Luc. Indeed, I bid the base for Proteus.
Jul. This babble shall not henceforth trouble

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 anger me. Luc. She makes it strange; but she would be best pleas'd

To be so anger'd with another letter.

[Exit. Jul. Nay, 'would, I were so anger'd with the same!

O hateful hands, to tear such loving words!
Injurious wasps! to feed on such sweet honey,
And kill the bees, that yield it, with your stings!
I'll kiss each several paper for amends.
And here is writ-kind Julia;-unkind Julia!
As in revenge of thy ingratitude,

I throw thy name against the bruising stones,
Trampling contemptuously on thy disdain,
Look, here is writ-love wounded Proteus ;-
Poor wounded name! my bosom, as a bed,
Shall lodge thee, till thy wound be thoroughly
heal'd;

[bear

And thus I search it with a sovereign kiss.
But twice, or thrice, was Proteus written down:
Be calm, good wind, blow not a word away,
Till I have found each letter in the letter,
Except mine own name; that some whirlwind,
Unto a ragged, fearful, hanging rock,
And throw it thence into the raging sea!
Lo, here in one line is nis name twice writ,
Poor forlorn Proteus, passionate Proteus,
To the sweet Julia;-that I'll tear away;
And yet I will not, sith so prettily

He couples it to his complaining name:
Thus will I fold them one upon another;
Now, kiss, embrace, contend, do what you will.

Luc. What, shall these papers lie like telltales here?

Jul. If you respect them, best to take them up.
Lac. 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, madam, you may say what sights

you see;

I see things too, although you judge I wink.
Jul. Come, come, will't please you go?

SCENE III.

[Exeunt.

The same. A room in Antonio's House.

Enter ANTONIO and PANTHINO.
Ant. Tell me, Panthino, what sad talk was that,
Wherewith my brother held you in the cloister?
Pant. "Twas of his nephew, Proteus, your son.
Ant. Why, what of him?

Pant.

He wonder'd, that your lordship
Would suffer him to spend his youth at home;
While other men, of slender reputation,
Put forth their sons to seek preferment out:
Some, to the wars, to try their fortune there;
Some, to discover islands far away;
Some, to the studious universities.
For any, or for all these exercises,
He said, that Proteus, your son, was meet;
And did request me, to importune yon,
To let him spend his time no more at home,
Which would be great impeachment to his age,
Ju having known no travel in his youth.

Ant. Nor need'st thou much importune me to
that

Whereon this month I have been hammering.
I have consider'd well his loss of time;
And how he cannot be a perfect man,
Not being try'd and tutor❜d in the world:
Experience is by industry achiev'd,
And perfected by the swift course of time:
Then, tell me, whither were I best to send him?
Pant. I think, your lordship is not ignorant,
How his companion, youthful Valentine,
Attends the emperor in his royal court.
Ant. I know it well.

Pant. "Twere good, I think, your lordship sent
him thither:

There shall he 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 advised:
And, that thou may'st perceive how well I like it,
The execution of it shall make known;
Even with the speediest expedition

I will despatch him to the emperor's court.
Pant. To-morrow, may it please you, Don Al-
phonso,

With other gentlemen of good esteem,
Are journeying to salute the emperor,
And to commend their service to his will.

Ant. Good company; with them shall Proteus
go:

And, in good time,-now will we break with him.
Enter PROTEUS.

Pro. Sweet love! sweet lines! sweet life!
Here is her hand, the agent of her heart:
Here is her oath for love, her honour's pawn:
O, that our fathers would applaud our loves,
To seal our happiness with their consents!
O heavenly Julia!

Ant. How now? what letter are you reading
there?

Pro. May't please your lordship, 'tis a word or
two

Of commendations sent from Valentine,
Deliver'd by a friend that came from him.

Ant. Lend me the letter; let me see what news.
Pro. There is no news, my lord; but that he
writes

How happily he lives, how well belov'd
And daily graced by the emperor;
Wishing me with him, partner of his fortune.
Ant. And how stand you affected to his wish?
Pro. As one relying on your lordship's will,
And not depending on his friendly wish

Ant. My will is something sorted with his
Muse not that I thus suddenly proceed; "[wish
For what I will, I will, and there an end.
I am resolv'd, that thou shalt spend some time
With Valentinus in the emperor's court;
What maintenance he from his friends receives,
Like exhibition thou shalt have from me.
To-morrow be in readiness to go:
Excuse it not, for I am peremptory.

Pro. My lord, I cannot be so soon provided;
Please you deliberate a day or two.

Ant. Look, what thou want'st, shall be sent
after thee:

No more of stay; to-morrow thou must go.-
Come on, Panthino; you shall be employed
To hasten on his expedition.

[Exeunt ANT. and PANT. Pro. Thus have I shunn'd the fire for fear of

And drench'd me in the sea, where I am drown'd; burning;

I fear'd to shew my father Julia's letter,
Lest he should take exceptions to my love;
And with the vantage of mine own excuse
Hath he excepted most against my love.
O, how this spring of love resembleth

The uncertain glory of an April day;
Which now shows all the beauty of the sun,
And by and by a cloud takes all away!
Re-enter PANTHINO.

