MERCY FREQUENTLY MISTAKEN. Mercy is not itself, that oft looks so; MERCY IN GOVERNORS COMMENDED. THE DUTY OF MUTUAL FORGIVENESS Alas! alas Why, all the souls that were, were forfeit once; Yet show some pity. JUSTICE. Ang. I show it most of all, when I show justice, For then I pity those I do not know, Which a dismiss'd offence would after gall; And do him right, that, answering one foul wrong, Lives not to act another. THE ABUSE OF AUTHORITY. O, it is excellent To have a giant's strength; but it is tyrannous Could great men thunder, As Jove himself does, Jove would ne'er be quiet, For every pelting,* petty officer, Would use his heaven for thunder; nothing but thunder. Merciful heaven! Thou rather, with thy sharp and sulphurous bolt, Split'st the unwedgeable and gnarled† oak, * Paltry. † Knotted. Than the soft myrtle-O, but man, proud man! Most ignorant of what he's most assur'd, Plays such fantastic tricks before high heaven, THE PRIVILEGE OF AUTHORITY. Great men may jest with saints: 'tis wit in them, But, in the less, foul profanation. That in the captain's but a choleric word, HONEST BRIBERY. Hark, how I'll bribe you. Ang. How! bribe me? Isab. Ay, with such gifts, that heaven shall share with you. Lucio. You had marr'd all else. Isab. Not with fond shekels of the tested* gold, Or stones, whose rates are either rich, or poor, As fancy values them: but with true prayers, That shall be up at heaven, and enter there. Ere sun-rise; prayers from preserved† souls, From fasting maids, whose minds are dedicate To nothing temporal. THE POWER OF VIRTUOUS DUTY. Is this her fault, or mine? The tempter, or the tempted, who sins most? Ha Not she; nor doth she tempt: but it is 1, That lying by the violet, in the sun, Do, as the carrion does, not as the flower, Than woman's lightness? Having waste ground enough, Shall we desire to raze the sanctuary, And pitch our evils there? O, fy, fy, fy! * Attested, stamped. † Preserved from the corruption of the world. See 2 Kings, x. 27. What dost thou? or what art thou, Angelo? When judges steal themselves. What? do I love her And feast upon her eyes? What is't I dream on With saints dost bait thy hook! Most dangerous To sin in loving virtue: never could the strumpet, LOVE IN A GRAVE SEVERE GOVERNOR. When I would pray and think, I think and pray To several subjects: heaven hath my empty words; Whilst my invention hearing not my tongue, Anchors on Isabel: Heaven in my mouth, As if I did but only chew his name; And in my heart, the strong and swelling evil FORNICATION AND MURDER EQUALLED. It were as good To pardon him, that hath from nature stolen Their saucy sweetness, that do coin heaven's ima In stamps that are forbid: 'tis all as easy Falsely to take away a life true made, As to put mettle in restrained means, LOWLINESS OF MIND. Let me be ignorant, and in nothing good, But graciously to know I am no better. Ang. Thus wisdom wishes to appear most bright, When it doth tax itself. TEMPORAL FAR BETTER THAN ETERNAL DEATH. Better it were, a brother died at once, Than that a sister by redeeming him, Should die for ever. WOMEN'S FRAILTY. Nay, women are frail too. Isab. Ay, as the glasses where they view themselves; Which are as easy broke as they make forms. ACT III. HOPE. The miserable have no other medicine, But only hope. REFLECTIONS ON THE VANITY OF LIFE. Reason thus with life, If I do lose thee, I do lose a thing I'hat none but fools would keep; a breath thou art, (Servile to all the skiey influences,) 'T'hat dost this habitation, where thou keep'st, And yet run'st toward him still: Thou art not noble; valiant; For thou dost fear the soft and tender fork * Impressions. And that thou oft provok'st: yet grossly fear'st Do curse the gout, serpigo,† and the rheum, But, as it were, an after-dinner's sleep, Dreaming on both: for all thy blessed youth Of palsied eld; and when thou art old, and rich, THE TERRORS OF DEATH MOST IN APPREHENSION O, I do fear thee, Claudio; and I quake, RESOLUTION FROM A SENSE OF HONOUR. Why give you me this shame? Think you I can a resolution fetch From flowery tenderness? If I must die, *Affects, affections. Old age. † Leprous eruptions. 4 |