But, like a thrifty goddess, she determines Herself the glory of a creditor, Both thanks and use. But I do bend my speech To one that can my part in him advertise; Hold therefore, Angelo :— In our remove be thou at full ourself; Mortality and mercy in Vienna Live in thy tongue and heart: old Escalus, Take thy commission. Ang. Now, good my lord, Let there be some more test made of my metal, Be stamp'd upon it. Duke. No more evasion: We have with a leaven'd and prepared choice 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 41. use, interest. 42. one that can my part in him advertise, one so superior to me that he is capable of instructing that in him which assumes my office. 43. Hold therefore, Angelo. The duke here presents the commission, which he finally, 40 50 60 at v. 48, places in Angelo's 44. remove, absence. 55. prefers itself, thrusts all other claims into the background. 55. unquestion'd, unexamined. With any scruple; your scope is as mine own, Give me your hand : 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 happi ness! 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 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. 20 80 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. 68-71. This passage has been conjectured to offer a courtly apology for King James I.'s stately and ungracious demeanour on his entry into England.' First Gent. Heaven grant us its peace, but not the King of Hungary's! Sec. Gent. Amen. Lucio. Thou concludest like the sanctimonious pirate, that went to sea with the Ten Commandments, but scraped one out of the table. Sec. Gent. 'Thou shalt not steal'? First Gent. Why, 'twas 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, do relish the petition well that prays for peace. Sec. Gent. I never heard any soldier dislike it. Lucio. I believe thee; for I think thou never wast where grace was said. Sec. Gent. No? a dozen times at least. First. Gent. What, in metre? Lucio. In any proportion or in any language. Lucio. Ay, why not? Grace is grace, despite of all controversy: as, for example, thou thyself art a wicked villain, despite of all grace. First Gent. Well, there went but a pair of shears between us. Lucio. I grant; as there may between the lists and the velvet. First Gent. And good velvet; thou 'rt Thou art the list. thou the velvet: thou art a three-piled piece, I war rant 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? 23. proportion, measure. 28. there went but a pair of shears between us, i. e. we are cut out of the same cloth. 10 20 30 35. piled, a quibble between piled, applied to velvet, and pilled, or hairless as a consequence of the French disease. 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. First Gent. I think I have done myself wrong, have I not? Sec. 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— Sec. Gent. To what, I pray? Lucio. Judge. Sec. Gent. To three thousand dolours a year. Lucio. A French crown more. First 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 MISTRESS OVERDONE. First Gent. How now! which of your hips has the most profound sciatica ? 40 50 Mrs. Ov. Well, well; there's one yonder arrested 60 and carried to prison was worth five thousand of you all. Sec. Gent. Who's that, I pray thee? Mrs. Ov. Marry, sir, that's Claudio, Signior First Gent. Claudio to prison? 'tis not so. 52. French crown, a bald 56. sound, sounding (with a arrested, saw him carried away; and, which is more, within these three days his head to be chopped off. Lucio. But, after all this fooling, I would not have it so. Art thou sure of this? Mrs. Ov. 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. 70 Sec. Gent. Besides, you know, it draws something near to the speech we had to such a purpose. First Gent. But, most of all, agreeing with 80 the proclamation. Lucio. Away! let's go learn the truth of it. [Exeunt Lucio and Gentlemen. Mrs. Ov. Thus, what with the war, what with the sweat, what with the gallows and what with poverty, I am custom-shrunk. Enter POMPEY. How now! what's the news with you? Pom. A woman. Mrs. Ov. But what's his offence? Pom. Groping for trouts in a peculiar river. Mrs. Ov. What, is there a maid with child by him? Pom. No, but there's a woman with maid by him. You have not heard of the proclamation, have you? Mrs. Ov. What proclamation, man? Pom. All houses in the suburbs of Vienna must be plucked down. 84. sweat, the 'sweating-sickness.' 90 |