He finished, indeed, his mortal act
That day that made my sister thirteen years.
Vio. If nothing lets to make us happy both,
But this my masculine usurp'd attire,
Do not embrace me, till each circumstance
Of place, time, fortune, do cohere, and jump,
That I am Viola: which to confirm,

I'll bring you to a captain in this town,

you much shame. Think of me as you please. 1 Lave

my duty a little unthought of, and speak our of my injury. The madly used MALVOLIO. Oli. Did he write this?

Clo. Ay, madam.

Duke. This savors not much of distraction. Oli. See him deliver'd, Fabian; bring him hither

[Exit FABIAN

I was preserv'd, to serve this noble count:
All the occurrence of my fortune since
Hath been between this lady and this lord.
Seb. So comes it, lady, you have been mistook:
[TO OLIVIA.

But nature to her bias drew in that.
You would have been contracted to a maid
Nor are you therein, by my life, deceived,
You are betroth'd both to a maid and man.
Duke. Be not amaz'd; right noble is his blood.
If this be so, as yet the glass seems true,
shall have share in this most happy wreck:
Boy, thou hast said to me a thousand times,
[TO VIOLA.
Thou never shouldst love woman like to me.
Vio. And all those sayings will I over-swear;
And all those swearings keep as true in soul,
As doth that orbed continent, the fire,
That severs day from night.

Duke.
Give me thy hand;
And let me see thee in thy woman's weeds.
Vio. The captain, that did bring me first on shore,
Hath my maid's garments: he, upon some action,
Is now in durance; at Malvolio's suit,
A gentleman, and follower of my lady's.
Oli. He shall enlarge him;-Fetch Malvolio
hither:-

And yet, alas, now I remember me,
They say, poor gentleman, he's much distract.

Re-enter Clown, with a Letter.

A most extracting frenzy of mine own
From my remembrance clearly banish'd his.—
How does he, sirrah?

Clo. Truly, madam, he holds Belzebub at the stave's end, as well as a man in his case may do: he has here writ a letter to you; I should have given it to you to-day morning; but as a madman's epistles are no gospels, so it skills not much, when they

are delivered.

Oli. Open it, and read it.

Clo. Look then to be well edified, when the fool delivers the madman:-By the Lord, madam,Oli. How now, art thou mad?

Clu. No, madam, I do but read madness: an your adyship will have it as it ought to be, you must allow vox.2

Oli. Pr'ythee, read i' thy right wits.

Clo. So I do, madonna; but to read his right wits, is to read thus: therefore perpend,' my prin

cess, and give ear.

Oli. Read it you, sirrah. [To FABIAN. Fab. [Reads.] By the Lord, madam, you wrong me, and the world shall know it: though you have out me into darkness, and given your drunken cousin rule over me, yet have I the benefit of my senses as well as your ladyship. I have your own letter that induced me to the semblance I put on; with the which I doubt not but to do myself much right, or

on,

To think me as well a sister as a wife,

One day shall crown the alliance on't, so please you, Here at my house, and at my proper cost.

Duke. Madam, I am most apt to embrace your offer.

Your master quits you; [To VIOLA] and, for your service done hirm,

So much against the mettle' of your sex,
So far beneath your soft and tender breeding,
And since you call'd me master for so long,
Here is my hand; you shall from this time be
Your master's mistress.

Notorious wrong.

Oli. Have I, Malvolio? no. Mal. Lady, you have. Pray you peruse that letter. You must not now deny it is your hand, Write from it, if you can, in hand, or phrase; Or say, 'tis not your seal, nor your invention: You can say none of this: Well, grant it then, And tell me. ir. the modesty of honor, Why you have given me such clear lignts of favo Bade me come smiling, and cross-gartered to you, To put on yellow stockings, and to frown Upon sir Toby, and the lighter people: And, acting this in an obedient hope, Why have you suffer'd me to be imprison'a, Kept in a dark house, visited by the priest, And made the most notorious geck,' and gull, That e'er invention play'd on? tell me why.

