To take a note, of what I ftand in need of,
To furnish me upon my longing journey.
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 do it presently:
I am impatient of my tarriance.

A C T III.

[Exeunt.

SCENE I.

The Duke's Palace in Milan.

Enter Duke, Thurio, and Protheus,

DUKE.

IR Thurio, give us leave, I pray, a while;
We have fome fecrets to confer about.

[Exit Thur. Now tell me, Protheus, what's your will with me? Pro. My gracious lord, that which I would difcover, 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 fhould draw from me.
Know, worthy Prince, Sir Valentine my friend
This night intends to fteal 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 fhould fhe thus be stoll'n away from you,
It would be much vexation to your age.
Thus, for my duty's fake, I rather chose
To crofs my friend in his intended drift;
Than, by concealing it, heap on your head
A pack of forrows, which would prefs you down,
If unprevented, to your timeless grave.

Duke.

Duke. Protheus, I thank thee for thine honeft 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 Sir Valentine her company, and my court: But, fearing left my jealous aim might err, And fo unworthily disgrace the man, (A rashness that I ever yet have fhunn'd;) I gave him gentle looks; thereby to find That which thyself haft now disclos'd to me. And that thou may'ft perceive my fear of this, Knowing that tender youth is foon suggested, I nightly lodge her in an upper tower, The key whereof myfelf have ever kept; And thence fhe cannot be convey'd away.

Pro. Know, noble lord, they have devis'd a meam How he her chamber-window will afcend, 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 fo cunningly, That my difcov'ry be not aimed at; For love of you, not hate unto my friend, Hath made me publisher of this pretence.

Duke. Upon mine honour, he shall never know That I had any light from thee of this. Pro. Adieu, my lord: Sir Valentine is coming. [Exit. Pro.

SCENE II.

Enter Valentine.

Duke. Val. Please it your Grace, there is a mef

IR Valentine, whither away fo faft?

fenger

That

That ftays to bear my letters to my friends,
And I am going to deliver them.

Duke. Be they of much import?

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

Duke. Nay then, no matter; ftay with me a while; I am to break with thee of some affairs,

That touch me near; wherein thou must be secret. 'Tis not unknown to thee, that I have fought To match my friend Sir 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 fuch a wife as your fair daughter. Cannot your Grace win her to fancy him?

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

Proud, difobedient, ftubborn, 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 hers,
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, fhe esteems not.
Val. What would your Grace have me do in this?
Duke. There is a lady, *Sir, in Milan here,

Whom I affect; but she is nice and coy,

Sir, in Milan here,] It ought to be thus, instead of in Verona here,---for the Scene apparently is in Milan, as is clear from feveral Paffages in the first A&t, and in the beginning of the first Scene of the fourth A&. A like Miftake has crept into the eighth Scene of A& II. where Speed bids his fellow Servant Launce, welcome to Padua. Mr. Pope.

And

And nought efteems 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 respects 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 sometimes fcorns what best contents
her;

Send her another; never give her o'er ;
For fcorn at firft makes after-love the more.
If fhe do frown, 'tis not in hate of you,
But rather to beget more love in you:
If fhe do chide, 'tis not to have you gone;
For why, the fools are mad if left alone.
Take no repulfe, whatever fhe doth say;
For, get you gone, she doth not mean away.
Flatter, and praise, commend, extol their graces ;
Tho' 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 fhe, I mean, is promis'd by her friends
Unto a youthful gentleman of worth,

And kept severely from refort of men,

That no man hath access by day to her.

Val. Why then I would refort to her by night. Du. Ay, but the doors be lockt, and keys kept fafe, That no man hath recourse to her by night.

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

Val. Why then a ladder quaintly made of cords, To caft up, with a pair of anchoring hooks, Would ferve to fcale another Hero's tower;

So

So bold Leander would adventure it.

Duke Now, as thou art a gentleman of blood, Advife me where I may have fuch a ladder.

Val. When would you use it? pray, Sir, tell me

that.

Duke. This very night; for love is like a child, That longs for ev'ry thing that he can come by. Val. By seven a clock I'll get you fuch a ladder. Duke. But hark thee: I will go to her alone; How fhall I beft 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.
My thoughts do harbour with my Silvia nightly,
And flaves they are to me, that fend them flying:
Oh, could their mafter come and go as lightly,

Himfelf would lodge, where fenfeless they are lying:
My herald thoughts in thy pure bofom reft them,
While I, their King, that thither them importune,
Do curfe the grace, that with fuch grace hath bleft them,
Becaufe myfelf do want my fervants' fortune;

I curfe myself, for they are fent by me,

That they fhould harbour, 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, Phaeton, for thou art Merops' fon,

Why, Phaeton, for thou art Merops' son,

Wilt thou affire to guide the heavenly car.] Merops' fon, i. e. a Baf tard, bafe-born.