Duke, And, Proteus, we dare trust you in this kind; | Of which if you should here disfurnish me, may And cannot soon revolt and change your mind. Pro. As much as I can do, I will effect:- Visit by night your lady's chamber window Duke. This discipline shews thou hast been in love. To sort some gentlemen well skill'd in music: Duke. About it, gentlemen. Pro. We'll wait upon your grace till after supper: And afterward determine our proceedings. Duke. Even now about it; I will pardon you. ACT IV. SCENE I-A Forest, near Mantua. tain Out-laws. [Exeunt. Enter cer You take the sum and substance that I have. 2 Out. Whither travel you? Val. To Verona. 1 Out. Whence came you? Val. From Milan. 3 Out. Have you long sojourned there? Val. Some sixteen months; and longer might have staid, If crooked fortune had not thwarted me. 1 Out. What, were you banish'd thence? Val. I was. 2 Out. For what offence? Val. For that which now torments me to re⚫ hearse : I kill'd a man, whose death I must repent; 1 Out. Why ne'er repent it, if it were done so; But were you banish'd for so small a fault? Val. I was, and held me glad of such a doom. 1 Out. Have you the tongues? Val. My youthful travel therein made me happy; Or else I often had been miserable. 3 Out. By the bare scalp of Robin Hood's fat friar, 8 This fellow were a king for our wild faction. It is an honourable kind of thievery. 2 Out. Tell us this: have you any thing to take to? Val. Nothing but my fortune. 3 Out. Know, then, that some of us are gentlemen, Such as the fury of ungovern'd youth Thrust from the company of awful men: Myself was from Verona banish'd, For practising to steal away a lady, An heir, and near allied unto the duke. 2 Out. And I from Mantua, for a gentleman, Whom, in my mood,1° I stabbed unto the heart. 1 Out. And I, for such like petty crimes as these. But to the purpose,-(for we cite our faults, That they may hold excus'd our lawless lives,) And, partly, seeing you are beautify'd With goodly shape; and by your own report A linguist, and a man of such perfection, As we do in our quality much want; 2 Out. Indeed, because you are a banish'd man, Therefore, above the rest, we parley to you: Are you content to be our general? And live, as we do, in this wilderness? 3 Out. What say'st thou? wilt thou be of our consort ? 3 Out. Stand, sir, and throw us that you have Say ay, and be the captain of us all ; about you; I i. e. birdlime. 2 i. e. sincerity, such as would be manifested by such impassioned writing. Malone suspects that a line following this has been lost. 3 The old copy has consort, which, according to Bullokar and Philips, signified "a set or company of musicians." If we print concert, as Malone would have it, the relative pronoun their has no correspondent word. It is true that Shakspeare frequently refers to words not expressed, but implied in the former part of a sentence. But the reference here is to consort, as appears by the subsequent words, "to their instruments," 4 A dump was the ancient term for a mournful elegy. We'll do thee homage, and be rul'd by thee, 1 Out. But if thou scern our courtesy, thou diest. 2 Out. Thou shalt not live to brag what we have offer'd. Val. I take your offer, and will live with you; Provided that you do no outrages On silly women, or poor passengers. 3 Out. No, we detest such vile base practices. Come, go with us, we'll bring thee to our crews, And shew thee all the treasure we have got; Which, with ourselves, all rest at thy dispose. [Exeunt. SCENE II.-Milan. Court of the Palace. Enter Pro. Already have I been false to Valentine, She twits me with my falsehood to my friend; And give some evening music to her ear. Enter THURIO, and Musicians. Thu. How now? before Pro. Ay, gentle Thurio; for, you know, that love Thu. Ay, but, I hope, sir, that you love not here. Pro. Ay, Silvia,-for your sake. Thu. I thank you for your own. Now, gentlemen, Let's tune, and to it lustily awhile. Enter Host, at a distance; and JULIA in boy's clothes. Host. Now, my young guest! methinks you're allycholly; I pray you, why is it? Jul. Marry, mine host, because I cannot be Who is Sylvia? What is she? [Music plays. That all our swains commend her? Holy, fair, and wise is she; The heavens such grace did lend her, Is she kind, as she is fair? To help him of his blindness; Then to Silvia let us sing, Host. How now? are you sadder than you were before? How do you, man? the music likes you not. Jul. He plays false, father. Host. How? out of tune on the strings? Jul. Not so; but yet so false that he grieves my very heart-strings. Host. You have a quick car. Jul. Ay, I would I were deaf! it makes me have a slow heart. 1 Sudden quips, hasty, passionate reproaches. Ju Where is Launce? Host. Gone to seek his dog; which, to-morrow, by his master's command, he must carry for a present o his lady. Ju. Peace! stand aside! the company parts. Pr. At Saint Gregory's well. Thu. Farewell. [Exeunt THU. and Musicians. Po. One, lady, if you knew his pure heart's Youd quickly learn to know him by his voice. Pro. Sir Proteus, gentle lady, and your servant. Pro. That I may compass yours. Sil. You have your wish; my will is even this,- Tha hast deceiv'd so many with thy vows Jul. "Twere false, if I should speak it; [Aside. Sil. Say, that she be; yet Valentine, thy friend, Survives; to whom, thyself art witness, I am betroth'd: And art thou not asham'd To wrong him with thy importunacy? grave, Pro. Sweet lady, let me rake it from the earth. [Aside. Pro. Madam, if your heart be so obdurate, And make it but a shadow, as I am. ; de [Aside. But, since your falsehood shall become you well Pro. [Exeunt PROTEUS; and SILVIA from above. Jul. Host, will you go? Host. By my halidom, I was fast asleep. 