I'll after, more to be reveng'd on Eglamour, Than for the Love of wreckless Silvia.
Pro. And I will follow, more for Silvia's Love,
Than Hate of Eglamour that goes with her. Jul. And I will follow, more to cross that Love,
Than Hate for Silvia, that is gone for Love.
Enter Silvia and Out-laws.
I Out. Come, come, be patient;
We must bring you to our Captain.
Sil. A thousand more Mischances than this one
Have learn'd me how to brook this patiently.
2 Out. Come, bring her away.
1 Out. Where is the Gentleman that was with her? 3 Out. Being nimble footed, he hath out-run us;
But Moyses and Valerius follow him. Go thou with her to the West end of the Wood, There is our Captain: We'll follow him that's fled. The Thicket is beset, he cannot 'scape.
1 Out. Come, I must bring you to our Captain's Cave.
Fear not; he bears an honourable Mind,
And will not use a Woman lawlefly.
Sil. O Valentine! this I endure for thee.
SCENE IV.
Enter Valentine.
Val. How Use doth breed a Habit in a Man! This shadowy Defart, unfrequented Woods, I better brook than flourishing peopled Towns. Here can I fit alone, unseen of any, And to the Nightingale's complaining Notes Tune my Distresses, and record my Woes. O thou that dost inhabit in my Breaft, Leave not the Mansion so long Tenantless, Left, growing ruinous, the Building fall, And leave no Memory of what it was. Repair me with thy Prefence, Silvia; Thou gentle Nymph, cherish thy forlorn Swain. What Hollowing, and what Stir is this to Day? These are my Mates, that make their Wills their Law,
Have some unhappy Passenger in chase. They love me well, yet I have much to do To keep them from uncivil Outrages. Withdraw thee, Valentine: Who's this comes here?
Enter Protheus, Silvia and Julia. Pro. Madam, this Service have I done for you, Tho' you respect not ought your Servant doth, To hazard Life, and rescue you from him That wou'd have forc'd your Honour and your Love. Vouchsafe me for my Meed but one fair Look, A smaller Boon than this I cannot beg, And less than this I am sure you cannot give.
Val. How like a Dream is this? I see and hear: Love, lend me Patience to forbear a while. Sil. O miferable unhappy that I am! Pro. Unhappy were you, Madam, e'er I came; But by my coming I have made you happy.
Sil. By thy Approach thou mak'st me most unhappy. Ful. And me, when he approacheth to your Prefence. [Afide. Sil. Had I been feized by a hungry Lion, I would have been a Breakfast to the Beast, Rather than have false Protheus rescue me. Oh Heav'n be Judge how I love Valentine, Whose Life's as tender to me as my Soul; And full as much, for more there cannot be, I do deteft false perjur'd Protheus ; Therefore be gone, follicit me no more.
Pro. What dangerous Action, stood it next to Death, Would I not undergo for one calm Look? Oh, 'tis the Curse in Love, and still approv'd, When Women cannot love where they're belov'd.
Sil. When Protheus cannot love where he's belov'd. Read over Julia's Heart, thy first best Love, For whose dear Sake thou didst then rend thy Faith Into a thousand Oaths; and all those Oaths Defcended into Perjury to deceive me.
Thou hast no Faith left now, unless thou'dst two, And that's far worse than none: Better have none Than plural Faith, which is too much by one;
Thou Counterfeit to thy true Friend.
Pro. In Love,
Who respects Friend?
Sil. All Men but Protheus.
Pro. Nay, if the gentle Spirit of moving Words
Can no way change you to a milder Form; I'll move you like a Soldier, at Arms end,
And love you 'gainst the Nature of Love; force ye. Sil. Oh Heav'n!
Pro. I'll force thee yield to my Defire.
Val. Ruffian, let go that rude uncivil Touch,
Thou Friend of an ill Fashion.
Val. Thou common Friend, that's without Faith or Love; For fuch is a Friend now: Tho', treacherous Man, Thou hast beguil'd my Hopes; nought but mine Eye Could have perfuaded me. Now I dare not fay I have one Friend alive; thou wouldst disprove me: Who should be trusted now, when ones right Hand Is perjur'd to the Bosom? Protheus, I am sorry I must never trust thee more, But count the World a Stranger for thy fake. The private Wound is deepest. Oh time, most accurft; 'Mongst all Foes, that a Friend should be the worst!
