In self-fame manner doth accuse my husband ;
And charges him, my lord, with such a time,
When I'll depose I had him in mine arms,
With all the effect of love.
ANG.

Charges she more than me?
MARI. Not that I know.
DUKE.

No ? you say, your husband. MARI. Why, just, my lord, and that is Angelo, Who thinks, he knows, that he ne'er knew my body, But knows, he thinks, that he knows Isabel's.

Ang. This is a strange abuse:?—Let's see thy face. MARI. My husband bids me; now I will unmask.

(Unveiling. This is that face, thou cruel Angelo, Which, once thouswor'st, was worth the looking on: This is the hand, which, with a vow'd contract, Was fast belock'd in thine : this is the body That took away the match from Isabel, And did supply thee at thy garden-house, In her imagin'd person.

7 This is a frange abuse: ] Abuse stands in this place for deception or puzzle. So, in Macbeth:

my strange and self abuse." means, this strange deception of myself. JOHNSON.

& And did supply thee at thy garden-house, ] A garden-house in the time of our author was usually appropriated to purposes of intrigue. So, in SKIALETHIA , a jhadow of truth, in certain Epigrams and Satyres, 1598 :.

" Who, coming from the CURTAIN, sneaketh in

" To some old garden noted house for fin. Again, in The London Prodigal, a comedy, 1605 : 66 Sweet lady, if you have any friend, or garden-house, where you may employ a poor gentleman as your friend, I am yours to command in all secret service. MALONE.

See also an extra& from Stubbes's Anatomic of Abuses, 4t0, 1597, p. 57 ; quoted in Vol. V. of Dodsley's Old Plays, edit. 1780, p. 74.

REED, Vol. VI.

0

DUKE.

Kuow

you

this woman?
Lucro. Carnally, she says.
DUKE.

Sirrah, no more.
Lucio. Enough, my lord,

ANG. My lord, I must confess, I know this woman;
And, five years since, there was some speech of mar-

riage
Betwixt myself and her: which was broke off,
Partly, for that her promised proportions
Came short of composition; " but, in chief,
For that her reputation was disvalued
In levity: since which time, of five years,
I never spake with her, law her, nor heard from her,
Upon my

faith and honour.
MARI.

Noble prince,
As there comes light from heaven, and words from

breath,
As there is sense in truth, and truth in virtue,
I am affianc'd this man's wife , as strongly
As words could make up vows: and, my good lord,
But Tuesday night last gone , in his garden-house ,
He knew me as a wise: As this is true,
Let me in safety raise me from my knees;
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

her promised proportions
Came short of compoltion ;] Her fortune, which was promised
proportionate to mine, fell short of the composition, that is, contra&
or bargain. JOHNSON.

· These poor informal women -] Informał signifies out of their Jonses. In The Comedy of Errors, we meet with these lines :

2
are no more

9

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;
And punish them unto your height of pleasure.--
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 seal'd 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 let them on;
Let him be sent for.
F. Peter. Would he were here, my lord; for he,

indeed,
Hath set the women on to this complaint:

3

man.

I will not let him itir,
« Till I have us'd the approved means I have,
" With wholesome syrups, drugs, and holy prayers,

• To make of him a formal man again.
Formal, in this passage, evidently signifies in his senses. The lines
are spoken of Antipholis of Syracuse, who is behaving like a made

Again, in Antony and Cleopatra :
" Thou shouldst come like a fury crown'd with snakes,
« Not like a formal man.

STEEVENS.
3. Though they would swear down each particular saint, ] So, in
Antony and Cleopatra, Aš I. sc. iii :
Though you in swearing shake the throued gods.

STEEVENS. * That's seald in approbation?] When any, thing subjeđ to counterfeits is tried by the proper officers and approved, a stamp or feal is put upon it, as among us on place, weights, and mealures. So the Duke says, that Angelo's faith has been tried, approved, and feal'd in teftimony of that approbation, and, like other things so Jealed, is no more to be called in question. JOHNSON.

Your provost knows the place where he abides,
And he may fetch him.

Duke. Go, do it instantly. [Exit Provoft.
And you, my noble and well-warranted cousin,
Whom it concerns to hear this matter forth,
Do with your injuries as seems you best,
In any chastisement: I for a while
Will leave you; but stir not you, till you

have well Determined upon these flanderers.

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 moft villainous 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 fhall fee 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, publickly she'll be ashamed. Re-enter Officers, with ISABELLA ; the Duke, in the

Friar's habit, and Provost. Escal. I will go darkly to work with her.

to hear this matter forth, ] To hear it to the end; to (carch it to the bottom. JOHNSON.

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, fir, Did you set these women on to flander lord Angelo? they have confess'd you

did. DUKE. 'Tis falfe. ESCAL. How ! know

you

where DUKE. Respect to your great place! and let the

devil Be sometimes honour'd for his burning throne :S Where is the duke?' 'tis he should hear me speak. Escal. The duke's in us; and we will hear you

speak : Look, you speak justly. DUKE. Eoldly, at least:

at least : - But, O, roor souls, Come you to seek the lamb here of the fox ? Good night to your redress. Is the duke gone?

you are?

5

are light at midnight. ] This is one of the words oa which Shakspeare chiefly delights to quibble. Thus, Portia in The Merchant of Venice, Ad V. sc. i:

« Let me give light, but let me not be light, STLEVINS. 6 Respect to your great place! and let the devil, &c.] I suspeå that a line preceding this has been lost. MALONE.

I suspe& no omislion. Great place has reference to the preceding question " know you where you are ?"

Shakspeare' was a reader of Philemon Holland's tranlation of Pliny; and in the fifth book and eighth chapter, might have met with his next idca: “ The Augylą do no worship to any but to the devils beneath." STEEYENS.