Dramatis Persone.

DUKE of Milan, Father to Silvia.

Valentine,

Protheus,

}

the two Gentlemen

Anthonio, Father to Protheus.

Thurio, a foolish Rival to Valentine.

Eglamore, Agent for Silvia in her Escape.

Host, where Julia lodges.

Out-laws with Valentine.

Speed, a clownish Servant to Valentine
Launce, the like to Protheus.

Panthion, Servant to Anthonio.

Julia, beloven of Protheus,
Silvia, beloved of Valentine.
Lucetta, Waiting-woman to juila,

The SCENE sometimes in Verona, and Sometimes in Milan.

THE THE

TWO GENTLEMEN

OF

VERONA.

ACT I. SCENE I.

VERONA.

Enter Valentine and Protheus.

VALENTINE.

EASE 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 intreat thy company,

To

↑ It is obfervable (I know not from what cause) that the S. le of this Comedy is less figurative, and more natural and unajected than the greater Part of this Author's, though Suppes'd to be one of the first he wrote.

1

To fee the wonders of the world abroad,
Than (living dully fluggardiz'd at home)
Wear out thy youth with shapeless idleness.
But fince thou lov'st, love still, and thrive therein,
Ev'n as I would when I to love begin.

Pro. Wilt thou be gone? sweet Valentine, adieu;
Think on thy Protheus, when thou haply seest
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,

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

Val. And on a love-book pray for my success?
Pro. Upon fome book I love I'll pray for thee. *
Val. To be in love where scorn is bought with groans,
Coy looks, with heart-fore fighs; one fading mo-

ment's mirth,

With twenty watchful, weary, tedious nights.
If haply won, perhaps an hapless gain :
If loft, why then a grievous labour won;
However but a folly bought with wit,
Or elfe a wit by folly vanquished.

Pro. So by your circumftance you call me fool.
Val. So by your circumstance 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 so yoked by a fool,

Methinks should not be chronicled for wife.

-I'll pray for thee.

Pro.

Val. That's on fome shallow story of deep love,
How young Leander cross'd the Hellespont.
Pro. That's a deep story of a deeper love;
For he was more than over shoes in love.
Val. 'Tis true; for you are over boots in love,

And yet you never swom 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, or.

Pro. Yet writers say, as in the sweetest bud
The eating canker dwells; so eating love
Inhabits in the finest wits of all.

val. And writers say, as the most forward bud
Is eaten by the canker ere it blow;
Even so by love the young and tender wit
Is turn'd to folly, blasting in the bud,
Lofing his verdure even in the prime,
And all the fair effects of future hopes.
But wherefore waste I time to counsel thee,
That art a votary to fond defire?
Once more adieu: my father at the road
Expects my coming, there to fee me shipp'd.
Pro. And thither will I bring thee, Valentine.
Val. Sweet Protheus, no: now let us take our leave.

At Milan let me hear from thee by letters
Of thy success in love; and what news else
Betideth here in abfence of thy friend:
And I likewife will visit thee with mine.

Pro. All happiness bechance to thee in Milan.
Val. As much to you at home; and fo farewel. (Exit.
Pro. He after honour hunts, I after love;
He leaves his friends to dignifie them more;
-I leave my felf, my friends, and all for love.
Thou Julia, thou hast metamorphos'd me;
Made me neglect my studies, lose my time,
War with good counsel, fet the world at nought;
Made wit with musing weak; heart fick with thought.

††† SCENE II.

Enter Speed.

Speed. Six Protheus, save you; saw you my master?

Pro

† This whole Scene, like many others in these Plays, (Some of which I believe were written by Shakespear, and others interpolated by the Players) is compos'd of the lowest and most trifting conceits, to be accounted for only from the gross taste of the age he liv'd in; Populo ut placerent. I wish I had authority to leave them out, but I have done all I could, fet a mark of reprobation upon them; throughout this edition. Itt

Prathens
Look

X

Pro. But now he parted hence t'embark for Milan.
Speed. Twenty to one then he is shipp'd already,

And I have play'd the sheep in lofing him.
Pro. Indeed a sheep doth often stray,

An if the shepherd be awhile away.

Speed. You conclude that my master is a shepherd

then, and I a sheep?

Pro. I do.

Speed. Why then my horns are his horns, whether
I wake or fleep.

Pro. A filly answer, and fitting well a sheep.
Speed. This proves me still a sheep.
Pro. True, and thy master a shepherd.
Speed. Nay, that I can deny by a circumstance.
Pro. It shall go hard but I'll prove it by another.
Speed. The shepherd seeks the sheep, and not the
sheep the shepherd; but I seek my master, and my
master seeks not me; therefore I am no sheep.

Pro. The sheep for fodder follows the shepherd, the shepherd for food follows not the sheep; thou for wages followest thy master, thy master for wages follows not thee; therefore thou art a fheep.

Speed. Such another proof will make me cry Bad. Pro. But doft thou hear? gavest thou my letter to Julia?

Speed. Ay, Sir; I, a loft mutton, gave your letter to her, a lac'd-mutton; and she, a lac'd-mutton, gave me, a loft-mutton, nothing for my labour.

muttons.

Pro. Here's too small a pasture for such store of Speed. If the ground be over-charg'd, you were best stick her. 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 pin-fold. 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 faid she?

Speed.