2 Gent. And thou the velvet; thou art good velvet; thou’rt a three-pil'd piece, I warrant thee: I had as lief be a list of an English kersey, as be pild, as thou art pild, 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.

2 Gent. I think, I have done myself wrong, have I not?
i Gent. Yes, that thou hast; whether thou art tainted, or free.

Bawd, coming at a distance.
Lucio. Behold, behold, where madam Mitigation comes.

i Gent. I have purchas'd as many diseases under her roof, as come to

2 Gent. To what, pray ?
i Gent. Judge.
2 Gent. To three thousand dollars · a year.
i Gent. Ay, and more.
Lucio. A French crown more."

I 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 hath made a feast of thee.

I Gent. How now, which of your hips has the most profound sciatica ?

[To the bawd. Bawd. Well, well; there's one yonder arrested, and carry'd to prison, was worth five thousand of

you

all. i Gent. Who's that, I pr’ythee? Bawd. Marry, fir, that's Claudio, fignior Claudio. i Gent. Claudio to prison? 'tis not so. Bawd. Nay, but I know ’tis so; I saw hiin arrested; saw hiin

* A quibble intended between dollars and dolours.
• Alluding to the venereal scab upon the head cuill’d corona veneris.

Pp 2

carry'd

carry'd away; and, which is more, within these three days his head is to be chop'd 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.

i Gent. But most of all agreeing with the proclamation. Lucio. Away; let's go learn the truth of it. [Exeunt.

Bawd. Thus, what with the war, what with the sweat, what with the gallows, and what with poverty, I am custom-shrunk. How now? what's the news with you?

Enter Clown.
Clown. Yonder man is carry'd to prison.
Bawd. Well; what has he done?
Clown. A woman.
Bawd. But what's his offence ?
Clown. Groping for trouts in a peculiar river.
Bawd. What ? is there a maid with child by him?

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 our houses of resort in the fuburbs be pullid down? Clown. To the ground, mistress.

Bawd.

Bawd. Why, here's a change, indeed, in the commonwealth; what shall become of me?

Clown. Come, fear not you; good counsellors lack 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 fignior Claudio

, led by the provost to prison; and there's madam Juliet. [Exe. bawd and clown.

SCENE VI. Enter Provost, Claudio, Juliet, and Officers. Lucio, and two

Gentlemen, Claud. Fellow, why doft thou show me thus to th’ world? Bear me to prison, where I am committed.

Prov. I do it not in evil disposition, But from lord Angelo by special charge.

Claud. Thus can the demi-god authority Make us pay down, for our offence, by weight; I'th' words of heav’n, on whom it will, it will; On whom it will not, so; yet still 'tis just.

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

Claud. From too much liberty, my Lucio, liberty;
As surfeit is the father of much fast,
So every scope by the immod’rate use
Turns to restraint: our natures do pursue
(Like rats that raven down their proper bane)
A thirsty evil; and, when we drink, we die.

Lució. 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 ?

Claud. What but to speak of would offend again..
Lucio. What is’t, murder ?

Claud,

Claud. No.
Lucio. Lechery?
Claud. Call it so.
Prov. Away, fir, you must go.
Claud. One word, good friend: Lucio, a word with you.

Lucio. A hundred; if they'll do you any good:
Is lechery so look'd after?

Claud. 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 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 stealth of our mutual entertainment,
With character too gross, is writ in Juliet.

Lucio. With child, perhaps ?

Claud. Unhappily, even so.
And the new deputy now for the duke,
(Whether it be the fault and glimpse of newness ;
Or whether that the body publick 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 stagger in: but) this new governor
Awakes me all th' enrolled penalties
Which have like unscour'd armour hung by th' 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, so it is; and thy head stands

So

So tickle on thy shoulders, that a milkmaid,
If she be but in love, may sigh it off.
Send after the duke, and appeal to him.

Claud. I have done so, but he's not to be found.
I pr’ythee, Lucio, do me this kind service:
This day my sister should the cloister enter,
And there receive her approbation.
Acquaint her with the danger of my state;
Implore her, in my voice, that she make friends
To the strict deputy; bid herself affay 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 prosp'rous art
When she will play with reason and discourse,
And well she can persuade.

Lucio. I
As well for the encouragement of the like,
Which else would stand on grievous imposition;
As for thy life, which I'd be sorry should be
Thus foolishly lost at a game of tick-tack.
I'll to her straight.

Claud. I thank you, good friend Lucio.
Lucio. Within two hours.
Claud. Come, officer, away.

[Exeunt.

pray she

she may;

S CE N E VII.

A Monastery.

Enter Duke, and. Friar Thomas.
Duke. ; holy father, throw away that thought;

Believe not that the dribbling dart of love
Can pierce a compleat breast: why I desire thee
To give me secret harbour, hath a purpose
More grave and wrinkled than the aims and ends
Of burning youth.

N ?

Fri.