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Duke. Of government the properties to unfold, Would seen in me to affect speech and discourse; Since I am put to know, that your own science Exceeds, in that, the lists of all advice

My strength can give you: Then no more remains,

4 3 Limits.

This passage

But that your sufficiency, as your worth is able, 25 And let them work. The nature of our people, Our city's institutions, and the terms

30

5

For common justice, you are as pregnant ' in,
As art and practice hath enrich'd any

That we reinember: There is our commission,
From which we would not have you warp.-Call

[hither,

I say, bid come before us Angelo.—
What figure of us think you he will bear?
For you must know, we have with special soul'
Elected him our absence to supply;

Meaning, I am obliged The story of this play is taken from the Promos and Cassandra of George Whetstone, published in 1578, and which was probably originally borrowed from Cinthio's Novels. has much exercised the sagacity of different editors. to acknowledge. Theobald is of opinion, that either from the impertinence of the actors, or the negligence of the copyists, it has come mutilated to us by a line being accidentally left out, and proposes to read thus:

Then no more remains,

But that to your sufficiency you add
Due diligency as your worth is able,
And let them work.

Sir Tho. IIanmer endeavours to supyly the deficiency as follows:

-Then no more remains,

But that to your sufficiency you join

A will to serve us, as your worth is able.

governing (says the duke) to the Dr. Johnson, however, approves That is, ready, or knowing in.

Dr. Warburton is for reading, instead of But that, Put to your sufficiency, which he says here means authority, and then the sense will be as follows: Put your skill in power which I give you to exercise it, and let them work together. neither of Theobald's conjecture, nor of Warburton's amendment. That is, of special favour or affection.

Lent

Lent him our terror, drest him with our love;
And given his deputation all the organs
Of our own power: What think you of it?
Escal. If any in Vienna be of worth
To undergo such ample grace and honour,
It is lord Angelo.

Enter Angelo.

Duke. Look where he comes.

Ang. Always obedient to your grace's will,

I come to know your pleasure.

Duke. Angelo,

There is a kind of character in thy life,
That, to the observer, doth thy history
Fully unfold: Thyself and thy belongings
Are not thine own so proper, as to waste
Thyself upon thy virtues, them on thee.
Heaven doth with us, as we with torches do;
Not light them for themselves: for if our virtues
Did not go forth with us, 'twere all alike
As if we had them not. Spirits are not finely touch'd,
But to fine issues; nor nature never 3 lends
The smallest scruple of her excellence,
But, like a thrifty goddess, she determines
Herself the glory of a creditor,

Both thanks and use. But I do bend my speech
To one that can my part in him advertise +:
Hold therefore Angelo':

In our remove, be thou at full ourself:

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Take thy commission.

Ang. Now, good my lord,

Though it do well, I do no not relish well
Their loud applause, and Ave's vehement;
Nor do I think the man of safe discretion,
That does affect it. Once more, fare you well.
5 Ang. The heavens give safety to your purposes !
Escal. Leadforth, and bring you back in happiness!
Duke. I thank you: Fare you well. [Exit.
Escal. I shall desire you, sir, to give me leave
To have free speech with you; and it concerus me

10 To look into the bottom of my place:

A power I have; but of what strength and nature
I am not yet instructed.

[ther,
Ang. 'Tis so with me:--Let us withdraw toge-
And we may soon our satisfaction have
15 Touching that point.

20

Escal. I'll wait upon your honour. [Exeunt.
SCENE II.

The Street.

Enter Lucio and two Gentlemen. Lucio. If the duke, with the other dukes, come not to composition with the king of Hungary, why, then all the dukes fall upon the king.

1 Gent. Heaven grant us its peace, but not the 25 king of Hungary's!

30

2 Gent. Amen.

Lucio. Thou conclud'st like the sanctimonious pirate, that went to sea with the ten commandnients, but scrap'd one out of the table. 2 Gent. Thou shalt not steal? Lucio. Ay, that he raz❜d.

