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Because I love him, I must pity him.

Sil. How tall was she? Jul. About my stature: for, at Pentecost, When all our pageants of delight were play'd, Our youth got me to play the woman's part, And I was trimm'd in madam Julia's gown; Which served me as fit, by all men's judgement,

This ring I gave him, when he parted from me, As if the garment had been made for me;

To bind him to remember my good will:

Therefore, I know she is about my height.

And now am I (unhappy messenger)

To plead for that, which I would not obtain;

To carry that which I would have refus'd;

prais'd.

And, at that time, I made her weep a-good,t
For I did play a lamentable part:
Madam, 'twas Ariadne, passioning
For Theseus' perjury, and unjust flight;
Which I so lively acted with my tears,
That my poor mistress, moved therewithal,
Wept bitterly; and, would I might be dead,
If I in thought felt not her very sorrow!

To praise his faith, which I would have dis

I am my master's true confirmed love;
But cannot be true servant to my master,
Unless I prove false traitor to myself,

Yet I will woo for him: but yet so coldly,

Sil. She is beholden to thee, gentle youth!

As, heaven, it knows, I would not have him Alas, poor lady! desolate and left!

speed.

mean

Enter SILVIA, attended. Gentlewoman, good day! I pray you, be my [via. To bring me where to speak with madam SilSil. What would you with her, if that I be she?

Jul. If you be she, I do entreat your patience To hear me speak the message I am sent on. Sil. From whom?

Jul. From my master, Sir Proteus, madam.
Sil. O! he sends you for a picture?
Jul. Ay, madam.

Sil. Ursula, bring my picture there.

[Picture brought.

Go, give your master this: tell him from me, One Julia, that his changing thoughts forget, Would better fit his chamber than this shadow.

Jul. Madam, please you peruse this letter.Pardon me, madam; I have unadvis'd Delivered you a paper that I should not; This is the letter to your ladyship.

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 master's lines:
I know, they are stuff'd with protestations,

And full of new-found oaths; which he will
As easily as I do tear his paper. [break
Jul. Madam, he sends your ladyship this

ring.

[me;

Sil. The more shame for him that he sends it For, I have heard him say a thousand times, His Julia gave it him at his departure: Though his false finger hath profan'd the ring, Mine shall not do his Julia so much wrong. Jul. She thanks you.

Sil. What say'st thou ?

Jul. I thank you, madam, that you tender her: Poor gentlewoman! my master wrongs her much.

Sil. Dost thou know her?

Jul. Almost as well as I do know myself: To think upon her woes, I do protest, That I have wept a hundred several times.

this

I weep myself, to think upon thy words.
Here, youth, there is my purse; I give thee
[her.
Forthy sweet mistress' sake, because thou lov'st
Farewell.
[Exit SILVIA.
Jul. And she shall thank you for't, if e'er
you know her.-

A virtuous gentlewoman, mild, and beautiful.
I hope my master's suit will be but cold,
Since she respects my mistress' love so much.
Alas, how love can trifle with itself!
Here is her picture: Let me see; I think,
If I had such a tire, this face of mine
Were full as lovely as is this of hers:
And yet the painter flatter'd her a little,
Unless I flatter with myself too much.
Her hair is auburn, mine is perfect yellow:
If that be all the difference in his love,
I'll get me such a colour'd periwig.
Her eyes are grey as glass; and so are mine:
Ay, but her forehead's low, and mine's as high.
What should it be, that he respects in her,
But I can make respectives in myself,
If this fond love were not a blinded god?
Come, shadow, come, and take this shadow up,
For 'tis thy rival. O thou senseless form,

Thou shalt be worshipp'd, kiss'd, lov'd, and ador'd;

And, were there sense in his idolatry,
My My substance should be statue in thy stead.
I'll use thee kindly for thy mistress' sake,
That us'd me so; or else, by Jove I vow,
I should have scratch'd out your unseeing eyes,
To make my master out of love with thee.

ACT V.

SCENE I.-The same. An Abbey. Enter EGLAMOUR.

[Exit

Egl. The sun begins to gild the western sky; And now, it is about the very hour That Silvia, at Patrick's cell, should meet me. She will not fail; for lovers break not hours, Unless it be to come before their time;

So much they spur their expedition.

Sil. Belike, she thinks that Proteus hath forsook her.

Enter SILVIA.

Jul. I think she doth, and that's her cause

See, waere she comes: Lady, a

of sorrow.

Sil. Amen, amen!

go on, good Eglamour!

