Oli. O, do not swear; Hold little faith, though thou hast too much to fear. Enter Sir Andrew Ague-cheek, with his head broke. Sir And. For the love of heaven, a surgeon; send one presently to Sir Toby. Oli. What's the matter? Sir And. He has broke my head across, and has given Sir Toby a bloody coxcomb too: for the love of heaven, your help: I had rather than forty pound I were at home. Oli. Who has done this, Sir Andrew? Sir And. The count's gentleman, one Cesario: we took him for a coward, but he's the very devil incardinate. Duke. My gentleman, Cesario! Sir And. Od's lifelings, here he is:-You broke my head for nothing; and that that I did, I was set on to do't by Sir Toby. Vio. Why do you speak to me? I never hurt you: You drew your sword upon me, without cause; But I bespake you fair, and hurt you not. Sir And. If a bloody coxcomb be a hurt, you have hurt me; I think, you set nothing by a bloody coxcomb. Enter Sir Toby Belch, drunk, led by the Clown. Here comes Sir Toby halting, you shall hear more: but if he had not been in drink, he would have tickled you othergates 1 than he did. D. How now, gentleman? how is't with you? Sir To. That's all one; he has hurt me, and there's the end on 't. -Sot, did'st see Dick surgeon, sot? Clo. O he's drunk, Sir Toby, an hour agone; his eyes were set at eight i' the morning. Seb. Do I stand there? I never had a brother; Nor can there be that deity in my nature Of here and everywhere. I had a sister, [vour'd:Whom the blind waves and surges have de [To Viola.] Of charity, what kin are you to me? What countryman? what name? what parentage? Vio. Of Messaline: Sebastian was my father; Such a Sebastian was my brother too, So went he suited to his watery tomb: If spirits can assume both form and suit, You come to fright us. Seb. A spirit I am, indeed; But am in that dimension grossly clad, Which from the womb I did participate. Were you a woman, as the rest goes even, I should my tears let fall upon your cheek, And say-Thrice welcome, drown'd Viola! Vio. My father had a mole upon his brow. Seb. And so had mine. Vio. And died that day when Viola from her Had number'd thirteen years. [birth Seb. O, that record is lively in my soul! 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, Where lie my maiden weeds; by whose gentle was preserv'd, to serve this noble count: [help Hath been between this lady and this lord. All the occurrence of my fortune since I Seb. So comes it lady, you have been mistook: But nature to her bias drew in that. [To Olivia. Sir To. Then he's a rogue, and after a passy-Nor are you therein, by my life, deceived, You would have been contracted to a maid; measures pavin;2 I hate a drunken rogue. Oli. Away with him: Who hath made this havock with them. Sir And. I'll help you, Sir Toby, because we'll be dressed together. You are betroth'd both to a maid and inan. D. Be not amazed; right noble is his blood. If this be so, as yet the glass seems true, I shall have share in this most happy wreck; [To Viola. Sir To. Will you help an ass-head, and a cox-Boy, thou hast said to me a thousand times, comb, and a knave? a thin-faced knave, a gull? Theu never should'st love woman like to me. And all those swearings keep as true in soul, Vio. And all those sayings will I over-swear; Oli. Get him to bed, and let his hurt be look'd to. [Exeunt Clown, Sir Toby, and Sir Andrew. Enter Sebastian. Seb. I am sorry, madam, I have hurt your kinsBut had it been the brother of my blood, [man; I must have done no less, with wit, and safety. You throw a strange regard upon me, and By that I do perceive it hath offended you; Pardon me, sweet one, even for the vows We made each other but so late ago. [persons; Duke. One face, one voice, one habit, and two A natural perspective, that is, and is not. Seb. Antonio, O my dear Antonio ! How have the hours rack'd and tortur'd me, Since I have lost thee! Ant. Sebastian are you? Seb. Fear'st thou that, Antonio? A. How have you made division of yourself? An apple cleft in two, is not more twin Than these two creatures. Which is Sebastian? Oli Most wonderful! As doth that orbed continent the fire Öli. He shall enlarge him ;-Fetch Malvolio And yet, alas, now I remember me, [hither:They say, poor gentleman, he's much distract. Re-enter Clown, with a Letter. A most extracting frenzy of mine own 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 mad man's epistles are no gospels, so it skills not much when they are delivered. Oli. Open it, and read it. Oli. Alas, Malvolio, this is not my writing, Though I confess much like the character: But out of question, 'tis Maria's hand. Clo. Look then to be well edified, when the And now I do bethink me, it was she [smiling, fool delivers the madman: Oli. How now! art thou mad? Clo. No, madam, I do but read madness: an your ladyship will have it as it ought to be, you must allow vox1. Oli. Pr'ythee, read i' thy right wits. Clo. So I do, madonna; but to read his right wits, is to read thus: therefore prepend, my princess, and give ear. Oli. Read it you, sirrah. [To Fabian. Fab. [Reads.] Madam, you wrong me, and the world shall know it: though you have put 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 you much shame. Think of me as you please. I leave my duty a little unthought of, and speak out of my injury. The madly-used Malvolio. Oli. Did he write this? Clo. Ay, madam. Duke. This savours not much of distraction. Oli. See him deliver'd, Fabian; bring him hither. [Exit Fabian. My lord, so please you, these things further To think me as well a sister as a wife, [thought on, One day shall crown the alliance on't, so please Here at my house, and at my proper cost. Duke. Madam, I am most apt to embrace your offer.