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 speak so wisely under an arrest, I would send 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 it? Murder?

Claud. No.

Prov. Away, sir; you must go.

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

Lucio. A hundred, if they will do you any good. Claud. Thus stands it with me :-Upon a true con

tract,

I got possession of Julietta's bed;

You know the lady; she is fast my wife,

Save that we do the denunciation lack
Of outward order: this we came not to,
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 stealth of our most mutual entertainment,
With character too gross, is writ on Juliet.
Lucio. With child, perhaps?

Claud. Unhappily, even so;

And the new deputy now for the duke
Awakes me all the enrolled penalties,

Which have, like unscour'd armour, hung by the wall
So long, that fourteen zodiacks have gone round,
And none of them been worn: and, for a name,
Now puts the drowsy and neglected act

Freshly on me :-'t is, surely, for a name.

Lucio. I warrant, it is: and thy head stands so tickle on thy shoulders, that a milk-maid, if she be in love, may sigh it off.

Claud. I pr'ythee, Lucio, do me this kind service:
This day my sister should the cloister enter,
And there receive her approbation:

Acquaint her with the danger of my state;
Implore her, in my voice, that she make friends
To the strict deputy; bid herself assay him;
I have great hope in that: for in her youth
There is a prone and speechless dialect,

Such as moves men; beside, she hath prosperous art
When she will play with reason and discourse,
And well she can persuade.

Lucio. I pray, she may as well for the encouragement of the like, as for the enjoying of thy life, who I would be sorry should be thus foolishly lost at a game of ticktack. I'll to her.

Claud. I thank you, good friend Lucio.
Lucio, Within two hours,-

Claud. Come, officer, away.

[Exeunt Provost, CLAUDIO, FREDERICK, LEOPOLD, the two Apparitors,-and Lucio.

SCENE IV.

A Nunnery.

Enter ISABELLA, and FRANCISCA.

Isab. And have you nuns no further privileges?
Fran. Are not these large enough?

Isab. Yes, truely: I speak not as desiring more;
But rather wishing a more strict restraint

Upon the sisterhood.

[LUCIO without.]

Lucio. (Ringing without.) Ho! Peace be in this

place!

Isab. Who's that which calls?

Fran. It is a man's voice: Gentle Isabella,

Turn you the key, and know his business of him;
You may, I may not; you are yet unsworn:

When you have vow'd, you must not speak with

men,

But in the presence of the prioress.

Lucio. (Ringing without.) Peace be in this place! Ho!

Fran. He calls again; I pray you, answer him.

[Exit FRANCISCA. Isab. Who is 't that calls? [Opens the door.]

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

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. 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!

Lucio. This is the point.

The duke is very strangely gone from hence;

Upon his place,

And with full line of his authority,

Governs lord Angelo; a man, whose blood

Is very snow-broth;

He hath pick'd out an act,

Under whose heavy sense your brother's life

Falls into forfeit; he arrests him on it;
And follows close the rigour of the statute,
To make him an example: all hope is gone,
Unless you have the grace by your fair prayer
To soften Angelo :-And that's my pith
Of business 'twixt you and your poor brother.
Isab. Doth he so seek his life?

Lucio. Has censur'd 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.
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

As they themselves would owe them.
Isab. I'll see what I can do.
Lucio. But, speedily.

Isab. I will about it straight;

No longer staying but to give the mother
Notice of my affair. I humbly thank you :
Commend me to my brother: soon at night
I'll send him certain word of my success.
Lucio. I take my leave of you.

Isab. Good sir, adieu."

[Exeunt ISABELLA, and LUCIO.

END OF ACT I.

ACT II.

SCENE I.

Angelo's House.

Enter ESCALUS, ANGELO, and Provost.

Ang. We must not make a scarecrow 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, Whom I would save, had a most noble father.

Let but your honour know,

(Whom I believe to be most strait in virtue,)

Had time coher'd with place, or place with wishing,
Whether you had not sometime in your life
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.

You may not so extenuate his offence,

For I have had such faults; but rather tell me,
When I, that censure him, do so offend,

Let mine own judgement pattern out my death,
And nothing come in partial. Sir, he must die.
Escal. Be it as your wisdom will.
Ang. Where is the provost ?

Prov. Here, if it like your honour.
Ang. See that Claudio

Be executed by nine to-morrow morning:

Bring him his confessor, let him be prepar'd;

For that's the utmost of his pilgrimage.

Escal. Well, heaven forgive him! and forgive us

all!

[Exit ESCALUS.