Once, in a sea-fight, 'gainst the Count his gallies,"
I did some service; of such note, indeed,
That, were I ta'en here, it would scarce be answer'd.
Seb. Belike, you slew great number of his people.
Ant. The offence is not of such a bloody nature;
Albeit the quality of the time, and quarrel,
Might well have given us bloody argument,
It might have since been answer'd in repaying
What we took from them; which, for traffick's sake,
Most of our city did: only myself stood out:
For which, if I be lapsed in this place,

I shall pay dear.

Seb.

Do not then walk too open.

Ant. It doth not fit me. Hold, sir, here's my purse; In the south suburbs, at the Elephant,

Is best to lodge: I will bespeak our diet,

Whiles you beguile the time, and feed your knowledge With viewing of the town; there shall you have me. Seb. Why I your purse?

Ant. Haply, your eye shall light upon some toy You have desire to purchase; and your store,

I think, is not for idle markets, sir.

Seb. I'll be your purse-bearer, and leave you for An hour.

Enter OLIVIA and MARIA.

Oli. I have sent after him: He says he 'll come;1 How shall I feast him; what bestow on him? 2

9 the Count his gallies,] I suspect our author wrote— county's gallies, i. e. the gallies of the county, or count; and that the transcriber's ear deceived him. However, as the present reading is conformable to the mistaken grammatical usage of the time, I have not disturbed the text. Malone.

1

He says, he'll come;] i, e. I suppose now, or admit now, he says, he 'll come. Warburton.

For youth is bought more oft, than begg'd, or bor

row'd.

I speak too loud.

Where is Malvolio; he is sad, and civil,3

And suits well for a servant with my fortunes;—
Where is Malvolio?

Mar.

He's coming madam;

No, madam,

But in strange manner. He is sure possess'd.
Oli. Why, what 's the matter? does he rave?
Mar.
He does nothing but smile: your ladyship
Were best have guard about you, if he come ;5
For, sure, the man is tainted in his wits.

Oli. Go call him hither.-I'm as mad as he,
If sad and merry madness equal be.—

Enter MALVOLIO.

How now, Malvolio?

Mal. Sweet lady, ho, ho.

[Smiles fantastically.

Oli. Smil'st thou?

I sent for thee upon a sad occasion.

2

what bestow on him?] The old copy reads—“ bestow

of him," a vulgar corruption of—on. Steevens.

3

Of, is very commonly, in the North, still used for on. Henley. sad, and civil,] Civil, in this instance, and some others, means only, grave, decent, or solemn. So, in As you Like it: "Tongues I'll hang on every tree,

"That shall civil sayings show See note on that passage, Act III, sc. ii.

39

Again, in Decker's Villanics discovered by Lanthorne and Candlelight, &c. 1616: "If before she ruffled in silkes, now is she more civilly attired than a mid-wife" Again-" civilly suited, that they might carry about them some badge of a scholler." Again, in David Rowland's translation of Lazarillo de Tormes, 1586: " = he throwing his cloake ouer his leaft shoulder very civilly," &c. Steevens.

4 But in strange manner. He is sure possess'd] The old copy

reads

"But in very strange manner. He is sure possess'd,

madam."

For the sake of metre, I have omitted the unnecessary wordsvery, and madam.

Steevens.

Were best have guard about you, if he come;] The old copy, redundantly, and without addition to the sense, reads"Were best to have some guard," &c. Steevens.