Shakspeare's Dramatic Works

Thu. How?

Sil. What, angry, fir 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 faid, fir.

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

Val. I know it well, fir; you always end ere 10 you begin.

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

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

Val. Yourfelf, fweet lady; for you gave the fire; fir Thurio borrows his wit from your ladyfhip's looks, and spends what he borrows, kindly in your company.

Thu. Sir, if you spend word for word with me, 120 fhall make your wit bankrupt.

Val. I know it well, fir; you have an exchequer of words, and, I think, no other treasure to give your followers; for it appears by their bare liveries, that they live by your bare words. Sil. No more, gentlemen, no more; here comes my father.

Enter the Duke.

Now, daughter Sylvia, you are hard befet.
Sir Valentine, your father's in good health:
What fay you to a letter from your friends
Of much good news?

Val. My lord, I will be thankful

To any happy meffenger from thence.

Duke. Know you Don Anthonio,your countryman? 35
Val. Ay, my good lord, I know the gentleman
To be of worth, and worthy estimation,

And not without defert fo well reputed.

Duke. Hath he not a fon?

[ferves

Val. Ay, my good lord; a fon, that well de-40 The honour and regard of fuch a father.

Duke. You know him well?

Val. I knew him, as myself; for from our infancy
We have convers'd, and spent our hours together:
And though myself have been an idle truant,
Omitting the sweet bencfit of time,
To clothe mine age with angel-like perfection;
Yet hath fir Protheus, for that's his name,
Made ufe 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 praifes that I now bestow)
He is complete in feature, and in mind,
With all good grace to grace a gentleman.

Duke. Befhrew me, fir, but if he make this good,
He is as worthy for an emprefs' love,
As meet to be an emperor's counfellor.
Well fir! this gentleman is come to me,
With commendation from great potentates;
And here he means to spend his time a-while:
I think, 'tis no unwelcome news to you.
Val. Should I have wifh'd a thing, it had been he.
Duke. Welcome him then according to his worth ;|

Silvia, I fpeak to you; and you, fir Thurio :-
For Valentine, I need not cite him to it:
I'll fend him hither to you presently. [Exit Duke.
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 fhe hath enfranchis'd them
Upon fome other pawn for fealty.

Val. Nay, fure, I think, the holds them pri-
foners ftill.
[blind,

Sil. Nay, then he fhould be blind; and, being
How could he fee his way to feek out you?

Val. Why, lady, love hath twenty pair of eyes.
Thu. They fay, that love hath not an eye at all.
Val. To fee fuch lovers, Thurio, as yourself;
Upon a homely obje& love can wink.
Enter Protheus.

Sil. Have done, have done; here comes the gen-
tleman.

Val. Welcome, dear Protheus!-Mistress, I befeech you,

Confirm his welcome with fome 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: fweet lady, entertain him
To be my fellow-fervant to your ladyship.

Sil. Too low a mistress for fo high a fervant.
Pro. Not fo, fweet lady; but too mean a fervant
To have a look of fuch a worthy mistress.
Val. Leave off difcourfe of disability :-
Sweet lady, entertain him for your fervant.
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 fays fo, but yourself.
Sil. That you are welcome?

Pro. No; that you are worthless.
Enter Servant.

Ser. Madam, my lord your father would speak with you.

Sil. I'll wait upon his pleasure. [Exit Serv.] Come,

fir Thurio,

Go with me:-Once more, new fervant, welcome: I'll leave you to confer of home-affairs; 45 When you have done, we look to hear from you. Pro. We'll both attend upon your ladyship. [Exeunt Silvia and Thuric. 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

55 love?

Pro. My tales of love were wont to weary you;
I know, you joy not in a love discourse.
Val. Ay, Protheus, but that life is alter'd now:
I have done penance for contemning love;

60 Whofe high imperious thoughts have punish'd me
With bitter fafts, with penitential groans,
With nightly tears, and daily heart-fore fighs:
For, in revenge of my contempt of love,
Love hath chac'd fleep from my enthralled eyes,

And

Nor, to his fervice, no fuch joy on earth!
Now, no difcourfe, except it be of love:
Now I can break my fast, dine, sup, and sleep,
Upon the very naked name of love.

Pro. Enough; I read your fortune in your eye:]
Was this the idol that you worship so?

