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King. But wilt thou not speak all thou know'st?[ Par. Yes, fo please your majesty: I did go be*ween them, as I faid; but more than that, he loved her, for, indeed, he was mad for her, and talk'd of Satan, and of limbo, and of furies, and I know not what: yet I was in that credit with them at that time, that I knew of their going to bed; and of other motions, as promising her marriage, and things that would derive me ill will to fpeak of, therefore I will not speak what I know.

King. Thou hast spoken all already, unless thou canft say they are marry'd: But thou art too fine1 in thy evidence; therefore stand afide.-This ring, you fay, was yours?

Dia. Ay, my good lord.

King. Where did you buy it? or who gave it you?

Dia. It was not given me, nor did I buy it.
King. Who lent it you?

Dia. It was not lent me neither.

King. Where did you find it then?
Dia. I found it not.

King. If it were yours by none of all these ways, How could you give it him?

Dia. I never gave it him.

Laf. This woman's an eafy glove, my lord; fhe goes off and on at pleasure.

King. The ring was mine, I gave it his first wife. Dia. It might be yours, or hers, for aught I know. King. Take her away, I do not like her now; To prifon with her and away with him.: Unless thou tell'ft me where thou hadft this ring, Thou dieft within this hour.

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King. I think thee now fome common cuftomer2. Dia. By Jove, if ever I knew man, 'twas you. King. Wherefore haft thou accus'd him all this while?

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Hel. No, my good lord;

'Tis but a fhadow of a wife you fee, The name, and not the thing.

Ber. Both, both; oh, pardon!

Hel. Oh, my good lord, when I was like this maid, I found you wond'rous kind. There is your ring, And, look you, here's your letter; This it fays, When from my finger you can get this ring, And are by me with child, &c.—This is done: 20 Will you be mine, now you are doubly won? Ber. If the, my liege, can make me know this clearly,

I'll love her dearly, ever, ever dearly.

Hel. If it appear not plain, and prove untrue, 25 Deadly divorce ftep between me and you! O, my dear mother, do I fee you living?

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[To the Countefs.

Laf. Mine eyes fmell onions, I fhall weep anon. -Good Tom Drum, lend me a handkerchief; [to Parolles.] So, I thank thee; wait on me home, I'll make sport with thee: Let thy courtefies alone, they are fcurvy ones.

King. Let us from point to point this story know,
To make the even truth in pleasure flow :-
If thou be'ft yet a fresh uncropped flower,

[To Diana.
Chufe thou thy husband, and I'll pay thy dower;
For I can guefs, that, by thy honest aid,
Thou kept'it a wife herself, thyself a maid.-
40 Of that, and all the progress, more and lefs,
Refolvedly more leisure shall express;
All yet feems well; and, if it end fo meet,
The bitter paft, more welcome is the fweet.
Advancing:

Dia. Because he's guilty, and he is not guilty; He knows, I am no maid, and he'll fwear to't: I'll swear, I am a maid, and he knows not. Great king, I am no ftrumpet, by my life; I am either maid, or elfe this old man's wife. 45 [Pointing to Lafu. King. She does abuse our ears; to prison with her. Dia. Good mother, fetch my bail.—Stay, royal fir: [Exit Widow. The jeweller, that owes 3 the ring, is sent for, And he fhall furety me. But for this lord, [To Bert. Who hath abus'd me, as he knows himself,

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1 Too fine, here means full of fineffe; too artful. This word is used not very properly for enchanter.

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ACT I.

SCENE I

The Duke's Palace.

Enter the Duke, Curio, and Lords.

Duke Give me excess of it; that, furfeiting,

mufick be the food of love, play on,

The appetite may ficken, and fo die.-
That strain again;-it had a dying fall:

O, it came o'er my ear like the sweet south,
That breathes upon a bank of violets,
Stealing, and giving odour.-Enough; no more;
'Tis not fo fweet now, as it was before.

O fpirit of love, how quick and fresh art thou:
That, notwithstanding thy capacity

Receiveth as the fea, nought enters there,

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Of what validity and pitch foever,

But falls into abatement and low price,

Even in a minute! fo full of shapes is fancy 2,
That it alone is high-fantastical 3.

Cur. Will you go hunt, my lord?

Duke, What, Curio?

Cur. The hart.

Duke. Why, fo I do, the nobleft that I have:
O, when my eyes did fee Olivia first,
Methought the purg'd the air of peftilence:

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Enter Valentine.

Val. So pleafe my lord, I might not be admitted,
But from her hand-maid do return this anfwer;
The element itself, till feven years hence,

10 Shall not behold her face at ample view;
But, like a cloiftrefs, fhe will veiled walk,
And water once a day her chamber round
With eye-offending brine: all this, to feason
A brother's dead love, which she would keep fresh,
15 And lafting, in her fad remembrance.

