Speed. Item, the doth talk in her fleep.

Laun. It's no matter for that, fo the fleep not in her talk, Speed. Item, fhe is flow in words!

Laun. O villain! that fet down among her vices! to be flow in words is a woman's only virtue: I pray thee, out with't, and place it for her chief virtue.

Speed. Item, he is proud

Laun. Out with that too it was Eve's legacy, and cannot be ta'en from her.

Speed: Hem, the hath no teeth.

Laun. I care not for that neither, because I love.

crufts.

Speed. Item, he is curft.

Laun. Well, the best is, fhe hath no teeth to bite.
Speed. Item, fhe will often praise her liquor.

Laun. If her liquor be good, fhe fhall; if fhe will not, will; for good things fhould be praised.

Speed. Item, fhe is too liberal.

3

Laun. Of her tongue fhe cannot, for that's writ down, fhe is flow of; of her purfe fhe fhall not, for that I'll keep fhut; now of another thing the may, and that cannot I help. Well, proceed.

Speed. Item, he hath more hairs than wit, and more faults than hairs, and more wealth than faults.

Laun. Stop here; I'll have her; fhe was mine, and not mine, twice or thrice in that article. Rehearfe that

once more.

Speed. Item, the hath more hair than wit.

Laun. More hair than wit, it may be; I'll prove ite the cover of the falt hides the falt, and therefore it is more than the falt; the hair, that covers the wit, is more than the wit; for the greater hides the lefs. What's

next?

Speed And more faults than hairs.

Laun. That's monftrous; oh, that that were out!
Speed. And more wealth than faults.

Laun. Why, that word makes the faults gracious: well, I'll have her; and if it be a match, as nothing is impoffible.

Speed.

Speed. What then tw

.I

Laun, Why then will I tell thee, that thy mafter tays for thee at the north gate. Do

Speed. For me t

Laun. For thee?ay; who art thon he hath staid for a better man than thee.. braiqi va ofe Speed. And muft I go to him

• Laun. Thou must run to him, for thou haft ftaid fo long, that going will fcarce ferve the turns to

Speed. Why didit not tell me fooner pox on your love-letters!

Laun. Now will he be fwing'd for reading my letter: an unmannerly flave, that will thrust himself into fecrets. I'll after, to rejoice in the boy's correction. [Exeunt.

Enter Duke and Thurio, modwan, ya

Duke. Sir Tburio, fear not, but that he will love you, Now Valentine is banish'd from her fight.

Thu. Since his exile the hath defpis'd me moft,
Forfworn my company, and rail'd at
me,
That I am defperate of obtaining her,

Duke. This weak imprefs of love is as a figure
Trenched in ice, which with an hour's heat
Diffolves to water, and doth lofe his form.
A little time will melt her frozen thoughts.
And worthless Valentine thall be forgot.

Enter Protheus.

How now, Sir Protheus? Is your countryman,
According to our proclamation, gone?
Pro. Gone, my good lord.

Duke. My daughter takes his going heavily.
Pro. A little time, my lord, will kill that grief
Duke. So I believe; but Thurio thinks not fo.
Protheus, the good conceit I hold of thee,
(For thou haft hown fome fign of good defert)
Makes me the better to confer with thee.

Pro. Longer than 1 prove loyal to your Grace,
Let me not live to look upon your Grace.

Duke

Duke. Thou know'ft how willingly I would effect The match between Sir Thurio and my daughter. Pro. I do, my lord.

Duke. And alfo, I do think, thou art not ignorant How the oppofes her against my will

and Pro. She did, my lord, when Valentine was here.wi Duke. Ay, and perverfely the perfeveres fo... What might we do to make the girl forget

The love of Valentine, and love Sir Thuria? 16/1995
Pro The best way is to flander Valentine

With falfhood, cowardice, and poor defcent and
Three things, that women highly hold in hate. ut
Duke Ay, but she'll think, that it is spoke in hate.
Pra Ay, if his enemy deliver it.į:

Therefore it muft, with circumstance, be spoken
By one, whom the esteemeth as his friend.

