The two

GENTLEMEN

of

VERON A.

Perfons reprefented.

Duke of Milan, father to Silvia.

Valentine,

Proteus,

}

Gentlemen of Verona.

Antonio, father to Proteus.

Thurio, a foolish rival to Valentine.
Eglamour, agent for Silvia in her escape.
Speed, a clownish fervant to Valentine.
Launce, fervant to Proteus.

Panthino, fervant to Antonio.

Hoft, where Julia lodges in Milan.
Out-laws.

Julia, a lady of Verona, beloved by Proteus.
Silvia, the duke's daughter, beloved by Valentine.
Lucetta, waiting-woman to Julia.

Servants, musicians.

SCENE, fometimes in Verona ; fometimes in Milan; and on the frontiers of Mantua.

The

two GENTLEMEN of
VERONA.

ACT I.

SCENE I. An open place in Verona.
Enter VALENTINE and PROTEUS.

VAL. Ceafe to perfuade, my loving Proteus;
Home-keeping youth have ever homely wits:
affection chains thy tender days
To the fweet glances of thy honour'd love,
I rather would entreat thy company,

Wer't not,

To fee the wonders of the world abroad,
Than, living dully fluggardiz'd at home,
Wear out thy youth with shapeless idleness.
But, fince thou lov'ft, love ftill, and thrive therein,
Even as I would, when I to love begin.

PRO. Wilt thou be gone? Sweet Valentine, adieu !
Think on thy Proteus, when thou, haply, seest
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 prayers,

2

For I will be thy beed's-man, Valentine.

VAL. And on a love-book pray for my fuccefs. PRO. Upon fome book I love, I'll pray for thee. VAĻ. That's on some shallow ftory of deep love, How young Leander cross'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 fwam the Hellefpont.

PRO. Over the boots? nay, give me not the boots. VAL. No, I'll not, for it boots thee not.

PRO. What?

VAL. To be

In love, where scorn is bought with groans; coy looks, With heart-fore fighs; one fading moment's mirth, With twenty watchful, weary, tedious nights;

If haply won, perhaps, a hapless gain;

If loft, why then a grievous labour won ;
However, but a folly bought with wit,

Or else a wit by folly vanquished.

PRO. So, by your circumftance, you call me fool.
VAL. So, by your circumftance, I fear, you'll prove,
PRO. 'Tis love you cavil at; I am not Love.
VAL. Love is your mafter, for he masters you;

And he that is fo yoked by a fool,

Methinks fhould not be chronicled for wife.
PRO. Yet writers fay, As in the sweetest bud
The eating canker dwells, fo eating love
Inhabits in the finest wits of all.

VAL. And writers fay, As the moft 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,