be asked, is, (12) if your four negatives make your two affirmatives, why, then the worse for my friends, and the better for my foes. Duke. Why, this is excellent. Clo. By my troth, Sir, no; tho' it please you to be one of my friends. Duke. Thou fhalt not be the worse for me, there's gold. Clo. But that it would be double-dealing, Sir, I would, you could make it another. Duke. O, you give me ill counsel. Clo. Put your grace in your pocket, Sir, for this once, and let your flesh and blood obey it. Duke. Well, I will be fo much a finner to be a doubledealer: there's another. Clo. Primo, fecundo, tertio, is a good Play, and the old faying is, the third pays for all: the triplex, Sir, is a good tripping measure; or the bells of St. Bennet, Sir, may put you in mind, one, two, three. Duke. You can fool no more mony out of me at this throw; if you will let your Lady know, I am here to fpeak with her, and bring her along with you, it may awake my bounty further. Clo. Marry, Sir, lullaby to your bounty 'till I come again. I go, Sir; but I would not have you to think, (12) So that Conclufions to be as kiffes, -] Tho' it might be unreasonable to call our Poet's Fools and Knaves every where to Account; yet, if we did, for the Generality we should find them refponfible. But what monftrous Abfurdity have we here? To fuppofe the Text genuine, We must acknowledge it too wild to have any known Meaning: and what has no known Meaning, cannot be allow'd to have either Wit 3 or Humour. Befides, the Clown is affecting to argue seriously and in Form. I imagine, the Poet wrote; So that, Conclufion to be asked, is i. e. So that the Conclufion I have to demand of You is this, if that that my defire of having is the fin of covetoufnefs; but, as you fay, Sir, let your bounty take a nap, I will awake [Exit Clown. it anon. Enter Antonio, and Officers. Vio. Here comes the man, Sir, that did rescue me, Yet when I faw it laft, it was befmear'd As black as Vulcan, in the fmoak of war: What's the matter? 1 Offi. Orfino, this is that Antonio, That took the Phoenix and her fraught from Candy; When your young nephew Titus loft his leg: Here in the streets, defperate of fhame and state, Vio. He did me kindness, Sir; drew on my fide: Duke. Notable pirate! thou falt-water thief! Ant. Orfino, noble Sir, Be pleas'd that I shake off these names you give me : Though I confefs, on bafe and ground enough, Into the danger of this adverse town; While one would wink: deny'd me mine own purse, Not half an hour before. Vio. How can this be? Duke. When came he to this town? Ant. To day, my lord; and for three months before, (No Interim, not a minute's vacancy,) Both day and night did we keep company. Enter Olivia, and Attendants. Duke. Here comes the countess; now heav'n walks on earth. not have, But for thee, fellow, fellow, thy words are madness: Duke. Gracious Olivia, Oli. What do you fay, Cefario? Good my lord- As howling after mufick. Duke. Still fo cruel? Oli. Still fo conftant, lord. Duke. What, to perverfenefs? you uncivil lady, My foul the faithfull'ft offerings has breath'd out, Oli. Ev'n what it please my lord, that shall become him. Duke. Duke. Why fhould I not, had I the heart to do't, (13) That sometimes favours nobly;) but hear me this: That fcrews me from my true place in your favour : But this your minion, whom, I know, you love, And whom, by heav'n, I fwear, I tender dearly, Where he fits crowned in his master's spight. Come, boy, with me; my thoughts are ripe in mifschief: I'll facrifice the lamb that I do love, To spight a raven's heart within a dove. [Duke going. Vio. And I moft jocund, apt, and willingly, To do you reft, a thousand deaths would die. [following. (13) Why should I not, had I the Heart to do it, Like to th' Egyptian Thief, at point of Death Kill what I love?] In this Similie, a particular Story is prefuppos'd; which ought to be known, to shew the Juftness and Propriety of the Comparifon. It is taken from Heliodorus's Ethiopics, to which our Author was indebted for the Allufion. This Egyptian Thief was Thyamis, who was a Native of Memphis, and at the Head of a Band of Robbers. Theagenes and Chariclea falling into their Hands, Thyamis fell desperately in Love with the Lady, and would have married her. Soon after, a stronger Body of Robbers coming down upon Thyamis's Party, He was in fuch Fears for his Mistress, that he had her fhut into a Cave with his Treasure. It was cuftomary with thofe Barbarians, when they defpair'd of their own Safety, first to make away with Those whom they held dear, and defired for Companions in the next Life. Thyamis, therefore, benetted round with his Enemies, raging with Love, Jealoufy, and Anger, went to his Cave; and calling aloud in the Egyptian Tongue, so soon as He heard himself answer'd towards the Cave's Mouth by a Grecian, making to the Perfon by the Direction of her Voice, he caught her by the Hair with his left Hand, and (fuppofing her to be Chariclea) with his right Hand plung'd his Sword into her Breaft. Oli. Where goes Cefario? Vio. After him I love, More than I love these eyes, more than my life; Punish my life, for tainting of my love! Oli. Ay me, detefted! how am I beguil'd? Vio. Who does beguile you? who does do you wrong? Oli. Haft thou forgot thy felf? Is it fo long? Call forth the holy father. Duke. Come, away. [To Viola. Oli. Whither, my lord? Cefario, husband, itay. Duke. Husband? Oli. Ay, husband. Can he that deny Duke. Her husband, firrah? Oli. Alas, it is the baseness of thy fear, Be that, thou know'ft, thou art, and then thou art O welcome, father. Enter Prief. Father, I charge thee by thy reverence Strengthned by enterchangement of your rings; Seal'd in my function, by my teftimony: Since when, my watch hath told me, tow'rd my grave I have travell'd but two hours. Duke. O thou diffembling cub! what wilt thou be, When time hath fow'd a grizzel on thy cafe? VOL. III. H Or |