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'Tis not the devil's creft.

Enter Servant.

How now who's there?

Serv. One label, a fifter, defires access to you.
Ang. Teach her the way.

[Solus.] Oh heav'ns!
Why does my blood thus mufter to my heart,
Making both That unable for itfelf,
And difpoffefling all my other parts
Of neceffary fitnefs?

So play the foolish throngs with one that fwoons
Come all to help him, and fo ftop the air
By which he fhould revive and even fo
The genral fubjects to a well-wifh'd King (9)
Quit their own part, and in obfequious fondness
Crowd to his prefence, where their untaught love
Muft needs appear offence.

SCENE XI.

Enter Ifabella.

How now, fair maid?

Ifab. I am come to know your pleasure.

Therefore, Let us but write good angel on the devil's born; (i. e. give him the appearance of an angel ;) and what then? Is't not the devil's creft? (i. e. he fhall be efteem'd a devil) WARBURTON.

I am still inclined to the opinion of the Oxford Editor. Angelo, reflecting on the difference between his feeming character, and his real difpofition, obferves that he could charge his gravity for a plume. He then digreffes into an apoftrophe, O Dignity, how doft tbou impfe upon the world! then returning to himself, Blod, fays he, thou art but bleed, however, concealed with appearances and decorations. Title and character do not alter nature, which is ftill corrupt, however dignified.

Let's write good Angel on the devil's born;

I't not ?-or rather-'Tis yet-the Devil's creft.

(9) The gen'ral fubjećts to a well-wish'd King.] So the later Editions but the old copies read, the General fubject to a wellwifb'd King. The gene al fubject seems a harsh expreffion, but general fubjects has no fente at all; and general was in our Authour's time a word for people, fo that the general is the people or multitule Subject to a King. So in Hamlet, the play pleased nor the million, 'twas Caviare to the General.

Ang.

Ang. That you might know it, would much better
please me,

Than to demand, what 'tis. Your brother cannot live.
fab. Ev'n fo?—Heav'n keep your Honour! [Going.
Ang. Yet may he live a while; and, it may be,
As long as you or I; yet he muft die.

Ilub. Under your fentence?

Ang. Yea.

Ifab. When? I beseech you; that in his reprieve, Longer or fhorter, he may be fo fitted,

That his foul ficken not.

Ang. Ha? fie, these filthy vices! 'twere as good
To pardon him, that hath froin nature stol'n
A man already made, as to remit

Their fawcy fweetnefs, that do coin heav'n's image
In ftamps that are forbid: 'tis all as eafie, (1)
Falfely to take away a life true made; (2)
As to put metal in reftrained means, (3)

To make a talfe one.

Ifab. "Tis fet down fo in heav'n, but not in earth. Ang. And fay you fo? then I fhall poze you quickly. Which had you rather, that the most just law Now took your brother's life; or, to redeem him, Give up your body to fuch sweet uncleanness, As fhe, that he hath ftain'd?

Ifab. Sir, believe this,

I had rather give my body than my foul.

Ang. I talk not of your foul; our compell'd fins Stand more for number than for compt.

Ifab. How fay you?

Ang. Nay, I'll not warrant that; for I can speak

(1) 'tis all as eafie,] Eafy is here put for light or trifling. "Tis, fays he, as light or trifling a crime to do fo, as fo, &c. Which the Oxford Editor not apprehending, has alter'd it to just; for 'tis much easier to conceive what Shakespear fhould fay, than what he does fay. So juft before, the poet faid, with his ufual licence, their Jawcy sweetness, for fawey indulgence of the appetite. And this, for footh, must be changed to fawcy lewdness, tho' the epithet confines us, as it were, to the poet's word. WARBURTON.

(2) Falfely is the fame with dishonestly, illegally, fo falfe in the next line but one is illegal; illegitimate.

(3) In restrained means In forbidden moulds. I fufpe&t means not to be the right word, but I cannot find another.

Against

Against the thing I fay. Anfwer to this:
I, now the voice of the recorded law,
Pronounce a sentence on your brother's life;
Might there not be a charity in fin,

To fave this brother's life?

Ifab. Please you to do't,
I'll take it as a peril to my foul,
It is no fin at all, but charity.

Ang. Pleas'd you to do't at peril of your foul, (4)
Were equal poize of fin and charity.

Ifab. That I do beg his life, if it be fin,
Heav'n, let me bear it! you, granting my fuit,
If that be fin, I'll make it my morn-pray'r
To have it added to the faults of mine,
And nothing of your anfwer. (5)

Ang. Nay, but hear me :

Your fenfe purfues not mine; either, you're ignorant;: Or feem fo, craftily; and that's not good.

