Val. When would you use it, sir?

Duke. This very night.

Val. By twelve o'clock I'll send you such a one. Duke. But, hark thee; I would go to her alone : How shall I best convey the ladder thither?

Val. It will be light, my lord, that you may bear it Under a cloak, that is of any length,

Duke. As long as that, I guess, would serve the turn. Val. Ay, my good lord.

Duke. Then let me see it, that I

May get me one of such another length.

Val. Why, any cloak will serve the turn, my lord. Duke. How shall I wear it so as to concealI pr'ythee, let me try thy cloak upon me.

[The Duke suddenly draws open Valentine's cloak, and discovers a ladder of ropes, with a letter fastened to it: he seizes them.

What letter is this same? What's here ?-To Silvia?
And here an engine fit for my proceeding!

I'll be so bold to break the seal for once.

What's here?

[Reads.] Silvia, this night I will enfranchise thee:
All's true :-and here's the ladder for the purpose.
Why, Phaeton (for thou art Merops' son),
Wilt thou aspire to guide the heavenly car,
And with thy daring folly burn the world?

Wilt thou reach stars, because they shine on thee ?→→→→
Away!-Bestow thy smiles on equal mates;
And think, my patience, more than thy desert,
Is privilege for thy departure hence :
But, if thou linger in my territories,

Longer than swiftest expedition

Will give thee time to leave our royal court,
By heaven, my wrath shall far exceed the love
I ever bore my daughter, or thyself.

Begone, I will not hear thy vain excuse,-
And, as thou lov'st thy life, make speed from hence.
[Exit Duke, L.

Val. And why not death, rather than living torment?

To die, is to be banish'd from myself;
And Silvia is myself: banish'd from her,
Is self from self; a deadly banishment!
What light is light, if Silvia be not seen?
What joy is joy, if Silvia be not by ?
Unless it be to think that she is by,

And feed upon the shadow of perfection.
I fly not death, to fly his deadly doom:
Tarry I here, I but attend on death;
And, flying hence, I fly away from life.

[Going, R.

[Launce and Proteus, without, L.

Pro. Run, Launce, run, run, and seek him out.

Lau. So-ho! So-ho!

Pro. What see'st thou !

Enter LAUNCE and PROTEUS, L.

Lau. Him we go to find: there's not a hair on's head, but 'tis a Valentine.

Pro. Valentine?

Pro. Friend!-Valentine!-a word.

[Goes behind, R.

Val. My ears are stopp'd, and cannot hear more

news,

So much of bad already hath possess'd them.

Pro. Then, in dumb silence, will I bury mine;

For they are harsh, untunable, and bad.

Val. Is Silvia dead?

Pro. No, Valentine.

Val. No Valentine, indeed, for sacred Silvia ! Hath she forsworn me?

Pro. No, Valentine.

Val. What is your news?-For I can hear it now. Lau. Sir, there's a proclamation that you are vanish'd. Pro. That thou art banish'd,-that, O, that's the

news!

From hence, from Silvia, and from me, thy friend.
Val. O, I have fed upon this woe already,
And such excess of it will make me surfeit.
Doth heavenly Silvia know that I am banish'd?
Pro. Ay, ay; and she hath offer'd to the doom,
Which, unrevers'd, stands in effectual force,
A sea of tears:

Those at her father's churlish feet she tender'd;
With them, upon her knees, her humble self,
Wringing her hands:

But neither bended knees, pure hands held up,
Nor silver-shedding tears,

Could penetrate her uncompassionate sire;

But Valentine, if he be ta'en, must die.

Besides, her intercession chaf'd him so,
When she for thy repeal was suppliant,
That to close prison he commanded her,
With many bitter threats of biding there.

Val. No more; unless the next word that thou speak'st

Have some malignant power upon my life:

If so,

pray thee, breathe it in mine ear,

As ending anthem of my endless dolour.

Pro. Cease to lament for that thou canst not help,
And study help for that which thou lament'st:
Time is the nurse and breeder of all good.

Here if thou stay, thou canst not see thy mistress;
Besides, thy staying will abridge thy life.
Hope is a lover's staff; walk hence with that,
And manage it against despairing thoughts.
Thy letters may be here, though thou art hence;
Which, being writ to me, shall be deliver'd
Even in the milk-white bosom of thy love.
The time now serves not to expostulate :
Come, I'll convey thee through the city gate;
And, ere I part with thee, confer at large
Of all that may concern thy love-affairs:
As thou lov'st Silvia, though not for thyself,
Regard thy danger, and along with me.