Val. Even the; and is the not a heavenly faint?
Pro. No; but fhe is an earthly paragon.
Val. Call her divine.

Pro. I will not flatter her.

Val. O flatter me; for love delights in praife. Pre. When I was fick, you gave me bitter pills; And I must minifter the like to you.

Val. Then speak the truth by her; if not divine,
Yet let her be a principality,

Sovereign to all the creatures on the earth.
Pre. Except my mistress.

Val. Sweet, except not any;

Except thou wilt except against my love.

Pro. Have I not reason to prefer mine own? Val. And I will help thee to prefer her too: She fhall be dignified with this high honour,To bear my lady's train; left the base earth Should from her vesture chance to steal a kifs, And, of to great a favour growing proud, Difdain to root the fummer-fwelling flower, And make rough winter everlastingly.

Pro. Why, Valentine, what braggardifm is this? Val. Pardon me, Protheus: all I can, is nothing To her, whofe worth makes other worthies nothing; She is alone 2.

Pro. Then let her alone.

[own;

Val. Not for the world; why, man, the is mine
And I as rich in having fuch a jewel,
As twenty feas, if all their fand were pearl,
The water nectar, and the rocks pure gold.
Forgive me, that I do not dream on thee,
Because thou fee'ft me doat upon my love.
My foolish rival, that her father likes,
Only for his poffeffions are so huge,
Is gone with her along; and I must after,
For love, thou know'ft, is full of jealousy.

Pro. But the loves you?

Val. Ay, and we are betroth'd; nay more, our
marriage hour,

With all the cunning manner of our flight,
Determin'd of: how I must climb her window;
The ladder made of cords; and all the means
Plotted, and 'greed on for my happiness.
Good Protheus, go with me to my chamber,
In these affairs to aid me with thy counsel.
Pro. Go on before; I fhall enquire you forth:
I muft unto the road, to difembark
Some neceffaries that I needs muft ufe;
And then I'll presently attend you.

Val. Will you make haste?

The first or principal of women.

Or as one nail by strength drives out another,
So the remembrance of my former love
5 Is by a newer object quite forgotten.
Is it mine eye, or Valentino's praise,
Her true perfection, or my falfe tranfgreffion,
That makes me, reafonless, to reason thus ?
She's fair; and fo is Julia, that I love ;-
10 That I did love, for now my love is thaw'd;
Which, like a waxen image 'gainst a fire 3,
Bears no impreffion of the thing it was.
Methinks, my zeal to Valentine is cold;
And that I love him not, as I was wont:
15Oh! but I love his lady too, too much;
And that's the reafon I love him fo little.
How fhall I dcat on her with more advice,
That thus without advice begin to love her?
Tis but her picture I have yet beheld,

20 And that hath dazzled fo my reafon's light:
But when I look on her perfections,
There is no reafon but I fhall be blind.
If I can check my erring love, I will;
If not, to compass her I'll use my skill.
SCENE

A fireet.

Enter Speed and Launce.

Speed. Launce! by mine honefty, wel

30 Milan.

[Exit.

Laun. Forfwear not thyself, fweet youth; for I am not welcome. I reckon this always-that a man is never undone till he be hang'd; nor never welcome to a place, till fome certain shot be paid, 35 and the hoftefs fay, Welcome.

Speed. Come on, you mad-cap, I'll to the alehoufe with you prefently; where, for one fhot of five pence, thou fhalt have five thousand welcomes. But, firrah, how did thy mafter part with madam 40 Julia?

Laun. Marry, after they clos'd in earnest, they parted very fairly in jeft.

Speed. But fhall she marry him?

Speed. What thou say'st?

Laun. Ay, and what I do too: look thee, I'll but lean, and my ftaff understands me.

Speed. It ftands under thee, indeed.

160 Laun. Why, ftand-under and understand is all one.

2 That is, there is none to be compar'd to her.

3 This alludes to the figures made by witches, as representatives of those whom they defigned to torment or destroy.

4 With more prudence, with more difcretion.

Speed. But tell me true, will 't be a match? Laun. Ask my dog; if he say ay, it will; if he fay, no, it will; if he shake his tail, and fay nothing, it will.

Speed. The conclufion is then, that it will.

Laun. Thou shalt never get fuch a fecret from me, but by a parable.