Oli. Alas, Malvolio, this is not my writing, Though I confess much like the character: But out of question, 'tis Maria's hand. And now I do bethink me, it was she First told me, thou wast mad; then cam'st in smiling And in such forms which here were presuppos'd Upon thee in the letter. Pr'ythee, be content: But when we know the grounds and authors of it This practice hath most shrewdly pass'd upon thee; Thou shalt be both the plaintiff and the judge Of thine own cause.

Fab.

Good madam, hear me speak
And let no quarrel, nor no brawl to come,
Taint the condition of this present hour,
Which I have wonder'd at. In hope it shall not,
Most freely I confess, myself and Toby
Set this device against Malvolio here,
Upon some stubborn and uncourteous parts

We had conceived against him: Maria writ
The letter, at sir Toby's great importance;
In recompense whereof, he hath married her.
How with a sportful malice it was follow'd,

Frame and constitution.
• Importunity.

May rather pluck on 'aughter than revenge;
If that the injuries be justly weigh'd,
That have on both sides past

Oli. Alas, poor fool! how have they baffled thee! Clo. Why, some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrown upon them. I was one, sir, in this interlude; one sir Topas, sir; but that's all one:-By the Lord, fool, I am not mad;--But do you remember? Madam, why laugh you at such a barren rascal? an you smile not, he's gagg'd: And thus the whirligig of time brings in his revenges.

Mal. I'll be revenged on the whole pack of you. [Exit.

Oli. He hath been most notoriously abused.
Duke. Pursue him, and entreat him to a peace:-
He hath not told us of the captain yet;
When that is known and golden time convents,'
A solemn combination shall be made

Of our dear souls:-Mean time, sweet sister,
We will not part from hence.-Cesario, come,
For so you shall be while you are a man:

But, when in other habits you are seen,
Orsino's mistress, and his fancy's queen. [Exeunas
SONG.

Clo. When that I was and a little tiny boy,
With hey, ho, the wind and the rain,

A foolish thing was but a toy,
For the rain it raineth every day.

But when I came to man's estate,

With hey, ho, the wind and the rain, 'Gainst knave and thief men shut their gata For the rain it raineth every day.

But when I came, alas! to wive

With hey, ho, the wind and the rain,
By swaggering could I never thrive,
For the rain it raineth every day.
But when I came unto my bed,

With hey, ho, the wind and the rain,
With toss-pots still had drunken head,
For the rain it raineth every day.

A great while ago the world begun,
With hey, ho, the wind and the rain,
But that's all one, our play is done,
And we'll strive to please you every day.
Exit

Matters of needful value. We shall write to you,
As time and our concernings shall impórtune,
How it goes with us, and do look to know
What doth befall you here. So fare you well:
To th' hopeful execution do I leave you
Of your commissions.

Ang.
Yet, give leave, my lord,
That we may bring you something on the way.
Duke. My haste may not admit it:
Nor need you, on mine honor, have to do
With any scruple: your scope is as mine own,
So to enforce or qualify the laws

As to your soul seems good:-give me your hand:
I'll privily away; I love the people,

But do not like to stage me to their eyes:
Though it do well, I do not relish well
Their loud applause, and aves vehement:
Nor do I think the man of safe discretion
That does affect it. Once more, fare you well.
Ang. The heavens give safety to your purposes!
Esc. Lead forth, and bring you back in happiness!
Duke. I thank you.-Fare you well. [Exit.
Esc. I shall desire you, sir, to give me leave
To have free speech with you; and it concerns me
To look into the bottom of my place :

A power I have, but of what strength and nature,
I am not yet instructed.

Ang. 'Tis so with me:-Let us withdraw together, And we may soon our satisfaction have Touching that point.

Lucio. Thou concludest like the sanctimonious pirate, that went to sea with the ten commandments, but scraped one out of the table.

2 Gent. Thou shalt not steal! Lucio. Ay, that he razed.

1 Gent. Why, 'twas a commandment to command the captain and all the rest from their functions; they put forth to steal: there's not a soldier of us all, that, in the thanksgiving before meat, deth relish the petition well that prays for peace. 2 Gent. I never heard any soldier dislike it. Lucio. I believe thee for, I think, thou never wast where grace was said.

