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Speed. Here follow her vices.

Laun. Close at the heels of her virtues.

Speed. Item, fhe is not to be kift fafting, in refpect of her breath.

Laun. Well, that fault may be mended with a breakfaft: read on.

Speed. Item, the hath a sweet mouth.

Laun. That makes amends for her four breath.
Speed. Item, he doth talk in her fleep.

Laun. It's no matter for that, so she fleep not in her talk.

Speed. Item, fhe is flow in words.

Laun. O villain! that fet down among her vices ! to be flow in words is a woman's only virtue; I pray thee, out with't, and place it for her chief virtue Speed. Item, fhe is proud.

Laun. Out with that too: it was Eve's legacy, and cannot be ta'en from her.

Speed. Item, the hath no teeth.

Laun. I care not for that neither, because I love crufts.

Speed. Item, fhe is curft.

Laun., Well; the beft is, fhe hath no teeth to bite.
Speed. Item, She will often praife her liquor.

Laun. If her liquor be good, the fhall; if he will not, I will; for good things fhould be praised. Speed. Item, fhe is too liberal.

Laun. Of her tongue he cannot; for that's writ down, fhe is flow of; of her purfe fhe fhall not, for that I'll keep shut; now of another thing the may, and that I cannot help. Well, proceed.

Speed. Item, he hath more hairs than wit, and more faults than hairs, and more wealth than faults.

Laun. Stop here; I'll have her; fhe was mine, and not mine, twice or thrice in that article. Rehearfe that once more.

Speed. Item, fhe hath more hair than wit.

Laun. More hair than wit, it may be; I'll prove it:. the cover of the falt hides the falt, and therefore, it is more than the falt; the hair, that covers the wit, is

more

more than the wit; for the greater hides the lefs. What's next?

Speed. And more faults than hairs.

Laun. That's monstrous: oh, that that were out!
Speed. And more wealth than faults.

Laun. Why, that word makes the faults gracious: well, I'll have her; and if it be a match, as nothing is impoffible

Speed. What then?

Laun. Why then will I tell thee, that thy master ftays for thee at the north-gate.

Speed. For me?

Laun. For thee? ay; who art thou? he hath staid for a better man than thee.

Speed. And muft I go to him?

Laun. Thou must run to him, for thou haft ftaid fo long, that going will scarce ferve the turn.

Speed. Why did'ft not tell me fooner; pox on your

love-letters!

Laun. Now will he be fwing'd for reading my letter: an unmannerly flave, that will thruft himself into fecrets.-I'll after to rejoice in the boy's correction.

Enter Duke and Thurio.

[Exeunt

Duke. Sir Thurio, fear not, but that she will love you,

Now Valentine is banish'd from her fight.

Thu. Since his exile fhe hath despis'd me moft,
Forfworn my company, and rail'd at me,
That I am defperate of obtaining her.

Duke. This weak imprefs of love is as a figure
Trenched in ice, which with an hour's heat
Diffolves to water, and doth lofe his form.
A little time will melt her frozen thoughts,
And worthless Valentine fhall be forgot.
Enter Protheus.

How now, Sir Protheus? Is your countryman,
According to our proclamation, gone?
Pro. Gone, my good Lord.

Duke. My daughter takes his going heavily.

Pro.

Pro. A little time, my-Lord will kill that grief.
Duke. So I believe; but Thurio thinks not fo.
Protheus, the good conceit I hold of thee,
(For thou haft shown some sign of good defert)
Makes me the better to confer with thee.

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Pro Longer than I prove loyal to your Grace. Let me not live to look upon your Grace,

Duke. Thou know'ft, how willingly I would effect The match between Sir Thurio and my daughter. Pro. I do, my Lord.

Duke. And alfo, I do think, thou art not ignorant How the opposes her against my will.

Pro. She did, my Lord, when Valentine was here.
Duke. Ay, and perverfely the perseveres fo.
What might we do to make the girl forget
The love of Valentine, and love Sir Thurio?
Pro. The best way is to flander Valentine
With falfhood, cowardice, and poor defcent:
Three things, that women highly hold in hate.
Duke. Ay, but he'll think, that it is spoke in hate.
Pro. Ay, if his enemy deliver it:

Therefore it muft, with circumftance, be spoken
By one, whom the esteemeth as his friend."

