Fab. Very brief, and exceeding good sense-less. SIR TOBY reads.

"I will waylay thee going home; where if it be thy chance to kill me,"

Fab. Good.

SIR TOBY reads.

"Thou killest me like a rogue and a villain." Fab. Still you keep o' the windy side of the law: Good.

SIR TOBY reads.

"Fare thee well; And God have mercy upon one of our souls! He may have mercy upon mine; but my hope is better, and so look to thyself. Thy friend, as thou usest him, and thy sworn enemy,

"ANDREW AGUECHEEK."

Sir Toby. If this letter move him not, his legs cannot: I'll give 't him.

Mar. You may have very fit occasion for 't; he is now in some commerce with my lady, and will by-and-by depart.

Sir Toby. Go, Sir Andrew; scout me for him at the corner of the orchard, like a bum-bailiff: so soon as ever thou seest him, draw; and as thou drawest, swear horrible; for it comes to pass oft,

that a terrible oath, with a swaggering accent sharply twanged off, gives manhood more approbation than ever proof itself would have earned him. Away.

Sir And. Nay, let me alone for swearing. [Exit. Sir Toby. Now will not I deliver his letter: for the behaviour of the young gentleman gives him out to be of good capacity and breeding; his employment between his lord and my niece confirms no less; therefore this letter, being so excellently ignorant, will breed no terror in the youth, he will find it comes from a clodpole. But, sir, I will deliver his challenge by word of mouth; set upon Aguecheek a notable report of valour; and drive the gentleman (as I know his youth will aptly receive it) into a most hideous opinion of his rage, skill, fury, and impetuosity. This will so fright them both, that they will kill one another by the look, like cockatrices.

Enter OLIVIA and VIOLA.

Fab. Here he comes with your niece: give them way till he take leave, and presently after him. Sir Toby. I will meditate the while upon some horrid message for a challenge.

[Exeunt SIR TOBY, FABIAN, and MARIA.

Oli. I have said too much unto a heart of stone, And laid my honour too unchary out: There's something in me that reproves my fault; But such a headstrong potent fault it is, That it but mocks reproof.

Vio. With the same 'haviour that your passion bears,

Go on my master'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 ask of me that I'll deny,
That honour saved, may upon asking give?
Vio. Nothing but this, your true love for my

Oli. Well, come again to-morrow: Fare thee well: A fiend like thee might bear my soul to hell. [Exit.

Re-enter SIR TOBY BELCH and FABIAN.

Sir Toby. Gentleman, God save thee.
Vio. And you, sir.

Sir Toby. That defence thou hast, betake thee to't of what nature the wrongs are thou hast done him, I know not; but thy intercepter, full of despight, bloody as the hunter, attends thee at the orchard end: dismount thy tuck, be yare in thy preparation, for thy assailant is quick, skilful, and deadly.

Vio. You mistake, sir; I am sure no man hath any quarrel to me; my remembrance is very free and clear from any image of offence done to any

man.

Sir Toby. You'll find it otherwise, I assure you: therefore, if you hold your life at any price, betake you to your guard; for your opposite hath in him what youth, strength, skill, and wrath, can furnish man withal.

Vio. I pray you, sir, what is he?

Sir Toby. He is knight, dubbed with unhacked rapier, and on carpet consideration; but he is a devil in private brawl: souls and bodies hath he divorced three; and his incensement at this moment is so implacable, that satisfaction can be none but by pangs of death and sepulchre: hob, nob, is his word; give 't, or take 't.

Vio. I will return again into the house, and desire some conduct of the lady. I am no fighter. I have heard of some kind of men that put quarrels purposely on others, to taste their valour: belike this is a man of that quirk.

Sir Toby. Sir, no; his indignation derives itself out of a very competent injury; therefore get you on, and give him his desire. Back you shall

not to the house, unless you undertake that with me, which with as much safety you might answer him therefore on, or strip your sword stark naked; for meddle you must, that's certain, or forswear to wear iron about you.

Vio. This is as uncivil as strange. I beseech you do me this courteous office, as to know of the knight what my offence to him is; it is something of my negligence, nothing of my purpose.

Sir Toby. I will do so.-Signior Fabian, stay you by this gentleman till my return.

[Exit SIR TOBY.

Vio. Pray you, sir, do you know of this matter? Fab. I know the knight is incensed against you, even to a mortal arbitrement; but nothing of the circumstance more.

Vio. I beseech you, what manner of man is he? Fab. Nothing of that wonderful promise, to read him by his form, as you are like to find him in the proof of his valour. He is indeed, sir, the most skilful, bloody, and fatal opposite, that you could possibly have found in any part of Illyria: Will you walk towards him? I will make your peace with him, if I can.

Vio. I shall be much bound to you for 't: I am one that would rather go with sir priest than sir knight: I care not who knows so much of my mettle. [Exeunt.

Re-enter SIR TOBY, with SIR ANDREW. Sir Toby. Why, man, he's a very devil; I have not seen such a virago. I had a pass with him, rapier, scabbard, and all, and he gives me the stuck-in with such a mortal motion, that it is inevitable; and on the answer, he pays you as surely as your feet hit the ground they step on : They say, he has been fencer to the Sophi.

Sir And. Pox on 't, I'll not meddle with him. Sir Toby. Ay, but he will not now be pacified : Fabian can scarce hold him yonder.

