak in his dispraise,
She shall not long continue love to him.
But say, this weed her love from Valentine,

It follows not that she will love sir Thurio. [him.
Thu. Therefore as you unwind her love from
Lest it should ravel, and be good to none,
You must provide to bottom it on me2:
Which must be done, by praising me as much
As you in worth dispraise sir Valentine.

Visit by night your lady's chamber-window
With some sweet concert: to their instruments
Tune a deploring dump'; the night's dead silence
Will well become such sweetcomplaining grievance.
This, or el e nothing, will inherit her. [love.

Duke. This discipline shews thou hast been in
The. Andthyadvice this night I'll put in practice;
Therefore, sweet Protheus, my direction-giver,
35 Let us into the city presently

40

6

To sort some gentlemen well skill'd in musick:
I have a sonnet, that will serve the turn,
To give the onset to thy good advice.
Duke. About it gentlemen.

[per,

Pro. We'll wait upon your gracetill after sup-
And afterwards determine our proceedings.
Duke. Even now about it; I will pardon'

you.

[Exeunt.

1 Very is immediate.

IV.

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. Then know, that I have little wealth to lose; A man I am, cross'd with adversity:

2 The meaning of this allusion is, As you wind off her love from him, make me the bottom on which you wind it. The women's term for a ball of thread wound upon a central body, is a bottom of thread. That is, birdlime. * A dump was the ancient term for a mournful elegy. To inherit, is here used for to obtain possession of, without any idea of acquiring by inThat is, to chuse out, ? That is, I will excuse you from waiting.

5

keritance. 6

My

If crooked fortune had not thwarted me.

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

2 Out. For what offence?

[hearse.

Pro. Already have I been false to Valentine,
And now I must be as unjust to Thurio,
Under the colour of commending him,

Val. For that which now torments me to re- 15 I have access my own love to prefer;

I kill'd a man, whose death I 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?

But Silvia is too fair, too true, too holy,
To be corrupted with my worthless gilts.
When I protest true loyalty to her,
She twits me with my falshood to my friend;
20 When to her beauty I commend my vows,
She bids me think, how I have been forsworn
In breaking faith with Julia whom I lov'd.
And, notwithstanding all her sudden quips3,
The least whereof would quell a lover's hope,
Yet, spaniel-like, the more she spurns my love,
The more it grows, and fawneth on her still.
But here comes Thurio: now must we to her
window,

Val. My youthful travel therein made me happy;
Or else l'often had been miserable. [friar,
3 Out. By the bare scalp of Robin Hood's fat 25
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 a kind of honourable thievery.
Val. Peace, villain!

[to: 30

2 Out. Tell us this; have you any thing to take Vol. 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 awful' men:
Myself was from Verona banished,

For practising to steal away a lady,
An heir, and niece ally'd unto the duke.

2 Gut. And I from Mantua, for a gentleman, Whom, in my mood, 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 beautify'd
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 pariey to you:
Are you content to be our general ?
To make a virtue of necessity,

And live, as we do, in the wilderness?

3 Out. What say'st thou wilt thou be pur

consort?

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 Out. But if thou scorn our courtesy, thou dy'st.
2 Gut. Thou shalt not live to brag what we have
offer'd.

Fal. I take your offer, and will live with you;

1 Reverend, worshipful, such as magistrates. is, hasty passionate reproaches and scoffs,

35

40

And give some evening music to her ear.
Enter Thurio and Musicians.

Thu. How now, sir Protheus? are you crept
before us?
[love
Pro. Ay, gentle Thurio; for, you know, that
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; andJuliainboy's cloaths. Host. Now, my young guest! methinks you're allycholly; I pray you, why is it?

Jul. Marry, mine host, because I cannot be 45 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?

1551

Host. Ay: but peace, let's hear 'em.

60

Is she kind, as she is fair?

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 Silvia 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?

For me,-by this pale queen of night I swear,
I am so far from granting thy request,
That I despise thee for thy wrongtul suit;
And by and by intend to chide myself,
5 Even for this time I spend in talking to thee.
Pro. grant, sweet love, that I did love a lady:
But she is dead.

10

How do you, man? the music likes you not.
Jul. You mistake; the musician likes me not. 15
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. [thing.
Host. You would have them always play but one
Jul. I would always have one play but one
thing.

But, host, doth this sir Protheus, that we talk on,
Often resort unto this gentlewoman?

