Then, if you speak, you must not show your face; [Exit. FRANCISCA. Isab. Peace and prosperity! Who is't that calls? Enter LUCIO. 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." 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, make me not your story.] Do not make a jest of me.-RITSON. 8 Tongue far from heart,-] The old proverb is, The lapwing cries tongue far from heart,-i. e. the farther she is from her nest.-The following passage in Lilly's Campaspe may illustrate the words.-Alex. "You resemble the lapwing, who crieth most where her nest is not; and so, to lead me from espying your love to Campaspe, you cry Timoclea."-GREY. h blossoming time,] The time when the ears of corn are formed-seedness, seedtime--foison, plenty, here used in the sense of harvest. 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? 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. Governs lord Angelo: a man, whose blood Lucio. -tilth-] Tillage. Bore many gentlemen, Has censured him In hand, and hope of action:] To bear in hand is a common phrase for to keep in expectation and dependance.-JOHNSON. 1 to give fear to use and liberty,] To intimidate the common practice and licentiousness. 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, Isab. My power! Alas! I doubt,— And make us lose the good we oft might win, By fearing to attempt: Go to lord Angelo, As they themselves would owe them. Lucio. But, speedily. Isab. I will about it straight; Good sir, adieu. [Exeunt. ACT II. SCENE I-A Hall in Angelo's House. Enter ANGELO, ESCALUS, a Justice, Provost," Officers, and other Attendants. Ang. 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 Their perch, and not their terror. Escal. Ay, but yet Let us be keen, and rather cut a little, Than fall, and bruise to death: Alas! this gentleman owe]-in this place is have. Provost,] The Provost here, is not a military officer, but a kind of sheriff or goaler, so called in foreign countries.-Douce. Whom I would save, had a most noble father. (Whom I believe to be most strait in virtue,) Could have attain'd the effect of your own purpose, Err'd in this point which now you censure him, Ang. 'Tis one thing to be tempted, Escalus, The jury, passing on the prisoner's life, Guiltier than him they try: What's open made to justice, That thieves do pass on thieves? 'Tis very pregnant," For I have had such faults; but rather tell me, Where is the provost? Prov. Here, if it like your honour. See that Claudio Be executed by nine to-morrow morning : Bring him his confessor, let him be prepar'd; [Exit Provost. 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; And some condemned for a fault alone. P —— censure him,] Mr. Steevens proposes to read censure him for. г pass-] Pass sentence on. pregnant,] Evident. -run from brakes of vice, and answer none,] i. e. Escape from the thorny 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 abuses 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 villians 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? Clo. He cannot, sir; he's out at elbow. Ang. What are you, sir? Elb. He, sir? a tapster, sir; parcel-bawd; one that serves a bad woman; whose house, sir, was, as they say, pluck'd down in the suburbs; and now she professes a hot-house, which, I think, is a very ill house too. t Escal. How know you that? Elb. My wife sir, whom I detest before heaven and your honour, Escal. How! thy wife? Elb. Ay, sir: whom, I thank heaven, is an honest woman, Escal. Dost thou detest her therefore? Elb. I say, sir, I will detest myself also, as well as she, ways of vice and are never called to any account-brake is used in this sense in Henry the Eighth. 'Tis but the fate of place and the rough brake That virtue must go through." brake meaning in both places a difficult pass through briars. t--a hot house,] A house for hot-baths. They were always in bad repute.-Minshew renders hot house by vaporarium.-NARES's Glossary. |