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MEASURE FOR MEASURE.

ACT I.

SCENE I.-An Apartment in the DUKE's Palace.
Enter DUKE, ESCALUS, Lords, and Attendants.
Duke. Escalus!

Escal. My lord.

Duke. Of government the properties to unfold,
Would seem in me t' affect speech and discourse;
Since I am apt to know, that your own science
Exceeds, in that, the lists of all advice

My strength can give you then, no more remains,
But add to your sufficiency your worth,3

And let them work. The nature of our people,
Our city's institutions, and the terms

For common justice, y' are as pregnant in

As art and practice hath enriched any

That we remember. There is our commission,

[Giving it. From which we would not have you warp.-Call hither,

I say,
What figure of us think you he will bear?

bid come before us Angelo.-[Exit an Attendant.

For, you must know, we have with special soul
Elected him our absence to supply,

Lent him our terror, drest him with our love,
And given his deputation all the organs
Of our own power. What think you of it?
Escal. If any in Vienna be of worth
To undergo such ample grace and honour,
It is lord Angelo.

Duke.

Enter ANGELO.

Look, where he comes.

Ang. Always obedient to your grace's will,

I come to know your pleasure.

Duke.

Angelo,

1 put in f. e. 2 that in f. e. 3 as your worth is able: in f. e.

4 Not in f. e.

There is a kind of character in thy life,
That, to th' observer, doth thy history
Fully unfold. Thyself and thy belongings
Are not thine own so proper, as to waste
Thyself upon thy virtues, them on thee.
Heaven doth with us, as we with torches do,
Not light them for ourselves; for if our virtues
Did not go forth of us, 't were all alike

As if we had them not. Spirits are not finely touch'd, But to fine issues; nor nature never lends

The smallest scruple of her excellence,

But, like a thrifty goddess, she determines

Herself the glory of a creditor,

Both thanks and use1. But I do bend my speech

To one that can my part in him advertise:

Hold, therefore, Angelo: [Tendering his commission.” In our remove be thou at full ourself';

Mortality and mercy in Vienna

Live in thy tongue and heart. Old Escalus,
Though first in question, is thy secondary:
Take thy commission.

Ang.

Now, good my lord,

[Giving it.

Let there be some more test made of my metal,
Before so noble and so great a figure
Be stamp'd upon it.

Duke.

No more evasion:

We have with a leaven'd and prepared choice
Proceeded to you; therefore, take your honours.
Our haste from hence is of so quick condition,
That it prefers itself, and leaves unquestion'd
Matters of needful value. We shall write to you,
As time and our concernings shall importune,
How it goes with us; and do look to know,
What doth befall you here. So, fare you well:
To the hopeful execution do I leave you
Of your commissions.

Ang.

Yet, give leave, my lord,

That we may bring you something on the way.
Duke. My haste may not admit it;

Nor need you, on mine honour, have to do

With any scruple: your scope is as mine own,
So to enforce, or qualify the laws

As to your soul seems good. Give me your hand.
1 interest. 2 3 Not in f. e.

I'll privily away: I love the people,
But do not like to stage me to their eyes.
Though it do well, I do not relish well
Their loud applause, and aves vehement,
Nor do I think the man of safe discretion,
That does affect it.
Ang. The heavens
Escal. Lead forth,

ness!

Duke. I thank you.

Once more, fare you well.
give safety to your purposes!
and bring you back in happi-

Fare you well.

[Exit.
Escal. I shall desire 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 power I have, but of what strength and nature
I am not yet instructed.

Ang. T is so with me. Let us withdraw together, And we may soon our satisfaction have

Touching that point.

Escal.

I'll wait upon your honour. [Exeunt.

SCENE II.-A Street.

Enter Lucio and two Gentlemen.

Lucio. If the duke, with the other dukes, come not to composition with the king of Hungary, why then, all the dukes fall upon the king.

1 Gent. Heaven grant us its peace, but not the king of Hungary's!

2 Gent. Amen.

Lucio. Thou concludest like the sanctimonious pirate, that went to sea with the ten commandments, but scraped one out of the table.

2 Gent. Thou shalt not steal?

Lucio. Ay, that he razed.

1 Gent. Why ? 'T was a commandment to command the captain and all the rest from their functions: they put forth to steal. There's not a soldier of us all, that, in the thanksgiving before meat, doth relish the petition well that prays for peace.

2 Gent. I never heard any soldier dislike it.

Lucio. I believe thee; for, I think, thou never wast where grace was said.

2 Gent. No? a dozen times at least.

1 Mr. Dyce removes the interrogation (?) giving why an emphatic sense only.

1 Gent. What, in metre?

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

Lucio. Ay; why not? Grace is grace, despite of all controversy as for example; thou thyself art a wicked villain, despite of all grace.

1 Gent. Well, there went but a pair of sheers between us.

Lucio. I grant; as there may between the lists and the velvet thou art the list.

1 Gent. And thou the velvet? thou art good velvet : thou art a three-pil'd piece, I warrant thee. I had as lief be a list of an English kersey, as be pil'd, as thou art pil'd, for a French velvet. Do I speak feelingly now?

Lucio. I thing 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.

1 Gent. I think, I have done myself wrong, have I not?

2 Gent. Yes, that thou hast, whether thou art tainted, or free.

Lucio. Behold, behold, where madam Mitigation comes !

1 Gent. I have purchased as many diseases under her roof, as come to

2 Gent. To what, I pray?

Lucio. Judge.

2 Gent. To three thousand dollars1 a-year.

1 Gent. Ay, and more.

Lucio. A French crown more.

2 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 has made a feast of thee.

1 Gent. How now?

profound sciatica?

Enter Bawd.

Which of your hips has the most

Bawd. Well, well; there's one yonder arrested, and carried to prison, was worth five thousand of you all. 2 Gent. Who's that, I pray thee?

· A quibble upon delours.

Bawd. Marry, sir, that's Claudio; signior Claudio. 1 Gent. Claudio to prison! 't is not so.

Bawd. Nay, but I know, 't is so; I saw him arrested; saw him carried away; and, which is more, within these three days his head is1 to be chopped 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.

1 Gent. But most of all, agreeing with the proclamation.

Lucio. Away let's go learn the truth of it. [Exeunt Lucio and Gentlemen. 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.

Clo. Yonder man is carried to prison.
Bawd. Well what has he done?

Clo. A woman.

Bawd. But what's his offence?

Clo. Groping for trouts in a peculiar river.

Bawd. What, is there a maid with child by him? Clo. No; but there's a woman with maid by him. You have not heard of the proclamation, have you? Bawd. What proclamation, man?

Clo. All bawdy' houses in the suburbs of Vienna must be pluck'd down.

Bawd. And what shall become of those in the city?

Clo. They shall stand for seed: they had gone down too, but that a wise burgher put in for them.

Bawd. But shall all our houses of resort in the suburbs be pull'd down?

Clo. To the ground, mistress.

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

VOL. II.-2

34 Not in f. e.

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