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Why, ev'n what fashion thou beft lik'

Lucetta.
Luc. You must needs have them with a cod-piece, Madam
with a
Jul, Out, out, Lucetta that will be ill-favour'd:
Luc. A round hofe, Madam, now's not worth a pin
Unless you have a cod-piece to ftick pins on.

Jul. Lucetta, as thou lov ft me, let me have
What thou think't meet, and is most mannerly :
But tell me, wench, how will the world repute me 2
For undertaking fo unftaid a journey?

I fear me, it will make me fcandaliz'd.

Luc. If you think fo, then ftay at home, and go not.
Jul. Nay, that I will not.

Luc. Then never dream on infamy, but go..
If Protheus like your journey, when you come,
No matter who's difpleas'd, when you are gone:
I fear me, he will fearce be pleas'd withal.

ful. That is the least, Lucetta, of my fear :)
A thoufand oaths, an ocean of his tears,
And inftances as infinite of love,

Warrant me welcome to my Protheus.

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1

Luc. All thefe are fervants to deceitful men.
Jul. Bafe men, that use them to fo base effect!
But truer stars did govern Protheus' birth ;
His words are bonds, his oaths are oracles;
His love fincere, his thoughts immaculate;
His tears, pure meffengers fent from his heart;
His heart as far from fraud, as heav'n from earth.
Luc. Pray heav'n he prove fo, when you come to him
Jul. Now, as thou lov't me, do him not that wrong,
To bear a hard opinion of his truth;

Only deferve my love, by loving him;
And prefently go with me to my chamber,
To take a note, of what I ftand in need of,
To furnish me upon my longing journey.
All that is mine I leave at thy dispose,
My goods, my lands, my reputation;
Only, in lieu thereof, difpatch me hence:
Come, anfwer not; but do it presently;
I am impatient of my tarriance.

I 3

[Exeunt.

ACT

A C T ÏIÍ.

SCENE the Duke's Palace, în Milan.

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Enter Duke, Thurio, and Protheus,

DUKE.

IR Thurio, give us leave, I pray, a while;
We have fome fecrets to confer about. [Exit Thur.
Now tell me, Protheus, what's your will with me?
Pro. My gracious lord, that which I would difcover,
The law of friendship bids me to conceal ;

But when I call to mind your gracious favours we
Done to me, undeserving as lam,

My duty pricks me on to utter that,

Which, elfe, no worldly good fhould draw from me, al
Know, worthy Prince, Sir Valentine my friend ises
This night intends to steal away your daughter:
Myfelf am one made privy to the plot.

I know, you have determin'd to bestow her
On Thurio, whom your gentle daughter hates :
And fhould the thus be ftoll'n away from you,
It would be much vexation to your age.
Thus, for my duty's fake, I rather chofe
To cross my friend in his intended drift; var
Than, by concealing it, heap on your head

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I

A pack of forrows, which would prefs you down,'

If unprevented, to your timeless grave

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Duke. Protheus, I thank thee for thine honest care §o

Which to requite, command me while I live.
This love of theirs myself have often feen,
Haply, when they have judg'd me faft afleep;
And oftentimes have purpos'd to forbid
Sis Valentine her company, and my court

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But, fearing left my jealous aim might err,
And fo unworthily difgrace the man,
(A rafhnefs that I ever yet have hunn'd ;)
gave him gentle looks; thereby to find
That which thyfelf haft now disclos'd to me.
And that thou may'it perceive my fear of this,
Knowing that tender youth is foon fuggefled,
I nightly lodge her in an upper tower,
The key whereof myself have ever kept;
And thence the cannot be convey'd away.

Pro. Know, noble lord, they have devis'd a mean
How he her chamber-window will afcend,
And with a corded ladder fetch her down;
For which the youthful lover now is gone,
And this way comes he with it presently:
Where, if it please you, you may intercept him.
But, good my lord, do it fo cunningly,
That my difcov'ry be not aimed at ;
For love of you, not hate unto my friend,
Hath made me publisher of this pretence.
Duke. Upon mine honour, he fhall never know
That I had any light from thee of this.ti
Pro. Adieu, my lord: Sir Valentine is coming.
[Exis Pro.

Enter Valentine.

