most skilful, bloody, and fatal opposite that you could possibly have found in any part of Illyria: Will you walk towards him? I will make your peace with him, if I can. VIO. I shall be much bound to you for't: I am one, that would rather go with sir priest, than sir knight: I care not who knows so much of my mettle. [Exeunt. Re-enter Sir TOBY, with Sir ANDREW. 8 SIR TO. Why, man, he's a very devil; I have not seen such a virago. I had a pass with him, rapier, scabbard, and all, and he gives me the stuck-in, with such a mortal motion, that it is 7 Why, man, he's a very devil; &c.] Shakspeare might have caught a hint for this scene from Ben Jonson's Silent Woman, which was printed in 1609. The behaviour of Viola and Aguecheek appears to have been formed on that of Sir John Ďaw and Sir Amorous La Foole. STEEVENS. • I have not seen such a virago.] Virago cannot be properly used here, unless we suppose Sir Toby to mean, I never saw one that had so much the look of woman with the prowess of man. JOHNSON. In The old copy reads-firago. A virago always means a female warrior, or, in low language, a scold, or turbulent woman. Heywood's Golden Age, 1611, Jupiter enters "like a nymph or virago;" and says, "I may pass for a bona-roba, a rounceval, a virago, or a good manly lass." If Shakspeare (who knew Viola to be a woman, though Sir Toby did not,) has made no blunder, Dr. Johnson has supplied the only obvious meaning of the word. Firago may however be a ludicrous term of Shakspeare's coinage. STEEVEns. Why may not the meaning be more simple, "I have never seen the most furious woman so obstreperous and violent as he is?" MALONE. 9 the stuck-] The stuck is a corrupted abbreviation of the stoccata, an Italian term in fencing. So, in The Return from Parnassus, 1606: " Here's a fellow, Judicio, that carried inevitable; and on the answer, he pays you' as surely as your feet hit the ground they step on : They say, he has been fencer to the Sophy. SIR AND. Pox on't, I'll not meddle with him. SIR TO. Ay, but he will not now be pacified: Fabian can scarce hold him yonder. SIR AND. Plague on't; an I thought he had been valiant, and so cunning in fence, I'd have seen him damned ere I'd have challenged him. Let him let the matter slip, and I'll give him my horse, grey Capilet. SIR TO. I'll make the motion: Stand here, make a good show on't; this shall end without the perdition of souls: Marry, I'll ride your horse as well as I ride you. Re-enter FABIAN and VIOLA. [Aside. the quarrel; I have his horse [to FAB.] to take up 2 FAB. He is as horribly conceited of him; and pants, and looks pale, as if a bear were at his heels. the deadly stock in his pen." Again, in Marston's Mal-content, 1604: "The close stock, O mortal," &c. Again, in Antonio's Revenge, 1602: 1 "I would pass on him with a mortal stock." STEEvens. Again, in The Merry Wives of Windsor : 66 MALONE. thy stock, thy reverse, thy montánt.” he pays you] i. e. hits you, does for you. Thus, Falstaff, in The First Part of King Henry IV: "I followed me close, and, with a thought, seven of the eleven I paid." STEEVENS. He is as horribly conceited of him ;] That is, he has as horrid an idea or conception of him. MALONE. SIR TO. There's no remedy, sir; he will fight with you for his oath sake: marry, he hath better bethought him of his quarrel, and he finds that now scarce to be worth talking of: therefore draw, for the supportance of his vow; he protests, he will not hurt you. V10. Pray God defend me! A little thing would make me tell them how much I lack of a man. [Aside. FAB. Give ground, if you see him furious. SIR TO. Come, sir Andrew, there's no remedy; the gentleman will, for his honour's sake, have one bout with you: he cannot by the duello avoid it: but he has promised me, as he is a gentleman and a soldier, he will not hurt you. Come on; to't. SIR AND. Pray God, he keep his oath! [Draws. Enter ANTONIO. you,'tis V10. Ido assure you, 'tis against my will. [Draws. tleman Have done offence, I take the fault on me; ANT. One, sir, that for his love dares yet do more Than you have heard him brag to you he will. SIR TO. Nay, if you be an undertaker, I am for you. [Draws. 4 3 by the duello-] i. e. by the laws of the duello, which, in Shakspeare's time, were settled with the utmost nicety. 4 STEEVENS. Nay, if you be an undertaker,] But why was an undertaker so offensive a character? I believe this is a touch upon the times, which may help to determine the date of this play. Enter two Officers. FAB. O good sir Toby, hold; here come the officers. SIR TO. I'll be with you anon. [TO ANTONIO. V10. Pray, sir, put up your sword, if you please. [To Sir ANDREW. SIR AND. Marry, will I, sir;-and, for that I promised you, I'll be as good as my word: He will bear you easily, and reins well. 1 OFF. This is the man; do thy office. 2 OFF. Antonio, I arrest thee at the suit Of count Orsino. ANT. You do mistake me, sir. At the meeting of the parliament in 1614, there appears to have been a very general persuasion, or jealousy at least, that the King had been induced to call a parliament at that time, by certain persons, who had undertaken, through their influence in the House of Commons, to carry things according to his Majesty's wishes. These persons were immediately stigmatized with the invidious name of undertakers; and the idea was so unpopular, that the King thought it necessary, in two set speeches, to deny positively (how truly is another question) that there had been any such undertaking. Parl. Hist. Vol. V. p. 277, and 286. Sir Francis Bacon also (then attorney-general) made an artful, apologetical speech in the House of Commons upon the same subject; when the house (according to the title of the speech) was in great heat, and much troubled about the undertakers. Bacon's Works, Vol. II. p. 236, 4to edit. TYRwhitt. Undertakers were persons employed by the King's purveyors to take up provisions for the royal household, and were no doubt exceedingly odious. But still, I think, the speaker intends a quibble; the simple meaning of the word being one who undertakes, or takes up the quarrel or business of another. RITSON. I am of Ritson's opinion, that by an undertaker Sir Toby means a man who takes upon himself the quarrel of another. Mr. Tyrwhitt's explanation is too learned to be just, and was probably suggested by his official situation. M. MASON. 1 OFF. No, sir, no jot; I know your favour well, Though now you have no sea-cap on your head.Take him away; he knows, I know him well. ANT. I must obey.-This comes with seeking you; But there's no remedy; I shall answer it. Makes me to ask you for my purse: It grieves me 2 OFF. Come, sir, away. ANT. I must entreat of you some of that money. VIO. What money, sir? For the fair kindness you have show'd me here, I'll lend you something: my having is not much; ANT. Will you deny me now? Is't possible, that my deserts to you Can lack persuasion? Do not tempt my misery, As to upbraid you with those kindnesses I know of none; VIO. Than lying, vainness, babbling, drunkenness, ANT. O heavens themselves! 2 OFF. Come, sir, I pray you, go. |
