And perfected by the swift course of time:
Then tell me whither were I beft to fend him?
Pant. I think your Lordship is not ignorant,
How his companion, youthful Valentine,
Attends the Emperor in his royal court.
Ant. I know it well.

Pant. 'Twere good, I think, your Lordship fent him thither;

There fhall he practise tilts and tournaments,
Hear fweet difcourfe, converse with noblemen;
And be in eye of every exercife,

Worthy his youth and nobleness of birth.

Ant. I like thy counfel; well haft thou advis'd:
And that thou may'st perceive how well I like it,
The execution of it shall make known;
Ev'n with the speedieft expedition

I will dispatch him to the Emperor's court.

Pant. To-morrow, may it pleafe you, Don Alphonfo, With other gentlemen of good esteem,

Are journeying to falute the Emperor,

And to commend their fervice to his will.

Ant. Good company: with them fhall Protheus go. And, in good time, now we will break with him.

Enter Protheus.

Pro. Sweet love, fweet lines, fweet life:
Here is her hand, the agent of her heart;
Here is her oath for love, her honour's pawn.
Oh! that our fathers would applaud our loves,
To feal our happiness with their confents!
Oh heav'nly Julia!

Ant. How now? what letter are you reading there? Pro. May't please your Lordship, 'tis a word or two Of commendation fent from Valentine;

Deliver'd by a friend that came from him.

Ant. Lend me the letter; let me fee what news. Pro. There is no news, my Lord, but that he writes How happily he lives, how well belov'd,

And daily graced by the Emperor ;

Wishing me with him, partner of his fortune.

Ant. And how stand you affected to his wifh?
Pro. As one relying on your Lordship's will,
VOL. I.

R

And

And not depending on his friendly with.

Ant. My will is fomething forted with his wifh:
Muse not that I thus fuddenly proceed;
For what I will, I will; and there's an end.
I am refolv'd that thou fhalt spend some time
With Valentine in the Emp'ror's court:
What maintenance he from his friends receives,
Like exhibition thou fhalt have from me :
To-morrow be in readiness to go.

Excufe it not, for I am peremptory.

Pro. My Lord, I cannot be fo foon provided;

Please to deliberate a day or two.

Ant. Look, what thou want'ft, fhall be fent after

thee:

No more of stay; to-morrow thou must go.
Come on, Panthion; you fhall be employ'd
To haften on his expedition. [Exe. Ant. and Pant.
Pro. Thus have I fhunn'd the fire, for fear of burning;
And drench'd me in the fea, where I am drown'd:
I fear'd to fhew my father Julia's letter,
Left he should take exceptions to my love;
And with the vantage of mine own excuse,
Hath he excepted most against my love.
Oh, how this fpring of love resembleth
Th' uncertain glory of an April day;
Which now fhews all the beauty of the fun,
And by and by, a cloud takes all away!
Enter Panthion.

Pant. Sir Protheus, your father calls for you;
He is in hafte, therefore, I pray you, go.

Pro. Why, this it is! my heart accords thereto; And yet a thousand times it answers, No.

[Exeunt,

Speed. Why then this may be your's, for this is but

one.

Val. Ha! let me fee: ay, give it me, it's mine.
Sweet ornament, that decks a thing divine!
Ah, Silvia! Silvia!

Speed. Madam Silvia! Madam Silvia!
Val. How now, firrah?

Speed She is not within hearing, Sir.
Val. Why, Sir, who bade you call her?
Speed. Your Worship, sir, or else I mistook.
Val. Well, you'll ftill be too forward.

Speed. And yet I was last chidden for being too flow.
Val. Go to, Sir; tell me, do you know Madam
Silvia ?

Speed. She that your Worship loves?

Val. Why, how know you that I am in love?

