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Two Gentlemen of Verona (Folio 1, 1623)

Author: William Shakespeare
Not Peer Reviewed
The two Gentlemen of Verona.
35
not I bid thee still marke me, and doe as I do; when did'st
thou see me heaue vp my leg, and make water against a
1855Gentlewomans farthingale? did'st thou euer see me doe
such a tricke?
Pro. Sebastian is thy name: I like thee well,
And will imploy thee in some seruice presently.
Iu. In what you please, ile doe what I can.
1860Pro. I hope thou wilt.
How now you whor-son pezant,
Where haue you bin these two dayes loytering?
La. Marry Sir, I carried Mistris Siluia the dogge you
bad me.
1865Pro. And what saies she to my little Iewell?
La. Marry she saies your dog was a cur, and tels you
currish thanks is good enough for such a present.
Pro. But she receiu'd my dog?
La. No indeede did she not:
1870Here haue I brought him backe againe.
Pro. What, didst thou offer her this from me?
La. I Sir, the other Squirrill was stolne from me
By the Hangmans boyes in the market place,
And then I offer'd her mine owne, who is a dog
1875As big as ten of yours, & therefore the guift the greater.
Pro. Goe, get thee hence, and finde my dog againe,
Or nere returne againe into my sight.
Away, I say: stayest thou to vexe me here;
A Slaue, that still an end, turnes me to shame:
1880Sebastian, I haue entertained thee,
Partly that I haue neede of such a youth,
That can with some discretion doe my businesse:
For 'tis no trusting to yond foolish Lowt;
But chiefely, for thy face, and thy behauiour,
1885Which (if my Augury deceiue me not)
Witnesse good bringing vp, fortune, and truth:
Therefore know thee, for this I entertaine thee.
Go presently, and take this Ring with thee,
Deliuer it to Madam Siluia;
1890She lou'd me well, deliuer'd it to me.
Iul. It seemes you lou'd not her, not leaue her token:
She is dead belike?
Pro. Not so: I thinke she liues.
Iul. Alas.
1895Pro. Why do'st thou cry alas?
Iul. I cannot choose but pitty her.
Pro. Wherefore should'st thou pitty her?
Iul. Because, me thinkes that she lou'd you as well
As you doe loue your Lady Siluia:
1900She dreames on him, that has forgot her loue,
You doate on her, that cares not for your loue.
'Tis pitty Loue, should be so contrary:
And thinking on it, makes me cry alas.
Pro. Well: giue her that Ring, and therewithall
1905This Letter: that's her chamber: Tell my Lady,
I claime the promise for her heauenly Picture:
Your message done, hye home vnto my chamber,
Where thou shalt finde me sad, and solitarie.
Iul. How many women would doe such a message?
1910Alas poore Protheus, thou hast entertain'd
A Foxe, to be the Shepheard of thy Lambs;
Alas, poore foole, why doe I pitty him
That with his very heart despiseth me?
Because he loues her, he despiseth me,
1915Because I loue him, I must pitty him.
This Ring I gaue him, when he parted from me,
To binde him to remember my good will:
And now am I (vnhappy Messenger)
To plead for that, which I would not obtaine;
1920To carry that, which I would haue refus'd;
To praise his faith, which I would haue disprais'd.
I am my Masters true confirmed Loue,
But cannot be true seruant to my Master,
Vnlesse I proue false traitor to my selfe.
1925Yet will I woe for him, but yet so coldly,
As (heauen it knowes) I would not haue him speed.
Gentlewoman, good day: I pray you be my meane
To bring me where to speake with Madam Siluia.
Sil. What would you with her, if that I be she?
1930Iul. If you be she, I doe intreat your patience
To heare me speake the message I am sent on.
Sil. From whom?
Iul. From my Master, Sir Protheus, Madam.
Sil. Oh: he sends you for a Picture?
1935Iul. I, Madam.
Sil. Vrsula, bring my Picture there,
Goe, giue your Master this: tell him from me,
One Iulia, that his changing thoughts forget
Would better fit his Chamber, then this Shadow.
1940Iul. Madam, please you peruse this Letter;
Pardon me (Madam) I haue vnaduis'd
Deliuer'd you a paper that I should not;
This is the Letter to your Ladiship.
Sil. I pray thee let me looke on that againe.
1945Iul. It may not be: good Madam pardon me.
Sil. There, hold:
I will not looke vpon your Masters lines:
I know they are stuft with protestations,
And full of new-found oathes, which he will breake
1950As easily as I doe teare his paper.
Iul. Madam, he sends your Ladiship this Ring.
Sil. The more shame for him, that he sends it me;
For I haue heard him say a thousand times,
His Iulia gaue it him, at his departure:
1955Though his false finger haue prophan'd the Ring,
Mine shall not doe his Iulia so much wrong.
Iul. She thankes you.
Sil. What sai'st thou?
Iul. I thanke you Madam, that you tender her:
1960Poore Gentlewoman, my Master wrongs her much.
Sil. Do'st thou know her?
Iul. Almost as well as I doe know my selfe.
To thinke vpon her woes, I doe protest
That I haue wept a hundred seuerall times.
1965 Sil. Belike she thinks that Protheus hath forsook her?
Iul. I thinke she doth: and that's her cause of sorrow.
Sil. Is she not passing faire?
Iul. She hath bin fairer (Madam) then she is,
When she did thinke my Master lou'd her well;
1970She, in my iudgement, was as faire as you.
But since she did neglect her looking-glasse,
And threw her Sun-expelling Masque away,
The ayre hath staru'd the roses in her cheekes,
And pinch'd the lilly-tincture of her face,
1975That now she is become as blacke as I.
Sil. How tall was she?
Iul. About my stature: for at Pentecost,
When all our Pageants of delight were plaid,
Our youth got me to play the womans part,
1980And I was trim'd in Madam Iulias gowne,
Which serued me as fit, by all mens iudgements,
As if the garment had bin made for me:
Therefore I know she is about my height,
And at that time I made her weepe a good,
For