Oli. Read it you, Sirrah. [To Fabian. Fab. [Reads.] By the Lord, Madam, you wrong me, and the world fhall know it: though you have put me into darkness, and given your drunken Uncle rule over me, yet bave I the benefit of my fenfes as well as your Ladyship. I have your 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 fame: think of me, as you pleafe: I leave my duty a little unthought of, and fpeak 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 th' alliance on't, fo please you,
Here at my houfe, and at my proper

coft.

Duke. Madam, I am moft apt t'embrace your offer. Your mafter quits you; and for your fervice done him, So much against the metal of your fex,

[To Viola. 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.

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;
You can fay none of this. Well, grant it then;
And tell me in the modesty of honour,

Why you have given me fuch clear lights of favour,

Bad

Bad me come fmiling, and crofs-garter'd to you,
To put on yellow ftockings, and to frown
Upon Sir 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 houfe, vifited by the priest,
And made the most notorious geck, and gull,
That e'er invention plaid on? tell me, why?
Oli. Alas, Malvolio, this is not my writing,
Tho', I confefs, much like the character:
But, out of queftion, 'tis Maria's hand.
And now I do bethink me, it was the

First told me, thou waft mad; then cam'ft thou fmiling,
And in fuch forms which here were presuppos'd
Upon thee in the letter: pr'ythee be content;
This practice hath most fhrewdly paft upon thee;
But when we know the grounds, and authors of it,
Thou shalt be both the plaintiff and the judge
Of thine own caufe.

Fab. Good Madam, hear me fpeak;

And let no quarrel, nor no brawl to come,
Taint the condition of this prefent hour,
Which I have wondred at. In hope it shall not,
Moft freely I confefs, myfelf and Sir Toby
Set this device against Malvolio here,
Upon fome ftubborn and uncourteous parts
We had conceiv'd against him. Maria writ
The letter, at Sir Toby's great importance:
In recompence whereof, he hath married her.
How with a fportful malice it was follow'd,
May rather pluck on laughter than revenge;
If that the injuries be juftly weigh'd,
That have on both fides past.

Oli. Alas, poor fool! how have they baffled thee? Clo. Why, fome are born great, Some atchieve greatnefs, and fome have greatness thrust upon them. I was one, Sir, in this interlude; one Sir Topas, Sir; but that's all one: by the Lord, fool, I am not mad; but do you remember, Madam, why laugh

H 4

you at fuch a barren rafcal? an you fmile not, he's gagg'd: and thus the whirl-gigg 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. Pursue him, and intreat him to a peace :
He hath not told us of the captain yet;
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 a little tiny boy,
With hey, ho, the wind and the rain:

A foolish thing was but a toy,

For the rain it raineth every day.

But when I came to man's eftate,

With hey, ho, &c.

[Exeunt.

'Gainft knaves and thieves men shut their gate,

For the rain, &c.

A great while ago the world begun,
With hey, ho, &c.

But that's all one, ou» play is done;
And we'll firive to please you every day.

[Exit.

THE

HGravelot in&del. Vol: 3.P: 177.

G.V. Gucht Scul