to do any thing, that appears not foul in the truth of my fpirit. Duke. Virtue is bold, and goodness never fearful: have you not heard fpeak of Mariana, the fifter of Frederick, the great foldier who miscarried at fea? Ifab. I have heard of the Lady, and good words went with her name. Duke. Her fhould this Angelo have marry'd; was affianc'd to her by oath, and the nuptial appointed : between which time of the contract, and limit of the folemnity, her brother Frederick was wreckt at fea, having in that perifh'd veffel the dowry of his fifter. But mark, how heavily this befel to the poor gentlewoman; there fhe loft a noble and renowned brother, in his love toward her ever moft kind and natural; with him the portion and finew of her fortune, her marriage-dowry; with both, her combinate husband, this well-feeming Angelo. Ifab. Can this be fo? did Angelo fo leave her? Duke. Left her in her tears, and dry'd not one of them with his comfort; fwallow'd his vows whole, pretending, in her, difcoveries of difhonour in few, beftow'd her on her own lamentation, which fhe yet wears for his fake; and he, a marble to her tears, is washed with them, but relents not. Ifab. What a merit were it in death to take this poor maid from the world! what corruption in this life, that it will let this man live! but how out of this can fhe avail? Duke. It is a rupture that you may eafily heal; and the cure of it not only faves your brother, but keeps you from dishonour in doing it. Ifab. Shew me how, good father. Duke. This fore-nam'd maid hath yet in her the continuance of her first affection; his unjuft unkindness, (that in all reafon fhould have quenched her love,) hath, like an impediment in the current, made it more violent and unruly. Go you to Angelo, anfwer his requiring with a plaufible obedience; agree with his demands to the point; only refer yourself to this ad vantage: vantage: first, that. your ftay with him may not be long; that the time may have all fhadow and filence in it; and the place answer to convenience. This being granted, in courfe now follows all: we fhall advife this wronged maid to flead up your appointment, go in your place; if the encounter acknowledge itfelf hereafter, it may compel him to her recompence; and here by this is your brother faved, your honour un-. tainted, the poor Mariana advantaged, and the corrupt Deputy fcaled. The maid will I frame, and make fit for his attempt: if you think well to carry this as you may, the doublenefs of the benefit defends the deceit from reproof.. What think you of it? Ifab. The image of it gives me content already,. and, I truft, it will grow to a most profpereus perfection. Duke. It lies much in your holding up; hafte youfpeedily to Angelo; if for this night he intreat you to his bed, give him promife of fatisfaction.. I will prefently to St. Luke's; there at the moated grange refides this dejected Mariana; at that place call upon me, and difpatch with Angelo, that it may be quickly.. Ifab. I thank you for this comfort: fare you well; good father. [Exeunt feverally.. S.CENE changes to the Street. Re-enter Duke as a Friar; Elbow, Clown, and Officers. Elb. NAY, if there be no remedy for it, but that you will needs buy and fell men and women. like beafts, we shall have all the world drink brown. and white-baftard. Duke. Oh, heav'ns! what stuff is here? Clown. 'Twas never merry world fince of two ufuries the merrieft was put down, and the worfer allow'd by order of law. A furr'd gown to keep him warm, and furr'd with fox and lamb-fkins too, to fignify, that craft, being richer than innocency, Itands for the facing. Elb. Come your way, Sir: blefs you, good father Friar.. Duke Duke. And you, good brother father; what offence hath this man made you, Sir? Elb. Marry, Sir, he hath offended the law; and, Sir, we take him to be a thief too, Sir; for we have found upon him, Sir, a ftrange pick lock, which we have Lent to the Deputy. Duke. Fy, firrah, a bawd, a wicked bawd.! Doft thou but think; What 'tis to cram a maw, or cloath a back Clown. Indeed, it doth tink in. fome fort, Sir; but yet, Sir, I would prove Duke. Nay, if the devil have giv'n thee proofs. for fin, Thou wilt prove his. Take him to prifon, officer; Correction and instruction must both work, Ere this rude beaft will profit. Elb. He muft before the Deputy, Sir; he has given. him warning; the Deputy cannot