Internet Shakespeare Editions

About this text

  • Title: Twelfth Night (Folio 1, 1623)
  • Editors: David Carnegie, Mark Houlahan
  • ISBN: 978-1-55058-372-4

    Copyright Internet Shakespeare Editions. This text may be freely used for educational, non-proift purposes; for all other uses contact the Coordinating Editor.
    Author: William Shakespeare
    Editors: David Carnegie, Mark Houlahan
    Peer Reviewed

    Twelfth Night (Folio 1, 1623)

    270 Twelfe Night, or, What you will.
    1870That I haue done for you.
    Vio. I know of none,
    Nor know I you by voyce, or any feature:
    I hate ingratitude more in a man,
    Then lying, vainnesse, babling drunkennesse,
    1875Or any taint of vice, whose strong corruption
    Inhabites our fraile blood.
    Ant. Oh heauens themselues.
    2. Off. Come sir, I pray you go.
    Ant. Let me speake a little. This youth that you see (heere,
    1880I snatch'd one halfe out of the iawes of death,
    Releeu'd him with such sanctitie of Ioue;
    And to his image, which me thought did promise
    Most venerable worth, did I deuotion.
    1. Off. What's that to vs, the time goes by: Away.
    1885Ant. But oh, how vilde an idoll proues this God:
    Thou hast Sebastian done good feature, shame.
    In Nature, there's no blemish but the minde:
    None can be call'd deform'd, but the vnkinde.
    Vertue is beauty, but the beauteous euill
    1890Are empty trunkes, ore-flourish'd by the deuill.
    1. Off. The man growes mad, away with him:
    Come, come sir.
    Ant. Leade me on. Exit
    Vio. Me thinkes his words do from such passion flye
    1895That he beleeues himselfe, so do not I:
    Proue true imagination, oh proue ttue,
    That I deere brother, be now tane for you.
    To. Come hither Knight, come hither Fabian: Weel
    whisper ore a couplet or two of most sage sawes.
    1900Vio. He nam'd Sebastian: I my brother know
    Yet liuing in my glasse: euen such, and so
    In fauour was my Brother, and he went
    Still in this fashion, colour, ornament,
    For him I imitate: Oh if it proue,
    1905Tempests are kinde, and salt waues fresh in loue.
    To. A very dishonest paltry boy, and more a coward
    then a Hare, his dishonesty appeares, in leauing his frend
    heere in necessity, and denying him: and for his coward-
    ship aske Fabian.
    1910Fab. A Coward, a most deuout Coward, religious in
    it.
    And. Slid Ile after him againe, and beate him.
    To. Do, cuffe him soundly, but neuer draw thy sword
    And. And I do not.
    1915Fab. Come, let's see the euent.
    To. I dare lay any money, twill be nothing yet. Exit



    Actus Quartus, Scaena prima.



    Enter Sebastian and Clowne.
    Clo. Will you make me beleeue, that I am not sent for
    1920you?
    Seb. Go too, go too, thou art a foolish fellow,
    Let me be cleere of thee.
    Clo. Well held out yfaith: No, I do not know you,
    nor I am not sent to you by my Lady, to bid you come
    1925speake with her: nor your name is not Master Cesario,
    nor this is not my nose neyther: Nothing that is so, is so.
    Seb. I prethee vent thy folly some-where else, thou
    know'st not me.
    Clo. Vent my folly: He has heard that word of some
    1930great man, and now applyes it to a foole. Vent my fol-
    ly: I am affraid this great lubber the World will proue a
    Cockney: I prethee now vngird thy strangenes, and tell
    me what I shall vent to my Lady? Shall I vent to hir that
    thou art comming?
    1935Seb. I prethee foolish greeke depart from me, there's
    money for thee, if you tarry longer, I shall giue worse
    paiment.
    Clo. By my troth thou hast an open hand: these Wise-
    men that giue fooles money, get themselues a good re-
    1940port, after foureteene yeares purchase.

    Enter Andrew, Toby, and Fabian.
    And. Now sir, haue I met you again: ther's for you.
    Seb. Why there's for thee, and there, and there,
    Are all the people mad?
    1945To. Hold sir, or Ile throw your dagger ore the house.
    Clo. This will I tell my Lady straight, I would not be
    in some of your coats for two pence.
    To. Come on sir, hold.
    An. Nay let him alone, Ile go another way to worke
    1950with him: Ile haue an action of Battery against him, if
    there be any law in Illyria: though I stroke him first, yet
    it's no matter for that.
    Seb. Let go thy hand.
    To. Come sir, I will not let you go. Come my yong
    1955souldier put vp your yron: you are well flesh'd: Come
    on.
    Seb. I will be free from thee. What wouldst yu now?
    If thou dar'st tempt me further, draw thy sword.
    To. What, what? Nay then I must haue an Ounce or
    1960two of this malapert blood from you.
    Enter Oliuia.
    Ol. Hold Toby, on thy life I charge thee hold.
    To. Madam.
    Ol. Will it be euer thus? Vngracious wretch,
    1965Fit for the Mountaines, and the barbarous Caues,
    Where manners nere were preach'd: out of my sight.
    Be not offended, deere Cesario:
    Rudesbey be gone. I prethee gentle friend,
    Let thy fayre wisedome, not thy passion sway
    1970In this vnciuill, and vniust extent
    Against thy peace. Go with me to my house,
    And heare thou there how many fruitlesse prankes
    This Ruffian hath botch'd vp, that thou thereby
    Mayst smile at this: Thou shalt not choose but goe:
    1975Do not denie, beshrew his soule for mee,
    He started one poore heart of mine, in thee.
    Seb. What rellish is in this? How runs the streame?
    Or I am mad, or else this is a dreame:
    Let fancie still my sense in Lethe steepe,
    1980If it be thus to dreame, still let me sleepe.
    Ol. Nay come I prethee, would thoud'st be rul'd by me
    Seb. Madam, I will.
    Ol. O say so, and so be. Exeunt



    Scoena Secunda.



    1985Enter Maria and Clowne.
    Mar. Nay, I prethee put on this gown, & this beard,
    make him beleeue thou art sir Topas the Curate, doe it
    quickly. Ile call sir Toby the whilst.
    Clo. Well, Ile put it on, and I will dissemble my selfe
    1990in't, and I would I were the first that euer dissembled in
    such