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Or whether that the body public be

A horse whereon the Governor doth ride,
Who, newly in the feat, that it may know
He can command, lets it ftraight feel the fpur;
Whether the tyranny be in his Place,
Or in his eminence that fills it up,

I ftagger in:) but this new Governor
Awakes me all th' enrolled penalties,

Which have, like unfcour'd armour, hung by th' wall
So long, that nineteen Zodiacs have gone round,
And none of them been worn; and, for a name,
Now puts the drowsy and neglected A&t
Freshly in me; 'tis furely, for a name.

Lucio. I warrant, it is; and thy head ftands fo tickle on thy fhoulders, that a milk-maid, if fhe be in love, may figh it off. Send after the Duke, and appeal to him.

Claud. I have done fo, but he's not to be found. I pr'ythee, Lucio, do me this kind service: This day my Sifter fhould the Cloister enter, And there receive her Approbation.

Acquaint her with the danger of

my ftate,
Implore her, in my voice, that the make friends
To the ftrict Deputy; bid herself assay him;
I have great hope in that; for in her youth
There is a prone and fpeechlefs dialect,

Such as moves men! befide, fhe hath profp'rous art
When she will play with reafon and discourse,
And well the can perfuade.

Lucio. I pray, fhe may; as well for the encouragement of the like, which elfe would ftand under grievous impofition; as for the enjoying of thy life, who I would be forry fhould be thus foolishly loft at a game of tick-tack. I'll to her.

Claud. I thank you, good friend Lucio.

Lucio. Within two hours,

Claud. Come, officer, away.

B 6

[Exeunt.

SCENE

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A MONASTERY.

Enter Duke, and Friar Thomas.

Duke. NO; holy father, throw away that thought;
NBelieve not,
Believe not, that the dribbling dart of love
Can pierce a complete bofom: why I defire thee
To give me fecret harbour, hath a purpose
More grave, and wrinkled, than the aims and ends
Of burning youth.

Fri. May your Grace speak of it?

Duke. My holy Sir, none better knows than you, How I have ever lov'd the life remov'd;

And held in idle price to haunt Affemblies, Where youth, and cost, and witless bravery keeps. I have deliver'd to lord Angelo

*(A man of ftrict ure and firm abftinence)

My abfolute Pow'r and Place here in Vienna;
And he supposes me travell'd to Poland;
For fo I've ftrew'd it in the common ear,
And fo it is receiv'd: now, pious Sir,
You will demand of me, why I do this?
Fri. Gladly, my lord.

Duke. We have ftrict Statutes and most biting Laws, (The needful bits and curbs for head-ftrong Steeds,) Which for these nineteen years we have let fleep; Even like an o'er-grown lion in a cave,

That goes not out to prey: now, as fond fathers
Having bound up the threat'ning twigs of birch,
Only to stick it in their children's fight,

Aman of Stricture and firm abftinence] ftricture makes no Sense in
We fhould read,

this Place.

A man of ftrict ure and firm abftinence.

i. e. a Man of the exacteft conduct, and practised in the subdual of his Paffions. Ure an old Word for Use, Practice, so enur'd, habituated to.

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For

For terror, not to ufe; in time the rod

Becomes more mock'd, than fear'd: fo our Decrees,
Dead to infliction, to themselves are dead;

And Liberty plucks Juftice by the nose;
The baby beats the nurse, and quite athwart
Goes all decorum.

Fri. It refted in your Grace

T'unloose this ty'd up justice, when you pleas'd:
And it in you more dreadful would have feem'd,
Than in lord Angelo.

Duke. I do fear, too dreadful.

Sith 'twas my fault to give the people scope,
'Twould be my tyranny to ftrike, and gall them,
For what I bid them do. For we bid this be done,
When evil deeds have their permiffive pass,

And not the punishment. Therefore, indeed, my father,

I have on Angelo impos'd the office:

Who may in th' ambush of my name ftrike home,
And yet, my nature never in the fight

To do in flander: And to behold his fway,
I will, as 'twere a Brother of your Order,
Vifit both prince and people; therefore, pr'ythec,
Supply me with the habit, and instruct me
How I may formally in person bear,

Like a true Friar. More reasons for this action

At our more leifure fhall I render you;
Only, this one:-Lord Angelo is precife;
Stands at a guard with envy; fcarce confeffes
That his blood flows, or that his appetite
Is more to bread than stone: hence shall we fee,
If pow'r change purpose, what our feemers be.

[Exeunt.

SCENE

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Ifab. Num. Are not thefe large enough?

ND have you Nuns no further privileges?

Ifab. Yes, truly; I speak not as defiring more;
But rather wishing a more strict restraint
Upon the fifter-hood, the votarifts of Saint Clare
"Lucio. [within.] Hoa! Peace be in this place!
Ifab. Who's that, which calls?

Nun. It is a man's voice: gentle Isabella,

Turn you the key, and know his business of him;
You may; I may not; you are yet unfworn:
When you have vow'd, you must not speak with men,
But in the prefence of the Prioress;

Then, if you speak, you must not fhew your face;
Or, if you fhew your face, you must not speak.
He calls again; I pray you, anfwer him. [Exit Franc.
Ifab. Peace and profperity! who is't that calls?
Enter Lucio.

Lucio. Hail, virgin, (if you be) as those cheek-
rofes

Proclaim you are no lefs; can you so stead me,
As bring me to the fight of Isabella,

A novice of this place, and the fair sister
To her unhappy brother Claudio?

Ifab. Why her unhappy brother? let me afk
The rather, for I now must make you know
I am that Ifabella, and his fifter.

Lucio. Gentle and fair, your brother kindly greets

you;

Not to be weary with you, he's in prison.
Ifab. Woe me for what?

Lucio.

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Lucio. For that, which, if myself might be his judge,

He fhould receive his punishment in thanks;
He hath got his friend with child.

Ifab. Sir, make me not your ftory.

Lucio. 'Tis true :-I would not (tho' 'tis my fa miliar fin

With maids to feem the lapwing, and to jeft,
Tongue far from heart) play with all virgins fo.
I hold you as a thing en-sky'd, and fainted ;
By your renouncement, an immortal Spirit;
And to be talk'd with in fincerity,

As with a Saint.

Ifab. You do blafpheme the good, in mocking me. Lucio. Do not believe it. Fewnefs and truth, 'tis thus ; Your brother and his lover having embrac'd, As those that feed grow full, as blossoming time That from the seedness the bare fallow brings To teeming foifon; fo her plenteous womb Expreffeth his full tilth and husbandry.

İfab. Some one with child by him?my coufin Juliet?

Lucio. Is the your coufin?

Ifab.Adoptedly, as fchool-maids change their names, By vain, tho' apt, affection.

Lucio. She it is.

Ifab. O, let him marry her!

Lucio. This is the point.

The Duke is very ftrangely gone from hence;
Bore many gentlemen, myfelf being one,
In hand and hope of action; but we learn,
By those that know the very nerves of ftate,
His givings out were of an infinite distance
From his true-meant defign. Upon his place,
And with full line of his authority,
Governs lord Angelo; a man whofe blood,
very fnow-broth; one who never feels
The wanton ftings and motions of the sense;

Is

But

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