Cuckoo, cuckoo,-O word of fear, When shepherds pipe on oaten straws, Cuckoo, cuckoo,-O word of fear, Winter. When icicles hang by the wall, And Dick the shepherd blows his nail, And milk comes frozen home in pail, Tu-whit, to-who, a merry note, When all aloud the wind doth blow, And Marian's nose looks red and raw, To-whit, to-who, a merry note, MEASURE FOR MEASURE. ACT I. VIRTUE GIVEN TO BE EXERTED. HEAVEN doth with us, as we with torches do, Not light them for themselves: for if our virtues + Wild apples * Cool. Did not go forth of us, 'twere all alike As if we had them not. Spirits are not finely touch'd, THE CONSEQUENCE OF LIBERTY INDULged, As surfeit is the father of much fast, ELOQUENCE AND BEAUTY. In her youth There is a prone§ and speechless dialect, Such as moves men; beside, she hath prosperous art PARDON THE SANCTION OF WICKEDNESS For we bid this be done, When evil deeds have their permissive pass, A SEVERE GOVERNOR. Lord Angelo is precise; Stands at a guard with envy; scarce confesses Is more to bread than stone; Hence shall we see, RESOLUTION, Our doubts are traitors, And make us lose the good we oft might win, By fearing to attempt. For high purposes. Voraciously devour. + Interest. § Prompt. THE PRAYERS OF MAIDENS EFFECTUAL. Go to lord Angelo, And let him learn to know, when maidens sue, ACT II. ALL MEN FRAIL. Let but your honour know,t (Whom I believe to be most strait in virtue,) Could have attained the effect of your own purpose, THE FAULTS OF OTHERS NO JUSTIFICATION OF "Tis one thing to be tempted, Escalus, Another thing to fall. I not deny, 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, 'Tis very preg nant. For¶ I have had such faults; but rather tell me, Let mine own judgment pattern out my death, MERCY FREQUENTLY MISTAKEN, Mercy is not itself, that oft looks so; Pardon is still the nurse of second wo. MERCY IN GOVERNORS COMMENDED, No ceremony that to great ones 'longs, THE DUTY OF MUTUAL FORGIVENESS. Alas! alas! Why, all the souls that were, were forfeit once; Yet show some pity. JUSTICE. Ang. I show it most of all, when I show justice; For then I pity those I do not know, Which a dismiss'd offence would after gall; And do him right, that, answering one foul wrong, Lives not to act another. THE ABUSE OF AUTHORITY. O, it is excellent To have a giant's strength; but it is tyrannous Could great men thunder, As Jove himself does, Jove would ne'er be quiet, Would use his heaven for thunder; nothing but thunder. Merciful heaven! Thou rather, with thy sharp and sulphurous bolt, Split'st the unwedgeable and gnarled† oak, Than the soft myrtle-O, but man, proud man! Most ignorant of what he's most assur'd, THE PRIVILEGE OF AUTHORITY, Great men may jest with saints: 'tis wit in them, But, in the less, foul profanation. That in the captain's but a choleric word, "Which in the soldier is flat blasphemy. HONEST BRIBERY. Hark, how I'll bribe you. Ang. How! bribe me? Isab. Ay, with such gifts, that heaven shall share with you. Lucio. You had marr'd all else. Isab. Not with fond shekels of the tested* gold, Or stones, whose rates are either rich, or poor, As fancy values them: but with true prayers, That shall be up at heaven, and enter there, Ere sun-rise; prayers from preserved souls, From fasting maids, whose minds are dedicate To nothing temporal. THE POWER OF VIRTUOUS DUTY. Is this her fault, or mine? The tempter, or the tempted, who sins most? Ha! Not she; nor doth she tempt: but it is I, That lying by the violet, in the sun, Do, as the carrion does, not as the flower, Corrupt with virtuous season. Can it be, That modesty may more betray our sense Than woman's lightness? Having waste ground enough, Shall we desire to raze the sanctuary, * + Preserved from the corruption of the world, |