Him he knew well, and guess'd that it was the;
But, being mask'd, he was not sure of it.
Befides, the did intend confeffion

At Patrick's cell this Ev'n, and there she was not:
These likelihoods confirm her flight from hence.
Therefore, I pray you, ftand not to discourse,
But mount you presently, and meet with me
Upon the rifing of the mountain-foot

That leads tow'rds Mantua, whither they are fled.
Dispatch, fweet gentlemen, and follow me. [Exit Duke.
Thu. Why, this it is to be a peevish girl,
That flies her fortune where it follows her:
I'll after, more to be reveng'd of Eglamour,
Than for the love of recklefs Silvia.

Pro. And I will follow, more for Silvia's love,
Than hate of Eglamour that goes with her.
Jul. And I will follow, more to cross that love,
Than hate for Silvia, that is gone for love.

[Exeunt.

SCENE changes to the FOREST.

Enter Silvia and Out-laws.

Out. COME, come, be patient; we must bring you

to our Captain.

Sil. A thousand more mifchances, than this one, Have learn'd me how to brook this patiently. 2 Out. Come, bring her away.

1 Out. Where is the gentleman, that was with her? Out. Being nimble-footed, he hath out-run us;

But Moyfes and Valerius follow him.

Go thou with her to th'weft end of the wood,
There is our captain: follow him, that's fled.
The thicket is befet, he cannot 'scape.

1 Out. Come, I must bring you to our captain's cave, Fear not; he bears an honourable mind, And will not ufe a woman lawlessly.

Sil. O Valentine! this I endure for thee.

[Exeunt.

SCENE

SCENE, the Out-law's Cave in the FOREST.

Enter Valentine.

Val. HOW ufe doth breed a habit in a man!
This fhadowy defart, unfrequented woods,
I better brook than flourishing peopled towns.
Here can I fit alone, unseen of any,

And to the nightingale's complaining notes
Tune my diftreffes, and record my woes.
O thou, that dost inhabit in my breast,
Leave not the manfion fo long tenantless;
Left, growing ruinous, the building fall,
And leave no memory of what it was.
Repair me with thy prefence, Silvia;
Thou gentle nymph, cherish thy forlorn fwain.
What hallo'ing, and what ftir is this to day?

These are my mates, that make their wills their law,
Have fome unhappy paffenger in chase.

They love me well, yet I have much to do

To keep them from uncivil outrages.

Withdraw thec, Valentine: who's this comes here?

Enter Protheus, Silvia, and Julia.

Pro. Madam, this fervice have I done for you.
(Tho' you refpect not ought your fervant doth)
To hazard life, and rescue you from him,
That wou'd have forc'd your honour and your love.
Vouchsafe me for my meed but one fair look:
A smaller boon than this I cannot beg,
And less than this, I'm fure, you cannot give.
Val. How like a dream is this, I fee, and hear?
Love, lend me patience to forbear a while.

[Afide.

Sil. O miferable, unhappy that I am!
Pro. Unhappy were you, Madam, ere I came;
But by my coming I have made you happy.

Sil. By thy approach thou mak'ft me most unhappy.
Jul. And me, when he approacheth to your prefence.

P 4

[Afide.

Sil.

Sil. Had I been feized by a hungry lion,
I would have been a breakfast to the beaft,
Rather than have falfe Protheus rescue me.
Oh, heav'n be judge, how I love Valentine,
Whofe life's as tender to me as my foul;
And full as much, for more there cannot be,
I do deteft falfe perjur'd Protheus;
Therefore be gone, follicit me no more.

Pro. What dang'rous action, ftood it next to death, Would I not undergo for one calm look?

Oh, 'tis the curfe in love, and still approv'd,
When women cannot love, where they're belov❜d.

Sil. When Protheus cannot love, where he's belov❜d. Read over Julia's heart, thy first beft love,

For whofe dear fake thou then didft rend thy faith
Into a thousand oaths; and all thofe oaths
Defcended into perjury, to love me.

Thou haft no faith left now, unless thou'dft two,
And that's far worse than none: better have none
Than plural faith, which is too much by one,
Thou counterfeit to thy true friend!

Pra. In love,

Who refpecs friend?

Sil. All men but Protheus.

