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And drench'd me in the fea, where I am drown'da
I fear'd to fhew my father Julia's letter,
Left he should take exceptions to my love;
And with the vantage of mine own excufe
Hath he excepted most against my love:
Oh, how this fspring of love resembleth

The uncertain glory of an April day;
Which now shews all the beauty of the fun,
And by and by a cloud takes all away!
Re-enter Panthino.

Pant. Sir Protheus, your father calls for you;
He is in hatite, therefore, I pray you, go.

Pro. Why, this it is; my heart accords thereto: And yet a thousand times it anfwers, no. [Exeunin

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ACT

An apartment in the duke's palace.
Enter Valentine and Speed.
IR, your glove.

S

Val. Not mine; my gloves are on. Speed. Why then this may be yours; for this is

but one.

Val. Ha! let me fee: 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, firrah?

Speed. She's not within hearing, fir.

Pal. Why, fir, who bad you call her?
Speed. Your worship, fir; or else I miftook.
Val. Well, you'll still be too forward.
Speed. And yet 1 was last chidden for being too
Val. Go to, fir; tell me, do you know madam

Silvia?

Speed. She that your worship loves?

[flow.

II.

phos'd with a mistress, that, when I look on you,
I can hardly think you my mafter.

Val. Are all these things perceiv'd in me?
Speed. They are all perceiv'd without ye.
Val. Without-me? they cannot.

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

Silvia?

Val. But, tell me, dost thou know my lady.
[fupper?
Speed. She, that you gaze on so, as the tits at
Val. Haft thou obterved that? even the I mean.
Speed. Why, fir, I know her not.

Val. Doft thou know her by my gazing on her,

and yet know'ft her not ?

Speed. Is the not hard-favour'd, fir?

Val. Not fo fair, boy, as well-favour'd.
Speed. Sir, I know that well enough.
Val. What dost thou know?

Speed. That the is not fo fair, as (of you) well

favour'd.

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

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

Val. Why, how know you that I am in love? Speed. Marry, by these special marks: First, you have learn'd, like fir Protheus, to wreath your arms like a male-content; to relish a love-fong, like a Robin-red-breast; to walk alone, like one that had the peftilence; to figh, like a school-boy that had loft his A. B. C; to weep, like a young wench that had buried her grandam; to fast, like one that takes diet2; to watch, like one that fears robbing; to speak puling, like a beggar at Hallowmas 3. You were wont, when you laugh'd, to crow like a cock; when you walk'd, to walk like one of the lions; when you fasted, it was pre-form'd, sently after dinner; when you look'd fadly, it was for want of money: and now you are metamor

Val. How painted and how out of count? Speed. Marry, fir, so painted, to make her fair, that no man counts of her beauty...

Val. How esteemit thou me? I account of her beauty.

Speed. You never faw, her fince the was de

Val. How long hath the been deform'd?
Speed. Ever fince you lov'd her.

That is, allowance. 2 To take diet was the phrafe for being under a regimen. 3 That is, about the feaft of All Saints, when the poor people in Staffordshire, and probably in Warwickjure, go from parish to parish a fouling as they call it; i. e. begging and puling (or finging smali) for foulcakes, or any good thing to make them merry. This custom fecins a remnant of Popish superstnion to pray for departed fouls, particularly those of friends.

Val. I have lov'd her, ever since I saw her; But fince unwillingly, take them again and ftill I fee her beautiful.

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

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

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

Val. In conclufion, I stand affected to her.
Speed. I would you were fet, so your affection

would ceafe.

Val. Last night she enjoin'd me to write fome 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 comes.

Enter Silvia.

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

Val. Madam and mistress, a thousand good

morrows.

Speed. Oh! 'give ye good even! here's a million of manners.

Sil. Sir Valentine and servant, to you two

thoufand.

Speed. He should give her interest; and the gives it him.

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Val. As you enjoin'd me, I have writ your letter

Unto the fecret nameless friend of yours;

Which I was much unwilling to proceed in,
But for my duty to your ladyship.

Sil. I thank you, gentle fervant: 'tis very
clerkly done 3.
[off;

- Val. Now trust me, madam, it came hardly
For, being ignorant to whom it goes,
I writ at random, very doubtfully.

Sil. Perchance you think too much of fo 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'ćare 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. [Abide
Val. What means your ladyship? do you not

like it?

Nay, take them.

Sil. Yes, yes! the lines are very quaintly writ:

Val. Madam, they are for you.

Sil. Ay, ay; you writ them, fir, at my requeft;

But I will none of them; they are for you:
I would have had then whit more movingly.

