Most pond'rous and substantial things! "
Craft against vice I must apply:
With Angelo to-night shall lie
His old betrothed but despis'd;

a Most pond'rous and substantial things!] This speech is disfigured by a cluster of errors: in the third line, for "know," which is an evident misprint, we propose to substitute show; in the thirteenth, "made," we think with Malone, is a typographical slip for wade; as "Making," in the next line, appears to be for Masking. Adopting these slight changes, and reading, "So draw," instead of To draw," in the fifteenth line, the sense becomes perfectly intelligible :

"He who the sword of heaven will bear,
Should be as holy as severe;

Pattern in himself to show

Grace to stand, and virtue go;

(That is, to show grace how to stand and virtue how to go.)

So disguise shall, by the disguis'd, Pay with falsehood false exacting, And perform an old contracting.

More nor less to others paying,
Than by self offences weighing.
Shame to him whose cruel striking
Kills for faults of his own liking!
Twice treble shame on Angelo,

To weed my vice and let his grow!
O, what may man within him hide
Though angel on the outward side!
How may likeness wade in crimes!
(Likeness means false seeming.)

Masking, practice on the times! (That is, How may masking practice, &c.)

So draw with idle spider's strings
Most pond'rous and substantial things!"

ISAB. He hath a garden circummur'd with brick, Whose western side is with a vineyard back'd ; And to that vineyard is a planched gate, That makes his opening with this bigger key: This other doth command a little door, Which from the vineyard to the garden leads; There have I made my promise upon the heavy middle of the night to call upon him."

DUKE. But shall you on your knowledge find this ? way

ISAB. I have ta'en a due and wary note upon't: With whispering and most guilty diligence,

In action all of precept, he did show me

PROV. Come hither, sirrah. Can you cut off a man's head?

Poм. If the man be a bachelor, sir, I can; but if he be a married man, he is his wife's head, and I can never cut off a woman's head.

PROV. Come, sir, leave me your snatches, and yield me a direct answer. To-morrow morning are to die Claudio and Barnardine: here is in our prison a common executioner, who in his office lacks a helper: if you will take it on you to assist him, it shall redeem you from your gyves; if not, shall have your full time of imprisonment, and your deliverance with an unpitied whipping, for you have been a notorious bawd.

you

surely, sir, a good favour you have, but that you have a hanging look,-do you call, sir, your occupation a mystery?

ABHOR. Ay, sir; a mystery.

POм. Painting, sir, I have heard say, is a mystery; and your whores, sir, being members of my occupation, using painting, do prove my occupation a mystery; but what mystery there should be in hanging, if I should be hanged, I cannot imagine.

ABHOR. Sir, it is a mystery.
Ром. Proof?

ABHOR. Every true man's apparel fits your thief.

a Favour-] That is, countenance, aspect.

ABHOR. Come on, bawd; I will instruct thee in my trade: follow.

POм. I do desire to learn, sir; and I hope, if you have occasion to use me for your own turn, you shall find me yare; for, truly, sir, for your kindness I owe you a good turn.

PROV. Call hither Barnardine and Claudio: [Exeunt POMPEY and ABHORSON. The one has my pity; not a jot the other, Being a murderer, though he were my brother.

PROV. What comfort is for Claudio?
DUKE.
There's some in hope.

PROV. It is a bitter deputy.

DUKE. Not so, not so: his life is parallel'd
Even with the stroke and line of his great justice.
He doth with holy abstinence subdue
That in himself which he spurs on his power
To qualify in others were he meal'd with that
Which he corrects, then were he tyrannous ;
But this being so, he's just.-[Knocking without.]
Now are they come.— [Exit Provost.

This is a gentle provost: seldom when
The steeled gaoler is the friend of men.

This is his lordship's* man. DUKE. And here comes Claudio's pardon." MESS. My lord hath sent you this note; and by me this further charge,-that you swerve not from the smallest article of it, neither in time, matter, or other circumstance. Good morrow; for, as I take it, it is almost day.

PROV. I shall obey him. [Exit Messenger. DUKE. [Aside.] This is his pardon; purchas'd by such sin,

For which the pardoner himself is in.
Hence hath offence his quick celerity,