Ifab. 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 itfelf; as thefe black mafks
Proclaim an en-fhield beauty ten times louder,
Than beauty could difplayed. But mark me,
To be received plain, I'll speak more grofs;

Your brother is to die.

Ifab. So

Ang. And his offence is fo, as it appears Accountant to the law upon that pain (6) Ifab. True.

Ang. Admit no other way to fave his life,

(4) Pleas'd you to do't at peril, &c.] The reafoning is thus: Angelo afks, whether there might not be a charity in fin to fave this brother. Tabella anfwers, that if Angelo will fave him, he would flake her foul that it were charity not fin. Angelo replies, that if Ifabella would fave him at the hazard of her foul, it would be not indeed no fin, a fin to which the charity would be equivalent.

(5) And nothing of your answer. I think it fhould be read,

And nothing of yours answer.

You and whatever is yours be exempt from penalty.

but

(6) Accountant to the lary upon that pair.] Pain is here for penalty,. punishment.

(As

(As I fubfcribe not that, nor any other,
But in the lofs of question,) (7) that you his fifter,
Finding yourself defir'd of fuch a perfon,

Whofe credit with the judge, or own great place,
Could fetch your brother from the manacles
Of the * all-binding law; and that there were
No earthly mean to fave him, but that either
You must lay down the treasures of your body
To this fuppofed, or else let him fuffer
What would you do?

;

Ifab. As much for my poor brother, as myself;
That is, were I under the terms of death,
Th' impreflion of keen whips I'd wear as rubies,
And strip myself to death, as to a bed

That longing I've been feek for, ere I'd yield
My body up to fhame.

Ang Then muft your brother die.

Ifab. And 'twere the cheaper way;

Better it were, a brother dy'd at once; (8)
Than that a fifter, by redeeming him,

Should die for ever.

Ang. Were not you then as cruel as the fentence,

That you have flander'd fo?

Ifab. Ignominy in ranfom, and free pardon, Are of two houfes; lawful mercy, fure,

Is nothing kin to foul redemption.

Ang. You feem'd of late to make the law a tyrant, And rather prov'd the fliding of your brother A merriment, than a vice.

Ifab. Oh pardon me, my lord; it oft falls out,

(7) But in the lofs of queftion,] The lofs of queftion I do not wel understand, and fhould rather read,

But in the tofs of question.

In the agitation, in the difcuffion of the question. To tefs an argument is a common phrase.

*The old editions read all-building law, from which the Editors have made all-bolding; yet Mr. Theobald has binding in one of his copies.

"(8) A brother dy'd at once;] Perhaps we should read,

Better it were a brother dy'd for once,

Than that a fifter, by redeeming him,
Should die for ever.

To

To have what we would have, we fpeak not what we

I fomething do excufe the thing I hate,
For his advantage that I dearly love.
Ang. We are all frail.

Ifab. Elfe let my brother die,

If not a feodary, but only he, (9) * Owe, and fucceed by weakness. Ang. Nay, women are frail too.

[mean;

Ifab. Ay, as the glaffes where they view themselves; Which are as easy broke, as they make forms. (1) Women!-help heav'n! men their creation mar, (2) In profiting by them. Nay, call us ten times frail; For we are foft as our complexions are,

And credulous to falfe prints. (3)

Ang. I think it well;

And from this teftimony of your own fex,
Since, I fuppofe, we're made to be no ftronger,
Than faults may shake our frames, let me be bold.
I do arreft your words: Be That you are,
That is, a woman; if you're more you're none;
If you be one, as you are well exprefs'd
By all external warrants, fhew it now,

By putting on the deftin❜d livery.

Ifab. I have no tongue but one. Gentle my lord,

(9) If not a feodary, but only he, &c.] This is fo obfcure, but the allufion fo fine, that it deferves to be explain'd. A feodary was one, that in the times of vassalage he'd lands of the chief lord, under the tenure of paying rent and fervice: which tenures were call'd feuda amongst the Gaths. Now, fays Angelo, "we are all frail; yes, replies Ifabella; if all mankind were not feadaries, who owe what they are to this tenure of imbecillity, and who fucceed each other by the fame tenure, as well as my brother, I would give him up.' The comparing mankind, lying under the weight of original fin, to a feodary, who owes fuit and service to his lord, is, I think, not ill imagined. WARBURTON. *To owe is in this place, to own, to bold, to have possession.

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(1)

Glaffes

Which are as eafy broke, as they make forms.]

Would it not be better to read, take forms?

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(2) In profiting by them.] In imitating them, in taking them for examples.

(3) And credulous to false prints. i. e. take any impreffion.

WARBURTON

Let

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