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THE

TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA*.

DRAMATIS PERSONE.

DUKE of Milan, father to Silvia. | Speed, a clownis fervant to Và

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Eglamore, agent for Silvia in her efcape.

lentine.

Launce, the like to Protheus.
Panthion, fervant to Anthonio.
Julia, a lady of Verona, beloved of
Protheus.

Silvia, the Duke of Milan's daugh-
ter, beloved of Valentine.

Holt, where Julia lodges in Mi-Lucetta, waiting woman to Julia.

lan.

Out-laws.

Servants, Muficians.

The SCENE, fometimes in Verona, fomtimes in Milan, and on the frontiers of Mantua.

ACT I. SCENE I.

An open place in Verona.

Enter Valentine and Protheus.

CEASE

Val. EASE to perfuade, my loving Protheus; Home-keeping youth have ever homely wits: Wer't not affection chains thy tender days To the sweet glances of thy honour'd love, I rather would intreat thy company, To fee the wonders of the world abroad; Than (living dully fluggardiz'd at home) Wear out thy youth with shapeless idleness, But fince thou lov'ft, love ftill, and thrive therein; Ev'n as I would, when I to love begin.

Pro

*It may very well be doubted whether Shakespeare had any other hand in this play, than the enlivening it with fome fpeeches and lines thrown in here and there; which are eafily diftinguifhed, as being of a different stamp from the reft.

Pro. Wilt thou be gone? fweet Valentine, adieu;
Think on thy Protheus, when thou haply feelt
Some rare note-worthy object in thy travel;
Wish me partaker in thy happiness,

When thou doft meet good hap; and, in thy danger,
If ever danger do environ thee,

Commend thy grievance to my holy prayer;

For I will be thy bead's-man, Valentine.

Val. And on a love-book pray for my fuccefs.

Pro. Upon fome book I love, I'll pray for thee *.
Val. To be in love, where fcorn is bought with groans;
Coy looks, with heart-fore fighs; one fading moment's
mirth,

With twenty watchful, weary, tedious nights.
If haply won, perhaps, an hapless gain:
If loft, why then a grievous labour won;
However, but a folly bought with wit,
Or elfe a wit by folly vanquished.
Pro. So, by your circumftance, you

call me fool.

Val. So, by your circumftance, I fear you'll prove.
Pro. 'Tis love you cavil at; I am not love.
Val. Love is

master; your

for he mafters you. And he that is fo yoked by a fool,

Methinks, fhould not be chronicled for wife. Pro. Yet writers fay, as in the sweetest bud 'The eating canker dwells; fo eating love

'Inhabits in the fineft wits of all.'

Val. And writers say, as the most forward bud
Is eaten by the canker ere it blow;

Even fo by love the young and tender wit
Is turn'd to folly, blafting in the bud;
Lofing his verdure even in the prime,
VOL. I.

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-I'll pray for thee.

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Val. That's on fome fhallow ftory of deep love,
How young Leander crofs'd the Hellefpont.
Pro. That's a deep story of a deeper love;
For he was more than over fhoes in love.

Val. 'Tis true; for you are over boots in love,

And yet you never fwom the Hellefpont.

Pro. Over the boots? nay, give me not the boots.
Val. No, I will not; for it boots thee not.
Pre. What?

Val. To be in love, &a

And

And all the fair effects of future hopes.' But wherefore wafte I time to counsel thee, That art a votary to fond defire?

Once more adieu: my father, at the road,
Expects my coming, there to fee me fhipp'd.
Pro. And thither will I bring thee, Valentine.
Val. Sweet Protheus, no: now let us take our leave.
At Milan let me hear from thee by letters
Of thy fuccefs in love; and what news elfe
Betideth here in abfence of thy friend:
And I likewife will vifit thee with mine.

Pro. All happiness bechance to thee in Milan!
Val. As much to you at home; and, fo farewell!

[Exits

Pro. He after honour hunts, I after love, He leaves his friends to dignify them more; I leave myself, my friends, and all for love. Thou, Julia, thou haft metamorphos'd me: Made me negle&t my ftudies, lofe my time, War with good counfel, fet the world at nought; Made wit with mufing weak, heart-fick with thought. SCENE II. Enter Speed.

Speed. Sir Protheus, fave you; faw you my mafter? Pro. But now he parted hence, t'imbark for Milan. -Speed. Twenty to one then he is fhipp'd already, And I have play'd the fheep in lofing him.

