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And drench'd me in the sea, where I am drown'd:
I fear'd to shew my father Julia's letter,
Lest he should take exceptions to my love;
And with the vantage of mine own excuse
Hath he excepted most against my love:
Oh, how this spring of love resembleth
The uncertain glory of an April day;
Which now shews all the beauty of the sun,
And by and by a cloud takes all away!
Re-enter Panthino.

Pant. Sir Protheus, your father calls for you;
He is in haste, therefore, I pray you, go.
Pro. Why, this it is; my heart accords thereto;
And yet a thousand times it answers, no.
[Exeunt.

ACT II.

SCENE I.

Changes to Milan.

25

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is but one.

Val. Ha! let me see: 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, sirrah?

Speed. She's not within hearing, sir.
Val. Why, sir, who bad you call her?
Speed. Your worship, sir; or else I mistook.
Val. Well, you'll still be too forward.
Speed. And yet I was last chidden for being too
Val. Go to, sir; tell me, do you know madam
Silvia ?

30

35

[slow. 40

45

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Speed. She that your worship loves? Val. Why, how know you that I am in love? Speed. Marry, by these special marks: First, you have learn'd, like sir Protheus, to wreath your arms like a male-content; to relish a love-ong, like a Robin-red-breast; to walk alone, like one that had the pestilence; to sigh, like a school-boy that had lost his A B C; to weep, like a young wench that had buried her grandam; to fast, like one that takes diet'; to watch, like one that fears robbing; to speak puling, like a beggar at Halowmas'. You were wont, when you laugh'd, to 55 crow like a cock; when you walk'd, to walk like one of the lions; when you fasted, it was presently after dinner; when you look'd sadly, it was for want of money: and now you are metamor

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

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 so without these follies, that these follies are within you, and shine through you like the water in an urinal; that not an eye, that sees you, but is a physician to comment on your malady. Val. But, tell me, dost thou know my lady Silvia? [supper? Speed. She that you gaze on so, as she sits at Val. Hast thou observed that? even she I mean. Speed. Why, sir, I know her not.

Val. Dost thou know her by my gazing on her, and yet know'st her not?

Speed. Is she not hard-favour'd, sir?

Val. Not so fair, boy, as well-favour'd.
Speed. Sir, I know that well enough.

Val. What dost thou know?

Speed. That she is not so fair, as (of you) wellfavour'd.

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

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

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

Val. How esteem'st thou me? I account of her beauty.

Speed. You never saw her since she was deform'd.

Va'. How long hath she been deform'd?
Speed. Ever since you lov'd her.

'That is,

That is, allowance. 2 To take diet was the phrase for being under a regimen. about the feast of All-Saints, when the poor people in Staffordshire, and probably in Warwickshire, go from parish to parish a souling as they call it; i. e. begging and puling (or singing small) for soul-cakes, or any good thing to make them merry. This custom seeins a remnant of Popish superstition to pray for departed souls, particularly those of friends. 3

Fal.

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Speed. Your own present folly, and her passing 10 deformity: for he, being in love, could not see to garter his hose; and you, being in love, cannot see to put on your hose.

my

Val. Belike, boy, then you are in love; for last 15 morning you could not see to wipe my shoes. bed; Specd. True, sir; I was in love with I thank you, you swing'd me for my love, which makes me the bolder to chide yours. you for Val. In conclusion, I stand affected to her. Speed. I would you were set, and your affection 20 so would cease.

Val. Last night she enjoin'd me to write some lines to one she loves.

Speed. And have you?

L'al. 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.

25

Speed. Oh, excellent motion'! Oh, exceeding 30 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 thousand.

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

35

Val. As you enjoin'd me, I have writ your letter 40
Unto the secret hameless friend of yours;
Which I was much unwilling to proceed in,
But for y duty to your ladyship.

Sil. I thank you, gentle servant: 'tis very clerkly done'.

[oll: 45

Tal. 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 so much

pains?

