With this thy fair and outward character.
I pr'ythee, and I'll pay thee bounteously,
Conceal me what I am, and be my aid
For fuch difguife as haply fhall become
The form of my intent. I'll ferve this Duke,
Thou shalt prefent me as an eunuch to him,
It may be worth thy pains; for I can fing,
And fpeak to him in many forts of mufick,
That will allow me very worth his fervice.
What else may hap, to time I will commit,
Only shape thou thy filence to my wit.

Cap. Be you his eunuch, and your mute I'll be:
When my tongue blabs, then let mine eyes not fee!
Vio. I thank thee; lead me on.

: SCENE III. Olivia's Houfe.

Enter Sir Toby, and Maria.

[Exeunt.

Sir To. What a plague means my niece to take the death of her brother thus? I am fure care's an enemy to life.

Mar. By my troth, Sir Toby, you must come in earlier a-nights; your niece, my Lady, takes great exceptions to your ill hours.

Sir To. Why, let her except before excepted.

Mar. Ay, but you must confine your felf within the modeft limits of order.

am

Sir To. Confine? I'll confine my felf no finer than I these clothes are good enough to drink in, and fo be thefe boots too; if they be not, let them hang themselves in their own ftraps.

Mar. That quaffing and drinking will undo you ; I heard my Lady talk of it yesterday, and of a foolish Knight that you brought in one night here, to be her wooer.

Sir To. Who, Sir Andrew Ague-cheek?

Mar. Ay, he.

Sir To. He's as tall a man as any in Illyria.

Mar, What's that to th' purpose?

Sir To. Why, he has three thousand ducats a year.
Mar. Ay, but he'll have but a year in all these ducats:

he's a very fool, and a prodigal.

Sir To. Fie, that you'll fay fo! he plays o'th' viol-de

gambo,

gambo, and fpeaks three or four languages word for word without book, and hath all the good gifts of nature.

Mar. He hath indeed, almoft natural; for befides that he's a fool, he's a great quarreller; and but that he hath the gift of a coward to allay the guft he hath in quarreling, 'tis thought among the prudent, he would quickly have the gift of a grave.

Sir To. By this hand, they are fcoundrels and fubftraćtors that fay fo of him. Who are they?

Mar. They that add moreover, he's drunk nightly in your company.

Sir To. With drinking healths to my niece: I'll drink to her as long as there is a paffage in my throat, and drink in Illyria. He's a coward and a Keftrel that will not drink to my niece 'till his brains turn o'th' toe like a parish-top. What, wench? * Caftiliano volto! for here comes Sir Andrew Ague-cheek.

SCENE IV. Enter Sir Andrew.

Sir And. Sir Toby Belch! how now, Sir Toby Belch?
Sir To. Sweet Sir Andrew!!!!

Sir And. Blefs you, fair Shrew.

Mar. And you too, Sir.

Sir To. Accoft, Sir Andrew, accoft.
Sir And. What's that?

Sir To. My niece's chamber-maid.

Sir And. Good miftrefs Accoft, I defire better acquain

tance.

Mar. My name is Mary, Sir.

Sir And. Good miftrefs Mary Accoft.

Sir To. You mistake, Knight: accoft is, front her, board her, wooe her, affail her.

Sir And. By my troth, I would not undertake her in this company. Is that the meaning of accost?

Mar. Fare you well, Gentlemen.

Sir To. If thou let her part fo, Sir Andrew, would thou might ft never draw fword again.

By Caftilian countenance here he means her beft, her most civil and courtly looks, which he bids her put on becaufe Sir Andrew is coming.

I'

Sir And. If you part so, mistress, I would I might never draw fword again. Fair lady, do you think you have fools

in hand?

Mar. Sir, I have not you by th' hand.

Sir And. Marry, but you fhall have, and here's my hand. Mar. Now, Sir, thought is free: I pray you, bring your hand to th' buttery-bar, and let it drink.

Sir And. Wherefore, fweet heart? what's your metaphor?

Mar. It's dry, Sir.

Sir And. Why, I think fo: I'am not fuch an ass, but I can keep my hand dry. But what's your jest? Mar. A dry jeft, Sir.

Sir And. Are you full of them?.

Mar. Ay, Sir, I have them at my fingers ends: marry, now I let go your hand, I am barren.

[Exit Maria. Sir To. O Knight, thou lack'ft a cup of canary: when did I fee thee fo put down?

