What doth befal you here. So fare you well.
To th' hopeful execution do I leave you
Of our commiffion.

Ang. Yet give leave, my lord,

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

Nor need you, on mine honour, haye to do
With any fcruple; your scope is as mine own,
So to inforce, or qualifie the law,
As to your foul feems good. Give me your hand;
I'll privily away. I love the people,
But do not like to ftage me to their eyes:
Though it do well, I do not relish well
Their loud applause, and Ave's vehement:
Nor do I think the man of safe difcretion
That does affect it. Once more fare you well.
Ang. The heav'ns give fafety to your purposes!
Efcal. Lead forth and bring you back in happiness!
Duke. I thank you, fare you well.

[Exit.

Efcal. I fhall defire you, Sir, to give me leave To have free fpeech with you; and it concerns me To look into the bottom of my place:

A pow'r 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.

Efcal. I'll wait upon your honour.

[Exeunt.

SCENE III. The Street.

Enter Lucio, and two Gentlemen.

Lucio. If the Duke, with the other Dukes, come not to compofition with the King of Hungary, why then all the Dukes fall upon the King.

1 Gent. Heav'n grant us its peace, but not the King of Hungary's!

2 Gent. Amen!

Lucio. Thou conclud'ft like the fanctimonious pyrate, that went to sea with the ten commandments, but fcrap'd one out of the table.

2 Gent. Thou shalt not steal?

Lucio.

Lucio. Ay, that he raz'd.

1 Gent. Why, 'twas a commandment to command the captain and all the reft from their functions; they put forth to fteal: there's not a foldier of us all, that in the thanksgiving after meat doth relish 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 waft where grace was said.

2 Gent. No? a dozen times at least.

I Gent. What? in meeter?

Lucio. Not in any profeffion, or in any language, I think, or in any religion.

2 Gent. And why not? grace is grace, defpight of all controverfie.

Lucio. As for example, thou thyself art a wicked villain, defpight of all grace.

2 Gent. Well; there went but a pair of fheers between

us.

Lucio. I grant; as there may between the lifts and the velvet. Thou art the lift.

2 Gent. And thou the velvet; thou art good velvet ; thou'rt a three-pil'd piece, I warrant thee: I had as lief be a lift of an English kerfey, as be pil'd, as thou art pil'd, for a French velvet. Do I fpeak feelingly now?

Lucio. I think thou doft; and indeed with most painful feeling of thy fpeech: I will, out of thine own confeffion, learn to begin thy health; but, whilft I live, forget to drink after thee.

2 Gent. I think I have done myself wrong, have I not? 1 Gent. Yes, that thou haft; whether thou art tainted, or free.

SCENE IV. Bawd, coming at a distance. Lucio. Behold, behold, where Madam Mitigation comes. 1 Gent. I have purchas'd as many diseases under her roof,

as come to

2 Gent. To what, pray?

1 Gent. Judge.

2 Gent. To three thousand dollars * a year.

A quibble intended between dollars and dolos.

1 Gent,

1 Gent. Ay, and more.

Lucio. A French crown more

1 Gent. Thou art always figuring difeafes in me; but thou art full of error; I am found.

Lucio. Nay, not, as one would fay, healthy; but fo found, as things that are hollow; thy bones are hollow; impiety hath made a feaft of thee.

1 Gent. How now, which of your hips has the moft profound sciatica ? [To the Bawd. Bawd. Well, well; there's one yonder arrefted, and carry'd to prison, was worth five thousand of you all. 1 Gent. Who's that, I pr'ythee?

Bawd. Marry, Sir, that's Claudio, Signior Claudio.
1 Gent. Claudio to prifon? 'tis not fo.

Bawd. Nay, but I know 'tis fo; I saw him arrested faw him carry'd away; and which is more, within these three days his head is to be chept off.

Lucio. But, after all this fooling, I would not have it fo; art thou fure of this?

Bawd. I am too fure of it; and it is for getting Madam Julietta with child.

