Till the last step have brought me to my love; Luc. But in what habit will you go along? Luc. Why then your ladyship must cut your hair. of greater time than I shall shew to be. But, when I call to mind your gracious favours I know you have determin'd to bestow her Luc. What fashion, madam, shall I make your Than, by concealing it, heap on your head Jul. That fits as well, as-"tell me, good my lord, "What compass will you wear your farthingale?” Why, even that fashion thou best lik'st, Lucetta. Luc. You must needs have them with a cod-piece, madam. Jul. Out, out, Lucetta! that will be ill-favour'd. Jul. Lucetta, as thou lov'st me, let me have Luc. If you think so, then stay at home, and go not. Luc. Then never dream on infamy, but go. Jul. That is the least, Lucetta, of my fear: Lue. All these are servants to deceitful men. Jul. Now, as thou lov'st me, do him not that wrong, ACT III. A pack of sorrows, which would press you down, Pro. Know, noble lord, they have devis'd a mean Duke. Upon mine honour, he shall never know Duke. Sir Valentine, whither away so fast? Duke. Be they of much import? Val. The tenor of them doth but signify Duke. Nay, then no matter; stay with me awhile; To match my friend, sir Thurio, to my daughter. SCENE I.-Milan. An anti-room in the Duke's pal | Beseeming such a wife as your fair daughter: ace. Enter Duke, Thurio, and Proteus. Duke. SIR Thurio, give us leave, I pray, awhile; Cannot your grace win her to fancy him? Duke. No, trust me; she is peevish, sullen, froward, || Neither regarding that she is my child, 32 And, where I thought the remnant of mine age Val. What would your grace have me to do in this? Val. Win her with gifts, if she respect not words; Dumb jewels often, in their silent kind, More than quick words, do move a woman's mind. Duke. But she did scorn a present that I sent her. Val. A woman sometimes scorns what best contents her: Send her another; never give her o'er ; For scorn at first makes after-love the more. Duke. But she, I mean, is promis'd by her friends Val. Why then I would resort to her by night. Duke. Ay, but the doors be lock'd, and keys kept safe, That no man hath recourse to her by night. Val. What lets, but one may enter at her window? Duke. Her chamber is aloft, far from the ground; And built so shelving that one cannot climb it Without apparent hazard of his life. Val. Why then, a ladder, quaintly made of cords, Duke. Now, as thou art a gentleman of blood, Val. When would you use it? pray, sir, tell me that. Duke. This very night; for love is like a child, That longs for every thing that he can come by. Val. By seven o'clock I'll get you such a ladder. Duke. But, bark thee; I will go to her alone; How shall I best convey the ladder thither? Val. It will be light, my lord, that you may bear it Under a cloak, that is of any length. Duke. A cloak as long as thine will serve the turn? Val. Ay, my good lord. Duke. Then let me see thy cloak; I'll get me one of such another length. Val. Why, any cloak will serve the turn, my lord. Duke. How shall I fashion me to wear a cloak?I pray thee, let me feel thy cloak upon me.———— What letter is this same? What's here?-To Silvia? And here an engine fit for my proceeding! I'll be so bold to break the seal for once. My thoughts do harbour with my Silvia nightly ; [Reads. And slaves they are to me, that send them flying: O, could their master come and go as lightly, Himself would lodge, where senseless they are lying. My herald thoughts in thy pure bosom rest them; While I, their king, that hither them importune, Do curse the grace, that with such grace hath bless'd them, Because myself do want my servants' fortune : I curse myself, for they are sent by me, That they should harbour where their lord should be. What's here? Silvia, this night will I enfranchise thee: 'Tis so; and here's the ladder for the purpose.- Thank me for this, more than for all the favours, Longer than swiftest expedition Will give thee time to leave our royal court, But, as thou lov'st thy life, make speed from hence. Val. And why not death, rather than living tor. ment? To die, is to be banish'd from myself; Enter Proteus and Launce. Fal. My ears are stopp'd, and cannot hear good news, || is much in a bare Christian. Here is the cat-log [pull. So much of bad already hath possess'd them. Pro. Then in dumb silence will I bury mine, For they are harsh, untuneable, and bad. Fal. Is Silvia dead? Pro. No, Valentine. Val. No Valentine, indeed, for sacred Silvia!Hath she forsworn me? Pro. No, Valentine. Fal. No Valentine, if Silvia hath forsworn me!What is your news? Leun. Sir, there's a proclamation that you are van- Pro. That thou art banish'd, O, that's the news; Pro. Ay, ay; and she hath offer'd to