Sir And. Never in your life, I think, unless you fee canary put me down: methinks fometimes I have no more wit than a chriftian or an ordinary man has; but I am a a great eater of beef, and I believe that does harm to my wit.

Sir To. No queftion.

Sir And. If I thought that, I'd forfwear it. I'll ride home to-morrow, Sir Toby.

Sir To. Pourquoy, my dear Knight?

Sir And. What is pourquoy? do, or not do? I would I had beftowed that time in the tongues that I have in fencing, dancing, and bear-baiting. O had I but follow'd

the arts!

Sir To. Then hadft thou had an excellent head of hair.
Sir And. Why, would that have mended my hair?
Sir To. Paft queftion, for thou feeft it will not curl by

nature.

Sir And. But it becomes me well enough, does't not? Sir Te. Excellent, it hangs like flax on a diftaff; and I hope to fee a housewife take thee between her legs and Spin it off.

Sir And, Faith, I'll home to-morrow, Sir Toby; your

neice will not be feen, or if fhe be, it's four to one she'll none of me: the Duke himself here hard by wooes her.

Sir To. She'll none o'th' Duke, fhe'll not match above her degree, neither in eftate, years, nor wit; I have heard her fwear. Tut, there's life in't, man.

Sir And. I'll ftay a month longer. I am a fellow o'th' ftrangeft mind i'th' world: I delight in masks and revels fometimes altogether.

Sir To. Art thou good at these kick-shaws, Knight?

Sir And. As any man in Illyria whatsoever he be, under the degree of my betters, and yet I will not compare with an old man.

Sir To. What is thy excellence in a galliard, Knight? Sir And. 'Faith, I can cut a caper.

Sir To. And I can cut the mutton to't.

Sir And. And I think I have the back-trick, fimply as ftrong as any man in Illyria.

Sir To. Wherefore are these things hid? wherefore have these gifts a curtain before 'em? are they like to take duft, like miftrefs Mall's picture? why doft thou not go to church in a galliard, and come home in a coranto? my very walk fhould be a jig: I would not fo much as make water but in a cinque-pace: what doft thou mean? is it a world to hide virtues in? I did think, by the excellent conftitution of thy leg, it was form'd under the star of a galliard.

Sir And. Ay, 'tis ftrong, and it does indifferent well in a flame-colour'd ftocking. Shall we fet about fome revels? Sir To. What fhall we do elfe? were we not born under Taurus?

Sir And. Taurus? that's fides and heart.

Sir To. No, Sir, it is legs and thighs. Let me fee thee caper; ha! higher: ha! ha! excellent.

SCENE V. The Palace.

[Exeunt.

Enter Valentine, and Viola in man's attire. Val. If the Duke continue these favours towards you, Cefario, you are like to be much advanc'd; he hath known you but three days, and already you are no stranger. Vio. You either fear his humour, or my negligence, that

you

you call in queftion the continuance of his love. Is he in, conftant, Sir, in his favours?

Val. No, believe me.

Enter Duke, Curio, and Attendants.
Vio. I thank you :, here comes the Duke.
Duke. Who faw Cefario, hoa?

Vio. On your attendance, my Lord, here.
Duke. Stand you a while aloof. Cefario,
Thou know'ft no lefs, but all: I have unclafp'd
To thee the book even of my fecret foul.
Therefore, good youth, address thy gate unto her,
Be not deny'd access, ftand at her doors,
And tell them, there thy fixed foot fhall grow
"Till thou have audience.

Vio. Sure, my noble Lord,

If the be fo abandon'd to her forrow
As it is fpoke, fhe never will admit me.

Duke. Be clamorous, and leap all civil bounds,
Rather than make unprofited return.

Vio. Say I do fpeak with her, my Lord, what then ? Duke. O then, unfold the paffion of my love, Surprize her with difcourfe of my dear faith;

It fhall become thee well to act my woes;

She will attend it better in thy youth,
Than in a nuncio of more grave aspect.
Vio. I think not fo, my Lord.
Duke, Dear lad, believe it:

For they shall yet belie thy happy years,
That fay thou art a man: Diana's lip
Is not more smooth and rubious; thy small pipe
Is as the maiden's organ, fhrill and found,
And all is femblative a woman's part.
I know thy conftellation is right apt
For this affair: fome four or five attend him,
All if you will; for I my self am best
When leaft in company. Profper well in this,
And thou fhalt live as freely as thy Lord,
To call his fortunes thine.

Vio. I'll do my best

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