Having bound up the threat'ning twigs of birch, Becomes more mock'd, than fear'd : so our decrees, And liberty plucks justice by the nose; Fri. It rested in your grace To unloose this tied-up justice, 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 father, Who may, in the ambush of my name, strike home, To do it slander: And to behold his sway, I will, as 'twere a brother of your order, Visit both prince and people: therefore, I pr'ythee, Like a true friar. More reasons for this action, Is more to bread than stone: Hence shall we see, SCENE V. [Exe. A Nunnery. Enter ISABELLA and FRANCISCA. Isab. Yes, truly: I speak not as desiring more; Fran. It is a man's voice: Gentle Isabella, Turn you the key, and know his business of him ; When you have vow'd, you must not speak with men, Then, if you speak, you must not show your face; Lucio. Hail, virgin, if you be; as those cheek roses 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. Lucio. Gentle and fair,your brother kindly greets you! Not to be weary with you, he's in prison. Isab. Woe me! For what? Lucio. For that, which, if myself might be his judge, He should receive his punishment in thanks : He hath got his friend with child. Isab. Sir, make me not your story. Lucio. It is true. I would not, though 'tis my familiar sin By your renouncement, an immortal spirit ; As with a saint. Isab. You do blaspheme the good, in mocking me. Lucio. Do not believe it. Fewness and truth, 'tis thus: Your brother and his lover have embrac'd : As those that feed grow full; as blossoming time, [9] It is a quality of the lapwing, that is here alluded to, perpetually to fly so low and so near the passenger, that he thinks he has it, and then is suddenly gone again. This made it a proverbial expression to signify a lover's falsehood; and it seems to be a very old one. WARBURTON. [1] i.e. Be assured, I would not mock you. So afterwards: "Do not believe it:" i.e. Do not suppose that I would mock you. MALONE. Expresseth his full tilth and husbandry. Isab. Some one with child by him?-My cousin Juliet? Lucio. Is she your cousin? Isab. Adoptedly; as school-maids change their names, By vain though apt affection. Lucio. She it is. Isab. O, let him marry her! The duke is very strangely gone from hence; In hand, and hope of action: but we do learn, Governs lord Angelo; a man, whose blood Of business 'twixt you and your poor brother. Lucio. Has censur'd him Already; and, as I hear, the provost hath Isab. Alas! what poor ability's in me 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, Men give like gods; but when they weep and kneel, All their petitions are as freely theirs 28* VOL. I. As they themselves would owe them. Lucio. But, speedily. Isab. I will about it straight; No longer staying but to give the mother* ACT II. [Exeunt. SCENE I-A Hall in ANGELO's House. Enter ANGELO, ESCALUS, a Justice, Provost, Officers, and other Attendants. Angelo. WE must not make a scare-crow of the law, Setting it up to fear 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 fall, and bruise to death: Alas! this gentleman, Whom I would save, 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, Could have attained the effect of your own purpose, Err'd in this point which now you censure him, And pull'd the law upon you. Ang. 'Tis one thing to be tempted, Escalus, Another thing to fall. I not deny, The jury, passing on the prisoner's life, May in the sworn twelve have a thief or two Guiltier than him they try: What's open made to justice, That justice seizes. What know the laws, That theives do pass on thieves? 'Tis very pregnant, The jewel that we find, we stoop and take it, [2] The abbess, or prioress. JOHNSON. Because we see it ;3 but what we do not see, For I have had such faults ;4 but rather tell me, Let mine own judgment pattern out my death, Pro. Here, if it like your honour. Be executed by nine to-morrow morning : Bring him his confessor, let him be prepar'd ; [Exit Prov. Escal. Well, heaven forgive him! and forgive us all! Some rise by sin, and some by virtue fall: Some run from brakes of vice, and answer none; Enter ELBOW, FROTH, Clown, Officers, &c. Elb. Come, bring them away: if these be good people in a common-weal, that do nothing but use their abuse in common houses, I know no law; bring them away. Ang. How now, sir! What's your name? and what's the matter? Elb. If it please your honour, I am the poor duke's constable, and my name is Elbow; I do lean upon justice, sir, and do bring in here before your good honour two notorious benefactors. Ang. Benefactors? Well; what benefactors are they? are they not malefactors? Elb. If it please your honour, I know not well what they are: but precise villains they are, that I am sure of; and void of all profanation in the world, that good christians ought to have. Escal. This comes off well; here's a wise officer. Ang. Go to What quality are they of? Elbow is your name? Why dost thou not speak, Elbow ? Clown. He cannot, sir; he's out at elbow. Ang. What are you, sir? Elb. He, sir? a tapster, sir; parcel-bawd; one that [3] 'Tis plain that we must act with bad, as with good; we punish the faults, as we take the advantages that lie in our way, and what we do not see we cannot note. JOHNSON. [4] i.e. because, by reason that I have had such faults. JOHNSON. |