Enter a fervant, with wine.

Ser. Please your lordship, here is the wine. Lucul. Flaminius, I have noted thee always wife. "Here's to thee.

Flam. Your lordship fpeaks your pleasure.

Lucul. I have obferv'd thee always for a towardly prompt fpirit. give thee thy due: and one that knows what belongs to reason; and canft use the time well, if the time ufe thee well. Good parts in theeGet you gone, firrah. [To the fervant, who goes out.]— Draw nearer, honeft Flaminius; thy lord's a bountiful gentleman, but thou art wife, and thou knoweft well enough (altho' thou comeft to me) that this is no time to lend money, especially upon bare friendship without fecurity. Here's three Solidares for thee; good boy, wink at me, and say, thou saw'it me not. Fare thee well.

Flam. Is't poffible the world fhould 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 fee thou art a fool, and fit for thy mafter.

Flam. May thefe add to the number that may fcald thee:

Let molten coin be thy damnation,

Thou difeafe of a friend, and not himfelf!
Has friendship fuch a faint and milky heart,
It turns in lefs than two nights? O you Gods!
I feel my mafter's paffion. This flave
Unto this hour has my lord's meat in him :
Why fhould it thrive, and turn to nutriment,
When he is turn'd to poison?

O may difeafes only work upon't:

And when he's fick to death, let not that part,
Of nurture, my lord pay'd for, be of power
To expel ficknefs, but prolong his hour!

[Exit.

SCENE

Luc.

SCENE II.

A Public Street.

Enter Lucius, with three ftrangers.

WH

WHO, the lord Timon? he is my very good friend, and an honourable gentleman. 1 Stran. We know him for no lefs, tho' we are but ftrangers 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 paft, and his eftate fhrinks from him.

Luc. Fye, 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 fifty talents, nay, urg'd extremely for't, and fhew'd what neceflity belong'd tolt, and yet was deny'd.

Luc. How?

2 Stran. I tell you, deny'd, my lord...

Luc. What a ftrange cafe was that? now, before the Gods, I am afham'd on't. Deny'd that honourable man? there was very little honour fhew'd in that. For my own part, I must needs confefs, I have received fome Imall kindnesses from him, as money, plate, jewels, and fuch like trifles, nothing comparing to his; yet had he mislook'd him, and fent him to me, I should ne'er have deny'd his occafion fo many talents.

Enter Servilius.

Ser. See, by good hap, yonder's my lord, I have fweat to fee his Honour. My honour'd lord[To Lucius.

Luc. Servilius! you are kindly met, Sir. Fare thee well, commend me to thy honourable virtuous lord, my very exquifite friend. VOL. VII.

H

Ser.

Ser. May it please your Honour, my lord hath fent

Luc. Ha! What hath he fent? I am fo much endear'd to that lord; he's ever fending: "how fhall I thank him, think'ft thou? and what has he sent now?

Ser. H'as only fent his prefent occafion now, my lord; requefting your lordship to supply his inftant ufe, with fifty talents.

Luc. I know, his lordship is but merry with me; He cannot want fifty times five hundred talents. Ser. But in the mean time he wants lefs, my Lord. If his occafion were not virtuous,

I fhould not urge it half fo faithfully.

Luc. Doft thou speak seriously, Servilius?
Sir. Upon my foul, 'tis true, Sir.

Luc. What a wicked beaft was I, to disfurnish myfelf against such a good time, when I might ha' fhewn myself honourable? how unluckily it hap'ned, that I fhould 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- (the more beast, I fay)- -I was fending to use lord Timon myself, these gentlemen can witness; but I would not, for the wealth of Athens, I had don't 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, that I cannot pleasure fuch an honourable gentleman. Good Servilius, will you befriend me fo far, as to use my own

words to him?

Ser. Yes, Sir, I fhall.

[Exit Servilius.

Luc. I'll look ye out a good turn, Servilius

True, as you faid, Timon is fhrunk, indeed; And he, that's once deny'd, will hardly speed. [Exit. 1 Stran. Do you obferve this, Hoftilius?

2 Stran. Ay, too well.

1 Stran. Why, this is the world's foul;

Of

Of the fame piece is every flatterer's spirit:
Who can call him his friend,

That dips in the fame dish? for, in my knowing,
Timon has been to this lord as a father,

And kept his credit with his bounteous purse:
Supported his eftate; nay, Timon's money
Has paid his men their wages. He ne'er drinks, :
But Timon's filver treads upon his lip;

And yet, oh, fee the monftrousness of man,
When he looks out in an ungrateful fhape!
He does deny him (in refpect of his).
What charitable men afford to beggars."
3 Stran. Religion groans at it.

1 Stran. For mine own part,
I never tafted Timon in my life;

Nor any of his bounties came o'er me,
To mark me for his friend. Yet, I proteft,
For his right noble mind, illuftrious virtue, "
And honourable carriage,

Had his neceffity made ufe of me,

I would have put my wealth into donation,
And the best half should have attorn'd to him,
So much I love his heart; but, I perceive,
Men must learn now with pity to difpence,
For policy fits above confcience.

Enter a third Servant with Sempronius.

[Exeunt.

Sem. MUST he needs trouble me in't? 'bove all

others? :

He might tried lord Lucius, or Lucullus;
And now Ventidius is wealthy too,

Whom he redeem'd from prison: All these three
Owe their eftates unto him.

Ser. Oh, my lord,

They've all been touch'd, and all are found base metal;

For they have all deny'd him.

H 2

Sem.

Sem. How? deny'd him?

Ventidius and Lucullus both deny'd him?

And does he fend to me? three! hum
It fhews but little love or judgment in him.
Muft I be his last refuge? his friends, like physicians,
Thriv'd, give him over? must I take the cure
On me? h'as much disgrac'd me in't; I'm angry.
He might have known my Place; I see no fenfe for't,
But his occafions might have wooed me firft:
For, in my conscience, I was the first man
That e'er received gift from him..
And does he think fo backwardly of me,
That I'll requite it laft? no:

So it may prove an argument of laughter

To th' reft, and 'mongft lords I be thought a foot:
I'd rather than the worth of thrice the fum,
H'ad sent to me firft, but for my mind's fake:
I'd fuch a courage to have done him good.
But now return,

And with their faint Reply this Answer join;
Who bates mine honour,fhall not know my coin. [Exit.

Ser. 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 villainies of man will fet him clear. How fairly this lord ftrives to appear foul? takes virtuous copies to be wicked: like those that under hot, ardent, zeal would fet whole Realms on fire. Of fuch a nature is his politic love.

This was my

lord's beft hope; now all are fled, Save the Gods only. Now his friends are dead; Doors, that were ne'er acquainted with their wards Many a bounteous year, must be employ'd

Now to guard fure their master.

And this is all a liberal course allows;

Who cannot keep his wealth, muft keep his house.

[Exit.

SCENE