2 Gent. And thou the velvet; thou art good velvet; thou'rt a three-pil'd piece, I warrant thee: I had as lief be a list of an English kerfey, as be pil'd, as thou art pil'd, for a French velvet. Do I fpeak feelingly now?

Lucio. I think, thou doft; and, indeed, with most painful feeling of thy speech: I will, out of thine own confession, learn to begin thy health; but, whilft I live, forget to drink after thee. 2 Gent. I think, I have done myself wrong, have I not? 1 Gent. Yes, that thou haft; whether thou art tainted, or free.

SCENE IV.

Bawd, coming at a distance.

Lucio. Behold, behold, where madam Mitigation comes. i Gent. I have purchas'd as many diseases under her roof, as

I Gent. Thou art always figuring diseases in me; but thou art full of error; I am found.

Lucio. Nay, not, as one would fay, healthy; but so found, as things that are hollow; thy bones are hollow; impiety hath made a feaft of thee.

1 Gent. How now, which of your hips has the most profound fciatica ? [To the bawd. Bawd. Well, well; there's one yonder arrested, and carry'd to prison, was worth five thousand of you all.

i Gent. Who's that, I pr'ythee?

Bawd. Marry, fir, that's Claudio, fignior Claudio.

1 Gent. Claudio to prifon? 'tis not fo.

Bawd. Nay, but I know 'tis fo; I faw him arrefted; faw him

A quibble intended between dollars and dolours.

b

Alluding to the venereal feab upon the head call'd corona veneris.

Pp 2

carry'd

carry'd away; and, which is more, within these three days his head is to be chop'd off.

Lucio. But, after all this fooling, I would not have it fo: art thou fure of this?

Bawd. I am too fure of it; and it is for getting madam Julietta with child.

Lucio. Believe me, this may be; he promised to meet me two hours fince, and he was ever precise in promise-keeping.

2 Gent. Besides, you know it draws fomething near to the speech we had to fuch a purpose.

1 Gent. But most of all agreeing with the proclamation. Lucio. Away; let's go learn the truth of it.

[Exeunt. 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?

Clown. Yonder man is carry'd to prifon.

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 fuburbs of Vienna must be pluck'd down.

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

Clown. They fhall ftand for feed; they had gone down too, but that a wife burgher put in for them.

Bawd. But shall our houses of resort in the suburbs be pull'd

down?

Clown. To the ground, mistress.

Bawd.

Bawd. Why, here's a change, indeed, in the commonwealth; what fhall 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 tapfter ftill. Courage; there will be pity taken on you; you that have worn your eyes almoft out in the fervice, you will be confidered.

Bawd. What's to do here, Thomas tapfter? let's withdraw. Clown. Here comes fignior Claudio, led by the provost to prison; and there's madam Juliet. [Exe. bawd and clown.

SCENE VI.

Enter Provoft, Claudio, Juliet, and Officers. Lucio, and two Gentlemen.

Claud. Fellow, why doft thou show me thus to th' world? Bear me to prison, where I am committed.

Prov. I do it not in evil difpofition,

But from lord Angelo by fpecial charge.

Claud. Thus can the demi-god authority

Make us pay down, for our offence, by weight;

I' th' words of heav'n, on whom it will, it will

On whom it will not, fo; yet ftill 'tis juft.

Lucio. Why, how now, Claudio? whence comes this restraint ? Claud. From too much liberty, my Lucio, liberty;

As furfeit is the father of much fast,

So every scope by the immod'rate ufe

Turns to restraint: our natures do pursue

(Like rats that raven down their proper bane)

A thirsty evil; and, when we drink, we die.

Lucio. If I could speak fo wifely under an arreft, 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

Claud. No.

Lucio. Lechery?

Claud. Call it fo.

Prov. Away, fir, you

muft go.

Claud. One word, good friend: Lucio, a word with you. Lucio. A hundred; if they'll do you any good:

Is lechery fo look'd after ?

Claud. Thus ftands it with me: upon a true contract

I got poffeffion of Julietta's bed;

You know the lady; fhe is faft 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 ftealth of our mutual entertainment,
With character too grofs, is writ in 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 publick be

A horse whereon the governor doth ride,

Who newly in the feat, 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 ftagger in: but) this new governor
Awakes me all th' enrolled penalties

Which have like unfcour'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
Frefhly on me; 'tis, furely, for a name.

Lucio. I warrant, fo it is; and thy head ftands

So

So tickle on thy fhoulders, that a milkmaid,
If fhe be but 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.
I pr'ythee, Lucio, do me this kind service:
This day my fifter fhould the cloifter 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 ftrict deputy; bid herself affay him;
I have great hope in that; for in her youth
There is a prone and speechlefs dialect,

Such as moves men: befide, fhe hath profp'rous art
When she will play with reafon and discourse,
And well fhe can perfuade.

Lucio. I pray fhe may;

As well for the encouragement of the like,
Which elfe would ftand on grievous impofition;
As for thy life, which I'd be forry should be
Thus foolishly loft at a game of tick-tack.
I'll to her ftraight.

Claud. I thank you, good friend Lucio.
Lucio. Within two hours.

Claud. Come, officer, away.

[Exeunt.

Duke.

ke.N°

Enter Duke, and Friar Thomas.

O; holy father, throw away that thought;
Believe not that the dribbling dart of love
Can pierce a compleat breaft: 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.