And, by and by, intend to chide myself,
Ev'n for this time I spend in talking to thee.
Pro. I grant, fweet love, that I did love a Lady ;
But fhe is dead.

Jul. [Afide.] "Twere falfe, if I fhould fpeak it;
For, I am fure, fhe is not buried.

Sil. Say, that the be; yet Valentine, thy friend,
Survives; to whom, thyfelf art witness,

I am betroath'd; and art thou not afham'd
To wrong him with thy importunacy?

Pro. I likewife hear, that Valentine is dead.
Sil. And fo, fuppofe am I; for in his grave,
Affure thyfelf, my love is buried.

Pro. Sweet Lady, let me rake it from the earth.
Sil. Go to thy Lady's grave and call her thence,
Or, at the least, in her's fepulchre thine.
Jul. [Afide.] He heard not that."

Pro. Madam, if your heart be fo obdurate,
Vouchfafe me yet your picture for my love,
The picture that is hanging in your chamber:
To that I'll fpeak, to that I'll figh and weep:
For, fince the fubftance of your perfect felf
Is elfe devoted, I am but a fhadow;
And to your fhadow will I make true love.

Jul. [Afide.] If 'twere a substance, you would, fure, deceive it,

And make it but a fhadow, as I am.

Sil. I'm very loath to be your idol, Sir; But fince your falfhood shall become you well To worthip shadows, and adore falfe shapes; Send to me in the morning, and I'll send it: And fo, good reft.

Pro. As wretches have o'er night,

That wait for execution in the morn.

Jul. Hoft, will you go?

[Exe. Pro. an! Sil.

Hoft. By my hallidom, I was faft asleep.
Jul. Pray you, where lies Sir Protheus?

Hoft. Marry, at my houfe: trust me, I think, 'tis almost day.

K 5

Jul. Not fo; but it hath been the longest night That e'er I watch'd, and the most heavieft.

Enter Eglamour.

Egl. This is the hour that madam Silvia Entreated me to call, and know her mind: There's fome great matter fhe'd employ me in. Madam, madam !

Silvia above, at her Window.

Sil. Who calls?

Egl. Your fervant, and your friend;
One that attends your Ladyfhip's command.

[Exeunt.

Sil. Sir Eglamour, a thousand times good morrow.
Egl. As many, worthy Lady, to yourself:
According to your Ladyship's impofe,

I am thus early come, to know what service
It is your pleasure to command me in.

Sil. Oh Eglamour, thou art a Gentleman,
(Think not I flatter, for I fwear, I do not,)
Valiant and wife, remorfeful, well accomplish'd;
Thou art not ignorant, what dear good will
I bear unto the banish'd Valentine;

Nor how my father would enforce me marry
Vain Thurio, whom my very foul abhorr'd.
Thyfelf haft lov'd; and I have heard thee fay,
No grief did ever come fo near thy heart,
As when thy Lady and thy true love dy'd;
Upon whofe grave thou vow'dft pure chastity.
Sir Eglamour, I would to Valentine,

To Mantua, where, I hear, he makes abode :
And, for the ways are dangerous to pass,
I do defire thy worthy company;
Upon whofe faith and honour I repose.
Urge not my father's anger, Eglamour;
But think upon my grief, a Lady's grief;
And on the justice of my flying hence;
To keep me from a moft unholy match,
Which heav'n and fortune ftill reward with plagues:
I do defire thee, even from a heart

As

As full of forrows as the sea of sands,

To bear me company, and go with me;
If not, to hide what I have faid to thee,
That I may venture to depart alone.

Egl. Madam, I pity much your grievances;
Which, fince I know, they virtuously are plac'd,,
I give confent to go along with you;

Recking as little what betideth me,

As much I wish all good befortune you.
When will you go?

Sil. This evening coming.

Egl. Where fhall I meet you ?:
Sil. At friar Patrick's celt;.
Where I intend holy confeffion.
Egl. I will not fail your Ladyship::

Good morrow, gentle Lady..

Sil. Good morrow, kind Sir Eglamour:

Enter Launce with his dog.