1 Gent. Why, 'twas a commandment to command the captain and all the rest from their functions; they put forth to steal: There's not a sol

Let there be some more test made of my metal, 35 dier of us all, that, in the thanksgiving before meat,

Before so noble and so great a figure

Be stamp'd upon it.

Duke. No more evasion:

We have with a leaven'd' and prepared choice
Proceeded to you; therefore take your honours. 40
Our haste from hence is of so quick condition,
That it prefers itself, and leaves unquestion'd
Matters of needful value. We shall write to you,
As time and our concernings shall importune,
How it goes with us; and do look to know
What doth befall you here. So, fare you well:
To the hopeful execution do I leave you
Of your commissions.

Ang. Yet, give leave, my lord,
That we may bring you something on the way.
Duke. My haste may not admit it;
Nor need you, on mine honour, have to do
With any scruple: your scope is as mine own;
So to inforce, or qualify the laws,

8

doth relish the petition well that prays for peace.
2 Gent. I never heard any soldier dislike it.
Lucio. I believe thee; for, I think, thou never
wast where
grace was said.

2 Gent. No? a dozen times at least.
1 Gent. What? in metre??

10

Lucio. In any proportion 1, or in any language. 1 Gent. I think, or in any religion.

Lucio. Ay! why not? Grace is grace, despight 45 of all controversy: As for example; Thou thyself art a wicked villain, despight of all grace.

1 Gent. Well, there went but a pair of shears between us".

Lucio. I grant; as there may between the lists 50 and the velvet: Thou art the list.

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1 Gent. And thou the velvet: thou art good velvet; thou art a three-pil'd piece, I warrant thee; I had as lief be a list of an English kersey, as be pil'd, as thou art pil'd, for a French velvet. Do I speak feelingly now?

Lucio. I think thou dost; and, indeed, with most painful feeling of thy speech: I will, out of thine

That is, are not so much thy own property. 2 To great consequences.

3 Two negatives not

used to make an affirmative, are common in Shakspeare's plays. 4 That is, one that can inform himself of that which otherwise it would be my part to tell him. "That is, continue to be Angelo. • That is, first appointed. 'A leavened choice means a choice not hasty, but considerate. • That is, Your fullness of power. 'There are metrical graces in the Primers, which probably were used

11

in Shakspeare's time. 10 That is, in any form. Meaning, we are both of the same piece.

own

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1 Gent. Thou art alwaysfiguring diseases in me: 15 but thou art full of error; I am sound.

Lucio. Nay, not, as one would say, healthy; but so sound, as things that are hollow: thy bones are hollow; impiety has made a feast of thee. Enter Bawd.

1 Gent. How now? Which of your hips has the most profound sciatica?

Bawd. Well, well; there's one yonder arrested, and carried to prison, was worth five thousand of you all.

1 Gent. Who's that, I pr'ythee?
Bawd. Marry, sir, that's Claudio, signior Claudio.
1 Gent. Claudio to prison! 'tis not so.

Bawd. Nay, but I know 'tis so: I saw him

20

25

Clown. Groping for trouts in a peculiar river. Bawd. What, is there a maid with child by him? Clown. No; but there's a woman with maid by him: You have not heard of the proclamation, have you?

Bawd. What proclamation, man?

Clown. All houses in the suburbs of Vienna must be pluck'd down.

{city? Bawd. And what shall become of those in the Clown. They shall stand for seed: they had gone down too, but that a wise burgher put in for thein. Bawd. But shall all our houses of resort in the suburbs be pull'd down?

5

Clown. To the ground, mistress.

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

Clown. 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.

Bawd. What's to do here, Thomas Tapster? Let's withdraw.

Clown, Here comes signior Claudio, led by the provost to prison: and there's madam Juliet. [Exeunt Bawd and Clown. SCENE III

arrested; saw him carry'd away; and, which is 30 Enter Provost, Claudio, Juliet, and Oficers;

more, within these three days his head is to be chopp'd off.

