Sec. Gent. Who's that, I pray thee?

Mrs. Ov. Marry, sir, that's Claudio, Signior Claudio.
First Gent. Claudio to prison? 'tis not so.

Mrs. Ov. Nay, but I know 'tis so: I saw him arrested, saw him carried away; and, which is more, within these three days his head to be chopped off.

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Lucio. But, after all this fooling, I would not have it so. Art thou sure of this?

Mrs. Ov. I am too sure of it: and it is for getting Madam Julietta with child.

Lucio. Believe me, this may be: he promised to meet me two hours since, and he was ever precise in promisekeeping.

Sec. Gent. Besides, you know, it draws something near to the speech we had to such a purpose.

First Gent. But, most of all, agreeing with the proclamation.

Lucio. Away! let's go learn the truth of it.

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(Exeunt Lucio and Gentlemen. Mrs. Ov. Thus, what with the war, what with the sweat, what with the gallows and what with poverty, I am customshrunk.

Enter POMPEY.

How now! what's the news with you?

Pom. Yonder man is carried to prison.

Mrs. Ov. Well; what has he done?

Pom. A woman.

Mrs. Ov. But what's his offence?

Mrs. Ov. What, is there a maid with child by him?

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Pom. Groping for trouts in a peculiar river.

Pom. No, but there's a woman with maid by him. You

Pom. All houses in the suburbs of Vienna must be plucked down.

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have not heard of the proclamation, have you? Mrs. Ov. What proclamation, man?

Mrs. Ov. And what shall become of those in the city? Pom. They shall stand for seed: they had gone down too, but that a wise burgher put in for them.

Mrs. Ov. But shall all our houses of resort in the suburbs

be pulled down?

Pom. To the ground, mistress.

Mrs. Ov. Why, here's a change indeed in the commonwealth What shall become of me?

Pom. Come; fear not you good counsellors lack no clients though you change your place, you need not change your trade; I'll be your tapster still. Courage! there will

be pity taken on you: you that have worn your eyes almost out in the service, you will be considered.

Mrs. Or. What's to do here, Thomas tapster? let's withdraw. Pom. Here comes Signior Claudio, led by the provost to prison; and there's Madam Juliet. [Exeunt.

Enter PROVOST, CLAUDIO, JULIET, and Officers. Claud. Fellow, why dost thou show me thus to the world? Bear me to prison, where I am committed.

Prov. I do it not in evil disposition,

But from Lord Angelo by special charge.
Claud. Thus can the demigod Authority

Make us pay down for our offence by weight

The words of heaven; on whom it will, it will;

On whom it will not, so; yet still 'tis just.

Re-enter LUCIO and two Gentlemen.

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Lucio. Why, how now, Claudio! whence comes this restraint?

Claud. From too much liberty, my Lucio, liberty:

As surfeit is the father of much fast,

So every scope by the immoderate use

Turns to restraint. Our natures do pursue,

Like rats that ravin down their proper bane,

A thirsty evil; and when we drink we die.

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Lucio. If I could speak so wisely under an arrest, I would send for certain of my creditors: and yet, to say the truth, I had as lief have the foppery of freedom as the morality of imprisonment. What's thy offence, Claudio? Claud. What but to speak of would offend again. Lucio. What, is't murder?

Claud. No.

Lucio. Lechery?

Claud. Call it so.

Prov. Away, sir! you must go.

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Claud. One word, good friend. Lucio, a word with you. Lucio. A hundred, if they'll do you any good.

Is lechery so look'd after?

Claud. Thus stands it with me: upon a true contract

I got possession of Julietta's bed:

You know the lady; she is fast my wife,

Save that we do the denunciation lack

Of outward order: this we came not to

Only for propagation of a dower

Remaining in the coffer of her friends,

From whom we thought it meet to hide our love
Till time had made them for us.

But it chances

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The stealth of our most mutual entertainment
With character too gross is writ on Juliet.
Lucio. With child, perhaps?

Claud.

Unhappily, even so.

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And the new deputy now for the duke

Whether it be the fault and glimpse of newness,
Or whether that the body public be

A horse whereon the governor doth ride,

Who, newly in the seat, that it may know

He can command, lets it straight feel the spur;
Whether the tyranny be in his place,

Or in his eminence that fills it up,

I stagger in :-but this new governor

Awakes me all the enrolled penalties

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Which have, like unscour'd armour, hung by the wall

So long that nineteen zodiacs have gone round

And none of them been worn; and, for a name,

Now puts the drowsy and neglected act

Freshly on me. 'tis surely for a name.

Lucio. I warrant it is: and thy head stands so tickle on

thy shoulders that a milkmaid, if she be in love, may sigh

it off. Send after the duke and appeal to him.

