that are fallible; to Morrow you must die; go to your Knees, and make ready.

Claud. Let me ask my Sifter Pardon; I am fo out of love with Life, that I will fue to be rid of it.

[Exit Claud. Duke. Hold you there; farewel. Provost, a Word with you.

Prov. What's your Will, Father?

Duke. That now you are come, you will be gone; leave me a while with the Maid; my Mind promifes with my Habit, no lofs fhall touch her by my Company.

Prov. In good time.

[Exit Prov. Duke. The Hand that hath made you fair, hath made you good, the Goodness that is cheap in Beauty, makes Beauty brief in goodness; but Grace being the Soul of your Complexion, fhall keep the Body of it ever fair; the Af fault that Angelo hath made to you, Fortune hath convey'd to my Understanding; and but that Frailty hath Examples for his Falling, I fhould wonder at Angelo: How will you do to content this Subftitute, and to fave your Brother?

Ifab. I am now going to refolve him: I had rather my Brother die by the Law, than my Son fhould be unlaw fully born. But, oh, how much is the good Duke deceiv'd in Angelo: If ever he return, and I can fpeak to him, I will open my Lips in vain, or difcover his Go

vernment.

Duke. That fhall not be much amifs; yet, as the Matter now ftands, he will avoid your Accufation; He made Trial of you only. Therefore faften your Ear on my Advifings, to the Love I have in doing good; a Remedy prefents it felf. I do make my felf believe that you may moft uprighteoufly do a poor wronged Lady a merited Benefit; redeem your Brother from the angry Law; do no Stain to your own gracious Perfon, and much please the abfent Duke, if peradventure he fhall ever return to have hearing of this Bufinefs.

Ifab. Let me hear you speak, Father: I have Spirit to do any thing that appears not foul in the Truth of my Spirit.

Duke. Virtue is bold, and Goodness never fearful: Have you not heard fpeak of Mariana, the Sifter of Frederick, the great Soldier, who mifcarry'd at Sea?

Ifab. I have heard of the Lady, and good Words went

with her Name.

Duke. She should this Angelo have marry'd; was affianc'd to her by Oath, the Nuptial appointed: Between which time of the Contract, and limit of the Solemnity, her Brother Frederick was wrackt at Sea, having in that perifh'd Vessel the Dowry of his Sifter. But mark how heavily this befel to the poor Gentlewoman; there fhe loft a noble and renowned Brother, in his Love toward her ever moft kind and natural; with him the Portion and Sinew of her Fortune, her Marriage-dowry; with both, her Combinate-husband, this well-feeming Angelo.

Ifab. Can this be fo? Did Angelo fo leave her?

Duke. Left her in her Tears, and 'dry'd not one of them with his Comfort; fwallow'd his Vows whole, pretending in her Discoveries of Dishonour: In few Words, bestow'd her on her own Lamentation, which the yet wears for his fake; and he, a Marble to her Tears, is washed with them, but relents not.

Ifab. What a Merit were it in Death to take this poor Maid from the World! What Corruption in this Life, that it will let this Man live! But how out of this can fhe avail?

Duke. It is a Rupture that you may easily heal; and the Cure of it not only faves your Brother, but keeps you from Dishonour in doing it.

Ifab. Shew me how, Father.

Duke. This fore-nam'd Maid hath yet in her the Continuance of her firft Affection; his unjuft Unkindness, that in all Reafon fhould have quenched her Love, hath, like an Impediment in the Current, made it more violent and unruly. Go you to Angelo, anfwering his requiring with 2 plaufible Obedience; agree with his Demands to the Point: Only refer your felf to this Advantage; firft, that your Stay with him may not be long; that the Time may have all Shadow and Silence in it; and the Place anfwer to all Conveni

ence.

This being granted in Courfe; and now follows all: We fhall advife this wronged Maid to fteed up your Appointment, go in your place; if the Encounter acknowledge it felf hereafter, it may compel him to her Recompence; and here, by this is your Brother faved, your Honcur un

tainted,

tainted, the poor Mariana advantaged, and the corrupt Deputy fcaled. The Maid will I frame, and make fit for his Attempt: If you think well to think well to carry this, as you may, the doubleness of the Benefit defends the Deceit and Reproof. What think you of it?

Ifab. The Image of it gives me Content already, and I truft it will grow to a moft profperous Perfection.

Duke. It lyes much in your holding up; hafte you speedily to Angelo; if for this Night he intreat you to his Bed, give him Promife of fatisfaction. I will prefently to St. Luke's; there at the moated Grange refides this dejected Mariana; at that place call upon me, and difpatch with Angelo, that it may be quickly.

Ifab. I thank you for this Comfort: Fare you well, good Father.

