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,f (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 OUR OWN. '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, That thieves do pass§ on thieves? 'Tis very pregnant. The jewel that we find, we stoop and take it, You may not so extenuate his offence, For I have had such faults; but rather tell me, Let mine own judgment pattern out my death, * Have. § Pass judgment. **Sentence. † Examine. Plain. + Suited. ¶ Because. 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, * Paltry. + Knotted. 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, 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, Shall we desire to raze the sanctuary, * Attested, stamped. fy! + Preserved from the corruption of the world.. See 2 Kings, x. 27. What dost thou? or what art thou, Angelo? When judges steal themselves. What? do I love her, And feast upon her eyes? What is't I dream on? To sin in loving virtue: never could the strumpet, LOVE IN A GRAVE SEVERE GOVERNOR. When I would pray and think, I think and pray And in my heart, the strong and swelling evil FORNICATION AND MURDER EQUALLED. It were as good To pardon him, that hath from nature stolen Their saucy sweetness, that do coin heaven's image In stamps that are forbid: 'tis all as easy Falsely to take away a life true made, As to put mettle in restrained means, LOWLINESS OF MIND. Let me be ignorant, and in nothing good, But graciously to know I am no better. Ang. Thus wisdom wishes to appear most bright, When it doth tax itself. TEMPORAL FAR BETTER THAN ETERNAL DEATH. Better it were, a brother died at once, Than that a sister by redeeming him, Should die for ever. WOMEN'S FRAILTY. Nay, women are frail too. Isab. Ay, as the glasses where they view themselves; Which are as easy broke as they make forms. ACT III. HOPE. The miserable have no other medicine, But only hope. REFLECTIONS ON THE VANITY OF LIFE. Reason thus with life, If I do lose thee, I do lose a thing That none but fools would keep; a breath thou art, (Servile to all the skiey influences,) That dost this habitation, where thou keep'st, For thou dost fear the soft and tender fork Of a poor worm: Thy best of rest is sleep, |