Val. As much to you at home! and so, farewel!

[Exit.

Pro. He after honour hunts, I after love:
He leaves his friends, to dignify them more;
I leave myself, my friends, and all for love.
Thou, Julia, thou hast metamorphos'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.

Enter SPEED.

Speed. Sir Protheus, save you: Saw you my

master ?

71

Pro. But now he parted hence to embark for Milan.
Speed. Twenty to one then, he is shipp'd already;

And I have play'd the sheep, in losing him.

Pro. Indeed, a sheep doth very often stray,

An if the shepherd be a while away.

Speed. You conclude, that my master is a shepherd

then, and I a sheep?

Pro. I do.

Speed. Why then my horns are his horns, whether I wake or sleep.

Pro. A silly answer, and fitting well a sheep.

Speed. This proves me still a sheep.

81

Pro. True; and thy master a shepherd.
Speed. Nay, that I can deny by a circumstance.
Pro. It shall go hard, but I'll prove it by another.

Speed. The shepherd seeks the sheep, and not the
sheep

2

sheep the she master seeks

Pro. The the shepherd for wages foll follows not th

Speed. Suc Pro. But d

Julia

Speed. Ay, to her, a lac gave me, a lo Pro. Here'

muttons.

Speed. If t best stick her. Pro. Nay, pound you.

Speed. Nay, for carrying y Pro. You m

Speed. From

sheep the shepherd; but I seek my master, and my master seeks not me: therefore I am no sheep. 89 Pro. The sheep for fodder follows the shepherd, the shepherd for the food follows not the sheep; thou for wages followest thy master, thy master for wages follows not thee: therefore thou art a sheep.

Speed. Such another proof will make me cry baâ. Pro. But dost thou hear? gav'st thou my letter to

Julia ?

Speed. Ay, sir: I, a lost mutton, gave your letter to her, a lac'd mutton; and she, a lac'd mutton, gave me, a lost mutton, nothing for my labour.

Pro. Here's too small a pasture for such a store of

muttons.

100

Speed. If the ground be overcharg'd, you were best stick her.

Pro. Nay, in that you are a stray; 'twere best pound you.

Speed. Nay, sir, less than a pound shall serve me for carrying your letter.

Pro. You mistake; I mean the pound, a pinfold. Speed. From a pound to a pin? fold it over and

over,

Tis threefold too little for carrying a letter to your

lover.

Pro. But what said she? did she nod?

Speed. I.

Pro. Nod, I why, that's noddy.

B

110

[SPEED nods.

Speed.

Speed. You mistook, sir; I said, she did nod: and you ask me, if she did nod; and I said, I. Pro. And that set together, is-noddy.

Speed. Now you have taken the pains to set it to gether, take it for your pains.

Pro. No, no, you shall have it for bearing the letter.

Speed. Well, I perceive, I must be fain to bear with you.

Pro. Why, sir, how do you bear with me?

121

Speed. Marry, sir, the letter very orderly; having

nothing but the word noddy for my pains.

Pro. Beshrew me, but you have a quick wit.
Speed. And yet it cannot overtake your slow purse.
Pro. Come, come, open the matter in brief:

What said she ?

Speed. Open your purse; that the money, and the matter, may be both at once deliver'd.

130

Pro. Well, sir, here is for your pains: What said she?

Speed. Truly, sir, I think you'll hardly win her. Pro. Why? Could'st thou perceive so much from her?

Speed. Sir, I could perceive nothing at all from her; no, not so much as a ducket for delivering your letter: And being so hard to me that brought your mind, I fear, she'll prove as hard to you in telling her mind. Give her no token but stones; for she's as hard as steel..

Pro. What, said she nothing

141

Speed.

Speed. No, not so much as take this for thy pains. To testify your bounty, I thank you, you have testern'd me; in requital whereof, henceforth carry your letters yourself: and so, sir, I'll commend you to my master.

Pro. Go, go, be gone, to save your ship from wreck;

Which cannot perish, having thee aboard,
Being destin'd 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.

150

SCENE II.

[Exeunt severally.

Changes to JULIA's Chamber. Enter JULIA, and

LUCETTA.

Jul. But say, Lucetta, now we are alone, Would'st thou then counsel me to fall in love?

Luc. Ay, madam; so you stumble not unheedfully.

Jul. Of all the fair resort of gentlemen,

That every day with parle encounter me,

In thy opinion which is worthiest love?

Juc. Please you, repeat their names, I'll shew my

mind

160

According to my shallow simple skill.

Jul. What think'st thou of the fair Sir Eglamour?

Luc. Tha

Jul. Say,

Luc. Sir

Pre

He would ha

Did in you

pra

Luc. As of a knight well spoken, neat and fine;
But, were I you, he never should be mine.
Jul. What think'st thou of the rich Mercatio ?
Luc. Well, of his wealth; but, of himself, so, so.
Jul. What think'st thou of the gentle Protheus ?
• Luc. Lord, lord! to see what folly reigns in us!
Jul. How now? what means this passion at his
169

name?

Luc. Pardon, dear madam; 'tis a passing shame, That I, unworthy body as I am,

Should censure thus on lovely gentlemen.

Jul. Why not on Protheus, as of all the rest?
Luc. Then thus-of many good, I think him best.

Jul. Your reason?

Luc. I have no other but a woman's reason;

I think him so, because I think him so.

Jul. And would'st thou have me cast my love on

him?

Jul. Now Dare you pre

To whisper Now, trust n

And you an
There, take
Or else retur

Luc. To pl
Jul. Will

Luc. That

178

Jul. And It were a shar

Luc. Ay, if you thought your love not cast away.
Jul. Why, he of all the rest hath never mov'd me.
Luc. Yet he of all the rest, I think best loves ye.
Jul. His little speaking shews his love but small.
Luc. Fire, that is closest kept, burns most of all.
Jul. They do not love, that do not shew their

love.

Luc. Oh, they love least, that let men know their

And pray her
What fool is
And would n
Since maids,
Which they w
Fie, fiet how
That, like a
And presently
How churlish
When willing
How angerly