Antonio and Mellida

The play was entered into the Stationers' Register on 24 October 1601, and first published in quarto in 1602 by the booksellers Matthew Lownes and Thomas Fisher.

The title page of the first quarto states that the play was acted by the Children of Paul's, one of the companies of boy actors popular at the time.

In this speech, the reader learns that Andrugio is either dead or missing after a battle with the Duke of Venice and that Antonio is disguised in order to reunite himself with his lover, Mellida, daughter of Piero.

However, as soon as Andrugio exits the stage, Antonio and Mellida become unexpectedly reunited and exchange words of loving joy, which are written in Italian.

The scene transitions to the court where Andrugio presents himself to Piero, despite having a bounty on his head, in order to deliver the news that Antonio has been seemingly murdered.

Piero becomes so moved by his enemy's valor and hardship that he decides to embrace Andrugio and reward him with the promised bounty ("twenty thousand double pistolets with the endearing to my dearest love" V.ii.245).