Enter Valentine.VALENTINE How use doth breed a habit in a man! This shadowy desert, unfrequented woods, I better brook than flourishing peopled towns; Here can I sit alone, unseen of any,5 And to the nightingale’s complaining notes Tune my distresses and record my woes. O thou that dost inhabit in my breast, Leave not the mansion so long tenantless Lest, growing ruinous, the building fall10 And leave no memory of what it was. Repair me with thy presence, Sylvia; Thou gentle nymph, cherish thy forlorn swain.⌜Shouting and sounds of fighting.⌝ What hallowing and what stir is this today? These are my mates, that make their wills their law,15 Have some unhappy passenger in chase. They love me well, yet I have much to do To keep them from uncivil outrages. Withdraw thee, Valentine. Who’s this comes here?⌜He steps aside.⌝⌜Enter⌝ Proteus, Sylvia, ⌜and⌝ Julia, ⌜disguised as
Sebastian.⌝PROTEUS Madam, this service I have done for you—
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20 Though you respect not aught your servant doth— To hazard life, and rescue you from him That would have forced your honor and your love. Vouchsafe me for my meed but one fair look; A smaller boon than this I cannot beg,25 And less than this I am sure you cannot give.VALENTINE, ⌜aside⌝ How like a dream is this I see and hear! Love, lend me patience to forbear awhile.SYLVIA O miserable, unhappy that I am!PROTEUS Unhappy were you, madam, ere I came,30 But by my coming, I have made you happy.SYLVIA By thy approach thou mak’st me most unhappy.JULIA, ⌜aside⌝ And me, when he approacheth to your presence.SYLVIA Had I been seizèd by a hungry lion, I would have been a breakfast to the beast35 Rather than have false Proteus rescue me. O heaven, be judge how I love Valentine, Whose life’s as tender to me as my soul; And full as much, for more there cannot be, I do detest false perjured Proteus.40 Therefore begone; solicit me no more.PROTEUS What dangerous action, stood it next to death, Would I not undergo for one calm look! O, ’tis the curse in love, and still approved, When women cannot love where they’re beloved.SYLVIA 45 When Proteus cannot love where he’s beloved. Read over Julia’s heart, thy first best love, For whose dear sake thou didst then rend thy faith
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Into a thousand oaths; and all those oaths Descended into perjury to love me.50 Thou hast no faith left now unless thou ’dst two, And that’s far worse than none; better have none Than plural faith, which is too much by one. Thou counterfeit to thy true friend!PROTEUS In love55 Who respects friend?SYLVIA All men but Proteus.PROTEUS Nay, if the gentle spirit of moving words Can no way change you to a milder form, I’ll woo you like a soldier, at arms’ end,60 And love you ’gainst the nature of love—force you.⌜He seizes her.⌝SYLVIA O, heaven!PROTEUS I’ll force thee yield to my desire.VALENTINE, ⌜advancing⌝ Ruffian, let go that rude uncivil touch, Thou friend of an ill fashion.PROTEUS 65 Valentine!VALENTINE Thou common friend, that’s without faith or love, For such is a friend now. Treacherous man, Thou hast beguiled my hopes; nought but mine eye Could have persuaded me. Now I dare not say70 I have one friend alive; thou wouldst disprove me. Who should be trusted when one’s right hand Is perjured to the bosom? Proteus, I am sorry I must never trust thee more, But count the world a stranger for thy sake.75 The private wound is deepest. O, time most accursed, ’Mongst all foes that a friend should be the worst!
