Ang. Now, good my lord,

Let there be fome more teft made of my metal,
Before fo noble and fo great a figure

Be ftampt upon it.

Duke. Come, no more evasion:

We have with a prepar'd and leaven'd choice
Proceeded to you; therefore take

your honours.
Our hafte from hence is of fo quick condition,
That it prefers it felf, and leaves unquestion'd
Matters of needful value. We fhall write to you,
As time and our concernings fhall importune,
How it goes with us, and do look to know
What doth befal you here. So fare you well.
To th' hopeful execution do I leave you
Of our commiffion:

Ang. Yet give leave, my lord,

That we may bring you fomething on the way.
Duke. My hafte may not admit it,

Nor need you, on mine honcur, have to do
With any fcruple; your fcope is as mine own,
So to inforce, or qualifie the law,

As to your foul feems good. Give me your hand;
I'll privily away. I love the people,

But do not like to ftage me to their eyes:
Though it do well, I do not relish well
Their loud applaufe, and Ave's vehement:
Nor do I think the man of fafe difcretion
That does affect it. Once more fare you well.
Ang. The heav'ns give fafety to your purposes!
Efcal. Lead forth and bring you back in happiness!
Duke. I thank you, fare you well.
[Exit.
Efcal. I fhall defire you, Sir, to give me leave
To have free speech with you; and it concerns me
To look into the bottom of my place:

A pow'r I have, but of what ftrength and nature
I am not yet instructed.

Ang. 'Tis fo with me let us withdraw together, And we may foon our fatisfaction have

Touching that point.

Efcal, I'll wait upon your honour.

Lucio. IF the Duke, with the other Dukes, come not to compofition with the King of Hungary, why then all the Dukes fall upon the King.

i Gent. Heav'n grant us its peace, but not the King of Hungary's.

2 Gent. Amen.

Lucio. Thou conclud'ft like the teftimonious pyrat, that went to fea with the ten commandments, but fcrap'd one out of the table.

2 Gent. Thou shalt not fteal? Lucio. Ay, that he raz'd.

1 Gent. Why, 'twas a commandment to command the captain and all the reft from their functions; they put forth to fteal: there's not a foldier of us all, that in the thanksgiving before meat, do relifh the petition well that prays for Peace.

2 Gent. I never heard any foldier diflike it.

Lucio. I believe thee: for I think thou never waft where grace was faid.

2 Gent. No a dozen times at least..

Gent. What in meeter ?

Lucio. In any proportion, or in any language. 1 Gent. I think, or in any religion.

Lucio. Ay, why not? grace, is grace, defpight of all controverfie; as for example, thou thy felf art a wicked villain, defpight of all grace.

1 Gent. Well; there went but a pair of sheers be

tween us.

Lucio. I grant; as there may between the lifts and the velvet. Thou art the lift.

Gent. And thou the velvet; thou art good velvet;

thou'r

thou'rt a three-pil'd piece I warrant thee: I had as lief be a lift of an English kerfey, as be pil'd, as thou art pil'd, for a French velvet. Do I fpeak feelingly now?

Lucio. I think thou doft; and indeed with most painful feeling of thy fpeech: I will, out of thine own confeffion, learn to begin thy health; but, whilst I live, forget to drink after thee.

1 Gent. I think I have done I not?

my felf

wrong, have 2 Gent. Yes, that thou haft; whether thou art tains ed, or free.

SCENE IV.

Enter Bawd.

Lucio. Behold, behold, where Madam Mitigation

comes.

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

2 Gent. To what, 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 difeafes in me; but thou art full of error; I am found.

Lucio. Nay, not as one would fay, healthy, but fo found, as things that are hollow; thy bones are hollow; impiety hath made a feaft of thee.

1 Gent. How now, which of your hips has the moft profound fciatica ?

Bawd. Well, well; there's one yonder arrefted, and carry'd to prifon, was worth five thousand of you all.

1 Gent. Who's that, I pr'ythee?

Bawd, Marry Sir, that's Claudio, Signior Claudio. 1 Gent. Claudio to prifon? 'tis not fo.

Bawd. Nay, but I know 'tis fo; I faw him ar

refte

refted; faw him carry'd away; and which is more, within these three days his head is to be chopt off. Lucio. But, after all this fooling, I would not have it fo: art thou fure of this?

Bawd. I am too fure of it; and it is for getting madam Julietta with child.

Lucio. Believe me this may be; he promised to meet me two hours fince, and he was ever precife in promife-keeping.

2 Gent. Befides, you know it draws fomething near to the fpeech we had to fuch a purpofe.

1 Gent. But most of all agreeing with the procla

mation.

Lucio. Away, let's go learn the truth of it. [Exe. Bawd. Thus, what with the war, what with the fweat, what with the gallows, and what with poverty, I am cuftom-fhrunk. How now? what's the news with you?

SCENE V.

Enter Clown.

Clown. Yonder man is carry'd to prifon
Bawd. Well, what has he done?
Clown. A woman.

Bawd. But what's his offence?

Jam 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 houfes in the fuburbs of Vienna must be pluck'd down..

Bawd, And what fhall become of thofe in the city ? Clown. They fhall ftand for feed; they had gone down too, but that a wife burger put in for them. Bawd. But fhall our houfes of refort in the fuburbs be pull'd down?

Clown. To the ground, mistress,

Bawd

Bawd. Why here's a change indeed in the common wealth; 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 tapfter ftill. Courage, there will be pity taken on you; you that have worn your eyes almost out in the fervice, you will be confidered.

Bawd. What's to do here, Thomas Tapfter? let's withdraw.

Clown. Here comes Signior Claudio, led by the provoft to prifon; and there's Madam Juliet. [Ex. Bawd and Clown.'

SCENE VI.

Enter Provoft, Claudio, Juliet, and Officers. Lucio and two Gentlemen.

Claud. Fellow, why doft thou fhow me thus to th' 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 reftraint?

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

So every fcope by the immod'rate ufe
Turns to restraint: our natures do purfue,
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 arreft,' I would fend for certain of my creditors; and yet, to fay the truth, I had as lief have the foppery of free

dom,