Or else for ever be confixed here,
A marble monument!

Ang.
I did but smile till now;
Now, good my lord, give me the scope of justice;
My patience here is touch'd: I do perceive,
These poor informal women are no more
But instruments of some more mightier member,
That sets them on: Let me have way, my lord,
To find this practice? out.
Duke.

Ay, with my heart;

Duke. Boldly, at least:-But, O, poor souls, Come you to seek the lamb here of the fox?

And punish them unto your height of pleasure.-Good night to your redress. Is the duke gone?
Thou foolish friar; and thou pernicious woman,
Compact with her that's gone! think'st thou, thy
oaths,

Though they would swear down each particular
saint,

Were testimonies against his worth and credit,
That's sealed in approbation?--You, lord Escalus,
Sit with my cousin; lend him your kind pains
To find out this abuse, whence 'tis deriv'd.-
There is another friar that set them on;
Let him be sent for.

Then is your cause gone too. The duke's unjust,
Thus to retort your manifest appeal,
Which here you come to accuse.
And put your trial in the villain's mouth,

Lucio. This is the rascal; this is he I spoke of.
Escal. Why, thou unreverend and unhallow'd
friar!

Is't not enough, thou hast suborn'd these women
To accuse this worthy man; but, in foul mouth,
And in the witness of his proper ear,
To call him villain?

F. Peter. Would he were here, my lord; for he, And then to glance from him to the duke himself;

indeed,

Hath set the women on to this complaint:
Your provost knows the place where he abides,
And he may fetch him.

Duke. Go, do it instantly.- [Exit Provost.
And you, my noble and well-warranted cousin,
Whom it concerns to hear this matter forth,3
Do with your injuries as seems you best,

In any chastisement: I for a while

To tax him with injustice?-Take him hence;
To the rack with him:-We'll touze you joint by
joint,

But we will know this purpose:-What! unjust?
Duke. Be not so hot; the duke

Dare no more stretch this finger of mine, than he
Dare rack his own; his subject am I not,
Nor here provincial:5 My business in this state
Made me a looker-on here in Vienna,

Will leave you; but stir not you, till you have Where I have seen corruption boil and bubble,

well

Determined upon these slanderers.

Escal. My lord, we'll do it thoroughly.-[Exit Duke.] Signior Lucio, did not you say, you knew that friar Lodowick to be a dishonest person?

Lucio. Cucullus non facit monachum: honest in nothing, but in his clothes; and one that hath spoke most villanous speeches of the duke.

Escal. We shall entreat you to abide here till he come, and enforce them against him: we shall find this friar a notable fellow.

Lucio. As any in Vienna, on my word.
Escal. Call that same Isabel here once again;
[To an attendant.] I would speak with her: Pray
you, my lord, give me leave to question; you shall]
see how I'll handle her.

Lucio. Not better than he, by her own report.
Escal. Say you?

Lucio. Marry, sir, I think, if you handled her privately, she would sooner confess; perchance, publicly she'll be ashamed.

Till it o'er-run the stew laws, for all faults;
But faults so countenanc'd, that the strong statutes
Stand like the forfeits in a barber's shop,
As much in mock as mark.

Escal. Slander to the state! Away with him to
prison.

Ang. What can you vouch against him, signior
Lucio?

Is this the man that you did tell us of?
Lucio. 'Tis he, my lord.-Come hither, goodman
bald-pate: Do you know me?

voice: I met you at the prison, in the absence of
Duke. I remember you, sir, by the sound of your
the duke.

Lucio. O, did you so? And do you remember what you said of the duke?

Duke. Most notedly, sir.

monger, a fool, and a coward, as you then reported Lucio. Do you so, sir? And was the duke a fleshhim to be?

Duke. You must, sir, change persons with me, ere you make that my report: you, indeed, spoke

Re-enter Officers, with Isabella; the Duke, in the so of him; and much more, much worse.

friar's habit, and Provost.

Escal. I will go darkly to work with her.

Lucio. That's the way; for women are light at midnight.

Escal. Come on, mistress: [To Isabella.] here's a gentlewoman denies all that you have said. Lucio. My lord, here comes the rascal I spoke of; here, with the provost.

Escal. In very good time:-speak not you to him, till we call upon you. Lucio. Mum.

Escal. Come, sir: Did you set these women on to slander lord Angelo? they have confess'd you did.

Duke. 'Tis false.

(1) Crazy. (2) Conspiracy. (3) To the end.

Lucio. O thou damnable fellow ! Did not I pluck thee by the nose, for thy speeches?

Duke. I protest I love the duke, as I love myself. Ang. Hark! how the villain would close now, after his treasonable abuses.

