THE

TWO GENTLEMEN

OF

VERONA.

PERSONS REPRESENTED.

DUKE OF MILAN, Father to Silvia.
VALENTINE, Gentlemen of Verona.

PROTEUS,

ANTONIO, Father to Proteus.

THURIO, a foolish rival to Valentine.
EGLAMOUR, Agent for Silvia in her escape.
SPEED, a clownish Servant to Valentine.

LAUNCE, Servant to Proteus.

PANTHINO, Servant to Antonio.

Host, where Julia lodges in Milan.

Out-laws.

JULIA, a Lady of Verona, beloved by Proteus. SILVIA, the Duke's Daughter, beloved by Valentine. LUCETTA, Waiting-woman to Julia.

Servants, Musicians.

SCENE, sometimes in Verona; sometimes in Milan; and on the Frontiers of Mantua.

THE

TWO GENTLEMEN

ОР

VERONA.

ACT I.

SCENE I.-An open Place in Verona.
Enter VALENTINE and PROTEUS.

Val. Cease to persuade, my loving Proteus ;
Home-keeping youth have ever homely wits:
Wer't not, affection chains thy tender days
To the sweet glances of thy honour'd love,
I rather would entreat thy company,
To see the wonders of the world abroad,
Than, living dully sluggardized at home,
Wear out thy youth with shapeless idleness.

But, since thou lov'st, love still, and thrive therein
Even as I would, when I to love begin.

Pro. Wilt thou be gone? Sweet Valentine, adieu! Think on thy Proteus, when thou, haply, seest Some rare note-worthy object in thy travel; Wish me partaker in thy happiness,

When thou dost meet good hap; and, in thy danger,
If ever danger do environ thee,

Commend thy grievance to my holy prayers,
For I will be thy bead's-man, Valentine.

Val. And on a love-book pray for my success.
Pro. Upon some book I love, I'll pray for thee.
Val. That's on some shallow story of deep love,
How young Leander cross'd the Hellespont.
Pro. That's a deep story of a deeper love;
For he was more than over shoes in love.
Val. 'Tis true; for you are over boots in love,
And yet you never swam the Hellespont,

Pro. Over the boots? nay, give me not the boots, Val. No, I'll not, for it boots thee not.

Pro. What?

Val. To be

In love, where scorn is bought with groans; coy looks,

With heart-sore sighs; one fading moment's mirth,
With twenty watchful, weary, tedious nights:
If haply won, perhaps a hapless gain;

If lost, why then a grievous labour won;
However, but a folly bought with wit,
Or else a wit by folly vanquished.

Pro. So, by your circumstance, you call me fool.
Val. So, by your circumstance, I fear, you'll

prove.

Pro. Tis love you cavil at; I am not love.

Val. Love is your master, for he masters you';
And he that is so yoked by a fool,

Methinks should not be 'chronicled for wise.
Pro. Yet writers say, As in the sweetest bud
The eating canker dwells, so eating love
Inhabits in the finest wits of all.

Val. And writers say, As the most forward bud Is eaten by the canker ere it blow,

Even so by love the young and tender wit
Is turn'd to folly; blasting in the bud,
Losing his verdure even in the prime,
And all the fair effects of future hopes.
But wherefore waste I time to council thee,
That art a votary to fond desire?

Once more adieu: my father at the road
Expects my coming, there to see me shipp'd.

Pro. And thither will I bring thee, Valentine.

Val. Sweet Proteus, no; now let us take our leave. At Milan, let me hear from thee by letters, Of thy success in love, and what news else Betideth here in absence of thy friend; And I likewise will visit thee with mine.

Pro. All happiness beehanee to thee in Milan! Val. As much to you at home! and so farewell! [Exit Valentine. Pro. He after honour hunts, I after love; He leaves his friends, to dignify them more; I leave myself, my friends, and all for love. Thou, Julia, thou hast metamorphosed me; Made me neglect my studies, lose my time,

• A humourous punishment at harvest-home feasts, &c.

War with good counsel, set the world at nought; Made wit with musing weak, heart sick with thought.

Enter SPEED.

Speed. Sir Proteus, save you; Saw you my mas

ter?

Pro. But now he parted hence to embark for Milan. Speed. Twenty to one then, he is shipp'd already; And I have play'd the sheep, in losing him.

Pro. Indeed a sheep doth very often stray, And if the shepherd be awhile away.

Speed. You conclude that my master is a shepherd then, and I a sheep?

Pro. I do,

Speed. Why then my horns are his horns, whether I wake or sleep.

Pro. A silly answer, and fitting well a sheep.
Speed. This proves me still a sheep.

Pro. True; and thy master a shepherd.

Speed. Nay, that I can deny by a circumstance. Pro. It shall go hard, but I'll prove it by another. Speed. The shepherd seeks the sheep, and not the sheep the shepherd; but I seek my master, and my master seeks not me: therefore I am no sheep.

Pro. The sheep for fodder follow the shepherd, the shepherd for food follows not the sheep; thou for wages followest thy master, thy master for wages follows not thee: therefore, thou art a sheep.

Speed. Such another proof will make me cry baa, Pro. But dost thou hear? gavest thou my letter to Julia?

Speed. Ay, Sir: I, a lost mutton, gave your let ter to her, a laced mutton: and she, a laced mutton, gave me, a lost mutton, nothing for my labour.

Pro. Here's too small a pasture for such a store of muttons.

Speed. If the ground be overcharged, you were best stick her.

Pro. Nay, in that you're astray; 'twere best pound

you.

Speed. Nay, Sir, less than a pound shall serve me for carrying your letter.

Pro. You mistake; I mean the pound, a pinfold. Speed. From a pound to a pin ? fold it over and

over,

A term for a courtezan.