Pro. Longer than I prove loyal to your grace, Duke. And also, I do think, thou art not ignorant Duke. And, Protheus, we dare trust you in this And cannot soon revolt and change your mind. Pro. As much as I can do, I will effect:- Pro. She did, my lord, when Valentine was here. 15 Pro. The best way is, to slander Valentine Therefore it must, with circumstance, be spoken Duke. Then you must undertake to slander him. [him, For Orpheus' lute was strung with poets' sinews ; Duke. Where your good word cannot advantage 30 Pro. You have prevail'd, my lord: if I can do it, It follows not that she will love sir Thurio. [him. Visit by night your lady's chamber-window Duke. This discipline shews thou hast been in 40 6 To sort some gentlemen well skill'd in musick: [per, Pro. We'll wait upon your gracetill after sup- you. [Exeunt. 1 Very is immediate. IV. If not, we'll make you sit, and rifle you, 1 Out. That's not so, sir; we are your enemies. 3 Out. Ay, by my beard, will we; For he's a proper man. Val. Then know, that I have little wealth to lose; A man I am, cross'd with adversity: 2 The meaning of this allusion is, As you wind off her love from him, make me the bottom on which you wind it. The women's term for a ball of thread wound upon a central body, is a bottom of thread. That is, birdlime. * A dump was the ancient term for a mournful elegy. To inherit, is here used for to obtain possession of, without any idea of acquiring by inThat is, to chuse out, ? That is, I will excuse you from waiting. 5 keritance. 6 My If crooked fortune had not thwarted me. 1 Out. What, were you banish'd thence? Val. I was. 2 Out. For what offence? [hearse. Pro. Already have I been false to Valentine, Val. For that which now torments me to re- 15 I have access my own love to prefer; 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? But Silvia is too fair, too true, too holy, Val. My youthful travel therein made me happy; It is a kind of honourable thievery. [to: 30 2 Out. Tell us this; have you any thing to take Vol. 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: For practising to steal away a lady, 2 Gut. 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. 2 Out. Indeed, because you are a banish'd man, And live, as we do, in the wilderness? 3 Out. What say'st thou wilt thou be pur consort? Say, ay, and be the captain of us all : 1 Out. But if thou scorn our courtesy, thou dy'st. Fal. I take your offer, and will live with you; 1 Reverend, worshipful, such as magistrates. is, hasty passionate reproaches and scoffs, 35 40 And give some evening music to her ear. Thu. How now, sir Protheus? are you crept 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; andJuliainboy's cloaths. Host. Now, my young guest! methinks you're allycholly; I pray you, why is it? Jul. Marry, mine host, because I cannot be 45 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? 1551 Host. Ay: but peace, let's hear 'em. 60 Is she kind, as she is fair? For beauty lives with kindness: Love doth to her eyes repair, To help him of his blindness; And, being help'd, inhabits there. Then to Silvia let us sing, That Silvia is excelling; She excels each mortal thing, Upon the dull earth dwelling: To her let us garlands bring. Host. How now? are you sadder than you were before? For me,-by this pale queen of night I swear, 10 How do you, man? the music likes you not. Jul. He plays false, father. Host. How, out of tune on the strings? Jul. Not so; but yet so false, that he grieves my 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. Host. Hark, what fine change is in the music! But, host, doth this sir Protheus, that we talk on, Host. I tell you what Launce, his man, toldme, he lov'd 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 2 present to his lady, 20 Jul. [Aside.] Twere false, if I should speak it; For, I am sure, she is not buried. Sil. Say, that she be; yet Valentine, thy friend, 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. Sil. Go to thy lady's grave, and call her's thence, Or, at the least, in her's sepulchre thine. Jul. [Aside.] He heard not that. Pro. Madam, if that your heart be so obdurate, Jul. [Aside.] If 'twere a substance, you would, 30 And make it but a shadow, as I am. Sil. I am very loth to be your idol, sir; Jul. Peace! stand aside, the company parts. Pro. At Saint Gregory's well. [truth, Pro. As wretches have o'er-night, [Exeunt Protheus and Silvia. SCENE III. I think [Exeunt. Pro. One, lady, if you knew his pure heart's You'd quickly learn to know him by his voice. Sil. Sir Protheus, as I take it. Pro. Sir Protheus, gentle lady, and your servant. Pro. That I inay compass yours. Sil. You have your wish; my will is even this,-55 Think'st thou, I am so shallow, so conceitless, To be seduced by thy flattery, That hast deceived so many with thy vows? There's some great matter she'd employ me in.- Silvia, above at her window. Sil. Who calls? Egl. Your servant, and your friend; Sil. Sir Eglamour a thousand times good-morrow. 