When women cannot love, where they're belov'd. For whofe dear fake thou then didst rend thy faith Thou haft no faith left now, unless thou'dft two, Pro. In love, Sil. All men but Protheus. Pro. Nay, if the gentle spirit of moving words Can no way change you to a milder form; I'll move you like a soldier, at arms end, And love you 'gainst the nature of love; force ye. Pro. I'll force thee yield to my defire. Val. Ruffian, let go that rude uncivil touch, Thou friend of an ill fashion! Pro. Valentine!. Val. Thou common friend, that's without faith or love; For fuch is a friend now: thou treach'rous man! Thou haft beguil'd my hopes; nought but mine eye Could have perfuaded me. Now I dare not say, I have one friend alive; thou wouldst difprove me. Who fhould be trufted now, when the right hand Is perjur'd to the bosom? Protheus, I'm forry, I muft never truft thee more, But count the world a stranger for thy fake. The private wound is deepeft. Oh time, moft accurft! Be a fufficient ransom for offence, I tender't here; I do as truly fuffer, Val. Then am paid: And once again receive thee honeft. C Who by repentance is not fatisfy'd, Is nor of heav'n, nor earth; for these are pleas'd; Pro. Look to the boy. [Savoons. Val. Why, boy! how now? what's the matter? look up; fpeak. Jul. O good Sir, my mafter charg'd me to deliver a ring to Madam Silvia, which, out of my neglect, was never done. Pro. Where is that ring, boy? Pro. How let me fee: This is the ring I gave to Julia. Jul. Oh, cry you mercy, Sir, I have miftook; This is the ring you fent to Silvia. Pro. How cam'ft thou by this ring? at my depart, I gave this unto Julia. Jul. And Julia herfelf did give it me. And Julia herself hath brought it hither. Jul. Behold her that gave aim to all thy oaths, It is the leffer blot, modefty finds, Women to change their fhapes, than men their minds. Pro. Than men their minds ? 'tis true; oh heav'n! were man But conftant, he were perfect; that one error Fills him with faults; makes him run through all fins: :. Let Let me be bleft to make this happy close; Enter Out-laws, with Duke and Thurio. Out. A prize, a prize, a prize! Val. Forbear, forbear, it is my Lord the Duke. Your Grace is welcome to a man disgrac'd, The banish'd Valentine. Duke. Sir Valentine? Thu. Yonder is Silvia: and Silvia's mine. Thu. Sir Valentine, I care not for her, I. Duke. The more degenerate and bafe art thou, And think thee worthy of an emprefs' love: (17) Verona fhall not bold thee.] Thus all the editions, but, whether, thro' the mistake of the firft Editors, or the Poet's own careleffhefs, this reading is abfurdly faulty. For the threat here is to Thurie, who is a Milanefe; and has no concerns, as it appears, with Verona. Befides, the fcene is betwixt the confines of Milan, and Mantua, to which S lvia follows Valentine, having heard that he had retreated thither. And, upon thefe circumftances, I ventur'd to adjust the text, as I imagine, the Poet must have intended: i, e. Milan, thy country, shall never fee thee again: thou shalt never live to go back thither. 2 Το To which I thus fubfcribe: Sir Valentine, Duke. I grant it for thine own, whate'er it be. Forgive them what they have committed here, Duke. Thou haft prevail'd, I pardon them and thee; Val. And as we walk along, I dare be bold With our difcourfe to make your Grace to fmile. What think you of this page, my Lord? Duke. I think, the boy hath grace in him; he blushes. Val. Please you, I'll tell you as we pass along, yours, That done, our day of marriage shall be [Exeunt omnes. THE |