Julia I lose, and Valentine I lose :
If I keep them, I needs must lose myself;
If I lose them, thus find I by their loss,
For Valentine, myself; for Julia, Silvia.
I to myself am dearer than a friend;
For love is still more precions in itself:
And Silvia, witness heaven, that made her fair!
Shews Julia but a swarthy Ethiope..
I will forget that Julia is alive,
Rememb'ring that my love to her is dead;
And Valentine I'll hold an enemy,
Aiming at Silvia as a sweeter friend.
I cannot now prove constant to myself,
Without some treachery used to Valentine:-
This night, he meaneth with a corded ladder
To climb celestial Silvia's chamber-window;
Myself in counsel his competitor *:
Now presently I'll give her father notice
Of their disguising, and pretended t flight;"
Who, all enrag'd, will banish Valentine;
For Thurio, he intends, shall wed his daughter:
But, Valentine being gone, I'll quickly cross,
By some sly trick, blunt Thurio's dull pro-
ceeding.
[swift
Love, lend me wings to make my purpose
As thou hast lent me wit to plot this drift!

[Exit. SCENE VII. Verona. A Room in Julia's House.

Enter JULIA and LUCETTA.

Jul. Counsel, Lucetta; gentle girl, assist me! And, even in kind love, I do conjure thee,Who art the table wherein all my thoughts Are visibly character'd and engrav'd,-To lesson me; and tell me some good mean, How, with my honour, I may undertake A journey to my loving Protens.

Luc. Alas! the way is wearisome and long. Jul. A true-devoted pilgrim is not weary To measure kingdoms with his feeble steps; Much less shall she,that hath love's wings to fly; And when the flight is made to one so dear, Of such divine perfection, as sir Proteus. Luc.Better forbear,till Proteus make return. Jul. O, know'st thou not, his looks are my soul's food?

Pity the dearth that I have pined in,
By longing for that food so long a time.
Didst thou but know the inly touch of love,
Thou would'st as soon go kindle fire with snow,
As seek to quench the fire of love with words.
Luc. I do not seek to quench your love's hot
But qualify the fire's extreme rage, [fire;
Lest it should burn above the bounds of reason.
Jul. The more thou dam'st it up, the more

it burns;

The current, that with gentle murmur glides,
Thou know'st, being, stopp'd, impatiently doth
Jerage;

But, when his fair course is not hindered,
He makes sweet musicwith the enamel'd stones,
Giving a gentle kiss to every sedge
He overtaketh in his pilgrimage;
And so by many winding nooks he strays,
Intended.

• Confederate.

With willing sport, to the wild ocean,
Then let me go, and hinder not my course:
I'll be as patient as a gentle stream,
And make a pastime of each weary step,
Till the last step have brought me to my love;
And there I'll rest, as, after much turmoil,
A blessed soul doth in Elysium.

Luc. But in what habit will you go along?
Jul. Not like a woman; for I would prevent
The loose encounters of lascivions men:
Gentle Lucetta, fit me with such weeds
As may beseem some well-reputed page.
Luc. Why then your ladyship must cut
your hair..

Jul. No, girl; I'll knit it up in silken strings, With twenty odd conceited true-love knots: To be fantastic may become a youth

Of greater time than I shall show to be. Luc. What fashion, madám, shall I make your breeches? [my lord, Jul. That fits as well, as-" tell me, good "What compass will you wear your farthingale?" [Lucetta. Why, even that fashion that thou best lik'st, Luc. You must needs have them with a cod

piece, madam.

Jul. Out, out, Lucetta! that will be illfavour'd. [a pin, Luc. A round hose, madam, how's not worth Unless you have a cod-piece to stick pins on. Jul. Lucetta, as thou lov'st me, let me have What thon think'st meet,and is most mannerly: But tell me, wench, how will the world repute For undertaking so unstaid a journey? [me, I fear me, it will make me scandaliz'd.

Luc. If you think so, then stay at home, and Jul. Nay, that I will not. [go not. Luc. Then never dream on infamy, but go. If Proteus like your journey, when you come, No matter who's displeas'd,when you are gone: I fear me, he will scarce be pleas'd withal.

