Puslapio vaizdai
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Duke. Of Government, the Properties to unWould feem in me t'affect Speech and Difcourfe.

Since I am put to know, that your own Sci

Exceeds, in that, the Lifts of all Advice

My Strength can give you: Then no more remains;

Put that to your Sufficiency, as your Worth is able,
And let them work: The Nature of our People,

Our City's Inftitutions, and the Terms

For common Juftice, y'are as pregnant in

As Art and Practice hath enriched any

That we remember. There is our Commiffion,

(ence

From which we would not have you warp. Call hither,

I fay, bid come before us Angelo:

What figure of us think you, he will bear?

For you must know, we have with special Soul

Elected him our Abfence to fupply;

Lent him our Terror, dreft him with our Love,
And given his Deputation all the Organs
Of our own Power: What think

you

of it?

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Efcal.

Efcal. If any in Vienna be of Worth

To undergo fuch ample Grace and Honour,
It is Lord Angelo.

Enter Angelo.

Duke. Look where he comes.

Ang. Always obedient to your Grace's Will,
I come to know your Grace's Pleasure.
Duke. Angelo,

There is a kind of Character in thy Life,
That, to th' Obferver, doth thy History
Fully unfold: Thy felf and thy Belongings
Are not thine own fo proper, as to wafte
Thy felf upon thy Virtues; they on thee:
Heav'n doth with us, as we with Torches do,
Not light them for themselves: For if our Virtues
Did not go forth of us, 'twere all alike

As if we had them not. Spirits are not finely touch'd,
But to fine Iffues; nor Nature never lends

The smallest Scruple of her Excellence,

But like a thrifty Goddess, the determines

Her felf the Glory of a Creditor,

Both Thanks and Ufe. 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, our self.
Mortality and Mercy in Vienna,

Live in thy Tongue and Heart: Old Efcalus,
Though firft in Question, is thy Secondary.
Take thy Commission.

Ang. Now, good my Lord,

Let there be fome more Teft made of my Metal,
Before fo noble and fo great a Figure

Be ftampt upon it.

Duke. No more Evafion :

We have with a leven'd and prepar❜d Choice
Proceeded to you; therefore take your Honours:
Our Hafte from hence is of fo quick Condition,
That it prefers it felf, and leaves unqueftion'd
Matters of needful Value. We shall write to you,
As Time and our Concernings fhall importune,
How it goes with us, and do look to know

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What

What doth befal you here. So fare you well
To th' hopeful Execution do I leave you
Of our Commiffion.

Ang. Yet give leave, my Lord,

That we may bring you fomething on the Way.
Duke. My Hafte may not admit it,

Nor need you, on mine Honour, have to do
With any Scruple; your Scope is as mine w n
So to inforce, or qualifie the Laws,

As to your Soul feems good. Give me your Hand;
I'll privily away. I love the People,

But do not like to ftage me to their Eyes:
Though it do well, I do not relish well
Their loud Applause, and Aves vehement :
Nor do I think the Man of safe Discretion
That does affect it. Once more fare you well.
Ang. The Heav'ns give Safety to your Purposes.
Efcal. Lead forth and bring you back in Happiness.
Duke. I thank you, fare you well.

[Exit.
Efcal. I fhall defire 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
I am not yet inftructed.

Ang. 'Tis fo with me: Let us with-draw together,
And we may foon our Satisfaction have

Touching that Point.

Efcal. I'll wait upon your Honour.

SCENE

[Exeunt

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Enter Lucio, and two Gentlemen.

Lucio. If the Duke, with the other Dukes, come not to Compofition with the King of Hungary, why then all the Dukes fall upon the King.

1 Gent. Heav'n grant us its Peace, but not the King of Hungary's.

2 Gent. Amen.

Lucio. Thou conclud'ft like the Sanctimonious Pyrat, that went to Sea with the ten Commandments, but fcrap'd one out of the Table.

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2 Gent. Thou shalt not fteal?

Lucio. Ay, that he raz'd.

Gent. Why? 'twas a Commandment to command the Captain and all the rest from their Functions; they put forth to fteal: There's not a Soldier of us all, that, in the Thanksgiving before Meat, do relish the Petition well that prays for Peace.

2 Gent. I never heard any Soldier diflike it.

Lucio. I believe thee: For I think thou never waft where Grace was faid.

2 Gent. No? a dozen times at least.

I Gent. What? in Meeter?

Lucio. In any Proportior, or in any Language.
I Gent. I think, or in any Religion.

Lucio. Ay, why not? Grace, is Grace, defpight of all Controverfie; as for Example, Thou thy felf art a wicked Villain, defpight of all Grace.

I Gent. Well; there went but a Pair of Sheers between us. Lucio. I grant; as there may between the Lifts and the Velvet. Thou art the Lift.

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I Gent. And thou the Velvet; thou art good Velvet; thou'rt a three-pil'd Piece I warrant thee: I had as lief bea Lift of an English Kerfey, as be pil'd, as thou art pil'd, for a French Velvet. Do I speak feelingly now?

Lucio. I think thou doft; and indeed with moft painful feeling of thy Speech: I will, out of thine own Confeffion, learn to begin thy Health; but, whilft I live, forget to drink after thee.

1 Gent. I think I have done my felf wrong, have I not? 2 Gent. Yes, that thou haft; whether thou art tainted, or free.

Enter Bawd.

Lucio. Behold, behold, where Madam Mitigation comes. I have purchas'd as many Diseases under her Roof,

As come to

2 Gent. To what, pray?

Lucio. Judge.

2 Gent. To three thousand Dolours a Year.

1 Gent. Ay, and more.

Lucio. A French Crown more.

I Gent.

I Gent. Thou art always figuring Difeafes in me; but thou art full of Error, I am found.

Lucio. Nay, not, as one would fay, healthy; but fo found, as things that are hollow; thy Bones are hollow; Impiety has made a Feaft of thee.

I Gent. How now, which of your Hips has the most profound Sciatica ?

Bawd. Well, well; there's one yonder arrested, and carry'd to Prifon, was worth five thousand of you all. 1. Gent. Who's that, I prethee?

Bawd. Marry Sir, that's Claudie, Signior Claudio.
I Gent. Claudio to Prifon? 'tis not fo.

Bawd. Nay, but I know 'tis fo; I saw him arrefted; faw him carry'd away; and which is more, within these three Days his Head is to be chopt 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 precife in Prom:fe keeping,

2 Gent. Befides, 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 Cuftom-fhrunk. How now? what's the News with you?

Enter Clown.

Clown. Yonder Man is carry'd to Prifon.

Bawd. Well; what has he done?

Clown. A Woman.

Bawd. But what's his Offence?

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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 muft be pluck'd down.

Bawd

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