PERSONS REPRESENTED. Duke of Milan, father to Silvia. Valentine, } Gentlemen of Verona. Antonio, father to Proteus. Thurio, a foolish rival to Valentine. Out-laws. Julia, a lady of Verona, beloved by Proteus. Servants, Musicians. SCENE, sometimes in Verona; sometimes in Milan; and on the Frontiers of Mantua. THE TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA. ACT I. SCENE I. An open Place in Verona. Enter VALENTINE and PROTEUS. Val. Cease to persuade, my loving Proteus; Home-keeping youth have ever homely wits: Wer't not, affection chains thy tender days To the sweet glances of thy honour'd love, I rather would entreat thy company, To see the wonders of the world abroad, Than, living dully sluggardiz'd at home, Wear out thy youth with shapeless idleness. But, since thou lov'st, 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 Proteus, when thou, haply, seest Some rare note-worthy object in thy travel: Wish me partaker in thy happiness, When thou dost meet good hap; and, in thy danger, If ever danger do environ thee, Commend thy grievance to my holy prayers, For I will be thy beadsman, Valentine. Val. And on a love-book pray for my success. How young Leander eross'd the Hellespont. Pro. What? Val. To be In love, where scorn is bought with groans; coy looks, If haply won, perhaps, a hapless gain; Pro. So, by your circumstance, you call me fool. And he that is so yoked by a fool, Pro. Yet writers say, say, As in the sweetest bud Val. And writers say, As the most forward bud At Milan, let me hear from thee by letters, Pro. All happiness bechance to thee in Milan! Pro. He after honour hunts, I after love: Enter SPEED. Speed. Sir Proteus, save you: Saw you my master? Pro. But now he parted hence, to embark for Milan. Speed. Twenty to one then, he is shipp'd already; And I have play'd the sheep in losing him. Pro. Indeed a sheep doth very often stray, An' if the shepherd be awhile away. Speed. You conclude that my master is a shepherd then, and I a sheep? Pro. I do. [wake or sleep. Speed. Why then my horns are his horns, whether I Pro. A silly answer, and fitting well a sheep. Speed. This proves me still a sbeep. Pro. True; and thy master a shepherd. Speed. Nay, that I can deny by a circumstance. Pro. It shall go hard, but I'll prove it by another. Speed. The shepherd seeks the sheep, and not the sheep the shepherd; but I seek my master, and my master seeks not me: therefore, I am no sheep. Pro. The sheep for fodder follow the shepherd, the shepherd for food follows not the sheep; thou for wages followest thy master, thy master for wages follows not thee: therefore, thou art a sheep. Speed. Such another proof will make me cry baa. Pro. But dost thou hear? gav'st thou my letter to Julia? Speed. Ay, sir: I, a lost mutton, gave your letter to her a laced mutton; and she, a laced mutton, gave me, a lost mutton, nothing for my labour. Pro. Here's too small a pasture for such a store of muttons. Speed. If the ground be overcharg'd, you were best stick her. Lyon. Pro. Nay, in that you're astray; 'twere best pound Speed. Nay, sir, less than a pound shall serve me for carrying your letter. Pro. You mistake; I mean the pound, a pinfold. Speed. From a pound to a pin? fold it over and over, 'Tis threefold too little for carrying a letter to your lover. Pro. But what said she? did she nod? [Speed nods. Pro. Nod, I? why, that's noddy. Speed. You mistook, sir; I say, she did nod: and you ask me, if she did not; and I say, I. Pro. And that set together, is-noddy. Speed. Now you have taken the pains to set it together, take it for your pains. Pro. No, no, you shall have it for bearing the letter. Speed. Well, I perceive, I must be fain to bear with you. Pro. Why, sir, how do you bear with me? Speed. Marry, sir, the letter very orderly; having nothing but the word, noddy, for my pains. Pro. Beshrew me, but you have a quick wit. Speed. And yet it cannot overtake your slow purse. Pro. Come, come, open the matter in brief: What said she? Speed. Open your purse, that the money, and the matter, may be both at once deliver'd. Pro. Well, sir, here is for your pains: What said she? Speed. Truly, sir, I think you'll hardly win her. Pro. Why? Couldst thou perceive so much from her? Speed. Sir, I could perceive nothing at all from her; no, not so much as a ducat for delivering your letter: And being so hard to me that brought your mind, I fear, she'll prove as hard to you in telling her mind. Give her no token but stones; for she's as hard as steel. Pro. What, said she nothing? Speed. No, not so much as take this for thy pains. To testify your bounty, I thank you, you have testern'd me; in requital whereof, henceforth carry your letters yourself: and so, sir, I'll commend you to my master. Pro. Go, go, be gone, to save your ship from wreck; Which cannot perish, having thee aboard, SCENE II. The same. Garden of JULIA's House. Enter JULIA and LUCETTA. Jul. But say, Lucetta, now we are alone, Wouldst thou then counsel me to fall in love? Luc. Ay, madam; so yon stumble not unheedfully. Jul. Of all the fair resort of gentlemen, That every day with parle encounter me, In thy opinion, which is worthiest love? Luc. Please you, repeat their names, I'll show my [mind According to my shallow, simple skill. Jul. What think'st thou of the fair sir Eglamour? |