Luc. I do not seek to quench your love's hot | And presently go with me to my chamber, fire; But qualify the fire's extreme rage, Lest it should burn above the bounds of reason. The current, that with gentle murmur glides, And so by many winding nooks he strays, Luc. But in what habit will you go along? Jul. That fits as well, as-" tell me, good my "What compass will you wear your farthingale ?" Why, even what fashion thou best lik'st, Lucetta. Luc. You must needs have them with a codpiece, madam. Jul. Out, out, Lucetta; that will be ill favour'd. Luc. A round hose, madam, now's not worth a pin, Unless you have a cod-piece to stick pins on. Jul. Lucetta, as thou lov'st me, let me have To take a note of what I stand in need of, ACT III. [Exeunt SCENE I-Milan. An Anti-room in the Duke's [Exit THURIO Now, tell me, Proteus, what's your will with me? Pro. My gracious lord, nat which I would dis cover, The law of friendship bids me to conceal : My duty pricks me on to utter that Which else no worldly good should draw from me. I know you have determin'd to bestow her Duke. Proteus, I thank thee for thine honest ca. Luc. If you think so, then stay at home, and go I gave him gentle looks; thereby to find not. Jul. Nay, that I will not. Luc. Then never dream on infamy, but go. I fear me, Jul. This is the least, Lucetta, of my fear: Luc. All these are servants to deceitful men. to him! Jul. Now, as thou lov'st me, do him not that To bear a hard opinion of his truth; 1 Fire as a dissyllable, as if spelt Fier. 4 Whoever wishes to be acquainted with that singular appendage to dress, a cod-piece, may consult "Bulwer's Artificial Changeling," Ocular instruction may be had from the armour shown as John of Gaunt's in the Tower. However offensive this language may appear to modern cars, it certainly gave none to any of the spectators in Shakspeare's days. He only used the ordinary language of his contemporaries. 5 The second folio reads-"as infinite of love," Malone wished to read of the infiuite of love, because he That which thyself hast now disclos'd to me. I nightly lodge her in an upper tower, Pro. Know, noble lord, they have devis'd a mean Enter VALENTINE. Duke. Sir Valentine, whither away so fast? 7 i. e. guess. In Romeo and Juliet we have- 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 Thurio, 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; 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? -To 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; For scorn at first makes after-love the more. friends dow? 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, Advise me where I may have such a ladder. Val. When would you use it? pray, sir, tell me that. 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, Be gone, I will not hear thy vain excuse, Val. And why not death, rather than living tro ment? And Silvia is myself: banish'd from her, Enter PROTEUS and LAUNCE. 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.2 Laun. Can nothing speak? master, shall I strike? Regard thy danger, and along with me. Pro. That thou art banished, O, that's the news: Pro. Ay, ay; and she hath offer'd to the doom, them, As if but now they waxed pale for woe: Val. No more; unless the next word that thou Have some malignant pow'r upon my life: Pro. Cease to lament for that thou can'st not 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 galfantry to drop its literary favours within the front of them. 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 much in a bare christian. Here is the cate-log [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. She 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 scho 3 Gossips not only signify those who answer for a child in baptism, but the tattling women who attend ly.lars, more usually termed clerks, were under the pa ings-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 tronage of this saint, conceived that clerks of any kind 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. 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. Well, the best is, she hath no teeth to bite. Speed. Item, She will often praise her liquor. Laun. If her liquor be good, she shall: if she will not, I will; for good things should be praised. Speed. Item, She is too liberal.2 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 I 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.— 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? Speed. Why did'st not tell me sooner? 'pox of your love-letters! [Exit. Laun. Now will he be swinged for reading my letter: An unmannerly slave, that will thrust himself into secrets! I'll after, to rejoice in the boy's correction. A Room in the Duke's 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, Duke. This weak impress of love is as a figure Duke. My daughter takes his going grievously. Pro. Longer than I prove loyal to 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. Duke. Where your good word cannot advantage Your slander never can endamage him; 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 counsel. lor." 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 wit." 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 orname ated, 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, you access, And cannot soon revolt and change your mind. 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: supper: Pro. We'll wait upon your grace till after 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? 2 Out. For what offence? Val. For that which now torments me to re hearse : I kill'd a man, whose death I must repent; 1 Out. Why ne'er repent it, if it were done so Val. My youthful travel therein made me happy, Or else I often had been miserable. 3 Out. By the bare scalp of Robin Hood's fat friar," 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, 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, And live, as we do, in this wilderness? 3 Out. What say'st thou? wilt thou be of our consort ? 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. 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. 3 The old copy has consort, which, according to Bullokar 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." 4 A dump was the ancient term for a mournful legy 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; Provided that do no outrages you On silly women, or poor passengers. 3 Out. No, we detest such vile base practices. Come, go with us, we'll bring thee to our crews, And shew thee all the treasure we have got ; Which, with ourselves, all rest at thy dispose. [Exeunt. |