Duke. That we were all, as fome would seem to be, Free from all faults, as faults from seeming free ! Enter Lucio. Elb. His neck will come to your wafte, a cord, Sir. Clown. I fpy comfort: I cry, bail: here's a gentleman, and a friend of mine. Lucio. How now, noble Pompey? what, at the wheels of Cefar? art thou led in triumph? what, is there none of Pigmalion's images newly made woman to be had now, for putting the hand in the pocket, and extracting it clutch'd? what reply? ha? what say'ft thou to this tune, matter and method? is't not drown'd i'th' last rain? ha? what fay'ft thou, trot? is the world as it was, man which is the way? is it fad and few words? or how? the trick of it? 1 Duke. Still thus and thus; ftill worse? Lucio. How doth my dear morfel, thy miftrefs.? procures fhe ftill? ha? Clown. Troth, Sir, fhe hath eaten up all her beef, and fhe is herself in the tub. Lucio. Why, 'tis good; it is the right of it; it must be fo. Ever your freth whore, and your powder'd bawd; an unfhunn'd consequence, it must be fo. Art going to prifon, Pompey? Clown. Yes, faith, Sir. Lucio. Why, 'tis not amifs, Pompey: farwel: go, fay, I fent thee thither. For debt, Pompey? or how? Elb. For being a bawd, for being a bawd. Lucio. Well, then imprifon him; if imprifonment be the due of a bawd, why, 'tis his right. Bawd is he, doubtless, and of antiquity too; bawd born. ` ~Farewel, good Pompey: commend me to the prifon, Pompey ; you will turn good husband now, Pompey; you will keep the houfe. Clown. I hope, Sir, your good worship will be my bail. Lucio. No, indeed, will I not, Pompey; it is not the wear; I will pray, Pompey, to encrease your bondage; if you take it not patiently, why, your mettle is the more adieu, trufty Pompey, Bless you, Friar. Duke. Duke. And you. Lucio. Does Bridget paint ftill, Pompey? ha? Clown. You will not bail me then, Sir? Friar ? what news? What news abroad, Elb. Come your ways, Sir, come. Lucio. Go to kennel, Pompey, go: [Exeunt Elbow, Clown and Officers. What news, Friar, of the Duke? Duke. I know none can you tell me of any ? Lucio. Some fay, he is with the Emperor of Ruffia; other fome, he is in Rome: but where is he, think you? Duke. I know not where; but wherefoever, I with him well. Lucio. It was a mad fantaftical trick of him to fteal from the state, and ufurp the beggary he was never born to. Lord Angelo dukes it well in his abfence; he puts tranfgreffion to't. * Duke. He does well in't. Lucio. A little more lenity to leachery would do no barm in him; fomething too crabbed that way, Friar. Duke. It is too general a vice, and feverity muft cure it. Lucio. Yes, in good footh, the vice is of a great kin dred; it is well ally'd; but it is impoffible, to extirp it quite, Friar, 'till eating and drinking be put down. They fay, this Angelo was not made by man and woman after the d downright way of creation; is it true, think you f Duke. How fhould he be made then? Lucio. Some report, a fea-maid fpawn'd him. Some, that he was begot between two ftock-fishes. But it is certain, that when he makes water, his urine is congeal'd ice; that I know to be true: (18) and he is a motion ungenerative, that's infallible. Duke. (18) and be is a motion generative; that's infallible.] This may be fenfe; and Lucio, perhaps, may mean, that tho' Angelo have the organs of generation, yet that he makes no more ufe of them. than Duke. You are pleasant, Sir, and speak apace. Lue. Why, what a ruthless thing is this in him, for the rebellion of a cod-piece to take away the life of a man? would the Duke, that is abfent, have done this? ere he would have hang'd a man for the getting a hundred bastards, he would have paid for the nurfing a thousand. He had fome feeling of the fport, he knew the fervice, and that inftructed him to mercy. Duke. I never heard the abfent Duke much detected for women; he was not inclin'd that way. Lucio. Oh, Sir, you are deceiv'd. Duke. 