Speed. 'Tis well that I get it fo. But, Launce, how fay'ft thou, that my master is become a notable lover?

Laun. I never knew him otherwife.

Speed. Than how?

Laun. A notable lubber, as thou reporteft him @o be.

Without fome treachery us'd to Valentine :-
This night, he meaneth with a corded ladder
To climb celeftial Silvia's chamber-window;
Myself in counfel, his competitor 2:

5 Now prefently I'll give her father notice
Of their difguifing, and pretended 3 flight;
Who, all enrag'd, will banish Valentine;

For Thurio, he intends, fhall wed his daughter:
But, Valentine being gone, I'll quickly cross

10 By fome fly trick, blunt Thurio's dull proceeding.
Love, lend me wings to make my purpose swift,
As thou haft lent me wit to plot this drift! [Exit
SCENE VII.
Julia's house in Verona.

Speed. Why, thou whorefon ass, thou mistakest me. 15 Laun. Why, fool, I meant not thee; I meant thy master.

Speed. I tell thee, my mafter is become a hot lover. Laun. Why, I tell thee, I care not though he burn himself in love. If thou wilt go with me to 20 the alehouse, fo; if not, thou art an Hebrew, a Jew, and not worth the name of a Christian. Speed. Why?

Laun. Because thou haft not so much charity in thee, as to go to the alehouse with a Chriftian:25 wilt thou go?

Speed. At thy fervice.

SCENE VI.

Enter Protbeus.

[Exeunt.

Pro. To leave my Julia, fhall I be forfworn;
To love fair Sylvia, fhall I be forsworn;
To wrong my friend, I fhall be much forfworn;
And even that power which gave me first my oath,
Provokes me to this threefold perjury.
Love bade me fwear, and love bids me forfwear :
'O sweet-suggesting love, if thou haft finn'd,
Teach me, thy tempted subject, to excuse it!
At first I did adore a twinkling star,
But now I worship a celestial fun.
Unheedful vows may heedfully be broken;
And he wants wit, that wants refolved will
To learn his wit to exchange the bad for better.
Fie, fie, unreverend tongue! to call her bad,
Whose sovereignty so oft thou haft preferr'd
With twenty thousand foul-confirming oaths.
I cannot leave to love, and yet I do;

But there I leave to love, where I should love.
Julia I lofe, and Valentine I lofe :
If I keep them, I needs muft lofe myself;
If I lose them, this find I by their loss,
For Valentine, myfelf; for Julia, Sylvia.

Enter Julia and Lucetta.

Jul. Counfel, 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 leffon me; and tell me fome good mean, How, with my honour, I may undertake A journey to my loving Protheus.

Luc. Alas! the way is wearifome and long.
Jul. A true-devoted pilgrim is not weary
To meafure kingdoms with his feeble steps;
Much lefs fhall the, that hath love's wings to fly;
And when the flight is made to one fo dear,
Of fuch divine perfection, as fir Protheus.
Luc. Better forbear, till Protheus make return.
Jul. Oh, know'st thou not, his looks are my foul's
Pity the dearth that I have pined in, [food?

By longing for that food so long a time.
Didft thou but know the inly touch of love,
Thou would'ft as foon go kindle fire with snow,
As feek to quench the fire of love with words.

Luc. I do not feek to quench your love's hot fire;
But qualify the fire's extreme rage,

Left it should burnabovethe bounds of reafon.[burns: 40 Jul. The more thou damm'st it up, the more it The current, that with gentle murmur glides, Thou know'ft, being stopp'd, impatiently doth rage: But, when his fair courfe is not hindered, He makes mufic with the enamel'd stones, 45 Giving a gentle kiss to every sedge

He overtaketh in his pilgrimage;
And fo by many winding nooks he strays,
With willing fport, to the wild ocean.
Then let me go, and hinder not my course:
50I'll be as patient as a gentle stream,

And make a pastime of each weary step,
Till the laft ftep have brought me to my love;
And there I'll reft, as, after much turmoil,

A bleffed foul doth in Elyfium.

I to myself am dearer than a friend; For love is ftill more precious in itself;

And Silvia, witness heaven, that made her fair! Shews Julia but a swarthy Ethiope.

