A power I have; but of what strength and nature

I am not yet inftructed.

ANG. 'Tis fo with me:-Let us withdraw together, And we may foon our fatisfaction have

Touching that point.

ESCAL. I'll wait upon your honour.

SCENE II. A Street.

Enter LuCIO, and two GENTLEMEN.

[Exeunt.

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

I GENT. Heaven grant us its peace, but not the king of Hungary's!

2 GENT, Amen.

LUCIO. Thou concludeft like the fanctimonious pirate, that went to fea with the ten commandments, but scraped one out of the table.

2 GENT. Thou shalt not steal?

LUCIO. Ay, that he razed.

I GENT. Why, 'twas a commandment to command the captain and all the reft from their functions; they put forth to fteal: There's not a foldier of us all, that, in the thanksgiving before meat, doth relish the petition well that prays for peace.

2 GENT. I never heard any foldier dislike it.

LUCIO. I believe thee; for, I think, thou never wast

where grace was said.

2 GENT. No? a dozen times at least.

1 GENT. What? in metre?

Lucio. In any proportion, or in any language.

I GENT. I think, or in any religion.

LUCIO. Ay! why not? Grace is grace, despite of all

controverfy: As for example; Thou thyfelf art a wicked villain, despite of all grace.

us.

1 GENT. Well, there went but a pair of sheers between

LUCIO. I grant; as there may between the lifts and the velvet: Thou art the lift.

I GENT. And thou the velvet: thou art good velvet; thou art a three-pil'd piece, I warrant thee: I had as lief be a lift of an English kerfey, as be pil'd, as thou art pil'd, for a French velvet. Do I fpeak feelingly now?

LUCIO. I think thou doft; and, indeed, with most painful feeling of thy fpeech: I will, out of thine own confeffion, learn to begin thy health; but, whilft I live, forget to drink after thee.

I GENT. I think, I have done myself wrong; have I not? 2 GENT. Yes, that thou haft; whether thou art tainted, or free.

LUCIO. Behold, behold, where madam Mitigation comes! I have purchased as many diseases under her roof, as come

to

2 GENT. To what, I pray?

I GENT. Judge.

2 GENT. To three thousand dollars a year.

I GENT. Ay, and more.

LUCIÓ. A French crown more.

I GENT. Thou art always figuring diseases in me: but thou art full of error; I am found.

LUCIO. Nay, not as one would fay, healthy; but fo found, as things that are hollow: thy bones are hollow; impiety has made a feast of thee.

Enter BAWD.

I GENT. How now? Which of your hips has the most profound sciatica ?

all.

BAWD. Well, well; there's one yonder arrefted, and carried to prifon, was worth five thousand of you 1 GENT. Who's that, I pray thee?

BAWD. Marry, fir, that's Claudio, fignior Claudio.
I GENT. Claudio to prifon! 'tis not fo.

BAWD. Nay, but I know, 'tis fo: I faw him arrested; faw him carried away; and, which is more, within these three days his head's to be chopped off.

Lucio. But, after all this fooling, I would not have it fo: Art thou fure of this?

BAWD. I am too fure of it: and it is for getting madam Julietta with child.

LUCIO. Believe me, this may be: he promised to meet me two hours fince; and he was ever precife in promisekeeping.

2 GENT. Befides, you know, it draws fomething near to the speech we had to fuch a purpose.

1 GENT. But most of all, agreeing with the proclama tion.

LUCIO. Away; let's go learn the truth of it.

[Exeunt LUCIO, and GENTLemen. BAWD. Thus, what with the war, what with the sweat, what with the gallows, and what with poverty, I am custom-fhrunk. How now? what's the news with you? Enter CLOWN.

CLO. Yonder man is carried to prison.

BAWD. Well; what has he done?

CLO. A woman.

BAWD. But what's his offence?

CLO. Groping for trouts in a peculiar river. BAWD. What, is there a maid with child by him? CLO. NO; but there's a woman with maid by him: You have not heard of the proclamation, have you?

BAWD. What, proclamation, man?

CLO. All houses in the fuburbs of Vienna must be

pluck'd down.

BAWD. And what fhall become of those in the city? CLO. They shall stand for feed: they had gone down too, but that a wife burgher put in for them.

BAWD. But fhall all our houses of refort in the fuburbs be pull'd down?

CLO. To the ground, mistress.

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

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 tapfter ftill. Courage; there will be pity taken on you: you that have worn your eyes almost out in the fervice, you will be confidered.

BAWD. What's to do here, Thomas Tapfter? Let's withdraw.

CLO. Here comes fignior Claudio, led by the provoft to prifon? and there's madam Juliet, [Exeunt.

SCENE III. The fame,

Enter PROVOST, CLAUDIO, JULIET, and OFFICERS; Lucio, and two GENTLEMEN,

CLAUD. Fellow, why doft thou fhow me thus to the

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, Make us pay down for our offence by weight.-The words of heaven ;-on whom it will, it will; On whom it will not, fo; yet ftill 'tis juft.

[world?

LUCIO. Why, how now, Claudio? whence comes this restraint?

CLAUD. From too much liberty, my Lucio, liberty: As furfeit is the father of much fast,

So every scope by the immoderate use Turns to restraint: Our natures do pursue, (Like rats that ravin down their

proper bane,) A thirsty evil; and when we drink, we die.

LUCIO. If I could fpeak fo wifely under an arrest, I would fend for certain of my creditors: And yet, to fay 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, LUCIO. What is it? murder?

CLAUD. NO.

LUCIO. Lechery?

CLAUD. Call it fo.

PROV. Away, fir; you must go.

CLAUD, One word, good friend :-Lucio, a word with

you.

[Takes him afide. LUCIO. A hundred, if they'll do you any good.-Is lechery fo look'd after?

CLAUD. Thus ftands it with me:-Upon a true contráci, I got poffeffion of Julietta's bed;

You know the lady; fhe is faft my wife,

Save that we do the denunciation lack
Of outward order: this we came not to,
Only for propagation of a dower

Remaining in the coffer of her friends;

From whom we thought it meet to hide our love,
Till time had made them for us. But it chances,
The stealth of our most mutual entertainment,