Sir Eglamour, I would to Valentine,
To Mantua, where, I hear, he makes abode:
And, for the ways are dangerous to pass,
I do defire thy worthy company;
Upon whofe faith and honour I repose.
Urge not my father's anger, Eglamour,
But think upon my grief, a lady's grief;
And on the juftice of my flying hence;
To keep me from a most unholy match,
Which heaven and fortune still reward with plagues.
I do defire thee, even from a heart

As full of forrows as the fea of fands,
To bear me company, and go with me:
If not; to hide what I have faid to thee,
That I may venture to depart alone.

Egl. Madam, I pity much your grievances;
Which, fince, I know, they virtuously are plac'd,
I give consent to go along with you;

Recking as little what betideth me,

As much I wish all good befortune you.
When will you go
go?

Sil. This evening coming.

Egl. Where fhall I meet you?
Sil. At friar Patrick's cell;

Where I intend holy confeffion.

Egl. I will not fail your ladyfhip:

Good morrow, gentle lady.

Sil. Good morrow, kind Sir Eglamour. [Exeunt.

When a man's fervant fhall play the cur with him, look you, it goes hard: one that I brought up of a

be dreft; and will account for Silvia's having chofen him as a perfon in whom she could confide without injury to her own character. STEEVENS.

grievances;] Sorrows, forrowful affections. JOHNSON.

puppy;

puppy; one that I fav'd from drowning, when three or four of his blind brothers and fifters went to it! I have taught him even as one would fay precisely, Thus I would teach a dog. I went to deliver him, as a prefent to mistress Silvia, from my mafter; and I came no fooner into the dining-chamber, but he steps me to her trencher, and fteals her capon's leg. O, 'tis a foul thing, when a cur cannot keep himself in all companies! I would have, as one should fay, one that takes upon him to be a dog indeed, to be, as it were, a dog at all things. If I had not had more wit than he, to take a fault upon me that he did, I think verily he had been hang'd for't; fure as I live, he had fuffer'd for't: you fhall judge. He thrusts me himself into the company of three or four gentleman-like dogs, under the duke's table: he had not been there (blefs the mark) a piffing while, but all the chamber fmelt him. Out with the dog, fays one; what cur is that? fays another; whip him out, says the third, bang him up, fays the duke. I, having been acquainted with the fmell before, knew it was Crab, and goes me to the fellow that whips the dogs: Friend, quoth I, you mean to whip the dog? Ay, marry, do I, quoth he. You do him the more wrong, quoth I; 'twas I did the thing you wot of. He makes no more ado, but whips me out of the chamber. How many masters would do this for 2 their fervant? nay, I'll be fworn I have fat in the ftocks for puddings he hath ftolen, otherwife he had been executed: I have stood on the pillory for geefe he hath kill'd, otherwife he had fuffer'd for't. Thou think'ft not of this now. Nay, I remember the trick you ferv'd me, when I took my leave of madam Silvia; did not I

to be a dog-] I believe we fhould read, I would have, &c. one that takes upon him to be a dog, to be a dog indeed, to be, &c. JOHNSON.

2

their fervant?·

bis fervaut ?

] The old copy reads,

STEEVENS.

bid thee ftill mark me, and do as I do? when didst thou fee me heave up my leg, and make make water against a gentlewoman's farthingale? didft thou ever fee me do fuch a trick?

Enter Protheus and Julia.

Pro. Sebastian is thy name? I like thee well; And will employ thee in fome fervice presently. Jul. In what you please :-I'll do, Sir, what I can. Pro. I hope, thou wilt.-How now, you whorefon peafant,

[To Launce. Where have been these two days loitering? Laun. Marry, Sir, I carry'd mistress Silvia the dog you bade me.

Pro. And what fays fhe to my little jewel?

Laun. Marry, fhe fays, your dog was a cur; and tells you, currifh thanks is good enough for fuch a prefent.

