like a knight; and generally, in all fhapes that man goes up and down in, from fourfcore to thirteen, this fpirit

walks in.

Var. Thou art not altogether a fool.

Fool. Nor thou altogether a wife man; as much foolery as I have, so much wit thou lack'st.

Apem. That answer might have become Apemantus.
All. Afide, afide, here comes Lord Timon.

Enter Timon and Flavius.

Apem. Come with me, fool, come.

Fool. I do not always follow lover, elder brother, and woman; fometime the philofopher.

Flav. Pray you walk near, I'll fpeak with you anon. [Exeunt all but Timon and Flavius.

Tim. You make me marvel; wherefore, ere this time,

Had you not fully laid my ftate before me?

That I might fo have rated my expence,

As I had leave of means.

Flav. You would not hear me :

At many leifures I propos'd.

Tim. Go to:

Perchance fome fingle vantages you took,
When my indifpofition put you back:
And that unaptnefs made you minifter
Thus to excufe your felf.

Flav. O my good Lord,

At many times I brought in my accounts,
Laid them before you; you would throw them off,
And fay you found them in mine honesty.

When, for fome trifling prefent, you have bid me
Return fo much, I've fhook my head, and wept ;
Yea, 'gainst th' authority of manners, pray'd you
To hold your hand more clofe.
hand more clofe. I did endure
Not feldom, nor no flight checks, when I have

Prompted

Prompted you in the ebb of your estate,

And your great flow of debts. My dear-lov'd Lord, Though you hear 'now, yet now's too late a time. The greatest of your Having lacks a half

To pay your present debts.

Tim. Let all my land be fold.

Flav. 'Tis all engag'd, fome forfeited and gone,
And what remains will hardly ftop the mouth
Of prefent dues; the future come apace:
What fhall defend the interim, and at length
"Make good our reck'ning?

Tim. To Lacedæmon did my land extend.

Flav. O my good Lord, the world is but a world, Were it all yours, to give it in a breath,

How quickly were it gone!

Tim. You tell me true.

Flav. If you fufpect my husbandry or falfhood,
Call me before th' exacteft auditors,

And fet me on the proof. So the Gods bless me,
When all our offices have been oppreft

With riotous feeders; when our vaults have wept
With drunken fpilth of wine; when every room
Hath blaz'd with lights, and bray'd with minftrelfie;
I have retir'd me to a waftefull cock, a

And fet mine eyes at flow.

Tim. Pr'ythee no more.

Flav. Heav'ns! have I faid, the bounty of this Lord!
How many prodigal bits have flaves and peafants
This night englutted! who now is not Timon's?

What heart, head, fword, force, means, but is Lord Timon's?
Great Timon's; noble, worthy, royal Timon's?
Ah! when the means are gone that buy this praise,
The breath is gone whereof this praise is made:
Feaft-won, faft-loft; one cloud of winter fhowres,

Thefe

(a) By Cock here is meant a Cockloft, a Garret: and a wastefull cock fignifies a Garret lying in wafte, neglected, put to no use.

5 now too late, yet now's a time. 7 How goes or Hold good

6 comes

Thefe flies are coucht.

Tim. Come, fermon me no further.
No villainous bounty yet hath paft my heart
Unwifely, not ignobly, have I given.
Why doft thou weep? canft thou

8

;

all confcience lack To think I fhall lack friends? fecure thy heart ; If I would broach the vessels of my love, And try the arguments of hearts by borrowing, Men and men's fortunes could I frankly use, As I can bid thee speak.

Flav. Affurance bless your thoughts!

Tim. And in fome fort thefe wants of mine are crown'd, That I account them bleffings; for by these

Shall I try friends. You fhall perceive how you
Mistake my fortunes: in my friends I'm wealthy,
Within there, Ho! Flaminius, Servilius!

Enter Flaminius, Servilius, and other Servants.

Serv. My Lord, my Lord.

Tim. I will dispatch you fev'rally.

You to Lord Luciusto Lord Lucullus you, I hunted with his Honour to-day you to Sempronius-commend me to their loves, and I am proud, fay, that my occafions have found time to use 'em toward a supply of mony let the request be fifty talents.

Flam. As you have faid, my Lord.

Flav. Lord Lucius and Lucullus? hum
Tim. Go you, Sir, to the Senators;

[To Flavius.

Of whom, even to the ftate's best health, I have
Deferv'd this hearing; bid 'em fend o' th' inftant
A thoufand talents to me.

Flav. I've been bold,

(For that I knew it the moft gen'ral way,) To them to use your fignet and your name;

8 the

But

But they do fhake their heads, and I am here

No richer in return.

Tim. Is't true? can't be ?

Flav. They anfwer in a joint and corporate voice, That now they are at fall, want treasure, cannot

Do what they would; are forry - You are honourable-
But yet they could have wifht they know 'not-but
Something hath been amifs
a noble nature

May catch a wrench →→→ would all were well
And fo intending other ferious matters,

After diftafteful looks, and thefe hard fractions,
With certain half caps, and cold-moving nods,
They froze me into filence.

Tim. You Gods, reward them!

'tis pity

I pr'ythee, man, look cheerly. These old fellows
Have their ingratitude hereditary :`

Their blood is cak'd, 'tis cold, it feldom flows,
'Tis lack of kindly warmth they are not kind;
And nature, as it grows again tow'rd earth,
Is fashion'd for the journey, dull and heavy.
Go to Ventidius pr'ythee be not fad,
Thou'rt true, and juft; ingenuoufly I fpeak,
No blame belongs to thee: Ventidius lately
Bury'd his father, by whofe death he's stepp'd
Into a great eftate; When he was poor,
Imprifon'd, and in fcarcity of friends,

I clear'd him with five talents. Greet him from me,
Bid him fuppofe fome good neceffity

Touches his friend, which craves to be remember'd
With those five talents. That had, give't thefe fellows
To whom 'tis inftant due. Ne'er fpeak, or think,
That Timon's fortunes 'mong his friends can fink.

Flav. Would I could not: that thought is bounty's foe; Being free it felf, it thinks all others fo.

9 not

I ingratitude in them hereditary :

[Exeunt.

ACT

ACT III.

SCENE I.

The House of Lucullus in the Ci

ty

Flaminius waiting, enter a Servant to him.

SERVANT.

Have told my Lord of you; he is coming down to you.
Flam. I thank you, Sir.

Enter Lucullus.

Ser. Here's my Lord.

Lucul. One of Lord Timon's men? a gift, I warrant — Why, this hits right: I dreamt of a filver bason and ewre to-night. Flaminius, honeft Flaminius, you are very respectively welcome, Sir; fill me fome wine. And how does that honourable, compleat, free-hearted gentleman of Athens, thy very bountiful good Lord and master ?

Flam. His health is well, Sir.

Lucul. I am right glad that his health is well, Sir; and what haft thou there under thy cloak, pretty Flaminius?

Flam. 'Faith, nothing but an empty box, Sir, which in my Lord's behalf, I come to entreat your Honour to fupply; who having great and inftant occafion to use fifty talents, hath fent to your Lordship to furnish him, nothing doubting your prefent aflistance therein.

Lucul. La, la, la, la, Nothing doubting, fays he? alas, good Lord, a noble gentleman 'tis, if he would not keep fo good a houfe. Many a time and often I ha' din'd with him, and told him on't; and come again to fupper to him on purpose to have him spend less. And yet he would embrace no counfel, take no warning by my coming; every man hath his fault, and honefty is his. I ha' told him on't, but I could never get him from't.

Enter