Pant. I think, your lordship is not ignorant, How his companion, youthful Valentine, Attends the emperor in his royal court. Ant. I know it well. Pant. "Twere good, I think, your lordship sent There shall he practise tilts and tournaments, Ant. I like thy counsel: well hast thou advised: I will despatch him to the emperor's court. With other gentlemen of good esteem, Ant. Good company; with them shall Proteus go: How happily he lives, how well belov'd Ant. And how stand you affected to his wish? Ant. My will is something sorted with his wish; Pro. My lord, I cannot be so soon provided; Ant. Look, what thou want'st, shall be sent after thee: No more of stay; to-morrow thou must go.- [Exeunt ANT. and PANT. Pro. Thus have I shunn'd the fire, for fear of burning; And drench'd me in the sea, where I am drown'd: sun, The uncertain glory of an April day; Pant. Sir Proteus, your father calls for you; 1 i. e. break the matter to him. 2 i. e. 10onder not. Sweet ornament that decks a thing divine! Speed. Madam Silvia! madam Silvia ! Speed. She is not within hearing, sir. Speed. And yet I was last chidden for being too Val. Go to, sir; tell me, do you know madam Speed. She that your worship loves? Val. Why, how know you that I am in love? Speed. Marry, by these special marks: First, you have learned, like Sir Proteus, to wreath your arms like a male-content: to relish a love-song, like a robin-red-breast; to walk alone, like one that had the pestilence; to sigh, like a school-boy that had lost his A, B, C; to weep, like a young wench that had buried her grandam; to fast, like one that takes diet; to watch, like one that fears robbing to speak puling, like a beggar at Hollowmas." You were wont, when you laugh'd, to crow like a cock; when you walked, to walk like one of the lions; when you fasted, it was presently after dinner; when you looked sadly, it was for want of money and now you are metamorphosed with a mistress, that, when I look on you, I can hardly think you my master. Val. Are all these things perceived in me? Speed. Without you! nay, that's certain, for, without you were so simple, none else would: but you are so without these follies, that these follies are within you, and shine through you like the water in an urinal; that not an eye, that sees you, but is a physician to comment on your malady. Val. But, tell me, dost thou know my lady Silvia? Speed. She that you gaze on so, as she sits at supper? Val. Hast thou observed that? even she I mean. Val. Dost thou know her by my gazing on her, and yet know'st her not? Speed. Is she not hard-favour'd, sir? Val. Not so fair, boy, as well favour'd. Val. What dost thou know? Speed. That she is not so fair, as (of you) well favour'd. Val. I mean, that her beauty is exquisite, but her favour infinite. Speed. That's because the one is painted, and the other out of all count. Val. How painted? and how out of count? Speed. Marry, sir, so painted to make her fair, that no man counts of her beauty. 4 Resembleth is pronounced as if written resembeleth, which makes it a quadrisyllable. 5 On and one were anciently pronounced alike, and frequently written so. 6 To take diet is to be under a regimen for a disease. 7 The feast of All-hallows, or All Saints, at which time the poor in Staffordshire go from parish to parish a souling, as they call it ; i. e. begging and puling, (or singing small, as Bailey's Dictionary explains puling,) for soul cakes, and singing what they call the souler's song. These terms point out the condition of this benevo 3 Exhibition is allowance of money; it is still used lence, which was, that the beggars should pray for t' La the Universities for a stipend. souls of the giver's departed friends Val. How esteem'st thou me? I account of her! beauty. Sil. And, when it's writ, for my sake read it over: Speed, You never saw her since she was de- And, if it please you, so; if not, why, so. formed. Val. How long hath she been deform'd? Val. I have loved her ever since I saw her; and still I see her beautiful. Speed. If Speed. Because love is blind. O, that you had mine eyes; or your own eyes had the lights they were wont to have, when you chid at Sir Proteus for going ungartered!! Val. What should I see then? Speed. Your own present