Thu. That hath more mind to feed on your blood, than live in your air.

Val. You have faid, Sir.

Thu. Ay, Sir, and done too, for this time.

Val. I know it well, Sir, you always end, ere you begin.

Sil. A fine volly of words, gentlemen, and quickly fhot off.

Val. "Tis, indeed, madam; we thank the giver.
Sil. Who is that, fervant?

Val. Your felf, fweet lady, for you gave the fire: Sir Thurio borrows his wit from your ladyfhip's looks, and spends, what he borrows, kindly in your company. Thu. Sir, if you spend word for word with me, I shall make your wit bankrupt.

Val. I know it well, Sir; you have an exchequer of words, and, I think, no other treafure to give your followers: for it appears, by their bare liveries, that they live by your bare words.

Sil. No more, gentlemen, no more: Here comes my father.

Enter the Duke.

Duke. Now, daughter Silvia, you are hard befet.
Sir Valentine, your father's in good health:
What fay you to a letter from your friends
Of much good news?

Val. My lord, I will be thankful

To any happy meffenger from thence.

Duke. Know you Don Anthonio, your countryman? Val. Ay, my good lord, I know the gentleman To be of worth and worthy eftimation;

And, not without defert, fo well reputed.

Duke. Hath he not a fon?

Val. Ay, my good lord, a fon that well deserves The honour and regard of fuch a father.

Duke. You know him well?

Val. I knew him, as my felf; for from our infancy We have converft, and spent our hours together: And tho' my felf have been an idle truant,

Omitting

Omitting the fweet benefit of time,

To cloathe mine age with angel-like perfection;
Yet hath Sir Protheus, for that's his name,
Made ufe and fair advantage of his days;
His years but young, but his experience old;
His head unmellow'd, but his judgment ripes
And, in a word, (for far behind his worth
Come all the prailes, that I now beftow;)
He is compleat in feature and in mind,
With all good grace to grace a gentleman.
Duke. Befhrew me, Sir, but if he makes this good,
He is as worthy for an emprefs' love,

As meet to be an Emperor's counsellor:
Well, Sir, this gentleman is come to me,
With commendations from great potentates;
And here he means to spend his time a while.
I think, 'tis no unwelcome news to you.

Val. Should I have with'd a thing, it had been he.
Duke. Welcome him then according to his worth:
Silvia, I fpeak to you; and you, Sir Thurio;
For Valentine, I need not cite him to it:
I'll fend him hither to you prefently.

Exit Duke. Val. This is the gentleman, I told your ladyship, Had come along with me, but that his mistress Did hold his eyes lockt in her crystal looks.

Sil. Belike, that now the hath enfranchis'd them Upon fome other pawn for fealty.

Val. Nay, fure, I think, the holds them pris'ners ftill. Sil. Nay, then he should be blind; and, being blind, How could he fee his way to seek out you?

Val. Why, lady, love hath twenty pair of eyes. Thu. They fay, that love hath not an eye at all. Val. To fee fuch lovers, Thurio, as your felf: Upon a homely object love can wink.

Enter Protheus.

Sil. Have done, have done; here comes the gentleman. Val. Welcome, dear Protheus: mistress, I beseech you, Confirm his welcome with fome special favour.

Sil. His worth is warrant for his welcome hither,

If this be he, you oft have wish'd to hear from.
Val. Miftrefs, it is: Sweet lady, entertain him
To be my fellow-fervant to your ladyship.

Sil. Too low a mistress for fo high a fervant.
Pro. Not fo, fweet lady; but too mean a fervant,
To have a look of fuch a worthy mistress.
Val. Leave off discourse of difability:
Sweet lady, entertain him for your fervant.
Pro. My duty will I boaft of, nothing else.
Sil. And duty never yet did want his meed:
Servant, you're welcome to a worthless mistress.
Pro. I'll die on him that fays fo, but your self.
Sil. That you are welcome?

Pro. That you are worthless.

Enter Servant.

Serv. Madam, my lord your father would speak
with you. (10)

Sil. I'll wait upon his pleasure: [Exit Serv.] Come,
Sir Thurio,

Go with me. Once more, my new fervant, welcome:
I'll leave you to confer of home-affairs;

When you have done, we look to hear from you. Pro. We'll both attend upon your ladyship. [Ex. Sil. and Thu. Val. Now tell me, how do all from whence you came?

