GENTLEMEN

O F

VERONA.

A

COMEDY.

鍋

Printed in the YEAR 1709.

Dramatis Perfonæ.

D

UKE, Father to Silvia.

Valentine,

Protheus,

} the two Gentlemen.

Anthonio, Father to Protheus.

Thurio, a foolish Rival to Valentine.
Eglamore, Agent for Silvia in her Escape.
Hoft, where Julia lodges.

Out-laws with Valentine.

Speed, a clownish Servant to Valentine.
Launce, the like to Protheus.

Panthion, Servant to Anthonio.

Julia, beloved of Protheus.

Silvia, beloved of Valentine.

Lucetta, Waiting-woman to Julia.

THE

25

THE TWO

GENTLEMEN

O F

VERONA.

ACTI SCENE I.

Enter Valentine and Protheus.

VALENTIN E.

EASE to perfuade, my loving Protheus;
Home-keeping Youth have ever homely Wits;
Wer't not Affection chains thy tender Days,
To the fweet Glances of thy honour'd Love,
I rather would intreat thy Company,

To fee the Wonders of the World abroad,

Than, living dully fluggardiz'd at home,
Wear out thy Youth with fhapeless Idleness.
But fince thou lov'ft, love ftill, and thrive therein,
Even as I would when I to love begin.

Pro. Wilt thou be gone? Sweet Valentine, adieu;
Think on thy Prothens, when thou haply feeft
Some rare Note-worthy Object in thy Travel:
Wish me Partaker in thy Happiness

When thou doft meet good Hap; and in thy Danger,
If ever Danger do environ thee,

VOL. I.

F

Com

Commend thy Grievance to my holy Prayers;
For I will be thy Bead's-man, Valentine.

Val. And on a Love-book pray for my Success?
Pro. Upon fome Book I love I'll pray for thee.
Val. That's on fome fhallow Story of deep Love,
How young Leander cross'd the Hellefpont.

Pro. That's a deep Story of a deeper Love; For he was more than over Shoes in Love.

Val. 'Tis true; for you are over Boots in Love,
And yet you never fwom the Hellefpont.

Pro. Over the Boots? Nay, give me not the Boots.
Val. No, I will not; for it boots thee not.

Pro. What?

Val. To be in Love where Scorn is bought with Groans, Coy Looks, with heart-fore Sighs; one fading Moment's Mirth, With twenty watchful, weary, tedious Nights,

If haply won, perhaps an hapless Gain:
If loft, why then a grievous Labour won;
However, but a Folly bought with Wit,
Or else a Wit by Folly vanquished.

Pro. So, by your Circumftance, you call me Fool.
Val. So, by your Circumftance, I fear you'll prove.
Pro. 'Tis Love you cavil at; I am not Love.
Val. Love is your Mafter; for he masters you.
And he that is fo yoked by a Fool,

Methinks fhould not be chronicled for Wise.
Pro. Yet Writers fay, as in the sweetest Bud
The eating Canker dwells; fo eating Love
Inhabits in the fineft Wits of all.

Val. And Writers fay, as the most forward Bud
Is eaten by the Canker, e'er it blow;
Even fo by Love the young and tender Wit
Is turn'd to Folly, blafting in the Bud,
Lofing his Verdure even in the Prime,
And all the fair Effects of future Hopes.
But wherefore wafte I Time to counsel thee,
That art a Votary to fond Defire?
Once more adieu: My Father at the Road-
Expects my coming, there to fee me shipp'd.
Pro. And thither will I bring thee, Valentine.

Fal. Sweet Protheus, no: Now let us take our Leave.

Ac

At Millan let me hear from thee by Letters
Of thy Success in Love; and what News elfe
Betideth here in Abfence of thy Friend:
And I likewife will vifit thee with mine.

[Exit.

Pro. All Happiness bechance to thee in Millan.
Val. As much to you at home; and fo farewel.
Pro. He after Honours hunts, I after Love;
He leaves his Friends, to dignifie them more;
I love my felf, my Friends, and all for Love.
Thou Julia, thou haft metamorphos'd me;
Made me neglect my Studies, lofe my Time,
War with good Counsel, fet the World at nought;
Made Wit, with Mufing, weak; Heart fick, with Thought.
Enter Speed.

Speed. Sir Protheus, fave you; faw you my Mafter?
Pro. But now he parted hence to embark for Millan.
Speed. Twenty to one then he is shipp'd already,
And I have plaid the Sheep in lofing him.

Pro. Indeed a Sheep doth very often stray,
And if the Shepherd be a while away.

Speed. You conclude that my Master is a Shepherd then, and I a Sheep?

Pro. I do.

I

Speed. Why then my Horns are his Horns, whether E wake or fleep.

Pro. A filly Anfwer, and fitting well a Sheep.

Speed. This proves me ftill a Sheep.

Pro. True; and thy Mafter a Shepherd.

Speed. Nay, that I can deny by a Circumftance.

Pro. It fhall go hard but I'll prove it by another.

Speed. The Shepherd feeks the Sheep, and not the Sheep the Shepherd; but I feek my Mafter, and my Mafter feeks not me; therefore I am no Sheep.

Pro. The Sheep for Fodder follow the Shepherd, the Shepherd for Food follows not the Sheep; thou for Wages followeft thy Mafter, thy Mafter for Wages follows not thee; therefore thou art a Sheep.

Speed. Such another Proof will make me cry Baâ.

Pro. But doft thou hear? gaveft thou my Letter to Julia ? Speed. Ay, Sir; I, a loft-Mutton, gave your Letter to her, a lac'd-Mutton; and fhe, a lac'd-Mutton, gave me, a loft-Mutton, nothing for my Labour.

F 2

Proc