Laun. O villain! that fet down among her vices! to be flow in words is a woman's only virtue: I pray thee, out with't, and place it for her chief virtue. Speed. Item, he is proud.

Laun. Out with that too: it was Eve's legacy, and cannot be ta'en from her.

Speed. Item, fhe hath no teeth.

Laun. I care not for that neither, because I love crufts.

Speed. Item, fhe is curst.

Laun. Well, the beft is, fhe hath no teeth to bite. Speed. Item, She will often praife her liquor.

Laun. If her liquor be good, the fhall; if he will not, I will; for good things fhould be praised. Speed. Item, fhe is too liberal.

Laun. Of her tongue the cannot; for that's writ down, fhe is flow of; of her purfe fhe fhall not, for that I'll keep fhut; now of another thing the may, and that cannot I help. Well, proceed.

Speed. Item, the hath more hairs than wit, and more faults than hairs, and more wealth than faults.

Laun., Stop here; I'll have her; fhe was mine, and not mine, twice or thrice in that article. Rehearse that once more.

Speed. Item, the hath more hair than wit.

Laun. More hair than wit, it may be; I'll prove it: the cover of the falt hides the falt, and therefore it is more than the falt; the hair, that covers the wit, is more than the wit; for the greater hides the lefs. What's next?

Speed. And more faults than hairs.

Laun. That's monftrous: oh, that that were out!
Speed. And more wealth than faults.

Laun. Why, that word makes the faults gracious: well, I'll have her; and if it be a match, as nothing is impoffible

Speed. What then?

Laun. Why then will I tell thee, that thy master ftays for thee at the north-gate.

Speed. For me?

Laun.

Laun. For thee? ay; who art thou? he hath ftaid for a better man than thee.

Speed. And muft I go to him?

Laun. Thou muft run to him, for thou haft ftaid fo long, that going will fcarce ferve the turn.

Speed. Why didft not tell me fooner? pox on your

love-letters!

Laun. Now will he be fwing'd for reading my letter: an unmannerly flave, that will thruft himfelf into I'll after, to rejoice in the boy's correc

fecrets.

tion.

Enter Duke and Thurio.

[Exeunt.

Duke. Sir Thurio, fear not, but that fhe will love you, Now Valentine is banifh'd from her fight.

Thu. Since his exile fhe hath defpis'd me moft,
Forfworn my company, and rail'd at me,
That I am defperate of obtaining her.

Duke. This weak Imprefs of love is as a figure
Trenched in ice, which with an hour's heat
Diffolves to water, and doth lofe his form.
A little time will melt her frozen thoughts,
And worthless Valentine fhall be forgot.

Enter Protheus.

How now, Sir Protheus? Is your countreyman,
According to our proclamation, gone?
Pro. Gone, my good lord.

Duke. My daughter takes his going heavily.
Pro. A little time, my lord, will kill that grief.
Duke. So I believe; but Thurio thinks not fo.
Protheus, the good conceit I hold of thee,
(For thou haft fhown fome fign of good defert)
Makes me the better to confer with thee.

Pro. Longer than I prove loyal to your Grace,
Let me not live to look upon your Grace.

Duke. Thou know'ft, how willingly I would effe&t The match between Sir Thurio and my daughter. Pro. I do, my lord.

Duke. And alfo, I do think, thou art not ignorant How the opposes her against my will.

Pro. She did, my lord, when Valentine was here.
Duke. Ay, and perverfely the persevers so.
What might we do to make the girl forget
The love of Valentine, and love Sir Thurio?
Pro. The best way is to flander Valentine
With falihood, cowardice, and poor defcent:
Three things, that women highly hold in hate.
Duke. Ay, but he'll think, that it is spoke in hate.
Pro. Ay, if his enemy deliver it:

Therefore it muft, with circumftance, be spoken
By one, whom the esteemeth as his friend."

Duke. Then you must undertake to flander him. Pro. And that, my lord, I fhall be loth to do; 'Tis an ill office for a gentleman;

Especially, against his very friend.

