And, that my love may appear plain and free,
All that was mine in Silvia I give thee.

Jul. O me unhappy!

Pro. Look to the boy.

[Swoons.

Val. Why, boy! why, wag! how now! what's the matter? Look up; speak.

Jul. O good sir, my master charged me to deliver a ring to Madam Silvia, which, out of my neglect, was never done.

Pro. Where is that ring, boy?

Jul.

Pro. How! let me see:

Here 'tis; this is it.

Why, this is the ring I gave to Julia.

Jul. O, cry you mercy, sir, I have mistook :

This is the ring you sent to Silvia.

Pro. But how camest thou by this ring? At my depart

I gave this unto Julia.

Jul. And Julia herself did give it me; And Julia herself hath brought it hither. Pro. How! Julia!

Jul. Behold her that gave aim to all thy oaths,

And entertain'd 'em deeply in her heart.

How oft hast thou with perjury cleft the root!

O Proteus, let this habit make thee blush!

Be thou ashamed that I have took upon me
Such an immodest raiment, if shame live
In a disguise of love:

It is the lesser blot, modesty finds,

Women to change their shapes than men their minds.

Pro. Than men their minds! 'tis true. O heaven! were man

But constant, he were perfect. That one error

90

100.

ΠΙΟ

101. her that gave aim, etc.; his vows of fidelity were diJulia was the mark at which

rected.

Fills him with faults; makes him run through all

the sins:

Inconstancy falls off ere it begins.

What is in Silvia's face, but I may spy
More fresh in Julia's with a constant eye?

Val. Come, come, a hand from either:

Let me be blest to make this happy close;
'Twere pity two such friends should be long foes.
Pro. Bear witness, Heaven, I have my wish for

ever.

Jul. And I mine.

Enter Outlaws, with DUKE and THURIO.

Outlaws. A prize, a prize, a prize!

Val. Forbear, forbear, I say! it is my lord the duke.

Your grace is welcome to a man disgraced,

Banished Valentine.

Duke.

Sir Valentine!

Thu. Yonder is Silvia; and Silvia's mine.

Val. 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.
Thu. 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.

II2. the sins. Probably pronounced th' sins,' as required by the verse. The Folio prints it so.

117. close, union.

120

130

127. measure, reach, 129. Verona is again written for Milan.

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 unrival'd merit,
To which I thus subscribe: Sir Valentine,
Thou art a gentleman and well derived;
Take thou thy Silvia, for thou hast deserved her.
Val. I thank your grace; the gift hath made me
happy.

I now beseech you, for your daughter's sake,
To grant one boon that I shall ask of you.

Duke. I grant it, for thine own, whate'er it be.
Val. These banish'd men that I have kept
withal

Are men endued with worthy qualities:

Forgive them what they have committed here
And let them be recall'd from their exile:

They are reformed, civil, full of good
And fit for great employment, worthy lord.

Duke. Thou hast prevailed; I pardon them and

thee:

Dispose of them as thou know'st their deserts.
Come, let us go: we will include all jars
With triumphs, mirth and rare solemnity.

Val. And, as we walk along, I dare be bold
With our discourse to make your grace to smile.

137. To make such means for her, to seek possession of her by such devices.

142. griefs, grievances. 143. repeal, recall,

140

150

160

144. Plead a new state, etc., entitle you to a higher rank in virtue of your unrivalled merit. 160. include, conclude. 161. triumphs, pageants, entertainments.

What think you of this page, my lord?

Duke. I think the boy hath grace in him; he blushes.

Val. I warrant you, my lord, more grace than boy.

Duke. What mean you by that saying?

Val. Please you, I'll tell you as we pass along,
That you will wonder what hath fortuned.
Come, Proteus; 'tis your penance but to hear
The story of your loves discovered :
That done, our day of marriage shall be yours;
One feast, one house, one mutual happiness.

[Exeunt.

170