2 Gent. No? a dozen times at least. 1 Gent. What? in metre?

Lucio. In any proportion,' or in any language. 1 Gent. I think, or in any religion.

Lucio. Ay! why not? Grace is grace, despite of all controversy: as, for example, thou thyself art a wicked villain, despite of all grace.

1 Gent. Well, there went but a pair of sheers between us."

Laucio. I grant; as there may between the lists

and the velvet: thou art the list.

1 Gent. And thou the velvet: thou art good velret; thou art a three-pil'd piece, I warrant thee: I had as lief be a list of an English kersey, as be

| pil'd, as thou art pil'd, for a French velvet. De I speak feelingly now?

Lucio. I think thou dost; and, indeed, with rost painful feeling of thy speech: I will, out of thine own confession, learn to begin thy health, but whilst I live, forget to drink after thee.

1 Gent. I think I have done myself wrong; have I not?

2 Gent. Yes, that thou hast; whether thou art tainted, or free.

Lucio. Behold, behold, where Madam Mitigation comes! I have purchased as many diseases under her roof, as come to

2 Gent. To what, I pray?

1 Gent. Judge.

2 Gent. To three thousand dollars a year?

1 Gent Ay, and more.

Lucio. A French crown' more.

eases in

1 Gent. Thou art always figuring me: but thou art full of error; I am sound. Lucio. Nay, not as one would say, healthy, but so sound, as things that are hollow: thy bones are hollow; impiety has made a feast of thee. Enter Bawd.

1 Gent. How now? Which of your hips has the most profound sciatica?

Bawd. Well, well; there's one yonder, arrested, and carried to prison, was worth five thousand of you all.

1 Gent. Who's that, I pray thee? Bawd. Marry sir, that's Claudio, Signior Claudio.

1 Gent. Claudio to prison! 'tis not so.

Bawd. Nay, but I know 'tis so: I saw him arrested; saw him carried away; and, which is more, within these three days his head's to be chopped off.

Lucio. But, after all this fooling, I would not have it so: art thou sure of this?

Bawd. I am too sure of it; and it is for getting Madam Julietta with child.

Lucio. Believe me, this may be: he promised to meet me two hours since; and he was ever precise in promise-keeping.

2 Gent. Besides, you know, it draws something near to the speech we had to such a purpose. 1 Gent. But most of all, agreeing with the proclamation.

Lucio. Away; let's go learn the truth of it. [Exeunt Lucio and Gentlemen. Bawd. Thus, what with the war, what with the sweat;' what with the gallows, and what with poverty, I am custom-shrunk. How now' what's the news with you?

Enter Clown.

Clown. Yonder man is carried to prison.
Bawd. Well; what has he done?
Clown. A woman.

Bawd. But what's his offence?

Clown. Groping for trouts in a peculiar river. Bawd. What, is there a maid with child by him Clown. No; but there's a woman with ma. by him: you have not heard of the proclamatior have you?

Bawd. What proclamation, man?

Clown. All houses in the suburbs of Vient must be pluck'd down.

A jest on the loss of hair by the French disease.
The sweating sickness.

4 Corona Veneris.

Bawd. And whats.. all become of those in the city? Clown. They shall stand for seed: they had gone down too, but that a wise burgher put in for

them.

Bawd. But, shall all our houses of resort in the suburbs be pulled down?

Clown. To the ground, mistress. Bawd. Why, here's a change indeed in the commonwealth: what shall become of me? Clown. Come, fear not you; good counsellors lack no clients. Though you change your place, you need not change your trade; I'll be your tapster still. Courage; there will be pity taken on you: you that have worn your eyes almost out in the service, you will be considered.

Bawd. What's to do here? Thomas Tapster, let's withdraw.

Clown. Here comes Signior Claudio, led by the provost to prison: and there's Madam Juliet.

SCENF III-The same.

[Exeunt.

Enter Provost, CLAUDIO, JULIET, and Officers. Claud. Fellow, why dost thou show me thus to the world. Bear me to prison, where I am com

mitted.

Prov. I do it not in evil disposition, But from lord Angelo by special charge.

