That stays to bear my Letters to my friends, And I am going to deliver them. Duke. Be they of much import? Val. The tenor of them doth but signify My health, and happy being at your court. Duke. Nay, then no matter; stay with me a while; I am to break with thee of some affairs, That touch me near, wherein thou must be secret. "Tis not unknown to thee, that I have sought To match my friend, Sir Thurin, to my daughter. Val. I know it well, my lord; and, sure, the match Were rich and honourable; besides, the gentleman Is full of virtue, bounty, worth, and qualities Beseeming such a wife as your fair daughter: Cannot your grace win her to fancy him? Duke. No, trust me; she is peevish, sullen, froward, Proud, disobedient, stubborn, lacking duty; And turn her out to who will take her in: Then let me see thy cloak; I'll get me one of such another length. Val. Why, my cloak will serve the turn, my lord. Duke. How shall I fashion me to wear a cloak?I pray thee, let me feel thy cloak upon me.What letter is this same? What's here? -T Silvia! [reads. And here an engine fit for my proceeding? Himself would lodge where senseless they are lying. My herald thoughts in thy pure bosom rest them; While I, their king, that thither them importune, Do curse the grace that with such grace hath bless'd them, Because myself do want my servants' fortune: I curse myself, for they are sent by me, Val. What would your grace have me to do in That they should harbour where their lord should be. this? Duke. There is a lady, sir, in Milan, here, Val. Win her with gifts, if she respect not words; tents her: Send her another; never give her o'er; friends Unto a youthful gentleman of worth; And kept severely from resort of men, That no man hath access by day to her. What's here? Silvia, this night I will enfranchise thee ! "Tis so; and here's the ladder for the purpose.- Will give thee time to leave our royal court, ment? And Silvia is myself: banish'd from her, Unless it be to think that she is by, Val. Why then I would resort to her by night. Duke. Ay, but the doors be lock'd, and keys kept safe, That no man hath recourse to her by night. Val. What lets, but one may enter at her dow? 2 Duke. Her chamber is aloft, far from the ground; And built so shelving that one cannot climb it Without apparent hazard of his life. Val. Why then, a ladder, quaintly made of cords, To cast up with a pair of anchoring hooks, Would serve to scale another Hero's tower, So bold Leander would adventure it. Duke. Now, as thou art a gentleman of blood, 1 Where for whereas, often used by old writers. Foster'd, illumin'd, cherish'd, kept alive. Enter PROTEUS and LAUNCE. Pro. Run, boy, run, run, and seek him out. Laun. So-ho! so-ho! Pro. What seest thou? Laun. Him we go to find; there's not a hair" on's head, but 'tis a Valentine. 4 And feed upon the shadow of perfection. Animum pictura pascit inani. Virgil. 5 i. e. by flying, or in flying. It is a Gallicism. 6 Launce is still quibbling, he is running down the hare he started when he first entered. Pro. Valentine? Val. No. Pro. Who then? his spirit? Val. Neither. Pro. What then? Val. Nothing. Even in the milk-white bosom of thy love.* Lun. Can nothing speak? master, shall I strike? Regard thy danger, and along with me. Val. I pray thee, Launce, an if thou seest my boy Bid him make haste, and meet me at the north gate Pro. Go, sirrah, find him out. Come, Valentine. Val. O my dear Silvia! hapless Valentine! [Exeunt VALENTINE and PROTEUS. Laun. I am but a fool, look you; and yet I have the wit to think, my master is a kind of a knave: but that's all one, if he be but one knave. He lives not now, that knows me to be in love: yet I am in love; but a team of horse shall not pluck that from me; nor who 'tis I love, and yet 'tis a woman: but what woman, I will not tell myself: and yet 'tis a milk-maid: yet 'tis not a maid, for she hath had gossips: yet 'tis a maid, for she is her master's maid, and serves for wages. hath more qualities than a water-spaniel,-which is She Val. No Valentine, if Silvia have forsworn me!-much in a bare christian. Here is the cate-log What is your news? Laun. Sir, there's a proclamation that you are vanish'd. Pro. That thou art banished, O, that's the news: From hence, from Silvia, and from me, thy friend. Val. O, I have fed upon this woe already, And now excess of it will make me surfeit. Doth Silvia know that I am banished? Pro. Ay, ay; and she hath offer'd to the doom, (Which, unrevers'd, stands in effectual force,) A sea of melting pearl, which some call tears: Those at her father's churlish feet she tender'd; With them, upon her knees, her humble self; Wringing her hands, whose whiteness so became them, As if but now they waxed pale for woe: Val. No more; unless the next word that thou speak'st, Have some malignant pow'r upon my life: Pro. Cease to lament for that thou can'st not help, And study help for that which thou lament'st. 1 Grief. 