Sil. Had I been seized by a hungry lion, I would have been a breakfast to the beast, Rather than have false Proteus rescue me. O, heaven be judge, how I love Valentine, Whose life's as tender to me as my soul; And full as much (for more there cannot be,) I do detest false perjur'd Proteus : Therefore be gone, solicit me no more.

Pro. What dangerous action, stood it next to death,

Would I not undergo for one calm look?
O, 'tis the curse in love, and still approv'd,
When women cannot love where they're belov'd.
Sil. When Proteus cannot love where he's be-
lov'd.

Read over Julia's heart, thy first best love,
For whose dear sake thou didst then rend thy
faith

Into a thousand oaths; and all those oaths Descended into perjury, to love me. [two, Thou hast no faith left now, unless thou hadst And that's far worse than none; better have

Who should be trusted now, when one's right
Is perjur'd to the bosom? Proteus, [hand
I am sorry, I must never trust thee more,
But count the world a stranger for thy sake.
The private wound is deepest: O time, most
curst!

'Mongst all foes, that a friend should be the worst!

Pro. My shame and guilt confounds me.-
Forgive me, Valentine: if hearty sorrow
Be a sufficient ransom for offence,

I tender it here; I do as truly suffer,
As e'er I did commit.

Val. Then I am paid;

And once again I do receive thee honest:-
Who by repentance is not satisfied, [pleas'd;
Is nor of heaven, nor earth; for these are
By penitence the Eternal's wrath's appeas'd:-
And, that my love may appear plain and free,
All that was mine in Silvia, I give thee.
Jul. O me, unhappy!
Pro. Look to the boy.

[Faints.

Val. Why, boy! why wag! how now? what is the matter?

Look up; speak.

Jul. O good Sir, my master charg'd me To deliver a ring to madam Silvia; Which, out of my neglect was never done. Pro. Where is that ring, boy?

+ Felt, experienced.

[Gives a ring.

Jul. Here 'tis: this is it. Pro. How! let me see: Why this is the ring I gave to Julia. Jul. O, cry your mercy, Sir, I have mistook; This is the ring you sent to Silvia.

[Shows another ring. Pro. But, how cam'st thou by this ring? at my depart,

I gave this unto Julia.

Jul. And Julia herself did give it me; And Julia herself hath brought it hither. Pro. How! Julia!

Jul. Behold her that gave aim to all thy

oaths,

And entertain'd them deeply in her heart:
How oft hast thou with perjury cleft the root?t
O Proteus, let this habit make thee blush!
Be thou asham'd, that I have took upon me
Such an immodest raiment; if shame live
In a disguise of love:

It is the lesser blot, modesty finds, [minds.
Women to change their shapes, than men their
Pro. Than men their minds? 'tis true: O
heaven! were man

But constant, he were perfect: that one crror Fills him with faults; makes him run through all sins:

Inconstancy falls off, ere it begins:
What is in Silvia's face, but I may spy
More fresh in Julia's with a constant eye?

Val. Come, come, a hand from either:
Let me be blest to make this happy close?
Twere pity two such friends should be long foes.
Pro. Bear witness, heaven, I have my wish
for ever.

Jul. And I have mine.

Enter OUTLAWS, with DUKE and THURIO. Out. A prize, a prize, a prize!!

Val. Forbear, I say; it is my lord the duke. Your grace is welcome to a man disgrac'd, Banish'd Valentine.

Duke. Sir Valentine!

Thu. Yonder is Silvia; and Silvia's mine. Val. Thurio give back, or else embrace thy death;

Come not within the measure of my wrath:
Do not name Silvia thine; if once again,
Milan shall not behold thee. Here she stands,
Take but possession of her with a touch ;-
I dare thee but to breathe upon my love.-

Thu. Sir Valentine, I care not for her, I;
I hold him but a fool, that will endanger
His body for a girl that loves him not:
I claim her not, and therefore she is thine.

Duke. The more degenerate and base art thou,
To make such means for her as thou hast done,
And leave her on such slight conditions.-
Now, by the honour of my ancestry,
I do applaud thy spirit, Valentine,
And think thee worthy of an empress' love.
Know then, I here forget all former griefs,
Cancel all grudge, repeal thee home again.-
Plead a new state in thy unrivall'd merit,
To which I thus subscribe,-Sir Valentine,
Thou art a gentleman, and well deriv'd;
Take thou thy Silvia, for thou hast deserv'd her.
Val. I thank your grace; the gift hath made

me happy.

I now beseech you, for your daughter's sake, To grant one boon that I shall ask of you.

Duke. I grant it, for thine own, whate'er it

be.

Are men endued with worthy qualities;
Forgive them what they have committed here,
And let them be recall'd from their exile:
They are reformed, civil, full of good,
And fit for great employment, worthy lord.
Duke. Thou hast prevail'd: I pardon them,
and thee;

Dispose of them, as thou know'st their deserts.
Come, let us go; we will include all jars
With triumphs, mirth, and rare solemnity.
Val. And, as we walk along, I dare be bold
With our discourse to make your grace to
smile:
+ Masks, revela.

* Conclude.

What think you of this page, my lord?
Duke. I think the boy hath grace in him; he

blushes.

Val. I warrant you, my lord; more grace than boy.

Duke. What mean you by that saying?
Val. Please you, I'll tell you as we pass
along,

That you will wonder what hath fortuned.-
Come, Proteus; 'tis your penance, but to hear
The story of your loves discovered:
That done, our day of marriage shall be yours;
One feast, one house, one mutual happiness.
[Exeunt,

ACT I.

SCENE I.-An Apartment in the DUKE'S
Palace.

