be forry fhould be thus foolishly loft at a game of tick tack. I'll to her. Claud. I thank you, good friend Lucio. Lucio. Within two hours. Claud. Come, officer, away. SCENE VII. A Monaftery. Enter Duke, and Friar Thomas. [Exeunt. Duke. No; holy father, throw away that thought; Believe not, that the dribbling dart of love Can pierce a compleat bofom: why I defire thee To give me fecret harbour, hath a purpose More grave, and wrinkled, than the aims and ends Of burning youth. Fri. May your Grace fpeak of it? Duke. My holy Sir, none better knows than you, How I have ever lov'd the life remov'd; And held in idle price to haunt affemblies, (A man of strict ure and firm abstinence) Duke We have ftrict ftatutes and most biting laws, (The needful bits and curbs for headftrong fteeds), Which for thefe nineteen years we have let fleep; Even like an o'ergrown lion in a cave, That goes not out to prey: now, as fond fathers For terror, not to use; in time the rod Becomes more mock'd, than fear'd: fo our decrees, Fri. It refled in your Grace T'unlofe this ty'd-up juftice, when you pleas'd: Duke. I do fear, too dreadful. Sith 'twas my fault to give the people scope, And not the punishment. Therefore, indeed, my fa- [ther, in th' ambush of my name ftrike home, And yet my nature never in the fight Who may To do in flander: and, to behold his fway, I will, as 'twere a brother of your order, Vifit both prince and people; therefore, pr'ythee, Like a true friar. More reafons for this action you; Only, this one:Lord Angelo is precife ; "Stands at a guard with envy; fcarce confeffes "That his blood flows, or that his appetite "Is more to bread than stone: hence fhall we fee, If pow'r change purpose, what our feemers be. [Exe. SCENE VIII. A nunnery. Enter Ifabella and Francifca. Ifab. And have your nuns no further privileges? Ifab. Yes, truly; I fpeak not as defiring more; Nun. It is a man's voice: gentle Ifabella, Turn you the key, and know his bufinefs of him; When you have vow'd, you must not speak with men, But in the presence of the Prioress: Then, if you fpeak, you must not fhew your face; VOL.I. LI He He calls again; I pray you answer him. [Exit Fran. Ifab. Peace and profperity! who is't that calls? Enter Lucio. Lucio. Hail, virgin, (if you be), as those cheek-rofes A novice of this place, and the fair fifter Ifab. Why her unhappy brother? let me ask I am that Ifabella, and his fifter. Lucio. Gentle and fair, your brother kindly greets Not to be weary with you, he's in prison. Ifab. Wo me! for what? [you; Lucio. For that, which, if myself might be his judge, He fhould receive his punishment in thanks; He hath got his friend with child. Ifab. Sir, make me not your ftory. Lucio. 'Tis true:-I would not (tho' 'tis my familiar fin With maids to feem the lapwing, and to jeft, As with a faint. Ifab. You do blafpheme the good, in mocking me. Lucio. Do not believe it. Fewness and truth, 'tis thus. Your brother and his lover having embrace'd; As those that feed, grow full; as bloffoming time That from the feedness the bare fallow brings To teeming foyfon; fo her plenteous womb Expreffeth his full tilth and husbandry. Ifab. Some one with child by him? Juliet ? Lucio. Is fhe your cousin ? -my coufin Ifab. Adoptedly, as fchool-maids change their names, By vain, tho' apt, affection. The lapwing flies fo low, and fo near the paffenger, that he thinks he has it, and then is fuddenly gone again. Hence it is ufed as a proverbial expreffion to fignify a lover's falfehood. Lucio. She it is. Ifab. O, let him marry her! Lucio. This is the point. The Duke is very strangely gone from hence; Governs Lord Angelo; a man whose blood Ifab. Doth he fo Seek for his life? Lucio. H'as cenfur'd him already; And, as I hear, the Provost hath a warrant Ifab. Alas! what poor Ability's in me, to do him good? And make us lofe the good we oft might win, As they themselves would owe them. Ifab. I'll fee what I can do. L 12 Lucie. Lucio. But, fpeedily. Ifab. I will about it ftrait; No longer staying. but to give the mother [Exeunt. Enter Angelo, Efcalus, a Juftice, and attendants. Ang. W E must not make a scarecrow of the law, Setting it up to fear the birds of prey, And let it keep one fhape, till custom make it Their pearch, and not their terror. Efcal. Ay, but yet Let us be keen, and rather cut a little, Than fall, and bruise to death Alas! this gentleman, Whom I would fave, had a most noble father: Let but your Honour know, Whom I believe to be most strait in virtue, That, in the working of your own affections, Had time coher'd with place, or place with wishing, Or that the refolute acting of your blood Could have attain'd th' effect of your own purpose ; Err'd in this point, which now you cenfure him, Ang. ' is one thing to be tempted, Escalus, The jury, paffing on the prifoner's life, May in the fworn twelve have a thief or two, Guiltier than him they try; what's open made to justice, That juftice feizes on. that know the laws, That thieves do pafs on thieves? 'tis very pregnant, The jewel that we find, we ftoop and take't, Because we fee it but what we do not fee, : We tread upon, and never think of it. You |