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

Buwd. I am too sure of it: and it is for getting 35 madam Julietta with child.

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

2 Gent. Besides, you know, it draws something 40 near to the speech we had to such a purpose.

1 Gent. But most of all agreeing with the proclamation.

Lucio. Away; let's go learn the truth of it.
[Exeunt. 45

Manet Bard.

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Lucio and two Gentlemen.

Claud. Fellow, why dost thou show me thus to

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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.

Lucio. If I could speak so wisely under an arrest,
50 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?
[again.
Claud. What, but to speak of, would offend
Lucio. What is it? murder?

A quibble intended between dollars and dolours.

2 Lucio means here not the piece of money so called, but that cenereal scab, which among the surgeons is styled corona Veneris. Alluding probably to the method of cure then used for the diseases contracted in brothels. The verb to do, is here used in a sense now obsolete, but which the reader will easily guess at from the modern application of the phrase of "undoing a woman," or " a woman's being undone." Hence the name of Over-done, which Shakspeare has in this play appropriated to the batıd. Meaning all bawdy-houses. tine is an obsolete word for prey.

• Ra

Claud.

Claud. No.

Lucio. Lechery?

Claud. Call it so.

Prov. Away, sir; you must go.

Claud. One word, good friend:-Lucio, a word 5 with you.

Lucio. Ahundred, if they'll do you any good.Is lechery so look'd after?

[contract, Claud. Thus stands it with me.-Upon a true

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,

The stealth of our most mutual entertainment,

With character too gross, is writ on Juliet.

Lucio. With child, perhaps?

Claud. Unhappily, even so.

And the new deputy now for the duke,-
Whether it be the fault and glimpse of newness1
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,
Which have, like unscour'd armour, hung by the
So long, that nineteen zodiacks 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.

[wall

Lucio. I warrant, it is: and thy head stands so tickle on thy shoulders, that a milk-maid, if she be in love, may sigh it off. Send after the duke, and appeal to him.

SCENE IV.

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 compleat bosom: why I desire thee
To give me secret harbour, hath a purpose
10 More grave and wrinkled than the aims and ends
Of burning youth.

Fri. May your grace speak of it?

Duke. My holy sir, none better knows than you How I have ever lov'd the life remov'd1;

15 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, 20 And he supposes me travell'd to Poland; For so I have strew'd it in the common ear, And so it is receiv'd: Now, pious sir, You will demand of me, why I do this? Fri. Gladly, my lord.

25

30

35

[laws,

Duke. We have strict statutes, and most biting
(The needful bits and curbs for head-strong steeds)
Which for these nineteen years we have let sleep;
Even like an o'er-grown lion in a cave,

That goes not out to prey: Now, as fond fathers
Having bound up the threat'ning 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. It rested in your grace

To unloose this ty'd-up justice, when you pleas'd: 40 And it in you more dreadful would have seem'd, Than in lord Angelo.

Claud. I have done so, but he's not to be found.
I pr'ythee, 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,
[art
Such as moves men; beside, she hath prosperous 50
When she will play with reason and discourse,
And well she can persuade.

Duke. I do fear, too dreadful:

Sith 'twas my fault to give the people scope,
Twould be my tyranny to strike and gall them,
45 For what I bid them do: For we bid this be done,
When evil deeds have theirpermissivepass, [father,
And not the punishment. Therefore, indeed, my
I have on Angelo impos'd 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 pr'ythee,
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
[Exeunt. 60 That his blood flows, or that his appetite

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 55 life, who I would be sorry should be thus foolishly lost at a game of tick-tack. I'll to her.

Claud. I thank you, good friend Lucio.
Lucio. Within two hours,-

Claud. Come, officer, away.

