Eglamour.
The sun begins to gild the western sky,
And now it is about the very hour
Silvia, at Friar Patrick's cell, should meet me.
She will not fail; for lovers break not hours,
Unless it be to come before their time:
So much they spur their expedition.
See where she comes. Lady, a happy evening. Enter Silvia.

Sil.
Amen, Amen: Go on, good Eglamour,
Out at the postern by the abby-wall;
I fear I am attended by some spies.

Egl.
Fear not; the forest is not three leagues off;
If we recover that, we're sure enough. [Exeunt.

SCENE II. Enter Thurio, Protheus and Julia.

Thu.
Sir Protheus, what says Silvia to my suit?

Pro.
Oh Sir, I find her milder than she was,
And yet she takes exceptions at your person.

Thu.
What, that my leg is too long?

Pro.
No; that it is too little.

Thu.
I'll wear a boot to make it somewhat rounder.

Pro.
But love will not be spurr'd to what it loaths.

Thu.
What says she to my face?

Pro.
She says it is a fair one.

Thu.
Nay, then the wanton lies; my face is black.

Pro.
But pearls are fair; and the old saying is,
Black men are pearls in beauteous ladies eyes.

Jul.
'Tis true, such pearls as put out ladies eyes;
For I had rather wink than look on them. [Aside.

Thu.
How likes she my discourse?

Pro.
Ill, when you talk of war.

Thu.
But well when I discourse of love and peace?

Jul.
But better indeed when you hold your peace.

Thu.
What says she to my valour?

Pro.
Oh Sir, she makes no doubt of that.

Jul.
She needs not, when she knows it cowardise.

Thu.
What says she to my birth?

Pro.
That you are well deriv'd.

Jul.
True; from a gentleman to a fool.

Thu.
Considers she my possessions?

Pro.
Oh, ay, and pities them.

Thu.
Wherefore?

Jul.
That such an ass should own them.

Pro.
That they are out by lease.

Jul.
Here comes the Duke.

Enter Duke.

Duke.
How now, Sir Protheus? how now, Thurio?
Which of you saw Sir Eglamour of late?

Thu.
Not I.

Pro.
Nor I.

Duke.
Saw you my daughter?

Pro.
Neither.

Duke.
Why then
She's fled unto the peasant Valentine;
And Eglamour is in her company.
'Tis true; for Friar Laurence met them both,
As he in penance wander'd through the forest:
Him he knew well, and guest that it was she;
But being mask'd, he was not sure of it.
Besides, she did intend confession
At Patrick's cell this ev'n, and there she was not:
These likelihoods confirm her flight from hence.
Therefore I pray you stand not to discourse,
But mount you presently, and meet with me
Upon the rising of the mountain foot
That leads tow'rds Mantua, whither they are fled.
Dispatch, sweet 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 wreckless Silvia.

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

Jul.
And I will follow, more to cross that love,
Than hate for Silvia, that is gone for love. [Exeunt.

SCENE III. The Forest. Enter Silvia and Out-laws.

1 Out.
Come, come, be patient; we must bring you to our captain.

Sil.
A thousand 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 Moyses and Valerius follow him.
Go thou with her to th' west end of the wood,
There is our captain: follow him that's fled.
The thicket is beset, 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 use a woman lawlesly.

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

Val.
How use doth breed a habit in a man!
This shadowy desart, unfrequented woods,
I better brook than flourishing peopled towns.
Here I can sit alone, unseen of any,
And to the nightingale's complaining notes
Tune my distresses, and record my woes.
O thou that dost inhabit in my breast,

Leave not the mansion so long tenantless,
Lest, growing ruinous, the building fall,
And leave no memory of what it was.
Repair me with thy presence, Silvia;
Thou gentle nymph, cherish thy forlorn swain.
What hollowing and what stir is this to day?
These are my mates that make their wills their law,
Have some unhappy passenger 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 service have I done for you,
(Tho' you respect not ought your servant doth)
To hazard life, and rescue you from him
That wou'd have forc'd your honour and your love.
Vouchsafe me for my meed but one fair look:
A smaller boon than this I cannot beg,
And less than this I'm sure you cannot give.

Val.
How like a dream is this? I see and hear:
Love, lend me patience to forbear a while.

Sil.
O miserable unhappy that I am!

Pro.
Unhappy were you, Madam, ere I came;
But by my coming I have made you happy.

Sil.
By thy approach thou mak'st me most unhappy.

Jul.
And me when he approacheth to your presence. [Aside.