Enter DUKE, ESCALUS, Lords, and Attendants.
Duke. Escalus,-
Escal. My lord.

Duke. Of government the properties to unfold, [course; Would seem in me to affect speech and disSince I am put to know, that your own science, Exceeds, in that, the lists of all advice My strength can give you: Then no more remains

[able,
But that to your sufficiency, as your worth is
And let them work. The nature of our people,
Our city's institutions, and the terms
For common justice, you are as pregnant in,
As art and practice hath enriched any
That we remember: There is our commission,
From which we would not have you warp.-
Call hither,

I say, bid come before us Angelo.-
[Exit an Attendant.
What figure of us think you he will bear?
For you must know, we have with special soul
Elected him our absence to supply;
Lent him our terror, drest him with our love;
And given his deputation all the organs
Of our own power: What think you of it?
Escal. If any in Vienna be of worth
To undergo such ample grace and honour,
It is lord Angelo.

Are not thine own so proper, as to waste Thyself upon thy virtues, them on thee. Heaven doth with us, as we with torches do; Not light them for themselves: for if our virtues Did not go forth of us, 'twere all alike

As if we had them not. Spirits are not finely touch'd,

But to fine issues: nor nature never lends
The smallest scruple of her excellence,
But, like a thrifty goddess, she determines
Herself the glory of a creditor,
Both thanks and use. But I do bend my speech
To one that can my part in him advertise;
Hold therefore, Angelo;

In our remove, be thou at full ourself;
Mortality and mercy in Vienna
Live in thy tongue and heart: Old Escalus,
Though first in question, is thy secondary:
Take thy commission.

Ang. Now, good my lord,

Let there be some more test made of my metal,
Before so noble and so great a figure
Be stamp'd upon it.

Duke. No more evasion:

We have with a leaven'd and prepared choice
Proceeded to you; therefore take your honours.
Our haste from hence is of so quick condition,
That it prefers itself, and leaves unquestion'd
Matters of needful value. We shall write to you,
As time and our concernings shall impórtune,
How it goes with us; and do look to know
What doth befall you here. So, fare you :
To the hopeful execution do I leave you
Of your commissions.

Ang. Yet, give leave, my lord,
That we may bring you something on the way.
Duke. My haste may not admit it;
Nor need you, on mine honour, have to do
With any scruple: your scopes is as mine own;
So to enforce, or qualify the laws,

As to your soul seems good. Give me your I'll privily away: I love the people,

[hand;

+For high purposes. Extent of power.

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 pronet and speechless dialect,
Such as moves men; besides, she hath prosper-

ous art

When she will play with reason and discourse, And well she can persuade.

Lucio. I pray, she may; as well for the en

comes this restraint?

Claud. From too much liberty, my Lucio,
liberty:

As surfeit is the father of much fast,
So every scope by the immoderate use
Turns to restraint: Our natures do pursue,
(Like rats that ravint 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.

Lucio. Lechery?

Claud. Call it so.

Prov. Away, Sir; you must go. Claud. One word, good friend-Lucio, a word with you. [Takes him aside. Lucio. A hundred, if they'll do you any good. -Is lechery so look'd after? Claud. Thus stands it with me:--Upon a true I got possession of Julietta's bed; contract, 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,Whether it be the fault and glimpse of newness; Or whether that the body public be A horse whereon the governor doth ride, Who, newly in the seat, that it may know He can command, lets it straight feel the spur: Whether the tyranny be in his place, Or in his eminence that fills it up, I stagger in:-But this new governor Awakes me all the enrolled penalties, Which have, like unscour'd armour, hung by the wall

So long, that nineteen zodiacst have gone round, And none of them been worn; and, for a name, Now puts the drowsy and neglected act Freshly on me :-'tis surely, for a name.

Lucio. I warrant, it is: and thy head stands so tickles on thy shoulders, that a milk-maid, if she be in love, may sigh it off. Send after the duke, and appeal to him.

Claud. I have done so, but he's not to be found. * Gaoler. + Voraciously devour.

Yearly circles.

Ticklish.

stand under grievous imposition; 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.

SCENE IV.-A Monastery.

[Exeunt.

you

How I have ever lov'd the life remov'd ;§
And held in idle price to haunt assemblies,
Where youth, and cost, and witless bravery
I have delivered to lord Angelo [keeps.
(A man of stricture,¶ and firm abstinence,)
My absolute power and place here in Vienna,
And he supposes me travell'd to Poland;
For so I have strew'd it in the common ear,
And so it is receiv'd: Now, pious Sir,
You will demand of me, why I do this?
Fri. Gladly, my lord.

Duke. We have strict statutes, and most biting laws, [steeds) (The needful bits and curbs for headstrong Which for these fourteen years we have let sleep;

Even like an o'ergrown lion in a cave,
That goes not out to prey: Now, as fond fathers
Having bound up the threat'ning twigs of birch,
Only to stick it in their children's sight,

For terror, not to use; in time the rod [crees,
Becomes more mock'd, than fear'd: so our de-
Dead to infliction, to themselves are dead;
And liberty plucks justice by the nose;
The baby beats the nurse, and quite athwart
Goes all decorum.

Fri. It rested in your grace [pleas'd:
To unloose this tied-up justice, when you
And it in you more dreadful would have
Than in lord Angelo.
[seem'd,

Duke. I do fear, too dreadful: Sith** 'twas my fault to give the people scope, "Twould be my tyranny to strike, and gall them For what I bid them do: For we bid this be

done,

When evil deeds have their permissive pass, And not the punishment. Therefore, indeed, my father,

[home,

I have on Angelo impos'd the office;
Who may, in the ambush of my name, strike