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170 GENTLEMEN OF VERONA.
Valentine Proteus Spa & Frie

Ace V. Scane IT

Pro. Than men their minds ! 'tis true. O 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 mine.

Enter OUTLAWS, with DUKE and THURIO. Out. A prize, a prize, a prize! Val. Forbear, forbear, I say; it is my lord the

duke.
Your grace is welcome to a man disgraced,
Banished 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, Verona shall not hold thee. Here she stands :

1

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 1 for her as thou hast done,
And leave her on such slight conditions.-
Now, by the honor 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,2
Cancel all grudge, repeal thee home again.-
Plead 3 a new state in thy unrival'd merit,
To which I thus subscribe,-sir Valentine,
Thou art a gentleman, and well derived ;
Take thou thy Silvia, for thou hast deserved 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

thee :
Dispose of them, as thou know'st their deserts.
Come, let us go ; we will include 1 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 smile :
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.