TWO GENTLEMEN

OF

VERON A.

MEN.

Duke of MILAN, Father to Silvia

VALENTINE,
PROTHEUS,

}

the two Gentlemen.

ANTHONIO, Father to Protheus.

THURIO, a Foolish Rival to Valentine.
EGLAMOUR, Agent for Silvia in her Escape.
Hoft, where Julia lodges in Milan.

Out-laws.

SPEED, a Clownish Servant to Valentine.
LAUNCE, the like to Protheus.

PANTHINO, Servant to Anthonio.

WOMEN.

JULIA, a Lady of Verona, beloved of Protheus. SILVIA, the duke of Milan's Daughter, beloved of Valentine.

LUCETTA, Waiting-Woman to Julia.

Servants, Muficians.

SCENE, fometimes in Verona; fometimes in Milan; and on the Frontiers of Mantua.

TWO GENTLEMEN

OF

VERONA.

ACT I.

C

SCENE I. An Open Place in Verona.
Enter VALENTINE, and PROTHEUS.
Valentine.

EASE to perfuade my loving Protheus;
Home-keeping youth have ever homely wits:
Wer't not, affection chains thy tender day
To the fweet glances of thy honour'd love,
I rather would entreat thy company,
To fee the wonders of the world abroad,
Than, living dully fluggardiz'd at home,
Wear out thy youth with fhapeless idleness.
But, fince thou lovest, love still, and thrive therein,
Even as I would, when I to love begin.

Pro. Wilt thou be gone? Sweet Valentine, adieu! Think on thy Protheus, when thou, haply, feeft Some rare note-worthy object in thy travel: With me partaker in thy happiness,

When thou doft meet good hap; and; in thy danger, fever danger do environ thee,

Commend thy grievance to my holy prayers,
For I will be thy bead's-man, Valentine.

Val. And on a love-book pray for my fuccefs.
Pro. Upon fome book I love, I'll pray for thee.

Val. That's on fome shallow ftory of deep love, How young Leander crofs'd the Hellefpont. Pro. That's a deep ftory of a deeper love; For he was more than over fhoes in love.

Val. 'Tis true; for you are over boots in love, And yet you never fwom the Hellefpont.

Pro. 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 fcorn is bought with

groans;

Coy looks, with heart-fore fighs; one fading moment's mirth,

With twenty watchful, weary, tedious nights:
If haply won, perhaps, a haplefs gain;
If loft, why then a grievous labour won;
However, but a folly bought with wit,
Or elfe a wit by folly vanquished.

Pro. So, by your circumitance, you call me fool. Val. So, by your circumitance, 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 fo yoked by a fool,

Methinks fhould not be chronicled for wife.

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

Val. And writers fay, As the most forward bud Is eaten by the canker ere it blow, Even fo by love the young and tender wit Is turn'd to folly; blafting in the bud, Lofing his verdure even in the prime, And all the fair effects of future hopes.

But

But wherefore waste I time to counfel thee,
That art a votary to fond defire?

Once more adieu: my father at the road
Expects my coming, there to fee me fhipp'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 fuccefs in love, and what news elfe
Betideth here in abfence of thy friend;
And I likewife will vifit thee with mine.

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

[Exit. 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 haft metamorphos'd me; Made me neglect my ftudies, lofe my time, War with good counfel, fet the world at nought; Made wit with mufing weak, heart fick with thought. Enter SPEED.

Speed. Sir Protheus, fave you: Saw you my

master!

Pro. But now he parted hence to embark for Milan. Speed. Twenty to one then, he is thipp'd already; And I have play'd the theep, in lofing him. Pro. Indeed, a theep doth very often ftray, An if the fhepherd be a while away.

Speed. You conclude, that my mafter is a fhepherd then, and I the fheep?

Pro. I do.

B

Speed,