Enter ANGELO.

Ang. Always obedient to your grace's will,

I come to know your pleasure.

There is a kind of character in thy life,
That to th' observer doth thy history
Fully unfold. Thyself and thy belongings
Are not thine own so proper, as to waste
Thyself upon thy virtues, they(3) on thee.
Heaven doth with us as we with torches do,
Not light them for themselves; for if our virtues
Did not go forth of us, 'twere all alike

As if we had them not. Spirits are not finely touch'd

But to fine issues; nor Nature never lends

The smallest scruple of her excellence

But, like a thrifty goddess, she determines

Herself the glory of a creditor,

Both thanks and use. But I do bend my speech

To one that can my part in him advértise;

Hold, therefore, Angelo :

[Tendering his commission. (4)

In our remove be thou at full ourself;

Mortality and mercy in Vienna

Live in thy tongue and heart: old Escalus,
Though first in question, is thy secondary:-
Take thy commission.

Ang.

[Giving it.

Now, good my lord,

my metal,

Let there be some more test made of
Before so noble and so great a figure

Be stamp'd upon 't.

Duke.
No more evasion: we
Have with a leaven'd and prepared choice
Proceeded to you; therefore take your honours.
Our haste from hence is of so quick condition,
That it prefers itself, and leaves unquestion'd
Matters of needful value. We shall write to you,
As time and our concernings shall impórtune,
How it goes with us; and do look to know
What doth befall you here. So, fare you well:
To th' hopeful execution do I leave you

Of your commissions. (4*)

Ang.

Yet, give leave, my lord,

That we may bring you something on the way.

Duke. My haste may not admit it;

Nor need you, on mine honour, have to do
With any scruple: your scope is as mine own,
So to enforce or qualify the laws

As to your soul seems good.

Give me your

I'll privily away. I love the people,
But do not like to stage me to their eyes:
Though it do well, I do not relish well
Their loud applause and aves vehement;
man of safe discretion

Nor do I think the

That does affect it.

Once

hand :

Once more, fare you well.

Ang. The heavens give safety to your purposes!—

Escal. Lead forth and bring you back in happiness!
Duke. I thank you. Fare you well.

Escal. I shall desire you, sir, to give me leave
To have free speech with you; and it concerns me
To look into the bottom of my place:

A power I have, but of what strength and nature
I am not yet instructed.

Ang. 'Tis so with me. Let us withdraw together,
And we may soon our satisfaction have

Touching that point.

Escal.

I'll wait upon your honour.

[Exit.

[Exeunt.

SCENE II. A street.

Enter LUCIO and two Gentlemen.

Lucio. If the duke, with the other dukes, come not to composition with the King of Hungary, why, then, all the dukes fall upon the king.

First Gent. Heaven grant us its peace, but not the King of Hungary's!

Sec. Gent. Amen.

Lucio. Thou concludest like the sanctimonious pirate, that went to sea with the Ten Commandments, but scraped one out of the table.

Sec. Gent. "Thou shalt not steal”?

Lucio. Ay, that he razed.

First Gent. Why, 'twas a commandment to command the captain and all the rest from their functions: they put forth to steal. There's not a soldier of us all, that, in the thanksgiving before (5) meat, doth relish the petition well that prays for peace.

Sec. Gent. I never heard any soldier dislike it.

Lucio. I believe thee; for I think thou never wast where grace was said.

Sec. Gent. No? a dozen times at least.

First Gent. What, in metre?

Lucio. In any proportion or in any language.

First Gent. I think, or in any religion.

Lucio. Ay, why not? Grace is grace, despite of all controversy: as, for example,-thou thyself art a wicked villain, despite of all grace.

us.

First Gent. Well, there went but a pair of shears between

Lucio. I grant; as there may between the list(6) and the velvet. Thou art the list.

First Gent. And thou the velvet: thou art good velvet; thou'rt a three-piled piece, I warrant thee: I had as lief be a list of an English kersey, as be piled, as thou art piled, for a French velvet. Do I speak feelingly now?

Lucio. I think thou dost; and, indeed, with most painful feeling of thy speech, I will, out of thine own confession, learn to begin thy health; but, whilst I live, forget to drink after thee.

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—(7)

Sec. Gent. To what, I pray?

First Gent.(8) Judge.

Sec. Gent. To three thousand dolours 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. Or. 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. Or. 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. (9)

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

Mrs. Or. 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 promise-keeping. 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 proclamation.

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

[Exeunt Lucio and Gentlemen. Mrs. Or. Thus, what with the war, what with the sweat, what with the gallows, and what with poverty, I am custom

shrunk.

Enter POMPEY.

How now! what's the news with you?

Pom. Yonder man is carried to prison.

Mrs. Or. Well; what has he done?

Pom. A woman.

Mrs. Or. But what's his offence?

Pom. Groping for trouts in a peculiar river.

Mrs. Or. 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. Or. What proclamation, man?

Pom. All houses(10) in the suburbs of Vienna must be plucked down.

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

Pom. To the ground, mistress.

Mrs. Or. Why, here's a change indeed in the commonwealth! What shall become of me?

Pom. Come; fear not you: good counsellors 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. Or. 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.

Enter Provost, CLAUDIO, JULIET, (11) and Officers.

[Exeunt.

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 offence(12) by weight.-
The sword of heaven,(13)—on whom it will, it will;
On whom it will not, so; yet 'tis just still.(14)

Re-enter LUCIO and two Gentlemen.(15)

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,