Sil.
Had I been seized by a hungry lion,
I would have been a breakfast to the beast,
Rather than have false Protheus rescue me.
Oh heav'n be judge how I love Valentine,
Whose life's as tender to me as my soul;
And full as much, for more there cannot be,

I do detest false perjur'd Protheus,
Therefore be gone, sollicit me no more.

Pro.
What dang'rous action, stood it next to death,
Would I not undergo for one calm look?
Oh, 'tis the curse in love, for ever prov'd,
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 first best love,
For whose dear sake thou then didst rend thy faith
Into a thousand oaths; and all those oaths
Descended into perjury to deceive me.
Thou hast no faith left now, unless thou'dst 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 respects 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 soldier, 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 desire.

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 such is a friend now: thou treach'rous man!
Thou hast beguil'd my hopes; nought but mine eye
Could have persuaded me. I dare not say
I have one friend alive; thou wouldst disprove me.
Who should be trusted now, when the right hand

Is perjur'd to the bosom? Protheus,
I'm sorry I must never trust thee more,
But count the world a stranger for thy sake.
The private wound is deepest. Oh time, most accurst!
'Mongst all foes, that a friend should be the worst!

Pro.
My shame and guilt confound me:
Forgive me, Valentine; if hearty sorrow
Be a sufficient ransom for offence,
I tender't here; I do as truly suffer,
As e'er I did commit.

Val.
Then I am paid:
And once again I do receive thee honest.
Who by repentance is not satisfy'd,
Is nor of heav'n nor earth, for these 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.† ^note

Jul.
Oh me unhappy! [Swoons.

Pro.
Look to the boy.

Val.
Why, boy? how now? what's the matter? look up; speak.

Jul.
O good Sir, my master 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 see:
This is the ring I gave to Julia.

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

Pro.
How cam'st thou by this ring? at my depart
I gave this unto Julia.

Jul.
And Julia her self did give it me.
And Julia her self hath brought it hither.

Pro.
How, Julia?

Jul.
Behold her that gave aim to all thy oaths,
And entertain'd 'em deeply in her heart:
How oft hast thou with perjury cleft the root?
Oh Protheus, let this habit make thee blush!
Be thou asham'd that I have took upon me
Such an immodest rayment. If shame live
In a disguise of love,
It is the lesser blot modesty finds,
Women to change their shapes, than men their minds.

Pro.
Than men their minds? 'tis true, oh heav'n, were man
But constant, he were perfect; that one error
Fills him with faults, makes him run through all sins:
Inconstancy falls off ere it begins.
What is in Silvia's face, but I may spy
More fresh in Julia's with a constant eye?

Val.
Come, come, a hand from either:
Let me be blest to make this happy close;
'Twere pity two such friends should long be foes.

Pro.
Bear witness, heav'n, I have my wish for ever.

Jul.
And I mine. SCENE V. Enter Duke, Thurio, and Out-laws.

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.

Val.
Thurio, give back; or else embrace thy death:
Come not within the measure of my wrath.
Do not name Silvia thine; if once again,
Verona shall not hold thee. Here she stands,
Take but possession of her with a touch;
I dare thee but to breath 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 such means for her as thou hast done,
And leave her on such slight conditions.
Now, by the honour of my ancestry,
I do applaud thy spirit, Valentine,
And think thee worthy of an empress' 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,
To which I thus subscribe: Sir Valentine,
Thou art a gentleman, and well deriv'd,
Take thou thy Silvia, for thou hast deserv'd her.

Val.
I thank your Grace; the gift hath made me happy.
I now beseech you, for your daughter's sake,
To grant one boon that I shall ask of you.

Duke.
I grant it for thine own, whate'er it be.

Val.
These banish'd men that I have kept withal,
Are men endu'd with worthy qualities:
Forgive them what they have committed here,
And let them be recall'd from their exile.
They are reformed, civil, full of good,
And fit for great employment, worthy lord.

Duke.
Thou hast prevail'd, I pardon them and thee;
Dispose of them as thou know'st their deserts.
Come, let us go; we will include all jars
With triumphs, mirth, and all solemnity.

Val.
And as we walk along, I dare be bold
With our discourse to make your Grace to smile.
What think you of this page, my lord?

Duke.
I think the boy hath Grace in him, he blushes.

Val.
I warrant you, my lord, more grace than boy.

Duke.
What mean you by that saying?

Val.
Please you, I'll tell you as we pass along,
That you will wonder what hath fortuned.
Come Protheus, 'tis your penance but to hear
The story of your love discovered:
That done, our day of marriage shall be yours,
One feast, one house, one mutual happiness. [Exeunt omnes.

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