tue; with mental energies of a very superior kind, she is placed in a situation to make trial of them all, and the firmness with which her virtue resists the appeal of natural affection has something in it heroically sublime. The passages in which she encourages her brother to meet death with firmness rather than dishonour, his burst of indignant passion on learning the price at which his life might be redeemed, and his subsequent clinging to life, and desire that she would make the sacrifice required, are among the finest dramatic passages of Shakspeare. What heightens the effect is that this scene follows the fine exhortation of the Duke in the character of the Friar about the little value of life, which had almost made Claudio resolved to die.' The comic parts of the play are lively and amusing, and the reckto come,' is in fine contrast to the sentimentality of the less Barnardine, fearless of what's past, present, and other characters. Shakspeare "was a moralist in the had learnt from her. He showed the greatest know. same sense in which nature is one. He taught what he ledge of humanity with the greatest fellow feeling for it." the close of the year 1603. Malone supposes this play to have been written about * Characters of Shakspeare's Plays, 2d ed. London, 1818, p. 120. VINCENTIO, Duke of Vienna, PERSONS ANGELO, Lord Deputy in the Duke's absence. REPRESENTED. FROTH, a foolish Gentleman. Clown, Servant to Mrs. Over-done. ESCALUS, an ancient Lord, joined with Angelo in ABHORSON, an Executioner. the Deputation. CLAUDIO, a young Gentleman. Lucio, a Fantastic. Two other like Gentlemen. VARRIUS, a Gentleman, Servant to the Duke. Provost. SCENE I. An Apartment in the Duke's Palace. Duke. Of government the properties to unfold, Would seem in me to affect speech and discourse; Since I am put to know,' that your own science Exceeds, in that, the lists of all advice My strength can give you: Then no more remains But that to your sufficiency, as your worth is able, And let them work. The nature of our people, For common justice, you are as pregnant in, From which we would not have you warp.-Call hither, I say, bid come before us, Angelo. [Exit an Attendant. Lent him our terror, drest him with our love; Duke. Enter ANGELO. Look, where he comes. 4 i. e. ready in. 5 So much thy own property. 61. e. high purposes. BARNARDINE, a dissolute Prisoner. ISABELLA, Sister to Claudio. FRANCISCA, a Nun. MISTRESS OVER-DONE, a Bawd. Lords, Gentlemen, Guards, Officers, and other Attendants. SCENE, Vienna, Ang. Always obedient to your grace's will, I come to know your pleasure. Duke. Angelo, There is a kind of character in thy life, That, to the observer doth thy history Fully unfold: Thyself and thy belongings Are not thine own so proper, as to waste Heaven doth with us, as we with torches do; Thyself upon thy virtues, them on thee. Not light them for themselves: for if our virtues As if we had them not. Spirits are not finely Did not go forth of us, 'twere all alike touch'd, "Nor to no Roman else." 8 i. e. Nature requires and allots to herself the same advantages that creditors usually enjoy-thanks for the endowments she has bestowed, and extraordinary exertions in those whom she has favoured; by way of use (i. e. interest) for what she has lent. 9 i. e. to one who is already sufficiently conversant with the nature and duties of my office ;-of that office which I have now delegated to him. 10 i. e. I delegate to thy tongue the power of pronouncing sentence of death, and to thy heart the privi lege of exercising mercy. 11 A choice mature, concocted, fermented; i. e. not 1 Two negatives, not employed to make an affirma.hasty, but considerate." 124 As time and our concernings shall importune, Ang. Yet, give leave, my lord, That we may bring you something on the way. Duke. My haste may not admit it; Nor need you on mine honour have to do With any scruple: your scope' is as mine own; As to your soul seems good. Give me your hand; Duke. I thank you: Fare you well. [Exit. Escal. I shall desire you, sir, to give me leave To have free speech with you; and it concerns me To look into the bottom of my place: A power I have; but of what strength and nature I am not yet instructed. Ang. "Tis so with me:-Let us withdraw together, And we may soon our satisfaction have Touching that point. Escal. I'll wait upon your honour. [Exeunt. off. Lucio. But, after all this fooling, I would not have it so: art thou sure of this? Bawd. I am too sure of it: and it is for getting madam Julietta with child. Lucio. Believe me, this may be: he promised to meet me two hours since; and he was ever precise in promise-keeping. 2 Gent. Besides, you know, it draws something near to the speech we had to such a purpose, 1 Gent. But most of all, agreeing with the pro Lucio. Thou concludest like the sanctimonious pirate, that went to sea with the ten command-clamation. ments, but scraped one out of the table. 2 Gent. Thou shalt not steal? Lucio. Ay, that he razed. Lucio. Away; let's go learn the truth of it. [Exeunt LUCIO and Gentlemen. Bawd. Thus, what with the war, what with the 1 Gent. Why, 'twas a commandment to com- sweat, what with the gallows, and what with pomand the captain and all the rest from their func-verty, I am custom-shrunk. How now? what's the tions; they put forth to steal: There's not a sol-news with you? dier of us all, that, in the thanksgiving before meat, doth relish the petition well that prays for peace. 2 Gent. I never heard any soldier dislike it. Lucio. I believe thee; for I think, thou never wast where grace was said. 2 Gent. No? a dozen times at least. 1 Gent. What? in metre? 3 Lucio. In any proportion, or in any language. 1 Gent. I think, or in any religion. Lucio. Ay! why not? Grace is grace, despite of all controversy: As for example; Thou thyself art a wicked villain, despite of all grace. 1 Gent. Well, there went but a pair of shears between us.4 Lucio. I grant; as there may between the lists and the velvet: Thou art the list. 1 Gent. And thou the velvet: thou art good velvet; thou art a three-pil'd piece, I warrant thee: I had as lief be a list of an English kersey, as be pil'd, as thou art pil'd, for a French velvet. Do I speak feelingly now? Lucio. I think thou dost; and, indeed, with most painful feeling of thy speech: I will, out of thine Enter Clown. Clo. Yonder man is carried to prison. Bawd. But what's his offence? Clo. Groping for trouts in a peculiar river. Bawd. What, is there a maid with child by him? Clo. No; but there's a woman with maid by him: You have not heard of the proclamation, have you? Bawd. What proclamation, man? Clo. All houses in the suburbs of Vienna must be plucked down. Bawd. And what shall become of those in the city? Clo. They shall stand for seed: they had gone down too, but that a wise burgher put in for them. Bawd. But shall all our houses of resort in the suburbs be pulled down?" Clo. To the ground, mistress. Bawd. Why, here's a change, indeed, in the commonwealth! What shall become of me? In old times the cup of an infected person was thought to be contagious. 6 The sweat; the consequences of the curative process then used for a certain disease 1 Scope is extent of power. 2 Aves are hailings. 3 i. e. measure. 4 We are both of the same piece. 5 Pild, for a French velvet.'-Velvet was esteemed according to the richness of the pile; three-pil'd was 7 In one of the Scotch Laws of James it is ordered, the richest. But pil'd also means bald. The jest al- 'that common women be put at the utmost endes of ludes to the loss of hair in the French disease. Lucio, townes, queire least peril of fire is.'-It is remarkable finding the Gentleman understands the distemper so that the licensed houses of resort at Vienna, are at this well, and mentions it so feelingly, promises to remem-time all in the suburbs, under the permission of the ber to drink his health, but to forget to drink after him. Committee of Chastity. Clo. Come, fear not you; good counsellors lack no clients: though you change your place, you need not change your trade; I'll be your tapster still. Courage; there will be pity taken on you: you that have worn your eyes almost out in the service, you will be considered. Bad. What's to do here, Thomas Tapster? Let's withdraw. He can command, lets it straight feel the spur: Clo. Here comes signior Claudio, led by the pro-Now puts the drowsy and neglected act vost to prison: and there's madam Juliet. [Exeunt. Freshly on me :-'tis surely, for a name. Lucio. I warrant, it is: and thy head stands so SCENE III. The same. Enter Provost, CLAU-tickle on thy shoulders, that a milk-maid, if she DIO, JULIET, and Officers; Lucio and two Gen- be in love, may sigh it off. Send after the duke, and appeal to him. tlemen. Claud. Fellow, why dost thou show me thus to the world? Bear me to prison where I am committed. But from lord Angelo by special charge. Claud. Thus can the demi-god, Authority, Claud. From too much liberty, my Lucio, liberty; Claud. What, but to speak of, would offend again. Lacio. Lechery? Claud. Call it so. Prov. Away, sir; you must go. with you. Claud. Thus stands it with me:-Upon a true contract, I got possession of Julietta's bed;" You know the lady; she is fast my wife, Of outward order: this we came not to, From whom we thought it meet to hide our love, Claud. Unhappily, even so. And the new deputy now for the duke,- 1 i. e. gaoler. Claud. I have done so, but he's not to be found. art SCENE IV. A Monastery. Enter DUKE and Duke. No; holy Father; throw away that thought; Fri. Where youth, and cost, and witless bravery keeps.14 · (A man of strictures and firm abstinence,) My absolute power and place here in Vienna, Duke. We have strict statutes and most biting laws, (The needful bits and curbs for headstrong steeds,) That goes not out to prey: Now, as fond fathers, ing such a dower as her friends might heareafter be 2 Authority being absolute in Angelo, is finely styled stow on her, when time had reconciled them to her by Claudio, the demigod, whose decrees are as little to clandestine marriage. The verb is as obscurely used he questioned as the words of heaven. The poet al-by Chapman in the Sixteenth book of the Odyssey: Judes to a passage in St. Paul's Epist. to the Romans, ch. ix. v. 15-18: I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy.' 3 To rarin is to voraciously devour. 4 So, in Chapman's Revenge for Honour: Like poison'd rats, which, when they've swallowed The pleasing bane, rest not until they drink, And can rest then much less, until they burst. 5 This speech is surely too indelicate to be spoken Concerning Juliet before her face. Claudio may therefore be supposed to speak to Lucio apart. 6 This singular mode of expression has not been satisfactorily explained. The old sense of the word is promoting, inlarging, increasing, spreading. It appears that Claudio would say: for the sake of promot -to try if we Alone may propagate to victory Our bold encounters.' I have on Angelo impos'd the office; To do it slander: And to behold his sway, Visit both prince and people: there.ore, I pr'ythee, Is more to bread than stone: Hence shall we see, [Exeunt. SCENE V. A Nunnery. Enter ISABELLA and FRANCISCA. Isab. And have you nuns no further privileges? Fran. Are not these large enough? Isab. Yes truly; I speak not as desiring more; But rather wishing a more strict restraint Upon the sisterhood, the votarists of Saint Clare. Lucio. Ho! Peace be in this place? [Within. Isah. Who's that which calls? Fran. It is a man's voice: Gentle Isabella, Turn you the key, and know his business of him; You may, I may not; you are yet unsworn: When you have vow'd, you must not speak with men, But in the presence of the prioress: Then, if you speak, you must not show your face; Or, if you show your face, you must not speak. He calls again; I pray you, answer him. [Exit FRANCISCA. Isab. Peace and prosperity! Who is't that calls? Enter LUCIO. Lucio. Hail, virgin, if you be; as those cheek-roses Proclaim you are no less! Can you so stead me, As bring me to the sight of Isabella, A novice of this place, and the fair sister To her unhappy brother Claudio? Isab. Why her unhappy brother? let me ask; The rather, for I now must make you know I am that Isabella, and his sister. Lucio. Gentle and fair, your brother kindly greets you: Not to be weary with you, he's in prison. Lucio. For that, which, if myself might be his judge, 1 i. e. on his defence. 2 The old copy reads: Sir, make me not your story.' The emendation is Mr. Malone's. 3 This bird is said to draw pursuers from her nest by crying in other places. This was formerly the subject of a proverb, "The lapwing cries most, farthest from her nest, i. e. tongue far from heart. So, in The Comedy of Errors: Adr. Far from her nest the lapwing cries away; My heart prays for him, though my tongue do curse.' 4 Fewness and truth, in few and true words. 5 i. e. his mistress. 6 Teeming foison is abundant produce. 7 Tilth is tillage. So in Shakspeare's third Sonnet: He should receive his punishment in thanks: Isab. Sir, mock me not :-your story, With maids to seem the lapwing, and to jest, As with a saint. Isab. You do blaspheme the good, in mocking me. Lucio. Do not believe it. Fewness and truth,“ 'tis thus: Your brother and his lovers have embrac❜d: Isab. Some one with child by him?-My cousin Lucio. Is she your cousin? Isab. Adoptedly; as school-maids change their names, By vain though apt affection. Isab. O let him marry her! She it is. This is the point. The duke is very strangely gone from hence; Of business 'twixt you and your poor brother. Lucio. Has censur'd1 him Already; and, as I hear, the provost hath A warrant for his execution. Isab. Alas! what poor ability's in mo To do him good? Lucio. Assay the power you have. Isab. My power! Alas! I'doubt,Lucio. Our doubts are traitors, And make us lose the good we oft might win, By fearing to attempt: Go to Lord Angelo, And let him learn to know, when maidens sue, Men give like gods; but when they weep and kneel, All their petitions are as freely theirs As they themselves would owe13 them. Isab. I'll see what I can do. Lucio. Isab. I will about it straight; But speedily. 'For who is she so fair, whose unrear'd womb Disdains the tillage of thy husbandry ? 8 Full line, extent. 9 To rebate is to make dull: Aciem ferri hebetare.— Baret. 10 i. e. to intimidate use, or practices long countenan ced by custom. 11 i. e. power of gaining favour. 12 To censure is to judge. This is the poet's general meaning for the word, but the editors have given him several others. Here they interpret it censured, sentenced. We have it again in the next scene: "When I that censure him do so offend, Let mine own judgment pattern out my death.” 13 To owe is to have, to possess. Whom I would save, had a most noble father. your blood (Whom I believe to be most strait in virtue,) Ang. "Tis one thing to be tempted, Escalus, The jury, passing on the prisoner's life, That justice seizes. What know the laws, The jewel that we find, we stoop and take it, For I have had such faults; but rather tell me, Where is the provost ? Ang. Exit Provost. Escal. Well, heaven forgive him; and forgive us all! Some rise by sin, and some by virtue fall:11 Enter ELBOW, FROTH, Clown, Officers, &c. Elb. Come, bring them away; if these be good people in a common-weal, that do nothing but use 1 i. e. the abbess. their abuses in common houses, I know no law; bring them away. Ang. How now? what's the matter? sir! What's your name? and Elb. If it please your honour, I am the poor duke's constable, and my name is Elbow; I do lean upon justice, sir, and do bring in here before your good honour two notorious benefactors. Ang. Benefactors! Well; what benefactors are they are they not malefactors? Elb. If it please your honour, I know not well what they are: but precise villains they are, that I am sure of; and void of all profanation in the world, that good christians ought to have. Escal. This comes off well; here's a wise officer. Elb. He, sir? a tapster, sir; parcel-bawd; one that serves a bad woman whose house, sir, was as they say, plucked down in the suburbs; and now she professes14 a hot-house, which, I think, is a very ill house too. Escal. How know you that? Elb. My wife, sir, whom I detest before hea ven and your honour, Escal. How! thy wife? Elb. Ay, sir; whom, I thank heaven, is an ho nest woman,— Escal. Dost thou detest her therefore? Elb. I say, sir, I will detest myself also, as wel as she, that this house, if it be not a bawd's house, it is pity of her life, for it is a naughty house. Escal. How dost thou know that constable? Elb. Marry, sir, by my wife; who, if she had been a woman cardinally given, might have been accused in fornication, adultery, and all uncleanliness there. Escal. By the woman's means? Elb. Ay, sir, by mistress Over-done's means: but as she spit in his face, so she defied him. Clo. Sir, if it please your honour, this is not so. Elb. Prove it before these varlets here, thou honourable man, prove it. Escal. Do you hear how he misplaces? [TO ANGELO. Clo. Sir, she came in great with child; and longing (saving your honour's reverence,) for stew'd prunes:16 sir, we had but two in the house, which at that very distant time stood, as it were, in a fruitdish, a dish of some three pence; your honours have seen such dishes; they are not China dishes, but very good dishes. Escal. Go to, go to: no matter for the dish, sir. Clo. No indeed, sir, not of a pin; you are therein in the right: but to the point: As I say, this mistress Elbow, being, as I say, with child, and being great belly'd, and longing, as I said, for prunes; and having but two in a dish, as I said, master I said, and, as I say, paying for them very honestFroth here, this very man having eaten the rest, as ly;-for, as you know, master Froth, I cou'd not give you three pence again. Froth. No, indeed. 12 The first folio here reads- Some run from brakes of ice. The correction was made by Rowe. Brakes 2 A kind of sheriff or jailer, so called in foreign coun- most probably here signify thorny perplexities; but a tries. 3 To fear is to affright. 4 i. e. throw down; to fall a tree is still used for to fill it. 5 i. e. to examine. 6 i. e. suited. 7 To complete the sense of this line for seems to be required:-- which now you censure him for. But Shakspeare frequently uses elliptical expressions. 8 An old forensic term, signifying to pass judgment, or sentence. brake was also used to signify a trap or snare. Thus in Skelton's Ellinour Rummin: "It was a stale to take-the devil in a brake." And in Holland's Leaguer, a Comedy, by Sh. Marmion. -her I'll make A stale to catch this courtier in a brake.' There can be no allusion to the instrument of torture mentioned by Steevens. A brake seems to have signi fied an engine or instrument in general. Full of force or conviction, or full of proof in it- seriously applied to speech, is This is well delivered,' 13 i. e. is well told. The meaning of this phrase, when self. So, in Othello, Act ii. Sc. 1, As it is a most preg-this story is well told. But in the present instance it nant and unforc'd position.' is used ironically. 10 i. e. cause I have had such faults. 11 This line is printed in Italics as a quotation in the Arst folio. 14 Professes a hot house, i. e. keeps a bagnio. 16 A favourite dish, anciently common in brothels. |