Out at the postern by the abbey wall;
I fear, I am attended by some spies.

Egl. Fear not: the forest is not three leagues If we recover that, we are sure enough. [off; [Exeunt. SCENE 11.-The same.-An Apartment in the DUKE's palace.

Enter THURIO, PROTEUS, and JULIA. Thu. Sir Proteus, what says Silvia to my suit? Pro. O, Sir, I find her milder than she was; And yet she takes exceptions at your person. Thu. What, that my leg is too long? Pro. No; that it is too little.

Thu. I'll wear a boot, to make it somewhat rounder.

Pro. But love will not be spurr'd to what it loaths.

Thu. What says she to my face?
Pro. She says, it is a fair one.

Thu, Nay, then the wanton lies; my face is black.

Pro. But pearls are fair; and the old saying is, Black men are pearls in beauteous ladies' eyes. Jul. "Tis true; such pearls as put out ladies'

Pro. Neither.

SCENE III.-Frontiers of Mantua.-The Forest.
Enter SILVIA and OUTLAWS.
Out. Come, come,

Be patient, we must bing you to our captain.
Sil. A thousand more mischances than this one
Have learn'd me how to brook this patiently.
2 Out. Come, bring her away.

Out. Where is the gentleman that was with
her?

3 Out. Being nimble footed, he hath outrun But Moyses, and Valerius, follow him. [us, Go thou with her to the west end of the wood, There is our captain: we'll follow him that's The thicket is beset, he cannot 'scape. [fled; 1 Out. Come, I must bring you to our captain's cave:

Fear not; he bears an honourable mind,
And will not use a woman lawlessly.
Sil. O Valentine, this I endure for thee!

[Exeunt.

SCENE IV.-Another part of the Forest.
Enter VALENTINE.

Val. How use doth breed a habit in a man!
This shadowy desert, unfrequented woods,
I better brook than flourishing peopled towns:
Here can I sit alone, unseen of any,
And, to the nightingale's complaining notes,
Tune my distresses, and recordt my woes.
O thou that dost inhabit in my breast,
Leave not the mansion so long tenantless;
Lest, growing ruinous, the building fall,
And leave no memory of what it was!
Repair me with thy presence, Silvia;
Thou gentle nymph, cherish thy forlorn swain!
What halloing, and what stir, is this to-day?
These are my mates, that make their wills their

law,

Have some unhappy passenger in chase: They love me well; yet I have much to do, To keep them from uncivil outrages. Withdraw thee, Valentine; who's this comes here? [Steps aside.

Enter PROTEUS, SILVIA, and JULIA. Pro. Madam, this service I have done for you, [doth.)

ant Valentine;

And Eglamour is in her company.

Tis true; for friar Laurence met them both,
As he in penance wander'd through the forest:
Him he knew well, and guess'd that it was she;
But, being mask'd, he was not sure of it:
Besides, she did intend confession [not:
At Patrick's cell this even; and there she was
These likelihoods confirm her flight from hence.
Therefore, I pray you, stand not to discourse,
But mount you presently; and meet with me
Upon the rising of the mountain foot [fled:
That leads towards Mantua, whither they are
Despatch, sweet gentlemen, and follow me.

[Exit. Thu. Why, this it is to be a peevish‡ girl,

To hazard life, and rescue you from him
That wou'd have forc'd your honour and your
love.

Vouchsafe me, for my meed, but one fair look;
A smaller boon than this I cannot beg,
And less than this, I am sure, you cannot give.
Val. How like a dream is this I see and hear!
Love, lend me patience to forbear a while.

[Aside.

Sil. O miserable, unhappy that I am! Pro. Unhappy, were you, madam, ere I came; But, by my coming, I have made you happy. Sil. By thy approach thou mak'st me most

unhappy.

Jul. And me, when ie approacheth to your presence. {Aside.

Sil. Had I been seized by a hungry lion, I would have been a breakfast to the beast, Rather than have false Proteus rescue me. O, heaven be judge, how I love Valentine, Whose life's as tender to me as my soul; And full as much (for more there cannot be,) I do detest false perjur'd Proteus : Therefore be gone, solicit me no more.

Pro. What dangerous action, stood it next to death,

Would I not undergo for one calm look?
O, 'tis the curse in love, and still approv'd,*
When women cannot love where they're belov'd.
Sil. When Proteus cannot love where he's be-
lov'd.

