10

15

O Eglamour, thou art a gentleman, Tank not I flatter, for I swear I do not, wise, remorseful, well accomplish'd. Ton art not ignorant what dear good will bear unto the banish'd Valentine, Show my father would enforce me marry Thurio, whom my very soul abhors. elf hast lov'd; and I have heard thee say grief did ever come so near thy heart A when thy lady and thy true love died, pon whose grave thou vow'dst pure chastity. Eglamour, I would to Valentine,

Mantua, where I hear he makes abode; And, for the ways are dangerous to pass,

20

25

I do desire thy worthy company,
Upon whose faith and honour I repose.
Urge not my father's anger, Eglamour,
But think upon my grief, a lady's grief,
And on the justice of my flying hence,
To keep me from a most unholy match,
Which heaven and fortune still rewards with
plagues.

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;
If not, to hide what I have said to thee,
That I may venture to depart alone.

35

Egl. Madam, I pity much your grievances;
Which since I know they virtuously are plac'd,
I give consent to go along with you,
Recking as little what betideth me

As much I wish all good befortune you.
When will you go?

Sil.

This evening coming.

40

At Friar Patrick's cell,

Egl. Where shall I meet you?
Sil.
Where I intend holy confession.

Egl. I will not fail your ladyship. Good [45 morrow, gentle lady.

Sil. Good morrow, kind Sir Eglamour. [Exeunt [severally].

SCENE IV. [The same.]

Enter LAUNCE [with his Dog].

Launce. When a man's servant shall play the cur with him, look you, it goes hard: one that I brought up of a puppy; one that I sav'd from drowning, when three or four of his blind brothers and sisters went to it. I have taught him, even as one would say precisely, Thus I [s would teach a dog." I was sent to deliver him as a present to Mistress Silvia from my master; and I came no sooner into the diningchamber but he steps me to her trencher and steals her capon's leg. O, 't is a foul thing [10 when 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 [16 hang'd for 't; sure as I live, he had suffer'd for 't. You shall judge. He thrusts me himself into the company of three or four gentlemanlike dogs, under the Duke's table. He had not been there bless the mark!- - a piss- [20 ing while, but all the chamber smelt him. "Out with the dog! says one. What cur is that? says another. Whip him out!" says the third. Hang him up!" says the Duke. I, having been acquainted with the smell before, knew it was Crab, and goes me to the [25 fellow that whips the dogs. Friend," quoth I, you mean to whip the dog?" Ay, marry, do I." quoth he. You do him the more wrong," quoth I; "'t was I did the thing you wot of." He makes me no more ado, but [30 whips me out of the chamber. How many masters would do this for his servant? Nay, I'll be sworn, I have sat in the stocks for puddings

he hath stolen, otherwise he had been executed; I have stood on the pillory for geese he hath [35 kill'd, otherwise he had suffer'd for 't. Thou think'st not of this now. Nay, I remember the trick you serv'd me when I took my leave of Madam Silvia. Did not I bid thee still mark me and do as I do? When didst thou see me heave up my leg and make water against a [40 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.

45

Jul. In what you please. I'll do what I
I can.
Pro. I hope thou wilt. [To Launce.] How
now, you whoreson peasant!

Where have you been these two days loitering? Launce. Marry, sir, I carried Mistress Silvia the dog you bade me.

50

Pro. And what says she to my little jewel? Launce. Marry, she says your dog was a cur, and tells you currish thanks is good enough for such a present.

Pro. But she receiv'd my dog?

55

Launce. No, indeed, did she not; here have I brought him back again.

Pro. What, didst thou offer her this from me? Launce. Ay, sir; the other squirrel was stolen from me by the hangman's boys in the [60 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,

65

Or ne'er return again into my sight.
Away, I say! stay'st thou to vex me here ?
[Exit Launce.]
A slave, that still an end turns me to shame!
Sebastian, I have entertained thee,
Partly that I have need of such a youth
That can with some discretion do my business, 70
For 't is no trusting to yond foolish lout,
But chiefly for thy face and thy behaviour,
Which, if my augury deceive me not,
Witness good bringing up, fortune, and truth:
Therefore know thou, for this I entertain
thee.

Go presently, and take this ring with thee,
Deliver it to Madam Silvia.

She lov'd me well deliver'd it to me.