Pant. Sir Proteus, your father calls for you;
He is in haste, therefore, I pray you go.
Pro. Why, this it is! my heart accords thereto;
And yet a thousand times it answers, no.

Act Second.

[Exeunt.

Sweet ornament that decks a thing divine!
Ah, Silvia! Silvia!

Speed. Madam Silvia! Madam Silvia!
Val. How now, sirrah?

Speed. She is not within hearing, sir.
Val. Why, sir, who bade you call her?
Speed. Your worship, sir; or else I mistook.
Val. Well, you'll still be too forward.
Speed. And yet I was last chidden for being
too slow.

Val. Go to, sir; tell me, do you know madam
Silvia ?

Speed. She that your worship loves?

Val. Not so fair, boy, as well favour'd.
Speed. Sir, I know that well enough.
Val. What dost thou know?

Speed. That she is not so fair, as (of you) well favour'd.

Val. I mean, that her beauty is exquisite, but her favour infinite.

Speed. That's because the one is painted, and the other out of all count.

Val. How painted? and how out of count? Speed. Marry, sir, so painted to make her fair, that no man counts of her beauty.

Val. How esteem'st thou me? I account of her beauty.

Speed. You never saw her since she was deformed.

Val. How long hath she been deform'd?
Speed. Ever since you loved her.

Val. I have loved her ever since I saw her; and still I see her beautiful.

Speed. If you love her, you cannot see her.
Val. Why?

Speed. Because love is blind. O, that you had mine eyes; or your own eyes had the lights they were wont to have, when you chid at Sir Proteus for going ungartered!

Val. What should I see then?

Speed. Your own present folly, and her passing deformity: for he, being in love, could not see to garter his hose; and you, being in love, cannot see to put on your hose.

Val. Belike, boy, then you are in love; for last morning you could not see to wipe my shoes.

Speed. True, sir; I was in love with my bed. I thank you, you swinged me for my love, which makes me the bolder to chide you for yours.

Val. In conclusion, I stand affected to her Speed. I would you were set, so, your affection would cease.

Val. Last night she enjoined me to write some lines to one she loves. Speed. And have you?

Val. I have.

Speed. Are they not lamely writ?

Val. No, boy, but as well as I can do them :Peace, here she comes.

Enter SILVIA.

Val. Why, how know you that I am in love? Speed. Marry, by these special marks: First you have learned, like Sir Proteus, to wreath your arms like a male-content: to relish a lovesong, like a robin-red-breast; to walk alone, like one that had the pestilence; to sigh, like a schoolboy that had lost his A B C; to weep, like a young wench that had buried her grandam; to fast like one that takes diet; to watch, like one Speed. O excellent motion! O exceeding pupthat fears robbing; to speak puling, like a beg-pet! now will he interpret to her. gar at Hollowmas. You were wont, when you laugh'd, to crow like a cock; when you walked, to walk like one of the lions; when you fasted, it was presently after dinner; when you looked sadly, it was for want of money; and now you are metamorphosed with a mistress, that, when I look on you, I can hardly think you my master. Val. Are all these things perceived in me? Speed. They are all perceived without you. Val. Without me? They cannot.

Speed. Without you! nay, that's certain, for, without you were so simple, none else would: but you are so without these follies, that these follies are within you, and shine through you like the water in an urinal; that not an eye, that sees you, but is a physician to comment on your malady. Val. But tell me, dost thou know my lady

Silvia?

Speed. She that you gaze on so, as she sits at supper? [mean. Val. Hast thou observed that? even she 1 Speed. Why, sir, I know her not.

Val. Dost thou know her by my gazing on her, and yet know'st her not?"

Speed. Is she not hard-favour'd, sir?

Val. Madam and mistress, a thousand goodmorrows.

Speed. O, 'give you good even! here's a million of manners. [Aside. Sil. Sir Valentine and servant to you two thousand.

Speed. He should give her interest; and she gives it him.

[letter, Val. As you enjoin'd me, I have writ your Unto the secret nameless friend of yours; Which I was much unwilling to proceed in, But for my duty to your ladyship.

Sil. I thank you, gentle servant: 'tis very
clerkly done.

Val. Now trust me, madam, it came hardly off;
For, being ignorant to whom it goes,
I writ at random, very doubtfully.

Sil. Perchance you think too much of so much
pains?

Val. No, madam, so it stead you, I will write, Please you command, a thousand times as much: And yet,

Sil. A pretty period! Well, I guess the sequel; And yet I will not name it:-and yet I care

not;

And yet take this again;-and yet I thank you; |
Meaning henceforth to trouble you no more.
Speed. And yet you will; and yet another yet.
[Aside.
Val. What means your ladyship? do you not
like it?

Sil. Yes, yes; the lines are very quaintly writ:
But since unwillingly, take them again;
Nay, take them.

Val. Madam, they are for you.

Sil. Ay, ay; you writ them, sir, at my request;
But I will none of them; they are for you:
I would have had them writ more movingly.
Val. Please you, I'll write your ladyship
another.

