If not, we'll make you sit, and rifle you. 1 Out. That's not so, sir; we are your enemics. 3 Out. Ay, by my beard, will we; For he's a proper' man. Love thee as our commander, and our king. Val. I take your offer, and will live with you; On silly women, or poor passengers. 3 Out. No, we detest such vile base practices. Val. Then know, that I have little wealth to lose; Come, go with us, we'll bring thee to our crews, A man I am, cross'd with adversity: My riches are these poor habiliments, Of which if you should here disfurnish me, You take the sum and substance that I have. 2 Out. Whither travel you? Val. To Verona. 1 Out. Whence came you? Val. From Milan. 3 Out. Have you long sojourn'd there? And show thee all the treasure we have got; [Exeunt. SCENE II.-Milan. Court of the palace. Enter Proteus. Pro. Already have I been false to Valentine, And now I must be as unjust to Thurio. Val. Some sixteen months; and longer might Under the colour of commending him, have staid, If crooked fortune had not thwarted me. 1 Out. What, were you banish'd thence? Val. I was. 2 Out. For what offence? Val. For that which now torments me to rehearse: 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 ?2 I have access my own love to prefer; Val. My youthful travel therein made me happy; And give some evening music to her car. Or else I often had been miserable. 3 Out. By the bare scalp of Robin Hood's fat But to the purpose-(for we cite our faults, 2 Out. Indeed, because you are a banish'd man, To make a virtue of necessity, Out. What say'st thou wilt thou be of our say, ay, and be the captain of us all: Who is Silvia? What is she, That all our swains commend her? The heavens such grace did lend her, (5) Passionate reproaches. Is she kind, as she is fair?' To help him of his blindness; Then to Silvia let us sing, Host. How now? are you sadder than you were before? How do you, man? the music likes you not. Jul. He plays false, father. Host. How? out of tune on the strings? And by and by intend to chide myself, Jul. [Aside. Sil. Say, that she be; yet Valentine, thy friend, Survives; to whom, thyself art witness, I am betroth'd: And art thou not asham'd Pro. I likewise hear, that Valentine is dead. Pro. Sweet lady, let me rake it from the earth. [Aside. Pro. Madam, if your heart be so obdúrate, Vouchsafe me yet your picture for my love, Jul. Not so; but yet so false that he grieves my The picture that is hanging in your chamber; very heart-strings. Host. You have a quick ear. Jul. Ay, I would I were deaf! it makes me have a slow heart. Host. I perceive, you delight not in music. Jul. I would always have one play but one But, host, doth this sir Proteus, that we talk on, Host. I tell you what Launce, his man, told me, he loved her out of all nick,' Jul. Where is Launce? Host. Gone to seek his dog; which, to-morrow, by his master's command, he must carry for a present to his lady. Jul. Peace! stand aside! the company parts. Pro. At saint Gregory's well. [Exeunt Thurio and Musicians. Silvia appears above, at her window. Pro. Madam, good even to your ladyship. Sil. I thank you for your music, gentlemen: Who is that, that spake? Pro. One, lady, if you knew his pure heart's You'd quickly learn to know him by his voice. Pro. Sir Proteus, gentle lady, and your servant. Pro. That I may compass yours. To that I'll speak, to that I'll sigh and weep; And make it but a shadow, as I am. [Aside. Sil. I am very loth to be your idol, sir; Pro. As wretches have o'er-night, That wait for execution in the morn. [Exeunt Proteus; and Silvia, from above. Jul. Host, will you go? Host. By my halidom,2 I was fast asleep. Jul. Not so; but it hath been the longest night [Exeunt. Egl. As many, worthy lady, to yourself. Sil. You have your wish; my will is even this,It is your pleasure to command me in. Thou subtle, perjur'd, false, disloyal man! That hast deceiv'd so many with thy vows? (1) Beyond all reckoning. Sil. O Eglamour, thou art a gentleman (3) Injunction, command. (4) Pitiful. Upon whose grave thou vow'dst pure chastity. I do desire thee, even from a heart As full of sorrows as the sea of sands, To bear me company, and go with me: Egl. Madam, I pity much your grievances; Sil. This evening coming. At friar Patrick's cell, Egl. Where shall I meet you? Sil. Good-morrow, kind sir Eglamour. [Exeunt. [served me, when I took my leave of madam Silvia did not I bia thee still mark me, and do as I doi When didst thou see me heave up my leg, and make water against a gentlewoman's farthingale? didst thou ever see me do such a trick? Enter Proteus and Julia. Pro. Sebastian is thy name? I like thee well, And will employ thee in some service presently. Jul. In what you please;-I will do what I can. Pro. I hope, thou wilt.-How now, you whoreson peasant? [To Launce. Where have you been these two days loitering? Laun. Marry, sir, I carried mistress Silvia the dog you bade me. Pro. And what says she, to my little jewel? Laun. Marry, she says, your dog was a cur; and tells you, currish thanks is good enough for such a present. Pro. But she received my dog? Laun. No, indeed, she did not: here have I brought him back again. Pro. What, didst thou offer her this from me? Laun. Ay, sir; the other squirrel was stolen from me by the hangman's boys in the marketplace: and then I offer'd her mine own; who is a dog as big as ten of yours, and therefore the gift the greater. token: She's dead, belike. Pro. Jul. Alas! 3 Not so; I think, she lives. Pro. Go, get thee hence, and find my dog again, Or ne'er return again unto my sight. Away, I say: Stay'st thou to vex me here? SCENE IV.