Val. Ay, my good lord, I know the gentleman
To be of worth, and worthy estimation,
And not without desert so well reputed.
Duke. Hath he not a fon?

Val. Ay, my good lord; a fon, that well deferves

The honour and regard of such a father.

Duke. You know him well?

Val. I knew him, as myself; for from our infancy
We have convers'd, and spent our hours together:
And though myself have been an idle truant,
Omitting the sweet benefit of time,

To clothe mine age with angel-like perfection;
Yet hath fir Proteus, for that's his name,
Made use and fair advantage of his days;
His years but young, but his experience old;
His head unmellow'd, but his judgement ripe;
And, in a word, (for far behind his worth
Come all the praises that I now bestow,)
He is complete in feature, and in mind,
With all good grace to grace a gentleman.

Duke. Befhrew me, fir, but, if he make this good,
He is as worthy for an empress' love,
As meet to be an emperor's counsellor.
Well, fir; this gentleman is come to me,
With commendation 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 wish'd a thing, it had been he.
Duke. Welcome him then according to his worth;

Silvia, I speak to you; and you, fir Thurio:-
For Valentine, I need not cite him to it:
I'll fend him hither to you presently.
Val. This is the gentleman, I told your ladyship,

[Exit Duke.

Had come along with me, but that his mistress
Did hold his eyes lock'd in her crystal looks.

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

Val. Nay, fure, I think, she holds them prisoners still. Sil. Nay, then he should be blind; and, being blind,

How could he see his way to feek out you?

Val. Why, lady, love hath twenty pair of eyes.
Thu. They say, that love hath not an eye at all.
Val. To fee such lovers, Thurio, as yourself;

Upon a homely object love can wink.

Enter PROTEUS.

Sil. Have done, have done; here comes the gentleman. Val. Welcome, dear Proteus! - Mistress, I beseech you, Confirm his welcome with some special favour. Sil. His worth is warrant for his welcome hither, If this be he you oft have wish'd to hear from. Val. Mistress, 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 so, sweet lady; but too mean a fervant To have a look of fuch a worthy mistress. Val. Leave off discourse of disability:Sweet lady, entertain him for your servant. Pro. My duty will I boast of, nothing else. Sil. And duty never yet did want his meed : Servant, you are welcome to a worthless mistress. Pro. I'll die on him that says so, but yourself. Sil. That you are welcome?

Pro.

No; that you are worthless,

Enter Enter Servant.

Ser. Madam, my lord your father would speak with you.
Sil. I'll wait upon his pleasure.
[Exit Servant.
Come, Sir 'Thurio,

Go with ine:-Once more, 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 ladyhip.

[Exeunt SILVIA, THURIO, and SPEED.

Val. Now, tell me, how do all from whence you came? Pro. Your friends are well, and have them much com

mended.

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-discourse.

Val. Ay, Proteus, 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 Proteus, love's a mighty lord;
And hath so humbled me, as, I confefs,
There is no woe to his correction,

Nor, to his service, no such joy on earth!
Now, no discourse, except it be of love;
Now can I break my fast, dine, sup, and fleep,
Upon the very naked name of love.

Pro.

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

Val. Even she; and is the not a heavenly faint ?

Pro. No; but she is an earthly paragon.

Val. Call her divine.

Pro.

I will not flatter her.

Val. O, flatter me; for love delights in praises.
Pro. When I was fick, you gave me bitter pills;

And I must minister the like to you.

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

Sovereign 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 reason to prefer mine own? Val. And I will help thee to prefer her too: She shall be dignified with this high honour, To bear my lady's train; left the base earth Should from her vesture chance to steal a kiss, And, of so great a favour growing proud, Disdain to root the summer-fwelling flower, And make rough winter everlastingly.

Pro. Why, Valentine, what braggardism is this?

Val. Pardon me, Proteus: all I can, is nothing To her, whose 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 dote upon my love.

My

My foolish rival, that her father likes,

Only for his possessions are so huge,
Is gone with her along; and I must after,
For love, thou know'st, is full of jealoufy.

Pro. But she 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 Proteus, go with me to my chamber,
In these affairs to aid me with thy counsel.

Pro. Go on before; I shall enquire you forth :
I must unto the road, to disembark
Some necessaries that I needs must use;

And then I'll presently attend you.

Val. Will you make haste ?

Pro. I will.

Even as one heat another heat expels,
Or as one nail by strength drives out another,

So the remembrance of my former love

[Exit VAL.

Is by a newer object quite forgotten.

Is it mine eye, or Valentinus' praise,

Her true perfection, or my false tranfgreffion,
That makes me, reasonless, to reason thus?

She's fair; and so is Julia, that I love;-
That I did love, for now my love is thaw'd;
Which, like a waxen image 'gainst a fire,
Bears no impreffion of the thing it was.
Methinks, my zeal to Valentine is cold;
And that I love him not, as I was wont:
O! but I love his lady too, too much;
And that's the reason I love him fo little.

How