That is, whether it be the seeming enormity of the action, or the glare of new authority. The fault and glimpse is the same as the fault or glimpse, i. e. a fault arising from the mind being dazzled by a novel authority. That is, ticklish. Prone here seems to mean humble. Meaning a life of retirement. Stricture is probably here used for strictness. That is, stands on terms of defiance.

5

4

Is

Is more to bread than stone: Hence shall we see, If power change purpose, what our seemers be.

SCENE V.
A Nunnery.

Enter Isabella and Francisca.

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

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

Nun. It is a man's voice: Gentle Isabella, Turn you the key, and know his business of him ; You may, I may not; you are yet unsworn: When you have vow'd, you must not speak with But in the presence of the prioress: Then, if you speak, you must not shew your face; Or, if you shew your face, you must not speak. He calls again; I pray you, answer him.

[men,

[Exit Franc. Isab. Peace and prosperity! Who is't that calls? Enter Lucio.

Expresseth his full tilth and husbandry. [Juliet? İsab. Some one with child by him?—My cousin Lucio. Is she your cousin? [names, Isab. Adoptedly; as school-maids change their 5 By vain though apt affection. Lucio. She it is.

Isab. O, let him marry her!

Lucio. This is the point.

The duke is very strangely gone from hence; 10 Bore many gentlemen, myself being one,

15

20

In hand, and hope of action: but we do learn
By those that know the very nerves of state,
His givings-out were of an infinite distance
From his true-meant design. Upon his place,
And with full line of his authority,
Governs lord Angelo: A man whose blood

Is

very snow-broth; one who never feels The wanton stings and motions of the sense; But doth rebate and blunt his natural edge With profits of the mind, study and fast. He (to give fear to use and liberty, Which have, for long, run by the hideous law, As mice by lions) hath pick'd out an act, Under whose heavy sense your brother's life Falls into forfeit: he arrests him on it; And follows close the rigour of the statute, To make him an example: all hope is gone, Unless you have the grace' by your fair To soften Angelo: and that's my pith 30 Of business 'twixt you and your poor brother. Isab. Doth he so seek his life?

Lucio. Hail, virgin, if you be; as those cheek 25

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. [greets you:
Lucio. Gentle and fair, your brother kindly
Not to be weary with you, he's in prison.
Isab. Woe me! For what?
[judge,
Lucio. For that, which, if myself might be his
He should receive his punishment in thanks:
He hath got his friend with child.

Isab. Sir, make me not your story.
Lucio. 'Tis true: I would not (though 'tis

familiar sin

my

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Lucio. Has censur'd' him

8

Already; and, as I hear, the provost hath A warrant for his execution.

Isab. Alas! what poor ability's in me To do him good?

Lucio. Assay the power you have.
Isab. My power! Alas! I doubt,-
Lucio. Our doubts are traitors,

prayer

40 And make us lose the good we oft might win,
By fearing to attempt: Go to lord Angelo,
And let him learn to know, when maidens sue,
Men give like gods; but when they weep and kneel,
All their petitions are as truly theirs

45 As they themselves would owe 10 them.
Isab. I'll see what I can do.
Lucio. But speedily.

Isab. You do blaspheme the good, in mocking
Lucio. Donot believe it. Fewness' and truth, 'tis 50
Your brother and his lover have embrac'd: [thus:]
As those that feed grow full; as blossoming time
"That from the seedness the bare fallow brings
To teeming foyson'; so her plenteous womb

4

Isab. I will about it strait;

No longer staying but to give the mother 11
Notice of my affair. I humbly thank you:
Commend me to my brother: soon at night
I'll send him certain word of my success.
Lucio. I take my leave of you.
Isab. Good sir, adieu.

That is, in few words. 2 For that, we should probably read doth; and instead of brings, bring. That is, plenty, abundance. The meaning is, he kept many gentlemen in expectation and dependance. That is, full extent. That is, to intimidate practices long countenanced by custom. That is, the power of gaining favour. The principal part of my message. That is, has sentenced him. 19 To owe, here signifies, to possess, to have. "The abbess,

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