in the thanksgiving before meat, do relish the petition well that prays for peace.

2 Gent. I never heard any foldier difl ke it.

Lucio. I believe thee: for, I think, thou never waft where grace was faid,

2. Gent. No? a dozen times at least.

1 Gent. What? in meeter?

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

Lucio. Ay, why not? grace is grace, defpight of all controverfy; as for example, thou chyfelf art a wicked villain, defpight of all grace.

1 Gent. Well; there went but a pair of theers be

tween us.

Lucio. I grant; as there may between the lifts and the velvet. Thou art the lift.

1 Gent. And thou the velvet; thou art good velvet s thou'st 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 fpeak feelingly

now ?

Lucio. I think thou dost; and, indeed, with most paintel feeling of thy fpeech I will, out of thine own confeffion, learn to begin thy health; but, whilft I live, forget to drink after thee.

i Gent. I think, I have done myfelf wrong, have I

not ?

2 Gent. Yes, that thou haft; whether thou art tainted, or free.

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

2 Gent. To what, I pray?

1 Gent. Judge.

2 Gent. To three thousand dollars a year.

1 Gent. Av, and more.

Lucio. A French crown more. (3)

I Gent.

(3) A French crown more.] Lucio means here not the piece of money fo call'd, but that venerial fcab which among the furgeons iz

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

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

Enter Bawd.

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

Bawd. Well, well; there's one yonder arrefted, and carry'd to prifon, was worth five thousand of you all. 1 Gen. Who's that, I pr'ythee?

Bawd. Marry, Sir, that's Claudio; Signior Claudio. 1 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 thefe 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 promis'd to meet me two hours fince, and he was ever precife in promife-keeping

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

1 Gent. But most of all agreeing with the procla

mation.

Lucio. Away, let's go learn the truth of it.

[Ext.

fil'd corona veneris. To this, I think, our Author likewife makes Quince allude in Midfummer-Night's Dream.

Some of your French crowns have no hair at all, and then you will play bare-faced.

As Ben Johnson does likewife in Cynthia's Revels.

Afot. I, Sir, I'll affure you, 'tis a beaver. It coft me eight

Crowns but this morning.

Amo. After your French account?

Afot. Yes, Sir.

Cri. And fo near his head ›— Beshrew me, dangerous.

For where these eruptions are, the skull is carious, and the party becomes bald.

Manet

Manet Bawd.

Bard. Thus, what with the war, what with the fweat, what with the gallows, and what with poverty, I am cuftom-shrunk. How now? what's the news with you?

Enter Clown.

Clown. Yonder man is carry'd to prifon.
Bawd. Well; what has he done?

Clorun. 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 houfes in the fuburbs of Vienna muft be pluck'd down.

Bawd. And what shall become of thofe 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 fhall all our houfes of refort in the fuburbs be pull'd down?

Clown. To the ground, miftrefs.

Bawd. Why, here's a change, indeed, in the common wealth; 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 tápfter fill. 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 Taffter? let's with draw.

Clown. Here comes Signior Claudio, led by the Provoft to prifon; and there's madam Juliet.

[Exe. Bawd and Clown.

VOL. I.

Enter

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

Claud. Fellow, why doft thou fhow me thus to th’` world?

Bear me to prifon, 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
The words of heaven; 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 faft, So every fcope by the immod'rate use Turns to restraint: our natures do pursue, Like rats that ravin down their proper bane, A thirsty evil; and when we drink, we die.

Lucio. If I could fpeak 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. No.

Lucio. Letchery ?

Claud. Call it fo.

Prov. Away, Sir, you muft go.

Claud. One word, good friend :-Lucio, a word with you.

Lucio. A hundred; if they'll do you any good is letchery 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

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 most mutual entertainment,
With character too grofs, is writ on Juliet.
Lucio. With child, perhaps?

Claud. Unhappily, even to.
And the new deputy now for the Duke,
(Whether it be the fault, and glimpfe, of newness
Or whether that the body public be

A horfe whereon the governor doth ride,
Who, newly in the feat, that it may know
He can command, lets it ftrait feel the fpur;
Whether the tyranny be in his place,
Or in his eminence that fills it up,
Iftagger in:)-but this new governor
Awakes me all th' enrolled penalties,

Which have, like unicour'd armour, hung by th' wall
So long, that nineteen zodiacks have gone round, (4)
And none of them been worn; and, for a name,
Now puts the drowsy and neglected act

Freshly on me; 'tis, furely, for a name.

Lucio. I warrant, it is; and thy head ftands fo tickle on thy fhoulders, that a milk-maid, if he be 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 fervice;
This day my fifter fhould the cloister enter,
And there receive her approbation.
Acquaint her with the danger of my state,
Implore her, in my voice, that the make friends

(4) So long, that nineteen Zodiacks have gone round.] The Duke, in the Scene immediately following, fays,

Which for these fourteen years we have let flip,

The Author could not fo disagree with himfelf, in fo narrow a compafs. The numbers must have been wrote in figures, and fo miftaken: for which reafon, 'tis neceffary to make the two accounts correfpond.

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