clutch'd? what reply? ha? what fay'ft thou to this tune, the matter, and the method? is't not drown'd i'th' lat rain? ha? what fay'ft thou, trot? is the world as it was, man? which is the way? is it fad and few words? or how? the trick of it?

Duke. Still thus and thus ; ftill worfe?

Lucio. How doth my dear morfel, thy mistress? procures the ftill? ha?

Clown. Troth, Sir, fhe hath eaten up all the beef, and the is her felf in the tub.

Lucio. Why, 'tis good; it is the right of it; it must be fo. Ever your fresh whore, and your powder'd bawd, an unfhunn'd confequence; it must be fo. Art going to prifon, Pompey?

Clown. Yes, "faith, Sir.

Lucio. Why, 'tis not amifs, Pompey: farewel: go, fay I fent thee thither. For debt, Pompey? or how?

Elb. For being a bawd, for being a bawd.

Lucio. Well, then imprifon him; if imprisonment be the due of a bawd, why, 'tis his right. Bawd is he doubtdefs, and of antiquity too; bawd born. Farewel, good Pompey commend me to the prifon, Pompey; you will turn good husband now, Pompey; you will keep the house. Clown. I hope, Sir, your good worship will be my bail. Lucio. No indeed will I not, Pompey; it is not the wear; I will pray, Pompey, to increase your bondage: if you take it not patiently, why, your mettle is the more: adieu, trufty Pompey. 'Blefs you, Friar.

Duke. And you.

Lucio. Does Bridget paint ftill, Pompey? ha?

Elb. Come your ways, Sir, come.

Clown. You will not bail me then, Sir?
Lucio. Then, Pompey, nor now.

Friar? what news?

Elb. Come your ways, Sir, come.
Lucio. Go to kennel, Pompey, go:

What news abroad,

[Exeunt Elbow, Clown and Officers. SCENE

What news, Friar, of the Duke?

VI.

Duke. I know none; can you tell me of any?

Lucio. Some fay he is with the Emperor of Ruffia; other fome, he is in Rome: but where is he, think you?

Duke. I know not where; but wherefoever, I wish him well.

Lucio. It was a mad fantaftical trick of him to fteal from the ftate, and ufurp the beggary he was never born to. Lord Angelo dukes it well in his abfence; he puts Trans❤ greffion to't.

Duke. He does well in't.

Lucio. A little more lenity to leachery would do no harm in him; fomething too crabbed that way, Friar.

Duke. It is too general a vice, and severity muft cure it. Lucio. Yes in good footh, the vice is of great kindred; it is well ally'd; and it is impoffible to extirp it quite, Friar, 'till eating and drinking be put down. They fay, this Angelo was not made by man and woman after the downright way of creation; is it true, think you?

Duke. How fhould he be made then?

Lucio. Some report, a fea-maid fpawn'd him. Some, that he was begot between two ftock-fifhes. But it is cer ́tain, that when he makes water, his urine is congeal'd ice; that I know to be true; and he has no motion generative; that's infallible.

Duke. You are pleafant, Sir, and fpeak apace.

Lucio. Why, what a ruthless thing is this in him, for the rebellion of a cod-piece to take away the life of a man! would the Duke that is abfent have done this? ere he would have hang'd a man for the getting a hundred bastards, he would have paid for the nurfing a thousand. He had fome feeling of the fport, he knew the fervice, and that inftructed him to mercy.

Duke. I never heard the absent Duke much detected for women; he was not inclin'd that way.

Lucio. Oh, Sir, you are deceiv'd.
Duke. "Tis not poffible.

Lucio. Who, not the Duke? yes, you beggar of fifty; and his ufe was, to put a ducket in her clack-dish; the Duke had crotchets in him. He would be drunk too, that let me inform you.

Duke. You do him wrong furely.

Lucio. Sir, I was an inward of his: a fly fellow was th Duke; and I believe I know the caule of his withdrawing Duke. What pr'ythee might be the cause?

Lucio. No; pardon: 'tis a fecret must be lockt withir the teeth and the lips; but this I can let you understand, the greater file of the subject held the Duke to be wife. Duke. Wife? why, no question but he was.

Lucio. A very fuperficial, ignorant, unweighing fellow. Duke. Either this is envy in you, folly, or mistaking: the very stream of his life, and the bufiness he hath helmed, muft upon a warranted need give him a better proclamation. Let him be but teftimonied in his own bringings forth, and he shall appear to the envious, a fcholar, a statesman, and a foldier. Therefore you speak unskilfully; or if your knowledge be more, it is much darken'd in your malice.

Lucio. Sir, I know him, and I love him.

Duke. Love talks with better knowledge, and knowledge with dearer love.

