tue; with mental energies of a very superior kind, she is placed in a situation to make trial of them all, and the firmness with which her virtue resists the appeal of natural affection has something in it heroically sublime. The passages in which she encourages her brother to meet death with firmness rather than dishonour, his hurst of indignant passion on learning the price at which hie life might be redeemed, and his subsequent clinging to life, and desire that she would make the sacrifice required, are among the finest dramatic passages of Shakspeare. What heightens the effect is that this scene follows the fine exhortation of the Duke in the character of the Friar about the little value of life, which had almost made Claudio 'resolved to die.' The comic

parts of the play are lively and amusing, and the reckless Barnardine, 'fearless of what's past, present, and to come,' is in fine contrast to the sentimentality of the other characters. Shakspeare "was a moralist in the had learnt from her. He showed the greatest know. same sense in which nature is one. He taught what he ledge of humanity with the greatest fellow feeling for it."*

the close of the year 1603. Malone supposes this play to have been written about

1818, p. 120. * Characters of Shakepeare's Plays, 2d ed. London,

VINCENTIO, Duke of Vienna.

PERSONS

the Deputation.

CLAUDIO, a young Gentleman.

LUCIO, a Fantastic.

Two other like Gentlemen.

VARRIUS, a Gentleman, Servant to the Duke.

Provost.

THOMAS,

PETER,

A Justice.

{

Two Friars.

ELEOW, a simple Constable.

FROTH, a foolish Gentleman. Clown, Servant to Mrs. Over-done.

BARNARDINE, a dissolute Prisoner.

ACT I.

SCENE I. An Apartment in the Duke's Palace. Enter DUKE, ESCALUS, Lords and Attendants.

Duke. Escalus,

Escal. My lord.

Duke. Of government the properties to unfold, Would seem in me to affect speech and discourse; Since I am put to know, that your own science Exceeds, in that, the lists of all advice

My strength can give you: Then no more remains But that to your sufficiency, as your worth is able,

And let them work. The nature of our people,
Our city's institutions, and the terms

For common justice, you are as pregnant in,
As art and practice hath enriched any

That we remember: There is our commission,

From which we would not have you warp.-Call

1 i. e. since I am so placed as to know. Mr. Stevens says it may mean, I am compelled to acknowledge. And instances from Henry VI. Pt. ii. Sc. 1.

had I first been put to speak my mind."

Lords, Gentlemen, Guards, Officers, and other

Attendants.

SCENE, Vienna,

As time and our concernings shall importune, How it goes with us; and do look to know What doth befall you here. So, fare you well; To the hopeful execution do I leave you

Of your commissions.

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

With any scruple: your scope1 is as mine own;
So to enforce or qualify the laws,

As to your soul seems good. Give me your hand;
I'll privily away; I love the people,
But do not like to stage 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 heavens give safety to your purposes! Escal. Lead forth, and bring you back in happiness.

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 I am not yet instructed.

Ang. 'Tis so with me:-Let us withdraw to

gether,
And we may soon our satisfaction have
Touching that point.
Escal.

I'll wait upon your honour.
[Exeunt.

SCENE II. A Strect. 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.

1 Gent. Heaven grant us its peace, but not the king of Hungary's!

2 Gent. Amen.

Lucio. Thou concludest like the sanctimonious pirate, that went to sea with the ten commandments, but scraped one out of the table.

2 Gent. Thou shalt not steal?

Lucio. Ay, that he razed.

1 Gent. How now? Which of your hips has the most profound sciatica?

Bawd. Well, well; there's one yonder arrested, and carried to prison, was worth five thousand of you all.

1 Gent. Who's that, I pray thee? Bawd. Marry, sir, that's Claudio, signior Claudio.

1 Gent. Claudio to prison! 'tis not so. Bawd. Nay, but I know, 'tis so; I saw him arrested; saw him carried away; and which is more, within these three days his head's to be chopped off.

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

Bawd. 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.

2 Gent. Besides, you know, it draws something near to the speech we had to such a purpose, 1 Gent. But most of all, agreeing with the proclamation.

Lucio. Away; let's go learn the truth of it. [Exeunt LUCIO and Gentlemen. Bawd. Thus, what with the war, what with the

dier of us all, that, in the thanksgiving before meat,

doth relish the petition well that prays for peace.

