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May call it back again. Well, believe this,
No ceremony that to great ones 'longs,

Not the king's crown, nor the deputed sword,
The marshal's truncheon, nor the judge's robe,
Become them with one half so good a grace
As mercy does.

If he had been as you, and you as he,

You would have slipt like him; but he, like you,
Would not have been so stern.

Ang.

Pray you, be gone.

Isab. I would to heaven I had your potency, And you were Isabel! should it then be thus? No; I would tell what 'twere to be a judge,

And what a prisoner.

60

65

Lucio. [Aside to Isab.] Ay, touch him; there's the vein. 70

Ang. Your brother is a forfeit of the law,

And you but waste your words.

Isab.

Alas, alas!

Why, all the souls that were were forfeit once;
And He that might the vantage best have took
Found out the remedy. How would you be,
If He, which is the top of judgement, should
But judge you as you are? O, think on that;
And mercy then will breathe within your lips,

Like man new made.

Ang.

Be you content, fair maid;

It is the law, not I condemn your brother :

75

80

58 back] FF3F4. om. F1.

Well,] and Hanmer.

Well, believe] Well believe Theobald.

59 'longs] Theobald. longs Ff. belongs Rowe (ed. 2).

62 with one] not with So quoted by Keightley.

63, 64 As...he,] As in Capell. One

line in Ff.

63-66 As...stern.] Three lines, ending you,...him,...stern, in Pope.

70, &c. [Aside to Isab.] Collier. Aside. Johnson.

73 that were] that are Warburton.

76 top] God Collier MS.

80 condemn] condemns Rowe.

Were he my kinsman, brother, or my son,
It should be thus with him: he must die to-morrow.

Isab. To-morrow! O, that's sudden! Spare him, spare him!

He's not prepared for death. Even for our kitchens
We kill the fowl of season: shall we serve heaven 85
With less respect than we do minister

To our gross selves? Good, good my lord, bethink you;
Who is it that hath died for this offence?

There's many have committed it.

Lucio.

[Aside to Isab.] Ay, well said.

Ang. The law hath not been dead, though it hath slept:

Those many had not dared to do that evil,
If the first that did the edict infringe

Had answer'd for his deed: now 'tis awake,

Takes note of what is done; and, like a prophet,

Looks in a glass, that shows what future evils,
Either now, or by remissness new-conceived,

And so in progress to be hatch'd and born,

Are now to have no successive degrees,

But, ere they live, to end.

Isab.

Yet show some pity.

91

95

Ang. I show it most of all when I show justice; 100 For then I pity those I do not know,

82 must die] dies Pope.

83 Printed as two lines in Ff, the first

ending sudden.

85 shall we serve] serve we Pope.
92 If the first...edict] If he that did

the edict first Anon. conj.

the first the first, Ff. the first man Pope. he, the first Capell (Tyrwhitt conj.). the first one Collier, ed. 2 (Collier MS.). but the first Grant White. the first he Spedding conj. that the first Dyce, ed. 2 (S. Walker

conj.).

the first that he who first Davenant's version.

did the edict] the edict did Keightley.

95 that shows what] which shews that Hanmer.

96 Either now] Or new Pope. Either new Dyce (Collier MS.). Either now born Keightley.

99 ere] Hanmer. here Ff. where Malone.

Which a dismiss'd offence would after gall;
And do him right that, answering one foul wrong,

Lives not to act another. Be satisfied;

Your brother dies to-morrow; be content.

105

Isab. So you must be the first that gives this sen

tence,

And he, that suffers. O, it is excellent

To have a giant's strength; but it is tyrannous

To use it like a giant.

Lucio. [Aside to Isab.] That's well said.

Isab. Could great men thunder

As Jove himself does, Jove would ne'er be quiet,

For every pelting, petty officer

Would use his heaven for thunder.
Nothing but thunder! Merciful Heaven,
Thou rather with thy sharp and sulphurous bolt

110

115

Split'st the unwedgeable and gnarled oak
Than the soft myrtle: but man, proud man,

Drest in a little brief authority,

Most ignorant of what he's most assured,
His glassy essence, like an angry ape,

Plays such fantastic tricks before high heaven
As make the angels weep; who, with our spleens,

120

Would all themselves laugh mortal.

104 Be] Then be Pope.

107 it is] 'tis Pope.

108 it is] om. Hanmer.