Lucio. Believe me, this may be; he promised to meet me two hours fince, and he was ever precife in promife-keeping. 2 Gent. Befides, you know it draws fomething near to the speech we had to fuch a purpose.

Gent. But most of all agreeing with the proclamation. Lucio. Away, let's go learn the truth of it. [Exeunt. Bawd. Thus, what with the war, what with the sweat, what with the gallows, and what with poverty, I am cu→ ftom-fhrunk. How now? what's the news with you? SCENE V. Enter Clown.

Clown. Yonder man is carry'd to prison.

Bawd. Well; what has he done?

Clown. A woman.

Bawd. But what's his offence?

Clown. Groping for trouts in a peculiar river.

Bawd. What? is there a maid with child by him?
Clozun. No; but there's a woman with maid by him.
You have not heard of the proclamation, have you?
• Alluding to the venereal scab upon the head call'd Corona Veneris.

Bawd.

Bawd. What proclamation, man?

Clown. All houses in the fuburbs of Vienna must be pluck'd down.

Bawd. And what shall become of those in the city? Clorin, They fhall ftand for feed; they had gone down too, but a wife burger put in for them.

Bawd. But fhall our houfes of refort in the fuburbs be pull'd down?

Clown. To the ground, mistress.

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

Clown. Come, fear not you; 'good counsellors lack no clients; though you change your place, you need not change your trade: I'll be your tapfter ftill. Courage, there will be pity taken on you; you that have worn your eyes almoft out in the fervice, you will be confidered.

Bawd. What's to do here, Thomas Tapfter ?let's withdraw. Clown. Here comes Signior Claudio, led by the Provoft to prifon; and there's Madam Juliet. [Ex. Bawd and Clown. SCENE VI. Enter Provoft, Claudio, Juliet, and Officers. Lucio and two Gentlemen.

Claud, Fellow, why doft thou show me thus to th' world?
Bear me to prifon, where I am committed.
Prov. I do it not in evil difpofition,
But from lord Angelo by fpecial charge.

Claud, Thus can the Demi-god Authority
Make us pay down, for our offence, by weight;
I' th' words of heav'n, on whom it will, it will;
On whom it will not, fo; yet ftill 'tis juft.

Lucio, Why, how now, Claudio? whence comes this
reftraint?

31

Claud. From too much liberty, my Lucio, liberty
As furfeit is the father of much faft,
So every scope by the immod'rate use
Turns to restraint: our natures do purfue
(Like rats that ravin down their proper bane,)
A thirsty evil, and when we drink, we die.

Lucio. If I could fpeak fo wifely under an arreft, I would fend for certain of my creditors; and yet, to fay the truth, I had as lief have the foppery of freedom, as the

morality

morality of imprisonment: what's thy offence, Claudio?
Claud. What but to speak of would offend again.
Lucio, What is't, murder?

Claud. No. :
Lucio. Letchery?
Claud. Call it fo.

Prov. Away, Sir, you must go.

Claud. One word, good friend: Lucio, a word with you.
Lucio. A hundred; if they'll do you any good;
Is letchery fo look'd after?

Claud. Thus ftands it with me; upon a true contract
I got poffeffion of Julietta's bed,

You know the lady, fhe is faft my wife,
Save that we do the denunciation lack

Of outward order, This we came not to,
Only for propagation of a dowre
Remaining in the coffer of her friends,

From whom we thought it meet to hide our love
'Till time had made them for us. But it chances,
The stealth of our mutual entertainment,
With character too grofs, is writ in Juliet.
Lucio. With child, perhaps &
Claud. Unhappily, even fo.

And the new Deputy now for the Duke,
(Whether it be the fault and glimpse of newness;
Or whether that the body publick be
A horfe whereon the governor doth ride,
Who newly in the feat, that it may know
He can command, lets it ftrait feel the spur ;
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 unscour'd armour hung by th' wall
So long, that nineteen zodiacks have gone round,
And none of them been worn; and for a name,
Now puts the drowfie and neglected act
Freshly on me; 'tis furely for a name.

Lucio. I warrant, so it is; and thy head ftands
So tickle on thy fhoulders, that a milk-maid,