I will forget that Julia is alive,

Luc. But in what habit will you go along? Jul. Not like a woman; for I would prevent The loofe encounters of lascivious men :

With twenty odd-conceited true-love knots:
To be fantastic, may become a youth

Of greater time than I shall shew to be.

Luc. What fashion, madam, shall I make your breeches?

Jul. That fits as well, as" tell me, good my lord, "What compafs will you wear your farthingale?” Why, even that fashion thou best lik'st, Lucetta.

Luc. You must needs have them with a codpiece, madam.

Jul. Out, out, Lucetta! that will be ill-favour'd.
Luc. A round hofe, madam, now's not worth a
Unless you have a cod-piece to stick pins on. [pin,

Jul. Lucetta, as thou lov'ft me, let me have
What thou think'ft meet, and is most mannerly:
But tell me, wench, how will the world repute me,
For undertaking so unstaid a journey?,
I fear me, it will make me fcandaliz'd.

Luc. If you think fo,then stay at home, and go not.
Jul. Nay, that I will not.

Luc. Then never dream on infamy, but go.
If Protheus 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.Now,as thou lov'ft me,do him not that wrong,
To bear a hard opinion of his truth:
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 2 journey.
20 All that is mine I leave at thy difpofe,

My goods, my lands, my reputation;
Only, in lieu thereof, dispatch me hence.
Come, answer not, but to it presently;
[I am impatient of my tarriance.

[Exeunt.

Duke.

Sir Valentine her company, and my court:
But, fearing left my jealous aim 3 might err,
And fo, unworthily, difgrace the man,
(A rashness that I ever yet have shunn'd)
I gave him gentle looks; thereby to find
That which thyself haft now disclos'd to me.
And, that thou may'st perceive my fear of this,
Knowing that tender youth is foon suggested,
40I nightly lodge her in an upper tower,

The Duke's palace in Milan.
Enter Duke, Thurio, and Protheus.
S'have to give curleave, pray, a while;
IR Thurio, give us leave, I pray, a while; 35
[Exit Thur.
Now, tell me, Protheus, what's your will with me?
Pre.My gracious lord,that which I would discover,
The law of friendship bids me to conceal :
But, when I call to mind your gracious favours
Done to me, undeferving as I am,

My duty pricks me on to utter that

Which elfe no worldly good should draw from me.
Know, worthy prince, fir Valentine, my friend,
This night intends to steal away your daughter;
Myfelf 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 fake, I rather chofe
To cross my friend in his intended drift,
Than, by concealing it, heap on your head
A pack of forrows, which would prefs you down,
Being unprevented, to your timeless grave.

Duke. Protheus,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 judg'd me fast asleep;
And oftentimes have purpos'd to forbid

The key whereof myself have ever kept;
And thence the cannot be convey'd away.

Pro. Know, noble lord, they have devis'd a mean
How he her chamber-window will ascend,
45 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,

50 That my difcovery be not aimed at 4;

For love of you, not hate unto my friend,
Hath made me publisher of this pretence 5.

Duke. Upon mine honour he shall never know
That I had any light from thee of this.

55 Pro. Adieu, my lord; fir Valentine is coming
[Exit Pro.

Enter Valentine.

Duke. Sir Valentine, whither away so fast? Val. Please it your grace, there is a messenger 60 That ftays to bear my letters to my friends, And I am going to deliver them.

This interjection is ftill ufed in the North. means guess, in this inftance. That is, be not guessed. Presence implies defign.

2 That is, wifh'd or defired journey.
3 Aim
That is, of this claim made to your daughter.
Duke

Duke. Be they of much import?

Val. The tenor of them doth but fignify My health, and happy being at your court.

Duke. Nay, then no matter; stay with me a while; I am to break with thee of fome affairs, That touch me near, wherein thou must be fecret. 'Tis not unknown to thee, that I have fought To match my friend, fir Thurio, to my daughter.

Val. I know it well, my lord; and, fure, the match Were rich and honourable; besides, the gentleman Is full of virtue, bounty, worth, and qualities Befeeming such a wife as your fair daughter: Cannot your grace win her to fancy him?

