1    Already have I been false to Valentine
2    And now I must be as unjust to Thurio.
3    Under the colour of commending him,
4    I have access my own love to prefer:
5    But Silvia is too fair, too true, too holy,
6    To be corrupted with my worthless gifts.
7    When I protest true loyalty to her,
8    She twits me with my falsehood to my friend;
9    When to her beauty I commend my vows,
10   She bids me think how I have been forsworn
11   In breaking faith with Julia whom I loved:
12   And notwithstanding all her sudden quips,
13   The least whereof would quell a lover's hope,
14   Yet, spaniel-like, the more she spurns my love,
15   The more it grows and fawneth on her still.
16   But here comes Thurio: now must we to her window,
17   And give some evening music to her ear.

18   How now, Sir Proteus, are you crept before us?

19   Ay, gentle Thurio: for you know that love
20   Will creep in service where it cannot go.

21   Ay, but I hope, sir, that you love not here.

22   Sir, but I do; or else I would be hence.

23   Who? Silvia?

24   Ay, Silvia; for your sake.

25   I thank you for your own. Now, gentlemen,
26   Let's tune, and to it lustily awhile.

27   Now, my young guest, methinks you're allycholly: I
28   pray you, why is it?

29   Marry, mine host, because I cannot be merry.

30   Come, we'll have you merry: I'll bring you where
31   you shall hear music and see the gentleman that you asked for.

32   But shall I hear him speak?

33   Ay, that you shall.

34   That will be music.

35   Hark, hark!

36   Is he among these?

37   Ay: but, peace! let's hear 'em.
38   Who is Silvia? what is she,
39   That all our swains commend her?
40   Holy, fair and wise is she;
41   The heaven such grace did lend her,
42   That she might admired be.
43   Is she kind as she is fair?
44   For beauty lives with kindness.
45   Love doth to her eyes repair,
46   To help him of his blindness,
47   And, being help'd, inhabits there.
48   Then to Silvia let us sing,
49   That Silvia is excelling;
50   She excels each mortal thing
51   Upon the dull earth dwelling:
52   To her let us garlands bring.

53   How now! are you sadder than you were before? How
54   do you, man? the music likes you not.

55   You mistake; the musician likes me not.

56   Why, my pretty youth?

57   He plays false, father.

58   How? out of tune on the strings?

59   Not so; but yet so false that he grieves my very
60   heart-strings.

61   You have a quick ear.

62   Ay, I would I were deaf; it makes me have a slow heart.

63   I perceive you delight not in music.

64   Not a whit, when it jars so.

65   Hark, what fine change is in the music!

66   Ay, that change is the spite.

67   You would have them always play but one thing?

68   I would always have one play but one thing.
69   But, host, doth this Sir Proteus that we talk on
70   Often resort unto this gentlewoman?

71   I tell you what Launce, his man, told me: he loved
72   her out of all nick.

73   Where is Launce?

74   Gone to seek his dog; which tomorrow, by his
75   master's command, he must carry for a present to his lady.

76   Peace! stand aside: the company parts.

77   Sir Thurio, fear not you: I will so plead
78   That you shall say my cunning drift excels.

79   Where meet we?

80   At Saint Gregory's well.

81   Farewell.

82   Madam, good even to your ladyship.

83   I thank you for your music, gentlemen.
84   Who is that that spake?

85   One, lady, if you knew his pure heart's truth,
86   You would quickly learn to know him by his voice.

87   Sir Proteus, as I take it.

88   Sir Proteus, gentle lady, and your servant.

89   What's your will?

90   That I may compass yours.

91   You have your wish; my will is even this:
92   That presently you hie you home to bed.
93   Thou subtle, perjured, false, disloyal man!
94   Think'st thou I am so shallow, so conceitless,
95   To be seduced by thy flattery,
96   That hast deceived so many with thy vows?
97   Return, return, and make thy love amends.
98   For me, by this pale queen of night I swear,
99   I am so far from granting thy request
100  That I despise thee for thy wrongful suit,
101  And by and by intend to chide myself
102  Even for this time I spend in talking to thee.

103  I grant, sweet love, that I did love a lady;
104  But she is dead.

Aside
105   'Twere false, if I should speak it;
106  For I am sure she is not buried.

107  Say that she be; yet Valentine thy friend
108  Survives; to whom, thyself art witness,
109  I am betroth'd: and art thou not ashamed
110  To wrong him with thy importunacy?

111  I likewise hear that Valentine is dead.

112  And so suppose am I; for in his grave
113  Assure thyself my love is buried.

114  Sweet lady, let me rake it from the earth.

115  Go to thy lady's grave and call hers thence,
116  Or, at the least, in hers sepulchre thine.

Aside
117   He heard not that.

118  Madam, if your heart be so obdurate,
119  Vouchsafe me yet your picture for my love,
120  The picture that is hanging in your chamber;
121  To that I'll speak, to that I'll sigh and weep:
122  For since the substance of your perfect self
123  Is else devoted, I am but a shadow;
124  And to your shadow will I make true love.

Aside
125   If 'twere a substance, you would, sure,
126  deceive it,
127  And make it but a shadow, as I am.

128  I am very loath to be your idol, sir;
129  But since your falsehood shall become you well
130  To worship shadows and adore false shapes,
131  Send to me in the morning and I'll send it:
132  And so, good rest.

133  As wretches have o'ernight
134  That wait for execution in the morn.

135  Host, will you go?

136  By my halidom, I was fast asleep.

137  Pray you, where lies Sir Proteus?

138  Marry, at my house. Trust me, I think 'tis almost
139  day.

140  Not so; but it hath been the longest night
141  That e'er I watch'd and the most heaviest.