At our more leisure shall I render you; Is more to bread than stone: Hence shall we see, If power change purpose, what our seemers be. SCENE V. A Nunnery. Enter ISABELLA and FRANCISCA. [Exeunt, Isab. And have you nuns no further privileges? Fran. Are not these large enough? Isab. Yes, truly: I speak not as desiring more; But rather wishing a more strict restraint Upon the sister-hood, the votarists of saint Clare. Lucio. Ho! Peace be in this place! [Within. Isab. Who's that which calls? Fran. It is a man's voice: Gentle Isabella, Turn you the key, and know his business of him; You may, I may not; you are yet unsworn: When you have vow'd, you must not speak with men, But in the presence of the prioress: Then, if you speak, you must not show your face; [Exit FRANCISCA. Isab. Peace and prosperity! Who is't that calls? Enter LUCIO. Lucio. Hail, virgin, if you be; as those cheek roses * Stands at a guard-] Stands on his defence. Proclaim you are no less! Can you so stead me, A novice of this place, and the fair sister Isab. Why her unhappy brother? let me ask; Lucio. Gentle and fair, your brother kindly greets you: Not to be weary with you, he's in prison. Isab. Woe me! For what? Lucio. For that, which if myself might be his judge, He should receive his punishment in thanks: Isab. Sir, make me not your story. It is true. I would not-though 'tis my familiar sin As with a saint. Isab. You do blaspheme the good, in mocking me. Lucio. Do not believe it. Fewness and truth, 'tis thus: 5 make me not your story.] Perhaps, Do not divert yourself with me, as you would with a story; but Mr. MALONE thinks we ought to read,-Sir, mock me not:-your story. 6 'tis my familiar sin With maids to seem the lapwing,] The modern editors have not taken in the whole similitude here: they have taken notice of the lightness of a spark's behaviour to his mistress, and compared it to the lapwing's hovering and fluttering as it flies. But the chief, of which no notice is taken, is,-" —and to jest." [See Ray's Proverbs.] "The lapwing cries, tongue far from heart;" i.e. most farthest from the nest. Your brother and his lover have embrac'd: İsab. Some one with child by him?-My cousin Lucio. Is she your cousin? Isab. Adoptedly; as school-maids change their names, By vain though apt affection. Lucio. Isab. O, let him marry her! She it is. This is the point. The duke is very strangely gone from hence; Bore many gentlemen, myself being one, In hand, and hope of action: but we do learn By those that know the very nerves of state, His givings out were of an infinite distance From his true-meant design. Upon his place, And with full line of his authority, Governs lord Angelo: a man, whose blood very snow-broth; one who never feels The wanton stings and motions of the sense; But doth rebate and blunt his natural edge With profits of the mind, study and fast. He (to give fear to use' and liberty, Is Which have, for long, run by the hideous law, To teeming foison;] Foison is plenty. Tilth.] Tilth is tillage. • Bore many gentlemen, In hand and hope of action:] To bear in hand is a common phrase for to keep in expectation and dependance; but we should read: with hope of action. JOHNSON. to give fear to use-] To intimidate use, that is, practices long countenanced by custom. Under whose heavy sense your brother's life Lucio. you and prayer Has censur'd him2 Already; and, as I hear, the provost hath Isab. Alas! what poor ability's in me Lucio. Our doubts are traitors, Assay the power you have. And let him learn to know, when maidens sue, kneel, All their petitions are as freely theirs As they themselves would owe3 them. Lucio. Isav. I will about it straight; But, speedily. No longer staying but to give the mother my success. leave of you. Good sir, adieu. [Exeunt. 3 Has censur'd him -] i. e. sentenced him. would owe-] To owe, in this place, is to have. ACT II. SCENE I. A Hall in Angelo's House. Enter ANGELO, ESCALUS, a Justice, Provost," Officers, and other Attendants. Ang. We must not make a scare-crow of the law, Setting it up to fear the birds of prey, And let it keep one shape, till custom make it Escal. Ay, but yet Let us be keen, and rather cut a little, Than fall, and bruise to death: Alas! this gentleman, Whom I would save, had a most noble father. Let but your honour know, (Whom I believe to be most strait in virtue,) Could have attain'd the effect of your own purpose, Ang. "Tis one thing to be tempted, Escalus, The jury, passing on the prisoner's life, May, in the sworn twelve, have a thief or two Guiltier than him they try: What's open made to justice, That justice seizes. What know the laws, Provost,] The Provost here, is not a military officer, but a kind of sheriff or gaoler. |