Of palfy'd Eld; and when thou'rt old and rich,
Thou haft neither heat, affection, limb, nor beauty
To make thy riches pleafant. What's yet in this,
That bears the name of life? yet in this life
Lie hid more thousand deaths; yet death we fear,
That makes these odds all even.

Claud. I humbly thank you.

To fue to live, I find, I feek to die;

And, feeking death, find life: let it come on.
Enter Ifabella.

Hab. What,ho? peace here: grace and good company! Prov. Who's there? come in: the wifh deferves a welcome.

Duke. Dear Sir, ere long I'll vifit you again.
Claud. Most holy Sir, I thank you.

Lab. My bufinefs is a word, or two, with Claudio. Prov. And very welcome. Look, Signior, here's your fifter.

Duke. Provoft, a word with you.

Prov. As many as you pleafe.

Duke. Bring them to fpeak where I may be conceal'd,

Yet hear them.

[Exeunt Duke and Provost.

Claud. Now, fifter, what's the comfort?

Ifab. Why, as all comforts are; moft good in deed: Lord Angelo, having affairs to heav'n,

Intends you for his swift ambassador;

Where you fhall be an everlasting leiger.

Therefore your best appointment make with speed,
To-morrow you fet on.

Claud. Is there no remedy?

Jab. None, but fuch remedy, as to fave a head,

To cleave a heart in twain.

C.aud. But is there any?

jab. Yes, brother, you may live: There is a devilith mercy in the judge,

If you'll implore it, that will free your life,

But fetter you 'till death.

Claud. Perpetual durance?

jab. Ay, juft; perpetual durance; a restraint,

Tho'

Tho' all the world's vaftidity you had,

To a determin'd scope.

Claud. But in what nature?

Ifab. In fuch a one, as you, confenting to't, Would bark your honour from that trunk you bear, And leave you naked.

Claud. Let me know the point.

Ifab. Oh, I do fear thee, Claudio; and I quake,
Left thou a fev'rous life should'st entertain,
And fix or seven winters more refpe&t

Than a perpetual honour. Dar'st thou die?
The fenfe of death is moft in apprehenfion;
And the poor beetle, that we tread upon,
In corp'ral fufferance finds a pang as great,
As when a giant dies.

Claud. Why give you me this shame?
Think you, I can a refolution fetch
From flow'ry tenderness if I muft die,
I will encounter darkness as a bride,

And hug it in mine arms.

Ifab. There fpake my brother; there my father's graves
Did utter forth a voice. Yes, thou muft die :'
Thou art too noble to conferve a life

In bafe appliances. This outward-fainted Deputy,
Whofe fettled visage and delib'rate word

Nips youth i' th' head; and follies doth emmew,
As faulcon doth the fowl; is yet a devil:
His filth within being caft: he would appear.
A pond as deep as hell.

Claud. The princely Angelo?

Ifab. Oh, 'tis the cunning livery of hell,
The damned'ft body to invest and cover

In Princely guards. Doft thou think, Claudio,
If I would yield him my virginity,

Thou might'st be freed?

Claud. Oh, heavens! it cannot be.

Ifab. Yes, he would give't thee; from this rank offence So to offend him ftill. This night's the time

That I should do what I abhor to name,

Or else thou dy't to-morrow.

Claud.

life,.

Claud. Thou shalt not do't. ́Ifab. Oh, were it but

my

I'd throw it down for your deliverance
As frankly as a pin.

Claud. Thanks, deareft Ifabel.

Ifab. Be ready, Claudio, for your death to-morrow
Claud. Yes. Has he affections in him,

That thus can make him bite the law by th' nofe,
When he would force it? fure, it is no fin;
Or of the deadly feven it is the leaft,

Ifab. Which is the leaft?

Claud. If it were damnable, he being fo wife,
Why would he for the momentary trick
Be perdurably fin'd? oh Isabel!

Ifah. What fays my brother?

Claud. Death's a fearful thing.
Ifab. And fhamed life a hateful.

