VALENTINE    Then speak the truth by her; if not divine, Yet let her be a principality, Sovereign to all the creatures on the earth. PROTEUS       Except my mistress. VALENTINE Sweet, except not any, Except thou wilt except against my love. PROTEUS Have I not reason to prefer mine own? VALENTINE And I will help thee […]

PROTEUS       Enough. I read your fortune in your eye. Was this the idol that you worship so? VALENTINE    Even she; and is she not a heavenly saint? PROTEUS No. But she is an earthly paragon. VALENTINE Call her divine. PROTEUS I will not flatter her. VALENTINE O flatter me, for love delights in praises. PROTEUS […]

VALENTINE   For in revenge of my contempt of love Love hath chased sleep from my enthralled eyes, And made them watchers of mine own heart’s sorrow. O gentle Proteus, love’s a mighty lord, And hath so humbled me as I confess There is no woe to his correction, Nor to his service no such joy […]

VALENTINE    How does your lady? And how thrives your love? PROTEUS       My tales of love were wont to weary you. I know you joy not in a love-discourse. VALENTINE Ay, Proteus, but that life is altered now. I have done penance for contemning love, Whose high imperious thoughts have punished me With bitter fasts, with […]

SERVANT        Madam, my lord your father would speak with you. SILVIA             I wait upon his pleasure. [Exit Servant] Come, Sir Thurio, Go with me. Once more, new servant, welcome. I’ll leave you to confer of home affairs. When you have done, we look to hear from you. PROTEUS       We’ll both attend upon your ladyship. […]

VALENTINE    Welcome, dear Proteus. Mistress, I beseech you Confirm his welcome with some special favour. SILVIA His worth is warrant for his welcome hither, If this be he you oft have wished to hear from. VALENTINE Mistress, it is. Sweet lady, entertain him To be my fellow servant to your ladyship. SILVIA Too low a […]

SILVIA Nay, then he should be blind, and being blind, How could he see his way to seek out you? VALENTINE    Why, lady, love hath twenty pair of eyes. THURIO          They say that love hath not an eye at all. VALENTINE To see such lovers, Thurio, as yourself. Upon a homely object, love can wink. […]

DUKE  Welcome him then according to his worth. Silvia, I speak to you, and you, Sir Thurio; For Valentine, I need not cite him to it. I will send him hither to you presently. [Exit] VALENTINE    This is the gentleman I told your ladyship Had come along with me, but that his mistress Did hold […]

DUKE  Beshrew me, sir, but if he make this good He is as worthy for an empress’ love As meet to be an emperor’s counsellor. Well, sir, this gentleman is come to me With commendation from great potentates, And here he means to spend his time awhile. I think ’tis no unwelcome news to you. […]

DUKE  You know him well? VALENTINE    I knew him as myself, for from our infancy We have conversed and spent our hours together, And though myself have been an idle truant, Omitting the sweet benefit of time To clothe mine age with angel-like perfection, Yet hath Sir Proteus (for that’s his name) Made use and […]