[Exeunts

When a man's fervant fhall play the cur with him,

look you, it goes hard one that I brought up of puppy, one that I fav'd from drowning, when three or four of his blind brothers and fifters went to it! I have taught him, even as one would say precisely, thus I would teach a dog. (15) I went to deliver him, as a prefent to miftrefs Silvia from my mafter; and I came no fooner into the dining-chamber, but he fteps me to her trencher,, and fteals her capon's leg. O, 'tis a foul thing,, when a cur cannot keep himself in all companies! I would have, as one fhould fay, one that takes upon him to be a dog indeed, to be, as it were, a dog at all things. If I had no more wit than he, to take a fault upon me that he did, I think verily, he had been

(15) I was fent to deliver him as a prefent.-] Honeft Launce is here all along characterizing his dog Crab; but that he was not fent to deliver as a prefent to Silvia. The Poet therefore could not be fo forgetful to make this blunder. Launce had loft his Mafter's dog, and was gone in queft of him, as we have heard from the boft and we find Launce himself presently confeffing, that it was stolen by the hangman's boy. So having loft the intended prefent, he went to tender his own dog instead of the other.

hang d

hang'd for't; fure as I live, he had fuffer'd for't; you fhall judge. He thruft me himself into the company of three or four gentleman-like dogs, under the Duke's table: he had not been there (blefs the mark) a piffing while, but all the chamber fmelt him. Out with the dog, fays one; what cur is that? fays another; whip him out fays the third; hang him up, fays the Duke. I, having been acquainted with the smell before, knew it was Crab, and goes me to the fellow that whips the dogs; Friend, quoth I, you mean to whip the dog? Ay, marry do I, quoth he. You do him the more wrong, quoth I; 'twas I did the thing you wot of. He makes no more ado, but whips me out of the chamber. How many mafters would do this for their fervant? nay, I'll be fworn, I have fat in the stocks for the puddings he hath ftol'n, otherwise he had been executed; I have ftood on the pillory for the geefe he hath kill'd, otherwife he had fuffer'd for't. Thou think'ft not of this now. Nay, I remember the trick you ferv'd me, when I took my leave of Madam Silvia; did not I bid thee ftill mark me, and do as I do? when didft thou fee me heave up my leg, and make water against a Gentlewoman's farthingale? didst thou ever see me do fuch a trick?

Enter Protheus and Julia.

Pro. Sebaftian is thy name? I like thee well; And will employ thee in fome fervice presently. Jul. In what you pleafe: I'll do, Sir, what I can. Pro. I hope, thou wilt.-How now, you whorefon peafant,

Where have you been these two days loitering?

Laun. Marry, Sir, I carry'd Mistress Silvia the dog, you bade me.

Pro. And what fays fhe to my little jewel?

Laun. Marry, fhe fays, your dog was a cur; and tells you, currish thanks is good enough for such a present. Pro. But the received my dog?

Laun. No, indeed, the did not: here have I brought him back again.

Pro.

Pro. What, did'ft thou offer her this from me?

Laun. Ay, Sir; the other squirrel was ftol'n from me by the hangman's boy in the market-place; and then I offer'd her mine own, who is a dog as big as ten of yours, and therefore the gift the greater.

Pro. Go, get thee hence, and find my dog again, Or ne'er return again into my fight:

Away, I fay; ftay'st thou to vex me here?

A flave, that, ftill an end, turns me to fhame.

Sebaftian, I have entertained thee,

[Exit Laun.

Partly, that I have need of fuch a youth;
That can with fome difcretion do my business:
(For 'tis no trufting to yon foolish low't :)
But, chiefly, for thy face and thy behaviour;
Which, if my augury deceive me not,
Witness good bringing up, fortune and truth:
Therefore know thou, for this I entertain thee.
Go presently, and take this ring with thee;
Deliver it to Madam Silvia.

She lov'd me well, deliver'd it to me.

Jul. It feems you lov'd not her, to leave her token:

She's dead, belike.

Pro. Not fo: I think, fhe lives.

ful. Alas!

Pro. Why do'ft thou cry, alas!

Jul. I cannot chufe but pity her.

Pro. Wherefore fhouldft thou pity her?

Jul. Becaufe, methinks, that she lov'd you as well

As you do love your Lady Silvia :

She dreams on him, that has forgot her love;

You doat on her, that cares not for your love. "Tis pity, love fhould be fo contrary;

And, thinking on it, makes me cry, alas!

Pro. Well, give her that ring, and give therewithal This letter; that's her chamber: tell my Lady, I claim the promise for her heav'nly picture. Your meffage done, hye home unto my chamber, Where thou shalt find me fad and folitary. [Exit Pro.

Jul. How many women would do fuch a meffage ? Alas, poor Protheus, thou haft entertain'd

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