folly, and her passing deformity for he, being in love, could not see to garter his hose; and you, being in love, cannot see to put on your hose. Val. Belike, boy, then you are in love; for last morning you could not see to wipe my shoes. Speed. True, sir; I was in love with my bed: I thank you, you swinged me for my love, which makes me the bolder to chide you for yours. Val. In conclusion, I stand affected to her.. Speed. I would you were set, so, your affection would cease. Val. Last night she enjoined me to write some lines to one she loves. Speed. And have you? Val. I have. Speed. Are they not lamely writ? Val. No, boy, but as well as I can do them:Peace, here she comes. Enter SILVIA. Val. If it please me, madam! what then? Sil. Why if it please you, take it for your labour, And so good-morrow, servant. [Exit SILVIA. Speed. O jest unseen, inscrutable, invisible, As a nose on a man's face, or a weathercock on a steeple! My master sues to her; and she hath taught her suitor, He being her pupil, to become her tutor. Val. How now, sir? what are you reasoning with yourself? Speed. Nay, I was rhyming; 'tis you that have the reason. Val. To do what? Speed. To be a spokesman from madam Silvia, Val. To whom? Speed. To yourself: why, she woos you by a figure. Val. What figure? Speed. By a letter, I should say. Val. Why, she hath not writ to me? Speed. What need she, when she hath made you write to yourself? Why, do you not perceive the jest? Val. No, believe me. Speed. No believing you indeed, sir: But did you perceive her earnest? Val. She gave me none, except an angry wo Speed. O excellent motion ! O exceeding pup there an end. bet! now will he interpret to her. Val. Madam and mistress, a thousand good sand. Speed. He should give her interest; and she gives it him. Val. As you enjoin'd me, I have writ your letter, Unto the secret nameless friend of yours; Which I was much unwilling to proceed in, But for my duty to your ladyship. Sil. I thank you, gentle servant: 'tis very clerkly done. Val. Now trust me, madam, it came hardly off; For, being ignorant to whom it goes, I writ at random, very doubtfully. Sil. Perchance you think too much of so much pains? Val. No, madam, so it stead you, I will write, Please you command, a thousand times as much: And yet, Sil. A pretty period! Well, I guess the sequel; And yet I will not name it:-and yet I care not ;And yet take this again;-and yet I thank you; Meaning henceforth to trouble you no more. Speed. And yet you will; and yet another yet, [Aside. Val. What means your ladyship? do you not like it? Sil. Yes, yes; the lines are very quaintly writ: But since unwillingly, take them again; Nay, take them. Val. Madam, they are for you. Sil. Ay, ay; you writ them, sir, at my request; But I will none of them; they are for you: I would have had them writ more movingly. Val. Please you, I'll write your ladyship another. Going ungartered is enumerated by Rosalind as one of the undoubted marks of love. Then your hose should be ungartered, your bonnet unbanded," &c. As You Like It, iii. 2. Val. I would, it were no worse. Speed. I'll warrant you, 'tis as well: For often have you urit to her; and she, in modesty lover. [Giving a ring. Pro. Why then we'll make exchange; here, take you this. Jul. And seal the bargain with a holy kiss. Pro. Here is my hand for my true constancy; And when that hour o'er-slips me in the day, Wherein I sigh not, Julia, for thy sake, The next ensuing hour some foul mischance Torment me for my love's forgetfulness! My father stays my coming: answer not The tide is now: nay, not thy tide of tears, That tide will stay me longer than I should; [Exit JULIA. the horizon in the west. It is a miserable quibble hardly worth explanation. 3 Motion signified, in Shakspeare's time, a puppet show Speed means to say, what a fine puppet-show shall we have now? Here is the principal puppet to whom my master will be the interpreter. The show. 2 Set, for seated, in opposition to stand in the prece-man was then frequently called the interpreter. ding line. It appears, however, to be used metaphorical- 4 i. e. like a scholar. ly in the sense applied to the sun when it sinks below 5 There's the conclusion. 