MEASURE FOR MEASURE. ACT I. SCENE I.-An Apartment in the DUKE's Palace. Escal. My lord. Duke. Of government the properties to unfold, My strength can give you then, no more remains, And let them work. The nature of our people, 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, bid come before us Angelo.-[Exit an Attendant. For, you must know, we have with special soul Lent him our terror, drest him with our love, 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, 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, Ang. Now, good my lord, [Giving it. Let there be some more test made of my metal, Duke. No more evasion: We have with a leaven'd and prepared choice Ang. Yet, give leave, my lord, That we may bring you something on the way. Nor need you, on mine honour, have to do With any scruple: your scope is as mine own, As to your soul seems good. Give me your hand. I'll privily away: I love the people, ness! Duke. I thank you. Once more, fare you well. Fare you well. [Exit. A power I have, but of what strength and nature 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. 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. |