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1/2 Gent. And why not? grace is grace, defpight of all controverfie.

Lucio. As for example, thou thy felf art a wicked villain, defpight of all grace.

2/2 Gent. Well;` there went but a pair of sheers be

tween us.

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

32 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 kerfey, as be pil'd, as thou art pil'd, for a French velvet. Do I fpeak feelingly now?

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

+2 Gent. I think I have done my self wrong, have I

not?

5/1 Gent. Yes, that thou haft; whither thou art tainted, or free.

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

461

2 Gent. To what, pray?

1 Gent. Judge.

2 Gent. To three thousand dollars a a year.

1 Gent. Ay, and more.

Lucio. A French crown more. b

(a) A quibble intended between dollars and dolours.

1 Gent.

(b) Alluding to the venereal fcab upon the bead call'd Corona Veneris.

Theobald.

Lucio. Ay, why not? grace is grace, defpight of all controverfie.

2 1 Gent. Well; &c.

31 Gent.

As for example, &c.

4 1 Gent.

52 Gent.

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

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

1 Gent. How now, which of your hips has the most profound sciatica ? [To the Bawd. Bawd. Well, well; there's one yonder arrested, and carry'd to prison, 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 prifon? 'tis not fo.

Bawd. Nay, but I know 'tis fo; I faw him arrested; faw 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 fo: art thou fure of this?

Bawd. I am too fure of it; and it is for getting Madam Julietta with child.

Lucio. Believe me, this may be; he promised to meet me two hours fince, and he was ever precife in promifekeeping.

2. Gent. Befides, you know it draws fomething near to the speech we had to fuch a purpose.

1 Gent. But most of all agreeing with the proclamation. Lucio. Away, let's go learn the truth of it. [Exeunt. Bawd. Thus, what with the war, what with the fweat, what with the gallows, and what with poverty, I am custom-fhrunk. How now? what's the news with you?

SCENE V.

Enter Clown.

Clown. Yonder man is carry'd to prifon.

Bawd. Well; what has he done?

Clown. A woman.

Bawd. But what's his offence?

Clown. Groping for trouts in a peculiar river.

Barwd.

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 houfes in the fuburbs of Vienna must be pluck'd down.

Bawd. And what fhall become of thofe in the city? Eloren. They fhall ftand for feed; they had gone down too, but that a wife burger put in for them.

Bawd. But fhall our houfes of refort in the fuburbs be pull'd down?

Clown. To the ground, mistress.

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

Clown. Come, fear not you; good counfellors lack no clients; though you change your place, you need not change your trade: I'll be your tapfter ftill. Courage, there will be pity taken on you; you that have worn your eyes almoft out in the fervice, you will be confidered.

Bawd. What's to do here, Thomas Tapfter? let's withdraw.

Clown. Here comes Signior Claudio, led by the Provost to prifon; and there's Madam Juliet.

[Exeunt Bawd and Clown.

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

Claud. Fellow, why doft thou fhow me thus to th' world? Bear me to prifon, where I am committed.

Prov. I do it not in evil difpofition,

But from lord Angelo by fpecial charge.

Claud. Thus can the Demi-god Authority

Make us pay down, for our offence, by weight;

"I' th' words of heav'n, on whom it will, it will;

On whom it will not, fo; yet ftill 'tis juft,

VOL. I.

X

6 The words old edit. Warb, emend.

Lucio.

Lucio. Why, how now, Claudio? whence comes this restraint?

Claud. From too much liberty, my Lucio, liberty;
As furfeit is the father of much faft,

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 fpeak fo wifely under an arreft, I would fend for certain of my creditors; and yet, to say the truth, I had as lief have the foppery of freedom, as the morality of imprisonment: what's thy offence, Claudio? Claudio. What but to speak of would offend again. Lucio. What is't, murder?

Claud. No.

Lucio. Letchery?

Claud. Call it fo.

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 fo look'd after?

Claud. Thus ftands it with me; upon a true contract

I got poffeffion of Julietta's bed,

You know the lady, fhe is faft my wife,

Save that we do the denunciation lack

Of outward order. This we came not to,

Only for propagation of a dowre

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 ftealth of our 7 'mutual entertainment,

With character too grofs, is writ in Juliet.
Lucio. With child, perhaps?

Claud. Unhappily, even fo.

And the new Deputy now for the Duke,

(Whether it be the fault and glimpfe of newness; Or whether that the body publick be

7 most mutual

A horfe

A horfe whereon the governor doth ride,
Who newly in the feat, that it may know
He can command, lets it ftrait feel the fpur;
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 unfcour'd armour hung by th' wall
So long, that nineteen zodiacks have gone round,
And none of them been worn; and for a name,
Now puts the drowfie and neglected act
Freshly on me; 'tis furely for a name.

Lucio. I warrant, fo it is; and thy head ftands
So tickle on thy fhoulders, that a milk-maid,
If fhe 'be but in love, may figh it off.
Send after the duke, and appeal to him.

Claud. I have done fo, but he's not to be found.
I pr'ythee, Lucio, do me this kind fervice:
This day my fifter fhould the cloister enter,
And there receive her approbation.
Acquaint her with the danger of my state,
Implore her in my voice, that she make friends
To the ftrict Deputy; bid her felf affay him,
I have great hope in that; for in her youth
There is a prone and fpeechlefs dialect,

Such as moves men: befide, fhe hath profp'rous art
When she will play with reafon and difcourfe,

And well the can perfuade.

Lucio. I pray fhe may;

As well for the encouragement of the like,

I

Which elfe would ftand on grievous impofition;
As for thy life, which I'd be forry fhould be
Thus foolishly loft at a game of tick-tack.

3 'I'll to her strait.`

Claud. I thank you, good friend Lucio.

8 it is;

X 2

Lucios

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2 As for the enjoying of thy life, who I would 3 I'll to her.

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