Pro. She says, it is a fair one.

Thu. Nay, then the wanton lies: my face is black. Pro. But pearls are fair; and the old saying is, Black men are pearls in beauteous ladies' eyes. Jul. 'Tis true, such pearls as put out ladies' eyes; For I had rather wink than look on them. [Aside. The. How likes she my discourse? Pro. Ill, when you talk of war.

Thu. But well, when I discourse of love and peace? Jul. But better, indeed, when you hold your

peace.

Thu. What says she to my valour?

[Aside.

Pro. 0, Sir, she makes no doubt of that. Jul. She needs not, when she knows it cowardice. [Aside.

Thu. What says she to my birth? Pro. That you are well derived.

Jul. True; from a gentleman to a fool. The. Considers she my possessions? Pro. 0, ay; and pities them.

Thu. Wherefore?

[Aside.

Jul. That such an ass should owe them. [Aside. Pro. That they are out by lease.

Jul. Here comes the duke.

Enter DUKE.

These are my mates, that make their wills their law,
Have some unhappy passenger in chase:
They love me well; yet I have much to do,
To keep them from uncivil outrages.
Withdraw thee, Valentine; who's this comes here?
[Steps aside.

Enter PROTEUS, SILVIA and JULIA.
Pro. Madam, this service I have done for you
(Though you respect not aught your servant doth,)
To hazard life, and rescue you from him
That would have forced your honour and your love.
Vouchsafe me, for my meed, but one fair look;
A smaller boon than this I cannot beg,
And less than this, I am sure, you cannot give.
Val. How like a dream is this I see and hear!
Love, lend me patience to forbear a while. [Aside.
Sil. O miserable, unhappy that I am!
Pro. Unhappy were you, madam, ere I came;
But, by my coming, I have made you happy.
Sil. By thy approach thou mak'st me most un-

happy.

Jul. And me, when he approacheth to your pre[Aside.

sence.

Sil. Had I been seized by a hungry lion, I would have been a breakfast to the beast,

Thu. Not I.

Pre. Nor I.

Duke. Why, then she's fled unto that peasant VaAnd Eglamour is in her company.

[lentine;

Tis true; for friar Laurence met them both,
As he in penance wander'd through the forest;
Hin he knew well, and guess'd that it was she;
Bat, being mask'd, he was not sure of it:
Besides, she did intend confession

At Patrick's cell this even; and there she was not:
These likelihoods confirm her flight from hence.
Therefore, I pray you, stand not to discourse
But mount you presently; and meet with me
Upon the rising of the mountain-foot
That leads towards Mantua, whither they are fled:
Dispatch, sweet gentlemen, and follow me.
Tha. Why, this it is to be a peevish † girl,
That flies her fortune when it follows her:
I'll after; more to be revenged on Eglamour,
Than for the love of reckless ‡ Silvia.

Be patient, we must bring you to our captain.
Sil. A thousand more mischances than this one
Have learn'd me how to brook this patiently.
2 Out. Come, bring her away.

1 Out. Where is the gentleman that was with her? 3 Out. Being nimble-footed, he hath out-run us, Bat Moyses, and Valerius, follow him.

Go thou with her to the west end of the wood,
There is our captain: we'll follow him that's fled;
The thicket is beset, he cannot 'scape.

1 Out. Come, I must bring you to our captain's Fear not; he bears an honourable mind, Aad will not use a woman lawlessly.

[cave:

Sil. O Valentine, this I endure for thee! [Exeunt.

SCENE IV.-Another Part of the Forest.
Enter VALENTINE.

Fal. How use doth breed a habit in a man!
This shadowy desert, unfrequented woods,
I better brook than flourishing peopled towns:
Here can I sit alone, unseen of any,
And, to the nightingale's complaining notes,
Te my distresses, and record my woes.
Othou that dost inhabit in my breast,
Leave not the mansion so long tenantless;
Lest, growing ruinous, the building fall,
And leave no memory of what it was;
Repair me with thy presence, Silvia;

Then gentle nymph, cherish thy forlorn swain!at halloing, and what stir, is this to-day?

O, heaven be judge, how I love Valentine,
Whose life's as tender to me as my soul;
And full as much (for more there cannot be,)
I do detest false perjured Proteus :
Therefore be gone, solicit me no more.

