VALENTINE    Win her with gifts if she respect not words. Dumb jewels often in their silent kind More than quick words do move a woman’s mind. DUKE  But she did scorn a present that I sent her. VALENTINE A woman sometime scorns what best contents her. Send her another. Never give her o’er, For scorn […]

VALENTINE    What would your grace have me to do in this? DUKE  There is a lady of Verona here Whom I affect, but she is nice and coy, And naught esteems my aged eloquence. Now, therefore, would I have thee to my tutor – For long agone I have forgot to court; Besides, the fashion […]

DUKE  No, i’faith. She is peevish, sullen, froward, Proud, disobedient, stubborn, lacking duty, Neither regarding that she is my child Nor fearing me as if I were her father. And may I say to thee, this pride of hers Upon advice hath drawn my love from her, And where I thought the remnant of mine […]

DUKE  Nay then, no matter. Stay with me awhile. I am to break with thee of some affairs That touch me near, wherein thou must be secret. ’Tis not unknown to thee that I have sought To match my friend, Sir Thurio, to my daughter? VALENTINE    I know it well, my lord, and sure the […]

[Enter Valentine] DUKE  Sir Valentine, whither away so fast? VALENTINE    Please it your grace, there is a messenger That stays to bear my letters to my friends, And I am going to deliver them. DUKE Be they of much import? VALENTINE    The tenor of them doth but signify My health and happy being at your […]

PROTEUS       But, good my lord, do it so cunningly That my discovery be not aimed at; For love of you, not hate unto my friend, Hath made me publisher of this pretence. DUKE  Upon mine honour, he shall never know That I had any light from thee of this. PROTEUS       Adieu, my lord. Sir Valentine […]

DUKE  And that thou mayst perceive my fear of this, Knowing that tender youth is soon suggested, I nightly lodge her in an upper tower, The key whereof myself have ever kept; And thence she cannot be conveyed away. PROTEUS       Know, noble lord, they have devised a mean How he her chamber window will ascend, […]

DUKE  Proteus, I thank thee for thine honest care, Which to requite, command me while I live. This love of theirs myself have often seen, Haply, when they have judged me fast asleep, And oftentimes have purposed to forbid Sir Valentine her company and my court. But fearing lest my jealous aim might err, And […]

PROTEUS       Know, worthy prince, Sir Valentine my friend This night intends to steal away your daughter. Myself am one made privy to the plot. I know you have determined to bestow her On Thurio, whom your gentle daughter hates, And should she thus be stol’n away from you, It would be much vexation to your […]

Enter Duke, Thurio, and Proteus DUKE  Sir Thurio, give us leave, I pray, awhile. We have some secrets to confer about. [Exit Thurio] Now tell me, Proteus, what’s your will with me? PROTEUS       My gracious lord, that which I would discover The law of friendship bids me to conceal. But when I call to mind […]