'Tis not poffible. Lucio. Who, not the Duke? yes, your beggar of fifty; and his ufe was, to put a ducket in her clackdifh; the Duke had crotchets in him. He would be drunk too, that let me inform you. Duke. You do him wrong, furely. Lucio. Sir, I was an inward of his: a fhy fellow was the Duke; and, I believe, I know the cause of his. withdrawing Duke. Whats pr'ythee, might be the cause Pa Lucio. No pardon: 'tis a fecret must be lockt within the teeth and the lips; but this I can let you underftand, the greater file of the fubject held the Duke to, be wife. Duke. Wife? why, no queftion, but he was. Lucio. A very fuperficial, ignorant, unweighing fellow. Duke. Either this is envy in you, folly, or mistaking: the very ftream of his life, and the bufinefs he hath helmed, muft upon a warranted need give him a better proclamation. Let him be but teftimonied in his own bringings forth, and he fhall appear to the envious, a, fcholar, a ftatefinan, and a foldier. Therefore, you fpeak unfkilfully; or if your knowledge be more, it is much darken'd in your malice. than if he were an inanimate puppet. But I rather thin, our Author wrote; and he is a motion ungenerative, becaufe Lucia again in this very Scene fays ;-this ungenitur'd agent will unperple the province with continency. Lucio. Sir, I know him, and I love him. Duke. Love talks with better knowledge, and knowledge with dear love. Lucio. Come, Sir, I know what I know. Duke, I can hardly believe that, fince. you know not what you speak. But if ever the Duke return, as our prayers are he may, let me defire you to make your anfwer before him: if it be honeft you have spoke, you have courage to maintain it; I am bound to call upon you, and, I pray you, your name ? Lucio. Sir, my name is Lucio, well known to the Duke. Duke. He fhall know you better, Sir, if I may live to report you. Lucio. I fear you not. Duke. O, you hope, the Duke will return no more or you imagine me too unhurtful an oppofite; but, indeed, I can do you little harm: you'll forfwear this again? Lucio. I'll be hang'd firft: thou art deceiv'd in me, Friar. But no more of this. Canft thou tell, if Claudio die to-morrow, or no? Dute. Duke, Why should he die, Sir P Luso Why for filling a bottle with a tun-difh I would, the Duke, we talk of, were return'd again; this ungenitur'd agent will unpeople the province with continency. Sparrows muft not build in his houfe evés, becaufe they are leacherous. The Duke yet would have dark deads darkly answer'd; he would never bring them to light would he were return'd! Marry, this Claudio is condemned for untruffing. Farewel, good Friar; I pry'thee, pray for me (49) the Duke, I fay to thee again, would eat mutton on Fridays. He's now paft it; yet, and I fay to thee, he would mouth with (19) The Duke, I say to thee again, would eat mutton on Fridays.] This is not meant to impeach the Duke of being an ill Catholic, as tranfgrefling the, rules of abftinence in diet: But the joke, alluded to, will be explain'd by looking back to the third note on the Two Gen tlemen of Verona, Ti a beggar, a beggar, tho' fhe fmelt of brown bread and garlick: fay, that I faid fo, farewel. Duke. No might nor greatnefs in mortality Enter Escalus, Provoft, and Bawd. Efcal. Go, away with her to prison. [Exit Bawd. Good my Lord, be good to me; your honour is accounted a merciful man: good my Lord. Efcal. Double and treble admonition, and ftill forfeit in the fame kind? this would make mercy fwear, and play the tyrant. Prov. Á bawd of eleven years continuance, may it please your honour. Bard. Ly Lord, this is one Lucio's information against me: mistress Kate Keep-down was with child by him in the Duke's time; he promis'd her marriage; his child is a year and a quarter old, come Philip and Jacob: I have kept it myself; and fee, how he goes about to abufe me. Efcal. That fellow is a fellow of much licence; let him be call'd before us. Away with her to prifon : go to; no more words. [Exeunt with the Bawd.] Proquoft, my brother Angelo will not be alter'd; Člaudio muft die to-morrow: let him him be furnished with divines, and have all charitable preparation. If my brother wrought by my pity, it fhould not be fo with him. Pro. So please you, this Friar hath been with him, and advis'd him for the entertainment of death. Efcal. Good even, good father. Duke. Blifs and goodness on you ! Efcal. Of whence are you? Duke. Not of this country, tho' my chance is now To use it for my time: I am a brother Of gracious order, late come from the fee, |