Sir And. Plague on 't; an I thought he had been valiant, and so cunning in fence, I'd have seen him damned ere I'd have challenged him. Let him let the matter slip, and I'll give him my horse, grey Capilet.

Sir Toby. I'll make the motion: Stand here, make a good show on 't; this shall end without the perdition of souls: Marry, I'll ride your horse as well as I ride you. [Aside.

Re-enter FABIAN and VIOLA.

I have his horse [To FABIAN] to take up the quarrel; I have persuaded 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 Toby. There's no remedy, sir; he will fight with you for his oath's sake: marry, he hath

Fab. O good Sir Toby, hold; here come the officers.

Sir Toby. I'll be with you anon. [TO ANTONIO. Vio. Pray, sir, put up your sword, if you please. [To SIR ANDREW. Sir And. Marry, will I, sir;-and for that I promised you, I'll be as good as my word: He will bear you easily, and reins well.

1st Offi. This is the man; do thy office. 2nd Offi. Antonio, I arrest thee at the suit Of Count Orsino.

Ant. Lead me on.

[Exeunt Officers with ANTONIO. Vio. Methinks his words do from such passion fly,

That he believes himself; so do not I.
Prove true, imagination, O, prove true,
That I, dear brother, be now ta'en for you!

Sir Toby. Come hither, knight; come hither, Fabian; we'll whisper o'er a couplet or two of most sage saws.

Vio. He named Sebastian; I my brother know Yet living in my glass; even such and so In favour was my brother; and he went Still in this fashion, colour, ornament, For him I imitate: O, if it prove, Tempests are kind, and salt waves fresh in love!

[Exit.

Sir Toby. A very dishonest paltry boy, and more a coward than a hare his dishonesty appears in leaving his friend here in necessity, and denying him; and for his cowardship, ask

Fabian.

Enter SEBASTIAN and Clown.

Clo. Will you make me believe that I am not sent for you?

Seb. Go to, go to, thou art a foolish fellow; Let me be clear of thee.

Clo. Well held out, i'faith! No, I do not know you; nor I am not sent to you by my lady, to bid you come speak with her; nor your name is not Master Cesario; nor this is not my nose neither. Nothing that is so, is so.

Seb. I pr'y thee vent thy folly somewhere else;

Enter SIR ANDREW, SIR TOBY, and FABIAN.

Sir And. Now, sir, have I met you again? there's for you. [Striking SEBASTIAN. Seb. Why, there's for thee; and there, and there :

Are all the people mad? [Beating SIR ANDREW. Sir Toby. Hold, sir, or I'll throw your dagger o'er the house.

Clo. This will I tell my lady straight: I would not be in some of your coats for twopence.

Sir Toby. Come on, sir; hold.

[Exit CLOWN.

[Holding SEBASTIAN. Sir And. Nay, let him alone, I'll go another way to work with him; I'll have an action of battery against him, if there be any law in Illyria though I struck him first, yet it's no matter for that.

Seb. Let go thy hand.

Sir Toby. Come sir, I will not let you go. Come, my young soldier, put up your iron: you are well fleshed; come on.

Seb. I will be free from thee. What wouldst thou now?

If thou dar'st tempt me further, draw thy sword. [Draws.

Sir Toby. What, what? Nay, then I must have an ounce or two of this malapert blood from you. [Draws.

Enter OLIVIA.

Oli. Hold, Toby; on thy life, I charge thee, hold.

Sir Toby. Madam?

Oli. Will it be ever thus? Ungracious wretch, Fit for the mountains and the barbarous caves, Where manners ne'er were preached! out of my sight!

Be not offended, dear Cesario!

Rudesby, be gone !-I pr'y thee, gentle friend,
[Exeunt SIR TOBY, SIR ANDREW, and FABIAN.
Let thy fair wisdom, not thy passion, sway
In this uncivil and unjust extent

Against thy peace. Go with me to my house;
And hear thou there how many fruitless pranks
This ruffian hath botched up, that thou thereby
Mayst smile at this: thou shalt not choose but go;
Do not deny: Beshrew his soul for me;
He started one poor heart of mine in thee.

Seb. What relish is in this? how runs the stream?
Or I am mad, or else this is a dream :-
Let fancy still my sense in Lethe steep;
If it be thus to dream, still let me sleep?
Oli. Nay, come, I pr'y thee: 'Would thou 'dst
be ruled by me!

SCENE II.-A Room in OLIVIA'S House.

Enter MARIA and Clown.

Mar. Nay, I pr'y thee put on this gown and this beard; make him believe thou art Sir Topas, the curate; do it quickly: I'll call Sir Toby the whilst. [Exit MARIA.

Clo. Well, I'll put it on, and I will dissemble myself in 't; and I would I were the first that ever dissembled in such a gown. I am not tall enough to become the function well; nor lean enough to be thought a good student: but to be said, an honest man and a good housekeeper, goes as fairly as to say, a careful man and a great scholar. The competitors enter.

Enter SIR TOBY BELCH and MARIA. Sir Toby. Jove bless thee, master parson. Clo. Bonos dies, Sir Toby: for as the old hermit of Prague, that never saw pen and ink, very wittily said to a niece of King Gorboduc, "That that is, is:" so I, being master parson, am master parson: For what is that, but that? and is, but is?

Sir Toby. To him, Sir Topas.

Clo. What hoa, I say,-Peace in this prison!