Of place, time, fortune, do cohere and jump, I'll bring you to a Captain in this town Where lie my maid's weeds; (21) by whofe gentle help I was preferr'd to ferve this noble Duke. All the occurrence of my fortune fince Hath been between this Lady, and this Lord. But Nature to her bias drew in that. I shall have share in this moft happy wreck. Duke. Give me thy hand, And let me fee thee in thy woman's weeds. (21) by whofe gentle help I was preferv'd to firve this noble Duke.] Tho' this be fenfe, and poffeffes all the printed copies, yet I fufpect, from the fimilitude in the two words preferv'd and ferve (a fameness of found, which Shakespeare would, probably, have avoided;) the copyifts, or men at prefs, committed a flight mistake. When the Captain and Viola first appear upon the Stage, the fays to him; Fll ferve this Duke; Thou shalt prefent me, &c. I therefore believe, the Author wrote, as I have reform'd the Text; by whofe gentle help I was preferr'd to ferve this noble Duke; So in The Taming of the Sbrew; -- If you, Hortenfio, Or, Signor Gremie, you know any fuch, Prefer them hither. So, in Julius Cæfar; 07. Fellow, wilt thou bestow thy time with me? Stra, Ay, if Messale will prefer me to you, G. &f, H 5 Vie Vio, The captain, that did bring me first on shore, Hath m my maid's garments: he upon fome action 1s now in durance, at Malvolio's fuit, A gentleman and follower of my Lady's." Enter the Clown with a letter, and Fabian. A moft extracting frenzy of mine own " Clo. Truly, Madam, he holds Belzebub at the flave's end, as well as a man in his cafe may do; h'as here writ a letter to you, I fhould have giv'n it you to-day morning. But as a mad-man's epiftles are no gofpels, fo it fkills not much, when they are deliver❜d.. Oli. Open't, and read it. Clo. Look then to be well edify'd, when the fool delivers the mad-man-By the Lord, Madam, Oli. How now, art mad? [Reads. Clo. No, Madam, I do but read madness: an your Ladyship will have it as it ought to be, you must. allow Vox. الله Oli. Pr'ythee, read it, i'thy right wits. Clo. So I do, Madona; but to read his right wits is to read thus: therefore perpend, my Princefs, and give ear. Oli. Read it you, firrah. " [To Fabian. Fab. [Reads.] By the Lord, Madam, you wrong me, and the world fall know it: though you have put me into darkness, and given your drunken uncle rule over me, yet have I the benefit of my fenfes as well as your Ladyship. I bave your own letter, that induced me to the femblance I put on; with the which, I doubt not, but to do myself? much right, or you much shame think of me as you pleafe: I leave my duty a little unthonght of, and speak out The madly us'd Malvolio.. of my injury, Oli. Did he write this? Duke This favours not much of diftraction. Oli, See him deliver'd, Fabian; bring him hither, My Lord, fo please you, these things further thought on, To think me as well a fifter, as a wife; One day fhall crown th' alliance on't, fo pleafe you, Here at my house, and at my proper coft.. Duke. Madam, I am most apt t'embrace your offer. Your mafter quits you; and for your fervice done him,. So much against the metal of your fex, [To Viol.. So far beneath your foft and tender breeding; (And fince you call'd me master for fo long,) Here is my hand, you shall from this time be Your mafter's mistress. Oli. A fifter, -you are she.. Enter Malvolio. Duke. Is this the madman ? Oli. Ay, my Lord, the fame: how now, Malvolio? Mal. Madam, you have done me wrong, notorious Oli. Have I, Malvolio? no. [wrong.. Mal. Lady, you have; pray you perufe that letter. You must not now deny it is. your hand. Write from it if you can, in hand or phrafe; Or fay, 'tis not your feal, nor your invention; You can fay none of this. Well, grant it then; And tell me in the modefty of honour, Why you have given me fuch clear lights of favour, First told me, thou waft mad; then cam't thou fmiling,. And And in fuch forms which here were presuppos'd Fab. Good Madam, hear me fpeak; And let no quarrel, nor no brawl to come, 1.8 Upon fome stubborn and uncourteous parts Oli. Alas, poor fool! how have they baffled thee? Clo. Why, fome are born great, some atchieve greatness, and fome have greatness thrust upon them. I was one, Sir, in this interlude; one Sir Topas, Sir: but that's all by the Lord, fool, I am not mad; but do you remember, Madam, why laugh you at fuch a barren rafcal? an you Smile not, he's gagg'd: and thus the whirl-gigg of time brings in his revenges. one: Mal. I'll be reveng'd on the whole pack of you. [Exit. Duke. Purfue him, and intreat him to a peace: Of our dear fouls. Mean time, fweet fifter,' [Exeunt Clown |