[you, Your master quits you; [To Viola] and, for your service done him, So much against the mettle of your sex, A sister?-you are she. Oli. Ay, my lord, the same: Have I, Malvolio? no. [letter: M. Lady, you have. Pray you peruse that 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, in the modesty of honour, Why you have given me such clear lights of favour'; Bade me come smiling, and cross-garter'd to you, First told me thou wast mad: then cam'st in And in such forms which here were presuppos'd Upon thee in the letter. Pr'ythee, be content: This practice hath most shrewdly pass'd upon thee; But when we know the grounds and authors of it, 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 againt him: Maria writ The letter, at Sir Toby's great importance;1 In recompense whereof, he hath married her. How with a sportful malice it was follow'd, May rather pluck on laughter than revenge; If that the injuries be justly weigh'd, That have on both sides past. O. 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:-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 CLO. When that I was and a little tiny boy, 2nd Gent. Amen. Lucio. Thou concludest like the sanctimonious pirate, that went to sea with the ten commandments, but scraped one out of the table. 2nd Gent. Thou shalt not steal? Lucio. Ay, that he razed. 1st 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, doth relish the petition well that prays for peace. 2nd Gent. I never heard any soldier dislike it. Lucio. I believe thee; for, I think, thou never wast where grace was said. Thou thyself art a wicked villain, despite of all grace. But see, where madam Mitigation comes. Enter Mrs Overdone. 1st Gent. How now? Overd. There's one yonder, arrested and carried to prison, was worth five thousand of you all. 1st Gent. Who's that, I pray thee? Ov. Marry,sir, that's Claudio, Signior Claudio. 1st Gent. Claudio to prison! 'tis not so. 0. 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? Overd. I am too sure of it; and it is because of Madam Julietta. Overd. And what shall become of those in the city? Clown. They had gone down too, but that a wise burgher put in for them. Overd. But, shall all our houses in the suburbs be pulled down? Clown. To the ground, mistress. Overd. Why, here's a change, indeed, in the commonwealth: what shall become of me? Clown. Here comes Signior Claudio, led by the provost to prison: and there's Madam Juliet. [Exeunt. SCENE III.-THE SAME. Enter Provost, Claudio, Juliet, and Officers. Claud. Fellow, why dost thou show me thus to the world? Bear me to prison, where I am committed. Prov. I do it not in evil disposition, Claud. Thus can the demigod, Authority, Lucio. Why, how now, Claudio? whence comes this restraint? Claud. From too much liberty, my Lucio, 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? Cla. What, but to speak of would offend again Claud. No. go. Prov. Away, sir; you must Claud. One word, good friend :-Lucio,a word with you. [Takes him aside. Lucio. A hundred, if they'll do you any good. Claud. Thus stands it with me:-Upon a true I got possession of Julietta's bed; [contract, You know the lady; she is fast my wife, Save that we do the denunciation i 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, 2nd Gent, Besides, you know, it draws some-Till time had made them for us. But it chances, thing near to the speech we had to such a purpose. 1st Gent. But most of all, agreeing with the proclamation. Lucio. Believe me, this may be: he promised to meet me two hours since; and he was ever precise in promise-keeping. Lucio. Away; let's go learn the truth of it. Overd. How now, what's the news with you? Clown. You have not heard of the proclamation, have you? Overd. What proclamation, man? The stealth of our most mutual intercourse, Clown. All our houses in the suburbs of Or in his eminence that fills it up, 1 Proclamation. I stagger in:-But this new governor Lucio. I warrant it is: and thy head stands so tickle on thy shoulders, that a milkmaid, 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 make 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, [art Such as moves men: beside, she hath prosperous When she will play with reason and discourse, And well she can persuade. Lucio. I pray she may: as well for the encouragement 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. I'll to her." Claud. I thank you, good friend Lucio. [Exeunt. SCENE IV.-A MONASTERY. D. No, holy father; throw away that thought; Fri. May your grace speak of it? Which for these fourteen years we have let sleep; It rested in your grace Fri. I will, as 'twere a brother of your order, [thee, SCENE V.-A NUNNERY. Enter Isabella and Francisca. You may, I. Yes, truly: I speak not as desiring more; But rather wishing a more strict restraint Upon the sisterhood, the votarists of Saint Clare. Lucio. Ho! Peace be in this place! [Within. Isab. Who is that which calls? Fran. It is a man's voice: Gentle Isabella, Turn you the key, and know his business of him; I may not; you are yet unsworn: When you have vow'd, you must not speak with But in the presence of the prioress: [men, Then, if you speak, you must not show your face; He calls again; I pray you answer him. Or if you show your face, you must not speak. [Exit Francisca. I. Peace and prosperity! Who is't that calls? Enter Lucio. L. Hail, virgin, if you be; as those cheek-roses Proclaim you are no less! Can you so stead me As bring me to the sight of Isabella, A novice of this place, and the fair sister To her unhappy brother Claudio? Isab. Why her unhappy brother? let me ask, The rather, for I now must make you know I am that Isabella, and his sister. [you : [judge, L. Gentle and fair, your brother kindly greets Isab. Sir, make me not your story.1 I hold you as a thing ensky'd, and sainted: 1 Jest |