Pro. What dangerous action, stood it next to death,
Would I not undergo for one calm look ?
O, 'tis the curse in love, and still approved,
When women cannot love, where they're beloved.
Sil. When Proteus cannot love where he's beloved.
Read over Julia's heart, thy first best love,
For whose dear sake thou didst then rend thy faith
Into a thousands oaths; and all those oaths
Descended into perjury, to love me.

Thou hast no faith left now, unless thou hadst two,
And that's far worse than none; better have none
Than plural faith, which is too much by one:
Thou counterfeit to thy true friend!

Pro. In love,

Who respects friend?

Sil. All men but Proteus.

Pro. Nay, if the gentle spirit of moving words Can no way change you to a milder form, I'll woo you like a soldier, at arms' end;

And love you 'gainst the nature of love, force you. Sil. O heaven!

Pro. I'll force thee yield to my desire.

Val. Ruffian, let go that rude uncivil touch; Thou friend of an ill fashion?

Pro. Valentine!

Val. Thou common friend, that's without faith or love;

(For such is a friend now,) treacherous man! Thou hast beguiled my hopes; nought but mine eye Could have persuaded me: now I dare not say

I have one friend alive thou wouldst disprove me.
Who should be trusted now, when one's right hand
Is perjured to the bosom? Proteus,

I am sorry, I must never trust thee more,
But count the world a stranger for thy sake,
The private wound is deepest: O time, most curst!
'Mongst all foes, that a friend should be the worst!
Pro. My shame and guilt confounds me.-
Forgive me, Valentine; if hearty sorrow
Be a sufficient ransom for offence,

I tender it here: I do as truly suffer,

As e'er I did commit.

Val. Then I am paid;

And once again I do receive thee honest :-
Who by repentance is not satisfied,

Is nor of heaven, nor earth; for these are pleased;
By penitence the Eternal's wrath's appeased:-
And, that my love may appear plain and free,
All that was mine in Silvia, I give thee.
Jul. O me, unhappy!

Felt, experienced.

Pro. How! let me see:

Why this is the ring I gave to Julia.

Jul. 0, cry you mercy, Sir, I have mistook; This is the ring you sent to Silvia.

[Shews another ring. Pro. But, how cam'st thou by this ring? at my deI gave this unto Julia. [part

Jul. And Julia herself did give it me; And Julia herself hath brought it hither.

Pro. How! Julia?

Jul. Behold her that gave aim to all thy oaths, And entertain'd' them deeply in her heart:

How oft hast thou with perjury cleft the root! +
O Proteus, let this habit make thee blush!
Be thou ashamed, that I have took upon me
Such an immodest raiment; if shame live
In a disguise of love:

It is the lesser blot, modesty finds,

Women to change their shapes, than men their minds. Pro. Than men their minds! 'tis true: O heaven!

Thu. Sir Valentine, I care not for her, I;
I hold him but a fool, that will endanger
His body for a girl that loves him not:
I claim her not, and therefore she is thine.
Duke. The more degenerate and base art thou,
To make such means for her as thou hast done,
And leave her on such slight conditions.--
Now, by the honour of my ancestry,

I do applaud thy spirit, Valentine,
And think thee worthy of an empress' love.
Know then, I here forget all former griefs,
Cancel all grudge, repeal thee home again.-
Plead a new state in thy unrival'd merit,
To which I thus subscribe-Sir Valentine,
Thou art a gentleman, and well derived;
Take thou thy Silvia, for thou hast deserved her.
Val. I thank your grace; the gift hath made me
happy.

I now beseech you, for your daughter's sake,
To grant one boon that I shall ask of you.

Duke. I grant it, for thine own, whate'er it be.
Val. These banish'd men, that I have kept withal
Are men endued with worthy qualities;
Forgive them what they have committed here,
And let them be recall'd from their exile:
They are reformed, civil, full of good,
And fit for great employment, worthy lord.

Duke. Thou hast prevail'd: I pardon them, and thee;

Dispose of them, as thou know'st their deserts,
Come, let us go; we will include + all jars,
With triumphs, mirth, and rare soleninity.

Val. And, as we walk along, I dare be bold
With our discourse to make your grace to smile:
What think you of this page, my lord?

Duke. I think the boy hath grace in him; he blushes.

Val. I warrant you, my lord; more grace than boy.

Duke. What mean you by that saying?

Val. Please you, I'll tell you as we pass along, That you will wonder, what hath fortuned,Come, Proteus; 'tis your penance, but to hear The story of your loves discovered:

That done, our day of marriage shall be yours;
One feast, one house, one mutual happiness.[Exeunt,