APPENDIX C

The Text of the Present Edition

The earliest known text of The Two Gentlemen of Verona is that of the First Folio of 1623.

By permission of the Oxford University Press, the text of the present edition is that of the Oxford Shakespeare edited by W. J. Craig. Departures from Craig's text, and from that of the First Folio, are indicated below.

1. Minor changes in spelling and pronunciation have not been listed.

2. Craig's text and the present one follow the division into acts and scenes indicated in the First Folio; but the Latin designations in the Folio (e.g. Actus primus, Scena prima) are replaced by English equivalents.

In the First Folio the Dramatis Personæ ('The names of all the Actors') appear at the end of the play.

3. The stage-directions and list of dramatis personæ of the First Folio have been restored as far as possible, all additions being enclosed within square brackets. Aside from editorial additions within brackets, the stage-directions of the present edition differ from those of the First Folio only in the following instances, the readings of the Folio appearing after the colons:

I. iii. 91 S.d. Exeunt.: Exeunt. Finis.

II. iv. 215 S.d. [Exit.]: Exeunt.

III. i. 398 S.d. [Exit.]: Exeunt.

IV. iv. 212 S.d. [Exit.]: Exeunt.

V. ii. 7 S.d. [Jul. Aside.]: Pro.

13 S.d. [Jul. Aside.]: Thu.

56 S.d. [Exit.]: Exeunt.

4. In the text of the speeches the present edition departs from the text of Craig, and restores the readings of the First Folio, in the following instances, Craig's readings appearing after the colons:

I. i. 117–119 Speed. [Nodding.] Ay.: [Speed nods.] Did she nod? Speed. Ay.

ii. 51 'fool: fool

II. iii. 20 in it: in

iv. 96 pair: pairs

197 [eye]: eye

v. 57 alehouse: alehouse so

57 an: a

III. i. 329 [kissed]: kissed

IV. iv. 6 I would: would I

92 Well,: Well, well,

5. In the present edition, and in that of Craig, the text of the speeches departs from the text of the First Folio in the following instances, the readings of the Folio appearing after the colons:

I. i. 65 leave: love

77 a sheep: Sheepe

155 testerned: cestern'd

ii. 93 your: you

iii. 88 father calls: Fathers call's

II. iii. 42 tied: tide

43 tied that ever any man tied.: Tide, that euer any man tide.

45 tied: tide

59 tied: tide

iv. 63 know: knew

109 mistress: a Mistresse

167 makes: make

197 Is it: It is

197 Valentinus': Valentines

v. 2 Milan: Padua

43 that my: that that my

III. i. 81 of Verona: in Verona

149 would be: should be

IV. i. 35 miserable: often miserable

49 An heir, and near: And heire and Neece,

ii. 116 his: her

iii. 17 abhors: abhor'd

iv. 61 hangman: Hangmans

76 thou: thee

80 to leave: not leaue

V. ii. 32 Sir Eglamour: Eglamoure

iv. 67 trusted now,: trusted