Duke. O, fhe, that hath a heart of that fine frame,
To pay this debt of love but to a brother,
How will the love, when the rich golden shaft
Hath kill'd the flock of all affections elfe

20 That live in her! when liver, brain, and heart,
Thefe fovereign thrones, are all supply'd, and fill'd,
(Her fweet perfections) with one self-fame king !—
Away before me to fweet beds of flowers;
Love-thoughts lie rich, when canopy'd with bowers.
[Exeunt.

1251

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3 i. e. fantastical to the height.

SCENE

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SCENE II.

The Street.

Enter Viola, a Captain, and Sailers. Vio. What country, friends, is this? Cap. This is Illyria, lady.

Vie. And what should I do in Illyria? My brother he is in Elyfium.

Perchance, he is not drown'd:-What think you,

failors?

Cap. It is perchance that you yourself were fav'd. Vio. O my poor brother! and so, perchance, may he be.

Cap. True, madam: and, to comfort you with chance,

Affure yourself, after our ship did split,

When you, and that poor number fav'd with you,
Hung on our driving boat, I saw your brother,

Moft provident in peril, bind himself

I pray thee, and I'll pay thee bounteously,
Conceal me what I am; and be my aid
For fuch difguife as, haply, fhall become
The form of my intent. I'll ferve this duke;
5 Thou shalt present me as an eunuch to him,
It may be worth thy pains; for I can fing,
And speak to him in many forts of mufick,
That will allow 2 me very worth his service.
What elfe may hap, to time I will commit:
10 Only fhape thou thy filence to my wit.

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Cap. Be you his eunuch, and your mute I'll be : When my tongue blabs, then let mines eyes not fee! Vio. I thank thee: Lead me on.

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(Courage and hope both teaching him the practice) 20 the death of her brother thus? I am fure, Care's

To a strong mast, that liv'd upon the sea;

Where, like Arion on the dolphin's back,

I faw him hold acquaintance with the waves,
So long as I could fee.

Vio. For faying fo, there's gold:

Mine own escape unfoldeth to my hope,
Whereto thy fpeech ferves for authority,

The like of him. Know'it thou this country?

Cap. Ay, madam, well; for I was bred and born
Not three hours travel from this very place.
Vio. Who governs here?

Cap. A noble duke in nature, as in name.
Vio. What is his name?

Cap. Orfino.

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an enemy to life.

Mar. By my troth, Sir Toby, you must come in earlier o' nights; your coufin, my lady, takes great exceptions to your ill hours.

Sir To. Why, let her except, before excepted. Mar. Ay, but you must confine yourself within the modeft limits of order.

Sir To. Confine? I'll confine myself no finer than I am: these cloathes are good enough to drink in, 30 and fo be these boots too; an they be not, let them hang themselves in their own ftraps.

Mar. That quaffing and drinking will undo you:

I heard my lady talk of it yesterday; and of a foolish knight, that you brought in one night here

Vio. Orfino! I have heard my father name him :35 to be her wooer.
He was a batchelor then.

Cap. And fo is now, or was so very late :
For but a month ago I went from hence;
And then 'twas fresh in murmur, (as, you know,
What great ones do, the lefs will prattle of)
That he did feek the love of fair Olivia.

Vio. What's the ?

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Sir To. Who? Sir Andrew Ague-check?
Mar. Ay, he.

Sir To. He's as tall 3 a man as any's in Illyria.
Mar. What's that to the purpose ?

Sir To. Why, he has three thousand ducats a year. Mar. Ay, but he'll have but a year in all these ducats; he's a very fool, and a prodigal.

Sir To. Fie, that you'll fay fo! he plays o' th' viol-de-gambo, and speaks three or four languages [her 45 word for word without book, and hath all the good gifts of nature.

Cap. A virtuous maid, the daughter of a count
That dy'd fome twelve-month fince; then leaving
In the protection of his fon, her brother,
Who fhortly alfo dy'd: for whofe dear love,
They fay, the hath abjur'd the fight

And company of men.

Vio. O, that I ferv'd that lady;

And might not be deliver'd' to the world,
'Till I had made mine own occafion mellow,
What my eftate is!

Cap. That were hard to compafs;
Because he will admit no kind of fuit,
No, not the duke's.

Vio. There is a fair behaviour in thee, captain;}
And though that nature with a beauteous wall
Doth oft clofe in pollution, yet of thee
I will believe, thou haft a mind that fuits
With this thy fair and outward character.

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Sir To. With drinking healths to my niece; I'll drink to her, as long as there's a paffage in my throat, and drink in Illyria. He's a coward, and a 60lcoystril 4, that will not drink to my niece, till his 3 Tall means fout, courageous. 4 Mr. Steevens explains coyftril to mean a coward cock, or a baftard hawk; while Mr. Tollet fays, it implies a paltry groom, one only fit to carry arms, but not to use them.

That is, made public to the world.

2 i. e. approve.

brains turn o' the toe like a parish-top'. What,] wench? Caftiliano volgo 2; for here comes Sir Andrew Ague-face.

