Lucio. Well, then imprison him: If Imprisonment be the due of a bawd, why, 'tis his right: Bawd is he, doubtless, and of antiquity too; bawa-born. Farewell, good Pompey: Commend me to the prison, Pompey: You will turn good husband nów, Pompey; you will keep the house.

Clo. 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
Elb. Come your ways, Sir; come.

Clo. You will not bail me then, Sir?

69

Lucio. Then, Pompey? nor now. What news abroad, friar? What news?

Elb. Come your ways, Sir; come.

Lucio. Go, to kennel, Pompey, go:"

[Exeunt ELBOw, Clown, and Officers.

What news, friar, of the Duke?
Duke. I know none:

any?

1

Can you tell me of

Lucio. Some say, he is with the Russia; other some, he is in Rome: is he, think you?

Emperor of
But where

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 lechery/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 ally'd: but it is impossi ble to extirp it quite, friar, till eating and drinking be put down. They say, this Angelo was not made by man and woman, after the downright way of creation: Is it true, think you?,

Duke. How should he be made then?

es:

Lucio. Some report, a sea- maid spawn'd him; Some, that he was begot between two stock - fishBut it is certain, that when he makes water, his urine is congeal'd ice; that I know to be true: and he is a motion ungenerative, that's infallible.

Duke. You are pleasant, Sir; and speak apace.

Lucio. Why; what a ruthless thing is this in him, for the rebellion of a cod-piece, to take away the life of a man? 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 had some feeling of the sport: he knew the service, and that instructed him to mercy.

Duke. I never heard the absent Duke much de tected 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 lock'd 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, supperficial, ignorant, unweighing fellow.

Duke. Either this is envy in you, folly, or mistaking; the very stream of his life, and the business he hath helmed, must, upon a warranted need, give him a better proclamation. Let him be but testimonied in his own bringings forth, and he shall appear to the envious, a scholar, a statesman, and a soldier: Therefore, you speak unskilfully; or, if your knowledge be more, it is much darken'd in your malice.

Lucio. Sir, I know him, and I love him. Duke. Love talks with better knowledge, and knowledge with dearer love.

Lucio. Come, 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; 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 hang'd first thou art deceived in me, friar. But no more of this: Canst thou tell, if Claudió die tomorrow, or no?

Duke. Why should he die, Sir?

Lucio. Why? for filling a bottle with a tundish. I would, the Duke, we talk of, were return'd again: this ungenitur'd agent will unpeople the province with continency: sparrows must not build in his house eaves, because they are lecherous. The Duke yet would have dark deeds darkly answer'd; he would never bring them to light would he were return'd! Marry, this Claudio is condemn'd for untrussing. Farewell, good friar; I pr'ythee, pray for me. The Duke, I say to thee again, would eat mutton on Fridays. He's now past it; yet, and I say to thee, he would mouth with a beggar, though she smelt brown bread and garlick: say, that I said so. Farewell.

[Exit.

Duke. No might nor greatness in morality Can Censure 'scape; back-wounding calumuy The whitest virtue strikes: What King so strong, Gan tie the gall up in the slanderous tongue? But who comes here?

Enter ESCALLUS, Provost, Bawa, and Officers.

Escal. Go, away with her to prison.

Bawd. Good my Lord, be good to me; your Honour is accounted a merciful man: good my Lord.

Escal. 'Double and treble admonition, and still forfeit in the same kind? This would make mercy swear, and play the tyrant.

禦

Prov. A bawd of eleven years continuance, may it please your Honour.

Bawd. My Lord, this is one Lucio's information against me: mistress Kate Keep-down was with child by him in the Duke's time, he promised Ker marriage; his child is a year and a quar ter old, come Philip and Jacob; I have kept it myself and see how he goes about to abuse me. Escal. That fellow is a fellow of much licence: let him be called before us. Away with her to prison: Go to; no more words. [Exeunt Bawd and Officers.] Provost, my brother Angelo will not be alter'd, 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.

Prov. So please you, this friar hath been with him, and advised him for the entertainment of

death.

Escal. Good even, good father.

Duke. Bliss and goodness on you!

Escal. 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,
In special business from his holiness.

Escal. 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: novelty is only in request; and it is as dan gerous to be aged in any kind of course, as it is virtuous to be constant in any undertaking. There