The stealth of our most mutual entertainment,
With character too gross, is writ on Juliet.
Lucio. With child, perhaps?

Claud. Unhappily, even fo.

And the new Deputy now for the Duke,
(Whether it be the fault, and glimpse, of newness;
Or whether that the body publick be
A horse whereon the Governor doth ride,
Who, newly in the feat, that it may know
He can command, lets it strait feel the spur;
Whether the tyranny be in his Place,
Or in his eminence that fills it up,
I stagger in:)- but this new Governor
Awakes me all th' enrolled penalties,
Which have, like unscour'd armour, hung by th' wall
So long, that nineteen Zodiacks have gone round, (4)
And none of them been worn; and, for a name,
Now puts the drowsie and neglected Act
Freshly on me; 'tis, surely, for a name.

Lucio. I warrant, it is; and thy head stands so tickle on thy shoulders, that a milk-maid, if she be in love, may sigh it off. Send after the Duke, and appeal to him.

Claud. I have done so, but he's not to be found. I pr'ythee, Lucio, do me this kind service: This day my Sister should the Cloister enter, And there receive her Approbation. Acquaint her with the danger of my state, Implore her, in my voice, that the make friends To the strict Deputy; bid her felf afsay him; I have great hope in that; for in her youth There is a prone and speechless dialect, Such as moves men! beside, she 'hath profp'rous art When she will play with reason and difcourse, And well the can perfuade.

(4) So long, that nineteen Zodiacks have gone round,] The Duke, in the Scene immediately following, says,

Which for these fourteen Years we have let flip,

The Author could not fo disagree with himself, in so narrow a Compass. The Numbers must have been wrote in Figures, and so mistaken: for which reason, 'tis necessary to make the two Accounts correspond.

Lucio. I pray, she may; as well for the encouragement of the like, which else would stand under grievous imposition; as for the enjoying of thy life, who I would be forry should be thus foolishly lost at a game of tick-tack. I'll to her.

Claud. I thank you, good friend Lucio.
Lucio. Within two hours,
Claud. Come, officer, away.

Duke.

SCENE, A MONASTERY.

Enter Duke, and Friar Thomas.

[Exeunt.

Nos holy father, throw away that thoughts

Believe not, that the dribbling dart of love

Can pierce a compleat bosom: why I defire thee
To give me secret harbour, hath a purpose
More grave, and wrinkled, than the aims and ends
Of burning youth.

Fri. May your Grace speak of it?

Duke. My holy Sir, none better knows than you,
How I have ever lov'd the life remov'd;
And held in idle price to haunt Assemblies,
Where youth, and cost, and witless bravery keeps.
I have deliver'd to lord Angelo

(A man of stricture and firm abstinence) (5)

My

My absolute Pow'r and Place here in Vienna;
And he supposes me travell'd to Poland;
For fo I've strew'd it in the common ear,
And so it is receiv'd: now, pious Sir,
You will demand of me, why I do this?

Fri. Gladly, my lord.

Duke. We have strict Statutes and most biting Laws, (The needful bits and curbs for head-strong Steeds,) (6) Which for these nineteen years we have let fleep; (7)

Even

thor as well to coin Words, as to form their Terminations ad libitum; he may have adopted Stricture here to fignify Strictness; as afterwards, in this very Play, he has introduced prompture, the Ufage of which Word I no where else remember in our Tongue; neither have we promptura or prompture, from the Latin or French, that I know of.

(6) The needful Bits and Curbs for headstrong Weeds:) There is no manner of Analogy, or Confonance, in the Metaphors here: and, tho' the Copies agree, I do not think, the Author would have talk'd of Bits and Curbs for Weeds. On the other hand, nothing can be more proper, than to compare Persons of unbridled Licentiousness to headstrong Steeds: and, in this View, bridling the Paffions has been a Phrase adopted by our best Poets.

So, Horace, Lib. iv. Od. 15.
& Ordinem

Rectum evaganti frena Licentiæ
Injecit, emovitque culpas,

Et veteres revocavit Artes.

So, in his Epistles, Lib. 1. Ep. 2.

animum rege, qui, nifi paret,
Imperat, hunc frenis, hunc tu compesce catena.