Val. No, madam; so it stead you, I will write. Please you command, a thousand times as much: And yet,

50

Sil. A pretty period! Weil, I guess the sequel:
And yet I will not name it :-and yet I care not;-55
And yet take this again; and yet I thank you;
Meaning henceforth to trouble you no more.[Aside.
Speed. And yet you will; and yet another yet
Val. What means your ladyship? do you not
like it?

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

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And, if it please you, so; if not, why, so.

Val. If please me, madam? what then?
Sil. Why, if it please you, take it for your
labour;

[Exit.
And so good-morrow, servant.
Speed. O jest unseen, inscrutable, invisible,
As a nose on a man's face, or a weathercock on a
[suitor,
steeple!
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 scribe, to himself
should write the letter!

Val. How now, sir? what, are you reasoning* with yourself?

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

the reason.

l'al. To do what?

Speed. To be a spokesman from madam Silvia.
[figure.
Val. To whom?
Speed. To yourself; why, she wooes you by a
Val. What figure?

Speed. By a letter, I should say.

Val. Why, she hath not writ to me?

Speed. What need she, when she made you write to yourself? Why, do you not perceive the jest?

Val. No, believe me.

Speed. No believing you indeed, sir: But did you perceive her earnest ?

Val. She gave me none, except an angry word.
Speed. Why, she hath given you a letter.
Val. That's the letter I writ to her friend.
Speed. And that letter hath she deliver'd, and
there an end".

Val. I would, it were no worse.

Speed. I'll warrant you, 'tis as well: [desty, For often you have writ to her; and she, in moOr else for want of idle time,could not again reply; Or fearing else some messenger, that might her mind discover,

Herself hath taught her love himself to write un-
to her lover.-

All this I speak in print, for in print I found it.—
Why muse you, sir? 'tis dinner-time.

Val. P've din'd,

Speed. Ay, but hearken, sir: though the cameleon love can feed on the air, I am one that am nourish'd by my victuals, and would fain have neat: Oh! be not like your mistress; be mov'd, 60be moved.

[Exeunt.

2 This was the language of

3 That is, like a scholar. 4 That is, discoursing, talk

Motion, in Shakspeare's time, signified puppet, or a puppet-show.
ladies to their lovers in Shakspeare's time.
ing.

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In print means with exactness.

SCENE

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[my mother-oh that she could speak now like a wood woman'!well, I kiss her;~why there tis; here's my mother's breath up and down: now come I to my sister; mark the moan she makes: 5 now the dog all this while sheds not a tear, nor speaks a word; but see how I lay the dust with my tears.

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Enter Panthino.

Pan. Launce, away, away, aboard; thy master is shipp'd, and thou art to post after with oars. What's the matter? why weep'st thou man? Away, ass; you will lose the tide, if you tarry any longer. Laun. It is no matter if the tide were lost; for it is the unkindest ty'd that ever any man ty’d. Pan. What's the unkindest tide?

Laun. Why, he that's ty'd here; Crab, my dog. Pan. Tut, man, I mean thou'lt lose the flood; and, in losing the flood, lose thy voyage; and, in losing thy voyage, lose thy master; and, in losing 20 thy master, lose thy service; and, in losing thy service,-Why dost thou stop my mouth?

Jul. And seal the bargain with a holy kiss.
Pro. Here is my hand for my true constancy;
And when that hour o'erslips me in the day,
Wherein I sigh not, Julia, for thy sake,
The next ensuing hour some 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 stay me longer than I should:
[Exit Julia.
Julia, farewell.—What! gone without a word?
Ay, so true love should do:-it cannot speak;
Fortruth hath better deeds, than words, to grace it. 25
Enter Panthino.

Pan. Sir Protheus, you are staid for.
Pro. Go; I come, I come:--

Alas! this parting strikes poor lovers dumb. [Exe.

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Laun. For fear thou should'st lose 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 master, and the service, and the tide? Why, man, if the river were dry, I am able to fill it with my tears; if the wind were down, I could drive the 30 boat with my sighs.

