Perfons reprefented.

Vincentio, duke of Vienna,

Angelo, lord deputy in the duke's abfence.

Escalus, an ancient lord, joined with Angelo in the deputa

tion.

Claudio, a young gentleman.

Lucio, a fantaftick.

Two other like gentlemen.

Varrius, a gentleman, fervant to the duke.

Lords, Gentlemen, Guards, Officers, and other Attendants.

SCENE, Vienna.

MEASURE for MEASURE.

ACT I.

SCENE I. An Apartment in the DUKE'S Palace.
Enter DUKE, ESCALUS, LORDS, and Attendants.

DUKE. Efcalus,

ESCAL. My lord.

DUKE. Of government the properties to unfold,
Would seem in me to affect speech and discourse;
Since I am put to know, that your own science,
Exceeds, in that, the lifts of all advice

My strength can give you: Then no more remains,
But that to your fufficiency, as your worth is able,
And let them work. The nature of our people,

Our city's inftitutions, and the terms,

For common juftice, you are as pregnant in,

As art and practice hath enriched any

That we remember: There is our commiffion,

From which we would not have you warp.-Call hither,
I fay, bid come before us Angelo.- [Exit an Attendant.
What figure of us think you he will bear?

For you must know, we have with special foul
Elected him our abfence to fupply;

Lent him our terror, dreft 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 fuch ample grace and honour,
It is lord Angelo.

Enter ANGELO.

DUKE. Look, where he comes.

ANG. Always obedient to your grace's will,

I come to know your pleasure.

DUKE. Angelo,

There is a kind of character in thy life,
That, to the observer, doth thy history
Fully unfold: Thyself and thy belongings
Are not thine own fo proper, as to wafte
Thyfelf upon thy virtues, them on thee.
Heaven doth with us, as we with torches do;
Not light them for themfelves: for if our virtues
Did not go forth of us, 'twere all alike

As if we had them not. Spirits are not finely touch'd;

But to fine iffues: nor nature never lends

The fmalleft fcruple of her excellence,

But, like a thrifty goddess, fhe determines

Herfelf the glory of a creditor,

Both thanks and ufe. But I do bend my fpeech

To one that can my part in him advértise ;

Hold therefore, Angelo;

In our remove, be thou at full ourself;

Mortality and mercy in Vienna

Live in thy tongue and heart: Old Escalus,
Though firft in queftion, is thy fecondary:
Take thy commiffion.

ANG. Now, good my lord,

I et there be fome more teft made of my metal,

Before fo noble and fo 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 hafte from hence is of fo quick condition,
That it prefers itself, and leaves unqueftion'd
Matters of needful value. We shall write to you,
As time and our concernings shall impórtune,
How it goes with us; and do look to know
What doth befal you here. So,

So, fare you

To the hopeful execution do I leave
Of your commiffions.

ANG. Yet, give leave, my lord,

well :

you

That we may bring you fomething on the way.
DUKE. My hafte may not admit it;

Nor need you, on mine honour, have to do
With any fcruple: your scope is as mine own;
So to enforce, or qualify the laws,

As to your foul seems good.

Give me your hand;
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. Once more, fare you well:

ANG. The heavens give safety to your purposes!

ESCAL. Lead forth, and bring you back in happi

nefs!

DUKE. I thank you : Fare you well.

ESCAL. I fhall defire you, fir, to give me leave

To have free speech with you; and it concerns me
To look into the bottom of my place :

VOL. I.

Tt

[Exit.

A power I have; but of what strength and nature
I am not yet instructed.

ANG. 'Tis fo with me:-Let us withdraw together,
And we may foon our fatisfaction have

Touching that point.

ESCAL. I'll wait upon your honour.

SCENE II. A Street.

Enter Lucio, and two GENTLEMEN.

[Exeunt.

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.

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

2 GENT. Amen.

Lucio. Thou concludeft like the fanctimonious pirate, that went to fea with the ten commandments, but fcraped one out of the table.

2 GENT. Thou shalt not steal?

Lucio. Ay, that he razed.

I GENT. Why, 'twas a commandment to command the captain and all the reft from their functions; they put forth to steal: There's not a foldier of us all, that, in the thanksgiving before meat, doth relifh the petition well that prays for peace.

2 GENT. I never heard any foldier diflike it.

LUCIO. I believe thee; for, I think, thou never wast where grace was faid.

2 GENT. No? a dozen times at least.

1 GENT. What? in metre?

LUCIO. In any proportion, or in any language.

I GENT. I think, or in any religion.

LUCIO. Ay! why not? Grace is grace, despite of all