That my master, being scribe, to himself should Keep this remembrance for thy Julia's sake.

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,16 for in print I found it.—
Why muse yo 1, sir? 'tis dinner-time.

Jul. And seal the bargain with a holy kiss.
Pro. Here is my hand for my true constancy;
And when that hour o'erslips 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:
Julia, farewell!
[Exit JULIA.

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.

Pan. Sir Proteus, you are stay'd for.
Pro. Go; I come, I come.-

Alas! this parting strikes poor lovers dumb.

[Exeunt.

SCENE III. VERONA. A street.

Enter LAUNCE, leading a dog.

Launce. Nay, 'twill be this hour ere I have done weeping; all the kind of the Launces have this very fault. I have received my proportion, like the prodigious son, and am going with Sir Proteus to the imperial's court. I think Crab my dog be the sourest-natured dog that lives: my Speed. Ay, but hearken, sir; though the came- mother weeping, my father wailing, my sister cryleon Love can feed on the air, I am one that aming, our maid howling, our cat wringing her hands, nourished by my victuals, and would fain have meat. Oh, be not like your mistress; be moved, be moved.17

Val. I hav: dined.

[Exeunt.

and all our house in a great perplexity, yet did not this cruel-hearted cur shed one tear: he is a stone, a very pebble-stone, and has no more pity in him than a dog a Jew would have wept to have seen our parting; why, my grandam, having no eyes, look you, wept herself blind at my parting. Nay, I'll show you the manner of it. This shoe is my father;-no, this left shoe is my father;-no, no, this left shoe is my mother;—nay, that cannot be so neither;-yes, it is so, it is so, it hath the worser sole. This shoe is my mother, and this my father; a vengeance on't! there 'tis: now, sir, this staff is my sister; for, look you, she is as white as a lily, and as small as a wand: this hat is Nan, our maid: I am the dog;-no, the dog is himself, and

16. In print. Literally, exactly. Speed pretends to quote precisely some lines he has read.

17. Be moved. Used quibblingly for 'have compassion on my hunger,' and for 'move on towards the dinner-table.'

18. Turn not. Turn not from your pledged love and faith. 19. Kind. Used for kindred.

I am the dog,-oh, the dog is me, and I am myself; ay, so, so. Now come I to my father; "Father, your blessing!" now should not the shoe speak a word for weeping: now should I kiss my father; well, he weeps on. Now come I to my mother ;oh, that she could speak now! like a wood woman! 20 -well, I kiss her;-why, there 'tis; here's my mother's breath up and down. Now come I to my sister; mark the moan she makes. Now the dog all this while sheds not a tear, nor speaks a word: but see how I lay the dust with my tears.

Enter PANTHINO.

Pan. Launce, away, away, aboard! thy master is shipped, and thou art to post after with oars. What's the matter? why weepest thou, man? Away, ass! you'll lose the tide, if you tarry any longer.

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

Launce. Why, he that's tied here,-Crab, my dog.

Pan. Tut, man, I mean thou'lt lose the flood: and, in losing the flood, lose thy voyage; and, in losing thy voyage, lose thy master; and, in losing thy master, lose thy service; and, in losing thy service,-Why dost thou stop my mouth ? Launce. For fear thou shouldst lose thy tongue. Pan. Where should I lose my tongue? Launce. In thy tale.

Pan. In thy tail!

Launce. Lose the tide, and the voyage, and the master, and the service, and the tied! Why, man, if the river were dry, I am able to fill it with my tears; if the wind were down, I could drive the boat with my sighs.

Pan. Come, come away, man; I was sent to

call thee.

Launce. Sir, call me what thou darest.
Pan. Wilt thou go?

Launce. Well, I will go.

Sil. What, angry, Sir Thurio! do you change colour?

Val. Give him leave, madam; he is a kind of cameleon.

Thu. That hath more mind to feed on your blood than live in your air.

Val. You have said, sir.

Thu. Ay, sir, and done too, for this time.

Val. I know it well, sir; you always end ere you begin.

Sil. A fine volley of words, gentlemen, and quickly shot off.

Val. 'Tis indeed, madam; we thank the giver.
Sil. Who is that, servant?

Val. Yourself, sweet lady; for you gave the fire. Sir Thurio borrows his wit from your ladyship's looks, and spends what he borrows kindly in your company.

