Sir To. Now will not I deliver his letter: for the behayiour of the young gentleman gives him out to be of good capacity and breeding; his employment between his lord and my niece confirms no lefs; therefore this letter, being fo excellently ignorant, will breed no terror in the youth, he will find it comes from a clodpole. But, fir, I will deliver his challenge by word of mouth; fet upon Ague-cheek a notable report of valour; and drive the gentleman, (as, I know, his youth will aptly receive it,) into a moft hideous opinion of his rage, fkill, fury, and impetuofity. This will fo fright them both, that they will kill one another by the look, like cockatrices. Fab. Here he comes with your niece: give them way, till he take leave, and prefently after him. Sir To. I will meditate the while upon fome horrid message for a challenge. [Exeunt SIR TOBY, FABIAN, and MARIAS Oli. I have faid too much unto a heart of ftone, And laid mine honour too unchary out; There's fomething in me, that reproves my fault; That it but mocks reproof. Vio. With the fame 'haviour that your paffion bears, Go on my mafter's griefs. Oli. Here, wear this jewel for me,' 'tis my picture; Refuse it not, it hath no tongue to vex you : And, I beseech you, come again to-morrow. What shall you afk of me, that I'll deny ; Vio. Nothing but this, your true love for my master, I will acquit you. Vio. Re-enter SIR TOBY BELCH, and FABIAN. Sir To. Gentleman, God fave thee. [Exit, Via. 3 Jewel does not properly fignify a fingle gem, but any precious ornament or fuperfuity. JOHNSON. Vic. And you, fir. Sir To. That defence thou haft, betake thee to't of what nature the wrongs are thou haft done him, I know not; but thy intercepter, full of defpight, bloody as the hunter, attends thee at the orchard end: difmount thy tuck, be yare in thy preparation, for thy affailant is quick, skilful, and deadly. Vio. You mistake, fir; I am fure, no man hath any quarrel to me; my remembrance is very free and clear from any image of offence done to any man. Sir To. You'll find it otherwise, I affure you: therefore, if you hold your life at any price, betake you to your guard; for your oppofite hath in him what youth, ftrength, skill, and wrath, can furnish man withal. Vio. I pray you, fir, what is he? Sir To. He is knight, dubb'd with unhack'd rapier, and on carpet confideration; but he is a devil in private brawl: fouls 4 The modern editors_read-unback'd. It appears from Cotgrave's Dictionary in v. bacher, [to hack, hew, &c.] that to batch the hilt of a fword, was a technical term. Perhaps we ought to read with an batch'd rapier, i. e. with a rapier, the hilt of which was richly engraved and ornamented. Our author, however, might have used unbatch'd in the fenfe of unback'd; and therefore I have made no change. MALONE. 5 That is, he is no foldier by profeffion, not a knight banneret, dubbed in the field of battle, but, on carpet confideration, at a feftivity, or on fome peaceable occafion, when knights receive their dignity kneeling, not on the ground, as in war, but on a carpet. This is, I believe, the original of the contemptuous term a carpet knight, who was naturally held in fcorn by the men of war. JOHNSON. In Francis Markham's Booke of Honour, fo. 1625, p. 71, we have the following account of Carpet Knights. Next unto thefe (i. e. thofe he diftinguishes by the title of Dunghill or Truck Knights) in degree, but not in qualitie, (for these are truly for the most part vertuous and worthie) is that rank of Knights which are called Carpet Knights, being men who are by the prince's grace and favour made knights at home and in the time of peace by the impofition or laying on of the king's fword, having by fome fpecial fervice done to the commonwealth, or for fome other particular virtues made known to the foveraigne, as alfo for the dignitie of their births, and in recompence of noble and famous actions done by their an cestors, deferved this great title and dignitie." He then enumerates the feveral orders of men on whom this honour was ufually conferred; and adds" thofe of the vulgar or common fort are called Carpet Knights, because (for the most part) they receive their honour from the king's hand in the court, and upon carpets, and fuch like ornaments belonging to the king's ftate and greatneffe; which bowfoever a curious envie may wreft to an ill fouls and bodies hath he divorced thee; and his incenfement at this moment is fo implacable, that fatisfaction can be none but by pangs of death and fepulchre hob, nob,' is his word; give't, or take't. Vio. I will return again into the house, and defire fome conduct of the lady. I am no fighter. I have heard of some kind of men, that put quarrels purpofely on others, to tafte their valour: belike, this is a man of that quirk. Sir To. Sir, no; his indignation derives itself out of a very competent injury; therefore, get you on, and give him his defire. Back you fhall not to the house, unless you undertake that with me, which with as much fafety you might anfwer him therefore, on, or ftrip yourself stark naked; for meddle you muft, that's certain, or forfwear to wear iron about you! Vio. This is as uncivil, as ftrange. I befeech you, do mé this courteous office, as to know of the knight what my offence to him is; it is fomething of my negligence, nothing of my