First Gent. I think I have done myself wrong, have I not ?

Sec. Gent. Yes, that thou hast, whether thou art tainted or free.

Lucio. Behold, behold, where Madam Mitigation comes! First Gent. I have purchased as many diseases under her roof as come to

Sec. Gent. To what, I pray?
First Gent. Judge.

Sec. Gent. To three thousand dolors a year.
First Gent. Ay, and more.

Lucio. A French crown more.

First Gent. Thou art always figuring diseases in me; but thou art full of error,- I am sound.

Lucio. Nay, not as one would say, healthy; but so sound as things that are hollow: thy bones are hollow; impiety has made a feast of thee.

Enter MISTRESS OVERDONE.

First Gent. How now! which of your hips has the most profound sciatica ?

Mrs. Ov. Well, well; there's one yonder arrested and carried to prison was worth five thousand of you all. Sec. Gent. Who's that, I pray thee?

Mrs. Ov. Marry, sir, that's Claudio, Signior Claudio. First Gent. Claudio to prison! 'tis not so.

Mrs. Ov. Nay, but I know 'tis so I saw him arrested; saw him carried away; and, which is more, within these three days his head's to be chopped off.

Lucio. But, after all this fooling, I would not have it so. Art thou sure of this?

Mrs. Ov. I am too sure of it: and it is for getting Madam Julietta with child.

Lucio. Believe me, this may be: he promised to meet me two hours since, and he was ever precise in promisekeeping.

Sec. Gent. Besides, you know, it draws something near to the speech we had to such a purpose.

First Gent. But, most of all, agreeing with the procla mation.

Lucio. Away! let's go learn the truth of it.

[Exeunt Lucio and Gentlemen.

Mrs. Ov. Thus, what with the war, what with the sweat, what with the gallows, and what with poverty, l am custom-shrunk.

Enter POMPEY.

How now! what's the news with you?
Pom. Yonder man is carried to prison.
Mrs. Ov. Well; what has he done?

Pom. A woman.

Mrs. Ov. But what's his offense?

Pom. Groping for trouts in a peculiar river.

Mrs. Ov. What, is there a maid with child by him? Pom. No, but there's a woman with maid by him. You have not heard of the proclamation, have you? Mrs. Ov. What proclamation, man?

Pom. All houses in the suburbs of Vienna must be plucked down.

Mrs. Ov. And what shall become of those in the city? Pom. They shall stand for seed: they had gone down too, but that a wise burgher put in for them.

Mrs. Ov. But shall all our houses of resort in the suburbs be pulled down?

Pom. To the ground, mistress.

Mrs. Ov. Why, here's a change indeed in the common. wealth! What shall become of me?

Pom. Come; fear not you: good counselors lack no clients though you change your place, you need not change your trade; I'll be your tapster still. Courage! there will be pity taken on you: you that have worn your eyes almost out in the service, you will be considered.

Mrs. Ov. What's to do here, Thomas Tapster? let's withdraw.

Pom. Here comes Signior Claudio, led by the provost to prison; and there's Madam Juliet. [Exeunt.

Enter Provost, CLAUDIO, JULIET, and Officers.

Claud. Fellow, why dost thou show me thus to the world? Bear me to prison, where I am committed. Prov. I do it not in evil disposition,

But from Lord Angelo by special charge.
Claud. Thus can the demigod Authority

Make us pay down for our offense by weight

The sword of heaven,- on whom it will, it will;
On whom it will not, so; yet 'tis just still.

Re-enter LUCIO and two Gentlemen.

Lucio. Why, how now, Claudio! whence comes this restraint?

Claud. From too much liberty, my Lucio, liberty:
As surfeit is the father of much fast,

So every scope by the immoderate use
Turns to restraint. Our natures do pursue,
Like rats that ravin down their proper bane,
A thirsty evil; and when we drink we die.

Lucio. If I could speak so wisely under an arrest, I would send for certain of my creditors: and yet, to say the truth, I had as lief have the foppery of freedom as the morality of imprisonment.-What's thy offense, Claudio?

Claud. What but to speak of would offend again.
Lucio. What, is't murder?

Claud. No.

Lucio. Lechery ?

Claud. Call it so.

Prov. Away, sir! you must go.

Claud. One word, good friend.— Lucio, a word with

you.

[Takes him aside.

Lucio. A hundred, if they'll do you any good.—

Is lechery so look'd after?

upon a true contráct

Claud. Thus stands it with me:
I got possession of Julietta's bed:
You know the lady; she is fast my wife,
Save that we do the denunciation lack
Of outward order: this we came not to,
Only for propagation of a dower

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 most mutual entertainment
With character too grocs is writ on Juliet.
Lucio With child, perhaps?

Claud.

Unhappily, even so.
And the new deputy now for the duke,-
Whether it be the fault and glimpse of newness,

Or whether that the body public be

A horse whereon the governor doth ride,
Who, newly in the seat, that it may know

He can command, lets it straight feel the spur;
Whether the tyranny be in his place,

Or in his eminence that fills it up,

I stagger in:- but this new governor
Awakes me all th' enrolled penalties

Which have, like unscour'd armor, hung by the 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 act

Freshly on me:

'tis surely for a name.

Lucio. I warrant it is: and thy head stands so tickle on thy shoulders, that a milkmaid, if she be in love, may sigh it off. Send after the duke, and appeal to him. Claud. I have done so, but he's not to be found.

I prithee, Lucio, do me this kind service :-
This day my sister should the cloister enter,
And there receive her approbation:

Acquaint her with the danger of my state;
Implore her, in my voice, that she make friends
To the strict deputy; bid herself assay him:
I have great hope in that; for in her youth
There is a prone and speechless dialect,

Such as moves men; beside, she hath prosperous art
When she will play with reason and discourse,
And well she can persuade.

Lucio. I pray she may; as well for the encouragement of the like, which else would stand under grievous imposition, as for the enjoying of thy life, who I would be sorry should be thus foolishly lost 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! [Exeunt.

SCENE III, A monastery.

Enter Duke and FRIAR THOMAS.

Duke. No, holy father; throw away that thought, Believe not that the dribbling dart of love

Can pierce a cómplete bosom. Why I desire thee
To give me secret harbor, hath a purpose

More grave and wrinkled than the aims and ends
Of burning youth.

Fri. T.

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 assemblies,
Where youth, and cost, and witless bravery keep.
I have deliver'd to Lord Angelo -

A man of stricture and firm abstinence —
My absolute power and place here in Vienna,
And he supposes me travel'd to Poland;
For so I've strew'd it in the common ear,
And so it is receiv'd. Now, pious sir,
You will demand of me, why I do this?
Fri. T. Gladly, my lord.

Duke. We have strict statutes and most biting laws,The needful bits and curbs to headstrong steeds,Which for this fourteen years we have let sleep;

Even like an o'ergrown lion in a cave,

That goes not out to prey. Now, as fond fathers,
Having bound up the threatening twigs of birch,
Only to stick it in their children's sight

For terror, not to use, in time the rod

Becomes more mock'd than fear'd; so our decrees,
Dead to infliction, to themselves are dead;
And liberty plucks justice by the nose;

The baby beats the nurse, and quite athwart
Goes all decorum.

Fri. T.

It rested in your grace T'unloose this tied-up justice when you pleas'd: And it in you more dreadful would have seem'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 strike and gall them For what I bid them do: for we bid this be done, When evil deeds have their permissive pass,

And not their punishment. Therefore, indeed, my father, I have on Angelo impos d the office;

Who may, in th' ambush of my name, strike home.