5.

it

S

Sen. And late five thousand: to Varro and to Isidore
He owes nine thousand, besides my former summe,
Which makes it five and twenty. Still in motion
Of raging waste? It cannot hold, it will not.
If I want Gold, steale but a beggers Dogge,
And give it Timon, why the Dogge coines Gold.
If I would sell my Horse, and buy twenty moe
Better then he; why give my Horse to Timon.
Aske nothing, give it him, it Foles me straight
And able Horses: No Porter at his gate,
But rather one that smiles, and still invites
All that passe by. It cannot hold, no reason
Can sound his state in safety. Caphis hoa,
Caphis I say.

Ca.

Enter Caphis.

Heere sir, what is your pleasure.
Sen. Get on your cloake, & hast you to Lord Timon,

Importune him for my Moneyes, be not ceast
With slight deniall; nor then silenc'd, when
Commend me to your Master, and the Cap
Playes in the right hand, thus: but tell him,
My Uses cry to me; I must serve my turne
Out of mine owne, his dayes and times are past,
And my reliances on his fracted dates
Have smit my credit. I love, and honour him,
But must not breake my backe, to heale his finger.
Immediate are my needs, and my releefe
Must not be tost and turn'd to me in words,
But finde supply immediate. Get you gone,
Put on a most importunate aspect,

i

I prythee but repaire to me next morning.

Cap. Nay, good my Lord.

Tim. Containe thy selfe, good Friend.

Var. One Varroes servant, my good Lord.

Isid. From Isidore, he humbly prayes your speedy payment.

Cap. If you did know my Lord, my Masters wants.

Var. 'Twas due on forfeyture my Lord, sixe weekes, and past.

Isi. Your Steward puts me off my Lord, and I

Am sent expressely to your Lordship.

Tim. Give me breath :

I do beseech you good my Lords keepe on,

Ile waite upon you instantly. Come hither : pray you

How goes the world, that I am thus encountred

With clamorous demands of debt, broken Bonds,

And the detention of long since due debts

Against my Honor?

Stew.

Please you Gentlemen,

The time is unagreeable to this businesse :
Your importunacie cease, till after dinner,
That I make his Lordship understand :

Wherefore you are not paid.

Tim. Do so my Friends, see them well entertain'd.
Stew. Pray draw neere.

Enter Apemantus and Foole.

Exit.

Ape. That you ask me what you are, & do not know

selves. Speake to 'em Foole.

Foole. How do you Gentlemen ?

All. Gramercies good Foole :

How does your Mistris ?

Foole. She's e'ne setting on water to scal'd such Chick

Foole. Looke you, heere comes my Masters Page.

Page. Why how now Captaine? what do you in this

How dost thou Apermantus ?

Ape. Would I had a Rod in my mouth, that I might an thee profitably.

Boy. Prythee Apemantus reade me the superscription of Letters, I know not which is which.

Ape. There will litle Learning dye then that day thou

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As good a tricke as ever Hangman serv'd Theefe.

Foole. Are you three Usurers men?

All. I Foole.

Foole. I thinke no Usurer, but ha's a Foole to his Servant. My Mistris is one, and I am her Foole: when men come to borrow of your Masters, they approach sadly, and go away merry: but they enter my Masters house merrily, and go away sadly. The reason of this?

Var. I could render one.

Ap. Do it then, that we may account thee a Whore-master, and a Knave, which notwithstanding thou shalt be no lesse esteemed. Varro. What is a Whoremaster Foole?

Foole. A Foole in good cloathes, and something like thee. 'Tis a spirit, sometime t'appeares like a Lord, somtime like a Lawyer, sometime like a Philosopher, with two stones moe then's artificiall one. Hee is verie often like a Knight; and generally, in all shapes that man goes up and downe in, from fourescore to thirteen, this spirit walkes in.

Var. Thou art not altogether a Foole :
Foole. Nor thou altogether a Wise man,

As much foolerie as I have, so much wit thou lack'st.

Ape. That answer might have become Apemantus.
All. Aside, aside, heere comes Lord Timon.