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Sleep? sleep at court? and now? Aches, convulsions,
Imposthumes, rheums, gouts, palsies, clog thy bones
A dozen years more yet!

Grau.

Now you're in humours.

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Bass. She's by herself, there's hope of that; she's

sad too;

She's in strong contemplation; yes, and fixed:

The signs are wholesome.

Grau.

Very wholesome, truly.

Bass. Hold your chops, nightmare !-Lady, come;

your brother

Is carried to his closet; you must thither.

Pen. Not well, my lord?

Bass.

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A sudden fit; 'twill off!

Some surfeit or disorder.-How dost, dearest ?
Your news is none o' the best.

Pen.

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Pen. In vain we labour in this course of life 146

To piece our journey out at length, or crave

Respite of breath: our home is in the grave.

Bass. Perfect philosophy!

Pen.

To live so, that our reckonings may fall even

When we're to make account.

Pro.

Then let us care

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He cannot fear

Who builds on noble grounds: sickness or pain
Is the deserver's exercise; and such
Your virtuous brother to the world is known.
Speak comfort to him, lady; be all gentle :
Stars fall but in the grossness of our sight;
A good man dying, the earth doth lose a light.

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[Exeunt.

ACT THE THIRD.

SCENE I. The Study of TECNICUS.

Enter TECNICUS, and ORGILUS in his usual dress.

Tec. Be well advised; let not a resolution
Of giddy rashness choke the breath of reason.
Org. It shall not, most sage master.
Tec.

I am jealous;

For if the borrowed shape so late put on
Inferred a consequence, we must conclude
Some violent design of sudden nature
Hath shook that shadow off, to fly upon
A new-hatched execution. Orgilus,

Take heed thou hast not, under our integrity,
Shrouded unlawful plots; our mortal eyes
Pierce not the secrets of your heart, the gods
Are only privy to them.

Org.

Learned Tecnicus,

Such doubts are causeless; and, to clear the truth
From misconceit, the present state commands me.
The Prince of Argos comes himself in person
In quest of great Calantha for his bride,
Our kingdom's heir; besides, mine only sister,
Euphranea, is disposed to Prophilus ;

Lastly, the king is sending letters for me

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To Athens, for my quick repair to court :
Please to accept these reasons.

Tec.

Just ones, Orgilus,

Not to be contradicted: yet beware

Of an unsure foundation; no fair colours
Can fortify a building faintly jointed.
I have observed a growth in thy aspect
Of dangerous extent, sudden, and-look to't-
I might add, certain-

Org.

My aspéct could art

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Run through mine inmost thoughts, it should not sift. An inclination there more than what suited

With justice of mine honour.

Tec.

I believe it.

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But know then, Orgilus, what honour is :

Honour consists not in a bare opinion

By doing any act that feeds content,

Brave in appearance, 'cause we think it brave;

Such honour comes by accident, not nature,

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Proceeding from the vices of our passion,

Which makes our reason drunk; but real honour
Is the reward of virtue, and acquired

By justice, or by valour which for basis.

Hath justice to uphold it. He then fails

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In honour, who for lucre or revenge

Commits thefts, murders, treasons, and adulteries,
With suchlike, by intrenching on just laws,

Whose sovereignty is best preserved by justice.

Thus, as you see how honour must be grounded
On knowledge, not opinion—for opinion
Relies on probability and accident,

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But knowledge on necessity and truth,—

I leave thee to the fit consideration

Of what becomes the grace of real honour,
Wishing success to all thy virtuous meanings.

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Org. The gods increase thy wisdsm, reverend oracle,

And in thy precepts make me ever thrifty!

Tec. I thank thy wish.

[Exit ORGILUS.

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Much mystery of fate
Lies hid in that man's fortunes; curiosity
May lead his actions into rare attempts :—
But let the gods be moderators still;

No human power can prevent their will.

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In this sealed box, he sends a treasure to you,
Dear to him as his crown; he prays your gravity,
You would examine, ponder, sift, and bolt

The pith and circumstance of every tittle

The scroll within contains.

Tec.

What is't, Armostes? 65

Arm. It is the health of Sparta, the king's life, Sinews and safety of the commonwealth;

The sum of what the oracle delivered

When last he visited the prophetic temple

At Delphos; what his reasons are, for which,
After so long a silence, he requires

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