2 So in Hamlet: "These to her excellent white bosom." To understand this mode of addressing letters, &c. it should be known that women anciently had a pocket in the forepart of their stays, in which they carried not only love letters and love tokens, but even their money, &c. In many parts of England rustic damsels still continue the practice. A very old lady informed Mr. Steevens, that when it was the fashion to wear very prominent stays it was the custom for stratagem or gallantry to drop its literary favours within the front of them. [Pulling out a paper] of her condition. Imprimis, She can fetch and carry. Why, a horse can do no more; nay, a horse cannot fetch, but only carry; therefore is she better than a jade. Item, She can milk; look you, a sweet virtue in a maid with clean hands. Enter SPEED. Speed. How now, signior Launce? what news with your mastership? Laun. With my master's ship? why it is at sea. Speed. Well, your old vice still, mistake the word a What news then in your paper Laun. The blackest news that ever thou heard'st. Laun. Fie on thee, jolt-head; thou can'st not read. Speed. Thou liest, I can. Laun. I will try thee: Tell me this; Who be got thee? Speed. Marry, the son of my grandfather. Laun. O illiterate loiterer! it was the son of thy grandmother: this that thou canst not readproves Speed. Come, fool, come: try me in thy paper. Laun. There and saint Nicholas' be thy speed: Speed. Imprimis, She can milk. Laun. Ay, that she can. Speed. Item, She brews good ale. Laun. And therefore comes the proverb,-Bless ing of your heart, you brew good ale. Speed. Item, She can sew. Laun. That's as much as to say, can she so? Speed. Item, She can knit. Laun. What need a man care for a stock with a wench, when she can knit him a stock," Speed. Item, She can wash and scour. faire." Baret. The old copy reads condition, which was changed to conditions by Rowe, 6 It is undoubtedly true that the mother only knows the legitimacy of the child. Launce infers that if Speed could read, he must have read this well known obser vation. 7 St. Nicholas presided over scholars, who were therefore called St. Nicholas' clerks; either because the legend makes this saint to have been a bishop while yet a boy, or from his having restored three young scholars to life. By a quibble between Nicholas and Old Nick highwaymen are called Nicholas' clerks in Henry IV. part 1. The parish clerks of London finding that schotronage of this saint, conceived that clerks of any kind might have the same right, and accordingly took him as their patron, much in the same way as the woolcombers did St. Blaise, who was martyred with an instrument like a carding comb; the nailmakers St. Clou; and the booksellers St. John Port Latin 3 Gossips not only signify those who answer for a child in baptism, but the tattling women who attend ly-lars, more usualy termed clerks, were under the paings-in. The quibble is evident. 4 Bare, has two senses, mere and naked. Launce, quibbling on, uses it in both senses, and opposes the naked female to the water-spaniel covered with hairs of remarkable thickness. "Condition, honest behaviour or demeanour in living, a custume or facion. Mos. Moris, facon de 8 i. e. stocking Laun. A special virtue; for then she need not be washed and scoured. Speed. Item, She can spin. Laun. Then may I set the world on wheels, when she can spin for her living. Speed. Item, She hath many nameless virtues. Laun. That's as much as to say, bastard virtues; that, indeed, know not their fathers, and therefore have no names. Speed. Here follow her vices. Laun. Close at the heels of her virtues. Speed. Item, She is not to be kissed fasting, in respect of her breath. Laun. Well, that fault may be mended with a breakfast: Read on. Speed. Item, She hath a sweet mouth.1 Laun. That makes amends for her sour breath. SCENE II. The same. A Room in the Duke's Palace. Enter DUKE and THURIO; PROTEUS behind. Duke. Sir Thurio, fear not, but that she will love you, Now Valentine is banished from her sight. Thu. Since his exile she has despis'd me most, Laun. It's no matter for that, so she sleep not in Trench'ds in ice; which with an hour's heat her talk. Speed, Item, She is slow in words. Laun. O villain, that set this down among her vices! To be slow in words, is a woman's only virtue: I pray thee, out with't; and place it for her chief virtue. Speed. Item, She is proud. Laun. Out with that too; it was Eve's legacy, and cannot be ta'en from her. Speed. Item, She hath no teeth. Laun. I care not for that neither, because I love crusts. Speed. Item, She is curst. Laun. Of her tongue she cannot; for that's writ down she is slow of: of her purse she shall not; for that I'll keep shut; now of another thing she may; and that cannot Í help. Well, proceed. Speed. Item, She hath more hair than wit, and more faults than hairs, and more wealth than faults. Laun. Stop there; I'll have her: she was mine, and not mine, twice or thrice in that last article: Rehearse that once more. Speed. Item, She hath more hair than wit.Laun. More hair than wit,-it may be; I'll prove It: The cover of the salt hides the salt, and therefore it is more than the salt; the hair that covers the wit, is more than the wit; for the greater hides the less. What's next? Speed. And more faults than hairs.