Clo. 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 increase your bondage: if you take it not patiently, why, your mettle is the more : Adieu, trusty Pompey.-Bless you, friar.

Duke. And you.

Lucio. Does Bridget paint still, Pompey? Ha?
Elb. Come your ways, sir; come.

Clo. You will not bail me then, sir?

Lucio. Then, Pompey? nor now.-What news abroad,

friar? What news?

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 say he is with the emperor of Russia; other some, he is in Rome: But where is he, think you? Duke. I know not where: But wheresoever, I wish him well.

Lucio. It was a mad fantastical trick of him, to steal from the state, and usurp the beggary he was never born to. Lord Angelo dukes it well in his absence: he puts transgression to't.

Duke. He does well in't.

Lucio. A little more lenity to lechery would do no harm in him: something too crabbed that way, friar. Duke. It is too general a vice, and severity must cure it.

Lucio. Yes, in good sooth, the vice is of a great kindred; it is well ally'd: but it is impossible to extirp it quite, friar, till eating and drinking be put down. They say, 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?

8

it is not the wear.] i. e. it is not the fashion.

VOL. II.

L

Lucio. Some report, a sea-maid spawn'd him :— Some, that he was begot between two stock-fishes:But it is certain, that when he makes water, his urine is congeal'd ice; that I know to be true: and he is a motion. ungenerative, that's infallible.

Duke. You are pleasant, sir; and speak apace.

Lucio. Why what a ruthless thing is this in him, for the rebellion of a cod-piece, to take away the life of a man! Would the duke, that is absent, have done this? Ere he would have hang'd a man for the getting of a hundred bastards, he would have paid for the nursing a thousand He had some feeling of the sport; he knew the service, and that instructed him to mercy.

Duke. I never heard the absent duke much detected for women; he was not inclined that way.

Lucio. O, sir, you are deceived.

Duke. 'Tis not possible.

Lucio. Who? not the duke? yes, your beggar of fifty; —and his use was, to put a ducat in her clack-dish': the duke had crotchets in him: He would be drunk too; that let me inform you.

Duke. You do him wrong, surely.

Lucio. Sir, I was an inward of his': A shy fellow was the duke: and, I believe, I know the cause of his withdrawing.

Duke. What, I pr'ythee, might be the cause?

-

Lucio. No, pardon; 'tis a secret must be lock'd within the teeth and the lips: but this I can let you understand,―The greater file' of the subject held the duke to be wise.

9

1

Duke. Wise? why, no question but he was.

Lucio. A very superficial, ignorant, unweighing fellow.

much detected for women;] Charged or guilty.

clack-dish:] The beggars, two or three centuries ago, used to proclaim their want by a wooden dish, with a moveable cover, which they clacked, to show that their vessel was empty.

2

3

an inward of his :] Inward is intimate.

The greater file —] The greater number.

Duke. Either this is envy in you, folly, or mistaking; the very stream of his life, and the business he hath helmed, must, upon a warranted need, give him a better proclamation. Let him be but testimonied in his own bringings forth, and he shall appear to the envious a scholar, a statesman, and a soldier: Therefore, you speak unskilfully; or, if your knowledge be more, it is much darken'd in your malice.

Lucio. Sir, I know him, and I love him.

Duke. Love talks with better knowledge, and knowledge with dearer love.

Lucio. Come, sir, I know what I know.

Duke. I can hardly believe that, since you know not what you speak. But, if ever the duke return (as our prayers are he may), let me desire you to make your answer before him: If it be honest you have spoke, you have courage to maintain it: I am bound to call upon you; and, I pray you, your name?

Lucio. Sir, my name is Lucio; well known to the duke.

Duke. He shall know you better, sir, if I may live to report you.

Lucio. I fear you not.

Duke. O, you hope the duke will return no more; or you imagine me too unhurtful an opposite. But, indeed, I can do you little harm: you'll forswear this again.

Lucio. I'll be hang'd first: thou art deceiv'd in me, friar. But no more of this: Canst thou tell, if Claudio die to-morrow, or no?

Duke. Why should he die, sir?

Lucio. Why, for filling a bottle with a tun-dish. I would, the duke, we talk of, were returned again: this

the business he hath helmed,] The difficulties he hath steer'd through. A metaphor from navigation.

opposite.] i. e. opponent, adversary.

ungenitur'd agent will unpeople the province with con-
tinency; sparrows must not build in his house-eaves,
because they are lecherous. The duke yet would have
dark deeds darkly answer'd; he would never bring them
to light would he were return'd! Marry, this Claudio
is condemn'd for untrussing. Farewell, good friar; I
pr'ythee, pray for me. The duke, I say to thee again,
would eat mutton on Fridays. He's now past it; yet,
and I say to thee, he would mouth with a beggar,
though she smelt brown bread and garlick: say, that I
said so.
Farewell.

Duke. No might nor greatness in mortality
Can censure 'scape; back-wounding calumny
The whitest virtue strikes: What king so strong,
Can tie the gall up in the slanderous tongue?
But who comes here?

Enter ESCALUS, Provost, Bawd, and Officers.

Escal. Go away with her to prison.

[Exit.

Bawd. Good my lord, be good to me; your honour is accounted a merciful man: good my lord.

Escal. Double and treble admonition, and still forfeit in the same kind? This would make mercy swear, and play the tyrant.

Prov. A bawd of eleven years' continuance, may it please your honour.

Bawd. My lord, this is one Lucio's information against me mistress Kate Keep-down was with child by him in the duke's time, he promised her marriage; his child is a year and a quarter old, come Philip and Jacob: I have kept it myself; and see how he goes about to abuse me.

Escal. That fellow is a fellow of much licence :-let him be called before us.-Away with her to prison: Go to; no more words. [Exeunt Bawd and Officers.] Provost, my brother Angelo will not be alter'd, Claudio

must die to-morrow: let him be furnish'd with divines, and have all charitable preparation: if my brother wrought by my pity, it should not be so with him.

Prov. So please you, this friar hath been with him, and advised him for the entertainment of death. Escal. Good even, good father.

Duke. Bliss and goodness on you!

Escal. Of whence are you?

Duke. Not of this country, though my chance is now To use it for my time: I am a brother

Of gracious order, late come from the see,
In special business from his holiness.

Escal. What news abroad i'the world?

Duke. None, but that there is so great a fever on goodness, that the dissolution of it must cure it: novelty is only in request; and it is as dangerous to be aged in any kind of course, as it is virtuous to be constant in any undertaking. There is scarce truth enough alive, to make societies secure; but security enough, to make fellowships accurs'd': much upon this riddle runs the wisdom of the world. This news is old enough, yet it is every day's news. I pray you, sir, of what disposi

tion was the duke?

Escal. One, that, above all other strifes, contended especially to know himself.

Duke. What pleasure was he given to?

Escal. Rather rejoicing to see another merry, than merry at any thing which profess'd to make him rejoice: a gentleman of all temperance. But leave we him to his events, with a prayer they may prove prosperous; and let me desire to know how you find Claudio pre

• There is scarce truth enough alive, to make societies secure; but security enough, to make fellowships accurs'd:] The sense is, "There scarcely exists sufficient honesty in the world to make social life secure; but there are occasions enough where a man may be drawn in to become surety, which will make him pay dearly for his friendships."