-The same. Enter Launce, with A slave, that, still an end, turns me to shame. his dog. [Exit Launce. Sebastian, I have entertained thee, When a man's servant shall play the cur with Partly, that I have need of such a youth, him, look you, it goes hard: one that I brought up For 'tis no trusting to yon foolish lowt: That can with some discretion do my business, of a puppy; one that I saved from drowning, when But chiefly, for thy face, and thy behaviour; three or four of his blind brothers and sisters went Which (if my augury deceive me not) to it! I have taught him-even as one would say Witness good bringing up, fortune, and truth: precisely, Thus I would teach a dog. I was sent Therefore know thou, for this I entertain thee. to deliver him, as a present to mistress Silvia, from Go presently, and take this ring with thee, my master; and I came no sooner into the dining- Deliver it to madam Silvia: chamber, but he steps me to her trencher, and She loved me well, delivered it to me. steals her capon's leg. O'tis a foul thing, when Jul. It seems you loved her not, to leave her a cur cannot keep himself in all companies! I would have, as one should say, one that takes upon him to be a dog indeed, to be, as it were, a dog at all things. If I had not had more wit than he, to take a fault upon me that he did, I think verily he had been hanged for't; sure as I live, he had suffered for't: you shall judge. He thrusts me himself into the company of three or four gentlemenlike dogs, under the duke's table: he had not been there (bless the mark) a pissing while; but all the As you do love your lady Silvia: chamber smelt him. Out with the dog, says one; She dreams on him, that has forgot her love; What cur is that? says another; Whip him out, You dote on her, that cares not for your love. says the third; Hang him up, says the duke. I,Tis pity, love should be so contrary; having been acquainted with the smell before, And thinking on it makes me cry, alas! knew it was Crab; and goes me to the fellow that Pro. Well, give her that ring, and therewithal whips the dogs: Friend, quoth I, you mean to This letter;-that's her chamber.-Tell my lady, whip the dog? Ay, marry, do I, quoth he.. You I claim the promise for her heavenly picture. do him the more wrong, quoth I; 'twas I did the Your message done, hie home unto my chamber, thing you wot of. He makes me no more ado, Where thou shalt find me sad and solitary. but whips me out of the chamber. How many masters would do this for their servant? Nay, I'll be sworn, I have sat in the stocks for puddings he hath stolen, otherwise he had been executed: have stood on the pillory for geese he hath killed, otherwise he had suffered for't: thou think'st not of this now!-Nay, I remember the trick you (1) Caring. (2) Restrain. (3) In the end. Pro. Why dost thy cry, alas! [Exit Proteus. This ring I gave him, when he parted from me, To praise his faith, which I would have disprais'd. Enter Silvia, attended. Gentlewoman, good day! I pray you, be my mean Jul. From my master, sir Proteus, madam. Sil. Ursula, bring my picture there. [Picture brought. Sil. I pray thee, let me look on that again. I will not look upon your master's lines: Jul. Madam, he sends your ladyship this ring. Sil. What say'st thou? Jul. I thank you, madam, that you tender her: Jud. Almost as well as I do know myself: Sil. Belike, she thinks that Proteus hath forsook her. Jul. I think she doth, and that's her cause of sorrow. As if the garment had been made for me: I A virtuous gentlewoman, mild, and beautiful. I should have scratch'd out your unseeing eyes, If we recover that, we are sure enough. [Exeunt. Thu. Sir Proteus, what says Silvia to my suit? Pro. O, sir, I find her milder than she was; Thu. I'll wear a boot, to make it somewhat rounder. Pro. But love will not be spurr'd to what it loaths. Thu. What says she to my face? Thu. Nay, then the wanton lies; my face is black. Pro. But pearls are fair; and the old saying is, Black men are pearls in beauteous ladies' eyes. Jul. 'Tis true; such pearls as put out ladies' Thu. What says she to my valour? Thu. What says she to my birth? Pro. That you are well deriv'd. Jul. True; from a gentleman to a fool. Pro. O, ay; and pitics them. Thu. Wherefore? Be patient, we must bring you to our captain. 1 Out. Where is the gentleman that was with her? 3 Out. Being nimble-footed, he hath out-run us, But Moyses, and Valerius, follow him. Go thou with her to the west end of the wood, There is our captain: we'll follow him that's fled; The thicket is beset, he cannot 'scape. 1 Out. Come, I must bring you to our captain's Val. How use doth breed a habit in a man [Aside. Thou gentle nymph, cherish thy forlorn swain !— Jul. That such an ass should owe them. [Aside. What halloing, and what stir, is this to-day? Valentine; And Eglamour is in her company. 'Tis true; for friar Laurence met them both, At Patrick's cell this even; and there she was not: These are my mates, that make their wills their law, Have some unhappy passenger in chace: Enter Proteus, Silvia, and Julia. (Though you respect not aught your servant doth,) Vouchsafe me, for my meed, but one fair look; Exit.I [Exit. Than hate of Eglamour that goes with her. SCENE III-Frontiers of Mantua. [Exit. a) Own. (2) Foolish. (3) Careless. The Val. How like a dream is this I see and hear? Love, lend me patience to forbear awhile. [Aside. Sil. O miserable, unhappy that I am! Pro. Unhappy, were you, madam, ere I came ; But, by my coming, I have made you happy. Sil. By thy approach thou mak'st me most un happy. Jul. And me, when he approacheth to your presence. [Aside, Sil. Had I been seized by a hungry lion, would have been a breakfast to the beast, Rather than have false Proteus rescue me. heaven be judge, how I love Valentine, Pro. What dangerous action, stood it next t death, Would I not undergo for one calm look? |