Vir. I do expect it;

And therefore need no compliment, but wait it. Duke. Thou borest the face once of a noble gentleman,

Rank'd in the first file of the virtuous,

By every hopeful spirit shew'd and pointed
Thy country's love; one that advanced her honour,
Not tainted with the base and servile uses

The tyrant ties men's souls to. Tell me, Virolet,
If shame have not forsook thee, with thy credit-
Vir. No more of these racks! what I am, I am.
I hope not to go free with poor confessions;
Nor if I shew ill, will I seem a monster,
By making my mind prisoner! Do your worst:
When I came out to deal with you, I cast it.
Only those base inflictions fit for slaves,
Because I am a gentleman-

Duke. Thou art none!

Thou wast while thou stood'st good; thou'rt now a villain,

And agent for the devil!

Vir. That tongue lies!

Give me my sword again, and stand all arm'd;
I'll prove it on ye all, I am a gentleman,

A man as fair in honour-Rate your prisoners?
How poor and like a pedagogue it shews,
How far from nobleness! "Tis fair, you may kill us;
But to defame your victory with foul language-
Duke. Go fling him overboard. I'll teach you,
sirrah-

Vir. You cannot teach me to die. I could kill you now

With patience, in despising all your cruelties,
And make you choke with anger.

Duke. Away, I say!

Mart. Stay, sir; he has given you such bold language,

I am not reconciled to him yet; and therefore He shall not have his wish observed so nearly, To die when he please; I beseech you stay, sir. Duke. Do with him what thou wilt.

Mart. Carry him to the bilboes,'

And clap him fast there, with the prince.
Vir. Do, lady;

For any death you give I am bound to bless you. [Exeunt VIROLET and Sailors. Mart. Now to your cabin, sir, (pray lean upon

me)

And take your rest; the surgeons wait all for you. Duke. Thou mak'st me blush to see thee bear thy fortunes.

Why, sure I have no hurt; I have not fought sure? Master. You bleed apace, sir.

Mart. You grow cold too.

Duke. I must be rul'd. No leaning!

My deepest wounds scorn crutches.

I

All. A brave general! [Flourish trumpets, cornets.

Exeunt.

1 - the bilboes.] This is explained by Steevens, "a bar of iron, with fetters annexed to it, by which mutinous and disorderly sailors were anciently linked together." See Reed's Shakspeare, vol. XVIII. p. 345, where a figure of bilboes, taken in the Spanish armada, still preserved in the Tower, is given. The word is still in use, though the instrument is not exactly the same.

1 Sailor. Will they not moor her? 2 Sailor. Not till we come to th' fort; This is too weak a place for our defences. The carpenters are hard at work; she swims well, And may hold out another fight. The ship we took Burns there, to give us light,

1 Sailor. She made a brave fight.

2 Sailor. She put us all in fear.

1 Sailor. Beshrew my heart, did she.

Her men are gone to Candy; they are pepper'd, All but this prisoner.

2 Sailor. Sure he's a brave fellow.

1 Sailor. A stubborn knave, but we have pull'd his bravery.

[VIROLET and ASCANIO discovered in the bilboes. Look, how he looks now! Come, let's go serve his

diet,

Which is but bread and water.

2 Sailor. He'll grow fat on't. [ [Exeunt Sailors. Asca. I must confess I have endured much misery, Even almost to the ruin of my spirit;

But ten times more grows my affliction,
To find my friend here.

Vir. Had we served our country,

Or honesties, as we have served our follies,
We had not been here now.

Asc. 'Tis too true, Virolet.

Vir. And yet my end in venturing for your safety Pointed at more than Ferrand's will, a base one! Some service for mine own, some for my nation, Some for my friend; but I am rightly paid, That durst adventure such a noble office,

From the most treacherous command of mischief: You know him now.

Asc. And when I nearer knew him,

Then when I waited, Heaven be witness with me, (And, if I lie, my miseries still load me!)

With what tears I have woo'd him, with what

prayers,

What weight of reasons I have laid, what dangers, (Then, when the people's curses flew like storms, And every tongue was whetted to defame him) To leave his doubts, his tyrannies, his slaughters, His fell oppressions! I know I was hated too.

Vir. And all mankind that knew him. These confessions

Do no good to the world, to Heaven they may : Let's study to die well; we have lived like coxcombs.

Asc. That my misfortune should lose you too! Vir. Yes:

And not only me, but many more, and better;
For my life, 'tis not this; or might I save yours,
And some brave friends I have engaged, let me go!
It were the meritorious death I wish for;

But we must hang, or drown like whelps.
Asc. No remedy?

Vir. On my part, I expect none. I know the

man,

And know he has been nettled to the quick too;

I know his nature.

Asc. A most cruel nature!

Vir. His wrongs have bred him up; I cannot blame him.

Asc. He has a daughter too, the greatest scorner, And most insulter upon misery

Vir. For those, they are toys to laugh at, not to lead men.

A woman's mirth or anger, like a meteor,
Glides and is gone, and leaves no crack behind it :
Our miseries would seem like masters to us,
And shake our manly spirits into fevers,
If we respected those; the more they glory,
And raise insulting trophies on our ruins,
The more our virtues shine in patience.

Sweet prince, the name of Death was never terrible

To him that knew to live; nor the loud torrent Of all afflictions, singing as they swim,

2

A gall of heart, but to a guilty conscience: Whilst we stand fair, though by a two-edged storm We find untimely falls, like early roses,

Bent to the earth, we bear our native sweetness. Asc. Good sir, go on.

Vir. When we are little children,

And cry and fret for every toy comes cross us,

2 Whilst we stand fair; but by a two-edged storm.] So reads the first folio; the text is from the second.-The image meant to be conveyed in this and the two following lines is intelligible; but there is some confusion (perhaps corruption) in the expression: How can they fall, whilst they stand fair? Tho' is preferable to but, in the present text; yet perhaps something is lost, signifying, that whilst we flourish, our state is particularly honourable; but if we even fall, even our fall is glorious."-Ed. 1778.

The editors, with unpoetical precision, cavil at this passage, and ask how they can fall whilst they stand fair? But to stand fair means only to continue virtuous. Mason.