the doom, Val. No more; unless the next word that thou speak'st, Have some malignant power upon my life: As ending anthem of my endless dolour. Pre. Cease to lament for that thou canst not help, And study help for that which thou lament'st. Time is the nurse and breeder of all good. Here if thou stay, thou canst not see thy love; Besides, thy staying will abridge thy life. Hope is a lover's staff; walk hence with that, And manage it against despairing thoughts. Thy letters may be here, though thou art hence; Which, being writ to me, shall be deliver'd Even in the milk-white bosom of thy love. The time now serves not to expostulate: Come, I'll convey thee through the city gate; And, e'er I part with thee, confer at large Of all that may concern thy love-affairs: As thou lov❜st Silvia, though not for thyself, Regard thy danger, and along with me. Val. I pray thee, Launce, an if thou seest my boy, Bid him make haste, and meet me at the north-gate. Pre. Go, sirrah, find him out.-Come, Valentine. Val. O my dear Silvia! hapless Valentine! [Exeunt Val. and Pro. Laun. I am but a fool, look you; and yet I have the wit to think, my master is a kind of a knave: but that's all one, if he be but one knave. He lives not now, that knows me to be in love: yet I am in love; but a team of horse shall not pluck that from me; nor who 'tis I love, and yet 'tis a woman: but that woman, I will not tell myself; and yet 'tis a milk-maid: yet 'tis not a maid, for she hath had gossips: yet 'tis a maid, for she is her master's maid, and serves for wages. She hath more qualities than a water-spaniel,-which ing out a paper] of her conditions. Imprimis, She can fetch and carry. Why, a horse can do no more; nay, a horse cannot fetch, but only carry; therefore, is she better than a jade. Item, She can milk; look you, a sweet virtue in a maid with clean hands. Enter Speed. Speed. How now, signior Launce? what news with your mastership? Laun. With my master's ship? why, it is at sea. Speed. Well, your old vice still; mistake the word: What news then in your paper? Laun. The blackest news that ever thou heard'st. Laun. Fie on thee, jolt-head; thou canst not read. Laun. I will try thee: Tell me this: Who begot thee? Speed. Marry, the son of my grandfather. Laun. O illiterate loiterer! it was the son of thy grandmother: this proves, that thou canst not read. Speed. Come, fool, come: try me in thy paper. Laun. There; and St. Nicholas be thy speed. Speed. Imprimis, She can milk. Laun. Ay, that she can. Speed. Item, She brews good ale. Laun. And thereof comes the proverb, Blessing of your heart, you brew good ale. Speed. Item, She can sew. Laun. That's as much as to say, Can she so? Speed. Item, She can knit. Laun. What need a man care for a stock with a wench, when she can knit him a stock? Speed. Item, She can wash and scour. Laun. A special virtue; for then she need not be washed and scoured. Speed. Item, She can spin. Laun. Then may I set the world on wheels, when she can spin for her living. Speed. Item, She hath many nameless virtues. Laun. That's as much as to say, Bastard virtues ; that, indeed, know not their fathers, and therefore have no names. Speed. Here follow her vices. Laun. Close at the heels of her virtues. Speed. Item, She is not to be kiss'd fasting, in respect of her breath. Laun. Well, that fault may be mended with a breakfast: Read on. Speed. Item, She hath a sweet mouth, Laun. That makes amends for her sour breath Speed. Item, She doth talk in her sleep. Laun. It's no matter for that, so she sleep not in her talk. Speed. Item, She is slow in words. Laun. O villain, that set this down among her vices! To be slow in words, is a woman's only virtue: I pray thee, out with't; and place it for her chief virtue. Speed. Item, She is proud. Laun. Out with that too; it was Eve's legacy, and cannot be ta'en from her. Speed. Item, She hath no teeth. Laun. I care not for that neither, because I love crusts. Speed. Item, She is curst. Laun. Well; the best is, she hath no teeth to bite. Speed. Item, She will often praise her liquor. Laun. If her liquor be good, she shall: if she will not, I will; for good things should be praised. Speed. Item, She is too liberal. Laun. Of her tongue she cannot; for that's writ down she is slow of: of her purse she shall not; for that I'll keep shut: now, of another thing she may; and that I cannot help. Well, proceed. Speed. Item, She hath more hair than wit, and more faults than hairs, and more wealth than faults. Laun. Stop there; I'll have her: she was mine, and not mine, twice or thrice in that last article: Rehearse that once more. Speed. Item, She hath more hair than wit,— Laun. More hair than wit,-it may be; I'll prove it: The cover of the salt hides