Val. From Milan.

3 Out. Have you long fojourn'd there?

Val. Some fixteen months; and longer might have ftaid,

If crooked fortune had not thwarted me.

1 Out. What, were you banifh'd thence?

Val. I was.

2 Out. For what offence?

Val. For that, which now torments me to rehearse : I kill'd a man, whofe death I much repent;

But yet I flew him manfully in fight,

Without falfe vantage or bafe treachery.

1 Out. Why ne'er repent it, if it were done fo. But were you banish'd for so small a fault?

Val. I was, and held me glad of such a doom. 1 Out. Have you the tongues?

Val. My youthful travel therein made me happy, Or elfe I often had been miferable.

3 Out. By the bare scalp of Robin Hood's fat friar, This fellow were a king for our wild faction. 1 Out. We'll have him. Sirs, a word.

Speed. Mafter, be one of them: it's an honourable kind of thievery.

Val. Peace, villain.

2 Out. Tell us this; have you any thing to take to? Val. Nothing, but my fortune.

3 Out. Know then, that fome of us are gentlemen, Such as the fury of ungovern'd youth Thruft from the company of awful men; Myself was from Verona banish'd,

For practifing to fteal away a lady,

An heir, and niece ally'd unto the Duke.

2 Out. And I from Mantua, for a gentleman Whom, in my mood, I stabb'd unto the heart.

I Out. And I for fuch like petty crimes as these. But to the purpose; for we cite our faults, That they may hold excus'd our lawless lives; And, partly, seeing you are beautify'd

With goodly fhape, and by your own report
A linguift; and a man of fuch perfection,
As we do in our quality much want;-

2 Out. Indeed, because you are a banish'd man, Therefore, above the reft, we parley to you; Are you content to be our General?

To make a virtue of neceffity,

And live, as we do, in the wilderness ?

3

Out. What fay'ft thou? wilt thou be of our confort?

Say, ay; and be the captain of us all:

We'll do thee homage, and be rul'd by thee;
Love thee as our commander, and our king.

1 Out. But if thou fcorn our courtesy, thou dy'ft. 2 Out. Thou shalt not live to brag what we have offer'd.

Val. I take your offer, and will live with Provided, that you do no outrages

On filly women, or poor passengers.

you;

3 Out. No, we deteft fuch vile base practices. Come, go with us, we'll bring thee to our crews. And fhew thee all the treasure we have got; Which, with ourselves, shall reft at thy difpofe.

SCENE II.

[Exeunt.

Changes to an open Place, under Silvia's Apartment, in

Pro.

Milan.

Enter Protheus.

LREADY I've been falfe to Valentine,

ALREADY I've been as unjuft to Thurio.

Under the colour of commending him,
I have accefs my own love to prefer:
But Silvia is too fair, too true, too holy,
To be corrupted with my worthlefs gifts.

K 3

When

friend;

When I proteft true loyalty to her,
She twits me with falfhood to my
my
When to her beauty I commend my vows,
She bids me think, how I have been forfworn
In breaking faith with Julia whom I lov'd.
And, notwithstanding all her fudden quips,
The leaft whereof would quell a lover's hope,
Yet, fpaniel-like, the more fhe fpurns my love,
The more it grows, and fawneth on her still.
But here comes Thurio: now must we to her window,
And give fome evening mufic to her ear.

Enter Thurio and Muficians.

Thu. How now, Sir Protheus, are you crept before

us ?

Pro. Ay, gentle Thurio; for, you know, that love Will creep in fervice where it cannot go.

Thu. Ay, but I hope, Sir, that you love not here.
Pro. Sir, but I do; or elfe I would be hence.
Thu. Whom, Silvia?

Pro. Ay, Silvia, for your fake.

Thu. I thank you, for your own: now, gentlemen, Let's tune, and to it luftily a while.

SCENE III.

Enter Hoft, and Julia in boy's clothes.

OW, my young gueft, methinks, you're allycholly: I pray you, why is it?

Jul. Marry, mine hoft, becaufe I cannot be merry. Hoft. Come, we'll have you merry; I'll bring you where you fhall hear mufic, and fee the gentleman that you afk'd for.

Jul. But fhall I hear him speak?

Hoft. Ay, that you fhall.

Jul. That will be mufic..

Hoft. Hark, hark !

Jul.

Jul. Is he among these?

Hoft. Ay; but peace, let's hear 'em.

SON G.

Who is Silvia? what is fhe,

That all our fwains commend her?
Holy, fair, and wife is fhe;

The heav'n fuch grace did lend her,
That he might admired be.

Is fhe kind, as he is fair?
For beauty lives with kindness.
Love doth to her eyes repair,
To help him of his blindness:
And, being help'd, inhabits there.

Then to Silvia let us fing,
That Silvia is excelling;
She excels each mortal thing
Upon the dull earth dwelling:

To her let us garlands bring.

Hoft. How now? are you fadder than you were before? how do you, man? the mufic likes you not. Jul. You miftake; the musician likes me not. Hoft. Why, my pretty youth?

Jul. He plays false, father.

Hoft. How, out of tune on the strings?

Jul. Not fo; but yet fo false, that he grieves my

very heart-ftrings.

Hoft. You have a quick ear.

Jul. Ay, I would I were deaf! it makes me have a flow heart.

Hoft. I perceive, you delight not in mufic.

Jul. Not a whit, when it jars fo.

Hoft. Hark, what fine change is in the mufic.

Jul. Ay; that change is the fpight.

K 4

Hoft

Hoft. You would have them always play but one thing?

Jul. I would always have one play but one thing. But, hoft, doth this Sir Protheus, that we talk on, Often refort unto this gentlewoman.

Hoft. I tell you what Launce, his man, told me, he * lov'd her out of all nick.

Jul. Where is Launce?

Hoft. Gone to feek his dog, which to-morrow, by his mafter's command, he must carry for a prefent to his lady.

Jul. Peace, ftand aside, the company parts.

Pro. Sir Thurio, fear not you; I will fo plead,
That you fhall fay, my cunning drift excels.
Thu. Where meet we?
Pro. At St. Gregory's well.
Thu. Farewel.

Pro.

[Exeunt Thurio and Mufic.

MAD

ADAM, good even to your ladyship. Sil. I thank you for your music, gentlemen: Who is that, that spake?

Pro. One, lady, if you knew his pure heart's truth, You'd quickly learn to know him by his voice. Sil. Sir Protheus, as I take it.

Pro. Sir Protheus, gentle lady, and your fervant. Sil. What is your will?

Pro. That I may compass yours.

Sil. You have your wifh; my will is even this, That presently you hie you home to bed. Thou fubtle, perjur'd, falfe, difloyal man? Think'ft thou, I am fo fhallow, fo conceitlefs,

lov'd her out of all nick.] i. e. out of all Count: That is, extravagantly. A Phrase taken from Accounts when Calculations were made by nicking on Numbers upon a Stick.

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