2 Gent. I never heard any soldier dislike it. Lucio. I believe thee; for I think, thou never

wast where grace was said.

2 Gent. No? a dozen times at least.

1 Gent. What? in metre?

Lucio. In any proportion, or in any language. 1 Gent. I think, or in any religion.

Lucio. Ay! why not? Grace is grace, despite of all controversy: As for example; Thou thyself art a wicked villain, despite of all grace.

1 Gent. Well, there went but a pair of shears between us,4

Lucio. I grant; as there may between the lists and the velvet: Thou art the list.

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

Lucio. I think thou dost; and, indeed, with most painful feeling of thy speech: I will, out of thine

1 Scope is extent of power. 2 Aves are hailings. 3 i. e. measure. 4 We are both of the same piece. 5 Pild, for a French velvet.'-Velvet was esteemed according to the richness of the pile; three-pil'd was the richest. But pil'd also means bald. The jest alludes to the loss of hair in the French disease. Lucio, finding the Gentleman understands the distemper so well, and mentions it so feelingly, promises to remember to drink his health, but to forget to drink after him.

Enter Clown.

Clo. Yonder man is carried to prison.
Bawd. Well; what has he done?
Clo. A woman.

Bawd. But what's his offence?

Clo. Groping for trouts in a peculiar river.

Bawd. What, is there a maid with child by him? Clo. No; but there's a woman with maid by him: You have not heard of the proclamation, have you?

Bawd. What proclamation, man?

Clo. All houses in the suburbs of Vienna must be plucked down.

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

Clo. They shall stand for seed: they had gone down too, but that a wise burgher put in for them. Bawd. But shall all our houses of resort in the

suburbs be pulled down?"

Clo. To the ground, mistress.

Bawd. Why, here's a change, indeed, in the commonwealth! What shall become of me?

In old times the cup of an infected person was thought to be contagious.

6 The sweat; the consequences of the curative process then used for a certain disease

7 In one of the Scotch Laws of James it is ordered, 'that common women be put at the utmost endes of townes, queire least peril of fire is. It is remarkable that the licensed houses of resort at Vienna, are at this time all in the suburbs, under the permission of the Committee of Chastity.

Clo. Come, fear not you; good counsellors lack no clients: though you change your place, you need not change your trade; I'll be your tapster still. Courage; there will be pity taken on you: you that have worn your eyes almost out in the service, you will be considered.

Bard. What's to do here, Thomas Tapster? Let's withdraw.

Clo. Here comes signior Claudio, led by the provost to prison: and there's madam Juliet. [Exeunt.

SCENE III. The same. Enter Provost, CLAUDIO, JULIET, and Officers; Lucio and two Gen

tlemen.

Claud. Fellow, why dost thou show me thus to
the world?

- Bear me to prison where I am committed.
Prou. I do it not in evil disposition,
But from lord Angelo by special charge.
Claud. Thus can the demi-god, Authority,
Make us pay down for our offence by weight.-
The words of heaven; -on whom it will, it will;
On whom it will not, so; yet still 'tis just.2

Lacio. Why, how now, Claudio? whence comes this restraint?

Claud. From too much liberty, my Lucio, liberty; As surfeit is the father of much fast, So every scope by the immoderate use Turns to restraint: Our natures do pursue, (Like rats that ravin3 down their proper bane) A thirsty evil; and when we drink, we die.

Lucio. If I could speak so wisely under an arrest, I would send 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 it? murder?

contract,

⚫ I got possession of Julietta's bed;"

You know the lady; she is fast 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 stealth of our most mutual entertainment,

With character too gross, is writ on Juliet.
Lucio. With child, perhaps?

Claud. Unhappily, even so.

And the new deputy now for the duke, -
Whether it be the fault and glimpse of newness;
Or whether that the body public be

A horse whereon the governor doth ride,

Who, newly in the seat, that it may know

have mercy."

3 To ravin is to voraciously devour.

4 So, in Chapman's Revenge for Honour: 'Like poison'd rats, which, when they've swallowed The pleasing bane, rest not until they drink, And can rest then much less, until they burst.

5 This speech is surely too indelicate to be spoken concerning Juliet before her face. Claudio may therefore be supposed to speak to Lucio apart.

