Mari. Break off thy fong, and hafte thee quick away; Here comes a man of comfort, whofe advice Hath often still'd my brawling difcontent.

Enter Duke.

I cry you mercy, fir; and well could wish,

You had not found me here fo mufical:

Let me excuse me, and believe me so,—

My mirth it much difpleas'd, but pleas'd my woe. Duke. 'Tis good: though musick oft hath such a charm, To make bad, good, and good provoke to harm.

I

pray you, tell me, hath

any body enquir'd for me here to day? much upon this time, have I promis'd here to meet. Mari. You have not been enquir'd after: I have sat here all day.

* POEMS, p. 428. 697. 731.

h

My mirth it much difpleas'd, but pleas'd my woe.]-This mufic tended rather to damp than excite my mirth, but it foothed my melancholy.

Enter

Enter Ifabel.

Duke. I do constantly believe you :

The time is come, even now. I fhall crave your forbearance a little; may be, I will call upon you anon for fome advantage to yourself.

Mari. I am always bound to you.

Duke. Very well met, and welcome.

What is the news from this good deputy?

i

Ifab. He hath a garden circummur'd with brick,
Whose western side is with a vineyard back'd;
And to that vineyard is a * planched gate,
That makes his opening with this bigger key:
This other doth command a little door,

Which from the vineyard to the garden leads;
There have I made my promise to call on him,
Upon the heavy middle of the night.

[Exit.

Duke. But thall you on your knowledge find this way? Ifab. I have ta'en a due and wary note upon't :

With whispering and moft guilty diligence,

'In action all of precept, he did fhew me The way twice o'er.

Duke. Are there no other tokens

Between you 'greed, concerning her observance?
Ifab. No, none; but only a repair i' the dark;
And that I have " poffefs'd him, my most stay
Can be but brief: for I have made him know,
I have a fervant comes with me along,
That "ftays upon me; whose persuasion is,

i circummur'd]-walled round.

k planched gate,]-made of broad boards.

1 In action all of precept,]-pointing out with his hand the track I was to purfue, which action contained fo many precepts-In precept all of action-by dumb figns only. poffefs'd]-informed.

n

m

ftays upon me ;]-awaits my return.
"we stay upon your leisure.”

MACBETH, Act I, S. 3. Ban.

I come about my brother.

Duke. 'Tis well born up.

I have not yet made known to Mariana

A word of this :-What, ho! within! come forth!
Re-enter Mariana.

I pray you, be acquainted with this maid;
She comes to do you good.

Ifab. I do defire the like.

Duke. Do you perfuade yourself that I respect you?

· Mari. Good friar, I know you do; and have found it. Duke. Take then this your companion by the hand, Who hath a story ready for your ear :

I fhall attend your leisure; but make haste;

The vaporous night approaches.

Mari. Will't please you walk afide ?

[Exeunt Mariana and Isabel.

Duke. O place and greatness, millions of falfe eyes

Are stuck upon thee! volumes of report

Run with these falfe and most contrarious quefts
Upon thy doings! thousand 'fcapes of wit

Make thee the father of their idle dream,

And rack thee in their fancies !-Welcome: How agreed?

If

Re-enter Mariana and Isabel.

Ifab. She'll take the enterprize upon her, father,

you advise it.

falfe]-infidious.

P contrarious quefts]-contradictory obfervations ;-lying messengers

fpread volumes of jarring reports.

"The fenate hath fent about three feveral quests.

OTHELLO, A I, S. 2. Caf.

When

When you depart from him, but, foft and low,
Remember now my brother.

Mari. Fear me not.

Duke. Nor, gentle daughter, fear you not at all:
He is your husband on a pre-contract:

To bring you thus together, 'tis no fin;
Sith that the juftice of your title to him.
Doth flourish the deceit. Come, let us go;
Our corn's to reap,' for yet our tithe's to fow.

[Exeunt.

Prov. Come hither, firrah: Can you cut off a man's head? Clown. If the man be a batchelor, fir, I can: but if he be a marry'd man, he is his wife's head, and I can never cut off a woman's head.

Prov. Come, fir, leave me your 'fnatches, and yield me a direct answer. To-morrow morning are to die Claudio and Barnardine: Here is in our prifon a common executioner, who in his office lacks a helper: if you will take it on you to affift him, it fhall redeem you from your gyves; if not, you fhall have your full time of imprisonment, and your deliverance with an unpity'd whipping, for you have been a notorious bawd.

t

Clown. Sir, I have been an unlawful bawd, time out of

flourish the deceit.]-ftrips it of its native deformity, and gives it the grace of virtue.

г

"the beauteous evil

"Are empty trunks, o'er-flourish'd by the devil."

TWELFTH NIGHT, A&t III, S. 4. Ant. for yet our tilth's (tillage, land till'd) to fow-Our harvest is yet but in imagination. Our tithe's to reap, for yet our corn's to jow.

Snatches,]-quibbles,

t

gyves;]-fetters.

mind; but yet I will be content to be a lawful hangman. I would be glad to receive fome inftruction from my fellow partner.

Prov. What ho, Abhorfon! where's Abhorfon there?

Enter Abborfon.

Abhor. Do you call, fir?

Prov. Sirrah, here's a fellow will help you to-morrow in your execution: if you think it meet, compound with him by the year, and let him abide here with you; if not, ufe him for the prefent, and difmifs him: he cannot plead his estimation with you, he hath been a bawd.

Abhor. A bawd, fir? fie upon him, he will difcredit our mystery.

Prov. Go to, fir; you weigh equally; a feather will turn the scale. [Exit. Clown. Pray, fir, by your good favour (for, furely, fir, a good favour you have, but that you have a hanging look) do you call, fir, your occupation a mystery?

Abbor. Ay, fir; a mystery.

Clown. Painting, fir, I have heard fay, is a mystery; and your whores, fir, being members of my occupation, ufing painting, do prove my occupation a mystery: but what mystery there fhould be in hanging, if I fhould be hang'd, I cannot imagine.

Abbor. Sir, it is a mystery.

Clown. Proof.

W

Abhor. Every true man's apparel fits your thief: if it be too little for your thief, your true man thinks it " big enough; if it be too big for your thief, your thief thinks it 'little enough: fo every true man's apparel fits your thief.