Duke. No, truft me; the is peevish, fullen, froward,

Proud, difobedient, stubborn, lacking duty;
Neither regarding that she is my child,
Nor fearing me as if I were her father:
And, may I fay to thee, this pride of her's,
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 refolv'd 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 poffeffions, the esteems not.
Val. What would your grace have me to do in this?
Duke. There is a lady, fir, in Milan, here,
Whom I affect; but she is nice and coy,
And nought esteems my aged eloquence:
Now, therefore, would I have thee to my tutor,
(For long agone I have forgot to court;
Befides, the fashion of the time is chang'd)
How, and which way, I may bestow myself,
To be regarded in her fun-bright eye.

Val. Win her with gifts, if the refpect not words;
Dumb jewels often, in their filent kind,
More than quick words, do move a woman's mind.
Duke. But she did scorn a present that I fent her.
Val. A woman fcorns fometimes what beft contents
Send her another; never give her o'er;
For fcorn at firft makes after-love the more.
If the do frown, 'tis not in hate of you,
But rather to beget more love in you:

Val. Why, then, a ladder, quaintly made of cords, To caft up, with a pair of anchoring hooks, Would ferve to scale another Hero's tower, So bold Leander would adventure it.

5 Duke. Now, as thou art a gentleman of blood, Advise me where I may have such a ladder.

Val. When would you use it? pray, fir, tell me that. Duke. This very night; for love is like a child, That longs for every thing that he can come by. 10 Val. By feven o'clock I'll get you such a ladder. Duke. But hark thee; I will go to her alone; How fhall I best convey the ladder thither? Val. It will be light, my lord, that you may bear it Under a cloak, that is of any length.

Duke. A cloak as long as thine will ferve the turn?
Val. Ay, my good lord.

Duke. Then let me fee thy cloak;

I'll get me one of such another length.

Val. Why, any cloak will ferve the turn, my lord, Duke. How fhall I fashion me to wear a cloak?I pray thee, let me feel thy cloak upon me.. What letter is this fame? what's here?-To Silvia? And here an engine fit for my proceeding! I'll be fo bold to break the feal for once. [Duke reads. 25 My thoughts do barbour with my Silvia nightly;

And flaves they are to me, that fend them flying: Ob, could their mafter come and go as lightly,

Himfelf would lodge, where jenfelefs they are lying. My berald thoughts in thy pure bofom reft them; 30 While I, their king, that thither them importune, Do curfe the grace that with fuch grace bath bless'd them, Becaufe myfelf do want my fervant's fortune:

[her: 40

If the do chide, 'tis not to have you gone;
For why, the fools are mad if left alone.
Take no repulfe, whatever the doth say;
For, get you gone, she doth not mean, away:
Flatter, and praise, commend, extol their graces;
Though ne'er fo black, fay, they have angels' faces.
That man that hath a tongue, I fay, is no man,
If with his tongue he cannot win a woman.
Duke. But the I mean, is promis'd by her friends
Unto a youthful gentleman of worth;
And kept feverely from refort of men,
That no man hath access by day to her.

Val. Why then I would refort to her by night. Duke.Ay,but the doors be lock'd,and keys kept safe, That no man hath recourse to her by night.

I curfe myself, for they are fent by me,

That they should barbour where their lord would be.
What's here? Silvia, this night will I enfranchise thee:
'Tis fo; and here's the ladder for the purpose.-
Why, Phaëton, (for thou art Merops' fon)
Wilt thou afpire 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! over-weening flave!
Beftow thy fawning fmiles on equal mates;
And think, my patience, more than thy desert,
Is privilege for thy departure hence:

45 Thank me for this, more than for all the favours,
Which, all too much, I have bestow'd on thee.
But if thou linger in my territories,
Longer than fwifteft expedition

Will give thee time to leave our royal court,
50 By heaven, my wrath shall far exceed the love
I ever bore my daughter, or thyself.
Begone, I will not hear thy vain excuse,
But, as thou lov'ft thy life, make speed from hence.

[Exit. 55 Val.And why not death, rather than living torment? To die, is to be banish'd from myself! And Silvia is myfelf: banifh'd from her, Is felf from felf; a deadly banishment! What light is light, if Silvia be not feen? 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,

Val.What lets, but one may enter at her window? Duke. Her chamber is aloft, far from the ground; 60 And built fo fhelving, that one cannot climb it Without apparent hazard of his life.

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Shakspeare's Dramatic Works: With Explanatory Notes, 第 1 卷