TWO GENTLEMEN

O F

VERO N A.

ANTHONIO, Father to PROTHEUS.

THURIO, a foolish Rival to VALENTINE.
EGLAMOUR, Agent for SILVIA in her Escape.
HOST, where JULIA lodges in Milan.

OUT-LAWS.

SPEED, a clownish Servant to VALENTINE.

LAUNCE, the like to PROTHEUS.

PANTHINO, Servant to ANTHONIO.

JULIA, a Lady of Verona, beloved by PROTHEUS.
SILVIA, the DUKE OF MILAN's Daughter, beloved of VA-

LENTINE.

LUCETTA, waiting-woman to JULIA.

Servants, Muficians.

SCENE-Sometimes in Verona; fometimes in Milan; and on the Frontiers of Mantua.

THIS PLAY was probably written about the year 1593, and fome of the incidents taken from THE ARCADIA, B. I. Ch. 6. but the main plot from the fecond Book of the 1ft Part of MONTEMAYOR'S DIANA.

TWO GENTLEMEN

O F

VERONA.

ACT I. SCENE I.

AN OPEN PLACE IN VERONA.

Enter Valentine and Protheus.

Val. Ceafe to perfuade, my loving Protheus;
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 fee the wonders of the world abroad,
Than, living dully fluggariz'd at home,
Wear out thy youth with fhapeless idleness.
But, fince thou lov'ft, 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 Protheus, when thou, haply, feeft
Some rare note-worthy object in thy travel;
Wish me partaker in thy happiness,

When thou doft meet good hap; and, in thy danger,
If ever danger do environ thee,

* with fhapeless idleness.]—in shapeless-neglecting to form the manners, or making them rude and favage.

G 4

Commend

Commend thy grievance to my holy prayers,
For I will be thy bead's-man, Valentine.

Val. And on a love-book pray for my fuccefs.
Pro. Upon fome book I love, I'll pray for thee.
Val. That's on fome fhallow ftory of deep love,
How young Leander crofs'd the Hellefpont.

Pro. That's a deep ftory of a deeper love; For he was more than over fhoes in love.

Val. 'Tis true; for you are over boots in love,
And yet you never fwom the Hellefpont.

Pro. Over the boots? nay, give me not the boots.
Val. No, I will not; for it boots thee not.

Pro. What?

Val. To be in love where scorn is bought with

groans;

Coy looks, with heart-fore fighs; one fading moment's mirth, With twenty watchful, weary, tedious nights.

If haply won, perhaps, a hapless gain;

If loft, why then a grievous labour won;

d

* However, but a folly bought with wit,

Or elfe a wit by folly vanquished.

с

Pro. So, by your circumftance, you call me fool.
Val. So, by your circumftance, I fear, you'll prove.
Pro. 'Tis love you cavil at; I am not love.

Val. Love is your master, for he masters you;
And he that is fo yoked by a fool,

bthy bead's man,]-petitioner to heaven in thy behalf.

с

give me not the boots.]-do not play upon me; do not torment me.

A kind of rack for the leg, an ancient engine of torture, was called the boots and a pair of boots are still in use amongst our rusticks, as the inftruments of sportive punishment.

:

However, but a folly &c.]-This love will either puzzle your wit, and produce fome egregious piece of folly, or terminate in dotage, on the difappointment of your project.

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circumftance,]-defcription.

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