Speed. Marry, by these special marks: First, you have learn'd, like Sir Protheus, to wreath your arms like a malecontent; to relish a love-fong, like a Robinred-breaft; to walk alone, like one that had the pestilence; to figh, like a school-boy that had loft his A, B, C; to weep, like a young wench that had buried her grandam; to faft, like one that takes diet; to watch, like one that fears robbing; to speak puling, like a beggar at Hallowmafs. You were wont, when you laugh'd, to crow like a cock; when you walk'd, to walk like one of the lions; when you fasted, it was prefently after dinner; when you looked fadly, it was for want of money; and now you are metamorphos'd with a mistress, that, when I look on you, I can hardly think you my malter.

Val. Are all these things perceiv'd in me?
Speed. They are all perceiv'd without ye.
Val. Without me? they cannot.

out

Speed. Without you? nay, that's certain; for, withyou were fo fimple, none elie would: but you are fo without these follies, that thefe follies are within you, and shine through you like the water in an urinal; that not an eye that iees you, but is a physician to comment on your malady.

Val. But tell me, doit thou know my Lady Silvia? Speed. She that you gaze on fo as fhe fits at fupper?

R 2

Val.

Val. Haft thou obferv'd that? ev'n fhe I mean.
Speed. Why, Sir, I know her not.

Val. Doft thou know her by my gazing on her, and yet know't her not?

Speed. Is the not hard-favour'd, Sir?

Val. Not fo fair, boy, as well-favour'd.
Speed. Sir, I know that well enough.

Val. What doft thou know?

Speed. That the is not fo fair, as of you well-favour'd. Val. I mean that her beauty is exquifite,

But her favour infinite.

Speed. That's because the one is painted, and the other out of all count.

Val. How painted? and how out of count?

Speed Marry, Sir, fo painted to make her fair, that no man counts of her beauty.

Val. How efteem'ft thou me? I account of her beauty.

Speed. You never faw her fince fhe was deform'd. Val. How long hath fhe been deform'd?

Speed. Ever fince you lov'd her.

Val. I have lov'd her ever fince I faw her,

And ftill I fee her beautiful.

Speed. If you love her, you cannot fee her.
Val Why?

Speed. Becaufe love is blind

O that you had mine eyes, or your own eyes had the lights they were wont to have, when you chid at Sir Protheus for going ungarter'd!

Val. What fhould I fee then?

Speed. Your own prefent folly, and her paffing deformity: for he, being in love, could not fee to garter his hofe; and you, being in love, cannot fee to put on your hofe.

Val. Belike, boy, then you are in love; for last morning you could not fee to wipe my fhoes.

Speed. True, Sir, I was in love with my bed; I thank you, you fwinge'd me for my love, which makes me the bolder to chide you for your's.

Val. In conclufion, I stand affected to her.

Speed. I would you were fet, fo your affection would

ceale.

Val. Laft night she injoined me to write fome lines

to one fhe loves.

Speed. And have you?

Val. I have.

Speed. Are they not lamely writ?

Val. No, boy, but as well as I can do them : Peace, here fhe comes.

Enter Silvia.

Speed. Oh excellent motion! Oh exceeding puppet! Now will he interpret to her.

Val. Madam and Mistress, a thousand good morrows. Speed. Oh! give ye good ev'n; here's a million of

manners.

Sil. Sir Valentine and fervant, to you two thoufand. Speed. He should give her intereft; and the gives it

him.

Val. As you injoin'd me, I have writ your letter, Unto the fecret, nameless, friend of your's; Which I was much unwilling to proceed in, But for my duty to your Ladyfhip.

Sil. I thank you, gentle fervant; 'tis very clerkly

done.

Val. Now trust me, Madam, it came hardly off: For being ignorant to whom it goes,

I writ at random, very doubtfully.

Sil. Perchance you think too much of fo much pains? Val. No, Madam, so it steed you, I will write, Please you command a thousand times as much. And yet

Sil. A pretty period; well, I guess the fequel; And yet I will not name it; and yet I care not; And yet take this again, and yet I thank you; Meaning henceforth to trouble you no more. Speed. And yet you will; and yet another yet. [Afide. Val. What means your Ladyfhip? do you not like it? Sil. Yes, yes the lines are very quaintly writ; But fince unwillingly, take them again;

Nay, take them.

Val. Madam, they are for

you

Sil. Ay, ay; you writ them, Sir, at my requeft;

But