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Val. I was.

2 Out. For what offence?

Val. For that, which now torments me to rehearse:
I kill'd a man, whofe death I much repent;
But yet I flew him manfully in fight,
Without false vantage or bafe treachery.

1 Out. Why ne'er repent it, if it were done fo.
But were you banish'd for fo fmall a fault?
Val. I was, and held me glad of fuch a doom.
Out. Have you the tongues?

Val. My youthful travel therein made me happy, Or elfe I often had been miferable.

3 Out. By the bare fcalp of Robin Hood's fat friar, This fellow were a king for our wild faction. * Out. We'll have him. Sirs, a word.

Speed. Mafter, be one of them: it's an honourable kind of thievery

Val. Peace, villain.

2 Out. Tell us this; have you any thing to take to? Val. Nothing, but my fortune.

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Out. Know then, that fome of us are gentlemen,

Such as the fury of ungovern'd youth

Thrust from the company of awful men ;
Myself was from Verona banish'd,
For practifing to steal away a lady,
An heir, and neice ally'd unto the Duke.

2 Out. And I from Mantua, for a gentleman Whom, in my mood, I ftabb'd unto the heart.

1 Out. And I for fuch like petty crimes as thefe. But to the purpofe; for we cite our faults, That they may hold excus'd our lawless lives; And, partly, seeing you are beautify'd With goodly fhape, and by your own report A linguit; and a man of fuch perfection, As we do in our quality much want.;

2 Out. Indeed, because you are a banish'd man, Therefore, above the reft, we parley to you; VOL. I.

Are

Are you content to be our General ?

To make a virtue of neceffity,

And live, as we do, in the wilderness?

3 Out. What fay't thou? wilt thou be of our

confort?

Say, ay; and be the captain of us all:

We'll do thee homage, and be rul'd by thee;
Love thee as our commander, and our king.

1 Out. But if thou scorn our courtesie, thou dy'st. 2 Out. Thou shalt not live to brag what we have offer'd.

Val. I take your offer, and will live with you; Provided, that you do no outrages

On filly women, or poor paffengers,

3 Out. No, we deteft fuch vile base practices. Come, go with us, we'll bring thee to our crews. And fhew thee all the treasure we have got; Which, with ourselves, fhall reft at thy difpofe.

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[Exeunt.

Changes to an open Place, under Silvia's Jedes Apartment, in Milan.

Enter Protheus.

Pro. And now I must be as unjust to Thurio. Lready I've been falfe to Valentine,

Under the colour of commending him,

I have access my own love to prefer:
But Silvia is too fair, too true, too holy,
To be corrupted with my worthlefs gifts.
When I protest true loyalty to her,

She twits me with my falfhood to my
friend;
When to her beauty I commend my vows,
She bids me think, how I have been forfworn
In breaking faith with Julia whom I lov❜d...

And,

And, notwithstanding all her fudden quips,
The leaft whereof would quell a lover's hope,
Yet, fpaniel-like, the more fhe fpurns my love,
The more it grows, and fawneth on her ftill.

But here comes Thurio: now muft we to her window,
And give some evening mufick to her ear.

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Enter Thurio and Muficians.

Thu. How now, Sir Protheus, are you crept before us?

Pro. Ay, gentle Thario; for, you know, that love Will creep in service where it cannot go.

Thu. Ay, but I hope, Sit, that you love not here. Pro. Sir, but I do; or elfe I would be hence. Thu. Whom, Silvia?

Pro. Ay, Silvia, for your fake.

Thu. I thank you, for your own: now, gentlemen, Let's tune, and to it luftily a while.

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Enter Hoft, and Julia in boy's cloaths...

Hoft. Now, my young gueft, methinks, you're ally. cholly: I pray you, why is it?

Jul. Marry, mine hoft, because I cannot be merry. Hoft. Come, we'll have you merry; I'll bring you where you shall hear mufick, and fee the gentleman that you ask'd for.

Jul. But fhall I hear him speak?

Hoft. Ay, that you fhall.

Jul. That will be mufick.

Hoft. Hark, hark!

Jul. Is he among these?

Hoft. Ay; but peace, let's hear 'em.

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SON G. nach Fol ma

Who is Silvia? what is fhe,

That all our fwains commend her?
Holy, fair, and wife is fhe;

The heav'n fuch grace did lend her,
That he might admired be.

Is fhe kind, as he is fair?
For beauty lives with kindness.
< Love doth to her eyes repair,
To help him of his blindness:
And, being help'd, inhabits there.

Then to Silvia let us fing,

That Silvia is excelling;
She excels each mortal thing
Upon the dull earth dwelling:
To her let us garlands bring.

Hoft. How now? are you fadder than you were
before? how do you, man? the mufick likes you not.
Jul. You miftake; the musician likes me not.
Hoft. Why, my pretty youth?

Jul. He plays falfe, father,

Hoft. How, out of tune on the ftrings?

Jul. Not fo; but yet fo falfe, that he grieves my very heart-ftrings.

Hoft. You have a quick ear.

ful. Ay, I would I were deaf! it makes me have a flow heart.

T

Hoft. I perceive, you delight not in mufick. #OT
Jul. Not a whit, when it Jars fo.
soub ст
Hoft. Hark, what fine change is in the mufick.
ful. Ay; that change is the fpight.

Hoft. You would have them always play but one thing? tauto

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ful. I would always have one play but one thing.

But,

The Two Gentlemen of Verona.

But, hoft, doth this Sir Protheus, that we talk on,
Often refort unto this gentlewoman?

Hoft. I tell you what Launce, his

lov'd her out of all nick.

Jul. Where is Launce?

man, told me, he

Hoft. Gone to feek his dog, which to-morrow, by his master's command, he must carry for a prefent to his lady.

Jul. Peace, ftand afide, the company parts.
Pro. Sir Thurio, fear not you; I will fo plead,
That you fhall fay, my cunning drift excels.
Thu. Where meet we?
Pro. At St. Gregory's well.

Thu. Farewel.

[Exeunt Thurio and Mufick.

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Pro. Madam, good even to your ladyship.
5. Sil. I thank you for your mufick, gentlemen:
Who is that, that spake?

Pro. One, lady, if you knew his pure heart's truth,
You'd quickly learn to know him by his voice.
Sil. Sir Protheus, as I take it.

Pro. Sir Protheus, gentle lady, and your fervant.
Sil. What is your will?

Pro. That I may compass yours.

Sil. You have your with; my will is even this,
That prefently you hie you home to bed.
Thou fubtle, perjur'd, falfe, disloyal man?
Think'ft thou, I am fo fhallow, fo conceitless,
To be feduced by thy flattery,

That haft deceiv'd fo many with thy vows?
Return, return, and make thy love amends.

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1 lov'd her out of all nick.] i. e. out of all count: that is, extravagantly. A phrafe taken from accounts when calculations were made by nicking on numbers upon a ftick.

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