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BAWD. Well; what has he done?

CLOWN. A woman.

BAWD. But what's his offence?

CLOWN. Groping for trouts in a peculiar river.
BAWD. What? is there a maid with child by him?
CLOWN. No; but there's a woman with maid by him.
You have not heard of the proclamation, have you ?

BAWD. What proclamation, man?

CLOWN. All houses in the suburbs of Vienna must be pluck'd down.

BAWD. And what shall become of those in the city?

CLOWN. 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 refort in the fuburbs be pull'd down?

CLOWN. To the ground, mistress.

BAWD. Why here's a change, indeed, in the common wealth. What shall become of me?

CLOWN. 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 confidered.

BAWD. What's to do here, Thomas Tapster? let's withdraw.

CLOWN. Here comes signior Claudio, led by the Provost to prison; and there's madam Juliet. (Exit Bawd and Clown.

SCENE VI.

Enter Provost, Claudio, Juliet, and officers. Lucio and two gentlemen.

CLAUD. Fellow, why dost thou show me thus to th' 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 demi-god, 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 'tis just.

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

straint?

CLAUD. From too much liberty, my Lucio, liberty;
As surfeit is the father of much fast,

So ev'ry 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 fend 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't, murder?

CLAUD. No.

LUCIO. Letchery?

CLAUD. Call it fo.

PROV. Away, Sir, you must go.

CLAUD. One word, good friend: -Lucio, a word with you.

LUCIO. A hundred; if they'll do you any good.

Is letchery fo look'd after ?

CLAUD. Thus stands it with me; upon a true contract

I got poffeffion of Julietta's bed,

(You know the lady) she is fast my wife;

Save that we do the denunciation lack

Of outward order. This we came not to,
Only for propagation of a dower
Remaining in the coffer of her friends;
From whom we thought it meet to hide our love,
'Till time had made them for us. But it chances,
The stealth of our most mutual entertainment,
With character too gross, is writ on Juliet.

LUCIO. With child, perhaps?
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 public be
A horfe whereon the governor doth ride,
Who, newly in the feat, that it may know
He can command, let's it strait 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 th' enrolled penalties,

Which have, like unscour'd armour, hung by th' wall
So long, that nineteen zodiacks have gone round,
And none of them been worn; and, for a name,
Now puts the drowsy and neglected act
Freshly on me.- 'Tis, surely, for a name.

Lucio. I warrant, it is. And thy head stands so tickle on
thy shoulders, that a milk-maid, if the be in love, may figh
it off. Send after the duke, and appeal to him.
CLAUD. I have done so, but he's not to be found.
pr'ythee, Lucio, do me this kind service :
This day my fister should the cloister enter,
And there receive her approbation.
Acquaint her with the danger of my state,

Implore her, in my voice, that she make friends
To the strict deputy; bid herself assay him;
I have great hope in that; for in her youth
There is a prone and speechless dialect,
Such as moves men! beside, she hath prosp'rous art
When she will play with reason and discourse,

And well she can perfuade.

Lucio. I pray, she may; as well for the encouragement of the like, which else would stand under grievous imposition; as for the enjoying of thy life, who I would be forry should be thus foolishly lost at a game of tick-tack. I'll to her. CLAUD. I thank you, good friend Lucio.

LUCIO. Within two hours,
CLAUD. Come, officer, away.

SCENE VII.

A monastery.

Enter Duke, and friar Thomas.

[Exeunt.

DUKE. No, holy father-Throw away that thought-
Believe not, that the dribbling dart of love
Can pierce a compleat bosom; why I defire thee
To give me secret harbour, hath a purpose
More grave, and wrinkled, than the aims and ends
Of burning youth.

FRI. May your grace speak of it?

DUKE. My holy Sir, none better knows than you,
How I have ever lov'd the life remov'd;

And held in idle price to haunt assemblies,
Where youth, and cost, and witless bravery keeps.
I have deliver'd to lord Angelo

A man of stricture and firm abstinence

My absolute pow'r and place here in Vienna;
And he supposes me travell'd to Poland;
For so I've strew'd it in the common ear,
And so it is receiv'd: now, pious Sir,
You will demand of me, why I do this?
FRI. Gladly, my lord.

DUKE. We have strict statutes and most biting laws,
The needful bits and curbs for head-strong steeds,
Which for these nineteen years we have let sleep;
Even like an o'er-grown lion in a cave,
That goes not out to prey. Now, as fond fathers
Having bound up the threat'ning twigs of birch,
Only to stick it in their children's sight,
For terror, not to use; in time the rod

Becomes more mock'd, than fear'd; so our decrees,

Dead to infliction, to themselves are dead;
And liberty plucks justice by the nose;
And baby beats the nurse, and quite athwart
Goes all decorum.

FRI. It rested in your grace.

T' unloose this ty'd up justice, when you pleas'd:
And it in you more dreadful would have seem'd,

Than in lord Angelo.

DUKE. I do fear, too dreadful.

Sith 'twas my fault to give the people scope,

'Twould be my tyranny to strike and gall them, For what I bid them do. For we bid this be done, When evil deeds have their permiffive pass,

And not the punishment. Therefore, indeed, my father,
I have on Angelo impos'd the office:,

Who may in th' ambush of my name strike home,
And yet, my nature never in the fight

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