Escal. Such a fellow is not to be talk'd withal:Away with him to prison; lay bolts enough upon Away with him to prison :-Where is the provost ? giglots too, and with the other confederate_comhim; let him speak no more. Away with those panion. [The Provost lays hands on the Duke. Duke. Stay, sir; stay a while.

Ang. What! resists he? Help him, Lucio.

Lucio. Come, sir; come, sir; come, sir; foh, sir: Why, you bald-pated, lying rascal! you must be hooded, must you? Show your knave's visage, (4) Refer back. (5) Accountable. (6) Wantons.

with a pox to you! show your sheep-biting face, ||Of sacred chastity, and of promise-breach, and be hang'd an hour! Will't not off?

Give up your keys.

Prov.
Pardon me, noble lord:
I thought it was a fault, but knew it not;
Yet did repent me, after more advice:1
For testimony whereof, one in the prison
That should by private order else have died,
I have reserv'd alive.

What's he?

Duke.
Prov.
His name is Barnardine.
Duke. I would thou had'st done so by Claudio.-
Go, fetch him hither; let me look upon him.

Exit Provost.
Escal. I am sorry, one so learned and so wise
As you, lord Angelo, have still appear'd,
Should slip so grossly, both in the heat of blood,
And lack of temper'd judgment afterward.
Ang. I am sorry, that such sorrow I procure :
And so deep sticks it in my penitent heart,
That I crave death more willingly than
'Tis my deserving, and I do entreat it.
Re-enter Provost, Barnardine, Claudio, and Juliet.

mercy:

This, my lord.

Let him be whipp'd and hang'd.

I

Lucio. I beseech your highness, do not marry me to a whore! Your highness said even now, made you a duke: good my lord, do not recompense me, in making me a cuckold.

Duke. Upon mine honour, thou shalt marry her.
Thy slanders I forgive; and therewithal
Remit thy other forfeits: 5-Take him to prison:
And see our pleasure herein executed.

Lucio. Marrying a punk, my lord, is pressing to death, whipping, and hanging.

Duke. Sland'ring a prince deserves it.--
She, Claudio, that you wrong'd, look you restore.-
Joy to you, Mariana!-love her, Angelo;
I have confess'd her, and I know her virtue.—
Thanks, good friend Escalus, for thy much goodness:
There's more behind, that is more gratulate,
Thanks, provost, for thy care, and secrecy;
We shall employ thee in a worthier place:
Forgive him, Angelo, that brought you home
The offence pardons itself.-Dear Isabel,
The head of Ragozine for Claudio's;
I have a motion much imports your good;
Whereto if you'll a willing ear incline,

Duke. Which is that Barnardine? Prov. Duke. There was a friar told me of this man:-What's mine is yours, and what is yours is mine:--Sirrah, thou art said to have a stubborn soul, That apprehends no further than this world, So, bring us to our palace; where we'll show And squar'st thy life according. Thou'rt condemn'd; What's yet behind, that's meet you all should know. But, for those early faults, I quit them all; And pray thee, take this mercy to provide For better times to come :- -Friar, advise him; I leave him to your hand.-What muffled fellow's that?

Prov. This is another prisoner, that I sav'd, That should have died when Claudio lost his head; As like almost to Claudio, as himself.

[Exeunt.

The novel of Giraldi Cinthio, from which Shakspeare is supposed to have borrowed this fable, may lated, with remarks which will assist the inquirer be read in Shakspeare Illustrated, elegantly transto discover how much absurdity Shakspeare has ad[Unmufles Claudio.mitted or avoided. Duke. If he be like your brother, [To Isabella.] for his sake

Is he pardon'd; And, for your lovely sake,
Give me your hand, and say you will be mine,
He is my brother too: But fitter time for that.
By this, lord Angelo perceives he's safe :
Methinks, I see a quickening in his eye :-
Well, Angelo, your evil quits2 you well:
Look that you love your wife; her worth, worth
yours.-

I find an apt remission in myself:
And yet here's one in place I cannot pardon;

I cannot but suspect that some other had new modelled the novel of Cinthio, or written a story which in some particulars resembled it, and that Cinthio was not the author whom Shakspeare immediately followed, The emperor in Cinthio is named Maximine: the duke, in Shakspeare's enumeration of the persons of the drama, is called Vinsince the duke has no name in the play, nor is ever centio. This appears a very slight remark; but mentioned but by his title, why should he be called Vincentio among the persons, but because the name was copied from the story, and placed superflu

You, sirrah, [To Lucio.] that knew me for a fool, a ously at the head of the list, by the mere habit of

coward,

One all of luxury,3 an ass, a madman;
Wherein have I so deserv'd of you,
That you extol me thus?

Lucio. 'Faith, my lord, I spoke it but according to the trick:4 If you will hang me for it, you may, but I had rather it would please you, I might be whipp'd.

