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That Silvia, at Patrick's cell, should meet me.
She will not fail; for lovers break not hours,
Unless it be to come before their time;
So much they fpur their expedition.

Enter SILVIA.

See, where she comes: Lady, a happy evening.
Sil. Amen, amen! go on good Eglamour,
Out at the postern by the abbey-wall;
I fear, I am attended by fome spies.

Egl. Fear not: the foreft is not three leagues off;
If we recover that, we are fure enough.s

SCENE II.

[Exeunt,

The fame. An Apartment in the Duke's Palace.
Enter THURIO, PROTEUS, and JULIA.

Thu. Sir Proteus, what fays Silvia to my fuit?
Pro. O, fir, I find her milder than fhe was;
And yet fhe takes exceptions to your perfon.
Thu. What, that my leg is too long?
Pro. No; that it is too little.

Thu. I'll wear a boot, to make it fomewhat rounder.
Pro. But love will not be fpurr'd to what it loaths.
Thu. What fays the to my face?

Pro. She fays, it is a fair one.

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Thu. Nay, then the wanton lies; my face is black.
Pro. But pearls are fair; and the old faying is,

Black men are pearls in beauteous ladies' eyes.6

Jul. 'Tis true, fuch pearls as put out ladies' eyes;

For I had rather wink than look on them.

[Afide.

Thu. How likes fhe my difcourfe?

: Pro. Ill, when you talk of war.

Thu. But well, when I difcourfe of love and peace.

Jul. But better, indeed, when you hold your peace.

Thu, What fays fhe to my valour?

3 Sure is fafe, out of danger. JOHNSON.

"A black man is a jewel in a fair woman's eye," is one of Ray's

proverbial fentences. MALONE.

[Afide.

Pro.

for

Pro. O, fir, fhe makes no doubt of that.

Jul. She needs not, when she knows it cowardice. [Afide.

Thu. What fays fhe to my birth?

Pro. That you are well deriv'd.

Jul. True; from a gentleman to a fool.

[Afille

Thu. Confiders fhe my poffeffions?

Pro. O, ay; and pities them.

Thu. Wherefore?

Jul. That fuch an afs fhould owe them.

[Afide.

Pro. That they are out by leafe."

Jul. Here comes the duke.

Enter DUKE.

Duke. How now, fir Proteus? how now, Thurio? Which of you faw fir Eglamour of late ?

Thu. Not I.

Pro.

Nor I.

Duke.

Saw you my daughter?

Neither.

Pro.

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

'Tis true; for friar Laurence met them both,
As he in penance wander'd through the foreft:
Him he knew well, and guefs'd that it was fhe;
But, being mafk'd, he was not fure of it:
Befides, the did intend confeffion

At Patrick's cell this even; and there fhe was not
Thefe likelihoods confirm her flight from hence.
Therefore, I pray you, ftand not to difcourfe,
But mount you prefently; and meet with me
Upon the rifing of the mountain-foot

That leads toward Mantua, whither they are fled:

Dispatch, 7 I fuppofe he means, because Thurio's folly has let them on disadvan tageous terms. STEEVENS.

She pities fir Thurio's poffeffions, because they are let to others, and are not in his own dear hands. This appears to me to be the meaning of it. M. MASON.

"By Thurio's poffeffions, he himself understands his lands and estate. But Proteus chooses to take the word in a figurative fenfe, as fignifying his mental endowments: and when he fays they are out by leafe, he means they are no longer enjoyed by their mafter (who is a fool,) but are leafed out to another." STEEVENS.

Difpatch, fweet gentlemen, and follow me.
Thu. Why, this it is to be a peevish girl,
That flies her fortune when it follows her:
I'll after; more to be reveng'd on Eglamour,
Than for the love of recklefs Silvia.9

[Exit.

[Exit,

Pro. And I will follow, more for Silvia's love,

Than hate of Eglamour that goes with her.

[Exit.

Jul. And I will follow, more to cross that love, Than hate for Silvia, that is gone for love.

[Exity

SCENE III.

Frontiers of Mantua. The Foreft

Enter SILVIA, and Out-laws.

