Was this the idol that you worship so? Pro. I will not flatter her. Val. O, flatter me; for love delights in praises. Pro. When I was sick, you gave me bitter pills; And I must minister the like to you. Val. Then speak the truth by her; if not divine, Pro. Except my mistress. Val. Sweet, except not any; Except thou wilt except against my love. Pro. Have I not reason to prefer mine own? Val. And I will help thee to prefer her too: She shall be dignified with this high honour,To bear my lady's train: lest the base earth Should from her vesture chance to steal a kiss, And, of so great a favour growing proud, Disdain to root the summer-swelling flower, And make rough winter everlasting. Pro. Why, Valentine, what braggardism is this? Val. Pardon me, Proteus: all I can, is nothing To her, whose worth makes other worthies nothing; She is alone. Pro. Then let her alone. But when I look on her perfections, There is no reason but I shall be blind. If I can check my erring love, I will; If not, to compass her I'll use my skill. [Exit. SCENE V.-The same. A street. Enter Speed and Launce. Speed. Launce! by mine honesty, welcome to Milan. Laun. Forswear not thyself, sweet youth; for I am not welcome. I reckon this always-that a man is never undone, till he be hanged; nor never welcome to a place, till some certain shot be paid, and the hostess say, welcome. Speed. Come on, you mad-cap, I'll to the alehouse with you presently; where for one shot of five pence, thou shalt have five thousand welcomes. But, sirrah, how did thy master part with madam Julia. Laun. Marry, after they closed in earnest, they parted very fairly in jest. Speed. But shall she marry him? Speed. How then? shall he marry her? Val. Not for the world: why, man, she is mine Speed. What, are they broken? own; And I as rich in having such a jewel, As twenty seas, if all their sana were pearl, The water nectar, and the rocks pure gold. Forgive me, that I do not dream on thee, Because thou seest me dote upon my love. My foolish rival, that her father likes, Only for his possessions are so huge, Is gone with her along; and I must after, For love, thou know'st, is full of jealousy. Pro. But she loves you? Val. Ay, and we are betroth'd; Nay, more, our marriage hour, Pro. Go on before; I shall inquire you forth: And then I'll presently attend you. Val. Will you make haste? Pro. I will. Laun. No, they are both as whole as a fish. Speed. Why then, how stands the matter with them? Speed. But tell me true, will't be a match? Laun. Ask my dog: if he say, ay, it will; if he say, no, it will; if he shake his tail, and say nothing, it will. Speed. The conclusion is then, that it will. Laun. Thou shalt never get such a secret from me, but by a parable. Speed. 'Tis well that I get it so. But, Launce, how say'st thou, that my master is become a nota [Exit Val. ble lover? Even as one heat another heat expels, So the remembrance of my former love Is by a newer object quite forgotten. Her true perfection, or my false transgression, (1) On further knowledge. Laun. I never knew him otherwise. Laun. A notable lubber, as thou reportest him to be. Luc. I do not seek to quench your love's hot fire; SCENE VI. The same. An apartment in the But qualify the fire's extreme rage, palace. Enter Proteus. Lest it should burn above the bounds of reason. Jul. The more thou dam'st it up, the more it Pro. To leave my Julia, shall I be forsworn; burns; To love fair Silvia, shall I be forsworn; The current, that with gentle murmur glides, To wrong my friend, I shall be much forsworn ; Thou know'st, being stopp'd, impatiently doth And even that power, which gave me first my oath, Provokes me to this threefold perjury. Love bade me swear, and love bids me forswear: O sweet-suggesting' love, if thou hast sinn'd, He makes sweet music with the enamell'd stones, Giving a gentle kiss to every sedge Teach me, thy tempted subject, to excuse it. He overtaketh in his pilgrimage; At first I did adore a twinkling star, But now I worship a celestial sun. And so by many winding nooks he strays, With willing sport, to the wild ocean. Unheedful vows may heedfully be broken; And he wants wit, that wants resolved will But there I leave to love, where I should love. IfI keep them, I needs must lose myself; As thou hast lent me wit to plot this drift! [Exit. SCENE VII. - Verona. A room in Julia's house. Enter Julia and Lucetta. Jul. Counsel, Lucetta; gentle girl, assist me! And, even in kind love, I do conjure thee,Who art the table wherein all my thoughts Are visibly character'd and engrav'd,To lesson me: and tell me some good mean, How, with my honour, I may undertake A journey to my loving Proteus. Lue. Alas! the way is wearisome and long. Jud. A true-devoted pilgrim is not weary To measure kingdoms with his feeble steps; Much less shall she, that hath love's wings to fly; And when the flight is made to one so dear, Of such divine perfection, as sir Proteus. Luc. Better forbear, till Proteus make return. Jul. O, know'st thou not, his looks are my soul's food? Pity the dearth that I have pined in, (1) Tempting. (2) Confederate. (3) Intended. Then let me go, and hinder not my course: And make a pastime of each weary step, Luc. But in what habit will you go along? Luc. Why then your ladyship must cut your hair. Jul. No, girl; I'll knit it up in silken strings, Luc. What fashion, madam, shall I make your breeches? 