Pro.

I'll force thee yield to my desire. Val. Ruffian, let go that rude uncivil touch, ou friend of an ill fashion!

60

Pro.

Valentine !

Tal. Thou common friend, that's without faith or ve, such is a friend now; treacherous man!

ou hast beguiled my hopes; nought but mine eya
ld have persuaded me: now I dare not say
ave one friend alive; thou wouldst disprove me.
o should be trusted, when one's own right hanů
erjured to the bosom? Proteus,

n sorry I must never trust thee more,
count the world a stranger for thy sake.

private wound is deepest: O time most accurst,
ngst all foes that a friend should be the worst!
ro. My shame and guilt confounds me.
give me, Valentine: if hearty sorrow
à sufficient ransom for offence,

ader 't here; I do as truly suffer

'er I did commit.

al.
Then I am paid;
once again I do receive thee honest.
o by repentance is not satisfied

or of heaven nor earth, for these are pleased.
penitence the Eternal's wrath's appeased:

, that my love may appear plain and free, that was mine in Silvia I give thee.

l. O me unhappy?

o. How let me see:

, this is the ring I gave to Julia.
1. O, cry you mercy, sir, I have mistook :

70

80

[Sissons.

ro. Look to the boy.

al. Why boy! why wag! how now! what's the natLook up; speak.

l. O good sir, my master charged me to deliver & ring adam Silvia, which, out of my neglect, was never one. ro. Where is that ring, boy? 90

-1.

Here 'tis; this is it.

is the ring you sent to Silvia.

o. But how camest thou by this ring? At my depart ve this unto Julia.

7. And Julia herself did give it me;

Julia herself hath brought it hither. o. How! Julia!

7. Behold her that gave aim to all thy oaths, entertain❜d 'em deeply in her heart.

oft hast thou with perjury cleft the root !

100

O Proteus, let this habit make thee blush!
Be thou ashamed that I have took upon me
Such an immodest raiment, if shame live
In a disguise of love :

It is the lesser blot, modesty finds,

Woinen to change their shapes than men their minds.

Pro. Than men their minds ! 'tis true. O heaven! were

110

man

But constant, he were perfect.

That one error

Fills him with faults; makes him run through all the sins:
Inconstancy falls off ere it begins.
What is in Silvia's face, but I may spy
More fresh in Julia's with a constant eye?

Val. Come, come, a hand from either:
Let me be blest to make this happy close;
"Twere pity two such friends should be long foes.

Pro. Bear witness, Heaven, I have my wish for ever.
Jul. And I mine.

Enter Outlaws, with DUKE and THURIO.

Outlaws. A prize, a prize, a prize!

Val. Forbour, forbear, I say! it is my lord the duke.
Your grace is welcome to a man disgraced,
Banished Valentine.

Duke.

Sir Valentine !

Thu. Yonder is Silvia; and Silvia's mine.

Val. Thurio, give back, or else embrace thy death;
Come not within the measure of my wrath ;
Do not name Silvia thine; if once again,
+ Milano shall not hold thee. Here she stands :
Take but possession of her with a touch:
I dare thee but to breathe upon my love.

Thu. Sir Valentine, I care not for her, I:
I hold him but a fool that will endanger
His body for a girl that loves him not:

I claim her not, and therefore she is thine.
Duke. The more degenerate and base art thou,
To make such means for her as thou hast done
And leave her on such slight conditions.
Now, by the honour of my ancestry,
I do applaud thy spirit, Valentine,

And think thee worthy of an empress' love:
Know then, I here forget all former griefs,
Cancel all grudge, repeal thee home again,
Plead a new state in thy unrival'd merit,
To which I thus subscribe: Sir Valentine,
Thou art a gentleman and well derived;

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130

140

ke thou thy Silvia, for thou hast deserved her.

Tal. I thank your grace; the gift hath made me happy. ow beseech you, for your daughter's sake, grant one boon that I shall ask of you. Duke. I grant it, for thine own, whate'er it be.