Duke, Then you must undertake to flander him. Pro. And that, my lord, I shall be loth: to do; 'Tis an ill office for a gentleman

Efpecially againft his very friend.

Duke. Where your good word cannot advantage him, Your flander never can endamage him;

Therefore the office is indifferent,

Being intreated to it by your friend..

Pro. You have prevail'd, my lord: if I can do it,
By aught that I can speak in his difpraife,
She shall not long continue love to him.
But fay, this weed her love from Valentine,

It follows not, that the will love Sir Thurio.

Thu. Therefore as you unwind her love from him, Left it should ravel, and be good to none,

You must provide to bottom it on me :

Which must be done, by praifing me as much

As you in worth difpraife Sir Valentine,

Duke. And, Protheus, we dare trust you in this kind,
Because we know, on Valentine's report,
You are already love's firm votary;

And cannot foon revolt and change your mind.
Upon this warrant, fhall you have accefs,
Where you with Silvia may confer at large;

For the is lumpifh, heavy, melancholy,

And, for your friend's fake, will be glad of you;
Where you may temper her, by your perfuafion,
To hate young Valentine, and love my friend.
Pro. As much as I can do, I will effect,
But you, Sir Thurio, are not sharp enough;
You must lay lime, to tangle her defires,

tears

By wailful fonnets, whofe compofed rhimes?
Should be full fraught with ferviceable vows.
Duke. Much is the force of heav'n-bred poefy.
Pro. Say, that upon the altar of her beauty
You facrifice your tears, your fighs, your heart:
Write, 'till your ink be dry; and with your te
Moift it again; and frame fome feeling line,
That may difcover fuch integrity: patil 20
For Orpheus' lute was ftrung with poets' finews;
Whofe golden touch could foften feel and ftones,
Make tygers tame, and huge Leviathans
Forfake unfounded deeps, to dance on fands.
After your dire-lamenting elegies, s

Vifit by night your lady's chamber-window

With fome fweet confort: to their inftruments M1 AN Tune a deploring dump; the night's dead filence I Will well become fuch fweet complaining grievance. This, or else nothing, will inherit her.

Duke. This difcipline fhews, thou haft been in love,sie Thu. And thy advice this night I'll put in practice, Therefore, fweet Protheur, my direction-giver, muut a Let us into the city presently

Th

To fort fome gentlemen well skill'd in musick ; H; 10 I have a fonner, that will ferve the turn,

To give the onfet to thy good advice.

Duke. About it, gentlemen.

Pro. We'll wait upon your Grace, 'till after fupper And afterwards determine our proceedings.

Duke. Ev'n now about it. I will pardon you. [Exeunt.

ACT

ACT IV.

SCENE, A Foreft, leading towards Mantua.

F

Enter certain out-laws.

I OUT-LAW.

ELLOWS, ftand faft: I fee a paffenger,

2 Out. If there be ten, fhrink not, but down with’em.

Enter Valentine and Speed.

3 Out. Stand, Sir, and throw us what you have about you; if not, we'll make you, Sir, and rifle

you.

Speed. Sir, we are undone; these are the villains, that all the travellers do fear fo much.

Val. My friends,

1 Out. That's not fo, Sir; we are your enemies. z Out. Peace; we'll hear him. “

3 Out. Ay, by my beard, will we; for he is a proper

manera

Val. Then know, that I have little wealth to lose : A man I am, cross'd with adverfity;

My riches are these poor habiliments,

Of which if you fhould here disfurnish me,

You take the fum and substance that I have. 2 Out. Whither travel you?

Val. To Verona.

1 Out. Whence came you?

Fal. From Milan.

3 Out. Have you long fojourn'd there?

Val. Some fixteen months; and longer might have staid, If crooked fortune had not thwarted me.

Out. What, were you banfh'd thence?

Val. I was.

*2 But,