Val. I pray thee, Launce, an if thou see'st my man, Bid him make haste, and meet me at the north gate. Pro. Go, sirrah, find him out. Come, Valentine. Val. O, heavenly Silvia! hapless Valentine!

[Exeunt Proteus and Valentine, L. Lau. I am but a fool, look you; and yet I have the wit to think my master is a kind of knave. He lives not now, that knows me to be in love: yet I am in love; but a team of horse shall not pluck that from me; nor who 'tis I love, and yet 'tis a woman: but that woman I will not tell myself; and yet 'tis a milk-maid; yet tis not a maid, for she hath had gossips. yet 'tis a maid; for she is her master's maid, and serves for wages. She hath more qualities than a water-spaniel, which is much in a bare Christian.-Here is the cat-log [Taking out a paper] of her conditions. Imprimis, She can fetch and carry. Why, a horse can do no more; nay, a horse cannot fetch, but only carry; therefore is she better than a jade. Item,-She can milk: look you, a sweet virtue in a maid with clean hands.

Enter SPEED, R.

Spe. How now, Signior Launce? Ha! what news

there in your paper!

Lau. The blackest news that ever thou heard'st.
Spe. Why, man, how black?

Lau. Why, as black as ink.

Spe. Let me read them?

Lau. Fie on thee, jolt-head; thou canst not read.
Spe. Thou liest, I can.

Lau. I will try thee: tell me this :-Who begot thee?
Spe. Marry, the son of my grandfather.

Lau. O, illiterate loiterer! it was the son of thy grandmother: this proves, that thou canst not read. Spe. Come, fool, come: try me in thy paper.

Lau. [Gives him the paper.] There; and St. Nicholas be thy speed!

Spe. Imprimis, She can fetch and carry :-Item, She can milk :-Item, She brews good ale:

Lau. And thereof comes the proverb,-Blessing of your heart, you brew good ale.

Spe. Item, She can sew :

Lau. That's as much as to say, Can she so?

Spe. Item, She can knit :

Lau. What need a man care for a stock with a wench, when she can knit him a stock?

Spe. Item, She can spin :

Lau. Then may I set the world on wheels, when she can spin for her living.

Spe. Item, She hath many nameless virtues.

Lau. That's as much as to stay, bastard virtues; that, indeed, know not their fathers, and therefore have no

names.

Spe. Here follow her vices.

Lau. Close at the heels of her virtues.

Spe. Imprimis, She doth talk in her sleep

Lau. It's no matter for that, so she sleep not in her talk.

Spe. Item, She is slow in words :

Lau. O villain, that set this down among her vices! To be slow in words, is a woman's only virtue: I pray thee, out with't; and place it for her chief virtue. Spe. Item, She hath no teeth :—

Lau. I care not for that neither, because I love crusts. Spe. Item, She is cursed :

D

Lau. Well; the best is, she hath no teeth to bite.
Spe. Item, She is too liberal:-

Lau. Of her tongue she cannot, for that's writ down she is slow of of her purse she shall not, for that I'll keep shut. Well, proceed.

Spe. Item, She hath more hair than wit, and more faults than hairs, and more wealth than faults.

Lau Stop there; I'll have her: she was mine, and not mine, twice or thrice in that last article: rehearse that once more.

Spe. Item, She hath more hair than wit, and more faults than hairs,

Lau. That's monstrous: oh, that that were out!
Spe. And more wealth than faults.

Lau. Why, that word makes the faults gracious: well, I'll have her and, if it be a match, as nothing is impossible,

Spe. What then?

Lau. Why, then, I will tell thee-[Takes the paper from him]-that thy master waits for thee at the north gate.

Spe. For me?

Lau. For thee? Ay, who art thou? He hath stayed for better man than thee.

Spe. And must I go to him?

Lau. Thou must run to him; for thou hast staid so long, that going will scarce serve the turn.

Spe. [Crosses, L.] Why didst not tell me sooner? Plague of your love-letters! [Exit Speed, L. Lau. Ha, ha, ha!-Now will he be swing'd for reading my paper: an unmannerly slave, that will thrust himself into secrets !—I'll after, to rejoice in the knave's correction. Ha, ha, ha! [Exit, L.

SCENE II.-The Duke's Palace in Milan.

Enter the DUKE and THURIO, r.

Duke. (L.) Sir Thurio, fear not but she will be yours, Now Valentine is exil'd from her sight.

Thu. (R.) She hath despis'd me since his exile most, Forsworn my company, and rail'd at me,

That I am desperate of obtaining her.

Duke. This weak impress of love is as a figure

Trenched in ice; which with an hour's heat

Dissolves to water, and doth lose his form :