O, Heaven 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 detest false perjured Proteus.

Therefore be gone; solicit me no more.

40

Pro. What dangerous action, stood it next to death,

Would I not undergo for one calm look!

O, 'tis the curse in love, and still approved,
When women cannot love where they're beloved!
Sil. When Proteus cannot love where he's be-
loved.

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

Descended into perjury, to love 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.

Who respects friend?

Sil.

Pro.

In love

All men but Proteus.

Nay, if the gentle spirit of moving words

Can no way change you to a milder form,

I'll woo you like a soldier, at arms' end,

And love you 'gainst the nature of love,-force ye. O heaven!

Sil.

Pro. I'll force thee yield to my desire. Val. Ruffian, let go that rude uncivil touch, Thou friend of an ill fashion!

Pro.

Valentine!

61

Val. Thou common friend, that's without faith or love,

For such is a friend now; treacherous man!
Thou hast beguiled my hopes; nought but mine

eye

Could have persuaded me: now I dare not say

I have one friend alive; thou wouldst disprove me. Who should be trusted, when one's own right hand Is perjured to the bosom? Proteus,

I am sorry I must never trust thee more,

70

But count the world a stranger for thy sake.
The private wound is deepest: O time most ac-

curst,

'Mongst all foes that a friend should be the worst! Pro. My shame and guilt confounds me. Forgive me, Valentine: if hearty sorrow

Be a sufficient ransom for offence,

I tender 't here; I do as truly suffer
As e'er I did commit.

Then I am paid;

Val.
And once again I do receive thee honest.
Who by repentance is not satisfied

81

Is nor of heaven nor earth, for these are pleased.
By penitence the Eternal's wrath's appeased:
And, that my love may appear plain and free,
All that was mine in Silvia I give thee.

Jul. O me unhappy!

Pro.

Val.

Look to the boy.

[Swoons.

Why, boy! why, wag! how now! what's the matter? Look up; speak.

Jul. O good sir, my master charged me to deliver a ring to Madam Silvia, which, out of my neglect, was never done.

Pro. How! let me see:

90

Here 'tis; this is it.

Why, this is the ring I gave to Julia.

Jul. O, cry you mercy, sir, I have mistook:

This is the ring you sent to Silvia.

Pro. But how camest thou by this ring? At

my depart

I gave this unto Julia.

Jul. And Julia herself did give it me; And Julia herself hath brought it hither.

Pro. How! Julia!

ΙΟΟ

Jul. Behold her that gave aim to all thy oaths,

And entertain'd 'em deeply in her heart.

How oft 'hast thou with perjury cleft the root!
O Proteus, let this habit make thee blush!

Be thou ashamed that I have took upon me
Such an immodest raiment, if shame live
In a disguise of love:

It is the lesser blot, modesty finds,

Women to change their shapes than men their minds.

Pro. Than men their minds! 'tis true. 0 heaven! were man

IIO

But constant, he were perfect. That one error Fills him with faults; makes him run through all the sins:

Inconstancy falls off ere it begins.

What is in Silvia's face, but I may spy
More fresh in Julia's with a constant 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, Heaven, I have my wish
for ever.

Jul. And I mine.

Enter Outlaws, with DUKE and THURIO.

Outlaws. A prize, a prize, a prize!

120

Val. Forbear, forbear, I say! it is my lord the duke.

Your grace is welcome to a man disgraced,
Banished Valentine.

Duke.

Sir Valentine!

Thur. Yonder is Silvia; and Silvia's mine. Val. Thurio, give back, or else embrace thy death;

*Reach.

130

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 such means* for her as thou hast done
And leave her on such slight conditions. *Interest.
Now, by the honour of my ancestry,

I do applaud thy spirit, Valentine,

And think thee worthy of an empress' love:

140

Know then, I here forget all former griefs,
Cancel all grudge, repealt thee home again,
Plead a new state in thy unrival'd merit,
To which I thus subscribe: Sir Valentine,
Thou art a gentleman and well derived;
Take thou thy Silvia, for thou hast deserved her.
Val. I thank your grace; the gift hath made
me happy.
†Reverse sentence of exile.
I now beseech you, for your daughter's sake,
To grant one boon that I shall ask of you.

Duke.

150

I grant it, for thine own, whate'er it be. Val. These banish'd men that I have kept withal

Are men endued 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 employment, 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 rare solemnity.

160

Val. And, as we walk along, I dare be bold With our discourse to make your grace to smile. What think you of this page, my lord?

*Conclude.

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, Proteus; 'tis your penance but to hear 170
The story of your loves discovered:

That done, our day of marriage shall be yours;
One feast, one house, one mutual happiness.

[Exeunt

THE MERRY

WIVES OF WINDSOR.