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 friend. Duke. Where your good word cannot advantage bim, Your sl: nder never can endamage him; Pro. You have prevail'd, my lord: if I can do it, Thu. Therefore, as you unwind her love from him, Lest it should ravel, and be good to none, You must provide to bottom it on me : Which must be done, by praising me as much As you in worth dispraise sir Valentine. Duke. And, Proteus, we dare trust you in this kind; Because we know, on Valentine's report, And cannot soon revolt and change your mind. Pro. As much as I can do, I will effect:- Duke. Ay, much the force of heaven-bred poez7. For Orpheus' lute was strung with poets' sinews; Duke. This discipline shows thou hast been in If crooked fortune had not thwarted me. 1 Out. What, were you banish'd thence? Val. I was. 2 Out. For what offence? Val. For that which now torments me to rehearse : I kill'd a man, whose death I much repent; 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 he'd me glad of such a doom. 1 Out. Have you the tongues? Val. My youthful travel therein made me happy; Or else I often had been miserable. 3 Out. By the bare scalp of Robin Hood's fat friar, 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 an honourable kind of thievery. Val. Peace, villain! 2 Out. Tell us this: Have you anything to take to? Val. Nothing, but my fortune. 3 Out. Know then, that some of us are gentle men, Such as the fury of ungovern'd youth An heir, and near allied unto the duke. 2 Out. 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,) With goodly shape; and by your own report : As we do in our quality much want; 2 Out. Indeed, because you are a banish'd man, Therefore, above the rest, we parley to you: Are you content to be our general? To make a virtue of necessity, And live, as we do, in this wilderness? 3 Out. What say'st thou wilt thou be of our Say, ay, and be the captain of us all : 1 Out. But if thou scorn our courtesy, thou diest. Val. I take your offer, and will live with you; Provided that you do no outrages On silly women, or poor passengers. 3 Out. No, we detest such vile base practices. Come, go with us, we'll bring thee to our crews, And show thee all the treasure we have got; Which, with ourselves, all rest at thy dispose. [Exeunt. SCENE II.-Milan. Court of the Palace. Pro. Already have I been false to Valentine, And give some evening music to her ear. Enter THURIO and Musicians. Thu. How now, sir Proteus? are you crept be. fore us? Pro. Ay, gentle Thurio; for, you know, that love Will creep in service where it cannot go. Thu. Ay, but, I hope, sir, that you love not here. Pre. Ay, Silvia,-for your sake. Jul. Is he among these? SONG. Who is Silvia? what is she, That all our swains commend her? The heavens such grace did lend her, Is she kind, as she is fair? For beauty lives with kindness: To help him of his blindness; That Silvia is excelling; Upon the dull earth dwelling: Host. How now? are you sadder than you were How do you, man? the music likes you not. 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. Host. Hark, what fine change is in the music! Host. You would have them always play but one thing? Jul. I would always have one play but one thing. But, host, doth this sir Proteus, that we talk on, often resort unto this gentlewoman? Host. I tell you what Launce, his man, told me, he loved 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 a present to his lady. Jul. Peace! stand aside! the company parts. Pro. At Saint Gregory's well. Thu. Farewell. [Exeunt THURIO and Musicians. SILVIA appears above, at her window. Pro. Madam, good even to your ladyship. Thu. I thank you for your own. Now, gentlemen, Who is that, that spake? Enter Host, ut a distance; and JULIA in boy's clothes. Jul. Marry, mine host, because I cannot be merry. Host. Come, we'll have you merry: I'll bring you where you shall hear music, and see the gentieman that you ask'd for. Jul. But shall I hear him speak? Jul. That will be music. No. 5. Pro. One, lady, if you knew his pure heart's You'd quickly learn to know him by his voice. Pro. Sir Proteus, gentle lady, and your servant. Pro. That I may compass yours [Music plays. To be seduced by thy flattery, That hast deceiv'd so m. ny with thy vows? F 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 importúnacy? 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. He heard not that. [Aside. Pro. Madam, if your heart be so obdúrate, Jul. If 'twere a substance, you would, sure, deceive it, And make it but a shadow, as I am. [Aside. Egl. This is the hour that madam Silvia Entreated me to call, and know her mind; There's some great matter she'd employ me in.Madam, madam! SILVIA appears 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. Sil. O Eglamour, thou art gentleman, ; No grief did ever come so near thy heart, Egl. Madam, I pity much your grievances; Sil. This evening coming. Egl. Where shall I meet you? Sil. At friar Patrick's cell, Where I intend holy confession. Sil. Good-morrow, kind sir Eglamour. [Exeunt. 