But fince thou lov'ft, love ftill, and thrive therein. Ev'n as I would, when I to love begin.

Pro Wilt thou be gone? fweet Valentine, adieu; Think on thy Protheus, when thou, haply, feest Some rare note-worthy object in thy travel: Wish me partaker in thy happiness,

When thou doft meet good hap; and in thy danger,
If ever danger do environ thee,

Commend thy Grievance to my holy prayer;
For I will be thy bead's-man, Valentine.

Val. And on a love-book pray for my fuccefs. Pro. Upon fome book I love, I'll pray for thee. Val. That's on fome fhallow ftory of deep love, How young Leander crofs'd the Hellefpont.

Pro. That's a deep ftory of a deeper love.
For he was more than over fhoes in love.
Val. 'Tis true; for you are over boots in love,
And yet you never fwom the Hellefpont.

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

-Pro What?

Val. To be in love, where fcorn is bought with

groans;;

A

Coy looks, with heart-fore fighs; one fading moment's i mirth,

With twenty watchful, weary, tedious nights.
If haply won, perhaps, an hapless gain:
If loft, why then a grievous labour won;
However, but a folly bought with wit;
Or elfe a wit by folly vanquished.

Pro. So, by your circumftance, you call me fool.
Val. So, by your circumstance, I fear, you'll prove.
PropTis love yoù cavil at; I am not love.
Val. Love is your mafter; for he mafters you.
And he that is fo yoaked by a fool,
Methinks, fhould not be chronicled for wife.
Pro. Yet writers fay, as in the fweetest bud

The

The eating canker dwells; fo eating love
Inhabits in the fineft wics of all

Val. And writers fay, as the most forward bud
Is eaten by the canker, ere it blow;

Even fo by love the young and tender wit
Is turn'd to folly, blafting in the bud;
'Lofing his verdure even in the prime,
And all the fair effects of future hopes.
But wherefore wafte I time to counfel thee,
That art a votary to fond defire?

Once more, adieu: my father at the road
Expects my coming, there to fee me fhipp'd.
Pro. And thither will I bring thee, Valentine.
Val. Sweet Protheus, no: now let us take our leave,
At Milan, let me hear from thee by letters
Of thy fuccefs in love; and what news elfe
Betideth here in abfence of thy friend:
And I likewife will vifit thee with mine..
Pre. All happiness bechance to thee in Milan!
Val. As much to you at home; and fo, farewel!
[Exit,

Pro. He after honour hunts, I after love;'
He leaves his friends to dignify them more;
I leave myself, my friends, and all for love.
Thou, Julia, thou haft metamorphos'd me
Made me neglect my ftudies, lofe my time,
War with good counfel, fet the world at nought
Made wit with mufing weak, heart fick with thought,

3S CE NE H.

Enter Speed.

Speed. Sir Protheus, fave you ; faw you my master? Pro. But now he parted hence, t' imbark for Milan.

Speed.

3 This whole Scene, like many others in these plays (fome of which I believe were written by Shakespear, and others interpoVOL. I.

N

lated

Speed Twenty to one then he is hipp'd already, And I have play'd the fheep in lofing him.

Pros Indeed, a fheep doth very often stray, An if the fhepherd be awhile away. Ho

Speed. You conclude that my mafter is a fhepherd then, and I a sheep?

Pro, I do.

Speed. Why then my horns are his horns, whether I wake or fleep.

Pro. A filly anfwer, and fitting well a fheep.
Speed. This proves me ftill a fheep.1-b
Pro. True; and thy mafter a fhepherd.

Speed. Nay, that I can deny by a circumftance. Pro. It fhall go hard, but I'll prove it by another. Speed. The fhepherd feeks the fheep, and not the fheep the shepherd; but I feek my master, and my mafter feeks not me, therefore I am no sheep.