Duke, Sir Valentine, whither away fo fast?
Val. Pleafe it your Grace, there is a messenger
That stays to bear my letters to my friends,
And I am going to deliver them.

Duke. Be they of much import?

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Val. The tenour of them doth but fignify My health, and happy being at your court.

Duke. Nay then, no matter; ftay with me a while;

I am to break with thee of fome affairs,

That touch me near; wherein thou must be fecret.
'Tis not unknown to thee, that I have fought
To match my friend, Sir Thurio, to my daughter.
Val. I know it well, my lord; and, fure, the match

14

Were

Were rich and honourable; befides, the gentleman
Is full of virtue, bounty, worth, and qualities
Befeeming fuch a wife as your fair daughter.
Cannot your Grace win her to fancy him?
Duke. No, truft mé; fhe is peevish, fullen, froward,
Proud, difobedient, flubborn, lacking duty;
Neither regarding that the is my child,
Nor fearing me as if I were her father:
And may I fay to thee, this pride of hers,
Upon advice, hath drawn my love from her;
And, where I thought the remnant of mine age
Should have been cherish'd by her child-like duty,
I now am full refolv'd to take a wife,

* And, turn her out to who will take her in:
Then let her beauty be her wedding-dower:"
For me, and my poffeffions, the esteems not.

Val. What would your Grace have me to do in this ? Duke. There is a lady, * Sir, in Milan here, Whom I affect; but fhe is nice and coy, And nought efteems my aged eloquence: Now therefore would I have thee to my tutor, (For long gone I have forgot to court; Befides, the fashion of the time is chang'd,) How, and which way, I may beftow myself, To be regarded in her fun-bright eye.

Vat. Win her with gifts, if the refpects not words; Dumb jewels often in their filent kind,

More than quick words, do move a woman's mind.
Duke. But he did fcorn a prefent. that I fent her.
Val. A woman fometimes fcorns what beft contents her
Send her another; never give her o'er;

For fcorn at firft makes after-love the more.
If the do frown, 'tis not in hate of you,"
But rather to beget more love in you

in

* Sir, în Milan bere.`` It ought to be thus, infiead of. Verona here for the Seene apparently is in Milan, as is clear from feveral paffages in the firft Act, and in the beginning of the firft Scene of the fourth A&. A like mistake has crept into the eighth Scene of Act 11. "where Speed bids bis fellow-fervant Launce, welcome to Mr. Pope.

Padua.

If the do chide, 'tis not to have you gone:
For why, the fools are mad if left alone.
Take no repulfe, whatever the doth fay;
For, get you gone, the doth not mean away
Flatter, and praife, commend, extol their graces
Tho' ne'er fo black, fay, they have angels' faces,
That man that hath a tongue, I fay, is no man,
If with his tongue he cannot win a woman.
Duke, But the I mean, is promis'd by her friends
Unto a youthful gentleman of worth,

And kept feverely from refort of men,

That no man hath access by day to her.

Val. Why then I would refort to her by night. Duke. Ay, but the doors be lockt, and keys kept fafe, That no man hath recourfe to her by night.

Val. What lets, but one may enter at her Window ? Duke. Her chamber is aloft, far from the ground, And built fo fhelving, that one cannot climb it Without apparent hazard of his life.

Val. Why then a ladder quaintly made of cords,
To caft up, with a pair of anchoring hooks,
Would ferve to fcale another Here's tower,
So bold Leander would adventure it.

Duke. Now, as thou art a gentleman of blood,
Advise me where I may have fuch a ladder.

Val. When would you use it? pray, Sir, tell me that. Duke. This very night; for love is like a child, That longs for every thing that he can come by. Kel. By feven a clock I'll get you fuch a ladder. Duke. But hark thee: I will go to her alone; How fhall I beft convey the ladder thither?

Val. It will be light, my lord, that you may bear it Under a cloak that is is of any length.

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Duke. A cloak as long as thine will ferve the tun?
Val. Ay, my good lord.

Duke. Then let me fee thy cloak;

I'll get me one of fuch another length.

I

Val. Why, any cloak will ferve the turn, my lord.
Duke. How fhall I fashion me to wear a cloak ?

pray thee, let me feel thy cleak upon nie.

15

What

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