2 Out. For what offence?

Val. For that, which now torments me to rehearse:
I kill'd a man, whofe death I much repent;
But yet I flew him manfully in fight,
Without falfe vantage or bafe treachery.

I Out. Why ne'er repent it, if it were done fo.
But were you banish'd for fo fmall a fault?
Val. I was, and held me glad of fuch 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 fcalp 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. Mafter, be one of them: it's an honourable kind of thievery.

Val. Peace, villain.

2 Out. Tell us this; have you any thing to take to? Val. Nothing, but my fortune.

3 Out. Know then, that fome of us are gentlemen, Such as the fury of ungovern'd youth

Thruft from the company of awful men:
My felf was from Verona banifhed,

For practifing to steal away a lady,

An heir, and near ally'd unto the Duke. (14)

04

2 Out.

(14) An Heir and neice ally'd unto the Duke.] Thus all the Impreffions, from the firft downwards. But our Poet would never have exprefs'd himself fo ftupidly, as to tell us, this Lady was the Duke's Neice, and ally'd to him: For her Alliance was, certainly, fufficiently included in the firft Term. Our Author meant to fay, fhe was an Heiress, and near ally'd to the Duke: an Expreffion the moft natural that can be for the Purpose, and very frequently used by the Stage-Poets.

So in Romeo and Juliet.

This Gentleman, the Prince's near Ally.

So in Beaumont and Fletcher's Sea-Voyage.

yet that We may learn

Whether they are the fame, or near ally'd

To Thofe, that forc'd me to this cruel Courfe.

So in B. Jonfon's Every Man out of his Humour.

·Some fuch cross-wooing, with a Clown to their Servingman,

better than to be thus near and familiarly ally'd to the Time.

So

2 Out. And I from Mantua, for a gentleman Whom, in my mood, I ftabb'd unto the heart.

I Out. And I for fuch 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, feeing you are beautify'd
With goodly fhape, and by your own report
A linguift; and a man of fuch perfection,
As we do in our quality much want;

2 Out. Indeed, because you are a banish'd man, Therefore, above the reft, we parley to you; Are you content to be our General ?

To make a virtue of neceffity,

And live, as we do, in the wilderness?

3 Out. What fay'st thou wilt thou be of our confort?

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 fcorn our courtefie, thou dy'st.
2 Out. Thou shalt not live to brag what we have
offer'd..

Val. I take your offer, and will live with you; Provided, that you do no outrages

On filly women, or poor paffengers.

3 Out. No, we deteft fuch vile base practices. Come, go with us, we'll bring thee to our crews, And thew thee all the treasure we have got; Which, with our felves, fhall reft at thy difpofe.

So in Lary-Tricks, by John Day.

That notwithstanding my Wife's near Allyance
Unto the Duke, I purchas'd a Divorce.

And fo in Soliman and Perfeda;

Fly, ere the Governour have any News,

Whofe near Ally he was, and chief Delight.

And in a Number of Paffages more, that might be quoted.

[Exeunt.

SCENE

SCENE changes to an open Place, under Silvia's Apartment, in Milan.

Enter Protheus.

Pro. A Lready I've been false to Valentine,

And now I must be as unjust to Thurio.

Under the colour of commending him,
I have access my own love to prefer:
But Silvia is too fair, too true, too holy,
To be corrupted with my worthless gifts.
When I protest true loyalty to her,

She twits me with my falfhood to my friend;
When to her beauty I commend my vows,
She bids me think, how I have been forfworn
In breaking faith with Julia whom I lov'd.
And, notwithstanding all her fudden quips,
The leaft whereof would quell a lover's hope,
Yet, spaniel-like, the more the spurns my love;
The more it grows, and fawneth on her ftill.
But here comes Thurio: now muft we to her window,
And give some evening mufick to her ear.

Enter Thurio and Muficians.

Thu. How now, Sir Protheus, are you crept before us? Pro. Ay, gentle Thurio; for, you know, that love Will creep in fervice where it cannot go.

Thu. Ay, but I hope, Sir, that you love not here. Pro. Sir, but I do; or elfe I would be hence. Thu. Whom, Silvia?

Pro. Ay, Silvia, for your fake.

Thu. I thank you, for your own: now, gentlemen, Let's tune, and to it luftily a while.

Enter Hoft, and Julia in boy's cloaths.

Hoft. Now, my young gueft, methinks, you're allycholly: I pray you, why is it?

Jul. Marry, mine Hoft, beeaufe I cannot be merry.

Hoft.

Hoft. Come, we'll have you merry; I'll bring you where you fhall hear mufick, and fee the gentleman that you ask'd for.

Jul. But fhall I hear him fpeak?
Hoft. Ay, that you shall.

Jul. That will be mufick.
Hoft. Hark, hark!

Jul. Is he among these?

Hoft. Ay; but peace, let's hear 'em.

SONG.

Who is Silvia? what is the,
That all our fwains commend her?
Holy, fair and wife is fhe,

The heav'n fuch grace did lend her,
That he might admired be.

Is fhe 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 Silvia let us fing,
That Silvia is excelling ;
She excels each mortal thing
Upon the dull earth dwelling:

To her let us garlands bring.

Hoft. How now? are you fadder than you were before? how do you, man? the mufick likes you not. Jul. You mistake; the musician likes me not.

Hoft. Why, my pretty youth?

Jul. He plays falfe, father.

Hoft. How, out of tune on the ftrings?

Jul. Not fo; but yet fo falfe, that he grieves my

very heart-ftrings.

Hoft. You have a quick ear.

ful. Ay, I would I were deaf; it makes me have a flow heart.

Hoft.

Hoft. I perceive, you delight not in mufick.
Jul. Not a whit, when it jars fo.

Hoft. Hark, what fine change is in the mufick.
Ful. Ay; that change is the fpight.

Hoft. You would have them always play but one thing?

Jul. I would always have one play but one thing. But, hoft, doth this Sir Protheus, that we talk on, Often refort unto this gentlewoman?

Hoft. I tell you what Launce, his man, told me, he lov'd her out of all nick..

Jul. Where is Launce?

Hoft. Gone to feek his dog, which to morrow, by his master's command, he must carry for a prefent to his lady.

Jul. Peace, ftand afide, the company parts.

Pro. Sir Thurio, fear not you; I will fo plead, That you fhall fay, my cunning drift excels. Thu. Where meet we?

Pro. At St. Gregory's well.

Thu. Farewel.

[Ex. Thu. and Mufick

Silvia, above, at her Window.

Pro. Madam, good even to your ladyship.
Sil. I thank you for your mufick, gentlemen:
Who is that, that spake?

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

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

Pro. That I may compass yours.

Sil. You have your with; my will is even this,

That presently you hie you home to bed.
Thou fubtle, perjur'd, falfe, difloyal man!
Think'ft thou, I am fo fhallow, fo conceitlefs,
To be feduced by thy flattery,

That haft deceiv'd fo many with thy vows?
Return, return, and make thy love amends.
For me, by this pale Queen of night, I swear,

I