THE

TWO GENTLEMEN

OF

V E R O N A.

Аст І.

8 CENE I. Verona. A Street.

Enter Valentine, and Protheus.

VALENTINE.
IEASE to persuade, my loving Protheus;

Homé-keeping youth have ever homely wits :
Wer't not, affection chains' thy tender days
To the sweet glances of thy honour'd love,
I rather would entreat thy company,
To see the wonders of the world abroad,
Than, living dully fluggardiz'd at home,
Wear out thy youth in shapeless idleness.
But, fince thou lov'st, love ftill, and thrive therein ;
Even as I would, when I to love begin.

Pro. Wilt thou be gone? Sweet Valentine, adieu!
Think on thy Protbeus, when thou, haply, see'tt
Some rare note-worthy object in thy travel :
With me partaker in thy happiness,
When thou doft meet good hap; and, in thy danger,

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(IF

(If ever danger do environ thee)
Commend thy grievance to my holy prayers,
For I will be thy beads-man, Valentine.
Val. And on a love-book pray for

my

success. • Pro. Upon some book I love, I'll pray for thee.

“Val. That's on some shallow story of deep love, " How young Leander cross'd the Hellefpont.

“ Pro. That's a deep story of a deeper love ; * For he was more than over shoes in love.

“ Val. 'Tis true; for you are over boots in love, * And yet you never swom the Hellespont.

“ Pinc. Over the boots ? nay, give me not the boots." Val. No, I will not; for it boots.thee not. Pro. What ?

Val. To be in love-where scorn is bought with groans; Coy looks, with heart-sore fighs; one fading moment's With twenty watchful, weary, tedious nights : (mirth If haply won, perhaps a hapless gain; If loft, why then a grievous labour won ; However, but a folly bought with wit, Or else a wit by folly vanquished *.

Pro. So, by your circumstance, you call me fool.
Val. So, by your circumstance, I fear you'll prove.
Pro. 'Tis love you cavil at ; I am not love.

Val. Love is your master ; for he masters you :
And he that is to yoked by a fool,
Methinks, thould not be chronicl'd for wife.

Pro. Yet writers say, As in the sweetest bud "The eating canker dwells; fo .eating love Inhabits in the finest wits of all.

Val. And writers say, As the most forward bud
Is eaten by the canker ere it blow.;
Even so by love the young and tender wit
Is turn'd to folly ; blasting in the bud,
Lofing his verdure even in the prime,
And all the fair effects of future hopes.
But wherefore waste I time, to counsel thee
That art a yotary to fond desire ?

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This short speech contains some very sensible and pertinent Arictures on the pains, caprices and precariousness of love,

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Once more, adieu : my father at the road
Expects my coming, there to see me thip'd.

Pro. And thither will I bring thee, Valentine.

Val. Sweet Protheus, no; now let us take our leave :
At Milan let me hear from thee by letters,
Of thy success in love, and what news else
Betidech here in absence of thy friend.
And I likewise will visit thee with mine.

Pro. All happiness bechance to thee in Milan!
Val. As much to you at home! and so, farewel.

(Exit Valentine
Pro. He after honour hunts, I after love :
He leaves his friends, to dignify them more ;
I leave myself, my friends, and all for love.
Thou, Julia, thou hast metamorphos'd me;
Made me neglect my studies, lose my time,
War with good counsel, set the world at nought;
Made wit with musing weak, heart fick with thought.

Enter Speed, bluntly. Spe. Sir Protheus ! save you, fir; faw you my master ? Pro. But now he parted hence, to embark for Milan.

Spe. Twenty to one then, he is ship'd already ; And I have play'd the sheep, in lofing him.

Pro. Indeed, a sheep doth very often ftray, AR' if the shepherd be a while away. “ Spe. You conclude, that my matter is a fhepherd

then, and I a deep ? « Pro. I do. “ Spe. Why then my horns are his horns, whether I

66 wake or sleep “ Pro. A filly answer, and fitting well a sheep. “ Spe. This proves me ftill a lheep. “ Pro. True; and thy master a shepherd. “? Spe. Nay, that I can deny by a circumstance. “ Pro. It shall go hard, but I'll prove it by another.

“ Spe. The shepherd seeks the sheep, and not the “ sheep the shepherd; 'but I seek my inafter, and niy “ master seeks not me: therefore I am no sheep.

" Pro. The deep for fodder follows the shepherd, the " thepherd for food follows not the theep į thou for

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“ wages follow'st thy mastor, thy master for wages follows

not thee: therefore thou art a Meep. “ Spa. Such another proof will make me cry, ba. Pro. Bục dost thou heari gav'it thou my letter to Julia ?

Spe. Ay, sir: I, a loft mutton, gave your letter to her, a lac'd mytton : and the, a lac'd mgtton, gave me, a lost mutton, nothing for my labour,

“ Pro. Here's too small a pafture for such fore of muttons.

Spe. If the ground be overcharg'd, you were best 66 ftick her. “ Pro. Nay, in that you're aftray; 'twere best pound

Spe. Nay, fir, less than a pound shall serve me for si carrying your letter.

· Pro. You mistake; I mean the pound, a pinfold.

“ Spe. From a pound to a pin? fold it over and over, “ 'Tis threefold too little for carrying a letter to your

66 lover.

“ Pro. But what said the [Speed nods.] Did lhe nod ? “ Spe. I. “ Pro. Nod: 1? why, that's noddy.

Spe. You mistook, fir; I said, she did nod: and you

ask me, if he did nod : and I said I. · Pro. And that, fet together, is noddy.

“ Spe. Now you have taken the pains to set it toge . " ther, take it for your pains.

“ Pro. No, no, you Thal! have it for bearing the “ letter.

“ Spe. Well, I perceive, I must be fain to bear with you. • Pro. Why, fir, how do you bear with me?

“ Spe. Marry, fir, the letter very orderly; having “ nothing but the word, noddy, for my pains,

16 Pro. Belhrew me, but you have a quick wit. “ Spe. And yet it cannot overtake your sow purse*.

Pro. Come, come, open the matter in brief; What said the?

Spe. Open your purfe; that the money, and the matter, may be both at once deliver'd.

Pro. Well, sir, here is for your pains: What said he?
Spe. Truly, fir, I think you'll hardly win her.
Pro. Why, could't thou perceive so much from her ?

Spe. Sir, I could perceive nothing at all from her ; no, not so much as a ducat for delivering your letter : And, being so hard to me that brought your mind, I fear she'll prove as hard to you in telling your mind. Give her no token but stones *, for she's as hard as steel.

Pro. What, said she nothing?

Spe. No, not so much as-take this for thy pains. To your bounty, I thank you, you have telterd me; in requital whereof, henceforth carry your letters yourself: and so, fir, I'll commend you to my mafter. [Exit.

Pro. Go, go, begone, to save your ship from wreck ;
Which cannot perish, having thee aboard,
Being destin'd to a drier death on shore :-
I must go send some better messenger ;
I fear, my Julia would not deign my lines,
Receiving them from such a worthless poft. [Exit.
SCENE II. The fame. Garden of Julia's house.

Enter Julia, and Lucetta.
Jul. But say, Lucetta, (now we are alone)
Would'lt thou then counsel me to fall in love?

Luc. Ay, madam, so you stumble not unheedfully.

Jul. Of all the fair refort of gentlemen,
That every day with parle encounter me,
In thy opinion which is worthiest love?
Luc. Please you repeat
their names, I'll shew

my mind, According to my shallow simple skill.

Jul. What think'it thou of the fair fir Eglamour +?

Luc. As of a knight well-spoken, neat, and fine; But, were I you, he never should be mine.

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