Lucul. Ha? Now I fee thou art a Fool, and fit for thy

Mafter.

[Exit Lucullus. Flam. May thefe add to the Number that may scald thee: Let molten Coin be thy Damnation,

Thou Disease of a Friend, and not himself:
Has Friendship such a faint and milky Heart,
It turns in less than two Nights? O you Gods!
I feel my Master's Paffion.

Has my Lord's meat in him:

This Slave unto his Honour

Why fhould it thrive, and come to Nutriment,
When he is turn'd to Poison?

O may Diseases only work upon't:

And when he's fick to Death, let not that part of Nature, Which my Lord paid for, be of any Power,

To expel Sicknefs, but prolong his Hour.

Enter Lucius, with three Strangers.

[Exeunt.

Luc. 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 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 paft, and his Eftate fhrinks from him.

Luc. Fye, no, do not believe it: He cannot want for Mony.

2 Stran. But believe you this, my Lord, that not long ago, one of his Men was with the Lord Lucullus, to borrow fo many Talents, nay, urg'd extreamly for't, and fhewed what neceffity belong'd to't, and yet was deny❜d.

Luc. How!

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

Luc. What a frange 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 fmall Kindneffes from him, as Mony, Plate, Jewels, and fuch like Trifles, nothing comparing to his; yet had he mistook him, and fent him to me, I should ne'er have deny'd his Occafion fo many Talents.

Enter

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.

Ser. May it please your Honour, my Lord hath fentLuc. Ha! What hath he fent? I am so much endeared to that Lord; he's ever fending: How shall I thank him, think'st thou? And what has he fent now?

Ser. H'as only fent his prefent Occafion now, my Lord; requesting your Lordship to fupply his inftant ufe, with fifty 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 lefs, my Lord. If his Occafion were not virtuous,

I should not urge half fo faithfully.

Luc. Doft thou fpeak seriously, Servilius?
Ser. Upon my Soul 'tis true, Sir.

Luc. What a wicked Beaft was I, to disfurnish my felf against fuch a good time, when I might ha' fhewn my self honourable? How unluckily it hapned, 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 my felf, these Gentlemen can witness; but I would not, for the Wealth of Athens, I had don't now. Commend me bountifully to his good Lordfhip, 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, fay, that I cannot pleasure fuch an honourable Gentleman. Good Servilius, will you befriend me fo far, as to use my own Words to him?

[Exit Servilius.

Ser. Yes, Sir, I fhall.
Luc. I'll look you out a good turn, Servilius.
True as you faid, Timen is fhrunk indeed,
And he that's once deny'd will hardly speed.
I Stran. Do you obferve this, Hoftilins?
2 Stran. Ay, too well.

[Exit,

I Stran.

I Stran. Why, this is the World's Soul;
And juft of the fame Piece

Is every Flatterers fport: Who can call him his Friend
That dips in the fame Dish? For in my knowing,
Timon has been this Lord's Father,

And kept his Credit with his Purse:
Supported his Eftate; nay, Timon's Mony
Has paid his Men their Wages. He ne'er drinks,
But Timon's Silver treads upon his Lip;
And yet, Oh fee the monftroufnefs of Man!
When he looks out in an ungrateful Shape,
He does deny him (in refpect of this)
What charitable Men afford to Beggars.
3 Stran. Religion groans at it.

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

Nor came any of his Bounties over 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 fhould have return'd to him,
So much I love his Heart: But I perceive,
Men must learn now with pity to difpence.
For Policy fits above Conscience.

Enter a third, Servant with Sempronius.
Sem. Muft he needs trouble me in't? Hum-
'Bove all others?

He might have tried Lord Lucius, or Luculus,
And now Ventidius is wealthy too,

Whom he redeem'd from Prifon. All the

Owe their Eftates unto him.

Ser. My Lord,

[Exeunt.

They have all been touch'd, and all are found bafe Metal, For they have all deny'd him.

Scm. How? Have they deny'd him?

Has Ventidius and Lucullus deny'd him?
And does he fend to me? Three! Hum
It fhews but little Love or Judgment in him.

Must I be his last Refuge? His Friends, like Physicians,

That

That thriv'd, give him over. Muft I take th' Cure upon
Has much difgrac'd me in't; I'm angry at him,
That might have known my Place, I fee no fenfe for't,
But his Occafions might have wooed me firft:
For, in my Confcience, I was the first Man
That e'er received Gift from him.

And does he think fo backwardly of me now,
That I'll requite it laft? No:

me?

So it may prove an Argument of Laughter To th' reft, and 'mongft Lords I be thought a Fool: I'd rather than the worth of thrice the Sum, H'ad fent to me firft, but for my Mind's fake: I'd fuch a Courage to do 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 Politick; he croffed himself by't: And I cannot think, but in the end the Villanies 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 politick Love.

This was my Lord's beft hope, now all are fled,
Save only the Gods. Now his Friends are dead,
Doors that were ne'er acquainted with their Wards,
Many a bounteous Year, muft be employ'd

Now to guard fure their Master.

And this is all a liberal course allows;

Who cannot keep his Wealth, must keep his House. [Exit.

SCENE II. Timon's Hall.

Enter Varro, Titus, Hortenfius, Lucius, and other Servants of Timon's Creditors, who wait for his coming out.

Var. Well met, good Morrow, Titus and Hortenfius.
Tit. The like to you, kind Varro.

Hor. Lucius, what do we meet together?

Luc. Ay, and I think one Bufinefs does command us all For mine is Mony.

Tit. So is theirs and ours.

Enter Philo.

Luc. And Sir Philo's too.

Phi. Good Day at once.

Luc. Welcome, good Brother.
What do you think the Hour?
Phi. Labouring for nine.
Luc. So much?

Phi. Is not my Lord feen yet? .
Luc. Not yet.

Phi. I wonder on't, he was wont to fhine at feven.
Luc. Ay, but the Days are wax'd fhorter with him:
You must confider that a prodigal course

Is like the Sun's, but not like his recoverable, I fear: 'Tis deepest Winter in Lord Timon's Purfe; that is, one may reach deep enough, and yet find little,

Phi. I am of your fear for that.

Tit. I'll fhew you t'observe a ftrange Event:

Your Lord fends now for Mony?

Hor. Moft true, he does.

Tit. And he wears Jewels now of Timon's Gift,

For which I wait for Mony.

Hor. It is against my Heart.

Luc. Mark how ftrange it fhows,

Timon in this fhould

y more than he owes :

And e'en as if your Lord fhould wear rich Jewels

And fend for Mony for 'em,

Hor. I'm weary of this Charge, the Gods can witness :

I know my Lord hath fpent of Timon's Wealth,

And now Ingratitude makes it worse than stealth.

Var. Yes, mine's three thousand Crowns:

What's yours?

Luc. Five thousand, mine.

Var. 'Tis much deep, and it fhould feem by th' Sum, Your Mafter's Confidence was above mine,

Elfe furely his had equall'd.

Enter Flaminius.

Tit. One of Lord Timon's Men.

Luc.