Read over Julia's heart, thy first best love,
For whose dear sake thou didst then rend thy
faith

Into a thousand oaths; and all those oaths Descended into perjury, to love me. [two, Thou hast no faith left now, unless thou hadst And that's far worse than none; better have

[Gives a ring.

1

Jul. Here 'tis : this is it. Pro. How! let me see: Why this is the ring I gave to Julia. Jul. O, cry your mercy, Sir, I have mistook; This is the ring you sent to Silvia.

[Shows another ring. 1 Pro. But, how cam'st thou by this ring? at my depart,

I gave this unto Julia.

Jul. And Julia herself did give it me; And Julia herself hath brought it hither. Pro. How! Julia!

Jul. Behold her that gave aim to all thy

oaths,

And entertain❜d them deeply in her heart:
How oft hast thou with perjury cleft the root?
O Proteus, let this habit make thee blush!
Be thou asham'd, that I have took upon me
Such an immodest raiment; if shame live
In a disguise of love:

It is the lesser blot, modesty finds, [minds.
Women to change their shapes, than men their
Pro. Than men their minds? 'tis true: 0
heaven! were man

But constant, he were perfect: that one error Fills him with faults; makes him run through all sins:

Inconstancy falls off, ere it begins:
What is in Silvia's face, but I may spy
More fresh in Julia's with a constant eye?

Val. Come, come, a hand from either:
Let me be blest to make this happy close?
Twere pity two such friends should be long foes.
Pro. Bear witness, heaven, I have my wish
for ever.

Jul. And I have mine.

Enter OUTLAWs, with DUKE and THURIO. Out. A prize, a prize, a prize!

Val. Forbear, I say; it is my lord the duke. Your grace is welcome to a man disgrac'd, Banish'd Valentine.

Duke. Sir Valentine!

Thu. Yonder is Silvia; and Silvia's mine. Val. Thurio give back, or else embrace thy death;

Come not within the measure of my wrath:
Do not name Silvia thine; if once again,
Milan shall not behold thee. Here she stands,
Take but possession of her with a touch ;-
I dare thee but to breathe upon my love.-

Thu. Sir Valentine, I care not for her, I;
I hold him but a fool, that will endanger
His body for a girl that loves him not:
I claim her not, and therefore she is thine.

Duke. The more degenerate and base art thou, To make such means for her as thou hast done, And leave her on such slight conditions.Now, by the honour of my ancestry, I do applaud thy spirit, Valentine, And think thee worthy of an empress' love. Know then, I here forget all former griefs, Cancel all grudge, repeal thee home again.Plead a new state in thy unrivall'd merit, To which I thus subscribe,-Sir Valentine, Thou art a gentleman, and well deriv'd; Take thou thy Silvia, for thou hast deserv'd her. Val. I thank your grace; the gift hath made

me happy.

I now beseech you, for your daughter's sake, To grant one boon that I shall ask of you.

Duke. I grant it, for thine own, whate'er it be.

Val. These banish'd men, that I have kept

withal,

Are men endued with worthy qualities;

Forgive them what they have committed here,
And let them be recall'd from their exile:
They are reformed, civil, full of good,
And fit for great employment, worthy lord.
Duke. Thou hast prevail'd: I pardon them,
and th2?;

Dispose of them, as thou know'st their deserts.
Come, let us go; we will include all jars
With triumphs, mirth, and rare solemnity.
Val. And, as we walk along, I dare be bold
With our discourse to make your grace to
simile:
+ biasks, revels.

What think you of this page, my lord? Duke. I think the boy hath grace in him; he blushes.

Val. I warrant you, my lord; more grace than boy.

Duke. What mean you by that saying?
Val. Please you, I'll tell you as we pass
along,

That you will wonder what hath fortuned.-
Come, Proteus; 'tis your penance, but to hear
The story of your loves discovered:
That done, our day of marriage shall be yours;
One feast, one house, one mutual happiness.
́¡Exeunt,

But do not like to stage me to their eyes:
Though it do well, I do not relish well
Their loud applause, and aves* vehement,
Nor do I think the man of safe discretion,
That does affect it. Once more, fare you well.
Ang. The heavens give safety to your pur-
poses!

Escal. Lead forth, and bring you back in happiness.