abide a whorematter; if he be a whore-monger, and comes before him, he were as good go a mile on his errand. (7) I drink, I eat away myfelf, and live.] Thus hitherto in all the impreffions. This is one very excellent inftance of the fagacity of our Editors, and it were to be wish'd heartily, they would have oblig'd us with their phyfical folution, how a man can eat away himfelf and live. The ingenious Mr. Bishop, when we read this Play together, gave me that most certain emendation, which I have fub tuted in the room of the former foolish reading; by the help, whereof, we have this eafy fenfe; that the Clown fed himself, and put cloaths on his back by exercifing the vile trade of a Bawd. In Othello, Iago fpeaks much to the fame purpofe of Caffio's trumpet. A housewife, that, by felling her defires, Buys herself bread, and cloath. And Ben Jobnfen, much nearer to the words of the paffage here corrected, in his Epigram upon Lieut. Shift. By that one fpell he lives, eats, drinks, arrays himself. Duke Duke. That we were all, as fome would feem to be, Free from all faults, as faults from feeming free! Enter Lució. Elb. His neck will come to your wafte, a cord, Sir. Clown. I fpy comfort: I cry, bail: here's a gentleman, and a friend of mine. Lucio. How now, noble Pompey? what, at the wheels of Cafar? art thou led in triumph? what, is there none of Pigmalion's images newly made woman to be had now, for putting the hand in the pocket, and extracting it clutch'd? what reply? ha? what fay'st thou to this tune, matter and method? is't not drown'd i'th' laft rain ? ha? what fay'ft thou, trot? is the world as it was, man? which is the way? is it fad and few words or how? the trick of it? Duke. Still thus and thus ; ftill worse? Lucio. How doth my dear morfel, thy mistress procures fhe ftill? ha? Clown. Troth, Sir, fhe hath eaten up all her beef, and he is herself in the tub.. Lucio. Why, 'tis good; it is the right of it ; it muft be fo. Ever your fresh whore, and your powder'd bawd; an unfhunn'd confequence, it must be fo. Art going to prifon, Pompey? Clown. Yes, faith, Sir. Lucio. Why, 'tis not amifs, Pompey: farwel: go, fay,. I fent thee thither. For debt, Pompey? or how? Elb. For being a bawd, for being a bawd. Lucio. Well, then imprison him; if imprisonment be the due of a bawd, why, 'tis his right. Bawd is he, doubtless, and of antiquity too; bawd born. Farewel, good Pompey: commend me to the prifon, Pompey; you will turn good husband now, Pompey; you will keep the houfe. Clown. I hope, Sir, your good worship will be my bail, Lucio. No, indeed, will I not, Pompey; it is not the wear; I will pray, Pompey, to encrease your bondage; if you take it not patiently, why, your mettle is the more adieu, trufty Pompey. Bless you, Friar. Duke Duke. And you. Lucio. Does Bridget paint ftill, Pompey? ha? Clown. You will not bail me then, Sir? Friar? what news? What news abroad, Elb. Come your ways, Sir, come. Lucio. Go to kennel, Pompey, go: [Exeunt Elbow, Clown and Officers. What news, Friar, of the Duke? Duke. I know none can you tell me of any? Lucio. Some fay, he is with the Emperor of Ruffia; other fome, he is in Rome: but where is he, think you? Duke. I know not where; but wherefoever, I wish him well. Lucio. It was a mad fantaftical trick of him to fteal from the state, and ufurp the beggary he was never born to. Lord Angelo dukes it well in his abfence; he puts tranfgreffion to't. Duke. He does well in't. Lucio. A little more lenity to leachery would do no harm in him; fomething too crabbed that way, Friar. Duke. It is too general a vice, and feverity muft cure it. Lucio. Yes, in good footh, the vice is of a great kindred; it is well ally'd; but it is impoffible to extirp it quite, Friar, 'till eating and drinking be put down. They fay, this Angelo was not made by man and woman after the downright way of creation; is it true, think you? Duke. How should he be made then? Lucio. Some report, a fea-maid fpawn'd him. Some, that he was begot between two ftock-fishes. But it is certain, that when he makes water, his urine is congeal'd ice; that I know to be true: (18) and he is a motion ungenerative, that's infallible. Duke. (18) and be is a motion generative; that's infallible.] This may be sense; and Lucio, perhaps, may mean, that tho' Angelo have the organs of generation, yet that he makes no more ufe of them than |