6 i. e. with exactness Julia, farewell-What! gone without a word! Pant. Sir Proteus, you are staid for. Alas! this parting strikes poor lovers dumb. A Street. Enter Laun. Nay, 'twill be this hour ere I have done weeping; all the kind of the Launces have this very fault; I have received my proportion, like the prodigious son, and am going with Sir Proteus to the Imperial's court. I think, Crab my dog be the sourest-natured dog that lives: my mother weeping, my father wailing, my sister crying, our maid howling, our cat wringing her hands, and all our house in a great perplexity, yet did not this cruel-hearted cur shed one tear: he is a stone, a very pebble stone, and has no more pity in him than a dog: a Jew would have wept to have seen our parting; why, my grandam having no eyes, look you, wept herself blind at my parting. Nay, I'll show you the manner of it: This shoe is my father:-no, this left shoe is my father;-no, no, this left shoe is my mother;-nay, that cannot be so neither;-yes, it is so, it is so; it hath the worser sole; This shoe, with the hole in it, is my mother; and this my father: A vengeance on't! there 'tis: now, sir, this staff is my sister; for, look you, she is as white as a lily, and as small as a wand: this hat is Nan, our maid; I am the dog :-no, the dog is himself, and I am the dog;-oh, the dog is me, and I am myself: Ay, so, so. Now come I to my father; Father, your blessing; now should not the shoe speak a word for weeping; now should I kiss my father; well he weeps on:-now come I to my mother, (0, that she could speak now!) like a wood2 woman;-well, I kiss her ;-why there 'tis; here's my mother's breath up and down: now come I to my sister; mark the moan she makes: now the dog all this while sheds not a tear, nor speaks a word; but see how I lay the dust with my tears. Enter PANTHINO. Pan. Launce, away, away, aboard; thy master is shipped, and thou art to post after with oars. What's the matter? why weepest thou, man? Away, ass; you will lose the tide, if you tarry any longer. Laun. It is no matter if the ty'd were lost; for it is the unkindest ty'd that ever any man ty'd. Pan. What's the unkindest tide? Laun. Why, he that's ty'd here; Crab, my dog. Pan. Tut, man, I mean thou'lt lose the flood; and, in losing the flood, lose thy voyage; and, in losing thy voyage, lose thy master; and, in losing thy master, lose thy service; and in losing thy service,-Why dost thou stop my mouth? Laun. For fear thou should'st lose thy tongue. Laun. Lose the tide, and the voyage, and the master, and the service: And the tide !-Why, man, if the river were dry, I am able to fill it with my tears; if the wind were down, I could drive the boat with my sighs. Pan. Come, come away, man; I was sent to 2 Crazy, wild, distracted. 4 i. e. perhaps. Duke. Now, daughter Silvia, you are hard beset Val. My lord, I will be thankful Duke. Know you Don Antonio, your countryman? Val. Ay, my good lord; a son, that well de The honour and regard of such a father. Val. I knew him as myself; for from our infancy ation was evidently cote from the French original. 5 To quote is to mark, to observe, the old pronunci 6 Feature in the poet's age was often used for form or person in general. Thus Baret: "The feature and facion, or the proportion and figure of the whole body. Conformatio quædam et figura totius oris et cor poris." So in Ant. and Cleop. Act. ii. Sc. 5. "Report the feature of Octavian." 62 TWO GENTLEMEN With all good grace to grace a gentleman. Love hath chas'd sleep from my enthralled eyes, Duke. Beshrew me, sir, but, if he make this And made them watchers of mine own heart's sor good, He is as worthy for an empress' love, Val. Should I have wish'd a thing, it had been he. Silvia, I speak to you; and you, Sir Thurio:- Sil. Belike, that now she hath enfranchis'd them Val. Nay, sure, I think, she holds them prisoners still. Sul. Nay, then he should be blind; and, being blind, How could he see his way to seek out you ? Val. Why, lady, love hath twenty pair of eyes. Thu. They say, that love hath not an eye at all. Val. To see such lovers, Thurio, as yourself; Upon a homely object love can wink. Enter PROTEUS. Sil. Have done, have done; here comes the gen tleman. Val. Welcome, dear Proteus !