Enter Servant.

Ser. Please you, my Lord, there are certain Ladies most desirous of admittance.

Tim. Ladies? what are their wills?

Ser. There comes with them a fore-runner, my Lord, which bears that office to fignifie their pleasures.

Tim. I pray let them be admitted.

Enter Cupid with a Mask of Ladies. Cup. Hail to the worthy Timon, and to all That of his bounties taste! the five best senses Acknowledge thee their patron, and do come Freely to gratulate thy plenteous bofom.

'Th'ear, taste, touch, smell, pleas’d from thy table rise: These only now cone but to feast thine eyes. {tance.

Tim. They're welcome all; let 'em have kind admicLet musick make their welcome.

Luc. You see, my Lord, how amply you're belov'd.

Apem. Hoyday! S'why, what' a sweep of vanicy Comes this way! ''And they dance, they are mad women. Like madness is the glory of this life, As this ponop shews to a little oyl and root. We make our felves fools, to disport our felves; And spend our Hatteries, to drink those men, Upon whose age we void it up again, With poisonous spight and envy. Who lives, that's not Depraved, or depraves? who dies, that bears Not one spurn to their graves of their friends gift? I should fear, those that dance before me now Would one day stamp upon me: 'T has been done ; Men shut their doors against a setting fun.

7 There taste, touch all, ...old edit. Warb. emend. 8 what

9 They

The

2

The Lords rise from table, with 11!ch odoring of Timor,

each singles outila Lady,' did all dance, men with wo-
ment, a lofty sirain or two to the bautbons, and cease.
Tim. You have done our ? 'pleasures very much grace,

fair Ladies,
Set a fair fashion on our entertainment,
Which was not half so beautiful and kind :
You've added worth unto't, and lively lustre,
And entertain'd me with mine own device.
I am to thank you for it.

Luc. My Lord, you take us even at the best.

Apem. 'Faith, for the worst is filthy, and would not hold taking, I doubt me.

Tim. Ladies, there is an idle banquet attends you. Please you to dispose your felves.

All la. Most thankfully, my Lord. [Excunt.
Tim. Flavius!
Flav, My Lord.
Tim. The little casket bring me hither.

Fla. Yes, my Lord. More jewels yet? there is no
crossing him in's humour,
Else I should tell him -- well i' faith, I should,
When all's spent, he'd be cross’d then if he could !
'Tis pity bounty has not eyes behind,
That man might ne'er be wretched for his mind. [Exit.
Luc. Where be our men ?
Ser. Here, my Lord, in readiness.
Lucul. Our horses.

Tim. O my good friends!
I have one word to say to you: look, my Lord,
I must entreat you, honour me so much
As to advance this jewel, accept, and wear it,
? Kind Lord!!

Luc. I am so far already in your gifts
All. So are we all.

[ Exe. Lucius and Lucullus.

SCENE

B 2

Enter a Se;vant. Ser. My Lord, there are certain Nobles of the Senate newly alighted, and come to visit you. Tim. They are fairly welcome.

Re-enter Flavius. Flav. I beseech your Honour, vuuchsafe me a word ; it does concern you near.

Tim. + 'Me near?' why then another time l'll hear thee. I prythee let's be provided to shew them entertainment. Flav. I scarce know how.

Enter another Servant. 2 Ser. May it please your Honour, Lord Lucius, out of his free love, hath presented to you four milk-white horses trapt in silver,

Tim. I shall accept them fairly: let the presents Be worthily entertain’d.

Enter a third Servant. How now? what news?

3 Ser. Please you, my Lord, that honourable gentle. man, Lord Lucullus, entreats your company to-morrow to hunt with him, and has sent your Honour two brace of

grey-hounds.

Tim. I'll hunt with him ; and let them be received,
Not without fair reward.

Flav. What will this come to ?
s 'Here he commands us to provide, and give
Great gifts, and all out of an empty coffer :
Nor will he know his purse, or yield me this,
To shew him what a beggar his heart is,
Being of no pow'r to make his wishes good ;
His promiles fly so beyond his state,

That what he speaks is all in debt, he owes
For ev'ry word: he is so kind, that he
Pays intereit fort ; his land's put to their books.
Weil, would I were gently put out of 6 'office!
H ppier is he that has no friend to feed,
Than fuch that do t'en enemies exceed.
I bleed inwardly for my Lord.

[Exit. Tim. You do your felves much wrong, you bate coo much of your own merits. Here, my Lord, a trifle of our love.

i Lord. With more than common thanks I will receive it.

3 Lord. He has the very foul of bounty.

Tim. And now I remember, my Lord, you gave good words the other day of a bay courser I rode on. 'Tis yours, because you lik'd it.

2 Lord. Oh, I beseech you, pardon me, my Lord, in that.

Tim. You may take my word, my Lord: I know no man can justly praise, but what he does affect: I weigh my friends affection with my own, ''I tell you true :

I'll call on you.

All Lords. O, none so welcome.

Tim. I take all, and your several visitations So kind to heart, 'tis not enough to give s/My thanks,' I could deal kingdoms to my friends, And ne'er be weary. Alcibiades, Thou art a soldier, therefore seldom rich, S'I'll come in charity to thee; thy living Is 'mongst the dead; and all the lands thou hast Lye in a pitcht field. Alc. I defie land, my Lord. i Lord. We are so virtuously bound Tim. And so am I to you. 2 Lord. So infinitely endear'd Tim. All to you. Lights! more lights, more lights.

B 3

3 Lord,

6 office! ere I were forc'd.

8 Methinks,

3 Lord. The best of happiness, honour and fortunes, Keep you, Lord Timon Tim. Ready for his friends,

[Exèunt Lords.

Apem. What a coil's here,
'/Screwing of backs, and jutting out of bums!
I doubt whether their legs be worth the fums
That are giv'n for 'em. Friendship’s full of dregs ;
Methinks false hearts should never have found legs.
Thus honest fools lay out their wealth on court’lies.

Tim. Now, Apemantus, if thou were not fullen,
I would be good to thee.

Apei. No, I'll nothing: for if I should be brib'd too, there would be none left to rail upon thee, and then thou wouldst fin the faster. Thou giv'st so long, Timon, I fear me thou wilt give away thy self z lin perpetuum shortly. What need these feasts, pomps, and vainglories ?

Tim. Nay, if you begin to rail on society once, I am sworn not to give regard to you. Farewel, and come with better mulick.

[Exit. thou wilt not hear me now, thou shalt

not then. l'll lock ; 'the heaven from thee. Oh, that men's ears should be To counsel deaf, but not to flattery!

[Exit.

Apem. So

1. Serving of bucks, ...ola edit. Tlieob. emerd. 2 in paper

3 thy

ACT