6 This singular mode of expression has not been satisfactorily explained. The old sense of the word is 'promoting, inlarging, increasing, spreading. It appears that Claudio would say: for the sake of promot

He can command, lets it straight feel the spur:
Whether the tyranny bo in his place,
Or in his eminence that fills it up,
I stagger in :-But this new governor
Awakes me all the enrolled penalties,

Which have, like unscour'd armour, hung by the 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
Freshly on me:-'tis surely, for a name.

Lucio. I warrant, it is: and thy head stands so tickles on thy shoulders, that a milk-maid, if she be in love, may sigh it off. Send after the duke, and appeal to him.

Claud. I have done so, but he's not to be found. I pr'ythee, Lucio, do me this kind service: This day my sister should the cloister 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 strict deputy; bid herself assay him; I have great hope in that: for in her youth There is a pronet and speechless dialect, Such as moves men; besides, she hath prosperous

Fri.

Fri. Gladly, my lord.

Duke. We have strict statutes and most biting

laws,

-'to try if we

I have on Angelo impos'd the office;

Your brother and his lovers have embrac'd:
As those that feed grow full; as blossoming time,
That from the seedness the bare fallow brings
To teeming foison; even so her plenteous womb

Isab. Some one with child by him?-My cousin

Juliet?

And yet my nature never in the sight,

To do it slander: And to behold his sway,

I will, as 'twere a brother of your order,

Visit both prince and people: there.ore, I pr'ythee,

Sapply me with the habit, and instruct me

How I may formally in person bear me

Like a true friar. More reasons for this action,

At our more leisure shall I render you;

Only, this one: -Lord Angelo is precise;

Stands at a guard1 with envy; scarce confesses That his blood flows, or that his appetite

Is more to bread than stone: Hence shall we sec, If power change purpose, what our seemers be.

[Exeunt.

SCENE V. A Nunnery. Enter ISABELLA and

FRANCISCA.

Isab. Peace and prosperity! Who is't that calls? Enter Lucio.

Lucio. Hail, virgin, if you be; as those cheek-roses Proclaim you are no less! Can you so stead me, As bring me to the sight of Isabella, A novice of this place, and the fair sister

To her unhappy brother Claudio?

Isab. Why her unhappy brother? let me ask;

The rather, for I now must make you know

I am that Isabella, and his sister.

This is the point.

The duke is very strangely gone from hence;
Bore many gentlemen, myself being one,
In hand, and hope of action: but we do learn
By those that know the very nerves of state,
His givings out were of an infinite distance
From his true-meant design. Upon his place,
And with full lines of his authority,
Governs Lord Angelo; a man, whose blood
Is very snow-broth; one who never feels
The wanton stings and motions of the sense;
But doth rebate and blunt his natural edge
With profits of the mind, study and fast.
He (to give fear to used and liberty,
Which have, for long, run by the hideous law,
As mice by lions,) hath pick'd out an act,
Under whose heavy sense your brother's life
Falls into forfeit: he arrests him on it;
And follows close the rigour of the statute,
To make him an example: all hope is gone,
Unless you have the grace11 by your fair prayer
To soften Angelo: And that's my pith

Of business 'twixt you and your poor brother.

Isab. Doth he so seek his life?
Lucio.

Has censur'd' him
Already; and, as I hear, the provost hath
A warrant for his execution.

Isab. Alas! what poor ability's in mo
To do him good?
Lucio.

Assay the power you have.

Isab. My power! Alas! I doubt,-
Lucio.

Our doubts are traitors,

And make us lose the good we oft might win,
By fearing to attempt: Go to Lord Angelo,
And let him learn to know, when maidens sue,

All their petitions are as freely theirs

As they themselves would owels them.

Isab. I'll see what I can do. Lucio.

But speedily.

Isab. Woe me! For what?

Lucio. For that, which, if myself might be his

judge,

1 i. e. on his defence.

2 The old copy reads:

Isab. I will about it straight;

'For who is she so fair, whose unrear'd womb Disdains the tillage of thy husbandry?"

8 Full line, extent.

9 To rebate is to make dull: Aciem ferri hebetare.Baret.

10 i. e. to intimidate use, or practices long countenanced by custom.

11 i. e. power of gaining favour.

12 To censure is to judge. This is the poet's general meaning for the word, but the editors have given him several others. Here they interpret it censured, sentenced. We have it again in the next scene: When I that censure him do so offend,

Let mine own judgment pattern out my death." 13 To owe is to have, to possess.