110 men] man Staunton conj. (Athen.

1872).

117 myrtle] Pope. Mertill F1F2F3. Mertil F4. Mirtle Rowe. yielding myrtle Keightley.

but] F1. O but F2F3F4. but a Hudson conj. (doubtfully).

111 ne'er] neuer F1.

113 Would] Incessantly would Han

mer.

113, 114 Would...but thunder!] One line in Steevens.

114 Heaven] sweet Heaven Hanmer.

116 Splitst] Splits F1.

proud] weak, proud Malone conj.

119 assured] assur'd of Keightley.

120 glassy] grassy Lloyd conj. ghostly Gould conj.

122 make] Steevens. makes Ff.

123 all themselves laugh] laugh them

selves all Keightley conj.

Lucio. [Aside to Isab.] O, to him, to him, wench! he

will relent;

He's coming; I perceive 't.
Prov.

[Aside] Pray heaven she win him! 125

Isab. We cannot weigh our brother with ourself: Great men may jest with saints; 'tis wit in them, But in the less foul profanation,

Lucio. Thou'rt i' the right, girl; more o' that.
Isab. That in the captain's but a choleric word, 130

Which in the soldier is flat blasphemy.

Lucio. [Aside to Isab.] Art avised o' that? more on't.
Ang. Why do you put these sayings upon me?
Isab. Because authority, though it err like others,
Hath yet a kind of medicine in itself,
That skins the vice o' the top. Go to your bosom;
Knock there, and ask your heart what it doth know
That's like my brother's fault: if it confess
A natural guiltiness such as is his,

135

Let it not sound a thought upon your tongue
Against my brother's life.

Ang.

[Aside] She speaks, and 'tis

140

Such sense, that my sense breeds with it. Fare you well.

Isab. Gentle my lord, turn back.

Ang. I will bethink me: come again to-morrow.

Isab. Hark how I'll bribe you: good my lord, turn back. Ang. How? bribe me?

125 [Aside] Collier. To Lucio. John

son.

126 We] You Collier MS.

cannot] can but Anon. conj.

ourself] yourself Theobald (War-
burton).

127 saints] sins Anon. conj.
129 i the right] i th right F1F2. i
right F3F4. right Pope, in the
right Steevens.
[Aside. Johnson.

132 avised] avis'd F1F2. advis'd F3F4.
thou advis'd Hanmer.

more on't] more on't, yet more Han

mer.

140 your] you F2.

141 [Aside] Johnson.

141, 142 She... Such sense] As in Stee

vens. One line in Ff.

142 breeds] bleeds Pope.

quoted by Theobald.
[To Isab. Johnson.

bends So

146

Isab. Ay, with such gifts that heaven shall share with

you.

Lucio. [Aside to Isab.] You had marr'd all else.
Isab. Not with fond sicles 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.

Ang.

Well; come to me to-morrow.

Lucio. [Aside to Isab.] Go to; 'tis well; away!
Isab. Heaven keep your honour safe!
Ang.

[Aside] Amen:

For I am that way going to temptation,
Where prayers cross.
Isab.

At what hour to-morrow

Shall I attend your lordship?
Ang.

Isab. 'Save your honour!

149 sicles] sickles Ff. shekels Pope. cycles Collier conj. Sirkles Collier MS. See note (VII).

150 rates are] Johnson. rate are Fr. rate is Hanmer.

153 preserved] reserved Daniel conj. 155 To...me] One line in Steevens.

to me] om. Pope.

156 [Aside...] Johnson.

'tis well; away! it is well away. Singer (ed. 1).

157 [Going. Collier, ed. 2 (Collier MS.).
[Aside] Johnson.

Amen Amen! I say Hanmer.
See note (VIII).

VOL, I.

150

155

At any time 'fore noon. 160

[Exeunt Isabella, Lucio, and Provost.

159 Where] Which your Johnson conj. 159, 160 Where... Shall I] One line in Keightley.

160 your lordship] you lordship F2. you Hanmer.

'fore noon] Rowe. 'fore-noone F1F2 F3. 'fore-noon F4.

161 'Save] God save Hudson (S. Walker conj.), reading At any...honour! as one line. Heaven save Keightley. [Exeunt...] Capell. Exeunt Lucio and Isabella. Rowe. Exeunt. F2F3F4. om. F1.

SCENE VIII. Pope.

23

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