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PROTEUS My shame and guilt confounds me. Forgive me, Valentine. If hearty sorrow80 Be a sufficient ransom for offense, I tender ’t here. I do as truly suffer As e’er I did commit.VALENTINE Then I am paid, And once again I do receive thee honest.85 Who by repentance is not satisfied Is nor of heaven nor Earth, for these are pleased; By penitence th’ Eternal’s wrath’s appeased. And that my love may appear plain and free, All that was mine in Sylvia I give thee.JULIA, ⌜aside⌝ 90 O me unhappy!⌜She swoons.⌝PROTEUS Look to the boy.VALENTINE Why, boy! Why, wag, how now? What’s the matter? Look up. Speak.JULIA, ⌜as Sebastian⌝ 95O, good sir, my master charged me to deliver a ring to Madam Sylvia, which out of my neglect was never done.PROTEUS Where is that ring, boy?JULIA, ⌜as Sebastian⌝ Here ’tis; this is it.⌜She rises, and hands him a ring.⌝PROTEUS 100How, let me see. Why, this is the ring I gave to Julia.JULIA, ⌜as Sebastian⌝ O, cry you mercy, sir, I have mistook. This is the ring you sent to Sylvia.⌜She offers another ring.⌝PROTEUS But how cam’st thou by this ring? At my depart105 I gave this unto Julia.JULIA And Julia herself did give it me, And Julia herself hath brought it hither.⌜She reveals herself.⌝
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PROTEUS How? Julia!JULIA Behold her that gave aim to all thy oaths110 And entertained ’em deeply in her heart. How oft hast thou with perjury cleft the root! O, Proteus, let this habit make thee blush. Be thou ashamed that I have took upon me Such an immodest raiment, if shame live115 In a disguise of love. It is the lesser blot, modesty finds, Women to change their shapes than men their minds.PROTEUS “Than men their minds”? ’Tis true. O heaven, were man120 But constant, he were perfect; that one error Fills him with faults, makes him run through all th’ sins; Inconstancy falls off ere it begins. What is in Sylvia’s face but I may spy125 More fresh in Julia’s, with a constant eye?VALENTINE, ⌜to Julia and Proteus⌝ Come, come, a hand from either. Let me be blest to make this happy close. ’Twere pity two such friends should be long foes.⌜Valentine joins the hands of Julia and Proteus.⌝PROTEUS 130 Bear witness, heaven, I have my wish forever.JULIA And I mine.⌜Enter⌝ Thurio, Duke, ⌜and⌝ Outlaws.OUTLAWS A prize, a prize, a prize!VALENTINE Forbear, forbear, I say. It is my lord the Duke.⌜The Outlaws release the Duke and Thurio.⌝ Your Grace is welcome to a man disgraced,135 Banished Valentine.
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DUKE Sir Valentine?THURIO Yonder is Sylvia, and Sylvia’s mine.VALENTINE Thurio, give back, or else embrace thy death; Come not within the measure of my wrath.140 Do not name Sylvia thine; if once again, Verona shall not hold thee. Here she stands; Take but possession of her with a touch— I dare thee but to breathe upon my love!THURIO Sir Valentine, I care not for her, I.145 I hold him but a fool that will endanger His body for a girl that loves him not. I claim her not, and therefore she is thine.DUKE The more degenerate and base art thou To make such means for her as thou hast done,150 And leave her on such slight conditions.— Now, by the honor of my ancestry, I do applaud thy spirit, Valentine, And think thee worthy of an empress’ love. Know, then, I here forget all former griefs,155 Cancel all grudge, repeal thee home again, Plead a new state in thy unrivaled merit, To which I thus subscribe: Sir Valentine, Thou art a gentleman, and well derived; Take thou thy Sylvia, for thou hast deserved her.VALENTINE 160 I thank your Grace, the gift hath made me happy. I now beseech you, for your daughter’s sake, To grant one boon that I shall ask of you.DUKE I grant it for thine own, whate’er it be.VALENTINE These banished men, that I have kept withal,
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165 Are men endued with worthy qualities. Forgive them what they have committed here, And let them be recalled from their exile; They are reformèd, civil, full of good, And fit for great employment, worthy lord.DUKE 170 Thou hast prevailed; I pardon them and thee. Dispose of them as thou know’st their deserts. Come, let us go; we will include all jars With triumphs, mirth, and rare solemnity.VALENTINE And as we walk along, I dare be bold175 With our discourse to make your Grace to smile. ⌜Pointing to Julia.⌝ What think you of this page, my lord?DUKE I think the boy hath grace in him; he blushes.VALENTINE I warrant you, my lord, more grace than boy.DUKE 180What mean you by that saying?VALENTINE Please you, I’ll tell you as we pass along, That you will wonder what hath fortunèd.— Come, Proteus, ’tis your penance but to hear The story of your loves discoverèd.185 That done, our day of marriage shall be yours, One feast, one house, one mutual happiness.They exit.