Enter Launce leading a dog. Latn. Nay, 'twill be this hour ere I have done weeping: all the kind of the Launces have this very 35 fault: I have received my proportion, like the prodigious son, and am going with sir Protheus to the imperial's court. I think, Crab my dog be the sourest natur'd dog that lives: my mother weeping, my father wailing, my sister crying, our maid 40 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 stone, a very pebble-stone, and has no more pity in him than a dog: a Jew would have wept to have seen our part-45 ing: 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 shoe is my mother;--nay, that cannot be so nei-50 ther;-yes, it is so, it is so; it hath the worser sole: This shoe with the hole in it, is my mother, and this my father; A vengeance on't! there'tis; now, sir, this staff is my sister; for, look you, she is as white as a lilly, and as small as a wand: this hat is 55 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, so, so. Now come I to my father: Father your blessing; now should not the shoe speak a word for weeping; now should I kis 60 my father; well he weeps on: now come I tol

Pan. Come, come away, man; I was sent to call thee.

Laun. Sir, call me what thou dar'st.
Pan. Wilt thou go?

Laun. Well, I will go.

SCENE IV.

MILAN.

[Exeunt.

An apartment in the duke's palace. Enter Valentine, Silvia, Thurio, and Speed. Sil. Servant,

Val. Mistress?

Speed. Master, sir 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 sad.

Val. Indeed, madam, I seem so.
Thu. Seem you that you are not?
Val. Haply, I do.

Thu. So do counterfeits.
Val. So do you.

Thu. What seem I, that I am not?
Val. Wise.

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

Thu. And how quote2 you my folly?
Val. I quote it in your jerkin.
Thu. My jerkin is a doublet.

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

That is, crazy, frantic with grief; or distracted, from any other cause. The word is very fre

quently used in Chaucer; and sometimes writ wood, sometimes wode, Wood, or crazy women, were anciently supposed to be able to tell fortunes. 2 To quote is to observe.

Thu.

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Silvia, I speak to you; and you, sir Thurio:
For Valentine, I need not cite him to it:
I'll send him hither to you presently. [Exit Duke.
Val. This is the gentleman, I told your ladyship,
5 Had come along with me, but that his mistress
Did hold his eyes lock'd in her crystal looks.

Thu. Ay, sir, and done too, for this time. Val. I know it well, sir; you always end ere 10 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, servant?

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

in

your company.

15

Thu. Sir, if you spend word for word with me,|20| I shall make your wit bankrupt.

Val. I know it well, sir: you have an exchequer of words, and, I think, no other treasure 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.

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130

To any happy messenger from thence.
Duke. Know you Don Anthonio, your country-35
Val. Ay, my good lord, I know the gentleman
To be of worth, and worthy estimation,
And not without desert so well reputed.
Duke. Hath he not a son?

[serves

Val. Ay, my good lord; a son, that well de-40 The honour and regard of such 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 sir 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 judgment 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, sir, but if he make this good,
He is as worthy for an empress' love,
As meet to be an emperor's counsellor.
Well, sir! 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.

Val. Should I have wish'd a thing, it had been he.
Duke. Welcome him then according to his worth;

Si. Belike, that now she hath enfranchis'd then
Upon some other pawn for fealty.

Val. Nay, sure, I think, she holds them pri-
soners 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 see such lovers, Thurio, as yourself;
Upon a homely object love can wink.
Enter Protheus.

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

Val. Welcome, dear Protheus!—Mistress, I
beseech 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: sweet lady, entertain him
To be my fellow-servant to your ladyship.

Sil. Too low a mi-tress for so high a servant.
Pro. Not so, sweet lady; but too mean a servant
To have a look of such a worthy mistress.
Val. Leave off discourse of disability:-
Sweet lady, entertain him for your servant.
Pro. My duty will I boast of, nothing else.
Sil. And duty never yet did want his meed:
Servant, you are welcome to a worthless mistress.
Pro. I'll die on him that says so, but yourself.
Sil. That you are welcome?
Pro. No; that you are worthless.
Enter Servant.