2 i. e. Out of all reckoning or count; reckonings were kept upon nicked or notched sticks or tallies. 3 Halidom, (says Minshen,) an old word, used by old countrywomen by manner of swearing. Egl. As many, worthy lady, to yourself. Sil. O Églamour, thou art a gentleman, repose. Egl. Madam, I pity much your grievances; As much I wish all good befortune you. Sil. This evening coming. Egl. Where shall I meet you? Sil. At friar Patrick's cell, Where I intend holy confession. Good-morrow, gentle lady. Sil. Good-morrow, kind Sir Eglamour. [Exeunt. SCENE IV. The same. Enter LAUNCE, with his Dog. When a man's servant shall play the cur with him, look you, it goes hard: one that I brought up of a puppy; one that I saved from drowning, when three or four of his blind brothers and sisters went 1 The double superlative is very often used by the writers of Shakspeare's time. to it! I have taught him-even as one would say precisely, Thus I would teach a dog. I was sent to deliver him, as a present to mistress Silvia, from my master; and I came no sooner into the diningchamber, but he steps is a foul thing, when a cur eps me to her trencher, and steals her capon's leg. cannot keep himself in all companies! I would have, as one should say, one that takes upon him to be a dog indeed, to be, as it were, a dog at all things. If I had not had more wit than he, to take a fault upon me that he did, I think verily he had been hanged for't sure as I live, he had suffer'd for't: you shall judge. He thrusts me himself into the company of three or four gentleman-like dogs, under the duke's table: he had not been there (bless the mark) a with the dog, says one; What cur is that? says pissing while; but all the chamber smelt him. Out another; Whip him out, says the third; Hang him up, says the duke. I, having been acquainted with the smell before, knew it was Crab; and goes me to the fellow that whips the dogs: Friend, quoth 1, you mean to whip the dog? Ay, marry, do I, quoth he. You do him the more wrong, quoth I; 'twas I did the thing you wot of. He makes me no more ado, but whips me out of the chamber. How many masters would do this for their servant? Nay, I'll be sworn, I have sat in the stocks for puddings he hath stolen, otherwise he had been executed: I have stood on the pillory for geese he hath killed, otherwise he had suffered for't: thou think'st not of this now!-Nay, I remember the trick you served me, when I took my leave of madame Silvia: did not I bid thee still mark me, and do as I do? When didst thou see me heave up my leg, and make water against a gentlewoman's farthingale? didst thou ever see me do such a trick? Enter PROTEUS and JULIA. Pro. Sebastian is thy name? I like thee well, And will employ thee in some service presently. Jul. In what you please ;-I will do what I can. Pro. I hope, thou wilt.-How now, you whoreson [TO LAUNCE Where have you been these two days loitering? Laun. Marry, sir, I carried mistress Silvia the dog you bade me. peasant! Pro. And what says she to my little jewel? Laun. Marry, she says, your dog was a cur; and tells you, currish thanks is good enough for such a present. Pro. But she received my dog? Laun. No, indeed, did she not: here have I brought him back again. Pro. What, didst thou offer her this from me? Laun. Ay, sir; the other squirrel was stolen from me by the hangman's boys in the market-place: and then I offered her mine own; who is a dog as big as ten of yours, and therefore the gift the greater. Pro. Go, get thee hence, and find my dog again, Or ne'er return again into my sight. Away, I say: Stay'st thou to vex me here? A slave, that, still an end turns me to shame. [Exit LAUNCE Sebastian, I have entertained thee, 5 In Shakspeare's time griefs frequently signified 2 Impose is injunction, command; a task set at col- grievances; and the present instance shows that in re lege in consequence of a fault is still called an imposi-turn grievance was sometimes used in the sense of tion. 3 i. e. pitiful. 4 It was common in former ages for widowers and widows to make vows of chastity in honour of their de. ceased wives or husbands. Besides observing the vow, the widow was, for life, to wear a veil, and a mourning habit. The same distinction may have been made in respect of male votarists; this circumstance might inform the players how Sir Eglamour should be dressed; and will account for Silvia's having chosen him as a person in whom she could confide without injury to her Character. grief. 6 To reck is to care for. So in Hamlet: "And reeks not his own read." Pro. Why dost thou cry, alas? Jul. I cannot choose but pity her. Pro. Wherefore should'st thou pity her? Jul. Because, methinks, that she lov'd you as well As you do love your lady Silvia: She dreams on him that has forgot her love; Pro. Well, give her that ring, and therewithal [Exit PROTEUS. This ring I gave him, when he parted from me, To praise his faith which I would have disprais'd. Enter SILVIA, attended. Gentlewoman, good day! I pray you be my mean Jul. From my master, Sir Proteus, madam. Sil. Ursula, bring my picture there. [Picture brought. Jul. Madam, please you peruse this letter.