SCENE III.

The fame.

Enter Provost, CLAUDIO, JULIET, and Officers; Lucio, and two Gentlemen.

Claud. Fellow, why dost thou show me thus to the world? Bear me to prifon, where I am committed.

Prov. I do it not in evil difpofition, But from lord Angelo by fpecial charge.

Claud. Thus can the demi-god, Authority, Make us pay down for our offence by weight.— The words of heaven ;-on whom it will, it will;

On whom it will not, fo; yet still 'tis juft.

Lucio. Why, how now, Claudio? whence comes this restraint?

Claud. From too much liberty, my Lucio, liberty:
As furfeit is the father of much fast,

So every scope by the immoderate use
Turns to restraint: Our natures do pursue,
(Like rats that ravin down their proper bane,)
A thirsty evil; and when we drink, we die.

Lucio. If I could fpeak fo wifely under an arrest, I would fend 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 ?

Claud. What, but to speak of would offend again.
Lucio. What is it? murder?

Claud. No.

Lucio. Lechery?

Claud. Call it fo.

Prov. Away, fir; you muft go.

Claud. One word, good friend :-Lucio, a word with

you.

[Takes him afide.

Lucio. A hundred, if they'll do you any good.—

Is lechery fo look'd after?

Claud. Thus stands it with me:-Upon a true contract, I got poffeffion of Julietta's bed;

You know the lady; fhe is fast my wife,

Save that we do the denunciation lack
Of outward order: this we came not to,
Only for propagation of a dower

Remaining in the coffer of her friends;

From whom we thought it meet to hide our love,

Till time had made them for us.

But it chances,

The ftealth of our most mutual entertainment,

With character too grofs, is writ on Juliet.
Lucio. With child, perhaps?

Claud. Unhappily, even fo.

And the new deputy now for the duke,—
Whether it be the fault and glimpse of newness;
Or whether that the body public be

A horse whereon the governor doth ride,
Who, newly in the seat, that it may know
He can command, lets it straight feel the spur:
Whether the tyranny be in his place,
Or in his eminence that fills it up,
I ftagger in:-But this new governor
Awakes me all the enrolled penalties,

Which have, like unfcour'd armour, hung by the wall
So long, that nineteen zodiacks have gone round,

And none of them been worn; and, for a name,
Now puts the drowsy and neglected act

Freshly on me :-'tis, furely, for a name.

Lucio. I warrant, it is: and thy head stands so tickle on

thy

thy fhoulders, that a milk-maid, if fhe be in love, may figh it off. Send after the duke, and appeal to him.

Claud. I have done fo, but he's not to be found.

I pr'ythee, Lucio, do me this kind fervice:
This day my fifter fhould the cloister enter,
And there receive her approbation :
Acquaint her with the danger of my state;

Implore her, in my voice, that the make friends
To the strict deputy; bid herself assay him;

I have great hope in that: for in her youth
There is a prone and speechless dialect,

Such as moves men; beside, she hath prosperous art
When the will play with reason and discourse,
And well the can persuade.

Lucio. I pray, the may: as well for the encouragement of the like, which else would stand under grievous impofition; as for the enjoying of thy life, who I would be forry fhould be thus foolishly loft at a game of tick-tack. I'll to her.

Claud. I thank you, good friend Lucio.
Lucio. Within two hours,-

Claud. Come, officer, away.

[Exeunt.

SCENE IV.

A Monaftery.

Enter Duke, and Friar THOMAS.

Duke. No; holy father; throw away that thought; Believe not that the dribbling dart of love`

Can pierce a cómplete bofom: why I defire thee

To give me fecret harbour, hath a purposeTM

More

More grave and wrinkled than the aims and ends

Of burning youth.

Fri.

May your grace speak of it?

Duke. My holy fir, none better knows than you
How I have ever lov'd the life remov'd;

And held in idle price to haunt assemblies,
Where youth, and cost, and witless bravery keeps.
I have deliver'd to lord Angelo

(A man of ftricture, and firm abstinence,)
My abfolute power and place here in Vienna,
And he supposes me travell'd to Poland;
For fo I have ftrew'd it in the common ear,
And fo it is receiv'd: Now, pious fir,
You will demand of me, why I do this?

Fri. Gladly, my lord.

Duke. We have ftrict ftatutes, and most biting laws,
(The needful bits and curbs for head-ftrong fteeds,)
Which for thefe fourteen years we have let fleep;
Even like an o'er-grown lion in a cave,

That goes not out to prey: Now, as fond fathers
Having bound up the threat'ning twigs of birch,
Only to stick it in their children's fight,
For terror, not to use; in time the rod

Becomes more mock'd, than fear'd: fo our decrees,
Dead to infliction, to themselves are dead;

And liberty plucks justice by the nose;

The baby beats the nurse, and quite athwart
Goes all decorum.

Fri.

It rested in your grace

To unloose this tied-up justice, when you pleas'd:
And it in you more dreadful would have feem'd,
Than in lord Angelo.

Duke.

I do fear, too dreadful :

Sith 'twas my fault to give the people scope,

'Twould

'Twould be my tyranny to strike, and gall them, For what I bid them do: For we bid this be done, When evil deeds have their permiffive pass,

And not the punishment. Therefore, indeed, my father,
I have on Angelo impos'd the office;

Who may, in the ambuth of my name, ftrike home,
And yet my nature never in the fight,

To do it flander: And to behold his sway,

I will, as 'twere a brother of your order,

Vifit both prince and people: therefore, I pr'ythee,
Supply me with the habit, and instruct me
How I may formally in perfon bear me

Like a true friar. More reasons for this action,
At our more leisure shall I render you;
Only, this one :-Lord Angelo is precise ;
Stands at a guard with envy; scarce confeffes
That his blood flows, or that his appetite

Is more to bread than stone: Hence fhall we see,
If power change purpose, what our feemers be. [Exeunt.

SCENE V.

A Nunnery.

Enter ISABELLA and FRANCISCA.

Ifab. And have you nuns no further privileges?
Fran. Are not these large enough?

Ifab. Yes, truly: I speak not as defiring more;
But rather wishing a more strict restraint
Upon the fifter-hood, the votarifts of faint Clare.
Lucio. Ho! Peace be in this place! [Within.]
Ifab.
Who's that which calls?
Fran. It is a man's voice: Gentle Isabella,

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