Jul. Hoft, will you go?

Hoft. By my hallidom, I was faft asleep.
Jul. Pray you, where lies Sir Protheus?

T

Hoft. Marry, at my houfe: truft me, I think, 'tis almost day.

Jul. Not fo; but it hath been the longest night That e'er I watch'd, and the moft heavieft. [Exeunt.

Egl. This is the hour that Madam Silvia Entreated me to call, and know her mind: There's fome great matter fhe'd employ me in.. Madam, Madam!

Silvia above, at her window.

Sil. Who calls?

Egl. Your fervant, and your friend; One that attends your ladyfhip's command.

Sil. Sir Eglamour, a thoufand times good morrow. Egl. As many, worthy lady, to yourself: According to your ladyfhip's impofe,

I am thus early come, to know what fervices!
It is your pleasure to command me in.

Sil. O Eglamour, thou art a gentleman,
Think not I flatter, for, Ifwear, I do not)
Valiant and wife, remorfeful, well accomplish'd;
Thou art not ignorant, what dear good will
I bear unto the banish'd Valentine;

Nor how my father would enforce me marry
Vain Thurio, whom my very foul abhorr'd.
Thyfelf haft lov'd; and I have heard thee fay,
No grief did ever come fo near thy heart,
As when thy lady and thy true love dy'd;
Upon whofe grave thou vow'dit pure chastity.
Sir Eglamour, I would to Valentine,

To

1

To Mantua, where, I hear, he makes abode:
And, for the ways are dangerous to pass,
I do defire thy worthy company;
Upon whofe faith and honour I repose.
Urge not my father's anger, Eglamour
But think upon my grief, a lady's grief;
And on the juftice of my flying hence;20
To keep me from a most unholy match,
Which heav'n and fortune ftill reward with plagues.
I do defire thee, even from a heart

As full of forrows as the fea of fands,

To bear me company, and go with me:

If not, to hide what I have laid to thee,

That Is may venture to depart alone.

Egle Madam, I pity much your grievances;
Which, fince, I know, they virtuoufly are plac'd,
I give confent to go along with you'; pos
Recking as little what betideth me,

As much I wifh all good befortune you.
When will you goo

Sily This evening coming.
Egl.Where fhall I meet you?
Sil. At friar Patrick's cell;
Where I intend holy confeffion.

2. Egl. I will not fail your ladyfhips Good morrow, gentle lady.

Sil. Good morrow, kind Sir Eglamour [Exeunt. Yo! C

¡Song A

C E N E VI.

Enter Launce with his Dog

When a man's fervant fhall play the cur with him, look you, it goes hard one that I brought up of a puppey, one that I fav'd from drowning, when three or four of his blind brothers and fifters went to it! I have taught him, even as one would fay precifely, thus I would teach a dog. I went to deliver him, as

a pre

a present to mistress Silvia from my mafter; and I came no fooner into the dining-chamber, but he steps me to her trencher, and steals her capon's leg. O, 'tis a foul thing, when a cur cannot keep himself in all companies! I would have, as one fhould fay, one that takes upon him to be a dog indeed, to be, as it were, a dog at all things. If I had no more wit than he, to take a fault upon me that he did, I think verily, he had been hang'd for't; fure as I live, he had fuffer'd for't; you fhall judge. He thrufts me ⚫ himself into the company of three or four gentlemanlike dogs, under the Duke's table: he had not been there (blefs the mark) a piffing while, but all the chamber fmelt him. Out with the dog, fays one; • what cur is that? fays another; whip him out, fays the third; hang him up, fays the Duke. I, having been acquainted with the fmell before, knew it was Crab, and goes me to the fellow that whips the dogs; Friend, quoth I, you mean to whip the dog? Ay, marry, do I, quoth he. You do him the more wrong, quoth I; 'twas I did the thing you wot of. • He makes no more ado, but whips me out of the chamber. How many mafters would do this for • their fervant? nay, I'll be fworn, I have fat in the stocks for the puddings he hath ftoll'n, otherwife he • had been executed; I have stood on the pillory for the geefe he hath kill'd, otherwife he had fuffer'd for't. Thou think'ft not of this now. Nay, I re⚫ member the trick you ferv'd nie, when I took my ⚫ leave of Madam Julia; did not I bid thee ftill mark me, and do as I do? when didft thou fee me heave up my leg, and make water against a gentlewoman's farthingale? didft thou ever fee me do fuch a trick?

12 when I took my leave of Madam SILVIA;] We fhould cer tainly read JULIA, meaning when his mafter and he left Verona.

SCENE

Pro. Sebaftian is thy name? I like thee well; And will imploy thee in fome fervice presently.

Jul. In what you please: I'll do, Sir, what I can. Pro. I hope, thou wilt--How now, you whorefon peasant,

Where have you been these two days loitering?

Laun. Marry, Sir, I carry'd mistress Silvia the dog, you bad me.

Pro. And what fays fhe to my little jewel?

Laun. Marry, fhe fays, your dog was a cur; and tells you, currifh thanks is good enough for fuch a prefent.

Pro. But fhe receiv'd my dog?

Laun. No, indeed, she did not: here have I brought him back again.

Pro. What, didft thou offer her this from me?

Laun. Ay, Sir; the other squirrel was ftoll'n from me by the hangman's boy in the market-place; and then I offer'd her mine own, who is a dog as big as ten of yours, and therefore the gift the greater.

Pro. Go, get thee hence, and find my dog again, Or ne'er return again into my fight:

Away, I fay: ftay'st thou to vex me here?
A flave, that, ftill an end, turns me to fhame.

[Exit Launce.

Sebaftian, I have entertained thee,
Partly, that I have need of fuch a youth;
That can with fome difcretion do my business:
(For 'tis no trufting to yon foolish lowt :)
But, chiefly, for thy face and thy behaviour;
Which, if my augury deceive me not,
Witnefs good bringing up, fortune and truth:
Therefore know thou, for this I entertain thee.

Go

Go prefently, and take this ring with thee;

Deliver it to Madam Silvia.

She lov'd me well, deliver'd it to me.

Jul. It feems, you lov'd not her, to leave her token: She's dead, belike.

Pro. Not fo: I think, fhe lives.

Ful. Alas!

Pro. Why do'st thou cry, alas?

Jul. I cannot chufe but pity her.

Pro. Wherefore fhouldft thou pity her?

-Ful. Because, methinks, that the lov'd you as well As you do love your lady Silvia:

She dreams on him, that has forgot her love;
You doat on her, that cares not for your love.
'Tis pity, love should be so contrary;
And, thinking on it, makes me cry, alas!

Pro. Well, give her that ring, and give therewithal
This letter; that's her chamber: tell my lady,
I claim the promise for her heav'nly picture.
Your meffage done, hie home unto my chamber,
Where thou fhalt find me fad and folitary.

SCENE

[Exit Protheus.

VII.

Jul. How many women would do fuch a meffage? Alas, poor Protheus, thou haft entertain'd

A fox to be the fhepherd of thy lambs:
Alas, poor fool, why do I pity him,
That with his very heart defpifeth me?
Because he loves her, he defpifeth me;
Because I love him, I muft pity him:
This ring I gave him, when he parted from me,
To bind him to remember my good will.
And now I am, unhappy meffenger,

To plead for that, which I would not obtain;
To carry that, which I would have refus'd;

To