Val. Please you, I'll write your ladyship another.
Sil. And, when it's writ, for my fake read it

over:

And, if it please you, fo; if not, why, fo.
Val. If it please me, madam? what then?
Sil. Why, if it please you, take it for your
labour;

And fo good-morrow, fervant.

[Exit.

Speed. O jest unfeen, infcrutable, invisible, As a nose on a man's face, or a weathercock on a steeple! [fuitor, My master sues to her; and she hath taught her He being her pupil, to become her tutor. O excellent device! was there ever heard a better? That my master, being the fcribe, to himself should write the letter?

Val. How now, for? what are you reasoning 4 with yourself?

Speed. Nay, I was rhiming; 'tis you that have the reafon.

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[Exenet.

Motion, in Shakspeare's time, fignified puppet, or a puppet-shew. 2 This was the language of ladies to their lovers in Shakfpeare's time, 3 That is, like a fcholar 4 That is, deflourfing, calling. $ i, e. there's the conclusion of the matter. • In print means with exactness.

SCENE

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[Giving a ring

Pro. Why then we'll make exchange; here, take you this. Ful. And feal the bargain with a holy kifs. Pro. Here is my hand for my true conftancy; And when that hour o'erflips me in the day, Wherein I figh not, Julia, for thy fake, The next enfuing hour fome foul mischance Torment me for my love's forgetfulness! My father stays my coming; answer not; The tide is now: nay, not thy tide of tears; That tide will ftay me longer than I should :

[Exit Julia,

Julia, farewell. What! gone without a word?
Ay, so true love should do it cannot speak;
For truth hath better deeds, than words, to grace it.
Enter Panthina.

Pan. Sir Protheus, you are staid for.

Pro. Go; I come, I come:

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Pan, Launce, away, away, aboard; thy mafter is shipp'd, and thou art to poft after with oars. What's the matter? why weep'it thou, man? Away, afs; you will lofe the tide, if you tarry any longer. Laun. It is no matter if the tide were loft; for it is the unkindest ty'd that ever any man ty'd. Pan. What's the unkindeft tide?

Laun. Why, he that's ty'd here; Crab, my dog. Pan. Tut, man, I mean thou'lt lose the flood and, in lofing the flood, lose thy voyage; and, in lofing thy voyage, lose thy matter; and, in lofing thy mafter, lose thy service; and, in lofing thy fervice, Why dost thou stop my mouth?

Laun. For fear thou should'ft lofe thy tongue.
Pan. Where should I lose my tongue?
Laun. In thy tale.
Pan. In thy tail?

Laun. Lose the tide, and the voyage, and the maiter, and the service, and the tide? Why, man, if the river were dry, I am able to fill it with my

Alas! this parting strikes poor lovers dumb. [Exeunt. tears; if the wind were down, I could drive the

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Enter Launce, leading a dog.

Laun. Nay, 'twill be this hour ere I have done weeping: all the kind of the Launces have this very fault: I have receiv'd my proportion, like the prodigious fon, and am going with fir Protheus to the imperial's court. I think, Crab my dog be the fourest natur'd dog that lives; my mother weeping, my father wailing, my fifter crying, our maid howling, our cat wringing her hands, and all our house in a great perplexity, yet did not this cruelhearted cur shed one tear; he is a ftone, a very pebble-ftone, and has no more pity in him than a dog: a Jew would have wept to have seen our parting: why, my grandam having no eyes, look you, wept herself blind at my parting. Nay, I'll show you the manner of it: This shoe is my father;no, this left shoe is my father; -no, no, this left fhoe is my mother; nay, that cannot be so neither;-yes, it is so, it is fo; it hath the worfer fole: This shoe with the hole in it, is my mother, and this my father; A vengeance on't! there 'tis: now, fir, this staff is my fister; for, look you, she is as white as a lilly, and as small as a wand: this hat is Nan, our maid, I am the dog :-no, the dog is himself, and I am the dog, oh, the dog is me, and I am myself; ay, fo, fo. Now come I to my father; Father, your bleffing; now should not the shoe speak a word for weeping; now should I kiss my father; well, he weeps on; now come I to

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Enter Valentine, Silvia, Thurio, and Speed.
Sil. Servant,-
Val. Mistress ?

Speed. Master, fir Thurio frowns on you.
Val. Ay, boy, it's for love.
Speed. Not of you.

Val. Of my mistress then.
Speed. 'Twere good you knock'd him.
Sil. Servant, you are fad.
Val. Indeed, madam, I feem fo.
Thu. Seem you that you are not ?
Val. Haply, I do.
Thu. So do counterfeits.
Val. So do you.

