dred baftards, he would have paid for the nurfing a thousand. He had fome feeling of the fport, he knew the service, 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, your beggar of fifty-and his ufe was, to put a ducket in her clackdifh. 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 fhy fellow was the Duke; and, I believe, I know the cause of his with-drawing. Duke. What pr'ythee might be the cause ? Lucio. No-pardon-'tis a fecret must be lockt within the teeth and the lips. But this I can let you underftand. The greater file of the fubject (3) held the Duke to be wife. Duke. Wife why, no queftion, but he was. Lucio. A very fuperficial, ignorant, unweighing fellow. Duke. Either this is envy in you, folly, or mistaking: the very ftream of his life, and the business 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 fhall appear to the envious, a fcholar, a ftatefman, and a foldier. Therefore, you fpeak unfkilfully; 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. -clack-difp. The beggars, two or three centuries ago, ufed to proclaim their want by a wooden difh, with a moveable cover, which they clacked, to fhew that their veffel was empty. This appears in a paffage quoted on another occafion by Dr. Gray. (3) the greater file of the fubje&t.] The larger lift, the greater number. Duke. 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 anfwer 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 shall 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 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 Clau-dia die to-morrow, or no? Duke. Why should he die, Sir? I Lucio Why? for filling a bottle with a tun-dith. would, the duke, we talk of, were return'd again; this ungenitur'd agent will unpeople the province with continency. Sparrows must not build in his houfe-eaves,. because they are lecherous. The duke yet would have dark deeds darkly answer'd; he would never bring them to light; would he were return'd! Marry, this Claudio is condemned for untruffing Farewell, good Friar; I pr'ythee, pray for me. The duke, I fay to thee again, would eat mutton on Fridays. (4)` He's not paft it, yet. (5)—And I fay to thee, he would' mouth with a beggar, tho' fhe fmelt of brown bread and garlic fay, that I faid fo, farewell. [Exit. Duke. No might nor greatnefs in mortality (4) mution. -eat mutton on Fridays.] A werch was called a laced THEOBALD. (5) He's not paft it.] Sir Tho, Hanmer. In other Editions, be is now past it, yet. SCENE SCENE VII. Enter Elcalus, Provoft, Bawd, and Officers. Efcal. Go, away with her to prison. 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 swear, (6) and play the tyrant. Prov. A bawd of eleven years continuance, may it please your Honour. Bard. 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: 1 have kept it myself; and fee, how he goes about to abuse me. let Efcal. This fellow is a fellow of much licence him be call'd before us. Away with her to prifon : go to; no more words. [Exeunt with the Bawd.] Provost, my brother Angelo will not be alter'd; Claudio muft die to-morrow: 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. Prou. So please you, this Friar has been with him, and advis'd him for the entertainment of death. Efcal. Good even, good father. Duke. Blifs and goodness on you! Elcal. 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 business from his holiness. Efcal. What news abroad i' th' world? Duke. None, but that there is fo great a fever on goodness, that the diffolution of it muft cure it. No (6) mercy SWEAR.] We should read SWERVE, i e. deviate from her nature. The common reading gives us the idea of a ranting whore. WARBURTON. *All the folios, from the Sea. velty velty is only in requeft; 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 scarce 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 fpecially to know himself. Duke. What pleasure was he giv'n to? Efcal. Rather rejoicing to fee another merry, than merry at any thing which profeft to make him rejoice. A gentleman of all temperance. But leave we 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 understand, that you have lent him vifitation. Duke. He profeffes to have received no finifter measure from his judge, but moft willingly humbles himself to the determination of juftice; yet had he fram'd to himself, by the inftruction of his frailty, many deceiving promifes of life; which I by my good leifure have difcredited to him, and now he is resolved 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 shore 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 ftraitness 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 SCENE Duke. Peace be with you! VIII. He, who the fword of heav'n will bear, Grace to ftand, and virtue go; How may that likeness made in crimes, (8) (7) Pattern in himself to know, Draw Grace to ftand, and virtue go;] Thefe lines I cannot understand, but believe that they should be read thus: Patterning himself to know, In Grace to ftand, in Virtue go. To pattern is to work after a pattern, and, perhaps, in Shakespeare's licentious diction, fimply to work. The fenfe is, he that bears the fword of heaven bould be holy as well as fevere; one that after good examples labours to know bimjelf, to live with innocence, and to act with virtue. A (8) How may likeness made in crimes, Making practice on the times, To draw with idle fpiders' firings Moft pondrous and fubftantial things.] Thus all the Editions read corruptly and fo have made an obfcure paffage in itfelf quite uniatelligible. Shakespeare wrote it thus, How may THAT likeness, made in crimes, Making practice on the times, Draw. The fenfe is this, How much wickedness may a man hide within, tho' he appear an angel without. How may ibat likeness made in crimes, i. e. by Hypocrify; [a pretty paradoxical expreffion, an angel made in crimes] by impofing upon the world [thus emphatically expreffed, making practice on the times] draw with its falfe and feeble pretences [finely called Spiders ftrings.] the moft pondrous and fubftantial matters of the world, as Riches, Honour, Power, Reputation, &c. WARBURTON. The |