prove. Pro. 'Tis love you cavil at; I am not Love. Val. Love is your master, for he masters you : And he that is so yoked by a fool, Methinks should not be chronicled for wise. Pro. Yet writers say, As in the sweetest bud The eating canker dwells, so eating love Inhabits in the finest wits of all. Val. Yet writers say, As the most forward bud Is eaten by the canker ere it blow, Even so by love the young and tender wit Once more adieu: my father at the road Val. Sweet Proteus, no; now let us take our leave. Of Milan, let us hear from thee by letters, Val. As much to you at home! and so farcwell. [Exit VALENTINE. Pro. He after honour hunts, I after love : He leaves his friends, to dignify them more; I leave myself, my friends, and all for love. Thou, Julia, thou bast metamorphos'd me; Made me neglect my studies, lose my time, War with good counsel, set the world nought! at Made wit with musing weak, heart sick with thought. stance. Pro. But dost thou hear? gav'st thou my letter to Julia ? Speed. Ay, Sir: I, a lost mutton, gave your letter to her, a laced mutton; and she, a laced mutton, gave me, a lost mutton, nothing for my labour. Pro. Here's too small a pasture for such a store of muttons. Speed. If the ground be overcharged, you were best stick ber. Pro. Nay, in that you are astray; 'twere best pound you. Speed. Nay, Sir, less than a pound shall serve me for carrying your letter. Pro. You mistake; I mean the pound, a pinfold. Speed. From a pound to a pin? fold it over and over, 'Tis threefold too little for carrying a letter to your lover. Pro. But what said she? did she nod ? Speed. I. [SPEED nods. Pro. Nod, I? why, that's noddy. + Speed. You mistook, Sir; I say she did nod: and you ask me, if she did nod, and I say, I. Pro. And that set together, is-noddy. Speed. Now you have taken the pains to set it together, take it for your pains. Pro. No, no, you shall have it for bearing the letter. Speed. Well, I perceive, I must be fain to bear with you. Pro. Why, Sir, how do you bear with me? Speed. Marry, Sir, the letter very orderly; having nothing but the word, noddy for my pains. Pro. Beshrew me, but you have a quick wit. Speed. And yet it cannot overtake your slow purse. Pro. Come, come, open the matter in brief; What said she? Speed. Open your purse, that the money and the matter may be both at once deliver❜d. Pro. Well, Sir, here is for your pains: What said she? Speed. Truly, Sir, I think you'll hardly win her. Pro. Why? Could'st thou perceive so much from her? Speed. Sir, I could perceive nothing at all from her; no, not so much as a ducat for delivering your letter: Aud being so hard to ine that brought your mind, I fear, she'll prove as hard to you in telling her mind. Give her no token but stones; for she's as hard as steel. Pro. What, said she nothing? Speed. No, not so much as-take this for thy pains. To testify your bounty, I thank you, you have testern'dt me; in requital whereof, henceforth carry your letters yourself; and so, Sir, I'll commend you to my master. Pro. Go, go, be gone, to save your ship from Pro. It shall go hard, but I'll prove it by SCENE II.-The same. another. Speed. The shepherd seeks the sheep, and not thy sheep the shepherd; but I seek my master, and my master seeks not me; therefore, I am no sheep. Pro. The sheep for fodder follow the shepherd, the shepherd for food foilows not the sheep; thou for wages followest thy master, thy master for wages follows not thee: therefore, thon art a sheep. house. [Exeunt. Garden of JULIA'S Enter JULIA and LUCETTA. Jul. But say, Lucetta, now we are alone, Would'st thou then counsel me to fall in love? Luc. Ay, madam; so you stumble not unheedfully. A term for a girl of pleasure: Mutton-lane, in Clerkenwell, is so called from being frequented by A game at cards. 