- Sil. I pray thee let me look on that again. I will not look upon your master's lines: Jul. Madam, he sends your ladyship this ring. 2 To passion was used as a verb formerly. Sil. Is she not passing fair? Jul. She hath been fairer, madam, than she is: When she did think my master lov'd her well, She, in my judgment, was as fair as you; But since she did neglect her looking-glass, And threw her sun-expelling mask away, The air hath starv'd the roses in her cheeks, And piach'd the lily-tincture of her face, That now she is become as black as I. Sil. How tall was she? Jul. About my stature: for, at Pentecost, Sil. She is beholden to thee, gentle youth!- I weep myself, to think upon thy words. Farewell. her. know her. A virtuous gentlewoman, mild, and beautiful. get me such a colour'd periwig.3 up, 5 A high forehead was then accounted a feature eminently beautiful. Our author, in The Tempest, shows that low foreheads were in disesteem. with foreheads villanous low. 6 Respective, i. e. considerative, regardful, v. Mer. chant of Venice, Act v. Sc. 1. 3 False hair was worn by the ladies long before wigs were in fashion. So, in Northward Hoe,' 1607, "There is a new trade come up for cast gentlewomen of periwig making." Perwickes are mentioned by Churchyard in one of his earliest poems. And Barnabe 7 The word statue was formerly used to express a Rich, in The Honestie of this Age,' 1615, has a phi-portrait, and sometimes a statue was called a picture. hippie against this folly. 4 By grey eyes were meant what we now call blue eyes. Grey, when applied to the eyes is rendered by Coles, in his Dictionary, 1679, Ceruleus, glaucus. Stowe says (speaking of Elizabeth's funeral,) that when the people beheld "her statue or picture lying upon the coffin, there was a general sighing." Thus in the City Madam,' by Massinger, Sir John Frugal de See, where she comes; Lady, a happy evening! Egl. Fear not the forest is not three leagues off: Thu. I'll wear a boot, to make it somewhat Pro. But love will not be spurr'd to what it Thu. What says she to my face? Thu. Nay, then the wanton lies; my face is black. Pro. But pearls are fair; and the old saying is, Thu. But well, when I discourse of love and Jul. But better indeed, when you hold your peace. Thu. What says she to my valour? ardice. Thu. What says she to my birth? Jul. True, from a gentleman to a fool. Thu. Wherefore ? it [Aside. Pro. Neither. Duke. Why, then she's fled unto that peasant And Eglamour is in her company. "Tis true; for friar Laurence met them both, At Patrick's cell this even: and there she was not: That leads towards Mantua, whither they are fled: [Exit. Pro. And I will follow, more for Silvia's love, Than hate of Eglamour that goes with her. [Exit. Jul. And I will follow more to cross that love, Than hate for Silvia, that is gone for love. [Exit. SCENE III.-Frontiers of Mantua. The Forest. Enter SILVIA, and Out-laws. Out. Come, come; Be patient, we must bring you to our captain. 1 Out. Where is the gentleman that was with 3 Out. Being nimble-footed, he hath outrun us, But Moyses and Valerius follow him. Go thou with her to the west end of the wood, 1 Out. Come, I must bring you to our captain's cave: Fear not; he bears an honorable mind, Sil. O Valentine, this I endure for thee! [Exeunt. SCENE IV. Another part of the Forest. Enter VALENTINE. Val. How use doth breed a habit in a man! cow-Tune my distresses, and record my woes. Leave not the mansion so long tenantless; Repair me with thy presence, Silvia; Jul. That such an ass should owe them. [Aside. These are my mates, that make their wills their law, Pro. That they are out by lease.3 Jul. Here comes the Duke. Enter DUKE. Duke. How now, Sir Proteus? how now, Thurio? Pro. Nor I. Duke. Saw you my daughter? sires that his daughters may take leave of their lovers' statues, though he had previously described them as pictures, which they evidently were. 1 Mr. Boswell thought that this line should be given to Julia, as well as a subsequent one, and that they were meant to be spoken aside. They are exactly in the style of her other sarcastic speeches; and Proteus, who is playing on Thurio's credulity, would hardly represent him as an object of loathing to Silvia. 2 i. e. possess them, on them. Have some unhappy passenger in chase: Enter PROTEUS, SILVIA, and JULIA. 4 Peevish in ancient language signified foolish. 6 To record, anciently signified to sing. It is still Leave not the mansion so long tenantless; Lest growing ruinous, the building fall, And leave no memory of what it was." is hardly possible (says Steevens) to point out four lines in Shakspeare more remarkable for casc and clegance than the preceding. 3 By Thurio's possessions he himself understands his lands. But Proteus chooses to take the word likewise in a figurative sense, as signifying his mental endowments,It and when he says they are out by lease, he means, that they are no longer enjoyed by their master (who is a |