Thu. Sir, if you spend word for word with me, I shall make your wit bankrupt.

Val. I know it well, sir; you have an exchequer of words, and, I think, no other treasure to give your followers, for it appears, by their bare live[Exeunt. ries, that they live by your bare words.

SCENE IV.-MILAN, A room in the DUKE'S
Palace.

Enter SILVIA, Valentine, Thurio, and Speed.

Sil. Servant,

Val. Mistress?

Speed. Master, Sir Thurio frowns on you.
Val. Ay, boy, it's for love.

20. Wood woman. "Wood" is an old word for crazy, distracted, mad.

21. Up and down. An expression formerly in use, meaning something similar to our modern phrase, out and out,' or

Sil. No more, gentlemen, no more: comes my father.

Enter DUKE.

- here

Duke. Now, daughter Silvia, you are hard be

set.

Sir Valentine, your father's in good health:
What say you to a letter from your friends
Of much good news?
Val.

My lord, I will be thankful

'beyond mistake;' it is used here also to express the panting of old Mrs. Launce's "breath."

22. Quote it in your jerkin. "Quote" being formerly often pronounced like coat, affords the pun here. To "quote" was sometimes used for to note, to remark, to observe.

Val. Ay, my good lord, I know the gentleman To be of worth, and worthy estimation,

And not without desert so well reputed.

Duke. Hath he not a son ?

Val. Ay, my good lord; a son that well deserves The honour and regard of such a father.

Duke. You know him well?

Sil. Have done, have done; here comes the gentleman.

Enter PROTEUS.

Val. Welcome, dear Proteus !-Mistress, I be-
seech you,

Confirm his welcome with some special favour.
Sil. His worth is warrant for his welcome hither,
If this be he you oft have wish'd to hear from.
Val. Mistress, it is: sweet lady, entertain him

Val. I know him as myself; for from our in- To be my fellow-servant to your ladyship.
fancy

We have convers'd and spent our hours together:
And though myself have been an idle truant,
Omitting the sweet benefit of time

To clothe mine age with angel-like perfection,
Yet hath Sir Proteus,-for that's his name,-
Made use and fair advantage of his days:
His years but young, but his experience old;
His head unmellow'd, but his judgment ripe ;
And, in a word,-for far behind his worth
Come all the praises that I now bestow,—
He is complete in feature 23 and in mind,
With all good grace to grace a gentleman.

Duke. Beshrew 24 me, sir; but if he make this

good,

Duke. Welcome him, then, according to his

worth.

Silvia, I speak to you; and you, Sir Thurio:-
For Valentine, I need not cite him to it.
I'll send him hither to you presently.

[Exit.

Val. This is the gentleman I told your ladyship
Had come along with me, but that his mistress
Did hold his eyes lock'd in her crystal looks.

Sil. Belike that now she hath enfranchis'd them,

Upon some other pawn for fealty.

Sil. Too low a mistress for so high a servant.
Pro. Not so, sweet lady; but too mean a servant
To have a look of such a worthy mistress.
Val. Leave off discourse of disability :-
Sweet lady, entertain him for your servant.
Pro. My duty will I boast of, nothing else.
Sil. And duty never yet did want his meed.
Servant, you are welcome to a worthless mistress.
Pro. I'll die on him that says so, but yourself.
That you are welcome?

Sil.

Pro.

That you are worthless.

Enter an Attendant.

Att. Madam, my lord your father would speak

with you.

Sil. I wait upon his pleasure.

[Exit Att.
Come, Sir Thurio,
Go with me.-Once more, new servant, welcome:
I'll leave you to confer of home affairs;
When you have done, we look to hear from you.
Pro. We'll both attend upon your ladyship.
[Exeunt SILVIA and THURIO.
Val. Now, tell me, how do all from whence you

came ?

Pro. Your friends are well, and have them much commended.

Val. And how do yours?

Pro.
I left them all in health.
Val. How does your lady? and how thrives
your love?

Pro. My tales of love were wont to weary you;
I know you joy not in a love-discourse.

Val. Ay, Proteus, but that life is alter'd now;

Val. Nay, sure, I think she holds them prisoners I have done penance for contemning Love; still.

Whose high imperious 25 thoughts have punish'd me

Sil. Nay, then, he should be blind; and, being With bitter fasts, with penitential groans,