purpose. Sir To. I will do fo. Signior Fabian, ftay you by this gentleman till my return. [Exit SIR TOBY. Vio. Pray you, fir, do you know of this matter? Fab. I know, the knight is incenfed against you, even to a mortal arbitrement; but nothing of the circumftance more. Vin. I befeech you, what manner of man is he? Fab. Nothing of that wonderful promife, to read him by his form, as you are like to find him in the proof of his valour. He is, indeed, fir, the most skilful, bloody, and fatal oppofite ill ferfe, yet questionleffe there is no fhadow of difgrace belonging unto it, for it is an honour as perfect as any honour whatfoever, and the services and merits for which it is received, as worthy and well deferving both of the king and country, as that which hath wounds and fcarres for his witneffe." REED. Greene ufes the term Carpet-knights in contempt of those of whom he is fpeaking. STEEVENS. 77 his adverb is corrupted from bap ne bap; as would ne would, wilt ne will; that is, let it happen or not; and fignifies at random, at the mercy of chance See Johnson's Dictionary. STEEVENS. Is not this the origin of our bob nob, or challenge to drink a glass of wine at dinner? M. MASON. • Is here perhaps used in the fame fenfe as the French mêlée. oppofite that you could poffibly have found in any part of Illyria Will you walk towards him? I will make your peace with him, if I can. Vio. I fhall be much bound to you for't: I am one, that had rather go with fir priest, than fir knight: I care not who knows fo much of my mettle. Re-enter SIR TOBY, with SIR ANDREW. [Exeunt. Sir To. Why, man, he's a very devil; 9 I have not feen fuch a virago. I had a pafs with him, rapier, fcabbard, and all, and be gives me the ftuck-in, with fuch a mortal motion, that it is inevitable; and on the anfwer, he pays you as furely as your feet hit the ground they step on: They fay, he has been fencer to the Sophy. 4 Sir And. Pox on't, I'll not meddle with him. Sir To. Ay, but he will not now be pacified : Fabian can fcarce hold him yonder. Sir And. Plague on't; an I thought he had been valiant, and fo cunning in fence, I'd have feen him damn'd ere I'd have challeng'd him. Let him let the matter flip, and I'll give him my horfe, grey Capilet. Sir To. I'll make the motion: Stand here, make a good fhow on't; this fhall end without the perdition of fouls: Marry, I'll ride your horfe as well as I ride you. [Afide Re-enter 9 Shakspeare might have caught a hint for this fcene from Ben Jonfon's Silent Woman, which was printed in 1609. The behaviour of Viola and Ague-cheek appears to have been formed on that of Sir John Daw, and Sir Amorous La Foole. STEEVENS. 2 Virago cannot be properly used here, unless we fuppofe Sir Toby to mean, I never faw one that had so much the look of a woman with the prowess of man. JOHNSON. The old copy reads-firago. A virago always means a female warrior, or, in low language, a fcold, or turbulent woman. If Shakspeare (who knew Viola to be a woman, though fir Toby did not) has made no blunder, Dr. Johnfon has fupplied the only obvious meaning of the word. Firago may however be a ludicrous term of Shakspeare's coinage. STEEVENS. Why may not the meaning be more fimple, "I have never feen the moft furious woman fo obftreperous and violent as he is?" MALONE. 3 The fuck is a corrupted abbreviation of the floccata, an Italian tern in fencing. STEEVENS. 4 i, e. hits you, does for you. STEEVENS. Re-enter FABIAN and VIOLA. I have his horfe [to FAB.] to take up the quarrel; I have perfuaded him, the youth's a devil. Fab. He is as horribly conceited of him ; and pants, and looks pale, as if a bear were at his heels. Sir To. There's no remedy, fir; he will fight with you for his oath fake: marry, he hath better bethought him of his quarrel, and he finds that now scarce to be worth talking of: therefore draw, for the fupportance of his vow; he protefts, he will not hurt you. Vio. Pray God defend me! A little thing would make me tell them how much I lack of a man. Fab. Give ground, if you fee him furious. [Afide. Sir To. Come, fir Andrew, there's no remedy; the gentleman will for his honour's fake, have one bout with you: he cannot by the duello avoid it: but he has promis'd me, as he is a gentleman and a foldier, he will not hurt you. Come on; to't. Sir And. Pray God, he keep his oath! Enter ANTONIO. [draws: Vio. I do affure you, 'tis against my will. [draws. Ant. Put up your fword ;-If this young gentleman Have done offence, I take the fault on me; If you offend him, I for him defy you. [drawing.. Ant. One, fir, that for his love dares yet do more Than you have heard him brag to you he will. Sir To. Nay, if you be an undertaker, I am for you. [draws. Fab. 5 That is, he has as horrid an idea or conception of him. MALONE. 6 i. e. by the laws of the duello, which, in Shakspeare's time, were fettled with the utmoft nicety. STEEVENS. 7 But why was an undertaker so offensive a character? I believe this is a touch upon the times, which may help to determine the date of this play. At the meeting of the parliament in 1614, there appears to have been a very general perfuafion, or jealoufy at least, that the King had been induced to call a parliament at that time, by certain persons, who bad undertaken, through their influence in the House of Commons, to carry things according |