Dramatis Perfonæ.

DUKE of Milan, Father to Silvia.

Valentine, the two Gentlemen

Protheus,

anthonio, Father to Protheus.

Thurio, a foolish Rival to Valentine.
Eglamore, Agent for Silvia in her Escape.
Hoft, where Julia lodges.

Out-laws with Valentine.

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

Julia, beloved of Protheus,

Silvia, beloved of Valentine.

Lecetta, Waiting-woman to julia.

The SCENE Sometimes in Verona, and Sometimes in Milan.

THE

†THE

Two GENTLEMEN

OF

VERONA.

ACT I. SCENE I.

VERON A.

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 fweet 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 lefs figurative, and more natural and unaffected than the greater Part of this Author's, though Suppos'd to be one of the first he wrote.

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

Pre. Wilt thou be gone? fweet Valentine, adieu;
Think on thy Protheus, when thou haply feeft
Some rare note-worthy object in thy travel:
With 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

For I will be thy bead's-man, Valentine.
Val. And on a love-book pray my fuccefs?
Pro. Upon fome book I love I'll pray for thee. *
Val. To be in love where fcorn 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 circumstance you call

me fool. Fal. So by your circumftance I fear you'll prove. Pro, Tislove you cavil at; I am not love. Val. Love is your mafter; for he masters you. And he that is fo yoked by a fool,

Methinks fhould not be chronicled for wife.

I'll pray for thee.

• Pro.

Val. That's on fome fhallow ftory of deep love, How young Leander crois'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, et.

Pro. Yet writers fay, as in the sweetest bud The eating canker dwells; fo eating love

Inhabits in the fineft wits of all.

Val. And writers fay, as the most forward bud
Is eaten by the canker ere it blow;

Even fo 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 wafte 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 fhipp'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 fuccefs in love; and what news elfe
Betideth here in abfence of thy friend:

And I likewife will vifit 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 haft metamorphos'd me;
Made me neglect my ftudies, lofe my time,
War with good counfel, fet the world at nought;
Made wit with musing weak; heart fick with thought.

ttt SCENE II.

Enter Speed.

Speed. Sir Protheus, fave you; faw you my mafter?

Pro.

This whole Scene, like many others in thefe Plays, fome of which I believe were written by Shakespear, and others interpolated by the Players) is compos'd of the lowest and most trifling 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. ttt

Brother was a scholler!

very hedge cantly boroved

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 fheep in lofing him.
Pro. Indeed a fheep doth often ftray,
An if the fhepherd be awhile away.

Speed. You conclude that my mafter is a fhepherd then, and I a sheep?

Pro. I do.

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

Pro. A filly anfwer, and fitting well a fheep.
Speed. This proves me ftill a fheep.

Pro. True, and thy mafter a fhepherd.

Speed. Nay, that I can deny by a circumstance. Pro. It fhall go hard but I'll prove it by another. Speed. The fhepherd feeks the fheep, and not the fheep the fhepherd; but I feek my mafter, and my mafter feeks not me; therefore I am no fheep.

Pro. The sheep for fodder follows the fhepherd, the fhepherd for food follows not the fheep; thou for wages followeft thy mafter, thy mafter for wages follows not thee; therefore thou art a fheep. Speed. Such another proof will make me cry Bad. thou letter to Pro. But doft thou hear? gavest my Julia?

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

Pro. Here's too fmall à pafture for fuch ftore of

muttons.

Speed. If the ground be over-charg'd, you were best ftick her.

Pro. Nay, in that you are aftray; 'twere beft pound

you.

Speed. Nay, Sir, lefs than a pound fhall ferve 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 fhe?

Speed.