My duty pricks me on to utter that
Which else no worldly good should draw from me.
Know, worthy prince, fir 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
On Thurio, whom your gentle daughter hates;
And fhould fhe thus be ftolen
away from
It would be much vexation to your age.
Thus, for my duty's fake, I rather chose
To cross my friend in his intended drift,
Than, by concealing it, heap on your head
A pack of forrows, which would prefs you down,
Being unprevented, to your timeless grave.
Duke. Protheus, I thank thee for thine honest care;
Which to requite, command me while I live.
This love of theirs myself have often feen,
Haply, when they have judg'd me fast asleep;
And oftentimes have purpos'd to forbid
Sir Valentine her company, and my court:
But, fearing left my jealous "aim might err,
And fo, unworthily, disgrace the man,
(A rashness that I ever yet have shunn'd)
gave him gentle looks; thereby to find
That which thyself haft now disclos'd to me.
And, that thou may'st perceive my fear of this,
Knowing that tender youth is foon suggested,
I nightly lodge her in an upper tower,
The key whereof myself have ever kept;
And thence the cannot be convey'd away.
Pro. Know, noble lord, they have devis'd a mean
How he her chamber-window will afcend,
And with a corded ladder fetch her down;
For which the youthful lover now is
And this way comes he with it presently;
Where, if it please you, you may intercept him.
But, good my lord, do it so cunningly,
That my discovery be not aimed at ;
For love of you, not hate unto my friend,
Hath made me publisher of this "
pretence.
Duke. Upon mine honour, he shall never know
That I had any light from thee of this.
Pro. Adieu, my lord; fir Valentine is coming.
Duke. Sir Valentine, whither away fo faft?
Val. Please it your grace, there is a meffenger
That stays to bear my letters to my friends,
And I am going to deliver them.
Duke. Be they of much import?
Val. The tenor of them doth but fignify My health, and happy being at your court.
Duke. Nay, then no matter; ftay with me a while;
I am to break with thee of fome affairs,
That touch me near, wherein thou must be fecret.
'Tis not unknown to thee, that I have fought
To match my friend, fir Thurio, to my daughter.
Val. I know it well, my lord; and, fure, the match
Were rich and honourable; befides, the gentleman
Is full of virtue, bounty, worth, and qualities
Beseeming fuch a wife as your fair daughter:
Cannot your grace win her to fancy him?
Duke. No, truft me; she is peevish, fullen, froward, Proud, difobedient, ftubborn, lacking duty;
* aimed at even gueffed at.
Neither regarding that she is my child,
Nor fearing me as if I were her father:
And, may I say to thee, this pride of hers,
* Upon advice, hath drawn my love from her;
And, where I thought the remnant of mine age
Should have been cherish'd by her child-like duty,
I now am full refolved to take a wife,
And turn her out to who will take her in:
Then let her beauty be her wedding-dower;
For me, and my poffeffions, fhe esteems not.
Val. What would your grace have me to do in this?
Duke. There is a lady, fir, in Milan, here,
Whom I affect; but fhe is nice, and coy,
And nought esteems my aged eloquence :
Now, therefore, would I have thee to my tutor,
(For long agone I have forgot to court;
Besides, the fashion of the time is chang'd)
How, and which way, I may bestow myself,
To be regarded in her fun-bright eye.
Val. Win her with gifts, if fhe refpect not words
Dumb jewels often, in their silent kind,
More than quick words, do move a woman's mind.
Duke. But he did scorn a prefent that I fent her.
Val. A woman fcorns fometimes what best contents
Send her another; never give her o'er;
For fcorn at firft makes after-love the more.
If fhe do frown, 'tis not in hate of you,
But rather to beget more love in you:
If fhe do chide, 'tis not to have you gone;
For why, the fools are mad if left alone.
Take no repulfe, whatever fhe doth fay;
Upon advice,]-Mature deliberation.
the fashion of the time]-the modes of courtship.
For, get you gone, fhe doth not mean, away :
Flatter, and praise, commend, extol their graces;
Though ne'er fo black, fay, they have angels' faces.
That man that hath a tongue, I fay, is no man,
If with his tongue he cannot win a woman.
Duke. But fhe I mean, is promis'd by her friends
Unto a youthful gentleman of worth;
And kept feverely from refort of men,
That no man hath accefs by day to her.
Val. Why then I would refort to her by night. Duke. Ay, but the doors be lock'd, and keys kept safe, That no man hath recourse to her by night.
Val. What lets, but one may enter at her window?
Duke. Her chamber is aloft, far from the ground; And built fo fhelving, that one cannot climb it Without apparent hazard of his life.
Val. Why, then a ladder, quaintly made of cords, To caft up, with a pair of anchoring hooks,
Would serve to fcale another Hero's tower,
So bold Leander would adventure it.
Duke. Now, as thou art a gentleman of blood, Advise me where I may have such a ladder.
Val. When would you use it? pray, fir, tell me that. Duke. This very night; for love is like a child, That longs for every thing that he can come by. Val. By feven o'clock I'll get you fuch 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 fee thy cloak;
I'll get me one of fuch another length.
Val. Why, any cloak will ferve the turn, my lord.
Duke. How fhall I fashion me to wear a cloak ?—
I pray thee, let me feel thy cloak upon me.
What letter is this fame? what's here?—To Silvia ?
And here an engine fit for my proceeding!
I'll be fo bold to break the feal for once.
My thoughts do barbour with my Silvia nightly;
And faves they are to me, that fend them flying:
Oh, could their mafter come and go as lightly,
Himfelf would lodge, where fenfelefs they are lying. My herald thoughts in thy pure bofom reft them;
While I, their king, that thither them importune,
Do curfe the grace that with fuch grace hath blefs'd them,
Because myself do want my fervant's fortune:
I curfe myself, for they are fent by me,
That they should barbour where their lord would be.
What's here? Silvia, this night will I enfranchise thee;
'Tis fo; and here's the ladder for the purpose.--
Why, Phaëton, (for thou art 'Merops' fon)
Wilt thou afpire to guide the heavenly car,
And with thy daring folly burn the world?
Wilt thou reach stars, because they shine on thee?
Go, bafe intruder! over-weening flave!
Bestow thy fawning fmiles on equal mates;
And think, my patience, more than thy defert,
Is privilege for thy departure hence :
Thank me for this, more than for all the favours,
Which, all too much, I have beftow'd on thee.
for they are fent]-on account of their being fent.
f Merops' Jon]-Phaeton only in thy rafhnefs, but not in divine defcent, being earthly born; the true fon of Merops, who was falfely called the father of Phaeton.
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