But do not like to stage me to their eyes: well. * A power I have; but of what strength and nature Ang. 'Tis so with me: Let us withdraw together, Touching that point. Escal. I'll wait upon your honour. SCENE II. A Street. Enter Lucio and two Gentlemen. [Exeunt. Lucio. If the duke, with the other dukes, come not to composition with the king of Hungary, why, then all the dukes fall upon the king. 1 Gent. Heaven grant us its peace, but not the king of Hungary's! 2 Gent. Amen. Lucio. Thou concludest like the sanctimonious pirate, that went to sea with the ten commandments, but scraped one out of the table. 2 Gent. Thou shalt not steal? Lucio. Ay, that he razed. 1 Gent. Why, 'twas a commandment to command the captain and all the rest from their functions; they put forth to steal: There's not a soldier of us all, that, in the thanksgiving before meat, doth relish the petition well that prays for peace. 2 Gent. I never heard any soldier dislike it. Lucio. I believe thee; for, I think, thou never wast where grace was said. 2 Gent. No! a dozen times at least. 1 Gent. What? in metre ?? [2] In the primers, there are metrical graces, such as, I suppose, were used in Shakespeare's time. JOHNSON. Lucio. In any proportion, or in any language. 1 Gent. I think, or in any religion. Lucio. Ay! why not? Grace is grace, despite of all controversy. As for example; Thou thyself art a wicked villain, despite of all grace. 1 Gent. Well, there went but a pair of sheers between us. Lucio. I grant; as there may between the lists and the velvet: Thou art the list. 1 Gent. And thou the velvet: thou art good velvet; thou art a three-pil'd piece, I warrant thee: I had as lief be a list of an English kersey, as be pil'd, as thou art pil'd, for a French velvet. Do I speak feelingly now? Lucio. I think thou dost; and, indeed, with most painful feeling of thy speech: I will, out of thine own confession, learn to begin thy health; but, whilst I live, forget to drink after thee. 1 Gent. I think, I have done myself wrong; have I not? 2 Gent. Yes, that thou hast; whether thou art tainted, or free. Lucio. Behold, behold, where madam Mitigation comes ! I have purchased as many diseases under her roof, as comes to 2 Gent. To what, I pray ? 1 Gent. Judge 2 Gent. To three thousand dollars a year 1 Gent. Ay, and more. Lucio. A French crown more. 1 Gent. Thou art always figuring diseases in me. but thou art full of error; I am sound. Lucio. Nay, not as one would say, healthy; but so sound, as things that are hollow: thy bones are hollow; impiety has made a feast of thee. Enter Bawd. 1 Gent. How now? Which of your hips has the most profound sciatica ? Bawd. Well, well; there's one yonder arrested, and carried to prison, was worth five thousand of you all. 1 Gent. Who's that, I pray thee? Bawd. Marry, sir, that's Claudio, signior Claudio. 14] Satirically insinuating that the controversies about grace were so intricate and endless, that the disputants unsettled every thing but this, tirat grace was grace: which, however, in spite of controversy, still remained certain. WARBURTON 1 Gent. Claudio to prison! 'tis not so. Bawd. Nay, but I know, 'tis so: I saw him arrested; saw him carried away; and, which is more, within these three days his head's to be chopped off. Lucio. But, after all this fooling, I would not have it so: Art thou sure of this? Bawd. I am too sure of it: and it is for getting madam Julietta with child. Lucio. Believe me, this may be: he promised to meet me two hours since; and he was ever precise in promise-keeping. 2 Gent. Besides, you know, it draws something near to the speech we had to such a purpose. 1 Gent. But most of all, agreeing with the proclamation. Lucio. Away; let's go learn the truth of it. [Exeunt Lucio and Gentlemen. Bawd. Thus, what with the war, what with the sweat," what with the gallows, and what with poverty, I am cus tom-shrunk.-How now ? what's the news with you? Enter Clown. Clown. Yonder man is carried to prison. Clown. A woman. Bawd. But what's his offence? Clown. Groping for trouts in a peculiar river. Clown. No; but there's a woman with maid by him ; You have not heard of the proclamation, have you? Bawd. What proclamation, man? Clown. All houses in the suburbs of Vienna must be ⚫ pluck'd down. Bawd. And what shall become of those in the city? Clown. They shall stand for seed: they had gone down too, but that a wise burgher put in for them. Bawd. But shall all our houses of resort in the suburbs be pull'd down? Clown. To the ground, mistress. Bawd. Why, here's a change, indeed, in the commonwealth!-What shall become of me? Clown. Come; fear not you: good counsellors lack [5] This may allude to the sweating sickness, of which the memory was very fresh in the time of Shakespeare: but more probably to the method of cure then used for the diseases contracted in brothels. JOHNSON. no clients: though you change your place, you need not change your trade; I'll be your tapster still. Courage ; there will be pity taken on you: you that have worn your eyes almost out in the service, you will be considered. Bawd. What's to do here, Thomas Tapster? Let's withdraw. Clown. Here comes signior Claudio, led by the provost to prison and there's madam Juliet. : SCENE III. [Exeunt. Enter Provost, CLAUDIO, JULIET, and Officers; Lucio, and two Gentlemen. Clau. Fellow, why dost thou show me thus to the world? Bear me to prison, where I am committed. Prov. I do it not in evil disposition, But from lord Angelo by special charge. Clau. Thus can the demi-god, Authority, Make us pay down, for our offence by weight.- On whom it will not, so; yet still 'tis just." Lucio. Why, how now, Claudio? whence comes this restraint? Clau. From too much liberty, my Lucio, liberty: So every scope by the immoderate use Lucio. If I could speak so wisely under an arrest, I would send for certain of my creditors: And yet, to say the truth, I had as lief have the foppery of freedom, as the morality of imprisonment.-What's thy offence, Claudio? Clau. What, but to speak of would offend again. Lucio. What is it? murder? Clau. No. Lucio. Lechery? [6] Authority, being absolute in Angelo, is finely stiled by Claudio, the demi-god. To this uncontroulable power, the poet applies a passage from St. Paul to the Ronans, ix. 15, 18, which he properly styles, the words of heaven: "for he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy," &c. And again: "ThereFore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy," &c. HENLEY. [7] To ravin was formerly used for eagerly or voraciously devouring any thing. STEEVENS Clau. Call it so. Prov. Away, sir; you must go. Clau. One word, good friend :-Lucio, a word with you. [Takes him aside. Lucio. A hundred, if they'll do you any good. Is lechery so look'd after? Clau. Thus stands it with me :-Upon a true contract, I got possession of Julietta's bed; You know the lady; she is fast my wife, Save that we do th' denunciation lack Of outward order: this we came not to, Remaining in the coffer of her friends; From whom we thought it meet to hide our love. Clau. Unhappily, even so. And the new deputy now for the duke,— A horse whereon the governor doth ride, Or in his eminence that fills it up, I stagger in -But this new governor : Awakes me all th' enrolled penalties, Which have, like unscour'd armour, hung by th' wall Now puts the drowsy and neglected act Freshly on me :-'tis surely, for a name. Lucio. I warrant, it is: and thy head stands so tickle on thy shoulders, that a milk-maid, if she be in love, may sigh it off. Send after the duke, and appeal to him. Clau. I have done so, but he's not to be found. I pr'ythee, Lucio, do me this kind service :- 2 |