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'Tis pity love should be so contrary ; And thinking on it makes me cry "alas!" Pro. Well, give her that ring and therewithal

।

This letter. That 's her chamber. Tell my lady I claim the promise for her heavenly picture. Your message done, hie home unto my chamber, Where thou shalt find me, sad and solitary.

[Erit.] Jul. How many women would do such a message?

Alas, poor Proteus! thou hast entertain'd
A fox to be the shepherd of thy lambs.
Alas, poor fool! why do I pity him
That with his very heart despiseth me?
Because he loves her, he despiseth me;
Because I love him, I must pity him.
This ring I gave him when he parted from

me,

To bind him to remember my good will; And now am I, unhappy messenger,

To plead for that which I would not obtain, 13
To carry that which I would have refus'd,
To praise his faith which I would have dis-
prais'd.

I am my master's true-confirmed love;
But cannot be true servant to my master,
Unless I

110

Yet will prove false traitor to myself. woo for him, but yet so coldly As, heaven it knows, I would not have him speed.

[Enter SILVIA, attended.] Gentlewoman, good day! I pray you, be my

mean

To bring me where to speak with Madam Silvia. Sil. What would you with her, if that I be

she?

Sil. Ursula, bring my picture there. 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!

I will not look upon your master's lines.
I know they are stuff'd with protestations
And full of new-found oaths, which he will

break

As easily as I do tear his paper.

1

Jul. Madam, he sends your ladyship this ring. Sil. The more shame for him that he sends it me;

For I have heard him say a thousand times
His Julia gave it him at his departure.
Though his false finger have profan'd the ring.
Mine shall not do his Julia so much wrong.

S. Belike she thinks that Proteus hath forsook her?

Ju. I think she doth; and that's her cause of sorrow.

&. Is she not passing fair?

Je. She hath been fairer, madam, than she

When she did think my master lov'd her well,

Se in my judgement, was as fair as you
but since she did neglect her looking-glass
And threw her sun-expelling mask away,
hair hath starv'd the roses in her cheeks
Aad pinch'd the lily-tincture of her face,
That now she is become as black as I.
S. How tall was she?

155

160

Ju. 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, 165 And I was trimm'd in Madam Julia's gown, Wich served me as fit, by all men's judge

And, were there sense in his idolatry,
My substance should be statue in thy stead.
I'll use thee kindly for thy mistress' sake,
That us'd me so; or else, by Jove I vow,
I should have scratch'd out your unseeing eyes,
To make my master out of love with thee!

ACT V

SCENE I. [Milan. An abbey.]

Enter EGLAMOUR.

210

[Exit.

Lady, a happy evening! Sil. Amen, amen! Go on, good Eglamour, Out at the postern by the abbey-wall. I fear I am attended by some spies. Egl. Fear not; the forest is not three leagues

off.

10

If we recover that, we are sure enough. [Exeunt.

SCENE II. [The same. The Duke's palace.]
Enter THURIO, PROTEUS, and JULIA.
Thu. Sir Proteus, what says Silvia to my
suit?

Pro. O, sir, I find her milder than she was;
And yet she takes exceptions at your person.
Thu. What, that my leg is too long?
Pro. No; that it is too little.

5

Thu. I'll wear a boot, to make it somewhat rounder.

[Jul. Aside.] But love will not be spurr'd to what it loathes.

Thu. What says she to my face?
Pro. She says it is a fair one.

Thu. Nay, then the wanton lies; my face is black.

10

Pro. But pearls are fair; and the old saying is.

Black men are pearls in beauteous ladies' eyes. [Jul. Aside.] 'Tis true; such pearls as put

out ladies' eyes;

For I had rather wink than look on them.
Thu. How likes she my discourse?
Pro. Ill, when you talk of war.

15

SCENE IV. [Another part of the forest.]
Enter VALENTINE.

Val. How use doth breed a habit in a man!
This shadowy desert, unfrequented woods,
I better brook than flourishing peopled towns.
Here can I sit alone, unseen of any,
And to the nightingale's complaining notes
Tune my distresses and record my woes.
O thou that dost inhabit in my breast,
Leave not the mansion so long tenantless,
Lest, growing ruinous, the building fall
And leave no memory of what it was!
Repair me with thy presence, Silvia!
Thou gentle nymph, cherish thy forlorn swain!
What halloing and what stir is this to-day?
These are my mates, that make their wills their

law,