Thu. What feem I, that I am not ?
Val. Wife.

Thu. What inftance of the contrary?
Val. Your folly.

Thu. And how quote you my folly?
Val. I quote it in your jerkin.
Thu. My jerkin is a doublet.

Val. Well, then, I'll double your folly.

I That is, crazy, frantic with grief; or distracted, from any other caufe. The word is very frequently used in Chaucer; and fometimes writ wood, fometimes wode. Wood, or crazy women, were anciently supposed to be able to tell fortunes, 2 To quote is to obferue,

Thu.

Thu. How?

Sil. What, angry, fir Thurio? do you change colour?

Val. Give him leave, madam; he is a kind of cameleon.

Thu. That hath more mind to feed on your blood, than live in your air.

Val. You have faid, fir.

Thu. Ay, fir, and done too, for this time. Val. I know it well, fir; you always end ere you begin.

Sil. A fine volley of words, gentlemen, and quickly shot off.

Val. 'Tis indeed, madam; we thank the giver.
Sil. Who is that, fervant?

Val. Yourself, sweet lady; for you gave the fire; fir Thurio borrows his wit from your ladyship's looks, and spends what he borrows, kindly in your company.

Thu. Sir, if you spend word for word with me, I hall make your, wit bankrupt.

Val. I know it well, fir: you have an exchequer of words, and, I think, no other treafure to give your followers; for it appears by their bare liveries, that they live by your bare words.

Sil. No more, gentlemen, no more, here comes my father,

Enter the Duke.

Silvia, I speak to you; and you, fir Thurio:
For Valentine, I need not cite him to it :
I'll fend him hither to you presently. [Exit Duke.

Val. This is the gentleman, I told your ladyship,
Had come along with me, but that his mistress
Did hold his eyes lock'd in her crystal looks.

Sil. Belike, that now the hath enfranchis'd thene
Upon fome other pawn for fealty.

Val. Nay, fure, I think, she holds them pri-
foners still.
[blind,

Sil. Nay, then he should be blind; and, being
How could he see his way to seek out you?

Val. Why, lady, love hath twenty pair of eyes.
Thu. They say, that love hath not an eye at all,
Val. To fee fuch lovers, Thurio, as yourielf

Upon a homely object love can wink.

Enter Protheus.

Sil. Have done, have done; here comes the gentleman.

Val. Welcome, dear Protheus !-Mistress, I be-
feech you,

Confirm his welcome with some special favour.
Sil. His worth is warrant for his welcome hither,
If this be he you oft have wish'd to hear from.

Val. Mistress, it is: fweet lady, entertain him
To be my fellow-fervant to your ladyship.
Sil. Too low a mistress for fo high a fervant.
Pro. Not fo, fweet lady; but too mean a fervant

Duke. Now, daughter Silvia, you are hard beset. To have a look of fuch a worthy mistress.
Sir Valentine, your father's in good health:
What say you to a letter from your friends
Of much good news?.

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Val. Ay, my good lord; a fon, that weil de

The honour and regard of fuch a father.

Duke. You know him well?

Val. I knew him, as myself; for from our infancy
We have convers'd, and spent our hours together:
And though myself have been an idle truant,
Omitting the sweet benefit of time,
To clothe mine age with angel-like perfection;
Yet hath fir Protheus, for that's his name,
Made use and fair advantage of his days:
His years but young, but his experience old;
His head unmellow'd, but his judgement ripe;
And, in a word, (for far behind his worth
Come all the praises that I now bestow)
He is complete in feature, and in mind,
With all good grace to grace a gentleman.

Duke. Beshrew me, fir, but, if he make this good,
He is as worthy for an empress' love,
As meet to be an emperor's counfellor.
Well, fir! this gentleman is come to me,
With commendation from great potentates;
And here he means to spend his time a while:
I think, 'tis no unwelcome news to you.

Fal. Should I have wish'dathing, it had been he.
Date. Welcorne him then according to his worth;

Val. Leave off difcourse of difability :-
Sweet lady, entertain him for your fervant.
Pro. My duty will I boast of, nothing elfe.
Sil. And duty never yet did want his meed:
Servant, you are welcome to a worthlefs mistrefs.
Pro. I'll die on him that fays so, but yourself.
Sil. That you are welcome?
Pro. No; that you are worthlefs.
Enter Servant.

Ser. Madam, my lord your father would speak with you.

Sil. I'll wait upon his pleasure. [Exit Serv.] Come,
fir Thurio,

Go with me:-Once more, new fervant, welcome;
I'll leave you to confer of home-affairs;
When you have done, we look to hear from you.
Pro. We'll both attend upon your ladyship.
[Exeunt Silvia and Thuria.

