DRAMATIS PERSONE.

MEN.

Duke of MILAN, Father to Silvia.

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VALENTINE, the two Gentlemen.
PROTHEUS,

ANTHONIO, Father to Protheus.
THURIO, a foolish Rival to Valentine.
EGLAMOUR, Agent for Silvia in her Escape.
Hoft, where Julia lodges in Milan.

Outlaws.

SPEED, a Clownish Servant to Valentine.
LAUNCE, the like to Protheus.

PANTHINO, Servant to Anthonio.

WOMEN.

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

Servants, Muficians.

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

TWO GENTLEMEN

O F

VER ON A.

C

SCENE

I. An open Place in Verona.
Enter VALENTINE and PROTHEUS.

Valentine.

EASE to perfuade, my loving Protheus;
Home-keeping youth have ever homely wits:
Wer't not affection chains thy tender day
To the fweet glances of thy honour'd love,
I rather would intreat thy company,
To fee the wonders of the world abroad,
Than, living dully fluggardiz'd at home,
Wear out thy youth with fhapeless idleness.

But, fince thou lov'ft, love ftill, and thrive therein,
Even as I would, when I to love begin.

Pro. Wilt thou be gone? Sweet Valentine, adieu! Think on thy Protheus, when thou haply feeft

Some rare note-worthy object in thy travel;

Wish me partaker in thy happiness

When thou doft 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 fuccefs.
Pro. Upon fome book I love, I'll pray for thee.
Val. That's on fome fhallow ftory of deep love,
How young Leander crofs'd the Hellefpont.

Pro. That's a deep ftory of a deeper love;
For he was more than over fhoes in love.
A 2

Val.

Val. "Tis true; for you are over boots in love,
And yet you never fwom the Hellefpont.

Pro. Over the boots! nay, give me not the boots.
Val. No, I will not; for it boots thee not.

Pro. What?

Val. To be in love where fcorn is bought with groans; Coy looks, with heart-fore fighs; one fading moment's mirth,

With twenty watchful, weary, tedious nights :

If haply won, perhaps a hapless gain;

If loft, why then a grievous labour won;
However, but a folly bought with wit,

Or else a wit by folly vanquifhed.

Pro. So, by your circumftance, you call me fool. Val. So, by your circumftance, I fear, you'll prove. Pro. 'Tis love you cavil at; I am not love. Val. Love is your mafter, for he masters you; And he that is fo yoked by a fool

Methinks fhould not be chronicled for wife.

Pro. Yet writers fay, As in the sweetest bud The eating canker dwells, fo eating love Inhabits in the fineft wits of all.

Val. And writers fay, As the most forward bud

Is eaten by the canker ere it blow,

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

Once more adieu! My father at the road

Expects my coming, there to fee me shipp❜d.

Pro. And thither will I bring thee, Valentine.

Val. Sweet Protheus, no; now let us take our leave.

At Milan let me hear from thee by letters,

Of thy fuccefs in love, and what news elfe
Betideth here in abfence of thy friend;
And I likewife will vifit thee with mine.

Pro. All happiness bechance to thee in Milan!

Val. As much to you at home; and fo farewell! [Exit.

Pro.

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 haft metamorphos'd me;
Made me neglect my ftudies, lofe my time,
War with good counsel, fet the world at nought;
Made wit with mufing weak, heart fick with thought.
Enter SPEED.

Speed. Sir Protheus, fave you! Saw you my mafter? Pro. But now he parted hence to embark for Milan. Speed. Twenty to one then he is fhipp'd already; And I have play'd the fheep in lofing him.

Pro. Indeed, a fheep doth very often stray, An if the shepherd be a while away.

Speed. You conclude that my master is a fhepherd then, and I a fheep?

Pro. I do.

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

Pro. A filly answer, and fitting well a sheep.
Speed. This proves me ftill a fheep.

Pro. True; and thy mafter a fhepherd.

Speed. Nay, that I can deny by a circumstance.

Pro. It fhall go hard but I'll prove it by another. Speed. The fhepherd feeks the fheep, and not the sheep the thepherd; but I feek my mafter, and my mafter feeks not me; therefore I am no sheep.

Pro. The fheep for fodder follows the fhepherd, the fhepherd for the food follows not the fheep; thou for wages followeft thy mafter, thy mafter for wages followest not thee; therefore thou art a fheep.

Speed. Such another proof will make me cry baâ.

Pro. But doft thou hear? gav'ft thou my letter to Julia? Speed. Ay, fir; I, a loft mutton, gave your letter to her, a lac'd mutton; and fhe, a lac'd mutton, gave me, a lost mutton, nothing for my labour.

Pro. Here's too fmall a pafture for fuch a ftore of

muttons..

Speed. If the ground be overcharged, you were beft ftick her.

Pro. Nay, in that you are a ftray; 'twere beft pound

you.

Speed. Nay, fir, lefs than a pound fhall ferve 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, 'Tis threefold too little for carrying a letter to your lover. Pro. But what faid the? did the nod? [SPEED nods.

Speed. I.

Pro. Nod, I? why that's noddy.

Speed. You mistook, fir; I faid she did nod; and you afk me if she did nod; and I faiḍ I.

Pro. And that fet together is-noddy.

Speed. Now you have taken the pains to fet it together, take it for your pains.

Pro. No, no, you fhall have it for bearing the letter. Speed. Well, I perceive I must be fain to bear with you.

Pro. Why, fir, how do you bear with me?

Speed. Marry, fir, the letter very orderly; having nothing but the word noddy for my pains.

Pro. Befhrew me but you have a quick wit. Speed. And yet it cannot overtake your flow purse. Pro. Come, come, open the matter in brief: What faid the?

Speed. Open your purfe, that the money and the matter may be both at once deliver'd.

Pro. Well, fir, here is for your pains: What faid she ? Speed. Truly, fir, I think you'll hardly win her.

Pro. Why? Could't thou perceive fo much from her? Speed. Sir, I could perceive nothing at all from her; no, not fo much as a ducket for delivering your letter; and being so hard to me that brought your mind, I fear she'll prove as hard to you in telling her mind. Give her no token but ftones, for fhe's as hard as steel.

Pro. What! faid fhe nothing?

Speed. No, not fo much as-take this for thy pains. To testify your bounty, I thank you, you have teftern'd me; in requital whereof henceforth carry your letters yourself; and fo, fir, I'll commend you to my master.

Pro