supply; who, having great and instant occasion to use fifty talents, hath sent to your lordship to furnish him; nothing doubting your present assistance therein. Lucul. La, la, la, la,-nothing doubting, says he? alas, good lord! a noble gentleman 'tis, if he would not keep so good a house. Many a time and often I have dined with him, and told him on't; and come again to supper to him, of purpose to have him spend less: and yet he would embrace no counsel, take no warning, by my coming. Every man has his fault, and honesty is his; I have told him on't, but I could never get him from it. Re-enter Servant, with Wine. Serv. Please your lordship, here is the wine. Lucul. Flaminius, I have noted thee always wise. Here's to thee. Flam. Your lordship speaks your pleasure. Lucul. I have observed thee always for a towardly prompt spirit, give thee thy due,-and one that knows what belongs to reason; and canst use the time well, if the time use thee well: good parts in thee.-Get you gone, sirrah.-[To the Servant, who goes out]-Draw nearer, honest Flaminius. Thy lord's a bountiful gentleman: but thou art wise; and thou knowest well enough, although thou comest to me, that this is no time to lend money; especially upon bare friendship, without security. Here's three solidares for thee; good boy, wink at me, and say, thou saw'st me not. Fare thee well. Flam. Is't possible, the world should so much differ; And we alive, that liv'd? Fly, damned baseness, To him that worships thee. [Throwing the Money away. Lucul. Ha! Now I see, thou art a fool, and fit for thy master. [Exit Lucullus. Flam. May these add to the number that may scald Let molten coin be thy damnation, Thou disease of a friend, and not himself! [thee! Unto his honour, has my lord's meat in him: O, may diseases only work upon't! And, when he is sick to death, let not that part of nature Which my lord paid for, be of any power To expel sickness, but prolong his hour! SCENE II. The same. A public Place. Enter LUCIUS, with three Strangers. [Exit. Luc. Who, the lord Timon? he is my very good friend, and an honourable gentleman. 1 Stran. We know him for no less, though we are but strangers to him. But I can tell you one thing, my lord, and which I hear from common rumours; now lord Timon's happy hours are done and past, and his estate shrinks from him. Luc. Fie, no, do not believe it; he cannot want for money. 2 Stran. But believe you this, my lord, that, not long ago, one of his men was with the lord Lucullus, to borrow so many talents; nay, urged extremely for't, and showed what necessity belonged to't, and yet was denied. Luc. How? 2 Stran. I tell you, denied, my lord. Luc. What a strange case was that? now, before the gods, I am ashamed on't. Denied that honourable man? there was very little honour show'd in it. For my own part, I must needs confess, I have received some small kindnesses from him, as money, plate, jewels, and such like trifles, nothing comparing to his; yet, had he mistook him, and sent to me, I should ne'er have denied his occasion so many talents. Enter SERVILIUS. Ser. See, by good hap, yonder's my lord; I have sweat to see his honour.-My honoured lord, [To Lucius. Luc. Servilius! you are kindly met, sir. Fare thee well:-Commend me to thy honourable-virtuous lord, my very exquisite friend. Ser. May it please your honour, my lord hath sentLuc. Ha! what has he sent? I am so much endeared to that lord; he's ever sending: How shall I thank him, thinkest thou? And what has he sent now? Ser. He has only sent his present occasion now, my lord; requesting your lordship to supply his instant use with so many talents. Luc. I know, his lordship is but merry with me; He cannot want fifty-five hundred talents. Ser. But in the mean time he wants less, my lord. If his occasion were not virtuous, I should not urge it half so faithfully, Luc. Dost thou speak seriously, Servilius? Luc. What a wicked beast was I, to disfurnish myself against such a good time, when I might have shown myself honourable! how unluckily it happened, that I should purchase the day before for a little part, and undo a great deal of honour!-Servilius, now before the gods, I am not able to do't; the more beast, I say : -I was sending to use lord Timon myself, these gentlemen can witness; but I would not, for the wealth of Athens, I had done it now. Commend me bountifully to his good lordship; and I hope his honour will conceive the fairest of me, because I have no power to be kind:-And tell him this from me, I count it one of my greatest afflictions, say, that I cannot pleasure such an honourable gentleman. Good Servilius, will you befriend me so far, as to use mine own words to him? Ser. Yes, sir, I shall. Luc. I will look you out a good turn, Servilius,— True, as you said, Timon is shrunk, indeed; [Exit Lucius. 1 Stran. Do you observe this, Hostilius? 2 Stran. Ay, too well. 1 Stran. Why this Is the world's soul; and just of the same piece My knowing, Timon has been this lord's father, I never tasted Timon in my life, For mine own part, Nor came any of his bounties over me, Had his necessity made use of me, I would have put my wealth into donation, The same. SCENE 111. [Exeunt. A Room in SEMPRONIUS' House. Enter SEMPRONIUS and a Servant of TIMON's. Sem. Must he needs trouble me in't? Humph! 'Bove all others? He might have tried lord Lucius, or Lucullus; Whom he redeem'd from prison: All these three Serv. Q my lord, They have all been touch'd, and found base metal; for They have all denied him! How! have they denied him? Sem. Has Ventidius and Lucullus denied him? And does he send to me? Three? Humph!It shows but little love or judgment in him. Must I be his last refuge? His friends, like physicians, Thrive, give him over; Must I take the cure upon me? And does he think so backwardly of me now, And I amongst the lords be thought a fool. I had rather than the worth of thrice the sum, I had such a courage to do him good. But now return, Who bates mine honour, shall not know my coin. [Exit. Serv. Excellent! Your lordship's a goodly villain. The devil knew not what he did, when he made man politic; he cross'd himself by't: and I cannot think, but, in the end, the villanies of man will set him clear. How fairly this lord strives to appear foul? takes virtuous copies to be wicked; like those that, under hot ardent zeal, would set whole realms on fire. Of such a nature is his politic love. This was my lord's best hope; now all are fled, And this is all a liberal course allows; Who cannot keep his wealth, must keep his house. [Exit. SCENE IV. The same. A Hall in TIMON's House. Enter two Servants of VARRO, and the Servant of LUCIUS, meeting TITUS, HORTENSIUS, and other Servants to TIMON's Creditors, waiting his coming out. Var. Serv. Well met; good morrow, Titus and Tit. The like to you, kind Varro. [Hortensius. C |