Host. I tell you what Launce, his man, toldme, he lov'd 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 2 present to his lady,

20

Jul. [Aside.] Twere false, if I should speak it; For, I am sure, she is not buried.

Sil. Say, that she be; yet Valentine, thy friend,
Survives; to whom, thyself art witness,

I am betroth'd; and art thou not asham'd
To wrong him with thy importunacy?

Pro. I likewise hear, that Valentine is dead.
Sil. And so, suppose, am I; for in his grave,
Assure thyself, my love is buried.

Pro. Sweet lady, let me rake it from the earth. Sil. Go to thy lady's grave, and call her's thence, Or, at the least, in her's sepulchre thine.

Jul. [Aside.] He heard not that.

Pro. Madam, if that your heart be so obdurate,
Vouchsafe me yet your picture for my love,
The picture that is hanging in your chamber;
To that I'll speak, to that I'll sigh and weep;
25 For, since the substance of your perfect self
Is else devoted, I am but a shadow:
And to your shadow will I make true love.

Jul. [Aside.] If 'twere a substance, you would,
sure, deceive it,

30 And make it but a shadow, as I am.

Sil. I am very loth to be your idol, sir;
But, since your falshood shall become you well
To worship shadows, and adore false shapes.
Send to me in the morning, and I'll send it:
35 And so, good rest.

Jul. Peace! stand aside, the company parts.
Pro. Sir Thurio, fear not you; I will so plead, 40
That you shall say, my cunning drift excels.
Thu. Where meet we?

Pro. At Saint Gregory's well.
Thu. Farewell. [Exeunt Thurio and musick.
Silvia appears above, at her window.
Pro. Madam, good even to your ladyship.
Sil. I thank you for your musick, gentlemen :
Who is that, that spake?

[truth,

Pro. As wretches have o'er-night,
That wait for execution in the morn.

[Exeunt Protheus and Silvia.
Jul. Host, will you go?
Host. By my hallidom, I was fast asleep.
Jul. Pray you, where lies sir Protheus?
Host. Marry, at my house: Trust me,
'tis almost day.
Jul. Not so; but it hath been the longest night
45 That e'er I watch'd, and the most heaviest.

SCENE III.
Enter Eglamour.

I think

[Exeunt.

Pro. One, lady, if you knew his pure heart's You'd quickly learn to know him by his voice. Sil. Sir Protheus, as I take it.

Pro. Sir Protheus, gentle lady, and your servant.
Sil. What is your will?

Pro. That I inay compass yours.

Sil. You have your wish; my will is even this,-55
That presently you hie you home to bed.
Thou subtle, perjur'd, false, disloyal man!

Think'st thou, I am so shallow, so conceitless,

To be seduced by thy flattery,

That hast deceived so many with thy vows?
Return, return, and make thy love amends.

There's some great matter she'd employ me in.-
Madam, madam!

Silvia, above at her window.

Sil. Who calls?

Egl. Your servant, and your friend;
One that attends your ladyship's command.

Sil. Sir Eglamour a thousand times good-morrow.
Egl. As many, worthy lady, to yourself.

60 According to your ladyship's impose 2,
I am thus early come to know what service

Beyond all reckoning or count. Reckonings are kept upon nicked or notched sticks or tallies. Impose is injunction, command,

It

It is your pleasure to command me in.

Sil. O Eglamour, thou art a gentleman,
(Think not I flatter, for, I swear, i do not)
Valiant, wise, remorseful', well accomplish'd.
Thou art not ignorant, what dear good will
I bear unto the banish'd Valentine;

Nor how my father would enforce me marry
Vain Thurio, whom my very soul abhors.
Thyself hast lov'd; and I have heard thee say,
No grief did ever come so near thy heart,
As when thy lady and thy true-love dy'd,
2 Upon whose grave thou vow'dst pure chastity.
Sir Eglamour, I would to Valentinė,
To Mantua, where, I hear, he makes abode;
And, for the ways are dangerous to pass,
I do desire thy worthy company,
Upon whose faith and honour I repose.
Urge not my father s anger, Eglamour,
But think upon my griet, a lady's grief;
And on the justice of my flying hence,
To keep me from a most unholy match, [plagues.
Which heaven, and fortune, still reward with
I do desire thee, even from a heart
As full of sorrows, as the sea of sands,
To bear me company, and go with me:
If not, to hide what I have said to thee,
That I may venture to depart alone.

3

Egl. Madam, I pity much your grievances:
Which since I know they virtuously are plac'd,
I give consent to go along with you;
Recking as little what betideth me,
As much I wish all good befortune

When will you go?