, a happy evening,

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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 cарtain'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;

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Thou nymph, cherish thy forlorn swain!
What halloing, and what stir,
These are my mates, that make their wills their

is this to-day?

Jul. Here comes the duke.

law,

Enter DUKE.

Have some unhappy passenger in chase: They love me well; yet I have much to do,

Thurio?

Which of you saw Sir Eglamour of late?

Thu. Not I.

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Pro. Neither.

Duke. How now, Sir Proteus? how now, To keep them from uncivil outrages.

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

Duke. Why, then she's fled unto that peas- (Though you respect not aught your servant 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, + Own. ‡ Foolish.

Bafe.

you, 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 he approacheth to your [Aside.

presence.

* Careless,

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Withdraw thee, Valentine; who's this comes here? [Steps aside.

Sil. Had I been seized by a hungry lion,
I would have been a breakfast to the beast, 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:

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[Shows another ring.

Pro. But, how cam'st thou by this ring? at my depart, Pro. What dangerous action, stood it next I gave this unto Julia.

Therefore be gone, solicit me no more.

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,

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 ?

For whose dear sake thou didst then rend thy O Proteus, let this habit make thee blush ! 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

none

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: O

heaven! were man

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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.

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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 meanss 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,

* Direction. + An allusion to cleaving the pin in archery. + Length of my sword.

Interest.

Arè 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* 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:

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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. Ereunt,

i

MEASURE FOR MEASURE.

VINCENTIO, Duke of Vienna.

PERSONS REPRESENTED.

ANGELO, Lord Deputy in the Duke's absence. ESCALUS, an ancient Lord, joined with Angelo

in the deputation.

CLAUDIO, a young Gentleman.

Lucio, a Fantastic.

Two other like Gentlemen.

CLOWN, Servant to Mrs. Over-done.
ABHORSON, an Executioner.
BARNARDINE, a dissolute Prisoner.

ISABELLA, Sister to Claudio.
MARIANA, betrothed to Angelo.
JULIET, beloved by Claudio.

VARRIUS, a Gentleman, Servant to the Duke. FRANCISCA, a Nun.

PROVOST.

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Mrs. OVER-DONE, a Bawd.

Lords, Gentlemen, Guards, Officers, and othet Attendants.

SCENE, Vienna.

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mains

[able,

But that to your sufficiency, as your worth is
And let them work. The nature of our people,
Our city's institutions, and the terms
For common justice, you are as pregnantt in,
As art and practice hath enriched any

That we remember: There is our commission,
From which we would not have you warp.-
Call hither,

I say, bid come before us Angelo.

[Exit an Attendant.
What figure of us think you he will bear?
For you must know, we have with special soul
Elected him our absence to supply;
Lent him our terror, drest him with our love;
And given his deputation all the organs
Of our own power: What think you of it?

Escal. If any in Vienna be of worth
To undergo such ample grace and honour,
It is lord Angelo.

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Are not thine own so proper,* as to waste Thyself upon thy virtues, them on thee. Heaven doth with us, as we with torches do; Not light them for themselves: for if our virtues Did not go forth of us, 'twere all alike

As if we had them not. Spirits are not finely

touch'd,

But to fine issues: nor nature never lends
The smallest scruple of her excellence,
But, like a thrifty goddess, she determines
Herself the glory of a creditor,
Both thanks and use. But I do bend my speech
To one that can my part in him advertise;
Hold therefore, Angelo;
In our remove, be thou at full ourself;
Mortality and mercy in Vienna
Live in thy tongue and heart: Old Escalus,
Though first in question, is thy secondary:
Take thy commission.

Ang. Now, good my lord,

Let there be some more test made of my metal,
Before so noble and so great a figure
Be stamp'd upon it.

Duke. No more evasion:

We have with a leaven'd and prepared choice
Proceeded to you; therefore take your honours.
Our haste from hence is of so quick condition,
That it prefers itself, and leaves unquestion'd
Matters of needful value. We shall write to you,
As time and our concernings shall impórtune,
How it goes with us; and do look to know
What doth befall you here. So, fare you well:
To the hopeful execution do I leave you
Of your commissions.

Ang. Yet, give leave, my lord,

That we may bring you something on the way.
Duke. My haste may not admit it;
Nor need you, on mine honour, have to do
With any scruple: your scopes is as mine own;
So to enforce, or qualify the laws,
As to your soul seems good. Give me your
I'll privily away: I love the people,

* So much thy own property.
‡ Interest.

[hand;

+ For high purposes. Extent of power.

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