J

Duke. Where your good word cannot advantage him, Your flander never can endamage him;

Therefore the office is indifferent,

Being intreated to it by your friend.

Pro. You have prevail'd, my lord: if I can do it, By ought that I can fpeak in his difpraise,

She shall not long continue love to him.

But fay, this weed her love from Valentine, (13)

It follows not, that he will love Sir Thurio.

Thu. Therefore as you unwind her love from him, Left it fhould ravel, and be good to none,

You must provide to bottom it on me:

Which must be done, by praifing me as much.

As you in worth difpraife Sir Valentine.

Duke. And, Protheus, we dare truft you in this kind, Because we know, on Valentine's report,

You are already love's firm votary;

And cannot foon revolt and change your mind.
Upon this warrant, fhall you have access,

[13) But fay, this aweed her Love] This Caft of Reasoning very near refembles That of Davus in the Andria of Terence, A&t 2. Sc. 2.

Ridiculum Caput !·

Quasi neceffe fit, fi buic non det, te illam uxorem ducere.

Where

Where you with Silvia may confer at large:
For fhe is lumpish, heavy, melancholy,

And, for your friend's fake, will be glad of you;
Where you may temper her, by your perfuafion,
To hate young Valentine, and love my friend.
Pro. As much as I can do, I will effect,
But you, Sir Thurio, are not fharp enough;
You must lay lime, to tangle her defires,
By wailful fonnets, whofe composed rhimes
Should be full fraught with ferviceable vows.
Duke. Much is the force of heav'n-bred poefic.
Pro. Say, that upon the altar of her beauty
You facrifice your tears, your fighs, your heart:
Write, 'till your ink be dry; and with your tears
Moift it again; and frame fome feeling line,
That may difcover fuch integrity:

For Orpheus' lute was ftrung with poets finews;
Whofe golden touch could foften steel and ftones,
Make tygers tame, and huge Leviathans
Forfake unfounded deeps, to dance on fands.
After your dire-lamenting elegies,

Vifit by night your lady's chamber-window
With fome fweet confort: to their inftruments
Tune a deploring dump; the night's dead filence
Will well become fuch fweet complaining grievance.
This, or elfe nothing, will inherit her.

Duke. This difcipline fhews, thou hast been in love. Thu. And thy advice this night I'll put in practices Therefore, sweet Protheus, my direction-giver,

Let us into the city presently

To fort fome gentlemen well skill'd in musick;

I have a fonnet, that will serve the turn,

To give the onset to thy good advice.

Duke. About it, gentlemen.

Pro. We'll wait upon your Grace, 'till after fupper;

And afterwards determine our proceedings.

Duke. Ev'n now about it. I will pardon you. [Exeunt.

A C T IV.

SCENE, a Foreft, leading towards Mantua.

FE

Enter certain Out-laws.

I OUT LAW.

ELLOWS, ftand faft: I fee a paffenger.
2 Out. If there be ten, fhrink not, but down
with 'em.

Enter Valentine and Speed.

3 Out. Stand, Sir, and throw us what you have about you; if not, we'll make you, Sir, and rifle you. Speed. Sir, we are undone, these are the villains, that all the travellers do fear fo much.

Val. My friends,

1 Out. That's not fo, Sir; we are your enemies. 2 Out. Peace; we'll hear him.

3 Out. Ay, by my beard, will we; for he is a proper

man.

Val. Then know, that I have little Wealth to lofe: A man I am, crofs'd with adverfity;

My riches are these poor habiliments,

Of which if you fhould here disfurnish me,

You take the fum and fubftance that I have. 2 Out. Whither travel you?

Val. To Verona.

1 Out. Whence came you?
Val. From Milan.

3 Out. Have you long fojourn'd there?

Val. Some fixteen months; and longer might have ftaid,

If crooked fortune had not thwarted me.

1 Out. What, were you banish'd thence?
Val. I was.