Pro. Indeed a fheep doth very often stray,

An if the fhepherd be a while away.

Speed. You conclude that my master is a fhepherd then, and I a sheep?

Pro. I do.

Speed. Why then my horns are his horns, whether I wake or fleep.

Pro. A filly anfwer, and fitting well a sheep.

Speed. This proves me ftill a fheep.

Pro. True; and thy mafter a shepherd.

Speed. Nay; that I can deny by a circumftance.

Pro. It fhall go hard, but I'll prove it by another. Speed. The fhepherd feeks the fheep, and not the fheep the fhepherd; but I seek my mafter, and my mafter feeks not me; therefore I am no sheep.

Pre.

Pro. The fheep for fodder follows the shepherd, the fhepherd for the food follows not the fheep; thou for wages followeft thy mafter, thy mafter for wages follows not thee; therefore thou art a fheep.

Speed. Such another proof will make me cry Bad. Pro. But doit thou hear? gaveft thou my letter to Julia?

Speed. Ay, Sir, I, a loft mutton, gave your letter to her, a lac'd mutton * ; and fhe, a lac'd mutton, gave me a loft mutton, nothing for my labour.

Pro. Here's too fmall a pasture for fuch ftore of muttons.

Speed. If the ground be overcharg'd, you were beft flick her.

Pro. Nay, in that you are a ftray, 'twere beft pound you.

Speed. Nay, Sir, lefs than a pound fhall ferve me for carrying your letter

Pro. You mistake: I mean the pound, a pin-fold. Speed. From a pound to a pin? fold it over and over, 'tis threefold too little for carrying a letter to your lover, Pro. But what faid fhe: did the nod? [Speed nods.

Speed. I

Pro. Nod-I why, that's noddy.

Speed. You miftook, Sir: I faid, she did nod: And you ask me, if fhe did nod; and I faid, I. Pro. And that fet together, is noddy.

Speed. Now you have taken the pains to set it together, take it for your pains.

Pro. No, no, you fhall have it for bearing the letter, Speed. Well, I perceive I. muft be fain to bear with

you.

Pro. Why, Sir, how do you bear with me? Speed. Marry, Sir, the letter very orderly; Having nothing but the word noddy for my pains. Pro. Befhrew me, but you have a quick wit. Speed. And yet it cannot overtake your flow purfe. Pro. Come, come, open the matter in brief: what faid

fhe?

L 2

Speed.

Lac'd mutton is a phrafe anciently used for a lady of pleasure.

Speed. Open your purfe, that the money and the mat

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Pro. Well, Sir, here is for your pains; what faid fhe? Speed. Truly, Sir, I think you'll hardly win her, Pro. Why! could'st thou perceive fo much from her? Speed. Sir, I could perceive nothing at all from her; No, not fo much as a ducket for delivering your letter. And being fo hard to me, that brought your mind, I fear fhe'll prove as hard to you, in telling her mind. Give her no token but ftones; for fhe's as hard as steel. Pro. What! faid the nothing?

Speed. No, not fo much as Take this for thy pains: To testify your bounty, I thank you, you have teftern'd me; In requital whereof, henceforth carry your letter yourfelf: and fo, Sir, I'll commend you to my mafter. Pro. Go, go, be gone, to fave your ship from wreck, Which cannot perish, having thee aboard, Being deftin'd to a drier death on fhore. I must go fend fome better meffenger: I fear my Julia would not deign my lines, Receiving them from such a worthless poft.

[Exeunt feverally.

SCENE. III. Changes to Julia's chamber.

Enter Juha and Lucetta.

Jul. But fay, Lucetta, now we are alone,
Would't thou then counfel me to fall in love?
Luc. Ay, Madam, so you stumble not unheedfully.
Jul. Of all the fair refort of gentlemen,

That ev'ry day with parle encounter me,
In thy opinion which is worthieft love?

Luc. Please you, repeat their names; I'll fhew my mind, According to my fhallow fimple skill.

Jul. What think'ft thou of the fair Sir Eglamour?
Luc. As of a Knight well fpoken, neat, and fine;

But were I you, he never fhould be mine.

Jul. What think'ft thou of the rich Mercatio?
Luc. Well of his wealth; but of himself, fo, fo,

Jul.

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