Duke. Then you must undertake to flander him.
Pro. And that, my Lord, I fhall be loth to do:
"Tis an ill office for a Gentleman:

Efpecially, against his very friend.

Duke. Where your good word cannot advantage him, Your flander never can endamage him ;

Therefore the office is indifferent,

Being intreated to it by your friend.

Pro. You have prevail'd, my Lord: if I can do it, By aught that I can speak in his difpraise,

She fhall not long continue love to him.

But fay, this weed her love from Valentine, (13)

It follows not, that she will love Sir Thurio.

(13) But fay, this weed her love-] This caft of reafoning very near refembles that of Davus in the Andria of Terence, A&t 2. Sc. 2.

Ridiculum Caput!
Quafi neceffe fit, buic non dat, te illam uxorem ducere.
K

VOL. I.

Thu.

Thu. Therefore as you unwind her love from him, Left it should ravel, and be good to none,

You must provide to bottom it on mne :

Which must be done, by praifing me as much
As you in worth dispraise Sir Valentine.

mind.

Duke. And, Protheus, we dare truft you in this kind,
Because we know, on Valentine's report,
You are already love's firm votary;
And cannot foon revolt and change your
Upon this warrant, shall you have accefs,
Where you with Silvia may confer at large:
For fhe is lumpifh, heavy, melancholy.
And, for your friend's fake, will be glad of you;
Where you may temper her by your perfuafion,
To hate young Valentine, and love my friend.
Pro. As much as I can do, I will effect,
But you, Sir Thurio, are not fharp enough;
You must lay lime, to tangle her defires,
By wailful fonnets, whofe compofed rhimes
Should be full fraught with ferviceable vows.
Duke. Much is the force of heav'n-bred poefy.
Pro. Say, that upon the altar of her beauty
You facrifice your tears, your fighs, your heart:
Write, 'till your ink be dry; and with your tears
Moift it again; and frame fome feeling line,
That may discover fuch integrity:

For Orpheus' lute was ftrung with poets finews;
Whofe golden touch could foften feel and ftones,
Make tygers tame, and huge Leviathans
Forfake unfounded deeps, to dance on fands.
After your dire-lamenting elegies,

Vifit by night your Lady's chamber-window
With fome fweet confort: to their inftruments
Tune a deploring dump; the night's dead filence
Will well become fuch fweet complaining grievance,
This, or elfe nothing, will inherit her.

Duke. This difcipline fhews, thou haft been in love.
Thu. And thy advice this night I'll put in practice;
Therefore, fweet Protheus, my direction-giver,
Let us into the city presently

Το

To fort fome Gentlemen well fkill'd in mufic;
I have a fonnet, that will serve the turn,
To give the onset to thy good advice.
Duke. About it, Gentlemen.

Pro. We'll wait upon your Grace, 'till after fupper }
And afterwards determine our proceedings.
Duke. Ev'n now about it. I will pardon you. [Exeunt.

ACT

IV.

SCENE, a Foreft, leading towards Mantua.

3

Enter certain Out-laws.

OUT-LAW.

Ellows, ftand faft: I fee a paffenger.

2 Out. If there be ten, fhrink not, but down with 'em. Enter Valentine and Speed.

Out. Stand, Sir, and throw us what you have about you; if not, we'll make you, Sir, and rifle

you.

Speed. Sir, we are undone; these are the villains, that all the travellers do fear fo much.

Val. My friends,

Out. That's not fo, Sir; we are your enemies. 2 Out. Peace, we'll hear him.

3 Out. Ay, by my beard, will we; for he is a proper man. Val. Then know, that I have little wealth to lose; A man I am, crofs'd with adverfity;

My riches are thefe poor habiliments,

Of which if you should here disfurnish me,

You take the fum and fubftance that I have, 2 Out. Whither travel you?

Val. To Verona.

1 Out. Whence came you?
Val. From Milan.

3 Out. Have you long fojourn'd there?

Val. Some fixteen months; and longer might have staid, If crocked-fortune had not thwarted me.

K 2

1 Out!

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