[Exit. Elb. Nay, if there be no Remedy for it, but that you will needs buy and fell Men and Women like Beasts, we fhall have all the World drink brown and white Baftard. Duke. Oh Heav'ns! what ftuff is here?

Enter Elbow, Clown and Officers.

Clown. 'Twas never merry World fince of two Ufuries the merrieft was put down, and the worfer allow'd by Order of Law; a furi'd Gown to keep him warm; and furr'd with Fox and Lambs-skins too, to fignifie, that Craft being richer than Innocency, ftands for the facing.

Elb. Come your way, Sir: Blefs you, good Father

Friar.

Duke. And you, good Brother Father; what Offence hath this Man made you, Sir?

Elb. Mary, Sir, he hath offended the Law; and, Sir, we take him to be a Thiefroo, Sir; for we have found upon him Sir, a ftrange Pick-lock, which we have fent to the Deputy.

Duke. Fie, Sirrah, a Bawd, a wicked Bawd;
The Evil that thou caufeft to be done,

That is thy means to live. Do thou but think
What 'tis to crám a Maw, or cloath a Back
From fuch a filthy Vice: Say to thy felf,
From their abominable and beaftly Touches
I drink, I cat away my felf, and live.

Canft

Canft thou believe thy living is a Life,
So ftinkingly depending? Go mend, go mend.
Clown. Indeed it does ftink in fome fort, Sir;
But yet, Sir, I would prove-

Duke. Nay, if the Devil have given thee Proofs for Sin, Thou wilt prove his. Take him to Prifon, Officer; Correction and Inftruction muft both work,

E'er this rude Beaft will profit.

Elb. He must before the Deputy, Sir; he has given him Warning; the Deputy cannot abide a Whore-mafter; if he be a Whoremonger, and comes before him, he were as good go a Mile on his Errand.

Duke. That we were all, as fome would feem to be, Free from all Faults, as Faults from feeming free.

Enter Lucio.

Elb. His Neck will come to your Wafte, a Cord, Sir. Clown. I fpy Comfort; I cry Bail: Here's a Gentleman, and a Friend of mine.

Lucio. How now, noble Pompey? What, at the Wheels of Cafar? Art thou led in Triumph? what, is there none of Pigmalion's Images newly made Woman to be had now, for putting the Hand in the Pocket, and extracting clutch'd? What Reply? Ha? What fay'st thou to this Tune, Matter and Method? Is't not drown'd i'th' laft Rain? Ha? What fay'st thou, Trot? Is the World as it was, Man? Which is way? Is it fad, and few Words? Or how? The Trick of it?

the

Duke. Still thus, and thus; still worse?

Lucio. How doth my dear Morfel? thy Mistress? Procures fhe ftill? Ha?

Clown. Troth, Sir, she hath eaten up all her Beef, and the is her felf in the Tub.

Lucio. Why, 'tis good; it is the right of it; it must be fo, Ever your fresh Whore, and your powder'd Bawd, an unhunn'd Confequence, it must be fo. Art going to Prifon, Pompey?

Clown. Yes, Fath, Sir.

Lucio. Why, 'tis not amifs, Pompey? Farewel: Go fay, I fent thee thither; for Debt, Pompey; Or how?

Elb. For being a Bawd, for being a Bawd.

Lucio. Well, then imprison him; if Imprifonment be the due of a Bawd, why, 'tis his right. Bawd is he doubtlefs, and of Antiquity too; Bawd born. Farewel, good Pompey: Commend me to the Prifon, Pompey; you will turn good Husband now, Pompey; you will keep the House. Clown. 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 encrease your Bondage, if you take it not patiently: Why, your Mettle is the more: Adieu, trufty Pompey.

Blefs you, Friar.

Duke. And you.

Lucio. Does Bridget paint ftill, Pompey? Ha?
Elb. Come your ways, Sir, come.

Clown. You will not bail me then, Sir?

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: Can you tell me any?

Lucio. Some fay he is with the Emperor of Ruffia; other fome, he is in Rome: But where is he think you?

Duke. I know not where; but wherefoever, I wish him well.

Lucio. It was a mad fantastical Trick of him, to fteal from the State, and ufurp the Beggary he was never born to; Lord Angelo Dukes it well in his Abfence; he puts Tranfgreffion to't.

Duke. He does well in't.

Lucio. A little more Lenity to Leachery would do no harm in him; fomething too crabbed that way, Friar.

Duke. It is too general a Vice, and Severity muft cure it. Lucio. Yes, in good footh, the Vice is of great Kindred; it is well ally'd; but it is impoffible to extirp it quite, Friar, 'till eating and drinking be put down. They fay, this Angelo was not made by Man and Woman, after this downright way of Creation; is it true, think you?

Duke. How fhould he be made then?

1