-Mistress, I be seech you, Confirm his welcome with some special favour. Si. Too low a mistress for so high a servant. vant To have a look of such a worthy mistress. Val. Leave off discourse of disability : Pro. My duty will I boast of, nothing else. No; that you are worthless. Enter Servant. [Exeunt SILVIA, THURIO, and SPEED. Pro. Your friends are well, and have them much Val. And how do yours? Val. How does your lady? and how thrives your Pro. My tales of love were wont to weary you; Val. Ay, Proteus, but that life is alter'd now: 1 A petty mode of adjuration equivalent to ill betide row. O, gentle Proteus, love's a mighty lord; Pro. Enough; I read your fortune in your eye Val. Even she; and is she not a heavenly saint? Pro. I will not flatter her. Val. O, flatter me; for love delights in praises. Pro. When I was sick, you gave me bitter pills ; And I must minister the like to you. Val. Then speak the truth by her; if not divine, Sovereign to all the creatures on the earth. Val. Sweet, except not any, Pro. Have I not reason to prefer mine own? Pro. Why, Valentine, what braggardism is this? Pro. Then let her alone. Val. Not for the world: why, man, she is mine own; And I as rich in having such a jewel, Ay, and we are betroth'd; Pro. Go on before; I shall inquire you forth. [Exit VAL. Even as one heat another heat expels, 4 No woe, no misery that can be compared to the punishment inflicted by love. 5 A principality is an angel of the first order 6 i. e. the haven where the ships lie at anchor. 7 Alluding to the figures made by witches as rapre sentatives of those they meant to destroy or torment V. Macbeth, Act ii Sc 31 And that I love him not, as I was wont: [Exit. SCENE V.-The same. A Street. Enter SPEED and LAUNCE. Milan. I SCENE VI.-The same. An Apartment in the Pro. To leave my Julia, shall I be forsworn; Love bade me swear, and love bids me forswear: O sweet suggesting love, if thou hast sinn'd, Teach me, thy tempted subject, to excuse it. At first I did adore a twinkling star, But now I worship a celestial sun. Unheedful vows may heedfully be broken: And he wants wit, that wants resolved will To learn his wit to exchange the bad for better.Fie, fie, unreverend tongue! to call her bad, With twenty thousand soul-confirming oaths. Whose sovereignty so oft thou hast preferr'd I cannot leave to love, and yet I do; But there I leave to love, where I should love. Speed. Come on, you mad-cap, I'll to the ale-If I keep them, I needs must lose myself; Julia I lose, and Valentine I lose : nouse with you presently; where, for one shot of If I lose them, thus find I by their loss, ive pence thou shalt have five thousand welcomes. For Valentine, myself; for Julia, Silvia. But, sirrah, how did thy master part with madam I to myself am dearer than a friend; Speed. Launce! by mine honesty, welcome to Laun. Forswear not thyself, sweet youth; for am not welcome. I reckon this always-that a man is never undone, till he be hanged; nor never welcome to a place, till some certain shot be paid, and the hostess say, welcome. Julia? Laun. Marry, after they closed in earnest, they parted very fairly in jest. Speed. But shall she marry him? Laun. No. 1 i. e. on further knowledge, on better consideration. 2 Proteus means to say, that as yet he had only seen outward form, without having known her long enough to have any acquaintance with her mind. 3 Dazzled is used as a trisyllable. 4ie what say'st thou to this circumstance. And Silvia, witness heaven, that made her fair' I will forget that Julia is alive, Myself in counsel, his competitor : Of their disguising, and pretended' flight; Verona. A Room in Julia's House. Enter JULIA Jul. Counsel, Lucetta; gentle girl, assist me! Luc. Alas! the way is wearisome and long. Luc. Better forbear, till Proteus make return. Pity the dearth that I have pined in, 5 To suggest, in the language of our ancestors, was to tempt. 6 i. e. myself who am his competitor or rizal, being admitted to his counsel. Competitor here moans confederate, assistant, partner. Thus in Ant. Cleop Act v. Sc. 1. That thou my brother, my competitor 7 i. e. proposed or intended flight. The verb pre tendre has the same signification in French. 8 The verb to conjure, or earnestly request, was then accented on the first syllable. |