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Two Gentlemen of Verona (Folio 1, 1623)

Author: William Shakespeare
Not Peer Reviewed
Actus Quartus. Scœna Prima.
Enter Valentine, Speed, and certaine Out-lawes.
15451. Out-l. Fellowes, stand fast: I see a passenger.
2. Out. If there be ten, shrinke not, but down with 'em.
3. Out. Stand sir, and throw vs that you haue about 'ye.
If not: we'll make you sit, and rifle you.
Sp. Sir we are vndone; these are the Villaines
1550That all the Trauailers doe feare so much.
Val. My friends.
1. Out. That's not so, sir: we are your enemies.
2. Out. Peace: we'll heare him.
3. Out. I by my beard will we: for he is a proper man.
1555Val. Then know that I haue little wealth to loose;
A man I am, cross'd with aduersitie:
My riches, are these poore habiliments,
Of which, if you should here disfurnish me,
You take the sum and substance that I haue.
15602. Out. Whether trauell you?
Val. To Verona.
1. Out. Whence came you?
Val. From Millaine.
3. Out. Haue you long soiourn'd there?
1565 Val. Some sixteene moneths, and longer might haue
If crooked fortune had not thwarted me.
1. Out. What, were you banish'd thence?
Val. I was.
2. Out. For what offence?
1570Val. For that which now torments me to rehearse;
I kil'd a man, whose death I much repent,
But yet I slew him manfully, in fight,
Without false vantage, or base treachery.
1. Out. Why nere repent it, if it were done so;
1575But were you banisht for so small a fault?
Val. I was, and held me glad of such a doome.
2. Out. Haue you the Tongues?
Val. My youthfull trauaile, therein made me happy,
Or else I often had beene often miserable.
15803. Out. By the bare scalpe of Robin Hoods fat Fryer,
This fellow were a King, for our wilde faction.
1. Out. We'll haue him: Sirs, a word.
Sp. Master, be one of them:
It's an honourable kinde of theeuery.
1585Val. Peace villaine.
2. Out. Tell vs this: haue you any thing to take to?
Val. Nothing but my fortune.
3. Out. Know then, that some of vs are Gentlemen,
Such as the fury of vngouern'd youth
1590Thrust from the company of awfull men.
My selfe was from Verona banished,
For practising to steale away a Lady,
And heire and Neece, alide vnto the Duke.
2. Out. And I from Mantua, for a Gentleman,
1595Who, in my moode, I stab'd vnto the heart.
1. Out. And I, for such like petty crimes as these.
But to the purpose: for we cite our faults,
That they may hold excus'd our lawlesse liues;
And partly seeing you are beautifide
1600With goodly shape; and by your owne report,
A Linguist, and a man of such perfection,
As we doe in our quality much want.
2. Out. Indeede because you are a banish'd man,
Therefore, aboue the rest, we parley to you:
1605Are you content to be our Generall?
To make a vertue of necessity,
And liue as we doe in this wildernesse?
3. Out. What saist thou? wilt thou be of our consort?
Say I, and be the captaine of vs all:
1610We'll doe thee homage, and be rul'd by thee,
Loue thee, as our Commander, and our King.
1. Out. But if thou scorne our curtesie, thou dyest.
2. Out. Thou shalt not liue, to brag what we haue of-
Val. I take your offer, and will liue with you, (fer'd.
1615Prouided that you do no outrages
On silly women, or poore passengers.
3. Out. No, we detest such vile base practises.
Come, goe with vs, we'll bring thee to our Crewes,
And show thee all the Treasure we haue got;
1620Which, with our selues, all rest at thy dispose.
Exeunt.