Jul. That is the least, Lucetta, of my fear: A thousand oaths, an ocean of his tears, And instances as infinite of love, Warrant me welcome to my Proteus.

Luc. All these are servants to deceitful men. Jul. Base men, that use them to so base effect!

But truer stars did govern Proteus' birth:
His words are bonds, his oaths are oracles;
His love sincere, his thoughts immaculate;
His tears, pure messengers sent from his heart;
His heart as far from fraud, as heaven from
[come to him!

earth.

Luc. Pray heaven he prove so, when you Jul. Now, as thou lov'st me, do him not that To bear a hard opinion of his truth: [wrong, Only deserve my love, by loving him; And presently go with me to my chamber, To take a note of what I stand in need of, To furnish me upon my longing|| journey. All that is mine I leave at thy dispose, My goods, my lands, my reputation; Only, in lieu thereof, despatch me hence: Come, answer not, but to it presently; I am impatient of my tarriance. Trouble.

[Exeunt.

I Longed for.

SCENE I. Milan. An Ante room in the

Duke's palace.

Enter DUKE, THURIO, and PROTEUS. Duke. Sir Thurio, give us leave, I pray, awhile;ng di zdra

me?

We have some secrets to confer about.
[Exit THURIO.
Now, tell me, Proteus, what's your will with
[discover,
Pro. My gracious lord, that which I would
The law of friendship bids me to conceal :
But, when I call to mind your gracious favours
Done to me, undeserving as I am,
My duty pricks me on to utter that [me.
Which else no worldly good should draw from
Know, worthy prince, sir 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 should she thus be stolen away from you,
It would be much vexation to your age.
Thus, for my duty's sake, I rather chose
To cross my friend in his intended drift,
Than, by concealing it, heap on your head
A pack of sorrows, which would press you
down,

Being unprevented, to your timeless grave. Duke. Proteus, I thank thee for thine honest care;

Which to requite, command me while I live.
This love of theirs myself have often seen,
Haply, when they have judged me fast asleep;
And oftentimes have purpos'd to forbid
Sir Valentine her company, and my court:
But, fearing lest my jealous aim might err,
And so, unworthily, disgrace the man,
(A rashness that I ever yet have shunn'd,)
gave him gentle looks; thereby to find
That which thyself hast now disclos'd to me.
And, that thou may'st perceive my fear of this,
Knowing that tender youth is soon suggestedt,
I nightly lodge her in an upper tower,
The key whereof myself have ever kept;
And thence she cannot be convey'd away.
Pro. Know, noble lord, they have devis'd

I

a mean

How he her chamber-window will ascend,
And with a corded ladder fetch her down;
For which the youthful lover now is gone,
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; sir Valentine is coming,
[Exit.

Enter VALENTINE.

Duke. Sir Valentine, whither away so fast? Val. Please it your grace there is a messenger That stays to bear my letters to my friends, And I am going to deliver them. Y Duke. Be they of much import?

Val. The tenor of them doth but signify My health, and happy being at your court. Duke. Nay, then, no matter; stay with me 3.11 a while;

I am to break with thee of some affairs, That touch me near, wherein thou must be secret.

'Tis not unknown to thee, that I have sought To match my friend, sir Thurio, to my daughter. Val. I know it well, my lord; and; sure, the

match' Isi yow : 565 [tleman Were rich and honourable; besides, the genIs full of virtue, bounty, worth, and qualities Beseeming such a wife as your fair daughter: Cannot your grace win her to fancy him?

Duke. No, trust me; she is peevish, sullen,

froward, skik, zyn chấy stool dr Prond, disobedient, stubborn, lacking duty; Neither regarding that she is my child, bo Nor fearing me as if I were her father And, may I say to thee, this pride of her's] I 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 resolved 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 possessions she esteems not.
Val. What would your grace have me to do
93 161 1

in this?

