PROTEUS

Wilt thou be gone? Sweet Valentine and ewe, Think on thy Protheus, when thou (haply) seest Some rare noteworthy object in thy travail. With me partaker in thy happiness, When thou dost meet good hap; and in thy danger, (If ever danger do environ thee) Commend thy grievance to my holy prayers, For I will be thy beadsman, Valentine. Upon some book I love, I'll pray for thee. That's a deep Story, of a deeper love, For he was more then over-shoes in love. Over the Boots? nay give me not the Boots. What? So, by your circumstance, you call me fool. It's Love you cavil at, I am not Love. Yet Writers say; as in the sweetest Bud, The eating Canker dwells; so eating Love Inhabits in the finest wits of all. And thither will I bring thee Valentine. All happiness be chance to thee in Milan. He after Honour Hunt's, I after Love; He leaves his friends, to dignify them more; I love my self, my friends, and all for love: Thou Julia thou hast metamorphis'd me: Made me neglect my Studies, lose my time; War with good counsel; set the world at nought; Made Wit with musing, weak; heart sick with thought. But now he parted hence to embark for Milan. Indeed a Sheep does very often stray, And if the Shepherd be awhile away. I do. A silly answer, and fitting well a Sheep. True: and thy Master a Shepherd. It shall go hard but isle prove it by another. The Sheep for fodder follow the Shepherd, the Shepherd for food follows not the Sheep: thou for wages followest thy Master, thy Master for wages follows not thee: therefore thou art a Sheep. But dost thou hear: gavest thou my Letter to Julia ? Here's too small a Pasture for such store of Muttons. Nay, in that you are astray: 'twere best pound you. You mistake; I mean the pound, a Pinfold. But what said she? Nod-I, why that's noddy. And that set together is noddy. No, no, you shall have it for bearing the letter. Why Sir, how do you bear with me? Beshrew me, but you have a quick wit. Come, come, open the matter in brief; what said she. Well Sir: here is for your pains: what said she? Why? couldst thou perceive so much from her? What said she, nothing? Go, go, be gone, to save your Ship from wrack, Which cannot perish having thee aboard, Being destined to a drier death on shore: I must go send some better Messenger, I fear my Julia would not deign my lines, Receiving them from such a worthless post. Sweet Love, sweet lines, sweet life, Here is her hand, the agent of her heart; Here is her oath for love, her honours panem; Oh that our Father's would applaud our loves To seal our happiness with their consents. O heavenly Julia. May't please your Lordship, it's a word or two Of commendations sent from Valentine ; Delivered by a friend, that came from him. There is no news (my Lord) but that he writes How happily he lives, how well-beloved, And daily graced by the Emperor; Wishing me with him, partner of his fortune. As one relying on your Lordship's will, And not depending on his friendly wish. My Lord I cannot be so soon provided, Please you deliberate a day or two. Thus have I shunned the fire, for fear of burning, And drenched me in the sea, where I am drowned. I feared to show my Father Julia's Letter, Least he should take exceptions to my love, And with the vantage of mine own excuse Hath he excepted most against my love. O, how this spring of love resembles The uncertain glory of and April day, Which now shows all the beauty of the Sun, And by and by a cloud takes all away. Why this it is: my heart accords thereto, And yet a thousand times it answer's no. Have patience, gentle Julia : When possibly I can, I will return. Why then wee'll make exchange; Here, take you this. Here is my hand, for my true constancy: And when that hour ore-slips me in the day, Wherein I sighs not (Julia) for thy sake, The next ensuing hour, some foul mischance Torment me for my Loves forgetfulness: My father stays my coming: answer not: The tide is now: nay, not thy tide of tears, That tide will stay me longer then I should, Julia, farewell: what, gone without a word? I, so true love should do: it cannot speak, For truth hath better deeds, then words to grace it. Go: I come, I come: Alas, this parting strikes poor Lovers dumb. Not so, sweet Lady, but too mean a servant To have a look of such a worthy a Mistress. My duty will I boast of, nothing else. I'll