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

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

Go with me:-Once more, new servant, welcome:
I'll leave you to confer of home-affairs;
45 When you have done, we look to hear from you.
Pro. We'll both attend upon your ladyship.
[Exeunt Silvia and Thurio.
Val. Now, tell me, how do all from whence

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

Val. Ay, Protheus, but that life is alter'd now:
I have done penance for contemning love;
60 Whose high imperious thoughts have punish'd me
With bitter fasts, with penitential groans,
With nightly tears, and daily heart-sore sighs:
For, in revenge of my contempt of love,
Love hath chas'd sleep from my enthralled eyes,
And

And made them watchers of mine own heart's sor-
O, gentle Protheus, love's a mighty lord; [row.
And hath so humbled me, as, I confess,
There is no woe to his correction,
Nor, to his service, no such joy on earth!
Now, no discourse, except it be of love:
Now I can break my fast, dine, sup, 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 so?

Val. Even she; and is she not a heavenly saint Pro. No; but she is an earthly paragon. Fal. Call her divine.

Pro. I will not flatter her.

Val. O flatter me; for love delights in praise. Pro. When I was sick, you gave me bitter pills; And I must minister 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.
Pro. Except my mistress.

Val. Sweet, except not any;
Except thou wilt except against my love.

Pro. Have I not reason to prefer mine own? Vul. And I will help thee to prefer her too. She shall be dignified with this high honour,To bear my lady's train; lest the Base earth Should from her vesture chance to steal a kiss, And, of so great a favour growing proud, Disdain to root the summer-swelling flower, And make rough winter everlastingly.

Pro. Why, Valentine, what braggardism is this? Val. Pardon nie, Protheus: all I can, is nothing To her, whose worth makes other worthies noShe is alone2.

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Even as one heat another heat expels, Or as one nail by strength drives out another, So the remembrance of my former love 5 Is by a newer object quite forgotten. Is it mine eye, or Valentino's praise,

Her true perfection, or my false transgression,
That makes me, reasonless, to reason thus?
She's fair; and so is Julia, that I love ;-
10 That I did love, for now my love is thaw'd;
Which, like a waxen image 'gainst a fire',
Bears no impression of the thing it was.
Methinks, my zeal to Valentine is cold:
And that I love him not, as I was wont :
15 Oh! but I love his lady too, too much;
And that's the reason I love him so little.
How shall I doat on her with more advice,
That thus without advice begin to love her?
'Tis but her picture I have yet beheld,

20 And that hath dazzled so much reason'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.

25

SCENE V.

A street.

Enter Speed and Launce.

[Exit.

Speed. Launce! by mine honesty, welcome to 30 Milan.

[thing; 35
[own;

Pro. Then let her alone. Val. Not for the world; why, man, she is mine And I as rich in having such a jewel, As twenty seas, if all their sand were pearl, The water nectar, and the rocks pure gold. Forgive me, that I do not dream on thee, Because thou see'st me doat upon my love. My foolish rival, that her father likes, Only for his possessions are so huge,

Is

gone with her along; and I must after, For love, thou know'st, is full of jealousy.

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 necessaries that I needs must use;
And then I'll presently attend you.

Val. Will you make haste?

Laun. Forswear not thyself, sweet youth; for I am not welcome. I reckon this always-that a man is never undone till he be hang'd; nor never welcome to a place, till some certain shot be paid, and the hostess say, Welcome.

Speed. Come on, you mad-cap, I'll to the alehouse with you presently; where, for one shot of five pence thou shalt have five thousand welcomes. But, sirrah, how did thy master part with madam 40 Julia?

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

Speed. But shall she marry him?

Laun. No.

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• The first or principal of women. 2 That is, there is none to be compar'd to her. This alludes to the figures made by witches, as representatives of those whom they designed to torment or destroy. With more prudence, with more discretion.

Speed.

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