duke had crotchets in him: He would be drunk too; that let me inform you. Duke. You do him wrong, furely. k Lucio. Sir, I was an inward of his : A 'fhy fellow was the duke: and, I believe, I know the caufe of his withdrawing. Duke. What, I pr'ythee, might be the cause? Lucio. No-pardon ;-'tis a secret must be lock'd within the teeth and the lips: but this I can let you understand, -The "greater file of the fubject held the duke to be wife. Duke. Wife? why, no question but he was. n Lucio. A very fuperficial, ignorant, unweighing fellow. Duke. Either this is envy in you, folly, or mistaking; the very ftream of his life, and the business he hath helmed, muft, upon a warranted need, give him a better proclamation. Let him be but teftimonied in his own bringings foith, and he fhall appear, to the envious, a fcholar, a statesman, and a foldier: Therefore, you speak unfkilfully; or, if your knowledge be more, it is much darken'd in your malice. Lucio. Sir, I know him, and I love him. Duke. Love talks with better knowledge, and knowledge with dearer love. Lucio. Come, fir, I know what I know. Duke. I can hardly believe that, fince you know not what you speak. But, if ever the duke return, (as our prayers are he may) let me desire you to make your anfwer before him: If it be honeft you have fpoke, you have courage to maintain it: I am bound to call upon you; and, I pray you, your name? Lucio. Sir, my name is Lucio; well known to the duke. k an inward]-an intimate. 1 fly. m greater file]-the majority. belmed,]-fteered through, the difficulties he hath furmounted. Duke. Duke. He shall know you better, fir, if I may live to report you. Lucio. I fear you not. Duke. Oh, you hope, the duke will return no more; or you imagine me too unhurtful an oppofite. But, indeed, I can do you little harm: you'll forfwear this again. Lucio. I'll be hang'd first : thou art deceiv'd in me, friar. But no more of this: Canft thou tell, if Claudio die tomorrow, or no? Duke. Why fhould he die, fir? Lucio. Why? for filling a bottle with a tun-difh. I would, the duke, we talk of, were return'd again: this ungenitur'd agent will unpeople the province with continency; fparrows muft not build in his houfe-eaves, because they are lecherous. The duke yet would have dark deeds darkly anfwer'd; he would never bring them to light: Would he were return'd! marry, this Claudio is condemn'd for untruffing. Farewell, good friar; I pr'ythee, pray for me. The duke, I fay to thee again, would eat mutton on fridays. He's now paft it; yet, and I fay to thee, he would mouth with a beggar, though she smelt brown bread and garlick: fay, that I faid fo. Farewell. Duke. No might nor greatnefs in mortality Enter Efcalus, Provost, Bawd, and Officers. [Exit. Bawd. Good my lord, be good to me; your honour is accounted a merciful man: good my lord. Y 3 ungenitur'd agent]-unfurnished with the organs of generation. Peat mutton on fridays.]-was a wencher in his day. a yea. Efcal. Efcal. Double and treble admonition, and still forfeit in the fame kind? this would make mercy fwear, and play the tyrant. Prov. A bawd of eleven years continuance, may it please your honour. Bawd. My lord, this is one Lucio's information against me: mistress Kate Keep-down was with child by him in the duke's time, he promis'd her marriage; his child is a year and quarter old, come Philip and Jacob; I have kept it myself, and fee, how he goes about to abuse me. Efcal. That fellow is a fellow of much licence :—let him be call'd before us.-Away with her to prifon: Go to; no more words. [Exeunt with the Bawd.] Provost, my brother Angelo will not be alter'd, Claudio muft die tomorrow; let him be furnish'd with divines, and have all charitable preparation : if my brother wrought by my pity, it fhould not be fo with him. Prov. So please you, this friar has been with him, and advis'd him for the entertainment of death. Efcal. Good even, good father. Duke. Blifs and goodness on you! Efcal. Of whence are you Duke. Not of this country, though my chance is now To use it for my time: I am a brother Of gracious order, lately come from the fee, In fpecial business from his holiness. Efcal. What news abroad i' the world? Duke. None, but that there is fo great a fever on goodnefs, that the diffolution of it must cure it: novelty is only make mercy fwear, and play the tyrant.]-transform her to a fury. AS YOU LIKE IT, A& IV, S. 3. Rof. in requeft; and it is as dangerous to be aged in any kind of course, as it is "virtuous to be conftant in any undertaking. There is fcarce truth enough alive, to make societies fecure; but "fecurity enough, to make fellowships accurs'd: Much upon this riddle runs the wifdom of the world. This news is old enough, yet it is every day's news. I pray you, fir, of what difpofition was the duke? Efcal. One, that above all other ftrifes, contended efpecially to know himself. Duke. What pleasure was he given to ? Efcal. Rather rejoicing to fee another merry, than merry at any thing which profefs'd to make him rejoice: a gentleman of all temperance. But leave we him to his events, with a prayer they may prove profperous; and let me defire to know, how you find Claudio prepar'd? I am made to understand, that you have lent him vifitation. Duke. He profeffes no finifter measure from his judge, but most willingly humbles himself to the determination of juftice: yet had he fram❜d to himself, by the instruction of his frailty, many deceiving promises of life; which I, by my good leifure, have difcredited to him, and now is he refolved to die. Efcal. You have paid the heavens your function, and the prifoner the very debt of your calling. I have labour'd for the poor gentleman, to the extremest shore of my modefty; but my brother juftice have I found fo fevere, that he hath forc'd me to tell him, he is indeed—justice, Duke. If his own life answer the straitness of his proceeding, it fhall become him well; wherein if he chance. to fail, he hath fentenc'd himself. t Efcal. I am going to vifit the prifoner: Fare you well. W [Exit. to be aged]-not to shift with the times is as dangerous to a man's character. "virtuous]-virtuous indeed. fecurity]-furetiship. Y leisure,]--lecture. * his events,]—his fate. Duke. Peace be with you! He, who the fword of heaven will bear, с To weed my vice, and let his grow! [Exit. Pattern in himself to know, grace to ftand, and virtue go;]—Happily confcious of poffeffing fuch a degree of grace, as enables him to ftand firmly, fets him above the reach of ordinary temptations, and difplays itself in an exemplary demeanour, a conftant courfe of virtue. Than by felf-offences weighing.]-Than confcience shall dictate upon a review of his own failings. To weed my vice, and let his grow !]-To extirpate another's vices, and indulge his own. How may that likeness &c.]-How eafily may hypocrify, under the mask of virtue impofe upon the world, practife all iniquity with impu nity, and derive to itself, what it deems the moft folid advantages, by the moft flender pretenfions. e made, trade. So difguife fhall, by the difguis'd, &c.]-So fhall the counterfeit Angelo be paid in kind, by me a feigned friar, and a fuppofititious mistress, and whilft he defervedly fuffers for his bafe defign upon Ifabella, make the only proper amends to the much injured Mariana. ACT |