Enter Sir Andrew.

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Sir And. An I thought that, I'd forfwear it. I'll

Sir And. Sir Toby Belch! how now, Sir Toby 5 ride home to-morrow, fir Toby. Belch?

Sir To. Sweet fir Andrew!

Sir And. Blefs you, fair fhrew.

Mar. And you too, fir.

Sir Ta. Accoft, fir Andrew, accost.

Sir And. What's that?

Sir To. My niece's chamber-maid.

Sir And. Good mistress Accoft, I defire better acquaintance.

Mar. My name is Mary, fir.

Sir And. Good Mrs. Mary Accoft,

Sir To. You mistake, knight: accoft, is, front her, board her, woo her, affail her.

Sir And. By my troth, I would not undertake her in this company. Is that the meaning of accoft? Mar. Fare you well, gentlemen.

Sir To. An thou let part fo, fir Andrew, would thou might'ft never draw sword again.

Sir To. Pourquoy, my dear knight?

Sir And. What is pourquey do, or not do? I would I had bestowed that time in the tongues, that I have in fencing, dancing, and bear-baiting: 100, had I but follow'd the arts!

Sir To. Then hadft thou had an excellent head of hair.

Sir And. Why, would that have mended my hair? Sir To. Paft question; for thou feest, it will not 15 curl by nature.

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Sir And. An you part fo, mistress, I would I might never draw sword again! Fair lady, do you 25 think you have fools in hand?

Mar. Sir, I have not you by the hand.

Sir And. Marry, but you shall have; and here's my hand.

Sir And. But it becomes me well enough, does't not?

Sir To. Excellent! it hangs like flax on a diftaff; and I hope to fee a housewife take thee between her legs, and fpin it off.

Sir And. 'Faith, I'll home to-morrow, Sir Toby: your niece will not be feen; or, if the be, t's four to one she'll none of me; the count himfelf, here hard by, wooes her.

Sir To. She'll none o' the count; she'll not match above her degree, neither in estate, years, nor wit; I have heard her fwear it. Tut, there's life in't, man. Sir And. I'll stay a month longer. I am a fellow o' the ftrangest mind i' the world; I delight

Mar. Now, fir, thought is free: I pray you, 30 in mafques and revels fometimes altogether. bring your hand to the buttery-bar, and let it drink.

Sir And. Wherefore, sweet-heart? what's your metaphor ?

Mar. It's dry, fir 3.

Sir To. Art thou good at these kick-fhaws, knight?

Sir And. As any man in Illyria, whatsoever he be, under the degree of my betters; and yet I will

Sir And. Why, I think fo; I am not fuch an 35 not compare with an old man. afs, but I can keep my hand dry. But what's your

jeft?

Mar. A dry jeft, fir.

Sir And. Are you full of them?

Mar. Ay, fir; I have them at my fingers' ends :40 marry, now I let go your hand, I am barren.

[Exit Maria. Sir To. O knight, thou lack'st a cup of canary; When did I fee thee fo put down?

Sir And. Never in your life, I think; unlefs you fee canary put me down: Methinks, fometimes I have no more wit than a chriftian, or an ordinary

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Sir To. What, is thy excellence in a galliard, knight?

Sir And. 'Faith, I can cut a caper.

Sir To. And I can cut the mutton to't.

Sir And. And, I think, I have the back-trick, fimply as ftrong as any man in Illyria.

Sir To. Wherefore are these things hid? wherefore have these gifts a curtain before them? Are they like to take duft, like miftrefs Mall's picture4? why doft thou not go to church in a galliard, and come home in a coranto? My very walk [hould be a jig; I would not fo much as make

1 It was anciently the custom to keep a large top in every village, to be whipped in frofty weather, as well to warm the peasants by exercise, as to keep them out of mischief, while they could not work. 2 Dr. Warburton thinks, we should read volto; the meaning will then be in English, Put on your Caffilian countenance; that is, your grave folemn looks. Mr. Malone obferves, that Caftilian feems to have been a cant term for a finical affected courtier. 3 That is, not a lover's hand; a moift hand being vulgarly deemed a fign of an amorous conftitution. 4 Shakspeare is here fuppofed to allude to one Mary Frith, more generally known by the appellation of Mall Cut-purse; and of whom Mr. Grainger gives the following account in his Biographical Hiftory of England. She was commonly fupposed to have been an hermaphrodite, and practifed, or was inftrumental to almoft every crime and wild frolic which is notorious in the most abandoned and eccentric of both fexes. She was infamous as a prostitute and a procurefs, a fortune-teller, a pick-pocket, a thief, and a receiver of stolen goods. Her moft fignal exploit was robbing General Fairfax upon Hounslow Heath, for which she was fent to Newgate, but was, by the proper application of a large fum of money, foon fet at liberty. She died of the dropfy, in the 75th year of her age, but would probably have died fooner, if he had not fmoaked tobacco, in the frequent ufe of which he had long indulged herself.”

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