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This night he meaneth with a corded ladder
To climb celestial Silvia's chamber-window,
Myself in counsel his competitor.

• Now presently I'll give her father notice
Of their difguifing, and pretended flight:
Who, all enrag'd, will banish Valentine:
For Thurio, he intends, fhall wed his daughter.
But, Valentine being gone, I'll quickly cross,
By fome fly trick, blunt Thurio's dull proceeding.
Love, lend me wings to make my purpose swift,
As thou haft lent me wit to plot this drift!

[Exit.

Jul.

COUN

SCENE X.

Verona.

Enter Julia and Lucetta.

OUNSEL, Lucetta; gentle girl, assist me,
And even in kind love I do conjure thee,

Who art the table wherein all my thoughts
Are vifibly character'd and engrav'd,

To leffon me, and tell me fome good mean,
How with my honour I may undertake
A journey to my loving Protheus.

Luc. Alas, the way is wearifome and long.
Jul. A true devoted pilgrim is not weary
To measure kingdoms with his feeble steps,
Much less shall fhe, that hath love's wings to fly;
And when the flight is made to one fo dear,
Of fuch divine perfection as fir Protheus.

Luc. Better forbear 'till Protheus make return.

Jul. O, know'st thou not his looks are my foul's food? Pity the dearth that I have pined in,

By longing for that food fo long a time.

Didft thou but know the inly touch of love,

Thou

Thou would'st as foon go kindle fire with snow,
As feek to quench the fire of love with words.

Luc. I do not feek to quench your love's hot fire,
But qualify the fire's extremeft rage,

Left it fhould burn above the bounds of reason.

Jul. The more thou damm'ft it up, the more it burns: The current, that with gentle murmur glides,

Thou know'ft, being stopp'd, impatiently doth rage;

But, when his fair courfe is not hindered,

He makes sweet mufick with th' enamel'd ftones,
Giving a gentle kiss to every sedge

He overtaketh in his pilgrimage:

And so by many winding nooks he strays,
With willing fport, to the wild ocean.
Then let me go, and hinder not my course;
I'll be as patient as a gentle stream,
And make a pastime of each weary step,
'Till the last step have brought me to my love;
And there I'll reft, as, after much turmoil,
A bleffed foul doth in Elyfium.

Luc. But in what habit will you go along?
Jul. Not like a woman; for I would prevent
The loose encounters of lafcivious men :

Gentle Lucetta, fit me with fuch weeds

As may befeem fome well-reputed page.

Luc. Why, then your ladyship must cut your hair.
Jul. No, girl; I'll knit it up in filken ftrings,

With twenty odd-conceited true-love knots:

To be fantastick may become a youth

Of greater time than I shall show to be.

Luc. What fashion, madam, shall I make your breeches? Jul. That fits as well, as, tell me, good my lord, What compass will you wear your farthingale?

Why, ev'n what fashion thou best lik'ft, Lucetta.

Luc. You must needs have them with a cod-piece, madam. Jul. Out, out, Lucetta! that will be ill-favour'd.

Luc.

Luc. A round hofe, madam, now's not worth a pin, Unless you have a cod-piece to stick pins on.

Jul. Lucetta, as thou lov'ft me, let me have What thou think'ft meet, and is moft mannerly: But tell me, wench, how will the world repute me For undertaking fo unftaid a journey?

I fear me, it will make me fcandaliz'd.

Luc. If you think so, then stay at home, and go not.
Jul. Nay, that I will not.

Luc. Then never dream on infamy, but go.
If Protheus like your journey when you come,
No matter who's difpleas'd when

you are gone: I fear me, he will scarce be pleas'd withal.

Jul. That is the leaft, Lucetta, of my fear:
A thousand oaths, an ocean of his tears,
And inftances as infinite of love,

Warrant me welcome to my Protheus.

Luc. All these are fervants to deceitful men..
Jul. Bafe men, that use them to fo base effect!
But truer stars did govern Protheus' birth;
His words are bonds, his oaths are oracles,.
His love fincere, his thoughts immaculate,
His tears pure meffengers fent from his heart,

His heart as far from fraud as heav'n from earth.

Luc. Pray heav'n, he prove fo when you come to him! Jul. Now, as thou lov'ft me, do him not that wrong, To bear a hard opinion of his truth;

Only deferve my love by loving him,

And presently go with me to my chamber,
To take a note of what I ftand in need of,
To furnish me upon my longing journey:
All that is mine I leave at thy dispose,
My goods, my lands, my reputation,
Only, in lieu thereof, dispatch me hence..
Come, answer not; but to it presently:
I am impatient of my tarriance.

[Exeunt.. ACT

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IR Thurio, give us leave, I pray, a while;

ST

We have fome fecrets to confer about. [Exit Thurio.
Now, tell me, Protheus, what's your will with me?
Pro. My gracious lord, that which I would discover
The law of friendship bids me to conceal ;

But, when I call to mind your gracious favours
Done to me, undeserving as I am,

My duty pricks me on to utter that

Which, elfe, no worldly good should draw from me.
Know, worthy prince, fir Valentine my friend
This night intends to steal away your daughter:
Myfelf am one made privy to the plot.

I know, you have determin'd to bestow her
On Thurio, whom your gentle daughter hates :
And, fhould fhe thus be ftol'n away from you,
It would be much vexation to your age.
Thus, for my duty's fake, I rather chose
To cross my friend in his intended drift,
Than by concealing it heap on your head
A pack of forrows, which would prefs you down,
If unprevented, to your timeless grave.

Duke. Protheus, I thank thee for thine honest care;
Which to requite, command me while I live.
This love of theirs myself have often seen,
Haply when they have judg'd me fast asleep;
And oftentimes have purpos'd to forbid
Sir Valentine her company, and my court:

But,

But, fearing left my jealous aim might err,
And fo unworthily difgrace the man,
(A rashness that I ever yet have fhunn'd)
I gave him gentle looks, thereby to find
That which thyself hath now disclos'd to me.
And, that thou may'ft perceive my fear of this,
Knowing that tender youth is foon suggested,
I nightly lodge her in an upper tower,
The key whereof myself have ever kept;
And thence the cannot be convey'd away.

Pro. Know, noble lord, they have devis'd a mean
How he her chamber-window will ascend,
And with a corded ladder fetch her down;
For which the youthful lover now is gone,
And this way comes he with it presently:
Where, if it please you, you may intercept him.
But, good my lord, do it fo cunningly,
That my discov'ry be not aimed at ;
For love of you, not hate unto my friend,
Hath made me publisher of this pretence.

Duke. Upon mine honour, he shall never know

That I had any light from thee of this.

Pro. Adieu, my lord: fir Valentine is coming.

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Duke. Sir Valentine, whither away so fast?
Val. Please it your grace, there is a meffenger
That stays to bear my letters to my friends,
And I am going to deliver them.

Duke. Be they of much import?

Val. The tenour of them doth but fignify

My health, and happy being at your court.

[Ex. Pro.

Duke. Nay then, no matter; ftay with me a while;

I am to break with thee of fome affairs

VOL. I.

That

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