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  • 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)

    Twelfe Night, or, What you will. 275
    Or say, tis not your seale, not your inuention:
    You can say none of this. Well, grant it then,
    2505And tell me in the modestie of honor,
    Why you haue giuen me such cleare lights of fauour,
    Bad me come smiling, and crosse-garter'd to you,
    To put on yellow stockings, and to frowne
    Vpon sir Toby, and the lighter people:
    2510And acting this in an obedient hope,
    Why haue you suffer'd me to be imprison'd,
    Kept in a darke house, visited by the Priest,
    And made the most notorious gecke and gull,
    That ere inuention plaid on? Tell me why?
    2515Ol. Alas Maluolio, this is not my writing,
    Though I confesse much like the Charracter:
    But out of question, tis Marias hand.
    And now I do bethinke me, it was shee
    First told me thou wast mad; then cam'st in smiling,
    2520And in such formes, which heere were presuppos'd
    Vpon thee in the Letter: prethee be content,
    This practice hath most shrewdly past vpon thee:
    But when we know the grounds, and authors of it,
    Thou shalt be both the Plaintiffe and the Iudge
    2525Of thine owne cause.
    Fab. Good Madam heare me speake,
    And let no quarrell, nor no braule to come,
    Taint the condition of this present houre,
    Which I haue wondred at. In hope it shall not,
    2530Most freely I confesse my selfe, and Toby
    Set this deuice against Maluolio heere,
    Vpon some stubborne and vncourteous parts
    We had conceiu'd against him. Maria writ
    The Letter, at sir Tobyes great importance,
    2535In recompence whereof, he hath married her:
    How with a sportfull malice it was follow'd,
    May rather plucke on laughter then reuenge,
    If that the iniuries be iustly weigh'd,
    That haue on both sides past.
    2540Ol. Alas poore Foole, how haue they baffel'd thee?
    Clo. Why some are borne great, some atchieue great-
    nesse, and some haue greatnesse throwne vpon them. I
    was one sir, in this Enterlude, one sir Topas sir, but that's
    all one: By the Lotd Foole, I am not mad: but do you re-
    2545member, Madam, why laugh you at such a barren rascall,
    and you smile not he's gag'd: and thus the whirlegigge
    of time, brings in his reuenges.
    Mal. Ile be reueng'd on the whole packe of you?
    Ol. He hath bene most notoriously abus'd.
    2550Du. Pursue him, and entreate him to a peace:
    He hath not told vs of the Captaine yet,
    When that is knowne, and golden time conuents
    A solemne Combination shall be made
    Of our deere soules. Meane time sweet sister,
    2555We will not part from hence. Cesario come
    (For so you shall be while you are a man:)
    But when in other habites you are seene,
    Orsino's Mistris, and his fancies Queene. Exeunt

    Clowne sings.
    2560
    When that I was and a little tine boy,
    with hey, ho, the winde and the raine:
    A foolish thing was but a toy,
    for the raine it raineth euery day.

    But when I came to mans estate,
    2565with hey ho, &c.
    Gainst Knaues and Theeues men shut their gate,
    for the raine, &c.

    But when I came alas to wiue,
    with hey ho, &c.
    2570By swaggering could I neuer thriue,
    for the raine, &c.

    But when I came vnto my beds,
    with hey ho, &c.
    With tospottes still had drunken beades,
    2575for the raine, &c.

    A great while ago the world begon,
    hey ho, &c.
    But that's all one, our Play is done,
    and wee'l striue to please you euery day.

    2580FINIS.
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