And so the elegant Phædrus, Lib. 1. Fab. 2.
Procax libertas civitatem mifcuit,
Frenumque folvit priftinum licentiâ.

But Instances were endless both from the Poets, and Prose-writers. (7) Which for these fourteen Years we have let flip,] For fourteen I have made no Scruple to replace nineteen. The Reason will be obvious to the Reader, who shall look back to the 4th Note upon this Play. I have, I hope, upon as good Authority, alter'd the odd Phrafe of letting the Laws flip: for, supposing the Expression might be justified, yet how does it fort with the Comparison, that follows, of a Lion in his Cave that went not out to prey? But letting the Laws fleep, as I have restor'd to the Text, adds a particular Propriety to the Thing represented, and accords exactly too with the Simile. It is the Metaphor too, that our Author seems fond of using upon this Occafion, in several other Passages of this Play.

The Law bath not been dead, the it hath slept:

Tis now awake.

VOL. I.

Y

And

Even like an o'er-grown lion in a cave,
That goes not out to prey: now, as fond fathers
Having bound up the threat'ning twigs of birch,
Only to stick it in their children's fight,
For terror, not to use; in time the rod
Becomes more mock'd, than fear'd: so our Decrees,
Dead to infliction, to themselves are dead;
And Liberty plucks Justice by the nose;
The baby beats the nurse, and quite athwart
Goes all decorum.

Fri. It rested in your Grace
T'unloose this ty'd-up justice, when you pleas'd:
And it in you more dreadful would have seem'd,
Than in lord Angelo.

Duke. I do fear, too dreadful.
Sith 'twas my fault to give the people scope,
'Twould be my tyranny to strike, and gall them,
For what I bid them do. For we bid this be done,
When evil deeds have their permissive pass,
And not the punishment. Therefore, indeed, my father,
I have on Angelo impos'd the office:
Who may in th' ambush of my name ftrike home,
And yet, my nature never in the fight
So do in slander: And to behold his sway,
I will, as 'twere a Brother of your Order,
Vifit both Prince and people; therefore, pr'ythee,
Supply me with the habit, and instruct me
How I may formally in person bear,

Like a true Friar. More reasons for this action

- At our more leisure shall I render you;
Only, this one: - Lord Angelo is precise;
Stands at a guard with envy; scarce confefses
That his blood flows, or that his appetite
Is more to bread than ftone: hence shall we fee,
If Pow'r change Purpose, what our Seemers be. [Exe.

Ifab. A

SCENE, A NUNNERY.

Enter Isabella and Francisca.

ND have you Nuns no farther privileges?
Nun. Are not these large enough?

Isab. Yes, truly; I speak not, as defiring more;
But rather wishing a more strict restraint
Upon the fifter-hood, the votarists of Saint Clare.
Lucio. [Within.] Hoa! Peace be in this place!
Ifab. Who's that, which calls?

Nun. It is a man's voice: gentle Isabella,
Turn you the key, and know his business of him;
You may; I may not; you are yet unsworn:
When you have vow'd, you must not speak with men,
But in the prefence of the Prioress;

Then, if you speak, you must not shew your face;
Or, if you thew your face, you must not speak.
He calls again; I pray you, answer him. [Exit. Franc.
Ifab. Peace and profperity! who is't that calls?

Enter Lucio.

Lucio. Hail, virgin, (if you be) as those cheek-rofes Proclaim you are no less; can you so stead me, As bring me to the fight of Isabella, A novice of this place, and the fair fifter To her unhappy brother Claudio?

Ifab. Why her unhappy brother? let me ask The rather, for I now must make you know I am that Ifabella, and his sister.

Lucio. Gentle and fair, your brother kindly greets you;

Not to be weary with you, he's in prison.

Ifab. Wo me! for what?

Lucio. For that, which, if my self might be his judge,

He should receive his punishment in thanks;

He hath got his friend with child.

Ifab. Sir, make me not your story.

Lucio. Tis true:--I would not (tho' 'tis my familiar fin

With maids to seem the lapwing, and to jeft,

Y2

Tongue