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 saved from drowning, when three or four of his blind brothers and sisters went to it! I have taught him-even as one would say precisely, Thus I would teach a dog. I was sent to deliver him, as a present to mistress Silvia, from my master; and I came no sooner into the diningchamber, but he steps me to her trencher, and steals her capon's leg. O, 'tis a foul thing when a cur cannot keep himself in all companies! 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 wit than he, to take a fault upon me that he did, I think verily he had been hanged for't; sure as I live he had suffered for't: you shall judge. He thrusts me himself into under the duke's table: he had not been there the company of three or four gentleman-like dogs, (bless the mark) a pissing while; but all the chamber smelt him. Out with that dog, says one; What eur is that? says another; Whip him out, says? third; Hang him 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 mean to whip the dog? Ay marry, do I, quoth he. You do him the more wrong, quoth I; 'twas I did the thing you wot of. He makes me no more ado, but whips me out o the chamber. How many masters would do this fe their servant? Nay, I'll be sworn, I have sat i the stocks for puddings he hath stolen, otherwis he had been executed: I have stood on the pillor for geese he hath killed, otherwise he had suffered for't: thou think'st not of this now!-Nay, I remember the trick you served me, 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? Enter PROTEUS 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 will do 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 carried 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 as present. Pro. But she received my dog? Laun. No, indeed, she did not: here have I Drought him back again. And now am I (unhappy messenger) Gentlewoman, good day! I pray you, be my mean Sil. What would you with her, if that I be she? Jul. From my master, sir Proteus, madam. Sil. Ursula, bring my picture there. [Picture brought. Pro. What, didst thou offer her this from me? Laun. Ay, sir; the other squirrel was stolen Go, give your master this: tell him from me, from me by the hangman's boys in the market-One Julia, that his changing thoughts forget, place: and then I offered 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, Sebastian, I have entertained thee, She loved ine well, deliver'd it to me. token: Pro. Why dost thou cry, alas! Jul. I cannot choose but pity her? Jl. Because, methinks, that she loved you as well dreams on him, that has forgot her love; I dote on her, that cares not for your love. ity, love should be so contrary; thinking on it makes me cry, alas! r. Well, give her that ring, and therewithal letter ;—that's her chamber.-Tell my lady, m the promise for her beavenly picture. I message done, hie home unto my chamber, re thou shalt find me sad and solitary. [Exit PROTEUS. How many women would do such a message? Door Proteus! thou hast entertain'd o be the shepherd of thy lambs : oor fool! why do I pity him with his very heart despiseth me? se he loves her, he despiseth me; se I love him, I must pity him. ing I gave him, when he parted from me, d him to remember my good will : Would better fit his chamber, than this shadow. Sil. I pray thee, let me look on that again. I will not look upon your master's lines: Jul. Madam, he sends your ladyship this ring. Sil. What say'st thou? Tel. I thank you, madam, that you tender her: Jul. Almost as well as I do know myself: Sil. Belike, she thinks that Proteus bath forsook Jul. I think she doth, and that's her cause of sorrow. Sil. Is she not passing fair? Jul. She hath been fairer, madam, than she is: Sil. How tall was she? Jul. About my stature: for, at Pentecost, For I did play a lamentable part; Sil. She is beholden to thee, gentle youth!- Farewell. [Exit SILVIA. Jul. And she shall thank you for't, if e'er you know her. A virtuous gentlewoman, mild, and beautiful. I should have scratch'd out your unseeing eyes, ACT V. SCENE I.-The same. An Abbey. Enter EGLAMOUR. [Exit. And yet she takes exceptions at your person. Thu. I'll wear a boot, to make it somewh rounder. Pro. But love will not be spurr'd to what it loa th Thu. What says she to my face? Pro. She says, it is a fair one. Thu. Nay, then the wanton lies; my face is black. Pro. But pearls are fair; and the old saying is, Black men are pearls in beauteous ladies' eyes; Jul. 'Tis true, such pearls as put out ladies' eyes; For I had rather wink than look on them. [Aside. Thu. How likes she my discourse? Pro. Ill, when you talk of war. Thu. But well, when I discourse of love and peace? Jul. But better, indeed, when you hold your [Aside. Valentine; And Eglamour is in her company. 'Tis true; for friar Laurence met them both, As he in penance wander'd through the forest: At Patrick's cell this even; and there she was not: That leads towards Mantua, whither they are fled. Thu. Why this it is to be a peevish girl, That flies her fortune when it follows her: I'll after; more to be reveng'd on Eglamour, Than for the love of reckless Silvia. [Exit. Pro. And I will follow, more for Silvia's love, Be patient, we must bring you to our captain |