Laun. O villain! that set 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, she is proud.

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

Speed. Item, she hath no teeth.

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

Speed. Item, she is curst.
Lgun. Well; the best is, the hath no teeth to bite.
Speed. Item, She will often praise her liquor.

Laun. If her liquor be good, the shall; if she will not, I will; for good things should be praised.

Speed. Item, she is too liberal.

Laun. Of her tongue fhe cannot; for that's writ down, she is flow of; of her purse she shall not, for that I'll keep shut; now of another thing she 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; she was mine, and not mine, twice or thrice in that article. Rehearse that once more.

Speed. Item, she hath more hair than wit.

Laun. More hair than wit, it may be; I'll 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 less. What's next?

Spced. And more faults than hairs.
Laun. That's monstrous: 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 impossible

Speed. What then?

Laun. Why then will I tell thee, that thy master stays for thee at the north-gate. Speed. For me!

Laun.

prove it:

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

Speed. And must I go to him ?

Laun. Thou must run to him, for thou haft staid so long, that going will scarce serve the turn.

Speed. Why didft not tell me sooner? pox on your love-letters!

Laun. Now will he be swing'd for reading my letter: an unmannerly slave, that will thruft himfelf into secrets. - I'll after, to rejoice in the boy's correction.

[Exeunt, Enter Duke and Thurio.

Duke. Sir Thurio, fear not, but that she will love you,
Now Valentine is banish'd from her sight.

Thu. Since his exile she hath despis'd me moft,
Forsworn my company, and rail'd at me,
That I am desperate of obtaining her.

Duke. This weak Impress of love is as a figure
Trenched in ice, which with an hour's heat
Disolves to water, and doth lose his form.
A little time will melt her frozen thoughts,
And worthless Valentine shall 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 so.
Protheus, the good conceit I hold of thee,
(For thou hast shown some sign of good desert)
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'st, how willingly I would effect
The match between Sir Thurio and my daughter.

Pro. I do, my lord.

Duke.

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

Pro. She did, my lord, when Valentine was here.

Duke. Ay, and perversely 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 slander Valentine With falihood, cowardice, and poor descent: Three things, that women highly hold in hate.

Duke. Ay, but she'll think, that it is spoke in hate.

Pro. Ay, if his enemy deliver it:
Therefore it must, with circumstance, be spoken
By one, whom she esteemeth as his friend.
Duke. Then you must undertake to Nander him.

Pro. And that, my lord, I shall be loth to do ;
'Tis an ill office for a gentleman;
Especially, against his very friend.

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 speak in his dispraise,
She shall not long continue love to him.
But say, this weed her love from Valentine, (13)
It follows not, that she will love Sir Thurio.

Thu. Therefore as you unwind her love from him,
Left it should ravel, and be good to none,
You must provide to bottom it on me:
Which must be done, by praising me as much
As you in worth dispraise Sir Valentine.

Duke. And, Protheus, we dare trust 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, shall you have access,

(13) But say, this weed ber Love -] This Caft of Reasoning very near resembles That of Davus in the Andria of Terence, A& 2. Sc. 2,

Ridiculum Caput !
Quasi necete sot, la buic vox det, to illam uxorem ducere.

Where

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Where you with Silvia may confer at large :
For she is lumpish, heavy, melancholy,
And, for your friend's sake, will be glad of you ;
Where you may temper her, by your persuasion,
To hate young Valentine, and love my friend.

*Pro. As much as I can do, I will effect,
But you, Sir Thurio, are not sharp enough;
You must lay lime, to tangle her desires,
By wailful sonnets, whose composed rhimes
Should be full fraught with serviceable vows.

Duke. Much is the force of heav'n-bred poesie.

Pro. Say, that upon the altar of her beauty
You facrifíce your tears, your sighs, your heart :
Write, 'till your ink be dry; and with your tears
Moist it again, and frame some feeling line,
That may discover such integrity:
For Orpheus' lute was strung with poets finews ;
Whose golden touch could foften steel and stones,
Make tygers tame, and huge Leviathans
Forsake unsounded deeps, to dance on sands.
After your dire-lamenting elegies,
Visit by night your lady's chamber-window
With some sweet confort: to their instruments
Tune a deploring dump; the night's dead filence
Will well become such sweet complaining grievance.
This, or else nothing, will inherit her.

Duke. This discipline shews, thou haft been in love.

Thu. And thy advice this night I'll put in practice;
Therefore, sweet Protheus, my direction-giver,
Let us into the city presently
To fort some gentlemen well skill'd in musick;
I have a sonnet, 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's And afterwards determine our proceedings.

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

bout you;

ELLOWS, stand fast: I see a passenger.
2 Out. If there be ten, shrink not, but down
with 'em.

Enter Valentine and Speed.
3 Out. Stand, Sir, and throw us what you have a-

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,
i Out. That's not so, 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 lose :
A man I am, crofs'd with adversity,
My riches are these poor habiliments,
of which if you should here disfurnish me,
You take the sum and substance that I have.

2 Out. Whither travel you?
Val. To Verona.
i Out. Whence came you?
Val. From Milan.
3 Out. Have you long sojourn'd there?
Val. Some fixteen months; and longer might have

staid,
If crooked fortune had not thwarted me.

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

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