Enter Servant.

Ser. Please you, my Lord, there are certain Ladies moft defirous 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 tafte! the five beft fenfes Acknowledge thee their patron, and do come Freely to gratulate thy plenteous bofom.

7 Th' ear, tafte, touch, fmell, pleas'd from thy table rife: Thefe only now come but to feast thine eyes.

[tance. Tim. They're welcome all; let 'em have kind admit

Let mufick make their welcome.

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

૩

Apem. Hoyday! why, what a fweep of vanity Comes this way! And they` dance, they are mad women. Like madness is the glory of this life,

As this pomp fhews to a little oy! and root.

We make our felves fools, to difport our felves;
And fpend our flatteries, to drink those men,
Upon whofe age we void it up again,.

With poisonous fpight and envy. Who lives, that's not
Depraved, or depraves? who dies, that bears
Not one fpurn to their graves of their friends gift?
I fhould fear, thofe that dance before me now
Would one day ftamp upon me: 'T has been done;
Men fhut their doors against a fetting fun.

7 There tafte, touch all,
8 what
9 They

old edit. Warb, emend.

The

I

The Lords rife from table, with much adoring of Timon, each fingles out a Lady, and all dance, men with women, a lofty firain or two to the hautbeys, and ceafe.

2

Tim. You have done our pleasures very

fair Ladies,

much grace,

Set a fair fashion on our entertainment,
Which was not half fo beautiful and kind:
You've added worth unto't, and lively luftre,
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. Pleafe you to difpofe your felves.

All La. Moft thankfully, my Lord.

Tim. Flavius!

Flav. My Lord.

Tim. The little casket bring me hither.

[Exeunt.

Fla. Yes, my Lord. More jewels yet? there is no croffing him in's humour,

Elfe I fhould tell him well-i' faith, I fhould,

When all's spent, he'd be crofs'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 horfes.

Tim. O my good friends!

I have one word to fay to you: look, my Lord,

I must entreat you, honour me so much

As to advance this jewel, accept, and wear it,

'Kind Lord!

Ser. My Lord, there are certain Nobles of the Senate newly alighted, and come to vifit you.

Tim. They are fairly welcome.

Re-enter Flavius.

Flav. I beseech your Honour, vuuchfafe me a word; it does concern you near.

Tim.'Me near? why then another time I'll hear thee. I pr'ythee let's be provided to fhew them enter

tainment.

Flav. I fcarce know how.

Enter another Servant.

2 Ser. May it please your Honour, Lord Lucius, out of his free love, hath prefented to you four milk-white horfes trapt in filver.

Tim. Ifhall accept them fairly: let the prefents Be worthily entertain'd.

Enter a third Servant.

How now? what news?

3 Ser. Please you, my Lord, that honourable gentleman, Lord Lucullus, entreats your company to-morrow to hunt with him, and has fent 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?

5 'Here he commands us to provide, and give
Great gifts, and all out of an empty coffer:
Nor will he know his purfe, or yield me this,
To fhew him what a beggar his heart is,
Being of no pow'r to make his wifhes good;
His promiles fly fo beyond his ftate,
5 He

4 Near!

That

That what he fpeaks is all in debt, he owes
For ev'ry word: he is fo kind, that he
Pays intereit for't; his land's put to their books.
Well, would I were gently put out of
Happier is he that has no friend to feed,

office!`

Than fuch that do e'en enemies exceed.

I bleed inwardly for my Lord.

[Exit.

Tim. You do your felves much wrong, you bate too 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 courfer 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 praife, but what he does affect: I weigh my friends affection with my own, 7'I tell you true: I'll call on you.

All Lords. O, none fo welcome.

Tim. I take all, and your feveral vifitations

So kind to heart, 'tis not enough to give

My thanks, I could deal kingdoms to my friends,

And ne'er be weary. Alcibiades,

Thou art a foldier, therefore feldom rich,

9 'I'll come in charity to thee; thy living

Is 'mongst the dead; and all the lands thou haft

Lye in a pitcht field.

Alc. I defie land, my Lord.

1 Lord. We are fo virtuously bound

Tim. And fo am I to you.

2 Lord. So infinitely endear'd -————————

Tim. All to you. Lights! more lights, more lights.

6 office! ere I were forc'd. 9 It

B 3
7 I'!!

3 Lord.

8 Methinks,

3 Lord. The best of happiness, honour and fortunes, Keep you, Lord Timon

Tim. Ready for his friends.

S CE

[Exeunt 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. Friendfhip's full of dregs;
Methinks falfe hearts fhould never have found legs.
Thus honeft fools lay out their wealth on court'fies.
Tim. Now, Apemantus, if thou wert not fullen,
I would be good to thee.

Apem. No, I'll nothing: for if I fhould be brib'd too, there would be none left to rail upon thee, and then thou wouldft fin the fafter. Thou giv'ft fo long, Timon, I fear me thou wilt give away thy felf in perpetuum fhortly. What need thefe feafts, pomps, and vainglories?

2

Tim. Nay, if you begin to rail on fociety once, I am fworn not to give regard to you. Farewel, and come with better mufick.

[Exit. Apem. So thou wilt not hear me now, thou fhalt not then.

3

I'll lock the heaven from thee.
Oh, that men's ears fhould be

To counfel deaf, but not to flattery!

1 Serving of bucks, . . . old edit. Theob. emend. 2 in paper

3 thy

[Exit.

ACT