The smallest scruple of her excellence

But, like a thrifty goddess, she determines

Herself the glory of a creditor,

Both thanks and use. But I do bend my speech

To one that can my part in him advértise ;9

Hold, therefore, Angelo:

[Tendering his commission.

In our remove be thou at full ourself;

Mortality and mercy in Vienna.

Live in thy tongue and heart: old Escalus,
Though first in question, is thy secondary.
Take thy commission.

Ang.

Now, good my lord,

Let there be some more test made of my metal,
Before so noble and so great a figure

Be stamp'd upon't.

No more evasion: we

Duke.
Have with a leaven'd 10 and prepared choice
Proceeded to you; therefore take your honours.
Our haste from hence is of so quick condition,
That it prefers itself, and leaves unquestion'd
Matters of needful value. We shall write to you,
As time and our concernings shall impórtune,
How it goes with us; and do look to know
What doth befall you here. So, fare you well:
To th' hopeful execution do I leave you
Of your commission.

Ang.

Yet, give leave, my lord,

8 Use is interest, returns of profit or advantage.

[Giving it.

9 "To one who is himself competent to instruct or counsel others in the very part, that is, the matter, in which I am instructing him." The Poet often uses to bend for to direct. He also has advertise repeatedly as here explained. See the last scene of this play, note 38.

10 Leaven'd is mature, or well-considered. Probably an implied image or idea of ale well fermented, and so made fit for use.

That we may bring you11 something on the way.
Duke. My haste may not admit it ;
Nor need you, on mine honour, have to do
With any scruple: your scope is as mine own,

So to enforce or qualify the laws

As to your soul seems good. Give me your hand:

I'll privily away. I love the people,

But do not like to stage me to their eyes:

Though it do well, I do not relish well

Their loud applause and aves 12 vehement;
Nor do I think the man of safe discretion

That does affect it.

Once more, fare you well.

Ang. The Heavens give safety to your purposes !
Escal. Lead forth and bring you back in happiness!
Duke. I thank you. Fare you well.

Escal. I shall desire you, sir, to give me leave

[Exit.

To have free speech with you; and it concerns me

To look into the bottom of my place : 13

A power I have, but of what strength and nature
I am not yet instructed.

Ang. 'Tis so with me. Let us withdraw together,
And we may soon our satisfaction have

Touching that point.

Escal.

I'll wait upon your Honour. [Exeunt.

11 "Bring you" is attend or escort you. So bring is often used.

12 Aves are hailings. Here the Duke appears to be covertly searching Angelo's sly arts of popularity. Ostensibly he acts a strange part in the play; but these dim intimations of his secret purpose, when duly heeded, make his course appear more rational and judicious. His action is not a whim or caprice, but a shrewd fitting of means to a foreconceived end.

13 That is, "ascertain fully where I am, and what is the nature and scope of my office." To look to the bottom of a thing, is to see through it.

SCENE II.- A Street.

Enter LUCIO and two Gentlemen.

Lucio. If the Duke, with the other dukes, come not to composition with the King of Hungary, why, then all the dukes fall upon the King.

1 Gent. Heaven grant us its peace, but not the King of Hungary's!

2 Gent. Amen.

Lucio. Thou concludest like the sanctimonious pirate, that went to sea with the Ten Commandments, but scraped one out of the table.

2 Gent. Thou shalt not steal?

Lucio. Ay, that he razed.

1 Gent. Why, 'twas a commandment to command the captain and all the rest from their functions: they put forth to steal. There's not a soldier of us all, that, in the thanksgiving before meat, doth relish the petition well that prays for peace.

2 Gent. I never heard any soldier 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.

1 Gent. I think, or in any religion.

Lucio. Ay, why not? Grace is grace, despite of all controversy as, for example, thou thyself art a wicked villain, despite of all grace.

1 Gent. Well, there went but a pair of shears between us.2

1 Proportion, here, is measure or metre.

2 A proverbial phrase; meaning "we were cut out of the same piece." The proverb is still current.

Lucio. I grant; as there may between the list and the velvet. Thou art the list.

I Gent. And thou the velvet: thou art good velvet; thou'rt a three-piled piece, I warrant thee: I had as lief be a list of an English kersey, as be piled, as thou art piled, for a French velvet.3 Do I speak feelingly now?

Lucio. I think thou dost; and, indeed, with most painful feeling of thy speech: I will, out of thine own confession, learn to begin thy health; but, whilst I live, forget to drink after thee.4

1 Gent. I think I have done myself wrong, have I not? 2 Gent. Yes, that thou hast, whether thou art tainted or free.5

Lucio. Behold, behold, where Madam Mitigation comes ! 1 Gent. I have purchased as many diseases under her roof as come to

2 Gent. To what, I pray?

1 Gent. Judge.

2 Gent. To three thousand dolours 6 a year.

1 Gent. Ay, and more.

Lucio. A French crown more.

1 Gent. Thou art always figuring diseases in me; but thou art full of error: I am sound.

Lucio. Nay, not as one would say, healthy; but so sound

3 A quibble between piled and pilled or peeled. Velvet was prized according to the pile, three-piled being the richest. See vol. ii., page 92, note 41. But piled or pilled also meant bald. The jest alludes to the loss of hair in what was called the French disease. - English kersey was a cheap coarse woollen cloth, worn by plain people. See vol. ii., page 93, note 42.

4 Lucio, finding that the Gentleman understands him so well, promises to drink his health, but to avoid drinking after him, as the cup of an infected person was thought to be contagious.

5 The Poet often uses free in the sense of pure, undefiled, or innocent. Here it means untainted with the disease in question.

6 A quibble between dolours and dollars, the former meaning pains. The Poet has the equivoque several times.

as things that are hollow: thy bones are hollow; impiety has made a feast of thee.

Enter Mistress OVERDONE.

1 Gent. How now! which of your hips has the most profound sciatica?

Mrs. Over. Well, well; there's one yonder arrested and carried to prison was worth five thousand of you all.

2 Gent. Who's that, I pray thee?

Mrs. Over. Marry, sir, that's Claudio, Signior Claudio. 1 Gent. Claudio to prison! 'tis not so.

Mrs. Over. Nay, but I know 'tis so: I saw him arrested; saw him carried away; and, which is more, within these three days his head's to be chopp'd off.

Lucio. But, after all this fooling, I would not have it so. Art thou sure of this?

Mrs. Over. I am too sure of it: and it is for getting Madam Julietta with child.

Lucio. Believe me, this may be: he promised to meet me two hours since, and he was ever precise in promise-keeping. 2 Gent. Besides, you know, it draws something near to the speech we had to such a purpose.

1 Gent. But, most of all, agreeing with the proclamation. Lucio. Away! let's go learn the truth of it.

[Exeunt LUCIO and Gentlemen. Mrs. Over. Thus, what with the war, what with the sweat,7 what with the gallows, and what with poverty, I am customshrunk.

Enter POMPEY.

How now! what's the news with you?

7 Some think this refers to the curative process, what was called the sweating-tub, then used for the disease mentioned before. Dyce, however, in his Glossary, says, " Here, it would seem, the sweat means the sweating sickness, and not the method used for the cure of the venereal disease."