Claud. Thus can the demi-god, Authority, Make us pay down for our offence by weight.The words of heaven; on whom it will, it will; On whom it will not, so; yet still 'tis just. Enter LUCIO.

Lucio. Why, how now, Claudio? whence comes this restraint?

Claud. From too much liberty, my Lucio, liberty:

As surfeit is the father of much fast,
So every scope by the immoderate use
Turns to restraint: Our natures do pursue
Like rats that ravin down their proper bane)
A thirsty evil; and when we drink, we die.

Lucio. If I could speak so wisely under an arrest, I would send for certain of my creditors: And yet, to say the truth, I had as lief have the foppery of freedom, as the morality of imprisonment.-What's thy offence, Claudio?

Claud. What, but to speak of would offend again. Lucio. What is it? murder?

Claud. No.

Lucio. Lechery?

Claud. Call it so.

Prov. Away, sir; you must go.

Claud. One word, good friend :-Lucio, a word with you. [Takes him aside. Lucio. A hundred, if they'll do you any good. la lechery so look'd after?

Claud. Thus stands it with me:-Upon a true contract,

I got possession of Julietta's bed;

You know the lady; she is fast my wife,
Save that we do the denunciation lack
Of outward order: this we came not to
Only for propagation of a dower
Remaining in the coffer of her friends;
From whom we thought it meet to hide our love,
Till time had made them for us. But it chances,
The stealth of our most mutual intercourse,
With character too gross, is writ on Juliet.

Lucio. With child, perhaps?
Claud. Unhappily, even so.
And the new deputy now for the duke,-
Whether it be the fault and glimpse of newness:
Or whether that the body public be
A horse whereon the governor doth ride,
Who newly in the seat, that it may know
He can command, lets it straight feel the spar:
Whether the tyranny be in his place,
Or in his eminence that fills it up,
I stagger in :-But this new governor
Awakes me all the unrolled penalties,
Which have, like unscour'd armor, hung by the
wall

So long, that nineteen zodiacs have gone round,
And none of them been worn; and for a name,
Now puts the drowsy and neglected act
Freshly on me :-'tis, surely, for a name.

Lucio. I warrant, it is: and thy head stands sc tickle on thy shoulders, that a milk-maid, if she be in love, may sigh it off. Send after the duke, and appeal to him. Claud. I have done so, but he's not to be found. I pr'ythee, Lucio, do me this kind service: This day my sister should the cloister enter, And there receive her approbation:

Acquaint her with the danger of my state;
Implore her, in my voice, that she makes friends
To the strict deputy: bid herself assay him;
I have great hope in that: for in her youth
There is a prone and speechless dialect,
Such as moves men: beside, she hath prosperous art
When she will play with reason and discourse,
And well she can persuade.

Lucio. I pray, she may; as well for the encou ragement of the like, which else would stand under grievous imposition; as for the enjoying of thy life, who I would be sorry should be thus foolishly lost at a game of tick-tack. I'll to her.

Claud. I thank you, good friend Lucio.
Lucio. Within two hours,-
Claud. Come, officer, away.

SCENE IV-A Monastery.

[Exeunt

Enter Duke and Friar THOMAS. Duke. No, holy father; throw away that thought Believe not that the dribbling dart of love Can pierce a complete bosom: why I desire thee To give me secret harbor, hath a purpose More grave and wrinkled than the aims and enda Of burning youth.

Fri. May your grace speak of it! Duke. My holy sir, none better knows than you How I have ever lov'd the life remov'd; And held in idle price to haunt assemblies, Where youth and cost, and witless bravery kcep I have deliver'd to lord Angelo (A man of stricture and firm abstinence) My absolute power and place here in Vienna, And he supposes me travell'd to Poland; For so I have st ew'd it in the common ear, And so it is receiv'd: Now, pious sir, You will demand of me, why I do this? Fri. Gladly, my lord.

Duke. We have strict statutes, and most biti

laws,

(The needful bits and curbs for head-strong steeds,) Which for these fourteen years we have let sleep Even like an o'er-grown lion in a cave,

That goes not out to prey: Now, as fond fathers