Duke. There is a lady, sir, in Milan heré, Whom I affect; but she is nice and coy, And nought esteems my aged eloquence::A 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 sun-bright eye.

Val. Win her with gifts, if she respect not words;

Dumb jewels ofteu, in their silent kind,
More than quick words, do move a woman's
mind.
[her.
Duke. But she did scorn a present that I sent
Val. A woman sometimes scorns what best
contents her:

Send her another; never give her o'er;
For scorn at first makes after-love the more.
If she do frown, 'tis not in hate of you,
But rather to beget more love in you:
If she do chide, 'tis not to have you gone;
For why, the fools are mad, if left afone..
Take no repulse, whatever she doth say;
For, get you gone, she doth not mean, away:
Guessed.
§ Design.

Flatter and praise, commend,extol their graces, Though ne'er so black, say, they have angels' faces.

That man that hath a tongue, I say, is no man
If with his tongue he cannot win a woman.
Duke. But she I mean, is promis'd by her
Unto a youthful gentleman of worth; [friends
And kept severely from resort of men,
That no man hath access by day to her.
Val. Why, then, I would resort to her by
night.
[kept safe,
Duke. Ay, but the doors be lock'd, and keys
That no man hath recourse to her by night,
Val. What lets, but one may enter at her
window?
[ground;
Duke. Her chamber is aloft, far from the
And built so shelving, that one cannot climb it
Without apparent hazard of his life. [cords,
Val. Why then, a ladder, quaintly made of
To cast up with a pair of anchoring hooks,
Would serve to scale 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. Vat. When would you use it? pray, sir, 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 seven o'clock, I'll get you such 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 Under a cloak, that is of any length. [bear it Duke. A cloak as long as thine will serve Val. Ay, my good lord. [the turn? Duke Then let me see thy cloak; I'll get me one of such another length. Val. Why, any cloak will serve the turn, my lord.[cloak?

Duke. How shall I fashion me to wear a I pray thee, let me feel thy cloak upon me.What letter is this same? What's here? --To Silvia?...

And here an engine fit for my proceeding! I'll be so bold to break the seal for once. [reads. My thoughts do harbour with my Silvia nightly;

And slaves they are to me, that send them flying:

O, could their master come and go as lightly, Himself would lodge, where senseless they [them;

are lying.

My herald thoughts in thy pure bosom rest While I, their king, that thither them importune,

grace

Do curse the grace that with such hath bless'd them, Because myself do want my servants' fortune:

I curse myself, for they are sent by me, That they should harbour where their lord should be.

What's here?

Silvia, this night I will enfranchise thee;

'Tis so; and here's the ladder for the purpose.Why, Phaeton, (for thou art Merops' son) Wilt thou aspire to guide the heavenly car, And with thy daring folly burn the world? Wilt thou reach stars, because they shine on thee?

Go, base intruder! overweening slave!
Bestow thy fawning smiles on equal mates;
And think, my patience, more than thy desert,
Is privilege for thy departure hence:
Thank me for this, more than for all the favours,
Which, all too much, I have bestow'd on thee.
But if thon linger in my territories,
Longer than swiftest expedition
Will give thee time to leave our royal court,
By heaven, my wrath shall far exceed the love
I ever bore my daughter, or thyself.
Be gone, I will not hear thy vain excuse,
But, as thou lov'st thy life, make speed from
[Exit DUKE.

hence.

Val. And why not death, rather than living torment?

To die, is to be banish'd from myself;
And Silvia is myself: banish'd from her,
Is self from self; a deadly banishment!
What light is light, if Silvia be not seen?
What joy is joy, if Silvia be not by?
Unless it be to think that she is by,
And feed upon the shadow of perfection.
Except I be by Silvia in the night,
There is no music in the nightingale;
Unless I look on Silvia in the day,
There is no day for me to look upon:
She is my essence; and I leave to be,
If I be not by her fair influence
Foster'd, illumin'd, cherish'd, kept alive.
I fly not death, to fly his deadly doom:
Tarry I here, I but attend on death;
But fly I hence, I fly away from life.