Sil. This evening coming.

Egl. Where shall I meet you?

Sil. At friar Patrick's cell,

you.

Where I mtend holy confession.
Egl. I will not fail your ladyship:
Good-morrow, gentle lady.

thrusts me himself into the company of three or our gentlemen-like dogs under the duke's table : he had not been there (bless the mark) a pissing while, but all the chamber smelt him. Out with 5 the dog, says one; What cur is that? says another; Whiphim out, says the third; Hanghim up, says the duke: I. having been acquainted with the smell before, knew it was Crab; and goes me to the fellow that whips the dogs': Friend, quoth I, you 10 mean to whip the dog? Ay, marr», do I, quoth he. You dohim the more wrong, quoth 1; 'twas I did the thing you wot of. He makes no inore ado, but whips ine out of the chamber. How many masters would do this for their servant? nay, I'll be 15sworn I have sat in the stocks for puddings he hath stolen, otherwise he had been executed: I have tood on the pillory for geese he hath kill'd, otherwise he had suffer'd for 't: thou think'st not of this now!-Nay, I remember the trick you serv'd 20me, when I took my leave of madam Silvia; did not I bid thee still mark me, and do as I do? When did'st thou see me heave up my leg, and make water against a gentlewoman's farthingale? didst thou ever see me do such a trick?

25

30

35

Sil. Good-morrow, kind sir Eglamour. [Exeunt. 40
Enter Launce with his dog.

When a man's servant shall play the cur with
him, look you, it goes hard: one that I brought
up of a puppy; one that I sav'd from drowning,
when three or four of his blind brothers and sisters 45
went to it! I have taught him-even as one would
say precisely, Thus I would teach a dog. I was
sent to deliver hin, as a present to mistress Silvia,
from my master; and I came no sooner into the
dining chamber, but he steps me to her trencher, 50
and steals her capon's leg. O, 'tis a foul thing,
when a cur cannot keep himself in all compa-
nies! I would have, as one should say, one that
takes upon him to be a dog indeed; to be, as it
were, a dog at all things. If I had not had more 55
wit than he, to take a fault upon me that he did,|
I think verily he had been hang'd for't; sure as I
live, he had suffer'd for 't: you shall judge. Hel

1 Remorseful is pitiful.

of chastity in honour of their That is, restrain himself.

Enter Protheus and Julia.

Pro. Sebastian is thy name? I like thee well, And will employ thee in some service presently. Jul. In what you please;-I'll do, sir,what I can, Pro. I hope, thou wilt.-How now, you whoreson peasant, [To Launce. Where have you been these two days loitering? Laun. Marry, sir, I carry'd mistress Silvia the dog you bade me.

Pro. And what says she to my little jewel? Laun. Marry, she says, your dog was a cur; and tells you, currish thanks is good enough for such a present.

Pro. But she received my dog?

Laun. No, indeed, she did not: here I have brought him back again.

Pro. What, didst thou offer her this from me?

Laun. Ay, sir; the other squirrel was stol'n from me by the hangman's boy in the market-place: and then I offer'd her mine own; who is a dog as big as ten of yours, and therefore the gift the greater.

Pro. Go, get thee hence, and find my dog again,
Or ne'er return again into my sight.
Away, I say: Stay'st thou to vex me here?
A slave, that, still an end 3, turns me to shame.
[Exit Launce.
Sebastian, I have entertained thee,
Partly, that I have need of such a youth,
That can with some discretion do my business,
For 'tis no trusting to yon foolish lowt;
But, chiefly, for thy face, and thy behaviour;
Which, if my augury deceive me not,

Witness good bringing up, fortune, and truth:
Therefore know thou, for this I entertain thee.

It was common in former ages for widowers and widows to make vows deceased wives or husbands. 'Sorrows. * To reck is to care for. A proverbial expression of those times. 7 This appears to have

been part of the office of an usher of the table. That is, in the end, at the conclusion of every business he undertakes.

Pro. Well, give her that ring, and therewithal
This letter;--that's her chamber.-Tell my lady,
I claim the promise for her heavenly picture.
Your message done, hie home unto my chamber, 20
Where thou shalt find me sad and solitary.

To praise his faith, which I would have disprais'd. 35 And I was trinm'd in madam Julia's gown;

55 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,
60If I had such attire, this face of mine
Were full as lovely as is this of her's:
And yet the painter flatter'd her a little,

That is, in good earnest.