150

Tal. These banish'd men that I have kept withal
men endued with worthy qualities:
give them what they have committed here
let them be recall'd from their exile:

ey are reformed, civil, full of good

fit for great employment, worthy lord. Duke. Thou hast prevail'd; I pardon them and thee: pose of them as thou know'st their deserts. ne, let us go: we will include all jars th triumphs, mirth and rare solemnity. al. And, as we walk along, I dare be bold h our discourse to make your grace to smile. at think you of this page, my lord? uke. I think the boy hath grace in him; he blushes Tal. I warrant you, my lord, more grace than boy. uke. What mean you by that saying? al. Please you, I'll tell you as we pass along, -t you will wonder what hath fortuned.

e, Proteus; 'tis your penance but to hear story of your loves discovered:

t done, our day of marriage shall be yours; feast, one house, one mutual happiness.

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170

Exeunt.

SCENE I. Windsor. Before PAGE's house.

Enter JUSTICE SHALLOW, SLENDER, and SIR HUGH EVANS.

Shal. Sir Hugh, persuade me not; I will make a Starchamber matter of it: if he were twenty Sir John Falstaffs, he shall not abuse Robert Shallow, esquire.

Slen. In the county of Gloucester. justice of peace and "Coram."

Shal. Ay, cousin Slender, and "Custalorum."

Slen. Ay, and "Rato-lorum" too; and a gentleman born, master parson; who writes himself " Armigero," in any bill, warrant, quittance, or obligation, "Armigera"

11

Shal. Ay, that I do; and have done any time these three hundred years.

Slen. All his successors gone before him hath done't; and all his ancestors that come after him may: they may give the dozen white luces in their coat.

Shal. It is an old coat.

Evans. The dozen white louses do become an old coat well; it agrees well, passant; it is a familiar beast to man, and signifies love.

21

Shal. The luce is the fresh fish; the salt fish is an old pat.

Slen. I may quarter, coz.

Shal. You may, by marrying

Evans. It is marrying indeed, if he quarter it.
Shal. Not a whit.

Evans. Yes, py'r lady; if he has a quarter of your coat, ere is but three skirts for yourself, in my simple conjec res: but that is all one. If Sir John Falstaff have comitted disparagements unto you, I am of the church, and ll be glad to do my benevolence to make atonements and mpremises between you.

Shal. The council shall hear it; it is a riot.

Evans. It is not meet the council hear a riot; there is no ar of Got in a riot: the council, look you, shall desire to ar the fear of Got, and not to hear a riot; take your viza. ents in that.

Shal. Ha! o' my life, if I were young again, the sword ould end it. 41

Evans. It is petter that friends is the sword, and end it: d there is also another device in my prain, which peradature prings goot discretions with it: there is Anne Page, ich is daughter to Master Thomas Page, which is pretty ginity.

•

Slen. Mistress Anne Page? She has brown hair, and eaks small like a woman.

Evans. It is that fery person for all the orld, as just as

will desire; and seven hundred pounds of moneys, and d and silver, is her grandsire upon his death's-bed-Got iver to a joyful resurrections 1-give, when she is able Overtake seventeen years old: it were goot motion if leave our pribbles and prabies, and desire a marriage ween Master Abraham and Mistress Anne Page. Elen. Did her grandsire leave her seven hundred pound? Toans. Ay, and her father is make her a petter penny. len. I know the young gentlewoman; she has good gifts. Evans. Seven hundred pounds and possibilities is goot

S.

hal. Well, let us see honest Master Page. Is Falstaff re?

wans. Shall I tell you a lie? I do despise a lie as I do pise one that is false, or as I despise one that is not >. The knight, Sir John, is there; and, beseech you, ruled by your well-willers. I will peat the door for ter Page. [Knocks] What, hoa! Got pless your house el

age. [Within] Who's there?