— Laun. Why, that word makes the faults gracious. Well, I'll have her: and if it be a match, as nothing is impossible, Speed. What then? Laun. Why, then will I tell thee, that thy ter stays for thee at the north-gate. Speed. For me? Laun. For thee? ay; who art thou? he staid for a better man than thee. Speed. And must I go to him? Dissolves to water, and doth lose his form. Duke. My daughter takes his going grievously. Makes me the better to confer with thee. Pro. Longer than I prove loyal to your grace, Let me not live to look upon your grace. Duke. Thou know'st, how willingly I would effect The match between Sir Thurio and my daughter. Pro. I do, my lord. Duke. And also, I think, thou art not ignorant Pro. She did, my lord, when Valentine was here. Pro. The best way is to slander Valentine Duke. Ay, but she'll think that it is spoke in hate. Therefore it must, with circumstance," be spoken Duke. Then you must undertake to slander him. Especially against his very friend. Duke. Where your good word cannot advantage Therefore the office is indifferent, Pro. You have prevail'd, my lord: if I can do it, hath Laun. Thou must run to him, for thou hast staid so long, that going will scarce serve the turn. 1 Speed uses the term a sweet mouth in the sense of a sweet tooth; but Launce chooses to understand it in the literal and lauditory sense. Cotgrave renders "Friand, A sweet-lips, daintie-mouthed, sweet-toothed," &c. 2 Liberal is licentious, free, frank, beyond honesty or decency. Thus in Othello, Desdemonda says of lago: is he not a most profane and liberal counsellor." 3 This was an old familiar proverb, of which Steevens has given many examples. I will add one from Florio: "A tisty-tosty wag feather, more haire than wil." But say, this weed her love from Valentine, Thu. Therefore, as you unwind her love from him, There was but one on the dinner table, which was placed near the top, and those who sat below it were, for the most part, of inferior condition to those who sat above it. 5 Gracious was sometimes used for favoured, countenanced, like the Italian Gratiato, v. As you Like It, Act i. Sc. 2. 6 i. e. cut, carved; from the Fr. trancher. 7 i. e. with the addition of such incidental particulars as may induce belief. 8 Very, that is, true; from the Lat. verus. Massinger calls one of his plays " A Very Woman." 9 As you unwind her love from him, make me the 4 The ancient English salt-cellar was very different bottom on which you wind it. A bottom is the housefrom the modern, being a large piece of plate, generally wife's term for a ball of thread wound upon a central much ornamented, with a cover to keep the salt clean. I body. Duke. And, Proteus, we dare trust you in this kind; | Of which if you should here disfurnish me, And cannot soon revolt and change your mind. And, for your friend's sake, will be glad of you; Pro. As much as I can do, I will effect:- Visit by night your lady's chamber window Duke. This discipline shews thou hast been in love. To sort some gentlemen well skill'd in music : Duke. About it, gentlemen. Pro. We'll wait upon your grace till after supper: ACT IV. [Exeunt. SCENE I.-A Forest, near Mantua. Enter cer- 1 Out. Fellows, stand fast; I see a passenger. with'em. Enter VALENTINE and Speed. You take the sum and substance that I have. Val. To Verona. 1 Out. Whence came you? 3 Out. Have you long sojourned there? Val. Some sixteen months; and longer migh have staid, If crooked fortune had not thwarted me. 1 Out. What, were you banish'd thence? was. This fellow were a king for our wild faction. 1 Out. We'll have him; sirs, a word. It is an honourable kind of thievery. 2 Out. Tell us this: have you any thing to take to? 3 Out. Know, then, that some of us are gentlemen, 10 2 Out. And I from Mantua, for a gentleman, With goodly shape; and by your own report 2 Out. Indeed, because you are a banish'd man, 3 Out. What say'st thou? wilt thou be of our 3 Out. Stand, sir, and throw us that you have Say ay, and be the captain of us all ; about you; If not, we'll make you sit, and rifle you. Speed. Sir, we are undone! these are the villains That all the travellers do fear so much. Val. My friends, 1 Out. That's not so, sir; we are your enemies. 2 Out. Peace; we'll hear him. 3 Out. Ay, by my beard, will we; for he is a Val. Then know, that I have little wealth to lose; 1 i. e. birdlime. 