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. Lac. A round hose, madam, now's not worth a pin, Unless you have a cod-piece to stick pins on. Luc. If you think so, then stay at home, and go not. Jul. Nay, that I will not. Luc. Then never dream on infamy, but go. Jul. That is the least, Lucetta, of my fear: Luc. All these are servants to deceitful men. But truer stars did govern Proteus' birth; Jul. Now, as thou lov'st me, do him not that Only deserve my love, by loving him; ACT III. Enter Valentine Duke. Sir Valentine, whither away so fast? Duke. Be they of much import? Val. The tenor of them doth but signify [Exeunt, My health, and happy being at your court. SCENE I-Milan. An anti-room in the Duke's palace, Enter Duke, Thurio, and Proteus. Duke, Sir Thurio, give us leave, I pray, awhile; We have some secrets to confer about. [Exit Thurio. Now, tell me, Proteus, what's your will with me? cover, The law of friendship bids me to conceal: My duty pricks me on to utter that Which else no worldly good should draw from me. Know, worthy prince, Sir Valentine, my friend, This night intends to steal away your daughter; Myself am one made privy to the plot. I know you have determin'd to bestow her Duke, Proteus, I thank thee for thine honest care; Duke. Nay, then no matter; stay with me awhile; I am to break with thee of some affairs, Val. I know it well, my lord; and, sure, the match man Were rich and honourable; besides, the gentle- ward, Should have been cherish'd by her child-like duty, I now am full resolv'd to take a wife, Val. What would your grace have me to do in this? Duke. There is a lady, sir, in Milan, here, Val. Win her with gifts, if she respect not words; More than quick words, do move a woman's mind. her. Val. A woman sometimes scorns what best con Send her another; never give her o'er; Pro. Know, noble lord, they have devis'd a For why, the fools are mad, if left alone. mean How he her chamber-window will ascend, Duke. Upon mine honour, he shall never know That I had any light from thee of this. Pro. Adieu, my lord; sir Valentine is coming. [Exit. (1) Langed for. (2) Guess. (3) Tempted, Take no repulse, whatever she doth say; Duke. But she, I mean, is promis'd by her friends Unto a youthful gentleman of worth; Val. Why then I would resort to her by night. kept safe, (4) Guessed. (5) Design. That no man hath recourse to her by night. Val. And why not death, rather than living Val. What lets, but one may enter at her win torment? dow? To die, is to be banish'd from myself, And Silvia is myself: banish'd from her, Is self from self; a deadly banishment! What light is light, if Silvia be not seen? 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 What joy is joy, if Silvia be not by ? cords, To cast up with a pair of anchoring hooks, So bold Leander would adventure it. Dike. Now, as thou art a gentleman of blood, Advise me where I may have such a ladder. 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. Fal. By seven o'clock I'll get you such a ladder. Duke. But, hark 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! Pll be so bold to break the seal for once. [reads. My thoughts do harbour with my Silvia nightly; And slaves they are to me, that send them flying: Q, 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: Irurse myself, for they are sent by me, That they should harbour where their lord should be. What's here? Silvia, this night I will enfranchise thee : And think, my patience, more than thy desert, Think me for this, more than for all the favours, Will give thee time to leave our royal court, Be gone, I will not hear thy vain excuse, Unless it be to think that she is by, And feed upon the shadow of perfection. Enter Proteus and Launce. Pro. Run, boy, run, run, and seek him out. Laun. So-ho! so-ho! Pro. What seest thou? From hence, from Silvia, and from me thy friend. Pro. Ay, ay; and she hath offer'd to the doom news; them, But neither bended knees, pure hands held up, help, And study help for that which thou lament'st. Val. I pray thee, Launce, an if thou seest my boy, Bid him make haste, and meet me at the north gate. Pro. Go, sirrah, find him out. Come, Valentine. Val. O my dear Silvia! hapless Valentine! [Exeunt Valentine and Proteus. grandmother: this proves, that thou canst not read. Speed. Come, fool, come: try me in thy paper. Laun. There; and Saint Nicholas be thy speed! 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. respect of her breath. Laun. Well, that fault may be mended with a breakfast: read on. Speed. Item, She hath a sweet mouth. Laun. It's no matter for that, so she sleep not in her talk. Speed. Item, She is slow in words. Laun. I am but a fool, look you; and yet I have the wit to think, my master is a kind of 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 virtue: I pray thee, out with't; and place it for 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 is much in a bare Christian. Here is the cat-log [pulling 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. Laun. O villain, that set this down among her vices! To be slow in words, is a woman's only 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. crusts. Speed. Item, She is curst. Laun. Well; the best is, she hath no teeth to bite. Speed. Item, She will often praise her liqur.. Laun. If her liquor be good, she shall: it she will not, I will; for good things should be praised. Speed. Item, She is too liberal.3 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 gra (3) Licentious in language. |