First Out.
Fellows, stand fast; I see a passenger.

Sec. Out.
If there be ten, shrink ^note not, but down with 'em. Enter Valentine and Speed.

Third Out.
Stand sir, and throw us that you have about ye:
If not, we'll make you sit ^note, and rifle you.

Speed.
Sir ^note, we are undone; these are the villains
That all the travellers do ^note fear so much.

Val.
My friends,—

First Out.
That's not so, sir: we are your enemies.

Sec. Out.
Peace! ^note we'll hear him.

Third Out.
Ay, by my beard, will we, for he's a proper man.

Val.
Then know that I have little wealth ^note to lose:
A man I am cross'd with adversity;
My riches are these poor habiliments,
Of which if you should here disfurnish me,
You take the sum and substance that I have.

Sec. Out.
Whither travel you?

Val.
To Verona.

First Out.
Whence ^note came you?

Val.
From Milan.

Third Out.
Have you long sojourned there?

Val.
Some sixteen months, and longer might have stay'd,

If crooked fortune had not thwarted me.

First Out.
What, were you banish'd thence?

Val.
I was.

Sec. Out.
For what offence?

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

First Out.
Why, ne'er repent it, if it were done so.
But were you banish'd for so small a fault?

Val.
I was, and held me glad of such a doom.

Sec. Out.
Have you the tongues?

Val.
My youthful travel therein made me happy,
Or else I often had been ^note miserable.

Third Out.
By the bare scalp of Robin Hood's fat friar,
This fellow were a king for our wild faction!

First Out.

We'll have him. Sirs, a word.

Speed.

Master, be one of them; it's an honourable kind of thievery ^note.

Val.

Peace, villain!

Sec. Out.
Tell us this: have you any thing ^note to take to?

Val.

Nothing but my fortune.

Third Out.
Know, then, that some of us are gentlemen,
Such as the fury of ungovern'd youth
Thrust from the company of awful ^note men:
Myself was from Verona banished
For practising to steal away a lady,
An heir, and near allied ^note unto the duke.

Sec. Out.
And I from Mantua, for a gentleman,
Who ^note, in my mood, I stabb'd unto the heart.

First Out.
And I for such like petty crimes as these.

But to the purpose,—for we cite our faults,
That they may hold excused our lawless lives;
And partly, seeing you are beautified
With goodly shape, and by your own report
A linguist, and a man of such perfection
As we do in our quality much want,—

Sec. Out.
Indeed, because you are banish'd man,
Therefore ^note, above the rest, we parley to you:
Are you content to be our general?
To make a virtue of necessity,
And live, as we do, in this ^note wilderness?

Third Out.
What say'st thou? wilt thou? wilt thou be of our consort?
Say ay, and be the captain of us all:
We'll do thee homage and be ruled by thee,
Love thee as our commander and our king.

First Out.
But if thou scorn our courtesy, thou diest.

Sec. 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 silly women or poor passengers.

Third Out.
No, we detest such vile base practices.
Come, go with us, we'll bring thee to our crews ^note,
And show thee all the treasure we have got;
Which, with ourselves, all ^note rest at thy dispose. [Exeunt. Scene II. Milan. Outside the Duke's palace ^note, under Silvia's chamber. Enter Proteus.

Pro.
Already have I ^note been false to Valentine,
And now I must be as unjust to Thurio.
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 worthless gifts.
When I protest true loyalty to her,
She twits me with my falsehood to my friend;
When to her beauty I commend my vows,
She bids me think how I have been forsworn
In breaking faith with Julia whom I loved:
And notwithstanding all her sudden quips,
The least whereof would quell a lover's hope,
Yet, spaniel-like, the more she spurns my love,
The more it grows, and ^note fawneth on her still.
But here comes Thurio: now must we to her window,
And give some evening music to her ear. Enter Thurio and Musicians. ^note

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

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

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

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

Thu.
Who ^note? Silvia?

Pro.
Ay, Silvia; for your sake.

Thu.
I thank you for your own. Now, gentlemen,
Let's tune ^note, and to it lustily awhile. Enter, at a distance ^note, Host, and Julia in boy's clothes.

Host.

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

Jul.

Marry, mine host, because I cannot be merry.

Host.

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

Jul.

But shall I hear him speak?

Host.

Ay, that you shall.

Jul.

That will be music.

Host.

Hark, hark!

Jul.

Is he among these?

Host.

Ay: but, peace! let's hear 'em.

Song.
Who is Silvia? what is she,
  That all our swains commend her?
Holy, fair, and wise is she ^note;
  The heaven such grace did lend her,
That she might admired be.
Is she kind as she is fair?
  For beauty lives with kindness.
Love doth to her eyes repair,
  To help him of his blindess,
And, being help'd, inhabits there.
Then to Silvia let us sing,
  That Silvia is excelling;
She excels ^note each mortal thing
  Upon the dull earth dwelling:
To her let us garlands bring. ^note

Host.