Pro. Your friends are well, and have them much commended.

Val. And how do yours?

Pro. I left them all in health.

Val. How does your lady? and how thrives your love? Pro. My tales of love were wont to weary you; I know, you joy not in a love-difcourfe.

(10) Thur. Madam, my Lord your Father] This Speech in all the Editions is affign'd improperly to Thurio; but he has been all along upon the Stage, and could not know that the Duke wanted his Daughter. Befides, the first Line and half of Silvia's Answer is evidently addrefs'd to two Perfons. A Servant, therefore, must come in and deliver the Message; and then Silvia goes out with Thurio.

Val. Ay, Protheus, but that life is alter'd now; I have done penance for contemning love; Whose high imperious thoughts have punish'd me With bitter fafts, with penitential groans; With nightly tears, and daily heart-fore fighs. For, in revenge of my contempt of love, Love hath chac'd fleep from my

enthralled eyes,

And made them watchers of mine own heart's forrow.
O gentle Protheus, love's a mighty lord;
And hath fo humbled me, as, I confefs,
There is no wo to his correction;

Nor to his fervice, no fuch joy on earth.
Now no difcourfe, except it be of love;
Now can I break my faft, dine, fup, and fleep
Upon the very naked name of love.

Pro. Enough: I read your fortune in your eye.
Was this the idol, that you worship fo?

Val. Even fhe; and is the not a heav'nly faint?
Pro. No; but fhe is an earthly paragon.
Val. Call her divine.

Pro. I will not flatter her.

Val. O, flatter me; for love delights in praise. Pro. When I was fick, you gave me bitter pills And I must minifter the like to you.

Val. Then speak the truth by her; if not divine, Yet let her be a principality,

Sov'raign to all the creatures on the earth.
Pro. Except my mistress.

Val. Sweet, except not any;

Except thou wilt except against my love.
Pro. Have I not reafon to prefer mine own?
Val. And I will help thee to prefer her too :
She shall be dignify'd with this high honour,
To bear my lady's train, left the bafe earth.
Should from her vefture chance to fteal a kifs;
And, of fo great a favour growing proud,
Difdain to root the fummer-fwelling flower;
And make rough winter everlastingly.

Pro. Why, Valentine, what bragadifm is this?
Val. Pardon me, Protheus; all I can, is nothing
VOL. I.

N

To

To her, whofe worth makes other worthies nothing; She is alone

Pro. Then let her alone.

Val. Not for the world: why, man, she is mine own; And I as rich in having fuch a jewel,

As twenty feas, if all their fand were pearl,
The water nectar, and the rocks pure gold.
Forgive me, that I do not dream on thee,
Because thou feeft me doat upon my love.
My foolish rival, that her father likes,
Only for his poffeffions are fo huge,
Is gone with her along, and I muft after;
For love, thou know'ft, is full of jealousic.
Pro. But the loves you?

Val. Ay, and we are betroth'd; nay more, our marriage
hour,

With all the cunning manner of our flight,

Determin'd of; how I must climb her window,
The ladder made of cords, and all the means
Plotted and 'greed on for my happiness.
Good Protheus, go with me to my Chamber,
In these affairs to aid me with thy counfel.
Pro. Go on before; I fhall enquire you forth.
I muft unto the road, to difembark

Some neceffaries that I needs must use;
And then I'll presently attend you.
Val. Will you make hafte?

Pro. I will.

Ev'n as one heat another heat expels,

[Exit Val.

Or as one nail by ftrength drives out another;
So the remembrance of my former love
Is by a newer object quite forgotten.
Is it mine Eye, or Valentino's Praise, (11)

Her

(11) Is it mine then, or Valentino's Praife,] This fupplemental Word, then, was first clapt in by Mr. Rowe to help the lab'ring Verfe, and fince embrac'd by Mr. Pope. But let us fee, what Senfe results from it. What is Proteus queftioning with himself, whether it is his own Praise, or Valentine's, that makes him fall in Love? But Proteus had not prais'd Silvia any farther than giving his Opinion of her in three Words, when his Friend demanded it. In all the old Editions, we find it thus ;