Claud. I have done so, but he's not to be found.

I prithee, Lucio, do me this kind service:

This day my sister should the cloister enter
And there receive her approbation :

Acquaint her with the danger of my state:
Implore her, in my voice, that she make friends
To the strict deputy; bid herself assay him:

I have great hope in that; for in her youth

There is a prone and speechless dialect,

Such as move men; beside, she hath prosperous art
When she will play with reason and discourse,
And well she can persuade.

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Lucio. I pray she may; as well for the encouragement of the like, which else would stand under grievous imposition, as for the enjoying of thy life, who I would be sorry should be thus foolishly lost at a game o tick-tack. I'll to her. Claud. I thank you, good friend Lucio. Lucio. Within two hours.

Claud.

Come, officer, away! [Exeunt.

SCENE III. A monastery.

Enter DUKE and FRIAR THOMAS.

Duke. No, holy father; throw away that thought; Believe not that the dribbling dart of love

Can pierce a complete bosom. Why I desire thee
To give me secret harbour, hath a purpose
More grave and wrinkled than the aims and ends
Of burning youth.

Fri. T.

May your grace speak of it: Duke. My holy sir, none better knows than you How I have ever loved the life removed

And held in idle price to haunt assemblies

Where youth, and cost, and witless bravery keeps.
I have deliver'd to Lord Angelo,

A man of stricture and firm abstinence,

My absolute power and place here in Vienna,
And he supposes me travell'd to Poland;

For so I have strew'd it in the common ear,
And so it is received. Now, pious sir,
You will demand of me why I do this?

Fri. T. Gladly, my lord.

Duke. We have strict statutes and most biting laws
The needful bits and curbs to headstrong weeds,
Which for this nineteen years we have let slip;
Even like an o'ergrown lion in a cave,

That goes not out to prey. Now, as fond fathers,
Having bound up the threatening twigs of birch,
Only to stick it in their children's sight

For terror, not to use, in time the rod

Becomes more mock'd than fear'd; so our decrees,
Dead to infliction, to themselves are dead;

And liberty plucks justice by the nose;

The baby beats the nurse, and quite athwart
Goes all decorum.

Fri. T.

It rested in your grace

To unloose this tied-up justice when you pleased:
And it in you more dreadful would have seem'd
Than in Lord Angelo.

Duke.

I do fear, too dreadful:
Sith 'twas my fault to give the people scope,
"Twould be my tyranny to strike and gall them
For what I bid them do for we bid this be done,
When evil deeds have their permissive pass

And not the punishment. Therefore indeed, my fath
I have on Angelo imposed the office;

Who may, in the ambush of my name, strike home,
And yet my nature never in the sight

To do it slander. And to behold his sway,

I will, as 'twere a brother of your order,

Visit both prince and people therefore, I prithee,
Supply me with the habit and instruct me

How I may formally in person bear me

Like a true friar. More reasons for this action
At our more leisure shall I render you;
Only, this one: Lord Angelo is precise;
Stands at a guard with envy; scarce confesses
That his blood flows, or that his appetite
Is more to bread than stone: hence shall we see,
If power change purpose, what our seemers be.

SCENE IV. A nunnery.

Enter ISABELLA and FRANCISCA.

Isab. And have you nuns no farther privileges ?
Fran. Are not these large enough?

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[Exeunt.

Isab. Yes, truly: I speak not as desiring more ; But rather wishing a more strict restraint Upon the sisterhood, the votarists of Saint Clare. Lucio. [Within] Ho! Peace be in this place! Isab. Who's that which calls?

Fran. It is a man's voice. Gentle Isabella, Turn you the key, and know his business of him; You may,

may not; you are yet unsworn.

When you have vow'd, you must not speak with men
But in the presence of the prioress:

Then, if you speak, you must not show your face,
Or, if you show your face, you must not speak.
He calls again ; pray you, answer him.

Isab. Peace and prosperity!

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[Exit.

Who is't that calls?

Enter LUCIO.

Lucio. Hail, virgin, if you be, as those cheek roses Proclaim you are no less! Can you so stead me

As bring me to the sight of Isabella,

A novice of this place and the fair sister

To her unhappy brother Claudio?

Isab. Why "her unhappy brother"? let me ask,

The rather for I now must make you know

I am that Isabella and his sister.

Lucio. Gentle and fair, your brother kindly greets you: Not to be weary with you, he's in prison.

01 Isab. Woe me! for what?

Lucio. For that which, if myself might be his judge, He should receive his punishment in thanks:

He hath got his friend with child.

Isab. Sir, make me not your story.
Lucio.

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It is true.

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I would not-though 'tis my familiar sin