4CEease to perswade, my louing Protheus;

5Home-keeping youth, haue euer homely wits,

6Wer't not affection chaines thy tender dayes

7To the sweet glaunces of thy honour'd Loue,

8I rather would entreat thy company,

9To see the wonders of the world abroad,

10Then (liuing dully sluggardiz'd at home)

11Weare out thy youth with shapelesse idlenesse.

12But since thou lou'st; loue still, and thriue therein,

13Euen as I would, when I to loue begin.

14Pro. Wilt thou be gone? Sweet Valentine adew,

15Thinke on thy Protheus, when thou (hap'ly) seest

16Some rare note-worthy obiect in thy trauaile.

17Wish me partaker in thy happinesse,

18When thou do'st meet good hap; and in thy danger,

19(If euer danger doe enuiron thee)

20Commend thy grieuance to my holy prayers,

21For I will be thy beades-man, Valentine.

22Val. And on a loue-booke pray for my successe?

23Pro. Vpon some booke I loue, I'le pray for thee.

24Val. That's on some shallow Storie of deepe loue,

25How yong Leander crost the Hellespont.

26Pro. That's a deepe Storie, of a deeper loue,

27For he was more then ouer-shooes in loue.

28Val. 'Tis true; for you are ouer-bootes in loue,

29And yet you neuer swom the Hellespont.

30Pro. Ouer the Bootes? nay giue me not the Boots.

31Val. No, I will not; for it boots thee not.

32Pro. What?

33 Val. To be in loue; where scorne is bought with(grones:

34Coy looks, with hart-sore sighes: one fading moments (mirth,

35With twenty watchfull, weary, tedious nights;

36If hap'ly won, perhaps a haplesse gaine;

37If lost, why then a grieuous labour won;

38How euer: but a folly bought with wit,

39Or else a wit, by folly vanquished.

40Pro. So, by your circumstance, you call me foole.

41Val. So, by your circumstance, I feare you'll proue.

42Pro. 'Tis Loue you cauill at, I am not Loue.

43Val. Loue is your master, for he masters you;

44And he that is so yoked by a foole,

45Me thinkes should not be chronicled for wise.

46Pro. Yet Writers say; as in the sweetest Bud,

47The eating Canker dwels; so eating Loue

48Inhabits in the finest wits of all.

49Val. And Writers say; as the most forward Bud

50Is eaten by the Canker ere it blow,

51Euen so by Loue, the yong, and tender wit

52Is turn'd to folly, blasting in the Bud,

53Loosing his verdure, euen in the prime,

54And all the faire effects of future hopes.

55But wherefore waste I time to counsaile thee

56That art a votary to fond desire?

57Once more adieu: my Father at the Road

58Expects my comming, there to see me ship'd.

59Pro. And thither will I bring thee Valentine.

60 Val. Sweet Protheus, no: Now let vs take our leaue:

61To Millaine let me heare from thee by Letters

62Of thy successe in loue; and what newes else

63Betideth here in absence of thy Friend:

64And I likewise will visite thee with mine.

65Pro. All happinesse bechance to thee in Millaine.

66Val. As much to you at home: and so farewell. Exit.

67Pro. He after Honour hunts, I after Loue;

68He leaues his friends, to dignifie them more;

69I loue my selfe, my friends, and all for loue:

70Thou Iulia, thou hast metamorphis'd me:

71Made me neglect my Studies, loose my time;

72Warre with good counsaile; set the world at nought;

73Made Wit with musing, weake; hart sick with thought.

74Sp. Sir Protheus: 'saue you: saw you my Master?

75 Pro. But now he parted hence to embarque for Millain.

76Sp. Twenty to one then, he is ship'd already,

77And I haue plaid the Sheepe in loosing him.

78Pro. Indeede a Sheepe doth very often stray,

79And if the Shepheard be awhile away.

80 Sp. You conclude that my Master is a Shepheard then,

81and I Sheepe?

82Pro. I doe.

83 Sp. Why then my hornes are his hornes, whether I

84wake or sleepe.

85Pro. A silly answere, and fitting well a Sheepe.

86Sp. This proues me still a Sheepe.

87Pro. True: and thy Master a Shepheard.

88Sp. Nay, that I can deny by a circumstance.

89Pro. It shall goe hard but ile proue it by another.

90 Sp. The Shepheard seekes the Sheepe, and not the

91Sheepe the Shepheard; but I seeke my Master, and my

92Master seekes not me: therefore I am no Sheepe.

93 Pro. The Sheepe for fodder follow the Shepheard,

94the Shepheard for foode followes not the Sheepe: thou

95for wages followest thy Master, thy Master for wages

96followes not thee: therefore thou art a Sheepe.

97Sp. Such another proofe will make me cry baâ.

98 Pro. But do'st thou heare: gau'st thou my Letter

99to Iulia?