Of palsy'd Eld; and when thou'rt old and rich,
Thou hast neither heat, affection, limb, nor beauty
To make thy riches pleasant. 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 seek to die;
And, seeking death, find life: let it come on.

Enter Isabella.
Isab. What, ho? peace here: grace and good company!
Prov. Who's there come in : the wish deserves a

welcome.
Duke. Dear Sir, ere long I'll visit you again.
Claud. Most holy Sir, I thank you.
Llob. My business is a word, or two, with Claudio.
Prov. And very welcome. Look, Signior, here's your

fifter.
Dike. Provost, a word with you.
Prov. As many as you please.
Duke. Bring them to speak 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; most good in deed :
Lord Angelo, having affairs to heav'n,
Intends you for his swift ambaffador;
Where you shall be an everlasting leiger.
Therefore your best appointment make with speed,
To-morrow you set on.

Claud. Is there no remedy?
Ilab. None, but such remedy, as to save a head,
To cleave a heart in twain.

C.cud. But is there any?

1/ab. 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,

Cloud. Perpetual durance?
1fab. Ay, just; perpetual durance; a restraint,

Tho'

Tho' all the world's vaftidity you had,
To a determin’d scope.

Claud. But in what naturé ?

Ifab. In such a one, as you, consenting to't, Would bark your honour from that trunk you bear, : And leave

you

naked.
Claud. Let me know the point.

Isab. Oh, I do fear thee, Claudio ; and I quake,
Lest thou á fev'rous life Tould'st entertain,
And fix or seven winters more respect
Than a perpetual honour. Dar'i thou die?
The sense of death is most in apprehension ;
And the poor beetle, that we tread upon,
In corp'ral sufferance findsia pang as great,
As when a giant dies.

Claud. Why give you me this shame?
Think

you, I can a resolution fetch From flow'ry tenderness ? if I must die, I will encounter darkness as a bride, And hug it in mine arms.

Isab. There spake my brother; there my father's grave.
Did utter forth a voice. Yes, thou must die :
Thou art too noble to conserve a life
In base appliances. . This outward-Sainted Deputy,
Whose settled 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 ?
Isab. Oh, 'tis the cunning livery of hell, .
The damned'st 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.

Isab.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'lt to.morrow.

Claud,

life,

Claud. Thou Malt not do't. Ijab. Oh, were it but

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

Claud. Thanks, dearest Isabe?.
Isab. 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’ nose,
When he would force it? sure, it is no fin;.
Or of the deadly seven it is the leaft,

Isab. Which is the least ?

Claud. If it were damnable, be being so wise,
Why would he for the momentary trick
Be perdurably find? oh Ijabel!.

Isab. What says my brother?
Claud. Death's a fearful thing.
Isab. And famed life a hateful.

Claud. Ay, but.co dię, and go we know.not where:
To lie in cold obstruction, and to rot;
This sensible warm motion to become
A kneaded clod; and the delighted spirit
To bathe in fiery floods, or to reside
In thrilling regions of thick-ribb'd ice,
To be imprison'd in the viewless winds,
And blown with restless violence round about
The pendant world; or to be worse than worst
Of those, thạt lawless and incertain thoughts
Imagine howling; us too horrible!

The weariest and most loathed worldly life, (16) That age, ach, penury, imprisonment of Ciuudio, from the ancipathy we have to death, seems very little

(16) Tbe weariefi, ard moft luarbed worldly life.] This natural fear varies from that infamous with of Meezenas recorded, ie the one Epifle of Seneca.

Debilm, f.cito mand
Dobilni pide, coxu;
Tuber adfirue gibberuma,
Lubric's quate denies :
V.1, dum fupereft, bere eft.
Hanc m.ibi, vel acuis
Si jede: 179 cmar, fuforie:

Mr. I urtaristan

Can lay on nature, is a paradise
To what we fear of death..

Ijab. Alas! alas !

Claud. Sweet fifter, let me live ;What sin you do to save a brother's life, Nature dispenses with the deed so far, That it becomes a virtue.

Isab. Oh you bealt! Oh faithless coward ! oh diffioneft wretch! Wilt thou be made a man, out of my vice? Is't not a kind of incest, to take life From thine own sister's shame? what should I think?: Heav'n grant, my mother play'd my father fair :: For such a warped ftip of wilderness Ne'er issu'd from his blood. Take my defiance, Die, perih! might my only bending down Repričve thee from thy fate, it should proceed. I'll pray a thousand prayers for thy death; No word to save thee.

Claud. Nay, hear me, Isabel.

Isab. Oh, fy, fy, fy!
Thy fin's not accidental, but a trade;
Mercy to thee would prove itself a bawd';;
"Tis belt, that thou dy'st quickly.
Claud. Oh hear me, ifabella.

To, them, Enter. Duke and Proyoft.
Duke. Vouchsafe a word, young fifter; but one word..
Ijab. What is

your

will! Duke. Might you dispense with your leisure, I would, by and boy have some speech with you: the-fatisfaction I would require, is likewise your own benefit.

Isab. I have no fuperfiuous leisure; my ttay must be folen out of other affairs: but I will attend you a while.

Duke. Son, I have over-heard what hath pait between you and your fifter. Angelo had never the purpose to corrupt her ; only he hath irado an affay of her virtue, to practise his, judgment with the disposition of Aatures. She, having the truth of honour in her, hath made him that gracious denial, which he is moft glad

with you.

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

Claud. Let me ak my fifter pardon ; I am so out of love with life, that I will sue to be rid of it. [Exit Claud.

Duke. Hold you there; farewel. Provost, a word 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 promises with my habit, no loss shall 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, Ihall keep the body of it ever' fair. The assault, that Angelo hath made to you, fortune hath convey'd to my understanding; and but that frailty hath examples for his falling, I should wonder at Angelo : how will you do to content this substitute, and to save your brother?

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

Duke. That shall not be much amiss; yet as the matter now stands, he will avoid your accusation ; he made trial of you only. Therefore faften your ear on my advisings : to the love I have in doing good, a remedy presents itself. I do make myself believe, that you may most uprightly do a poor wronged Lady a merited benefit; redeem your brother from the angry law; do no ftain to your own gracious person ; and much please the absent Duke, if, peradventure, he thall ever return to have hearing of this business. Isab. Let me hear you speak farther; I have spirit

to