the salt, and therefore it is more than the salt; the hair, that covers the wit, is more than the wit; for the greater hides the less. What's next? Speed. And more faults than hairs, Laun. That's monstrous: O, that that were out! Laun. Why, that word makes the faults gracious: Well, I'll have her: And if it be a match, as nothing is impossible, Speed. What then? What might we do, to make the girl forget Pro. The best way is to slander Valentine Duke. Ay, but she'll think, that it is spoke in hate. Duke. Where your good word cannot advantage Your slander 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, Laun. Why, then I will tell thee,-that thy master You must provide to bottom it on me: stays for thee at the north gate. Speed. For me? Laun. For thee? ay; who art thou? he hath staid for a better man than thee. Speed. And must I go to him? Laun. Thou must run to him, for thou hast staid so long, that going will scarce serve the turn. Speed. Why didst not tell me sooner? 'pox of your love-letters! [Exit. Laun. Now will he be swinged for reading my let ter: An unmannerly slave, that will thrust himself into secrets!-I'll after, to rejoice in the boy's correc tion. [Exit. SCENE II-The same. A room in the Duke's palace. Enter Duke and Thurio; Proteus behind. Duke. Sir Thurio, fear not, but that she will love you, Now Valentine is banish'd from her sight. Thu. Since his exile she hath despis'd me most, Duke. This weak impress of love is as a figure Duke. My daughter takes his going grievously. Pro. Longer than I prove loyal to your grace, Duke. Thou know'st, how willingly 1 would effect The match between sir Thurio and my daughter. Pro. I do, my lord. Duke. And also, I think, thou art not ignorant Pro. She did, my lord, when Valentine was here. Which must be done by praising me as much Duke. And, Proteus, we dare trust you in this kind : You are already love's firm votary, 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 poesy For Orpheus' lute was strung with poets' sinews; Visit by night your lady's chamber-window, With some sweet concert: to their instruments Duke. This discipline shows thou hast been in love. To sort some gentlemen well skill'd in music : I have a sonnet, that will serve the turn, To give the onset to thy good advice. Pro. We'll wait upon your grace till after supper: Duke. Even now about it; I will pardon you. [Ext. 3 Out. Have you long sojourn'd there? 3 Out. What say'st thou? wilt thou be of our consort? Say, ay, and be the captain of us all : We'll do thee homage, and be rul'd by thee, 1 Out. But if thou scorn our courtesy, thou dy'st. 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 shew thee all the treasure we have got ; Which, with ourselves, all rest at thy dispose. [Exe. SCENE II.-Milan. Court of the Palace. Enter Pro. Already have I been false to Valentine, I have access my own love to prefer: She twits me with my falsehood to my friend; Fal. Some sixteen months; and longer might have She bids me think, how I have been forsworn staid, 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 held 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 sealp 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. 2 Out. Tell us this: Have you any thing to take to? Val. Nothing, but my fortune. 3 Out. Know then, that some of us are gentlemen, Such as the fury of ungovern'd youth Thrust from the company of awful men : Myself was from Verona banished, For practising to steal away a lady, 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,) And, partly, seeing you are beautify'd With goodly shape; and by your own report A linguist; and a man of such perfection, . 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: In breaking faith with Julia whom I lov'd: Enter Thurio, and Musicians. Thu. How now, sir Proteus? are you crept before us? Pro. Ay, gentle Thurio; for, you know, that love Will ereep in service where it dare not go. Thu. Ay, but, I hope, sir, that you love not here. Pro. Ay, Silvia,-for your sake. Thu. I thank you for your own.-Now, gentlemen, Let's tune, and to it lustily a while. Enter Host at a distance; and Julia in boy's clothes. Host. Now, my young guest, methinks you're ally. cholly; I pray you, why is it? 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 gentleman that you ask'd for. Jul. But shall I hear him speak? Host. Ay, that you shall. Jul. That will be music. Host. Hark! hark! Jul. Is he among these? Host. Ay: but peace, let's hear 'em. SONG. Who is Silvia? what is she, [Music plays. That all our swains commend her? Holy, fair, and wise is she; The heavens such grace did lend her, That she might admired be. Is she kind, as she is fair? For beauty lives with kindness : Love doth to her eyes repair, |