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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 hall 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 first: thou art deceiv'd in me, Friar. But no more of this. Canft thou tell, if Claudio die to-morrow, or no?

Duke. Why fhould he die, Sir?

Lucio. Why? for filling a bottle with a tun-dish! I would, the Duke, we talk of, were return'd again; this ungenitur'd agent will unpeople the province with continency. Sparrows must not build in his house-eves, because they are leacherous. The Duke yet would have dark deeds 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: (19) 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 fay to the again, would eat mutton on Fridays.] This is not meant to impeach the Duke of being an ill Catholic, as tranfgreffing 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 Gentlemen of Verona,

a beggar,

a beggar, tho' fhe smelt of brown bread and garlick:
fay, that I faid fo, farewel.

Duke. No might nor greatnefs in mortality
Can cenfure fcape: back-wounding calumny
The whiteft virtue ftrikes. What King so strong
Can tie the gall up in the fland'rous tongue ?
But who comes here?

Enter Efcalus, Provoft, and Bawd.

Efcal. Go, away with her to prifon.

[Exit.

Bard. Good my Lord, be good to me; your honour is accounted a merciful man: good my Lord.

Efcal. Double and treble admonition, and still forfeit in the fame kind? this would make mercy fwear, and play the tyrant.

Prov. A bawd of eleven years continuance, may it please your honour.

Bard. My Lord, this is one Lucie'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.] Provost, my brother Angelo will not be alter'd; Claudio muft die to-morrow: let him be furnished with divines, and have all charitable preparation. If my brother wrought by my pity, it should not be fo with

him.

Prov. So pleafe 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,

In

In fpecial business from his holiness.
Efcal. What news abroad i' th' world?

Duke. None, but that there is fo great a fever on goodness, that the diffolution of it must cure it. Novelty is only in request; and it is as dangerous to be aged in any kind of course, as it is virtuous to be constant in any undertaking. There is scarce truth enough alive, to make focieties fecure; but fecurity enough, to make fellowships accurft. Much upon this riddle runs the wisdom of the world; this news is old enough, yet it is every day's news. I pray you, Sir, of what difpofition was the Duke?

Efcal. One, that, above all other ftrifes, Contended specially to know himself.

Duke. What pleasure was he giv'n to?

Efcal. Rather rejoicing to fee another merry, than merry at any thing which profest to make him rejoice. A gentlemanof all temperance. But leave we him to his events, with a prayer they may prove profperous; and let me defire to know, how you find Claudio prepar'd? I am made to understand, that you have lent him vifitation.

Duke. He profeffes to have received no finifter meafure from his judge, but moft willingly humbles himfelf to the determination of juftice; yet had he fram'd to himself, by the inftruction of his frailty, many deceiving promises of life; which I by my good leifure have difcredited to him, and now is he refolved to die.

Efcal. You have paid the heav'ns your function, and the prisoner the very debt of your calling. I have labour'd for the poor gentleman, to the extremeft shore of my modesty ; but my brother juftice have I found fo fevere, that he hath forc'd me to tell him, he is indeed Justice.

Duke. If his own life answer the ftraitnefs of his proceeding, it shall become him well, wherein if he chance to fail, he hath sentenc'd himself.

Efcal. I am going to vifit the prisoner; fare you well

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Duke. Peace be with you!

He who the fword of heav'n will bear,
Should be as holy as fevere:
Pattern in himself to know,
Grace to stand, and virtue go;
More nor lefs to others paying,
Than by felf offences weighing.
Shame to him, whose cruel striking
Kills for faults of his own liking.
Twice treble fhame on Angelo,
To weed my vice, and let his grow!
Oh, what may man within him hide,
Tho' Angel on the outward fide?

How may that likeness, made in crimes, (20)
Making practice on the times,

Draw with idle fpiders ftrings

Most pond'rous and fubftantial things!
Craft against vice I must apply,
With Angelo to-night shall lye
His old betrothed, but defpis'd;
So difguife fhall by th' difguis'd
Pay with falfhood false exacting;
And perform an old contracting.

(20) How may likeness made in crimes,
Making practife on the times,

To draw with idle Spider's frings

[Exit.

Moft pond' rous and fubftantial things?] This obfcure and ungrammatical paflage Mr. Warburton has reftor'd to its purity, only by adding one monofyllable, and throwing out another: as he has likewife made it intelligible by the following comment. "How "much wickedness may a man hide within, tho' he appears like an "angel without! How may that likeness, made in crimes, i. e. by "hypocrify; fpretty paradoxical expreffion, of an angel made in "crimes by impofing on the world, [thus emphatically expreís'd, "making practise on the times] draw with its falfe and empty pretences "[which Shakespeare finely calls, Spiders ftrings;] the most ponderous and fubftantial things of the world, as riches, honour, power, "reputation, &c."

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ACT

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SCENE, a Grange.

Enter Mariana, and Boy finging.
SONG,

AKE, oh, take thofe lips away, (21)
That so sweetly were forfworn;

And thofe eyes, the break of day,
Lights that do mif-lead the morn;

But my kiffes bring again,

Seals of love, but feal'd in vain.

Enter Duke.

Mari. Break off thy song, and hafte thee quick away: Here comes a man of comfort, whofe advice Hath often still'd my brawling difcontent. I cry you mercy, Sir, and well could wish, You had not found me here fo musical: Let me excuse me, and believe me so,

My mirth it much difpleas'd, but pleas'd my woe. Duke. 'Tis good; tho' mufic oft hath such a charm To make bad, good; and good provoke to harm.

(21) Take, ob, take thofe lips away,] This fong, which, no doubt was a great favourite in its time, is inferted in Beaumont and Fletcher's Bloody Brother, with this additional ftanza.

Hide, oh, hide those hills of fnow,
Which thy frozen bofom bears;
On whofe tops the pinks, that grow,
Are of thofe that April wears.
But my poor heart first fet free,

Bound in those icy chains by thee.

With this addition likewise it is printed in the volume of Shake Speare's poems. The reafon of this second stanza being omitted here, is obvious. Mariana has the fong fung, applicable to her love for Angelo, and his perjury to her: and the addition can only fort, when addrefs'd from a lover to his mistress.

VOL. I.

R

I pray

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