The stealth of our moft mutual entertainment, Claud. Unhappily, even fo. And the new Deputy now for the Duke, (Whether it be the fault, and glimpse, of newness; Or whether that the body publick be A horse whereon the Governor doth ride, Or in his eminence that fills it up, I ftagger in:)- but this new Governor Which have, like unscour'd armour, hung by th' wall Lucio. I warrant, it is; and thy head ftands fo tickle on thy fhoulders, that a milk-maid, if fhe be in love, may figh it off. Send after the Duke, and appeal to him. Claud. I have done fo, but he's not to be found. Acquaint her with the danger of my state, Such as moves men! befide, the 'hath profp'rous art (4) So long, that nineteen Zodiacks have gone round,] The Duke, in the Scene immediately following, fays, Which for thefe fourteen Years we have let flip, The Author could not fo difagree with himself, in fo narrow a Compass. The Numbers must have been wrote in Figures, and fo miftaken: for which reason, 'tis neceffary to make the two Accounts correspond. Lucio. I pray, the may; as well for the encouragement of the like, which elfe would ftand under grievous impofition; as for the enjoying of thy life, who I would be forry fhould be thus foolishly loft at a game of tick-tack. I'll to her. Claud. I thank you, good friend Lucio. Claud. Come, officer, away. SCENE, A MONASTERY. Enter Duke, and Friar Thomas. [Exeunt. Duke. No, holy father, throw away that thoughts Can pierce a compleat bofom: why I defire thee Fri. May your Grace speak of it? Duke. My holy Sir, none better knows than you, (A man of stricture and firm abftinence) (5) My (5) A Man of Stricture.] Mr. Warburton obferves, that Striatura, from which this Word fhould feem to be form'd, fignified, among the Latines, the Spark which flies from red-hot Iron when ftruck; whence, in English, it has been metaphorically taken for a bright Stroke in an Author: nor has it, fays he, any other Signification. And he very reasonably queftions, whether it had That in Shakespeare's time. As fo remote a Signification could have no place in the Text here, he fufpects that two Words must have ignorantly been jumbled into one, and that our Author wrote: A Man of ftrict ure and firm Abftinence. i. e. a Man of a severe habit of Life. Ure, 'tis certain, was a Word used in CHAUCER'S Time for Chance, Destiny, Fortune; (when deriv'd from beur;) and alfo for Habit, Cuftom; (when contracted from the ufura of the Latines ;) whence we have form'd our compound Adjective, enured, habituated to. Tho' I have not difturb'd the Text, the Conjecture was too ingenious to be pass'd over in Silence. But as it is most frequent with our Au thor My abfolute Pow'r and Place here in Vienna; Duke. We have ftrict Statutes and most biting Laws, (The needful bits and curbs for head-ftrong Steeds,) (6) Which for these nineteen years we have let fleep; (7) Even thor as well to coin Words, as to form their Terminations ad libitum ; he may have adopted Striature here to fignify Strianefs; as afterwards. in this very Play, he has introduced prompture, the Ufage of which Word I no where else remember in our Tongue; neither have we prompturd or prompture, from the Latin or French, that I know of. (6) The needful Bits and Curbs for beadstrong Weeds:] There is no manner of Analogy, or Confonance, in the Metaphors here: and, tho' the Copies agree, I do not think, the Author would have talk'd of Bits and Curbs for Weeds. On the other hand, nothing can be more proper, than to compare Perfons of unbridled Licentiousness to headftrong Steeds: and, in this View, bridling the Paffions has been a Phrase adopted by our beft Poets. So, Horace, Lib. iv. Od. 15. & Ordinem Re&um evaganti frena Licentia Et veteres revocavit Artes. So, in his Epiftles, Lib. 1. Ep. 2. animum rege, qui, nifi paret, Imperat, hunc frenis, bunc tu compefce catena: And fo the elegant Phædrus, Lib. 1. Fab. 2. Procax libertas civitatem mifcuit, Frenumque folvit priftinum licentiâ. But Inftances were endless both from the Poets, and Profe-writers. (7) Which for these fourteen Years we have let flip,] For fourteen 1 have made no Scruple to replace nineteen. The Reason will be obvious to the Reader, who fhall look back to the 4th Note upon this Play. I have, I hope, upon as good Authority, alter'd the odd Phrafe of lesting the Laws flip: for, fuppofing the Expreffion might be juftified, yet how does it fort with the Comparison, that follows, of a Lion in his Cave that went not out to prey? But letting the Laws fleep, as I have reftor'd to the Text, adds a particular Propriety to the Thing reprefented, and accords exactly too with the Simile. It is the Metaphor too, that our Author feems fond of ufing upon this Occafion, in leve ral other Paffages of this Play. The Law bath not been dead, tho' it hath dept: VOL. I. Y And Even like an o'er-grown lion in a cave, That goes not out to prey: now, as fond fathers Fri. It refted in your Grace T'unloofe this ty'd-up juftice, when you pleas'd: Duke. I do fear, too dreadful. Sith 'twas my fault to give the people scope, And not the punishment. Therefore, indeed, my father, Who may in th' ambush of my name ftrike home, So do in flander: And to behold his fway, Like a true Friar. More reasons for this action Is more to bread than ftone: hence fhall we fee, SCENE, A NUNNERY. Enter Ifabella and Francifca. Ifab. A Nun. Are not thefe large enough? ND have you Nuns no farther privileges? Ifab. Yes, truly; I fpeak not, as defiring more; Ňun. It is a man's voice: gentle Ifabella, When you have vow'd, you must not speak with men, Then, if you speak, you must not fhew your face; Enter Lucio. Lucio. Hail, virgin, (if you be) as those cheek-rofes A novice of this place, and the fair fister Ifab. Why her unhappy brother? let me ask Lucio. Gentle and fair, your brother kindly greets you; Not to be weary with you, he's in prison. Ifab. Wo me! for what? Lucio. For that, which, if my self might be his judge, He should receive his punishment in thanks; He hath got his friend with child. Ifab. Sir, make me not your ftory. Lucio. Tis true:-I would not (tho' 'tis my familiar fin With maids to feem the lapwing, and to jeft, Y 2 Tongue |