Dramatis Personæ.

Escalus, {

Deputation.

VINCENTIO, Duke of Vienna.
Angelo, Lord Deputy in the Duke's absence.
Prolus ? An ancient Lord, join'd with Angelo in the
Claudio, a young Gentleman.
Lucio, a Fantastick.
Two Gentlemen.
Varrius, a Gentleman, Servant to the Duke.
Provost.

Thomas, } two Friars.

Peter,

peres retice. ample. Gentle

two Friars.

Elbow, a simple Constable.
Froth, a foolish Gentleman,
Clown, Servant to Mrs. Over-doned
Abhorson, an Executioner.
Barnardine, a disolute Prisoner,

- Ifabella, Sister to Claudio.
- Mariana, betrothed to Angelo.

Juliet, beloved of Claudio.
Francisca, a Nun.
Mistress Over-done, a Bawd.

Guards, Officers, and other Attendants.

SCENE, Vienna.

MEA

A CT I. SCEN E I.
The Duke's P A LA C E.
Enter Duke, Escalus, and Lords.

DU KE.
LOS CALUS,

Escal. My Lord.
Duke. Of Government the properties

t'unfold, Eile Would seem in me t'affect speech and dif

course,

2 Since I am not to know, that your own Science
Exceeds, in that, the lists of all advice
My strength can give you: then no more remains:

Put The story is taken from Cinthio's Novels, December 8. November 5.

Mr. Pope.
2 Since I am not to know, that your own Science

Exceeds, in that, the lifts of all advice
My frength can give you : then no more remains :
Put that to your sufficiency, as your worth is able,

And let them work. ] To the integrity of this reading Mr. Theobald objects, and says, What was Escalus to put to his suficiency! why his science : But his science and sufficiency were A a 2

bui

Put that to your sufficiency, as your worth is able,
And let them work. The nature of our people,
Our city's inftitutions, 3 and the terms
Of common justice, y'are as pregnant in,
As art and practice hath enriched any
That we remember." There is our Commission,
From which we would not have you warp. Call hither,
I say, bid come before us Angelo:
What figure of us, think you, he will bear?
4. For you must know, we have with special roll
Elected him our Absence to supply ;
Lent him our Terror, dreft him with our Love;
And giv’n his Deputation all the organs
Of our own Power : say, what think you of it?

Escal. If any in Vienna be of worth
To undergo such ample grace and honour,
It is lord Angelo

but one and the same thing. Or what then does the relative them depend? He will have it, therefore, that a line has been acci. dentally dropt, which he attempts to restore by due diligence. Nodum in fcirpo quærit. And all for want of knowing, that by fufficiency is meant authority, the power delegated by the Duke to Escalus. The plain meaning of the word being this ; Put your skill in governing ( says the Duke) to the power which I give you to exercise it, and let them work together.

3— and the terms of common justice,] i, e, bounds, limits.

4 For you must know we have with special soul

Elečted bim our absence to supply;] This nonsense must be corrected thus,

with Special ROLL i. e. by a fpecial commission. For it appears, from this scene, that Escalüs had one commission, and Angelo another. The Duke had before delivered Escalus his commiflion. He now declares that designed for Angelo: and he says, afterwards, to both,

To th' hopeful execution do I leave you

Of your commiffions.
Why Angelo's was called the special roll was, because he was in
authority superior to Escalus.

old Escalus,
Tho' first in question, is thy secondary.

SCENE

$ CE NE 11.

Enter Angelo.

Duke. Look, where he comes.

Ang. Always obedient to your Grace's will, I come to know your pleasure,

I come. Angeloo of chara

There is a kind of character in thy life,
That to th' observer doth thy hiftory
Fully unfold : thy self and thy belongings
Are not thine own so proper, as to waste
Thy self upon thy virtues ; they on thee.
Heav'n doth with us, as we with torches do,
Not light them for themselves : 3 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 ifsues : nor Nature never lends
The smallest scruple of her excellence,
But, like a thrifty Goddess, she determines
Her self the glory of a creditor,
Both thanks and use. But I do bend my specch
To one that can ? my part in him advertise ;
s--for if our virtues, &c.]

Paulùm fepultæ difat inertica
Celata virtus.-

Horat. 6- But I do bend my speech

To one that can my part in him advertise; ] This is obscure. The meaning is, I direct my speech to one who is able to teach me how to govern: my part in him, signifying my office, which I have delegated to him.

7- my part in him advertise; ] i. e. who knows what appertains to the character of deputy or viceroy.' Can advertise my part in him ; that is, his representation of my person. But all these quaintnefses of expression, the Oxford Editor seems sworn to extirpate ; that is, to take away one of Shakespear's characteristic marks; which, if not one of the comlieft, is yet one of the strongest. So he alters this to

To one that can, in my part, me advertise. A better expression indeed, but, for all that, none of Shakespear's. A a 3

Hold