Clo. 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. Bawd. What's to do here, Thomas Tapster? Let's withdraw. Clo. Here comes signior Claudio, led by the provost to prison; and there's madam Juliet. SCENE III.-The Same. Enter Provost, CLAUDIO, and Officers.1 [Exeunt. Claud. Fellow, why dost thou show me thus to th' 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 demi-god, authority, Enter LUCIO and two Gentlemen.3 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 scape by the immoderate use 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 offence, Claudio? Claud. What but to speak of would offend again. Claud. No. Lucio. Lechery? Claud. Call it so. 1 Enter Provost, CLAUDIO, JULIET, and Officers; LUCIO and two Gentlemen in f. e. 2 An allusion to St. Paul's Ep. to Romans ix: 15. 3 Not in f. e. 4 Greedily devour 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? Claud. Thus stands it with me:-Upon a true contract, I got possession of Julietta's bed: You know the lady; she is fast my wife, Remaining in the coffer of her friends, From whom we thought it meet to hide our love, Claud. Unhappily, even so. And the new deputy now for the duke,- A horse whereon the governor doth ride, He can command, lets it straight feel the spur; Or in his eminence that fills it up, I stagger in;-but this new governor Awakes me all the enrolled penalties, Which have, like unscour'd armour, hung by the wall Freshly on me :-'t is surely, for a name. Lucio. I warrant it is; and thy head stands so tickle on thy shoulders, that a milk-maid, 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. 1 denunciation in f. e. 2 propagation in f. e. Implore her, in my voice, that she make friends Such as moves men: beside, she hath prosperous art, 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 ticktack. I'll to her. Claud. I thank you, good friend Lucio. Claud. Come, officer; away! [Exeunt. SCENE IV-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 complete bosom. Why I desire thee More grave and wrinkled, than the aims and ends Fri. 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 keeps. (A man of stricture, and firm abstinence) My absolute power and place here in Vienna, Fri. Gladly, my lord. Duke. We have strict statutes, and most biting laws, (The needful bits and curbs to head-strong steeds3) Which for this fourteen years we have let sleep'; Even like an o'er-grown lion in a cave, That goes not out to prey: now, as fond fathers, 1 Tric-trac. 2 weeds: in f. e. 3 Old Eds. and Knight: slip. Theobald suggested the change also Having bound up the threat'ning twigs of birch For terror, not to use, in time the rod' si More mock'd than feared; so our most just decrees, The baby beats the nurse, and quite athwart Goes all decorum. Fri. It rested in your grace To unloose this tied-up justice, when you pleas'd; Duke. I fear, too dreadful: Sith 't was my fault to give the people scope, And not due punishment. Therefore, indeed, my father, Who may, in th' ambush of my name, strike home, To draw on slander. And to behold his sway, I will, as 't were a brother of your order, Visit both prince and people: therefore, I pr'ythee, Is more to bread than stone: hence shall we see, Enter ISABELLA and FRANCISCA. Isab. And have you nuns no farther privileges? Isab. Yes, truly: I speak not as desiring more, 1 f. e. : In time, the rod Becomes more mock'd, than fear'd; so our decrees, Becomes was added by Pope. 2 fight in f. e. 3 do in: in f. e. Upon the sisterhood, the votarists of saint Clare. Fran. It is a man's voice. Gentle Isabella, Then, if you speak, you must not show your face; He calls again: I pray you, answer him. [LUCIO calls.' [Exit FRANCISCA. Isab. Peace and prosperity! Who is 't that calls? Enter LUCIO. Lucio. Hail, virgin, if you be, as those cheek-roses Proclaim you are no less, can you so stead me, As bring me to the sight of Isabella, A novice of this place, and the fair sister To her unhappy brother Claudio? Isab. Why her unhappy brother? let me ask, The rather, for I now must make you know I am that Isabella, and his sister. 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. He hath got his friend with child. Isab. Sir, make me not your scorn.2 Lucio. 'Tis true. I would not, though 't is my familiar sin With maids to seem the lapwing, and to jest, Tongue far from heart, play with all virgins so: I hold you as a thing ensky'd, and sainted By your renouncement, an immortal spirit As with a saint. Isab. You do blaspheme the good in mocking me. Lucio. Do not believe it. Fewness and truth, 'tis . thus: Your brother and his lover have embrac'd: 1 Not in f. e. 2 story: in f. e. |