die on him that says so but your self. That you are worthless. Wee'll both attend upon your Ladyship. Your friends are well, & have the ̄ much continued ̄ mended. I left them all in health. My tales of Love were wont to weary you, I know you joy not in a Loue-discourse. Enough; I read your fortune in your eye: Was this the Idol, that you worship so? No; But she is and earthly Paragon. I will not flatter her. When I was sick, you gave me bitter pills, And I must minister the Like to you. Except my Mistress. Have I not reason to prefer mine own? Why Ʋ alentine, what Bragadisme is this? Then let her alone. But she loves you? Go on before: I shall inquire you forth: I must unto the Road, to dis-embarque Some necessaries, that I needs must use, And then I'll presently attend you. I will. Even as one heat, another heat expels, Or as one nail, by strength drives out another. So the remembrance of my former Love Is by a newer object quite forgotten, It is mine, or Valentines praise? Her true perfection, or my false transgression? That makes me reasonless, to reason thus? She is fair: and so is Julia that I love, (That I did love, for now my love is thawed, Which Like a waxed Image against a fire Bears no impression of the thing it was.) Me thinks my zeal to Valentine is cold, And that I love him not as I was wont: Oh, but I love his Lady too-too much, And that's the reason I love him so little. How shall I dote on her with more advice, That thus without advice begin to love her? It's but her picture I have yet beheld, And that hath dazzled my reasons light: But when I look on her perfections, There is no reason, but I shall be blind. If I can check my erring love, I will, If not, to compass her I'll use my skill. To leave my Julia ; shall I be forsworn? To love fair Silvia ; shall I be forsworn? To wrong my friend, I shall be much forsworn. And even that Pour which gave me first my oath Provokes me to this threefold perjury. Love bade me swear, and Love bids me forswear; Oh sweet-suggesting Love, if thou hast sinned, Teach me (thy tempted subject) to excuse it. At first I did adore a twinkling Star, But now I worship a celestial Sun: Vn-heedfull vows may heedfully be broken, And he wants wit, that wants resolved will, To learn his wit, to exchange the bade for better; Fie, fie, unreverend tongue, to call her bade, Whose sovereignty so oft thou hast preferred, With twenty thousand soule-confirming oaths. I cannot leave to love; and yet I do: But there I leave to love, where I should love. Julia I lose, and Valentine I lose, If I keep them, I needs must lose my self: If I lose them, thus find I by their lose, For Valentine, my self: for Julia, Silvia. I to my self am dearer then a friend, For Love is still most precious in it self, And Silvia (witness heaven that made her fair) Shows Julia but a swarthy Ethiop. I will forget that Julia is alive, Remembering that my Love to her is dead. And Ʋ alentine I'll hold and Enemy, Aiming at Silvia as a sweeter friend. I cannot now prove constant to my self, Without some treachery used to Valentine. This night he means with a Corded-ladder To climb celestial Silvia's chamber window, My self in counsel his competitor. Now presently I'll give her father notice Of their disguising and pretended flight: Who (all enraged) will banish Valentine: For Thurio he intends shall wed his daughter, But Valentine being gone, I'll quickly cross By some sly trick, blunt Thurio's dull proceeding. Love lend me wings, to make my purpose swift As thou hast lent me wit, to plot this drift. My gracious Lord, that which I would discover, The Law of friendship bids me to conceal, But when I call to mind your gracious favours Done to me (undeserving as I am) My duty pricks me on to utter that Which else, no worldly good should draw from me: Know (worthy Prince) Sir Valentine my friend This night intends to steal away your daughter: My self am one made privy to the plot. I know you have determined to bestow her On Thurio, whom your gentle daughter hates, And should she thus be stolen away from you, It would be much vexation to your age. Thus (for my duties sake) I rather chosen To cross my friend in his intended drift, Then (by concealing it) heap on your head A pack of sorrows, which would press you down (Being unprevented) to your timeless graven. Know (noble Lord) they have devised a mean How he her chamber-window will ascend, And with a Corded-ladder fetch her down: For which, the youthful Lover now is gone, And this way comes he with it presently. Where (if it please you) you may intercept him. But (good my Lord) do it so cunningly That my discovery be not aimed at: For, love of you, not hate unto my friend, Hath made me publisher of this pretence. Adieu, my Lord, Sir Valentine is coming. Run (boy) run, run, and seek him out. What seest thou? Valentine ? Who then? his Spirit? What then? Who wouldst thou strike? Villain, forbear. Sirrah, I say forbear: friend Valentine, a word. Then in dumb silence will I bury mine, For they are harsh, vn-tuneable, and bade. No, Valentine. No, Ʋ alentine. That thou art banished: o that's the news, From hence, from Silvia, and from me thy friend. I, I: and she hath offered to the doom (Which vn-reuerst stands in effectual force) A Sea of melting pearl, which some call tears; Those at her father's churlish feet she tendered, With them upon her knees, her humble self, Wringing her hands, whose whiteness so became them, As if but now they waxed pale for woe: But neither bent knees, pure hands held up, Sad sighs, deep groans, nor siluer-shedding tears Could penetrate her uncompassionate Sire; But Valentine, if he be taken, must die. Beside, her intercession chafed him so, When she for thy repeal was suppliant, That to close prison he commanded her, With many bitter threats of biding there. Cease to lament for that thou canst not help, And study help for that which thou lamentest, Time is the Nurse, and breeder of all good; Here, if thou stay, thou canst not see thy love: Beside, thy staying will abridge thy life: Hope is a lovers staff, walk hence with that And manage it, against despairing thoughts: Thy letters may be here, though thou art hence, Which, being writ to me, shall be delivered Even in the milkwhite bosom of thy Love. The time now serves not to expostulate, Come, I'll convey thee through the City-gate. And ere I partly with thee, confer at large Of all that may concern thy Loue-affaires: As thou lovest Silvia (though not for thy self) Regard thy danger, and along with me. Go sirrah, find him out: Come Ʋ alentine. Gone, my good Lord. A little time (my Lord) will kill that grief. Longer then I prove loyal to your Grace, Let me not live, to look upon your Grace. I do my Lord. She did my Lord, when Ʋ alentine was here. The best way is, to slander Ʋ alentine, With falsehood, cowardice, and poor dissent: Three things, that women highly hold in hate. I, if his enemy deliver it. Therefore it must with circumstance be spoken By one, whom she esteems as his friend. And that (my Lord) I shall be loath to do: It's and ill office for a Gentleman, Especially against his very friend. You have prevailed (my Lord) if I can do it By ought that I can speak in his dispraise, She shall not long continue love to him: But say this weed her love from Valentine, It follows not that she will love sir Thurio. As much as I can do, I will effect: But you sir Thurio, are not sharp enough: You must lay Lime, to tangle her desires By walefull Sonnets, whose composed Rhymes Should be full fraught with serviceable vows. Say that upon the altar of her beauty You sacrifice your tears, your sighs, your heart: Write till your ink be dry and with your tears Moist it again: and frame some feeling line, That may discover such integrity: For Orpheus Lute, was strung with Poets sinews, Whose golden touch could soften steel and stones; Make Tigers tame, and huge Leviathans Forsake unfounded deeps, to dance on Sands. After your dire-lamenting Elegies, Visit by night your Ladies chamber-window With some sweet Consort; To their Instruments Tune a deploring dump: the nights dead silence Will well become such sweet complaining grievance: This, or else nothing, will inherit her. We'll wait upon your Grace, till after Supper, And afterwards determine our proceedings. Already have I been false to Valentine, And now I must be as unjust to Thurio, Under the colour of commending him, I have access my own love to prefer. But Silvia is too fair, too true, too holy, To be corrupted with my worthless gifts; When I protest true loyalty to her, She twits me with my falsehood to my friend; When to her beauty I commend my