Enter LUCIO. Lucio. Hail, virgin, if you be; as those cheek-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. Lucio. Gentle and fair, your brother kindly greets you: Not to be weary with you, he's in prison. Isab. Woe me! For what? Lucio. For that, which if I myself might be his judge, He should receive his punishment in thanks: He hath got his friend with child. Isab. Sir, make me not your story. I would not-though 'tis my familiar sin It is true. With maids to seem the lapwing, and to jest, As with a saint. Isab. You do blaspheme the good, in mocking me. 5 make me not your story.] Perhaps, Do not divert yourself with me, as you would with a story; but Mr. MALONE thinks we ought to read,—“Sir, mock me not:-your story. Luc. "Tis true, &c." With maids to seem the lapwing,] The modern editors have not taken in the whole similitude here: they have taken notice of the lightness of a spark's behaviour to his mistress, and compared But the chief, See Ray's Pro it to the lapwing's hovering and fluttering as it flies. of which no notice is taken, is,—“— and to jest.” verbs. The lapwing cries, tongue far from heart;" i. e. most farthest from the nest. Lucio. Do not believe it. Fewness and truth, 'tis thus: Your brother and his lover have embrac'd: As those that feed grow full; as blossoming time, 8 Isab. Some one with child by him?-My cousin Juliet? Luoio. Is she your cousin? Isab. Adoptedly; as school-maids change their names, By vain though apt affection. Lucio. Isab. O, let him marry her! She it is. Lucio. Governs lord Angelo: a man, whose blood 8 To teeming foison;] Foison is plenty. tilth - Tilth is tillage. 9 Bore many gentlemen, In hand, and hope of action:] To bear in hand is a common phrase for to keep in expectation and dependance; but we should read: with hope of action. JOHNSON. 1 to give fear to use] To intimidate use, long countenanced by custom. that is, practices As mice by lions,) hath pick'd out an act, prayer To soften Angelo: And that's my pith Lucio. Has censured him' Already; and, as I hear, the provost hath Isab. Alas! what poor ability's in me Lucio. Assay the power you have. Our doubts are traitors, And make us lose the good we oft might win, By fearing to attempt: Go to lord Angelo, As they themselves would owe them. Lucio. But, speedily. Isab. I will about it straight; Isab. Good sir, adieu. [Exeunt. 2 Has censured him 3 would owe] To owe, in this place, is to have. ACT II. SCENE I-A Hall in Angelo's House. Enter ANGELO, ESCALUS, a Justice, Provost, Officers, and other Attendants, Ang. We must not make a scare-crow of the law, Setting it up to fear the birds of prey, And let it keep one shape, till custom make it Their perch, and not their terror. Escal. Ay, but yet Let us be keen, and rather cut a little, Than fall, and bruise to death: Alas! this gentleman, Whom I would save, had a most noble father. Let but your honour know, (Whom I believe to be most straight in virtue,) Could have attain'd the effect of your own purpose, Ang. Tis one thing to be tempted, Escalus, The jury, passing on the prisoner's life, May, in the sworn twelve, have a thief or two Guiltier than him they try: What's open made to justice, That justice seizes. What know the laws, That thieves do pass on thieves'? 'Tis very pregnant, Provost,] The Provost here is not a military officer, but a kind of sheriff or gaoler. That thieves do pass on thieves?] Pass or decide. • 'Tis very pregnant,] 'Tis plain that we must act with bad as with good; we punish the faults, as we take the advantages that lie in our way, and what we do not see we cannot note. The jewel that we find, we stoop and take it, Ang. Where is the provost ? Prov. Here, if it like your honour. See that Claudio Be executed by nine to-morrow morning: For that's the utmost of his pilgrimage. [Exit Provost. Escal. Well, heaven forgive him! and forgive us all! Some rise by sin, and some by virtue fall: Some run from brakes of vice', and answer none; Enter ELBOW, FROTH, Clown, Officers, &c. Elb. Come, bring them away: if these be good people in a common-weal, that do nothing but use their abuses in common houses, I know no law; bring them away. Ang. How now, sir! What's your name? and what's the matter? Elb. If it please your honour, I am the poor duke's constable, and my name is Elbow; I do lean upon justice, sir, and do bring in here before your good honour two notorious benefactors. Ang. Benefactors? Well; what benefactors are they? are they not malefactors? 7 brakes of vice,] The commentators have not decided the meaning of this word. By brakes of vice may be meant a collection, a thicket of vices. Brake was also the name of an engine of torture. |