Duke. Whipp'd first, sir, and hang'd after.-
Proclaim it, provost, round about the city;
If any woman's wrong'd by this lewd fellow
(As I have heard him swear himself, there's one
Whom he begot with child,) let her appear,
And he shall marry her: the nuptial finish'd,

(1) Consideration. (2) Requites.
(3) Incontinence. (4) Thoughtless practice.

transcription? It is therefore likely that there was then a story of Vincentio duke of Vienna, different from that of Maximine emperor of the Romans.

ral and pleasing, but the grave scenes, if a few pasOf this play, the light or comic part is very natusages be excepted, have more labour than elegance. The plot is rather intricate than artful. The time of the action is indefinite: some time, we know not how much, must have elapsed between the recess of the duke and the imprisonment of Claudio; for he must have learned the story of Mariana in his disguise, or he delegated his power to a man already known to be corrupted. The unities of action and place are sufficiently preserved.

(5) Punishments.

JOHNSON.

(6) To reward.

Beat. He set up his bills here in Messina, and SCENE I-Before Leonato's house. Enter Leo-challenged Cupid at the flight :3 and my uncle's nato, Hero, Beatrice, and others, with a Mes-fool, reading the challenge, subscribed for Cupid,

senger.

Leonato.

and challenged him at the bird-bolt.-I pray you, how many hath he killed and eaten in these wars? But how many hath he killed? for, indeed, I pro

I LEARN in this letter, that Don Pedro of Arra-mised to eat all of his killing. gon, comes this night to Messina.

Mess. He is very near by this; he was not three leagues off when I left him.

Leon. How many gentlemen have you lost in

this action?

Leon. Faith, niece, you tax signior Benedick too much; but he'll be meet with you, I doubt it not. Mess. He hath done good service, lady, in these wars.

Beat. You had musty victual, and he hath holp Mess. But few of any sort, and none of name. to eat it: he is a very valiant trencher-man, he Leon. A victory is twice itself, when the achiev-hath an excellent stomach. er brings home full numbers. I find here, that Don Pedro hath bestowed much honour on a young Florentine, called Claudio.

Mess. And a good soldier too, lady.

Beat. And a good soldier to a lady;-But what is he to a lord?

Mess. A lord to a lord, a man to a man; stuffed with all honourable virtues.

Beat. It is so, indeed; he is no less than a stuffed

Mess. Much deserved on his part, and equally remembered by Don Pedro: he hath borne himself beyond the promise of his age; doing, in the figure of a lamb, the feats of a lion: he hath, in-man: but for the stuffing,-Well, we are all mortal. deed, better bettered expectation, than you must expect of me to tell you how.

Leon. He hath an uncle here in Messina will be very much glad of it.

Mess. I have already delivered him letters, and there appears much joy in him; even so much, that joy could not show itself modest enough, without a badge of bitterness.

Leon. Did he break out into tears?
Mess. In great measure.2

Leon. A kind overflow of kindness: There are no faces truer than those that are so washed. How much better is it to weep at joy, than to joy at weeping?

Beat. I pray you, is signior Montanto returned from the wars, or no?

Mess. I know none of that name, lady; there was none such in the army of any sort.

Leon. What is he that you ask for, niece? Hero. My cousin means signior Benedick of Padua.

Leon. You must not, sir, mistake my niece: there is a kind of merry war betwixt signior Benedick and her: they never meet, but there is a skirmish of wit between them.

Beat. Alas, he gets nothing by that. In our last conflict, four of his five wits went halting off, and now is the whole man governed with one: 80 that if he have wit enough to keep himself warm, let him bear it for a difference between himself and his horse for it is all the wealth that he hath left, to be known a reasonable creature.-Who is his companion now? He hath every month a new sworn brother.

Mess. Is it possible?

Beat. Very easily possible: he wears his faith but as the fashion of his hat, it ever changes with the next block.6

Mess. I see, lady, the gentleman is not in your books.

Beat. No: an he were, I would burn my study. But, I pray you, who is his companion? Is there no

(1) Kind. (2) Abundance. (3) At long lengths. (4) Even. (5) A cuckold. (6) Mould for a hat.

young squarer now, that will make a voyage with him to the devil?

Mess. He is most in the company of the right noble Claudio.

heartily prays some occasion may detain us longer: I dare swear he is no hypocrite, but prays from his heart.

Leon. If you swear, my lord, you shall not be Beat. O Lord! he will hang upon him like a dis-forsworn.-Let me bid you welcome, my lord: ease he is sooner caught than the pestilence, and being reconciled to the prince your brother, I owe the taker runs presently mad. God help the noble you all duty. Claudio! if he have caught the Benedick, it will cost him a thousand pound ere he be cured. Mess. I will hold friends with you, lady. Beat. Do, good friend.