Pro, Nay, if the gentle fpirit of moving words Can no way change you to a milder form;

I'll move you like a foldier, at arms end,

And love you 'gainst the nature of love; force ye.
Sil. Oh heav'n!

Pro. I'll force thee yield to my defire.

Val. Ruffian, let go that rude uncivil touch, Thou friend of an ill fashion!

Pro. Valentine!

Val. Thou common friend, that's without faith or love; For fuch is a friend now: thou treach'rous man! Thou haft beguil'd my hopes; nought but mine eye Could have perfuaded me. Now I dare not fay, I have one friend alive; thou wouldst difprove me. Who fhould be trufted now, when the right hand Is perjur'd to the bofom? Protheus,

I'm forry, I must never trust thee more,
But count the world a ftranger for thy fake.

The private wound is deepest. Oh time, moft accurst!
'Mongft all foes, that a friend fhould be the worst!
Pro. My fhame and guilt confound me ;
Forgive me, Valentine; if hearty forrow
Be a fufficient ranfom for offence,

I tender't here; I do as truly fuffer,
As e'er I did commit.

Val. Then I am paid:

And once again I do receive thee honeft.
Who by repentance is not fatisfy'd,

Is nor of heav'n, nor earth; for these are pleas'd,
By penitence th' Eternal's wrath's appeas'd.

And that my love may appear plain and free,
All, that was mine in Silvia, I give thee.
Jul. Oh me unhappy!

Pro. Look to the boy.

[Swoons.

Val. Why, boy! how now? what's the matter? look up; fpeak.

Jul. O good Sir, my mafter charg'd me to deliver a ring to Madam Silvia, which, out of my neglect, was never done.

Pro. Where is that ring, boy?
Jul. Here 'tis: this is it.

Pro. How? let me fee:

This is the ring I gave to Julia.

Jul. Oh, cry you mercy, Sir, I have mistook; This is the ring you fent to Silvia.

Pro. How cam'ft thou by this ring? at my depart,

I gave this unto Julia.

Jul. And Julia her felf did give it me.

And Julia her felf hath brought it hither.
Pro. How, Julia?

Jul. Behold her that gave aim to all thy oaths,
And entertain'd 'em deeply in her heart:
How oft haft thou with perjury cleft the root?
Oh Protheus, let this habit make thee blush!
Be thou afham'd, that I have took upon me
Such an immodest rayment: if shame live

In a disguise of love.

It is the leffer blot, modefty finds,

Women to change their fhapes, than men their minds.

Pro. Than men their minds? 'tis true; oh heav'n!

were man

But conftant, he were perfect; that one error

Fills him with faults; makes him run through all fins:
Inconftancy falls off, ere it begins.

What is in Silvia's face, but I may fpy
More fresh in Julia's with a conftant eye?

Val. Come, come, a hand from either:
Let me be bleft to make this happy Close;
'Twere pity, two fuch friends fhould long be foes.
Pro. Bear witness, heav'n, I have my with for ever.
Jul. And I mine.

Enter Out-laws, with Duke and Thurio.

Out. A prize, a prize, a prize!

Val. Forbear, forbear, it is my lord the Duke. Your Grace is welcome to a man 'disgrac'd,

The banish'd Valentine.

Duke. Sir Valentine?

Thu. Yonder is Silvia: and Silvia's mine.

Val. Thurio, give back; or else embrace thy death: Come not within the measure of my wrath. Do not name Silvia thine; if once again, Milan fhall not behold thee. Here the ftands, (17) Take but poffeffion of her with a touch; I dare thee but to breath upon my love,

Thu. Sir Valentine, I care not for her, I.
I hold him but a fool, that will endanger
His body for a girl that loves him not.
I claim her not; and therefore fhe is thine.

(17) Verona fhall not hold thee.] Thus all the Editions, but, whether thro' the Miftake of the firft Editors, or the Poet's own Carelessness, this Reading is abfurdly faulty. For the Threat here is to Thurio, who is a Milanefe; and has no Concerns, as it appears, with Verona. Befides, the Scene is betwixt the Confines of Milan, and Mantua, to which Silvia follows Valentine, having heard that he had retreated thither. And, upon these Circumstances, I ventur'd to adjust the Text, as, I imagine, the Poet muft have intended: i. e. Milan, thy Country, shall never fee thee again: thou shalt never live to go back thither.

Duke.