Sül. And when it's writ, for my sake read it

over:

And, if it please you, so; if not, why, so.

Val. If it please me, madam! what then? S.Why if it please you, take it for your labour; And so good-morrow, servant. [Exit SILVIA. Speed. O jest unseen, inscrutable, invisible, As a nose on a man's face, or a weathercock on a steeple!

My master sues to her; and she hath taught
her suitor,

He being her pupil to become her tutor.
O excellent device! was there ever heard a
better?

That my master, being scribe, to himself should

write the letter?

Val. How now, sir? what are you reasoning with yourself?

Speed. Nay, I was rhyming;' 'tis you the reason.

Val. To do what?

that have

Sneed. To be a spokesman from madam Silvia.

Val. To whom?

Speed. To yourself: why she woos you by figure.

Val. What figure?

Speed. By a letter, I should say.

a

Val. Why, she hath not writ to me? Speed. What need she, when she hath made you write to yourself? Why, do you not perceive the jest.

Val. No, believe me.
Speed. No believing you indeed, sir: But did
you perceive her earnest?

Val. She gave me none, except an angry word.
Speed. Why, she hath given you a letter.
Val. That's the letter I writ to her friend.

Speed. And that letter hath she deliver'd, and there an end.

Val. I would it were no worse.
Speed. I'll warrant you, 'tis as well:

For often have you writ to her; and she, in modesty,
Or else for want of idle time, could not again reply;
Or fearing else some messenger, that might her mind
discover,

Herself hath taught her love himself to write unto

her lover.

All this I speak in print; for in print I found it
Why muse you, sir? 'tis dinner-time.

Val. I have dined.

Pro. When possibly I can, I will return.
Jul. If you turn not, you will return the sooner:
Keep this remembrance for thy Julia's sake.
[Giving a ring.

Pro. Why then we'll make exchange; here,
take you this.

Jul. And seal the bargain with a holy kiss.
Pro. Here is my hand for my true constancy;
And when that hour o'er-slips me in the day,
Wherein I sigh not, Julia, for thy sake,
The next ensuing hour some foul mischance
Torment me for my love's forgetfulness!
My father stays my coming: answer not:
The tide is now: nay, not thy tide of tears;
That tide will stay me longer than I should;
[Exit JULIA.

Julia, farewell.-What! gone without a word!
Ay, so true love should do: it cannot speak;
For truth hath better deeds than words to grace
it.

Enter PANTHINO.

Pant. Sir Proteus, you are staid for.
Pro. Go; I come, I come :-

Alas! this parting strikes poor lovers dumb.
[Exeunt.

SCENE III. The same. A Street.

Enter LAUNCE, leading a dog.
Laun. Nay, 'twill be this hour ere I have done

weeping; all the kind of the Launces have this
the prodigious son, and am going with sir Pro-
very fault; I have received my proportion, like
teus to the Imperial's court. I think, Crab my
dog be the sourest-natured dog that lives: my
mother weeping, my father wailing, my sister
hands, and all our house in a great perplexity,
crying, our maid howling, our cat wringing her
he is a stone, a very pebble stone, and has no
yet did not this cruel-hearted cur shed one tear:
more pity in him than a dog: a Jew would have
wept to have seen our parting; why my gran-
dam having no eyes, look you, wept herself blind
of it: This shoe is my father:-no, this left shoe
at my parting. Nay, I'll show you the manner
is my father;-no, no, this left shoe is my mo-
ther; nay, that cannot be so neither;-yes, it
it is so, it is so; it hath the worser sole; This shoe
with the hole in it, is my mother; and this my
this staff is my sister; for, look you she is as
father: A vengeance on't! there 'tis: now, sir,
white as a lily, and as small as a wand: this hat
is himself, and I am the dog;-oh, the dog is me,
is Nan, our maid; I am the dog:-no, the dog
and I am myself: Ay, so, so. Now come I to
my father; Father, your blessing; now should not
kiss my father; well, he weeps on:-now come
the shoe speak a word for weeping; now should
to my mother, (O that she could speak now!)
like a wood woman;-well, I kiss her;-why
down: now come I to my sister; mark the moan
there 'tis; here's my mother's breath up and
a tear, nor speaks a word; but see how I lay
she makes: now the dog all this while sheds not
the dust with my tears.

I

I

Enter PANTHINO.

Speed. Ay, but hearken, sir; though the chameleon Love can feed on the air, I am one Pan. Launce, away, away, aboard; thy masthat am nourished by my victuals, and would ter is shipped, and thou art to post after with fain have meat: O, be not like your mistress; oars. What's the matter? why weepest thou, be moved, be moved. man? Away, ass; you will lose the tide, if you tarry any longer.

[Exeunt.

SCENE II. Verona. A Room in Julia's House.

Enter PROTEUS and JULIA. Pro. Have patience, gentle Julia. Jul. I must, where is no remedy.

Laun. It is no matter if the ty'd were lost; for it is the unkindest ty'd that ever any man ty'd. Pan. What's the unkindest tide?

Laun. Why, he that's ty'd here; Crab, my dog.