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

Jul.

You mistake; the musician likes me not.

Host.

Why, my pretty youth?

Jul.

He plays false, father.

Host.

How? out of tune on the strings?

Jul.

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

Host.

You have a quick ear.

Jul.

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

Host.
I perceive you delight not in music.

Jul.

Not a whit, when it jars so.

Host.
Hark, what fine change is in the music!

Jul.

Ay, that change is the spite.

Host.
You would ^note have them always play but one thing?

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

Host.

I tell you what Launce, his man, told me,—he loved her out of all nick. ^note

Jul.

Where is Launce?

Host.

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

Jul.
Peace! stand aside: the company parts.

Pro.
Sir Thurio, fear not you ^note: I will so plead,
That you shall say my cunning drift excels.

Thu.
Where meet we?

Pro.
At Saint Gregory's well.

Thu.
Farewell. [Exeunt Thu. and Musicians. ^{note note}Enter Silvia above ^note.

Pro.
Madam, good even to your ladyship.

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

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

Sil.
Sir Proteus, as I take it.

Pro.
Sir Proteus, gentle lady, and your servant.

Sil.
What's ^note your will?

Pro.
That I may compass yours.

Sil.
You have your wish; my will is even ^note this:
That presently you hie you home to bed.

Thou subtle, perjured, false, disloyal man!
Think'st thou I am so shallow, so conceitless,
To be seduced by thy flattery,
That hast deceived so many with thy vows?
Return, return, and make thy love amends.
For me,—by this pale queen of night I swear,
I am so far from granting thy request,
That I despise thee for thy wrongful suit;
And by and by intend to chide myself
Even for this time I spend in talking to thee.

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

Jul. [Aside ^note]
'Twere false, if I should speak it;
For I am sure she is not buried.

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

Pro.
I likewise hear that Valentine is dead.

Sil.
And so suppose am I; for in his ^note grave
Assure thyself my love is buried.

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

Sil.
Go to thy lady's grave, and call hers ^note thence;
Or, at the least, in hers sepulchre thine.

Jul. [Aside ^note]
He heard not that.

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

Jul. [Aside ^note]
If 'twere a substance, you would, sure, deceive it,

And make it but a shadow, as I am.

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

Pro.
As wretches have o'ernight
That wait for execution in the morn. [Exeunt Pro. and Sil. severally ^note.

Jul.

Host, will you go?

Host.
By my halidom, I was fast asleep.

Jul.

Pray you, where lies Sir Proteus?

Host.

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

Jul.
Not so; but it hath been the longest night
That e'er I watch'd, and the most heaviest ^note. [Exeunt. ^note Scene III. [Footnote: The same. Enter Eglamour.

Egl.
This is the hour that Madam Silvia
Entreated me to call and know her mind:
There's some great matter she'ld employ me in.
Madam, madam! ^note Enter Silvia above.

Sil.
Who calls?

Egl.
Your servant and your friend;
One that attends your ladyship's command.

Sil.
Sir Eglamour, a thousand times good morrow.

Egl.
As many, worthy lady, to yourself:

According to your ladyship's impose,
I am thus early come to know what service
It is your pleasure to command me in.

Sil.
O Eglamour, thou art a gentleman,—
Think not I flatter, for I swear I do not,—
Valiant, wise ^note, remorseful, well accomplish'd:
Thou art not ignorant what dear good will
I bear unto the banish'd Valentine;
Nor how my father would enforce me marry
Vain Thurio, whom my very soul abhors ^note.
Thyself hast loved; and I have heard thee say
No grief did ever ^note come so near ^note thy heart
As when thy lady and thy true love died,
Upon whose grave thou vow'dst pure chastity.
Sir Eglamour, I would to Valentine,
To Mantua, where I hear he makes abode;
And, for the ways are dangerous to pass,
I do desire thy worthy company,
Upon whose faith and honour I repose.
Urge not my father's anger, Eglamour,
But think upon my grief, a lady's grief,
And on the justice of my flying hence,
To keep me from a most unholy match,
Which heaven and fortune still rewards ^note with plagues.
I do desire thee, even from a heart
As full of sorrows as the sea of sands,
To bear me company, and go with me:
If not, to hide what I have said to thee,
That I may venture to depart alone.

Egl.
Madam, I pity much your grievances;
Which ^note since I know they virtuously are placed,
I give consent to go along with you;
Recking ^note as little what betideth me

As much I wish all good befortune you.
When will you go?

Sil.
This evening coming ^note.

Egl.
Where shall I meet you?

Sil.
At Friar Patrick's cell,
Where I intend holy confession.

Egl.

I will not fail your ladyship. Good morrow, gentle lady.

Sil.

Good morrow, kind Sir Eglamour.