Duke. I thank you: Fare you well. [Exit. Escal. I shall desire you, Sir, to give me leave To have free speech with you; and it concerns To look into the bottom of my place: [me A power I have; but of what strength and naI am not yet instructed.

[ture Ang. "Tis so with me:-Let us withdraw together,

And we may soon our satisfaction have
Touching that point.

Escal. I'll wait upon your honour. [Exeunt.

SCENE II-A Street.

Enter LUCIO and two GENTLemen.

Lucio. If the duke, with the other dukes, come not to composition with the king of Hungary, why, then all the dukes fall upon the king.

1 Gent. Heaven grant us its peace, but not the king of Hungary's!

2 Gent. Amen.

Lucio. Thou concludest like the sanctimonious pirate, that went to sea with the ten commandments, but scraped one out of the table. 2 Gent. Thou shalt not steal? Lucio. Ay, that he razed.

1 Gent. Why, 'twas a commandment to command the captain and all the rest from their functions; they put forth to steal: There's not a soldier of us all, that, in the thanksgiving before meat, doth relish the petition well that prays for peace.

2 Gent. I never heard any soldier dislike it. Lucio. I believe thee; for, I think, thou never wast where grace was said.

2 Gent. No? a dozen times at least.

1 Gent. What? in metre?

Lucio. In any proportion,+ or in any language. 1 Gent. I think, or in any religion. Lucio. Ay! why not? Grace is grace, despite of all controversy: As for example; Thou thyself art a wicked villain, despite of all grace. 1 Gent. Well, there went but a pair of sheers between us.‡

Lucio. I grant; as there may between the lists and the velvet: Thou art the list.

1 Gent. And thou the velvet: thou art good velvet; thou art a three-pil'd piece, I warrant thee: I had as lief be a list of an English kersey, as be pil'd, as thou art pil'd, for a French velvet. Do I speak feelingly now? Lucio. I think thou dost; and, indeed, with most painful feeling of thy speech: I will, out of thine own confession, learn to begin thy health; but, whilst I live, forget to drink after thee.

1 Gent. I think, I have done myself wrong; have I not?

2 Gent. Yes, that thou hast; whether thou art tainted, or free.

Lucio. Behold, behold, where madam Mitigation comes! I have purchased as many diseases under her roof, as come to2 Gent. To what, I pray?

1 Gent. Judge.

⚫ Hailings. + Measure. 1 A cut of the same cloth. A jest on the loss of hair by the French discase

1 Gent. How now? Which of your hips has the most profound sciatica?

Bawd. Well, well; there's one yonder arrested, and carried to prison, was worth five thousand of you all.

1 Gent. Who's that, I pray thee? Bawd. Marry, Sir, that's Claudio, signior Claudio.

1 Gent. Claudio to prison! 'tis not so.

Baud. Nay, but I know, 'tis so: I saw him arrested; saw him carried away; and, which is more, within these three days his head's to be chopped off.

Lucio. But, after all this fooling, I would not have it so: Art thou sure of this?

Bawd. I am too sure of it: and it is for getting madam Julietta with child.

Lucio. Believe me, this may be: he promised to meet me two hours since; and he was ever precise in promise-keeping.

2 Gent. Besides, you know, it draws something near to the speech we had to such a

Clo. Yonder man is carried to prison.
Bawd. Well; what has he done?
Clo. A woman.

Bawd. But what's his offence?

Clo. Groping for trouts in a peculiar river. Bawd. What, is there a maid with child by him?

Clo. No; but there's a woman with maid by him: You have not heard of the proclamation, have you?

Bawd. What, proclamation, man.

Clo. All houses in the suburbs of Vienna must be pluck'd down.

Bawd. And what shall become of those in the city?

Clo. They shall stand for seed: they had one down too, but that a wise burgher put in

for them.

Bawd. But shall all our houses of resort in the suburbs be pull'd down?

Clo. To the ground, mistress.

Bawd. Why, here's a change, indeed, in the commonwealth! What shall become of me?

lack no clients: though you change your place, Clo. Come; fear not you; good counsellors you need not change your trade; I'll be your tapster still. Courage; there will be pity taken on you: you that have worn your eyes almost out in the service, you will be considered. Baud. What's to do here, Thomas Tapster? Let's withdraw.