Leon. You will never run mad, niece. Beat. No, not till a hot January. Mess. Don Pedro is approached. Enter Don Pedro, attended by Balthazar, and others, Don John, Claudio, and Benedick. D. Pedro. Good signior Leonato, you are come to meet your trouble: the fashion of the world is to avoid cost, and you encounter it.

D. John. I thank you: I am not of many words, but I thank you.

Leon. Please it your grace lead on?

D. Pedro. Your hand, Leonato; we will go together. [Exeunt all but Benedick and Claudio. Claud. Benedick, didst thou note the daughter of signior Leonato?

Bene. I noted her not; but I looked on her.
Claud. Is she not a modest young lady?

Bene. Do you question me, as an honest man should do, for my simple true judgment; or would you have me speak after my custom, as being a professed tyrant to their sex?

Leon. Never came trouble to my house in the likeness of your grace: for trouble being gone, comfort should remain; but, when you depart from me, Bene. Why, i'faith, methinks she is too low for a sorrow abides, and happiness takes his leave. high praise, too brown for a fair praise, and too litD. Pedro. You embrace your charge2 too willing-tle for a great praise: only this commendation I can ly. I think, this is your daughter. afford her; that were she other than she is, she were unhandsome; and being no other but as she is, I do not like her.

Claud. No, I pray thee, speak in sober judg||ment.

Leon. Her mother hath many times told me so. Bene. Were you in doubt, sir, that you asked her? Leon. Signior Benedick, no; for then were you a child.

D. Pedro. You have it full, Benedick: we may guess by this what you are, being a man. Truly, the lady fathers herself:-Be happy, lady! for you are like an honourable father.

Bene. If signior Leonato be her father, she would not have his head on her shoulders, for all Messina,

as like him as she is.

Beat. I wonder, that you will still be talking, signior Benedick; no body marks you.

Bene. What, my dear lady Disdain! are you yet living?

Claud. Thou thinkest, I am in sport; I pray thee tell me truly how thou likest her?

Bene. Would you buy her, that you inquire after her?

Claud. Can the world buy such a jewel?

Bene. Yea, and a case to put it into. But speak you this with a sad brow? or do you play the flouting jack; to tell us Cupid is a good hare-finder, and Vulcan a rare carpenter? Come, in what key shall a man take you, to go in the song?

Claud. In mine eye, she is the sweetest lady that ever I looked on.

Bene. I can see yet without spectacles, and I see Beat. Is it possible, disdain should die, while no such matter: there's her cousin, an she were not she hath such meet food to feed it, as signior Bene-possessed with a fury, exceeds her as much in dick? Courtesy itself must convert to disdain, if you come in her presence.

Bene. Then is courtesy a turn-coat-But it is certain, I am loved of all ladies, only you excepted: and I would I could find in my heart that I had not a hard heart; for, truly, I love none.

beauty, as the first of May doth the last of December. But I hope you have no intent to turn husband; have you?

Claud. I would scarce trust myself, though I had sworn the contrary, if Hero would be my wife.

Bene. Is it come to this, i'faith? Hath not the Beat. A dear happiness to women; they would world one man, but he will wear his cap with else have been troubled with a pernicious suitor. I suspicion? Shall I never see a bachelor of threethank God, and my cold blood, I am of your hu-score again? Go to, i'faith; an thou wilt needs mour for that; I had rather hear my dog bark at a thrust thy neck into a yoke, wear the print of it, crow, than a man swear he loves me. and sigh away Sundays. Look, Don Pedro is returned to seek you.

Bene. God keep your ladyship still in that mind! so some gentleman or other shall 'scape a predestinate scratched face.

Beat. Scratching could not make it worse, an 'twere such a face as yours were.

Bene. Well, you are a rare parrot-teacher. Beat. A bird of my tongue, is better than a beast of yours.

Bene. I would my horse had the speed of your tongue; and so good a continuer: But keep your way o' God's name; I have done.

Beat. You always end with a jade's trick; I know you of old.

D. Pedro. This is the sum of all: Leonato,signior Claudio, and signior Benedick,-my dear friend Leonato, hath invited you all. I tell him, we shall stay here at the least a month; and he (2) Trust.

(1) Quarrelsome fellow.

Re-enter Don Pedro.

D. Pedro. What secret hath held you here, that you followed not to Leonato's?

Bene. I would, your grace would constrain to tell.

D. Pedro. I charge thee on thy allegiance. Bene. You hear, count Claudio: I can be sec et as a dumb man, I would have you think so; bu on my allegiance,-mark you this, on my allegiance:He is in love. With who?-now that is your grace's part.--Mark, how short his answer is :--With Hero, Leonato's short daughter.

Claud. If this were so, so were it uttered.

Bene. Like the old tale, my lord: it is not so, nor 'twas not so; but, indeed, God forbid it should be so. Claud. If my passion change not shortly, God forbid it should be otherwise.