Out. Come, come;

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.
z 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, But Moyfes, and Valerius, follow him.

Go thou with her to the weft end of the wood,
There is our captain: we'll follow him that's fleď;
The thicket is befet, he cannot 'fcape.

1 Out. Come, I muft bring you to our captain's caves Fear not; he bears an honourable mind,

And will not use a woman lawlessly.

Sil. O Valentine, this I endure for thee!

SCENE IV.

Another part of the Foreft.

Enter VALENTINE.

Val. How ufe doth breed a habit in a man!
This fhadowy defert, unfrequented woods,
I better brook than flourishing peopled towns:
Here can I fit alone, unfeen of any,

[Exeunt,

Pevif, in ancient language, fignifies foolish. STEEVENS.
reckless Silvia.] i, e. careless, heedless. STIEVING.

And,

And, to the nightingale's complaining notes,
Tune my diftreffes, and record my woes.*
O thou that doft inhabit in my breast,
Leave not the manfion fo long tenantlefs;
Left, growing ruinous, the building fall,
And leave no memory of what it was!
Repair me with thy prefence, Silvia;

Thou gentle nymph, cherish thy forlorn swain!—
What halloing, and what ftir, is this to-day?
These are my mates, that make their wills their law,
Have fome unhappy paffenger in chace:

They love me well; yet I have much to do,
To keep them from uncivil outrages.

Withdraw thee, Valentine; who's this comes here?

love.

[fteps afide. Enter PROTEUS, SILVIA, and JULLA. Pro. Madam, this fervice I have done for you, Though you refpect not ought your fervant doth,) To hazard life, and refcue you from him. That wou'd have forc'd your honour and your Vouchsafe me, for my meed, 4 but one fair look; A fmaller boon than this I cannot beg, And less than this, I am fure, you cannot give. Val. How like a dream is this I fee and hear! Love, lend me patience to forbear a while. Sil. Omiferable, unhappy that I am! Pro. Unhappy were you, madam, ere I came ; But, by my coming, I have made you happy.

[Afide

Sil. By thy approach thou mak'ft me most unhappy. ful. And me, when he approacheth to your prefence.

[Afide.

Sil. Had I been feized by a hungry lion, I would have been a breakfast to the beast, Rather than have falfe Proteus rescue me.

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2 To record anciently fignified to fing; and Sir John Hawkins informs me, that it is a term ftill used by bird-fanciers, to exprefs the first effays of a bird in finging. STEEVENS.

3 It is hardly poffible to point out four lines, in any of the plays of Shakspeare, more remarkable for cafe and elegance. STEEVENS, Amy meed,] i. e. reward. STEEVENS.

O, heaven be judge, how I love Valentine,
Whofe life's as tender to me as my foul;
And full as much (for more there cannot be,)
I do deteft falfe perjur'd Proteus:
Therefore be gone, folicit me no more.

Pro. What dangerous action, stood it next to death,
Would I not undergo for one calm look?

O, 'tis the curfe in love, and still approv'd,s

When women cannot love where they're belov'd.

Sil. When Proteus cannot love where he's belov'd.
Read over Julia's heart, thy first best love,

For whofe dear fake thou did❜ft then rend thy faith
Into a thousand oaths; and all those oaths
Defcended into perjury, to love me.

Thou haft no faith left now, unless thou had'ft 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!

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In love,

All men but Proteus.

Pro. Nay, if the gentle fpirit of moving words Can no way change you to a milder form,

I'll woo you like a foldier, at arms' end;

And love you 'gainst the nature of love, force you.

Sil. O heaven!

Pro.

I'll force thee yield to my defire.

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

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Val. Thou common friend, that's without faith or love; (For fuch is a friend now,) treacherous man! Thou haft beguil'd my hopes; nought but mine eye Could have perfuaded me: Now I dare not fay I have one friend alive; thou would'ft difprove me. Who fhould be trufted now, when one's right hand Is perjur'd to the bofom? Proteus,

5 Approv'd is felt, experienced. MALONE.

I

That's is perhaps here used, not for zubo is, but for id eft, that is to fay.

MALONE.

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