And each feveral chamber blefs,
Through this palace, with fweet peace
Ever fhall it fafely rest,
And the owner of it bleft,
Trip away, make no ftay;

Meet me all by break of day.

Puck. If we fhadows have offended,
Think but this, and all is mended;
That you have but flumber'd here,
While thefe vifions did appear.
And this weak and idle theam
No more yielding but a dream,
Gentles, do not reprehend;
If you pardon, we will mend.
And as I am honest Puck,

If we have unearned luck

Now to 'fcape the ferpent's tongue,
We will make amends ere long:
Elfe the Puck a lyar call:

So, good night unto you all.

Give me your hands, if we be friends;

And Robin fhall restore amends.

[Exeunt omnes.

THE

Two GENTLEMEN of VERONA*.

DRAMATIS PERSONÆ.

DUKE of Milan, father to
Silvia.
Valentine, the two Gentle-
Protheus, men
Anthonio, father to Pro-
theus.

Thurio, a foolish rival to
Valentine.
Eglamore, agent for Silvia
in her efcape.

Hoft, where Julia lodges in ||
Milan.

Out-laws.

Speed, a clownish fervant to
Valentine.

Launce, the like to Protheus.
Panthion, fervant to Antho-

nio.

Julia, a lady of Verona be

loved of Protheus.
Silvia, the Duke of Milan's
daughter, beloved of Va-
lentine.

Lucetta, waiting-woman to
Julia.

Servants, Muficians.

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

ACT

I.

SCENE I.

Val.

C

An open place in Verona.

Enter Valentine and Protheus.

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 fhapeless idleness..
But fince thou lov'ft, love ftill, and thrive therein;
Ev'n as I would, when I to love begin.

It may very well be doubted, whether Shakespear had any other hand in his play, than the enlivening it with fome fpe ches and lines thrown in here and there; which are cafily diftinguished, as being of a different ftamp from the rest.

Pro. Wilt thou be gone? fweet Valentine, adieu; Think on thy Protheus, when thou haply seest Some rare note-worthy object in thy travel: With 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 elle a wit by folly vanquifhed.

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 your mafter; 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 fay, 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,

-I'll pray for thee.

Val. That's on fome fhallow ftory of deep love,
How young Leander crofs'd the Hellefpont.
Pro. That's a deep ftory 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.

Pro. What?

Val. To be in love, &c.

VOL. I.

• And

< And all the fair effects of future hopes.
But wherefore waite 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 happinefs bechance to thee in Milan !
Val. As much to you at home; and, fo farewel!

[Exit.

Pro. He after honour hunts, I after love; He leaves his friends to dignify them more; I leave myfelf, my friends, and all for love. Thou, Julia, thou haft metamorphos'd me; Made me neglect 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. ir 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 theep in lofing him.

Pro. Indeed a fheep doth very often stray, An if the fhepherd be a while away.

Speed. You conclude that my mafter 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 ánfwer, and fitting well a fheep.
Speed. This proves me ftill a fheep.

Pro. True; and thy mafter a fhepherd.

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 feek my mafter, and my mafter feeks not me; therefore I am no fheep.

Pro.

Pro. The sheep for fodder follows the fhepherd, 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 Baá. Pro. But doft thou hear? gavest thou my letter to Julia?

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

Pro. Here's too small a pasture for such store of

muttons.

Speed. If the ground be overcharge'd, you were best ftick her.

Pro. Nay, in that you are a stray, 'twere best 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 fhe nod? [Speed nods. Speed. I.

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

Speed. You mistook, Sir: I faid, fhe did nod: And you ask me, if she did nod; and 1 faid, I. Pro. And that fet together, is noddy.

Speed. Now you have taken the pains to fet it togéther, take it for your pains.

Pro. No, no, you shall have it for bearing the letter. Speed. Well, I perceive I must 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?

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