THE

Two Gentlemen of Verona.

Actus primus, Scena prima.

Valentine: Protheus, and Speed.

Valentine.

Ease to perswade, my loving Protheus;
Home-keeping youth, have ever homely wits,
Wer't not affection chaines thy tender dayes
To the sweet glaunces of thy honour'd Love,
I rather would entreat thy company,

To see the wonders of the world abroad,

Then (living dully sluggardiz'd at home)
Weare out thy youth with shapelesse idlenesse.
But since thou lov'st; love still, and thrive therein,
Even as I would, when I to love begin.

Pro. Wilt thou be gone? Sweet Valentine adew,
Thinke on thy Protheus, when thou (hap❜ly) seest
Some rare note-worthy object in thy travaile.
Wish me partaker in thy happinesse,

When thou do'st meet good hap; and in thy danger,
(If ever danger doe environ thee)

Commend thy grievance to my holy prayers,
For I will be thy beades-man, Valentine.

Val. And on a love-booke pray for my successe?
Pro. Upon some booke I love, I'le pray for thee.
Val. That's on some shallow Storie of deepe love,
yong Leander crost the Hellespont.

How

Pro. That's a deepe Storie, of a deeper love.

For he was more then over-shooes in love.

Val. 'Tis true; for you are over-bootes in love,
And yet you never swom the Hellespont.

Pro. Over the Bootes? nay give me not the Boots.
Val. No, I will not; for it boots thee not.

Pro.

What?

Val. To be in love; where scorne is bought with grones: Coy looks, with hart-sore sighes: one fading moments mirth, With twenty watchfull, weary, tedious nights;

If hap❜ly won, perhaps a haplesse gaine;
If lost, why then a grievous labour won;
How ever: but a folly bought with wit,
Or else a wit, by folly vanquished.

Pro. So, by your
circumstance, you call me foole.
Val. So, by your circumstance, I feare you'll prove.
Pro. 'Tis Love you cavill at, I am not Love.
Val. Love is your master, for he masters you;
And he that is so yoked by a foole,

Me thinkes should not be chronicled for wise.

Pro. Yet Writers say; as in the sweetest Bud, The eating Canker dwels; so eating Love Inhabits in the finest wits of all.

Val. And Writers say; as the most forward Bud

Is eaten by the Canker ere it blow,

Even so by Love, the yong, and tender wit

Is turn'd to folly, blasting in the Bud,

Loosing his verdure, even in the prime.
And all the faire effects of future hopes.
But wherefore waste I time to counsaile thee
That art a votary to fond desire ?

Once more adieu: my Father at the Road
Expects my comming, there to see me ship'd.

Pro. And thither will I bring thee Valentine.
Val. Sweet Protheus, no: Now let us take our leave:
To Millaine let me heare from thee by Letters

Of thy successe in love; and what newes else
Betideth here in absence of thy Friend:
And I likewise will visite thee with mine.

Pro. All happinesse bechance to thee in Millaine.
Val. As much to you at home: and so farewell.
Pro. He after Honour hunts, I after Love;
He leaves his friends, to dignifie them more;
I love my selfe, my friends, and all for love :
Thou Julia thou hast metamorphis'd me:
Made me neglect my Studies, loose my time ;
Warre with good counsaile, set the world at nought;
Made Wit with musing, weake; hart sick with thought.
Sp. Sir Protheus: 'save you saw you my Master?
Pro. But now he parted hence to embarque for Millain.
Sp. Twenty to one then, he is ship'd already,

And I have plaid the Sheepe in loosing him.

Pro. Indeede a Sheepe doth very often stray,

And if the Shepheard be awhile away.

Exit.

Sp. You conclude that my Master is a Shepheard then, and I Sheepe?

Pro. I doe.

Sp. Why then my hornes are his hornes, whether I wake or sleepe.

Pro. A silly answere, and fitting well a Sheepe.

Sp. This proves me still a Sheepe.

Pro. True and thy Master a Shepheard.

Sp. Nay, that I can deny by a circumstance.

Pro. It shall goe hard but ile prove it by another.

Sp. The Shepheard seekes the Sheepe, and not the Sheepe the Shepheard; but I seeke my Master, and my Master seekes not me therefore I am no Sheepe.

Pro. The Sheepe for fodder follow the Shepheard, the Shepheard for foode followes not the Sheepe: thou for wages followest thy Master, thy Master for wages followes not thee: therefore thou art a Sheepe.