Pro. But fhe receiv'd my dog?

Laun. No, indeed, fhe did not: here I have brought him back again.

Pro. What, didft thou offer her this from me?

Laun. Ay, Sir; the other squirrel was ftol'n from me by the hangman's boy in the market-place: and then I offer'd her mine own, who is a dog as big as ten of yours, and therefore the gift the greater.

Pro. Go, get thee hence, and find my dog again, Or ne'er return again into my fight.

Away, I say: ftay'st thou to vex me here?

A flave, that, ftill an end, turns me to fhame.

Sebastian, I have entertained thee,

[Exit Launce.

Partly, that I have need of fuch a youth,
That can with fome difcretion do my business,
(For 'tis no trufting to yon foolish lowt)
But, chiefly, for thy face and thy behaviour;
Which (if my augury deceive me not)

Witnefs

Witnefs good bringing up, fortune, and truth;
Therefore know thou, for this I entertain thee.
Go presently, and take this ring with thee;
Deliver it to madam Silvia:

She lov'd me well, deliver'd it to me.

Jul. 3 It seems, you lov'd not her, to leave her

token:

She's dead, belike.

Pro. Not fo: I think, fhe lives.
Ful. Alas!

Pro. Why do'st thou cry, alas?

Jul. I cannot chufe but pity her.

Pro. Wherefore should't thou pity her?

Jul. Because, methinks, that fhe lov'd you as well As you do love your lady Silvia:

She dreams on him, that has forgot her love; You doat on her, that cares not for your love. 'Tis pity love should be fo contrary;

And, thinking on it, makes me cry, alas!

Pro. Well, give her that ring, and therewithal This letter; that's her chamber.Tell my lady, I claim the promise for her heavenly picture. Your meffage done, hie home unto my chamber, Where thou fhalt find me fad and folitary.

[Exit Protheus, Jul. How many women would do fuch a meffage? Alas, poor Protheus! thou haft entertain'd A fox, to be the fhepherd of thy lambs : Alas?-poor fool! why do I pity him, That with his very heart despiseth me? Because he loves her, he defpifeth me; Because I love him, I must pity him.

3 It feems, you lov'd not her, to leave her token :] Protheus does not properly leave his lady's token, he gives it away. The old edition has it,

It seems you lov'd her not, not leave her token. I should correct it thus,

It seems you lov'd her not, nor love her token. JOHNS.

This ring I gave him when he parted from me,
To bind him to remember my good will.
And now I am (unhappy meffenger)

To plead for that, which I would not obtain;
+ To carry that which I would have refus'd;
To praise his faith, which I would have difprais'd.
I am my master's true confirmed love,

But cannot be true fervant to my mafter
Unless I prove falfe traitor to myself.
Yet will I woo for him; but yet fo coldly,
As, heaven it knows, I would not have him speed.

Enter Silvia.

Gentlewoman, good day! I pray you, be my mean
To bring me where to speak with madam Silvia.
Sil. What would you with her, if that I be she?
Jul. If you be fhe, I do intreat your patience
To hear me speak the meffage I am fent on.
Sil. From whom?

Jul. From my master, Sir Protheus, madam.
Sil. Oh! he fends you for a picture?
Jul. Ay, madam.

Sil. Urfula, bring my picture there.

Go, give your mafter this: tell him from me,
One Julia, that his changing thoughts forget,
Would better fit his chamber than this fhadow.
Jul. Madam, please you peruse this letter.
-Pardon me, madam; I have unadvis'd
Deliver'd you a paper that I fhould not:
This is the letter to your ladyfhip.

Sil. I pray thee, let me look on that again.
Jul. It may not be; good madam, pardon me.
Sil. There, hold.

I will not look upon your mafter's lines:

To carry that, which I would have refus'd;] The fenfe is, To go and prefent that which I wish to be not accepted, to praife him whom I wish to be difpraifed. JOHNSON.