1820 Lau. When a mans seruant shall play the Curre with

1821him (looke you) it goes hard: one that I brought vp of

1822a puppy: one that I sau'd from drowning, when three or

1823foure of his blinde brothers and sisters went to it: I haue

1824taught him (euen as one would say precisely, thus I

1825would teach a dog) I was sent to deliuer him, as a pre-

1826sent to Mistris Siluia, from my Master; and I came no

1827sooner into the dyning-chamber, but he steps me to her

1828Trencher, and steales her Capons-leg: O, 'tis a foule

1829thing, when a Cur cannot keepe himselfe in all compa-

1830nies: I would haue (as one should say) one that takes vp-

1831on him to be a dog indeede, to be, as it were, a dog at all

1832things. If I had not had more wit then he, to take a fault

1833vpon me that he did, I thinke verily hee had bin hang'd

1834for't: sure as I liue he had suffer'd for't: you shall iudge:

1835Hee thrusts me himselfe into the company of three or

1836foure gentleman-like-dogs, vnder the Dukes table: hee

1837had not bin there (blesse the marke) a pissing while, but

1838all the chamber smelt him: out with the dog (saies one)

1839what cur is that (saies another) whip him out (saies the

1840third) hang him vp (saies the Duke.) I hauing bin ac-

1841quainted with the smell before, knew it was Crab; and

1842goes me to the fellow that whips the dogges: friend

1843(quoth I) you meane to whip the dog: I marry doe I

1844(quoth he) you doe him the more wrong (quoth I) 'twas

1845I did the thing you wot of: he makes me no more adoe,

1846but whips me out of the chamber: how many Masters

1847would doe this for his Seruant? nay, ile be sworne I haue

1848sat in the stockes, for puddings he hath stolne, otherwise

1849he had bin executed: I haue stood on the Pillorie for

1850Geese he hath kil'd, otherwise he had sufferd for't: thou

1851think'st not of this now: nay, I remember the tricke you

1852seru'd me, when I tooke my leaue of Madam Siluia: did

1853not I bid thee still marke me, and doe as I do; when did'st

1854thou see me heaue vp my leg, and make water against a

1855Gentlewomans farthingale? did'st thou euer see me doe

1856such a tricke?

1857Pro. Sebastian is thy name: I like thee well,

1858And will imploy thee in some seruice presently.

1859Iu. In what you please, ile doe what I can.

1860Pro. I hope thou wilt.

1861How now you whor-son pezant,

1862Where haue you bin these two dayes loytering?

1863 La. Marry Sir, I carried Mistris Siluia the dogge you

1864bad me.

1865Pro. And what saies she to my little Iewell?

1866 La. Marry she saies your dog was a cur, and tels you

1867currish thanks is good enough for such a present.

1868Pro. But she receiu'd my dog?

1869La. No indeede did she not:

1870Here haue I brought him backe againe.

1871Pro. What, didst thou offer her this from me?

1872La. I Sir, the other Squirrill was stolne from me

1873By the Hangmans boyes in the market place,

1874And then I offer'd her mine owne, who is a dog

1875As big as ten of yours, & therefore the guift the greater.

1876Pro. Goe, get thee hence, and finde my dog againe,

1877Or nere returne againe into my sight.

1878Away, I say: stayest thou to vexe me here;

1879A Slaue, that still an end, turnes me to shame:

1880Sebastian, I haue entertained thee,

1881Partly that I haue neede of such a youth,

1882That can with some discretion doe my businesse:

1883For 'tis no trusting to yond foolish Lowt;

1884But chiefely, for thy face, and thy behauiour,

1885Which (if my Augury deceiue me not)

1886Witnesse good bringing vp, fortune, and truth:

1887Therefore know thee, for this I entertaine thee.

1888Go presently, and take this Ring with thee,

1889Deliuer it to Madam Siluia;

1890She lou'd me well, deliuer'd it to me.

1891 Iul. It seemes you lou'd not her, not leaue her token:

1892She is dead belike?

1893Pro. Not so: I thinke she liues.

1894Iul. Alas.

1895Pro. Why do'st thou cry alas?

1896Iul. I cannot choose but pitty her.

1897Pro. Wherefore should'st thou pitty her?

1898Iul. Because, me thinkes that she lou'd you as well

1899As you doe loue your Lady Siluia:

1900She dreames on him, that has forgot her loue,

1901You doate on her, that cares not for your loue.

1902'Tis pitty Loue, should be so contrary:

1903And thinking on it, makes me cry alas.

1904Pro. Well: giue her that Ring, and therewithall

1905This Letter: that's her chamber: Tell my Lady,

1906I claime the promise for her heauenly Picture:

1907Your message done, hye home vnto my chamber,

1908Where thou shalt finde me sad, and solitarie.

1909Iul. How many women would doe such a message?

1910Alas poore Protheus, thou hast entertain'd

1911A Foxe, to be the Shepheard of thy Lambs;

1912Alas, poore foole, why doe I pitty him

1913That with his very heart despiseth me?

1914Because he loues her, he despiseth me,

1915Because I loue him, I must pitty him.

