Or, if you show your face, you must not speak. 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 Isab. Why her unhappy brother? let me ask; Lucio. Gentle and fair, your brother kindly greets you: Not to be weary with you, he's in prison. Lucio. For that, which, if myself might be his judge, Isab. Sir, mock me not:-your story 1. Lucio. 'Tis true, I would not,-though 'tis my familiar sin With maids to seem the lapwing2, and to jest, 1 The old copy reads: 'Sir, make me not your story.' The emendation is Mr. Malone's. 2 This bird is said to draw pursuers from her nest by crying in other places. This was formerly the subject of a proverb, The lapwing cries most, farthest from her nest,' i. e. tongue far from heart: So, in The Comedy of Errors: Adr. Far from her nest the lapwing cries away; My heart prays for him, though my tongue do curse.' And to be talked with in sincerity, As with a saint. Isab. You do blaspheme the good, in mocking me. Lucio. Do not believe it. Fewness and truth 3, 'tis thus: Your brother and his lover4 have embrac'd: As those that feed grow full; as blossoming time, Isab. Some one with child by him?-My cousin Lucio. Is she your cousin? Isab. Adoptedly; as school-maids change their names, By vain though apt affection. Lucio. Isab. O let him marry her! She it is. Lucio. 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 line 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; 3 Fewness and truth, in few and true words. 4 i, e. his mistress. 5 Teeming foison is abundant produce. 6 Tilth is tillage. So in Shakspeare's third Sonnet: 7 Full line, extent. 8 But doth rebate and blunt his natural edge Which have, for long, run by the hideous law, Isab. Doth he so seek his life? Lucio. prayer Has censur'd 11 him Already; and, as I hear, the provost hath A warrant for his execution. Isab. Alas! what poor ability's in me To do him good? Lucio. Assay the power you have. Our doubts are traitors, And make us lose the good we oft might win, As they themselves would owe 12 them. 8 To rebate is to make dull: Aciem ferri hebetare.-Baret. 9 i. e. to intimidate use, or practices long countenanced by custom. 10 i. e. power of gaining favour. 11 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.' 12 To owe is to have, to possess. But speedily. Isab. I'll see what I can do. Isab. I will about it straight; Isab. Good sir, adieu. [Exeunt. ACT II. SCENE I. A Hall in Angelo's House. Enter ANGELO, ESCALUS, a Justice, Provost1, Officers, and other Attendants. Ang. We must not make a scare-crow of the law, Setting it up to fear 2 the birds of prey, And let it keep one shape, till custom make it Escal. Ay, but yet Let us be keen, and rather cut a little, Than fall3, and bruise to death: Alas! this gentleman, Whom I would save, had a most noble father, Let but your honour know 4, (Whom I believe to be most strait in virtue), 13 i. e. the abbess. 1 A kind of sheriff or jailer, so called in foreign countries. 2 To fear is to affright. 3 i. e. throw down; to fall a tree is still used for to fell it. 4 i. e. examine. 5 i. e. suited. Could have attain'd the effect of your own purpose, Ang. Tis one thing to be tempted, Escalus, The jury, passing on the prisoner's life, That justice seizes. What know the laws, That thieves do pass7 on thieves? "Tis very pregnant, Where is the provost? Prov. Here, if it like your honour. See that Claudio Be executed by nine to-morrow morning: [Exit Provost. Escal. Well,heaven forgive him; and forgive us all! : 6 To complete the sense of this line for seems to be required :— ' which now you censure him for.' But Shakspeare frequently uses eliptical expressions. 7 An old forensic term, signifying to pass judgment, or sentence. 8 Full of force or conviction, or full of proof in itself. So, in Othello, Act ii. Sc. 1, As it is a most pregnant and unforc'd position.' 9 i. e. cause I have had such faults. |