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  • Title: Two Gentlemen of Verona (Folio 1, 1623)

    • Copyright Internet Shakespeare Editions. This text may be freely used for educational, non-proift purposes; for all other uses contact the Coordinating Editor.
    Author: William Shakespeare
    Not Peer Reviewed

    Two Gentlemen of Verona (Folio 1, 1623)

    Scena Quarta.
    Enter Launce, Protheus, Iulia, Siluia.
    1820 Lau. When a mans seruant shall play the Curre with
    him (looke you) it goes hard: one that I brought vp of
    a puppy: one that I sau'd from drowning, when three or
    foure of his blinde brothers and sisters went to it: I haue
    taught him (euen as one would say precisely, thus I
    1825would teach a dog) I was sent to deliuer him, as a pre-
    sent to Mistris Siluia, from my Master; and I came no
    sooner into the dyning-chamber, but he steps me to her
    Trencher, and steales her Capons-leg: O, 'tis a foule
    thing, when a Cur cannot keepe himselfe in all compa-
    1830nies: I would haue (as one should say) one that takes vp-
    on him to be a dog indeede, to be, as it were, a dog at all
    things. If I had not had more wit then he, to take a fault
    vpon me that he did, I thinke verily hee had bin hang'd
    for't: sure as I liue he had suffer'd for't: you shall iudge:
    1835Hee thrusts me himselfe into the company of three or
    foure gentleman-like-dogs, vnder the Dukes table: hee
    had not bin there (blesse the marke) a pissing while, but
    all the chamber smelt him: out with the dog (saies one)
    what cur is that (saies another) whip him out (saies the
    1840third) hang him vp (saies the Duke.) I hauing bin ac-
    quainted with the smell before, knew it was Crab; and
    goes me to the fellow that whips the dogges: friend
    (quoth I) you meane to whip the dog: I marry doe I
    (quoth he) you doe him the more wrong (quoth I) 'twas
    1845I did the thing you wot of: he makes me no more adoe,
    but whips me out of the chamber: how many Masters
    would doe this for his Seruant? nay, ile be sworne I haue
    sat in the stockes, for puddings he hath stolne, otherwise
    he had bin executed: I haue stood on the Pillorie for
    1850Geese he hath kil'd, otherwise he had sufferd for't: thou
    think'st not of this now: nay, I remember the tricke you
    seru'd me, when I tooke my leaue of Madam Siluia: did
    not
    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
    36 The two Gentlemen of Verona.
    1985For I did play a lamentable part.
    (Madam) 'twas Ariadne, passioning
    For Thesus periury, and vniust flight;
    Which I so liuely acted with my teares:
    That my poore Mistris moued therewithall,
    1990Wept bitterly: and would I might be dead,
    If I in thought felt not her very sorrow.
    Sil. She is beholding to thee (gentle youth)
    Alas (poore Lady) desolate, and left;
    I weepe my selfe to thinke vpon thy words:
    1995Here youth: there is my purse; I giue thee this
    For thy sweet Mistris sake, because thou lou'st her. Fare-(well.
    Iul. And she shall thanke you for't, if ere you know (her.
    A vertuous gentlewoman, milde, and beautifull.
    I hope my Masters suit will be but cold,
    2000Since she respects my Mistris loue so much.
    Alas, how loue can trifle with it selfe:
    Here is her Picture: let me see, I thinke
    If I had such a Tyre, this face of mine
    Were full as louely, as is this of hers;
    2005And yet the Painter flatter'd her a little,
    Vnlesse I flatter with my selfe too much.
    Her haire is Aburne, mine is perfect Yellow;
    If that be all the difference in his loue,
    Ile get me such a coulour'd Perrywig:
    2010Her eyes are grey as glasse, and so are mine.:
    I, but her fore-head's low, and mine's as high:
    What should it be that he respects in her,
    But I can make respectiue in my selfe?
    If this fond Loue, were not a blinded god.
    2015Come shadow, come, and take this shadow vp,
    For 'tis thy riuall: O thou sencelesse forme,
    Thou shalt be worship'd, kiss'd, lou'd, and ador'd;
    And were there sence in his Idolatry,
    My substance should be statue in thy stead.
    2020Ile vse thee kindly, for thy Mistris sake
    That vs'd me so: or else by Ioue, I vow,
    I should haue scratch'd out your vnseeing eyes,
    To make my Master out of loue with thee. Exeunt.
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