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Jul. Lucetta, as thou lov'ft me, let me have What thou think'ft meet, and is moft mannerly: But tell me, wench, how will the world repute me For undertaking fo unftaid a journey?

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

Luc. If you think fo, then stay 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 fcarce be pleas'd withal.
Jul. That is the leaft, Lucetta, of my fear;
A thousand oaths, an ocean of his tears,
And inftances as infinite of love,

Warrant me welcome to my Protheus.

Luc. All these are fervants to deceitful men.
Jul. Bafe men, that use them to fo base effect!
But truer ftars 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'ft me, do him not that wrong,
To bear a hard opinion of his truth;

Only deferve my love, by loving him;
And presently 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 to it presently:
Į am impatient of my tarriance,

[Exeunt

ACT

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SCENE, the Duke's Palace, in Milan.'

Enter Duke, Thurio, and Protheus.

DUKE,

IR Thurio, give us leave, I pray, a while ;

ST

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 discover, The law of friendship bids me to conceal;

But when I call to mind your gracious favours
Done to me, undeferving as I am,

My duty pricks me on to utter that,

Which, elfe, no worldly good fhould draw from me.
Know, worthy Prince, Sir Valentine my friend
This night intends to fteal away your daughter;
My felf am one made privy to the plot.

I know, you have determin'd to bestow her
On Thurio, whom your gentle daughter hates:
And should 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;
Than, by concealing it, heap on your head
A pack of forrows, which would prefs you down,
If unprevented, to your timeless grave.

Duke. Protheus, I thank thee for thine honest care;
Which to requite, command me while I live.
This love of theirs my felf have often seen,
Haply, when they have judg'd me faft afleep;
And oftentimes have purpos'd to forbid
Sir Valentine her company, and my Court:
But, fearing left my jealous aim might err,
And fo unworthily disgrace the man,
(A rashness, that I ever yet have hunn'd ;)

I gave him gentle looks; thereby to find
That which thy felf haft now disclos'd to me.
And that thou may'ft perceive my fear of this,
Knowing that tender youth is foon fuggefted,
I nightly lodge her in an upper tower,
The key whereof my felf 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 discov'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 shall never know

That I had any light from thee of this.

Pro. Adieu, my lord: Sir Valentine is coming.

Enter Valentine.

[Exit Pro.

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

Duke. Be they of much import?

Val. The Tenour of them doth but fignifie 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
Were rich and honourable; befides, the gentleman
Is full of virtue, bounty, worth, and qualities
Beseeming fuch a wife as your fair daughter.
Cannot your Grace win her to fancy him?

;

Duke.

Duke. No, truft me; fhe is peevish, fullen, froward,
Proud, difobedient, stubborn, lacking duty;
Neither regarding that she 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 the is nice and coy,
And nought esteems my aged eloquence:
Now therefore would I have thee to my tutor;
(For long agone I have forgot to court;
Befides, the fashion of the time is chang'd,)
How, and which way, I may bestow my felf,
To be regarded in her fun-bright eye.

Val. 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 she did scorn a present, that I fent her. Val. A woman fometimes fcorns what beft contents

her;

Send her another; never give her o'er;

For fcorn at firit makes after-love the more.
If the do frown, 'tis not in hate of you,
But rather to beget more love in you:
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 say;
For, get you gone, fhe doth not mean away:

+ Sir, in Milan here. It ought to be thus, instead of in Verona here for the Scene apparently is in Milan, as is clear from feveral paffages in the first Act, and in the beginning of the firft Scene of the fourth Act. A like mistake has crept into the eighth Scene of Act II. where Speed bids his fellow-fervant Launce, welcome to Padua.

Mr. Pope.

Flatter,

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 severely 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 recourse 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 serve to scale another Hero'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 ev'ry thing that he can come by. Val. By feven a clock I'll Duke. But hark thee: I will go to her alone; get you fuch a ladder. 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 of any length.

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

Duke. Then let me fee thy cloak;

I'll get me one of fuch another length.

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

I pray thee, let me feel thy cloak upon me.
What letter is this fame? what's here? To Silvia?
And here an engine fit for my proceeding?

I'll be fo bold to break the feal for once. [Duke reads.

My

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