Pro. My Shame and Guilt confound me:
Forgive me, Valentine; if hearty Sorrow Be a sufficient Ransom for Offence,
I tender there; I do as truly suffer
As e'er I did commit.
Val. Then am I paid;
And once again I do receive thee honeft. Who by Repentance is not fatisfy'd,
Is nor of Heav'n nor Earth, for these are pleas'd; By Penitence the Eternal's Wrath's appeas'd. And that my Love may appear plain and free, All that was mine in Silvia, I give thee.
Why Wag, how now? what's the Matter? look up; fpeak.
Jul. O good Sir, my Master charg'd me to deliver a Ring to Madam Silvia, which, out of my neglect, was never done.
Pro. Where is that Ring, Boy?
Jul. Here 'tis: This is it.
Why, this is the Ring I gave to Julia.
Jul. Oh, cry you mercy, Sir, I have mistook;
This is the Ring you fent to Silvia.
Pro. But how cam'st thou by this Ring? At my Depart
I gave this unto Julia.
Ful. And Julia her self did give it me.
And Julia her felf hath brought it hither.
Jul. Behold her that gave aim to all thy Oaths, And entertain'd 'em deeply in her Heart: How oft haft thou with Perjury cleft the Root? Oh Protheus, let this Habit make thee blush! Be thou asham'd that I have took upon me Such an immodeft Rayment. If Shame live In a Disguise of Love,
It is the leffer Blot Modesty finds, Women to change their Shapes, than Men their Minds.
Pro. Than Men their Minds? 'Tis true, oh Heav'n, were Man but constant, he were perfect; that one Error Fills him with Faults, makes him run through all th' Sins; Inconstancy falls off e'er it begins. What is in Silvia's Face, but I may spy More fresh in Julia's with a conftant Eye?
Val. Come, come; a Hand from either: Let me be blest to make this happy Close;
'Twere pity two such Friends should be long Foes.
Pro. Bear Witness, Heav'n, I have my wish for ever. Jul. And I mine.
Enter Duke, Thurio and Out-laws.
Out. A Prize, a Prize, a Prize.
Val. Forbear, forbear, I say: It is my Lord the Duke.
Your Grace is Welcome to a Man disgrac'd, Banished Valentine.
Thu. Yonder is Silvia: And Silvia's mine.
Val. Thurio, give back; or else embrace thy Death:
Come not within the measure of my Wrath. Do not name Silvia thine; if once again, Verona shall not hold thee. Here she stands, Take but Possession of her with a Touch; I dare thee but to breathe upon my Love.
Thu. Sir Valentine, I care not for her, I. I hold him but a Fool that will endanger His Body for a Girl that loves him not: I claim her not; and therefore she is thine.
Duke. The more degenerate and base art thou, To make fuch means for her as thou hast done, And leave her on such flight Conditions. Now, by the Honour of my Ancestry, I do applaud thy Spirit, Valentine, And think thee worthy of an Empress Love: Know then, I here forget all former Griefs, Cancel all Grudge, repeal thee home again, Plead a new State in thy arrival'd Merit, To which I thus subscribe: Sir Valentine, Thou art a Gentleman, and well deriv'd, Take thou thy Silvia, for thou hast deserv'd her.
Val. I thank your Grace; the Gift hath made me happy. I now befeech you, for your Daughter's sakė, To grant one Boon that I shall ask of you.
Duke. I grant it for thine own, whate'er it be. Val. These banish'd Men that I have kept withal,
Are Men endu'd with worthy Qualities: Forgive them what they have committed here, And let them be recall'd from their Exile. They are reformed, civil, full of good, And fit for great Imployment, worthy Lord.
Duke. Thou hast prevail'd, I pardon them and thee; Dispose of them as thou know'st their Deserts. Come, let us go; we will include all Jars With Triumphs, Mirth, and all Solemnity.
Val. And as we walk along, I dare be bold With our Difcourse to make your Grace to smile. What think 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 than Boy. Duke. What mean you by that Saying? Val. Please you, I'll tell you as we pass along,
That you will wonder what hath fortuned. Come Protheus, 'tis your Penance but to hear The Story of your Loves discovered: That done, our Day of Marriage shall be yours, One Feast, one House, one mutual Happiness. [Exeunt.
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