vows, She bids me think how I have been forsworn In breaking faith with Julia, whom I loved; And notwithstanding all her sudden quips, The least whereof would quell a lovers hope: Yet (Spaniel-like) the more she spurns my love, The more it grows, and fawns on her still; But here comes Thurio ; now must we to her window, And give some evening Music to her ear. I gentle Thurio, for you know that love Will creep in service, where it cannot go. Sir, but I do: or else I would be hence. I, Silvia, for your sake. Sir Thurio, fear not you, I will so plead, That you shall say, my cunning drift excels. At Saint Gregories well. Madam: good even to your Ladyship. One (Lady) if you knew his pure hearts truth, You would quickly learn to know him by his voice. Sir Protheus (gentle Lady) and your Servant. That I may compass yours. I grant (sweet love) that I did love a Lady, But she is dead. I likewise hear that Valentine is dead. Sweet Lady, let me take it from the earth. Madam: if your heart be so obdurate: Vouchsafe me yet your Picture for my love, The Picture that is hanging in your chamber: To that isle speak, to that isle sighs and weep: For since the substance of your perfect self Is else devoted, I am but a shadow; And to your shadow, will I make true love. As wretches have overnight That wait for execution in the morn. Sebastian is thy name: I Like thee well, And will employ thee in some service presently. I hope thou wilt. How now you whor-son pezant, Where have you been these two days loitering? And what says she to my little Jewel? But she received my dog? What, didst thou offer her this from me? Go, get thee hence, and find my dog again, Or never return again into my sighed. Away, I say: stayest thou to vex me here; A Slave, that still and end, turns me to shame: Sebastian, I have entertained thee, Partly that I have need of such a youth, That can with some discretion do my business: For it's no trusting to yond foolish Lowt; But chiefly, for thy face, and thy behaviour, Which (if my Augury deceive me not) Witness good bringing up, fortune, and truth: Therefore know thee, for this I entertain thee. Go presently, and take this Ring with thee, Deliver it to Madam Silvia ; She loved me well, delivered it to me. Not so: I think she lives. Why dost thou cry alas? Wherefore shouldst thou pity her? Well: give her that Ring, and therewithal This Letter: that's her chamber: Tell my Lady, I claim the promise for her heavenly Picture: Your message done, hie home unto my chamber, Where thou shalt find me sad, and solitary. O Sir, I find her milder then she was, And yet she takes exceptions at your person. No, that it is too little. But love will not be spurred to what it loath . She says it is a fair one. But Pearls are fair; and the old saying is, Black men are Pearls, in beauteous Ladies eyes. Ill, when you talk of war. O Sir, she makes no doubt of that. That you are well derived. O, I: and pities them. That they are out by Lease. Nor I. Neither. And I will follow, more for Silvas love Then hate of Eglamoure that goes with her. Madam, this service I have done for you (Though you respect not aught your servant does) To hazard life, and rescue you from him, That would have forced your honour, and your love, Vouchsafe me for my meed, but one fair look: (A smaller boon then this I cannot beg, And less then this, I am sure you cannot give.) Unhappy were you (Madam) ere I came: But by my coming, I have made you happy. What dangerous Actium, stood it next to death Would I not undergo, for one calm look: O it's the curse in Love, and still approved When women cannot love, where they're beloved. In Love, Who respects friend? 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 against the nature of Love: force you. I'll force thee yield to my desire. Ʋ alentine. My shame and gilded confounds me: Forgive me Valentine: if hearty sorrow Be a sufficient Ransom for offence, I tender't here: I do as truly suffer, As ere I did commit. Look to the Boy. Where is that ring? boy? How? let me see. Why this is the ring I gave to Julia. But how camest thou by this ring? at my depart I gave this unto Julia. How? Julia ? Then men their minds? 'tis true: o heaven, were man 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 Iulia's, with a constant eye? Bear witness (heaven) I have my wish for ever.