Shakespeare's First Folio Part 35

Sil. O miserable, vnhappy that I am

Pro. Vnhappy were you (Madam) ere I came: But by my comming, I haue made you happy

Sil. By thy approach thou mak'st me most vnhappy

Iul. And me, when he approcheth to your presence

Sil. Had I beene ceazed by a hungry Lion, I would haue beene a breakfast to the Beast, Rather then haue false Protheus reskue me: Oh heauen be iudge how I loue Valentine, Whose life's as tender to me as my soule, And full as much (for more there cannot be) I doe detest false periur'd Protheus: Therefore be gone, sollicit me no more

Pro. What dangerous action, stood it next to death Would I not vndergoe, for one calme looke: Oh 'tis the curse in Loue, and still approu'd When women cannot loue, where they're belou'd

Sil. When Protheus cannot loue, where he's belou'd: Read ouer Iulia's heart, (thy first best Loue) For whose deare sake, thou didst then rend thy faith Into a thousand oathes; and all those oathes, Descended into periury, to loue me, Thou hast no faith left now, vnlesse thou'dst two, And that's farre worse then none: better haue none Then plurall faith, which is too much by one: Thou Counterfeyt, to thy true friend

Pro. In Loue, Who respects friend?

Sil. All men but Protheus

Pro. Nay, if the gentle spirit of mouing words Can no way change you to a milder forme; Ile wooe you like a Souldier, at armes end, And loue you 'gainst the nature of Loue: force ye

Sil. Oh heauen

Pro. Ile force thee yeeld to my desire

Val. Ruffian: let goe that rude vnciuill touch, Thou friend of an ill fas.h.i.+on

Pro. Valentine

Val. Thou co[m]mon friend, that's without faith or loue, For such is a friend now: treacherous man, Thou hast beguil'd my hopes; nought but mine eye Could haue perswaded me: now I dare not say I haue one friend aliue; thou wouldst disproue me: Who should be trusted, when ones right hand Is periured to the bosome? Protheus I am sorry I must neuer trust thee more, But count the world a stranger for thy sake: The priuate wound is deepest: oh time, most accurst.

'Mongst all foes that a friend should be the worst?

Pro. My shame and guilt confounds me: Forgiue me Valentine: if hearty sorrow Be a sufficient Ransome for offence, I tender't heere: I doe as truely suffer, As ere I did commit

Val. Then I am paid: And once againe, I doe receiue thee honest; Who by Repentance is not satisfied, Is nor of heauen, nor earth; for these are pleas'd: By Penitence th' Eternalls wrath's appeas'd: And that my loue may appeare plaine and free, All that was mine, in Siluia, I giue thee

Iul. Oh me vnhappy

Pro. Looke to the Boy

Val. Why, Boy?

Why wag: how now? what's the matter? look vp: speak

Iul. O good sir, my master charg'd me to deliuer a ring to Madam Siluia: w (out of my neglect) was neuer done

Pro. Where is that ring? boy?

Iul. Heere 'tis: this is it

Pro. How? let me see.

Why this is the ring I gaue to Iulia

Iul. Oh, cry you mercy sir, I haue mistooke: This is the ring you sent to Siluia

Pro. But how cam'st thou by this ring? at my depart I gaue this vnto Iulia

Iul. And Iulia her selfe did giue it me, And Iulia her selfe hath brought it hither

Pro. How? Iulia?

Iul. Behold her, that gaue ayme to all thy oathes, And entertain'd 'em deepely in her heart.

How oft hast thou with periury cleft the roote?

Oh Protheus, let this habit make thee blush.

Be thou asham'd that I haue tooke vpon me, Such an immodest rayment; if shame liue In a disguise of loue?

It is the lesser blot modesty findes, Women to change their shapes, then men their minds

Pro. Then men their minds? tis true: oh heuen, were man But Constant, he were perfect; that one error Fils him with faults: makes him run through all th' sins; Inconstancy falls-off, ere it begins: What is in Siluia's face, but I may spie More fresh in Iulia's, with a constant eye?

Val. Come, come: a hand from either: Let me be blest to make this happy close: 'Twere pitty two such friends should be long foes

Pro. Beare witnes (heauen) I haue my wish for euer

Iul. And I mine

Outl. A prize: a prize: a prize

Val. Forbeare, forbeare I say: It is my Lord the Duke.

Your Grace is welcome to a man disgrac'd, Banished Valentine

Duke. Sir Valentine?

Thu. Yonder is Siluia: and Siluia's mine

Val. Thurio giue backe; or else embrace thy death: Come not within the measure of my wrath: Doe not name Siluia thine: if once againe, Verona shall not hold thee: heere she stands, Take but possession of her, with a Touch: I dare thee, but to breath vpon my Loue

Thur. Sir Valentine, I care not for her, I: I hold him but a foole that will endanger His Body, for a Girle that loues him not: I claime her not, and therefore she is thine

Duke. The more degenerate and base art thou To make such meanes for her, as thou hast done, And leaue her on such slight conditions.

Now, by the honor of my Ancestry, I doe applaud thy spirit, Valentine, And thinke thee worthy of an Empresse loue: Know then, I heere forget all former greefes, Cancell all grudge, repeale thee home againe, Plead a new state in thy vn-riual'd merit, To which I thus subscribe: Sir Valentine, Thou art a Gentleman, and well deriu'd, Take thou thy Siluia, for thou hast deseru'd her

Val. I thank your Grace, y gift hath made me happy: I now beseech you (for your daughters sake) To grant one Boone that I shall aske of you

Duke. I grant it (for thine owne) what ere it be

Val. These banish'd men, that I haue kept withall, Are men endu'd with worthy qualities: Forgiue them what they haue committed here, And let them be recall'd from their Exile: They are reformed, ciuill, full of good, And fit for great employment (worthy Lord.) Duke. Thou hast preuaild, I pardon them and thee: Dispose of them, as thou knowst their deserts.

Come, let vs goe, we will include all iarres, With Triumphes, Mirth, and rare solemnity

Val. And as we walke along, I dare be bold With our discourse, to make your Grace to smile.

What thinke you of this Page (my Lord?) Duke. I think the Boy hath grace in him, he blushes

Val. I warrant you (my Lord) more grace, then Boy

Duke. What meane you by that saying?

Val. Please you, Ile tell you, as we pa.s.se along, That you will wonder what hath fortuned: Come Protheus, 'tis your pennance, but to heare The story of your Loues discouered.

That done, our day of marriage shall be yours, One Feast, one house, one mutuall happinesse.

Exeunt.