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That leads tow'rds Mantua, whither they are fled.
Difpatch, fweet gentlemen, and follow me. [Exit Duke,
Thu. Why, this it is to be a peevish girl,
That flies her fortune where it follows her:
I'll after, more to be reveng'd of Eglamour
Than for the love of reckless Silvia.

Pro. And I will follow, more for Silvia's love,
Than hate of Eglamour that goes with her.
ful. And I will follow, more to cross that love,
Than hate for Silvia, that is gone for love.

Out.

SCENE changes to the Foreft.

Enter Silvia and Out-laws.

[Exeunt

OME, come, be patient; we must bring you to our Captain.

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Sil. A thoufand more mischances, than this one, Have learn'd me how to brook this patiently. 2 Out. Come, bring her away.

1 Out. Where is the gentleman, that was with her? 3 Out. Being nimble footed, he hath out-run us; But Moyfes and Valerius follow him.

Go thou with her to th' weft-end of the wood,
There is our captain: follow him, that's fled.
The thicket is befet, he cannot 'scape,

1 Out. Come, I must bring you to our captain's cave, Fear not; he bears an honourable mind,

And will not ufe a woman lawlessly.

Sil. O Valentine! this I endure for thee. [Exeunt.

Val.

SCENE, the Outlaw's Cave in the Foreft.

Enter Valentine.

TOW ufe doth breed a habit in a man!

Ho

This fhadowy defart, unfrequented woods, I better brook than flourishing peopled towns. Here can I fit alone, unseen of any, And to the nightingale's complaining notes Tune my diftreffes, and record my woes.

O thou, that doft inhabit in my breast,
Leave not the manfion fo long tenantless;
Left, growing ruinous, the building fall,
And leave no memory of what it was.
Repair me with thy prefence, Silvia;
Thou gentle nymph, cherish thy forlorn fwain.
What hallo'ing, and what ftir is this to-day?

These are my mates, that make their wills their law
Have fome unhappy paffenger in chase,

They love me well, yet I have much to do

To keep them from uncivil outrages.

Withdraw thee, Valentine: who's this comes here?

Enter Protheus, Silvia, and Julia.

Pro. Madam, this fervice have I done for you.
(Tho' you refpect not aught your fervant doth)
To hazard life, and refcue you from him,
That would have forc'd your honour and your love,
Vouchsafe me for my meed but one fair look:
A fmaller boon than this I cannot beg,
And less than this, I'm fure, you cannot give.
Val. How like a dream is this, I fee, and hear?
Love, lend me patience to forbear a while.
Sil. O miferable, unhappy that I am!
Pro. Unhappy were you, Madam, ere I came;
But by my coming I have made you happy.

[Afide.

Sil. By thy approach thou mak'ft me most unhappy.
ful. And me, when he approacheth to your prefence.

Sil. Had I been feized by a hungry lion,
I would have been a breakfast to the beast,
Rather than have falfe Prot heus refcue me.
Oh, heav'n be judge, how I love Valentine,
Whofe life's as tender to me as my foul;
And full as much, for more there cannot be,
I do deteft falfe perjur'd Protheus :

Therefore be gone, folicit me no more.

[Afide.

Pro. What dang'rous action, stood it next to death,

Would I not undergo for one calm look?

Oh, 'tis the curfe in love, and ftill approv'd,

When

When women cannot love, where they're belov'd.
Sil. When Protheus cannot love, where he's belov❜d. ·
Read over Julia's heart, thy firft beft love,

For whose dear fake thou then didft rend thy faith
Into a thousand oaths; and all those oaths
Defcended into perjury, to love me.

Thou haft no faith left now, unless thou'dft two,
And that's far worse than none: better have none
Than plural faith, which is too much by one.
Thou counterfeit to thy true friend!

Pro. In love, Who refpects friend?

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 foldier, at arms end,

And love you'gainst the nature of love; force ye.
Sil. Oh heav'n!

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 fay, I have one friend alive; thou wouldst difprove me. Who should be trufted now, when the right hand Is perjur'd to the bofom? Protheus,

I'm forry, I must never trust thee more,

But count the world a stranger for thy fake.

The private wound is deepeft. Oh time, moft accurft!
'Mongst all foes, that a friend should be the worst!
Pro. My fhame and guilt confound me:
Forgive me, Valentine; if hearty forrow

Be a fufficient ransom for offence,

I tender't here; I do as truly fuffer,
As e'er I did commit.

Val. Then I am paid:

And once again I do receive thee honef

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Who by repentance is not fatisfy'd,

Is nor of heav'n, nor earth; for thefe are pleas'd;
By penitence th' Eternal's wrath's appeas'd.
And that my love may appear plain and free,
All, that was mine in Silvia, I give thee.
Jul. Oh me unhappy!

Pro. Look to the boy.

[Swoons

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,

Jul. Here 'tis this is it.

Pro. How let me fee:

This is the ring I gave to Julia.

Jul. Oh, cry you mercy, Sir, I have mistook`; This is the ring you fent to Silvia.

I

Pro. How cam't thou by this ring at my depart,
gave this unto Julia.

Jul. And Julia herself did give it me.

And Julia herself hath brought it hither.
Pro. How, Julia?

ful. Behold her that gave aim to all thy oaths,
And entertain'd 'em deeply in her heart:
How oft haft thou with perjury cleft the root?
Oh Protheus, let this habit make thee blufh!
Be thou afham'd, that I have took upon me
Such an immodest rayment: if shame live
In a difguife of love.

It is the leffer blot, modesty 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 :
Inconftancy falls off, ere it begins.

What is in Silvia's face, but I may spy
More fresh in Julia's with a conftant eye?
Val. Come, come, a hand from either?

Let

Let me be bleft to make this happy close;
"Twere pity, two fuch friends fhould long be foes.
Pro. Bear witness, heav'n, I have my wish for ever.
Jul. And I mine.

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 difgrac'd,

The banish'd Valentine?

Duke. Sir Valentine?

Thu. Yonder is Silvia: and Silvia's mine.

Val. Thurio, give back; or elfe embrace thy death:
Come not within the measure of my wrath.
Do not name Silvia thine; if once again,
Milan fhall not behold thee. Here the ftands, (17)
Take but poffeffion of her with a touch;
I dare thee but to breathe upon my love,-
Thu. Sir Valentine, I care not for her, I.
I hold him but a fool, that will endanger
His body for a girl that loves him not.
I claim her not; and therefore she is thine.

Duke. The more degenerate and base art thou,
To make fuch means for her as thou haft done,
And leave her on fuch flight conditions.
Now, by the honour of my ancestry,
I do applaud thy fpirit, Valentine,

And think thee worthy of an emprefs' love:
Know then, I here forget all former griefs;
Cancel all grudge, repeal thee home again,
Plead a new state in thy unrival'd merit,

(17) Verona fhall not hold thee.] Thus all the editions, but, whether, thro' the miftake of the firft Editors, or the Poet's own carelessness, this reading is abfurdly faulty. For the threat here is to Thurio, 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 Silvia follows Valentine, having heard that he had retreated thither. And, upon these circumftances, I ventur'd to adjust the text, as I imagine, the Poet muft have intended: i. e. Milan, thy country, shall never see thee again: thou shalt never live to go back thither,

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