Lucio. Come, Sir, I know what I know.

Duke. I can hardly believe that, fince you know not what you speak. But if ever the Duke return, as our prayers are he may, let me defire you to make your answer before him: if it be honeft you have spoke, you have courage to maintain it; I am bound to call upon you, and I pray you, your name?

Lucio. Sir, my name is Lucio, well known to the Duke: Duke. He fhall know you better, Sir, if I may live to report you.

Lucio. I fear you not.

Duke. O, you hope the Duke will return no more; or you imagine me too unhurtful an oppofite; but indeed I can do you a little harm: you'll forfwear this again?

Lucio. I'll be hang'd firft: thou art deceiv'd in me, Friar. But no more of this. Canft thou tell if Claudio die to-morrow, or no?

Duke. Why fhould he die, Sir?

Lucio. Why? for filling a bottle with a tun-dish: I would the Duke we talk of were return'd again; this ungenitur'd Agent will unpeople the province with continency.

Sparrows

Sparrows must not build in his houfe-eaves, because they are leacherous. The Duke yet would have dark deeds darkly answered; he would never bring them to light; would he were return'd! Marry, this Claudio is condemned for untruffing. Farewel, good Friar; I pr'ythee, pray for me: the Duke, I fay to thee again, would eat mutton on Fridays. He's not paft it yet; and, I fay to thee, he would mouth with a beggar, tho' fhe smelt of brown bread and garlick: fay that I fay fo; farewel. [Exit. Duke. No might nor greatnefs in mortality

Can cenfure 'fcape: back-wounding calumny
The whiteft virtue ftrikes. What King fo ftrong.
Can tie the gall up in the fland'rous tongue ?
But who comes here?

SCENE VII.

Enter Efcalus, Provost, Bawd, and Officers.
Efcal. Go, away with her to prifon.

Bawd. Good my lord, be good to me; your honour is accounted a merciful man: good my lord.

Efcal. Double and treble admonition, and ftill forfeit in the fame kind? this would make mercy fwerve, and play the tyrant.

Prov. A bawd of eleven years continuance, may it please your honour.

Bawd. My lord, this is one Lucio's information against me: miftrefs Kate Keep-down was with child by him in the Duke's time; he promis'd her marriage: his child is a year and a quarter old, come Philip and Jacob: I have kept it my felf; and fee how he goes about to abuse me.

Efcal. That fellow is a fellow of much licence; let him bé call'd before us. Away with her to prifon; go to; no more words. [Exeunt with the Bawd.] Provoft, my brother Angelo will not be alter'd: Claudio muft die tomorrow: let him be furnish'd with divines, and have all charitable preparation. If my brother wrought by my pity, it fhould not be fo with him.

Prov. So pleafe you, this Friar hath been with him, and advis'd him for the entertainment of death.

Efcal. Good even, good father!

Duke. Blifs and goodness on you!

Efcal.

Efcal. Of whence are you? ·

Duke. Not of this country, tho' my chance is now
To use it for my time: I am a brother

Of gracious order, late come from the See,
In fpecial bufinefs from his Holiness.

Efcal. What news abroad i'th' world?

Duke. None, but that there is fo great a fever on goodnefs, that the diffolution of it must cure it. Novelty is only in request; and it is as dangerous to be aged in any kind of course, as it is virtuous to be conftant in any undertaking. There is fcarce truth enough alive to make focieties fecure; but fecurity enough to make fellowships accurft. Much upon this riddle runs the wisdom of the world; this news is old enough, yet it is every day's news. I pray you, Sir, of what difpofition was the Duke? Efcal. One that above all other ftrifes Contended specially to know himself.

Duke. What pleasure was he given to?

Efcal. Rather rejoicing to fee another merry, than merry at any thing which profest to make him rejoice. A gentleman of all temperance. But leave him to his events, with a prayer they may prove profperous; and let me defire to know how you find Claudio prepar'd: I am made to underftand, that you have lent him vifitation.

Duke. He profeffes to have received no finifter measure from his judge, but moft willingly humbles himfelf to the determination of juftice: yet had he fram'd to him felf, by the inftruction of his frailty, many deceiving promifes of life, which I by my good leisure have difcredited to him, and now is he refolv'd to die.

Efcal. You have paid the heav'ns your function, and the prifoner the very debt of your calling. I have labour'd for the poor gentleman, to the extremeft fhore of my modefty, but my brother-juftice have I found fo fevere, that he hath forc'd me to tell him, he is indeed Juftice.

Duke. If his own life answer the ftraitnefs of his proceeding, it fhall become him well; wherein if he chance to fail, he hath fentenc'd himself.

Efcal. I am going to vifit the prifoner: fare you well.

[Exit. SCENE