We have converft, and spent our hours together:
And tho' myself have been an idle truant,
Omitting the fweet benefit of time,

To clothe mine age with angel-like perfection;
Yet hath Sir 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 praises, that I now bestow;)
He is complete in feature and in mind,
With all good grace to grace a gentleman.

Duke. Befhrew me, Sir, but if he makes this good,
He is as worthy for an emprefs' love,
As meet to be an Emperor's counsellor.
Well, Sir, this gentleman is come to me,
With commendations 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 wish'd a thing, it had been he. Duke. Welcome him then according to his worth: Silvia, I fpeak to you; and you, Sir Thurio;

For Valentine, I need not cite him to it:
I'll send 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 lockt in her crystal looks.

Sil. Belike, that now fhe hath enfranchis'd them Upon fome other pawn for fealty.

Val. Nay, fure, I think, fhe holds them pris'ners ftill. Sil. Nay, then he should be blind; and, being blind, 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 object love can wink.

I 2

SCENE

Sil.

SCENE VI.

Enter Protheus.

AVE done, have done; here comes the

HAV Egentleman.

Val. Welcome, dear Protheus: mistress, I beseech 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 To be my fellow-fervant to your ladyship.

Sil. Too low a mistress for so 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 difability: 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're welcome to a worthless mistress. Pro. I'll die on him that says so, but yourself. Sil. That you are welcome?

Pro. That you are worthless.

Enter Servant.

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

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

Go with me. Once more, my new servant, welcome:
I'll leave you to confer of home affairs;
When you have done, we look to hear from
Pro. We'll both attend upon your ladyship.

you.

[Exeunt Sil. and Thu. SCENE

W tell me, how do all from whence you came?

Val.

Now

Pro. Your friends are well, and have them much Val. And how do yours?

Pro. I left them all in health.

[commended. [love?

Val. How does your lady? and how thrives your 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;
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 chas'd fleep from my enthralled eyes,
And made them watchers of mine own heart's forrow.
O gentle Protheus, love's a mighty lord;
And hath fo humbled me, as, I confefs,
There is no woe to his correction;

Nor to his fervice, no fuch joy on earth,
Now no discourse, except it be of love;
Now can I break my faft, dine, sup, and fleep
Upon the very naked name of love.

Pro. Enough: I read your fortune in your eye. Was this the idol, that you worship fo?"

Val. Even fhe; and is the not a heav'nly 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 praise. Pro. When I was fick, you gave me bitter pills; And I must minister the like to you.

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

Sov'reign to all the creatures on the earth.

Pro. 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 dignify'd with this high honour, To bear my lady's train, left the base earth Should from her vefture chance to steal a kiss; And, of fo great a favour growing proud, Difdain to root the summer-swelling flower; And make rough winter everlastingly.

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

Pro. Then let her alone.

Val. Not for the world: why, man, she is mine own; 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 seeft me doat upon my love.
My foolish rival, that her father likes,
Only for his poffeffions are fo huge,
Is gone with her along, and I muft after;
For love, thou know'ft, is full of jealousy.
Pro. But fhe 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 muft 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 disembark

Some neceffaries that I needs must use;

And

And then I'll prefently attend you.
Val. Will you make haste?

Pro. I will.

Ev'n as one heat another heat expels,

[Exit Val.

Or as one nail by ftrength drives out another;

So the remembrance of my former love
Is by a newer object quite forgotten.
Is it mine Eye, or Valentine's Praise,
Her true perfection, or my falfe tranfgreffion,
That makes me, reasonless, to reason thus?
She's fair; and fo is Julia, that I love;
That I did love, for now my love is thaw'd;
Which, like a waxen image 'gainst a fire,
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.
O! but I love his lady too, too, much;
And that's the reafon, I love him fo little.
How fhall I doat on her with more advice,
That thus without advice begin to love her?
'Tis but her picture I have yet beheld,
And that has dazzled fo my reafon's light:
But when I look on her perfections,
There is no reason, but I fhall be blind.
If I can check my erring love, I will;
If not, to compafs her I'll use my skill.

Speed. LAL

[Exit.

AUNCE, by mine honesty, welcome to
Milan.

*

Launce, Forfwear not thyfelf, sweet youth; for I am not welcome: I reckon this always, that a man is never undone, 'till he be hang'd; nor never welcome

*It is Padua in the former Editions. See the Note in the third A&.