Val. Now, tell me, how do all from whence you came ?

Pro. Your friends are well, and have them much commended.

Val. And how do yours?

Pro. I left them all in health.

Val. How does your lady? and how thrives your

love?

Pro. My tales of love were wont to weary you;
I know, you joy not in a love difcourse.

Val. Ay, Protheus, but that life is alter'd now.
I have done penance for contemning love;
Whofe high imperious thoughts have punish'd me
With bitter fafts, with penitential groans,
With nightly tears, and daily heart-fore fighs:
For, in revenge of my contempt of love,
Love hath chac'd deep from my enthralled eyes,

Ac

!

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Now, no difcourse, except it be of love:

Now can I break my faft, dine, fup, and sleep,

Upon the very naked name of love.

Pro. Enough; I read your fortune in your eye: Was this the idol that you worship fo

Val. Even she; and is the not a heavenly faint? Pro. No; but she is an earthly paragon.

Val. Call her divine.

Pro. I will not flatter her.

Val. O flatter me; for love delights in praife. Pro. When I was fick, you gave me bitter pills; And I must minifter the like to you.

Val. Then speak the truth by her; if not divine,
Yet let her be a principality,
Sovereign to all the creatures on the earth.

Pre. Except my mistress.
Val. Sweet, except not any;
Except thou wilt except against my love,
Pro. Have I not reason to prefer mine own?
Val. And I will help thee to prefer her too;

She shall be dignified with this high honour,
To bear my lady's train; left the base earth
Should from her vesture chance to steal a kifs,
And, of fo great a favour growing proud,
Disdain to root the fummer-fwelling flower,
And make rough winter everlaftingly.

Is it mine eye, or Valentino's praise,
Her true perfection, or my falfe tranfgreffion,
That makes me, reafonless, to reason thus?
She's fair; and fo is Julia, that I love ;-
That I did love, for now my love is thaw'd;
Which, like a waxen image 'gainst a fire,
Bears no impreffion of the thing it was.
Methinks, my zeal to Valentine is cold;
And that I love him not, as I was wont:
O! but I love his lady too, too much;
And that's the reason I love him fo little.
How shall I doat on her with more advice 4
That thus without advice begin to love her?
"Tis but her picture I have yet beheld,
And that hath dazzled to my reafon's light:
But when I look on her perfections,
There is no reason but I shall be blind.
If I can check my erring love, I will;
If not, to compass her I'll use my skill.
V.

SCENE

A Street.

Enter Speed and Laurce.

Eziz

Spred. Launce! by mine honefty, welcome to Milan.

Laun. Forfwear not thyself, sweet youth; for I

Pro. Why, Valentine, what braggardism is this? am not welcome. I reckon this always that a
Val. Pardon me, Protheus: all I can, is nothing man is never undone till he be hang'd; nor never

To her, whole worth makes other worthies nothing;
She is alone?.

Pro. Then let her alone.

[own;

Vai. Not for the world: why, man, she is mine And I as rich in having fuch a jewel,

As twenty feas, if all their fand were pearl,
The water nectar, and the rocks pure gold,
Forgive me, that I do not dream on thee,
Because thou fee'ft me doat upon my love.
My foolish rival, that her father likes,
Only for his poffeffions are so huge,
Is gone with her along; and I must after,
For love, thou know'st, is full of jealoufy.

Pro. But she loves you?

Val. Ay, and we are betroth'd; nay more, our

marriage hour,

With all the cunning manner of our flight,
Determin'd of; how I must climb her window;
The ladder made of cords; and all the means
Plotted, and 'greed on for my happiness.
Good Protheus, go with me to my chamber,
In these affairs to aid me with thy counsel.

Pro. Go on before; I shall enquire you forth :

I must unto the road, to disembark

Some neceffaries that I needs must use; And then I'll presently attend you, fal. Will you make hatte?

welcome to a place, till fome certain shot be paid, and the hoftess say, Welcome.

Speed. Come on, you mad-cap, I'll to the ale houfe with you presently; where, for one shot of five pence, thou shalt have five thousand welcomes, But, firrah, how did thy master part with madam Julia?

Laun. Marry, after they clos'd in earnest, they parted very fairly in jeft.

Speed. But shall the marry him?

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The first or principal of women. That is, there is none to be compar'd to her. 3 This alludes to the figures made by witches, as representatives of those whom they designed to torment or destroy. + With more prudence, with more difcretion.

Speed.

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