2 i. e. sincerity, such as would be manifested by such impassioned writing. Malone suspects that a line following this has been lost. We'll do thee homage, and be rul'd by thee, 1 Out. But if thou scorn our courtesy, thou diest. Val. I take your offer, and will live with you; 3 Out. No, we detest such vile base practices. [Exeunt. 5 To inherit is sometimes used by Shakspeare for to obtain possession of, without any idea of acquiring by inheritance. Milton in Comus has disinherit Chaos, 6 To sort, to choose out. 3 The old copy has consort, which, according to Bul-meaning only to dispossess it. lokar and Philips, signified "a set or company of musicians." If we print concert, as Malone would have it, the relative pronoun their has no correspondent word. It is true that Shakspeare frequently refers to words not expressed, but implied in the former part of a sentence. But the reference here is to consort, as appears by the subsequent words, "to their instruments." 7 A proper man, was a comely, tall, or well proportioned man. Uomo di bel taglio. 4 A dump was the ancient term for a mournful degy | 9 Friar Tuck, one of the associates of Robin Hood. 9 Arful men, men full of awe and respect for the laws of society, and the duties of life. 10 Mood is anger or resentment. 11 i. e. Condition, profession, occupation, v Hamlet Act ii. Sc. 2. SCENE II.-Milan. Court of the Palace. Enter Pro. Already have I been false to Valentine, She twits me with my falsehood to my friend; And give some evening music to her ear. Enter THURIO, and Musicians. Thu. How now, Sir Proteus? are you crept before us? Pro. Ay, gentle Thurio; for, you know, that love Will creep in service where it cannot go. Thu. Ay, but, I hope, sir, that you love not here. Pro. Sir, but I do; or else I would be hence. Thu. Who? Silvia? Pro. Ay, Silvia,-for your sake. Thu. I thank you for your own. Now, gentlemen, Let's tune, and to it lustily awhile. Enter Host, at a distance; and JULIA in boy's clothes. Host. Now, my young guest! methinks you're allycholly; I pray you, why is it? Jul. Marry, mine host, because I cannot be merry. Host. Come, we'll have you merry: I'll bring you where you shall hear music, and see the gendeman that you ask'd for. Host. I perceive, you delight not in music. Host. Hark, what fine change is in the music! Host. You would have them always play but one thing? Jul. I would always have one play but one thing. But, host, doth this Sir Proteus, that we talk on, often resort unto this gentlewoman? Host. I tell you what Launce, his man, told me, he loved her out of all nick.2 Jul. Where is Launce? Host. Gone to seek his dog; which, to-morrow, by his master's command, he must carry for a present to his lady. Jul. Peace! stand aside! the company parts. Pro. Sir Thurio, fear not you! I will so plead, That you shall say, my cunning drift excels. Thu. Where meet we? Pro. At Saint Gregory's well. Thu. Farewell. [Exeunt THU. and Musicians, SILVIA appears above, at her window. Pro. Madam, good even to your ladyship. Sil. I thank you for your music, gentlemen: Who is that, that spake ? Pro. One, lady, if you knew his pure heart's You'd quickly learn to know him by his voice. Pro. Sir Proteus, gentle lady, and your servant. Pro. That I may compass yours. Sil. You have your wish; my will is even this,--- That hast deceiv'd so many with thy vows Jul. "Twere false, if I should speak it; [Aside. Sil. Say, that she be; yet Valentine, thy friend, Survives; to whom, thyself art witness, I am betroth'd: And art thou not asham'd To wrong him with thy importunacy? Pro. I likewise hear, that Valentine is dead. Sil. And so suppose am I; for in his grave, Assure thyself, my love is buried. Pro. Sweet lady, let me rake it from the earth. Sil. Go to thy lady's grave, and call her's thence; Or, at the least, in her's sepulchre thine. Jul. He heard not that. [Aside Pro. Madam, if your heart be so obdurate, Vouchsafe me yet your picture for my love, The picture that is hanging in your chamber; To that I'll speak, to that I'll sigh and weep. For, since the substance of your perfect self Is else devoted, I am but a shadow; And to your shadow will I make true love. Jul. If 'twere a substance, you would, sure, deceive it, And make it but a shadow, as I am. [Aside. Sil. I am very loth to be your idol, sir; But, since your falsehood shall become you we"] To worship shadows, and adore false shapes, Send to me in the morning and I'll send it: And so good rest. Pro. As wretches have o'ernight, That wait for execution in the morn. [Exeunt PROTEUS; and SILVIA from above. Jul. Host, will you go? Host. By my halidom,' I was fast asleep. 2 i. e. Out of all reckoning or count; reckonings were kept upon nicked or notched sticks or tallies. 3 Halidom, (says Minsheu,) an old word, used by old countrywomen by manner of swearing. |