Duke. And you, good brother father!-What offence hath this man made you, sir? Elb. Marry, sir, he hath offended the law; he keepeth a naughty house. Duke. Fie, sirrah! The evil that thou causest to be done, That is thy means to live: Go, mend; go mend. Pom. Sir, I would prove Duke. Nay, if the devil hath given thee proofs for sin, Thou wilt prove his.-Take him to prison, officer: Correction and instruction must both work, Ere this rude beast will profit. Elb. He must before the deputy, sir. Enter LUCIO. Pom. I spy comfort; I cry bail : tleman, and a friend of mine. : Here's a gen Lucio. How now, noble Pompey? What, at the wheels of Cæsar? Art thou led in triumph? Art going to prison, Pompey? Pom. Yes, 'faith sir. Lucio. Why 'tis not amiss, Pompey: farewell. Go; say, I sent thee thither. Farewell, good Pompey; commend me to the prison, Pompey: You will turn good husband, now, Pompey; you will keep the house. Pom. 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, trusty Pompey.-'Bless you, friar! Duke. And you! Lucio. Does Bridget paint still, Pompey, ha? What news Pom. You will not bail me, then, sir? Lucio. Then, Pompey? nor now. abroad, friar? what news ? Elb. Come your ways, sir; come. [Exeunt ELBOW, POMPEY, and Tipstaves. What news, friar, of the duke? Duke. I know none: Can you tell me of any? Lucio. Some say, he is with the emperor of Russia; other some, he is in Rome: but where is he, think you? Duke. I know not where: but wheresoever, I wish him well. Lucio. It was a mad fantastical trick of him, to steal from the state, and usurp the beggary he was never born to. Lord Angelo dukes it well in his absence; he puts transgression to't. Duke. He does well in't. Lucio. A little more lenity to wenching would do no harm in him; something too crabbed that way, friar. Duke. It is too general a vice, and severity must cure it. Lucio. Yes, in good sooth, the vice is of a great kindred; it is well allied; but it is impossible to extirp it quite, till eating and drinking be put down. Duke. You are pleasant, sir; and speak apace. Lucio. Why, what a ruthless thing is this in him, to take away the life of a man for - would the duke, that is absent, have done this? Ere he would have hang'd a man for the getting a hundred bastards, he would have paid for the nursing a thousand; - he knew the service, and that instructed him to mercy. Duke. I never heard the absent duke much detected for women; he was not inclined that way. Lucio. O, sir, you are deceived. Duke. 'Tis not possible. Lucio. Who? not the duke? yes, your beggar of fifty; and his use was, to put a ducat 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, surely. Lucio. Sir, I was an inward of his : - a shy fellow was the duke:— and, I believe, I know the cause of his withdrawing. Duke. What, I pr'ythee, might be the cause? Lucio. No, pardon; -'tis a secret must be locked within the teeth and the lips; but this I can let you understand, the greater file of the subject held the duke to be wise. Duke. Wise? why, no question but he was. Lucio. A very superficial, ignorant, unweighing fellow. Duke. Either this is envy in you, folly, or mistaking; the very stream of his life, and the business he hath helm'd', must, upon a warranted need, give him a better proclamation; therefore you speak unskilfully, or, if your knowledge be more, it is much darkened in your malice. Lucio. Sir, I know what I know. Duke. I can hardly believe that, since you know not what you speak. But, if ever the duke return (as our prayers are he may), let me desire you to make your answer before him; if it be honest 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; 4 Clack-dish. The beggars, two or three centuries ago, used to proclaim their want by a wooden dish with a moveable cover, which they clacked, to show that their vessel was empty. 5 Guided. or you imagine me too unhurtful an opposite. But, indeed, I can do you little harm; you'll forswear this again. Lucio. I'll be hanged first. Farewell, good friar ; I pr'ythee pray for me. The duke, I say to thee again, would eat mutton on Fridays; and I say to thee, he would mouthe with the beggar, though she smelt brown bread and garlic; say, that I said so. Farewell. [Exit LUCIO. Duke. No might nor greatness in mortality Can censure 'scape; back-wounding calumny The whitest virtue strikes: What king so strong Can tie the gall up in the slanderous tongue? But who comes here? Enter ESCALUS, Provost, and two Apparitors. Esca. Provost, my brother Angelo will not be altered, Claudio must die to-morrow; let him be furnished with divines, and have all charitable preparation; if my brother wrought by my pity, it should not be so with him. Pro. So please you, this friar hath been with him, and advised him for the entertainment of death. [Exit Provost. Esca. Good even, good father. Esca. Of whence are you? Duke. Not of this country, though my chance is now To use it for my time: I am a brother Of gracious order, late come from the see, Esca. What news abroad i' the world? Duke. None, but that there is so great a fever on goodness, that the dissolution of it must cure it. I pray you, sir, of what disposition was the duke? Esca. One, that, above all other strifes, contended especially to know himself. Duke. What pleasure was he given to? Esca. Rather rejoicing to see another merry, than merry at any thing which professed to make him rejoice: a gentleman of all temperance. But leave we him to his events, with a prayer that they may prove prosperous; and let me desire to know how you find Claudio prepared: I am made to understand, that you have lent him visitation. Duke. He professes to have received no sinister measure from his judge, but most willingly humbles himself to the determination of justice: yet had he framed to himself, by the instruction of his frailty, many deceiving promises of life; which I, by my good leisure, have discredited to him, and now he is resolved to die. Esca. You have paid the heavens your function, and the prisoner the very debt of your calling. I have laboured for the poor gentleman to the extremest shore of my modesty; but my brother justice have I found so severe, that he hath forced me to tell him, he is indeed justice. Duke. If his own life answer the straitness of his proceeding, it shall become him well; wherein if he chance to fail, he hath sentenced himself. Esca. I am going to visit the prisoner: Fare you well. Duke. Peace be with you! [Exeunt ESCALUS and Apparitors. He, who the sword of Heaven will bear, Should be as holy as severe : More nor less to others paying, |