own letter that induced me to the femblance 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-us'd Malvolio.

Oli. Did he write this?

Clo. Ay, madam.

Duke. This favours not much of distraction.

Oli. See him deliver'd, Fabian; bring him hither.
My lord, so please you, these things further thought on,
To think me as well a fifter as a wife,

One day fhall crown the alliance, an't so please you,
Here at my house, and at my proper cost.

Duke. Madam, I am most apt to embrace your offer. Your master quits you: and, for your service done him, So much" against the mettle of your fex,

So far beneath your foft and tender breeding,
And fince you call'd me mafter for fo long,
Here is my hand; you fhall from this time be
Your master's mistress.

Re-enter Fabian, with Malvolio.

Duke. Is this the madman?

[To Viola.

Oli. Ay, my lord, this fame: How now, Malvolio? Mal. Madam, you have done me wrong, notorious

wrong.

Oli. Have I, Malvolio? no.

Mal. Lady, you have. Pray you, perufe that letter: You must not now deny it is your hand,

Write from it if you can, in hand, or phrase;

Or fay, 'tis not your feal, nor your invention:

u

against the mettle of your fex,]-fo contrary to the natural difpofition. A fifter?-you are he.]And I fhall henceforth regard you with all the affection of a fifter. * from it]-differently.

You

You can fay none of this: Well, grant it then,
And tell me, in the modefty of honour,

Why you have given me fuch clear lights of favour;
Bade me come fmiling, and crofs-garter'd to you,
To put on yellow stockings, and to frown
Upon fir Toby, and the lighter people:
And, acting this in an obedient hope,
Why have you fuffer'd me to be imprison'd,
Kept in a dark house, vifited by the priest,
And made the most notorious' geck and gull,
That e'er invention play'd on? tell me why?

Oli. Alas, Malvolio, this is not my writing,
Though, I confefs, much like the character:
But, out of question, 'tis Maria's hand.
And now I do bethink me, it was the

First told me, thou waft mad; thou cam'ft in fmiling, And in fuch forms which here were presuppos'd

a

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 fpeak;

And let no quarrel, nor no brawl to come,
Taint the condition of this present hour,
Which I have wondred at. In hope it fhall not,
Most freely I confefs, myself, and Toby,
Set this device against Malvolio here,
Upon some stubborn and uncourteous parts
We had conceiv'd in him: Maria writ

C

The letter, at fir Toby's great importance;

Y geck]-fool.

z then.

a bere were presuppos'd upon thee in the letter.]—'twas imagined thou wouldft affume upon reading the letter.

b

against.

great importance;]-preffing folicitation.

In recompence whereof he hath marry'd 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 fides past.

d

Oli. Alas, poor fool! how have they baffled thee? Clo. Why, fome are born great, some atchieve greatness, and fome have greatness thrown upon them. I was one, fir, in this interlude; one fir Topas, fir; but that's all one:

By the Lord, fool, I am not mad;-But do you remember, madam,—Why laugh you at such a barren rascal? an you fmile not, he's gagg'd: And thus the whirligig of time brings in his revenges.

Mal. I'll be reveng'd on the whole pack of

you. [Exit. Oli. He hath been most notoriously abus'd. Duke. Purfue him, and intreat him to a peace:— He hath not told us of the captain yet;

с

When that is known, and golden time convents,
A folemn combination shall be made

Of our dear fouls:-Mean time, fweet fifter,
We will not part from hence.-Cefario, come;
For fo you fhall be, while you are a man;
But, when in other habits you are seen,
Orfino's mistress, and his fancy's queen.

Clown fings.

When that I was and a little tiny boy,
With hey, bo, the wind and the rain,
& A foolish thing was but a toy,

For the rain it raineth every day.

baffled-amufed, deluded.

[Exeunt.

e and golden time convents,]—and the happy hour calls us together again. * his fancy's queen.]-the queen of his affections. A foolish thing was but a toy,]-The follies of my childhood were eafily paffed over.

But

But when I came to man's eftate,

With bey, bo, &c.

'Gainft knave and thief, men shut their gate,

But that's all one, our play is done,

And we'll ftrive to please you every day.

[Exit.

By fwaggering could I never thrive,]-I could not rule my wife by it. h came unto my bed ]-In my old age I became a drunkard: