SCENE I.-An Apartment in the DUKE's Palace.

Enter DUKE, ESCALUS, Lords, and Attendants.
Duke. Escalus,-
Escal. My lord.

Duke. Of government the properties to unfold,

Would seem in me to affect speech and dis

course;

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 your sufficiency as your worth is able;

And let them work. The nature of our people,

Our city's institutions, and the terms

For common justice, you are as pregnant in,
As art and practice hath enrichéd any

That we remember: There is our commission, From which we would not have you warp.-Call hither,

I say, bid come before us Angelo.

[Exit an Attendant. What figure of us think you he will bear? For you must know, we have with special soul Elected him our absence to supply;

Lent him our terror, drest him with our love;

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;
So to enforce or qualify the laws

As to your soul seems good. Give me your hand.
I'll privily away: I love the people,
But do not like to stage me to their eyes:
Though it do well, I do not relish well
Their loud applause and avés vehement:
Nor do I think the man of safe discretion
That does affect it. Once more, fare you well.
Ang. The heavens give safety to your purposes:
Escal. Lead forth, and bring you back in hap-
piness,

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.

SCENE II-A Street.

Enter Lucio and two Gentlemen. Lucio. If the Duke, with the other dukes, come not to composition with the King of Hungary, why then all the dukes fall upon the king.

1st Gent. Heaven grant us its peace, but not the King of Hungary's!

2nd Gent. Amen.

Lucio. Thou concludest like the sanctimonious pirate, that went to sea with the ten commandments, but scraped one out of the table. 2nd Gent. "Thou shalt not steal"? Lucio. Ay, that he razed.

1st Gent. Why, 't was a commandment to command the captain and all the rest from their functions: they put forth to steal. There's not a soldier of us all, that, in the thanksgiving before meat, doth relish the petition well that prays for peace.

2nd Gent. I never heard any soldier dislike it. Lucio. I believe thee; for I think thou never wast where grace was said.

2nd Gent. No?-a dozen times at least.

1st Gent. What, in metre?

Lucio. In any proportion, or in any language. 1st 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 villian, despite of all grace.

1st Gent. Well, there went but a pair of shears between us.

Lucio. I grant; as there may between the lists and the velvet: thou art the list.

1st Gent. And thou the velvet: thou art good velvet; thou art a three-piled piece, I warrant thee: I had as lief be a list of an English kersey, as be piled, as thou art piled, 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 own confession, learn to begin thy health; but, whilst I live, forget to drink after thee.

1st Gent. I think I have done myself wrong; have I not?

2nd Gent. Yes, that thou hast; whether thou art tainted or free.

Lucio. Behold, behold, where Madam Mitigation comes! I have purchased as many diseases under her roof as come to

2nd Gent. To what, I pray?

1st Gent. Judge.

2nd Gent. To three thousand dollars a-year. 1st Gent. Ay, and more.

Lucio. A French crown more.

1st Gent. Thou art always figuring diseases in me: but thou art full of error; I am sound,

Lucio. Nay, not as one would say, healthy; but so sound as things that are hollow: thy bones are hollow; impiety has made a feast of thee.

Enter Bawd.

1st Gent. How now? which of your hips has the most profound sciatica?

Bawd. Well, well: there's one yonder arrested and carried to prison, was worth five thousand of you all.

1st Gent. Who's that, I pray thee?

Bawd. Marry, sir, that's Claudio, Signior Claudio.

1st Gent. Claudio to prison! 't is not so.

Bawd. Nay, but I know 't is so: I saw him arrested; saw him carried away; and, which is more, within these three days his head's to be chopped 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.

2nd Gent. Besides, you know, it draws something near to the speech we had to such a purpose.

1st Gent. But most of all, agreeing with the proclamation.

Lucio. Away; let's go learn the truth of it.
[Exeunt Lucio and Gentleman.

Bawd. Thus, what with the war, what with the sweat, what with the gallows, and what with poverty, I am custom-shrunk. How now? what's the news with you?

Enter Clown.

Clo. Yonder man is carried to prison.
Bawd. Well; what has he done?
Clo. A woman.

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 is 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?

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.

Bawd. What's to do here, Thomas Tapster? Let's withdraw.

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

[Exeunt.

SCENE III.-The same.

Enter Provost, CLAUDIO, JULIET, and Officers; LUCIO, and two Gentlemen.

Claud. Fellow, why dost thou shew me thus to the world?

Bear me to prison, where I am committed.
Prov. I do it not in evil disposition,
But from Lord Angelo by special charge.

Claud. Thus can the demigod, Authority, Make us pay down for our offence by weight. The words of heaven;-on whom it will, it will; On whom it will not, so; yet still 't is just.

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

Claud. From too much liberty, my Lucio, liberty:

As surfeit is the father of much fast,
So every scope by the immoderate use
Turns to restraint. 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 speak so wisely under an arrest, I would send 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?

Claud. What but to speak of would offend again. Lucio. What is it? murder?

And the new deputy now for the Duke,-
Whether it be the fault and glimpse of newness;
Or whether that the body public be
A horse whereon the governor doth ride,
Who, newly in the seat, that it may know
He can command, lets it straight feel the spur;
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 the enrolléd penalties,
Which have, like unscoured armour, hung by

the wall

So long, that nineteen zodiacs have gone round,
And none of them been worn; and, for a name,
Now puts the drowsy and neglected act
Freshly on me :-'t is surely for a name.

Lucio. I warrant it is: and thy head stands so tickle on thy shoulders, that a milkmaid, if she be in love, may sigh it off. Send after the Duke, and appeal to him.