With any fcruple; your Scope is as mine own,
So to inforce, or qualifie the Laws,
As to your foul 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 Ave's vehement:
Nor do I think the man of safe difcretion,
That does affect it. Once more, fare you well.
Ang. The heav'ns give safety to your purposes!
Efcal. Lead forth, and bring you back in happiness!
Duke. I thank you, fare you well.
[Exit.
Efcal. I shall defire you, Sir, to give me leave
To have free speech with you; and it concerns me
To look into the bottom of my Place:

A pow'r 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 foon our fatisfaction have
Touching that point.

Escal. I'll wait upon your Honour.

Lucio.

I

SCENE, The Street.

Enter Lucio, and two gentlemen.

[Exeunt.

F the Duke, with the other Dukes, come not to composition with the King of Hungary,

why, then all the Dukes fall upon the King.

I Gent. Heav'n grant us its peace, but not the King of Hungary's!

2 Gent. Amen.

Lucio. Thou conclud'st like the sanctimonious Pirate, that went to sea with the ten Commandments, but scrap'd.one out of the Table.

2 Gent. Thou shalt not steal.

Lucio. Ay, that he raz'd.

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 foldier of us all, that,

in the thanksgiving before meat, do 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 faid.

2 Gent. No? a dozen times at least.

I Gent. What? in meeter?

Lucio. In any proportion, or in any language.
I Gent. I think, or in any religion.

Lucio. Ay, why not? grace is grace, despight of all controverfie; as for example, thou thy felf art a wicked villain, despight of all grace.

tween us.

I Gent. Well; there went but a pair of sheers bee 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'rt a three-pil'd piece, I warrant thee: I had as lief be a lift of an English kersey, as be pil'd, as thou art pil'd, for a French velvet. 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 confeffion, learn to begin thy health; but, whilst I live, forget to drink after thee.

1 Gent. I think, I have done my self wrong, have I not?

2 Gent. Yes, that thou hast; whether thou art tainted, or free.

Lucio. Behold, behold, where Madam Mitigation comes. I Gent, I have purchas'd as many diseases under her

roof, as come to

2 Gent. To what, I pray?

1 Gent. Judge.

2 Gent. To three thousand dollars a year.

1 Gent. Ay, and more.

Lucio. A French crown more. (3)

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

Lucio. Nay, not as one would say healthy; but fo found, as things that are hollow; thy bones are hollow; impiety hath made a feast of thee.

Enter Bawd.

I Gent. How now, which of your hips has the most profound sciatica?

Bawd. Well, well; there's one yonder arrested, and carry'd to prifon, was worth five thousand of you all.

1 Gent. Who's that, I pr'ythee? Bawd. Marry, Sir, that's Claudio; Signior Claudio. I Gent. Claudio to prison? 'tis not so.

Bawd. Nay, but I know, 'tis so; I saw him arrested; saw him carry'd away; and, which is more, within these three days his head is to be chopt off.

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

Bawd. 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.

[Exe.

Manet Bawd.

Bawd. Thus, what with the war, what with the sweat, what with the gallows, and what with poverty, I am custom-shrunk. How now? what's the news with you?

Enter Clown.

Clown. Yonder man is carry'd to prison.
Bawd. Well; what has he done?
Clown. A woman.

Bawd. But what's his offence?

Clown. Groping for trouts in a peculiar river. Bawd. What? is there a maid with child by him? Clown. No; but there's a woman with maid by him. You have not heard of the Proclamation, have you? Bawd. What Proclamation, man?

Clown. All houses in the suburbs of Vienna must be pluck'd down.

Bawd. And what shall become of those in the city? Clown. They shall stand for feed; they had gone down too, but that a wife burger put in for them. Bawd. But shall all our houses of resort in the suburbs be pull'd down?

Clown. To the ground, mistress.

Bawd. Why, here's a change, indeed, in the comman wealth; what shall become of me?

Clown. 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 confidered.

Bawd. What's to do here, Thomas Tapster? let's. withdraw. Clown. Here comes Signior Claudio, led by the Provost to prison; and there's Madam Juliet.

[Ex. Bawd and Clown.

Enter Provost, Claudio, Juliet, and Officers. Lucio and two Gentlemen.

Claud. Fellow, why dost thou show me thus to th' world?

Bear

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, so; yet still 'tis just.

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 scope by the immod'rate use
Turns to reftraint: 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 speak so wisely under an arrest, İ 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 of fence, Claudio?

Claud. What, but to speak of, would offend again. Lucio. What is't, murder?

Claud. No.

Lucio. Letchery?

Claud. Call it for

Prov. Away, Sir, you must go.

Claud. One word, good friend:- Lucio, a word with you.

Lucio. A hundred; if they'll do you any good: is

letchery so look'd after?

tract

Claud. Thus stands it with me; upon a true con

I got poffeffion of Julietta's bed,

(You know the lady,) she is fast 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