0

Pro. The fheep for fodder follows the fhepherd, the fhepherd for the food follows not the fheep; thou for wages followeft thy mafter, thy mafter for wages follows not thee; therefore thou art a fheep. Speed. Such another proof will make me cry Bad Pro. But doft thou hear? gaveft thou my letter to Julia? Bet? and Speed, Ay, Sir, I, a loft mutton, gave your letter to her, a lac'd mutton, and fhe, a lac'd mutton, gave me a loft mutton, nothing for my labour. ust

Pro. Here's too fmall a pafture for fuch ftore of

Smuttons.

Speed. If the ground be over-charg'd, you were beft ftick her.

lated by the players), is compofed of the lowest and most trifling conceits, to be accounted for only from the grofs tafte of the age he lived in Populo at placerent. I with I had authority to leave them out; but I have done all I could: fet a mark of reprobation pon them throughout this edition, en troig Mri.Popa!

Pro. Nay, in that you are a ftray, 'twere beft pound

you.

Speed. Nay, Sir, lefs than a pound fhall ferve me for carrying your letter.

Pro. You miftake: I mean the pound, a pin-fold. Speed. From a pound to a pin? fold it over and over, 'tis threefold too little for carrying a letter to your lover.

Pro. But what faid fhe: did fhe nod? [Speed nods.
Speed. 1.

Pro. Nod-I? why, that's noddy.

Speed. You miftook, Sir: I faid, fhe did nod: And you ask me, if fhe did nod; and I faid, I. Pro. And that fet together, is noddy.

Speed. Now you have taken the pains to fet it toge ther, take it for your pains.

q

Pro. No, no, you fhall have it for bearing the letter. Speed. Well, I perceive, I must be fain to bear with you.

Pro. Why, Sir, how do you bear with me?w Speed. Marry, Sir, the letter very orderly Having nothing but the word noddy for my pains. Pro. Befhrew me, but you have a quick wit.

Speed. And yet it cannot overtake your flow purfe. Pro. Come, come, open the matter in brief: what faid the? E

Speed. Open your purfe, that the money and the matter may be both at once deliver❜d.

371

Pro. Well, Sir, here is for your pains; what faid fhe? Speed. Truly, Sir, I think you'll hardly win her. Pro. Why? could't thou perceive fo much from

her?

Speed. Sir, I could perceive nothing at all from her; No, not so much as a ducket for delivering your letter. And being fo hard to me that brought your mind, I fear, she'll prove as hard to you in telling her mind. Give her no token but ftones; for fhe's as hard as steel.

Pro. What, faid the nothing?

Speed. No, not fo much as--take this for thy pains: To teftify your bounty, I thank you, you have teftern'd

me:

In requital

felf: and foereof, henceforth carry your letter your

felf: and fo, Sir, I'll commend you to my mafter,
Pro. Go, go, be gone, to fave your fhip from wreck,
Which cannot perish, having thee aboard,
Being deftin'd to a drier death on fhore.
I must go fend fome better meffenger:
meffenger:dy Į
I fear, my Julia would not deign my lines,
Receiving them from fuch a worthlefs poft.

[Exeunt feverally.

297 C E NES III.

.. 2 S

Isto fio. Changes to Julia's Chamber.

Enter Julia and Lucetta:

Ful. BUT fay, Lucetta, now we are alone,

Would't thou then counsel me to fall in
love?

Luc. Ay, madam, fo you ftumble not unheedfully.
Jul. Of all the fair refort of gentlemen,

That ev'ry day with parle encounter me,
In thy opinion which is worthieft love?

Luc. Pleafe you, repeat their names; I'll fhew my Ew demind,

According to my fhallow fimple skill.

Jub What think it thou of the fair Sir Eglamour? Luc. As of a Knight well fpoken, neat and fine But were I you, he never fhould be mine.

ful, What think'st thou of the rich Mercatio?
Luc. Well of his wealth; but of himself, fo, for
Jul. What think'ft thou of the gentle Protheus?
Luc. Lord, lord! to fee what folly, reigns in us!

L

Jul.