Claud. Ay, but to die, and go we know not where:
To lie in cold obftruction, and to rot;
This fenfible warm motion to become
A kneaded clod; and the delighted fpirit
To bathe in fiery floods, or to refide
In thrilling regions of thick-ribb'd ice,
To be imprifon'd in the viewlefs winds,
And blown with restless violence round about
The pendant world; or to be worse than worst
Of thofe, that lawless and incertain thoughts
Imagine howling;'tis too horrible!
The weariest and most loathed worldly life, (16)
That age, ach, penury, imprisonment

(16) The wearief, and moft luatbed worldly life.] This natural fear. of Claudio, from the antipathy we have to death, feems very little. varied from that infamous with of Mecenas recorded in the Joy Epistle of Seneca,

Debilem, fcito manu,

Debilem pde, coxa;
Tuber adftrue gibberum,
Lubrices quate denies:

Vita, dum fupereft, bere eft.

Hanc mibi, vel acuta

Si fedeam crnce, fuftine.

Can lay on nature, is a paradife
To what we fear of death..
Ifab. Alas! alas!

Claud. Sweet fifter, let me live;

What fin you do to fave a brother's life,
Nature difpenfes with the deed so far,
That it becomes a virtue.

Ifab. Oh you beaft!

Oh faithlefs coward! oh difhoneft wretch!
Wilt thou, be made a man, out of my vice?

Is't not a kind of inceft, to take life

From thine own fifter's fhame? what should I think?
Heav'n grant, my mother play'd my father fair:
For fuch a warped frip of wilderness

Ne'er iffu'd from his blood. Take my defiance,
Die, perish might my only bending down
Reprieve thee from thy fate, it fhould proceed..
I'll pray a thousand prayers for thy death;
No word to fave thee.

Claud. Nay, hear me, Isabel..
Ifab. Oh, fy, fy, fy!

Thy fin's not accidental, but a trade;
Mercy to thee would prove itself a bawd;
'Tis beft, that thou dy't quickly.

Claud. Oh hear me, Ifabella.

To them, Enter Duke and Provost.

Duke. Vouchsafe a word, young fifter; but one word..
Ijab. What is your will?

Duke. Might you difpenfe with your leifure, I would by and by have fome speech with you: the fatisfaction I would require, is likewife your own benefit.

Ifab. I have no fuperfluous leifure; my tay muft be Bolen out of other affairs: but I will attend you a while. Duke. Son, I have over-heard what hath past between you and your filter. Angelo had never the purpose to corrupt her; only he hath made an affay of her virtue, to practise his judgment with the difpofition of natures. She, having the truth of honour in her, hath made him that gracious denial, which he is moft glad

Do

to receive: I am Confeffor to Angelo, and I know this to be true; therefore prepare yourself to death. not fatisfy your refolution with hopes that are fallible; to-morrow you must die; go to your knees, and make ready.

Claud. Let me ask my fifter pardon; I am so out of love with life, that I will fue to be rid of it. [Exit Claud. Duke. Hold you there; farewel. Provoft, a word with you.

Prov. What's your will, father?

Duke. That now you are come, you will be gone ; leave me a while with the maid: my mind promifes with my habit, no lofs fhall touch her by my company. Prov. In good time. [Exit Prov. Duke. The hand, that hath made you fair, hath made you good; the goodness that is cheap in beauty, makes beauty brief in goodness; but grace, being the foul of your complection, fhall keep the body of it ever fair. The affault, that Angelo hath made to you, fortune hath convey'd to my understanding; and but that frailty hath examples for his falling, I fhould wonder at Angelo: how will you do to content this fubftitute, and to fave your brother?

Ifab. I am now going to refolve him: I had rather my brother die by the law, than my fon fhould be unlawfully born. But, oh, how much is the good Duke deceiv'd in Angelo? if ever he return, and I can fpeak to him, I will open my lips in vain, or discover his government.

Duke. That fhall not be much amifs; yet as the matter now ftands, he will avoid your accufation; he made trial of you only. Therefore faften your ear on my advifings to the love I have in doing good, a remedy prefents itfelf. I do make myfelf believe, that you may moft uprightly do a poor wronged Lady a merited benefit; redeem your brother from the angry law; do no ftain to your own gracious perfon; and much please the absent Duke, if, peradventure, he shall ever return to have hearing of this business.

Ifab. Let me hear you speak farther; I have spirit

to