1 Given me a sixpence. Speed. Such another proof will make me cry such persons. baa. Jul. Why, he of all the rest bath never mov'd me. Luc. Yet he of all the rest, I think, best loves ye. Jul. His little speaking shows his love but small. Luc. Fire, that is closest kept, burns most of all. Jul. They do not love, that do not show their love. Luc. Oh! they love least, that let men know their love. Jul. I would I knew his mind. Luc. Sir Valentine's page; and sent, I think, from Proteus: He would have given it you, but I, being in the way, Did in your name receive it; pardon the fault, I pray. Jul. Now, by my modesty, a goodly broker ! ‡ Dare you presume to harbour wanton lines? To whisper and conspire against my youth? Now, trust me, 'tis an office of great worth, And you an officer fit for the place. There, take the paper, see it be return'd; Or else return no more into my sight. Luc. To plead for love deserves more fee than hate. Jul. Will you be gone? Luc. That you may ruminate. [Exlt. Jul. And yet I would I had o'erlook'd the letter. It were a shame to call her back again, Fie, fie! how wayward is this foolish love, Re-enter LUCETTA. Luc. What would your ladyship? That you might kill your stomach on your meat, And not upon your maid. Jul. What is't you took up So gingerly? Luc. Nothing. Jul. Why did'st thou stoop then? Luc. Nothing concerning me. Jul. Then let it lie for those that it concerns. Luc. Madam, it will not lie where it concerns, Unless it have a false interpreter. Jul. Some love of your's hath writ to you in rhyme. Luc. That I might sing it, madam, to a tune: Give me a note: your ladyship can set. Jul. As little by such toys as may be pos sible: Best sing it to the tune of Light o' love. then. Luc. Ay; and melodious were it, would you sing it. Jul. Aud why not you? Jul. Let's see your song ;-How now, minion? Luc. Keep tune there still, so you will sing it out; And yet methinks, I do not like this tune. Luc. No, madam; it is too sharp. And mar the concord with too harsh a descant: There wanteth but a mean to fill your song. Jul. The mean is drown'd with your unruly base. Luc. Indeed, I bid the base for Proteus. me. Here is a coil with protestation !— [Tears the letter. Go, get you gone; and let the papers lie: You would be fingering them, to auger me. Luc. She makes it strange; but she would be best pleas'd [Exit. To be so anger'd with another letter. Jul. Nay, would I were so anger'd with the same! O hateful hands, to tear such loving words! I'll kiss each several paper for amends. I throw thy name against the bruising stones heal'd ; And thus I search it with a sovereign kiss. But twice, or thrice, was Proteus written down? Passion or obstinacy. + The tenor in musIC 1 A matchmaker. I ↑ A challenge. Luc. Madam, dinner's ready, and your fa- Here is her oath for love, her honour's pawn: ther stays. Jul. Well, let us go. Luc. What, shall these papers lie like tales here? Oh that our fathers would applaud our loves To seal our happiness with their consents! tell-O heavenly Julia ! Jul. If you respect them, best to take them up. Luc. Nay, I was taken up for laying them down: Yet here they shall not lie, for catching cold. Jul. I see, you have a month's mind to them. Luc. Ay, nadam, you may say what sights you see; I see things too, although you judge I wink. [Exeunt. SCENE III.-The same.-A Room in ANTONIO'S House. Enter ANTONIO and PANTHINO, Ant. Tell me, Panthino, what sad talk was that, Whe ewith any brother held you in the cloister? Pan. 'Twas of his nephew Proteus, your son. Ant. Why, what of him? Pan. He wouder'd, that your lordship Put forth their sons to seek preferment out: For any, or for all these exercises, He said, that Proteus, your son, was meet; And did request me, to impórtune you, In having known no travel in his youth. Whereon this month I have been hammering. And perfected by the swift course of time: Pan. I think your lordship is not ignorant, Pan. 'Twere good, I think, your lordship sent him thither: There shall be practise tilts and tournaments, Hear sweet discourse, converse with noblemen; And be in eye of every exercise, Worthy his youth and nobleness of birth. Ant. I like thy counsel; well hast thou advis'd; And, that thou may'st like it, The execution of it shall make known; • Since. Ant. How now what letter are you reading there? Pro. May't please your lordship, 'tis a word or two Of commendation sent from Valentine, news. Pro. There is no news, my lord; but that he writes How happily be lives, how well belov'd, Muse not that I thus suddenly proceed; Pro. My lord, I cannot be so soon provided; Please you, deliberate a day or two. Ant. Look what thou want'st, shall be seut after thee: No more of stay; to-morrow thou must go.- [Exeunt ANT. and PAN. Pro. Thus have I shunu'd the fire, for fear of burning; perceive how well I Speed. Sir, your glove. |