1916This Ring I gaue him, when he parted from me,

1917To binde him to remember my good will:

1918And now am I (vnhappy Messenger)

1919To plead for that, which I would not obtaine;

1920To carry that, which I would haue refus'd;

1921To praise his faith, which I would haue disprais'd.

1922I am my Masters true confirmed Loue,

1923But cannot be true seruant to my Master,

1924Vnlesse I proue false traitor to my selfe.

1925Yet will I woe for him, but yet so coldly,

1926As (heauen it knowes) I would not haue him speed.

1927Gentlewoman, good day: I pray you be my meane

1928To bring me where to speake with Madam Siluia.

1929Sil. What would you with her, if that I be she?

1930Iul. If you be she, I doe intreat your patience

1931To heare me speake the message I am sent on.

1932Sil. From whom?

1933Iul. From my Master, Sir Protheus, Madam.

1934Sil. Oh: he sends you for a Picture?

1935Iul. I, Madam.

1936Sil. Vrsula, bring my Picture there,

1937Goe, giue your Master this: tell him from me,

1938One Iulia, that his changing thoughts forget

1939Would better fit his Chamber, then this Shadow.

1940Iul. Madam, please you peruse this Letter;

1941Pardon me (Madam) I haue vnaduis'd

1942Deliuer'd you a paper that I should not;

1943This is the Letter to your Ladiship.

1944Sil. I pray thee let me looke on that againe.

1945Iul. It may not be: good Madam pardon me.

1946Sil. There, hold:

1947I will not looke vpon your Masters lines:

1948I know they are stuft with protestations,

1949And full of new-found oathes, which he will breake

1950As easily as I doe teare his paper.

1951Iul. Madam, he sends your Ladiship this Ring.

1952Sil. The more shame for him, that he sends it me;

1953For I haue heard him say a thousand times,

1954His Iulia gaue it him, at his departure:

1955Though his false finger haue prophan'd the Ring,

1956Mine shall not doe his Iulia so much wrong.

1957Iul. She thankes you.

1958Sil. What sai'st thou?

1959Iul. I thanke you Madam, that you tender her:

1960Poore Gentlewoman, my Master wrongs her much.

1961Sil. Do'st thou know her?

1962Iul. Almost as well as I doe know my selfe.

1963To thinke vpon her woes, I doe protest

1964That I haue wept a hundred seuerall times.

1965 Sil. Belike she thinks that Protheus hath forsook her?

1966Iul. I thinke she doth: and that's her cause of sorrow.

1967Sil. Is she not passing faire?

1968Iul. She hath bin fairer (Madam) then she is,

1969When she did thinke my Master lou'd her well;

1970She, in my iudgement, was as faire as you.

1971But since she did neglect her looking-glasse,

1972And threw her Sun-expelling Masque away,

1973The ayre hath staru'd the roses in her cheekes,

1974And pinch'd the lilly-tincture of her face,

1975That now she is become as blacke as I.

1976Sil. How tall was she?

1977Iul. About my stature: for at Pentecost,

1978When all our Pageants of delight were plaid,

1979Our youth got me to play the womans part,

1980And I was trim'd in Madam Iulias gowne,

1981Which serued me as fit, by all mens iudgements,

1982As if the garment had bin made for me:

1983Therefore I know she is about my height,

1984And at that time I made her weepe a good,

1985For I did play a lamentable part.

1986(Madam) 'twas Ariadne, passioning

1987For Thesus periury, and vniust flight;

1988Which I so liuely acted with my teares:

1989That my poore Mistris moued therewithall,

1990Wept bitterly: and would I might be dead,

1991If I in thought felt not her very sorrow.

1992Sil. She is beholding to thee (gentle youth)

1993Alas (poore Lady) desolate, and left;

1994I weepe my selfe to thinke vpon thy words:

1995Here youth: there is my purse; I giue thee this

1996For thy sweet Mistris sake, because thou lou'st her. Fare-(well.

1997Iul. And she shall thanke you for't, if ere you know (her.

1998A vertuous gentlewoman, milde, and beautifull.

1999I hope my Masters suit will be but cold,

2000Since she respects my Mistris loue so much.

2001Alas, how loue can trifle with it selfe:

2002Here is her Picture: let me see, I thinke

2003If I had such a Tyre, this face of mine

2004Were full as louely, as is this of hers;

2005And yet the Painter flatter'd her a little,

2006Vnlesse I flatter with my selfe too much.

2007Her haire is Aburne, mine is perfect Yellow;

2008If that be all the difference in his loue,

2009Ile get me such a coulour'd Perrywig:

2010Her eyes are grey as glasse, and so are mine.:

2011I, but her fore-head's low, and mine's as high:

2012What should it be that he respects in her,

2013But I can make respectiue in my selfe?

2014If this fond Loue, were not a blinded god.

2015Come shadow, come, and take this shadow vp,

2016For 'tis thy riuall: O thou sencelesse forme,

2017Thou shalt be worship'd, kiss'd, lou'd, and ador'd;

2018And were there sence in his Idolatry,

2019My substance should be statue in thy stead.

2020Ile vse thee kindly, for thy Mistris sake

2021That vs'd me so: or else by Ioue, I vow,

2022I should haue scratch'd out your vnseeing eyes,

2023To make my Master out of loue with thee. Exeunt.