If this fond love were not a blinded god?
Come, shadow, come, and take this shadow up,
For 'tis thy rival. O thou senseless form,

Thou shalt be worship'd, kiss'd, loved, and adored;
And, were there sense in his idolatry,

My substance should be statue in thy stead.
I'll use thee kindly for thy mistress' sake,
That used me so; or else, by Jove I vow,

I should have scratch'd out your unseeing eyes,
To make my master out of love with thee.

[Exit

Eg. The sun begins to gild the western sky;

And now it is about the very hour

That Silvia, at friar Patrick's cell, should meet me.

She will not fail; for lovers break not hours,

Unless it be to come before their time;
So much they spur their expedition.

Enter SILVIA.

See, where she comes. Lady, a happy evening! Sil. Amen, amen! go on, good Eglamour,

Out at the postern by the abbey-wall;

I fear, I am attended by some spies.

Eg. Fear not the forest is not three leagues off; If we recover that, we are sure enough.1

[Exeunt.

SCENE II.

The same. A room in the Duke's palace.

Enter THURIO, PROTEUS, and JULIA.

Thu. Sir Proteus, what says Silvia to my suit? Pro. O, sir, I find her milder than she was; And yet she takes exceptions at your person. Thu. What, that my leg is too long?

Pro. No; that it is too little.

Thu. I'll wear a boot, to make it somewhat rounder.

Pro. But love will not be spurr'd to what it loathes. Thu. What says she to my face?

Pro. She says, it is a fair one.

Thu. Nay, then the wanton lies; my face is black. Pro. But pearls are fair; and the old saying is, Black men are pearls in beauteous ladies' eyes.

Jul. 'Tis true, such pearls as put out ladies' eyes; For I had rather wink than look on them.

Thu. How likes she my discourse?

[aside.

Pro. Ill, when you talk of war.

Thu. But well, when I discourse of love and

peace?

Jul. But better, indeed, when you hold your peace. [aside.

1 Out of danger.

Thu. What says she to my valor?

Pro. O, sir, she makes no doubt of that.

Jul. She needs not, when she knows it cowardice.

Thu. What says she to my birth?

Pro. That you are well derived.

[aside.

Jul. True; from a gentleman to a fool. [aside.
Thu. Considers she my possessions?

Pro. O, ay; and pities them.

Thu. Wherefore?

Jul. That such an ass should owe them. [aside.

Pro. That they are out by lease.

Jul. Here comes the duke.

Enter DUKE.

Duke. How now, sir Proteus? how now, Thurio? Which of you saw sir Eglamour of late?

Duke. Why, then she's fled unto that peasant

Valentine;

And Eglamour is in her company.

'Tis true; for friar Laurence met them both,
As he in penance wander'd through the forest:
Him he knew well, and guess'd that it was she;
But, being mask'd, he was not sure of it:

1 Possess.

Besides, she did intend confession

At Patrick's cell this even; and there she was not:
These likelihoods confirm her flight from hence.
Therefore, I pray you, stand not to discourse,
But mount you presently; and meet with me
Upon the rising of the mountain-foot

That leads towards Mantua, whither they are fled :
Despatch, sweet gentlemen, and follow me.

1

Thu. Why, this it is to be a peevish 1 girl,

That flies her fortune when it follows her:
I'll after; more to be revenged on Eglamour,
Than for the love of reckless 2 Silvia.

[Exit.

[Exit.

Pro. And I will follow, more for Silvia's love, Than hate of Eglamour that goes with her. [Exit. Jul. And I will follow, more to cross that love, Than hate for Silvia, that is gone for love.

[Exit.

SCENE III.

Frontiers of Mantua. The forest.

Enter SILVIA and OUTLAWS.

1 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 outrun 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 honorable mind,

And will not use a woman lawlessly.

Sil. O Valentine, this I endure for thee!

[Exeunt.

SCENE IV.

Another part of the forest.

Enter VALENTINE.

Val. How use doth breed a habit in a man!
This shadowy desert, unfrequented woods,
I better brook than florishing peopled towns:
Here can I sit alone, unseen of any,
And, to the nightingale's complaining notes,
Tune my distresses, and record 1 my woes.
O thou that dost inhabit in my breast,
Leave not the mansion so long tenantless;
Lest, growing ruinous, the building fall,

And leave no memory of what it was !

Repair me with thy presence, Silvia ;

Thou gentle nymph, cherish thy forlorn swain !— What hallooing, and what stir, is this to-day?

These are my mates, that make their wills their law,

1 Sing.