60 According to your ladyship's impose 2, Beyond all reckoning or count. Reckonings are kept upon nicked or notched sticks or tallies. Impose is injunction, command, It It is your pleasure to command me in. Sil. O Eglamour, thou art a gentleman, Nor how my father would enforce me marry 3 Egl. Madam, I pity much your grievances: When will you go? Sil. This evening coming. Egl. Where shall I meet you? Sil. At friar Patrick's cell, you. Where I mtend holy confession. thrusts me himself into the company of three or our gentlemen-like dogs under the duke's table : he had not been there (bless the mark) a pissing while, but all the chamber smelt him. Out with 5 the dog, says one; What cur is that? says another; Whiphim out, says the third; Hanghim up, says the duke: I. having been acquainted with the smell before, knew it was Crab; and goes me to the fellow that whips the dogs': Friend, quoth I, you 10 mean to whip the dog? Ay, marr», do I, quoth he. You dohim the more wrong, quoth 1; 'twas I did the thing you wot of. He makes no inore ado, but whips ine out of the chamber. How many masters would do this for their servant? nay, I'll be 15sworn I have sat in the stocks for puddings he hath stolen, otherwise he had been executed: I have tood on the pillory for geese he hath kill'd, otherwise he had suffer'd for 't: thou think'st not of this now!-Nay, I remember the trick you serv'd 20me, when I took my leave of madam Silvia; did not I bid thee still mark me, and do as I do? When did'st thou see me heave up my leg, and make water against a gentlewoman's farthingale? didst thou ever see me do such a trick? 25 30 35 Sil. Good-morrow, kind sir Eglamour. [Exeunt. 40 When a man's servant shall play the cur with 1 Remorseful is pitiful. of chastity in honour of their That is, restrain himself. Enter Protheus 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'll do, sir,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 carry'd 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 I have brought him back again. Pro. What, didst thou offer her this from me? Laun. Ay, sir; the other squirrel was stol'n from me by the hangman's boy in the market-place: and then I offer'd her mine own; who is a dog as big as ten of yours, and therefore the gift the greater. Pro. Go, get thee hence, and find my dog again, Witness good bringing up, fortune, and truth: It was common in former ages for widowers and widows to make vows deceased wives or husbands. 'Sorrows. * To reck is to care for. A proverbial expression of those times. 7 This appears to have been part of the office of an usher of the table. That is, in the end, at the conclusion of every business he undertakes. 5 I will not look upon your master's lines: Jul. Madam, he sends your ladyship this ring. 115] Pro. Well, give her that ring, and therewithal [Exit Protheus. Jul. How many women would do such a message: This ring I gave him, when he parted from me, To plead for that, which I would not obtain; To carry that which I would have refus'd; Sil. What say'st thou? Jul. I thank you, madam, that you tender her: Poor gentlewoman! my master wrongs her much. Sil. Dost thou know her? Jul. Almost as well as I do know myself: To think upon her woes, I do protest, That I have wept an hundred several times. Sil. Belike, she thinks that Protheus hath forsook her. [sorrow. Jul. I think she doth; and that's her cause of Sil. Is she not passing fair? Jul. She hath been fairer, madam, than she is; When she did think my master lov'd her well, 25 She, in my judgment, was as fair as you; But since she did neglect her looking-glass, Jul. About my stature: for at Pentecost, When all our pageants of delight were play'd, Our youth got me to play the woman's part, To praise his faith, which I would have disprais'd. 35 And I was trinm'd in madam Julia's gown; I am my master's true confirmed love: But cannot be true servant to my master, Unless I prove false traitor to myself. Yet will I woo for him; but yet so coldly, Gentlewoman, good day! I pray you, be my mean Jul. From my master, sir Protheus, madam. Sal. Ursula, bring my picture there. [Picture brought. Go, give your master this: tell him from me, One Julia, that his changing thoughts forget, Would better fit his chamber, than this shadow. Jul. Madam, please you peruse this letter. -Pardon me, madam; I have unadvis'd Deliver'd you a paper that I should not; This is the letter to your ladyship. Sil. I pray thee, let me look on that again. Jul. It may not be; good madam, pardon me. Sil. There, hold. 40 45 Which served me as fit, by all men's judgment, Sil. She is beholden to thee, gentle youth:Alas, poor lady! desolate and left!— I weep myself, to think upon thy words. 50 Here, youth, there is my purse; I give thee this Forthy sweet mistress' sake, because thoulov'sther. Farewell. [Exit Silvia. Jul. And she shall thank you for't, if e'er you know her. 55 A virtuous gentlewoman, mild and beautiful. That is, in good earnest. Unless |